Month: June 2021

SZA Teases Travis Scott Reunion

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Weeks after TDE singer SZA casually requested her fans to ask Houston rapper Travis Scott if he’d be down to perform her hit single “Love Galore” from her Ctrl era, the job turned out to be a success. Her viral tweet reached Scott very quickly, and from the looks of a teaser she posted to Instagram on Wednesday night, fans will be treated to another live performance of the song.

The track itself is a highlight and favorite among fans of the 30-year-old singer, which features velvety vocals and lyrics about a past relationship that she can’t quite get over. Scott’s verse plays the opposite side of SZA’s story, underscoring the hurt he endured that she never seemed to acknowledge. The song’s music video is a sensual – and ultimately disturbing – reflection of its lyrics and themes.

The interaction that led to the two artists’ reunion occurred in early June when SZA began shooting the virtual performance for “American Express Unstaged.” She likely felt that performing the song without the accompaniment of the Astroworld rapper’s memorable verse wouldn’t have done it justice for the fans, leading to the following tweet exchange.

 

Clearly, Travis wasn’t a fan of the finality implied by SZA’s initial tweet and seemingly invited her to perform it again at his Astroworld Festival that he holds in his hometown of Houston every year. The viral exchange all took place in the public eye because of the singer’s sheer honesty in admitting that she didn’t have his number.

Fans hoping to see this hyped-up performance can check out tickets for the virtual show tonight, which will have 8 p.m. airings in both EST and PST.

WATCH: SZA & Travis Scott – Love Galore

H.E.R. Drops Off “My Own” Ahead Of New Album

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H.E.R. is on the verge of dropping off her expansive new album Back Of My Mind at midnight, featuring guest appearances from Ty Dolla $ign, Cordae, Lil Baby, KAYTRANADA, Thundercat, Chris Brown, Yung Bleu, DJ Khaled, Bryson Tiller, and YG. Ahead of the big release, the melodist has delivered a new single “My Own,” a laid-back and vibey track from the Grammy-winning talent.

“I don’t wanna work for somethin’ knowin’ it ain’t worth it,” she sings, her vocals floating over the understated production. “Oh, comin’, you know it was comin’ / You should know that I don’t act like that without a purpose.” What’s most impressive throughout is the restraint, as both H.E.R and beatmakers Scribz Riley & GRADES never succumb to the temptation of going big. As such, “My Own” remains an introspective slow-burner throughout, allowing H.E.R’s vocal performance and lyrics to be the song’s driving force. 

Check out “My Own” now, and stay tuned for the entire album to drop at midnight. Will you be tuning in?

QUOTABLE LYRICS

Don’t mind me, ’cause it ain’t about you 
People need space and that’s oh so true 
Know it’s okay if you can’t come through
I’m savin’ your place and it’s all for you, oh

Rick Carlisle Steps Down From Mavs Head Coach Job

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Earlier this week, it was reported that Luka Doncic and various other Dallas Mavericks players were fed up with Rick Carlisle and that they were upset with some of the things that were happening in the front office. While team owner Mark Cuban was quick to push back against these claims, it seemed as though the writing was on the wall in Dallas. With the team looking to push further in the playoffs, Carlisle was starting to wear thin in the locker room, and today, the story reached its climax.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Carlisle stepped down as the head coach of the team, despite still having two years left on his contract. This news came as a bit of a shock to some in the basketball world, although the Mavs will now have to act quickly. While Cuban is upset with the decision, it seems like Doncic already has a new head coach in mind.

“I truly love Rick Carlisle. He was not only a good coach but also a friend and a confidant. Our relationship was so much more than basketball. And I know that won’t ever change,” Cuban said.

Doncic has the ability to sign a supermax extension in the offseason and if he doesn’t do it, there could be an even bigger storm brewing in Dallas. With Carlisle gone, perhaps Doncic will be more inclined to commit five more years of his future to the team that drafted him.

Rick Carlisle

Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images

Exclusive: Jim Jones Has A Summer Banger On Deck

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New York rapper Yung Cassius is doing big things to make sure the summertime weather stays blazing hot. The hip-hop artist chopped it up with the SOHH Squad this week to dish on his must-see “Brand New” music video but during the conversation he let loose a huge announcement involving Dipset’s Jim Jones. Cassius didn’t […]

The post Exclusive: Jim Jones Has A Summer Banger On Deck appeared first on SOHH.com.

Morray Prays For Forgiveness Of His ‘Mistakes’ In His Reflective New Video

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It’s a big week for XXL Freshman. After the long-running hip-hop bible announced its annual list yesterday, a number of its participants capitalized on the moment to drop new music or videos. Coi Leray popped up in Earthgang’s “Options” remix video yesterday, DDG shared his “Hood Melody” video today, and Morray, who rose to prominence behind his song “Quicksand” and subsequent appearance on J. Cole’s “My Life” with 21 Savage, put out the video for “Mistakes” from his debut mixtape Street Sermons.

In the video, the Fayetteville native visits a church confessional booth to croon about his rags to riches tale, as well as showing off some dance moves in a separate performance scene and watching a private screening of protest footage in a trap house with a butler and gourmet dinner. The elegant dining situation is contrasted in a side-by-side shot of his old table setting in a shot reminiscent of fellow North Carolinian Toosii’s recently released “What It Cost” video.

While “Quicksand” was Morray’s breakout hit and his notoriety increased thanks to his placement on J. Cole’s album The Off-Season, the rising star has also drawn attention for his videos for “Trenches” and “Nothing Now.”

Watch Morray’s “MIstakes” video above.

Queen Naija Details The Struggles She Faced Transitioning From YouTube To Music

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With a top-10 album and multiple singles that have topped the R&B charts, Queen Naija is a star. There was a point not too long ago, though, where she was a YouTuber facing struggles while trying to make music work as her primary vocation. She speaks about that part of her life in the newest Backstage episode.

Opening up about how public perception of her was an issue initially, Naija reveals she had doubters who didn’t think she was capable of doing more than YouTube.

“My name is Queen. I look at my name as royal, I look at myself as powerful,” she says in the clip. “But as soon as you start to get a name for yourself, people dig up dirt about you. Saying very cruel things: I’m not built for the industry life, I need to get media training, I need to talk better.” Thankfully, she has found herself more and more able to deal with critics, saying, “In this industry, you can’t care about what people think, and it’s hard for me. I literally want everybody in the whole world to like me, but the truth is they won’t, and that’s something I’ve had to overcome.”

Naija has certainly persevered through a lot and proven she is able to adapt to different situations: Shortly after signing a record deal, she toured in support of her self-titled 2018 EP while she was eight months pregnant. It’s her level of dedication that is helping Naija make her way to the top.

Naija tells her story best, so watch her do just that in the video above, in which she also talks about scrapping what was originally going to be her debut album.

Cardi B Shows Off Birkin Collection To New Migos Song

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The self-proclaimed Birkin Bag Bardi is back with another reminder that she’s stashed an insane number of the coveted Hermes bags. Cardi B took to the ‘Gram on Tuesday to give an update on her impressive collection of the it-bag.

Cardi placed the new track “Jane” by Migos in the background of the video to support her hubby Offset’s new Culture III release. The video switches frames on beat with the lyrics to the chorus, “She want a Birkin, I told her, ‘Work it.'”

In the video, Cardi poses all over her house in various luxurious outfits coordinated with the rainbow assortment of bags.


Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

This post comes after Cardi’s similar post last week of her singing along to her feature on Culture III, “Type Shit”. The star paired the video with a set of blog-worthy photos to promote the song and hype up the Migos due to her family ties.

Back in October 2020, Cardi showed off the status of her collection while looking back at it in a viral Instagram post. 

Offset most recently gifted his wife a Birkin for Mother’s day, and Cardi has likely added to her collection on her own since then. 

A fan joked in the comments of The Shade Room’s repost of the video saying, “Saweetie has 24 hours to respond.” 

Could this be the start of a new celebrity challenge? 

Check out the video below. 

RJ Payne Drops “Leatherface 3: There Will Be Blood” Ft. Redman, Havoc & More

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Philly emcee RJ Payne has come through to deliver his brand new mixtape Leatherface 3: There Will Be Blood, an unsettling and grimy journey into the depths of the underground. Drawing inspiration from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre films, Payne’s alter ego of Leatherface is a perfect encapsulation of his merciless lyricism.

On this latest twelve-track offering, Payne connects with a solid repertoire of supporting players, including Redman, Havoc, Ras Kass, Inspectah Deck, Flee Lord, Ransom, Vanderslice, and more. The project’s aesthetic is established off the bat, with the Reggie Noble-assisted “Blood Everywhere” putting Payne’s lyrical chops on full display — a pattern that never truly lets up.

Production-wise, Payne tends to favor dark gritty instrumentals, and he makes short work of them with a relentless flow and clever bar-work. There are plenty of punchlines to go around, and fans of lyricism will find much to appreciate throughout There Will Be Blood’s thirty-six-minute runtime. On the subject of vibe, this one captures a similar spirit as the Circle Of Tyrants album did back in 2005, with Payne’s approach and subject matter reminiscent of early Ill Bill. Should you look back on those works fondly, do yourself a favor and queue this one up right now.

For those who have opted to explore Leatherface’s basement, sound off with your favorite tracks and lyrics in the comments below. 

Alexis Skyy Curves Akbar V’s Apology For Coming At Her Special Needs Daughter

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Love & Hip Hop cast members Akbar V and Alexis Skyy got into an altercation while leaving a club, which has continued to play out into a full mess on social media. 

Akbar V took the physical fight to another level by coming for Alexis Skyy’s disabled daughter who had nothing to do with the argument.

Akbar bluntly stated in a video rant, “You got a braindead baby. Your baby ain’t got a f***ing brain, b*tch you got a r*tarded child, and you mentioning my children.” She even took it further by attempting to blame Alexis for her daughter’s condition, suggesting drug use by saying, “While you was pregnant, you was in Miami on a boat snorting powder.”

 
Paras Griffin/Getty Images

Social media did not take Akbar V’s behavior well at all and shamed her for even bringing a child into the drama.

After the backlash, Akbar took to social media to apologize, noting that her behavior was unacceptable. She said that she is willing to change by stating, “I’m going to therapy and really about to heal myself…lay lay I apologize and to any other special needs kids that I offended.” 

Alexis Skyy screenshotted the apology and shared it with the caption, “Apology Not Accepted – Sincerely Alaiya Mother.” Fans applauded Alexis for standing up for her daughter and not tolerating Akbar’s behavior. On a Shade Room post, one fan commented, “Alexis ain’t wrong for her response either … you can’t come back for that or even forgive that.”

With no reconciliation in sight, the costars’ friendship seems to be a thing of the past for now.

Four Years Ago Today, Young Thug Became “Country Billy” On “Family Don’t Matter”

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Every once in a while, one just has to sit back and marvel at the enigma that is Jeffery Lamar Williams, a.k.a. Young Thug. The Young Stoner Life Records head honcho is currently on an awe-inspiring run in which he’s elevated himself and the artists around him to new commercial heights, but just a handful of years ago, Young Thug was one of the most unconventional artists in the music industry.

Coming off the incredible 10-track project Jeffery, Young Thug was in a great position to lean into his momentum and finally drop his debut album, which — at the time — was tentatively titled Hy!£UN35. Instead, Thug shocked the entire Hip-Hop community once again with the surprise release of Beautiful Thugger Girls on June 16, 2017.

Millie Go Lightly and Young Thug perform at Wireless Festival Day 2 at Finsbury Park on July 8, 2017 in London, England.

Four years later, it’s hard to reminisce on the country and R&B-tinged project without landing on the project’s opening track: “Family Don’t Matter.” The Millie Go Lightly-assisted cut was unlike any Young Thug song that fans had previously heard, but even despite all of the twang and country sonics, “Family Don’t Matter” still slapped and made for a great introduction into the one-off world of Beautiful Thugger Girls.

Revisit the intro track to Young Thug’s left-field country project by watching its music video below. How do you think “Family Don’t Matter” and Beautiful Thugger Girls as a whole have held up after four years?

Quotable Lyrics

Country Billy made a couple milli’
Tryna park the Rolls Royce inside the Piccadilly
Oh, he had a couple stripes actually (Of course)
Got another half a milli’ in white tees, of course (Don’t you panic)
Don’t you take this sh*t for granted, don’t you panic
When I put my D in your pants, don’t you panic
When I catch up with your b*tch, you know I’m smashin’