Month: June 2021

Summer Walker & Omarion Hint At New Music Together

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On top of recently getting in the booth with Top Dawg’s SZA, “Girls Need Love” star Summer Walker is already in there again. This time, though, with a different R&B sensation in Omarion. 

Relatively quiet since the release of critically hailed Over It back in 2019, that much can truly only be said from a music standpoint. The singer has often been outspoken on social media, especially last year through the dawn of COVID. Nevertheless, opinions and talent are luckily simple to navigate between, and seeing the three of these work together is bound to lead to good results. 

As far as the other artists are concerned, Omarion recently announced the Millenium Tour with Bow Wow, the Ying Yang Twins, Soulja Boy and what seems to be every beloved, niche favorite from the mid-2000s. 

Somehow, even more exciting than a tour featuring all those nostalgia-inducing names, SZA is set to reveal material from her upcoming album at a virtual music event on July 1. While the album is unnamed, it is set to be released this year, leaving fans in a daze regarding what’s to come. 

But, when it comes to these artists working together, fans on Twitter are beyond excited to see the results to come. Some for different reasons than others, let’s just say. 

While everyone seems pretty excited, that first guy might be a bit disappointed. Which collab are you looking forward to more?

The Kids In Tyler The Creator’s Unhinged ‘Corso’ Video Really Don’t Appreciate The Free Show He Gave Them

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The adventures of Tyler Baudelaire continue in the latest video from Tyler The Creator’s new album, Call Me If You Get Lost. This time, the bawdy, braggadocious alter ego Tyler The Creator is using this album cycle, winds up taking over a child’s birthday party with a loose-limbed live performance backed by DJ Drama in “Corso.”

The video opens with a pair of youngsters stuck outside a restaurant, experiencing bike trouble. Ty’s wicked sense of humor is fully on display here, as these two have very little to do with the goings-on inside, where a children’s birthday party is looking mighty glum. One of the parents begs Tyler to perform a song — thus making his child the “coolest kid in the whole school” — prompting the rapper, bedecked in his suit, shades, and furry hat (fun fact: those are called “Ushanka” hats) to take over the DJ’s table (where Drama is spinning but appreciative), and proceed to deliver an energetic performance, standing on tables and giving his all.

Unfortunately, the kids don’t seem to appreciate it much, watching stone-faced as he expends all his energy, winding up slumped on the floor. Eventually, he gets up, receives profuse thanks from the dad who initially asked him to perform, and the video closes where it began, with the two boys still stuck outside. I don’t know if there’s an overarching narrative to videos like this one, “Lumberjack,” “Juggernaut,” or “Wusyaname,” to say nothing of sketches like “Side Street” and “Brown Sugar Salmon,” but this rollout has offered some fascinating-looking visual components, and the chance to hear T just plain rap again.

Watch Tyler The Creator’s ‘Corso’ video above.

Call Me If You Get Lost is out now via Columbia Records. Get it here.

Lil Baby And Lil Durk Hit The Club In Their Debauched ‘Man Of My Word’ Video

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Lil Baby and Lil Durk’s joint album https://qualitycontrol.lnk.to/TheVoiceoftheHeroes” target=”_blank” title=””>The Voice Of The Heroes debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart, and the dynamic duo is keeping that momentum going into the upcoming autumn touring season with their Back Outside Tour kicking off this September. In addition to that announcement, they’ve opted to share another music video from the album to keep anticipation (and streaming numbers) high, taking over the club in their video for “Man Of My Word.”

The video features all of the two rappers’ favorite things: Fast cars, gigantic stacks of money, and women — this time in the form of the dancers at the gentleman’s club in which the video is set as they make it rain. Meanwhile, the debauchery is intercut with scenes of CGI cars racing through the nighttime streets.

Even as Baby and Durk continue to promote their joint album, they’ve both kept busy on the solo end, as well. Durk recently featured on Polo G’s “No Return” from the young Chicagoan’s third album Hall Of Fame and on the F9 soundtrack single “Fast Lane” with Don Toliver and Latto, while Baby popped up on a soundtrack of his own, offering the Space Jam sequel “We Win” with Kirk Franklin. Among the things he’s won: ASCAP’s 2021 Songwriter Of The Year.

Watch Lil Baby and Lil Durk’s “Man Of My Word” video.

The Voice Of The Heroes is out now on Quality Control Music/Alamo Records/Motown Records. Get it here.

Jay-Z Touts His Playlist Curation Prowess: ‘I Challenge Anyone Out There’

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Although Jay-Z isn’t making much new music these days (aside from some obvious exceptions), he still remains heavily involved in the curation of playlists for the Tidal music platform — even as he sells his majority ownership stake to Square and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. In a recent Twitter spaces town hall about the upcoming deal, he boasted about his playlist prowess, challenging listeners to assemble a better compilation than he can.

“I found so many songs, my playlist game is A++,” he bragged. “I challenge anyone out there. I’m definitely in the top tier of playlist creators.”

Over the past several years, he’s made an effort to prove it, most recently putting together a list celebrating his onetime rival Nas — the only rapper with whom he’s worked in the past year — a 2020 year-end list highlighting the bar-heavy favorites that sustained him in a year of COVID, and the protest-themed “Songs For Survival 2,” which tapped into the rebellious energy of the summer 2020 uprisings against police brutality.

Elsewhere during their chat, Jack and Jay discussed the overlaps in music and Square, and how related tools like CashApp can help artists (as well as being name-checked by them in a rapidly increasing number of songs). “The things that Square and Cash App were doing is pretty much aligned with what one does with their own brand,” Jay noted. “You create a business, take out a small loan, get the things you need to help you be successful and build it out from there. So our conversations just naturally aligned.”

Coi Leray & Pressa Discuss Their Relationship At The BET Awards

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Coi Leray and Pressa stole the show during their red carpet debut at the 2021 BET Awards, Sunday, putting on a show during the run-up to the ceremony. Leray rocked an orange crop top with low-waisted jeans, while Pressa sported white vest-style top and gray pants.

When asked how long the two have been together, Leray kept it vague saying they’ve been “kicking it” and now they’re “public.”

After the public appearance, many users on social media teased Leray for her look, which she responded to on Twitter.

“My body is always trending,” Leray said on Monday. “I don’t understand. Is there a certain way I’m supposed to look? Help me understand. In the Bible is it a Sin to be thin? Help me understand.”

Coi Leray, Pressa
Paras Griffin / Getty Images

Leray was also asked about why she decided to go back and finish her high school degree, despite recently turning 24-years-old.

“I’m that person that always wants more,” she explained. “I want to have my culinary license, my culinary degree.”

Leray and Pressa have been romantically linked for several months now, posting numerous pics on social media together throughout the spring.

Check out Leray and Pressa’s cute red carpet interview below.

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A$AP Rocky Sweeps Rihanna Off Her Feet During NYC Date Night

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Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have been romantically linked to each other since late last year. The couple was rumored to be dating way back in November when they were spotted out together in NYC, fueling dating rumors further when they spent the holidays together in Rihanna’s home country Barbados. 

A$AP Rocky later confirmed in May of this year that he and the Fenty CEO were indeed dating, calling Rih the “love of my life.” They’ve recently been spotted out together in the Big Apple again, smiling wide as they enjoyed each other’s company and packed on the PDA. While out together on another date night in the city, Rocky quite literally swept the beauty mogul off her feet. 


Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images

The couple ignored cameras as they pranced down the lower east side streets together hand-in-hand. TMZ reports the couple kept their romantic night going from Saturday into the wee hours of Sunday morning (June 27). Eventually, Rocky swept the ANTI artist in a scene right out of a movie before they drove away in an SUV waiting for them. 

The footage was allegedly shot around 5:30 am/6 am on Sunday so it’s quite clear they were enjoying their time together. The couple has been spotted out and about all over the city in recent weeks and have not been shy about showing each other affection. 

Check out the sweet footage below. In other Rih news, she recently got her matching tattoo with Drake covered. Despite this, it seems like former flames are on good terms, linking up in Los Angeles for a dinner date with Rocky. 

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Jack Harlow Explains Viral BET Awards Moment With Saweetie: “That’s A Friend”

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In response to the viral clip of himself appearing to flirt with Saweetie at the 2021 BET Awards, Jack Harlow says it’s just “a friend vibe” between the two artists. The incident in question came as Harlow ambushed Saweetie during a red carpet interview before the ceremony.

“Hi, Saweetie,” he said, surprising her.

After Harlow introduced himself, Saweetie remarked “I know.”

“You don’t like getting caught off guard?” asked Jack as he flirtatiously held Saweetie’s hand.

“Why you shaking?” she asked the “What’s Poppin” rapper, to his embarrassment.

JAck HArlow, Saweetie
Paras Griffin / Getty Images

After the flirtatious moment, a reporter for The Shade Room asked for more details on what we witnessed.

“That was me saying hello,” he responded, shaking his head. “But you can’t say hello these days I guess.”

When pressured, he explained, “I’m a nice person,” and said “That’s a friend. That’s a friend vibe.”

Saweetie is freshly single, after splitting with Migos rapper Quavo, earlier this year. In wake of their breakup, Quavo was infamously rumored to have had Saweetie’s Bently, which he bought her as a Christmas gift, reposessed. 

He later confirmed the report with a bar off of Culture III, which reads, “Lil’ bitty b*tch, she slimy, she sneaky/I’m takin’ back that Bentley.”

Soulja Boy Says He Just Copped The “Ugly” Maybach Truck

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Soulja Boy is fresh off the heels of his long-awaited Verzuz match with frenemy Bow Wow. The duo hit up the musical battle show over the weekend (June 26), going hit for hit after taking light shots at each other on social media for weeks to build up anticipation for the exciting installment in the series.

While Bow upped his social media antics game ahead of the battle to aid in the promotion of it, Soulja Boy is a long-established social media comedian. The “She Make it Clap”  artist is known for going viral on the web for his hilarious reactions and trailblazing declarations. Recently, the rapper took to social media to flex a major disappointment. 


Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for BET

“I just bought the Maybach truck but this sh*t ugly,” tweeted Draco on Tuesday (June 29). The coveted luxury truck is notably the vehicle of choice for many of rap’s elites. 

Travis Scott gifted his creative director a Maybach SUV for his wedding, while Rick Ross is hip-hop’s leading advocate for all things Maybach, even naming his record label imprint after the luxury car brand. 

Despite the rave reviews for the truck from other members of the rap community, it seems Soulja was simply unimpressed. 

Doja Cat Jokes That She’s Been Canceled ‘Maybe 350 Times’

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Doja Cat recently flexed her multifaceted talent on her album Planet Her. But just over a year ago, people on the internet were calling for her to quit music entirely. Fans on Twitter were rushing to cancel the singer after old, insensitive videos of her surfaced in chatrooms with reported members of the alt-right/incel community. The singer apologized, but wasn’t fazed by the controversy as she’s apparently used to getting canceled.

Doja Cat recently sat down for an interview with Big Boy, where she discussed her album, a recent mishap at the dentist, and her celebrity crush (Reggie Watts.) But when Big Boy asked how many times she thinks she’s been canceled on the internet, the singer joked that it’s happened “maybe 350 times:”

“Starting from age 6 to age 25, maybe 350 times. My mom cancels me, my brother cancels me, my schoolmates canceled me — everybody cancels me. I cancel me, my boyfriends have canceled me. Not in a way where it’s like a huge political down power of something crazy that I did. It’s just, canceling is a fight on the internet, and that’s how I see it. It’s a fight for something and I’ve been in pressure where I feel like I’ve had to fight. And I’ve done that my whole life, so anything that happens, I come right out the other side just okay.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Doja sang The Weeknd’s praise over their “You Right” collaboration, saying he was the “sweetest” artist she’s ever worked with. “He’s a good friend of mine. He’s like part of my family, I feel like,” she said about the singer. “We met maybe two or three years ago. But he’s the sweetest artist I ever collaborated with—no shade to anybody else. But he is top notch, the sweetest person, and brilliant, very talented.”

Watch Doja Cat’s full interview with Big Boy above.

Planet Her is out now via Kemosabe/RCA. Get it here.

Fans Ship Saweetie And Jack Harlow After He Introduced Himself To Her On The BET Awards Red Carpet

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Saweetie‘s only been split up from Quavo for about three months, but fans already see a new rap beau in her future. Jack Harlow, who featured on Saweetie’s “Tap In” remix last year, was caught on camera playfully interrupting her interview on the BET Awards red carpet to introduce himself — and because the interview in question was for The Shade Room, you know it caught the attention of exactly the fans who love shipping celebrities almost as much as sipping the spilled tea from their relationship drama.

During the interview, in which Saweetie was asked to “step into The Shade Room,” Harlow can be seen walking past in the background before pulling a smooth 180 and popping into the shot to say, “Hi, Saweetie.” While shaking hands, Saweetie notices that Jack seems to be the one shaking… which he denies before slinking off to the award show. When asked by the host whether that was Jack shooting his shot, Saweetie betrayed a woeful misunderstanding of the outlet interviewing her, warning her, “I don’t know, but y’all better not be messy with this sh*t.” Uhhh…. Saweetie? IT’S THE SHADE ROOM. You already know what’s going to happen!

Sure enough, once the video migrated to Twitter, the reactions came rolling in, sending both artists’ names straight to the trending topics (where they’ve been quite comfortable for months, especially after Sunday’s BET Awards, where Harlow’s presence was questioned and fans thirsted over Saweetie’s dad). While some fans seemed quite keen on the idea of a love connection between the two hitmakers, others thought Saweetie could do better (not Jack though… sorry, Jack). Check out the best responses below.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.