Month: September 2021

In his latest VladTV interview, model Tyson Beckford took us on a brief trip back to 2018 to address his long-ago internet feud with Kim Kardashian West. At the time, Beckford had commented some choice words about a paparazzi photo of the mother of four.

“Sorry I don’t care for it personally,” he wrote, according to USA Today. “She is not real, doctor fucked up on her right hip.” 

Kardashian West was quick to chime in with a sassy reply, writing, “Sis we all know why you don’t care for it,” followed by a train of emojis insinuating that Beckford could be gay.

USA Today reports that the model took then took the feud to his own Instagram feed, posting a shirtless selfie with the caption, “I support LGBTQ, even though I’m not Gay. It’s just the Human thing to do.”

Three years later, Beckford has another message for anyone else making assumptions about his sexuality.

“Sometimes I’ll get a couple suckers on Instagram who will try to say like, ‘Oh, yeah. You gay,’” he told VladTV. “Then I’m like ‘Where is this coming from?’ You heard it from that dumbass? And then you heard it from that stupid bitch Wendy Williams?”

“Man, fuck all of them! I ain’t never been gay, nor do I have a problem with gay people. It’s just like, don’t try to turn a situation into something because I got the best of you.”

You can watch Beckford’s interview with VladTV for yourself below.

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There should be no limitation to what any artist — or person, for that matter — does creatively, but the question is: should there be constraints when one’s entire identity is the subject of endurance art? Publicly crucified for the VMA incident and resurrected with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Kanye West came back stronger (no pun intended) with the already-existent chip on his shoulder growing exponentially in the process. What became of Kanye West’s Yeezus era that followed was his commitment as a provocateur. The left-field, electronically-induced production on songs that bore titles like “New Slaves” and “Black Skinhead;” declaring himself a God; and the failed attempt to appropriate the Confederate flag for the sake of a poor political statement within high fashion. The past few years have largely been summed up by his alignment with Donald Trump, religious views, and failed presidential candidacy, rather than his musical output (outside of Sunday Service, of course).

In that sense, the beginning of the rollout for DONDA appeared to be the mark of a new era of Kanye; one where his faith in God and a bit of self-awareness finally overlapped with one another. The most refreshing aspect about seeing Kanye West back in album mode was the fact that he had not said a single word. Ye kept a mask on for all three listening parties (no face, no case — word to 2 Chainz). The rapper didn’t embark on a path of self-destruction with public statements or press appearances, even amid a pending divorce from Kim, one that has attracted many headlines. He simply kept everything he had to say — whether controversial or not — on wax, this time around. 

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DONDA, Kanye West’s 10th studio album, is one of the many homages made to his mother since her death on November 10, 2007, including a creative agency and a philanthropic arm, Donda’s House. The uncharacteristic silence from Kanye in the weeks leading up to the album’s release seemed as if he was preparing himself for a quest of public redemption through a wholesome tribute to his late mother and reflections of his relationship with God and his family. “Never Abandon Your Family” presented Kanye as the most unguarded we’ve seen him since his mother’s passing. Shiveringly distorted guitars collide against somber synth chords, while Kanye’s warbling auto-tune vocals accentuate the agonizing depiction of a broken home that he’s, in part, also created. Donda’s voice loops as she says, “Is that no matter what, you never abandon your family.” It’s a moment that contextualizes the headlines, weaves in a family mantra, and breaks the picture-perfect depiction of an A-List couple and their four kids, as Kanye repeats his daughter’s plea to stay home. Unfortunately, such a raw and honest moment didn’t make the final album.

As DONDA played out in front of the world stage over the span of three listening parties, the album’s continuous updates paralleled that of his personal life. Coincidentally, “Come To Life” appeared to replace “Never Abandon Your Family” amid rumors that Kanye and Kim were attempting to repair a broken relationship. “Come To Life” — a song where Kanye admits, “I don’t want to die alone” — was commemorated at Soldier Field by Ye’s dramatic combustion and Kim Kardashian’s shocking emergence in a Balenciaga wedding dress before reenacting their wedding vows. The remorse stemming from a broken home became a plea for forgiveness in the album’s final form. 

During the prolonged rollout, or perhaps as a result of it, Kanye ended up deviating from the central theme that was presented in July 2020, when he first announced the album. Though Donda’s voice does carry out the project in various ways, the album’s official release reverts back to Kanye’s penchant for trolling (see “Remote Control” inclusion of ​​”The Globglogabgalab”) more frequently than you’d expect in what is supposed to be an homage to his late mother. The undertones of mischievous humor weren’t only found in the often uninspired performances or cringeworthy bars but also in his decision to bring DaBaby and Marilyn Manson on stage in Chicago; then appearing to replace Jay-Z with both of them on “Jail” — an otherwise captivating moment that shares similar anthemic qualities to “Runaway.” Kanye’s uncharacteristic silence in the public eye and the potential quest for redemption were squashed, creating yet another dialogue outside of the music itself. Some might argue that Donda West wouldn’t have agreed with Kanye’s decision to bring out an accused sexual abuser and a condemned homophobe but those same people probably never read Raising Kanye. 

With the help of Tony Williams and Sunday Service Choir, the album’s title track is graced with an excerpt of Donda’s “Gwendolyn Brooks Writers’ Conference” speech from her homecoming at Chicago State University in 2007.  In her speech, she contextualized raising Kanye West — his brilliance, divisiveness, stubbornness, and dedication. “What do you want me to talk about? Well, he said something that was a little bit dangerous. He told me I could talk about anything I wanted to. And you know, I am my son’s mother,” says Dr. West. However, the moments where Donda’s presence is felt are few and far between. The scarce statements, including the recitation of Gwendolyn Brooks’ Speech to the Young: Speech to the Progress-Toward (Among them Nora and Henry III) on “Praise God” ft. Baby Keem and Travis Scott, are weaved into the records expertly. Kanye’s penchant for sampling vocals — one of his many great attributes as a producer — is used as a tool to honor his mother, in this case. 

There’s little room for error for anyone who samples Lauryn Hill’s “Doo-Wop.” And while ‘Ye has a God-given ability to twist, contort, and flip any vocal sample into another stratosphere of sound, the use of the sample on “Believe What I Say” is a traditional take on a timeless record. What Kanye does best is inject it with a bluesy bassline and kick drums that capture the essence of worship music at Sunday Service. The dazzling use of samples on Graduation meets the infectious instrumentation that made his weekly religious gatherings a phenomenon in pop culture. 

Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Sonically, the project hovers around a pre-TLOP era, though even that project largely felt like a celebration of Kanye’s catalog up until that point. DONDA, too, feels like it was entirely inspired by B-Sides between Graduation and Yeezus era production without going any further than that — at least, when it comes to the rap cuts. “God Breathed,” for example, taps into the acid house minimalism that made Yeezus a polarizing masterpiece.

Kanye’s A&R abilities often make up for whatever he lacks in his own wheelhouse of skills. On Donda, there are plenty of times where Kanye West’s inspiration clearly derives from viral displays of his collaborators’ strengths such as Fivio’s monstrous freestyle on Funk Flex or The LOX’s victory over Dipset at Verzuz. 

“Lord Jesus Pt. 2” ft. Jay Electronica and The LOX is the best showcasing of the synchronicity in Kanye’s artistry, politics, and spirituality on the album. The drums kick through celestial organs as a squealing “Jesus Lord” sample rings out every four bars. As Kanye reflects on the loss of his mother and the rippling effect of gun violence, and Jay Electronica makes up for his lack of biblical references, it’s Jadakiss, Styles P, and Sheek Louch who articulate God’s presence in the streets and reinvigorate the spirit of Tupac in preaching the Ghetto Gospel. The cherry on top is Larry Hoover Jr. discussing his father’s incarceration — one of the few consistent points in ‘Ye’s political agenda. It’s one of the many odes to Chicago on the album, along with other mentions of the Gangster Disciples and the Southside. 

The LOX’s appearance on “Lord Jesus Pt. 2” is akin to Fivio Foreign’s verse on “Off The Grid” — an integration of Kanye’s roots in Atlanta through Playboi Carti’s sprightly trap sound and the widespread influence that his hometown’s drill scene has across the world. The song is the first of two appearances that Fivio Foreign’s made since his release from prison — an experience that informed both his verse on this record and the aforementioned Funk Flex freestyle days after his release. The sinister trap production transitions to sliding 808s as Fivio Foreign details the tightrope he walks between the streets and the industry, hoping to repent for his sins. It’s moments like this, when The LOX or Fivio Foreign pop out, that Kanye proves that he’s still in tune with the culture, despite the distance he seems to keep from the rap game.

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Ultimately, it’s the new generation that carries most of the weight on DONDA. Fivio Foreign’s ad-lib talents extend to “Ok Ok” which puts on display the talents of Rooga and Shenseea, too. Vory and Kaycyy Pluto’s imprint on songs like “No Child Left Behind” and “Jonah” displayed the strength of their penmanship on the biggest platform of their respective careers thus far. Even Lil Baby, who has done quite well for himself without a Kanye co-sign, continues his hot streak alongside The Weeknd on “Hurricane.” Lil Durk and Roddy Ricch extend their pop sensibilities to elevate the spiritual messages in “Jonah” and “Pure Souls.” 

DONDA offers familiarity in response to the demands for the return of the “Old Kanye.” Unfortunately, it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be. For years, Kanye has set trends and shattered the boundaries that confined hip-hop. He’s never been one to follow a rulebook, nor acknowledge its existence, which has played to both his detriment and benefit. DONDA doesn’t veer too far off of the path Kanye West created for himself in the span of his 20+ year career. What it does do, however, is bring his religious awakening into a soundscape that’s easily palatable, even to the non-believers. With the assistance of a wide range of producers, songwriters, and features, Jay-Z included, DONDA sounds like the beginning of a return to form, for better or for worse.

Michael K. Williams, best known for his work as Omar on The Wire, has been declared dead at just 54 years old, according to the NY Post. The actor was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment on Monday, after relatives hadn’t heard from him for several days and decided to check in.

Law enforcement sources have reported that the body was found on the living room couch, with drug paraphernalia located on the table nearby, suggesting that the father of one passed away because of an overdose on either heroin or fentanyl.

Amy Sussman/Getty Images

The NY Post reports that the 12 Years a Slave actor had been very open about his struggles throughout his career, and that he even once stumbled into a New Jersey church back in 2016, desperate to get help to combat his addiction.

“When I came through those doors, I was broken,” Williams shared. “This was, I would say, around the third season of ‘The Wire’.”

“I was on drugs. … I was in jeopardy of destroying everything I had worked so hard for,” the told NPR.

Williams was reportedly discovered by his nephew, and is survived by his son, Elijah.

You can check out a clip of Williams talking about how his life was changed by The Wire below. RIP.

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British rapper Dizzee Rascal is denying assaulting a woman this summer.

The emcee, born Dylan Mills, is currently facing an assault charge after police were called to alleged a domestic incident in which Mills is accused of headbutting his now ex-girlfriend at a South London home in June.

The 36-year-old pled not guilty before the Croydon Magistrates’ Court.

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“Dylan Mills, 36, of Sevenoaks, Kent, has been charged with assault after an incident at a residential address in Streatham on June 8th,” reads Metropolitan Police’s report. “Officers attended, and a woman reported minor injuries. She did not require hospital treatment. Dizzee was officially charged on August 2nd.

Per the rapper’s lawyer, Mills “denies pushing his head into the complainant’s head and denies pushing her to the floor”.

In 2020, Mills was among those awarded an MBE for his contributions to the UK Grime scene. The same year marked his most recent full-length outing, E3 AF.

Since his last appearance in court, he has been granted conditional bail until his court hearing on February 18, 2022. His tour manager and ex-girlfriend’s mother are among those expected to testify.

Erica Mena is overjoyed to be divorced from Safaree, celebrating the end of their marriage this weekend during a club appearance.

The reality star was enjoying herself at the nightclub this weekend, when she took the microphone and announced that she was celebrating her divorce, which prompted a loud response by her fans.

“Ladies, can we say this together? Pray for him. Prayyyy for him! Okay, DJ, you can turn it up again. I’m officially fucking single! This is my divorce party!”

Erica was wearing an orange strappy dress, which showed off her body. 

When the video was posted by The Shade Room, the reality star clapped back at her haters in the comments, saying, “Damn I can’t live!!! WTF the truth hurts for y’all not me. I speak on it no problem. Jump off.”

In recent months, Safaree Samuels and Erica Mena have been going off on social media about the end of their marriage. Erica has called her ex-husband a “deadbeat dad” while Safaree has denied those claims. Fans of the couple have been commenting on their split, which was heavily documented on Love & Hip Hop, showing their numerous fights, as well as Safaree storming out of his own baby shower.

 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

What do you think of Erica hosting a divorce party?

Earlier today, Cardi B and Offset revealed that they welcomed their second child together. So far, no name reveal has been made but the “Bodak Yellow” rapper shared a photo of herself and Offset at the hospital after she gave birth. This means that Kulture is now a big sister and Offset is no longer a father of 4, like his 2018 solo album title stated. The rapper took to Instagram where he shared a candid photo of himself at the hospital holding his newborn child while Cardi B looks over at him. “Chapter 5,” the caption of the post wrote. 

Friends, acquaintances, fans, and family members offered their congratulations to the couple on the birth of their second child. Chance The Rapper commented, “Father Of 5” while Quavo took to his Instagram Story to celebrate the arrival of his new nephew. 

Though Cardi and Offset never revealed the gender of their child, they revealed in a statement that their newborn is a boy. “We are so overjoyed to finally meet our son,” the couple said in a statement. “He is already loved so much by family and friends and we can’t wait to introduce him to his other siblings.”

Cardi B and Offset announced the arrival of baby #2 at the BET Awards earlier this year during a performance of Migos’ “Type Sh*t” off of Culture III. 

The latest fashion house to send the internet into an outrage is none other than Balenciaga. Late last week the Spanish company released some new pieces from its latest season for sale, and one item in particular has caught Twitter’s attention – a pair of trompe-l’oeil sweatpants.

If you’re not familiar, trompe-l’oeil is another term for visual illusion in art; its use in fashion was popularized decades ago by designers like Elsa Schiaparelli, and it continues to show up today, although the latest Balenciaga version isn’t tasteful whatsoever.

The fashion company has taken a pair of straight-leg, grey sweatpants and sewn in a pair of men’s boxers to be visible from the outside, imitating sagging – a fashion trend that was knowingly popularized by the Black community, who have received a ton of flack for dressing this way in the past.

As one may expect, Twitter is absolutely outraged by Balenciaga’s design. One person called it “tremendously racist” while several others noted that the brand is gentrifying sagging at the expense of the Black community.

The fashion giant, which dressed Kim Kardashian in her unforgettable wedding gown for her appearance at Kanye West’s last DONDA event, is no stranger to controversy, and has been known to make Twitter users shake their heads more than once.

Would you pay $1,200 for Balenciaga’s trompe-l’oeil pants? Let us know below.