Month: September 2021

Nigerian singer, songwriter, and producer Tems has made waves across the music industry with her mellow voice and authentic sound, carefully curated over the last decade-and-a-half, during which she’s spent making music entirely on her own terms. Tems’ songs have quickly gained local, and then global, traction thanks to her feature on Wizkid’s hit single “Essence”  as well as, more recently, hit track off Drake’s Certified Lover Boy. Now, in a new interview, Tems hints at another collaboration with Drake, to be released next year. 

In an interview with The Guardian, Tems discusses growing up in Nigeria, turning to music as therapy, exploring different avenues in her latest work, as well as collaborating with Drake. When detailing her childhood in Nigeria, Tems described it as lonely. “I used to write poems a lot,” she says. “I just started writing songs, at around 11. Some of them were about me not having friends, some of them were about my classmates saying I was weird. Some of it was just really sad. I didn’t have a lot of human interaction, but it helped me heal to be able to sing about what I was feeling.” 

Paras Griffin/Getty Images

The symbiotic relationship she’s formed with her craft shines through in everything she does. Now, as a full-fledged artist, Tems continues to let truth and vulnerability drive her work. Her debut EP For Broken Ears, released last year, is a swarming documentation of her healing process, where she wafts between gloomy ruminations on fractured relationships.. Her latest EP, If Orange Was A Place, comes from a totally different place– post-healing clarity. 

“After I healed, I let everything go and I started to live, I started to enjoy life,” Tems remarks on the new EP. “And this is what that EP is. It’s like a sequel. After healing comes life, comes fun, comes vibes, comes dancing.” 

This year, audiences around the world heard Tems croon on “Fountains”, the plodding track off Drake’s Certified Lover Boy that marries the sounds of Afrobeats and R&B. She still finds herself mesmerized by her involvement on Certified Lover Boy, and the enthusiasm she’s received from artists like Drake– figures in music she’s looked up to her entire life. “He was like, ‘Bruuuh, how–why–are you so good?’” she recalls of their first link-up. Moving forward, another collaboration with Drake is imminent, and will likely be featured on Tems’ forthcoming debut album, set to release next year. 

With the distinct storytelling that pervades all her work, Tems has triumphed as one of this year’s most promising breakthrough artists, and we’ll be watching closer than ever as her growth in the music industry continues to unfold.

Listen to her hit single “Found” ft. Brent Faiyaz off her latest EP If Orange Was A Place below, and stay tuned with our updates on all her upcoming records and projects.

[via]

Nigerian singer, songwriter, and producer Tems has made waves across the music industry with her mellow voice and authentic sound, carefully curated over the last decade-and-a-half, during which she’s spent making music entirely on her own terms. Tems’ songs have quickly gained local, and then global, traction thanks to her feature on Wizkid’s hit single “Essence”  as well as, more recently, hit track off Drake’s Certified Lover Boy. Now, in a new interview, Tems hints at another collaboration with Drake, to be released next year. 

In an interview with The Guardian, Tems discusses growing up in Nigeria, turning to music as therapy, exploring different avenues in her latest work, as well as collaborating with Drake. When detailing her childhood in Nigeria, Tems described it as lonely. “I used to write poems a lot,” she says. “I just started writing songs, at around 11. Some of them were about me not having friends, some of them were about my classmates saying I was weird. Some of it was just really sad. I didn’t have a lot of human interaction, but it helped me heal to be able to sing about what I was feeling.” 

Paras Griffin/Getty Images

The symbiotic relationship she’s formed with her craft shines through in everything she does. Now, as a full-fledged artist, Tems continues to let truth and vulnerability drive her work. Her debut EP For Broken Ears, released last year, is a swarming documentation of her healing process, where she wafts between gloomy ruminations on fractured relationships.. Her latest EP, If Orange Was A Place, comes from a totally different place– post-healing clarity. 

“After I healed, I let everything go and I started to live, I started to enjoy life,” Tems remarks on the new EP. “And this is what that EP is. It’s like a sequel. After healing comes life, comes fun, comes vibes, comes dancing.” 

This year, audiences around the world heard Tems croon on “Fountains”, the plodding track off Drake’s Certified Lover Boy that marries the sounds of Afrobeats and R&B. She still finds herself mesmerized by her involvement on Certified Lover Boy, and the enthusiasm she’s received from artists like Drake– figures in music she’s looked up to her entire life. “He was like, ‘Bruuuh, how–why–are you so good?’” she recalls of their first link-up. Moving forward, another collaboration with Drake is imminent, and will likely be featured on Tems’ forthcoming debut album, set to release next year. 

With the distinct storytelling that pervades all her work, Tems has triumphed as one of this year’s most promising breakthrough artists, and we’ll be watching closer than ever as her growth in the music industry continues to unfold.

Listen to her hit single “Found” ft. Brent Faiyaz off her latest EP If Orange Was A Place below, and stay tuned with our updates on all her upcoming records and projects.

[via]

Shady Records signee GRIP recently delivered his new album I Died For This?!, a project that has already received album of the year consideration in certain circles. As we see it, it’s an entirely justifiable stance — few projects are as conceptually cohesive as GRIP’s new project, unsurprising given his status as a proud film buff. 

Today, GRIP took a moment to chop it up with Ebro Darden on Apple Music 1, where the pair discussed his new album, working with label boss Eminem for the first time, and linking with Atlanta legend Big Rube on “ENEM3?” 

“We had already started recording “IDFT” like January of 2020, right?” reveals GRIP, speaking on his experience working with Em for “Walkthrough.” “So I didn’t talk to Em and Paul until the summertime. I had the concept and everything… when I talked to Em I was on some shit like, “yo, if I sign, I need that feature my dog…” and he’s just like, “yo, bet.”

Image via Artist, Photo credit: Ari Skin

“But then, everything just took so long,” he recalls. “By the time we kinda realized that we were going to be able to throw him on the album, it was kinda like last minute, you know what I mean? It was one of them things, like we went into it hoping, but not knowing for sure. So It was one of the last songs that was added onto the album.”

He also reflects on working with Big Rube on both Snubnose and IDFT?!, whose iconic voice has blessed the projects of many Atlanta-crafted albums. “I reached out to him 2018-2019 just on some like, regular shit,” admits GRIP. “Like hey, yo, I got an idea for this song, this is who I am, I am from here, I grew up on ya’ll shut.” I wanted to play him the album, so I had him come to the studio to play him Snubnose and give him the idea, right? So he’s like…’Damn, this sh*t dope as hell but, where you staying?'”

LISTEN: GRIP ft. Big Rube – “Enem3?”

“At that point I was staying like on the westside, I was staying at the west end, and I told him about the street name, he was like, “ ah n***a you could have told me to pull up to your house,” recalls GRIP. “I stay like five minutes down the street!” So he just like a real OG down-to-Earth dude, man. I feel like his work and his legacy is important to keep it alive especially coming out of Atlanta, you know? So he’s just one of my favorites.”

For more from GRIP, check out his interview with Ebro Darden on Apple Music 1 below, and our own interview with him right here. 

Shady Records signee GRIP recently delivered his new album I Died For This?!, a project that has already received album of the year consideration in certain circles. As we see it, it’s an entirely justifiable stance — few projects are as conceptually cohesive as GRIP’s new project, unsurprising given his status as a proud film buff. 

Today, GRIP took a moment to chop it up with Ebro Darden on Apple Music 1, where the pair discussed his new album, working with label boss Eminem for the first time, and linking with Atlanta legend Big Rube on “ENEM3?” 

“We had already started recording “IDFT” like January of 2020, right?” reveals GRIP, speaking on his experience working with Em for “Walkthrough.” “So I didn’t talk to Em and Paul until the summertime. I had the concept and everything… when I talked to Em I was on some shit like, “yo, if I sign, I need that feature my dog…” and he’s just like, “yo, bet.”

Image via Artist, Photo credit: Ari Skin

“But then, everything just took so long,” he recalls. “By the time we kinda realized that we were going to be able to throw him on the album, it was kinda like last minute, you know what I mean? It was one of them things, like we went into it hoping, but not knowing for sure. So It was one of the last songs that was added onto the album.”

He also reflects on working with Big Rube on both Snubnose and IDFT?!, whose iconic voice has blessed the projects of many Atlanta-crafted albums. “I reached out to him 2018-2019 just on some like, regular shit,” admits GRIP. “Like hey, yo, I got an idea for this song, this is who I am, I am from here, I grew up on ya’ll shut.” I wanted to play him the album, so I had him come to the studio to play him Snubnose and give him the idea, right? So he’s like…’Damn, this sh*t dope as hell but, where you staying?'”

LISTEN: GRIP ft. Big Rube – “Enem3?”

“At that point I was staying like on the westside, I was staying at the west end, and I told him about the street name, he was like, “ ah n***a you could have told me to pull up to your house,” recalls GRIP. “I stay like five minutes down the street!” So he just like a real OG down-to-Earth dude, man. I feel like his work and his legacy is important to keep it alive especially coming out of Atlanta, you know? So he’s just one of my favorites.”

For more from GRIP, check out his interview with Ebro Darden on Apple Music 1 below, and our own interview with him right here. 

As of Sunday September 26th, Phoenix Suns All-Star Guard Devin Booker has been placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

Booker will miss both the Suns’ media day and the start of NBA training camp, the team announced. 

The All-Star Guard took to Twitch this past Sunday, announcing to his 207K Twitch Followers, “I got the VID [COVID-19] man.”

Booker then confirmed that he’s had COVID-19 for about a week and that he’ll be back in no time. He said, “Only thing that I’m dealing with is no taste, no smell. Which is the worst part of it.” 

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Naturally, Twitch followers inquired about his vaccination status. Booker replied saying, “I’m not going to tell you guys if I got the vaccine or not. But you can still get COVID with the vaccine, for anyone who’s saying that. Educate yourself.” 

Media outlets have speculated that Booker contracted the virus while on vacation with his recently-made-public relationship with model Kendall Jenner. In early September, Booker was spotted vacationing with Jenner in Italy.

The couple began their relationship during the pandemic, making it Instagram official in February of 2021.

At this time, it remains unclear as to whether Kendall Jenner has contracted the COVID-19 virus as well.

The 24-year-old Booker averaged 25.6 points per game last season. Booker also played an integral role in the U.S.A. Basketball team that won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics this summer.

As of Sunday September 26th, Phoenix Suns All-Star Guard Devin Booker has been placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

Booker will miss both the Suns’ media day and the start of NBA training camp, the team announced. 

The All-Star Guard took to Twitch this past Sunday, announcing to his 207K Twitch Followers, “I got the VID [COVID-19] man.”

Booker then confirmed that he’s had COVID-19 for about a week and that he’ll be back in no time. He said, “Only thing that I’m dealing with is no taste, no smell. Which is the worst part of it.” 

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Naturally, Twitch followers inquired about his vaccination status. Booker replied saying, “I’m not going to tell you guys if I got the vaccine or not. But you can still get COVID with the vaccine, for anyone who’s saying that. Educate yourself.” 

Media outlets have speculated that Booker contracted the virus while on vacation with his recently-made-public relationship with model Kendall Jenner. In early September, Booker was spotted vacationing with Jenner in Italy.

The couple began their relationship during the pandemic, making it Instagram official in February of 2021.

At this time, it remains unclear as to whether Kendall Jenner has contracted the COVID-19 virus as well.

The 24-year-old Booker averaged 25.6 points per game last season. Booker also played an integral role in the U.S.A. Basketball team that won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics this summer.