Month: February 2023

Lil Yachty Clarifies Comments About Being Taken Seriously As An Artist With “Rap Radar”

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Rap Radar returns with another captivating episode, this time with Lil Yachty in the hot seat. It was just about a month ago when Yachty released his acclaimed album Let’s Start Here, a project that was sonically different from his more recent releases. He was praised by his peers, including Drake and Questlove, but comments the rapper made during a listening party sparked a debate online.

“This album is so special and dear to me,” said Yachty at the time. “I think I created it just because I really wanted to be taken serious as an artist, you know. Not just some SoundCloud rapper, not some mumble rapper. Not some guy that just made one hit. You know, I wanted to be really taken serious because music is, like, everything to me. You know, I respect all walks of music, not just Rap and Hip Hop. Everything.”

Lil Yachty Clears The Air
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 11: Lil Yachty performs on stage during the 2021 Revolt Summit at 787 Windsor on November 11, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images)

Soon, people called him out for allegedly suggesting that Rap, in its form and genre, wasn’t “serious.” However, in an exclusive clip of his interview shared with us by Rap Radar and Interval Presents, Yachty clarified his previous statement. “I wanna talk about that for a second, ’cause there was this conversation on the internet after I said that. And people took it as me trying to say like, ‘Oh, I hate when rappers say I wanna be taken seriously as an artist.’ As if I was saying that, like, Rap isn’t being—you’re not serious if you’re a rapper. That’s not what I meant.”

“I mean, specifically, I do more than rap,” he continued. “For a long time in my career, I wanted to be taken seriously as a rapper. And I said that. And I would go and try and do radio interviews, freestyles, whatever, just ’cause I wanted that. I did Michigan Boy Boat, I did things. That’s when I was trying to prove I’m a rapper. But I’m past that. Now, I’m proving I’m an artist.”

Yachty Speaks On Audiences Not Doing Their Due Diligence

“But people—it’s so crazy. In music, you can do so many things, but people skip—people don’t follow you,” Yachty further stated. “They have no clue of a history. So, when they do start following you, they just completely write off whatever you’ve done beforehand. And no one actually does homework or cares enough to look back. It’s just what they see.”

“It be irritating, but I never wrote off being a rapper as not being taken serious or not being as big as other genre musicians or any of that. I just specifically, myself, not speaking on no one else or the genre, wanted to be taken seriously as an artist.” Tune in to the full episode of Rap Radar with Lil Yachty tomorrow, February 23.

50 Cent Nabs “Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show” For 3rd Year Win At The Houston Rodeo

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50 Cent Rodeo

50 Cent recently won “Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show” for his Le Chemin du Roi Brut champagne at the Houston 20th Annual Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition. The rapper-turned-entrepreneur also won in 2021 and 2022. For three years in a row, 50 Cent is the champ at the Houston 20th Annual Rodeo Uncorked! International […]

The post 50 Cent Nabs “Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show” For 3rd Year Win At The Houston Rodeo appeared first on SOHH.com.

6lack Announced The Official Release Date For ‘Since I Have A Lover’ And The Album’s First Single

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6lack
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Atlanta rap crooner 6lack — still pronounced “Black” — hasn’t exactly been out of the spotlight for the past couple of years, but his musical output has been restricted mainly to collaborations. He’s appeared on new singles from artists like Saba, Eli Derby, Kaash Paige, and Jessie Reyez, but the only solo work he dropped recently was a cover of Mos Def’s “Umi Says” for Apple.

That changed earlier this month when he teamed up with Water Boyz N The Hood to hand out roses on Valentine’s Day (true to his romantic persona) and appeared to tease new music. Then, this week, he confirmed that his next project would be called S.I.H.L. and have a March release date while showing off a few tidbits from it on his website.

Today, he unveiled the meaning behind the title’s acronym and previewed the first single from the project while sharing its official release date. S.I.H.L. stands for Since I Have a Lover, and it’s due on March 24. The single, which bears the same title, will drop on March 1. The preview promises a change of pace from the usually downtempo 6lack, with an upbeat guitar riff giving a more optimistic vibe than most of his prior output. Considering he dropped his last album, East Atlanta Love Letter, nearly five years ago, it makes sense that his life has taken him in new directions, and the music certainly appears to reflect that.

Since I Have a Lover is due 3/24 via LVRN/Interscope. You can pre-order it here.

The Weeknd And Ariana Grande Will Work Their Magic Once Again On An Upcoming ‘Die For You’ Remix

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ariana grande and the weeknd
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After Ariana Grande teased her remix of The Weeknd’s Starboy anthem “Die For You,” the two artists have revealed the song’s release date: Friday, February 24.

The remix is coming nearly seven years after the single’s original release because it returned to the Billboard Hot 100 thanks to TikTok users, who have apparently discovered it and set to streaming it all the way to the top 10. After climbing all the way to No. 8 in January, it actually gained a spot this week, landing at No. 7, overtaking Taylor Swift’s megahit “Anti-Hero” (also a TikTok fave).

It’ll likely climb even higher after the release of the remix, just in time to help plug The Weeknd’s upcoming HBO Max special The Weeknd: Live At SoFi Stadium. The special is set to make up for the singer’s September tour stop in LA when he lost his voice mid-song. Not a bad fumble recovery at all, there, Abel.

The song will be the latest in a long string of collaborations between the two megastars. They most recently teamed up in 2021 for a remix of The Weeknd’s single “Save Your Tears” from After Hours, which followed their prior joint effort from Ariana Grande’s album Positions, “Off The Table,” in 2020. They’ve developed a reputation for fan-favorite chemistry and their “Die For You” remix should live up to that standard, temporarily filling the void in Grande fans’ hearts as they wait for her to finish filming Wicked before she starts working on new music of her own.

Lizzo Told Elmo She Has Played ‘Many Instruments,’ But ‘Sesame Street’ Has A Flute Unlike Any Others

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Lizzo Sesame Street 2023
YouTube

Lizzo is ‘100% that b*tch,” and as such, the Grammy Award winner has no difficulty in commanding attention in any room she steps into or stage she performs on. Whether she’s twerking online in a Grinch custom or floating down the red carpet in a breathtaking floral arrangement, the “Special” singer is just that.

The songwriter has had many first over the last year or so, which include purchasing a home and playing former President James Madison’s preserved crystal flute (which pissed Conservatives off). However, there are still so many things the recording artist hasn’t done. Well, making friends with Sesame Street‘s beloved monster, Elmo, isn’t one of them.

The Emmy Award winner met up with Elmo to set Sesame Street history. In the exchange, Elmo shares that Sesame Street has its own very special instrument that he’ll love for Lizzo to play. What is the instrument? A cookie flute. Of course, Lizzo obliges, and the two have a fun dance party. Afterward, Cookie Monster arrives to throw a wrench into the plans.

Watch the full clip above.

While on set, Lizzo was sure to give Elmo a very special gift, balsamic vinegar, for providing her with this adorable opportunity. The gift exchange was also uploaded onto Twitter for everyone to see and Elmo, graciously quote-tweeted the video to thank the singer for the gift reworking a few of the lines from her song, “About Damn Time.”

Although, the gift may seem odd. It is actually quite thoughtful and is a direct callback to Elmo’s viral appearance on The Tonight Show hosted by Jimmy Fallon back in 2015. During a cooking segment, Elmo’s pronunciation of the word “balsamic” was all the rage on TikTok’s trending sound options last year.

Lizzo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.