Perhaps one of 2024’s early “song of the summer” contenders?
Month: April 2024
Madlib At Risk Of Losing “Lord Quas” Alter Ego In Legal Battle
Madlib is a legend. You’d be hard-pressed to make a list of the greatest hip-hop producers of all time without writing down his name. He’s no slouch in the rapping department, either but he prefers to use the name “Lord Quas,” or “Quasimoto,” when he grabs the mic. Well, he did. Madlib is currently involved in a legal battle that could see him lose the rights to the “Lord Quas” character. This would mean he not only has to relinquish the name, but the yellow cartoon that has served as his de facto logo. The one that fans have come to know and love on beloved albums like Yessir, Whatever and Bandana.
The man suing Madlib is Keith Griego, who created the “Lord Quas” character for the producer’s 1999 single “Microphone Mathematics.” Madlib continued to use the character and the cartoon depiction of him, however, without reportedly compensating Griego properly.
Ethan Jacobs, Griego’s attorney, put out a statement detailing his client’s grievances. “Mr. Griego was gratified to see that Madlib appreciated his Lord Quas character so much,” he wrote. “At the same time, he was hurt that [Madlib] continued to use it without compensation, attribution, or permission.” The artist said his attempts to work out a deal with the producer’s legal reps never went anywhere.
Read More: Madlib Net Worth 2024: Updated Wealth Of The Rapper
Keith Griego Is Seeking Compensation From Madlib
Griego seeks compensation for the two decades in which Madlib used his creation. “Mr. Griego brings this action to seek compensation,” the suit explains. “For Defendants’ intentional copyright infringement and to obtain an injunction against their further infringement of his copyright.” Furthermore, he wants to file an injunction to keep the producer from further “misuse” of the character. He also asserted that the federal trademark obtained by Madlib Invazion, LLC be invalidated due to the fact that it was not permitted upon registeration.
Madlib told Rolling Stone that “Lord Quas” came about during a drug trip. He noted that the specificity of the character, and his musical persona, was what made it difficult to revive him for the comeback album Yessir, Whatever. “It takes time. It has to be on a different level,” he noted. “The shrooms were the stuff that made me do Quasimoto in the first place. Hopefully, I get back on that level.” Madlib announced plans for another “Lord Quas” album in 2016, but nearly a decade has passed and its nowhere to be found. It’s safe to assume Madlib’s legal complications have played a role in the album’s delay.
Read More: Freddie Gibbs, Raekwon, & Madlib Made Magic On “Bomb”
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The Weeknd To Help Provide 18 Million Loaves Of Bread To Families In Gaza
United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Goodwill Ambassador and multi-platinum global recording artist Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye is allocating another $2 million from his XO Humanitarian Fund toward WFP’s humanitarian response efforts in Gaza. This support will provide over 1,500 metric tons of fortified wheat flour, which can make over 18 million loaves of bread that can help feed more than 157,000 Palestinians for one month.
This funding builds on the original $2.5 million, equivalent to four million emergency meals, that Tesfaye directed to WFP’s Gaza response in December 2023. It provided 820 metric tons of food parcels to feed more than 173,000 Palestinians for two weeks. Additionally, Tesfaye is making an urgent appeal to fans, calling on them to give what they can by donating towards WFP’s efforts in Gaza. More than 1 million Palestinians face catastrophic levels of hunger across Gaza and need urgent support.
“With famine looming in Gaza, Abel’s generous support will provide vital relief for thousands of Palestinian families who battle the grip of hunger every day. We are tremendously grateful for his contribution, compassion and for his unwavering advocacy for WFP and the people of Palestine,” said WFP’s Director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe Region, Corinne Fleischer.
WFP is providing desperately needed food to over a million people across Gaza each month and is working to re-activate collapsed food systems. Most food is distributed in central and southern Gaza, with food deliveries to the north increasing since March. Around 2,100 metric tons of food parcels and wheat flour have been brought into northern Gaza via land routes and an additional 45 metric tons have been airdropped.
WFP distributes food in U.N. shelters, communities and make-shift camps, including ready-to-eat food, wheat flour and specialized nutritional products for children, as well as pregnant and nursing mothers. It also supports over 100 community kitchens and aims to provide 500,000 hot meals daily. WFP is helping bakeries become operational again, supplying four bakeries in the north and 12 bakeries in central and southern Gaza with wheat flour, fuel, yeast, salt and sugar.
The post The Weeknd To Help Provide 18 Million Loaves Of Bread To Families In Gaza first appeared on The Source.
The post The Weeknd To Help Provide 18 Million Loaves Of Bread To Families In Gaza appeared first on The Source.
YG Returns With “KNOCKA” Single
This sh*t is a…
Sukihana Claims That JT Is NOT Dissing Her On New Single “Okay”
JT really stirred up more rap beef in 2024. The City Girls emcee dropped her solo single “Okay,” and fans have been trying to figure out who she’s targeting. “She ate crab legs, now her whole tooth missing,” she rapped. “Cheap a*s veneers, you stay talkin’ sh*t.” These lines are so specific that fans have been able to boil it down to two artists: Cardi B or Sukihana. The former hasn’t commended on the JT song, but Sukihana got tired of people tagging her on Instagram. She hopped on social media to set the record straight between her and JT.
Sukihana started her post by acknowledging that she did, in fact, break her tooth eating crab legs. “We all know I done broke my teeth on some crab legs,” she noted. It was the second part of JT’s line that led to her dismissing the theory. “I don’t talk sh*t about b*tches. I always show love,” she explained. “Never hate on a b*tch, never called a b*tch name.” Sukihana also pointed to the fact that she was just at JT’s birthday party in December. “I was at JT birthday party, it was hugs and giggles, so I don’t feel like she talking about me.”
Read More: Bobbi Althoff & Sukihana’s Strip Club Adventure Looked Unsurprisingly Awkward
Sukihana Clarifies That Her And JT Are Friends
(@nojumper)
Sukihana did admit that was dealing with legal troubles with “Okay” dropped, so she may have missed some crucial details. The rapper was arrested for possession of ecstasy with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver and possession of codeine with intent to sell and manufacture on April 25. She was released a few days later on a $7,500 bond from Broward County. “I was locked up when the song came out, I come home, I look at my phone and everybody keep tagging me,” she told her fans. “They tagging Cardi too, they said JT was trying to diss me or Cardi B in a song.”
Sukihana maintains that everything is solid between her and JT. She went as far as to vouch for the character of the City Girls emcee. “”I don’t take her as a girl that just start trouble with random people when she droppin’ a song,” she reasoned. She did, however, leave some room open for clarification. She asked JT to speak out on the “Okay” lyrics and set the record straight on who she’s targeting. “They said it’s trouble in paradise for her and Cardi,” she added. “I just don’t feel like me and you got no tea, so just let me know.”
Read More: Sukihana Gets Dragged Mercilessly For NSFW Outfit At The Grammys
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Westside Gunn Weighs In On Whether He Wants Rap Beef
Westside Gunn doesn’t play around when it comes to music. He’s one of the hardest-working rappers in the game, and he has the catalog to prove it. Gunn has dropped 10 projects in the last four years, both as a solo artist and with other members of Griselda. He doesn’t need to rely on hype or press tours in which he says wild things about other artists. That said, 2024 has been the year of rap beef, and fans want to know their favorite rapper would fare in a battle.
A fan tweeted at Westside Gunn on April 28. He voiced his desire to see Gunn challenge another rapper to a battle, citing how entertaining it would be to watch. “I wanna see @WESTSIDEGUNN in a music only rap beef,” they wrote. That would be some entertaining sh*t.” Gunn got back at him and shut down any chance of seeing him in a “for sport” beef. “Maaaaaan,” he quote tweeted. “F*ck all these n**gas!!!” It makes sense, given how many actual beefs Gunn has been involved in. He’s thrown subliminal shots at Hus Kingpin, and had a diss aimed at him via Griselda affiliate The God Fahim.
Read More: Westside Gunn Net Worth 2024: Updated Wealth Of The Rapper
Westside Gunn Has Had Beef In The Past
Westside Gunn and The God Fahim squashed their beef in 2020, however. The rappers made up X and even posted a couple photos together on Christmas. “Don’t think @THAGODFAHIM wasn’t there too,” he tweeted. “Now let me get back to my original plan. I’m the curator of ALL curators… Just start wit a fresh canvas.” Gunn similarly sparked a feud with Griselda affiliate Mach Hommy around 2019, but it was again squashed in favor of making great music. There’s no time wasted on social media antics or trolls, as has been the case in the mainstream. Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West and the rest involved in the “Civil War” have taken it beyond the music.
The irony is that Westside Gunn has indirectly influenced this mainstream “Civil War.” He was one of the first rappers to work with Conductor Williams, who would go on to provide beats for Drake on his latest album, For All the Dogs. Conductor also co-produced J. Cole’s diss towards Kendrick Lamar, “7 Minute Drill.” Westside Gunn’s ear for production and his popularization of the Griselda sound has shaped the beef he so wants to avoid. Go figure.
Read More: Westside Gunn Doesn’t Plan On Returning To Canada After “Racist” Border Experience
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Wizkid And Davido Get Into Heated X Exchange Over Who’s Better
There continues to be something in the water in 2024. Beef has been on the menu of just about every major rapper, and now the trend is spilling over into Afrobeat. Wizkid and Davido are two of the biggest Afrobeat artists in the world, and they are not putting up a unified front. In fact, both artists took shots at one another, claiming they are the more important figure within Afrobeat. The whole thing went down on X (formerly Twitter) on April 29.
Wizkid started things off with a subtweet. The “Bad to Me” singer criticized an unnamed artist, claiming they couldn’t touch him in terms of relevance. “U and all ur crew plus ur pant washer song writer go to sleep at night thinking you actually got anything on me in music,” he wrote. The mystery of who he was talking about was quickly solved when Davido got involved. The latter quote tweeted a second message from Wizkid that read: “U know what… no point. Delusional n**gas” with a very pointed response. “We not delusional,” Davido wrote. “You’re a sick man.”
Read More: WizKid Net Worth 2024: Updated Wealth Of The Afrobeats Star
Davido Claimed Wizkid’s Career Was Dead
The two artists continued to trade shots on X into the evening. Wizkid quote tweeted Davido’s response with a video of Davido awkwardly laughing. The latter then took things up a notch by claiming Wizkid is over the hill. “Exactly why I stopped wasting my clout,” he noted. “And jeopardizing millions of my USD on someone whose career was resurrected a few years ago just to die again.” Davido then took a page out of Drake’s book by poking fun at Wizkid’s shoe size. “Size 7 shoe,” he wrote with a laughing emoji. “N**ga shot at footlocker kids.”
Wizkid decided not to take things further, though. He shut down the X exchange then and there by claiming he was over it. “I don tire,” he tweeted. “I dey go sleep. Jesus is King.” Wizkid and Davido have collaborated multiple times over the years, with some of their most notable songs including “My Way” and “Feel (Remix).”
The two artists reportedly had a falling out in 2023, which Davido attributed to the fans during an appearance on Drink Champs. “It actually started with the fans,” he explained. “It was the fans going at it. We was f*cking around and he announced like, ‘Yo, I’m going on tour with Davido next year.’ The fans were so angry.” Regardless of who started it, the beef has become very real.
Read More: Wizkid Rants About Not Being An Afrobeats Artist While Updating On Next Album
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JT (of City Girls) Shares “OKAY” Single
JT’s solo EP is on the way.
PARTYNEXTDOOR Announces “Sorry I’m Outside” Tour For 2024
PARTYNEXTDOOR is riding high right now. The singer’s new album, P4, has been well-received by fans, with many praising the production and sticky melodies. It’s a comeback of sorts for PND, given how quiet he’s been during the first half of the 2020s. Thankfully, he’s seizing the moment. The OVO vet gave fans exactly what they wanted on April 29 when he announced that he will be going on tour during the second half of the year. The tour, titled “Sorry I’m Outside,” came with an appropriately moody trailer.
The trailer, which runs just under 50 seconds, matches the aesthetic of PND’s new album. It’s a montage of images and moments mashing up PND’s recording sessions in Hollywood with life in Toronto. We even see the Hollywood sign get replaced, at one point, by the title for lead single “Real Woman.” The swirling editing then shows a crowd of people chanting the chorus of the DMX classic “Party Up (Up In Here).” It doesn’t provide any dates, but PND confirmed that they would be revealed on April 30 via Instagram. As far as teasers go, this one was pretty effective.
Read More: PartyNextDoor Album Cover: Naked Woman’s BD Haiti Babii Speaks Out
PARTYNEXTDOOR Named The Tour After A New Song
PARTYNEXTDOOR is notorious for being a shy artist, but he has been pushing himself to perform more. His nonexistent touring schedule post-pandemic has increased gradually to include stops at Rolling Loud California, Souled Out in Australia and SXSS in Texas. His manager, Tyler Henry, talked about the pointed decision to increase the singer’s number of performances during a March profile with Billboard. “We like to do a few each year to make sure we’re fresh and in front of people’s minds,” he explained. “It keeps us sharp for when a moment like this album comes.”
PARTYNEXTDOOR has said that P4 is his most focused album yet. “This is the hardest I’ve ever worked on an album. This is the proudest I’ve felt,” he told the outlet. “I’m excited to grind even more for the next [one]. I’m in love with how hard you should work for it.” It’s safe to assume the hard work that went into the album will also make its way into the tour. Drake might even take a break from beefing with the hip-hop world to make a surprise appearance during the Toronto stop.
Read More: Drake Labels PARTYNEXTDOOR “The Real GOAT” Ahead Of New Single
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Earthgang Now Have A Day Named After Them In Atlanta
Earthgang have been in operation as a rap duo for quite a while now and their reach is impressive. The Dreamville duo have worked repeatedly with label mates like J. Cole and JID while also collaborating with artists like Future and Young Thug. Their last studio album GHETTO GODS dropped in 2022 and saw the pair getting introspective and sharing intimate details on their lives. An EP they dropped earlier this year saw them thematically dipping into the topic of artificial intelligence.
But their reach goes beyond just music. The pair are Atlanta natives and are often giving back to the city in any way they can. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution the pair sponsored a 5k run in the city recently, after which the day was officially declared “Earthgang Day.” They made a statement to the AJC discussing the honor. “Moving into the space where not only being a participant but being a facilitator and conduit for bringing these experiences to people, where they don’t have to feel like they have to be a world-class athlete in order to move their bodies, in order to engage in something that’s healthy, and coupling it with your fanbase, is amazing,” the statement read.
Read More: EARTHGANG Ignores The Flaws On Their New “Blacklight” Single
Earthgang Day Declared In Atlanta
Earlier this month, the pair performed at their label’s sponsored music festival Dreamville. The fest faced some controversy among fans when it made a last minute lineup adjustment. Many were upset with Chris Brown dropping out the week of the Festival, even though he was eventually replaced by 50 Cent.
The pair also released a new EP last year. It was the first of their investigations into AI and algorithms RIP Human Art. What do you think of Earthgang having a day named after them in Atlanta? What’s your favorite project the duo has released so far? Let us know in the comment section below.
Read More: EarthGang Drops Off New EP “RIP Human Art”
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