Month: July 2024

Ravyn Lenae’s Wistful ‘One Wish’ Video With Childish Gambino Is A Soulful Therapy Session

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In the video for Ravyn Lenae‘s new song “One Wish,” the burgeoning R&B star finds parallels in the present and past as she reflects on her struggles to connect with the men in her life. Opening with a flashback to her father leaving her behind, the stylish video makes connections between this abandonment and her grown-up relationships, with a series of men who mirror his affinity for classic cars and flashy watches — and trouble communicating his feelings. Childish Gambino appears on track to voice the internal concerns of one man, showing how the problem cuts both ways.

Donald Glover recently released his final album as Childish Gambino, but the alter ego isn’t going away quietly. In addition to this feature with Ravyn Lenae, Gambino also appeared on Kaytranada’s new album, albeit on a song that the producer has been teasing during his DJ sets for years. Glover also reissued his unfinished 2020 album 3.15.20 as Atavista, adding two new features, Summer Walker and Young Nudy, along with remixed tracks.

“One Wish” appears on Lenae’s upcoming second album Bird’s Eye, which is out on August 9 via Atlantic. She already released three singles, “Love Is Blind,” “Love Me Not,” and “Dream Girl.” You can watch the “One Wish” video above.

Fans Have Taken Snoop Dogg’s 2024 Olympic Torch Moment And Turned It Into One Fiery Joke About Stoners

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Snoop Dogg Paris 2024 Olympic Games Torch Relay (1024x437)
Getty Image

In his career, Snoop Dogg has set the charts on fire and sparked a few (more than a few) blunts. But the legendary hip-hop figure was willing to put his love for marijuana on the back burner to fulfill one of his lifelong dreams — carrying the Olympic torch at the 2024 games.

Today (July 25), the “Drop It Like It’s Hot” rapper completed his ultimate side mission while in the Parisian suburb of Saint-Denis. Snoop took to X (formerly Twitter) with pride for his monumental accomplishment.

“Did somethin today. [100 emoji] [fist pound emoji] [fire emoji] #FollowTheDogg,” he wrote.

But users online wasted no time turning the moment into one flaming joke about stoners. Several folks took some creative liberties, mainly photo and video editing, to re-imagine the ceremony.

“Thank you for holding the Olympic joint,” wrote one page.

“Hope you had fun,” wrote one user with a modified photo.

“You tried to smoke it didn’t you,” laughed one person.

“Light a blunt with it,” asked anoter.

“I know Snoop in Paris high as hell,” laughed another.

Even the official Olympic page chimed in with a joke of their own.

“Don’t… ‘Drop it like it’s hot,” wrote the page.

All in all, Snoop is on cloud nine over his career high or so he told AP. “I look at this as a prestigious honor and something I truly respect,” he said. “I would have never dreamed of nothing like this,” he said. “I’m going to be on my best behavior. I’m going to be on my best athleticism. I’ll be able to breathe slow to walk fast and hold the torch with a smile on my face, because I realize how prestigious this event is.”

Uproxx Music 20: Leo Waters’ ‘On Waters Ave’ Trusted The Process In The Face Of The Unknown

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Leo Waters 'Uproxx Music 20' image
Merle Cooper/@onrecordla

Like most artists, Leo Waters fought for the spot he stands in today. The young singer, born in Tampa, raised in Chicago, and currently residing in Los Angeles, was forced to embrace the unknown after he left the comfort and familiar surroundings of home in pursuit of his music dreams. His debut project On Waters Ave documents that journey through six songs that also portrays the clarity and self-awareness Waters has at such a young age.

“Leo Waters means King of Waters,” he said about the project in a press release. “Waters Ave is my home street and a cultural hub representative of my mixed Latin heritage and small town familial ties. Having had to fight tooth and nail to come up in Tampa, I now feel it’s time to tell my story as an artist leaving home to face the urban jungle of Los Angeles.”

On Waters Ave is led by his breakout single “Smoke + Mirrors” where Waters’ reminds an elusive woman that his treatment toward her trumps that of other men in her life. It’s also presented with a sliver of humility and honesty as he confesses wanting more time with her. “Love is too hard to find,” he sings. “So come and ease up my mind.” Other highlights throughout On Waters Ave include the powerful and self-sufficient “On Me” and the sweet and romantic “Outlaws.”

Waters isn’t done yet in 2024, though. Just a month after releasing On Waters Ave, the singer returns with “Cuerpo,” a Latin-inspired tune that Waters uses to show his commitment to a new love interest. He also shows off his Spanish to add some flare to the track.

With “Cuerpo” out now and On Waters Ave still in rotation, we caught up with Leo Waters to learn more about him for this week’s Uproxx Music 20 column. Scroll down to read more about the Waters’ inspirations, influences, and aspirations.

See Previous UPROXX MUSIC 20 Interviews:

What is your earliest memory of music?

I used to watch singing competitions with my family… it was a big family affair to watch American Idol, etc. I used to imagine myself up there. We were a big music family and I would always sing to the family and they would egg me on. I was the family entertainer in that way.

Who inspired you to take music seriously?

When I was a dancer, I was touring with a bunch of artists and I met Tory Lanez along the way. I watched him record early on and he taught me how important it is to learn everything yourself. I took that mentality and ran with it before I met my current team.

Do you know how to play an instrument? If so, which one? If not, which instrument do you want to learn how to play?

I can play the keys, but more than anything I’m learning to be a better producer and engineer and I love to write.

What was your first job?

I used to work in construction. That was the plan before I was found in a writing camp. I took all my $200 bucks from that week and flew myself to LA to do this writing camp.

What is your most prized possession?

Probably my first mic that was gifted to me. I still own this today and record on it.

What is your biggest fear?

My biggest fear is not making my family proud. It is so important to me to give back to them for everything they’ve done for me.

Who is on your R&B Mt. Rushmore?

Oooh… this is tough. Probably Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, or Bryson Tiller. People that have shaped culture and are real creatives and performers.

You get 24 hours to yourself to do anything you want, with unlimited resources: What are you doing? And spare no details!

I think if I could do anything I would go back in time and relive my favorite memories from life. With my family, as a dancer, etc. I would love to take inspiration from those times and write more music. Memories are the most important non-tangible asset we have.

What are your three most used emojis?

😮‍💨, 🥂, and 🧢.

What’s a feature you need to secure before you die?

This sounds insane… but I would love to collab on an afro-beats / R&B type song.

If you could appear in a future season of a current TV show, which one would it be and why?

I love the show Fallout because I love gaming and it is based on my favorite video game.

Which celebrity do you admire or respect for their personality and why?

I think Shaq. He seems like a class act and has built amazing businesses off his success as a basketball player. I think it’s hard to find celebrities that are good people and good businesspeople. He seems like one of those guys.

Share your opinion on something no one could ever change your mind about.

Our actions, thoughts, and words must always be in alignment. It is the most important way to operate as a good man and person.

What is the best song you’ve ever heard in your life and what do you love about it?

This is such a tough call…I love songs that are left up to interpretation but have a deeper meaning. I think “Hotel California” does this. It’s about someone being trapped in a world where they have everything they could ever want or need… but realizing that’s not everything and there is more to life. I love that concept.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform, and what’s a city you’re excited to perform in for the first time?

Tampa. Tampa…. Tampa.

You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location where it would be held.

Location is Tampa, FL. Because that’s home… and we need to bring good music back home. This is a loaded lineup for me… I need to give more than 5 if we’re talking about a real festival. SZA, Don Toliver, Burna Boy, Drake, Bryson Tiller, Frank Ocean, Summer Walker, Kehlani, WILLOW, Mk.Gee, Jean Dawson, Alix Banin, and PabloPablo.

What would you be doing now if it weren’t for music?

Probably dancing. I still love it as a sport and I love entertaining. Or I would be a songwriter. Or both…

If you could see five years into the future or go five years into the past, which one would you pick and why?

This is a crazy question. I want to stay where I am…wildcard answer. I don’t have any regrets, and I want to leave the mystery about what the future holds. I’m enjoying working hard and living in the now.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Continue to stay true to your values and trust your gut and your heart when something isn’t right. That’s the most important indicator.

It’s 2050. The world hasn’t ended, and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

Man, we are getting deep here! I think I want to be remembered as someone who has made an impact in this community as someone that has remained a good honorable person that has created art that surpasses generations. I want every move I make and every song I release to reflect this. We aren’t remembered by name a lot of the time… we’re remembered by the actions and impact we have left behind. I’d rather my art and good work be remembered over my name. People get so lost in the music industry. Especially in the hip hop and R+B community. It is so important for me to stay grounded and represent that it’s possible to be a good honorable person while being successful in this space. I can’t wait until I have the resources to make an impact on the communities that matter to me most and to continue to use my art to make positive change.

On Waters Ave is out now via Key Records LLC. Find out more information here.

Kid Cudi Lends His Real-Life Star Power To Saleka’s Lady Raven Song ‘Divine’ From The ‘Trap’ Soundtrack

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In the upcoming M. Night Shyamalan thriller Trap, a serial killer played by Josh Hartnett works to escape a police dragnet set for him at a pop concert he attends with his teen daughter. The singer, a Lady Gaga-esque performer called Lady Raven, is portrayed by singer Saleka (Shyamalan’s daughter), and on the newly released soundtrack single “Divine,” Lady Raven receives a boost of real-life pop star clout from Kid Cudi. Powered by a pulsating dance instrumental highlighted by strains of traditional Indian music — a nod to Saleka’s cultural heritage — “Divine” gives us our first glimpse of Lady Raven’s musical styling in Trap.

In addition to writing fourteen songs for the film’s soundtrack, Saleka will also make her acting debut in Trap, suggesting that Lady Raven may end up more involved in the film’s plot than trailers have so far shown. While her casting may strike some fans as a little too convenient, considering her dad’s the movie’s director, Saleka has had plenty of real-life experience performing. She released her independent debut album Seance last May, while in 2022, she toured with Long Beach R&B singer Giveon as one of his four opening acts.

Kid Cudi, meanwhile, has been recovering from an injury, which caused him to cancel his Insano tour. He’s also been lending his co-sign to other rising stars, like fellow Clevelander Chelsea Pastel. He also has a role in Trap

You can listen to “Divine” above.

Tory Lanez Achieves Shocking Sound Quality On New “Prison Tapes” Tracks

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Last year, Tory Lanez was sentenced to ten years behind bars for shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the foot. Since then, the performer and his legal team have been hard at work trying to overturn his conviction. While this has proven to be no easy feat, Lanez hasn’t let this discourage him and continues to push for the verdict he’s hoping for.

Luckily for fans, he also hasn’t let his prison stay stop him from dropping new music. Today, he unveiled two new tracks from his recently announced Prison Tapes series, “Cell 245” and “Wish I Never Met You.” So far, Lanez’s latest arrivals have received mostly positive feedback. Many also point out the songs’ impressive sound quality, despite being recorded through a jail phone.

Read More: Tory Lanez Announces New “Free Tory Playlist” Via Prison Phone Call

Tory Lanez Drops New Music From Behind Bars

“Given that the vocals were recorded through a jail phone, the sound quality is actually impressive. Tory Lanez really made it work under those conditions,” one X user notes. “Tory Lanez really got some cr*zy quality on this song. You dead can’t even tell he did this over a prison phone,” another says. Lanez did appear confident in his ability to emulate the same quality he was achieving when he was out when he announced the project earlier this week. Nonetheless, fans are amazed.

“After about 20-something to 30-something f*ck-ups and mistakes, me and my engineer have finally figured out how to record music over the jail phone and still keep the quality as professional as I had it on the street,” he declared at the time. “It’s over. I done cracked the f*cking code, man. This means that not even these prison walls can stop me from dropping new music. It’s cr*zy!” What do you think of Tory Lanez releasing new music from behind bars? Are you impressed with the sound quality? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

Read More: Tory Lanez Hater Goes Viral For Sparking Debate Around His Music

[Via]

The post Tory Lanez Achieves Shocking Sound Quality On New “Prison Tapes” Tracks appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Drake Gets Booed At Limp Bizkit Concert In Toronto

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Drake’s year keeps getting worse. The rapper attended nu-metal band Limp Bizkit’s show in Toronto on July 24. The band is on their Loserville tour, which started on July 16. During the show, frontman Fred Durst told the audience that Drake was there, to the chagrin of the crowd.

“I thought Drake was your homie,” said Durst to a booing audience. “Drake’s my homie.” He dedicated the next song to him. Fans noted that Drake’s and Limp Bizkit’s fanbases probably do not align. “I doubt many Drake fans and Limp Bizkit fans are synonymous with one another,” said one X user. “I wasn’t expecting them to like him, but it’s still funny that it happened in Toronto,” said another user. “Welp, guess Drake is gonna take a selfie with oversized pants, a Korn T-shirt and a box of biscuits,” said a third user. That is referring to Drake’s petty streak, which continued recently when ScHoolboy Q’s Toronto concert was canceled amid a feud with Q’s close friend Kendrick Lamar.

Drake Gets Booed At A Concert In Toronto

The reception from Drake’s hometown crowd is the latest in what will go down as a nightmarish 2024 for him. The feud with Kendrick Lamar ended with Lamar’s “Not Like Us” becoming the biggest song of the year, a far cry from the result of Drake’s battle with Meek Mill. Though he released music this year, appearing twice on Camila Cabello’s latest album, he is yet to produce a hit in the way he previously has. His own tracks toward Lamar did not go over well with the public. Now, he’s getting booed in the place that born and raised him.

Drake reportedly has new music on the way. He appeared on producer Gordo’s album DIAMANTE, which released on Friday morning, delivering songs in the same vein as those from Honestly, Nevermind, Drake’s 2022 pivot into house music. There has not been a year without a Drake project of some kind since 2014. It is likely that he will come out with a new album before the end of 2024 as he attempts to win the public back over. Maybe he should start with his home fans first.

The post Drake Gets Booed At Limp Bizkit Concert In Toronto appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Tory Lanez Kicks Off The Prison Tapes With “Wish I Never Met You / Cell 245”

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Tory Lanez’s voice remains to be heard regardless of his current situation and it sounds pretty damn good on these new “Prison Tapes”. These are an extension of the Canadian hybrid’s “Lost Tapes”, which are older recordings spanning from 2015-2020. Pretty much all of them see Mr. Lanez on his R&B vibes, but on these tracks from behind prison walls, he is giving is a dosage of his aggressive rapping style too. The 31-year-old artist announced this on his social media a couple of days ago through a prison phone. Usually, when rappers release material from behind bars, the quality takes a hit. However, Tory claimed that his engineer was able to work some magic to make it sound like he laid these down in a studio.

Well, Tory Lanez did not a tell, because the first “Prison Tapes” installments sound extremely crisp. Like his “Lost Tapes”, there will be two new releases weekly. Additionally, the hitmaker is now giving both a home on his “Free Tory Playlist”. Starting this new string of songs are “Wish I Never Hurt You” and “Cell 245”, and like we said, these are showing the duality of Tory. The former is sees him struggling with the loss of a lover as he goes as far as to say he wishes they never met so he could have avoided the pain altogether. Conversely, Tory is rapping like the rent is due on “Cell 245” while getting introspective in the process. Both kick off the “Prison Tapes” to perfection and we can’t wait for the rest.

Read More: DaBaby Responds To Soulja Boy Shade With The Perfect Meme

“Wish I Never Met You – Prison Tapes” & “Cell 245 – Prison Tapes”- Tory Lanez

Quotable Lyrics From “Wish I Never Met You”:

You said, “Let love grow,” but not no more
You took time to grow, stop blowin’ up my phone
And now I’m lo-lo-loaded with emotions, tryna find out how to cope
It can’t be with drinking, though
I’ve been smokin’, way too high
Drank so much, I damn near choked

Read More: Rihanna’s Former Publicist Discusses Drama Sparked By New Jay-Z Documentary

The post Tory Lanez Kicks Off The Prison Tapes With “Wish I Never Met You / Cell 245” appeared first on HotNewHipHop.