Last week, Kehlani’s world (which unfortunately includes their family life) was rocked when their ex Javaughn Young-White reportedly filed for full custody.
In Young-White’s supposed paperwork, her suggested that the “Next 2 U” singer was involved with a cult, which TMZ mistakenly reported was a sex cult. After Kehlani issued a short response to the claims, they then requested privacy. But users online begun to use their subsequent silence against them. Today (August 11), Kehlani clapped back to critics by way of their Instagram Stories.
“My silence is focus,” they wrote. “I am focused on my daughter. I’m tired of my silence being framed as anything by. My daughter and the work I have to continue, so her life remains as wonderful as it is, is my focus.”
Kehlani ended the note, writing: “I have no ill wishes even for those who have ill wishes towards me. I’m a mother first and foremost, and a person who believes in God.”
Days ago, Kehlani’s ex and father to their daughter, Javaughn Young-White, expressed regret over the claims he made in an updated statement posted to his own Instagram page (which you can read here).
Read Kehlani’s full statement below.
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At this time, it is unclear if the former couple have reached a custody agreement.
HNHH‘s latest R&B Season playlist update is back to keep tabs on the best of the best new releases adjacent to the genre this week. Out of what we’ll cover here, the big headliner is Chlöe’s new album Trouble In Paradise, boasting 16 tracks and a lot of sonic lushness and earworm qualities after her previous 2023 effort, which was no slouch. In addition, special guest performances from Anderson .Paak, YG Marley, Jeremih, and Ty Dolla $ign provide a pretty versatile and well-rounded representation of different rhythm and blues styles. As far as highlights go, we’d recommend the .Paak-assisted “Favorite” for its bubbly percussive patterns and sweet harmonies.
Elsewhere in the R&B world, we also wanted to shout out Leon Thomas’ latest single, the crisp and easy-going “MUTT.” The standout here is the clean and pristine drum kit on display, which bounces off of a rubbery bassline with ease. Also, additional vocals help to flesh out some of the song’s harmonic flourishes in an intoxicating way, and Thomas’ lead performance is charismatic enough to hang onto every word. Try to serenade a prospective partner with this cut and get back to us in the comments with the results.
For the hip-hop fans out there who are looking for some fusions on this R&B Season playlist update, you’re in luck. One of this week’s highlights is Rae Khalil’s new track “CARPINTERIA,” featuring more groovy drums, atmospheric keys, and a buttery smooth verse from Indiana’s own Freddie Gibbs. It lands on Khalil’s brand-new album CRYBABY, which also has plenty of highlights that you shouldn’t miss. Who knew that a soulful collab would contain one of the best new verses of the week?
Meanwhile, we’d be remiss not to mention Coco Jones’ soft and hopeful new record, “Almost There.” Finally, another killer collaboration this time around comes from Ambré and Alex Isley on “YOU DON’T KNOW,” one of the best cuts off the former’s new EP, i do this sh*t in my sleep. Let us know what your favorite R&B Season inclusion was this week, as well as what else we missed, down in the comments section below. Check the playlist out above and, as always, stick around on HNHH for more stunning music releases around the clock.
Last weekend, Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign finally unleashed their eagerly anticipated collaborative album, Vultures 2. The album was released by surprise and arrived following plenty of delays. It’s since earned mixed reactions from listeners. While many are impressed, others feel as though it left a lot to be desired, and wasn’t necessarily worth the wait.
On Wednesday, Chart Data reported that the album was on track to move 68K units in its first week. While that’s certainly no small feat, the number is fairly low for Ye. In fact, it would mark only the second time he’s released an album that didn’t top the Billboard 200. It was expected to debut at No. 2 instead, just behind Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department.
Vultures 2 Sells 107K Album-Equivalent Units Its First Week
Rapper Kanye West performs onstage during the “Vultures 1” playback concert during Rolling Loud 2024 the at Hollywood Park Grounds on March 14, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
Now, the first week sales are officially in, and they’ve exceeded expectations. According to HipHop-N-More, Vultures 2 has moved 107k album-equivalent units in its first week, with 60k coming from pure sales. Of course, this number is still pretty low compared to the first-week sales figures of albums like Jesus Is King or Donda. It looks like Ye might have bigger things to worry about these days, however.
Last week, his former Chief of Staff Milo Yiannopoulos accused Ye’s dentist of fueling his alleged nitrous addiction, leaving fans incredibly concerned. #SaveYe even began trending on X, though he’s yet to address the shocking claims. What do you think of Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign’s new album selling 107K units in its first week? Are you surprised they exceeded expectations? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Drake’s new 100 GIGSsongs landed on streaming after a UMG takedown on Instagram, and fans couldn’t be happier with the increased accessibility. Moreover, it seems like they’re really enjoying these cuts so far, as “It’s Up” featuring Young Thug and 21 Savage was the top new rap debut of the weekend alongside “Blue Green Red,” garnering 2.01 million streams in its opening day on Spotify. This achievement resulted in – you guessed it – more annoying discourse from the 6ix’s Stans and Kendrick Lamar disciples about their battle. One side is delusional enough to pretend that people actually thought The Boy’s career would be over after “Not Like Us” and are happy to point out the obvious truth, and the other just can’t stop their gloating for better or worse.
Nevertheless, Drake fans ate this weekend, and they also got some brand-new speculative beef updates to defend their fav over. You might have noticed that the men’s basketball cohort for Team USA at the 2024 Olympics got congratulations from both Drizzy and his bodyguard Chubbs for winning the gold medal over France. The latter individually congratulated Steph Curry (who the Toronto superstar posted on his Finsta), Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum… but not LeBron James, further fueling rumors that there’s a rift between LBJ and OVO that haven’t really been cleared up effectively.
Well, that’s if you care; if you don’t, then it’s just business as usual for two massive celebrities that can’t keep track of the friendships and presumed loyalties that no one told them they had to defend and isolate forever. Elsewhere, Kendrick Lamar is also continually finding commercial success these days too, as “Not Like Us” became the most streamed diss track of all time.
While fans “restored order” to the Spotify monthly listeners rankings and Drake is now over K.Dot again, hopefully more consistent release from either artist means that the fallout around their battle lessens more and more. After all, they surely have more things to talk about and other things on their mind that they want to artistically pursue. But we’ll have to wait and see. For now, let’s witness how these new cuts age in Aubrey Graham’s discography.
Vybz Kartel is out and about, focusing on himself and his health after being released from prison after a 13-year stint. Moreover, he got some new ink to commemorate this freedom, but that’s not the only menaingful body art that he added. In addition, the dancehall artist also got matching tattoos with his fiancée, Sidem Ozturk, with each one of them putting the other’s name on their arm. It’s always a wholesome affair, as small of a detail as it is, to see couples represent each other and tribute each other in this way. We also imagine that it carries a particular weight after all of his legal issues and the like.
Furthermore, Vybz Kartel could get right back to building his career and clout as a free man, and while he has, there are stronger priorities in mind. “Just finished my morning workout […] I can’t overdo it yet […] You know what I say, fitness and family? That’s the greatest,” he told his Instagram followers, as he’s focusing on his health journey after a rough time behind bars fighting Graves’ disease and a mysterious heart condition.
Still, for fans out there, this moment is a lot more about this health journey and Vybz Kartel’s personal growth and stasis than it is about new music or getting his career back together. After all, listeners got two dozen albums and mixtapes during this prison stint, so it’s clear that this prolific release schedule could come back at any time. He dropped First Week Out, a collection of loosies from past years, as his first official release since finding freedom, and it’s unclear whether or not he plans to keep the pace up. Hopefully, no matter what the outcome is, the emphasis on health and happiness remains.
Meanwhile, a lot of artists are very happy to see Vybz Kartel released, including one longtime fan in Drake. He recently posted himself wearing a “Free Vybz Kartel” shirt online to celebrate this freedom, and many others are following suit. Regardless, the happy couple has a lot more life to live, and after such hardships, they should treasure all these blessings. Whether they come in the form of new music or new ink, they are very welcome after 13 years of patience.
JAY-Z’s attorneys have take steps to notify the courts overseeing the sale of Dame Dash’s Roc-A-Fella Records shares of the rapper’s claims over his debut album.
Last week, Blueface attended a court hearing where he was sentenced to four years in prison. The news took fans by surprise, as before the hearing, the rapper’s family appeared hopeful that he’d be released. Evidently, things didn’t go as they had planned, and his legal battle won’t be coming to an end any time soon.
Of course, following the unfortunate news, fans were eager to hear from those closest to Blueface. The mother of two of his kids, Jaidyn Alexis, took to X to let fans know she was working on new music. “Dnd in the studio,” she wrote. At the time, supporters took this as an indicator that she was unfazed by her ex’s legal issues. One of her recent Instagram Lives, on the other hand, appears to suggest otherwise.
In a clip from the IG live, Jaidyn becomes upset after reading a comment from a viewer, who questioned how she was in good spirits amid such bad news. “Sometimes y’all piss me off,” she said. “How you so happy? B***h, I’m workin’. This is work. Talkin’ about I’m happy. You disgust me. Someone’s gotta do it … Sometimes I think y’all don’t realize that real life happens in real-time. And sometimes y’all d*mb as f**k. No shade at all.”
Jaidyn went on, reiterating that she still has to work to provide for her kids while Blueface is behind bars. She also added that she’s not “happy” her kids will be without their father for the foreseeable future. What do you think of Jaidyn Alexis clapping back at a fan who questioned her for seeming happy after Blueface received a four-year prison sentence? Are you surprised or not? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
On this day 51 years ago (August 11, 1973), Kool Herc threw his legendary back-to-school basement party, which would go on to create the foundation for Hip-Hop music through the “breakbeat” DJ technique he used to keep the party rocking. Many aspiring emcees at the time paired ‘the break’ with the rhymes flowing through their minds, jumpstarting a sound and movement now considered the most popular genre in music; Hip Hop.
Many are familiar with the story of the 1520 Sedgewick Avenue Recreation Center and how Jamaican-born Herc attracted the youth from the community and other boroughs that had already made names for themselves in other aspects of the culture (B-Boying, Graffiti, and MCing). The climate in NYC has often been omitted from history, where the city was on the brink of bankruptcy while crime and “white flight” was at an all-time high. These were the circumstances in which the culture of Hip Hop was born and thrived throughout the city for about a decade before it became recognized by the mainstream.
Salute to the pioneers of the era, such as Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, Coke La Rock, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, The Funky Four Plus 1 More, The Magnificent Seven, and a host of others who were there at the foundation. Thank you for giving us what we can document now as Hip Hop history!
BossMan Dlow has had to deal with a lot of Internet narratives these days, but this most recent one is fortunately more light despite its connection to a more serious situation. Moreover, a lot of fans are responding comically to a mugshot of his that went viral over the weekend, seemingly connected to a 2019 arrest and sentence. “Looking like a school cafeteria lady,” “‘I wasn’t broke I was f***ed up,’” and “My mans look like he cries easily” were among the most popular comments of the post below. At least the rapper can look back at this in retrospect, and at least it has nothing to do with DJ Vlad.
For those unaware, the VladTV host recently accused BossMan Dlow’s alleged manager Chris Silvers of finessing him for an interview, but the “2 Slippery” MC says that he has no idea who Silvers is. “My Manager @tymeoutt… It In All My Bio’s Never Heard of a mf Chris Silvers in my Life [crying-laughing and crying emojis],” the BossMan responded to Vlad. “Yup – we were contacted from the same phone number that you listed on your official IG bio. Here is the proof. Like I said be a batter Bossman and get a real manager on your team,” the media personality clapped back.
“I want to warn everyone out there who is booking @bossman_dlow,” Vlad had originally expressed concerning the alleged BossMan Dlow situation. “We recently gave his manager Chris Silvers a small deposit for an interview. After getting the deposit, he asked for 4 times the agreed upon amount and refused to return the deposit. D Low, you need to be a better Bossman and hire a real manager if you want to succeed in this business long-term.”
Meanwhile, BossMan Dlow might actually feel a type of way about these responses to his mugshot. After all, he recently went through some more legal trouble after authorities seemed to arrest him in Florida. That situation is still pretty unclear, so we’ll see if the near future holds an explanation. For now, this is at least the most innocuous situation that Dlow faced as of late.
(@nojumper)