Today, from the late, legendary Juice WRLD comes The Pre-Party, a two-pack of highly anticipated songs fans have been trading notes about for years. The surprise set pairs luxe emo-rap cut “World Tour (Aquafina)” with “Lightyears” featuring Young Thug, which has a slight country sway to it. Listen HERE via Grade A and Interscope Records. The 9AM global timing of the 9.9 release is significant to Juice WRLD and his fandom as a cherished number (999) that symbolizes the concept of flipping a bad situation into a positive one.
Juice previewed “World Tour (Aquafina)” on Instagram Live back in 2018, leaving listeners wondering if they’d ever hear the official release. Now, they can listen closely as the Chicago star inhales at the top of the track, then swan-dives through DJ Relentt’s jewel-tone synths into a blissed-out fever dream that rolls drugs, sex, and threats into a technicolor blur: “I can’t feel my tongue, shorty, I’m off the moll’, yeah / I still see the snakes, n****, run inside, yeah.”
“Lightyears” takes a different tack, mixing downcast guitar with booming bass while the two rap visionaries paint a modern picture of class and excess. “Taking trips off the Percs, I be sky high / In the sky sippin’ on red lean like it’s red wine,”Juice coos, while Young Thug flexes, “Ride big Bentleys everywhere that I go / Keep the Lamborghini parked at the bank though.” The beat comes courtesy of longtime Juice friend and collaborator Nick Mira.
The latter song has also been the subject of much speculation. Before Juice’s passing, Thug confirmed the two had more songs in the works, and their chemistry has been affirmed time and again, from Future’s “Red Bentley” (2018), to Juice’s “On God” (2019), to their collab track “Bad Boy” (2021), on through Thug’s “Money” featuring Nicki Minaj (2023) – to name a few. Mira’s involvement with “Lightyears” upped the anticipation — he’s had multiple songs on every Juice album to date, including Top 10 hits “Lucid Dreams,” “Bandit,” and “Smile.”
Diddy is reportedly looking to downside his real estate portfolio. According to People, the former Revolt TV mogul has listed his now infamous Los Angeles, California home on the market for a whooping $61.5 million.
In the outlet’s exclusive report, it describes the Holmby Hills neighborhood mansion as a “17,000-square-foot home featuring 10 bedrooms, 13 bathrooms and a two-story guest house.”
Listing agent Kurt Rappaport shared a statement with People about the home’s underappreciate asset. “The property is located on the center of one of the best streets in Los Angeles,” he said.
However, an insider claimed that the desire to sell the home was actually motivated by other reasons. The sources said that Diddy doesn’t spend much time at the property. “[Diddy] lived in Miami as his primary residence for years and always planned to sell the home in L.A. once his daughters grew up and moved out,” said the individual.
Future has done a great job of building up anticipation without dropping a single song. Instead of going the traditional single route, the rapper has decided to base his rollout on snippets. He’s dropped three in the last week. One of which, includes a guest verse from longtime collaborator Travis Scott. All three of the snippets make good on the promise of the Mixtape Pluto title, however. Future is really bringing it all back to his legendary mid-2010s run. Now, we have a trailer to hold us over for a little while longer.
Future dropped the trailer on September 9. The 30-second video sees the rapper holed up in an L.A. hotel room. He looks pensive while overlapping voices and police sirens can be heard in the distance. Mixtape Pluto then takes over, and Future treats us to a snippet of a previously unheard (and untitled) song. Yes, it sounds great. The rapper poses alongside a group of women and a car, while bass-rattling beat for the song kicks in. Future definitely isn’t pulling a fast one, here. He’s expanded his sound a little bit with his Metro Boomin collabs, but Mixtape Pluto is for the day one fans.
Frustratingly, the trailer doesn’t provide an official release date for the single or the album. The rumor is that Mixtape Pluto will drop September 13, which would mean within a week of the trailer’s release. Some sources claimed to have seen at least ten tracks on the album, and that producers Southside and London on the Track handle the intro. The same outlets that present this, however, have also noted that these are unverified claims. Future is friendly with Playboi Carti, who is also rumored to drop in September. Carti is famous for his unpredictability, though, especially when it comes to release dates.
There’s also The Weeknd. The Canadian superstar is prepping the release of his upcoming album, Hurry Up Tomorrow. He’s even dropped a few album trailers of his own. Future, Playboi Carti and The Weeknd are all signed to UMG, so it would benefit the company if their respective releases were staggered. That may be part of the reason Future has yet to announce a proper release date. We’ll see if the September 13 rumors prove to be true this Friday.
Young Thug has his hands full. The rapper is currently facing RICO charges, and if convicted, he will go away for an estimated 120 years. That said, Thug took time out of his tight schedule to give a shout out to Tyreek Hill. The NFL superstar got into trouble with the law on September 8, following a traffic stop. Hill was released after receiving a citation, but the media fallout from the athlete’s interaction with the police has been sizable. Young Thug noticed, and showed love to his celebrity peer once he was in the clear.
Young Thug’s tweet got right to the point. “The Cheetah’s free,” he wrote, referencing Tyreek Hill’s nickname. The association may seem tenuous, but Hill has actually voiced support for Young Thug’s cause in the past. Following the Dolphins’ first game of the season, Hill participated in an on the field interview with CBS. The superstar athlete avoided questions regarding the arrest. Instead, he sang the praises of those in his life, and gave a special tip of the cap to Young Thug. Hill wiped his nose and said “SLATT” directly into the camera before resuming his celebration. “SLATT” is a phrase commonly used by Young Thug and the rest of the YSL group.
Tyreek Hill’s traffic stop occurred on Sunday afternoon. The Miami Dolphins wide receiver was detained by police outside of the Hard Rock Stadium right before the game started. ESPN reported that Hill was driving erratically without a seatbelt on. He also had fellow Dolphins teammate, Calais Campbell, riding shotgun. The body cam footage shows that the interaction between Hill and the police escalated when the former opened up his car door. The police then dragged him from the vehicle and pushed him to the ground. Tyreek Hill can be heard telling his agent (who was on the phone) that he was getting arrested.
The union representing the Miami-Dade Police Department issued a statement following Tyreek Hill’s detainment. The statement clarified that Hill was never placed under arrest. It also characterized the NFL star as “uncooperative” with the officers who were on the scene. “Hill was not immediately cooperative with the officers,” the rep claimed. “[He] refused to sit on the ground and was therefore redirected to the ground.” Young Thug’s legal issues persist, but at least Hill’s appear to be behind him.
The blowback from next year’s Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show headliner selection is still breezing through hip-hop. Yesterday (September 8), Kendrick Lamar announced that he would do the honors in 2025. While Jay-Z and Rihanna showed their support, others let their disapproval be heard loud and clear.
Today (September 9), no one’s objection was louder than Nicki Minaj. In a series of post on X (formerly Twitter), Nicki accused Jay-Z of allowing his “hatred” of Drake and Birdman to overshadow what would have been a monumental moment for Lil Wayne given the championship game his heading to New Orleans.
“One n**** took a knee,” she wrote. “The other n**** took the bag. He gon get you “n*****s” in line every f*cking time.”
Nicki’s lines were stark comparisons of Colin Kaepernick and Jay-Z’s reactions to the NFL protest.
Her rant didn’t stop there. “Got everything in the world,” she wrote. “Still spiteful & evil. Disgusting. Be happy Abeg. Go be f*cking happy n****. In rap business. In women business. When you got the politicians & the police, you good tho.”
Then Nick went on to highlight how Eminem handled 50 Cent reportedly being barred from the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show stage. “Denying a young black man what he rightfully put into this game for no other reason but your ego,” she wrote. “Your hatred for BIRDMAN, Drake & Nicki got you punishing Lil Wayne?!?!!! LIL WAYNE!!!!!!!!!! THE GOAT?!!!!!!!!!!! Nola what’s good?!!!!!! Eminem stood firm on having 50 Cent come out. A white man. Shit sad. House N***** TINGZ.”
Birdman quickly added his thoughts, writing: “These n****s p*ssy. Nicki Minaj, Drake, Lil Wayne. YMCMB. Imma make these n****s respek us, on Gladys .”
In several posts Nicki Minaj praised Lil Wayne for all that he’s contributed to the culture, both seen and unseen. She also urged others to give rap legends their flowers while they are still around. Nicki ended with a note to ensure that her words weren’t a slight aimed at Kendrick Lamar, but an intentional show of disrespect aimed at Young Money.
Kendrick Lamar just made another Young Money enemy. The rapper already took out Drake with his historic run of diss tracks. Now, he’s snatched the Super Bowl Halftime Show out from under the New Orleans hometown hero, Lil Wayne. To be clear, Lamar was given the spot, and given his recent run of hits, the booking makes total sense. It’s more the fact that New Orleans fans feel like Wayne should’ve been prioritized given his background. Lil Wayne has stated, point blank, that he wants to lead a Super Bowl Halftime Show in his city.
The statement was made back in February. Lil Wayne went YG’s 4HUNNID podcast to discuss his legacy and his relationship to New Orleans. Naturally, the topic of the Super Bowl came up, given that it will take place in the Big Easy come 2025. Weezy told the host that he hadn’t been contacted about playing at the Halftime Show, but he remained hopeful that he would. “We all praying, we keeping our fingers crossed,” he explained. “I’m working hard.” Lil Wayne said that the desire to headline the Super Bowl was actually motivating him during the recording sessions for his upcoming album.
Lil Wayne Was ‘Praying’ For The Halftime Show Call
“I’m going to make sure this next album and everything I do is killer,” the rapper asserted. His reasoning? If the next album is undeniable, than Roc Nation and the NFL would have no choice but to book him. “I’m going make it very hard for them to [pass me up],” Lil Wayne stated. “I want to just make it hard for them not to highlight the boy.” Unfortunately, Weezy is still working on Tha Carter VI, with no release date set. JAY-Z and the Roc Nation team opted for Kendrick Lamar instead. Lil Wayne hasn’t commended on the perceived snub. His Young Money family, however, has been plenty loud.
Nicki Minaj blasted JAY-Z on Twitter. She didn’t mention names, but the allusions to Colin Kaepernick made it very clear who she was talking about. “One n**ga took a knee,” she wrote. “The other n**ga took the bag.” Birdman, meanwhile, tagged Minaj and Drake in what practically read like a declaration of war against Roc Nation. “These n**gaz P**si @NICKIMINAJ @Drake @LilTunechi YMCMB,” he tweeted out. “I’m make these n**gaz respek us on Gladys.”
Kendrick Lamar has really been at the center of rap controversy in 2024. He was the consensus winner of the Drake battle, and now he’s set to perform at the Superbowl Halftime Show in 2025. It makes a lot of sense, frankly. Lamar is bigger than ever, having just scored the most significant single of his career. That hasn’t stop the rest of the rap community from criticizing his selection, though. Many have come out and stated that Lil Wayne should have been picked, given that his hometown of New Orleans is the location of the next Super Bowl. Big Boy is one of them.
The legendary radio host sat down with TMZ to discuss the controversial snubbing. Big Boy did not mince words when it came to his thoughts on the matter. He felt Lil Wayne should have been chosen to represent New Orleans. Furthermore, he thinks there’s some fishy things going on behind the scenes. He didn’t mention anybody by name, but JAY-Z and Roc Nation were ultimately the ones who made the final decision. “Something was done there,” Big Boy asserted. “I feel like there’s some people, getting back to the Super Bowl, saying, ‘There’s something there. There’s a reason why.’ And I don’t think people are so far off.”
The radio host also told TMZ that dismissed the notion that Lil Wayne is not relevant enough to play the Halftime Show. He pointed to Wayne’s legacy, his catalog, and the fact that he still appears on popular songs today. Furthermore, Wayne would have been able to call upon Young Money proteges like Drake and Nicki Minaj to make special appearances. “You don’t have to dig Wayne up,” Big Boy stated. “You don’t have to say, ‘Hey, remember Lil Wayne? Like, we need to get someone from New Orleans.’” The radio legend proceeded to dub Weezy the definitive New Orleans artist. “He’s that guy,” Big Boy said. “Young Money was that group.”
Big Boy’s sentiments have been shared by other big names like Master P and Cam’ron. The decision to go with Lamar, however, has fueled speculation that JAY-Z is less friendly with the Young Money camp than the public initially thought. By choosing Lamar, JAY-Z has slighted both Lil Wayne and Drake, who will undoubtedly be a focus of Lamar’s Super Bowl performance. It may have been inadvertent, but the fans have seen JAY-Z wield his power to throw digs at other artists. It’s not proven, but it’s definitely not out of the realm of possibility.
“Is there a more important city traditionally in American culinary history, a more vibrant, diverse, and influential? Probably not,” the late Anthony Bourdain once described the city of New Orleans, home of the Saints, jazz music, and the birthplace of Dwayne Michael Carter II, the rapper we’ve grown to love as Lil Wayne. For about three decades, Weezy F. Baby has been an anchor in hip-hop’s 51-year history, an artist with deep roots in his city’s contributions to music as a whole. There isn’t another artist alive who could replicate his creativity, quirkiness, thought, or flow patterns, but many have tried. Even those who attempted to keep up found themselves getting outrapped on their own song or outperformed on their own beat. As he said in a Super Bowl interview in 2002: “I been went platinum, just not off records.” For an artist to be as revered lyrically as he is commercially (Tha Carter III is among a handful of hip-hop albums to ever move one million units in the first week), and with the longevity he has, Wayne’s impact across the world can be felt, even when it’s not always acknowledged.
Hence why Kendrick Lamar’s announcement as the Super Bowl Halftime Show headliner in New Orleans is less shocking than it is disappointing. Wayne has expressed a desire to perform at the Super Bowl throughout the past year, and it only made sense considering how Jay-Z and Roc Nation have not only uplifted hip-hop but emphasized the importance of regional culture, as we’ve seen with Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre. Wayne is NOLA’s flagship artist, one of the most celebrated musical talents of all time whose reflected his hometown through the damage of Katrina and uplifted its talents through his Lil Weezyana Festival. His absence from the Super Bowl stage is a missed opportunity, but, frankly, it should’ve been expected since Usher took the stage.
For anyone who has expressed their grievances over the situation, we must ask a critical question: what has Lil Wayne done in the past year to warrant a Super Bowl Halftime Show? If we take a glance at each artist who performed during the Halftime Show under Jay-Z’s tutelage, there was a build-up of momentum to that performance. Usher became the star of Las Vegas, thanks to his world-class residency; The Weeknd emerged triumphant post-pandemic. Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre brought hometown pride to Los Angeles in the same year that they celebrated the 30th anniversary of The Chronic while curating an intergenerational performance that included Eminem, 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar.
All of that to say: Lil Wayne simply hasn’t done enough in the past year. According to Brian Zisook, the co-founder of Audiomack, it’s the Super Bowl, Apple Music, and its sponsors who look at eight categories when selecting the Halftime Show performer: availability, superstar status, popularity, global impact, reach, live performance, a catalog of hits to fill 12-15 minutes, and new music on the horizon.
It’s been over two years since Lil Wayne launched a countdown for Tha Carter VI and, as of now, we haven’t received a promising single that indicates that it’s officially on the way. Not to mention, Lil Wayne hasn’t really toured any major stadiums or arenas as of late with the exception of his brief stint with Drake earlier this year. In 2023, he embarked on the Welcome To The Carter Tour, where he played in smaller, more intimate venues. And if we look at sales, the last three projects he was involved in, Trust Fund Babies with Rich The Kid, Tha Fix Before Tha VI, and Welcome 2Collegrove with 2 Chainz all failed to move more than 34,000 in their first week. Let me be clear: first week sales do not mean anything but Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III remains one of five albums to have ever moved one million units in the first week. Wayne’s best work recently has been the features run he’s been on. Simply based on statistics, which presumably is the only aspect that the NFL’s corporate office is interested in, Wayne’s pull in 2024 isn’t as strong as it once was before his issues with Birdman put his career on ice for a few years.
Lil Wayne encompasses most of the qualities that Zisook laid out, just not all of them. His superstar status is undeniable, but is the global appreciation for him on par with his legacy in America? His performances are often subpar. Let’s not forget that this is the same guy who needs a teleprompter while on stage because he’s recorded more music than he’s capable of remembering. And perhaps, there also needs to be some sort of reckoning of who Lil Wayne is and his appeal. The controversies that have riddled the recent years of his career, from his stance on BLM to endorsing Donald Trump in 2020, could have opened a can of worms that would overshadow the prestige of the Halftime show right before one of the most important presidential elections in history that could very well result in the first Woman of Color being elected into the Oval Office. Part of Roc Nation’s partnership with the NFL is to “amplify the league’s social justice efforts.” Plus, do we really think that Wayne will be able to get through a 12-15 minute setlist of his greatest hits without mentioning cunnilingus… on the biggest stage in America? None of this is to downplay why Lil Wayne deserved the spot as a legend and an ambassador of New Orleans but rather, food for thought as to the possible reasons he may have been overlooked in the eyes of the NFL. Wayne’s lack of filter and awareness of his surroundings has been a gift and a curse to his public persona.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JUNE 01: Lil Wayne performs at 2024 Roots Picnic at Fairmount Park on June 01, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Kayla Oaddams/Getty Images)
On the surface, the optics of Kendrick Lamar headlining the Super Bowl in New Orleans seem just plain petty. However, it makes sense within the criteria of what the NFL expects. Kendrick Lamar made the most out of a few months. “Not Like Us” remains in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 and basically held down the third spot on the chart for the majority of the summer. Then, there’s the Pop Out, which, in retrospect, feels like the predecessor to his Super Bowl announcement. Tickets sold out almost immediately; Dot brought out the entirety of Los Angeles and has the most minutes watched of any Amazon Music production on Twitch and Prime platforms. On the heels of a historic beef, Kendrick Lamar emerged triumphant in numbers and content, and this Super Bowl performance is the paper bag of dog sh*t burning on Drake’s porch. There’s no way Drake could stomp it out without stepping in sh*t himself.
“Not Like Us” is ultimately rooted in Patriotism, and there’s nothing more American than football. While it served as a nail-in-the-coffin offering during a heated week-long battle between Drake and Kendrick Lamar that turned into a U.S. vs. Canada debate, it clearly forced everyone within hip-hop (and outside of it) to pick a side. At this point, the internet has run with the theory that Jay-Z’s alleged issues with Drake, Lil Wayne, Birdman, and Nicki Minaj helped Kendrick Lamar make history as the first rapper to headline the Super Bow, but we can’t really be certain if that’s the case. We could unpack the web of connections between these artists for days and likely wouldn’t land on a concrete theory as to why Weezy was snubbed this year. However, the situation, as a whole, could be a predicament for Lil Wayne, whose loyalty to Drake has been in question recently after Wayne wore an XO chain in the music video for Jon Baptiste’s “Uneasy.” Considering that Kendrick Lamar will probably bring out a guest on stage, would he extend an invite to the GOAT? And if so, would Lil Wayne sacrifice his allegiance to Drake for hometown pride? Regardless of the outcome, the Super Bowl already kicked off the type of discourse they would’ve wanted in the first place.
The Weeknd loves to be cryptic. It’s been a foundational element of his persona since he broke out in 2011. The pop star has kept it going strong with the rollout for his upcoming album, Hurry Up Tomorrow. There’s been teaser videos, cryptic messages, and now we finally have a proper single. Well, at least, a release date for a proper single. The Weeknd took to social media on September 9 to unveil the title and release date for his lead single, “Dancing In the Flames.” And it’s sooner than you’d think.
The Weeknd broke the news to excited fans via Instagam. He posted the artwork for “Dancing In the Flames,” which is, of course, very dramatic. The teasers for Hurry Up Tomorrow suggest a lot of deep reflection and emotional examination. Liberation, and perhaps even growth, seem to be themes hinted at in the promo rollout. “Dancing In the Flames” is no different. The Weeknd is posited in the lower left hand corner, adorned in sunglasses. Meanwhile, a bright orange, sun-like object is in the top right, shining on him. The release date? Friday, September 13. That’s right, fans will get to hear the first phase of the new Weeknd era in less than a week.
The Weeknd is known for having a tight grip on his rollouts. Unfortunately, Hurry Up Tomorrow has not gone according to plan, so far. The album was reportedly leaked online on Sunday, September 8. It was widely theorized that the leak came as a result of pre-order vinyls being shipped. Not only were songs leaked online, but the entire tracklist was as well. Assuming the leaks are accurate, Hurry Up Tomorrow will include a lone guest appearances from Coldplay.
The single that has since been announced, however, “Dancing In the Flames,” was not on leaked vinyl tracklist. This could be mean numerous things. For one, the vinyl leaks that made their way online could be fake. It wouldn’t be the first time a high profile release fell victim to clout-chasers online. It could also mean The Weeknd made tweaks to the tracklist if the leak was indeed legitimate. Big Sean had to deal with a similar situation when his album Better Me Than You leaked online weeks before its release. We hope The Weeknd manages to sell better, though.
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