When it comes to quote-unquote new rappers, there are several names that continuously earn praise as key innovators in the culture. Denzel Curry and Cordae are both widely regarded in that esteemed group, and today, the pair of talented rappers took a moment to celebrate a few milestone anniversaries.
For Denzel, today marks three years of TA13OO, a three-part project that many still consider to be his magnum opus — at least, so far. Boasting songs like “Clout Cobain,” “Sirens” with J.I.D. and Billie Eilish, the GoldLink-assisted “Black Balloons,” and many more, Denzel’s conceptual voyage through Lights, Gray, and Dark featured some of his most impressive songwriting to date. “Happy birthday to my 3-year-old,” captions Zel, alongside the project’s cover art. “Album I was going say child but a ni**a don’t got kids. Happy birthday TA13OO.”
Yesterday, Cordae’s The Lost Boy also gained a year of experience, officially turning two. It’s no secret that the project was a major success for the young lyricist, who earned himself a Best Rap Album Grammy nomination shortly after its release. Like Denzel, he also spoke of his album as if a child, beaming with pride as a proud father would.
“My first born turns 2 today,” he captions. “Oh how the time flys. I always knew The Lost Boy would be special. More importantly I knew the lives it would touch, and how many people it would help through dark times. Oh, and new music is OTW!” By that, he’s of course referring to the upcoming From A Bird’s Eye View, presumably dropping later this year.
Congratulations to both Denzel Curry and Cordae on their latest anniversaries — two albums that are certainly worthy of a spin or two.
DaBaby‘s controversial comments during his set in Miami for Rolling Loud continues to make headlines. Everyone from T.I., Amber Rose, to Lil Nas X’s father has weighed in on the matter. While celebrity opinion remains divided on the embattled rapper’s performance, Ts Madison, who is openly transgender, also weighed in to make her stance on the subject known.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
If you’re not up to speed on the drama that has been following DaBaby (drama of his own making, mind you), the rapper has been heavily criticized after he decided to banter on the RL stage about HIV/AIDS, resulting in homophobic comments.
In response to DaBaby’s problematic statements, Ts Madison tweeted “What was the Reason???? Do you kno how many Gays truly BUY and stream your Music &do you the amount of people who are living with HIV/AIDS that you attacked for nothing ?” She continued to say, “Then The Gays break they necks to be at events like that to be completely disrespected.”
Ts Madison did not stop there. In a following tweet, she referenced a Cardi B meme and said “I asked simply WHAT WAS THE REASON…….” Madison ended the tweet by comparing DaBaby’s homophobic remarks to the public’s reaction of the newest details behind R.Kelly’s pedophilia related crimes. “You found so many reasons to show your nasty rhetoric and justify so much stuff from #DaBaby I honestly expected nothing different, a lot of you are the same ones that loved R KELLY and was on his side till A BOY came forward,” Madison concluded.
NBA legend Charles Barkley spoke his mind recently, against those who refuse to take the COVID-19 vaccine, an increasingly controversial topic, so it seems. After clarifying that he is in fact vaccinated, Barkley reportedly stated to CNBC, “everybody should be vaccinated. Period.” He went on to say, “The only people who are not vaccinated are just assholes.”
Charles Barkley’s comments were made in response to the reports of the climbing COVID-19 infections, due to the Delta variant. While making his concerns known, the Hall of Famer went on to speak about the guidelines that professional sports leagues have put in place to ensure a safe and responsible season.
Scott Halleran/Getty Images
The former Houston Rockets player remained vocal that sports leagues are professional workplaces as well, which is why the COVID-19 vaccines should be mandatory. “There’s sh-t you can’t do at work and there’s sh-t that you have to do at work,” Barkley said. “So every workplace has rules and I think one of the rules [should be] that guys have to be vaccinated,” he stated.
Presently, each sports association has different rules when it comes to COVID-19 safety measures. The NFL’s regulations required vaccination for all Tier 1 staff, including coaches, front-office executives, equipment managers, and scouts. The NFL players are exempt from those rules, while the MLB and NBA have not made Coronavirus vaccines mandatory either.
Charles Barkley concluded his statements with saying, “Can you imagine if one of these guys that are not vaccinated, if they get one of these players’ kids, wives, girlfriends, moms and dads sick and they die over some unnecessary conspiracy bulls–t? I think that would be tragic.”
Of all the standout performances at this year’s BET Awards, one of the most surprising and impressive was Tyler The Creator’s — not just because of the scale and production, but also because BET was the last place you’d catch Tyler The Creator during Odd Future’s precipitous rise. In fact, the crew used to rail against the network, among other outlets, as an example of the establishment that didn’t accept them.
Hindsight, as they say, is 20/20, though. In a new interview with Complex, Tyler explained how the mockery was a “defensive mechanism” that allowed him to pre-emptively reject outlets that he thought might reject him. “I was so hype to perform at the BET Awards,” he admitted. “I just never felt like my style of music would ever have been, not even appreciated, but allowed on there. And because of that, I would mock it.”
He continued, “It was like a defense mechanism because I felt like I wasn’t accepted by that audience. But when they asked me this year, man I was enthralled. I was so happy.” He also explained the deeper meaning BET holds for him, recalling, “That channel taught me how to rap. It taught me about just all the stuff I know.”
He also breaks down why he hates making merch, why he just got into watches, and explains his creative process behind the hilarious Converse ad he just directed featuring Tim Meadows, Bill Walton, and Vince Staples.
The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow, and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.
“I tell my fans we’re all alone in this together.” These words arrive from Dave towards the end of the intro track on his sophomore album. They’re delivered on a plate that presents equal parts blunt honesty and comforting, yet unorthodox reassurance. It’s a unique way for the British rapper to console those who wake up every morning to take a swing at life with the hope that they can return to bed with things less broken than they were at sunrise. “We’re all in this together” is already reassuring in itself, but the addition of “alone” uncovers something many of us hope to avoid amid life’s greatest qualms: reality.
On We’re All Alone In This Together, Dave reminds us that rap hasn’t exempted him from life struggles. The things that money can’t solve still affect the British rapper daily and he alludes to it on “We’re Alone.” “You can trust me, all the sh*t that you been feelin’, you’re feelin’ with me,” he candidly raps. “We all the took the wrong turns in different streets / We all cry the same tears on different cheeks.” There’s a fine line between sympathy and empathy and Dave is very much aware of it. He creates a middle ground between the two in order to support his fans and quite frankly, anyone who takes a moment to hear his words. Dave may not be able to walk in your shoes but he faintly recognizes them as they’re not too different from the pair that cover his feet.
Dave does so much with cut-throat intention. Not in the sense of placing the necessary piece into a puzzle he aims to solve. The London native is responsible for the landscape that the intricate pieces unveil when connected. He’s the puppetmaster and the puppet at the same time. Dave knows what he’s trying to tell his fans and exactly how to tell it. Take this for example: the first song on the album is titled “We’re All Alone” and the last words Dave utters on it are “in this together.” Through the various topics he touches on throughout We’re All Alone In This Together, it’s clear that the rapper wants to make sure the album title is understood to the fullest capacity by the last time he says it.
In a profile with Ciaran Thapar for GQ, Dave points out that as his 2019 debut Psychodrama was centered around the element of fire, We’re All Alone In This Together shifts its attention to water through the visual representation of the sea on it’s cover. “I’ll probably go wind and then earth and then I don’t know if I’ll go anywhere from there,” he says, speaking about future albums. This is Dave’s world, and while he knows what it looks like in his mind, we as listeners slowly watch it come together with the very things that make it move.
So what is it that Dave feels like we’re alone in together? Long story short, it’s a culmination of everything. There’s the destruction of love far beyond repair on “Both Sides Of A Smile” with James Blake or the frustration with a system that operates with a racist lens on “Three Rivers.” Brighter moments arrive on “System” with Wizkid, an afro-fusion effort that sees the acts showering their partners with equal amounts of love and expensive treatments. “Clash,” the laser-sharp lead single from We’re All Alone In This Together, finds Dave calling on good friend Stormzy to ride beside him and flaunt their top-notch confidence. Lastly, the recruitment of UK rappers Fredo, Meekz Manny, Ghetts (who tears through his verse), and Giggs for a captivating posse cut on “In The Fire” provides fiery raps that render the passion the quintet have while leaving their egos unchecked for a moment. All in all, the album presents emotions and feelings that — at their simplest levels — are relatable to us as listeners as we too have experienced them in our own lives.
The word “alone” presents a negative connotation more often than it does a positive one, but Dave successfully uses both on his second album. He acknowledges and accepts the idea of being a nomad on We’re All Alone In This Together. At the same time, the London native reminds us that while we all have our own nomadic experiences, the loneliness we feel isn’t because no one cares. More times than not it’s because we all have our issues to solve, with most requiring our full attention to complete. On “In The Fire,” Giggs raps, “Can’t walk in my shoes / You could be riskin’ a bunion.” Our shoes are only our shoes to walk in as no one else can live life for us. This is the solo expedition Dave speaks about on his second album, We’re All Alone In This Together. Our hardships may be unique, but the London native reminds us that we all have our own to deal with.
We’re All Alone In This Together is out 7/23 via Dave/Neighbourhood Recordings. Get it here.
Tory Lanez has been doing this best to defy the effects of cancel culture. Following the 2020 shooting incident involving Megan Thee Stallion, he’s faced backlash after the Houston rapper accused him of being the triggerman. He’s gone on to deny it, even putting it in a few of his songs. However, the rapper has continued to carry out his rapper duties without fearing the impact that those allegations will have on him when it comes to public perception.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Clearly, there are enough people out there who are still listening to Tory Lanez’s music. He has a dedicated following who continues to run up the streams every time he drops. While the industry at large has shunned him, it looks like he’s still making a pretty penny off of his releases.
On Sunday, the rapper made a controversial appearance at Rolling Loud during DaBaby’s set which took place immediately after Megan hit the stage. Though it was DaBaby who earned a significant amount of backlash for that, and misinformed and homophobic comments he made on stage, Tory Lanez appears to have come to a conclusion about cancel culture.
“Cancel culture doesn’t exist… it’s just a small group of n***a on TWITTER…. tweeting at the same time,” he wrote, adding, “Bunch a UGLY MF’s too.”
In a separate tweet, he addressed selective outrage on social media. “U can’t stand for something… and be selective on the times you stand for it,” he added.
T.I., who’s been facing his own allegations of abuse, slid in the comment section of TheShadeRoom’s post with a bullseye emoji.
Late rapper Pop Smoke is making history. His recent posthumous project Faith has put him into elite class in terms of chart history. Pop Smoke Makes History With Faith Pop Smoke is now the first artist ever to posthumously have their first two albums go No. 1. The Woo’s first studio project Shoot For The […]
There are some who foolishly questioned whether or not the Griselda movement was solid, and it didn’t take long before rumors of the group’s demise began circulating. Yet those who truly rock with the Buffalo trifecta knew that the loyalty was never in doubt, and Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, and Benny The Butcher continue to keep it moving to this day.
Today marks an important day in Griselda history, as the group’s visionary orchestrator Westside Gunn officially turns thirty-nine years old. In honor of the milestone, his brother Conway took a moment to share a few heartfelt words, taking to Twitter to spread some love GXFR style.
Amy Sussman/FilmMagic/Getty Images
“Happy birthday to my brother, my twin, my heart, the legend @westsidegunn,” writes Machine. “Love Gz.” For those eager to hear the pair collaborate on wax again, it seems that you might not have to wait much longer. Conway recently unveiled the tracklist to his upcoming album God Don’t Make Mistakes, and both Westside Gunn and Benny The Butcher are slated to appear on the Daringer-produced “John Woo Flick.”
We’d like to echo the sentiment and wish Westside Gunn an incredible birthday; he’s truly been instrumental in bringing new energy to hip-hop culture, and the foundation he has laid throughout his career will likely be followed for years to come. Happy birthday to the man with the best ad-libs in the game!
One of the survivors of the 2018 Parkland shooting says that his father has been buying into the conspiracy theories that he, along with his classmates, are “paid pawns” who faked the school shooting that claimed 17 lives, per VICE News. The 18-year-old graduate of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, who goes by Bill in the article, is part of the final class of survivors but he explained that his father’s recent discovery of QAnon has led him down a dark path.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
“It started a couple months into the pandemic with the whole anti-lockdown protests,” Bill told VICE. “His feelings were so strong it turned into facts for him. So if he didn’t like having to wear masks it wouldn’t matter what doctors or scientists said. Anything that contradicted his feelings was wrong. So he turned to the internet to find like-minded people which led him to QAnon.”
Bill explained that his dad saw the video of Georgia Rep. Marjory Taylor Greene, famed for pushing QAnon conspiracies, harassing a Parkland survivor which further fueled Bill’s father into thinking it’s a hoax.
“From there it snowballed into what he is today, believing that if the government is able to overthrow an election, then everything else is probably a lie too,” Bill added.
In a Reddit post shared last week, Bill detailed the type of abuse he has to endure from his father over these conspiracies. “He’ll say stuff like this straight to my face whenever he’s drinking: ‘You’re a real piece of work to be able to sit here and act like nothing ever happened if it wasn’t a hoax. Shame on you for being part of it and putting your family through it too,” he wrote in the post.
R. Kelly’s legal case in Chicago is only getting worse. Last week, it was reported that the singer was facing new allegations in his federal sex trafficking case. The bombshell documents alleged that Kelly had abused even more minors including a 17-year-old male who he allegedly met at McDonald’s — a place Kelly’s known for frequenting during his downtime.
Jason Kempin/Getty Images
The new allegations claim that Kelly lured the male minor into his home under the impression that he could help uplift his music career. The new documents go on to allege that the 17-year-old then introduced Kelly to another male minor who was also sexually abused. The court documents also list new women who were allegedly forced to have sex with the two boys while Kelly filmed.
Though Kelly’s due back in court next month in New York, his attorney has since fired back at the prosecutors’ new documents. Kelly’s attorney, Nicole Blank Becker, said that the prosecutors are merely carrying out a smear campaign against her client.
“This is nothing more than a veiled effort to pile on to further shape the public’s perception in this case ignoring that Mr. Kelly is presumed innocent until proven otherwise,” Becker told TMZ, adding that the singer’s legal team with “vigorously oppose” the evidence being presented in court. “As the trial nears were are looking forward to the truth prevailing,” Becker concluded.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Scott Halleran/Getty Images
Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
