“iSpy” artist KYLE has announced that he’s officially an independent artist, effectively ending his working relationship with Atlantic Recording Corporation. The Ventura-based artist will be releasing new music this week, sharing a message with his day-one fans that he’s finally happy to be working on his art again.
“I have not felt like myself now for some time.. I felt like I was getting pulled in every direction and I had zero control of what means the most to me, my art. It is important to me that I give you all the best of me, and I couldn’t do that without being free, so I’m happy to announce that as of today I am an INDEPENDENT ARTIST and a self-owned business,” wrote KYLE on Instagram.
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“In the short term I’m turning down millions of dollars but I’m taking a risk and betting on what got me to where I am today.. myself and my fans,” he added. “I’m starting to feel myself align.. It’s been an amazing feeling recording these new records free from all restraints. My fans are about to get the artist they deserve from me.. I’m being unapologetically myself. Thank you to everyone who’s stuck along for the journey and helped me get to this point.”
Kicking off this new chapter, KYLE will be releasing his new single “Love Me Like You Say You Love Me” on Friday. Will you be tuning in to hear the artist’s new music?
Now, fans are expecting a new record titled Call Me If You Get Lost to arrive from Tyler, The Creator by the end of the week. Longtime fans know Tyler as an endlessly creative visionary that puts a concerted effort beyond just the music to create entire eras and aesthetics to go along with each album release, evidenced by his ever-evolving GOLF WANG clothing brand, his countless self-directed music videos and the impressive Camp Flog Gnaw Festival held in Los Angeles every year.
More importantly, fans of Tyler have seen him grow exponentially as both an artist and an individual since Odd Future’s early-2010s inception. Many point to his 2017 record Flower Boy as both a creative and personal turning point that highlighted Tyler’s heightened sense of growth and maturity, across lyrics that revealed the rapper’s homosexuality, sharply contrasting the homophobic slurs and derogatory bars present in his earlier works.
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A two-years-later follow-up to 2019’s IGOR – which was anointed Best Rap Album at the 2020 Grammys – the announcement of the LA-based artist’s forthcoming album came quick and as somewhat of a surprise after a Columbia Records billboard popped up in Los Angeles in early June, signifying the beginning of its rollout.
So, let’s start from the top and run through everything we know so far, about Call Me If You Get Lost.
Billboard in Los Angeles
On June 9th, fans first spotted a billboard in Los Angeles with the words “CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST” in bold, along with a phone number on the bottom. Marked on the side was the Columbia Records logo – Tyler’s record label. Now, a call to the phone number will play a snippet of a song on the album in which Tyler raps aggressively over some rumbling drums, but the initial call played a recorded conversation between the artist and his mother in which his mother passionately outlines her love for her son over a signature Tyler instrumental.
“SIDE STREET” Teaser
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On June 14th, the ominous album rollout continued with a video teaser posted to Tyler’s YouTube channel and Instagram page. In it, Tyler’s character is seen making out with a woman on the hood of a vintage, faded pink Fiat sports car before speeding off. Taco, Odd Future member and longtime friend of Tyler’s, then appears, seemingly in a relationship with the girl and asks her who Tyler’s character was, only for her to brush the ordeal off like nothing happened. The teaser ends with the album tagline as the soft background instrumental hits piano notes that sound similar to a generic commercial jingle.
Tyler’s Instagram caption for the teaser reads “10. SWEET,” which might indicate that the instrumental is for the tenth track on the record and/or song title– similar to his caption for the “LUMBERJACK” record as well.
“LUMBERJACK” Single and Video
On June 16th, Tyler put the mysterious teasing to a halt by officially releasing the first single called “LUMBERJACK” for the project, which was accompanied by a music video teaser. The teaser begins with narration from Tyler, which sets the scene for the visuals before it breaks out into full song. Tyler was last heard singing with primarily pitched vocals on IGOR, however here, he is heard rapping aggressively over a beat that heavily samples Gravediggaz’ “2 Cups of Blood.”The song is also propped up and accompanied by DJ Drama’s iconic ad-libs. This grimy, barebones style of rapping is quite new for Tyler– or else, it may recall Tyler’s early raps– so this single could be indicative of the different direction he’ll be taking the new album.
Album Cover and Release Date Announcement
Tyler, The Creator “Call Me If You Get Lost” album cover versus Ol’ Dirty Bastard “Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version”
On June 17th, Tyler put it out into the world that his album is coming, sharing the title, cover art and release date for the project. The cover art appears to be an homage to Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s 1995 album Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version, which is a photo of a food stamps card with ODB’s face, name, date of birth and album title on it. On Tyler’s cover, the ID card is a license to travel with all the similar features to ODB’s cover, but it instead includes a pseudonym name “Tyler Baudelaire,” which might be an alter ego or an important component to the album’s narrative. A tracklist was not shared in this announcement, leaving fans to speculate about the album’s content beyond its first single.
“WUSYANAME” Teaser
Today, Tyler shared another video teaser for the upcoming record on YouTube and Instagram called “WUSYANAME.” The teaser again starts with narration from Tyler that underscores the album’s apparent theme of traveling, as the shot follows Tyler driving across different terrains. The teaser song then begins playing, which is very much inspired by a nostalgic, late-90s R&B sound as Tyler raps to the girl he was seen making out with in the “SIDE STREET” teaser. Also, backing vocals from singer Ty Dolla $ign can be heard toward the end. Tyler’s Instagram caption indicates that the song will be the fourth track on the album, titled “WusYaName.”
Fan Speculation
Because Tyler has been quite secretive and ominous about Call Me If You’re Lost, while his curated teasers have been drumming up hype for the record, fans are actively speculating about what the record will sound like or which possible features might appear when the album drops on Friday. Check out some of the discussion below.
Are you excited for Call Me If You Get Lost? What are you hoping to hear from Tyler’s latest effort? Who are some features you want to see? Let us know in the comments below.
Dave Chappelle is fresh off of the debut of his new documentaryThis Time This Place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City which was then followed up by a surprise show including the likes of Fat Joe, A$AP Ferg, and many other East Coast favorites. The documentary premiere arrives just after the comedian launched his new podcast The Midnight Miracle on Luminary alongside Talib Kweli and Yasiin Bey.
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The latest episode of the podcast debuted this week and began with Chappelle and his co-hosts discussing whether he should apologize to Candace Owens for comments he made last year. Chappelle’s 8:48 comedy special, he went in on Candace Owens over her comments relating to George Floyd. “She’s the most articulate idiot I’ve ever seen in my life,” he said before pondering whether the ring-wing talking head had a “stinky p*ssy.”
“There’s no way I owe Candace Owens an apology, is there?” He said, sparking a conversation amongst his co-hosts on the podcast. Yasiin Bey called Owens “a mascot of colonial interest in America today.”
“I did say that but I also conceded that I don’t know if her pussy stinks or not, but that I was guessing that it probably does stink,” Chappelle responded, claiming that Owens is “cruel and dangerous and completely the opposite of any Black woman I’ve ever met in my life.”
An apology did come by the end of the episode but not like how you’d imagine. “By the way, Candace Owens, I’m sorry I called you ‘articulate,’” Chappelle said.
In December 1993, Snoop Dogg dropped his video for his iconic hip hop classic, Gin & Juice. 5 year old Shad Moss got to be one of the extras; a bad ass kid, jumping on the couch. At age 11, he met SoSo Def owner & producer Jermaine Dupri, who helped launch and guide Bow […]
At the turn of the century, McKinley Phipps Jr., also known as Mac, was a rising rap star signed to rap mogul Master P’s No Limit Records. While preparing to perform at a club in his home state, a fight broke out that left 19-year-old Barron Victor Jr. with a fatal gunshot wound. Despite the lack of evidence regarding the shooting, Phipps was convicted of manslaughter.
Phipps, who has maintained his innocence, has been behind bars now for 20 years, despite witnesses in the case recanting their statements. In 2016, the Huffington Post even obtained a copy of a videotaped confession of a security guard at the club confessing to pulling the trigger. The guard was never charged, but luckily for Phipps, the Louisiana Board of Pardons and Committee on Parole officially granted him parole Tuesday (June 22).
“Today marks the end of a long fight for justice,” McKinley’s wife, Angelique Phipps said. “Today we are looking towards a brighter future for our family. We are grateful to all of those who have never wavered in their support of Mac’s innocence.”
The three members of the board unanimously voted in favor of Phipps being granted parole immediately. Phipps has appealed for clemency twice before, which would have allowed for his conviction to be pardoned. The first one failed, but in the second attempt, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards recommended immediate parole eligibility.
The date for his release has yet to be confirmed, but it is expected to arrive sometime this year. “I want to say thank you for this opportunity,” Phipps said during the hearing, “I definitely want to say I’m sorry to the family of the victim and to just anyone who was affected by this.” It was also noted during the hearing that Phipps has not had a single disciplinary infraction during his time behind bars.
His parole will initially be under the conditions of a 9 pm-6 pm curfew, six hours of community service a month with at-risk youth, and the promise to stay away from establishments with alcohol.
Festival season is back with a vengeance. Today, the complete lineup for the upcoming Once Upon A Time In LA festival has arrived, detailing an impressive array of legendary talent — including several key hip-hop OGs.
At the top of the marquee are Al Green, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, YG, and Ice Cube, all of whom are presumably tapped to hold it down as headliners of sorts. In addition to the big five, we’re looking at performances from The Game, The Isley Brothers, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Cypress Hill, Three Six Mafia, E-40, Too Short, DJ Quik, Warren G, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Ohgeesy, Blueface, Drakeo The Ruler, WC, Mack 10, Xzibit, Tha Dogg Pound, and many more.
Suffice it to say, this lineup is looking like a must for any fan of west coast hip-hop. Curiously, there are a few key potential reunions on deck. One has to wonder if 50 Cent and The Game might find it in their hearts to bury the hatchet and take the stage for old time’s sake. And of course, all four members of Mt. Westmore are set to perform, so don’t be surprised to see them uniting at some point during the evening’s festivities.
Should you be interested in checking this one out, Once Upon A Time In LA is set to go down on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021 at the Banc of California Stadium. General public tickets, which start at $159.99 are set to go on sale next Monday at 10 AM PST right here. Those truly determined to cop tickets can register for pre-sale by following the instructions at the IG embed below. What do you make of this generation-spanning lineup?
As live music returns in 2021, the growing list of festivals and tours being announced has a new entry from a dark horse: A new festival called Once Upon A Time In LA is gaining attention for its impressive, diverse lineup, which includes headliners 50 Cent, Al Green, The Game, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, and YG. The festival is billed for December 18 at Banc Of California Stadium in Los Angeles, as well as the surrounding Exposition Park area.
Further down the list, the lineup appears to be a similar mix of (mostly) LA rap favorites spanning the last three decades of hip-hop and the funk and soul bands that inspired the original G-Funk sound that put the West Coast on the rap map in the early ’90s. While names like Cypress Hill, DJ Quik, Mack 10, Warren G, and WC should satisfy old-school hip-hop fans, their soulful counterparts include The Delfonics, George Clinton, The Isley Brothers, Lisa Lisa, Morris Day, Rose Royce, War, and Zapp.
Meanwhile, younger fans — and those older fans who are young at heart, I guess — can enjoy newer acts like Blueface, Drakeo The Ruler, OhGeesy, and RJMrLA. Out-of-towners range from Bay Area legends like E-40 and Too Short to Clevelanders Bone Thugs N Harmony and Memphis’ own Three Six Mafia.
The 2021 BET Awards airs live this Sunday at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT and will feature a special tribute honoring the late, great DMX. Among the performers honoring the late legend are Busta Rhymes, Griselda, Method Man, Swizz Beatz, and more, performing some of DMX’s most-beloved songs and new work from his posthumous album Exodus. Swizz Beatz curated the setlist to celebrate the life and music of DMX in conjunction with Ruff Ryders, including hits such as “Party Up,” “Where The Hood At?,” and “X Gon’ Give It To Ya.”
Connie Orlando, Executive Vice President of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy, said in a press release, “We look forward to celebrating DMX’s indelible mark in music and pop culture. DMX inspired fans around the world with his signature raspy voice, the delivery of raw emotion through his lyrics and performances, and his giving spirit. We are proud to pay our respects to a hip-hop legend on our biggest stage, the BET Awards.”
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.
Since 2016, HER has been serving up top-shelf R&B. Mixing emotional tales with potent production, her music has been a vessel of vulnerability. Whether waxing poetic about insecurities in love or crooning about political injustices, HER has mastered the ability to communicate the complexities of womanhood (especially one of Black and Filipino origins) and attempts to make messages out of her messes.
With the release of her proper debut album, Back Of My Mind, via MBK Entertainment/RCA Records, she delivers a melodic memoir of uncomfortable truths, sharing the parts of HER that carry weight. The only difference between this set and her previous projects: she’s made more figures and thus attracted more triggers. But material wealth has only given her more material to work with.
For context, HER was an industry mystery five years ago. Before stating one’s pronouns became standard practice, the singer/songwriter emerged with only a photo of a silhouette and ironically, a name that stood for “Having Everything Revealed.” Equipped with a velvety voice, the HER package included all-inclusive R&B at a time when the genre was commingling with rap, experimenting with alternative styles, or leaning into nostalgia. To this day, she says people fail to recognize her without her trademark shades.
The mysterious chanteuse turned out to be Gabi Wilson, the Vallejo, California native who had been performing since she was a child. She has released two compilation albums, comprising two sets of EPs — 2016’s HER: Volume 1 and 2018’s I Used To Know HER: The Prelude and I Used to Know Her: Part 2 — that solidified her star power. The awards and opportunities followed in abundance: four Grammys, an Oscar, five Soul Train Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, a Netflix movie cameo, soundtrack and TV show placements, brand endorsements, numerous collaborations and performances on national stages, including the BET Awards, the Super Bowl, and the Country Music Awards.
It may seem strange that the accolades would precede an artist’s official debut but HER’s Back Of My Mind is a portrait of perhaps the most triumphant and mentally challenging season of her career. The 21-track LP pops the cork with the celebratory “We Made It,” a Dom Perignon toast to the stress and blessings, both past and present.
The tone shifts by track two with the album’s namesake featuring Ty Dolla $ign, setting up the emotional obstacle course that dominates the debut. Lyrically, the tracks sound like transcripts of conversations that live in HER’s head. While her image has been equated with success, her moments of weakness and self-doubt are repurposed into motivation throughout the album. HER and featured guest Lil Baby wave off the haters and honor the hustler’s mentality on “Find A Way.” “Trauma,” co-starring Cordae on their second song together and produced by Hit-Boy, harps on what could be BOMM’s tagline: “I take it personal, I ain’t perfect though.”
In spite of her imperfections, HER’s pen is mightiest when the category is love, especially the unrequited kind. Among the highlights include “Cheat Code,” a guitar-driven joint with a writing credit from Julia Michaels (who’s penned songs for Selena Gomez, Fifth Harmony, and herself) that puts a cheater on blast and “Mean It,” where HER also strums her pain caused by an ain’t-sh*t lover.
As a result of her L’s in romance, HER proceeds to plaster caution tape all over her heart. The album’s lead single “Damage” (which samples the ‘80s classic “Making Love In The Rain” by Herb Alpert, Lisa Keith, and Janet Jackson) is a delicate plea to her partner to handle HER with care. On the Goapele-inspired “Closer To Me,” HER craves reassurance in a shaky situation while “Hard To Love” outlines the kind of concerns that drive couples to therapy, solo or together. To keep the rotation spicy, HER also lends her version of hot girl summer anthems with the YG-assisted standout “Slide,“ the sneaky link-ready “Come Through” and a late-night rendezvous with Yung Bleu on “Paradise.”
Elsewhere, HER takes issue with the state of the world. The Thundercat-assisted “Bloody Waters” borrows the formula from her Academy Award-winning “Fight For You” (included on the score for the highly praised drama Judas And The Black Messiah) by wrapping political messages in a weighted blanket of funk and pain that soothes yet aches. HER’s state-of-mind, though, is probably best summed up on “Exhausted.” Producer extraordinaire Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins lends his magic to the whew-worthy track that finds HER as a woman who’s had enough: “I’m way, way, way, way past bein’ jaded / And all of y’all just way too opinionated / I’m just sayin’, when do I get a say?”
On the DJ Khaled and Bryson Tiller collaboration “I Can Have It All,” HER gets the chance to talk her sh*t: “I know they say, ‘Money’ll make you change’ / That’s ’cause they can’t handle the price of fame / And while you was fantasizin’ ’bout chains / I was plottin’ on a way to buy my momma a house one day.” Although HER’s image was built on mystique, the narratives that fuel her music are familiar stories of shame, fears, and the growing pains that ultimately lead to clarity. Having means and good karma may have jacked up the price for her shows but it’s evident that even an artist of her caliber can’t afford peace of mind sometimes. But as long as she speaks her mind into a mic, those of us listening can at least try to have these crucial conversations with ourselves.
Back Of My Mind is out now via MBK Entertainment/RCA Records. Get it here.
Once Upon A Time In LA
