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Isaiah Rashad Says Unfoonk Is “Hard As Hell”
Someone at TDE is dropping new music this week. The label hasn’t yet specified which artist is, but judging from their secrecy leading up to this huge release, Hip-Hop fans are definitely in for a treat. Many people have deduced that this is a sign that Kendrick Lamar will be making his long-awaited return, but there’s still a strong possibility that the new release may come from Isaiah Rashad. The artist is nearly five full years removed from his debut album, and for what it’s worth, in an Instagram post from earlier this year, Isaiah Rashad wrote, “excited for all the fun stuff we’re gonna do this round.”
While we all wait to see which TDE artist is behind the surprise release this week, Isaiah Rashad has come through with an update. Rather than dropping hints as to who is dropping, however, he has simply revealed who he has been listening to as of late.
It turns out that the TDE rapper is extremely impressed with Unfoonk, a YSL Records signee who also happens to be Young Thug’s brother. Unfoonk has been making plenty of great first impressions since his incredible performance on “Real,” one of the standout cuts from YSL’s chart-topping album Slime Language 2. Apparently, Unfoonk’s music has made its way to Isaiah Rashad’s earphones because the “Why Worry” artist took to Twitter over the weekend to say, “this nigga unfoonk hard as hell.”
Regardless of which TDE artist ultimately ends up dropping this week, Isaiah Rashad’s Unfoonk co-sign is an unexpected take coming from the Cilvia Demo artist, so it will be interesting to see if the two disparate artists end up working together on a record.
Travis Scott Astroworld Festival Tickets Sold Out In Minutes
Come November, it looks like a lot of people will be popping out at the fest. Tickets to Travis Scott’s Astroworld Fest return in Houston went on sale this morning and in less than an hour, every pass was sold out.
The third annual Astroworld Festival has not lost its steam. After taking last year off because of the pandemic, the event is back at NRG Park in Houston. A lineup hasn’t even been announced yet but despite the mystery behind who will be performing, tickets sold out almost instantly after they were listed. Mere minutes after it was announced that you could buy tickets, the passes fell out of stock with excited fans scooping up their wristbands and getting ready to rage.
There aren’t very many details available regarding the third annual Astroworld Festival but fans are expecting Travis Scott to have new music out before it kicks off on November 5 and 6. He has been teasing his upcoming studio album Utopia for the last year and it’s possible that he might be planning to drop it around festival time.
Did you manage to get any tickets to the show? Let us know if you’re one of the lucky ones in the comments. We’ll keep you posted with more information about the lineup when it’s announced. It’s time to get your Cacti ready… Astroworld Fest is gonna be a movie.
From ‘Takeover’ To DJ Khaled, A Timeline Of Jay-Z And Nas’ Tumultuous History
A lot of people do not like DJ Khaled. That’s not a controversial statement; it’s as close to being outright fact as anything in our post-truth, “fake news” saturated modern world. But on Khaled’s glitzy new album, Khaled Khaled, he tries hard to give us reasons to appreciate his presence. One of those attempts is the latest in a series of ultra-rare occurrences in hip-hop that I’m almost shocked he didn’t try to have minted as an NFT first: A collaboration between erstwhile foes Jay-Z and Nas on the song “Sorry Not Sorry.”
These are a rare animal indeed, the rap equivalent of Halley’s Comet. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the two veteran rappers have seemed reluctant to join forces over the years. After all, some truly nasty things were said during their early 2000s war of words that took nearly a decade more to address and get over — if they were ever truly able to actually get over them. Between their cult-favorite status, continued longevity, popularity, and commercial viability over the last 30 years, and the animosity that once simmered between them, their team-ups are infrequent events that would make most Marvel execs salivate.
Unfortunately, they’ve also never truly lived up to their hype, as the actual products have nearly always fallen well short of their outsized expectations. Again, I’m not trying to be controversial here; you could almost sense the disappointment of long-time fans in their Twitter reactions the night of the album’s release. Not even Khaled’s motivational speaker energy could liven up the proceedings. Nas and Jay-Z’s verses sound like they come from two different songs; although Jay’s verse is light and bouncy, Nas seems almost bored by his own money talk as he brags about getting in on cryptocurrency early (tech bro rap has a very limited audience, as it’s a lot like trying to have a conversation with a tech bro).
The reasons behind this are likely myriad, from lack of chemistry between the collaborators (the people want Rae-and-Ghost-level verse trading, but Nas really only has that with AZ while Jay’s last real back-and-forth was with Kanye West on “Otis”) to perhaps some lingering tension between the two. Fans have noticed Jay’s unfortunate tendency to step on Nas’s release dates, Nas refuses to punch up his verses after hearing Jay’s contributions, and their subject matter has been, after everything the two have been through together, very shallow and empty, more flash than substance.
It’s been a problem throughout each of their prior collaborations — two on their own, and one with Ludacris — that bears some looking into. So, here’s a timeline of their collaborations, beginning at the beef, as we try to get to the bottom of why these two just can’t seem to find their groove.
“Takeover”/”Ether”/”Supa Ugly”
The only time Nas washed Jay came during their actual battle in 2001. Countless histories have been written already but Nas was the consensus winner even if there are plenty of Jay-Z diehards who’ll take their “Takeover was better” beliefs to the grave (guilty). While “Takeover” kicked things off with a flurry of bars undermining Nas’s newly adopted mafioso image at the time, as well as poking at the declining public perception of his music’s quality, Nas’s schoolyard taunts got personal, ratcheting the excitement up several more notches. Unfortunately, it was Jay who blew a gasket, revealing his hurt feelings by sharing the “Supa Ugly” freestyle to radio and later apologizing after being admonished by his mom.
“Black Republican”
In 2006, just two months after Jay-Z’s “I Declare War” concert which saw the two former foes share the stage for the first time since the extremely early ’90s — possibly ever — Nas and Jay delivered their first collaboration on Nas’s eighth album Hip Hop Is Dead. It should have been a historic moment — certainly, it came with an epic beat. But it was also bogged down by its focus on tax brackets and the relative disparity between the two performances. The normally laid-back Jay sounds energetic, going for broke with rhyme schemes deadset on proving he could hang with the more “lyrical” Nas, who took the opportunity to rap an overly-smooth verse that completely ignores the monumental vibe of the beat or the moment.
“Success”
A year later, Nas would return the favor, appearing on Jay-Z’s 2007 movie companion album American Gangster. This time, the beat was an airy production by No I.D. that had a lot of potential but becomes overwhelming after a few repetitions. Again, the unrelatable subject matter weighs on the proceedings, but this time, the two reverse roles. Jay delivers a lethargic pair of verses that comes across as careless (Jay hollering “Let that b*tch breathe” when he was barely jogging wasn’t the flex he thought, making him look out of shape after a light jog), while Nas yanks out the brakes for an overly wordy contribution that could have used a lighter touch.
“I Do It For Hip-Hop” (with Ludacris)
This is the closest the two have come to a balance on one of their collaborations, probably because of Ludacris’s leavening influence. His boisterous, megaphone flow elevates the energy of the downtempo track, although the verse sequence means the coasting that Jay and Nas do here resembles a hang glider aimed at a cliff. They don’t quite crash; Jay finds his sense of humor again and Nas displays some timely self-awareness, pulling things up just in time to stick the landing. What works is getting the two out of their “emotionless rich guy” schtick. While too much nostalgia can get treacly, there’s just enough of it here to transport listeners back to blocks where the New Yorkers owned their crafts, more concerned with accessible endeavors.
“Sorry Not Sorry”
One thing this track does right: pairing that dreamy, glittering beat with James Fauntleroy and Beyonce vocals — pardon, Harmonies By The Hive vocals — and finding a smooth lane that reflects the elegance and opulence the two rappers try to convey. But again, it all sounds kind of perfunctory; they’re just listing brags, checking off lists, barely trying to impress, and certainly not trying to compete. Oh, and Nas calls himself “Cryptocurrency Scarface,” which doesn’t call to mind a swaggering rap titan so much as a nerdy, underachieving undergrad, trying way too hard to shed his dorky high school image — think Jesse Eisenberg’s portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network. Jay’s verse is clever and smooth and makes you wonder why Rick Ross wasn’t paired with him instead because this is very “Maybach Music” territory… it just turns out Jay and Nas aren’t the right Lewis and Clark to explore it.
Clearly, mellower beats are the way to go, but it seems like the two should be more collaborative in their approach if they really want to make people care about their collaborations. As it stands, it feels like they’re writing their verses to different beats in separate rooms and slapping them together. Considering the rarity of their alliances, fans deserve more than this slapdash approach. I’m not saying they have to write each other’s bars, but the joy evident in their collabs with other artists is always lacking when they get together. Maybe they can never truly get past what Jay said about Nas’s baby seat or Nas comparing Jay-Z to Joe Camel, or maybe the hype will simply always overwhelm the final product. But considering the reputations and skill levels involved, perhaps it’s just about finding the right person to put it all together. Khaled came close, maybe another producer will be the one to pull it off.
Khaled Khaled is out now via Epic Records. Get it here.
Timbaland Teases J. Cole “The Off-Season” Collab
As J. Cole has largely handled his own production for the majority of his career, there are countless producers that the Dreamville lyricist has yet to work with — many of the legendary variety. With The Off-Season due out on May 14th, confirmed by Cole himself in an announcement tweet yesterday, speculation has ensued regarding the project’s production credits. The main question of course being: will Cole be outsourcing the production responsibilities on this one?
Though many have assumed that Cole’s recent right-hand man T-Minus will be present, a new name has entered the chat, sparking additional hype in the process. Timbaland, known in many circles as “The King,” has come forward to tease his own potential involvement in The Off-Season, taking to Instagram to spread the good word.
Lorne Thomson/Redferns/Getty Images
“I told y’all the king has returned !!!!!” he captions, alongside Cole’s foreboding and majestic Off-Season album cover. “@realcoleworld @beatclub watch me work!!!!” It should be noted that back in January, Timbaland previewed a smooth-sounding beat and actually tagged Cole in the caption, suggesting his willingness to collaborate with the Dreamville leader. While unconfirmed, perhaps his attempt to reach out to Cole actually manifested in an upcoming Off-Season selection.
Check out Timbo’s latest IG update below, and sound off if you’re excited to see Cole join forces with one of hip-hop’s greatest musical minds. If so, look for The Off-Season to drop on May 14th — do you think this will be Cole’s most collaborative album yet? As per Cozz, it’s certainly his best.
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Drake-Backed Online Brokerage App Valued At $4B: Report
Drake’s been getting to the bag lately, as fans eagerly await the release of a new album. The Canadian artist’s rollout for Certified Lover Boy has so far been accompanied by the launch of NOCTA, his official clothing line with Nike, and a new collection with Chrome Hearts that apparently includes a customized Rolls Royce that you can check out in Miami.
Behind the scenes, he’s been putting his money into budding companies like sports media start-up Overtime. However, it turns out one company that he put his money behind has raised upwards of $4 billion in its latest round of fundraising. Per Business Insider, WealthSimple, a Canadian brokerage firm similar to Robinhood, has raised another $610M, bringing its valuation at roughly $4B. The Toronto-based financial app has tripled its $1.2B value since October with funding mainly coming from Meritech Capital and Greylock Partners.
Drake is among the other investors behind WealthSimple along with Ryan Reynolds, Michael J. Fox, and Dwight Powell, among many others. The company currently boasts 2M users with $8.4B in assets under its management.
Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images
“More than two million Canadians use Wealthsimple to grow their money, file their taxes, pay their friends, and make their financial lives better,” said Wealthsimple CEO Mike Katchen in a statement. “This investment will fuel our growth so we can reach millions more and ensure that everyone has access to the simplest, most powerful financial products and services, no matter who they are or where they are in their financial lives.”
LVRN Label Drops New Cypher Featuring 6LACK, Westside Boogie, BRS Kash, OMB Bloodbath, & NoonieVsEverybody For “Spotify Singles”
There aren’t too many labels that have a stacked roster like Love Renaissance (LVRN). Over the years, the Atlanta-based label has signed talented acts including 6LACK, Westside Boogie, and more. They continue finding and developing the stars of tomorrow, working with artists like BRS Kash, OMB Bloodbath, and more.
For the latest edition of Spotify Singles, LVRN has released a new rap cypher, featuring all of the aforementioned artists on the same beat produced by Kitty Ca$h. The release comes via the recent RapCaviar x Spotify Singles partnership, and this is the first-ever collaboration with artists from one collective. It starts off with Houston’s OMB Bloodbath, who is a standout from the cypher. Then, Cleveland’s NoonieVsEverybody makes his introduction before Atlanta’s BRS Kash does lightwork over the beat. Finally, Compton’s Westside Boogie and Atlanta’s 6LACK close out the cypher video with just under three minutes of ferocious rhyming.
“It was fun doing the cypher because I am competitive, and I wanted to body every rapper on LVRN even though I love them,” joked Westside Boogie about the release. “I like rapping with LVRN altogether, I loved the bank outfits, and the direction on set, plus the steak and potatoes on set was fire. If the song a hit, they need to just say that,” added OMB Bloodbath.
Watch the video below.
Quotable Lyrics:
Can’t do it quite like this, you like this
Ask why I just tell ’em I’m passionate
These rap n***as ain’t mad enough
R&B n***as ain’t sad enough
I’m equipped with a gift, when I speak I heal
Above it ’cause I love it and it pays my bills
Damn, I got a beautiful mind
Can’t parlay with n***as misusing they time
– 6LACK
NLE Choppa Laughs At Getting Caught In Fan’s Headlock During Viral Beach Fight
Earlier this week, NLE Choppa found himself trending on Twitter once again following a viral fight video that featured him and a group of people getting into a massive beachside brawl with one of NLE’s fans. As it was previously reported, the fight began because the fan allegedly started to get disrespectful after NLE Choppa declined to take a picture.
Unfortunately, the footage didn’t show him in the best light, because although the “Final Warning” artist and his crew drastically outnumbered the fan, NLE still got punched in his jaw and caught in a headlock throughout the course of the brawl.
NLE Choppa quickly responded to the situation on Twitter, writing, “Damn y’all never got hit in a fight before ?” In another tweet, the From Dark To Light artist doubled down on his fighting skills by saying, “And I eat punches ask bout me. Imma rush you take what you got to give and resume beating some. Honestly ain’t wanna fight I was just tryna walk the beach.
After taking some time and reflecting on the situation further, NLE Choppa now appears to find the whole situation hilarious, as he recently brought the video back to his fans’ attention. Posting a still image from the fight video in which the fan somehow managed to catch NLE in a headlock, the rapper prefaced the funny moment by saying, “Y’all laughing bout me getting hit, I’m laughing at me being in the headlock.”
Check out NLE Choppa’s humorous take on the situation below.
ONE Championship Limited Edition Tokyo Time Caps Arrive
As someone who practically goes to bed rocking a hat – I’m obsessed with some major news of MMA series ONE Championship going all out with a new partnership. Turns out the organization – which saw our guy Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson go up for an epic championship bout last month – has teamed up […]
The post ONE Championship Limited Edition Tokyo Time Caps Arrive appeared first on SOHH.com.
Renni Rucci Calls Out Judge In Foogiano Case For Racial Prejudice
Rapper Foogiano was recently sentenced to five years in prison for burning off his ankle monitor, causing outrage among his fans. Many are complaining that his sentence is too harsh and will derail his chances of sustaining a career in the music industry. Prior to his sentencing, Foogiano was known as one of the brightest young stars on Gucci Mane’s The New 1017 label.
Gucci has promised that he’s getting to work with his lawyers to help Foogiano get out of prison and the incarcerated rapper’s girlfriend, Renni Rucci, is bringing attention to his sentencing judge’s track record when it comes to allegedly handing out unfair sentences. Judge William A. Pryor has been called out online with many people saying that he’s unfit to rule, citing his record on cruel and unusual punishment.
“Judge William A. Pryor of Greene County, GA called out for blatantly calling someone the N word in court.. returned from his suspension and is back as a senior judge sending more brothers and sisters to jail,” alleged Renni Rucci on Instagram. “This shouldn’t be allowed because it shows racial prejudice. Call the Georgia ACLU and get him out of there ASAP! 770-303-8111.”
The rapper followed up her message by claiming that she had been contacted by other families who have been affected by Judge Pryor’s unfair sentencing tactics. “So after yesterday we found out a lot of other families loved ones received the harshest sentencing possible in situations that have been handled differently when dealing with inmates of other ethnicities,” she said. “Let’s do what we can to make sure people line this [sic] don’t have the power to play with the lives of others.”
What do you think of Renni Rucci’s message? Free Foo.
