advice

Dave East Says J. Cole’s Advice Helped Improve His Next Album

by

Dave East has credited J. Cole for giving him key advice that has improved his upcoming album. Speaking with HipHopDX at the 2023 Grammy Awards, East explained how working with the Fayetteville, North Carolina rapper impacted his recording process.

“I took a lot from that,” he said. “Just his whole energy, you know what I mean? For him to be who he is at the level he’s at and give me that game like that, give me that little bit of advice just to help my own shit out.” He added: “I definitely apply it to what I got going on. My new album, you definitely going to hear some of that in there. But yeah, big shout out to J. Cole.”

Dave East At A “Wu-Tang: An American Saga” Screening

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 23: Dave East attends “Wu-Tang: An American Saga” Screening at 92NY on February 23, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

The Grammys’ red carpet isn’t the first time East has spoken about learning from J. Cole. He also discussed the rapper’s impact during an interview with Apple Music‘s Ebro Darden in 2021. “I got a chance to lock in with J. Cole, just me and him in the studio with the engineer,” he said at the time.

He added: “And he asked that same question, like, ‘Bro, I’m a fan of what you do, I really respect your pen, but you rap with one tone.’ And I really sat and listened to myself, and a lot of my shit is one tone. Me and him in the studio testing tones. He’s just really seeing how high I can take my voice, how low I can take it, and then he just was like, ‘Apply that to your music. Watch the difference.’ That’s just something I gotta keep working at, keep working at. I think it will be something dope to add to my music.”

East released his debut studio album, Survival, in 2019 with features from Rick Ross, Lil Baby, Gunna, Fabolous, DJ Premier, and more. In the years since, he’s worked on several EPs and mixtapes while also focusing on his acting career. He currently stars in Wu Tang: An American Saga.

Dave East At The Grammys

[Via]

Don Toliver Recalls Kanye West’s Important Advice

by

Don Toliver recalled an important piece of advice that Kanye West imparted to him during a recent appearance on The Joe Budden Podcast. Toliver’s interview came after the release of his third studio album Love Sick. Speaking with Budden, he explained that West said making something good is about feeling it in your veins.

“Kanye always used to tell me ‘If you don’t feel it in the veins, it ain’t what it need to be’ and as soon as you hear it, it has to be something,” he told Budden and his co-hosts. He later explained that success at the Grammys is one of his biggest goals for 2023. “I need to hold a trophy,” he remarked.

Don Toliver On Stage

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 24: Music artist Don Toliver performs on stage during 2022 Rolling Loud New York at Citi Field on September 24, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

West and Toliver previously collaborated on Donda and the unfinished Donda 2. Afterward, Toliver spoke about the experience on Hot 97’s Ebro in the Morning. “That’s one of the people in the industry for sure that is transparent with me and I thank God for it, for real,” Toliver said at the time.

Elsewhere in his interview with Budden, Toliver discussed his upbringing in Houston, the aesthetic inspiration behind his latest album, and more. Toliver also explained being influenced by Marvin Gaye, Teddy Pendergrass, and Bobby Womack as well as OutKast, Kendrick Lamar, and Dom Kennedy.

As for Love Sick, Toliver revealed that New York’s iconic Studio 54 inspired the record. “Just like the fact it’s like a thing to where the rules is like everybody has to party,” Toliver explained. “Not everybody’s getting in and the music and the whole scenery looks crazy. That’s what I fell in love with I really feel it after I found out Micheal Jackson went to Studio 54.” The album released on February 24 with guest appearances from GloRilla, Kali Uchis, Lil Durk, Justin Bieber, Future, Wizkid, Brent Faiyaz, Toro y Moi, and more. Check out Toliver’s discussion with Joe Budden below.

Don Toliver With Joe Budden

[Via]

Tierra Whack Reveals Tyler, The Creator’s Advice & Updates Fans About Collab

by

It’s common for artists who are good friends to collaborate with one another, but it hasn’t been necessary for Tierra Whack and Tyler, The Creator. Whack supported the hitmaker as his opener when his Call Me If You Get Lost Tour made its way to Australia and New Zealand. For years, Whack has been pelted with questions about some secret Tyler collaboration that has yet to surface. However, she told Complex that they don’t have hidden music anywhere and debunked claims about a release.

“Me and Tyler don’t have any music. We’re just friends,” Whack explained. “We were hanging out during [the Call Me If You Get Lost Tour] and we got to know each other better, and we [still] talk. But yeah, I think with artists sometimes, people just expect, like, ‘Oh, they both make music, so they should just go make music [together.]’ But sometimes, we just want to be friends with people without asking anything of them but just simply be my friend.”

Tierra Whack Shares Tyler’s Advice

MANCHESTER, TENNESSEE – JUNE 19: Tierra Whack performs during the 2022 Bonnaroo Music & Arts festival on June 19, 2022 in Manchester, Tennessee. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)

“Tyler gives great advice. He’s a busy, busy man—I’m just grateful I’m his friend,” Whack continued. Then, she named lil Yachty as “one of my best friends.” She added, “He put all of us together on his [Lil Boat 3] project for the song ‘T.D’ So that was a huge blessing—me, Tyler, Yachty, and ASAP Rocky.” Regarding Tyler’s guidance, Whack revealed one piece of advice he gave her. It was about a distinctive characteristic that Whack thought about changing.

“You know Tyler is random. He’ll just be like, ‘Yo, don’t ever mess with your gap,’” she said. “I’ve thought about it in the past like, ‘Maybe I should get braces,’ but he has a gap, too. So he’s like, ‘We gotta represent.’ I love that though, because it’s like, ‘You know what? Tyler said no, so I’m not gonna do it.’”

Tierra Whack Teases New Project & What Fans Can Expect

Meanwhile, we haven’t received music from Whack since she shared her trifecta of EPs in 2021: Rap?, Pop?, and R&B? She’s buckled down and has been recording for her next project, and Whack gave insight as to the sound. “A little bit of everything: Pop, a little bit of Rock. We came out with Whack World to show you guys that I can do a little bit of everything,” she revealed. “I’m just trying to touch on every genre that I kind of already did. But it’s like the same thing, which is a lot, but it’s still coming back to me. With Whack World, we laid out the outline just to [show] people like, ‘Hey, we can do it all.’”

[via]

T.I. Recalls Denzel Washington’s Advice On Set Of “American Gangster”

by

T.I. recently reflected on his work on American Gangster alongside Denzel Washington. Speaking with Shannon Sharpe during an appearance on the Club Shay Shay podcast, T.I. recalled some advice the legendary actor gave him.

“As we’re rehearsing, I’m pacing back and forth, pacing back and forth,” he told the former NFL star. “And he said, ‘What’s up, n***a? You nervous?’ I’m like, ‘Man, I’m just making sure I don’t mess it up.’”

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – AUGUST 07: T.I. onstage during 2022 InvestFest at Georgia World Congress Center on August 07, 2022 in Atlanta. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

T.I. continued: “He said, ‘Here man, listen. They could have had anybody in here doing what you’re doing right now. They could have anybody in the world, they could have called anybody right here to do what you’re doing.’”

T.I. further elaborated: “I said, ‘Yeah, yeah.’ He said, ‘They called you for a reason didn’t they?’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ He said, ‘You know what that reason is?’ I started thinking and I said, ‘Yeah, I do.’”

From there, Washington remarked to T.I., “‘Alright then, do that and you ain’t got no reason to be nervous.’”

T.I.’s role in American Gangster was one of his earliest movie appearances. Other rappers appeared in the film as well, including Common and RZA.

Speaking with MTV back in 2007, T.I. previously said: “It’s like when a Hip Hop fan hears a song like [DJ Khaled‘s] ‘We Takin’ Over’ and you hear all your favorites and you hear them at their best.”

American Gangster was directed by legendary filmmaker Ridley Scott and featured an all-star cast. In addition to T.I., Washington, RZA, and Common, it stars Russell Crowe, Josh Brolin, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Cuba Gooding Jr., among others.

Revisit the trailer for American Gangster below.

[Via]

Pam Grier Is Writing A Movie For Her And Cardi B, Shares Advice For Megan Thee Stallion

by

If there’s one thing that we always love to see in the industry, it’s legends supporting legends. Recently, Foxy Brown actress Pam Grier has been doing a whole lot of that. Specifically, she’s showing love to two of the biggest names in the female rap game today.

The 73-year-old joined Rolling Stone for an interview. During, she revealed that she’s got some particularly exciting things in the works. Among them is yet another movie to add to her already impressive filmography, which boasts titles like Friday Foster, Coffy, and Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown.

What sets this upcoming role apart, though, is that Grier herself is writing it, and she has plans to star alongside another famous face. “I’m writing something for me and Cardi B,” she told journalist Rob Sheffield, noting that she’s specifically a fan of the song “WAP.”

She didn’t dish any further on the movie in collaboration with Bardi, though she was quick to shift the conversation to Megan Thee Stallion while on the topic of their salacious single. “I love Megan Thee Stallion. I told her, ‘You and your artistry are beautiful,’” she recalled.

“‘People are gonna punk you because a stallion is a male horse. There’s some really foxy mares!” was the rest of the advice Grier had for the Houston native. “She’s really good. She went to college,” the older woman further praised her young friend.

Megan Thee Stallion attends the 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 Summit at Detroit Opera House on October 04, 2022 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images for ABA)

Afterward, the North Carolina-born entertainer spoke candidly about how women in the industry are criticized. “You got to have your goals. You’re gonna have haters, you’re gonna have jealousy. Just do your art, do your passion from your heart,” she told Rolling Stone.

“[Megan] and Lizzo and Nicki Minaj and some of the others, they know — you gotta make your own style. You get to hire people later. But you come up with your own stuff, then you just draw people like a magnet. Collaborators make you greater and greater. I want them to find that.”

Actress Pam Grier poses for a portrait in 1985 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry Langdon/Getty Images)

Read Pam Grier’s full interview with Rolling Stone here, and tell us if you’d watch her alongside Cardi B on the big screen in the comments.

[Via] [Via]

Morray Discusses J. Cole Being A Mentor To Him

by

Morray says that J. Cole has had him scrap several albums while mentoring him. The Street Sermons rapper reflected on his relationship with Cole during a new interview with HipHopDX.

“I can call Cole right now and he’ll be like, ‘What’s the issue?’ But I gotta be prepared for the answer,” he began. “That’s the thing about Cole, he gon’ give you Cole. But I love that because he’s not afraid to tell you what you don’t wanna hear to make you better.”

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – SEPTEMBER 27: Recording artist Morray performs onstage at State Farm Arena on September 27, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

He continued: “I’ve presented hella albums, I’ve been ready for an album, don’t get me wrong, I’ve been ready. I’ve presented to Cole, he told me, ‘N***a, you’re not ready.’ Do you know how hard it is to take that from somebody you look up to? I think I’m done and you’re telling me I’m not? Back to the drawing board? But I appreciate him, because this album is staying.”

From there, Morray explained that he’s not showing Cole his newest album. Instead of getting advice, Morray is confident enough that he wants Cole to be surprised by the result when it drops.

“I feel like him being a solid mentor is more than anything,” he further said. “It doesn’t matter if we never do anything else, it don’t matter if no opportunities come with J. Cole, the fact that I can call him and get quick advice, and the fact that you answer the phone… salute, big bro.”

Both rappers hail from Fayetteville, North Carolina. The two first interacted in October 2020, after the release of Morray’s “Quicksand.”

Check out Morray’s comments on getting advice from J. Cole below.

[Via]