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Ebro Claps Back After Akademiks Accuses Him Of Blackballing DaBaby

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Ebro finally responded after Akademiks accused him of blackballing DaBaby, among other artists in the genre.

LONG BEACH, CA – NOVEMBER 03: DJ Akademiks attends 2018 ComplexCon-Day 1 at Long Beach Convention Center on November 3, 2018 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Earl Gibson III/Getty Images)

Akademiks charged at industry executives in the past week in the wake of his comments towards hip-hop’s pioneers. Ak said Ebro was gatekeeping at Apple Music. As a result, Ak claimed Ebro prevents some of the most notable figures in rap from getting playlist placements.

“Da Baby’s last project in 2020, Blame it on Baby, sold 124K first week. His new project after being blackballed by Ebro, Apple Music is scheduled to do less than 20K,” DJ Akademiks tweeted on Wednesday. “Now yall understand my Ebro convo… DSPs control who is hot and who is not. Fall out of favor with them… UR DONE.”

In response to Akademiks’s comments, Ebro noted that Apple Music isn’t the only platform. He also called out the inconsistent argument that radio, DJs and platforms are to blame when an artist loses their momentum.

“Funny shit when artists get hot it is always how they built this themselves and the fans. When shit slows down it is radio, DJs, platforms, and the label. #BlameEbro is back for a whole new generation,” Ebro responded.

Ebro added that DaBaby should be able to get a few looks from Spotify, a platform that hosts Ak’s Off The Record podcast.

“Apple Music is not the only platform,” he continued. “Based on this dummy’s logic, Da Baby should be doing well on the platform HE works for. Is it?”

Finally, Ebro pointed out that Hot 97 allowed DaBaby to perform at Summer Jam, despite the controversy. Then, he added that he’s catching heat from the same people who’ve accused him of being irrelevant.

“Im confused… Im old and irrelevant. No one listens to my shows. But why am I always being brought up by people who are “more powerful” and “doing more for the culture” as the reason things don’t perform? Somebody lying!!

Still, Akademiks pushed back against Ebro. “If you weren’t the Global Head of Hip Hop and R&B for Apple nobody would mention u breh… It aint like n***as is reacting to u for shit u say or ur radio show. U just dont like that now ppl can c beyond the veil of these playlists esp at apple.. & u the n***a responsible for it,” he added.

“I gotta loud this issue up now.. it aint bout one artist… I remember when ppl use to say .. man its only 69 we dont like him anyway.. . then it was oh… its only Tory.. we dont fw him either.. now its YB, etc and the list keep getting longer. Stop the Blackballing,” he added, clarifying that he isn’t loyal to any one artist.

JAY-Z and Roc Nation Congratulate Rihanna Ahead of Super Bowl Halftime Show

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rihanna jay z superbowl

JAY-Z is giving flowers to his global star Rihanna ahead of her performance at the Superbowl 56 Halftime Show.

 Hov recognized the billionaire entrepreneur for her successful career and how far she’s come calling her “a generational talent and woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn.”  

The “Love on the Brain” artist took to social media to reveal the news Sunday. 

The NFL also confirmed it on their Twitter account.  The news comes after rumors allege that Taylor Swift was going to take the gig, only to turn it down to focus on re-recording her back catalog.

READ MORE: Rihanna & A$AP Rocky’s Studio Session Sparks New Music Rumors

 Roc Nation will be the executive producers for Rih Rih’s performance, in partnership with Apple Music and the NFL. Superbowl 56 is set to take place on February 12, 2023  in Glendale, Arizona. 

Who do you think Rihanna is going to bring out on stage with her? 

Continue the conversation on social media.

The post JAY-Z and Roc Nation Congratulate Rihanna Ahead of Super Bowl Halftime Show appeared first on The Source.

Wizkid Reveals That He Will Perform His New Album At An Apple Music Live Show

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Wizkid 2022 Roots Picnic
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Prior to this month, Wizkid was pretty quiet in the afrobeats world in a year that’s been one of the best for the genre in recent memory. However, his silence isn’t shocking as he spent most of 2021 in the spotlight thanks to the success behind “Essence” with Tems and his Made In Lagos album. The song peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard 200, making it the highest-charting Nigerian song to date. While things have certainly cooled off for Wizkid, he returned to form this month with the release of the amapiano-focused “Bad To Me.” It turns out that it’s not all the Nigerian star has up his sleeve.

Just a week after Wizkid released “Bad To Me,” Apple Music announced that he would be the next artist to have a live performance through the platform. The show will be held in London next week on September 27 and be released later this fall, and it turns out that Wizkid will perform new music during the show. “Biggest bird bringing #AppleMusicLive to London!” Wizkid wrote in a tweet. “For one night only at the Roundhouse performing my new album,” he added before sharing a link to purchase tickets for the show.

Wizkid previously revealed that the album would be titled More Love, Less Ego, but a release date for the project was not shared.

You can view Wizkid’s tweet about his upcoming Apple Music Live show above.

Giveon Reveals The Most Important Part Of His Process And How He Feels About Criticism

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Giveon 2022 Apple Music interview
Apple Music

Giveon’s career took a huge turn for the better in 2020. That year, he opened and closed his heart with the world thanks to a standout collaboration with Drake and two EPs: Take Time and When It’s All Said And Done. The two EPs were later combined into one effort, with the addition of one song, for a body of work titled When It’s All Said And Done… Take Time. That project did not stand as Giveon’s official debut album, as that is set to arrive later this week with Give Or Take. During a recent interview on Apple Music, Giveon revealed what he believes is the most important part of his process towards creating music.

“So my process is I really think the story is the most important part,” he said during his conversation with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe. “Simply because I think that’s what’s going to make someone go back to it. That’s definitely what’s going to make me play it over and over again. So I like to have the story first. The thing about storytelling for me is you have to make sure it’s digestible as well.” Later on in the interview, Giveon also took a moment to share his feelings about criticism.

“I think I’m in a space where it’s like, as far as criticism, I don’t know, the world is interesting now because me personally, it’s like, if I’m shopping for clothing, if I don’t like this shirt, I don’t like the tailor and the cut, I’m not going to hold it up and be like, ‘Hey everyone in this store, I don’t like this shirt if you were wondering.’ I’m just not going to pick the shirt up,” Giveon said.

He later added, “As far as criticism, it’s art as well. You know? If I’m telling you a story about my heartbreak, it’s at my discretion. You can’t say, tell me how you got your heart broken in other ways. It’s like, no. Just go listen to something else. I don’t even think anything would be bad necessarily. It’s just either it’s for you or it’s not.”

You can watch the full sit-down in the video above.

Give Or Take is out 7/24 via Epic Records. You can pre-save it here.

Drake’s ‘Honestly, Nevermind’ Already Broke Apple Music’s Dance Album Record For First-Day Streams

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Drake Onyx 2021
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With last night’s surprise release of Honestly, Nevermind, pop culture chameleon Drake showed that he was at his shape-shifting ways once again. Listeners were surprised to hear that the album was in fact, a dance music record. This wasn’t quite the party that people were expecting to turn up to on Thursday night, but they let it rip nonetheless. So much so that Drake’s Honestly, Nevermind smashed Apple Music’s record for first-day streams of a dance music album.

Not only did Drizzy stake hold to yet another streaming records crown, he did it within the first hour that the album was available for streaming. Whew… According to Apple Music, this is one more feather in the cap of the streaming king. In a release, the streaming service indicated that Drake also holds the following notable streaming records:

” – Drake currently holds the record for the biggest album in Apple Music history by first-day streams worldwide, with Certified Lover Boy.
– Scorpion is the second biggest album by first-day streams worldwide on Apple Music.
– Drake also holds the record for the biggest song in Apple Music history by first-day streams worldwide, with “Girls Want Girls.”

Just another day at the office, leaving DJs in the dust, but he could be coming for the indie rock crown next?

Honestly, Nevermind is out now via OVO Sound/Republic. Stream it here.

6LACK Covers Mos Def’s ‘Umi Says’ As Part Of Apple Music’s 2022 Freedom Songs

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6lack holds nothing back in his music or real life, especially when speaking on the plight of Black people in this country. For Apple Music’s Freedom Songs 2022 celebrating Juneteenth through covers and original music, the East Atlanta Love Letter artist covered Mos Def’s powerful 1999 record “Umi Says.” The low tempo beat loaded with instruments is right in 6lack’s pocket as he used his signature croak to speak about what he wants to see for his people. Though the fight extends well beyond music, he deems it important to use his platform for causes such as these.

Though 6lack has maintained his presence through a number of features over the years, listeners haven’t received a project since 2020’s 6 Pc Hot, let alone a full album since 2018’s East Atlanta Love Letter. The 29-year-old has been alluding to the third chapter of his career for quite some time, and gave fans a taste back in December with the 1-2 punch of “Rent Free” and “By Any Means.” His management team Love Renaissance always has a master plan prepared, and the addition of OVO’s dvsn just makes their next move with 6lack all the more intriguing. Until then, he will surely provide more to hold listeners over.

Listen to 6lack’s Apple Music exclusive “Umi Says ” above.