Ebro Darden doesn’t know how Drake’s career can recover from taking a loss in his feud with Kendrick Lamar. He discussed where the Toronto rapper can go from here during a show for Apple Music, explaining that he doesn’t feel Drake can act tough anymore.
“I don’t know how Drake comes back,” Ebro began. “I don’t know what his sound is gonna be. Everybody’s like, ‘What got taken from him?’ How does Drake ever talk greasy on a song like you about to do something tough after? Kendrick called you out for coopting the entire Atlanta thing, so what is your slang now? What are you saying now?”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 16: Jennifer Lopez joins Apple Music Radio host Ebro Darden on “This Is Me…Now” Radio on Apple Music 1 on February 16, 2024, in New York City. (Photo by Tomas Herold/Getty Images for Apple Music)
From there, he described how the situation still presents an opportunity for Drake to put on for his hometown. Ebro continued: “But also, there’s an opportunity in that because now it is time. A lot of people in Toronto was like, ‘Toronto got a sound.’ And I was like, ‘Okay, in this battle if Drake would’ve said, ‘You know what, like the Avengers, it’s Toronto versus everybody.” What would that have sounded like? We know when we heard Mustard on the beat, we knew what that was. What is that for them? When it’s time to wage war. Not when it’s time to make a Diddy bop. Not when it’s time to fall in love. Not when it’s time to go on vacation.” Check out the full comments below.
Ebro Darden Questions Where Drake Goes From Here
Ebro questions, How does Drake ever talk greasy on a song like he’s going to do something tough after his rap battle with Kendrick Lamar.
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) June 26, 2024
The latest update in the beef comes from the side of Lamar, who spent last weekend in the streets of Los Angeles filming a music video for his diss track, “Not Like Us.” Be on the lookout for further updates on Ebro Darden as well as Drake and Kendrick Lamar on HotNewHipHop.
Metro Boomin is the most famous producer in hip-hop at the moment. He kicked off the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar battle, scoring a number one single and dropping a viral instrumental in the process. Both of his studio albums have gone platinum. He even dropped an acclaimed soundtrack to a Sony superhero film in 2023. He’s a recognizable brand, which is why he wants to make control over the distribution of his music. Namely, the use of digital streaming services.
Metro Boomin took a screenshot of a X (formerly Twitter) exchange on June 24. The screenshot was in response to a question about “industry math.” It broke down, in simple terms, how little an artist actually makes from an album when it’s uploaded to DSPs. “A fan needs to stream an artist’s music 20 times a day for a whole year for that artist to make $25 from that fan,” the tweet read. Metro Boomin not only co-signed the tweet, but made a big announcement. He told followers that these paltry streaming profits are partially why he’s going to stop putting albums on streaming. “This is why my next album probably be the last one streaming,” he wrote.
The producer didn’t specify what his next album will be. The announcement could pose issues for DSPs like Apple Music and Spotify, though. Metro Boomin and Future dominated the Spotify charts with their joint album WE DON”T TRUST YOU in March. Forbes reported that the duo occupied half a dozen of the top 10 spots on Spotify’s U.S. charts. The biggest song, “Like That,” beat out the second place entry by an impressive 400K streams. This announcement comes a year after Metro Boomin decided to sell part of his publishing catalog to Shamrock Capital for $70 million.
Metro is mindful of his worth, but he’s made a point of avoiding “cash grab” trends. He spoke on the importance of maintaining a quality brand during an interview with Variety. “I feel like people can just tell I care,” he asserted. “At a time when everybody has their hand out — like, ‘Let me do this for cash; let me make a dance for TikTok’ — you can hear all the details and thought behind my music.” Only time will tell if the producer sticks to his non-streaming plan.
Music fans have waited a long time for Normani’s solo debut album (seriously, a LONG time), but the wait is nearly over. Dopamine, the former Fifth Harmony member’s first-ever solo album, is due to hit DSPs in just a few hours, after a rollout that has included the single “Candy Paint” and plenty of reflection on her time in the now-defunct girl band. So, when can you stream Dopamine on DSPs like Apple Music and Spotify?
With a due date of June 14, Dopamine should be available to stream as soon as clocks strike 12 midnight, Eastern time (9 PM Pacific), putting an end to nearly a decade of waiting for a full collection of solo music from the New Orleans native. With a 13-song tracklist including guest features from Cardi B, Gunna, and James Blake, Normani gave a hint of the behind-the-scenes struggles to make Dopamine a reality on Instagram.
“This moment symbolizes so much more than any photo could ever capture,” she wrote. “There has been so much resistance and many adversities throughout this process for me. Thank you to my fans for always keeping me encouraged and for being my reason to continue to endure and push through. This chapter is dedicated to you. ily guys more than you know.”
Tems announced her debut album Born In The Wildback in April, giving fans just about two months to build excitement for it. So, when can you stream Born In The Wild on DSPs like Apple Music?
Born In The Wild is due on June 7 via RCA / Since ’93, which means that it’ll be available to stream beginning at midnight Eastern / 9 PM Pacific.
Last week, Tems revealed the tracklist for the album, which includes guest features from fellow Afrobeats star Asake and rapper J. Cole. You can check out more information on Born In The Wild below.
Tracklist
1. “Born In The Wild”
2. “Special Baby (Interlude)”
3. “Burning”
4. “Wickedest”
5. “Love Me JeJe”
6. “Get It Right” Feat. Asake
7. “Ready”
8. “Gangsta”
9. “Unfortunate”
10. “Boy O Boy”
11. “Forever”
12. “Free Fall” Feat. J. Cole
13. “Voices In My Head (Interlude)”
14. “Turn Me Up”
15. “Me & U”
16. “T-Unit”
17. “You In My Face”
18. “Hold On”
6/12 — London, UK @ Eventim Apollo
6/15 — Paris, France @ L’Olympia
7/4 — Oslo, Norway @ Sentrum Scene
7/8 — Berlin, Germany @ Tempodrom
7/10 — Cologne, Germany @ Carlswerk Victoria
7/12 — Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
7/16 — Montreux, Switzerland @ Montreux
North America
8/22 — Miami Beach, FL @ The Fillmore
8/24 — Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Cafe
8/26 — Dallas, TX @ Gilley’s South Side Ballroom
8/28 — Houston, TX @ 713 Music Hall
8/30 — Atlanta, GA @ Coca-Cola Roxy
9/01 — Washington, DC @ The Anthem
9/03 — Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia
9/05 — New York City, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
9/07 — Toronto, ON, Canada @ History
9/11 — Boston, MA @ Agganis Arena
9/13 — Montreal, QC, Canada @ L’Olympia
9/15 — Chicago, IL @ Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
9/17 — Denver, CO @ The Mission Ballroom
9/22 — Vancouver, BC, Canada @ The Queen Elizabeth Theatre
9/25 — Seattle, WA @ Showbox SODO
9/27 — San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
9/29 — Las Vegas, NV @ The Theatre At Virgin Hotel
10/1 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Greek Theatre
Africa
10/19 & 25 — TBA
Asia
11/5 — TBA
Australia
11/09 — Melbourne @ Margaret Court Arena
11/12 — Brisbane @ Fortitude Music Hall
11/15 — Sydney @ The Hordern Pavilion
When Will Shaboozey’s Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going Be On Apple Music?
Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going is due out at 9 p.m. PT tonight (May 30) and midnight ET on Friday, May 31. It would stand to reason that the album will become available to stream on Apple Music, Spotify, and all DSPs at that time.
Shaboozey’s Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going Album Cover Artwork
@ShaboozeysJeans on X
Shaboozey’s Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going Tracklist
1. “Horses & Hellcats”
2. “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
3. “Last Of My Kind” Feat. Paul Cauthen
4. “Anabelle”
5. “East Of The Massanutten”
6. “Highway”
7. “Let It Burn”
8. “My Fault” Feat. Noah Cyrus
9. “Vegas”
10. “Drink Don’t Need No Mix” Feat. BigXThaPlug
11. “Steal Her From Me”
12. “Finally Over”
Shaboozey’s Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going Album Trailer
Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going is out 5/31 via American Dogwood/EMPIRE. Find more information here.
Eminem is gearing up for what could be the final release of his career — or, at least, his final album under the “Slim Shady” persona he’s been cultivating over the past two and half decades. To that end, he announced the release of “Houdini,” the first single from the upcoming album, The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce), with the help of illusionist David Blaine earlier this week. So, when will the new single be available to stream on DSPs like Apple Music?
“Houdini” is billed for release on May 31, which means that it should be available to stream in just about 11 and a half hours, at 9 pm Pacific, midnight Eastern time. Although some artists are known for last-minute shenanigans that make timing their releases much more of a chore than it should be, Eminem is not one of them, which means you can likely expect to be streaming “Houdini” on time.
Anticipation for The Death Of Slim Shady is sky-high among Eminem fans, as he hasn’t released an album since 2020’s Music To Be Murdered By. That hasn’t stopped him from being more active than ever this year; he’s released the single “Lace It” with Juice WRLD and Benny Blanco and “Doomsday 2” with Lyrical Lemonade since the year started, giving fans plenty of new music to tide them over until the release of his new album.
“Houdini” is due on 5/31 through Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope Records.
With the release of any ranked list, backlash is sure to follow. Apple Music’s top 100 albums of all time list is no exception. But, there’s one person that seems to be content with the streaming company’s opinion.
“This child sure knows how to make his momma proud,” she wrote. “I first said. ‘Wow, son, you are among the greats.’ But quickly retracted and said, ‘No, you are a GREAT!’ Here’s to my Frankie! #Blonde.”
The chart-topping project was revered at the time of its release. However, it appears things have changed in the nearly-decade following. To be clear, users aren’t upset that the body of work was mentioned, most so its ranking.
Not everyone disagreed. Many people have begun to rally behind Frank. “If you’re mad cause Frank Ocean’s ‘Blonde’ is in the top 10 albums ever by Apple Music, you definitely have never listened to the album,” chimed another.
if you’re mad cause frank ocean “blonde” is in the top10 albums everby apple music you definitely have never listened to the album pic.twitter.com/U8QdK5tu87
You may have already seen Apple Music’s recent list of their top 100 best albums of all time, and there are plenty of hot takes and snubs to talk about. However, what might be the most surprising and generous placement on the list comes in the form of Frank Ocean’s beloved 2016 album Blonde, which landed at number five. While some fans might think it’s unwarranted or too soon to call when compared to albums like D’Angelo’s Voodoo, it’s definitely an earned and understandable accolade for one of the 21st century’s most definitive projects. In fact, it even got the mom seal of approval, as his mother took to Instagram to celebrate this distinction.
“This child sure knows how to make his momma proud!” Frank Ocean’s mother Katonya Breaux captioned her IG post about the placement. “I first said wow son, you are among the greats but quickly retracted and said ‘no, you are a GREAT!’ Here’s to my Frankie!![champagne glasses & red heart emojis] #blonde.” Blonde was originally an Apple Music exclusive, curiously enough, and this list is pretty much his biggest public appearance since his muscular selfie from a couple of months ago.
Even then, it’s not a deliberate media pop-out, as Frank Ocean himself hasn’t said anything about it nor done press for the Apple Music list. His Odd Future partner Tyler, The Creator recently spoke on his elusive nature during his Coachella set. “Y’all know this song?” he asked the crowd as the instrumental for their 2011 Goblin collab “She” played int the background. “Oh, sing the song, ’cause this n***a not coming out. We don’t… We don’t know where that n***a is, so… It’s on y’all. You know it?”
Meanwhile, very rare social media posts are pretty much the only thing that people have heard from Frank Ocean in a very long time. We don’t know whether there’s a new album coming out, or if we already witnessed the close-out of one of contemporary music’s most scant yet enduring careers. Either way, we hope he and his mom are doing well, wherever they are. Let’s see whether this Apple Music list leads to something greater in 2024.
All week music fans were waiting online with feverish anticipation for each new drop from Apple Music’s Top 100 Albums of all time list. Hip-hop was well-represented on the list, though it still didn’t always go over well with rap fans. Nas’ classic debut album Illmatic landed on the list though many fans felt it deserved to be much higher. Kendrick Lamar landed in the top 10 but with his 2012 album Good Kid m.A.A.d City. But many think that the record’s follow-up, 2015’s To Pimp A Butterfly was even more deserving of a spot.
At the same time as Kendrick’s placement at number 7 was revealed, they also revealed the very top spot on the list. Lauryn Hill’s classic 1998 debut album The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill landed at number one. The album’s appearance on the list is no surprise as it’s one of the most acclaimed records of all time. Still many were surprised to see it land higher than albums like Michael Jackson’s Thriller and The Beatles Abbey Road. The album is famously still her only studio album to date. It was followed up by her MTV Unplugged 2.0 live album a few years later but 26 years later she’s yet to release a new studio album. But Erykah Badu thinks now is the perfect time for Hill to get back in the studio following her Apple Music honor.
In a recent Instagram post, Badu called for Hill to return to the studio. “We celebrate you. You weathered the storm L boogie. @mslaurynhill . Your best work is still in u. I see u,” her caption read. The Apple Music albums list was voted on by various members of the music media. They weren’t just asked to pick their favorite albums though. Ebro shared the criteria voters were given in a tweet earlier this week. It focused more on things like influence and impact rather than just quality alone.
What do you think of Erykah Badu’s post encouraging Lauryn Hill to get back in the studio and record new material? Do you think she will ever release a follow-up to her debut Miseducation? Let us know in the comment section below.
Apple Music’s Best 100 Albums list has successfully polarized the internet, and maybe that was the plan all along. The list does a fine job of highlighting many projects worthy of recognition. However, there are plenty of albums that were snubbed in the process, leading many to question the criteria behind their top 100 albums of all time. Firstly, R&B albums are barely on that list. Secondly, some albums were snubbed in favor of other less impactful works from the same artist. A primary example is Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city which was shockingly chosen in favor of To Pimp A Butterfly.
Finally, there are defining albums that shifted the stratosphere of music that Apple Music conveniently left out. Unsurprisingly, there are projects on that list that many believe are simply meant to pander to younger audiences. As a result, legendary bodies of work were pushed to the side. Too many important artists were sidelined, including the following seven, which will forever remain a shock.
While R&B was greatly excluded from Apple Music’s 100 Albums, the exclusion of this album still came as a shock. Songs In A Minor remains one of the most influential albums of the 2000s. Alicia Keys’ debut album set the stage for her illustrious music career. Infused with elements of neo-soul, Keys shines through the album. Ignoring the album that birthed the tracks “Fallin’” and “A Woman’s Worth” is certainly a bold decision.
Let’s get one thing straight: Apple Music would have been spoiled for choice with Brandy’s discography. However, they refused to include a single album from The Vocal Bible. The legacy of Full Moon cannot be denied and helped shape the future of R&B. This influential masterpiece of an album also definitely deserved a spot on Apple Music’s 100 Albums list, which begs the question of whether the platform has any respect for R&B at all.
5. Long Live The Kane – Big Daddy Kane
While Apple Music’s 100 Albums list is littered with Hip Hop projects, it’s hard to deny the obvious pandering to mainstream audiences. After all, several iconic, yet grossly underrated Hip Hop projects were overlooked. One of these is LongLive The Kane by Big Daddy Kane. Following this release in 1988, the golden age of Hip Hop would never be the same again. With a nasty flow, and armed with the wittiest lyricism and rhyming patterns, Big Daddy Kane’s debut album birthed an entire generation of rappers.
Perhaps one of the biggest shocks was the exclusion of The Voice. With a nickname like that, you should not be exempt from any list that celebrates music as a whole. Even today, Whitney Houston remains the gold standard for vocalists across the globe. While the record-smashing The Bodyguard soundtrack album is also a strong contender, her self-titled debut album was the masterpiece that unleashed the force of Whitney unto the world. Notably, it was also the foundation for the careers of many artists after her. Whitney Houston’s debut album influenced several mainstream acts of today, including Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, Jennifer Hudson, and more. It really doesn’t make sense for it to be excluded from any other list highlighting the “best.”
3. Tha Carter III – Lil Wayne
Another defining and influential rapper left off Apple Music’s Best 100 Albums list is Tunechi. Lil Wayne raised a generation of rappers, and his exclusion understandably resulted in backlash. After the success of Tha Carter II, all eyes were on Lil Wayne for Tha Carter III. Not only did he surpass expectations, Tha Carter III remains one of the best-selling rap albums of all time. A milestone album in his career, this project holds a place in the hearts of several millennials across the globe.
When you’ve been dubbed The Songbird Supreme, there should be no question of your validity as one of the world’s best. Mariah Carey, ironically, influenced most of the women on Apple Music’s Best 100 Albums list. That’s why her exclusion has left a sour taste in several mouths. Her Daydream album helped popularize Pop-Rap collaborations, and The Emancipation of Mimi is widely regarded as a comeback album for the ages. However, it was with Butterfly that Mariah fully immersed herself and her fans into a world of Hip Hop and R&B. A defining and impactful album of the 90s, this record served as a musician taking control of her art, and excelling at it.
2Pac’s final album before his death remains a significant project in the overall sphere of music. The rapper was at his most confident, seamlessly detailing his contrasting life. Although a double-length album, there’s nothing overdone on this project, and it goes to show why 2Pac is widely considered by many to be the greatest of all time. To exclude All Eyez on Me from such a list is a huge mistake.
@AppleMusic ) pic.twitter.com/4ivlsy0Nxk
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