Featuring Larry June, Terrace Martin, and more.
Blxst
Blxst Speaks To College Class Dedicated To Nipsey Hussle
Blxst is one of R&B’s most exciting rising stars in the past few years. In 2022, his debut studio album Before You Go saw him ascend to new heights. With features from Arin Ray, Rick Ross and Zacari, the LA native displayed his incredibly soothing voice as well as he ever has. The rest of the year, he found himself being featured on songs for other huge R&B and rap stars. Icons like Kehlani, Burna Boy, Babyface Ray, and even Kendrick Lamar recruited Blxst for tracks in 2022.
He outdid himself so much on these guest appearances, that it landed him at 2023’s Grammy awards in early February. Nominated twice for his contributions to Kendrick Lamar’s recent album, Blxst shined on the red carpet. Their track “Die Hard,” also including Amanda Reifer, was one of the best on the whole LP. Mutually beneficial relationships like these that Blxst has created have only helped him in the industry. So much so, that he is becoming a household name in West Coast music and is now being booked for speaking gigs.
Blxst Shares Wisdom
On Feb. 8, Blxst was welcomed onto the Loyola Marymount University campus. He showed up to be a guest speaker for “The Marathon Continues: Building Brand Through Culture” course. This marketing course was founded by late LA legend Nipsey Hussle. According to the LMU website, it is taught at the College of Business Administration and is taught by Hussle’s former business partner David Gross. Joined by his manager Victor Burnett and entertainment lawyer Karl Fowlkes for the panel, Blxst gave advice about the music industry and building your own brand. Additionally, he touched on starting his label EVGLE with Burnett and Fowlkes and making sure you have agency over what you create.
“I will say, at some point, you have to take accountability,” he said. “We have information out there — we got so many examples of our legends that don’t even own a percentage of their whole culture that we built. How many times are we going to watch the same story continue? For me, I’m leading by example. You got to be the change you want to see. I feel like the label situation is all predicated on how you want your future to be. I want to be self-sustainable … and that’s what I want for my people as well. Ownership is everything.”
Students were also able to ask Blxst and his associates questions. Best was the second of three guest speakers for the panel at LMU. The first guests were Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings, and the last guests will be NBA players Matt Barnes and Steven Jackson. Nipsey Hussle was always a proponent of sharing wisdom with younger generations. So, it’s nice to see Blxst and others do so at a school in Hussle’s hometown.
[Via]
Blxst Speaks During Nipsey Hussle-Inspired Course at Loyola Marymount
Words by: Brandon Simmons
Recently, R&B singer Blxst participated in a panel at Loyola Marymount University in California. The University offers a marketing course, titled, “The Marathon Continues: Building Brand Through Culture”. The course honors the legacy of Nipsey Hussle as it details his business mindset in and out of the music industry. Throughout the course, Professors David Gross and Mitchell Hamilton make sure self-sustainability and accountability remain the theme. Blxst was a part of the series the course is giving to its students.
Guest speakers have been coming in to speak to students about their entrepreneurial paths. Last week, Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings of the popular financial podcast, Earn Your Leisure spoke to students at LMU. Next week, former NBA champions, Matt Barnes, and Stephen Jackson will be on the panel as well. The “Chosen” singer spoke to students about being an independent artist and at the same time an entrepreneur. He mentioned his team is a major part of his success.
“I got to a point where I got smart enough to know that I’m not smart at all….I’m a student at the end of the day, and I’m willing to learn, so I just surrounded myself with people that I felt like I could benefit just being around [their] presence.”
– BLXST
The people Blxst are referring to are Victor Burnett and Karl Fowlkes. Together, the three started their record label, EVGLE LLC with Burnett being the President and Blxst’s manager. Fowlkes serves as the entertainment lawyer for the label. Throughout the lecture, you can tell Blxst agreed with Nipsey’s mindset. He suggested students build their own businesses and be self-reliable because ownership is very important.
“I want to be self-sustainable…and that’s what I want for my people as well. Ownership is everything.”
EVGLE LLC will also speak at SXSW.
The post Blxst Speaks During Nipsey Hussle-Inspired Course at Loyola Marymount appeared first on The Source.
Blxst Offers His Own Sensual Remix Of Beyoncé’s ‘Cuff It’
Beyoncé‘s recent album Reinassance resonated with quite a few folks. One of them was Blxst. The 30-year-old rapper just dropped his own version of Queen Bey’s disco-inspired hit, “Cuff It.” The remix of the track, entitled “Cuff It / Wetter,” was posted to Blxst’s official YouTube page on Saturday, January 14. The soulful tune spans about a minute and a half and is the perfect blend of Bey and the singer.
“I feel like fallin’ in love / I’m in the mood to f*ck something up,” the duo sings. “I need some drink in my cup, hey / I’m in the mood to f*ck something up.”
Blxst, whose real name is Matthew Dean Burdette, released his debut album Before You Go this past April. The project featured artists like Arin Ray, Rick Ross, Zacari, and Grandmaster Vic. The singer also served as a producer on a couple of tracks for the album, which spans 13 songs.
Recently, the California singer and rapper teamed up with another Cali native, Larry June, for a track entitled “Keep Calling.” He also worked with Babyface Ray and Nija on “Spend It.”
While it’s unclear what Blxst has planned for 2023, fans are patiently awaiting his next project.
Check out Blxst’s “Cuff It / Wetter” video above.
Blxst Expertly Remixes Beyoncé’s Hit Song, “Cuff It”: Stream
Countless amazing albums arrived in 2022, though few of them had the same impact as Beyoncé’s RENAISSANCE. It’s been some time since the disco-inspired record landed last summer, but even still it remains in streaming rotation for many – including Blxst.
As you may recall, the R&B hitmaker had a big project of his own land last spring, Before You Go. On that, he worked with the likes of Arin Ray, Rick Ross, Zacari, and Grandmaster Vic.
Since then, we’ve also heard his vocals shine alongside Larry June on “Keep Calling” and with Babyface Ray and Nija on “Spend It.” Additionally, he appears on Kalan.FtFr’s “No Stoppin” as well as Chris Brown’s “Show It.”
It presently remains unclear what Blxst has planned for fans in 2023. However, his audience is undeniably eager to hear more music. Earlier this weekend, he delivered a treat in the form of a Beyoncé remix that fans are already loving.
Saturday (January 14) saw the arrival of the “Cuff It / Wetter” remix, available exclusively on the singer’s YouTube page. Spanning just a minute and a half, the short and sweet song markedly blends Queen B and the younger star for our enjoyment.
“I feel like fallin’ in love / I’m in the mood to f*ck something up / I need some drink in my cup, hey / I’m in the mood to f*ck something up,” they expertly sing the original lyrics together.
Check out Blxst’s “Cuff It / Wetter” remix exclusively on YouTube below. Afterward, find more of this weekend’s new music recommendations on our Fire Emoji playlist here.
Quotable Lyrics:
I feel like fallin’ in love
I’m in the mood to f*ck something up
I need some drink in my cup, hey
I’m in the mood to f*ck something up
[Via]
4L JAVI Isn’t A Lover Boy In His ‘UPROXX Sessions’ Of ‘Playboy’
Riverside, California’s 4L Javi is the rapper-singer you don’t want to miss. On this year’s project Letters 2 U, he flexes his range of singing and rapping through love stories fitting for a young adult just trying to figure it out. Javi’s sound fits into a new wave of West Coast rappers bringing the best of R&B and rap into their projects— think Kalan.FrFr, Blxst, and MCM Raymond. On his track “Playboy,” he takes the crooning and honesty of R&B but positions himself as solely a rapper over Michigan-style production.
He makes his Sessions debut performing the track, affirming his anti-loverboy status with lyrics like “retail therapy, I don’t need a therapist,” and “I never learned to love, I was always wit’ the pits.” His cadence is laid-back and fitting for a SoCal rapper, reminiscent of an Ice Cube or a more contemporary Huey Briss. With his Sessions performance of “Playboy,” 4L Javi proves himself to be up next.
Watch 4L Javi perform “Playboy” for UPROXX Sessions above.
UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.
Complex Volume 002 Presents the Ultimate At Home Playlist
Blxst & Larry June Connect on “Keep Calling” Single
West Coastin.
Blxst And Larry June Tell Their Haters To ‘Keep Calling’ On The Carefree New Collaboration
Blxst released his new collaboration with Larry June called “Keep Calling” The free-spirited song finds Blxst opening with his verse as June supports him through some ad-lib style background vocals. “I just touched down, threw a surprise party for pops,” Blxst sings. “I ain’t even checkin’ the scoreboard, I stop / Double up on this world tour, then drop again / While you lookin for a block to spend.”
“Long as we got respect, we ain’t gotta be friends,” he continues. “They keep on callin’ / I keep on ballin’… Baby, my diamonds still hittin’ / They flawless.”
From there, June takes the lead on the second verse while still carrying the pacing over the hypnotic beat. “Rose gold piece and a diamond special / Pulled up in a Porsche playing My Confession,” he adds.
The duo appears just as carefree as their lyricism in the music video. Directed by Direct Dev and Blu, Blxst and Larry June pose in (and around) a car with a pretty girl, with the ocean view behind them all. They also hang out together on a basketball court, as a retro film filter gets overlayed during parts of the video.
Listen to Blxst and Larry June’s new song “Keep Calling” above.