A ’70s blaxploitation film icon from classics like Foxy Brown and Coffy, Pam Grier found new life in Quentin Tarantino’s 1997 Jackie Brown. Since then, it’s much more than just boomers who understand what an important figure Grier was for Black women in film.
She’s now the focus of the fourth season of TCM’s The Plot Thickens podcast and Grier settled in with Rolling Stone’s Rob Sheffield to talk about her legacy and ongoing ambitions. Among them, Grier revealed that she’s scheming to be on the big screen with Cardi B and expressed her reverence for other Black women who are crossing over from music to the silver screen.
“I’m writing something for me and Cardi B,” Grier said when asked about being a touchstone for today’s cross-generational icons. “I love Cardi and ‘WAP.’ I love Megan Thee Stallion. I told her, ‘You and your artistry are beautiful. People are gonna punk you because a stallion is a male horse, but there’s some really foxy mares!’
“She’s really good. She went to college,” she said about Megan, before expanding into her thoughts on other stars. “You got to have your goals. You’re gonna have haters, you’re gonna have jealousy, but just do your art, do your passion from your heart. She [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, so collaborators make you greater and greater. I want them to find that.”
Grier, who also played music with Sly Stone and Jimi Hendrix, also cited working with Tarantino and Samuel L. Jackson as moments that shaped her into a well-rounded artist and added one last bit of advice for Cardi, Meg, Nicki, Lizzo, and others: “But any kind of artist, you’re like a musician, and you don’t know if you’re gonna be heard 40, 50 years later. This music may not be passed on by other artisans. But it’s nice if your music is still played generations later.”
Some of the artists mentioned here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
2017 was a big year for Cardi B. She released her hit single, “Bodak Yellow,” which later went on to be the first solo female rap song to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 19 years — the first was Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing).” But before then, she had dropped her second mixtape, Gangsta B*tch Music, Vol. 2.
On the mixtape was the standout cut, “Lick,” which featured her then-boyfriend, later-husband Offset. Yesterday (December 26), Cardi responded to a fan who had shared the video on Twitter, remembering how Cardi “ate this so bad.”
Cardi remembered having butterflies for the man who would later become her husband.
“I couldn’t even breath doing this video …I was crushing hard on Set,” Cardi said.
The two got married later that year, and have been more or less going strong since. Though, Offset admitted in an interview with E! News that took place shortly before Cardi’s 30th birthday this year that it’s getting more challenging for him to buy gifts for his wife.
“These are the hard times,” he joked. “First off, she has everything. Second off, she doesn’t want anything. Third off, I’m gonna get her something because she deserves it. It’s getting harder and harder.”
Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Rap/pop superstar Lizzo (real name Melissa Jefferson) may forget the name of a fan, but she never forgets a tweet. She once turned a tweet from her friend Cardi B into a song, for instance. Now, she’s using the old tweets from a fellow musician to form a potential love connection.
Back in April of last year, Yung Gravy let the world know he wanted to explore a love connection with Lizzo, writing, “I wanna f*ck Lizzo so bad.”
The “About Damn Time” singer used rapper Yung Gravy’s past public declaration to jump onto “The Mom Trend” on TikTok. The trend calls for users to show their mother’s personal style, then cut to their mother dressed in their child’s clothing. While at home with her mother, Shari Johnson-Jefferson, Lizzo uploaded the video with the caption, “Yung gravy [eyes emojis].”
Dressed in her daughter’s Yitty line red bodysuit, commenters immediately shared how the pair were nearly twins. The Emmy Award winner may be off the dating market, but she has no problem finding love for her mother.
Yung Gravy has shared his love of the trend as he has been open about pursuing older women, notably when he and Addison Rae’s mom Sheri Easterling had something going on earlier this year. However, he hasn’t responded to Lizzo’s video yet.
YouTube
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
For years, rapper Offset (real name Kiari Kendrell Cephus) screamed his north Atlanta pride to anyone who’d listen. On each song he recorded as part of the hip-hop trio the Migos, the group would yell, ‘Nawf,’ a short-handed slang term for Atlanta’s north side. Finally, after nearly a decade and a half, his hometown is returning the love.
During his inaugural Offset Toy Giveaway Day (on December 23), the “54321” rapper was surprised by his hometown of Lawrenceville’s mayor David Still and other Gwinnett County officials while giving gifts to the children residents for Christmas. In between present exchanges, Mayor Still and other officials joined the rapper onstage to present him with a key to the county.
The rapper opened his speech by thanking all in attendance for the role they’ve played in his career, saying, “I just wanted to give back to my community. Thanks to all the kids for always supporting me and always listening to me and always just being there for me, you know,” but adding, “Y’all hold me up. You know we’ve been going through a tough time, but God is good.”
Offset also took to Instagram to thank those who couldn’t attend the ceremony, “I’m going to make sure that I do more for my community, not just holidays or a one-time thing I want to be able to change it. Thank God for blessing me to be able to bless others. It’s not just a gift. It’s help to my side the NAWF be a better place.”
Lawrenceville, a suburb of Atlanta, is located just about 30 miles north of the city’s downtown district, shaping Offset’s entertainment interest from his short career as a professional dancer and his eventual pursuit of music.
Cardi B’s alcoholic-infused Whipshots hit a million sales this past October and is only expected to grow. Her holiday-themed whip cream shots have been trending all over social media recently, on par with the upcoming holiday.
The rapper tweeted earlier this week to share her excitement about fans’ response to the sweet treat, writing, “Seeing people buy my product makes me wanna cry….Thank you for supporting WHIPSHOTS!”
Seeing people buy my product makes me wanna cry….Thank you for supporting WHIPSHOTS!
Another fan jokingly admitted the whipped dessert was surprisingly quite strong.
“Nahhh f*ck them whipshots… I’m a drinker, but my homie put that on top of my drink this weekend, and I’m just now recovering! I ain’t playin’ wit that no mo lmfao, ” they wrote.
Nahhh fuck them whipshots… I’m a drinker but my homie put that on top of my drink this weekend and I’m just now recovering! I ain’t playin wit that no mo lmfao
In December 2021, the “Hot Sh*t” rapper debuted the boozy dessert at Art Basel in Miami. Initially, only three flavors were available, including vanilla, caramel, and mocha. However, in light of the holiday season, the rapper decided to release a peppermint flavor this past November.
Cardi told Billboardlast year that she’s not much of a “hardcore liquor-drinking person,” and her products offered her fans a sweet and sexy twist on an old classic. I mean, who doesn’t like whipped cream?
“It’s going to be a party in every can,” she said.
Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The impact that women in Rap have on the industry is unprecedented, and Deb Antney has been tracking its progression. As more ladies are staking their claims in Hip Hop, we’re seeing a rediscovered unity—although, there are still moments when internet rifts get the best of them. Antney was instrumental in Minaj’s rise to stardom, and on My Expert Opinion, she spoke about her former client.
“I wanted to put the whole thing together with women,” said Antney. “But everybody always got something to say about the next woman.”
She also spoke about maturing artists who try to compete with the younger, rising generation.
“Bring these babies up and let them come out!” she added. “Let it keep passing on! What you look like on stage? That’s just as bad as some of these 50-year-old rappers… You’re dated! And you still wanna be up here doing this stuff. There’s other things that you could be into. Bring up somebody else and let them come through.”
Math Hoffa contested that there are rappers who do just that. When Deb asked for an example, Cardi B’s name entered the conversation. The “Up” hitmaker is well-known for partnering with rising artists, especially young women, on collaborations or by giving them shout-outs.
(Photo by Kevin Mazur/MG18/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
“Cardi is very good when it comes to stuff like that,” said Antney. “She’s very, very good… That’s Cardi!” The conversation drifted to New York rappers having a 10 year stretch when artists weren’t “putting nobody on.”
Antney praised Minaj’s grind, adding that people still don’t know her sacrifices to get where she is. She also touched on Cardi and Minaj’s beef, saying she doesn’t get involved in those discussions.
“I don’t get into that beef sh*t. That’s people. See, the one thing that an artist gotta understand: it costs money to go to war. You don’t wanna spend that money,” said Antney.
“I hated—I really thought Nicki and Cardi was really gonna lock into each other. They’re two different people. I wanted that so bad. I wanted that bad to see them two get into each other.”
There have been wars of words between Cardi and Nicki, but these days, it seems they actively avoid one another. However, their fanbases have been known to stir the pot, often creating unnecessary viral moments that place both women in an unfortunate spotlight.
Despite going from rags to riches in a relatively short span of time, Cardi B has remained pretty in touch with her roots. She’s been known to comment on inflation, reflect the population’s fears and fancies, and respond to fans’ questions and criticisms with the same unabashed honesty that earned her thousands of fans, even before “Bodak Yellow” took off in 2018. Cardi was again prompted to respond earlier this week when she warned her followers that the depressed economy was looking a lot like a recession.
“We going through a recession…..Merry Christmas,” she wrote ominously on Twitter. When a commenter snarked “says the rapper worth 40 million,” Cardi retweeted the reply to set the record straight. “I’m worth more then that and guess what?” she clapped back. “If I don’t save ,work and budget I could lose it too! What makes you think that no matter how much money you got you can’t lose it all if you don’t manage your money correctly.I too have bills,responsibilities and people I have to help.”
I’m worth more then that and guess what ? If I don’t save ,work and budget I could lose it too! What makes you think that no matter how much money you got you can’t lose it all if you don’t manage your money correctly.I too have bills,responsibilities and people I have to help. https://t.co/QWIaj5Lpma
Fans chimed in to back her up, remembering performers who previously lost their riches and pointing out that “net worth” doesn’t exactly equate to money in the bank. Still, there were also those who picked up the thread of criticism, pointing out how the recession would affect her long after it did the majority of people. Check out some of those responses below.
Facts. History have shown how .any rappers get broke cause they spend more than saving/invest. https://t.co/DRLNVaiwEy
I absolutely LOVE me some Cardi but i can’t let her pretended she has the same problems as us regular folk … after i party my bills i have next to nothing left… what i would give to be with more than 40 million right now…. Again i Iove you Cardi https://t.co/ZfywVgwFLz
While some of hip-hop’s biggest names made big comebacks in 2022 – and many wound up on Uproxx’s Best Albums of 2022 list – there were a few notable names promising new albums that didn’t quite manage to put anything out before the new year, leaving us with a host of anticipated hip-hop albums for 2023.
After long hiatuses, TDE artists like Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, and SZA all dropped their new albums this year, receiving a warm response from fans and critics alike (Kendrick is on our Best Albums list; Soul and SZA just missed the cutoff). Drake dropped two albums – one very dance oriented and one with 21 Savage – while Megan Thee Stallion addressed her rocky 2021 with a solid second effort.
However, there were a few A-listers whose names were not included in the rolls for the year-end roundups, including Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, and Travis Scott. While we’ll get into the various reasons for their absences below, it’s worth noting that the release schedule was already jam-packed, and having 2023 pretty much wide open can only help them lock down the time and attention their profiles deserve. There are a few rising stars on that list too, including Baby Keem, Doja Cat, and Saweetie. Here are the most anticipated hip-hop albums of 2023.
ASAP Rocky – Don’t Be Dumb
It’s been a minute since we last heard from ASAP Rocky with 2018’s Testing. Since then, he’s become a father, he’s been a hilarious meme, he’s expanding his acting credits, and he’s even starred in a video game. After dropping the new single “Sh*ttin Me” and teasing more Metro Boomin contributions, he finally announced that the album was done with just a few weeks left to go in the year. With a lot to talk about (cough, cough, Sweden) and what sounds like a lot more focused musical direction with Metro’s involvement, Don’t Be Dumb could very well return the Harlem rapper to the top of the charts and reveal new facets of his personality.
The most mysterious of the bunch, Keem’s the only one who hasn’t outright announced an album. That hasn’t stopped Keem fans from sniffing out any and every available clue that he could be working on one. And given his and cousin Kendrick’s tendency to surface suddenly and without warning, that could be all the reason to be on the lookout for a follow-up to The Melodic Bluesometime in the next 12 months.
Cardi B
Cardi was one of the artists that fans most looked forward to hearing from in 2022, but aside from some inflammatory singles, it wasn’t to be. She did give us “Hot Sh*t” with Kanye West and Lil Durk, which was well-received, but given Kanye’s issues and an inability to promote the song the way she wanted, Cardi moved on from the single fairly quickly. She had better luck with GloRilla’s “Tomorrow 2,” which offered an instant classic Cardi verse, but she later admitted that she’s been feeling a lot of anxiety and pressure from the potential reception of her long-awaited follow-up to Invasion Of Privacy. She did say she wants to get that album out in the new year, though.
Doechii
After an impressive breakout in 2022, TDE’s latest signee still remains a refreshing question mark for the new year. Her EP, She/Her/Black Bitch, showed some promising signs that she’s got a clear direction and isn’t afraid of taking creative risks. And the response to singles like “Persuasive” and “Crazy” indicates that fans may wind up being a bit more receptive to her left-field mashups of hip-hop and house than they were ten years ago when “212” was dominating playlists and sync licensing placements. If nothing else, she’s got the TDE machine on her side, which means that when she does drop, she’ll have the full support of her label, something not every artist gets to enjoy.
Doja Cat
im not doing a german rave culture album you guys i was pranking the outlet that interviewed me about it
After an absolutely explosive 2021 thanks to Planet Her and its seemingly endless string of fan-favorite hit records, anticipation was high for Doja to follow up her debut. Doja herself was more than happy to feed into that feeling from fans, teasing permutations of the project that included a 9th Wonder-produced rap LP, an R&B album, and even a euro-house edition. However, she was unable to do much recording after having throat surgery, which forced her to pull out of The Weeknd’s After Hours stadium tour and confined her to home for recovery. The content she did share – namely, a lot of selfies of her new bald look – has ironically generated even greater fervor for new music, since she’s clearly feeling newly freed and more creative than ever.
Rap’s undisputed rookie of the year exploded in popularity thanks to her summer smash “F.N.F. (Let’s Go),” but unlike plenty of other viral favorites, she was able to maintain her momentum with follow-ups like “Tomorrow 2” and the … Anyways, Life’s Great EP. Now, more than anything, fans want to see whether her natural charisma can carry a full-length project. She’s got more than enough viral moments over the past year to keep her name red-hot (and comfortingly uncontroversial) and with one of her hometown’s biggest stars giving his backing, it’ll be interesting to see where she ends up next.
Ice Spice
If GloRilla took the crown for the year’s biggest breakout, it’s only because Ice Spice didn’t manage to get her project out under the wire. Like Glo, she saw much of her impact come from the TikTok popularity of a single song: “Munch,” which launched seemingly a million memes and almost got the Cardi B treatment as well. It also drove attention to prior Ice Spice videos like “Name Of Love” and “No Clarity.” The resulting hunger for more of the Spice life led to a follow-up, “Bikini Bottom,” and the New York rapper being put on the fast track to stardom, with Rolling Loud appearances and homage tracks from other artists galore.
J. Cole – The Fall-Off
While Cole has seemingly returned to his self-imposed hibernation from the rap game following a few stints of professional basketball, I don’t think for a second he’s forgotten about his commitment to deliver the magnum opus promised a few years ago at the end of KOD. He’s even said The Off-Seasonwas more of a warm-up (if only he hadn’t already used that name) or practice session, sharpening his tools before attempting to sum up his incredible, decade-long career.
Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj maintained a chokehold on the hip-hop discourse this year by sheer force of will (and the efforts of her ever-dedicated fanbase), and with a few strategically-placed singles and guest appearances. In the first half of 2022, she joined forces with rising star Coi Leray on “Blick Blick” (seemingly an extension of her 2021 strategy of teaming up with Doja Cat and finally ending her self-imposed moratorium on collabs with up-and-coming female rappers). Then, she dropped “Super Freaky Girl,” harkening back to her “Anaconda” era to garner her first-ever solo No. 1. She even dropped a remix with a whole peck of rap girlies, extending her influence and driving curiosity to see what other new avenues remain to this venerated veteran.
As a track runner in high school, Saweetie probably knows all about having to recover from false starts. Although anticipation for the project may have waned after so many delays, it doesn’t look like Saweetie has given up on herself yet – and that’s the true test, in many ways. In any event, I’m sure there are still plenty of folks who want to hear just what exactly she has had in store after nearly three years of teases. If the new single “Icy Girl, Icy World” is any indication, she could be back on her Sample Saweetie kick, which could mean a return to prominence is just one starter pistol away.
Just about the only rapper whose album we know anything about this year is Travis Scott, who has been quietly biding his time in the wake of the Astroworld Festival disaster last summer. He actually began the rollout for Utopia during Coachella, putting up massive billboards on the way to and from Indio extolling the upcoming project. However, he kicked his promotional efforts into high gear more recently, joining Pharrell on “Down In Atlanta” and making multiple appearances on Metro Boomin’s Heroes & Villains album and SZA’s SOS. While he hasn’t overtly dropped anything from Utopia yet, it looks like he’s building himself back up and testing the waters to make sure it gets just as warm a reception as its predecessor.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
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