The rollout for Gunna’s new mixtape, Drip Season 4, appears to be going smoothly. Just days after he announced the tape’s imminent release date — this Friday, January 7 — he revealed the elaborate cover art. Now, he’s also revealed the tracklist, which not only includes the previously released single “Too Easy” featuring Future and the remix with Roddy Ricch but also contains the collaborative track with Chloe Bailey he teased while refuting the dating rumors that circulated after he and the pop star were spotted at a basketball game together.
In addition to the above-mentioned tracks, there will also be guest appearances from a number of longtime collaborators and friends such as 21 Savage, Drake, G Herbo, Lil Baby, and Young Thug, as well as new collaborators Kodak Black and Yung Bleu. Clocking in at 20 tracks, the tape follows the contemporary trend of longer releases to generate more impressive streaming numbers.
Drip Season 4 will be Gunna’s first solo release since 2020’s Wunna, although he was extensively featured on the YSL Records compilation Slime Language 2 alongside the rest of Young Thug’s label signees. Ahead of the project’s release, the Atlanta native called it the final Drip Season tape.
Drip Season 4 is due 1/7 via 300 and Atlantic. You can pre-save it here.
Earlier this year, months before she released her debut single “Have Mercy,” Chloe showed off her impressive vocals by covering a series of tracks from the past and present. After a break from doing so, the singer returns with a passionate cover of Adele’s “Easy On Me.” Chloe shows no issue in being able to take on the difficult track. In addition to once again impressing with her vocals, Chloe also added some whistle notes and quality vocals runs to make her rendition of the former No. 1 song all that much better.
The singer is also working on her debut project which she spoke about in August. “I’m wrapping it up with such bad-b*tch energy,” he said to Billboard, adding, that it’s “the most liberated and happy that I have felt.”
You can watch Chloe cover “Easy On Me” above.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Every year Variety compiles a list of the teams behind songs they think were the most impactful of the year, dubbing those honored as “Hitmakers.” During the magazine’s annual brunch, musicians involved with songs that were honored come together to give speeches and receive awards for their work. But what might’ve just been another boring industry brunch was ramped up to eleven by 2021’s class of young artists, who know how to use TikTok to turn pretty much anything into content. And with a powerhouse cast of stars like Olivia Rodrigo, Chloe Bailey, Jack Harlow and Normani in the house, what choice did Lil Nas X have, really, but to turn in a hilarious parody video that quickly started going viral on multiple platforms.
Hopping on the rather infamous one minute TikTok interviews that @SidetalkNYC has been doing with colorful New Yorkers, each musician took a different viral snippet to lip sync, and spliced all together the parody clip was a brand new bit of content that anyone who has enjoyed the “bing bong” videos would obviously enjoy. And this video just goes to prove, once again, that nobody — nobody — understands TikTok like Lil Nas X. Take a look at the celebrity-filled parody clip below, along with a few of the original SidetalkNYC videos for context if you haven’t seen them.
Gunna is over a year removed from his last album — 2020’s well-received Wunna — but his name has been all the buzz in the past few weeks thanks to singers Chloe Bailey and Rihanna. Gunna went viral two separate times in the past month: once, when Rihanna dressed up as him for Halloween, and again, when he and Chloe were photographed at an NBA game, sparking rumors that the two were dating (and a bizarre fascination with Chloe drinking a Dasani water bottle).
On the red carpet at last night’s American Music Awards hosted by Cardi B, Billboard caught up with the YSL rapper to check in and get the scoop on his latest viral moments. Of Rihanna’s Halloween costume, he recalled his reaction to seeing the photos, saying, “I’m like, ‘Oh my God, the GOAT just went in my closet and got dressed.’I couldn’t believe it, but I was very, very flattered and honored. I ain’t know where it came from, you know what I’m saying? Nobody ever dressed like me.”
Meanwhile, he shot down the Chloe dating rumor, explaining that the two are friends and revealing that they’d worked on music, as well. “We’re not dating,” he said. “That was just like a date, though, where you just go to the game and catch a vibe. But she’s my friend. We went to the studio after and locked in, she’s very creative. She’s very talented. And you will be seeing us more… We did two songs, but I think she might want to use it for her album, or I might take it for my album, but who knows? We definitely got new music coming up for sure.”
Black women in music have long been considered R&B and hip-hop to fit the music industry’s expectations of ‘urban’ marketing, but current acts are pushing back against the standard and broadening pop music through inclusivity. For artists like Victoria Monet, Chlöe Bailey, Normani, and others, Black female singers are redefining pop music through sheer confidence in their songwriting capabilities, production, and visual aesthetics — proving that there’s room for more than one woman at the top.
As history tells it, Black female artists who play fair weren’t always the norm. For women in the music industry, there’s pressure to stay relevant amidst newers acts in the face of ageism, sexism, body dysmorphia, and aggressive online targeting. Prior to her untimely death in 2001 — and before the social media era — Aaliyah was arguably the standard for R&B-turned-pop experimentation, trading baggy jeans for hypnotic maturation on her final, eponymous album. 2001’s Aaliyah was a masterclass in Y2K futurism and dulcet, self-assured vocals that would influence fellow millennial pop artists and the next generation of progressive Black female artists.
Molded by Aaliyah’s impact are a slew of Black female vocalists including Kehlani, Normani, and Tinashe — the latter who’s been outspoken about genre barriers for Black women. In a 2017 article in the LA Times, the singer Tinashe leaned into unfair comparisons amongst each other:
“It creates this competitiveness, even among fan bases,” Tinashe added. “People feel they can’t be a fan of Kehlani and me. It’s confusing, like why not be fans of whatever you like? Why does there need to be this rivalry approach? We don’t do that with male artists.”
Defeating critiques that Black women belong on rhythmic and urban charts, Tinashe made a grand return to the pop sphere on her sultry 2019 effort Songs For You, released shortly after her leave from RCA Records. As her first album as an independent artist, Songs For You reached #1 on the iTunes Albums chart upon its release, the second independent artist to do so since Frank Ocean released Blonde in 2016. Helmed with critical acclaim for its pop experimentation and largely considered her best album to date, Tinashe took Songs For You into the virtual world on VR platform Wave in livestream concerts at the beginning of the pandemic last year.
In August arrived Tinashe’s fifth studio album 333, where the singer further explored VR, alternate realities, and spirituality in music and visuals for singles “Pasadena” and “Bouncin’.” Through a streak of daring eclecticism and a history of collaborations with electronic producers Kaytranada, Wax Motif, and MAKJ, Tinashe eschews naysayers who limit her to R&B, pushing boundaries of the pop genre.
Dispelling recent allegations of a rivalry with Tinashe over a seductive photoset is one-half of vocalist sister duo Chloe x Halle, Chlöe Bailey. Adding an umlaut to her forename and blonde highlights to her already-signature locs, Bailey dismissed skeptics with her long-awaited debut solo single “Have Mercy,” which was released in September. Lauded for its upbeat production and being a curve-embracing anthem, fans drew comparisons between Chlöe and mentor Beyoncé, who signed Chloe x Halle to her company Parkwood Entertainment in 2015. As fans await Chlöe’s next single, “Have Mercy” has already made rounds on televised performances from last month’s 2021 MTV Video Music Awards to The Tonight Show, making Chlöe pop’s next breakout star.
Controversy surrounded Chlöe’s debut performance at the 2021 MTV VMAs after Normani voiced her disappointment with the telecast for allegedly choosing Chlöe to be the only Black woman to perform that night. In 2019, Normani graced the VMAs with a high-energy performance of “Motivation,” and sought to return to the awards show following the release of her latest single “Wild Side.” After fans petitioned for Normani’s appearance at the show, the singer delivered with a cameo by Teyana Taylor in a sultry homage to Janet Jackson’s 2001 concert performance of All For You track “Would You Mind.”
Once a member of girl group Fifth Harmony before they disbanded in 2018, Normani is on her second act. Poised to release her upcoming solo debut with multifaceted potential, the singer spoke with Allure about being an all-encompassing artist:
“My purpose in this work that I do is for other people that feel like they have Black women figured out. There’s so many layers to us, there’s so many textures, there’s so much that we’re capable of doing,” Normani says. “Yes, I can throw ass. But I can also give you a proper eight-count, and I can do ballet, and I can do contemporary dance. If I want to sing this pop ballad, then you’re going to love it! While you see my Black face!” Period.
Like Normani, Victoria Monét was once in a girl group, but later carved her own lane as singer-songwriter for a decade prior to releasing her 2020 debut album Jaguar. A longtime collaborator and songwriter for Ariana Grande, Victoria Monét entices listeners through her unapologetic soundscapes of femininity, self-love, and sensuality. While Jaguar was largely an homage to 1970s funk and disco, Monét reintroduced the throwback era to Gen-Z fans, especially in her Jaguar live session that premiered in March.
Becoming a DIY internet sensation for her 2018 meme-inspired visual “Mooo!,” pop act Doja Cat has led the crusade of oddball artistry since her humble SoundCloud beginnings. Landing a joint deal with RCA Records and Kemosabe Records in 2014, Doja Cat’s rise to stardom wasn’t instantaneous, instead having to refine her rap-fueled spunk to craft a mainstream sound. By 2020, her sophomore album Hot Pink shot to No. 9 on the Billboard 200 despite being released a year prior, thanks to her viral dance-worthy smash “Say So.”
As host of the 2021 MTV VMAs — and even taking three Moon Person trophies home — Doja Cat’s third album Planet Her exemplifies celestial pop, celebrating womanhood and diverse instrumentation from urbano to dancehall. Still embracing her online antics, Doja Cat hasn’t had to compromise her personality for stardom, recently becoming the new face of PepsiCo for its 50th anniversary.
Through charisma and sleek full-packed quality, the new generation of Black female acts continue to uphold pop by changing the tides of the genre with determination. The future couldn’t be more exciting.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
One of the more amusing/annoying things about Twitter is the preponderance of food opinions and the rigor with which users debate such weighty and controversial topics as pineapple on pizza, whether hot dogs are sandwiches, and drumettes vs. flats. It generally tips further into annoying, though, when folks get snooty about things like bottled water brands as indicators of wealth (it’s a whole thing; you can read about it here). Unfortunately, it seems no one is immune from the judgment of the Twitter peanut gallery — not even young artists as universally beloved as Chloe Bailey.
The 23-year-old singer recently attended the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks vs. Dallas Mavericks game, drawing attention for two major reasons. One was her immediate neighbor on the courtside seats: Atlanta rapper Gunna, whose reaction to Chloe’s recent VMA’s performance of her debut solo single “Have Mercy” went viral. And the other was her choice of beverage — a bottle of water. As photos of the couple(?) began circulating on Twitter, the water began drawing even more attention, mainly due to the name on the label: Dasani, which according to some Twitter users is an inferior brand (the ingredients are H2O, people, it shouldn’t be this serious).
Meanwhile, as some more astute folks observed, the brand of water being served is controlled by the venue, not the guest, and they were rightly amused at the water snobbery on display.
people who’ve never left the house are mad she has a Dasani in an arena where only Dasani is served https://t.co/Vl3GBJPPNf
I guess it just goes to show that you can’t do anything right as far as social media is concerned. Also, y’all need to drink more water, I promise it’s better for you than whatever sweet drinks you’re guzzling — no matter what brand it is.
You’ve probably heard the phrase “from ashy to classy.” Last night on The Tonight Show, emerging pop-R&B superstar Chloe Bailey went “from classy to ass-cheeks” with her performance of the big booty anthem, “Have Mercy.” Backed by a string orchestra, the multitalented singer presented the trap-leaning jam as a classical sonata at first, draped in a flowing white gown with a fuzzy top. But then, she yanked off the gown’s train, showing off the sultry single’s subject, and strutted over to her drum machine, where she rebuilt the signature “Have Mercy” beat from the pre-loaded samples.
From there, she put on a virtuoso display of both vocals and her other — ahem — assets as the strings embellished the thumping drums and New Orleans bounce samples that make up the seductive solo song. As it was network television, Chloe didn’t get too frisky, but the suggestive turns and dips she did were just enough to elicit some enthusiastic responses from the crowd.
Chlöe has been having a wonderful 2021. Following the success of her collaborative album with her sister, Ungodly Hour, last year, she’s also found her own voice this year and recently released her debut single, “Have Mercy.” The song was hotly anticipated, and her VMA performance of the new track even sparked reactions from rappers like Gunna showing their appreciation for her finesse.
Well, rappers aren’t the only ones who can see themselves in the song’s bombastic braggadocio, and with its unpredictable rhythms it was probably only a matter of time until a swaggering marching band set the tune to orchestral mode and turned up the brass. Enter the Marching Storm from Prairie View A&M University, the marching band for this historical black college. Captured by a Chlöe stan account, who posted a clip of the band’s rendition to Twitter, the song is accompanied by a performance from the school’s dance team that is clearly inspired by Chlöe’s own moves.
For her part, Chlöe saw the cover and was ecstatic about their version. “GO OFFFFFF” she wrote in all caps while sharing the original tweet to her own followers:
Last week, Chloe Bailey officially began her solo career with the release of “Have Mercy.” She also delivered an exuberant performance of her debut single at the 2021 MTV VMAs. The performance featured a unique moment that impressed many: her licking the microphone towards the end of the performance. That includes Gunna, who took to Instagram to show her love.
The rapper reposted an image of the moment, writing, “It’s the [tongue emoji] for me.” Chloe recently spoke about the moment in an Instagram post. “I swear i didn’t even know i licked the mic til after i watched the performance back,” she wrote under an image of the moment.
Chloe recently addressed claims that she is dating Future. “I don’t know where that rumor came from,” she said on Instagram Live. “He’s a wonderful fella, love his music, I’ve never spoken to him a day in my life.”
Some people also claimed that is in the Illuminati, which she adamantly denied. “One moment you all say that I talk about God too much and the next you say I’m selling my soul. Which is it, my loves?” she said. “I love God so much and I love music, and I just have a lot of passion. That’s it.” She added, “I didn’t sell my soul, no.”
Gunna is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Chloe Bailey was recently hit with not one but two bizarre rumors. Mere days after she released “Have Mercy” and impressed at the 2021 MTV VMAs, someone claimed that the singer had recently began dating rapper Future. She denied this during an Instagram Live. “I don’t know where that rumor came from,” she said. “He’s a wonderful fella, love his music, I’ve never spoken to him a day in my life.”
But there was more. The second rumor claimed that Bailey is a member of the Illuminati, a rumored modern-day secret society that some believe is filled with Black celebrities from different corners of the entertainment world, all of whom sold their souls to be involved in it. Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Rihanna are just some of the names that have been tied to these rumors. And Chloe went out of her way to make it clear she is not a part of this (probably) fictitious group.
“One moment you all say that I talk about God too much and the next you say I’m selling my soul. Which is it, my loves?” she said during the livestream. “I love God so much and I love music, and I just have a lot of passion. That’s it.” She added, “I didn’t sell my soul, no,”
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