Chicago rapper Soulja Boy recently appeared on The Bootleg Kev Podcast, where he discussed his online beef with fellow artist NBA YoungBoy. Bootleg Kev asked the rapper if he’d ever collaborate with YoungBoy, to which he replied saying he would. The artists recently exchanged some heated messages on social media, following NBA YoungBoy and Lil Durk announcing they’d both be releasing music on the date Soulja Boy planned on releasing his album.
Kev asked, “When are you and NBA YoungBoy hanging out? I saw you going in on the internet today.” Soulja Boy responded by calling the conflict “nothing,” adding, “The albums just so happened to fall on the same day, so there’s going to be some competition.” The host went on to ask Soulja Boy if he’d do an album with the rapper. Soulja Boy responded, “Yeah, I’d do a song with him. I ain’t tripping.” He added, “It ain’t nothing like that.”
After the two rappers announced they’d be releasing projects on the same day as Soulja Boy, he went live on Instagram and went off. “You seen me announce my muthaf***in album and the next day you announced your album,” he said. Adding that since YoungBoy’s on house arrest in Salt Lake City, they can “come to Utah.” He continued to go off on the rapper for the rest of the Instagram Live.
Soulja Boy went on during the podcast to say that his issue revolved around Lil Durk’s decision to release his album on the same day more than NBA YoungBoy’s. Lil Durk has his own problems with YoungBoy, with YoungBoy publicly dissing him along with other musicians on Twitter. He wrote, “@lildurk lol you ever realized you only get a buzz when one of your friends die?” He went on to post an Instagram video celebrating the pushback of the other rapper’s album. He said in the video, “You pushed back, you better not ever try it again.” YoungBoy also dissed Durk in his new track “F*ck The Industry Pt. 2,” along with Drake, J. Cole, and Lil Yachty.
Cordae’s collaborations have gotten more significant as his career has progressed. After leaving the YBN collective, he dropped the abbreviation from his name. He fully embraced a more soulful sound in his production, and his lyrics were down-to-earth and vulnerable. However, he still put out some fun bangers, too. Cordae’s music is centered on him embracing the internal feelings he’s had through interactions with his family, significant others, and people in the music world.
The theme of self-confidence is a consistent topic, too. Cordae has only put out two projects in recent years, with his solo debut being well-received by listeners. However, his sophomore effort was a little more divisive. Still, Cordae’s authentic personality has allowed him to work with some notable acts in music. We’ve gathered seven of his biggest collaborations.
This is a Cordae collaboration that was unexpected in every way. Stevie Wonder is not a name people typically think of in the rap world, but many artists have sampled him. Cordae and Freddie Gibbs are not only distant in age but also in most of their subject matter in music. But, when talent comes together, it often produces well-received results.
The production from Kid Culture combines reflectiveness with elegance. Cordae talks about maintaining a positive, celebratory attitude on the outside when he has more going on internally. Gibb’s verse touches on a myriad of topics, and his signature voice and delivery help them all flow together. Stevie’s appearance comes after a beat switch where he showcases his harmonica proficiency. There are no vocals from him on the song. It’s almost as if his instrumental outro offers listeners a moment to reflect on what they just heard.
This collaboration is with a legendary artist in the lane Cordae makes his music in. Common is known for bringing soulful, vulnerable, and open feelings to the rap world. Being Cordae is part of the current generation doing this, it’s only right the two of them worked together. Their collaboration is a special one because it was done for Liberated/Music for the Movement Vol. 3. Cordae’s verse has him evaluating the things in life that keep him moving forward, which is reinforced by the song’s hook.
The gentle and jazzy production gives him plenty of room for this as his delivery gives a listener a feeling of hearing his internal thoughts. Common’s verse has a similar feeling and, considering his life experience views the same situation from a different perspective. This is another cross-generational collab that validates the new and old school have respect for each other.
“More Life” feat. Q-Tip (2021)
This is another collaboration with a legendary artist Cordae has already secured in his young career. This track comes from Cordae’s EP Just Until…, which held listeners until he dropped his sophomore album, From A Bird’s Eye View. Q-Tip provides a brief hook on this one and also has production credits. His distinct and smooth voice is an excellent pair for Cordae’s reflective verses as he discusses his internal feelings and how he navigates his career. This is the type of song most people associate with Cordae because it is filled with his honest feelings while still having a good bounce in the production. There’s a relatability factor running through it, too, which pulls in many of his listeners. The song’s sentiment and the music video go hand in hand with this one as Cordae visits his old middle school and college in it.
This is a Cordae collaboration from his debut album, The Lost Boy. While many debate whether the area of Virginia Pusha T calls home is part of the “DMV,” this track still brings two regional artists together. The track has a certain mysterious atmosphere, which is capitalized on by the song’s music video. Cordae crafts a verse that details his experiences in the past, and Pusha does, too.
The contrast comes in how they had different upbringings, but the common thread is they once struggled. They’ve since elevated and can look back on how it made them who they are in the present. Cordae sings on the hook, which is not uncommon for him. He even adds some background vocalizations to this hook, adding another melody to the song. Many listeners praised Pusha’s short but impactful feature.
This is a collaboration Cordae did with one of the biggest rap artists of all time. The song’s hook alludes to some situations from Cordae’s past, but his verses show how he found a new perspective through these situations. Cordae’s aggressive delivery throughout his verses indicates his passion for sharing his truth.
Interestingly enough, Em’s verse begins at almost the exact halfway point of the song. His verse has multiple flow switches; naturally, a few showcase his rapid-fire delivery skills. He also weaves in his version of the song’s hook and swaps in references to his own past. Cordae getting a feature from a legend like Eminem shows that Em believes in him and his talent. It also branches generations and can bring their separate audiences together—although there was likely already some overlap between them.
“Sinister” feat. Lil Wayne (2021)
Despite the song’s name from this Cordae collaboration, the song isn’t “dark” at all. In fact, it’s quite the opposite as the duo rap over a smooth ’90s-esque boom-bap beat. Lil Wayne is an artist that has done many features over the years, and he often adapts well to whoever he is featuring with. In the case of Cordae, he brings the same light yet confident delivery style Cordae does.
Cordae’s hook creatively references the producer of this track, frequent collaborator Hit-Boy. Wayne joins him on the hook in the song’s closing moments. Before this, he drops an easy-going verse despite the punchlines he packs in. The song’s closing moments find Cordae dropping some final bars that aren’t quite a bridge but aren’t quite an entire verse, either. They just ensure he closes the song impactfully in his own way.
“Two Tens” feat. Anderson .Paak (2023)
While “RNP” was the first collaboration between Cordae and Anderson .Paak, this song wouldn’t have happened without that one. These tracks showcase a very high level of chemistry between the two artists. In fact, because of this latest collab, many listeners want a complete collaboration project from the duo. On this track, Cordae and Anderson .Paak trade bars throughout the song’s verses. There’s a certain lighthearted playfulness to their flows as they contrast each other’s opinions. This is how there’s even a touch of humor in the song, too.
The minimalistic production gives their flows a chance to provide the song with its bounce. J.Cole has production credits on this one, which surprised listeners of all three artists. With this being Cordae’s most recent collab, listeners are wondering if any others are coming soon. What’s your favorite collab Cordae has done? Let us know in the comments section.
Cassidy just came through with some not-so-criticial statements on the sex crimes and musical legacy of R. Kelly. Moreover, the two collaborated on the 2003 track “Hotel,” which came out a year after abuse allegations against him started to surface. Not only that, but it was around the time that his sex tape with an underage girl was also under heavy discussion and unfortunate dissemination in pop culture. In an interview with RealLyfe Productions, the rapper addressed these crimes and convictions while making reference to R. Kelly’s musical legacy. In his mind, there’s a clear distinction between the two, yet his comments on his abuse seemed to brush it aside.
“I probably wasn’t aware of it that time,” Cassidy stated regarding the tape and his accusations. “It probably came to my attention later. And I wasn’t sure about it. At that time it was weird. I was a superfan of R. Kelly, and this was my first album, my first single. So to be working with somebody of that magnitude, your first go-round… For me to be trying to argue that about some tape that I don’t even know… I wasn’t doing no research and digging deep at that time ’cause I ain’t the law.
“I don’t got no problem with n***as being mad at R. Kelly,” the 40-year-old continued. “If that’s how y’all feel, if y’all feel like what he did actually makes you mad at heart, cool. But be mad at heart at anybody that’s in that bag. There’s a bunch a n***as, not even famous n***as like R. Kelly, just in my neighborhood alone… These industry n***as [are] worse. These n***as are crazy… So now I can do no records then.
“I ain’t here to point the finger at R. Kelly and these n***as,” Cassidy concluded. “That ain’t my job. I just respect the n***a’s music.” The R&B singer now faces thirty years in prison for his various sex crimes. While many still advocate for and respect his music, context becomes almost too overpowering in most cases. Regardless, come back to HNHH for the latest news and updates on R. Kelly and Cassidy.
J Balvin is easily one of the biggest artists in the world right now. Overall, he is a global superstar who is a pioneer in the reggaeton space. That said, he is also huge in the fashion world. For instance, he is a sneakerhead of sorts who absolutely loves some Jordans. Subsequently, Balvin has been given his own deal with Jordan Brand. Additionally, he has released two collaborations thus far. Firstly, he came through with an extremely colorful version of the Air Jordan 1. Moreover, he also had a cool version of the Air Jordan 2.
Moving forward, sneakerheads have been curious about J Balvin and his future endeavors in the sneaker world. Overall, he is someone who is extremely creative, and his shoes showcase that. Having said that, it is clear that any future collaborations would be extremely colorful. According to @zsneakerheadz and @brandon1an on Twitter, Balvin will get another collaboration. However, this time around, it will be on the all-time classic Air Jordan 3. At this point, every sneakerhead should know how amazing this sneaker truly is.
J Balvin x Air Jordan 3 dropping September 2, 2023 – Exact appearance is unknown at this time – Dropping in full family sizing (unisex, preschool, toddler) – Releasing with a collaborative apparel capsule pic.twitter.com/wdYOhA18W4
Unfortunately, very little is actually known about this new collaboration. As the tweet above explains, no one actually knows what the color scheme will be. Typically, @zsneakerheadz is always prepared with the photoshop rendering. However, on this rare occasion, it is clear that Jumpman is doing a great job of keeping things under wraps. Although, it is known that this shoe will be getting an amazing collection of related apparel. Moreover, if you want to get the whole family fitted, there will be a full gambit of sizes to cop.
For now, the release date has been slotted for September 2nd of this year. However, this information has yet to be confirmed by Jordan Brand. Hopefully, we get some news on these very soon. J Balvin is a massive artist and any kind of Jumpman involving him will get some eyeballs. Stay tuned to HNHH for more news and updates from around the sneaker world. Additionally, let us know what you think of this news, in the comments below.
Lil Durk wasn’t lying about his upcoming collaboration with J Cole. The Chicago-bred rapper’s gearing up for the release of his next album, which is supposedly going to drop soon. A promising sign of its release came in the form of behind-the-scenes footage from his upcoming music video with J. Cole. Lil Durk took to Instagram to breed hype for the record with photos alongside the Fayetteville, NC rapper. “I’m sorry for the wait I’m still healing s/o my dawg Jcole #almost healed,” he captioned the post alongside palm emojis.
The confirmation comes a month after Durk initially announced the project. The “Laugh Now Cry Later” rapper told Rob Markman at Dreamville Festival that he and J. Cole already locked in for a record. However, some felt it might be a joke since Durk let the news slip on April Fool’s Day. Clearly, that’s not the case, as the photos show. The two rappers are surrounded by children without any security in sight. No word on when the single might land but it’s a promising sign that Durk will arrive by the summer.
At this point, it seems likely that Durk’s forthcoming effort will include some heavy hitters. With Cole confirmed as a feature, Lil Durk hinted that Drake would land on the project, which isn’t surprising considering their rapport over the past few years. However, he also teased an upcoming collaboration with Kodak Black, too. Beyond that, not much else is certain about Durk’s album feature-wise but we could imagine that a reunion with Lil Baby is likely.
Meanwhile, there’s no clear sign that J. Cole will be releasing a new project this year. In 2020, he confirmed that he had two projects to follow The Off-Season including It’s A Boy and The Fall-Off. However, he’s yet to confirm a release date for either of these projects. Most recently, he and Dreamville executive produced the soundtrack for Creed III. Cole also contributed to the soundtrack. Check out Lil Durk and J Cole’s post above and let us know what you’re hoping from their upcoming collaboration.
Fabolous recently shared that there is one artist he has not collaborated with yet but would like to in the future – Eminem. At the Tunecore “Hip-Hop 50” event, the rapper gave an interview on the red carpet. As part of the line of questions, the interviewer asked Fabolous who he would want to work with that he hasn’t had the chance to. Though he took a moment to chastise the interviewer for putting him on the spot, he quickly came up with an answer. Fabolous named Eminem, and he said he admires Em’s lyrical skills. He also described him as a true representation of hip-hop. “In Hip Hop, I think I want to get with Eminem,” he said. “He’s real Hip Hop.”
Though Eminem seems to inspire Fabolous, other artists also find inspiration from him. While he may not be as commercially successful as he once was, his influence on the game is undeniable. Earlier this year, Drake paid tribute to Fabolous on Instagram, crediting him with shaping his style and sound. Drake shared two throwback photos of Fabolous from the early 2000s and wrote that he wouldn’t be where he is today without him.
Although Fabolous has not been releasing music as frequently in recent years, there is something in the pipeline. The New York rapper is joining Jim Jones, Maino, and Dave East for a collaborative album. The rappers named their album Fit Lit, inspired by their love of the gym. They released a track under the same name last year, but they only recently announced the album. In an interview with the Amazing AllHipHop Podcast, Maino revealed the news. “I’m gonna tell you some secretive shit that I’ve never talked about,” Maino said. “It’s actually an album that’s I’ll say 85 percent done — me, Jim, Fabolous and Dave East. We got some heat.”
The New York rappers dropped the title track early last year. It was released as part of Jim Jones’ mixtape with DJ Drama, We Set The Trends. Alone with the track, the quartet released a video. It was filmed inside a gym, fittingly. What do you think about Fabolous’ choice of collab partner? Would you like to hear a song from Em and Fabolous? Sound off in the comments!
