collaboration

Jermaine Dupri & Curren$y: “For Motivational Use Only, Vol. 1” Album Review

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Curren$y has been a mainstay in the Southern rap scene for over a decade. Covering the moody landscape of Southern rap, he’s known for his clockwork output and swaggering verses. The New Orleans-born artist has been collaborating with underground artists throughout his career. Some of his most notable collaborations have been with The Alchemist, Freddie Gibbs, and Wiz Khalifa. He remains a household name in the Southern rap scene with a fifteen-year career.

As for The Alchemist, the two released Continuance back in 2022, their third studio release as a duo. Polishing their past sound, many held that Continuance was one of the better rap projects in 2022. With For Motivational Use Only, Vol. 1, Curren$y is wisely sticking with iconic producer collaborations. This time, it’s with music legend Jermaine Dupri. The So So Def icon has produced hit records for artists such as Mariah Carey, Usher, Ludacris, Jay-Z, and LL Cool J.

Curren$y’s collaboration with Dupri has been years in the making. About teaming up with him, he said, “I had my mind made up even since the ‘Jump’ remix by Kris Kross and SuperCat that I wanted to work with him. I’d crossed paths with the legend from making moves with Lil Wayne, but it was clearly not my place to introduce myself. I had to play my part. The universe is the universe though, and it makes things right when it’s the right time.” In retrospect, it’s good to see the dedicated MC get his mainstream shine.

The EP Blends Southern R&B & Trap Styles

At its core, For Motivational Use Only, Vol. 1 is an ode to Southern rap. In an interview with Rap Radar, Dupri stated, “Part 1 is a real southern record that the south really needs.” The producer and Curren$y team up for 22 minutes of braggadocios verses and colossal beats. A true summer-time jam, the booming 808s are perfect for a warm weather drive. While much of For Motivational Use Only, Vol. 1 shoots for a trap-heavy sound on the likes of “Off the Lot,” you also have your cuts such as “Fortune 500,” which edge towards more of a lo-fi quality. Dupri showcases his ability to produce in various soundscapes, solidifying why he remains one of the most in-demand producers in hip-hop.

Curren$y spends much of the project flexing his wealth. Driving around in a fresh Cadillac, he doesn’t shy away from hyping himself up with bars such as “My diamonds are brighter than yours” or “The quarterly projections lookin’ like a straight blessing” on “Never Enough.” However, he isn’t surface-level in his description of wealth. As he puts it, it took years of hard work and suffering. He references his impoverished circumstances and his mother’s tireless work ethic throughout the record, stating, “Mama worked like a slave, that’s I work so damn hard when it come to getting paid” on “Never Enough.” His pen game is laid back yet hyper-focused from start to finish. For Motivational Use Only, Vol. 1 is a celebratory ode to where he’s currently at in life.

Curren$y Recruits Heavy Hitters

Additionally, For Motivational Use Only, Vol. 1 features fellow Southern MC counterparts 2 Chainz and T.I. They pop up on “Never Fall Off” and “Off the Lot,” two of the better cuts off of the EP. Surprisingly, it’s the first time T.I. has appeared on one of Dupri’s beats. Curren$y is one of those MCs that warrants more respect in hip-hop circles than he does in the mainstream. It explains why he’s consistently able to garner big-name features on his projects. Founding Jet Life Recordings back in 2011, he also references his wide portfolio throughout the EP.

As implied by the record title, there’s more to come from the Southern duo. In a quote from Curren$y’s Instagram, he stated, “We have a zillion songs recorded at this point, but we have selected 7 to form an EP and drop at midnight.” A successful first installment in the duo’s series, it will be exciting to see how they build on the sound of For Motivational Use Only, Vol.1 for future records. The duo hinted at a heavier feature list featuring the likes of Nas for the next volume.

In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising if Volume 2 of this series grows on the grandeur soundscapes of the first volume. More time spent in the studio between the two Southern counterparts should enable them to continue to pick at the margins of their respective potentials. With Curren$y existing in the pocket of psychedelic jazz beats over the past few years, For Motivational Use Only, Vol. 1 signifies a bold departure from his usual comfort zone.

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Luh Tyler Enlists Lil Uzi Vert On “Ransom”

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Rising rapper Luh Tyler is already claiming next-up out of Florida. The state that produced talents like Kodak Black, Denzel Curry, and numerous others but Luh Tyler is already shaping up to become the leader of the next generation. Like many teenage rappers, his claim to fame was off of TikTok. Singles like “Back Flippin” have gained significant momentum on the platform, as well as “Jayda Wayda,” a record dedicated to the mother of Lil Baby’s second child.

All of the hype he built up led to the release of his latest project, My Vision. The 12-song project showcased Tyler’s potential to its fullest. With appearances from Trapland Pat, BabyTron, Anti Da Menace, Trapland Pat, and plenty of others, Tyler undoubtedly left his mark. Even though he’s only a few days removed from the project’s release, he recently dropped off the deluxe edition. My Vision: Reloaded includes five additional tracks, including a collaboration with Lil Uzi Vert.

Luh Tyler & Lil Uzi Vert Connect On “My Vision: Reloaded”

Perhaps, the biggest collaboration of his career so far, Luh Tyler enlists Philadelphia’s Lil Uzi Vert on “Ransom.” The organ-laden production keeps a steady pace throughout the record while Luh Tyler delivers flex after flex with hues of Kodak Black’s flow scattered throughout. However, Tyler sets the tone for Uzi, who abruptly leaps onto the record with a lengthy verse that feels reminiscent of his mixtape days.

Hopefully, Uzi’s new collaboration with Luh Tyler is an indication that Pink Tape is on the way. The Philadelphia artist is still riding high off of the viral success of the Jersey Club-fluenced, “Just Wanna Rock.” He previously indicated that the project would drop in February, though that wasn’t the case. We hope April is the month when he decides to slide through with new heat. For now, check out his new collab with Luh Tyler above. 

Quotable Lyrics
I’m in your house and your bitch gettin’ nasty
I’m in your house like my name Kyle Massey
Bitch, I be saucin’ and swaggin’, i’m jazzy
Bullets’ll shave off your head like you Cassie
Bitch, I’m a goat, my Margiellas, they tabby
College bitch give me head out Tallahassee

Run The Jewels x Nike SB Dunk Low Unveiled

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Run The Jewels has cemented itself as one of the best rap duos existing today. The group consists of Killer Mike and El-P. Overall, their music is incredible and features a political edge that fans love. On their own, Killer Mike and El-P are legends, but when they come together, it is always magic. Whether you like them or not, you cannot deny their influence on the game. Without them, a lot of other duos wouldn’t have felt emboldened enough to link up with one another. Needless to say, this influence is special.

When it comes to Run The Jewels, both Killer Mike and El-P are known for their sneaker game. Although this is more true of Killer Mike, there is no doubt they both have a sense of style. Consequently, Nike has approached them to do a collaboration. Of course, the two accepted the invitation, and now, two new shoes are on the horizon. There is a Nike SB Dunk Low on the way, as well as a Nike SB Dunk High. These are two iconic shoes, and subsequently, we have been hit with official images of the low-top variation.

Run The Jewels x Nike

Run The Jewels
Image via Nike

As you can immediately see from the images above and below, this is a sneaker with a whole lot of character. Firstly, we get some dark blue on the side panels and the connecting front overlay. Secondly, there is a lighter shade of blue on the toe box and the back overlay. From there, we get even lighter blues on the laces, tongue, and back heel. Lastly, the Nike swoosh here is pink, with gold Nike branding on the back heel. When you put these elements together, you end up with something that is truly unique.

If you are a fan of this sneaker and want to cop a pair, you will be able to do so as of April 20th, for a price of $130 USD. There is no doubt that these are going to sell out quickly. Let us know what you think of this Run The Jewels collab, in the comments down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news from around the sneaker world.

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Image via Nike
Run The Jewels
Image via Nike

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Aminé & Kaytranada Announce Collab Album “Kaytraminé”

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Rapper Aminé and Grammy-winning producer Kaytranada have announced a brand new collaborative project. The rapper took to Instagram to announce the collab through a teaser video. The video didn’t show much, but users are already going wild in the comments. It’s unclear if the project will be a single, an album, a mixtape, or something in between. Since neither artist has released a project since 2021, fans have been waiting a long time for new material. Both Aminé and Kaytranada have some extremely impressive collabs on their resumes, so it should be interesting to see how this one stacks up.

Aminé was born in Portland, Oregon. The 28-year-old rapper made his debut in 2016 with the song “Caroline.” It peaked at number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100, which helped him gain notoriety in the industry. Hip-hop, funk, and pop are all elements of Aminé’s music, and he is well known for his clever wordplay and memorable hooks. He has two acclaimed studio albums under his belt: 2017’s Good for You, 2020’s Limbo. In 2021, Aminé self-released an experimental mixtape named TwoPointFive. The “Redmercedes” rapper has also worked with a number of other well-known names in the industry, such as Missy Elliott, Charlie Wilson, and JID.

Kaytranada + Aminé = Kaytraminé

In the video posted to both Aminé and Kaytranada’s Instagram accounts, the duo announced their new name. The video shows a neon orange sampler, on which Kaytranada presses pads. Each pad triggers a syllable, starting with “kay-tra-na-da.” Then, the producer triggers the syllables for Aminé’s name. Finally, he puts them together to create the pair’s name as a duo, Kaytraminé. It’s certainly a creative way to announce a collab.

Fans immediately jumped on the post, commenting about how excited they were about the project. Scrolling through the comments on the video, it’s difficult to find a single negative comment. “I USED TO PRAY FOR TIMES LIKE THIS,” commented one user. “Peak music has returned,” another claimed. Seems like lots of people are looking forward to the collab. What do you think about the news? Are you excited for Kaytraminé? Sound off in the comment section!

Flau’jae Johnson Teases Lil Wayne Collab After National Championship Win

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Flau’jae Johnson of the LSU women’s basketball team says that she’s got a collaboration with Lil Wayne on the way. The star Tigers guard confirmed the feature during a tweet celebrating her team’s National Championship victory on Tuesday night.

“Imagine Winning A National Championship Your FRESHMAN Year! Then Getting A Lil Wayne Feature Right After ??! What is life,” she said in the tweet. Fans were excited about the news in her replies. One wrote: “CAME A LONG WAY FROM THE RAP GAME, that freestyle u did not too long ago told me u can really be a star and rep yo pops. Keep doing yo thing on and off the court cause u a baller too!!” Another joked: “I can hear that lighter flicker now…”

Flau’jae Johnson Celebrates LSU’s Championship Win

DALLAS, TEXAS – APRIL 02: Flau’jae Johnson #4 of the LSU Lady Tigers cuts down a piece of the net after defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes 102-85 during the 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament championship game at American Airlines Center on April 02, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Wayne had previously mentioned wanting to work with Johnson on music during an interview on the broadcast of ESPN’s The Bird And Taurasi Show. Johnson shared that clip in her post. “Actually, me and Flau’jae, we’ve spoken, but we about to connect musically soon,” Wayne said as LSU’s Final Four matchup against Virginia Tech played. “That’s shoutout to Miss Kim [Mulkey] too. Because Kim told me, ‘you must do something with my girl Flau’jae.’ I was like ‘say less.’” The host of the interview added: “Flau’jae is about to have a legit music career. I’m so proud of her.”

LSU ended up defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes 102-85 on Sunday. Drama quickly ensued for the winning team after Angel Reese taunted Iowa’s Caitlin Clark after the game. Several media pundits caught backlash for labeling the move “classless,” including Barstool’s Dave Portnoy. Clark has since spoken out in defense of Reese, telling ESPN, “We’re all competitive. We all show our emotions in a different way. You know, Angel is a tremendous, tremendous player. I have nothing but respect for her. I love her game.”

Flau’jae Johnson Teasing A Lil Wayne Collaboration

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Kid Cudi Teases Wiz Khalifa Collab

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Seems like this year’s 4/20 might be shaping up to be a big one. Kid Cudi recently jumped on Twitter to tease a potential collab with Wiz Khalifa. The 39-year-old rapper has previously collaborated with many of the biggest names in the industry. He has lent his singular artistry to Ye and Travis Scott, among many others. A Cudi and Wiz collab has been teased before, but it has never come to fruition. Whether or not something will come of the tease this time remains to be seen. However, many fans would love to see the two rappers on a track together.

Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi, better known by his stage name Kid Cudi, is a rapper and actor from Cleveland, Ohio. The overwhelming success of his 2008 single, “Day ‘n’ Nite,” was the catalyst for his rise to fame. The song was featured on his debut album, Man On the Moon: The End of the Day, and has gone 5x platinum. Since then, he has released six studio albums, many of which explore topics related to mental health. He has also made a number of noteworthy appearances in film and TV, including in Ti West’s hit horror film X and the HBO series How to Make It in America. Cudi’s distinctive style and reflective songs have brought him critical praise and a devoted following.

Cudi Plays It Close To The Chest

Yesterday, Cudi tweeted something that immediately had fans buzzing. “Got in contact w Wiz,” the tweet said, followed by a smiling devil emoji. The news is big, if true, but we’ve been burned before. In 2018, Wiz posed for a photo with Cudi, which was posted on his Instagram account. In the caption, he wrote, “DONT WORRY IM WAITING FOR THE MUSIC TOO.” Now, that may have just been Wiz’s way of saying that he is interested in working with Cudi. However, with this latest tweet, the possibility of a collab seems more and more likely.

Fans went off in the comments, showing their excitement for what one user described as the “stoner anthem”. Everyone knows that Wiz Khalifa is basically the poster boy for weed. While Kid Cudi did frequently reference it in his past music, he has since said that he no longer smokes weed. Still, it’s likely that regardless of the subject matter, whatever these two come up with will serve as an anthem for weed smokers everywhere. What do you think about the possible collab? Sound off in the comments below!

Lil Durk Announces J. Cole Collab, Fans Thought It Was April Fool’s Joke

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It’s the most confusing day of the year, especially if you’re one to frequent headlines and the latest news. Moreover, Lil Durk reportedly announced that he’s collaborating with J. Cole and that new music from the two will drop soon. Furthermore, the initial report seemed to come from the NFR Podcast, a popular YouTube and podcast channel that’s very active in the hip-hop media world. Of course, this is believable considering that Durkio is headlining this weekend’s Dreamville Fest, and he allegedly made the comments during a sit-down interview at the festival. However, fans took a look at the calendar and raised eyebrows. Could this be too good to be true.

Well, Luca and Anthony of NFR stood by their word, and posted a photo of the sit-down interview in question. Still, everyone in the picture is laughing, and one would think they’d just post the video clip instead of a picture. What’s more is that when a fan asked whether it’s an April Fool’s joke, they said no and just replied with the same picture. They have rapport together, and Durk also has ties to the rest of Dreamville through his JID collab.

J. Cole’s Rumored Collab Has People Skeptical On April Fool’s Day

Eventually, someone posted the clip in question, and fans could finally get excited about the collab with no qualms. Given that Cole’s praised the Chicago MC’s work before, their appreciation for one another could surely result in a huge hit. If it’s not a hit, it’ll still probably be a high-quality track, as they’re both renowned as incredible lyricists and storytellers in their own right. Interestingly, despite the flowers laid on him and the people he’s put on, he revealed he’s envious of people who lead more peaceful lives.

“You know what I’m envious of, too? To that point,” he expressed to Bob Myers. “The way that I said is valid to someone who wants to live that life, but I also think another valid way to live is, yo. I’m envious of people who don’t have a strong desire or strong vision.” While it seems like backhanded praise, he went on to explain his point with much more clarity. Regardless, check out Durk’s reveal down below and return to HNHH for the latest on Lil Durk and J. Cole… and hopefully no April Fool’s scares.

Lil Durk Confirms Collab

Saviii 3rd Reveals Kendrick Lamar’s Criteria For Collaborating With Artists

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Saviii 3rd says that Kendrick Lamar asked him a series of five questions before committing to collaborating with him. The L.A. rapper explained Lamar’s vetting process during a recent interview on The Justin Credible Podcast. Despite being nervous, Saviii knew he had to answer to the best of his ability.

“I took those questions so serious,” Saviii 3rd explained. “One of the questions was: ‘Do you want to make music for your section, or do you want to make music for the world?’ Another one is: ‘What do you think your biggest flaw is when it comes to anything blocking your creativity?’ With this one, he put: ‘This is the one’ in parentheses, and he said: ‘What do you think is stopping you from being an ultimate superstar? Be truthful with yourself.’”

Kendrick Lamar At The Grammys

NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 28: Recording artist Kendrick Lamar attends the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards. At Madison Square Garden on January 28, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS)

Despite Lamar having such a series vetting process, Thundercat recently revealed that his favorite studio session of all time was for “These Walls” off of To Pimp A Butterfly. Speaking with HipHopDX, the artist told the outlet, “My favorite studio session that I was in, gotta be honest: it was probably singing ‘These Walls.’ And a lot of my friends at the time didn’t realize that I sang. And so, my friends were just staring in my face like, ‘What is he doing right now?’ And I was like, ‘Can you guys leave the room so I can… I don’t wanna be looking in my friends’ eyes singing about these walls.’ It’s just looking at Terrace [Martin] in the eyes, singing in my highest Michael McDonald voice. Terrace is smiling like, ‘What about these walls, Steven?’ And I’m like, ‘Stop it!’ I couldn’t pause because the track is gonna keep going, so I gotta keep singing. There is no pause, it’s just continually me singing these walls and harmonies. And my friends looking down my throat. Don’t look at me like that. I’m a grown man, I pay taxes; I’ve been to jail. Don’t do that!”

On his latest project, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, Lamar worked with Blxst, Amanda Reifer, Sampha, Taylour Paige, Summer Walker, Ghostface Killah, Baby Keem, Kodak Black, and many more. The album won Best Rap Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.

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