Drake

Yasiin Bey Had A Very Specific Way Of Describing Drake’s ‘Pop’ Music, And Users Online Are Having A Field Day

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Hate him or love him, Drake is one of the world’s most successful rap acts. As he so boastfully brags through his music, he’s surpassed several titans, such as The Beatles and the late Michael Jackson’s metric markers. Despite his record-breaking achievements to some, Drake still isn’t “hip-hop enough.”

On January 13, Yasiin Bey (previously professionally known as Mos Def) shared his thoughts on Drake’s music, and it sent users online into a frenzy. During an appearance on The Cutting Room Floor podcast, when asked by host Recho Omondi if he considered Drake to be a hip-hop act, Bey didn’t hold back.

“Why are you doing this to me,” he said. “Drake is pop to me, in the sense like, if I was in Target in Houston and I heard a Drake song… it feels like a lot of his music is compatible with shopping. Or shopping with an edge in certain instances… It’s likable.”

Bey went on to provide further context to his initial response. “What happens when this thing collapses,” he said. “What happens when the columns start buckling? Are we not in some early stage of that at this present hour? Are we seeing the collapse of the empire? Buying and selling, where’s the message that I can use? What’s in it for your audience apart from banging the pom-poms?”

@tcrfff

🎙Season 5 Episode 2 #yasiinbey

♬ original sound – The Cutting Room Floor

The response caused a ripple effect online, with musicians, critics, and fans alike chiming in. Read a few of their responses below.

Listen to the full episode of The Cutting Room Floor podcast on Patreon. Find more information here.

Drake & Metro Boomin Beef Rumors Continue As The Rapper Seemingly Throws Shade While Promoting 21 Savage’s Latest Album

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New year. Same feuds. Following Drake‘s latest online post, fans believe the rapepr is on his worst behavior.

In 2023, after several subtle jabs in music or across social media, his longstanding tensions with Pusha T, Joe Budden, and ASAP Rocky were a constant topic of conversation. Even his rumored feud with Metro Boomin has fans on high alert. On January 12, Drake fanned the flame further with a post on Instagram.

Drake took to his Instagram Stories to promote his friend and Her Loss collaborator 21 Savage’s latest album, American Dream. The screenshot, captioned “talk to them my brother,” showed Drake jamming out to Savage’s song “Just Like Me,” which features Burna Boy and Metro Boomin. Although it would be quite easy to miss, near the bottom of the image where the song’s information is displayed, Drake made a minor edit: Drake blocked out Metro’s name using several shouting emojis.

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Fans immediately spotted the petty modification. However, given Metro Boomin’s past online comments, many people have sided with Drake’s decision to update the image. Metro Boomin hasn’t directly responded to Drake’s latest jab. Instead, he’s liked a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) praising the collaboration.

American Dream is out now via Epic Records. Find more information here.

Did ASAP Rocky Diss Drake On Kid Cudi’s New Album?

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The 2024 calendar isn’t even two full weeks in and already, we’ve got rap beef cooking on the horizon — maybe.

Fans pressing play on Kid Cudi’s new album Insano are pretty convinced that there is, as line from guest rapper ASAP Rocky on “WOW” sounds like it could be referring to Drake. As true rap beef lore heads may remember, Drake has feuded with both fellow blog-era rappers as often as he’s collaborated with them, so there could be a little bit of merit to the speculation.

In his verse on the song, Rocky raps, “These n***as can’t stomach me, gotta go get a mandrake.” Fans have interpreted this as a clever way to sneak Drake’s name into the line, which references a natural remedy for stomach problems. It could also be reference to Drake’s 2023 admission that he’s taking time off to deal with a stomach issue. You can hear the song for yourself above.

Rocky citing himself as the source of Drake’s tummy troubles might be a nod to their shared dating history; Drake dated Rocky’s current partner Rihanna in 2016, however, she moved on pretty quickly. And while Drake insists he’s over it — most recently, on his For All The Dogs song “Fear Of Heights” — the fact that he keeps talking about it undercuts his argument pretty thoroughly.

(Drake also notably had a back and forth with Cudi after the Cleveland rapper appeared to shade him on Twitter in 2015. Drake later dissed him on “Two Birds, One Stone,” then collaborated with him on Certified Lover Boy. Basically, rap is wrestling, all this is kayfabe, and it’s hilarious that people keep taking these artists seriously.)

In any event, there’s probably a certain amount of good-natured gamesmanship going on here; and we’ll probably see Drake and ASAP on each other’s music at some point in the future. In the meantime, it’s fun to speculate (for some people) about when and how Drake will respond.

Sexyy Red Felt Went Through Great Lengths To Hide Her Pregnancy While On Drake’s Tour

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In 2023, Sexyy Red was one of the biggest breakout stars not just in rap but in all of music. One of her biggest points of exposure was her connection to the biggest rapper in the world, Drake. She teamed up with him and SZA on the song “Rich Baby Daddy” from his album For All The Dogs. She also developed a pretty good friendship with SZA. In fact, the R&B singer was alongside her in an Instagram post that served as Red’s official pregnancy announcement. But now, she’s sharing some news about how she treated her pregnancy while opening for Drake on his It’s All A Blur Tour.

In a recent interview with Billboard she opened up on the extent she went to in order to hide the pregnancy for as long as possible. “When nobody knew I was pregnant, I’d be in the back room like trying to suck my stomach in, or wear clothes to show that I wasn’t pregnant, and I had to practice my breathing. Like, before I’d go on stage, I had to hold my stomach in and look at myself and be like, ‘Can they tell?’ Once I just was like, ‘OK, I can’t keep hiding it,’ ’cause it hurt to just be on stage all day holding your stomach in, so I’m like, just forget about it,” she explains. “Because I was pregnant on the Drake tour and the Moneybagg [Yo] tour, but nobody knew. People started suspecting it on the Drake tour because there was videos and pictures of me coming out. […] That’s the only reason I was hiding it, because I just wanted me and my family and friends to know,” Red reveals.

Read More: Coi Leray Twerks To Sexyy Red At The Club

Sexyy Red On Hiding Her Pregnancy On Tour

Red’s massive 2023 concluded with some substantial critical praise. Rolling Stone called her essential summer banger “SkeeYee” the very best song of the year. While Red herself was pretty happy about the recognition, many of her haters online took issue with the choice.

What do you think of the extent Sexyy Red went through in order to hide her pregnancy while on tour with Drake? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: Sexyy Red’s 2023 Features, Ranked

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Sexyy Red Tried Hiding Her Pregnancy While Touring With Drake But It Physically ‘Hurt’

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Right now, it’s easy to tell that Sexyy Red is pregnant, as she’s pretty far along. Back when it would have been easier to hide, though, Red tried. It was still challenging, though, when she attempted to conceal her stomach while on tour with Drake and Moneybagg Yo.

In a recent video interview with Billboard, Red said:

“When nobody knew I was pregnant, I’d be in the back room like trying to suck my stomach in, or wear clothes to show that I wasn’t pregnant, and I had to practice my breathing. Like, before I’d go on stage, I had to hold my stomach in and look at myself and be like, ‘Can they tell?’ Once I just was like, ‘OK, I can’t keep hiding it,’ ’cause it hurt to just be on stage all day holding your stomach in, so I’m like, just forget about it. Because I was pregnant on the Drake tour and the Moneybagg [Yo] tour, but nobody knew. People started suspecting it on the Drake tour because there was videos and pictures of me coming out. […] That’s the only reason I was hiding it, because I just wanted me and my family and friends to know.”

Check out the interview below.

Was Nicki Minaj’s ‘Needle’ Supposed To Be On Drake’s ‘For All The Dogs?’

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In the leadup to the release of Drake and Nicki Minaj’s respective albums, fans couldn’t help speculating whether the two Young Money artists would reunite after years of not quite collaborating with each other. In September, Nicki herself wondered aloud whether she would appear on For All The Dogs while confirming that he would show up on Pink Friday 2. While he did join her on the PF2 track “Needle,” Nicki didn’t land a spot on For All The Dogs.

In her new interview with Ebro Darden, Nicki added a new wrinkle to the tale, revealing that “Needle” was initially intended for Drake’s album. Addressing the disappointment from fans surrounding the duo only putting out one new collab, Nicki said, “He told the fans on his tour that I was gonna be on his album, and actually the song he was talking about was ‘Needle.’ But, he ended up feeling like sonically, it didn’t match for For All The Dogs and I from day one felt like it matched Pink Friday 2.”

She says she joked around with some of her friends that something would end up happening that would allow her to keep the song for herself — and it turned out she was right. “It was just God’s timing,” she said, nodding to fans’ disappointment and crediting it to neither artist announcing the change. On the bright side, though, as she points out, “It’s the perfect Drake and Nicki song!” You can check out Nicki’s full interview with Ebro below:

Dee-1 Calls Out Viral Dance Video Of Kids Dancing To Sexyy Red’s Verse On “Rich Baby Daddy”

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Dee-1, known for his song “Taking a Chance on Me,” has voiced his concern over a viral video featuring a group of young girls dancing to Drake & Sexyy Red’s song “Rich Baby Daddy.” In a video shared on X/Twitter on Tuesday (January 2), the rapper reposts the controversial performance before addressing the public with his thoughts. Dee-1 wastes no time in expressing his disapproval, stating, “This ain’t cool, man, and this ain’t cute.” The video has garnered a mix of praise and criticism. It has sparked a larger conversation about the influence of music and the responsibility of both artists and fans. However, he’s addressing the problem of young children listening to and dancing to vulgar and sexually explicit music.

Moreover, Sexyy Redd’s verse on the track notoriously sings, “Bend that **s over, let that c**chie breathe. Shake that **s, b**ch, hands on your knees. Shake that **s for Drake (yup), now, shake that **s for me.” In his message, Dee-1 raises a crucial question: “What are we going to do about it?” He emphasizes the collective responsibility of artists, fans, and adults in shaping the cultural landscape. “It takes artists to make the music, it takes fans to support the music, and it takes adults to figure out what they’re going to expose their kids to. Right?” Calling on fans to take a stand, Dee-1 urges them to refrain from supporting and promoting such content.

Read More: Sexyy Red Criticized For Reposting TikTok From Murderer

Dee-1 Reacts To Kids Dancing

Moreover, he calls on people to be more vocal. “Matter of fact, you really need to be vocal that you’re opposed to this if you really have a problem with it,” he asserts. Highlighting the power of collective voices in effecting change. Addressing fellow artists, Dee-1 emphasizes the need to resist manipulation and to be conscious of the impact their work may have on society. “As artists, we just gotta decide when we wanna stop being manipulated, man, and letting them use us as pawns,” he concludes. “I don’t understand. How MARKETING this makes you any better than the poor unfortunates who are also seeking attention at the expense of these children?” one person expressed on X. “There’s a lot of money in degeneracy and that’s the problem,” someone else said.

Furthermore, others were holding parents accountable. “No, the parents are responsible here because they allow it in their household,” another shared. The rapper’s message carries a strong call to action as he declares, “This is the year of the shift. Happy 2024. Fans AND Artists. Our time is NOW to take the power back. Time to take action.” Dee-1’s words resonate as a cry for a reevaluation of the content produced and consumed in the hip-hop community. He thinks society should bring in a new era of responsibility and accountability. What are your thoughts? Do you agree with Dee-1 on this subject matter? Let us know on HNHH!

Read More: Sexyy Red Plans To Be A “Whole New Woman” After The Birth Of Her Child

The post Dee-1 Calls Out Viral Dance Video Of Kids Dancing To Sexyy Red’s Verse On “Rich Baby Daddy” appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Drake & Sandra Graham’s New Selfie Is Too Cute

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Drake may be one of the most recognizable celebrities in the world, but that doesn’t mean he’s not still a momma’s boy. As an only child, it’s easy to understand why the Canadian has a natural affinity for spending time with and taking care of his parents, even if their relationship hasn’t always been perfect. While Drizzy and Dennis Graham prefer to turn up and tour the nation together in style, his mother, Sandra, seems to enjoy the quiet family time she’s able to spend with her only son.

With her golden blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes, the Graham family matriarch’s genes didn’t pass off to Drake. Interstingly, they bypassed the Scorpion rapper in favour of gracing his son, Adonis, who resembles a cherub boy with his luscious golden girls and sparkling orbs. Champagne Papi was initially uncertain about his paternity, but he’s now comfortably assumed the role of a single parent, thanks to guidance from Sandra.

Read More: Drake Shares Adorable Family Photo With His Mom & Adonis

Drake is Still Sandra’s Rose

 
 
 
 
 
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As we enter 2024, Drake was happy to show off a new selfie with his maker, who shielded her eyes with oversized rose-tinted glasses. The multi-talent wrapped his arm around Graham while pulling a slight pucker for the camera. Her bright, white teeth cracked a smile while capturing the sweet moment. We’ve heard the “Miss Me” rapper share plenty of bars about his parent’s troubled relationship throughout his discography, such as one “Two Birds, One Stone,” when he spit, “More blessings for Sandy and him, more life / My parents never got it right, but, God bless em both, I think we all alike.”

With each passing year, hip-hop heads see that there’s little Drake has left to prove at this point in his career. He’ll be heading out on tour with J. Cole in the coming weeks and is likely already plotting how he’ll outdo his 2023 streaming numbers after topping every other rapper in the industry. Read the father of one’s New Year’s thoughts at the link below, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news.

Read More: Drake Shares His First New Year’s Thoughts After Being Most Streamed Rapper Of 2023

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Drake Ended His 2023 By Showing Off An Enviable And On-Brand Gift Snoop Dogg Gave Him

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Like many other social media users, Drake wrapped up 2023 with a post sharing some highlights from his year. Unlike many other social media users, Drake is Drake, so the things he saw and did were largely on a different level than most other people. Example: One of his year-end photos showed off a pretty neat gift from Snoop Dogg.

The post is captioned, “First thought for 2024: I’m not your emotional support dog.” (The first photo is of Drake wearing a dog mask.) A few photos in is a photo of a blunt on a piece of paper that reads, “July 27, 2023, Blunt rolled by Snoop Dogg, Death Row Records,” alongside a blue bandana.

Drake certainly had a lot to look back on for 2023. He released his latest No. 1 album, For All The Dogs, in October. The project yielded two No. 1 singles: “Slime You Out” with SZA and “First Person Shooter” with J. Cole. He and 21 Savage also kicked off their It’s All A Blur Tour, in support of their joint 2022 album Her Loss. Drake was one of YouTube’s most-viewed artists of the year, one of Spotify’s most-streamed, and in case his bank account was feeling a little light, somebody tipped him 20 cents.

Chaka Khan & Kanye West’s Seemingly One-Sided Grudge Is Over, According To The Singer Because: ‘It Was Silly’

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From Drake and Nicki Minaj to Taylor Swift and Cardi B, Kanye West (formerly Ye) has a long and well-documented list of people with whom he’s had beef. But according to a recent Rolling Stone interview, one iconic musician has rethought getting into it with the “New Body” rapper.

On December 28, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Chaka Khan said that her apparently one-sided grudge with West was over. Back in 2019, on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Khan confessed that she was “insulted” by how her 1984 single “Through The Fire” was sampled on West’s 2003 track “Through The Wire.” But upon reflection, she’s changed her mind.

“You know, that was my fault, too, for feeling salty about that in any way. Because if I understood the rap game more completely, like I do now, then that wouldn’t have been a big deal to me,” said Khan. “I’m done. Please. I’m not hanging on to any silly grudges.”

Based on a video floating around online, Khan isn’t the only artist that recently buried that hatchet with West. It appears that Kid Cudi and him have also put aside their issues after reconnecting at his Vultures listening party on December 14.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.