Dreamville

Ari Lennox Wants To Be Released From Her Dreamville Contract As She Accuses The Label Of Neglecting Her

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Ari Lennox 2023
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Ari Lennox released her latest single, “Smoke,” earlier this month. Apparently, she’s not pleased with the level of reach the song has achieved, or more specifically, she’s upset with how her label, J. Cole’s Dreamville Records, handled the release. In fact, Lennox is at the point where she wants to be done with the label.

In a recent Instagram Live broadcast (archived here), Lennox spoke at length about her issues with Dreamville. At one point, she declared her desire to be dropped from the label, saying:

“I wish I had a label that wouldn’t have me out here trying to explain why I need advertisement, why I need advertisement for my record. […] You cannot expect an artist to be anything without advertisement. Like, you can’t. You can’t. Why am I begging for advertisement? Why am I paying for my own Google ads? No, it’s not OK.

So, I just want to be released, and it’s just that simple. And I’m tired of being nice, and I was trying to do everything the right way, but now I’m pissed. This was my final straw. I have communicated effectively and no one cares, so now we’re here in toxic-ass social media world, or this is how I’m deciding to express myself in a toxic way. But, we’re here, and I don’t know how else to get it through people’s thick head. Like, stop playing with me.”

Later, she continued, “I love making music. I loved every moment of making ‘Smoke.’ It was my freedom song, and I dropped it, and the label neglected me. They left me there by myself. […] Dreamville literally is telling me to my face they don’t believe in advertisements, they don’t believe in Google ads. What am I supposed to do with that information?”

For the record, this is a long-festering situation between Lennox and Dreamville, as Lennox also said in 2022 that she wanted to be done with Dreamville.

Ari Lennox Reveals She Wants Out Of “Manipulative” Dreamville Contract

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Ari Lennox has been part of Dreamville Records since day one. She was the first female artist, and first singer, to appear on the label, and she’s been part of every Dreamville compilation to date. Lennox has displayed fantastic musical chemistry with the likes of J. Cole and JID over the years. Unfortunately, the unity of the Revenge of the Dreamers comps has not extended to the business side of things. Ari Lennox took to Instagram on Tuesday night to put the label on blast for mishandling her career.

Ari Lennox cited Dreamville and its parent label, Interscope, for failing to prioritize her career. She claimed that both sides have been “playing with her all month,” and she’s fed up with it. She also accused Dreamville of being clueless when it came to how to market her strengths as an artist. “I’m so tired of people treating me like they’re sorry for me and like l’m the face of mental health,” she opined. “I’m ok and l’ve never been happier. What I don’t like is being signed and lied to and manipulated.” Ari then claimed that “not one person at those labels ever knew how to market or protect me.”

Read More: Ari Lennox Details Plan To Depart From Social Media

Ari Lennox Blasted Dreamville’s Inability To Market Her

Ari Lennox may have decided to take the gloves off, but she still alluded to there being a lot more drama behind the scenes. “Y’all don’t know the half,” she added. “Constant let down and neglect. This industry stuff will never be for me.” The caption she provided with the Instagram message may have been the most scathing indictment of Dreamville and Interscope of all. “I want out of my contract,” she wrote. Lennox also tagged both labels.

The text post that Ari Lennox made was accompanied by a nearly twenty minute Instagram Live in which she voiced her discontent with Dreamville. “I feel like I’ve been played,” she repeatedly stated. Ari Lennox told fans that she was willing to put up with other shortcomings on the label’s part as long as she could get her music out. Once she began to be sidled by delays, however, she decided to go straight to fans and clarify why she has yet to bless them with another album. It’ll be fascinating to see how Dreamville responds to Ari Lennox’s very public airing out.

Read More: Ari Lennox Dodges No “Smoke” On New Single

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Punch Dispelled Rumors Of Beef Between TDE And Dreamville Artists After A Viral Fan Theory About J. Cole’s ‘Pi’

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Ever since Future and Metro Boomin added Kendrick Lamar to their combative single “Like That,” the rap game has been in shambles, with bloodlust among rap fans fueling pernicious rumors of beef between their favorite entertainers. Case in point, the song “Pi” from J. Cole’s new mixtape, Might Delete Later, has been the center of rumored beef between rappers affiliated with Kendrick’s former label, TDE, and J. Cole’s label, Dreamville. However, TDE President Terrence Henderson — aka Punch — stepped in to dispel that myth before it spread any further.

After a rap fan on Twitter (never calling it “X”) wrote, “Ab-Soul threw jabs at J. Cole after Cole did him dirty by adding him & Daylyt to a song with a verse dissing Kendrick on ‘Pi’,” Punch did some fact-checking on the inaccurate speculation. “I hate to clear up rumors,” he wrote in response. “I usually let them fester and see how far they go, but ALL verses on ‘Pi’ were recorded long before ‘Like That.’”

It’s fair to say that fans have let their excitement get the best of them in the past. That, combined with the vagueness of some rappers’ battle raps, gives plenty of room for conspiratorial thinking and jumping to conclusions. However, there’s a big difference between fan theories on the internet and what really goes on behind the scenes — and Punch’s tweet is a reminder that many of those theories are usually missing key pieces of information. In this case, the fans in question appear to have overlooked the fact that Daylyt and J. Cole have collaborated since on “Plate Of Collard Greens,” and that even Ab-Soul appears to be rooting for Drake to have a soft landing.

JID’s Manager Jokes That New Album Is Never Releasing

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JID’s fourth album, Forever & A Day, has been on the way for almost two years now. JID first announced it in August 2022. After that, JID missed the Fall 2023 window for the first project. He later announced a second project, a joint album with Metro Boomin, was in the works in addition to Forever & A Day. JID claimed the album was releasing this year, reassuring worried fans they didn’t scrap it. However, Top Dawg Entertainment President Punch may have ruined fans hopes for a 2024 release. He took to X to give JID’s manager, Barry Hefner, his “secret” to success.

Replying to a SZA fan account’s post celebrating the singer’s SOS reaching 80 weeks at No. 1 on the Top R&B Albums chart, Punch said “Insane.” When Hefner asked, “what’s your secret?” Punch replied with the strategy that left both SZA fans and SZA herself unhappy between the release of her CTRL and SOS. “The secret is… hold albums back.” SZA fans will remember the push and pull that was SOS’s rollout. SZA first promised it would release in 2020, but missed that window and then blamed her label. She later retracted those claims, and the album released two years later, in December 2022. It has been one of TDE’s best selling albums, and Apple Music ranked it among their 100 Greatest Albums earlier this year.

JID’s Manager Jokes That New Album Is Never Releasing

Hefner’s post, even as a joke, did not go over well with JID fans. Punch replied with “JID fans are gonna come after you.” Hefner had to reiterate that his post was sarcastic, as some replies thought he was going to seriously consider holding back JID’s next releases.

JID has been uncharacteristically quiet this year. Save for J. Cole’s brief involvement in the Drake–Kendrick Lamar battle, the Dreamville camp has not been as vocal as they usually are. JID has released a couple of feature verses, including a recent appearance on Eminem’s “Fuel.” His likely working to finish his albums, and will not be back in a more prominent capacity until they’re actually done. Hopefully, Hefner doesn’t take Punch’s advice to heart when he does finish his work.

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JID’s Manager Jokes His Album Is Never Coming Out After Getting Some Advice From TDE’s Punch

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JID
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Dreamville fans have been impatiently awaiting the release of JID’s fourth album, Forever & A Day, for almost two years now, after JID announced it in August 2022. Since then, he’s projected and missed at least one release window, fall 2023, after announcing a second project, a joint album with Metro Boomin, was also in the works. And although Metro pledged to release the album sometime this year, reassuring worried fans it was “still a thing” despite his busy schedule, Top Dawg Entertainment President Punch may have ruined fans hopes for a 2024 release after giving JID’s manager, Barry Hefner, his “secret” to success.

Replying to a SZA fan account’s celebratory post about the longevity of the singer’s last album SOS (80 weeks at No. 1 on the Top R&B Albums chart), Punch wrote simply, “Insane.” When Hefner wondered, “what’s your secret?” Punch replied with the strategy that vexed SZA fans (and the artist herself) for the five years between the release of her acclaimed debut CTRL and SOS: “The secret is… hold albums back.”

Hef, who was definitely in on the joke, promised to apply this strategy to the Since The ’80s management roster — which includes JID. “TDE always holding their artists back from being successful..” he responded, citing a common fan complaint about the California label’s unpredictable release schedule. “if this what holding the album back looks like ain’t sh*t coming out over here.” Punch jovially agreed. “JID fans finna get at now.”

So, there you have it, JID fans. Forever & A Day may take that long to come out, and really, you can blame SZA fans for keeping SOS in rotation so long — even as they await its promised follow-up, Lana. This is why they say patience is a virtue.

Denzel Curry Wants To Make An Album With JID For One Specific Reason

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Denzel Curry has no misses. It’s the common consensus among fans, and a quick skim through his catalog proves it to be pretty accurate. He’s one of the most talented rappers working. That being said, part of what makes Curry such a force on the mic is his desire to improve. He never wants to make the same song or album twice. He reflected on this artistic goal during a recent appearance on Apple Music. The rapper not only revealed who would want to collab with, but the specific reason why.

Denzel Curry did not hesitate, either. When the Beats 1 host asked which rapper he’d like to record a joint album with, he said “JID.” The Florida spitter then elaborated on his answer by stating that JID is the only rapper he would consider joining forces with. The reasoning was similarly direct. In Curry’s estimation, he will get better having to record alongside JID. “He’ll make me a better rapper, he explained. “I always look for somebody to challenge [me]. To make me a better emcee at the end of the day.” Denzel Curry took a more broad approach with regards to the rest of his answer.

Read More: Denzel Curry Comes To Joey Badass’ Defense After Fans Dislike New Snippet

Denzel Curry And JID Collaborated Back In 2018

He likened rap to a sport, and acknowledged that part of the fun is in testing one’s skills against other rappers who are gifted. He even made reference to the recent Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar battle. “You’ve seen Drake and Kendrick go at it,” Denzel Curry noted. “Obviously, you’d have to be up to par. You gotta understand at the end of the day.” He then likened rapping with others to sharpening one’s sword with another. “Steel sharpens steel,” Curry added. “It’s like a sword sharpens the other sword. That’s how I feel when it comes down to other rappers… they make me a better emcee.”

This isn’t the first time Denzel Curry has heaped praise on JID. During a 2022 interview with Zane Lowe, the former claimed that JID inspired him to start writing his lyrics down. This occurred after JID featured on Curry’s song “Sirens_Z1RENS.” “He’s the only person in this game that got me to write,” the rapper admitted. “His verse was so hard on that sh*t, I was like, ‘I’m going back in.’ He’s a lyricist.” 2024 has been dominated by rap beef, so the notion of a friendly competition on record sounds pretty ideal. Hopefully it happens.

Read More: Denzel Curry Dazzles On “King Of The Mischievous South Vol. 2” Album

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BIA Hints At JID Feature On Her Upcoming Single “Lights Out”

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BIA has been building an excellent career. She signed to Pharrell’s label in 2014, and since then, she’s landed coveted collabs with the likes of Kali Uchis and J Balvin. The remix to her 2021 single, “Whole Lotta Money,” featured a fun verse from Nicki Minaj and peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. BIA is the real deal, which is why fans are so excited about the possibility of collaborating with another established talent: JID. She posted a video of her and JID conversing, and now the world desperately wants them to link up on a song.

BIA posted the video on May 28. The singer is on the set of a music video with a green screen. She’s talking with makeup artists about the set up of a particular shot, and who else but JID wanders into the frame. The rapper is impressed with what he sees, calling it “fire.” BIA then gives him a hug before she hits her mark. The video is brief, but it definitely seems like BIA is teasing JID’s involvement in her new song. She announced the release of her single “Lights Out” on June 7. The general consensus (or hope) is that JID will be featured on it. He’s even listed on the song’s Genius page.

Read More: MGK & Trippie Redd Sneak In A Subtle JID Feature On “Who Do I Call”

BIA Posted Footage Of Her And JID On A Video Set

 
 
 
 
 
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BIA has aimed to get the focus back on her music since the social media controversy that went down in April. The singer was accused of lying about her lineage. Fans began to question her ethnic background, which led to her firing back with proof. “U still don’t know the difference between race and ethnicity,” she tweeted at a user. “B*tch pick up a book. It’s called Afro Latina stupid.” She also dragged those who tried to suggest she was not Black. “Are you really that slow,” she asked. “How did biracial ppl even get here? Do you know what Puerto Rican are? African Taino and European. There are Jamaican Indians you f*ckin idiot pick up a book.”

JID, meanwhile, is riding a critical high. His last release, The Forever Story, was hailed by many as the best album of 2023. He’s teased a collaborative project with Metro Boomin, and he told People that he wants to get involved in filmmaking. “Like I can recall a lot of situations that meant a lot to me and were pivotal in my journey,” he told the outlet. “I’ll do that. And I’ll probably put it in the form of a movie, too. I’m big into directing and all of that stuff… I want to make sure I tap into that before my time is.”

Read More: JID Previews New Song At Dreamville Festival, Predicts Grammy Recognition

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WATCH: EarthGang, Cozz, and Lute Unite for Dreamville Freestyle

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EarthGang, Cozz, and Lute Unite for Dreamville Freestyle

Dreamville’s EarthGang, Cozz, and Lute teamed up for an electrifying freestyle session courtesy of Red Bull Spiral. The four-minute-long performance showcases seamless exchanges as they effortlessly pass the mic, filmed in a single take using a rotating 360-degree camera.

The post WATCH: EarthGang, Cozz, and Lute Unite for Dreamville Freestyle first appeared on The Source.

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Earthgang Now Have A Day Named After Them In Atlanta

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Earthgang have been in operation as a rap duo for quite a while now and their reach is impressive. The Dreamville duo have worked repeatedly with label mates like J. Cole and JID while also collaborating with artists like Future and Young Thug. Their last studio album GHETTO GODS dropped in 2022 and saw the pair getting introspective and sharing intimate details on their lives. An EP they dropped earlier this year saw them thematically dipping into the topic of artificial intelligence.

But their reach goes beyond just music. The pair are Atlanta natives and are often giving back to the city in any way they can. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution the pair sponsored a 5k run in the city recently, after which the day was officially declared “Earthgang Day.” They made a statement to the AJC discussing the honor. “Moving into the space where not only being a participant but being a facilitator and conduit for bringing these experiences to people, where they don’t have to feel like they have to be a world-class athlete in order to move their bodies, in order to engage in something that’s healthy, and coupling it with your fanbase, is amazing,” the statement read.

Read More: EARTHGANG Ignores The Flaws On Their New “Blacklight” Single

Earthgang Day Declared In Atlanta

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – APRIL 06: EARTHGANG performs at the 2024 Dreamville Music Festival at Dorothea Dix Park on April 06, 2024 (Photo by Astrida Valigorsky/WireImage)

Earlier this month, the pair performed at their label’s sponsored music festival Dreamville. The fest faced some controversy among fans when it made a last minute lineup adjustment. Many were upset with Chris Brown dropping out the week of the Festival, even though he was eventually replaced by 50 Cent.

The pair also released a new EP last year. It was the first of their investigations into AI and algorithms RIP Human Art. What do you think of Earthgang having a day named after them in Atlanta? What’s your favorite project the duo has released so far? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: EarthGang Drops Off New EP “RIP Human Art”

[Via]

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Metro Boomin Confirms His Collab Album With JID Is “Still A Thing”

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Metro Boomin is a busy man. He just dropped two collab albums with Future and started a hip-hop civil war against Drake, but the St. Louis producer is already looking forward to what’s next. He made it clear he wanted to work with Eminem on X (formerly Twitter), but the real collaboration that has fans excited is the rumored album between Metro and JID. It’s been a long time since either artist provided an update, but concerns over whether it was scrapped in light of rap beef politics have been put to rest.

Metro was asked if the JID album was “still a thing” on April 25, and he responded in haste. “Very much so,” he tweeted back. The responses were flooded with fans voicing their relief, since JID is a Dreamville signee and Metro’s relationship with J. Cole is, let’s say, complicated at the moment. Cole was a target on the Metro produced single “Like That,” and he even responded with his own diss. The rapper took it back, however, and appeared on the Metro produced album cut “Red Leather.” All good, right? Well, not quite. Metro ALSO co-produced the “Like That” remix, which contained more bars aimed at Cole’s head.

Read More: Metro Boomin Responds To Drake Diss By Sharing Old Production Tutorial Video

Metro Boomin Is Still Working Closely With JID

JID has not discussed the Cole situation, but fans had a good reason to be skeptical of his planned Metro collab. The album between JID and Metro was announced back in March 2023. “Got a lot of new music coming but when me and @JIDsv drop,” the latter wrote next to fire emojis. JID responded to the tweet by hyping up the album further: “I love working with u brudda, it’s an honor.” There haven’t been details with regards to a title or release date, but have taken to calling the album “JIDTRO.” There’s also been a few snippets of the two artists working together, most notably “Just Do It” and “Ashes2Ashes.”

JID is also staying busy. The Atlanta rapper confirmed that he will be releasing a solo album before his Metro collab called Forever & a Day. The title has fans theorizing that it will be a sequel to The Forever Story, which proved to be his critical and commercial breakthrough in 2022. Forever & a Day will have 10-12 songs, but like the Metro collab, a proper release has not been announced.

Regardless of how long it takes JID and Metro to cook up a finished product, it’s safe to assume they will deliver the goods.

Read More: J.I.D Says He Froze Up When Jay-Z Co-Signed “The Forever Story”

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