Drake has a vault full of music in which he discusses his life, there’s one topic he tends to shy away from, or so one person argues. During Apple Music’s latest episode of Rap Life Review, host Ebro Darden aimed at Drake’s silence related to Black issues.
On Drake and 21 Savage’s It’s All A Blur Tour, the screen displayed a message dissing Childish Gambino’s 2018 song “This Is America,” which they dubbed overrated. At the time of its release, the song’s video was praised for creatively tackling topics such as political brutality, gun violence, and more. That enraged Darden, who singled out Drake for what he sees as an unflattering career-long pattern.
“Drake, who has never shown up, and y’all know I’m the biggest Drake fan on this show,” said Darden.”Drake has never shown up to have anything to say about anything going on in society with Black folks or anything other than himself.”
This isn’t the first time that Drake was called out for not using his platform to advocate for societal issues plaguing the Black community publicly. However, the entertainer has made several substantial momentary donations to civic rights organizations and causes, including the National Bail Out Fund and Black Lives Matter.
The controversy surrounding Summer Jam continues but this time, it surrounds Joe Budden. No, the ex-rapper wasn’t scheduled to perform at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York on June 4th. However, he was apparently invited as a guest to this year’s festivities. Things apparently got shaky when he tried to get to his seat, as explained on his eponymous podcast. “This is a new theater here, new show in town, we are excited to just be here. You could feel the excitement,” he said. “But anyway, I get there, the girl says, ‘Are you a seat filler?’”
Budden explained that a large portion of the crowd consisted of “Long Island radio head people” who were “ not used to famous people wandering around.” “So I said, ‘No, I am not a seat filler.’ And she said, ‘Alright, who are you with?’ And I said, ‘Me.’ And then she said, ‘No, what I’m saying is what organization are you with?’ And then I said, ‘Ma’am, I don’t think you understand what I’m saying to you. I’m the organization. Please direct me to my f***ing tickets.’”
Joe Budden’s comments eventually got on the radar of Hot 97 host Ebro, who relayed it to the Summer Jam team and they weren’t necessarily happy about it. First, Ebro explained that Summer Jam solely profits from sponsors rather than ticket sales, so there would be no need to use “seat fillers.” “Most ridiculous lie ever told,” TT Torrez said in a group chat along with Ebro and Funk Flex. “Trying to use his platform to dimension our brand when he was an invited guest to our show. I really don’t understand the reasoning for this!”
Another exchange with another Hot 97 employee, Brad, revealed that Joe Budden also extended a thank you text for the hospitality. “What’s Joe’s angle here? Clicks?” Brad said. “Also, obviously not true [as] I was the one who met him and brought him backstage and he wasn’t even acknowledging fans saying what up, let alone having full on convos.” In response, he and Ebro agreed to “share this.”
Ebro shared the slew of text messages with the tweet reading, “Since I don’t manage Summer Jam any longer the team that does has a message for ya’ll…. And @JoeBudden.” In response, Budden asked, “What’s this about?” to which Ebro said, “Tweets. Play along. Say something controversial.” Once a fan brought up Budden’s comments on his podcast, he clarified, “That lady didn’t even work for Hot… non story here.” Check out the exchange below.
Ebro Darden says that Drake’s loss during his feud with Pusha T permanently damaged his legacy as one of the all-time greats. The radio host shared his opinion on Twitter while marking the five-year anniversary of “The Story Of Adidon.” On the iconic diss track, Pusha revealed that Drake has a son named Adonis.
“Major L … shifted the universe,” Ebro wrote in his post. “Put a ceiling on Drake’s legend.” Fans took both sides of the argument in Ebro’s replies. One agreed: “Drake should have responded…He needed to respond the way he always used to, similar to the way he responded to Meek and others. He low key folded in one of the biggest moments and as a Drake fan it’s a tough pill to swallow but it’s true.”
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 03: Ebro Darden speaks during Zedd Presents WELCOME! – Fundraising Concert Benefiting The ACLU – Show at Staples Center on April 3, 2017, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jerritt Clark/Getty Images)
Others argued that Drake’s success far outweighs the loss of one battle. “Push obviously crushed him on wax, but his legend? Drake has put out 4-5 albums since then and still came out #1 on charts and people still listening,” another user wrote. “Push on the other hand dropped a couple and they’re never in rotation tbh. Push is a legend but this isn’t true.”
Pusha T dropped “The Story of Adidon” back in May 2018 in response to Drake’s diss track, “Duppy Freestyle.” The song reuses the instrumental track from Jay-Z’s “The Story of O.J.” Drake later officially confirmed he had a son on his album, Scorpion.
After the release of “The Story of Adidon,” Drake appeared on LeBron James’ series, The Shop, and said that Pusha T went too far. “Wishing death upon my friend who has MS … I study rap battles for a living,” he said. “When you mention defenseless people who are sick in the hospital, who have passed away, I just believe that there’s a price you have to pay for that. It’s over! Someone’s gonna fucking punch you in the fucking face. The shit’s done, the event’s over.”
April marks Arab Heritage Month, and Apple Music 1 continues the celebration by sitting down with French Montana. The Moroccan-born and bred rapper moved to New York City when he was just a teen, engrossing himself in sports and Hip Hop. He also developed a skill that matched his peers, making Montana determined to become the next great superstar. With his dreams accomplished—and more goals to be met on the horizon—the Rap mogul remains a force to be reckoned with as he amasses awards and tops the charts.
Additionally, French Montana’s love for his heritage is felt in his music, as he often mentions his background or pays homage in music videos. He recently appeared on The Message with Ebro Darden on Apple Music 1, where the pair discussed various topics related to the rapper’s career. French spoke about relocating to the States during his developmental years, honoring Ramadan, focusing on philanthropy, his upcoming documentary produced by Drake, and much more. Here are a few highlights from the insightful conversation. Make sure to watch the two influential figures chop it up in the video below.
5. French Montana On Moving From Morocco To NYC
Your situation should not determine your success. I’m an immigrant from Morocco who came to the U.S. and put in the work to make success happen for me. My situation does not determine me. I made it out, and now my focus is helping other immigrants get access to life-changing opportunities.
…Everybody’s dream is to come to the United States. I remember when my aunt was getting me dressed to go to the airport, she was like, “You’re getting dressed like you going to America.” I was like, “I am.” She was like, “You are,” and it was a moment. It’s like hitting the lottery. But when you watch it as a kid, they only show you the skyline and they show you the big buildings and the penthouses and this and that. You thinking you going to heaven, you know what I’m saying? You get here. They sent me to Mott Haven projects into East Tremont Lafontaine by Crotona Park with all the Africans. And you just get there and the people downstairs yelling, and Spanish people. She hit them with a chair and it was like, “Yo, where am I at? I should’ve stayed in Morocco for this.”
Well, this documentary just tells my immigrant story basically, and all the people that followed me from the day that I started till now. I feel like a lot of people know me, but a lot of people just know me by the music. A lot of people know me from me dating people. It could be this, it could be that, but I want people to know me for the right reasons. I also feel like this documentary just is more based on the struggle. I watch a lot of documentaries, and I see a lot of people—this is not no shots at nobody—I see a lot of people just highlight the trophies and highlight the accomplishments and highlight why they got jerked by the Grammys. Highlight this and highlight that, and I really want to know the actual artists, you know what I’m saying?
Basically, it shows for me when I was young. From when my mother met my pops, we came from Africa, we was on welfare. To me getting shot, to me meeting Chinx, me meeting Max B. Max B be getting 75 years in jail. It’s the whole thing. It’s the whole enchilada. Me also being almost blackballed after he went to jail. Me just going through all the obstacles. Shout out to Drake for helping me do it, shout out to Puff, shout out to Max B for letting them cameras come inside that maximum security prison and helping me document it. Also shout out to my mother, she never been on nothing. That was her first one and it just shows that me, her, and my father came here not even speaking English. And it also shows that your temporary moment doesn’t have nothing to do with your long-term.
I take Ramadan very serious. I fast, I don’t go on Instagram, I don’t go on social media, I stay away from all the negative things, I don’t talk to no ladies, I don’t have no sex, I stay away from negative energy, I do everything I’m supposed to do for Ramadan. And I get better with Ramadan every year since I was young, I get more focused. Every Ramadan it gets harder because you’re trying to do things you didn’t do last Ramadan just to get better.
It’s all about energy. For me to not work during Ramadan, I lose a lot of money. But then, it keeps me away from just seeing naked females and this and that. My getting better is to try to cancel shows, try to do this, try to give it all my power. And that’s what I go through every Ramadan. This Ramadan, I also read the whole Quran, again, just to gain more knowledge. Get closer to the man upstairs and things like that. And even as far as fasting, I make sure I don’t sleep most of the day, that I wake up and really experience the fast and just pray Fajr and just do all things I’m supposed to do on Ramadan.
2. Importance Of Discipline
It took me a couple years to understand how to move. And basically, it just made me realize that anything is possible, you know what I’m saying? That impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. It made me just learn discipline, you what I’m saying? Discipline is going to make today hard, but tomorrow easy. Also I learned that having excuses is going to make today easy and tomorrow hard and things like that.
1. French Montana Talks Charitable Work
French Montana is making big moves reaching Diamond status & launching NAQI Healthcare. @FrencHMonTanA joined us on TMZ Live to talk about what motivated him to start NAQI: pic.twitter.com/YwnzOUA6wL
Pencils Of Promise, we working on building a couple of schools now in Ghana and Guatemala, and a bunch of places like that. In Africa, we always working there. We got a couple programs in Morocco. Just also started a rehab. It is called NAQI after a lot of my friends lost their life to taking all the wrong pills. And there’s a lot of laced pills with fentanyl and all this. And I just saw Mac Miller and a lot of people got taken away from me. So, I was just like, “You know what, let me build something.” If I could help one person, it’s worth it.
It’s Ice Spice’s time to shine, and artists are noticing her light. The “Munch (Feelin U)” hitmaker has been on a whirlwind since her viral track took over the internet. Rappers spit freestyles over her beats, and she’s been co-signed by several chart-toppers. However, one person’s mention made Ice Spice the most excited.
The Bronx rapper comes from a hometown that hosts a plethora of artists who have found success in Hip Hop. During her chat with Ebro in the Morning on Hot 97, Peter Rosenberg wanted to know which reference from another artist was her favorite.
“Um, when Cardi mentioned it in ‘Tomorrow 2,’” said Spice. “I was like, this sh*t is crazy, bro.”
GloRilla’s “Tomorrow 2” featured Cardi B, who gave a nod to Ice Spice’s “Munch” in her bars.
I don’t speak dog, ho (woof), I don’t care what no b*tch say (no) I stay on her mind, I got condos in that b*tch head (ah) She say she don’t f*ck with me (who?), Who said that you can, ho? (No) That n*gga a munch and he gon’ eat me like a mango
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – SEPTEMBER 30: Ice Spice attends the BET Hip Hop Awards 2022 on September 30, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for BET)
We may just receive a collaboration between these Bronx beauties in the future. Still, for now, Ice Spice is steadily promoting her recently released EP, Like…? is said to have moved 14,500 units in the first week, but the surprise record is only the beginning of the push Ice is receiving.
She recently told Ebro that her full-length album would arrive sometime this year, but she’s keeping details under wraps as she maps out her big reveal.
Check out the music video for “Tomorrow 2” below and watch her Hot 97 interview above.
We’re in the thick of the Ice Spice wave as the newcomer is on a full promotion tour for her EP, Like…? The Bronx beauty stormed the internet with her “Munch (Feelin U)” hit, and after amassing viral success, she looking to prolong her moment in the spotlight. She’s the latest artist to catch up with Ebro Darden on Apple Music 1, and during the chat, she promised that her full-length debut is on its way.
“The album? Most likely this year,” Ice revealed. “Since I’m going to have ten songs, something like that or whatever, definitely going to be different vibes in there, for sure. I don’t want to talk too much on it because…you feel me? Got to keep the secret sauce a secret.”
“I’m just going with it. Those are six songs that I already made,” she said of her EP. “So, we pushing that right now. Fans going to eat that up. And then, it is always time to evolve and grow as an artist.”
“So, I’m not rushing to jump into another sound or rushing to do something different. If it happens, it happens. I just want everything to be natural. I just love it. Nah, not in any hurry. I know I’m here for a good time and a long time.”
The confident artist also spoke about her Lil Tjay collaboration, “Gangsta Boo.” Darden asked about Ice Spice’s dating life and if she likes gangsters. She said she’s never been with one, and while she doesn’t go for “squares,” she does fancy “good boys and girls.”
ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 30: Rapper Ice Spice attends BET Hip Hop Awards 2022 on September 30, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Prince Williams/Filmmagic)
“I just want to play…I be even having to struggle to find time for myself, really. So, how I’m going to find time for somebody else? Even for family and friends, and myself, I’m still like that little bit of time that I be having on the side is for them and me. N*ggas come last.”
Recently, Druski told Shannon Sharpe that he has a crush on Ice Spice. She hasn’t publicly responded, but we’ll have to see if these two link in the future.
Next month, Tory Lanez will learn his fate, and Ebro Darden is clearing up his comments about the incarcerated star. Lanez was convicted of three counts related to the shooting of Megan Thee Stallion. He has long argued he wasn’t the person responsible, but Megan named him as the shooter. A jury agreed, and the singer will find out his prison sentence during a hearing on February 28.
Last year, Darden went viral after he shared his thoughts on the case. “There’s also a world where we can be sad for Tory Lanez and sad for Megan Thee Stallion,” he said during an episode of Rap Life Review last April.
“He was apologetic to her,” Darden also stated at the time. “In public, he was doing something else. But the reason I say that is I don’t want to see another Black man go to jail. That’s not what I want to see. That’s part one.”
He continued: “Part two, I also believe he was probably highly intoxicated, right? And was being completely ridiculous… Her version of him standing up just shooting talking about, ‘Dance, b*tch, dance,’ that sounds insane. You are not in your right mind. That sounds like you was off… He sounds like he was off the full Pusha T album. He shoved it up his nose.”
Megan’s supporters didn’t appreciate the hot take, and now, Darden is clarifying his statement.
“I expressed how I felt about Tory going to jail, which, you know, I never wanna see a Black man go to jail,” Darden stated. “But he deserves it, and he deserves what he’s getting. So, when I was asked about it, I was like, ‘I hope he doesn’t have to go to jail.”
“But, the truth is, I’m sad. Even as Megan is getting justice, she’s not a winner in this scenario. She was abused. And then, she’s being verbally abused, and then she’s being framed in a bad way. Then, when she goes to put out music, this is gonna continue to come up all the time. That’s sad to me.”
Darden further said Lanez is “an artist we watched grow” to a hitmaker with several No. 1 projects. “His ego gets out of control,” he said. “He starts doing dumb sh*t and his toxic behavior is on display. Next thing we know, here we are in this scenario.”
A man shot a woman. She was not armed. She was getting out of the car.
She says “I was the victim and this was intended to harm me..”
Why are ya’ll acting like we should consider other facts?
He also touched on the jail call Lanez made to Kelsey Harris that seemingly sealed his fate. Darden called the rapper an “idiot” because, on the call, Lanez seemed remorseful. However, in public, Ebro claimed Lanez gaslighted and taunted Megan.
“That makes me sad.”
Check out Ebro Darden’s initial controversial take and his follow-up above.
