Renowned rapper and NBA star Damian Lillard, alias Dame D.O.L.L.A., has pulled back the curtain on his most personal project yet, Don D.O.L.L.A. The 15-track album, set to enthrall fans and critics alike, breaks boundaries and defies expectations. Lillard’s lyrical prowess is laid bare through poignant verses and passionate deliveries, offering an unfiltered look into his world. The album delves deep into themes of fame, family, and life’s pressures, providing a raw and honest perspective.
Don D.O.L.L.A. boasts a stellar lineup with various collaborators, including Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Ty Dolla $ign, and more. Each guest artist adds a unique dimension to the album’s rich tapestry. Expertly produced by talents like Nonstop Da Hitman and Ayo, the album’s sonic landscapes seamlessly complement Dame’s lyrical finesse. Don D.O.L.L.A. promises a captivating and immersive musical journey, inviting listeners to experience Lillard’s artistry in its truest form.
“Creating ‘Don D.O.L.L.A.’ has been a transformative journey for me as I deal with the obstacles in my life,” reflects Dame D.O.L.L.A. “I wanted to make an album that not only showcased my growth as an artist but also conveyed the complexities of my life and responsibilities. This project allowed me to delve into my emotions and share my experiences in a way I’ve never done before. I usually record an album during the NBA offseason in a couple of weeks, but this album took over a year. I sat with this art and made sure I was saying exactly what I wanted to say in the best way I could. I know I became a better artist and storyteller with this album.”
If you plan to see Usher before his residency closes in Las Vegas, you have until December. The R&B legend hit Instagram and revealed the final days of his extended stay at the Park MGM in Las Vegas will begin on Nov. 3 and wrap on Dec. 2.
“By popular demand I’ve just added the Final Shows of My Way The Vegas Residency this November & December at Dolby Live at Park MGM! Tickets on sale Friday, August 25 at 10 AM PT.,” Usher wrote.
Usher has dropped a new single from his highly anticipated ninth album. The song “Boyfriend” is accompanied by a captivating video featuring Emmy Award-winning entertainer Keke Palmer. This release follows Usher’s recent hit “Good Good,” featuring 21 Savage and Summer Walker, which rocketed to the top of Billboard’s R&B Digital Song Sales Chart upon debut.
The music video for “Boyfriend” made its stunning debut on the iconic Paramount Times Square Billboards, with support from MTV Live, MTVU, MTV Biggest Pop, BET Soul, and BET Jams, ensuring a grand reception among fans.
Presented through mega, the music collective founded by Usher and L.A. Reid in collaboration with gamma, a visionary multimedia platform led by CEO Larry Jackson and President Ike Youssef, “Boyfriend” marks a promising new direction for Usher. The mega-gamma partnership is set to distribute exclusively and market Usher’s music, promising an exciting musical journey for fans worldwide.
Usher has dropped a new single from his highly anticipated ninth album. The song “Boyfriend” is accompanied by a captivating video featuring Emmy Award-winning entertainer Keke Palmer. This release follows Usher’s recent hit “Good Good,” featuring 21 Savage and Summer Walker, which rocketed to the top of Billboard’s R&B Digital Song Sales Chart upon debut.
The music video for “Boyfriend” made its stunning debut on the iconic Paramount Times Square Billboards, with support from MTV Live, MTVU, MTV Biggest Pop, BET Soul, and BET Jams, ensuring a grand reception among fans.
Presented through mega, the music collective founded by Usher and L.A. Reid in collaboration with gamma, a visionary multimedia platform led by CEO Larry Jackson and President Ike Youssef, “Boyfriend” marks a promising new direction for Usher. The mega-gamma partnership is set to distribute exclusively and market Usher’s music, promising an exciting musical journey for fans worldwide.
Doja Cat delighted her fans by releasing her new single and music video, “Paint The Town Red,” under Kemosabe Records / RCA Records. The visually stunning music video, directed by Nina McNeely in collaboration with Doja Cat, was shot in vibrant Los Angeles, CA. The video revolves around three captivating paintings designed by Doja Cat, with each scene beautifully reimagining the artwork.
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Last month, Doja Cat showcased her artistic talents as she painted the single’s artwork during an interactive Instagram Live session, engaging with her fans while giving them a sneak peek of the upcoming song.
“Paint The Town Red” marks Doja Cat’s first official single since announcing her highly anticipated North American headline tour, The Scarlet Tour, set to kick off this fall. The tour promises to be exciting, with special guests Ice Spice and Doechii joining her on stage.
Earlier, Doja Cat treated her audience to the scorching track and video “Attention,” which received widespread critical acclaim. She also graced the cover of V Magazine, further cementing her status as a global music sensation. With “Paint The Town Red,” Doja Cat continues to captivate her fans and solidify her place as a multifaceted artist and visionary in the music industry.
The highly anticipated posthumous album LONG LIVE COOLIO continues to honor the legendary rapper as the estate, alongside 1 Pic Entertainment and Strategic Media Entertainment/Intercept Music, releases the album’s second single on major streaming platforms. Titled “A Star Is Born,” the track showcases Coolio’s journey to fame, accompanied by the distinct vocal contributions of Treach from Naughty by Nature, MC Shan, and DJ Wino, who had a long-standing collaboration with Coolio.
To complement the release, a captivating music video for “A Star Is Born” has been unveiled, directed by Ken Francis and Niknotti. The video not only features appearances from Treach, MC Shan, and DJ Wino but also includes behind-the-scenes photos and videos that pay tribute to Coolio’s enduring legacy.
“It takes time for a star to develop and shine,” said DJ Wino. “Coolio was known for his hairstyle and rhymes, Coolio’s star will continue to shine until the end of time.”
Treach added, “Coolio’s music transcends time and space, his unique style and sound has left an indelible mark on hip-hop. He’s a true pioneer and a legend in his own right.”
LONG LIVE COOLIO serves as a testament to the rapper’s influence and impact on the West Coast-inspired sound, ensuring that his music and artistic contributions continue to resonate with fans and new listeners alike.
The Rap Radar podcast is back for season 2 with Interval Presents. Getting the second season underway, the premiere episode brings Tyler, the Creator, in conversation with our favorite hosts, Elliott Wilson and Brian “B.Dot” Miller.
In the season-opening episode, the Call Me If You Get Lost rapper and the Rap Radar legends will discuss Tyler’s Grammy-winning album, social issues, his family and friends, and more. One of the topics covered is rap debates, specifically the top 3 in the game, which Tyler has no interest in.
“Bro, who gives a fuck,” Tyler responded. “You know what bothers me, you have 17-year-olds talking about ‘Ready to Die’ and ‘Enter the Wu Tang’ are in their Top 10 albums ever. I’m like, bro, you just got hair on your dick, stop. It’s performative.”
He added, “I don’t care about people’s objective top nothing. Tell me what is your favorite shit cause you learn so much from people. You get context.”
Examining online, Tyler has seen tier lists online of his own albums, coupling that and best artist debates and Tyler developed a distaste for Rap Twitter.
“Who gives a fuck who the top three is? Jamiroquai is my favorite band and I don’t know nobody who talks about them. But who gives a fuck? I enjoy them in my house and my car.”
You can hear it from Tyler the Creator below. The full episode will be available on Thursday (June 8).
Jack Harlow has already amassed a flourishing career as a rapper. Now he has his sites set on taking over the acting world. With his rendition of White Men Can’t Jump ready to be viewed by fans, Harlow is looking to sink deeper into the acting world.
Speaking during a Q&A session for the film, PEOPLE notes Harlow confirmed his journey into acting is serious.
“Through this film, I was able to gain my confidence as an actor, and to me, this shit is not a side quest,” Harlow said. “This isn’t a side mission that I’m tacking on just to keep the entertainer thing going and make some extra money.”
He added, “I really got the bug and fell in love with this, and I’m developing a deep passion for the craft of this the same way I had in music.”
First released back in 1992, White Men Can’t Jump starred Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson as streetball hustlers, joining forces as a black and white man taking over the basketball courts in hopes of taking home a bag. Written by Ron Shelton, the comedy did outstanding numbers at the box office, standing to this day as one of the top go-to basketball movies within pop culture.
Harlow plays the role of Jeremy, a former star of the game whose injuries stalled his career. His co-star Sinqua Walls plays Kamal, who also had the potential to make it to the big leagues, but his temperament kept him stagnant. Other notable names include Teyana Taylor who plays Sinqua’s wife, Vince Staples, who plays Sinqua’s teammate and friend, and a cameo from Blake Griffin, who also executive produced the film.
At the LA premiere, Lil Nas X briefly walked the red carpet in a Jack Harlow tee-shirt, before running off. This mimics Harlow’s support of Lil Nas X, who previously rocked a shirt with Nas on it for last year’s BET Awards. The support was real, as this served as Jack Harlow’s first big-screen debut as an actor.
Legendary R&B singer Monica does not have time for nonsense while performing. In the middle of her set, she stopped to address the fight in the crowd.
The “Everything To Me” singer is on her R&B experience tour, which had a stop in Washington, D.C. Monica was confused about why the fight was going on because she was singing a love ballad at the time.
“Wait a minute! I’m singing a love song. I ain’t singing ‘Knuck If You Buck’ baby, calm that s*** down. Somebody take her and get a drink on me! Calm down. They f****** you up, baby? Me too, join the club. Take it on out of here.”
– Monica
Security escorted both parties out of the concert, and Monica performed her hit “So Gone” to celebrate them leaving. Video circulated on social media as many people took to the comments to share their opinion.
In the much-talked-about new reality TV show ‘Queens of R&B’ Xscape singer Tamika Scott accuses her sister LaTocha and her husband / manager Rocky Bivens of stealing her royalty checks. The accusation has caused a whirlwind response of people pleading with Latocha to pay her sister what she owes her and fix their relationship.
In a recent interview Tamika reveals exactly how her sister and husband allegedly swindled her out of her money during a time she needed it most. The Xscape member also reveals how she found out.
Tamika says it began after Xscape singer Tiny’s mother, Diane Cottle, found out about a royalty distribution service for recording artists and signed Xscape up to receive checks.
After a particularly large check arrived Tiny’s mom called Tamika to congratulate her, but that was the first time Tamika had heard anything about it.
Tiny’s mother did some digging and found out Tamika’s address at the distribution center had been changed from her address in New York to her mother’s address in Atlanta, where LaTocha and Rocky were staying, and that the checks had been cashed through Rocky’s bank account with Tameka’s signature forged on the back of the checks. Watch the video below.
Rapsody is hip-hop royalty, and now she reveals exactly what fans can expect on her next album.
On Thursday, Feb. 2nd, in the thick of Grammys week in Los Angeles, Roc Nation held an exclusive listening experience for their newest signee, Reuben Vincent, who just released his debut album titled Love is War. And with Rapsody coaching him as his big sis and Young Guru guiding him as a producer, the result speaks for itself: a conceptual project that’s reminiscent of the Golden Era of Hip-Hop.
The evening consisted of an album playback, as all three broke down the meaning and composition behind each record. And while many topics were covered, one definitely stood out amidst the rest: relationships.
In fact, Rapsody actually revealed her next album will see her speaking on her own experiences with love.
While speaking on the track she’s featured on, “February 13th,” she states, “I’m pursuing my dreams: when you really locked in sometimes, you gotta make sacrifices. And one of the sacrifices that I made was relationships. I lived in the studio. I would not go out to no club, I never put myself in a position to really meet people. Then whatever whatever, I found myself in a relationship. I talk about this on my next album, so I’m not gonna go too deep in. [laughs]”
“This was partly my experience, a majority of it, sprinkled with a little bit of experiences of people around me,” she adds. “I always like to make music that people can relate to. My part in this is how are you showing the behind the scenes stuff? Every relationship that I have had, I always stood on: I don’t cheat, and I don’t lie. But this one time, I told this one little lie that changed the whole thing of somebody that I really was deeply in love with. And I had to sit with that.”
Anyone who’s a fan of Rapsody’s knows the cherished relationship she shares with Young Guru and 9th Wonder, all part of the Jamla record label (founded by 9th).
“Me and Guru would talk: you could be with somebody for 10 years, and you make one decision in 30 seconds that changes everything for the rest of your life,” Rapsody says. “And you have to live with that. You could be hopeful, but at the same time, you have to live with those decisions. That’s me taking a step back and looking at: you can say you sorry all you want to. You can blame this and that, but at the end of the day, you made the decision and you have to live with it.”
“That’s what that verse was,” she continues. “Even as a woman being in this business this long, you see it. I remember when I listened to “Zion” and how Lauryn talked about the idea of having a child, having to make that decision over a career and a child. Now we’re in a time, which is beautiful, where women and men are having children. Yeah I could do this and be a mother and be a father, and I’m proud of it. And I’m going to show my child too, right?
That was one thing that I had to deal with, it’s so layered but that’s what it was. As far as me, it’s not about the bars, it’s about connecting with people and telling real stories. I’m not going to tell any more because my next album, I’ll tell more. Guru, I’m sure you have something you want to add.”
Rapsody then passes the microphone to Young Guru, who says “Rap has the ability to write my life.” Throughout their working relationship, it seems Rapsody’s lyrics have always somehow related to Guru’s own life experiences, in a way that allows the two beautiful sync on real, meaningful music with substance. In other words, pure Hip-Hop!
Young Guru also revealed “February 13th” was “one the best beats he’s ever produced.” It was also a therapeutic process to create, as he was also going through his own break-up.
