Genius

Issa Rae Is Doechii’s Therapist In A Live Performance Of ‘Denial Is A River’ That Fans Can’t Get Enough Of

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As improbable as it may seem with just two weeks left until 2025, Doechii’s breakout year just keeps getting better. After capturing fans’ hearts with her live performances for Colbert, NPR, and the residents of Nickerson Gardens in Watts, California, Doechii’s got another live performance going crazy viral on social media — this time, largely as a result of who joins her in the studio.

Performing “Denial Is A River” for Genius’ Open Mic series, Doechii teams up with the original Awkward Black Girl herself, Issa Rae, who takes on the role of Doechii’s therapist from the song. This turns out to be a very good casting for Issa, who displays captivating chemistry with the Florida-born rapper as they go back and forth over the song’s conversational breakdown. Fans on social media are going gaga over the performance, noting that Doechii would have fit right in on Insecure — and expressing hopes for a return of Issa Rae’s rap alter ego from that show on a potential remix.

Genius producer Andrés Tardio explained the vision behind the performance on his socials, writing, “I had this crazy idea while listening to Doechii’s “Denial is a River” one day. What if Issa Rae played the role of Doechii’s therapist in a special live rendition of the song? That idea is now real! Doechii and Issa showed up and made magic with their incredible talent and star power. Just undeniable greatness. So many great minds came together to bring this to life in such a dope way. Watch the credits for some of those names but also for a special bonus moment too!”

You can watch the performance above.

The Alchemist Lists Hit Top 5 Producers Of All Time

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The history of rap music can’t be told without the producers. One of those who is among the most influential to that story is legendary beat-maker The Alchemist. The California legend has producer for Mobb Deep, Nas, Lil Wayne, Eminem, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Earl Sweatshirt, Freddie Gibbs, and many many more. Now, he’s looked to fellow producers to give them their credit. In a recent interview with Genuis Alchemist talked about five of his favorite producers of all time.

First on the list is fellow veteran DJ Premier who has also worked with dozens of legendary artists in his decades long career. Next is Dr. Dre, The Chronic and N.W.A legend who made rap history with both his production and his rapping. He then of course shouted out his own personal mentor DJ Muggs who is most notably a member of Cypress Hill. He surprised fans by including Main Source member and frequent Nas collaborator Large Professor as the 4th producer on his list. Then he finished it off with Q-Tip. He claimed that the Tribe Called Quest member doesn’t get nearly the credit he deserves as a producer.

The Alchemist’s Favorite Producer

After Genius posted the video, The Alchemist took to Twitter to mention someone he forgot. “I forgot to say Madlib. My #1 inspiration,” his tweet read. There’s no doubt that many rap fans both old and new would include Alc himself on their top 5 producers list. His discography goes back decades and spans various generations of rap music’s sound and culture. He also continues to drop new music consistently to this day.

Last month, The Alchemist dropped his new EP Flying High. The project sports features from Earl Sweatshirt, Larry June, Boldy James, Mike, billy woods, and more. Earlier this year The Alchemist dropped an entire new collaborative album with Larry June. His classic collaborative album No Idols with Domo Genesis also finally made its way to streaming. What do you think of The Alchemist’s top 5 producers list? Who else do you think should have been included? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: The Alchemist “Flying High” EP Review

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The post The Alchemist Lists Hit Top 5 Producers Of All Time appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Grandmaster Flash Praises Drake As A “Genius”

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Grandmaster Flash represented hip-hop to the fullest on Sunday night at the Grammys. Questlove’s Hip Hop 50 segment paid tribute to everyone in hip-hop, from pioneers like Grandmaster Flash to newcomers like GloRilla. Ultimately, the outcome was a proper representation of hip-hop culture, which the Grammys have undoubtedly struggled with since 1989. However, it was overall a beautiful moment that acknowledged the contributions of artists, like LL Cool J and Lil Uzi Vert, in transforming the culture over the years.

Drake undoubtedly shaped hip-hop in the past decade, though he’s often faced criticism for being too pop. Still, Grandmaster Flash said it’s part of Drake’s brilliance. During a conversation with Billboard on the Red Carpet of the Grammys, he praised Drake as a “genius” for his versatility.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 30: Drake attends “Til Death Do Us Part” on October 30, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

“He is probably the only rapper, and I want to speak on his talent because he’s a great rapper, but he’s the only one, in my opinion, that’s daring enough to rap on a trap beat, to rap on a disco beat, to rap on ballad beat,” Grandmaster Flash said. “I would call it like a Prince formula. When Prince makes records, it does not sound like his last record. Drake is daring enough to rap on all different types of beats. I think he’s a consummate genius.”

That’s undoubtedly a huge compliment coming from a founding father of hip-hop. Drake has yet to respond but he’s certainly showcased his ability to float on any beat as naturally as the next. Last year, he released his dance album, Honestly, Nevermind. Though it polarized fans, its success speaks directly to Grandmaster Flash’s assessment of Drake.

Last night, Drake took home his first Grammy award in four years, despite not submitting any music for nominations. His contributions to Future’s “WAIT FOR U” alongside Tems helped secure the Grammy for Best Melodic Rap Performance.

Grandmaster Flash clearly embraces the new generation of artists who came after him. Last year, he praised Coi Leray for sampling “The Message” in her viral hit, “Players” “When I got a call saying this girl wanted to resurrect the beat of a song from my past – I wanted to learn more,” he wrote on Instagram last year. “Then when I spoke with & met @coileray, I TOTALLY got it. Go listen to PLAYERS by Coi Leray now.”

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Shaq Applies His Analysis To Rap Lyrics About Him From Cardi B, Drake, Jay-Z, And More

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When it comes to pop culture figures that rappers love to reference in their songs, NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal stands head and shoulders above the rest — literally, in most cases. Not only does he have an extensive hoop, film, and rap career to draw lyrical comparisons to, but there is a wealth of words that rhyme with “Shaq” — not to mention, his many, many nicknames. The Big Diesel, who’s now best-known for his nightly hoops analysis on NBA on TNT, tried his hand at breaking down some of the bars about him from rap titans like Biggie, Cardi B, Drake, and Jay-Z for Genius’s Between The Lines.

Throughout the course of the video, Shaq gives his impression of the many, many rap lines about him. Nas’s “It Ain’t Hard To Tell” was one of the first songs to make reference to O’Neal (more precisely, to the way “Shaquille holds the pill”), blowing the then-NBA sophomore’s mind, while Mannie Fresh’s “Still Fly” line about buying a car from him turns out to be a true story. Shaq also notes he wasn’t bugged by Biggie’s line about losing money on Lakers games from “I Love The Dough” because it too was based on the performance of the Lakers in their first three playoffs appearances with Shaq on the team, plus due to BIG’s contribution to Shaq’s own album — which he naturally gets into as well.

There’s plenty more to talk about; watch the full video up top.

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