Hip-Hop History

Kendrick Lamar “Squabble Up” Music Video: 8 Key References You May Have Missed

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Get ready for a no-brainer phrase that’s already been cooked to death: Kendrick Lamar’s new album GNX is a love letter to many things. But above all, it’s an exciting and passionate celebration of Black culture, the West Coast, and hip-hop. So it should come as no surprise that our first visuals from the project, the “squabble up” music video, are filled to the brim with the type of galaxy-brained, deep, sometimes simple, but always compelling references that he’s become so beloved and also infamous for. Drake was joking about quintuple-entendres back during his “Taylor Made Freestyle” diss, and K.Dot himself raps the following on the new LP’s opener, “wacced out murals”: “F**k a double entendre, I want y’all to feel this s**t.“

While most of the easter eggs and callbacks in the “squabble up” music video don’t carry those multiple meanings and subtle shots, they do present a very rich, appreciative, and distinct snapshot of Black and West Coast culture that many fans appreciated. Whether it’s showing a love for classic film and television, iconic albums, cultural legends, or the history of Black political identity and advocacy, Kendrick Lamar came through with some really slick homages… Plus plenty of homework for people out of the loop. We’re sure we missed plenty of significant inclusions such as the Compton Christmas parade and a CUZZOS cameo, so make sure to point out your favorite finds in the comments section down below.

Read More: Kendrick Lamar “GNX” Full Credits: SZA, Mustard, Roddy Ricch & More

The Roots’ “The Next Movement” Music Video

First up is the most obvious and present visual reference throughout Kendrick Lamar’s “squabble up” music video. The shoot’s set itself and the compositional framing parallel that of The Roots’ 1999 music video for “The Next Movement” off of their classic album Things Fall Apart… Save for the velvet curtains, changes in lighting, and topsy-turvy blocking. The color of the walls, the lights on the ceiling, and even the square ridges around the room all evoke Black Thought and company’s original video, while still very much making the new homage its own thing.

However, this is one of the more surprising and unexpected tributes you’ll find in Kendrick Lamar’s “squabble up” music video. That’s because there isn’t really much of a West Coast connection here, but The Roots are undeniably one of the all-time legendary hip-hop groups that always have a lot to say about culture, politics, and history. As such, it’s not a complete shocker, especially when you consider that GNX as an album is filled with these loving celebrations of rap music and its legends. From the Rakim evocations on “tv off,” the very clear Nas interpolation on “man at the garden,” plus some other lyrical nods to folks like Biggie Smalls, the Compton lyricist is proud to represent the art form beyond his regional barriers.

African-American Flag + Black Panther Party

This particular section of “squabble up” has many important nods, plus some still unexplained ones like the two balloons. But let’s get one of them out of the way by reminding ignorant readers that the flags featured in this segment are not a nod to EbonyPrince2k24. That’s the African-American flag designed by artist David Hammons in 1990. It replaces the red, white, and blue of the United States flag with the colors of the Pan-African flag, which represents the African diaspora, pan-Africanism, and Black nationalism. Even though its creator Marcus Garvey and his ideologies have faced a lot of historical reevaluation over the years, the Pan-African flag still stands as a powerful call for African unity across colonized and diaspora populations against a system that would rather quell them. In the context of Black plight in the U.S., the African-American flag reclaims that cultural heritage.

In addition, toward the end of “squabble up,” Kendrick Lamar stands near what looks like a Black Panther Party statue and some artwork of Black Jesus. Furthermore, all these elements combine to speak on themes of Black mobilization, unity, identity, political thought, advocacy, and empowerment. Also, it speaks to the different layers of loyalty and confrontation that Kendrick engages in. This one is more about Black culture versus its exploiters, but there’s also West Coast culture versus its naysayers and Dot himself versus the rap game. Throughout it all, he doesn’t flinch. Still, this is not the writer to speak on this deeply (or any of these references, for that matter), so we encourage you to branch out with your own diligent, self-aware, and respectful research if you aren’t a part of the community.

Read More: Drake Hits UMG & Spotify With Bombshell Allegations Over Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” Streams

Kendrick Lamar’s “Dummies” Book

Not every single reference in the “squabble up” music video is worthy of a full breakdown. Sometimes, it’s just a funny and gassed-up flex. For example, the most confident part of the whole visual is when Kendrick Lamar sits down to read a book titled How To Be More Like Kendrick For Dummies. Of course, when you’re making so many homages in a music video for a song off an album that pulls so much from past and contemporary hip-hop artists both in and outside of the West Coast, this is a pretty ironic statement that shoots itself in the foot a bit. But it works just as well as a boisterous bite from the 37-year-old to everyone under him in the rap game. He probably thinks that all of them want a copy, but if they think those attempts will help them, they’re probably dummies.

Trunk Boiz’s “Scraper Bike” Music Video

The last key reference in this part of Kendrick Lamar’s “squabble up” is the Trunk Boiz’s first hit, “Scraper Bike.” It introduced the hip-hop audience to the scraper bike scene in Oakland back in 2007, and you can see the “ThatGO” bike from its music video appear in this new GNX visual. It’s yet another Bay Area-adjacent nod, and also anchors “squabble up” in a pretty millennial timeframe for its audience. Sure, there are a lot of references across a couple of decades, but this is a deep cut from the 2000s that folks probably needed to particularly tap in for. Some folks say that the Trunk Boiz themselves are the ones in the video, but we can’t confirm that just yet. Check in down there in the comments if you’ve got the scoop.

Read More: Kendrick Lamar Rolls Out Physical Copy Pre-Orders For “GNX”

Ice-T’s Power Album & Taz Arnold

Ice-T is one of gangster rap’s most pivotal pioneers on the West Coast, so a shoutout to his craft and contributions was a perfect addition. “squabble up” features a woman with a shotgun in the back of the room, calling back to Ice’s 1988 album Power. Also, style icon and Sa-Ra group member Taz Arnold appears at around the same time, holding up “Hood Love” four-finger rings (which possibly alludes to Spike Lee’s classic 1989 film Do The Right Thing, too).

In addition, Kendrick Lamar wears all-blue in this music video, just like Ice-T on the Power cover. It’s an interesting decision given his all-red attire at “The Pop Out” on Juneteenth. More importantly, it might represent the gang unity that Kendrick’s been so adamant about this year, to which there are some other allusions in “squabble up.”

Soul Train Scramble Board

Another obvious but beloved inclusion in Kendrick Lamar’s “squabble up” music video is the Scramble Board from the legendary TV show Soul Train. That was one of the mainstays of the program, in which dancers had to unscramble the board and piece together the letters to form the name of that show’s performer or a renowned individual in Black culture. As you can probably guess, folks immediately put their tinfoil hats on and attempted to decipher this Scramble Board for themselves. The biggest clue spreading around the Internet right now is that “omnia est aliquid” – which is what’s spelled out in the visuals – roughly translates to “Everything is something” in Latin. What does that mean? No idea. But if everything is something, maybe we just need a couple more days to figure it out…

Read More: Kendrick Lamar & Drake Will Go Head To Head At The Billboard Music Awards

Menace II Society

Spoiler warning if you’re reading this from under a rock… Although the embeds probably ruined it anyway. Menace II Society is the Hughes brothers’ 1993 directorial debut, and it’s an essential piece of not just Los Angeles media, but Black cinema during the ’90s and beyond. It narrates the story of Caine Lawson and his friends in the Watts and Crenshaw communities, and the crime drama ends tragically as a child on a toy tricycle witnesses horrific murder. “squabble up” features an actor portraying that same orange-jacketed boy on a tricycle, and the camera focuses on him when Kendrick Lamar raps the following line: “Don’t hit him, he got kids with him, my apologies.” It’s an ominous sign and a pretty dark one, too, but the lyrics and visuals also point to an alternate ending for the original movie in which that kid didn’t see what he saw.

Nate Dogg & Isaac Hayes Albums

Finally, Kendrick Lamar’s “squabble up” music video references to two beloved records with key differences and similarities. The late great Nate Dogg’s G-Funk Classics, Vol. 1 & 2 CD hangs from the chandelier in one shot, paying homage to the Long Beach legend’s debut studio album. The second LP is one of Isaac Hayes’ best albums, 1971’s Black Moses, as a man stands in the room wearing the same clothing depicted on the cover art. In particular, this era of the Memphis soul legend preceded and led up to his performance at the Wattstax benefit concert in Los Angeles in 1972, commemorating the seventh anniversary of the Watts riots in 1965. This Hayes-honoring man appears right when other portraits of Black Jesus are on screen, calling back to themes of nationalism, identity, and community.

Even though Isaac Hayes is not from Los Angeles, both albums here have significant connections to the West Coast… and perhaps to Kendrick Lamar himself. Both Hayes and Nate Dogg’s LPs are double albums, and you’ve probably already heard the theory that we’ll get a more grand, thematic, and formal K.Dot album very soon in the wake of GNX. Will that manifest? We can’t wait to find out. Either way, as the visuals for “squabble up” prove, Kendrick gave us so much food for thought with this album and its rollout (or lack thereof) that a long or short wait can’t dampen our excitement for what’s next or our excited appreciation of what’s here.

Read More: Kendrick Lamar’s “GNX” Gets Hit With Premature First Week Sales Projections

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RIP Quincy Jones: Celebrating His Hip-Hop Bond Through Iconic Samples

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“I fell in love with hip-hop in the late 1970s because it reminded me so much of bebop,” the late great Quincy Jones said of the art form and culture we know and love during a 2021 REVOLT interview. “Young people are seekers, man! They always have been. When we’re young, we all want to break the mold and find our truth, and that is a central tenet of both jazz and classical music! Besides, it all comes from the same stuff.” The music legend sadly passed away at 91 on Sunday night (November 3) surrounded by his family in his Bel Air home. He loved hip-hop, and hip-hop returned that passion. The Chicago native enlisted rappers Ice-T and Big Daddy Kane on 1989’s Back On The Block album, plus many MCs like Talib Kweli, T.I., Q-Tip, Three 6 Mafia, and more on his final album, Q: Soul Bossa Nostra.

With this and his indelible legacy and impact in mind, we decided to list six amazing hip-hop tracks that sample Quincy Jones’ work. We obviously couldn’t fit all of them on here, and there’s so much more to discover regarding these connections. LL COOL J’s “Hey Lover,” Ludacris’ “Number One Spot,” and De La Soul’s “Breakadawn,” along with many others, are too iconic to escape mention. But the musicality and creativity behind each of the following cuts leave no room for hyperbole: Quincy was, and forever will be, one of modern music’s indisputable legends for his craft, contributions, career achievements, and celebrations of the sonic language. Here’s how hip-hop chose to reimagine and pay tribute to his greatness.

Read More: Quincy Jones: A Musical Legend & Cultural Icon

Mobb Deep – “Shook Ones, Pt. II”

How could we not kick things off with arguably the best hip-hop beat of all time? Produced by Havoc, Mobb Deep’s “Shook Ones Pt. II” features a wailing siren from Quincy Jones’ “Kitty With The Bent Frame.” It’s off the score from the 1971 film Dollars, which Quincy produced in full. What’s more, this isn’t even the start of his iconic movie collaborators, such as with Roots, The Wiz, The Color Purple, In Cold Blood, The Italian Job, and many more. Back to “Kitty With The Bent Frame,” though, this is an often haunting ambient cut whose urgent atmosphere, jazzy bass licks, and ominous keys provide the perfect backdrop for Prodigy’s legendarily gritty narratives. Ain’t no such thing as halfway efforts in much of Jones’ catalog.

2Pac – “How Do U Want It”

Another iconic hip-hop cut, producer Johnny J used Quincy Jones and Leon Ware’s titular track from the former’s 1974 album Body Heat for 2Pac’s easy-riding All Eyez On Me cut from 1996, “How Do U Want It” featuring K-Ci & JoJo. ‘Pac adds his own sense of swagger to the original’s already funky and soulful melodies and instrumentation. Quincy’s track starts off soft, though, and eventually builds from muted guitars and sobbing synths into a brighter and more energetic jam with some gorgeous vocal melodies and grand drums. The notion that the West Coast legend was able to transform its tenderness into bravado is even more impressive, but that’s how resonant and universal the decades-long producer’s sensibilities are.

Read More: Quincy Jones Net Worth 2024: Updated Wealth Of The Legend

The Pharcyde – “Passin’ Me By”

Now with a more straightforward example, we have The Pharcyde’s “Passin’ Me By” off their 1992 classic, Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde. The opening keys on that track are some of the most recognizable in hip-hop history, and they come from Quincy Jones’ 1973 album You’ve Got It Bad Girl. Together, with producer Ray Brown, he uses those opening moments on the track “Summer In The City” with Valerie Simpson to evoke that exact same vibe. There are some killer solos on here propelled by steady drums and heavenly string additions plus vocal soars further on. As for the South Central L.A. group, producer J-Swift adds more lively drums, scratches, and a seemingly altered bassline to keep that same soul alive under a different context. It still sounds like summer in the city, even 20 years removed from its original and over 30 years since they released it.

MC Lyte – “Keep On, Keepin’ On”

There are so many iconic Michael Jackson records that Quincy Jones produced that created monumental hip-hop tracks. “P.Y.T.” became Kanye West and T-Pain’s “Good Life,” and “It Ain’t Hard To Tell” by Nas flipped “Human Nature” perfectly. But we want to highlight MC Lyte’s smooth Xscape collab “Keep On, Keepin’ On” off her 1996 LP, Bad As I Wanna B. A lingering and ethereal synth hangs in the background, and some tuneful steel drums and trills add a lot of flavor and woozy moodiness to the song. Those sounds are from the Quincy and MJ-produced “Liberian Girl” off the blockbuster 1987 album Bad. It’s one of the most unique sonic pallets of that classic, and it resulted in one of the New York femcee’s most idiosyncratic cuts, as well.

Read More: Quincy Jones’ Family Releases Emotional Statement After His Passing

Big Sean & Metro Boomin – “No Hearts, No Love”

Onto one of the most recent Quincy-sampling cuts, which comes from Big Sean and Metro Boomin’s 2017 collab project Double Or Nothing. Their track “No Hearts, No Love” opens with some playful keys and guitar licks, with the keys eventually down-tuned just a bit by producer Metro with some additional dark chords. Despite the solid trap beat, those glistening notes don’t lose their luster and, frankly, they make the track what it is thanks to its support of the Sean Don’s confident bars. Their origin stems from The Brothers Johnson’s 1977 album Right On Time produced by Quincy Jones, specifically the pop and funk-fusing “Strawberry Letter 23.” The original is a much more fun and happy cut overall, but again, those melodies are hard to deny in any context.

MF DOOM – “Rhymes Like Dimes”

Finally, we want to celebrate two late legends with this pick. Out of the wealth of iconic sample flips in MF DOOM’s catalog, the self-produced “Rhymes Like Dimes” off 1999’s Operation: Doomsday is among the most memorable and colorful. Those wondrous keys silky synth leads, and light drums are so joyful and warm that not even DOOM’s husk can take away from their sheen. In fact, it complements it perfectly. Quincy Jones brought this gem of a loop into the world on the 1981 album The Dude on the song “One Hundred Ways” featuring James Ingram. It’s actually the solo that appears after a healing and dream-like vocal performance and is one of many instances where Quincy created larger-than-life moments out of just a few elements and songwriting decisions. To put it bluntly, it’s a magical example of a timeless musical mind and hand.

Rest In Peace Quincy Jones.

Read More: Quincy Jones Surprised Big Boi With A Letter After Outkast’s Album Of The Year Win

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DJ Clark Kent Recalls Introducing Jay-Z To Biggie In Resurfaced Clip As Fans Mourn The Producer

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DJ Clark Kent tragically passed away earlier this week following a private three-year battle with colon cancer, and the hip-hop world is paying tribute to his indelible legacy. Fans and rap peers everywhere took to social media and beyond to share their heartfelt sympathies, memories, and thoughts on the legendary producer, real name Rodolfo Franklin. In addition, he also introduced Biggie Smalls to Jay-Z, a moment he previously recalled during an appearance on Math Hoffa’s My Expert Opinion podcast. Franklin produced their “Brooklyn’s Finest” collab and also performed the hook on it.

“So, Biggie’s going crazy about this beat and this other beat,” DJ Clark Kent recalled. “I’m like, ‘Yo, come to the studio and wait outside.’ You got to trust me to go to the studio and wait outside when you Biggie and you on fire. I go upstairs, I track the beat, [Jay-Z] goes in, he does a record in, like, 15 minutes. When he comes out the studio… I was like, ‘Yo, you need to put Big on this, man.’ He was like, ‘I don’t know that n***a.’ And [Dame Dash] was like, ‘Nah, f**k that, we ain’t giving Puff no money.’ […] I go down in the elevator, I bring Big back up. We walk in the studio, I’m like, ‘Hi, guys!’ And Big and Jay did not say a word. They just started laughing. […] But the day that they met, they became friends in 1.1 seconds.”

Read More: Pusha T Pays Tribute To Legendary Producer DJ Clark Kent

DJ Clark Kent’s Biggie & Jay-Z Story

In addition, DJ Clark Kent explained how he respected Dame Dash and Jay-Z’s initial aversion, but he trusted that he could create fireworks with this link-up. He pretended to go to the bathroom and brought Big up. Then, Franklin recalled how Biggie and Hov sat down and listened to the track that would eventually become “Brooklyn’s Finest.” Kent recalled how Jay went in the booth and recorded the performance we know today with all-new rhymes compared to the version he already recorded.

Hilariously, DJ Clark Kent shared that Jay-Z asked Biggie Smalls if he was ready to record right after. Big was floored by how quickly Jay put it all together without writing rhymes, and ended up taking the record home with him. Smalls’ verse ended up appearing two months later, the night before they mastered the track. It’s one of many examples of Kent’s intuitive choices that ended up giving hip-hop so much.
Rest In Peace DJ Clark Kent.

Read More: Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic” Isn’t A Classic, According To DJ Clark Kent

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50 Cent Hilariously Recalls His First Time Meeting Eminem

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50 Cent was the most recent guest on Million Dollaz Worth Of Game will Gillie and Wallo, and a great one at that. In their episode, which dropped on Sunday (September 1), they discussed Fif’s career, business moves, and his unbelievable spending on legal fees over the years. However, one of the most colorful and heartening parts of the interview was when 50 recounted the story of the first time he met Eminem. Given their incredibly strong bond as musical collaborators, business partners, and decades-long friends, hearing this backstory from him is a pretty hilarious experience that feels nonetheless wholesome.

“It was wild,” 50 Cent told the media duo around the 51-minute mark of the video below. “It felt like… Remember that show they had? Punk’d on MTV? I thought they had cameras and they was going to come out and say ‘You’ve been punked.’” Also, he revealed that he wore a bulletproof vest when he first met Eminem. This took Em aback when he excitedly hugged him after looking forward to this meeting for a long time. Apparently, this made the G-Unit mogul more doubtful.

Read More: 50 Cent Taunts Dame Dash While Listing His Grievances With The Roc-A-Fella Co-Founder

50 Cent On Million Dollaz Worth Of Game: Watch

“He flew me to L.A., right?” 50 Cent continued. “I came out. I was so bugged out from the experience that I came through the airport with the vest and s**t on. I’m lucky I took the shock plate out the front of the joint. Because when I came through, it didn’t. But the lawyer that I had with me that took me to [Eminem]. I get there he’s like, ‘Yo!’ He felt the vest and s**t and was like…” 50 then imitated the Detroit MC’s reaction.

“‘Yo this is going to be the biggest s**t right?’” 50 Cent recalled Eminem asking. “He was so excited that it made me question whether what was happening was right ’cause I just wasn’t so used to it. It felt so good that it couldn’t be like right. I’m like ‘Yo, nah.’” Well, all’s well that ends well, right? After timeless hits, millions of dollars, and a whole lot of contributions to each others’ legacies, we’re sure that they laugh back at this moment now.

Read More: Eminem’s Daughter Reveals Her Emotional Reaction To His New Musical Tributes

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Travis Scott’s “Days Before Rodeo”: 5 Songs That Laid The Foundation For “Rodeo”

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Newer Travis Scott fans are in for a treat from earlier in his discography this Friday (August 23), but for the rest of us… this isn’t our first rodeo. La Flame will drop his 2014 mixtape Days Before Rodeo on digital streaming platforms for the first time this week, celebrating its tenth anniversary and teasing the inclusion of more tracks from that era’s vault. All this excitement around this re-release led many die-hards to look back at the DBR days quite fondly. The project has some of this catalog’s most beloved tracks to this day, and as its title suggests, it proved crucial to the development and massive success of its successor, the 2015 studio album Rodeo.

As such, we’re taking a look today at just five of Travis Scott’s songs on Days Before Rodeo that paved the way for what he achieved on Rodeo, although you could say that about the whole mixtape. Of course, there’s a very specific and connected lineage to highlight: DBR owes much of its identity to the Houston superstar’s first tape, 2013’s Owl Pharaoh. Thus, Rodeo is an even more extended development of many of those original ideas. But when it comes to rapping performances, production styles, and the psychedelic aesthetics that Travis is so renowned for today, DBR is what really started to nurture these key elements of his discography and artistry. His 2015 album sent these elements into the stratosphere of mainstream hip-hop. But these five tracks, in no particular order, are what made them compelling in the first place.

“The Prayer”

Ever since this intro track kicked off Days Before Rodeo, Travis Scott has had an undeniable penchant for amazing opening cuts. “The Prayer” sets up this precedent instrumentally with cinematic organs, string arrangements, regal keys, sharp percussion, and a disorienting but intoxicating outro. His performance, unencumbered by Owl Pharoah‘s pitched-down vocal doubling, also points to more clear and cold-blooded verses on his 2015 studio album. Perhaps most importantly, this record also parallels many of the thematic and structural opening motifs of Rodeo‘s opener, “Pornography.” “The Prayer” opens with the following line: “Midnight awaking, hyper ventilating / Drunk laps running around the globe, wild goose chasing / After three number one albums, would’ve thought I’d feel amazing.” It previews the hedonistic but ambitious concept behind Rodeo before refining his vivid picture-painting even more on that LP.

Read More: Future & Metro Boomin Bring Out Travis Scott In Brooklyn: Watch

“Mamacita” Ft. Young Thug & Rich Homie Quan

However, one of the best things about Rodeo isn’t just its loosely assembled but nevertheless compelling subject matter. It’s also full of absolute ragers, and before “Antidote” took over the rap world, “Mamacita” proved for the first time how far Travis Scott could go. It’s by no means his first big commercial and cultural “banger,” as the star-studded “Upper Echelon” landed on Owl Pharaoh. But where that 2013 track chose to be bombastic and overblown, this Rich Homie Quan and Young Thug collab meld that moshpit mentality with the darker, woozier, and more nocturnal vibes that Rodeo would fully embody a year later. This is thanks to Metro Boomin’s striking sample flip of an electric guitar line, atmospheric synth pads, and tough-as-nails drums and bass. If that isn’t enough for you, then look at how Cactus Jack continues to electrify crowds with this anthem to this day.

“Sloppy Toppy” Ft. Migos & Peewee Longway

Speaking of collabs, this Days Before Rodeo cut is actually not one of the best on the mixtape, but it’s most certainly one of its most important. For starters, this kickstarts Travis Scott’s crucial collaborative history with Quavo and the Migos. More broadly, it’s a lofty and audacious attempt to meld vintage soul samples, cavernous synth bass, eerie keys, and grand strings together into a cohesive and progressive song that evolves and molds as it goes along. This would prove to be a key songwriting formula for Rodeo tracks like “3500,” “Nightcrawler,” and many more. It’s something that Travis eventually perfected in 2015 and beyond, but better execution down the line doesn’t diminish the weight of “Sloppy Toppy.” Fortunately, he also got much better at picking song titles.

Read More: Quavo And Travis Scott Jokingly Sing National Anthem At Olympics: Watch

“Backyard”

While Rodeo‘s more summery and light moments don’t always see the same retrospective appreciation as its shadowy trap highlights, Travis Scott has always tried to balance out his sonic directions. “Backyard” represents this warmer side on Days Before Rodeo (along with cuts like “Grey”) thanks to a simple but tender sample flip, paired explosively with a crisp snare, live-sounding hi-hats, and a carefree chorus. It would fit well in a playlist with Rodeo‘s “Flying High,” but it’s more directly related to the impressive flow switches, involved verses, and stark drum patterns on a song like “Apple Pie.” That’s another thing: this was one of Travis’ best verses and rapping performances to date back in the day, and Rodeo pushed these lyrical heights even further. Thanks to songs like “Backyard,” people fell in love with him as an MC, not just as an artist.

“Drugs You Should Try It”

Finally, we’d be remiss not to mention Travis Scott’s most iconic song from Days Before Rodeo in many fans’ eyes. When he dropped DBR, this was easily his most personal, intimate, and beautiful song yet, and he’s scarcely replicated its magic since. Rodeo‘s “90210” is the key example of the musical legacy that this classic left behind, as well as that album’s more soft and emotive displays like “Impossible…” Plus electric guitar worship. The simplicity of the instrumental paired with the track’s melodic dominance – and especially its unique vocal delivery – built a new lane for Travis to express himself. In fact, it arguably cemented his auto-crooning style for good, an approach that he’s yet to let go of. While Owl Pharaoh had pretty moments, “Drugs You Should Try It” is the first stroke of genius in Scott’s discography, and it defined his idiosyncrasy and innovation as an artist.

Read More: Travis Scott And Playboi Carti Tease “OOCactus” Concert With New Snippet

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Jay-Z Bar From “Public Service Announcement” Finally Gets An Explanation

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Jay-Z has a lot of history to look back on, whether it’s his still-contentious alleged beefs or the wealth of great bars that he’s given the culture. Still, not every Hov bar is easy to research or break down, and one particular line off of his smash 2003 hit “Public Service Announcement” has always left fans scratching their heads. “My homie Strick told me, ‘Dude, finish your breakfast!’” he raps at one point, and it turns out that no one figured this bar out because it was such a specific anecdote. Moreover, former NBA player Smush Parker recently explained the context behind this line during a conversation with the legendary Rucker Park’s Streetball collective.

Apparently, this Jay-Z line refers to a failed dunk attempt from Parker to Strick during a game at the Rucker, to which Strick told his opponent: “Yo, young fella, you gotta finish your breakfast” with a side-eye. The Brooklyn MC witnessed this moment and chose to christen it on one of his biggest songs, which is quite the flex. Frequent Jay collaborator Just Blaze made this “PSA” beat off of The Black Album, and he previously spoke on how they already finished the project by the time he cooked this song up.

Read More: The History Of Rucker Park & Hip-Hop

Smush Parker Reveals The Story Behind One Of Jay-Z’s “PSA” Bars

“The Black Album was done, it was handed in,” Just Blaze told REVOLT of the Jay-Z collab all the way back in 2013. “My two contributions were ‘December 4th’ and the intro [‘Interlude’], which I was fine with. And we’re at Battery [Studios] mixing something. One of my best friends by the name Big Jack comes in the studio, ‘I got something you gotta hear.’ I put the headphones on and he puts this record on and all you heard was ‘doom-doom-doom-doom-doom’ and I’m just sitting there like ‘What is about to happen?’

“So, I made the ‘PSA’ beat in the headphones while the engineer was mixing one of the records we was working on,” Just Blaze continued concerning Jay-Z. “I made the beat in like 10 minutes and I ran over to the studio… So, the next day Jay’s doing listening sessions for the press for The Black Album… I’m like ‘Nah, you gotta come in here.’ And I play it and at first his reaction was just like… and I’m like ‘Do you not hear what we’re all hearing?’ As he’s doing the press, he’s thinking about this beat in the back of his mind. Coming up with the song… So, he comes in the next day. Spits the whole thing over in one take…Two or three weeks later we’re at the Garden and the entire arena knows the words.”

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Lil Wayne Celebrates The 20th Anniversary Of “Tha Carter” By Putting New Fans On

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One of Lil Wayne’s most legendary projects, and arguably the one that shot him up into the stratosphere of hip-hop, celebrated its 20th anniversary on Saturday (June 29). Moreover, Tha Carter has spent two full decades captivating fans and providing a crucial blueprint for modern rap, and it’s been a wonderful journey to witness. “I’m Weezy F. Baby and this is Tha Carter,” Weezy tweeted on Saturday, quote-tweeting a post about the album’s anniversary to invite newer and casual fans to do their homework. With a reunion with Birdman going down recently as well, it’s a great time for him to reflect on his amazing career and strive to live up to this potential in the future.

Furthermore, Lil Wayne is also making sure that he forms a strong relationship with the new generation, such as basketball star and rapper Flau’jae Johnson. She recently spoke on their collaboration “Came Out A Beast” off her new album Best Of Both Worlds and how it lit a spark under her creative flames. “Working with Lil Wayne on ‘Came Out a Beast’ was a surreal experience,” Johnson stated to Complex. “His energy and talent pushed me to new heights.”

Read More: Lil Wayne Will Hit Las Vegas For “Shared” Residency Shows, The First Of Their Kind

Lil Wayne Celebrates Tha Carter‘s 20th Anniversary

But don’t think that Lil Wayne isn’t reflecting on the game as a whole as opposed to his sole contributions, because he’s often got two cents to share on the game. For example, he recently updated his top five MCs of all time list in an interview, and it carried a different context compared to his previous rankings. Jay-Z, Missy Elliott, Eminem, and Biggie Smalls made the list, and so did Young Money partner Drake. This caught many fans’ eyes and ears due to Drizzy’s current beef with Kendrick Lamar, and the fact that K.Dot didn’t make the list.

Of course, it’s not like the Compton lyricist had to make the list, or that Lil Wayne had previously included him, but it’s a curious choice nonetheless for fans. After all, why wouldn’t the New Orleans legend pick one of his proteges? We’re sure that Nicki Minaj is number six. Between a LeBron James-assisted Beats commercial, more new music on the way, and celebrations of his iconic past work, it’s a great time to be Tunechi right now.

Read More: Lil Wayne Reveals The Real Reason He Doesn’t Perform “Mona Lisa” Featuring Kendrick Lamar

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Wu-Tang Clan “Once Upon A Time In Shaolin” Timeline: What Happened & What’s Next?

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On a trip to Egypt in 2004, the RZA first ideated a new Wu-Tang Clan album that would deservedly treat music as high art, not as a commodity to create and distribute quickly and on a dime. By the time the LP Once Upon A Time In Shaolin “came out” in 2015, following almost a decade of studio sessions with the whole Wu, the project became a more pertinent experiment and statement amid streaming’s rising devaluation of music. He and producer Cilvaringz worked heavily on recreating that gritty sound from the 36 Chambers days, compiling verses from every surviving member of the rap group plus some extra names like Redman and Cher.

So when 2015 rolled around, and the album released as a unique physical copy with no digital equivalent, the idea was to tour it around museums, listening events, and the like before landing on a single buyer. Wu-Tang Clan members like Ghostface Killah, Method Man, and Raekwon all voiced their grievances over remaining in the dark on this release strategy. Despite the internal conflicts of the group, Once Upon A Time In Shaolin stuck to this approach, and its legacy continues to champion this idea, albeit in an altered manner, to this day. But it definitely went through many obstacles to find itself in 2024, and will likely face more. But where did this all start?

Once Upon A Time In Shaolin‘s Original Sale Plan

Once Upon A Time In Shaolin entered the steep marketplace with some legal stipulations: its eventual owner would not be able to release or profit off of the album until 2103, 88 years after its release. About 150 art aficionados, critics, and art dealers heard the album at a MoMA listening session in 2015, and auction house Paddle8 searched for a buyer. This was more of a compromise when compared to the original vision for this Wu-Tang Clan album to tour the world in a briefcase. Alas, they eventually found the project’s buyer, which opened up a notorious can of worms.

Read More: RZA Says Nobody Else In Wu-Tang Clan Has Heard “Once Upon A Time In Shaolin”

Martin Shkreli Buys The Wu-Tang Clan’s Album In 2015

In 2015, hedge fund head and infamous “pharma bro” Martin Shkreli bought the album at an auction for $2 million. This wasn’t just controversial based on the presumptuous image that he represented as Once Upon A Time In Shaolin‘s owner, but also because of his actions elsewhere. A big narrative around this sale was that Shkreli had raised the price of the anti-parasitic drug Daraprim, for AIDS treatment among other uses, by 5,000%. He promised to leak the album if Donald Trump became U.S. President in 2016, yet upon his election, he only played some snippets here and there and shared them online across various platforms. Shkreli also boasted about playing the album for partners and colleagues, and this obviously caused a stir in the Wu-Tang Clan camp.

How Did The Wu Respond To Shkreli?

The RZA claimed ignorance of Martin Shkreli’s moves to raise Daraprim’s price before they finalized the purchase. In fact, the group apparently donated much of the proceeds behind the sale to charities supporting cancer treatment and other medical efforts to circumvent high pharmaceutical costs. While he defended Shkreli’s right to purchase the album as a hip-hop fan and appreciator of art, others weren’t so keen. Ghostface Killah got into it with the “pharma bro,” resulting in some back-and-forth diss videos in which Shkreli played more of the album. Method Man also spoke on feeling blindsided and at odds with Once Upon A Time In Shaolin in 2017, and others like Raekwon spoke of their differences in the years since.

Read More: RZA Has Tried To Buy Back Martin Shkreli’s Wu-Tang Album

Martin Shkreli Goes Down

In 2017, a court convicted Martin Shkreli on federal charges involving security fraud, and while he tried to sell the album on eBay before his imprisonment and 2018 sentencing to seven years, Once Upon A Time In Shaolin became one of the assets that the court seized as part of a $7.3 million forfeit. The Wu-Tang Clan’s album fell into the hands of the U.S. government, and Ghostface Killah and Raekwon were among those who blasted Shkreli after this arrest. But the question of what would happen to the album remained a mystery… until 2021.

Pleasr Takes Over

In July 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the sale of Once Upon A Time In Shaolin in its continued asset seizure of Shkreli. The buyer was later revealed as NFT company PleasrDAO, who bought the Wu-Tang Clan project for $4 million. This doubled its value but still left its future as an uncertain sea of speculation.

Read More: RZA To Jeff Sessions Over “OUATIS”: “Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nothing To F**k With”

Pleasr’s Lawsuit Against Martin Shkreli

On June 10, 2024, PleasrDAO filed a lawsuit in Brooklyn federal court against Martin Shkreli for allegedly playing unauthorized copies of Once Upon A Time In Shaolin since 2021 that breached the terms of his forfeiture order. Not only that, but the company claimed that he boasted about this practice on social media. Shkreli blasted this lawsuit attempt online, calling PleasrDAO “super nerds” that displayed a “lack of diligence” in their arguments.

Once Upon A Time In Shaolin Is Slowly Becoming A Reality… Right?

Apparently, this did not halt Pleasr’s efforts to get the album out to the public little by little… and on their terms. Earlier this June, New York City’s oldest synagogue held a listening event for bits of the album (not in its entirety), and the company announced that the Museum of Old and New Art in Tasmania would host 30-minute listening events playing select Once Upon A Time In Shaolin cuts twice daily as part of its “Namedropping” exhibition, running from June 15 to June 24. Not only that, but they also reportedly launched five-minute snippets from the Wu-Tang Clan album as NFTs, as part of a reported agreement to “unlock” the album by speeding up the timeline until October 8, 2103 by 88 seconds with each purchase. Will it generate the $28 million necessary to put all the pieces together? Time will tell…

Read More: Wu-Tang Clan Earns Extra Back-To-Back Las Vegas Residency Performances Following Celebrated Run

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Travis Scott’s College Essay About G.O.O.D. Music Dug Up By Fan, Internet Rips It Apart

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Travis Scott has always been a student of hip-hop ever since he became a Kanye West protege back in the early 2010s. Over the years, we have seen him take the respective sounds of artists like Ye, Kid Cudi, Future, and more and create a one-of-a-kind psychedelic sound. But even before he began his rap journey, he was looking to get ahead even when he was an actual student. According to XXL, one of many Travis Scott fan accounts recently uncovered a college essay from his short stint at university. This four-page paper from December 5, 2009, seems to have been for an English professor of some sort.

If you did not know, Trav attended The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). He would drop out during his sophomore year, before ultimately becoming the controversial superstar we know him to be. In the essay, Scott flexes his rap knowledge by summarizing the careers of Kid Cudi and Big Sean. He refers to them as “well-known rappers that had similar lifestyles but different messages.” Subsequently, these parallels “carried them an opportunity to get sign to a multi-million-dollar company called G.O.O.D. MUSIC.”

Read More: Jaylen Brown Calls Out Stephen A. Smith For Reported Criticism, Gets Support From Isiah Thomas

Fans Joke Travis Used Wikipedia For This College Essay

Near the end of the paper, Scott wanted to this story to convey that, “Success is not something that is giving out. You must go out and take what you want.” Even though the multi-hyphenate must have felt good about his efforts here, fans have been quick to tear it up. “Dude wrote the intro, then just copy paste Wikipedia!☠” one user writes. “Goddamn my brain is hurting reading this s***” another adds. While some of the grammar is not totally refined, it seems that he knew this information on the back of his hand.

What are your thoughts on this college essay about G.O.O.D. Music by Travis Scott? Do you think this is a poorly written, or well written paper? Could you see Travis knowing all of this, or do you think he did some light research? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Travis Scott. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.

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6 Times Rappers Lied In Diss Songs

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Gayle King interviewed Fat Joe last year, where he opened up about how a rapper’s lyrics lie. His statement came after King asked Fat Joe what he thought about Young Thung’s lyrics being used against him in court. His response caught King off-guard: “I’ve been rapping for 30 years – I’ve lied in almost 95 percent of my songs.” No one was expecting to hear this, but it begs the question: how many rappers have been lying on record? How many have lied in a diss song? Quite a few, it turns out.

In the ongoing Drake-Kendrick Lamar beef, the media and fans have been skeptical about Lamar’s claims on “Meet the Grahams.” The track dropped on May 3, raising eyebrows when Lamar rapped, “Dear baby girl, I’m sorry that your father not active inside your world.” Lamar is obviously taking his cue from Pusha T, who exposed Drake’s son Adonis back in 2018 with “The Story of Adidon.”

The difference is that when Pusha’s track dropped, Drake owned the truth and started showing his son publicly. In the case of Lamar’s track, however, Drake immediately responded on Instagram, writing, “Nahhhh hold on can somebody find my hidden daughter pls and send her to me…these guys are in shambles.” The difference in response–plus Fat Joe’s reveal with Gayle King–makes you wonder if Lamar is just making stuff up. Are the rapper’s lyrics lies? It certainly wouldn’t be the first time a rapper has bent the truth in a diss song.

1. Jay-Z Vs. Nas: Baby Seat Claims On “Super Ugly” 

Everyone knows Nas burned a hole through Jay-Z on his record “Ether.” It was so powerful that the song title became a verb used in lingo: “You ethered him.” When Hov dropped The Blueprint in 2001, he included a couple of comebacks, notably “Super Ugly.” Jay-Z fired shots at Nas by trying to trash talk his now-ex Carmen Bryan, with whom Nas has a daughter. He raps, “I came in your Bentley backseat (Damn) / Skeeted in your Jeep (Woo) / Left condoms on your baby seat (Woo).” Were this rapper’s lyrics lies, too?

Speaking with VladTV in 2017, Carmen Bryan addressed the diss song and its dishonesty. She pointed out the fact that her daughter was nine or 10 years old when “Super Ugly” dropped, so she’d outgrown baby seats by that point in time. Bryan believes the track was an impulsive, emotional reaction on Hov’s part. The rapper was trying to bounce back quickly and was simply grasping for whatever he could. Bryan also claims that a mutual friend later told her that Jay-Z ultimately regretted dropping the track.

2. Ma$e Vs. Cam’ron: Family Intimacy Claims On “The Oracle”

Back in 2017, Jacksonville-born Bad Boy Records rapper Ma$e dropped “The Oracle.” The track was a scathing diss aimed directly at Cam’ron’s neck. The two had run together in the ’90s in Children of the Corn, a group they formed with Big L and Herb McGruff. But on Hot97 in 2004, Ma$e and Cam’ron had a heated argument after which Cam’ron swore he’d never speak to his old friend again. After that, Cam’ron dropped diss song after diss song against Ma$e.

When “The Oracle” came out in 2017, it was a full-on assault. Ma$e commented on Cam’ron’s ulcers, lambasted him for selling Sizzurp liquor, and then went for the throat. He claimed Cam’ron was intimate with his own sister. Ma$e raps, “Every since 10 you was a thirsty n**** / I ain’t gone talk about the time you f***** your sister.” In a later interview on The Breakfast Club, however, Cam’ron stated that he doesn’t even have a sister. The interviewers prodded for possibilities, but Cam’ron was steadfast.

3. Gucci Mane Vs. Young Jeezy: Rapper’s Lyrics Lie About Keyshia Cole

Gucci Mane and Young Jeezy started beefing way back in 2005 when the two collaborated on the track “Icy.” Young Jeezy had been under the false impression that the track was meant for his debut record. What actually happened was that it ended up on Gucci Mane’s first independent album, Trap House. To add fuel to the fire, Gucci Mane never even paid Jeezy for his appearance on the record (or so Jeezy claims).

Over the 2000s and 2010s, the two would continue to beef. In 2012, Gucci Mane dropped the critically acclaimed album Trap God. A fiery sling at Jeezy, “Truth,” was on the record. This time Mane brought Keyshia Cole into the mix, whom Jeezy had been in a relationship with from 2005 to 2007. On “Truth” Mane raps, “I did a song with Keyshia Cole, and I know you still miss her (Yeah) / But Puff was f****** her while you was falling in love with her (Wow).” Keyshia Cole would make a stand against the record, tweeting, “That ain’t my business!! he’s lying! its all G tho.” Mane would respond with an apology and tell Cole that it was simply meant to add fuel to the fire between him and Jeezy.

4. Nas vs. Jay-Z: The Foxy Brown Claims

Earlier in the article we covered Nas’s beef with Jay-Z. It was on the track “Ether” that Nas systematically dismantled Hov. One of the enduring digs Nas made was regarding Foxy Brown. On “Ether,” Nas raps, “Foxy got you hot ’cause you kept your face in her p*** / What you think, you getting girls now ’cause of your looks?”

It’s true that some believe Jay-Z was involved with Foxy Brown when she was underage. Jay-Z mentored Brown after she signed with Def Jam in 1996 and helped her create the platinum Ill Nana album. But these rumors have never been confirmed, and Brown herself has recently denied them once again. On Instagram in 2023, she made a post calling the allegations “Fake fairytale news.” She went on to say, “The Fox and Hov flies are pathetic at this point.” It’s hard to say whether the Illmatic rapper’s lyrics are lies, but Brown has a point. It’s been almost 30 years, and no one has provided sufficient evidence.

5. Ja Rule Vs. 50 Cent: “Life’s On The Line”

50 Cent released “Life’s on the Line” in 1999 as an attack against Ja Rule and Murder Inc. The motivation came from Ja claiming that one of 50’s associates robbed him of his chain while shooting a music video. The beef simmered between the two, and when Ja dropped “Murda 4 Life,” 50 felt he was snubbed during the shoot for the video. “Life’s on the Line” was a straightforward attack, but Ja has continuously claimed that the entire beef between him and 50 was a gimmick. In a 2023 interview with Math Hoffa, Ja claimed that creating a beef was 50’s plan from the beginning. Apparently, 50 fabricated the beef to garner attention and explode upward in the industry. So, it seems the rapper’s lyrics on “Life’s on the Line” were a rapper’s lies.

6. Tupac vs. Biggie: “Hit ‘Em Up” & Faith Evans

Tupac’s “Hit ‘Em Up” might be the most famous diss song of all time. The song is a direct attack on The Notorious B.I.G. and Bad Boy Records. It also famously spawned The Outlawz, who provided backup on the track. Tupac’s track was a scathing attack crafted after Tupac interpreted Biggie’s “Who Shot Ya” as a shot at him. It all started in the lobby of Bigge’s Manhattan Quad Studios. Tupac was coming to do a verse after receiving an invite. Unknown assailants jumped, robbed, and shot him in the studio’s lobby. When “Who Shot Ya” dropped, Tupac believed it to be about him. This series of events would ignite the entire East Coast-West Coast rivalry of the ’90s hip-hop scene.

Early on in “Hit ‘Em Up,” Tupac shouts at Biggie, “You claim to be a player but I f***** your wife,” a direct hit on Biggie’s wife Faith Evans. Biggie’s widow has repeatedly denied the claims for decades, most notably in her 2009 memoir Keep the Faith. In an interview with VladTV in 2014, Faith spoke candidly about what really went down. Apparently, when she joined Tupac in the studio to record on his track “Wonda Why They Call U B****” she was unaware of the brewing beef between Tupac’s label and her husband’s.

Evans said the situation was strange in the studio, and the tension was palpable. After finishing the session, she went to collect her payment from Tupac at his hotel, where he allegedly asked her for oral sex. Tupac offended her, and she declined. Once she was there, she says, she realized it might’ve been part of Pac’s plan from the get-go. Though fans still speculate, this is one of the most famous instances where a rapper’s lyrics lie.

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