Hip Hop News

Drake Texts DJ Akademiks After Dropping AI Diss: “Now I Gotta Eat”

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Drake made Kendrick Lamar’s life difficult on April 19. Firstly, the rapper uploaded his diss record, “Push Ups,” to streaming with artwork clowning Lamar’s height. Secondly, he dropped a second diss at night, “Taylor Made Freestyle,” in which he used AI to have Lamar’s idols, 2Pac and Snoop Dogg, urge him to respond. Lastly, he texted DJ Akademiks, who took time out from his live stream reaction to the second diss to share a message with the world. The message? Drake wants smoke with Lamar, and he wants it now.

DJ Akademiks, who was sampled on “Push Ups,” has often shared Drake’s sentiments with his fans. His adoration of the Toronto superstar can be a little much for causal fans, but he does have a solid history of relaying accurate information about him. Case in point: the text message Akademiks received from Drake right after “Taylor Made Freestyle” dropped. The internet personality read the message aloud for viewers to hear, and it reinforced everything we’ve seen about Drake’s current approach. He didn’t start the feud with Lamar, but he wants to end it.

Read More: Drake Officially Makes “Push Ups” Available To Stream

Drake Vows To Put An End To The “Debate”

“Ak, you know I was trying to come off tour and relax,” the text reportedly read. “N***as done f**ked up my whole feng shui. Now I gotta eat until this debate is done.” Confident words, to say the least, but that should come as no surprise from the rapper who just dropped two disses on Kung Fu Kenny. He claimed Lamar is taking so long to respond because he doesn’t want to get buried by Taylor Swift’s album rollout. “You know she ’bout to milli’ run through ’em, milly rock on your head top,” he raps on the song. “Well she got the whole pgLang on mute like that Beyoncé challenge, y’all boys quiet for the weekend.”

It’s telling that Drake has mocked the likes of Rick Ross and Metro Boomin on Instagram. They got a few lines in “Push Ups,” but Kendrick Lamar is clearly the one he wants to challenge. He dropped two songs bagging on the Compton superstar, and he’s still baiting him to respond. Mal from New Rory And Mal podcast claimed that Lamar is dropping an album (with a Drake diss) in May. It’s going to be a long couple of weeks, however, if Drake continues to go at him.

Read More: DJ Akademiks Thanks Drake For Putting Him On “Push Ups” Following Official Release

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Chris Brown Gets Personal With New Quavo Diss “Weakest Link”

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Chris Brown is done playing around. The R&B singer has spent years throwing subtle shots at Quavo, but the gloves have officially come off. He dropped the song “Weakest Link” on April 19, and it establishes a level of ferocity that the beef previously lacked. Brown not only calls Quavo the worst member of Migos, but he goes after the rapper’s love life. More specifically, he claims to have slept with Quavo’s girlfriend while the couple were still together. Like we said, gloves off.

Brown uploaded “Weakest Link” to YouTube and Instagram. The title refers to the aforementioned criticism the singer made about Quavo’s status within Migos. The verses range in quality, with Brown sometimes dipping into forgettable bars about dropping “facts” and being “dripped in red.” Fortunately, he brings the heat out of the gate. He targets Quavo’s past with violence, specifically the 2021 incident where he fought Saweetie in an elevator. He also talks about running into Quavo at Fashion Week, and resisting the urge to beat the rapper up. “All I kept thinkin’ ’bout was breakin’ yo’ face, but I gave you a pass,” Brown raps. “You lucky I ain’t wanna f**k the money up.”

Read More: Chris Brown Net Worth 2024: Updated Wealth Of The Singer

All these shots are low caliber in comparison to the girlfriend bombshell, however. Brown and Quavo fell out due to the fact that the former dated Brown’s ex, Karrueche Tran. Brown brings it back to this point and then takes it a step further. “You f**ked my ex-ho, that’s cool, I don’t give no f**k, lil n***a,” he raps. “‘Cause I f**ked yo’ ex when you were still with her, b***h, I’m up.” This piece of information, if true, is a signifier that things were much worse between Brown and Quavo than fans realized. It’s unclear whether the woman Brown is referring to is Saweetie.

What are your thoughts on this brand-new diss, “Weakest Link” by Chris Brown? Does Brown cross the line with his claims? Does this give him the leg up in the feud? Will Quavo be able to deliver a worthwhile response? We want 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 on Chris Brown. Finally, stay with us for the most informative song posts throughout the week.

Quotable Lyrics:

Put you to bed
Night, night, that’s Sudafed
Show me that I’m tender, b***h, time to prove what you just said
R.I.P. Takeoff, he the only real one, I got true respect
Crazy how when he died, everybody really wished it was you instead

Read More: Chris Brown Claims He Still Experiences Imposter Syndrome

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Drake Uses AI 2Pac To Diss Kendrick Lamar On “Taylor Made Freestyle”

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Nobody saw this one coming. It was theorized by industry insiders that Drake would drop a second diss on Kendrick Lamar, much like he did with Meek Mill in 2015, but the hip-hop world has never heard a diss quite like “Taylor Made Freestyle.” Drake writes three verses, packed with insults and not-so-subtle jabs, but he only raps one of them in his regular voice. The other two are modified, using AI technology, to sound like Snoop Dogg and the late, great 2Pac! The same 2Pac that has been Lamar’s idol since childhood.

Drake unleashed “Taylor Made Freestyle” via Instagram on April 19. He doesn’t waste anytime using Lamar’s favorite rapper against him, as “2Pac” gets the first verse. The AI generated voice (with bars from Drake) sees “2Pac” consult Lamar on how to best defeat, well, Drake himself. “If you deal with this viciously, you see a little nervous about all the publicity,” the AI voice raps. “F**k this Canadian light skin guy, we need to know the west coast victory, man.” It’s a fascinating bit of reverse psychology, and it effectively allows Drake to sabotage the easy talking points that Lamar had at his disposal.

Read More: Every Time Kendrick Lamar Took Shots At Drake

Drake Used AI To Turn K. Dot’s Heroes Against Him

The second verse goes to the AI generated voice of Snoop Dogg. The voice continues the disappointed tone set by AI 2Pac by urging Lamar to put together a response track ASAP. “Still you gotta show this f**king owl who’s boss on the west, now’s a time to really make a power move,” he raps. “‘Cause right now it’s looking like you writing out the gameplan with how to lose.” Another withering line from the Doggfather’s doppleganger is: “World is watching this chess game, but oh, you out of moves.”

After using Kendrick Lamar’s own heroes against him, Drake raps the third verse in his own voice. He relentlessly mocks the Compton rapper for taking so long to respond after starting the feud in the first place. “Since your tone changed a little, you not as enthused,” Drake asserts. “How are you not in the booth? It feel like you kinda removed.” The 6 God gets even more specific towards the end of the song, claiming that K. Dot needs “another week” to get himself together.

Kendrick Lamar has been saddled with AI disses in recent weeks, with fans being unsure of what’s real and what isn’t. Drake using AI tech to then diss him further is a chess move that Lamar will not be able to ignore.

Read More: Drake Posts Photo Of Kendrick Lamar’s Manager With OVO Merch

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What Record Stores Are Participating In Record Store Day?

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Tomorrow, April 20, record stores across the globe will be opening their doors to customers with exclusive offerings in honor of Record Store Day. Whether it’s first-time pressings or new vinyl variants you’re looking for, this year has selections from a ton of artists, including Olivia Rodrigo, Blur, Young Thug, Wilco, Chappell Roan, Lil Uzi Vert, and more.

With so much to choose from, the popularity for certain releases is high. Like most years, fans will be waiting outside for hours at some locations, just hoping their future prized possesion isn’t sold out by the time they can reach it.

If you’re new to Record Store Day or just hoping to check it out this year where you are, here’s what to know about what record stores will be part of the experience this year.

What Record Stores Are Participating In Record Store Day?

Most record stores across the US will be participating in 2024’s Record Store Day, depending on your location. Those in major cities will have (at least) one spot open tomorrow. For international fans, they also have official sites in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the UK, and more countries.

The official Record Store Day website offers a complete list of locations, along with more information. Ahead of the event, Uproxx also put together a list of some key releases not to miss, which you can check out here.

DJ Quik And Problem Are Reuniting For New Album “Chupacabra”

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DJ Quik and Problem are West Coast titans from different time periods. Quik represents the G-funk heyday of the 1990s, while Problem rose to fame during the 2010s with scene-stealing guest verses. They bring different strengths to the table as rappers (and Quik as producer), but also they compliment each other in a lot of ways. It’s not surprising that Quik and Problem have announced plans for a brand new album called Chupacabra. They already linked up for the 2017 release Rosecrans, after all. A new album is exciting because it will allow them to build on their established chemistry and hone in on what they do best.

Quik and Problem announced the album on Friday, April 19. They have yet to share a release date, but they did treat fans to a brand new single called “Workout.” The single features guest verses from West Coast luminary Rodney-O, and sees the duo spit bars about self-improvement and style. “Do ya thing in the mirror and express yourself,” Problem asserts. “We all make mistakes, correct yourself/ If ya don’t like their style then dress yourself.” Lil Jon is also featured on the track, adding to its throwback energy.

Read More: DJ Quik Thought Michael Jackson Didn’t Like Him

DJ Quik And Problem Previously Worked On “Rosecrans”

 
 
 
 
 
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Problem discussed his working relationship with Quik during an interview with Red Bull Academy. He said he was shocked to realize that Quik felt over the hill when they made Rosecrans. “[Quik] thought nobody was f**king with him, which is crazy to me,” Problem revealed. “People just want to go with the new, and they don’t understand there’s no new without that. We need to do this a whole lot more. We really need to show the world how this s**t really go.”

DJ Quik and Problem had busy years planned before they announced Chupacabra. The former is going to be an opener on Snoop Dogg’s Cali to Canada tour, which runs throughout the summer and will see him share a bill with Warren G. Quik has been extremely quiet on the music front this decade, as his last joint album was Rosecrans and his last solo album was The Midnight Life in 2014.

Between the tour and Chupacabra, 2024 is shaping up to be a comeback year for Quik. Problem has been much busier in the years since Rosecrans dropped. He released two studio albums, I Owe Myself and A Compton Story, in 2023 alone.

Read More: DJ Quik Says He Was Nearly Killed Over A 2Pac Bootleg

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Gunna And Will Ferrell Spotted Enjoying A Hockey Game Together

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In what seems like a random assortment of names and places, rapper Gunna and comedian Will Ferrell linked up during a recent L.A. Kings game. The NHL’s regular season just wrapped up but last week. But before it concluded the pair attended a contest against the Calgary Flames. Videos of the duo at the hockey game finally made the rounds online earlier today. In them, the “fukumean” rapper can be seen cracking up at something the comedian said. They’ll have the chance to go to more Kings games as the team made the playoffs this year and will face Edmonton in the first round. Check out a video of the two during the game below.

Gunna has already been busy in 2024. Though he just released a new album last year that included one of the biggest rap hits of the year on it, he’s already shifted his focus toward a new project. So far this year he’s already released a pair of singles. The first is called “Bittersweet” and it dropped back in February. The song has clicked with fans to the tune of 11 million Spotify streams in the two months since it was released. His second single of the year “Prada Dem” dropped a month later in March. It features a guest verse from Offset and immediately shot onto the Hot 100 where it made its debut at number 54. The track already has an incredibly impressive 25 million Spotify streams.

Read More: Gunna’s “Bittersweet” Tour Taps Flo Milli As Opening Act

Gunna And Will Ferrell At A Hockey Game

Recently Gunna gave fans a major update on the state of his new album. He revealed that the album will be called ONE OF WUN in a recent Instagram post. It came attached to a picture that many feel could be a potential album cover for the record.

Though the album doesn’t have a release date yet, that hasn’t stopped fans from speculating that it could be arriving soon. What do you think of Gunna and Will Ferrell randomly crossing paths at a hockey game last week? Are you looking forward to his upcoming new album? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: Gunna’s Album “a Gift & a Curse” Certified Gold

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Pam Grier Reveals That Cardi B Is Giving Her Pole Dance Lessons

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Pam Grier is a pop culture icon. The actress all but defined blaxploitation films in the 1970s courtesy of classics like Coffy (1973) and Foxy Brown (1974). Her influence on female rappers is second to none, so it seems fitting that she would eventually learn from one of these rappers. During a recent appearance on Watch What Happens with Andy Cohen, Grier revealed that she’s learning to pole dance. The best part? Grier’s teacher is none other than superstar and former dancer Cardi B.

Grier told the late night host that she wrote a film script for Cardi B and herself back in 2022. It has not been picked up yet, but the actress hopes it will be once she’s done making the biopic series about her life. “As soon as I finish that, I really wanted to work with her,” she noted. “And it could be in maybe two years at the theater ‘cause I’m now learning how to pole dance.” The actress, 74, admitted that it’s been a tricky skill to master. Fortunately, she has Cardi as a mentor. I’m the pole dancer,” Grier revealed. “And she teaches me.”

Read More: Pam Grier Wants To Make Drake “Blush”

Pam Grier Wrote A Film For Herself And Cardi B

@bravowwhl Pam Grier says we may see her project with Cardi B in two years and she’s learning how to pole dance to prepare. #WWHL ♬ original sound – BravoWWHL

Cardi B would relish the opportunity to show her dancing skills on the big screen. She had a brief role in the critically acclaimed drama Hustlers (2019), but she told iHeartRadio that she was unable to “shine” as much as she wanted to. “I just got my t**ties done and I got lipo,” she told the outlet. “So I was like, ‘This is my moment to shine, and I can’t shine because I can’t climb!’ I was mad. Everybody thinks it’s so easy to do. No it ain’t. You can’t do it at home.”

Pam Grier is enthusiastic about getting her script made, but she kept the details of the story under wraps. “It’s taking a minute, but it’s a lot of fun,” she explained to Andy Cohen. “But it’s a wonderful story.” The actress threw an additional compliment Cardi’s way by noting that her maternal instincts will play a role in the story. “I don’t want to give it away,” she added. “But it’s perfect for her because she’s a great mom.” Cardi B is currently working on her sophomore album, while Grier was last seen in the 2023 horror flick Pet Sematary: Bloodlines.

Read More: Pam Grier Net Worth 2024: What Is The Icon Worth?

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DMX Receives Posthumous Honor Courtesy Of Five Finger Death Punch

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DMX was a crossover star in the purest sense of the phrase. He didn’t compromise his sound or his unique approach to songwriting, but his charisma was so overwhelming that it allowed him to bridge the gap between hip-hop and heavy metal. It’s easy to forget, but DMX was one of the artists who was at Woodstock ’99, and the only rapper. DMX’s influence on heavy metal is significant, in fact, that he’s still impacting Billboard charts three years after his death.

Five Finger Death Punch recently put out a deluxe version of their 2022 album Afterlife. The album’s lead single was “This Is the Way,” a DMX collaboration that mashed up the band’s song “Judgement Day” and X’s “The Way It’s Gonna Be.” The collab really struck a chord with listeners, topping the Billboard Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart. Billboard reports that “This Is the Way” pulled in a staggering 1,546 sales, and gave Five Finger Death Punch its 17th number one. The song’s impressive performance on the Hard Rock charts, however, was a first for DMX.

Read More: DMX Net Worth 2024: Updated Wealth Of The Rap Icon

DMX Landed His First Hard Rock Number One

The rapper born Earl Simmons may have been a favorite among heavy metal crowds, but he never had a charting single on the Hard Rock charts during his lifetime. The achievement is bittersweet, of course, as X is not here to enjoy it. Five Finger Death Punch guitarist Zoltan Bathory, told Loudwire that he’d wanted to reach out to DMX years ago. Unfortunately, the schedules of the two artists never seemed to line up. After X died in 2021, Bathory felt compelled to make the collaboration happen as a tribute to the rapper. The band was able to get their hands on isolated DMX vocals, and the rest, as they say, is history.

“We got an opportunity with some of [DMX’s] master recordings,” Bathory told the outlet. “We got a green light on that — we can use these verses, these lyrics. So we had the masters and we basically reverse-engineered it. There was music under it, we took off the music and wrote new music and then sort of melded it with our style.” The melding of styles obviously worked. DMX appears to be in higher demand than ever, as evidenced by this chart topper and recent comments made by Hitmaka. The producer revealed he’s sitting on multiple X collabs, and is waiting for the right time to drop them.

Read More: DMX Death Anniversary: Ruff Ryders Honour Late Rapper At His Gravesite

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