Hip Hop News

“Madden NFL 22” Soundtrack Drops With New Music From Swae Lee, Jack Harlow, JID, 42 Dugg, & More

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The official soundtrack for Madden NFL 22 has been released with new music from Belly, Morray, Swae Lee, and more. Over the last few weeks, the video game franchise has released a couple of songs from the soundtrack, including BRS Kash’s “Oh No.” This week, EA Sports began teasing a new single from Swae Lee and Jack Harlow, titled “Ball Is Life.” On Friday, the full soundtrack was released with eleven songs that fit the game perfectly.

With records designed specifically for the football simulation game, rappers including MoneyBagg Yo, Tierra Whack, 42 Dugg, and J.I.D bring that energy to the new soundtrack. The early highlights include “Ball Is Life” and “Ambassel” but each song is worth checking out.

Listen to the new Madden NFL 22 soundtrack below.

Tracklist:

1. Belly – How I’m Feelin (with Shenseea)
2. Morray – Mime
3. Swae Lee – Ball Is Life (feat. Jack Harlow)
4. MoneyBagg Yo – Blitz (feat. Tripstar)
5. Tierra Whack – 8
6. YSB Tril – Count Me In
7. BRS Kash – Oh No
8. 42 Dugg – Down Ready Set
9. J.I.D – Ambassel
10. Sally Sossa – Number One
11. Tank and the Bangas – Back In A Minute

J.I.D Returns With “Ambassel”

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It’s been years since the release of J.I.D’s last solo album DiCaprio 2, and while his many contributions to Revenge Of The Dreamers 3 did make the downtime a little less painful, it’s reaching a critical point. Luckily, the Atlanta lyricist has returned in the nick of time with “Ambassel,” a new single set to be included on the brand new Madden 22 soundtrack. 

Once again reuniting with his trusted collaborator Christo, J.I.D immediately gets busy as he kicks up a locked-in flow scheme. While some might find it difficult to keep up, those that tap into his pace will find much clever wordplay and vivid imagery to unpack. At this point, it feels as if J.I.D is simply engaging in warm-up drills before the big game, unscheduled though it may be. Still, the raw talent J.I.D exhibits behind the mic keep even the practice sessions exciting, especially when his bloodlust runs high. 

Check out “Ambassel” now, and pray that its arrival means that a J.I.D’s next studio album is on the horizon. 

QUOTABLE LYRICS

Born in the day, the dawn of the dead
I don’t see nothing but red
They gather the blankets, the milk, and the bread
I come from the east and I’m traveling west
Got a machete, I chop and I chop
At the neck of the serpent, determine the plot and the threats

A Botched Cher Tweet Led To Utter Chaos (From Herself And Others), And People Couldn’t Handle It

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Cher’s already thrown her support behind Britney Spears during her conservatorship fight, and she did so again on Thursday night over a report that Jamie Spears would be stepping down. Before that happened, however, the legendary singer and actress had a slip of the fingers, and all hell broke loose. This turned into a rare moment of real fun on Twitter, so we must talk this out.

Things were going well, given that Cher had been previously tweeting about an HSN (Home Shopping Network) appearance. When all was said and done, however, Cher popped onto her phone and simply tweeted, “I had a great time on H.” Oh no.

So, very clearly, this was a typo, yet Cher’s immediate replies turned into a mixture of people playing along and/or wondering what the heck was going on (especially since Cher’s former husband, Gregg Allman, was a heroin addict, and Cher is anti-drug and even campaigned against marijuana use in the 1960s).

Very quickly, Cher realized what had happened, but (like a champ) she did not delete her erroneous tweet. Instead, she explained (in her frequent ALL-CAPS fashion) that she’d pushed send too early. Then Cher communicated that the camera work on HSN was less than desirable, and had ‘MADE ME LOOK LIKE’ she had… eaten a turkey? Alright.

Cher then lamented losing all her ‘CRED’ over a ‘MANGLED’ tweet. The Oscar winner then declared a divorce from grammar, so please lighten up, everyone.

Fair enough. And here’s the aforementioned support for Britney Spears, even though her dad hasn’t stepped away from the conservatorship quite yet. Cher ‘COULDN’T HAPPIER 4 HER IF I WAS TWINS.’ Same, Cher!

Big K.R.I.T. Brings Five Fan-Favorite Mixtapes To Streaming Services

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While artists such as YNW Melly, K Camp, Lizzo, and Cardi B offer their fans fresh tunes on this New Music Friday, acclaimed Mississippi rapper and producer Big K.R.I.T. has decided to dig back into his past catalog and give his fanbase access to five of his older mixtapes.

Now, in addition to his four official studio albums Live from the Underground, Cadillactica, 4eva Is a Mighty Long Time, and K.R.I.T. Iz Here, fans will be able to listen to even more of the former XXL Freshman’s discography on streaming services.

Big K.R.I.T. attends BET's Social Awards 2018 at Tyler Perry Studio on February 11, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Marcus Ingram/Getty Images

Although they all don’t appear on streaming services in their 100% original form — likely due to sampling clearances and other issues — the following Big K.R.I.T. projects have arrived on DSPs: Return Of 4eva, 4eva N A Day, King Remembered In Time, It’s Better This Way, and #12FOR12 (rebranded as A Style Not Quite Free).

On Thursday night, Big K.R.I.T. surprised his fans with the announcement on social media, writing, “I appreciate everybody who been riding with me over the years. Your support is what keeps me going! Y’all been asking and it’s only right I do this for y’all! I’m proud to say that 5 of my projects will be available on all streaming services Tomorrow/12am EST! These playlist about to be crazy mane.”

In addition to the aforementioned projects finally landing on DSPs, K.R.I.T. has also revealed that he will be dropping a limited-edition merch capsule as well as newly pressed vinyl, exclusively on his website. Which Big K.R.I.T. project are you bumping first today?

Eminem’s 19-Year-Old Child Changes Name & Comes Out As Non-Binary

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Eminem’s adopted child has announced that they are non-binary in a TikTok video, showing them becoming more comfortable with themselves in recent months and revealing their new name: Stevie.

The nineteen-year-old was formerly known as Whitney. They will be using the name Stevie from now on, and they identify with they/she/he pronouns.

“Watch me become more comfortable with myself,” wrote Stevie on the video. Stevie uses their deadname in the video, showing a more feminine look before gradually becoming more in-tune with their identity, experimenting with hair colors, and revealing the moment they began using “they” pronouns. Then, Stevie adopted their new name before identifying with all pronouns.

Stevie explained their new name in the comments, saying, “I spent a long time trying to pick a name I felt uncomfortable with and the first name I felt comfortable with is Stevie!” They also added that they’re working on legally changing their name.

Hailie Mathers, Stevie’s half-sister, “liked” the video. 

Eminem adopted Stevie in 2005. Previously, Stevie posted videos about how uncomfortable they’ve felt with the world knowing that they’re Em’s adopted child, revealing some of their insecurities. 

A few years ago, Stevie revealed that they are bisexual and began using she/they pronouns. 

Watch the video below. Congratulations on coming out, Stevie!

@st0nedc0w

forever growing and changing &lt3 ##greenscreen##genderfluid##bi##life

♬ original sound – THXOC

@st0nedc0w

something different 🤩

♬ Remember_you_mars – ✨Mars✨

[via]

Boldy James & The Alchemist Drop Off “Bo Jackson”

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While variety is said to be the spice of life, there’s nothing quite like a single-producer hip-hop album. In that department, the tandem of Boldy James and Alchemist are elite-tier, especially coming off the release of their recent collaborative album The Price Of Tea In China. Now, the pair have reunited for another album — the brand new Bo Jackson — featuring guest appearances from Earl Sweatshirt, Benny The Butcher, Freddie Gibbs, Roc Marciano, and more. 

As some might have expected given the pairing, production is both stellar and grimy, with the overall aesthetic a little darker than its predecessor. The Alchemist is in fine form throughout; instrumentals like “Brickville To Montana” and “Drug Zone” conjure unsettling vibes of nocturnal street activity, while “Turpentine” and “Diamond Dallas” are more nostalgic and welcoming. Suffice it to say, there are plenty of different backdrops for Boldy to approach, giving Bo Jackson a well-rounded feel across the board.

If it wasn’t already evident based on his choice of collaborators, Boldy’s lyricism is extremely tight. Creaking out incisive observation with a jaded and world-weary cadence, Boldy’s style might not be the most accessible — though it’s certainly rewarding for those on board with his vision. Expect to see this one on many album-of-the-year lists, though it may prove a little too niche for universal mainstream acceptance. Be that as it may, Bo Jackson is another stylish feather in the cap for one of hip-hop’s most consistent partnerships.

WizKid Adds Justin Bieber To “Essence” For A Song Of The Summer Candidate

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WizKid had the song of the summer before Justin Bieber hopped on but now, “Essence” is ready to take over the international charts.

A testament to the fact that anything could pop at any time, WizKid’s 2020 record “Essence” has absolutely taken over as the Nigerian singer reaches for an elevated reaction to his summer smash. The song was originally included on his album Made In Lagos, and the new version with Justin Bieber and Tems impacts the deluxe edition of the project, adding some North American spice to the mix and promising to be a problem for the coming months.

An already great song has just been made even better with the addition of Justin Bieber, who sings the third verse. Fans are raving over the new remix, sharing their positive reviews on social media as the song continues to go up.

Listen to the new version of “Essence” below and let us know what you think.

Quotable Lyrics:

So tell that you gon’ ride with me
Tell me that you’ll never lie to me
I just wanna make you proud of me
Want you lovin’ every side of me
I love the rhythm of your heartbeat
The way you pushin’ up on me
I can tell that you want me
Let me show you how it’s gon’ be

Kanye West’s Still-Unreleased ‘Donda’ Gets Yet Another Expected Release Date

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Someday, Kanye West may actually release Donda, the album for which he has already hosted two stadium-sized listening events. The album has already missed multiple expected release dates, including today, August 13. Information on that front isn’t really pouring out of West’s camp, but regardless, the album has a new projected release day: August 20.

Again, that’s not according to anybody on West’s team, but rather, the current Apple Music listing for the album. Furthermore, the page shows off a 24-song tracklist, but without any song titles, save for “Hurricane” featuring The Weeknd and Lil Baby. The listing indicates that users can listen to that song now, but it doesn’t appear to be available in the US (or the UK either, per NME). The tracklist also has star icons attached to Track 1, 2 (“Hurricane”), 8, 9, 12, 17, and 19.

Meanwhile, it seems like a good idea for West to keep hosting his Donda listening parties, at least from a financial perspective: It was reportedly recently that from the two listening events, West made a combined $7 million dollars just from merch sales. The second event also broke viewership records on Apple Music. As for West, it would seem he’s still holed up in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, despite rumors that he was relocating.

Meek Mill & Tory Lanez Clash On IG: “I Don’t F*ck Wit You”

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It should have been a celebratory moment in Meek Mill’s comments after the Philadelphia rapper announced that he had accepted the Nelson Mandela Humanitarian Award, becoming the first rapper to earn the prize. However, after he made a typo in his caption and referred to a Smith & Wesson firearm as a “Smith & Western,” Tory Lanez felt like correcting him on his grammar, which backfired.

“Smith & Wesson,” wrote Tory, letting Meek know that he had written the wrong word. 

“It’s called ‘meek flow,'” responded Meek, seemingly upset about Tory using a similar flow to his on his latest freestyle. Meek isn’t the only person to have taken note of the similarities in their flows. He continued, “Say congrats or something weirdo lol.”

“It wasn’t that deep,” argued Tory. “Just ain’t want u to look dumb. Congrats tho bozo.”

“Stand tall Tory,” replied Meek. “It’s kinda of deep you tryna help me wit my spelling and you know for a fact I don’t fuck wit you right now…”


Taylor Hill/Getty Images

Their issues seemingly stem from Tory’s latest freestyle, which many have used to argue that he’s taking some of Meek’s flows. Similarly, on one of Tory’s recent songs, fans thought he was stealing flows from EST Gee. 

Check out the heated exchange below and let us know what you think.