Hip Hop News

Though the music industry landscape has changed entirely over the years, one constant that has endured is how a leak can derail an artist’s release slate. Even superstars aren’t immune to the issue. Case in point, The Weeknd recently found one of his own unreleased tracks hitting the internet, as reported by HipHopNMore. 

Joseph Okpako/WireImage/Getty Images

The song, which features production from Zaytoven behind the boards, has been making the rounds online. It should be noted that the song sounds closer to vintage Weeknd than his recent Blinding Lights album, which has in turn fueled the narrative that it’s an older cut leftover from the vault. “Better Believe” also happens to feature XO affiliate and longtime Weeknd collaborator Belly, who closes the track with a quick verse.

While clearly unmixed, the song doesn’t quite meet the standard we’ve come to expect from The Weeknd — though it’s likely that fans of his more hip-hop-oriented sound will appreciate the stylistic return. Expect the most scholarly of Weeknd historians to have no shortage of theories surrounding the origins of “Better Believe,” with the most optimistic suggesting that new music is on the way.

At this moment, Universal Music Group has been doing their part to scrub the song from existence, so those curious to catch the track will have their work cut out for them. If you have heard the illicit recording of “Better Believe,” sound off with your thoughts on the track in the comments below.

Performing “The Bigger Picture” at the Grammy Awards on Sunday night, Lil Baby had one of the most poignant performances of the night. The Atlanta rapper made a powerful commentary about social justice and police brutality, including a scene where a Black man is pulled over by the police and shot. When the man hits the ground, Lil Baby walked by and began rapping to his song.

The performance has been praised on social media, but a number of critics, mainly people of color, were upset about the portrayal of Black trauma for the entertainment of a predominantly white audience and the Recording Academy. Complex published a piece dissecting if the performance, and other performances like it, do much to convey the artist’s intended message. Other outlets have also explored the performance for similar reasons. In a recent interview with Billboard, Lil Baby has addressed the criticism of his Grammy performance.

“I wanted to use a specific situation that would give people an understanding of where I come from,” said Lil Baby. “I didn’t really want to use the George Floyd or Breonna Taylor [killings] or something. I wanted to use something that stood by me. [Rayshard Brooks’ killing] happened in Atlanta, and I live in Atlanta, and I’ve been in some of those same exact situations.”

The rapper said that he’s been thinking about this performance since the summer, filming it a few days before the Grammy Awards.

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

“It’s a never-ending saga for the people who really live in it but to the world… stuff like that dies down when no one’s talking about it,” said Lil Baby. “But me, I’m a person who really has family members who’ve been killed by the police. I really have friends in prison for the rest of their lives for things that they didn’t do. I’m really a part of that outside of music, when I’m not on stage, when I’m at home. That’s my everyday life. I talk to my people in prison, I’m spending millions of dollars on lawyers to get my people out of a messed-up system.

It’s way bigger than just a song to me. It doesn’t die down for me when the world is not rioting or talking about police brutality or the whole problematic system. I’m still thinking about it — it’s still something that I gotta face. I’m still that same guy who could fall asleep in my car one night, and I could wake up to police in front of me. I’ve been in those types of situations, and thank God I never lost my life in any of them.”

Read the full interview at the link below, where Baby also speaks about what it was like to meet Jay-Z.

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

[via]

Ahead of the highly anticipated release of his sixth studio album Certified Lover Boy, Drake has once again asserted his dominance over the entire music industry. The 6 God himself may have reclaimed fans’ attention at the start of the month by dropping the impressive Scary Hours 2 EP, but in the wake of the EP release, Drake has also reclaimed their respect. It had been rumored that the “Laugh Now Cry Later” artist would achieve a major Billboard achievement following Scary Hours 2, and earlier this week it was confirmed that Drake had indeed made Billboard History.

As previously reported, the three songs featured on Scary Hours 2 debuted in the top three positions on the Billboard Hot 100, a never before achieved feat for any artist in music history. Led by “What’s Next” and followed by the Lil Baby-assisted “Wants and Needs” and subsequently the Rick Ross-assisted “Lemon Pepper Freestyle,” Drake’s three-piece Billboard debut has left music fans and artists in awe of his record-setting run. However, Drake’s 2021 accomplishments don’t stop there, as it has recently been reported that the OVO artist has set yet another Billboard chart record.

According to Billboard, Drake has been the only artist within the nearly seven-year history of Billboard Artist 100 to appear on the chart every week. To put that accomplishment into context, the chart launched 350 weeks ago on July 19, 2014, and the Scorpion rapper has spent 350 weeks straight on the chart. The feat is even more impressive considering that 2014 was one of the quietest years for Drake, in which his most notable release was the classic single “0 To 100/The Catch Up.” 

Considering that the industry is patiently awaiting the release of Certified Lover Boy, it’s safe to assume that Drake’s reign on the Billboard Artist 100 will likely continue for the foreseeable future. Congratulations to Drizzy on yet another massive Billboard achievement.

It’s hard to believe that Nas has never taken home a Grammy award until this year, when he and Hit-Boy claimed the Best Rap Album for King’s Disease. Considering that Nas is widely regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, some concluded that he has been long overdue for decades now. In any case, the time finally arrived for the Queensbridge legend, and Nas recently took a moment to celebrate his milestone achievement. 

Mark Horton/WireImage/Getty Images

From the look of it, Nas recently held a celebratory gathering of friends and family, where a few quick shots provide a glimpse at what transpired. Nas’ daughter Destiny shared a few clips of the festivities, revealing that Nas was the recipient of a glowing toast, one that praised his perseverance and work ethic. Another clip finds Nas cutting a massive cake adorned with the luxurious artwork of his Grammy-winning album.

It’s certainly wholesome to see Nas enjoying his victory, about as well-deserved as it comes. Considering the fact that his debut album Illmatic is hailed as one of the greatest albums in music, period — not to mention the fact he’s got a few other classics and near-classics tucked away — the fact that Nas never took home a trophy left many questioning The Grammys’ efficacy as a barometer of the hip-hop climate. Despite the frequent snubs, it’s clear that hip-hop never stopped appreciating the brilliant penmanship of Nasir Jones. One has to wonder — what holds more value to a rap legend? Near universal acclaim from rap fans worldwide — or a Grammy award? 

Either way, we’d like to extend our congratulations to Nas for taking home his first Grammy award for King’s Disease.