Hip Hop News

Lou Williams Releases New Rap Song “Big Tuh” With Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz

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Lou Williams has a few different passions. As a point guard for the Atlanta Hawks, he’s presently attempting to get his team to the NBA Finals. However, on the side, you can generally catch Lemon Pepper Lou in the studio cooking up some new tunes. While he doesn’t release new songs as frequently as Damian Lillard, Lou Will has earned himself a solid reputation as a rapper in the past, collaborating with Meek Mill and others. On Thursday, he premiered his new record “Big Tuh” for Complex. As you may expect from the strip club connoisseur, this one sounds like it would be a perfect fit for Magic City.

“Music is my passion and I’ve always been a huge fan of Wayne and Chainz musically,” said Lou Williams to Complex about his new song. “They’re some of the greatest to do it, so to have them hop on this record was an honor and made ‘Big Tuh’ go crazy.”

Listen to his new song below, which was released via his independent record label Winners United. Go Hawks!

Quotable Lyrics:

Name is Lou-Will-ville but I’m from Memphis, Tenn.
Where making easy money pimpin’ hoes is serious biz
Speaking of a bid I can’t say that’s something I did
But if you threaten to kill La Familia, what’s it

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MSNBC Anchor Explains Fed Cooperation By Quoting Pusha T’s “S.N.I.T.C.H.” Lyrics

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MSNBC‘s Ari Melber has built a solid reputation as one of the most avid Hip-Hop fans in broadcast news, having previously referenced Young Thug and Nicki Minaj’s “Anybody,” 21 Savage’s “a lot,” Lil Uzi Vert’s “Super Saiyan,” and Migos‘ “Walk It Talk It.” On one occasion his MSNBC show even dropped bars from MF Doom, so it’s safe to say that Melber has his eye on Hip-Hop culture.

This week, MSNBC‘s chief legal correspondent went back to the early 2010s and referenced bars from Pusha T’s debut solo studio album My Name Is My Name while discussing fed cooperation on The Beat with Ari Melber. According to HipHopDX, Melber was discussing how Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg allegedly cooperated with investigators while committing potential crimes when he decided to explain the situation with lyrics from Pusha T’s “S.N.I.T.C.H.”

“Covered his own tracks, he didn’t care that,” Melber said, reciting select bars from Push‘s third verse. “We had a legacy he killed, I got to wear that/Break your heart when the man you call your brother/Be the same one that set in motion all them undercovers/From great friends now it’s no affiliation/Divided by the time he was facing.”

Pusha T caught wind of Melber’s and reposted it to his page with the caption, “have to be the most quoted on @thebeatwithari . @arimelber do the numbers and let the people know…” And in true Ari Melber fashion, the MSNBC anchor showed his appreciation for Push’s artistry by writing back, “Ballers / you DO put numbers on the boards … … on wax and on air.”

Check out the video featuring Ari Melber’s Pusha T reference below.

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Ebro & RiFF RAFF Exchange Pleasantries

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RiFF RAFF is certainly among the game’s more outlandish personalities, with a rapper’s unapologetic demeanor and a wrestler’s bombastic flair for drama. Today, an incensed Jody Highroller took it upon himself to challenge Ebro Darden to a duel, hitting Twitter to lay out the terms.

“I WiLL SLiDE YOUR BiTCHAZZ THRU THE ROPES LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU ARE READY TO CATCH THiS FENDi FADE YOU OWE ME MONEY PU$$Y @OldManEbro,” he writes, alluding to an unpaid debt. No stranger to confrontation, Darden met RiFF’s fighting words with defiant laughter. “I knew you was looking for promo,” retorts the radio host, clearly unwilling to participate in any sort of celebrity boxing antics.

RiFF RAFF

Santiago Felipe/Getty Images

Ebro’s dismissal appeared to enrage RiFF RAFF further. “iM LOOKiN TO GET PAiD FOR KNOCKiNG YOUR WEAK ASS OUT iN FRONT OF THE WORLD ON PAY PER ViEW AND YOU ARE LAUGHiNG BECUZ YOU ARE A COWARD AND YOUR PARENTS RAiSED A GOSSiP QUEEN BiTCH BOY THAT KNOWS SUCKED UNCOUNTABLE AMOUNT OF DiCKS TO SOMEHOW BE AT APPLE MUSiC WHERE U DONT DESERVE,” he responds.

To his credit, Ebro kept the same defiant energy. “Not that deep for me,” replies Darden. “Letting your pro wrestling crazy-ass beat on me for entertainment. Im not a clown show like you.” “SHUT UP PU$$Y, YOU ARE FAKE AF,” replied Jody, strictly unwavering in his position. “YOU ARENT A MAN YOU ARE A PU$$Y iN REAL LiFE. You little gossip queen podcast boy.”

Ebro Darden

Jerritt Clark/Getty Images

“You wanna fight because the truth of your blackface for money hurts that bad?” laughs Ebro. The claim clearly struck a nerve with RiFF RAFF, who directly called on Apple Music to intervene. “WHY DO YOU HAVE THiS RACiST PUSSY PiECE OF SHiT ON YOUR PLATFORM @AppleMusic???How is he allowed to be in charge of anything related to music ??”

If anyone is wondering how this might have started, it would appear that a previous Ebro tweet played a role in sparking the rapper’s rage. RiFF RAFF shared a screencap of the tweet, in which Ebro accused him of “spoofing” black culture and turning in a “doo doo” performance. “If you are on a large platform like @AppleMusic and you feel the need to use your PUSSY BOY PODCAST opinion to try to slander me then I have to see if u want to take it to the ring,” adds Jody. “But u are a bitch. And you don’t want to fight. So it’s whatever carry on with your weak ass day.”

Check out some of the pleasantries exchanged below. 

Dak Prescott Leaves Adidas For Jordan Brand

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As the starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, it can be argued that Dak Prescott is the most scrutinized athlete in American sports. He has lofty expectations that need to be met, and it’s not always easy to just go out and get those results that are demanded of him. Regardless, Prescott has become a superstar over the last few years and there have been plenty of endorsement deals that have come with that. 

For years, Prescott had been signed to Adidas although his contract recently came to an end. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Prescott officially signed with Jordan Brand for five years in a deal that will now make him the highest-paid football player who is part of Jumpman. This is a huge endorsement and it’s one that certainly bolsters Jordan Brand’s status amongst other football brands.

Prescott will have a lot to live up to with this deal and we’re sure he is ready for that challenge. Coming off a season of injuries, Prescott will want to get back to his winning ways and Cowboys fans are desperate for just a crumb of success out on the field.

With some Jordan cleats on his feet this season, it will be interesting to see how Prescott lives up to the brand’s reputation.

Dak Prescott

Tom Pennington/Getty Images

Lil Uzi Vert Explains Why He’s ‘Not Gonna Act Gangster’ When He Meets Fans

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The well-known aphorism “never meet your heroes” often holds true, but one artist who’s always seemed to defeat that stereotype is Lil Uzi Vert. Throughout the years, the Philly native has become a fan favorite not just for his string of hits, but also for his entertaining interactions with his biggest supporters. Whether freestyling with fans in gas station parking lots or amusingly answering fans’ release date questions, Uzi’s joyful personality on record regularly carries over to his real-life personality. He explained why in a tweet:

“Im a happy person and I vibe with my fans,” he wrote. “If you see me I’m not gonna act gangster because that not what I am or who I am …. it’s okay 2 smile 😃🤓 I’m myself.”

He hasn’t had much opportunity for these kinds of interactions over the past year, but as live entertainment slowly awakens from its year-long pandemic slumber, it’s likely he’ll get many more chances at one of the many festivals at which he’s booked, which include Rolling Loud New York and Lyrical Lemonade’s Summer Smash in Chicago. Given he’s also teasing new music nearly constantly, telling fans in March that a new album is “coming soon,” a tour announcement can’t be too far off in the future.

In the meantime, you can hear Uzi’s guest verse on Pi’erre Bourne’s “Sossboy 2” and on Juice WRLD’s posthumous “Lucid Dreams” remix

Lil Uzi Vert is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

HER And Chris Stapleton Are A Perfect Pairing While Performing ‘Hold On’ At The CMT Music Awards

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HER has become an awards show staple in recent years, so naturally, she found a way to pop up at the CMT Music Awards last night. During the ceremony, she performed her 2020 single “Hold On” alongside Chris Stapleton. While the two artists don’t exactly run in the same musical circles, Stapleton’s raspy country howl actually paired wonderfully with HER’s smooth R&B vocals.

Meanwhile, at a different point in the show, Stapleton (whose “Starting Over” visual was up for Male Video Of The Year but lost to Kane Brown’s “Worship You”) also took to the stage solo to perform “Arkansas.”

Elsewhere, some notable award wins for this year included Carrie Underwood and John Legend winning Video Of The Year for “Hallelujah,” Taylor Swift’s Best Family Feature win for the “The Best Day (Taylor’s Version)” video, and Kelsea Ballerini and Halsey’s rendition of “The Other Girl” from the 2020 CMT Music Awards taking home this year’s CMT Performance Of The Year award. Meanwhile, also receiving nominations in various categories were Maren Morris, Noah Cyrus, Elle King, Pink, Lady A, Kelsea Ballerini, and Darius Rucker.

HER, by the way, also revealed this morning that her upcoming album Back Of My Mind has a release date of June 18.

Watch HER and Stapleton perform “Hold On” above, where you’ll also find Stapleton’s performance of “Arkansas.”

Migos Get Suited Up For A Smooth ‘Avalanche’ Performance On ‘The Tonight Show’

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With Migos’ long-awaited Culture III dropping this week, the North Atlanta trio turned up on The Tonight Show to preview one of the album’s standout songs, “Avalanche,” with a smooth performance marked by their matching three-piece suits and jazzy backup from a live band. Built on a sample of The Temptations’ “Papa Was A Rolling Stone,” the three rappers deliver verses in their signature head-nodding cadence with no chorus and lyrics highlighted by big-money boasts and demands for respect.

Culture III, which was originally planned for a 2020 release before being delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, is led by the single “Straightenin,” which the group released last month, and will feature appearances from longtime collaborators like Cardi B, Drake, and Future, as well as features from rising stars Polo G and Youngboy Never Broke Again. It also contains a pair of posthumous appearances; both Juice WRLD and Pop Smoke were working with the band before their deaths, and those efforts are represented here.

In addition to dropping the album this week, Migos will hold a festival in Las Vegas this autumn to celebrate/promote its release.

Watch Migos perform “Avalanche” above.

Culture III is out 6/11 via Quality Control Music, Motown, and Capitol Records.

Shock G’s Death Was Caused By An Accidental Overdose Of Fentanyl

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Two months after the death of Digital Underground frontman Shock G, his cause of death has been revealed. TMZ reports the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner determined that Shock G died from an accidental overdose of fentanyl, alcohol, and methamphetamine. In April, he was discovered unresponsive at a Tampa hotel after missing his checkout time.

As a founding member of Digital Underground, Shock G was one of hip-hop’s party rap pioneers, best known for their songs “Doowutchyalike” and “The Humpty Dance,” as well as their role in launching the career of the late, great Tupac Shakur, who was a backup dancer for the group in the early ’90s. They later returned the favor by appearing on ‘Pac’s breakout hit, “I Get Around” when he went solo in 1993.

Shock’s death was confirmed by Digital Underground co-founder Chopmaster J, who posted a fond memorial on Instagram. “34 years ago almost to the day we had a wild idea we can be a hip hop band and take on the world through it all the dream became a reality and the reality became a nightmare for some,” he wrote. “And now he’s awaken from the fame long live shock G Aka Humpty Hump and Rest In Peace my Brotha Greg Jacobs!!! #digitalunderground.”

50 Cent & Saweetie Advise Aspiring Artists On How To Get Discovered

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Very rarely do aspiring artists get a chance to soak up game from established artists in the music industry. Some opportunities have been presented to up-and-coming musicians through apps like Clubhouse, which removes a degree of separation from our favorite celebrities. Other events, including Instagram and Facebook’s Inaugural Creator Week with stars like Saweetie, Olivia Rodrigo, 50 Cent, and more, should be a must-watch for artists seeking advice on how to make it big in the music business.

The multiple-day event featured rappers Saweetie and 50 Cent, who both use Instagram and Facebook strongly to their advantage. Fiddy spoke to Sylvia Obell about how social media can be used to elevate your music platform. “Social media allows the artist to meet the audience before they meet the record label,” said the iconic rapper before offering another solid piece of advice. “Let the music speak for itself, the audience gets to choose who makes it.”


Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Instagram and Facebook’s Creator Week

Saweetie was another guest for Creator Week, speaking about how she’s used her social media platform to further herself in other areas. “I’ve always been a girl of aesthetics, I’ve always been someone of purposeful content,” she said. “If I’m posting something to promote my business, the lighting is right, the colors are coordinated, and it means something.”

She also said that she always does her research on people reaching out to collaborate, making her final decision based on energy. “No matter how many followers someone has, I always do background research on that person,” she said. “Protect your energy. Protect your brand. Protect your business. When someone wants to collaborate with you make sure that it makes sense and that they’re good people to do business with.”

Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Instagram and Facebook’s Creator Week

Tune in for Day 3 of Creator Week here.

Polo G Spits Melodic Freestyle On Funk Flex

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Polo G is set to drop off his brand new album Hall Of Fame tomorrow, featuring guest appearances from Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, DaBaby, Young Thug, and more — check out the full tracklist right here. While his “Gang Gang” single with Weezy has been driving hype for the upcoming release, Polo has taken it even further by hitting the radio circuit for some bars. Following an L.A. Leakers freestyle over DMX’s “Ruff Ryders Anthem,” Polo G hit up Funk Flex to hold it down accordingly.

Though his style may differ from Flex’s typical preferences, Polo holds it down with a melodically-driven freestyle, a development that will surely delight his fans. “Twenty-two up in the clip, gon blow till I get rid of it,” he raps, taking to a laid-back guitar instrumental. “Start it we gon finish it, I grew up with menaces / ni**a what, we get so belligerent / once I’m charged up there’s no controlling my adrenaline.” 

There’s plenty more where that came from — check out Polo G’s Funk Flex freestyle now, and look for Hall Of Fame to land at the stroke of midnight.

QUOTABLE LYRICS

Twenty-two up in the clip, gon blow till I get rid of it
Start it we gon finish it, I grew up with menaces
N**a what, we get so belligerent
Once I’m charged up there’s no controlling my adrenaline