In 2019, Drake announced the launch of his cannabis company, More Life Growth Company. Today, a little over 18 months since, Bloomberg reports that More Life’s partnership with Canadian cannabis producer Canopy Growth Corp. to distribute in global markets has ended. Canopy filed to terminate the partnership in March this year. The company reportedly “derecognized” almost C$33.7 million in remaining minimum royalty obligations to More Life. Although both parties expressed excitement at the partnership in 2019, somewhere in the past year, it would appear those feelings cooled.
BlogTO, a free afternoon newspaper in Toronto, reported that Canopy’s CEO David Klein expressed discontent with the lack of attention to the brand from Drake, who was splitting his time between recording his new album Certified Lover Boy and running a pro-am basketball tournament out of his house (which may have resulted in him reinjuring his knee, causing the CLB release to be pushed back). “[More Life] has not been progressing as originally intended and we’re still working on details to determine where it goes… [and] it may be something that can’t get to where we all want it to go,” Klein was quoted in BNN Bloomberg.
Klein also wasn’t impressed with More Life’s business plan, noting that, “In many regards, at its essence, it’s almost a real estate play where More Life is going to do a lot of activity on cannabis destinations. I don’t know if that still fits anybody’s way of thinking, at least in the COVID world.” He would know: Canopy is also the business partner for both Seth Rogen and Snoop Dogg‘s weed brands. Meanwhile, the market gets more and more crowded by the day, with Jay-Z, G-Eazy, Ice Cube, and Russ all jumping in the marijuana game in the past few months. Drake’s property was apparently a low enough priority without planning to compete in destination spots, which would have looked cool, but likely struggled to sell. This leaves Drake on the outside looking in for now, as many of his peers and contemporaries look to cash in on the lucrative cash crop.
The best song on DMX’s recently released, posthumous album Exodus is “Bath Salts.” It’s the song that best summarizes the album’s purpose, that gives us the best glimpse of DMX as an artist hitting middle age, taking stock, and quietly contemplating the future while celebrating his accomplishments. It’s probably no coincidence that the featured guests are Jay-Z and Nas at their absolute best, as the three rappers have been peers, rivals, friends, and the rear guard of hip-hop’s turn-of-the-millennium boom era, three of the last men standing.
It’s hard to say whether the rest of the album clears the high bar set by just its second track because it’s been so long since DMX released new music on his own accord that there’s no telling whether the rest of his guest features are the result of natural evolution or algorithmic calculation. I don’t know that the DMX would have especially wanted to work with someone like Bono on “Skyscrapers” or Moneybagg Yo on “Money Money Money.” In fact, in a recent interview, the album’s executive producer Swizz Beatz even admitted the latter was a replacement choice after the desired Pop Smoke verse turned out to be unavailable.
Swizz is as much responsible for the album’s direction as anyone, the navigator to X’s driver. There are times when it feels like Swizz’s desires dictate the sound and collaborators as much as X’s did — like in Goofy Movie when Max changes Goofy’s map so he can attend the Powerline concert instead of visiting his pop’s sacred fishing hole. When Alicia Keys pops up — bless her — it smells strongly of Swizz doing favors for people in his circle. It’s a circle that had grown to include pop-favorite multi-millionaire R&B stars like Usher, but not so much the purveyors of the gritty street sounds that informed Swizz and X’s earliest work.
And yet, there are allusions to that work all over the album, making it feel less like the slapdash, stream-baiting efforts on other posthumous releases that have come out over the past few years — way too many. Way. Way. Too. Many — and more like a DMX album proper — maybe a more mellow Grand Champ. Swizz certainly sets things off properly with “That’s My Dog,” which features X’s Ruff Ryders compatriots The LOX, each member in rare form. Then, there’s the aforementioned “Bath Salts,” on which Nas makes a rock-solid case that Swizz Beatz should absolutely executive produce as many of the next albums the Queens icon cares to make (seriously, they are batting like .800 in the past few years, why hasn’t this happened yet?).
DMX proves he can still hang with his contemporaries lyrically, and his flow, despite being worn by time, still connects like an aging NBA player polishing his finesse game as time robs him of his explosiveness. It’s when he tries to get it back that the seams begin to show. Of course, again, it’s difficult to pinpoint the issue on the missteps. The yell-raps on “Money Money Money” and the Griselda Records- featuring “Hood Blues” sound rushed and off-kilter — is this intentional? Is it the result of rust? Did DMX have trouble adjusting to these beats, which are a bit unusual in his catalog as they feature Swizz’s more recently developed swing-style drums? Or is it Swizz and his engineers being in too big a hurry to finish this project before the spotlight swung away, flying vocals onto mismatched production to take advantage of the name recognition of guests?
It certainly feels like this on the pop reaches, “Hold Me Down” and “Skyscrapers.” Fortunately, another Ruff Ryders appearance — this time from oft-overlooked members Cross and Infrared on a hilarious, hyperviolent skit — sets things right, setting the stage for the more confessional, emotive back half of the album, featuring the songs that X most likely had more of a hand in. His flow, subject matter, and voice certainly seem better suited to “Walking In The Rain” — the fact he performs the hook himself suggests that it was certainly one of the songs he finished before he passed. It’s classic DMX, a ruminative track that looks inward and backward, with X and Nas reflecting on life changes.
Likewise, on “Letter To My Son,” DMX speaks to the titular Exodus from the perspective of an elder addressing his son on the cusp of manhood — an opportunity robbed from him by his addiction. It’s a sobering thought, that X could foresee a world in which he wouldn’t have the chance to have the grown man chat with his son. Moments like this album closer suggest that maybe X wanted to use this project to say all the things he wouldn’t get a chance to say. Perhaps if he had been alive to see it finished, little would have changed from the product that ultimately came. That’s always the tragedy, isn’t it?
It’s funny; for all the dog imagery DMX has embraced throughout his life and career, he resembles nothing here so much as an old lion. He’s battle-scarred, he’s tired — but he’s no less noble and beautiful for it. He has the authority and lived experience that his advice rings true, yet he has little interest in holding the throne. Leave that for the cubs. He’s earned his place, he’s left his legacy. The only thing left is to say goodbye. The fiery father figure somehow found a way to do that, leaving behind a flawed but fitting testament to a flawed man.
When it comes to assessing bars, Detroit lyricist Royce Da 5’9″ is certainly an authority on the matter. Therefore, when he steps up to give a fellow emcee his flowers, it’s wise to pay attention. Today, Nickle took a moment of his time to give credit to King Los, with whom he previously collaborated on the absolute lyrical clinic “Everybody’s A Bitch.” In addition to Los, he also singled out CyHi The Prynce and Black Thought as being two of the game’s best living emcees.
It should be noted that Royce touched on several additional topics, seemingly spurred on by the arrival of B. Dot’s viral Top 10 list — though it’s likely that several factors fueled his decision to speak. “We gon talk about these King Los bars y’all been getting,” begins Royce. “You won’t prop them on a public platform because you don’t have to yet. I see you. Fate may have it a different way one day. Ya just never know.”
“That kind of rap should always be celebrated,” he continues. “Your list shouldn’t pander to the perceived smoke. This is bigger than you looking cool. If you’re a contributor, if not don’t read this. Brands elevate and people go ‘oh, you’re up here with us now. Welcome, now I can acknowledge you.’ But that time, I don’t even feel the same about out rapping you n***as, I’m realizing smoking you don’t mean anything. Never did.”
Prince Williams/Wireimage/Getty Images
“Y’all collaborate based on numbers and smoke, what’s the upside?” he asks. “Makes perfect sense just don’t understand why nobody gave us the memo….When y’all ready to have a REAL discussion about who the best is, shoot me a DM. A real convo tho. Not the ones where being highly skilled is weaponized and used against you and Kendrick n Cole r the only exception…I’m all street n***’d out at this point.”
“Y’all dun took the goal post and moved it everywhere from ghostwriting to emasculation,” he continues. “We all made millions, we all still n***s. Now, who rap better than CyHi?? Nobody on those lists bruh. Respectfully. Black Thought should be the measuring stick to cultural longevity. He does what he wants. He’s not afraid to grow older. I refuse to hang out with 23 year olds and adopt their slang and ideologies.”
For more from Royce, as the “rant brought to you by a higher power governing the way we engage on its planet” has much more to offer, check out Nickel’s post below.
Stephen A. Smith is extremely passionate when it comes to the New York Knicks. Over the years, he has hit them with some harsh criticisms, especially when it comes to owner James Dolan, who has been known for making a plethora of bad decisions over the years. More recently, however, Smith has been praising the Knicks thanks to their quick turnaround which led them to the NBA Playoffs as a four-seed. Unfortunately, their good graces came to an end last night as they were bounced out of the playoffs by the Atlanta Hawks in just five games.
With reality setting in, Smith gave the Knicks some words of wisdom following what proved to be an anticlimactic return to the postseason. Smith particularly took aim at Julius Randle, stating that while Randle is a good player, the Knicks will never go far with him as their premier option.
“Julius Randle is not a No. 1 option. … Julius Randle is an elite No. 3 option, a quality No. 2 option, but damn sure ain’t a No. 1 option,” Smith explained. This effectively means that the Knicks should be looking to make a big move in the offseason. That is certainly easier said than done, and it remains to be seen if there are any free agents who could fit the bill.
Either way, this was a season to build on for the Knicks, and it will be interesting to see how they develop, moving forward.
There have been various teasers of this shoe over the past couple of months, however, there have been very few clear looks at the model. Thanks to the Instagram sneaker insider @zsneakerheadz, we now have a fresh look at Travis’ new collab, and all of the details are as clear as day. As you can see in the post below, the shoe has rustic neutral colors all the way throughout as the upper is made with beige mesh, all while there are brown suede patches. There is a textured backward Nike swoosh and some Cactus Jack branding on the back heel.
For now, it is believed that the shoe will be coming out closer to the Holiday season, although for now, there is no exact release date. Stay tuned to HNHH as we will be sure to bring you all of the latest news and updates pertaining to the collaboration.
As one of Hip-Hop’s most outspoken rappers, Vince Staples’ Twitter is typically a sight to behold. From debates about which region produces the best rappers to wild Ray J-related hot takes, the FM! artist is known for expressing his opinions, even if it offends others in the process. While we await his two forthcoming albums, it appears that Vince has found himself in yet another Twitter spat.
On Wednesday, Vince Staple was inviting his followers to engage in an NBA playoff-inspired poll about what qualifies basketball players as “clutch” when songwriter, producer, and former blogger DDot Omen quoted his poll with a video that showed several Asian Crips casually saying the n-word. Adding to the spontaneity of DDot’s tweet, the Grammy-nominated artist slammed Vince with the question, “Why you letting Asians crips say n*gga?”
In his initial reaction to DDot, Vince wrote back, “I don’t know nobody in this video but if you got a problem I can take you over there right now and you can speak yo mind.” He quickly made another tweet about how people tend to think that all crips know each other, and it almost appeared like Vince was ready to move on and get back to talking about basketball.
However, it appears that fans weren’t letting the Long Beach rapper live down the video, so he started firing back at his followers as well. “I’m weird but not the man complaining to me about some people I don’t know cause they ‘Crips’ you n*ggas need fathers,” Vince writes in one of the tweets. After joking about the lack of official organization within the Crips, he explained his initial response to DDot, saying, “How you let somebody you don’t know say something? If I’m letting them than you letting them.”
Check out the rest of Vince Staple’s Twitter rampage below, complete with references to Jackie Chan’s role in Rush Hour.
Do you agree or disagree with Vince Staple’s position on the matter?
Trae Young is one of the best young players in the NBA and fans were curious as to how he would react in his first-ever NBA playoff series. Unsurprisingly, Young was phenomenal against the Knicks and seemingly made easy work out of them. While many pundits had the Knicks winning this series, it’s clear that the Hawks were the more skilled team overall, even if their record was slightly lagging behind.
Last night, Young went off for 36 points in Game 5 which allowed his team to knock off the Knicks, once and for all. Now, Young and the Hawks will get to play against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round, which should prove to be an incredibly tough challenge. As for the series against the Knicks, it was certainly a chippy one, and after Game 5, he trolled the Knicks a bit by saying “GOODNIGHT NEW YORK” on Twitter.
Young played the villain role perfectly throughout the series and he had every reason to, especially after a Knicks fan tried to spit on him. It was a disgusting act that certainly got Young motivated as he systematically dismantled the Knicks all series long.
While he might find it a bit harder against the 76ers, there is no denying that the Hawks have a bright future with Young at the helm.
Memphis rapper Yo Gotti is a year removed from his most recent album, Untrapped, which also saw the end of his previous record deal with Epic. Today, he’s returned with a new single, “Drop” featuring DaBaby, just a day after announcing his Collective Music Group’s new deal with Interscope Geffen A&M. The deal will see support for CMG’s roster of burgeoning stars which includes 42 Dugg, EST Gee, and Moneybagg Yo, who recently scored his first No. 1 album.
Meanwhile, Gotti’s new single finds him teaming up with one of the biggest artists of the moment, DaBaby, for a strip club-friendly anthem featuring a digitized loop and a head-bopping, skeletal kick-snare combo perfect for inspiring hip-shaking and booty dropping. The two rappers deliver boastful verses about their appeal to the opposite sex littered with punchlines like “Her ass make a whole lot of noise when I f*ck from the back / And it clap, it’s annoying.”
While Yo Gotti has spent much of the past year laying low musically, he has been busy in other areas, like pursuing prison reform alongside Jay-Z. Filing a lawsuit against the state of Mississippi last February, they saw a big breakthrough in August as Mississippi’s Department of Corrections ended its contract with healthcare provider Centurion over insufficient and neglectful practices.
Listen to Yo Gotti’s new single “Drop” featuring DaBaby above.
There were many who thought this day would never come. Much like within the actual Book Of Revelations, the arrival of the Four Horsemen can only signal one thing — the apocalypse is nigh. And now, hip-hop’s own HRSMN have come through to leave a wasteland in their wake, with Ras Kass (Pestilence), Killah Priest (Death), Canibus (War), and Kurupt (Famine) leading the violent charge. Having recently announced their brand new album The Last Ride, due for release on June 18th, the quarter has come through to unveil the tracklist and share the first two singles “Believer/False Profits.”
As expected, the bars are plentiful. Over a villainous anthem, all four of the Horsemen hold it down with savage verses, proving that their swords remain sharp regardless of the wait-time. Though “Believer” presents a more battle-ready approach, “False Profits” is more contemplative in nature, stripping away the drums and giving ample space for Killah Preist to let fly a salvo of bars.
Check out the full tracklist below, and look for The Last Ride to land on June 18th. Are you excited for the first proper studio album from the HRSMN?
1. Sintro 2. Centaurs 3. This Shit Right Here 4. Champion feat. Planet Asia, Chino XL, Blakkamore 5. Morticians 6. One Second feat. Hus Kingpin 7. Love N War feat. Kia Jefferies 8. Believer cuts by inDJnous 9. False Profits 10. Apocalips now feat. Dina Rae 11. Impossible 12. Burger King feat. Phil D Agony, El Gant, Al Tejeda, Fokis 13. Last Ride 14. (Vinyl Bonus) Ride On feat. Tragedy Khadafi
Heading into the fight, fans have been curious about the rules and how it will all play out. Well, just days before the fight, said rules have been revealed and some might be disappointed by one of the stipulations. Essentially, there won’t be any judges for the fight which means if this match goes the distance, no one will be declared a winner. However, knockouts are allowed, which means if one were to take place, the winner would be obvious.
As for the length of the match, there are going to be eight rounds that are three minutes each. Of course, there is no guarantee we go the distance, and based on the skill mismatch, there is reason to believe this could be over sooner rather than later.
There is a lot of fanfare heading into this and we can’t wait to see how it all plays out. Give us your predictions, in the comments below.
