Lil Wayne & Young Thug Join Forces In The Studio

Lil Wayne and Young Thug haven’t always had the best relationship. Over the years, they’ve had a rocky bond after Young Thug was accused of allegedly “orchestrating” the 2015 shooting of Lil Wayne’s tour bus. That same year, Thug released his mixtape Barter 6, which is titled after Wayne’s classic Carter mixtape series. 

Despite their rumored feud, Lil Wayne and Young Thug have joined forces in the studio on numerous occasions to create some bangers. They teamed up for 2014’s “Take Kare” before collaborating again on the No Ceilings 3 remix to “Out West”. They seemingly have another one on the way too, getting together once again over the weekend in the studio.

A video of Thugger and Tunechi in the studio together has impacted a few rap blog pages on social media, showing them vibing to their new song together. The audio has been muted so there’s no way the public will hear this record before it officially drops, but it’s definitely piqued our curiosity.

Recently, Thug claimed during a podcast appearance that Wayne ignored him the first time they met. He’s also said that he doesn’t think the legendary rapper likes him on a few different occasions.


Prince Williams, Prince Williams/Getty Images

After everything that has allegedly gone down between them, people are truly surprised to see Young Thug and Lil Wayne on good terms. Hopefully, we get more collaborations from these two in the future.

DMX’s Family Holding Prayer Vigil Today At Hospital

As the hip-hop community and beyond waits for an update on DMX’s health, many have been actively sharing thoughts, prayers, and love to the legendary emcee. We’ve recently seen as much from “Go To Sleep” collaborator Eminem, his fellow Ruff Ryders members, and many more.

DMX

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Now, DMX’s mother and fiancee have been granted access to visit X in the hospital, where he currently remains on life support in a vegetative state. With several of his children currently en route, TMZ has reported that DMX’s family will be organizing a prayer vigil outside the White Plains Hospital, located at 79 E. Post Road, White Plains, NY. The event has already been shared by Ruff Ryders CEO Darrin “Dee” Dean, suggesting that he will be in attendance.

For those interested in stopping by in support of DMX, the vigil will take place at 5 PM EST. It’s important to note that DMX has been one of hip-hop’s most vocally spiritual lyricists, frequently looking to God for guidance throughout his catalog; look no further than his classic Scott Storch-produced single “Lord Give Me A Sign” for an example of how X deftly incorporated his religious faith into his lyricism. Not to mention his inclusion of “Prayers” on several of his solo albums. 

Be sure to keep DMX in your thoughts during this difficult time, and should you be in the general area and wish to show your support, the prayer vigil is set to begin this evening at 5 PM. 

Drake’s Son Adonis Sinks Basketball Shots In Adorable Video

Drake, who was recently named 2021’s most-streamed rapper, shared a video on Sunday of his 3-year-old son Adonis sinking some pretty serious basketball shots. The tot was playing at a small, indoor basketball hoop, assumedly inside the 34-year-old rapper’s home. He continued to make shots at the hoop, sinking two of them, before turning around to someone off camera and saying “two times!” 

Drake isn’t known for sharing photos of his once-secret son online, instead preferring to offer bits and pieces of his family life with co-parent Sophie Brussaux. In December, only a couple of months after Adonis’s third birthday, Drake shared an adorable video of Adonis sitting attentively while his dad taught him how to tie his durag. It seems as though Drake is in his happy place when surrounded by family.

While everyone is still waiting on the release date of Certified Lover Boy, we have the recent Scary Hours 2 EP to hold us down for now. With Drake likely still recovering from last year’s knee surgery and clearly taking time to bond with son Adonis, it’s unclear when exactly the new album will come. However, cute photos of Drake and his little one can certainly keep us occupied until then. 

Check out the adorable basketball video below. 

Boslen Continues Rising With “DENY” Featuring Tyla Yaweh

Fans are truly behind Vancouver-based pop-rap newcomer Boslen, who is proving to be one of Canada’s most exciting hip-hop exports. Showcasing his versatility on the road to his debut album release, the 22-year-old genre-bending artist has shown off different sides of his artistry on his way to generating enough buzz to be considered for the tenth spot on XXL’s coveted Freshman List. Fans are able to vote him in for the final spot, which would tremendously boost the rising artist’s profile as he continues to impress with his recent single releases.

Ahead of his upcoming debut album DUSK to DAWN, Boslen has officially released the music video for his latest single “DENY” featuring Tyla Yaweh. The painful lyrics unpack a relationship gone wrong, which is recreated in the hazy visuals directed by Bailey Wood and Natasha Dion.

Watch the video for Boslen’s new single below and let us know if you’re feeling it.

Quotable Lyrics:

You were in my dream last night and now we’re in it (Yeah-yeah)
I’ve been doing fine, I won’t lie, I do miss it (Yeah-yeah)
Went from holding you close to lost in the smoke
Used to pray for the hope but we lost control

DMX Sought Guidance On “Lord Give Me A Sign”

It’s a difficult time for DMX’s family, friends, and fans, as the legendary rapper remains hospitalized in a vegetative state. Yet in the midst of the darkness comes a sliver of light, seen through the staggering amount of love X has been receiving on social media. Universally recognized as one of hip-hop’s greatest rappers of all time, many have been vocally sharing their appreciation for X’s deep and long-running catalog.

While much attention has been (rightfully) paid to his first four albums — It’s Dark & Hell Is Hot, Flesh Of My Flesh, And Then There Was X, and The Great Depression — it feels appropriate to look to one of his Year Of The Dog…Again cuts, “Lord Give Me A Sign.”

Produced by Scott Storch, the spiritually-focused track managed to subvert expectation with a vaguely troubled guitar-fueled beat. X slides overhead with an adept flow, highlighting the inner duality that has long been a dominant driving force within his writing. No matter how dark circumstances may appear, DMX remains unwavering in his dedication to the Lord. Invoking Jesus Christ himself in the climax of his second verse, X proved that he could make a spiritually charged banger that still manages to hits hard. 

Bittersweet though it may feel to revisit DMX’s music in this difficult time, there remains a comfort to be taken in knowing DMX’s faith has endured so thoroughly for all these years. Please keep the rapper in your thoughts, and celebrate everything his legacy has to offer.

QUOTABLE LYRICS

Trapped in your own mind, waiting on the Lord
Or hunting with the word that cuts like a sword
The spoken word is stronger than the strongest man
Carries the whole world like the strongest hand
Through the trials and tribulations, you never let us down
Jesus, I know you’re here with us now
Jesus, I know you’re still with us now
Keep it real with us now, I wanna feel, show me how
Let me take your hand, guide me

Iggy Azalea Exposes Rappers & Celebrities In Her DMs

Over the years, you can only imagine how many thirsty and inappropriate direct messages Australian rapper Iggy Azalea has received. She continues to release new music, including her recent releases “Sip It” with Tyga and “Brazil”. She remains relevant because of her strong social media presence, in which she constantly flaunts her money-making assets, showing off her body on the regular. 

Following her publicity-filled break-up with the father of her son, Playboi Carti, Iggy Azalea has seemingly been fielding her direct messages in an attempt to find her next romantic suitor. She ended up finding a number of verified accounts hitting her up, some with upwards of 25 million followers, asking for the next spin. Iggy decided to have some fun on TikTok, exposing the rappers and celebrities that have been shooting their shots at her in the DMs while keeping their identities private by blocking out their account information.

@thenewclassic

ha ha ha as if!?!?! 🙃 stay outta my DMs uglies.

♬ Sip It – Iggy Azalea & Tyga

One account with nearly 9 million followers offered to pay Iggy $15,000 for a simple conversation over FaceTime with the self-aware celebrity acknowledging that money probably isn’t her biggest motivator. Another popular account with 12 million followers told the rapper she’s their “dream” and another even proposed to her with a few messages. Perhaps the most ridiculous message came from somebody with over 27 million followers, telling Iggy that they want to kiss the “inside of [her] butt hole”. 

Clearly, there are a lot of famous men that want to lock down the superstar rapper following her latest relationship failure. Who do you think has been shooting their shot at Iggy?

Tony Moxberg Taps Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, & Benny The Butcher On “Love”

When people lament that “real hip-hop” is dead, or at the very least missing, it’s likely that this is the sound they are pining for. Tony Moxberg, a longtime affiliate of D Block (the label launched by The LOX in 2002), has officially come through with “Love,” enlisting the talents of Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, and Benny The Butcher. 

Setting off over a misleadingly saccharine sample, the beat opens up as the drums kick in. Jadakiss holds it down with the hook, as Moxberg sets it off with some solid bars on the hustle. “My Brooklyn man keep a rocket everywhere that he go,” he raps. “Remind you of Harding except his beard doesn’t grow.” Sheek Louch slides through with the second verse, bringing boundless energy as he reflects on the many loves of his life. Lastly comes Benny, fresh off the release of the incredible Plugs I Met 2, who keeps it moving with a sturdy closing verse in keeping with the track’s main theme. “I love rap but I can still get it rocking today,” he spits. “In the trap with the pot, stove, a long clock, and a safe.” 

Check out this collaboration between four hip-hop veterans now, and sound off with your thoughts in the comments below. 

QUOTABLE LYRICS

My Brooklyn man keep a rocket everywhere that he go
Remind you of Harding except his beard doesn’t grow
Me, I fell in love with moving the plates
Mama knew I was crooked, I made sure she was straight

Lil Nas X Reacts To The ‘SNL’ Skit Featuring Him Giving God A Lap Dance

St. Vincent was the musical guest on this past weekend’s episode of Saturday Night Live, but the show began with nods to Britney Spears and Lil Nas X.

The SNL cold open skit was a talk show hosted by Spears (wonderfully portrayed by Chloe Fineman). Her first guest on the program was Lil Nas X (played by Chris Redd), who spoke about his “Satan shoes” and his “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” video. He explained the backlash to the video, “People are afraid of me because I’m different, but really, I’m just your typical gay, black, country-rap sneaker entrepreneur.” Then, at Spears’ suggestion, she brought out God and Nas gave him a lap dance to “even things out.”

Not long after the skit, Nas took to Twitter to share his thoughts. He tweeted a screenshot from the sketch and offered a tongue-in-cheek caption: “snl going to hell.”

Now that Nas has been parodied on SNL, he just has South Park left. He tried to will an episode of the long-running cartoon about his Satan saga into existence last week when he tweeted, “this gone be a good ass south park episode lmao.”

Watch the Saturday Night Live skit below.

Gallant Masters The Music But Not So Much Love On His Euphoric ‘Neptune’ EP

The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow, and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.

Success is never a guaranteed thing. No matter the task, it’s never promised that one will complete it on the first try. This doesn’t mean that it’s unlikely, but rather, it’s a logical expectation when the absolute random ways of the world and how things can play out are taken into consideration. With that being said, we like to think that success will arrive at some point along the way. Even if it takes a million tries, the eventual accomplishment proves that we are capable of getting it done. Unfortunately for Gallant, this self-serving moment doesn’t arrive for him on his latest body of work.

The singer’s Neptune EP presents eight elegant songs that float freely in the spacious night sky. On it, Gallant repeatedly comes up short in tying down a longtime partner for the tumultuous ride that is life. Whether it slips through his hands or flies by when he lets his guard down, he repeatedly plays from behind on Neptune in an attempt to gain ground and capture the very thing that’s escaped him too often.

As elusive as love can be, Gallant’s inability to experience the best of it is due to his faults. Blocking your shot can be extremely frustrating, especially when it occurs as a reflex, and the annoyance of it all only skyrockets when the stakes of said shot are realized. In what sounds like a file uprooted out of Usher’s early 2000s hard drive, Gallant confesses to his wrongs on “Comeback” with the hope that his exiting partner will do just that: return his now-prepared arms where he offers a much better experience for her. “I shouldn’t have ever listened to the demons,” he admits, adding, “You can come back / There’s no better time / I’ll leave on the lights.”

Gallant’s blunders continue with “Julie.” The free-floating track, which could very well be classified as “singing in the rain” music at some points, presents the singer as a klutz whenever love comes his way. Despite these neverending mistakes, he still finds himself in short-lived moments of intimacy with a partner who is very much skeptical about his abilities to not ruin yet another chance with her. While her hesitation is still present, she seems a bit more open to a second stab at it than the partner she sings about on “No More Tries.” Back by a guest appearance from VanJess, who play the role of his exhausted companion, Gallant’s journey towards a fulfilling love is cut short by their command to turn around and take him and his inconsistencies to someone else. “Even if we try / It would only end up causing us more pain,” they sing. “’Cause your love was enough for me until / There was nothing left for both of us to lose.”

It’d be criminal to paint a picture of Gallant’s perceived loneliness as something of his own doing. The singer stumbles across individuals who ruin the few moments he has it together. Take “Dynamite” with Brandy, for example, Gallant deals with a woman who’s both insecure and blinded by the fame and money that surrounds her. Blowing up their lives to the most basic element would be nice but it’s highly unrealistic, something he accepts in the song. Gallant even deals with his frustrations on “Scars.” The uptempo, dance-friendly track is enwrapped with both the physical and emotional pain that the singer carries on his shoulders. He balances nonchalance with discontent with a track that ultimately finds him moving one to the next awaiting soul who is hopefully ready for what he has to offer.

Gallant will eventually figure it out, or hey, maybe he won’t. It’s all up to the singer to tie his laces and finally stop tripping over himself on this winding road towards companionship. At least, in that case, he’ll limit his failures to outside circumstances like inapt companions or just sheer bad luck. Despite these missteps, it’s admirable that he at least recognizes his faults, and with each admission comes the claim that he’s fixed them and is far better. Neptune is filled with ear-pleasing music that encapsulates Gallant’s versatility as a singer. From traditional R&B to alternative sounds and everything in between, Gallant proves that his talents span as wide as the distance between Earth and the planet in which this project was named after.

Neptune is out now via EMPIRE. Get it here.