Chuck D shared an observation about Ice-T’s work — pointing out that the intended messaging in the West Coast pioneer’s lyrics may have been lost on some.
Hip Hop News
Jhené Aiko Shared Her Unreleased ‘Surrender’ And ‘Love’ Videos For The Fourth Anniversary Of ‘Chilombo’
Jhené Aiko moves at her own pace. In today’s frantic climate of near-constant content churn, the LA singer keeps to herself, quietly creating until she feels ready to release her latest work to the world. She’s like a volcano in that way, patiently bubbling under the surface until she’s ready to erupt with a new creative vision.
Maybe that’s why she presents herself as a fiery volcano goddess in the video for “Surrender,” which she shared this week in honor of the fourth anniversary of her most recent album, Chilombo. On Instagram, she revealed she’d be sharing the unreleased videos from the album, including clips for “Define Me (interlude),” “Love,” and of course, “Surrender.” All three videos were shot by frequent collaborator Glassface and find Jhené soaking up nature, whether that’s on the volcanic island from the “Surrender” video or taking in the savannah of Africa in “Love.” You can check out the “Surrender” video above and the “Love” and “Define Me” videos below.
In accordance with Aiko’s laid-back release schedule, she dropped her most recent songs early this year. “Sun/Son” was a dedication to her and Big Sean’s son Noah, and followed “Calm & Patient,” which came out nearly a year before. She may be feeling calm and patient, but her fans have been neither lately, as demands for a joint release with Sean as Twenty88 have become more and more persistent on social media with her increased activity. They said the album is “coming along,” but that was two years ago, so their insistence is understandable.
Kenny Mason “9”: 5 Things We Want
Kenny Mason is a 29-year-old MC from West Atlanta who has made quite a splash in the last few years with his experimental blend of low-key trap and rugged pop-punk. The young rapper is gearing up to drop his latest effort on streaming services on March 14. Fans across social media are already voicing their excitement for the project. The new Kenny Mason album is simply titled 9, and is said to have nine tracks, including two singles, “Jumping In” and “Us,” which were just released.
9 serves as a follow-up to Kenny’s last LP 6, which released in June of 2023. Though 6 had some major highs, some fans felt that there were elements missing from the project which could have made it even stronger. With over 2 million monthly Spotify listeners to please, Kenny Mason may be on track to deliver his first certified classic with 9. Here are five things fans want from the upcoming album.
5. A Full-Length Run-Time
Unchained. Unleashed. Wild and free.
Spin Kenny Mason’s “JUMPIN IN” and “US” ahead of his new album ‘9’ next week. #OGM
+ READ MORE
: https://t.co/oPBgwtwkqs pic.twitter.com/DmgSlCPH6y
— Our Generation Music (@OGMusicCo) March 6, 2024
Like many young artists coming up in the TikTok era, Kenny Mason has been known to produce incredibly brief songs in the past. With 9 already confirmed to have only nine songs, fans are hoping the album’s run-time will be sufficiently longer than 15-18 minutes. Though neither of the two leading single tracks released this week have run-times that reach 3 minutes, fans are holding out hope that the album won’t be very short to appeal to young, easily distracted fans across social media. While nobody is asking Kenny Mason to create an 8-minute-long power ballad with an extended guitar solo outro, it would surely please fans to hear a few tracks that last long enough to fully flesh out their themes and ideas.
4. Variety In Production
Kenny Mason is known to produce much of his own material, and 9 will undoubtedly contain at least a handful of self-produced songs from the prolific Atlanta artist. However, fans would surely appreciate Kenny’s impressive vocal range and ability to innovate even more if he took the opportunity to work with some well-known producers. Beat-makers like Hit-Boy, the Alchemist, and JID collaborator Christo would all be excellent picks for a Kenny Mason collab. Of course, Kenny could also use 9 as a means to highlight some other young up-and-comers from West Atlanta by working with underground producers from his neighborhood.
3. Some Well-Placed Vocal Guests
.@kennymason announces the ‘ROUTE 9 TOUR’ with special guest @skaiwater
pic.twitter.com/rmz7xZY0vV
— Our Generation Music (@OGMusicCo) January 30, 2024
Throughout his career, Kenny has had the opportunity to work with a wide array of excellent vocalists. He has previously collaborated with artists such as Denzel Curry and Freddie Gibbs and even appeared across multiple tracks with JID. His songs with the latter include cuts like “Dance Now” and “Just In Time” with Lil Wayne from JID’s critically acclaimed album The Forever Story. While Kenny Mason is certainly capable of carrying his album with no features a la J. Cole, it would surely please fans to see inclusions from some of his contemporaries on 9. Appearances from the likes of Isaiah Rashad, EarthGang, or SZA could really put the record over the top.
2. Genre-Blending Bangers
As stated, Kenny’s work is known for its genre-blending, with tracks often switching between a laid-back smoke session vibe and a hard mosh pit setting complete with shredding guitars. This sonic mixture has become something of a trademark for Kenny Mason, which many fans hope to see continued on 9. Perhaps the young rapper can even blend a few new styles into his music, with notes of jazz funk like Denzel Curry on Melt My Eyez See Your Future or harsh noise-core samples like JPEGMAFIA’s latest effort Scaring The Hoes. Either way, Mason’s high-energy output often features surprising left-field musical choices that blend seamlessly with his lyrical style, making the artist one to look out for on this year’s ‘best of’ lists.
1. Kenny Mason At His Best
Chapter 1 – Jumping In pic.twitter.com/fWadfUe202
— Pup
(@kennymason) March 6, 2024
No matter what sonic styles and lyrical one-two punches Kenny Mason delivers on 9, fans are looking forward to the artist putting out his best body of work yet. Kenny has continued to elevate his sound and production quality through each release so far, making 9 a culmination of all his greatest efforts thus far. Based on the leading singles to the album, it’s clear that Kenny is hungry and passionate, with recent social media posts from the up-and-comer confirming that this project will serve as some of his finest material yet.
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Stephen A. Smith Wants Anthony Edwards To Step Up In Wake Of KAT Injury
Stephen A. Smith has said that it’s Anthony Edwards’ “moment” after his Timberwolves’ teammate Karl-Anthony Towns was shut down for the season. Edwards, the first-overall pick in 2020, is averaging 26.4/5.2/5.1 this season. If the Wolves are to continue their historic season, Edwards is going to need to carry the load down the stretch. The Timberwolves are 44-19 and first in the Western Conference.
However, Edwards is already someone that Towns himself thinks is destined for greatness. “It brings a smile to all of our faces. He’s one of the top players in the NBA right now. And when you mix that in with his charisma and the personality he has, that’s a huge boost,” Towns explained on First Take. Edwards is coming off the second All-Star nod of his career and is only going to get better as he continues to improve. Towns also called Edwards “the next face of the NBA“.
Read More: Adidas Hilariously Claps Back At Kevin Durant For Anthony Edwards Comments
Stephen A. Smith Hypes Biggie As The JAY-Z Who Never Was
“We are witnessing the birth of an NBA superstar.”
—@chiney on Anthony Edwards
pic.twitter.com/HKDKPB54bM
— First Take (@FirstTake) March 8, 2024
Elsewhere, Smith showed love for Biggie in a recent interview, stating that the rapper would have been as big as JAY-Z if not for his murder. “If Biggie were alive today, I think he could be Hov. I’m not sure though, but I will tell you that his lyrics, along with his music, the sound of it. I would say to you I gotta give it to Biggie,” Smith told the Connect The Dots podcast.
However, when it came to his final ranking of rappers, Smith backed his close friend, Hov. “I have to go with JAY-Z. I personally think he’s the greatest. Biggie was something special, make no mistake about it, rapping about what he knows. JAY-Z knows more. Jay is more seasoned, so he had more to say. Even though Biggie spectacular, Nas is spectacular, Eminem is spectacular, LL [Cool J], DMX, all of them, spectacular. But, there’s only one Hov, bro. He has proven that through the test of time, with everything he’s done,” Smith said.
Read More: JAY-Z Called Up Stephen A. Smith Over His Viral Rihanna & Beyonce Comparison
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Ariana Grande Reveals Her First Impression Of Remaking Brandy & Monica’s Smash Hit “The Boy Is Mine”
Earlier this week, Ariana Grande released her new album Eternal Sunshine. The highly-anticipated new album is her first since 2020’s Positions. The album was already led off by a successful lead single “yes, and?.” The song debuted at the very top spot on the Hot 100 and is still hovering inside the top 30 weeks later. To celebrate the release of the album, she sat down with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe. They discussed some of the most relevant details of the project.
During the interview, she spoke on one of the tracks that grabbed fan’s attention immediately. The track is called “The Boy Is Mine” and it draws heavily from the Brandy and Monica smash hit of the same name. The track spent a stunning 13 weeks at number one on the Hot 100 and went on to win a Grammy. “I love that song. I’ve always wanted to reimagine that song in some kind of way. I was kind of like, ‘This is a very bad idea.’ But there is a large group of my fans that really do love a bad girl anthem, and this is kind of an elevated version of that,” Grande explained. Check out the full interview below.
Read More: Ariana Grande & Dalton Gomez File For Divorce
Ariana Grande Thought “The Boy Is Mine” Was A Bad Idea
Ariana Grande’s new album is expected to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 next week. The project has the chance for a massive debut and could be one of the biggest first weeks of any new album in 2024. With it, nearly the entire tracklist of the album is expected to debut on the Hot 100. That could also include a major rise for “yes, and?.” Chart speculation sites project that it could go as high as the top 5 in next week’s charts.
What do you think of Ariana Grande’s initial skepticism to making “The Boy Is Mine?” What do you think of the final version of the song? Let us know in the comment section below.
Read More: What Is Ariana Grande’s Best-Selling Album?
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Meek Mill’s “Heathenism” First-Week Sales Get Him Ripped Apart By Critics
It’s been an undoubtedly challenging few weeks for Meek Mill, and it looks like the Philly-born performer simply cannot catch a break. At the end of February, rumors that he was named in Diddy’s latest lawsuit and slept with the Bad Boy Records founder ran wild. Despite having denied these allegations on various occasions, social media users continue to speculate. Amid chatter surrounding that whole debacle, Meek wrecked his brand-new car. Luckily, he seems to have been uninjured in the crash, though he admits it knocked him out.
Things appeared to be looking up for the rapper when he announced and later unleashed his new EP Heathenism last week. While it’s been met with praise from countless fans since its release, critics continue to knock him online. This has only been compounded since the project’s first-week sales were announced earlier today.
Read More: Meek Mill Wants To Help The Mayor Of Philly Fight Gun Violence After Shooting
Meek Mill’s Heathenism EP Sells 6K Its First Week
According to a recent Tweet from DJ Akademiks, Heathenism sold 6K in its first week. While the number is certainly far lower than most fans probably expected, he appears to have remained confident in his success, based on his latest Twitter/X posts. Unfortunately, however, not everybody is so convinced. Ak’s comments section has been flooded by countless users clowning him for the project’s arguably low sales, and they’re not holding back.
“All that controversy and still couldn’t break 10k,” one critic writes. “Flopped so hard,” another claims. Several users also took the opportunity to joke about Meek Mill and DJ Akademiks’ recent feud, and how glad the latter probably was to spread the news. “Ak rubbing his hands together after getting this information,” one user says.
Social Media Users Clown Meek Mill Over Heathenism First-Week Sales
What do you think of Meek Mill’s new EP Heathenism selling 6k in its first week? Are you surprised? Do you think he deserves the clowning he’s receiving online, or are critics doing too much? Share your thoughts in the comments section, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates. Check out some Twitter/X users’ reactions down below.
No way
pic.twitter.com/AmbBOGwFEK
— Sekzin
(@Sekzin_sa) March 8, 2024
Read More: Meek Mill Roasted For Wanting To Get Ghanaian Citizenship
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Celebrating International Women’s Day: Honoring the Queens of Hip Hop
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, it’s only right to shine a spotlight on the trailblazing women who have made an indelible mark on the hip hop landscape. From the early pioneers to the contemporary powerhouses, these female artists have shattered barriers, challenged stereotypes, and paved the way for generations to come.
One of the most iconic figures in hip hop history is undoubtedly Queen Latifah. Emerging in the late ’80s, Latifah made waves with her empowering lyrics and unapologetic style. Songs like “Ladies First” and “U.N.I.T.Y.” not only showcased her immense talent but also championed female empowerment and solidarity.
Another legendary figure who deserves recognition is Missy Elliott. With her groundbreaking production, innovative visuals, and unmatched creativity, Missy has redefined the possibilities of hip hop. From “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” to “Get Ur Freak On,” her influence on the genre is immeasurable.
In the realm of lyricism, few can match the prowess of Lauryn Hill. As a member of the Fugees and a solo artist, Hill’s poetic rhymes and soulful delivery captivated audiences worldwide. Her seminal album, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” remains a timeless masterpiece and a testament to her undeniable talent.
Moving into the contemporary era, artists like Nicki Minaj and Cardi B have continued to push boundaries and break records. Nicki’s rapid-fire flow and larger-than-life persona have solidified her as one of the most influential rappers of her generation. Meanwhile, Cardi B’s raw authenticity and unfiltered storytelling have earned her a devoted fanbase and critical acclaim.
Beyond the artists themselves, it’s essential to acknowledge the countless women behind the scenes who have played a vital role in shaping hip hop culture. From DJs and producers to managers and executives, their contributions are integral to the success of the genre.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, let’s honor the queens of hip hop and recognize their invaluable contributions to music, culture, and society as a whole. Their voices, stories, and legacies continue to inspire and empower women around the world.
Check out some of our favorite women who shook the mic and who would you add to the list?
The post Celebrating International Women’s Day: Honoring the Queens of Hip Hop first appeared on The Source.
The post Celebrating International Women’s Day: Honoring the Queens of Hip Hop appeared first on The Source.
Lil Durk Recalls Embarrassing Rolls-Royce Mishap While Trying To Impress India Royale
Chicago rap icon Lil Durk has shared an embarrassing story that involved trying to impress his wife India Royale with his impressive Rolls-Royce.
Paul Mescal Net Worth 2024: What Is The Actor Worth?
Paul Mescal, an Irish actor who has swiftly risen to prominence through his nuanced performances and compelling screen presence, has made a significant impact in the entertainment industry in a relatively short period. His breakthrough role in the critically acclaimed series Normal People has earned him international acclaim and a substantial financial standing. As the Irish Mirror reports, Mescal’s estimated net worth ranges between €2 million and €3 million as of 2024. This estimation underscores his successful transition from theater acting to becoming a sought-after name in both television and film, marking him as one of the most promising talents of his generation.
A Star-Making Role In Normal People
Born on February 2, 1996, in Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland, Paul Mescal’s passion for acting led him to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Acting at The Lir Academy at Trinity College Dublin. There, he honed his craft. Moreover, Mescal’s acting career began on the stage. His performances in various productions garnered attention for his emotional depth and ability to connect with the audience. However, it was his portrayal of Connell Waldron in the television adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Normal People that brought him widespread recognition. Mescal’s performance resonated with audiences and critics alike.. It also earned him a BAFTA award and an Emmy nomination. This role was pivotal not only in establishing his career but also in shaping his early financial success.
Transition To Film & Broadening Horizons
Following his acclaimed performance in Normal People, Paul Mescal has been selective in choosing roles that challenge him as an actor and expand his range. His subsequent work in films such as The Lost Daughter and Aftersun has also been praised for showcasing his versatility and commitment to his craft. Mescal’s ability to convey deep emotional narratives has positioned him as a talent to watch in the film industry. His dedication to selecting diverse and meaningful projects has contributed to his growing net worth. His reputation as an actor shows he’s capable of delivering powerful performances.
Personal Life & Artistic Integrity
Despite his rising fame, Mescal has maintained a level of privacy regarding his personal life. He chooses to focus public attention on his work and artistic endeavors. His approach to celebrity is marked by a grounded perspective, often highlighting the importance of mental health and the value of staying true to one’s artistic vision. Mescal’s involvement in various charitable causes and his advocacy for the arts reflect his commitment to using his platform for positive impact.
Paul Mescal’s estimated net worth of between €2 million and €3 million in 2024 indicates his successful entry into the world of film and television. His journey from theater actor to international sensation is a testament to his talent, work ethic, and career choices. Mescal’s ability to captivate audiences with his performances, his dedication to his craft, and personal integrity suggests that his influence and financial success will only continue to grow in the coming years.
The post Paul Mescal Net Worth 2024: What Is The Actor Worth? appeared first on HotNewHipHop.
Katt Williams Runs Lightning-Fast 40-Yard Dash At NFL Pro Day Event
Katt Williams continues to flex his physical fitness. The comedian ran a 4.97 40-yard event at an NFL pro day event. The run, and time, was captured by first-round draft prospect Jared Verse from Florida State.
However, this is not the first time that Williams have run a wild 40-yard dash. In January, Footage emerged appearing to back up Williams’ claim on Club Shay Shay suggesting that he can run a sub-4.50 40-yard dash. In the video, Williams is seen running the 40-yard dash in 4.47. That’s the same time that first-round pick Sauce Gardner ran in 2022. It appears that Williams wasn’t kidding about keeping himself in good shape. However, fans used the video to further the beef between Williams and Kevin Hart. Hart injured himself in August 2023 while trying to beat a former NFL player in a foot race.
Read More: Katt Williams Stole Jokes From J.B. Smoove, Nelly Claims
Shannon Sharpe Claims Katt Williams Interview Made Him More Money Than Any Year Of His NFL Career
.@KattWilliams ran a 4.97 40-yard dash?!
(via @JaredVerse1) pic.twitter.com/P5glLIuCYt
— NFL (@NFL) March 8, 2024
Meanwhile, Shannon Sharpe has claimed that he made more money from his Katt Williams interview than any single year of his NFL career. The Club Shay Shay interview made at least $113,000 from YouTube AdSense and that’s before adding in additional exposure, sponsorships, and onward revenue. The most that Sharpe made in a single season in the NFL was in 2000 when he made $5M. Despite Sharpe’s Hall of Famer career, both his sixth-round draft pick status and inflation must be taken into account.
Elsewhere, Sharpe defended himself against criticism stemming from his now-viral interview with Williams. “I never said I was a journalist. I am not an interviewer. What I always say at the start of my show is that the person who is coming on the show is coming over for a conversation and a drink. I’m a conversationalist,” Sharpe explained to his Nightcap co-host Chad Johnson. Furthermore, Sharpe noted that his show gets the big-name guests that it does because Sharpe offers a “safe space” for them to come and talk.
Read More: Saweetie Refuses To “Spin The Block” About Quavo With Shannon Sharpe
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