After making fans wait more than four years for a new album, Justin Bieber has delivered two full-length efforts in just thirteen months. It began with last February Changes which was followed up by this month’s Justice. While the singer has given fans more than enough music to indulge in for the time being, he isn’t quite done in the release department. Bieber updated Justice with six new songs for the album’s Triple Chucks Deluxe reissue. One of the new additions is “There She Go” with Lil Uzi Vert, a track that Bieber described as record that will “probably be huge on TikTok because it kind of has that feel to it,” in an interview with Vogue.
The deluxe album comes after Bieber made his long-awaited “Red Eye” single available for purchase online. The updated project also finds guest appearances from DaBaby, Quavo, Jaden, and Tori Kelly. Fans had been waiting for an official version of the track since its debut in the singer’s Seasons documentary. He also took over an eerie forest for a performance of “Hold On” which came after he reportedly visited a Los Angeles prison with his pastor to preach about Christianity.
During a recent appearance on DJ Khaled’s The First One podcast, Bieber spoke about the meaning behind his Justice album. “This album is meant to encourage people,” he said. “In the mission statement for the album I talked about how music is such a great way to connect people and bring them together, remind them they are not alone provide that safe space, comforting music to move and groove.” On the show, he also revealed Drake as one of the artists in his list of top five rappers.
Nearly two years after the battle began, the lawsuit between the estate for the late Nipsey Hussle and The Crips over “The Marathon Continues” trademark has finally come to an end. According to a report from TMZ, the rapper’s brother Samuel “Blacc Sam” Asghedom informed a Los Angeles County court that a settlement was reached between the two parties. Documents obtained by TMZ reveal that while Nipsey’s estate and The Crips are still working on the final details of the lawsuit, the formal terms of the agreement will be submitted in the near future.
The issue began in May 2019 when Blacc Sam filed a request for “The Marathon Continues” trademark, only to find out that The Crips filed one almost two weeks before his attempt. Sam intended to use the slogan for a number of endeavors including “charitable activities, the doing of good deeds for others and the promotion of ethical and character values.”
More than a year later, Hussle’s estate would file a lawsuit against the corporate section of the gang over the trademark. Through it they sought compensation for damages and an order for The Crips to destroy and remove any merchandise that was made with the trademark.
Nipsey Hussle is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Today, Big Sean celebrates his 33rd birthday — one that he almost didn’t get to see. To commemorate the occasion, he’s shared a video of a special live performance of his Detroit 2 tracks “Lucky Me” and “Still I Rise,” highlighting just how fortunate he feels to hit his Scottie Pippen year.
Prior to his last album’s release, Sean was very open about sharing his struggles with mental health, admitting that he’d contemplated suicide as a result of depression and anxiety. Meanwhile, on “Lucky Me,” he raps about the heart condition he experienced as a teen that nearly killed him. Although doctors suggested putting in a pacemaker to keep things moving along, his mother’s insistence on trying alternative medicine led to an unconventional cure.
Sean recently repaid his mom for going above and beyond for him by introducing her to Seán Schemmel, the voice actor who portrays the Dragon Ball Z hero Goku. The two Seans spent some time hanging out, with Schemmel posting pics from Big Sean’s in-house studio and explaining that kids like the younger Sean were the inspiration behind his performance.
Incidentally, it was on his 32nd birthday last year that Sean announced the impending release of Detroit 2, the follow-up to his fan-favorite 2012 mixtape that featured breakout songs like “Mula” and “24 Karats Of Gold” with J. Cole. Two weeks ago, he announced that the tape would finally make its way to DSPs, mixed and mastered. Here’s hoping all the samples were cleared as well.
Watch Big Sean’s live performance of “Lucky Me” and “Still I Rise” above.
Coming off the successful release of Spillage Village’s Spilligion and working on his follow-up to 2018’s DiCaprio 2, Atlanta rapper JID took time out to help a local fan who was going through some recent hardships and put out a call for more members of the community to assist.
Rosalee Thomas lost her job and health insurance during the pandemic but then, to make matters worse, her car was also totaled. JID partnered with Seattle-based pizza chain MOD Pizza to drop off a new car to Thomas as the opening act of their “Random Acts of MODness” campaign. After the video of the gift went live, JID himself went on Twitter to offer “three wishes” to more fans in need.
One responder was a first-generation student who needed help paying for school, while another was an ICU nurse at the VA hospital in Temple, Texas. Finally, JID selected a second-grade teacher to receive school supplies and library books for her students. In a press release promoting the campaign, JID explained, “It’s been a tough year and we know folks are struggling. So, I’m excited to partner with MOD to spread some love in our local communities.”
In addition to recording his long-awaited third album, JID also released a handful of new songs and freestyles this year, including “Cludder Freestyle,” “JIDtranada Freestyle,” and “Skegee.”
For all its reputation as a cult classic vision of a dystopian potential future (one you could arguably say we’re already living in, minus the flying cars), the film Blade Runner is actually pretty slow, with a deliberate, drawn-out pace that belies the excitement with which its biggest fans talk about it.
However, “Blade Runner,” the song performed by boundary-pushing Washington DC rapper Kamiyada+ in his UPROXX Sessions debut, is nothing of the sort. Despite a glitchy sample loop meant to sound like the electronic, synth-riddled soundtrack of the film and a cyberpunk-styled fashion sense, Kamiyada’s track is anything but slow. Instead, it’s a propulsive, aggressive song, highlighted by his gritty, yell-rap delivery and antisocial subject matter.
Kamiyada is just four months removed from his last full-length release, December’s DEATHTRAP+++2, the sequel to his 2018 original. Between the two releases, he also dropped two EPs, Live From Space, Vol. 2 in 2018, and A Traumatic Experience in 2019. Although he hasn’t announced a new project for this year, he did release the video for his latest single, “U Made The Devil Cry,” yesterday.
Watch Kamiyada’s aggressive performance of “Blade Runner” above.
UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross,UPROXX Sessionsis a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.
Rising R&B artist Fousheé had herself a breakout hit last summer when “Deep End” gained traction on TikTok, and since then, the single has been making its way up the Billboard charts. Now, the recent RCA Records signee’s breakout hit has put her in the history books.
On the latest Billboard Alternative Airplay chart (dated March 27), “Deep End” has achieved a new peak at No. 10 in its sixteenth week on the chart. The top 10 spots of that particular chart aren’t often occupied by Black women: As Fousheé notes in a video shared yesterday, this is the first time a song by a Black female artist has been in the top 10 of the Alternative Airplay chart in 32 years. The last time it happened was when Tracy Chapman’s “Crossroads” was top-10 in 1989.
Fousheé wrote alongside the video, “HISTORY WAS MADE! thank u from the bottom of my [heart].”
Fousheé previously explained the song’s origins, writing on Twitter, “I wrote Deep End when protests were just beginning. Minnesota was up in flames. When i picked the pen up that’s all I could think about. that’s how the earlier version of the song came about. […] I ended up writing a new version because I wanted the song to feel like victory instead of defeat & people were tired of being sad.”
According to Complex, the film follows Gibbs’ Mercury Maxwell, a rapper who wants to leave hip-hop behind to become… a farmer. After being sent to the rural Berkshires of Massachusetts, Mercury decides to drop his Money Merc persona and announces his retirement. However, his manager isn’t ready to let his client walk away so easily. While those ingredients have all the hallmarks of a comedy — and Gibbs’ certainly has the chops for one — Complex reports the film’s a drama.
Produced by Breaker Studios, written and directed by Diego Ongaro, and co-starring Bob Tarasuk, David Krumholtz, Jamie Neumann, and Sharon Washington, Complex notes that Down With The King will appear at festivals later this year, where the creators hope to pick up a distributor. Gibbs, who wrote and performed original music for the film, “worked intimately together” with Ongaro “to craft Mercury’s character and backstory” according to the director, who wanted to combine two of his seemingly opposing passions.
“Many films that feature the hip-hop community tell underdog ‘success stories,’ whereas Down with the King does the contrary,” he says. “Mercury is at the top of the hip-hop world but desperately seeks a simpler life… It was an absolute thrill working with someone as sharp and multi-talented as Freddie in this collaborative way.”
Freddie Gibbs is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
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.
Well before you hear her delicate, soaring voice, an admirable aspect of Joyce Wrice’s career is her ability to be a highlight in a room full of undeniable talents. After landing collaborations with Dom Kennedy, Blu, Jay Prince, and others in the early to mid-2010s, Wrice’s light would soon brighten. In recent years, she’s landed tracks with Devin Morrison (“With You”), Free Nationals (“The Rivington”), and Westside Gunn (“French Toast”). Her contributions were always the sweet icing on an already tasty cake, a delicacy that slowly drew more interest towards the supporting act with each release.
Finally, Wrice has delivered her main course to the world with her debut album, Overgrown. Unlike most love-focused R&B debuts, which often present youth and naivety as accompanying attributes in relationships, the LA singer’s body of work seemingly arrives after this stage in life. Experience and the wisdom to learn from it all find Wrice more prepared to begin the trek towards a committed lover who’s just as mature as she is.
While the end goal on Overgrown is indeed a partner who meets her standards, that’s only half of it. On the album’s title track, which doubles as the project’s outro, Wrice shares what could be documented as her “above all else” mantra. “But don’t you lose all that makes you you,” she sings. “You will be scared, unprepared sometimes.” The heart will always want what it wants but altering its best and most foundational aspects to attain that will bring a result that’s not nearly as satisfying as one imagined.
This very thought process is why on “Losing” she makes her insufficient lover not only aware of their sub-par contributions to their growing relationship, but her irreversible decision to find something better. The song’s swift-moving drums and giddy guitar strings capture her nimble sidestep in dodging the bullet of an unsatisfying love. “Must Be Nice” also echoes the mantra she introduced on the album’s outro, and despite a counter for Masego to continue to flow, Wrice stands firm on placing a pause on their nighttime fun for the betterment of herself. “But it’s just something about the things you do to me / You keep me places I know I ain’t supposed to be,” she sings, adding, “I’ve got rules when I’m with you I don’t follow / I’m wishing you were a phase.’”
Wrice’s insistence for a companion that checks off all her desired boxes stems from being deprived from her close encounters of just that. This picture-perfect partner who absorbs her attention by simply breathing is her muse on “Addicted” and “Think About You.” The once too-good-for-you singer finds herself swept up on a love cloud that unfortunately fails to bring her to her desired location. The former accounts for her inability to turn her dream lover into a reality over an electric ballad while the latter is a dreamy affair that sees her putting the ball in their court with the hope that they make the easy layup.
Overgrown is the LA singer’s way of letting both new and old interests know that immaturity and indecisiveness are not welcomed in her world. It’s clear Wrice has had her fair share of that in the past and its return is the last thing she needs. While some might use their debut to document their growth, Wrice takes her opportunity to show that she is grown. Whether it’s falling in love, falling out of it, or just avoiding it altogether, Overgrown tells and shows listeners that through it all, she’ll present her best self and push forward with it as nobly as possible. If you’re going to wear your heart on your sleeve as she does, the least you can do is protect it from heinous outside forces. For Wrice, this protection not only comes in the form of self-preservation but also through strict warnings that promise undesirable consequences if ignored
Overgrown is out now via Joyce Wrice Music. Get it here.
Blxst‘s new video for “Chosen” from the deluxe version of his No Love Lost EP takes inspiration from historically Black colleges and universities, with a heavy emphasis on fraternity life as displayed in movies like Spike Lee’s School Daze. Blxst plays the big man on campus, bumping into his romantic lead early in the video and spending time with her on the yard and at a house party.
The song’s featured artists, Tyga and Ty Dolla Sign, also appear as fellow members of Blxst’s frat, throwing a parking lot party and staging a performance backed by cheerleaders on the football field. Meanwhile, the cheerleaders put on a private twerk show of their own in the locker room.
The “Chosen” video follows “Got It All” with Dom Kennedy as the latest visual releases from No Love Lost, while the LA-based rapper and singer followed-up the project with a two-song double single release, Just For Clarity, earlier this month. That single included appearances from the recently released Drakeo The Ruler and indie rap evangelist Russ.
Watch Blxst, Tyga, and Ty Dolla Sign’s “Chosen” video above.
Ty Dolla Sign is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
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.
It’s a formula we’ve all seen before; one rapper, one producer, 10 tracks. There’s a reason for this: It works.
The latest example proving this aphorism is To Kill A Sunrise, the concise collaborative project from burgeoning Brooklyn rapper Kota The Friend and veteran Boston producer Statik Selektah. Released just two months removed from Kota’s last project, the quick and dirty Lyrics To Go, Vol. 2, this latest effort makes an ironclad case for the aforementioned recipe with crisp, inventive rhymes over inviting instrumentals that show what traditionalist hip-hop can be at its absolute best.
Over the course of his surprisingly productive five-year career, Kota has proven to be one of the genre’s foremost advocates of the bars-first mentality endemic to his hometown’s musical philosophy throughout the mid-’90s. To put it bluntly, whenever someone shouts out “real hip-hop,” they usually mean rap in the vein of jazz-sampling, puffer jacket-wearing, Timberland boot-stomping, cerebral rappers from the lyrical bloodline of acts like Gang Starr, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, and A Tribe Called Quest.
Kota has this, yes, but he also adds his own unique, plainspoken perspective to the simile-ridden rhyme style of his forebears, leavening their rugged machismo with a vulnerable, confessional, emotionally intelligent bent to his raps. He displayed as much on his breakout 2019 album Foto and on its 2020 follow-up Everything, but whereas on those albums, he displayed that honest tendency over beats that toed the line between modernism and his natural, jazz-rap instincts, on To Kill A Sunrise, he fully indulges the latter, partnering with their perfect foil in Statik Selektah.
For instance on “Hate,” Statik laces Kota with a stripped-down, hand-clap-and-key-stab sample pack over which Kota can “have some fun,” as he says on the song’s introductory instrumental bars. On the song’s opposite, “The Love,” Statik scratches in over a tinkling piano sample, throws hella swing on the drum kit, and channels the spirit of 1991. Kota dives in headfirst, ruminating on intergenerational responsibilities and working at mediocre jobs before attaining his dream of supporting himself through his music.
The combination of Statik’s throwback beats and Kota’s straightfoward, lyrics-focused rhyme style certainly evokes nostalgia for a certain era and place in hip-hop history but they’re not stuck in the past, as so many rhyme-first rap conservatives can be. They don’t thumb their noses at modern trends so much as eschew them entirely; they aren’t here to scold rappers for humming or diss their gold-chain-flexing, trap-praising peers. The endeavor comes across more self-contained, as if to say, “This is us, in our element, doing what we like to do.” In short, it’s a rapper and producer having fun making music, which can sometimes feel rare these days.
Ever since Jay-Z first uttered that fateful phrase “I’m not a rapper,” it can seem as though many folks who do the job are only doing it to get their feet in the door at the places they really want to work, like waitstaff at the local diner who are really actors or web designers or CEOs in casual conversations. Within the past month, I’ve written about no less seven major rap stars securing their first acting roles, while a number of others have jumped into tech or become restauranteurs.
These are all good things! We’ve seen enough rappers go from rags to riches back to rags over the past four decades to understand that rap money doesn’t always last. “LLC Twitter” is quick to remind anyone unfortunate enough to stumble across their condescending messages that you should have multiple streams of income to ensure a comfortable lifestyle and we’ve both praised and criticized Jay-Z for his capitalistic ambitions. Entertainment’s a fickle mistress, so it’s best to make sure there’s a plan B, C, D, E, F, and G for the day the winds change and fans’ taste does too.
But it’s so refreshing to listen to someone make hip-hop because they enjoy making hip-hop. Kota raps about hustling his way out of poverty, yes, but not through socially destructive means. And now that he’s reached his level of comfort, there’s no castigation or roasting of his listeners or taunting of his enemies and haters. Kota raps like the money is assured on tracks like “Live & Direct,” but also secondary to things like fatherhood, community, health, and sharing his wisdom rather than lording it over the plebians who keep him in business.
Nor does he waste time berating anyone for making or enjoying that type of rap. He’s not a snob or an elitist. He’s not above employing a trappish beat himself, as he displayed on prior releases like Everything. But he’s a rapper’s rapper who truly enjoys the craft, working with an established producer who knows how to tap into his strongest impulses. The result is just like the sunrise: Enjoyable to experience, invigorating and easygoing at the same time, and full of promise for a new day.
To Kill A Sunrise Is Out Now via FLTBYS. Get it here.
