Snoop Dogg Gave Eazy-E’s 1993 Diss Track About Him His Seal Of Approval: ‘That Sh*t Be Knocking’

Snoop Dogg might have done his best to stay out of the biggest beef of the decade so far (to varying success), but that might just be because the old soldier already has his fair share of battle scars. Some of them were accrued during the fallout of the contentious breakup of NWA, which resulted in Eazy-E‘s 1993 diss track “Real Muthaph*ckkin G’s.” The Compton native had a few not-so-nice things to say about Snoop after linking up with Eazy’s former bandmate Dr. Dre, but it sounds like Snoop doesn’t mind.

Appearing on a new episode of The Bootleg Kev Podcast while promoting his new LP, Missionary, Snoop recalled the impact the song had when it came out after admitting that his internet radio station plays the song every day. “I got a station called ‘Cadillac Music.’ Every day, at about 1:30, two o’clock, walk down the hall. Eazy-E, Dresta, and B.G. Knocc Out be playin’. That sh*t be knocking, and you hear me singing it. ‘Motherf*ck Dre, motherf*ck Suge, motherf*ck Death Row!’”

While he did acknowledge how they initially didn’t like Eazy’s diss records, that one was undeniable. “We was busting them upside the head, but when they dropped that motherf*cker, we felt that one,” he admitted. “Eazy was going in on a n****” He also noted that it “ain’t that serious” for Dr. Dre at that time, who was “damn near neighbors” with Eazy at the time. Snoop said the difference in mindset stemmed from their respective upbringings; while Dre felt it was “all business,” Snoop and the other younger members of Death Row were taking things personally. Fortunately, he’s since grown out of it and is passing on his wisdom.

You can watch the full interview above and the “Real Muthaph*ckkin G’s” video below.

Cordae Makes His Mama Proud In The Nostalgic ’06 Dreamin’ Video

Cordae wasn’t the only person in his family with dreams of musical stardom. In “06 Dreamin” from his new album, The Crossroads, Cordae recounts how his mom pursued the same dream he did, albeit through different means. The nostalgic song recalls how Cordae felt when he saw his mom audition for reality competitions like American Idol and Making The Band, and how it made him hungrier than ever to chase stardom when she didn’t make it. The best part? The beat is built around a sample of a song his mom recorded at the time, giving her a chance to experience a little of that success.

The video for the song, which Cordae shared today, employs actors to reproduce scenes of a young Cordae rapping for his mom as she struggled to make ends meet for the two of them. Like his real-life story, the video has a happy ending as well, closing on a shot of Cordae and his mom on the red carpet for the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards — where Cordae was nominated for Best Rap Album for his debut, The Lost Boy. While he didn’t take home a trophy that night, he did get an award: to make his mom’s dream come true.

Watch Cordae’s “06 Dreamin” video above.

Lil Baby Didn’t Love Being Mentioned By Kendrick Lamar On His Hit Drake Diss ‘Not Like Us’

drake-lil-baby-getty-full.jpg
Getty Image

At one point on “Not Like Us,” Kendrick Lamar drops a bunch of Drake-related names, rapping, “You called Future when you didn’t see the club / Lil Baby helped you get your lingo up / 21 gave you false street cred / Thug made you feel like you a slime in your head / Quavo said you can be from Northside / 2 Chainz say you good, but he lied.”

It turns out Lil Baby didn’t love getting dragged into the beef.

In a recent chat with Charlamagne Tha God (as HotNewHipHop notes), Baby said:

“I ain’t really into, like, that side of hip-hop. So, I don’t really… you know. [Drake and I have a] great relationship. Great relationship. It’s just with any situation, like, if you and him was arguing, why the hell you gon’ say me, you know? I don’t be having nothing to do with it. […] I feel like, to me, like, rap and sh*t be my work. It’s, like, I don’t want that type of sh*t at work, know what I’m saying? Even with you saying, like, ‘What’s your relationship with Gunna?’ I ain’t in it for that type of sh*t, you know what I’m saying? I ain’t on that.”

Check out the clip from Baby’s interview with Charlamagne here.

Questlove Made A Documentary About 50 Years Of ‘SNL’ Music And It Features So Many People

questlove
Getty Image

Saturday Night Live is obviously a pillar of the comedy community, but it has also played host to many moments in music history thanks to its long-running tradition of musical guests. SNL is going hard celebrating its 50th anniversary this season, and now Questlove has joined the effort: It was announced today (December 19) that he has co-directed a documentary alongside Oz Rodriguez, dubbed Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years Of SNL Music.

Questlove says in a statement, “Everyone knows the most famous SNL appearances, whether it’s Elvis Costello or Prince or the Beastie Boys, but they’re the tip of a huge iceberg. The process of going back through the incredible archival footage was like being in a time machine, DeLorean or other. I’m so happy I went on the trip and happy I now get to share it with everyone.”

Just about everybody was interviewed for the doc: Per a press release, that includes Bad Bunny, DJ Breakout, Elvis Costello, Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish & Finneas, Dave Grohl, Debbie Harry & Chris Stein, Mick Jagger, Dua Lipa, Darryl DMC McDaniels, Tom Morello, Kacey Musgraves, Olivia Rodrigo, MC Sha-Rock, Paul Simon, Chris Stapleton, Justin Timberlake, Lee Ving, and Jack White.

And that’s just the musicians: Also involved are Lorne Michaels, Fred Armisen, Conan O’Brien, Eli Brueggemann, Jane Curtin, Jimmy Fallon, Al Franken, Josiah Gluck, Bill Hader, Steve Higgins, Marci Klein, Melanie Malone, Tom Malone, Mary Ellen Matthews, Eddie Murphy, Ego Nwodim, Liz Patrick, Leon Pendarvis, Lenny Pickett, Joe Piscopo, Andy Samberg, Brian Siedlecki, Akiva Schaffer, Paul Shaffer, Sarah Sherman, Howard Shore, Robert Smigel, Jorma Taccone, Kenan Thompson, Maya Rudolph, Hal Willner, and Bowen Yang.

Lil Baby Reveals He Gambled For ’40 Hours Straight’ And Lost An Insane Amount Of Money

Lil Baby lost a big amount of money at a casino.

During the latest episode of Lil Yachty’s A Safe Place Podcast, the “Touchdown” rapper was asked to share what’s the most he’s ever lost gambling at once. “Eight million dollars,” Lil Baby replied. “One day, probably like 40 hours. 40 hours straight, I lost like, $8 million, $9 million. I made myself stop gambling. I had [Fanatics founder] Mike Ruben write a letter to every casino and ban me from the casino, ’cause I just do sh*t.”

You can listen to the podcast above.

Lil Baby previously shared that he lost $600,000 gambling while out with Drake, Meek Mill, James Harden, and, yes, Rubin. “They say you gonna lose more than you gonna win, but over time, you can’t even remember, though. That’s the crazy part. I just feel like, if I’m lucky today, I’m lucky. If I’m not, I’m not,” he said, adding, “I win all the time. I lose all the time, too.”

In non-losing an unfathomable stack of cash news, Lil Baby announced that his new album, WHAM (Who Hard As Me), is coming out on January 3, 2025. It’s expected to include features from fellow Atlantans 21 Savage, Future, and Young Thug, along with GloRilla, Rod Wave, and Travis Scott.

Spain’s Mad Cool Festival Lines Up Olivia Rodrigo, Gracie Abrams, Noah Kahan, And More For Its 2025 Lineup

Olivia Rodrigo 2024
Getty Image

Year after year, Madrid, Spain’s Mad Cool Festival is one of the year’s top events, and that’s shaping up to be the case in 2025, too. Today (December 19), organizers announced the lineup for next year’s fest, which is set to go down from July 10 to 12.

Leading the lineup are Olivia Rodrigo, Gracie Abrams, Noah Kahan, Benson Boone, St. Vincent, Kings Of Leon, Alanis Morissette, Weezer, Justice, Iggy Pop, Thirty Seconds To Mars, Arde Bogotá, Residente, and Glass Animals.

Also on the poster are Foster The People, Jet, Kaiser Chiefs, Finneas, Artemas, Future Islands, Girl In Red, Leon Bridges, Royel Otis, Bloc Party, Bright Eyes, Blondshell, Tanner Adell, and more. Additional artists are also set to be announced.

Mad Cool members can get tickets at special prices from December 20 at 9 a.m. GMT to December 23 at 8:59 a.m. GMT. Those prices are 189€ (about $196) plus booking fee for general three-day tickets, and 350€ ($363) plus booking fee for VIP three-day tickets. Prices for the general on-sale will be 210€ ($218) plus booking fee, and 399€ ($414) plus booking fee for VIP three-day tickets. More information can be found on Mad Cool’s ticketing website.

Uproxx’s Philip Cosores attended the 2019 edition of the festival and wrote, “The event is a rising star in the festival world, and locals and travelers alike should pay close attention as it evolves and grows.”

SZA’s ‘Hot Ones’ Bug Costume Returns On The Out-Of-This-World Cover For ‘Lana’

SZA Hot Ones
YouTube

Back in September, SZA appeared on Hot Ones rocking a facial prosthetic with bug eyes and antennae, joking, “I’m just tired of being not a bug… Wouldn’t you want to be a bug if you could be anything else?” While the bizarre aesthetic threw off some fans — but not host Sean Evans, who took it in stride, not even asking about it until over ten minutes into the interview — others deduced it could be a clue to SZA’s upcoming album, Lana, which she’s been teasing since releasing her smash album, SOS, in 2022.

Now that the album is officially on the way — and seemingly upgraded from a deluxe edition of SOS to its own thing — the cheeky rollout is snowballing its way toward its December 20 release date. Today, SZA shared the cover art, on which her bug prosthetic makes its return — and expands to encompass her entire body, turning her into a shimmering (but extremely fashionable) alien insect. Perhaps hanging out with Doja Cat has rubbed off on her.

In any event, you can check out the cover art below or on SZA’s social media. Lana is out on 12/20 via Top Dawg Entertainment. You can find more info when the pre-save link goes live.

SZA

Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Marshmello, And Steve Aoki Are Among The Stars Accused Of Misusing Pandemic Relief Funds

chris brown and lil wayne
Getty Image

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government issued the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant law to help keep the recording industry afloat after performing live — one of the industry’s main sources of income — became impossible due to live venues being shut down. However, in a new report from Business Insider, several entertainers, including Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, and Marshmello, are being accused of abusing those funds, using them to fund travel, parties, and luxury shopping sprees instead of paying employees and keeping the lights on.

Brown, who received a $10 million grant, reportedly spent $80,000 on his birthday party, which included models in body paint, an LED dance floor, and $29,000 worth of hookahs, bottle service, and fees incurred by damages to couches rented for the occasion. More than double that was spent on a celebrity basketball tournament broadcast on YouTube. Meanwhile, Lil Wayne, who received $8.9 million, allegedly spent the funds on private-jet flights ($1.3 million), luxury clothing ($460,000), and accommodations for female companions ($15,000) whose connections with Wayne are “unclear,” per BI.

Marshmello’s manager told the publication, however, that the DJ paid himself out of the $9.9 million grant he received. He “expensed the entire Grant balance to Payroll” via a loophole that allowed the SVOG funds to go to the artists’ business entities as “owner compensation” provided it was less than their income in 2019. They also had to show that their companies made 25% less in 2020 than in 2019 — which was more or less a given, considering how much of their income is made up of touring and live performances. This is how Steve Aoki paid himself $1.9 million out of a $2.4 million grant, Rae Sremmurd gave themselves $7.7 million, and Alice in Chains members Jerry Cantrell and Sean Kinney received $1.4 million each (Mike Inez took $682,000).

Meanwhile, the report says that while stars like Lil Wayne did use funds to pay their managers, attorneys, and agents, it was more than 13 times what sound techs and other contractors received. The Small Business Administration says it has recovered some misappropriated funds, but is still investigating open claims.

The Weeknd Promises A ‘New Tour’ And ‘New Everything’ In 2025, On Top Of His Previously Announced Album And Movie

The Weeknd
Getty Image

The Weeknd is setting the table for a massive 2025. His upcoming album, Hurry Up Tomorrow, is set for release on January 24. His movie based on the album, starring Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan, is also gearing up for a 2025 release. It turns out he has even more than that in store.

On social media today (December 18), The Weeknd wrote, “New album, new tour, new movie, new everything.”

This mirrors what The Weeknd said at his Billions Club Live concert yesterday (per Billboard): “It’s a little holiday gift for the OG XO fans supporting me since day one. 2024 is almost done. But 2025, we got some new sh*t coming out. New album, new tour, new movie. New everything!”

The Weeknd performed a couple of special one-night only concerts in 2024, but this is the first official mention of plans for a tour in 2025.

Meanwhile, in a teaser video, The Weeknd previously said of his upcoming album, “I look in the mirror and feel both old and new, stuck in limbo and unable to move. I still haven’t faced myself. More songs could help, but what do I have left to say? Woe is me in my gilded cage, right? The very thing that once made me invincible failed me on the world stage. A new trauma surfaced, opening floodgates. A new path awaits. When today ends, I’ll discover who I am. Hurry Up Tomorrow.”

Megan Thee Stallion Promises ‘Act III’ Is Coming In 2025

megan thee stallion
Getty Image

Even after going independent, Megan Thee Stallion remained one of hip-hop’s most dominant stars in 2024, and it looks like she intends to carry that momentum into the new year. After releasing her first independently produced album Megan this spring, she followed up in October with Act II a deluxe edition of sorts with a full tracklist of 13 additional songs. Now, it seems that like her fellow Houstonian, she’s got a third act in the works for release in 2025.

Replying to a fan who collected photos of all her media appearances and accomplishments for the year on Twitter, Meg patted herself on the back for “Real Hot Girl Shit,” while telling her fans “ACT 3 2025 … be ready hotties.” Meg’s media appearances this year included hosting the Anime Awards and performing at both the BET Awards and the MTV VMAs, while her brand deals included team-ups with business giants like Amazon and Nike, with which she released an exclusive collection of workout gear.

From getting drunk with Reneé Rapp at the Mean Girls premiere to completing her eventful Hot Girl Summer Tour and campaigning for Kamala Harris, Meg was busy all year — and it sounds like she’s going to be just as busy in 2025.