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Listeners Marvel Over The Sequencing Of Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’

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It is not enough to simply throw a bunch of good songs together on an album. Music listeners are more critical than ever about sequencing and transitions. Unsurprisingly, Beyoncé understood the assignment on her new album Renaissance and fans are in awe.

An early favorite 1-2 punch is “Plastic On The Sofa” into “Virgo’s Groove.” Another fan acknowledged the sequential trio of “Cuff It,” “Energy,” and “Break My Soul.” One, Scottie Beam, even described the transitions as “tender a** fall off the bone.” Needless to say, people seem happy with the album.

Beyoncé’s new album Renaissance is out now via Parkwood Entertainment LLC and Columbia Records. The 15-track LP was first announced in June, with Variety reporting it would feature heavy country and dance music. The latter was confirmed with the release of the upbeat lead single “Break My Soul.”

After sharing the album’s tracklist last week, the Lemonade artist finished off her rollout with a statement on her website saying “Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world. It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving. My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom. It was a beautiful journey of exploration.”

She released yet another statement upon the album’s release, thanking the fans who were patient enough to wait until today (July 29) to listen despite Renaissance leaking earlier this week.

Check out some of the adulatory tweets about Renaissance above.

Renaissance is out now via Parkwood/Columbia. Listen here.

Beyoncé Thanks The Fans Who Did Not Listen To The ‘Renaissance’ Leak

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An unfortunate reality for artists is that while they fully intend to deliver new music on their own timetable, the internet often has other plans. Many artists have had songs and entire albums leak ahead of their planned release. Shockingly, Beyoncé fell victim to this as well with Renaissance leaking just two days before its official drop. Queen Bey seems unphased, though.

In a tweet, the “Halo” artist posted a regal photo of herself and thanked the fans who waited. “So, the album leaked, and you all actually waited until the proper release time so you all can enjoy it together. I’ve never seen anything like it. I can’t thank y’all enough for your love and protection. I appreciate you all for calling out anyone that was trying to sneak into the club early. It means the world to me. Thank you for your unwavering support. Thank you for being patient. We are going to take our time and enjoy the music. I will continue to give my all and do. my best to bring you joy. I love you deep.”

Beyoncé’s new album Renaissance is out now via Parkwood Entertainment LLC and Columbia Records. The 15-track LP was first announced in June, with Variety reporting it would feature heavy country and dance music. The latter was confirmed with the release of the upbeat lead single “Break My Soul.” The rollout continued with the reveal of Renaissance‘s cover art, with a semi-nude Beyoncé sitting atop a crystalline horse with bright yellow lights within it.

Excitement for the album grew even further when the internet discovered its list of composers, including Drake, Jay-Z, Skrillex, Big Freedia, The Neptunes, Mike Dean and several other talented creators. A reference track for “Heated” performed by Drake even surfaced on the internet, causing fans to wonder if they would get a follow-up to their 2015 collaboration “Can I” and the cult classic “Mine” from 2013’s Beyonce.

After sharing the album’s tracklist last week, the Lemonade artist finished off her rollout with a statement on her website saying “Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world. It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving. My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom. It was a beautiful journey of exploration.”

The wait is over. The Renaissance is here.

Renaissance is out now via Parkwood/Columbia. Listen here.

Fred Again.. And Swedish House Mafia Touch Up A Classic By Future On ‘Turn On The Lights Again’

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Fred Again.. is revisiting a Future classic. Or perhaps, a past classic? Either way, the British singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist has teamed up with Swedish House Mafia and Future for “Turn On The Lights Again,” a hypnotic dance-ready anthem that samples the latter’s namesake 2012 breakthrough hit from his debut album, Pluto.

Fred has been teasing the song for the past month by way of a sound on TikTok, which has since pulled in over 3.7 million views on the original clip, and over 10 million on clips utilizing the sound. According to a statement, Fred ripped the repeating “Turn On The Lights” vocal sample after streaming a video clip of the song online. He later presented the stems and bones of the song to Swedish House Mafia, who played with the track several times before landing on a final mix.

Last month, Fred released “Jungle,” which features vocals from Elley Duhe. Earlier this month, he teamed up with Rico Nasty, who helped completely transform the track into a chaotic, flashy new remix for her new album, Las Ruinas.

Check out “Turn On The Lights” again above.

Fred Again.. is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Calvin Harris Drops ‘New To You,’ With Tinashe, Normani, And Offset

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A week out from his upcoming album, Funk Wav Bounces, Vol. 2, Calvin Harris has dropped the R&B-focused “New To You.” On the song, which features Tinashe, Normani, and Offset, Harris delivers an live instrument-driven-beat, with seductive strings and slow-thumping kick drums, creating a romantic, cinematic feel.

Normani opens with the song’s chorus, singing, “This might be news to you / this thing might feel new to you / but if you like everything / I think you might love me, baby.”

Tinashe delivers the song’s first verse, toughening up her signature soft-tinged vocals, willing to “bet a billion that you gon’ like this / ‘Cause you never had a wild one like this / Don’t really do one night sh*t / ‘Cause one night make ’em wanna whole life it.” Midway through the verse, she switches back to her signature sound, on which she instructs her summer flame to “Stay focused on T / I’m all that he needs / And don’t ever play no games.”

Offset swoops in with an affectionate verse, detailing an immediate infatuation. “I don’t know you, but I know I f*ck with you / I think I want to fly you to Peru from Malibu.”

Harris has collaborated with all of these artists in the past — Tinashe on “Dollar Signs” from his 2014 album, Motion, Normani on “Checklist” and “Slow Down,” from a collaborative EP in 2018, and Offset on 2017’s “Slide,” which featured Frank Ocean and Migos. This is Harris’ first time collaborating with Offset without the other members of Migos, and it’s quite possible this may be the way going forward, given the recent hints at Offset leaving the group.

Check out “New To You” above.

Funk Wav Bounces, Vol. 2 is out 8/5 via Columbia Records. Pre-save it here.

Quavo, Takeoff and Gucci Mane Dismiss The Competition On The Confident “Us Vs Them”

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Confidence can take people far in life, and it only gets boosted more when it is clear no one can compare. Quavo and Takeoff go the duo route once again, this time tapping fellow Atlanta native Gucci Mane for the confident anthem “Us Vs Them.” Takeoff handles the hook before getting into his verse, followed by Quavo who raps with a fury, and Gucci Mane closes things off with a shoutout to the currently incarcerated Young Thug and Gunna.

The video shows the trio rapping while flanked by beautiful women. With some sports references in the track, it only makes sense for the ladies to be holding basketballs in addition to football players going at it and a boxer landing jabs into a punching bag.

This isn’t Quavo and Takeoff’s first foray into their own music as a duo. Back in May, they released “Hotel Lobby” under the duo name Unc And Phew. The song came after speculation of Migos’s demise when it was revealed Offset and his wife, superstar rapper Cardi B, had unfollowed Quavo and Takeoff on social media. Though Quavo told GQ that the group’s solo endeavors only strengthen them as individuals and a unit, the recent announcement that he and Takeoff will be performing as Migos at the 2022 Pepsi National Battle Of The Bands only adds to the belief that the group is done.

As for Gucci Mane, he released So Icy Gang: The Reup back in June 2022. He also joined Migos onstage at the recent Rolling Loud Miami festival.

Check out “Us Vs Them” above.

Gucci Mane is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Migos Are Set To Perform At The 2022 Pepsi National Battle Of The Bands But Offset Is Not Advertised

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Quavo Takeoff QC Black Ball 2022
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Say it ain’t so. After months of speculation over whether Migos will remain a trio, the answer may have just been given by an unexpected source. The Atlanta trio is slated to perform at the upcoming 2022 Pepsi National Battle Of The Bands which celebrates HBCU marching bands; only, there are just two of the three men on the poster: Quavo and Takeoff. The promotional video throws another curveball as it specifically says “a live performance by the Migos: Quavo and Takeoff.”

The questions about the group’s status began back in May when it was revealed that Offset and his wife, superstar rapper Cardi B, unfollowed Quavo and Takeoff on social media. That same month, the “Gang Gang” artists formed the duo “Unc & Phew” and released “Hotel Lobby.” Offset took to Instagram shortly after to promote some music of his own, but none of the rappers spoke directly on Migos’s future until earlier this month. Quavo was interviewed by GQ and said that their solo activities simply make them better individuals and a better group, which they have attempted before with 2018’s Quavo Huncho and The Last Rocket, plus 2019’s Father Of 4.

“It was all about Migos, Migos, Migos. The three of us,” the “Workin Me” artist said. “I feel like every group member has to establish themselves. Their own body of work. If not, you start losing members.”

This Pepsi Battle Of The Bands performance is an understandable cause of concern, but perhaps not all hope is lost and Quavo’s word is bond.

Check out the poster and promotional video above.

‘Rap Sh!t’ Hit ‘Seduce & Scheme’ Gets An Official Release Via Issa Rae’s Label, Raedio

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Issa Rae’s follow-up to Insecure is already off to a strong start, as fans have taken to the first two episodes of Rap Sh!t on HBO Max the same way they took to her breakout show. And, in an immaculate example of Issa’s marketing prowess, the signature song from burgeoning on-screen Miami rap duo Mia and Shawna, “Seduce & Scheme,” has received an official release from Issa’s Atlantic-backed label, Raedio.

In the show, “Seduce & Scheme” is the result of a drunken late-night reunion between the two lead characters after their post-high school falling out. It goes viral, becoming the launching point for their rap group ambitions, with Mia encouraging the passionate but preachy Shawna to loosen up while Mia learns to take herself and her own talent more seriously. The show, which is also executive produced by City Girls, is a loose re-telling of the Quality Control hitmakers’ own origin story, with some Issa Rae flair thrown in.

So far, fans have been loving the show’s subtle social commentary on subjects like the double standards for women in rap and the seemingly incessant cultural appropriation surrounding the genre. Highlighting the latter, viewers were delighted by the show’s use of a real-life viral moment to promote an in-show character’s “hit” song. Atlanta rapper Omeretta The Great had posted what looked to be a white woman covering her viral hit “Sorry Not Sorry,” imitating the streetwise declarations that the surrounding suburbs were “not Atlanta.”

In reality, it turns out that the rapper, Reina Reign, was actually an actor, Kat Cunning, gamely playing the role of a clueless appropriator who switches from doing acoustic covers of rap songs to full-on Black girl cosplay in an effort to bank off the increasing popularity of female rappers. And just like that video went viral, Rap Sh!t‘s signature single — which was penned in part by real rapper Dreezy and some of the show’s staff, looks like it’s going to be a hit as well.

You can listen to “Seduce & Scheme” above.

Raedio is a subsidiary of Warner Music. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Kelis Calls Out Pharrell And Chad Hugo Over Allegedly Not Clearing The Beyoncé ‘Renaissance’ Sample With Her

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Kelis Hollywood Unlocked 2022
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Earlier today, Kelis voiced her frustrations over one of her records being sampled on Beyoncé’s upcoming album Renaissance without it being cleared. She commented on the @kelistrends Instagram page and went back and forth with fans who were excited about the “collaboration.” Evidently, the Harlem artist had much more to get off of her chest in the form of a near three-minute rant that a fan posted to Twitter, where Kelis called out Pharrell and Chad Hugo for purposely participating in the “theft.”

From the very beginning of the video, the 42-year-old clarifies that her beef is not only with Beyoncé, who she says has copied her before much like many other artists. “The issue is not only are we female artists, Black female artists, in an industry that there’s not that many of us,” Kelis says. “We’ve met each other, we know each other, we have mutual friends. It’s not hard, she can contact me.” She then compares the situation to when Ashnikko went through the proper channels to connect with her to clear “Deal With It,” where she sampled Kelis’s “Caught Out There.”

Kelis continued her diatribe by calling the “Bey Hive” sheep for defending her and pointing out how Kelis doesn’t own her music before turning her attention to Pharrell and Chad Hugo.

“Chad really is like an amoeba, he’s spineless. It’s a miracle he can keep his neck up, but Pharrell knows better. This is a direct hit at me, he does this stuff all the time. It’s very petty–very, very, very–and the reality is that it’s frustrating. I have the right to be frustrated. Why? Because no one had the human decency to call and be like ‘Yo, hey, would like to use your record.’ Which, by the way, is the reason I’m annoyed because I know it was on purpose.”

A new Beyoncé release always causes hysteria, so this situation isn’t too surprising, but it will be interesting to see how it unfolds. As of now, there have been no comments from the Lemonade artist, Pharrell, or Hugo.

Nicki Minaj Reveals The Trailer For Her Upcoming Six-Part Docuseries, ‘Nicki’

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Signs are pointing at a new Nicki Minaj era imminent. As the Barbz wait on bated breath for her upcoming single, “Freaky Girl,” Minaj surprised fans today by sharing the trailer for her upcoming six-part docuseries, Nicki.

The trailer is filled with footage from several eras of Minaj’s career, from her mixtape era of the mid-aughts, her breaking into the mainstream pop landscape in the early 2010s, all the way up to the era of her most recent album, Queen. Fans will also see clips of Minaj alongside her husband, Kenneth Petty.

The docuseries, produced by the Canadian Bron Studios, was first announced in 2020, with plans to stream on HBO Max. However, she appeared to indicate on Instagram she is looking for a new platform on which to release the docuseries.

“Coming out SOONER THANK YOU THINK,” she said in a caption. “I took some time to perfect this very intimate, delicate, electrifying, inspiring body of work. As I decide on a home for this project, I can’t help but reflect on what I’m including in this doc. Some things are so personal, it’s scary. It’s like NOTHING you’ve seen before & I need it to be handled with care. Love you so much. Thank you for the continued support.”

Check out the trailer above.

Gucci Mane Calls For Rappers To Stop ‘Dissin The Dead’ In A New Video

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Never one to mince words, Gucci Mane is issuing a directive for fellow rappers to stop speaking ill on the dead. On the new ATL Jacob-produced song, Gucci acknowledges having slandered deceased artists in the past and seems to reconcile with his poor choices of words.

“I know my tongue is a sword / I know I should be more careful with sh** that I said / I feel like I started a trend that’s never gon’ stop / They gon’ keep dissing the dead,” he raps.

Though it’s not clear which works he is referring to in the lyrics, perhaps one of the most obvious songs is a 2012 diss track targeted toward Jeezy called “Truth,” on which, he tells him, “Go dig your partner up, bet he can’t say sh*t.” The “partner” he is referring to is Pookie Loc, whom Gucci shot dead in 2005 after he attempted to rob him.

In the song’s accompanying visual, directed by Omar The Director, Gucci is seen in a graveyard, wearing a hoodie that reads “R.I.P. Trouble,” referring to rapper Trouble, who was allegedly shot and killed by a woman’s scorned ex.

Check out “Dissin The Dead” above.

Gucci Mane is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.