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Kendrick Lamar Will Reportedly Perform New Music During An Italian Festival

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Fans haven’t heard new music from Kendrick Lamar for nearly five years but according to an Instagram post from Italy’s Milano Summer Festival, that could change soon. The post includes an announcement for Kendrick’s show during the festival taking place at Ippodromo SNAI San Siro in Milan on June 23, where he will apparently be performing new tracks.

The post appears in Italian but translated, reads, “Kendrick Lamar returns to Italy with a super anticipated show which, produced and distributed by Vivo Concerti, will see him perform – after 8 years from his first performance in Italy, in 2014 – at the Milan Summer Festival (Ippodromo Snai) [on] Thursday 23 June 2022.” It also promised that Kendrick “will play the pieces of the new album, long-awaited by the fans.”

There’s been plenty of speculation about Kendrick’s new music with fans convinced he’d debut an all-new song during his Super Bowl halftime performance with Dr. Dre, Eminem, Mary J Blige, and Snoop Dogg. While that didn’t happen (Kendrick instead performed an edited version of his To Pimp A Butterfly single “Alright”), he’s been working on other projects in the meantime, including a movie with the creators of South Park and a new podcast breaking down the creation of his Grammy-winning album To Pimp A Butterfly.

The Weeknd Shares A Heartwarming Birthday Text From His Parents

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Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, better known to most as The Weeknd, was born on February 16, 1990, making today his 32nd birthday. Late last night, The Weeknd shared was must have been one of the first birthday messages he received, a sweet text from his parents.

The text, sent from his mother’s phone but addressed from both of his parents, reads, “February 16 @ 2:45 pm the Star is born Happy Birthday Abel. Enkuan tewoldek [heart emoji] [folded hands emoji] [cake emoji] [champagne glasses emoji] [champagne bottle emoji]. egzaiber ymesgn [folded hands emojis]. You are our hero God bless you and your work with much Love. Always yours proud parents [heart emojis].”

The Weeknd’s folks aren’t the only ones who took notice of his big day, as he’s currently a trending topic on Twitter as fans wish him a happy birthday.

At the young age of 32, The Weeknd has accomplished a ton in his life. He has three No. 1 albums to his name in the US, while his LPs that didn’t top the chart — Kiss Land and Dawn FM — peaked at No. 2. His 2018 EP My Dear Melancholy also went No. 1. Additionally, he has a handful of chart-topping singles, the latest of them being 2020’s “Save Your Tears.” He also has the most monthly listeners on Spotify, a throne he claimed from Justin Bieber in January. “Blinding Lights” is also the second-most-streamed song in the history of the platform and will likely follow Ed Sheeran’s “Shape Of You” to become the second song to ever hit 3 billion Spotify streams.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Kanye West And His Mother Rap A Verse He Wrote In High School In ‘Jeen-Yuhs’

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One of the highlights of Jeen-Yuhs, the new Netflix documentary about Kanye West, is seeing West’s tender relationship with his mother, Professor Donda West. It’s no secret that Kanye considered Donda one of his major anchor points — he named his last album and his non-profit foundation after her — but to watch them share quiet moments together before his ascent to stardom gives viewers a better understanding of just how close they were.

The moment that perhaps best highlights their bond in the first part of the three-part docuseries sees Donda reminiscing about a rap Kanye wrote in high school. Almost instantly, Ye begins to recite it for her, and it doesn’t take long for her to join in, rapping along with the verse as though it were one of Kanye’s hits like “Through The Wire,” “Gold Digger,” “Stronger,” or “Power.” The glimpse into their private world exemplifies how much Donda believed in Kanye’s art — and perhaps reveals part of why Kanye believed in himself so much, even when the recording industry establishment didn’t.

Ye also shows off a truly impressive and hilarious impression of his “big brother” Jay-Z in the episode, which follows him from his humble beginnings as an aspiring rapper and producer for Chicago’s underground hip-hop scene to his eventual signing to Roc-A-Fella Records. You can watch the full episode on Netflix, with parts two and three coming next week and the week after.

Kanye West Does A Hilarious Jay-Z Impression In The First Episode Of ‘Jeen-Yuhs’

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As Kanye West tries to work out his marital issues in the public eye, Netflix offers a more pleasant view of the mercurial star as a young, hungry artist in the first episode of the three-part documentary series, Jeen-Yuhs. Shot by longtime Kanye collaborators Coodie + Chike and following the earliest part of his career when he was just a producer on Roc-A-Fella’s payroll being strung along by Dame Dash, Jeen-Yuhs gives a rare glimpse at who Kanye was before the fame, looking up to “big brother” Jay-Z and looking forward to signing his first major-label recording contract.

Before that, though, the documentary gives much-needed background into Kanye’s upbringing, including his close relationship with his mother Donda West, and the underground Chicago hip-hop scene that incubated the rapper’s nascent talents. It follows his invasion of the Roc-A-Fella offices in New York to play his music for anyone and everyone who’ll listen in the hopes of getting Dash’s attention. And it catches Kanye showing off a hilariously accurate impression of Jay-Z before the two rappers ever joined forces to make rap fans Watch The Throne.

Mostly, though, the first episode sets the stage for Kanye’s precipitous rise, reminding us that even the biggest stars often have to start from humble beginnings.

Episode one of Jeen-Yuhs is now streaming on Netflix.

Kanye West Does A Hilarious Jay-Z Impression In The First Episode Of ‘Jeen-Yuhs’

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kanye west and jay-Z
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As Kanye West tries to work out his marital issues in the public eye, Netflix offers a more pleasant view of the mercurial star as a young, hungry artist in the first episode of the three-part documentary series, Jeen-Yuhs. Shot by longtime Kanye collaborators Coodie + Chike and following the earliest part of his career when he was just a producer on Roc-A-Fella’s payroll being strung along by Dame Dash, Jeen-Yuhs gives a rare glimpse at who Kanye was before the fame, looking up to “big brother” Jay-Z and looking forward to signing his first major-label recording contract.

Before that, though, the documentary gives much-needed background into Kanye’s upbringing, including his close relationship with his mother Donda West, and the underground Chicago hip-hop scene that incubated the rapper’s nascent talents. It follows his invasion of the Roc-A-Fella offices in New York to play his music for anyone and everyone who’ll listen in the hopes of getting Dash’s attention. And it catches Kanye showing off a hilariously accurate impression of Jay-Z before the two rappers ever joined forces to make rap fans Watch The Throne.

Mostly, though, the first episode sets the stage for Kanye’s precipitous rise, reminding us that even the biggest stars often have to start from humble beginnings.

Episode one of Jeen-Yuhs is now streaming on Netflix.

Snoop Dogg Wants To Make Death Row An NFT Record Label: ‘I Want To Be The First Major In The Metaverse’

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Snoop Dogg has been a busy man. On Friday, he released his 19th album, BODR (Bacc On Death Row), and on Sunday, he joined Dr. Dre, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, and Anderson .Paak at the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show. Prior to those events, Snoop revealed that he acquired Death Row Records from MNRK Music Group and the private equity fund that owned it managed by Blackstone investment firm. Days after the acquisition, Snoop revealed his plans to make Death Row an NFT record label.

Snoop shared the news after making a surprise appearance in a devoted Clubhouse room on Monday. “Death Row will be an NFT label,” Snoop said. “We will be putting out artists through the metaverse. Just like we broke the industry when we was the first independent [label] to be major, I want to be the first major [label] in the metaverse.”

Snoop Dogg is also facing some legal problems after he was sued for an incident of sexual assault from 2013. The unnamed woman claims that the incident occurred after she attended one of Snoop’s shows in Anaheim, California.

You can hear Snoop Dogg talk about making Death Row an NFT label in the video above.

BODR is out now via Death Row/Create. Get it here.

Roddy Ricch Says ‘Live Life Fast’ Would’ve Sold More Copies If It Was Released At An Earlier Date

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Back in December, Roddy Ricch released his long-awaited second album, Live Life Fast, featuring Future, Kodak Black, 21 Savage, Ty Dolla Sign, Gunna, and more. Alas, listeners were not too impressed with it, only debuting at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 — an underwhelming release, especially when compared to his debut album Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial which spent multiple weeks at No. 1.

During a recent interview with DJ Akademiks, Roddy Ricch responded to the criticism behind the album and said it would’ve performed better if it dropped closer to when its lead single, “Late At Night,” was released. “That song was such a crazy song that people caught on two to three months later,” Roddy said. “If I would have dropped an album within that [time frame] and did whatever I did, I would have dropped and I would have been 180k up.” Roddy also said that he isn’t letting the negative criticism get to him.

“Just because the numbers didn’t align up or the timing or the plan didn’t really fall the way it was supposed to fall, now ni***s got this different narrative of how they wanna play it, but I know what’s going on,” he said. “That sh*t is cool, they can play it however they wanna play it, but I still know I’m an earner.”

You can watch Roddy’s conversation with DJ Akademiks above.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The Game Believes He Should’ve Been Invited To Perform At The Super Bowl Halftime Show

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In addition to helping jumpstart the careers of Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent, and Kendrick Lamar, who all performed at the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show, Dr. Dre also helped out The Game. The Compton rapper signed to Dre’s label Aftermath in 2003 and released his classic debut album The Documentary in 2005. Despite departing from the label before releasing his second album Doctor’s Advocate, The Game has maintained his love for Dre over the years. Indeed, he hoped their relationship would have earned him an invite to perform on stage at the Super Bowl.

Unfortunately, that was not the case, as the spectacular performance only featured Dre, Anderson .Paak, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar. As a result, The Game took to Instagram to share his feelings about being left out, resharing a few Instagram Story posts from fans who felt the same.

“FYI: @losangelesconfidential Should’ve been on stage at the Super Bowl I’ll be the first to say it,” one person wrote. The Game reshared the post, adding, “Sh*t brazy fr.” Another person wrote, “@Losangelesconfidential should have performed at Super Bowl with @DrDre I mean this is LA,” and a third wrote, “I believe Big Brother Jay @losangelesconfidential Should’ve been in the half time show too.” They added, “Oh and just wait till DRILLMATIC DROPS.” Drillmatic is the title of The Game’s upcoming tenth album.

You can view The Game’s posts about the Super Bowl Halftime Show above.

Shaq’s Fun House Offered A Supersized Super Bowl Party In Los Angeles

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Whenever the Super Bowl comes to town, it inevitably brings with it Super Bowl parties — parties that are usually among the biggest of the year. But for NBA Hall Of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, “big” isn’t just a descriptor, it’s a way of life. In that spirit, he has to go bigger than big, and at this year’s iteration of Shaq’s Fun House in Los Angeles, he did just that, inviting superstars Diplo and Lil Wayne to take over the Shrine Auditorium near USC for a massive carnival that supersized everything from the endless drinks and food to the jumbo NBA Jam arcade game set up outside the venue.

While Shaq may be from New Jersey, for the last several years he’s called Los Angeles home, so it’s only right that he pulled out all the stops for this year’s edition of his annual carnival. Upon arrival, guests were greeted by stilt walkers and a marching band playing brassy renditions of hits like Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance.” Among the attractions were such fairground staples as bumper cars, a high striker (you know, with the hammer and the bell), a water gun race, an 80-foot slide, and of course, a Ferris wheel.

Those attractions were augmented by the presence of an open bar supplied by Bud Light and Maker’s Mark, with pop-up food booths representing some of LA’s most famous eateries like Pink’s Hot Dogs and Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles. The Meat District food truck also had a non-stop line as partygoers clamored to pick up the signature burgers and fries on offer. Meanwhile, a section cordoned off for 1Up Arcade machines proved to be a steady draw as gamers indulged their nostalgia for games like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Simpsons, and Mortal Kombat. Those unperturbed by the possibility of getting dunked on in front of the crowd could play an oversized version of NBA Jam with buttons the size of dinner plates.

Inside the Shrine, a roster of DJs including Myles O’Neal, Diplo, and DJ Diesel himself kept the party going with humongous bass drops and dazzling light shows ahead of headlining sets from Zedd and Lil Wayne. In the VIP area, fans could also try another LA restaurant, Kazunori, which got in the carnival spirit with its easy-to-carry hand rolls. On the red carpet, Shaq explained his philosophy in hosting the carnival each year, “All the other parties, you just come, you stand around and shake hands. You go, ‘Hey Tom, hey Bob, hey Jamal.’ This party is a carnival with rides, favorite restaurants, top restaurants in L.A… Ferris wheel. I paid a lot of money to get this stuff here.”

Coachella Will No Longer Require Vaccination Cards Or Masks For 2022

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In a move that will undoubtedly prove to be controversial, Goldenvoice has announced that it’s dropping COVID-19 safety protocols from its upcoming Coachella Music Festival, and will not require proof of vaccination, a negative COVID test, or masks. The promoter previously rolled back its vaccination policy but has now done away with all other precautions, as well.

Updating the festival’s health and safety rules page, organizers wrote, “In accordance with local guidelines, there will be no vaccination, testing or masking requirements at Coachella 2022. “However, the event shall be presented in accordance with applicable public health conditions as of the date of the event and which may change at any time as determined by federal, state or local government agencies or instrumentalities, artists or the promoter.”

With California loosening COVID safety rules, Coachella would be exempted from the few remaining guidelines regarding vaccinations and masks, which will only be enforced for indoor events of 1,000 or more attendees. Goldenvoice’s updated rules still include the disclaimer warning that COVID-19 “is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death.”

This year’s Coachella festival is set to be headlined by Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, and Kanye West, although Kanye threatened to drop out if Eilish didn’t issue an apology to Travis Scott — something she’s shown seemingly little interest in doing. Coachella takes place April 15-17 and 22-24 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. You can find more information here.