It’s no secret that Foxy Brown has been a huge inspiration for Nicki Minaj. The “FTCU” performer frequently shows love to Foxy online, in interviews, and more. Yesterday, she even got the Brooklyn-born rapper to trend on Twitter/X in honor of her birthday, and was sure to show her love with various posts.
“Happy birthday to my biggest inspiration @foxybrown,” she wrote on her Instagram Story alongside a series of champagne bottle emojis. She went on to share several more photos of Foxy, calling her “the best to ever do it.” Nicki didn’t stop there, however. She proceeded to share multiple posts from the Barbz, praising Foxy for her talent, looks, and more.
Like?!?!! FROM BIRTH!!!! BIRTH!!! first time I met her on the come up dvd i couldn’t stop complimenting her. Looked better in person. Soft ass beautiful skin. From hair to toe. Every feature on that face did what needed to be done!!! the PRETTIEST!!! And there’s no runner up!!! https://t.co/S0UmIJV5WY
“Like?!?!!” she replied to a photo of the femcee. “FROM BIRTH!!!! BIRTH!!! first time I met her on the come up dvd i couldn’t stop complimenting her. Looked better in person. Soft a** beautiful skin. From hair to toe. Every feature on that face did what needed to be done!!! the PRETTIEST!!! And there’s no runner up!!!” Nicki isn’t the only one to show love in recent months, however. Following the release of Pink Friday 2, Foxy praised Nicki for breaking her record as the female rapper with the most No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200. “Only Nic could break tha king record,” she wrote at the time. “Hella proud [fire emoji]. 26 yr record iz brazy tho. Y’all mean to tell me no b*tch broke that sh*t in my absence! Took twin to set tha bar again!”
Clearly, the respect is mutual, and fans are here for it. What do you think of Nicki Minaj and the Barbz showing love to Foxy Brown in honor of her birthday? Do you agree that Foxy is the “best to ever do it”? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Over this past weekend, the fourth annual Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards took place and Cardi B was a major headline from it. The Bronx, New York product was the honoree of the Inspiration Award, and she gave quite the impassioned speech. “I’m really my biggest critic and I always say this. Nobody has it harder than in the industry and in every genre than a female rapper, and I’m going to tell you why. You have to have the best verse. Not only that, you have to kill the charts. On top of that, your personal life has to be perfect, or then the opp b****es are going to use that against you”.
Perhaps that “opp” is Nicki Minaj because she did not appreciate her sworn enemy receiving all of that appreciation. Before Cardi B was rewarded for her efforts, she mentioned how she knows how influential she is to her field of hip-hop. In the Instagram clip below, the “I Like It” hitmaker says, “I obviously see it. Sometimes people always want to underestimate everything I have done but I know I have made a change in my field. I know I changed a lot of s***”. She continues, “I know I give a lot of girls inspiration, no matter if they admit it or not. Baby, I see Cardi B all over you, baby. B****, don’t play yourself”.
I’m that Btch. That’s Number 1. Number 2. Revisit number one. If it means you gotta revisit that shit 500 times a day, DO IT!!!!!!!! Before you EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!! Think bout playing pon MY BOMBOROSCLOT HEADTOP!!!!!
After waiting in the wings, Nicki Minaj unleashed on X in a late-night rant, looking to defend her “Number 1” status. “Hi so let’s get into this right now. I’m that Btch”, Nicki asserts. “That’s Number 1. Number 2. Revisit number one. If it means you gotta revisit that s*** 500 times a day, DO IT!!!!!!!! Before you EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!! Think bout playing pon MY BOMBOROSCLOT HEADTOP!!!!!”. She does make a compelling argument, especially with her bragging about her uber-successful tour during this diatribe.
What are your thoughts on Nicki Minaj’s response to Cardi B talking about inspiring other female rappers? Who do you think is “number 1” between these two and why? Was Cardi deserving of the Inspiration Award in your opinion? Do you think she is bound to drop her sophomore album this year? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Nicki Minaj and Cardi B. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Jonathan Majors was not the only celebrity to receive a special award at Hollywood Unlocked‘s Impact Awards ceremony last night (Friday, June 21) in Beverly Hills. Moreover, the one and only Cardi B went onstage to accept the “Inspiration” accolade, and delivered a heartfelt and relatively unfiltered speech to thank HU‘s Jason Lee and her supporters. However, she also included a dismissive message against those who would rather see her downfall than her success. At the end of the day, the Bronx femcee knows that she is her own biggest critic, and works that much harder so she can prioritize her own wishes and desired changes rather than those of her haters.
“I just want to say thank Jason so much for this award,” Cardi B expressed at the event. “I’m really my biggest critic and I always say this. Nobody has it harder than in the industry and in every genre than a female rapper, and I’m going to tell you why. You have to have the best verse. Not only that, you have to kill the charts. On top of that, your personal life has to be perfect, or then the opp b***hes are going to use that against you.
Cardi B takes the stage to accept an Inspiration Award to a standing ovation after tribute from Hollywood Unlocked founder Jason Lee. She says female rappers have it harder than any other genre (especially “the pop girls, honey”), are expected to dominate the @billboard charts,… pic.twitter.com/p1XVPmdK9Y
“‘Your husband. Your husband.’ Shut up,” Cardi B continued her speech, seemingly referencing how people use their relationship drama and cheating accusations to discredit them. “I make more money than all the n***as you’re f***ing. So you know, sometimes, it is hard to be yourself. It is hard to want to push yourself into the music because sometimes I don’t like showing weakness in my music because you can’t see the p***y in me, b***h.”
Meanwhile, Cardi B’s sophomore album remains in limbo, with opposing rumors indicating that it’s either still slated for this year or it will arrive in 2025 instead. Either way, we doubt that hype for it will ever get any easier to manage or more subdued until we get a concrete announcement. Hopefully it lands sooner rather than later, as it’s quite difficult to continue to justify a six-year wait in many fans’ eyes. But like these “opp b***hes,” maybe all we need is some patience and empathy.
Earlier this week, Ice Spice unveiled her newest track “Gimmie A Light” alongside a smoke-filled accompanying music video. The Sean Paul-sampling single has since garnered mixed reactions from fans. While some think it’s sure to be the song of the summer, others believe that her signature sound needs a revamp. With that being said, there’s much more on the way from the Bronx-born performer, who’s currently in the process of readying her new album Y2K.
Ice Spice has been teasing the project for months now, giving fans a taste of what’s to come with various singles. She’s yet to confirm an official release date. In a recent conversation with Zane Lowe for Apple Music’s New Music Daily, she opened up about some of the things that inspired her upcoming debut. According to her, it all goes back to her upbringing.
Ice Spice Says Her Mother’s Aesthetic Is Her Inspiration
“Thankfully, I had my mom, so growing up I’d see her really embody the Y2K aesthetic in its truest form,” she explained. “It’s duck nails, it’s a tramp stamp. It’s brown lip liner no matter where you go. So thankfully I had her as my inspo growing up.” She then went on to discuss how she chose the title of the project, describing how after coming up with countless different ideas, she ultimately opted to keep it short and sweet.
“I have a book full of pages of album names and different ideas, and I just really find the beauty and simplicity,” she said, “I was just like, ‘You know what? I want it to be short, I don’t want it to be this super long phrase.’” What do you think of Ice Spice revealing some of the things that inspired her upcoming album, Y2K? Are you looking forward to hearing it? How are you liking her new single, “Gimmie A Light,” so far? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Kanye West continues to make headlines for his countless controversial remarks, and his recent interview with Big Boy has only added fuel to the fire. At one point in the conversation, for example, Ye claimed to be the sole person behind the past two decades of music. Needless to say, viewers have their doubts.
“I invented every style of music of the past 20 years, I created the genre. I created Weeknd’s genre. Trav, Drake, everybody. I’mma go ahead and say with all love, Future and Thug also because the auto-tune album, 808s,” he said. “Everybody thinks about Trav, Weeknd, and Drake but no one thinks about Future and Thug also. The auto-tune album. Now everyone, they added whatever it was to it. But here’s a new genre. It’s called making your own money genre. This music is called, like, take that middle man out.”
Ye’s claim has prompted countless fans, critics, and peers alike to chime into the debate. Most recently, Boosie Badazz hopped on Instagram to share his take. Boosie’s calling cap on Ye’s bold claim, as according to him, people where he’s from simply cannot relate. “NOT ALL GENRES NOT EVERY STYLE,” Boosie wrote. “NOT BOOSIE MUSIC. YOU CAN’T RELATE TO NOTHING I RAP ABOUT R YOUR MUSIC. NOBODY LISTENS TO KANYE IN THE PROJECTS R THE TRENCHES IM, A GON HEAD N SAY IT ‘ MY PEOPLE DO NOT RELATE TO YOU.’”
Clearly, Boosie strongly disagrees with Ye, and it looks like he’s not the only one. Earlier today, Kid Cudi also seemingly responded to the Chicago MC’s claim, dropping a screenshot of a Wikipedia article that lists him as an inspiration for 808s & Heartbreaks. What do you think of Kanye West claiming to have invented every style of music of the past 20 years? What about Boosie’s response? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Cardi B has certainly kept herself busy as of late. Aside from unveiling her new single “Enough (Miami)” earlier this week, the hitmaker teamed up with SZA and Flo Milli for a remix of the latter’s viral hit, “Never Lose Me.” She’s even been making some unexpected revelations online, such as what inspired her latest release.
During a recent Instagram Live, the hitmaker shared that “Enough (Miami)” initially went by a different title, “And Her Name is Cardi K.” According to her, she made the song out of anger after feeling like everyone, including the Bardigang, had given up on her. She recalled feeling ganged up on, and deciding to issue a response.
“The song was originally called ‘And Her Name is Cardi K.’ And the reason why I called this song ‘Cardi K’ … I said it in an interview, I was really angry. I felt like … b*tches was ganging up on me, I felt like I was very, like, underestimated. Even like my fanbase. I have a fanbase that’s big, but it’s very underestimated,” she explained. “So ‘Cardi K,’ I don’t know if you know how people be like, ‘EBK,’ like ‘Everybody Killa.’ I just felt like everyone was on some ‘Cardi K’ sh*t, like ‘Y’all on some Cardi Killa sh*t? Then f*ck you h*es! Fuck you b*tches!”
“I got in the studio on some mad sh*t, but honest with you, I’m not on that space right now,” Cardi B continued. “I don’t give a f*ck about nobody right now. But that’s her original name. Her original name is ‘Cardi K,’ but her stage name is ‘Enough/Miami.’” What do you think of Cardi B revealing what inspired her new song? Are you surprised? How do you like “Enough (Miami)” so far? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Kid Cudi has seemingly responded to Kanye West’s claim that he was responsible for the “last 20 years of music”. Cudi’s response was the hand-over-mouth emoji and a screenshot from his own Wikipedia article, which cites him as an inspiration for West’s 808s & Heartbreaks.
This comes after West’s bold claim that he was solely responsible for the last 20 years of music. “I invented every style of music of the past 20 years. I created the genre. I created Weeknd’s genre. Trav, Drake, everybody. I’mma go ahead and say with all love, Future and Thug also because the auto-tune album, 808s. Everybody thinks about Trav, Weeknd, and Drake but no one thinks about Future and Thug also. The auto-tune album. Now everyone, they added whatever it was to it. But here’s a new genre. It’s called making your own money genre. This music is called, like, take that middle man out.” West told Big Boy.
However, West is not the only person whose comments that Cudi has taken issue with as of late. In December, Cudi hit back at Rich Paul and Jake Paul after the pair offered up some hot takes about Cudi’s relationship with his hometown of Cleveland. “Ok so I just saw this and heres my thoughts: Rich Paul doesn’t know me. He doesn’t know my life. Mostly when im in Cleveland, its family time. I’m not throwin events in the city cuz its already too hot for me in the city. When im there I like the chill. Im not hangin at Cleveland clubs or in the streets or whatever the f-ck else u expect me to do. Oh I get it, was I suppose to catch a couple Browns or Cavs games? Im the most lowkey guy around. You aint suppose to see me brother. Thats number 1,” Cudi began.
However, Cudi wasn’t finished. “Number 2: I will say the city of Cleveland has embraced me over the years. So I disagree. Radio in Cleveland might not play my sh-t, but I had 20k people at Moon Man’s Landing in Cleveland last year. A success. And were doin it again too. Not only does the city embrace me, I make most people in that city and the state of Ohio proud. Everytime I record a record I mention the city. Thats all day. Everybody that listens to my music knows Im proud of where im from,” he concluded.
Young RJ of Slum Village says Kanye West inspired J Dilla’s iconic record, Donuts. Speaking with Shirley Ju, RJ recalled the video shoot for his group’s 2004 song “Selfish,” on which Kanye West and John Legend are featured. He says Dilla attended the shoot and was trolled for being up-staged by the then-up-and-coming Ye.
“He shows up to the video and we sitting back there. A guy named Scrap Dirty like, ‘Man, this your group and you gon’ let Kanye come through and do this? He killing the soul shit!’ Dilla’s sitting in the stands like, ‘Oh word? That’s what you think?’ He goes back… that’s when you get all the stuff that you heard on Donuts, all the soul stuff. He was making his point that, ‘I’m unf*ckwittable,’” RJ said.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JULY 22: Kanye West is seen at ‘DONDA by Kanye West’ listening event at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on July 22, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Universal Music Group)
Ye has spoken about his admiration for Dilla in the past. Appearing in Stones Throw’s Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton documentary in 2013 for an interview that surfaced years later, Ye recalled meeting the legendary producer. “I met J Dilla at Common’s crib just down the street here in L.A. They were staying together, and I just remember looking at that MPC. And those drums came out of that MPC, arguably the best drums in hip-hop history,” he said. “I just remember vibing with him and having so much respect, and just wanting to work with him more.”
Young RJ Recalls Kanye West & J Dilla Interaction
Elsewhere in the interview, RJ recalls West charging the group $90,000 for his work on “Selfish.” He argued it was “payback” against a record label executive who passed over him. Be on the lookout for further updates on Kanye West on HotNewHipHop.
At the end of last year, Halle Bailey welcomed her first child with her boyfriend DDG, Halo. Since then, the Little Mermaid star has given fans throwback glimpses at her pregnancy journey, her transition to motherhood, and more. Based on their social media posts, the young couple is having a blast with the newest member of their family, surrounding themselves with loved ones and ignoring online negativity.
While baby Halo certainly arrived at a busy time in Bailey’s career, she hasn’t let being a parent slow her down. In fact, during a recent interview with The Associated Press at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, she shared that she feels more inspired than ever to create. “I have never felt more creatively inspired in my whole life,” she told the outlet. “This is such a beautiful time for me because I truly feel like I’m venturing into my womanhood. I feel like a woman now, after having a baby. So, it opens up this whole other portal to write about stuff.”
Halle Bailey Says Baby Halo Opened A “Whole Other Portal”
Halle Bailey attends the 2024 People’s Choice Awards at Barker Hangar on February 18, 2024 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
She went on to tease some upcoming solo music, which she described as “a fusion of all the genres that [she loves].” For obvious reasons, fans are looking forward to hearing what she has in store for them, including her upcoming album with her sister Chloe. While details of that remain unclear, it’ll surely answer ongoing demands for a Chloe x Halle revival.
“It feels really, really great,” she told Billboard of the joint album at the Grammys. “It’s just, like, so nostalgic, and reminds us of our days when we did covers on YouTube.” What do you think of Halle Bailey’s recent comments about her son, Halo? Are you looking forward to hearing her new music? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
With every generation, there are a handful of artists whose talent, reach, and story mark themselves as timeless achievements and souls. Without question, Amy Winehouse is one of the 21st century’s most important exponents in this regard. Her influence ushered in revitalizations of vocal flair, vintage aesthetics, and raw, emotive storytelling and character portraits in popular music. The London singer encompassed so much: powerful songwriting, carefully crafted and intent-driven releases, production that is deeply appreciative of the wide-ranging musical canon, and a truly resonant voice in every way. So it’s no surprise that her love of hip-hop, and so many other genres, drove much of her artistry.
Furthermore, the culture certainly returned the favor, and continues to do so to this day. As recently as October 2023, U.K. rapper Skepta sampled Amy Winehouse’s vocals from her 2006 song “Tears Dry On Their Own” on his aptly titled house cut, “Can’t Play Myself (A Tribute To Amy).” So many rap subgenres and communities appreciated her work: classic boom-bap exponents, Atlanta trap pioneers, Long Beach genre-benders, and some of the biggest artists in the game in general. Across these six picks (in no particular order), the late legend’s legacy lives on through artists and art forms that she championed like few others.
“Tears Dry On Their Own” Dungeon Family Remix – Organized Noize (Released 2011)
Speaking of Skepta’s treatment of this Back To Black cut from 2006, frequent Outkast collaborators -– and some of the best producers out of the South -– also gave it a spin. Amy Winehouse’s vocals, instead of pairing with retro instrumentation with a peppier step, ride over heavy kicks, chopped-up piano melodies and background vocals, and sharp snares, crafting a DJ Screw-esque effect. Of course, this is exactly the type of beat that the Dungeon Family perfected back in the 1990s and 2000s. Despite the aesthetic change, the contralto vocalist’s croons and swells sound even more spotlit and passionate here.
Sure, the mixing quality of this version is a little off, probably because of how its distribution methods have aged. Big Boi originally posted this remix on a website after she passed, and YouTube re-releases of it hit your ears with a lot of fuzz. Bizarrely, though, it adds to the atmosphere of this Amy Winehouse reimagining in a contemporary context. Much like the soul and R&B that inspired so much of her greatness (and that she and frequent production collaborators Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi sampled), it sounds like an unearthed vinyl that becomes a gem for a crate-digger years later, crackling through the speakers with all the passion its performer holds.
“Kush Is My Cologne” – Gucci Mane ft. Bun B, E-40 & Devin The Dude (2009)
Moving over to one of the six-time Grammy Award winner’s most popular songs, Back To Black‘s opener, “Rehab,” is one of her most iconic hooks and instrumentals. Even Gucci Mane took a liking to it, and on his 2009 album The State vs. Radric Davis, he interpolated the chorus for one of his verse lines. “Kush, purp, strong dro, What I need cologne for? They tried to send me to rehab but I said ‘No, no I won’t go,’” he raps on the record. It’s certainly one of the most tonally conflictive but curious examples on this list.
However, we’d be remiss not to mention Jay-Z and Pharoahe Monch’s remixes of “Rehab,” each of which came out around 2008 and warrants a listen. Unfortunately, none of these tracks knew how Amy Winehouse’s career would tragically end. As such, it’s strong whiplash to listen to any version of this song today, yet it doesn’t take away from its potency, its resonance, and its quality as a composition and performance. Also, it’s a reminder that music can affect lives for many different reasons than why lives affected its creation, and few artists can ever transcend their context like this.
Here we have one of the most subtle instances of sampling on the list: a simple drum beat that’s distorted, echoed, and manipulated to make it a hazy, lo-fi driving force. Lil Ugly Mane doesn’t rap on “vpn,” as this is an album (2021’s volcanic bird enemy and the voiced concern) where he goes into more singing, trip-hop inspirations, and a lot of genre and timbre experimentation. So what’s the drum beat that he takes from? It’s from Amy Winehouse’s “You Know I’m No Good” (also off Back To Black), on which Homer Steinweiss is on the kit.
Perhaps the most important thing to remark about “vpn” as it relates to “You Know I’m No Good” is how it’s able to communicate the slightly despondent, melancholy, yet hopeful tone of the original. Lyrically, both artists play a lot with how their inner demons inform their relationships, and they make you feel that push-and-pull with their deliveries. Amy Winehouse’s contributions are as musical as they are personal, as many saw their own troubles reflected in her confidence and honesty. There’s also a great remix of the original featuring Ghostface Killah, which should be another gem for you to add to your queue.
“Half-Time” – Flatbush Zombies Ft. A$AP Twelvyy (2015)
Coming off the New York trio’s non-streaming 2015 EP expansion, Day Of The Dead, this track samples Amy Winehouse’s “Half Time” (with drums courtesy of none other than Questlove) released posthumously on the 2011 project Lioness: Hidden Treasures. With glistening keys, an easy-going but crisp drum beat, and dense staccato bass, this is a classic East Coast boom-bap treatment. Each MC on here flows incredibly well, and the dreamy instrumental evokes the original’s themes of a passion for music. We’re repeating ourselves here, but it’s the truth: few artists could represent this fervor more than the Frank superstar.
Not only that, but this is also one of the most musically complex examples on this list, albeit a simple technique in the grand scheme of things. “Half-Time” switches between loops of two different parts of “Half-Time” to build its progression. A slowdown towards the end makes the dream feel even woozier, and it makes us wonder what amazing collaborations could’ve come from Amy Winehouse and the contemporary lane of sample-based and genre-fusing hip-hop artists. Like everything that was ever great, it leaves us wanting a little more.
Now, for what might be the most unique sample choice here, we have Vince Staples’ excellent and experimental 2017 album, Big Fish Theory. On the frantically percussive but atmospherically calming cut “Alyssa Interlude,” the Long Beach MC -– rather, the track’s producer “Zack Sekoff” -– samples an Amy Winehouse interview with Tim Chipping from 2006. “That’s like a real drug, isn’t it?” she says of love. “So when it -– when it didn’t come together, I was just like… you know? It really hurt. But I needed enough distance from it so that it wasn’t, like, raw emotion anymore. But not enough -– enough distance that I’d forget. I’m quite a self-destructive person, so I guess… I guess I keep giving myself material.”
Emotionally, this is a powerful moment considering the English icon’s personal struggles with addiction and mental health. It also means a lot to Vince Staples, as she inspired his 2016 EP Prima Donna and uses this interview to complement his romantic feelings for someone who is no longer there. “A true artist can make you feel both their sorrow and their happiness,” he said of Amy Winehouse’s Back To Black, one of his favorite albums, during a TIDAL Magazine interview. “You feel all of these emotions back to back and transform them into these stories without noticing the shift. Definitely someone who was gone too soon. R.I.P.”
“Cherry Wine” – Nas Ft. Amy Winehouse (2012)
Yeah, we know this isn’t a sample, but we can’t talk about Amy Winehouse and hip-hop without bringing up her strong bond with Nas. He was her crush, as portrayed in her track “Me and Mr. Jones,” and they met up thanks to the producer of “Cherry Wine” and collaborator-in-common, Salaam Remi. This cut, released on Esco’s 2012 album Life Is Good, resulted from a lot of back-and-forth work together, of which they had a lot before she tragically passed. Eventually, the “Valerie” hitmaker’s demo vocals for the song surfaced (which technically makes it a sample), and the Queens legend could pay fitting tribute to his birthday twin. They were born on September 14 exactly a decade apart.
What’s more is that she had previously sampled his 2002 song “Made You Look” on her 2003 release “In My Bed,” both produced by Salaam Remi. Back to “Cherry Wine,” though, Amy Winehouse longs for her soulmate (whom many interpret to be the Illmatic lyricist), as he goes over what he wants in a woman. It’s tender, soulful, well-paced, sonically pristine, and an evocative display of chemistry and appreciation. “We’re just so thankful that her people were so understanding that, you know, this was our homie,” Nas told Power 106 in 2012. “They let us rock out with her music on the album. So, we got love for Amy forever. That’s our sister. Love her.” We’re forever thankful for what these artists did to honor Amy Jade, and even more thankful for what she saw in hip-hop.
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(@BeautyNBars) September 6, 2024
