Jeymes Samuel

Jeymes Samuel Says JAY-Z and D’Angelo Collab is Work of ‘God’

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Jeymes Samuel

Jeymes Samuel has dropped what may be one of the heaviest tracks of 2024 in the collaborative D’Angelo and JAY-Z single “I Want You Forever.”

Speaking with Variety, Samuel revealed how the nearly 10-minute collaboration came together, which he says was “Godly”:

If your belief is God, then it was God; if your belief is the universe, then it was the universe. Because I’ve been wanting to work with D’Angelo my whole life. But you can’t just … no one knows where this guy is. It’s like you can want to work with Jay-Z your whole life, but whether you’re gonna work with him is a whole other thing.

So, the way it happened was me and D’Angelo just linking up on organic level, talking about all the things that interest us; all the things we want to do and the things we want to do together. Me being a fan of his and him being a fan of mine.

Samuel added, “D’Angelo’s last album was called “Black Messiah,” so he was already in full frequency of what the scene was, the song was, the message was, the ethos of the entire film.

“He lives in the frequency, so it’s just a perfect, perfect marriage.”

You can read the full feature here and hear the song below.

The post Jeymes Samuel Says JAY-Z and D’Angelo Collab is Work of ‘God’ first appeared on The Source.

The post Jeymes Samuel Says JAY-Z and D’Angelo Collab is Work of ‘God’ appeared first on The Source.

Jay-Z Is In Love With Doja Cat’s ‘Jeezu’ Verse From ‘The Book Of Clarence’ Soundtrack: ‘This Feels Like A New Space’

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Doja Cat 2023 Grammy Awards
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Last year, Doja Cat went to the ends of the Earth to distance herself from her pre-Scarlet album releases. At one point, the rapper even labeled her breakout songs such as “Say So” as a “cash grab.”

Despite pissing off a few hundred thousand followers in the process, Doja’s evolution to a full-fledged lyrical miracle rapper has been complete. After appearing on the track “Jeezu” off of The Book Of Clarence’s soundtrack, Doja Cat even earned the praises of Jay-Z (mainly rap purists’ goat).

On January 11, during the audio-only fireside chat, A Conversation with Jeymes Samuel And Jay-Z, hosted by Gia Peppers, the hip-hop titan showed love to Doja’s standout bars on X (formerly Twitter).

“Even with Doja [Cat] on [the soundtrack],” he said. “Her performance on [‘Jeezu’] was unlike anything that I’ve heard from her. The way she attacks that music it’s like, ‘Wow, this is a different Doja.’ And it may not be different for her. I don’t know. That’s a question for her. It may not have felt different for her, but as a listener, as someone who has consumed her music and loves what she does, I was like, ‘Man, this feels new for her.’ This feels like a new space.”

Listen to the entire chat below.

The Book Of Clarence is in theaters now. Find more information here.

Doja Cat Lyrically Rains Holy Hell On ‘Jeezu’ From Jeymes Samuel’s ‘The Book Of Clarence’ Alongside Kodak Black & Adekunle Gold

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When the film’s director and soundtrack executive producer, Jeymes Samuel, teased that the world wasn’t ready for what was up his sleeve, it wasn’t an exaggeration. Following months of fighting off claims that she’s a Satanist, The Book Of Clarence’s official soundtrack gave Doja Cat the divine platform to part her sea of haters for good. If there was ever any lingering doubt that Doja Cat isn’t a “real rapper,” it should be put to bed thanks to her verse on “Jeezu.”

Doja Cat lyrically rains holy hell down on her naysayers. “Pass the Kirkland, I see she thirstin’, see me, and they nerd out / I been doin’ God’s work, haters got the word out / Y’all got an agenda, but we’ll see how that gon’ turn out / Many false prophets leavin’ brothers with a firm doubt / Father, please forgive me, for today, they finna learn now / Put me in the dirt, and you gon’ see, I make it worthwhile,” raps Doja.

Yes, she’s a force in the pop space, but she made it clear that she’s no rap slouch. In his verse, Kodak Black used it as a confessional to address his troubled past with Adekunle Gold there to finish out the holy trinity.

Listen to Jeymes Samuel, Doja Cat, &Kodak Black’s new track “Jeezu” featuring Adekunle Gold above.

The Book Of Clarence is in theaters now. Find more information here.

Jay-Z And D’Angelo Take A Funk-tastic Voyage On Jeymes Samuel’s ‘I Want You Forever’ From ‘The Book Of Clarence’

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It looks like Jay-Z’s new thing is packing a year’s worth of rhymes into his sporadic appearances via really long songs. In 2022, he dominated the eight-minute DJ Khaled track “God Did,” taking over half its runtime for an epic verse that got a spirited breakdown on MSNBC.

Today, he appears on a nine-minute track from the Book Of Clarence soundtrack, contributing a vibey, almost spoken word-ish verse to a spacey, funk-soul voyage also featuring the elusive neo-soul icon D’Angelo. It’s very groovy, black-lights-and-incense style P-Funk, complete with epic guitar solos and overlapping harmonies; Jay’s verse, while it might not be what people would expect from him, fits right in and has all the hallmarks of Aquemini-era Outkast.

The soundtrack, which is out today via Universal, also features appearances from dancehall staples Buju Banton and Shabba Ranks, who appear with Lil Wayne on “Hallelujah Heaven,” Kodak Black and Doja Cat on “Jeezu” with Adekunle Gold, Jorja Smith, Alice Smith (no relation), and Kid Cudi.

The film itself is also out in the theaters. It follows a poor citizen of Jerusalem, Clarence, who is inspired by a contemporary Jesus Christ to start his own religion in the hopes of rising out of poverty. He inadvertently starts a revolution.

When Does ‘The Book Of Clarence’ Soundtrack Come Out?

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The Christmas holiday has long since passed. But if you’re in the mood for biblical stories, The Book Of Clarence has you covered. In November, to build up hype for the film, director Jeymes Samuel began to tease the supporting soundtrack back by Jay-Z.

Starting strong, Samuel dropped the lead single, “Hallelujah Heaven,” featuring Lil Wayne, Buju Banton, and Shabba Ranks. Since then, details surrounding the soundtrack have been sparse. So, when does the soundtrack for The Book Of Clarence come out?

Although an official release date has not been announced, it would be safe to assume that the project will be released in alignment with the film’s theatrical debut on January 12. Hopefully, the soundtrack will be made publicly available across streaming services the day before to give ticketholders time to absorb the project. In a press statement, Samuel shared his excitement for the musical side of the film.

“While I was working on ‘The Harder They Fall,’ and all my other projects, the story and the music for ‘The Book of Clarence’ were always there percolating in my mind,” he said. “There was never a question as to whether I would compose the score and write and perform on the soundtrack, as well as write and direct the movie. It was all one amazing journey where one depended on the other. But I also worked with the most awesome artists on our track ‘Hallelujah Heaven.’ Collaborating with Lil Wayne, Buju Banton, and Shabba Ranks was so dope; I loved getting them all on the same track.”

During a sit-down with Elliott Wilson, Jay-Z confirmed that he does appear on the soundtrack by way of an over 9-minute-long collaboration with D’Angelo.

The Book of Clarence will hit theaters on January 12. Find more information here.

Lil Wayne, Buju Banton, And Shabba Ranks Sing ‘Hallelujah Heaven’ In The First ‘Book Of Clarence’ Soundtrack Single

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One of the highlights of the films of Jeymes Samuel (aka The Bullitts) is the soundtrack albums he curates for them. In 2021, I praised the soundtrack of The Harder They Fall, writing that the movie often works best as a themed music video a la Beyoncé’s Black Is King. It looks like that may continue to be the case with Samuel’s next upcoming film, The Book Of Clarence, as Samuel shares its first soundtrack song, “Hallelujah Heaven” featuring Lil Wayne and dancehall legends Buju Banton and Shabba Ranks.

Samuel’s love for dancehall and reggae artists was also a fixture of the Harder They Fall soundtrack, which featured Barrington Levy, Dennis Brown, and Koffee in addition to rappers like Jay-Z, Jadakiss, and Conway The Machine. The Book Of Clarence will likewise contain appearances from Jay-Z (who is again credited as a producer for Samuels’ latest work), Kid Cudi, Jorja Smith, and more.

The Book Of Clarence is set in 33 AD and follows the exploits of the titular character (portrayed by LaKeith Stanfield) as he tries to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ — not as a disciple but as an imitator, looking to get rich quick. The film is set to hit theaters in January 2024.

You can listen to “Hallelujah Heaven” above and check out the new Book Of Clarence trailer below.

Jeymes Samuel Drops “Hallelujah Heaven” Featuring Lil Wayne, Buju Banton & Shabba Ranks for ‘The Book of Clarence’ Soundtrack

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Jeymes Samuel Drops "Hallelujah Heaven" Featuring Lil Wayne, Buju Banton & Shabba Ranks

Jeymes Samuel, the visionary behind Legendary Entertainment’s upcoming film The Book of Clarence, has released a captivating track, “Hallelujah Heaven.” Featuring Lil Wayne, Buju Banton, and Shabba Ranks, the song serves as a teaser for the film’s highly anticipated official soundtrack.

Samuel, a renowned British filmmaker, wrote and produced the track, showcasing a glimpse of the sonic tapestry accompanying his second feature film. The soundtrack, set to include contributions from JAY-Z, Kid Cudi, and more, will accompany the worldwide premiere of The Book of Clarence in Jan. 2024.

“The Book of Clarence is a film that I wanted to make for many years. While I was working on The Harder They Fall and all my other projects, the story and the music for The Book of Clarence was always there percolating in my mind,” said Samuel. “There was never a question as to whether I would compose the score and write and perform on the soundtrack, as well as write and direct the movie – it was all one amazing journey where one depended on the other. But I also worked with the most awesome artists on our track “Hallelujah Heaven”. Collaborating with Lil’ Wayne, Buju Banton and Shabba Ranks was so dope, I loved getting them all on the same track.”

Available now via Roc Nation, “Hallelujah Heaven” sets the stage for a musical journey that promises to enhance the cinematic experience of Samuel’s upcoming film.

The post Jeymes Samuel Drops “Hallelujah Heaven” Featuring Lil Wayne, Buju Banton & Shabba Ranks for ‘The Book of Clarence’ Soundtrack first appeared on The Source.

The post Jeymes Samuel Drops “Hallelujah Heaven” Featuring Lil Wayne, Buju Banton & Shabba Ranks for ‘The Book of Clarence’ Soundtrack appeared first on The Source.

Joey Badass Explains Why He Turned Down A Role In The Jay-Z Produced Western, ‘The Harder They Fall’

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In addition to being a rap star with beloved mixtapes like 1999 and party-starting singles such as “The Revenge” to his name, Joey Badass has been building out his acting resume, adding roles in Hulu’s Wu-Tang: An American Saga and Grown-ish to his ever-expanding list of accomplishments. However, he recently missed out on a highly coveted role in the Jay-Z-produced, Jeymes Samuel-directed Western, The Harder They Fall, as he revealed in a new interview with Ebro Darden for Apple Music. Originally, the role of cocky quickdraw gunslinger Jim Beckwourth, played in the film by RJ Cyler, was meant for Joey.

After meeting Samuel at the Roc Nation Brunch in 2020, Joey says Samuel first pitched him the role of Beckwourth. “He said he was working on this crazy film, which was The Harder They Fall,” Joey recalled. “He had this role for me. Like, you see dude with the pistols and sh*t? That’s supposed to be me. Shout to my man RJ [Cyler] though, who actually got the role. The young dude with the two pistols and everything. Jeymes wanted me to play that role.”

Unfortunately, it turned out Joey’s success in securing new acting roles actually prevented him from accepting this one. “[Samuel] called me a few months later, it was like March,” he continued. “He was like, ‘Yo, I need you to come to Arizona,’ I think that’s where they were shooting it, or New Mexico, something like that, so I could do this role. I had just accepted the role on Power for Unique, so now it was like a conflict. We were still trying to make it work, but unfortunately, it didn’t work.”

Eventually, though, Samuel helped Joey land the role in the Oscar-winning short film Two Distant Strangers, so things weren’t all that bad. You can check out the video of the full interview below.