Producer Madlib celebrated a big milestone this past weekend. On Saturday (May 11) at a 10th anniversary celebration of his album Piñata, which featured raps by Freddie Gibbs. The celebration took place at The Rooftop at Pier 17 in New York City.
During the celebration, Madlib spun some tunes and dropped some beats. Freddie Gibbs was set to come to the stage. But before he performed, Madlib teased some new music with his frequent collaborator.
“Y’all ready for Freddie Gibbs?,” Madlib asked the crowd, who responded with cheers. Madlib continued, promising the crowd “[I’m] About to drop this live sh*t on y’all. Montana up next.”
Madlib teases his Freddie Gibbs collab album ‘Montana’ at a recent show
Though neither Madlib nor Gibbs indicated an official release date for Montana, fans are waiting with bated breath.
Montana will mark Madlib and Gibbs’ third full-length album together, their first being 2014’s Piñata and their second being 2019’s Bandana. The duo releases music under the stage name, MadGibbs.
In addition to these two — soon to be three — albums, Madlib and Gibbs have also released five EPs together — 2011’s Thuggin’, 2012’s Shame, 2013’s Deeper, 2014’s Knicks (Remix), and 2020’s The Diamond Mine Sessions, with El Michels Affair.
You can see a clip from the Piñata 10th anniversary show above.
Could TikTok be Chinese spyware? Concerns have been raised by U.S. politicians regarding the potential access of TikTok user data by the Chinese government. They fear its potential use for intelligence or propaganda purposes. However, there is currently a lack of evidence substantiating the claim that the Chinese government has obtained such information. FBI Director Christopher Wray has testified before Congress to that end. According to him, if such access were indeed occurring, it might not manifest obvious signs or indications. However, many politicians have shown support for a nationwide ban. Some states, such as Montana, have taken action to ban the app completely.
On the other hand, technology industry group NetChoice has voiced their opposition to banning TikTok. They have emphasized the potential establishment of a dangerous precedent. They argue that such a move would enable the government to prohibit any business it dislikes without the presence of sufficient evidence to support allegations of wrongdoing. Carl Szabo, the vice president and general counsel of NetChoice, underlined that the U.S. Constitution explicitly forbids lawmakers from passing laws that criminalize specific individuals or businesses. He called upon Montana Governor Greg Gianforte to veto the legislation, asserting its clear unconstitutionality. That call was unsuccessful, and the TikTok ban was signed into law and is due to take effect at the beginning of 2024.
TikTok Goes Head To Head With Montana
The TikTok logo is displayed outside a TikTok office on December 20, 2022 in Culver City, California. Congress is pushing legislation to ban the popular Chinese-owned social media app from most government devices. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
According to NPR, TikTok has filed a lawsuit against the state of Montana in federal court, aiming to overturn a new law that prohibits the social media app within the state. The company argues in its filing that the bill is censorious and infringes on the freedom of speech protected by the First Amendment. With over 150 million American users, TikTok’s owner, ByteDance, seeks to protect its business and the hundreds of thousands of users in Montana through this legal challenge. The company expresses confidence in the strength of legal precedents and facts supporting their case.
The Montana state government views TikTok’s association with ByteDance, a Chinese-owned company, as a security concern for its citizens. However, TikTok disputes this characterization, asserting that the state’s extraordinary measures are based on baseless speculation. Governor Greg Gianforte signed Montana’s TikTok ban into law, set to take effect on January 1, 2024. If the ban withstands legal challenges, companies hosting app stores that sell TikTok could face daily fines of $10,000.
Lawmakers in Montana have voted to ban the use of TikTok in the state. The legislation will now make its way to the desk of Gov. Greg Gianforte. The bill would prevent app stores from offering downloads for the platform. It would also make Montana the first U.S. state to ban the app.
“The governor will carefully consider any bill the legislature sends to his desk,” said Brooke Stroyke, a spokesperson for Gianforte. In the past, the Governor has banned TikTok from state government devices.
Gov. Greg Gianforte At A MAGA Rally
BELGRADE, MT – NOVEMBER 03: Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-MT) joins President Donald Trump at a “Make America Great Again” rally at the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport on November 3, 2018 in Belgrade, Montana. (Photo by William Campbell/Corbis via Getty Images)
The bill will face serious legal opposition should it pass. Brooke Oberwetter, a spokesperson for TikTok, responded in a statement labeling the act “government overreach.” “The bill’s champions have admitted that they have no feasible plan for operationalizing this attempt to censor American voices and that the bill’s constitutionality will be decided by the courts,” they said. “We will continue to fight for TikTok users and creators in Montana whose livelihoods and First Amendment rights are threatened by this egregious government overreach.”
In recent years, U.S. politicians have expressed concerns that the Chinese government could potentially gain access to TikTok user data. They could use this for intelligence or propaganda campaigns. As of now, there is no evidence that the Chinese government has gained access to this information. However, FBI Director Christopher Wray has argued to Congress that “we’re not sure that we would see many of the outward signs of it happening if it was happening.”
NetChoice, a technology industry group, has argued that banning TikTok could set a dangerous precedent. “This move from the Montana legislature sets a dangerous precedent that the government can try to ban any business it doesn’t like without clear evidence of wrongdoing,” said Carl Szabo, NetChoice’s vice president and general counsel. “The US Constitution clearly forbids lawmakers from passing laws to criminalize a specific individual or business. Gov. Greg Gianforte should veto this clearly unconstitutional law.”
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