Mos Def

Do Drake And Yasiin Bey Have Beef?

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The public should’ve been on high alert when the year opened up. First, Katt Williams aired out the comedy community during his appearance on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast. Although it wasn’t quite as explosive, Yasiin Bey’s (previously known as Mos Def) recent interview has reawakened a hotly debated topic in music.

During Bey’s sit-down with The Cutting Room Floor podcast, when asked if he felt Drake was “hip-hop,” Bey disagreed. Instead, Bey shared that Drake’s music should be categorized as pop. However, he didn’t stop his commentary there. He described Drake’s work as ideal for shopping in Target. This line forced users to ask whether Drake and Bey have beef.

Drake is no stranger to musical feuds, having had dust-ups with Pusha T, Meek Mill, Kanye West, and most recently, Metro Boomin. But, a beef with Yasiin Bey would seem odd to many. Based on newly surfaced screenshots, the answer could be yes. Last year, after Complex gave Drake’s poetry book a subpar review, he asked the publication for another lookover but with one stipulation.

“Can you do an article now where the baddest Instagram girls in the world review my poetry book,” he said in the message exchange. “Not the head of Mos Def fan club…thanks 😂.”

Well, that seemingly innocent joke must’ve made its way back to Bey, thus initiating the rumored feud. But there wasn’t always friction between the two. On songs like “Away From Home,” Drake thanked Bey for his support in the beginning stages of his career. Bey has even performed covers of Drake’s song “Hotline Bling.”

Watch The Cutting Room Floor podcast clip below.

@tcrfff

🎙Season 5 Episode 2 #yasiinbey

♬ original sound – The Cutting Room Floor

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

Yasiin Bey Had A Very Specific Way Of Describing Drake’s ‘Pop’ Music, And Users Online Are Having A Field Day

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Hate him or love him, Drake is one of the world’s most successful rap acts. As he so boastfully brags through his music, he’s surpassed several titans, such as The Beatles and the late Michael Jackson’s metric markers. Despite his record-breaking achievements to some, Drake still isn’t “hip-hop enough.”

On January 13, Yasiin Bey (previously professionally known as Mos Def) shared his thoughts on Drake’s music, and it sent users online into a frenzy. During an appearance on The Cutting Room Floor podcast, when asked by host Recho Omondi if he considered Drake to be a hip-hop act, Bey didn’t hold back.

“Why are you doing this to me,” he said. “Drake is pop to me, in the sense like, if I was in Target in Houston and I heard a Drake song… it feels like a lot of his music is compatible with shopping. Or shopping with an edge in certain instances… It’s likable.”

Bey went on to provide further context to his initial response. “What happens when this thing collapses,” he said. “What happens when the columns start buckling? Are we not in some early stage of that at this present hour? Are we seeing the collapse of the empire? Buying and selling, where’s the message that I can use? What’s in it for your audience apart from banging the pom-poms?”

@tcrfff

🎙Season 5 Episode 2 #yasiinbey

♬ original sound – The Cutting Room Floor

The response caused a ripple effect online, with musicians, critics, and fans alike chiming in. Read a few of their responses below.

Listen to the full episode of The Cutting Room Floor podcast on Patreon. Find more information here.

Yasiin Bey, F.K.A. Mos Def, Thinks Drake Makes Pop Music, Not Hip-Hop

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Yasiin Bey is a legend within hip-hop, and his decades of experience, knowledge, activism, social consciousness, and skill elevates his standards quite a lot. Moreover, he recently sat down with The Cutting Room Floor and, at one point, was asked by the program’s host whether Drake is hip-hop. Well, you tell me: do you think that the man behind Black Star and Black on Both Sides is a massive fan of the 6ix God? While Bey, formerly and best known as Mos Def, didn’t really diss him here, he did point to the commercial, agreeable, and non-remarkable nature of the game that Drizzy represents, for better or worse.

“Like, is Drake hip-hop?” host Recho asked the MC formerly known as Mos Def. “Why are you doing this to me?” Yasiin Bey replied, and you can tell throughout the whole segment, with some laughs in between, that he’s trying not to go full scorched Earth and be as clear as possible. “Drake is pop to me. In the sense, like, if I was in Target in Houston, and I heard a Drake song. It feels like a lot of his music is compatible with… shopping. Or, as you know, shopping with an edge in certain instances.

Read More: ASAP Rocky Might’ve Issued Drake Response On Kid Cudi’s New Album “INSANO”

Yasiin Bey Speaks On Drake: Watch

“Of course, I get it,” Yasiin Bey continued about Drake. “It’s likable. It’s likable… ‘Wooooo! So many products! So many SKUs! Look at all these SKUs (stock-keeping units, more commonly known as bar codes)! Oh, so many products. I love this mall! Look at this place. I mean, look at this place! They have everything, everything’s here! They have everything here! Oh, this is great. This is the new Drake, do you hear it? It’s great…’

“Okay. What happens when this thing collapses?” he concluded. “What happens when the columns start buckling? Are we not in some early stage of that at this present hour? Are we seeing, like, the collapse of an empire? Buying and selling, where’s the message that I can use? You know, what’s in it for your audience apart from, like, banging the pom-poms?” For more news and the latest updates on Drake and Yasiin Bey, stay up to date on HNHH.

Read More: Yasiin Bey, F.K.A. Mos Def, Gives Andre 3000 Flute Track A Rap Verse At Dubai Show

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Yasiin Bey, F.K.A. Mos Def, Gives Andre 3000 Flute Track A Rap Verse At Dubai Show

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Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def, is one of hip-hop’s all-time greats, a quality that he keeps on proving. Moreover, he recently held a show in Dubai on Saturday (December 9), and he had a very special surprise for the crowd, who seemed to be having an amazing time. At one point of the concert, the other half of Black Star began to rap over the opening track to André 3000’s new album, New Blue Sun. If you didn’t already know, this project is entirely instrumental and steeped in New Age, spiritual jazz, and ambient traditions. As such, it’s quite the treat to hear one rap legend give his own unique take, via a melodic and killer verse, to the new lane that another rap legend ventures into.

Furthermore, Yasiin Bey is not the first to engage in this kind of tribute and genre fusion. For example, Lupe Fiasco also rapped over New Blue Sun‘s opener, which gave Andre 3000’s song some uniquely creative and expertly rapped lyrics to go along with it. This was one point of contention for many in the hip-hop community: why isn’t one of the best rappers alive rapping?! That’s a debate we won’t engage in here, but perhaps it’s more important to celebrate how this new work is clearly still inspiring rappers left and right.

Read More: The Alchemist Premieres New Music With Yasiin Bey, F.K.A. Mos Def, At Los Angeles Show

Yasiin Bey Adds Verse To A New Blue Sun Cut: Watch

Meanwhile, there are other rap exponents in addition to Yasiin Bey and Lupe Fiasco who think that New Blue Sun holds some real weight in the game. One curious and interesting suggestion came from Paul Wall, who gave 3 Stacks major props for his new effort. However, he posited that a chopped-and-screwed version of the improvisational LP could actually be quite compelling and exciting. It certainly wasn’t the first thing that came to mind when we heard “Andre’s flute album,” but who are we to judge?

On that note, though, what do you think of Bey’s verse on this song? Where do you fall on the debate around whether this is an interesting or worthwhile thing for MCs to do? Whatever the case, let us know in the comments down below. Also, stay up to date on HNHH for the latest news and updates on Yasiin Bey and Andre 3000.

Read More: Andre 3000 On Fan Response To His New Album: “I Don’t Know What Else I Could Do”

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The Alchemist Premieres New Music With Yasiin Bey, F.K.A. Mos Def, At Los Angeles Show

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The Alchemist recently hosted a one-off show along with MIKE and Wiki to perform their new 2023 album, Faith Is A Rock. On Thursday (November 30), he and these two amazing MCs hit the Teragram Ballroom and performed together for the first time. However, one of the most exciting parts of the show happened when Uncle Al previewed new music with the one and only Yasiin Bey, which many of you might know better as Mos Def. In fact, it’s a bit of a left hook: rather than rap through the beat, he decided to take on a more melodic delivery as he muses through his themes. Regardless, it was still a great taste.

Moreover, The Alchemist and Yasiin Bey don’t have much of a collaborative history, which makes this all the more exciting. Still, the former has worked with the latter’s Black Star partner, Talib Kweli, so we can assume that they have a lot to love for each other. That legendary collaboration turned 25 years old this year, which also adds another touching angle to this premiere. Even after all these years, Bey remains one of the most respected, beloved, and influential MCs of all time.

Read More: The Alchemist Answers Kid Cudi’s Joint Album Tweet

The Alchemist & Yasiin Bey’s New Material: Listen

Of course, this also prompts some speculation– or rather, pipe dreams– about a joint project between him and Uncle Al. After all, the iconic producer is well-known for crafting some of the best collab albums in rap history, and keeps dropping excellent team-ups. Faith Is A Rock is just one example from this year, with another being the impeccably crafted VOIR DIRE with Earl Sweatshirt. With this history in mind, it’s only natural that fans want to see what he can unlock within any other MCs over the course of a full LP.

Meanwhile, the artist formerly known as Mos Def took some time earlier in 2023 to pay respect to some of hip-hop’s titans. Much like how the beatmaker is a pivotal part of so many careers, De La Soul is even more important, and he thanked them for paving the way for him and so many others. All these artists continue to make great strides today, and it’s exciting to see how legends keep growing. On that note, check back in with HNHH for more news and the latest updates on The Alchemist and Yasiin Bey.

Read More: Yasiin Bey Might Have To Send Tour Money To His Child’s Mother

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Today in Hip-Hop History: Mos Def Released His Solo Debut ‘Black On Both Sides’ 24 Years Ago

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On this date in 1999, Rapper/actor/social activist Yasiin Bey, who was formally recognized by the Hip Hop world as Mos Def, released his first solo album, Black On Both Sides on the Rawkus/Columbia imprint.

On his debut album following the Black Star album with Talib Kweli, Mos Def kept it all the way Brooklyn, with his lyrical gymnastics laced with social commentary for the technology-addicted Internet generation. Songs like “Mathematics” and “Mr. N***a” reflect the cultural climate of 1999 while his borough anthem “Brooklyn” and love interest story “Ms. Fat Booty” keep the ear in the streets tuned in.

Salute to Mos, and producers Diamond D, ATCQ’s Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Psycho Les, and Ayatollah, This certified gold classic is forever etched in the annals of Hip-Hop history!

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Mos Def Released His Solo Debut ‘Black On Both Sides’ 24 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Mos Def Released His Solo Debut ‘Black On Both Sides’ 24 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Black Star’s Yasiin Bey & Talib Kweli Become The Faces Of AMIRI In High-Fashion Campaign

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Black Star Yasiin Bey, Talib Kweli

Luxury fashion brand AMIRI recently announced the new faces of their new campaign. Their selection includes iconic hip-hop duo Black Star, consisting of Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) and Talib Kweli, as their brand ambassadors for the upcoming Fall/Winter 2023 campaign.  AMIRI Autumn-Winter 2023 The California-based brand made the exciting revelation on August […]

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Erykah Badu Working On Collab Album With Madlib And Embarking On U.S. Tour With Yasiin Bey

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Erykah Badu and Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) have announced that they’re embarking on a 25-city tour of the United States. Producer Madlib recently revealed that he has an upcoming project in the works with the neo-soul queen—Erykah Badu. The talented and highly sought after composer appeared on Sway in the Morning with Talib Kweli to promote their new album Liberation 2. During the conversation, Madlib said he recently began work on a full-length effort with Ms. Badu.

He added: “[Erykah and I] just started on an album … We have a lot of unreleased stuff.” teased an upcoming project with Badu

Badu’s tour—the Unfollow Me tour begins on June 11 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, TX. It will conclude on July 23 at the American Airlines Center in San Antonio, TX.

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Pre-sales begin on April 20 through Ticketmaster.

Check out the Unfollow Me tour dates below:
June
11 – AT&T Center – San Antonio, TC
13 – Desert Diamond Arena – Glendale, AZ
20 – Golden 1 Center – Sacramento, CA
21 – Oakland Arena – Oakland, CA
23 – WaMu Theater – Seattle, WA
26 – Ball Arena – Denver, CO
28 – Enterprise Center – St. Louis, MO
30 – Xcel Center – St. Paul, MN

July
1 – United Center – Chicago, IL
2 – Little Caesar’s Arena – Detroit, MI
7 – TD Arena – Boston, MA
8 – Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
9 – TD Pavillion at the Mann – Philadelphia, PA
11 – Prudential Center – Newark, NJ
13 – Capital One Arena – Washington, DC
15 – State Farm Arena – Atlanta, GA
16 – Spectrum Center – Charlotte, NC
18 – Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
19 – Legacy Area at the BJCC – Birmingham, AL
21 – Fedex Forum – Memphis, TN
23 – American Airlines Center – Dallas, TX

The post Erykah Badu Working On Collab Album With Madlib And Embarking On U.S. Tour With Yasiin Bey appeared first on The Source.