music-industry

Ice Cube Claims The Music And Prison Industries Work Together

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During a recent appearance on Bill Maher’s “Club Random” podcast, Ice Cube discussed ties he sees between the prison industrial complex and the entertainment industry. He claims that the prison system benefits from the rap industry, using it to put more people behind bars. “The narrative is really kind of structured and really made into what the record company wants the record to be,” he says.

“Like follow the money,” he begins, “I don’t know their names, but if you go high enough you begin to see this is an industry.” “Let’s take rap music,” he continues, “[The] same people who own the labels own the prisons. It seems really kind of suspicious—if you want to say that word—that the records that come out are really geared to push people toward their prison industry.” Ice Cube later went on to call it “social engineering,” to ensure that “prisons stay full.”

Read More: Ice Cube Calls Out “Gatekeepers” Blocking His Big3 League

Ice Cube Claims The “Same People Who Own The Labels Own The Prisons”

When Maher claims that nobody is forcing artists to write the lyrics of their songs, Ice Cube argues. “It’s not about making somebody write the lyrics,” he says. “It’s about being near as guardrails to make sure certain songs make it through and certain songs don’t.” He then claims, “Certain flavors are exposed on the record. Some records are made by committee. Meaning record company guys sit around and tell the artists ‘This is hot, say that. Do this, we gonna have this guy write lyrics.’”

This isn’t the first time Ice Cube has been vocal about his controversial opinions. Earlier this year, he called AI music “bullsh*t,” claiming that it forces artists to be associated with things they never agreed to. “Samples are approved or denied by the song owners,” he wrote on Twitter. “Totally different than taking a dead artist and making a new song they never approved,” Ice Cube explained. He then went on to say, “That’s evil and demonic to me.“

Read More: Ice Cube Drags A Troll That Called Him Out For Republican Ties

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Ice Spice Continues To Dominate The Billboard Hot 100

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The year 2023 is quickly becoming the year of Ice Spice. Her debut on the Billboard Hot 100 was back in January, and she hasn’t really left since. That song was “Gangsta Boo” and featured Lil Tjay. Now, she has two tracks gracing the list: “Karma” by Taylor Swift, in which Ice Spice features on this version, and “Barbie World,” a reinvention of the Aqua classic featuring Nicki Minaj. The songs are ranked eight and seven, respectively. “Barbie World” comes from the Barbie movie soundtrack. Barbie is set to release on July 21, with Margot Robbie as the titular character and Ryan Gosling as Ken.

The song with Nicki marks Ice Spice’s fourth foray into the Billboard Hot 100. (“Barbie World” is Minaj’s 23rd track to be included on the list, a record for all female rappers.) And while Morgan Whalen’s “Last Night” came out at number one for the 13th week, Ice Spice is the one artist with two tracks in the top ten. She did this once before, in late April of this year, when “Princess Diana” and “Boy’s A Liar, Pt. 2” (which features PinkPantheress) were fourth and tenth, respectively. Ice Spice has claimed her throne at the top of the rap game, and she brought one of the original queens with her, Nicki Minaj.

Read more: Ice Spice Shares Extra Cheeky Dublin Photo Dump After Longitude Festival

The Singularity Of Ice Spice

Spice is having a moment in the rap and music industries. She and Nicki Minaj dapped each other up via Twitter, celebrating the success of their collaboration. Nicki was also on “Princess Diana.” That makes it and “Barbie World” two separate songs where two solo artists came together to make absolute bangers. Essentially, you put Ice Spice on a track, and she makes it Billboard Hot 100 gold. Simple as that.

As for Spice in her life, she seems to be enjoying her huge launch into fame. She releases photo dumps of herself at various events, including the BET Awards and the Longitude Festival. Also, she turned down the opportunity to be the XXL Freshman cover artist. When you can say no to what most rappers dream of, you know you’re doing something right. She’ll continue to see more of her songs make splashy debuts on the Billboard Hot 100. For now, the two songs in the top ten will definitely do.

Read more: Keke Palmer Dances To Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice’s “Barbie World” In A Curve-Hugging Denim Outfit

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Coi Leray Says There Are No Friends In The Industry & Rap Is A Competition

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Coi Leray recently sat down for an enlightening conversation with Ebro Darden on Apple Music 1’s Rap Life Radio. On it, they discussed a whole host of topics, ranging from her brand new sophomore album to industry relationships. While the Boston native remarked that a lot of industry people know each other and stay at least amicable, she doesn’t believe that there are any true friendships in the industry. Rather, it’s still a competition at the end of the day, but she didn’t seem to suggest so in a disloyal or backstabbing manner. Instead, Coi emphasized that this should be a friendly competition, and that genuine connections can form.

“I mean, look, the other side of it is, you know, everybody ain’t got to be friends, but we can all be positive,” Ebro remarked. “One thousand percent,” Coi Leray agreed. “Nobody’s friends, we don’t know each other in real life, you feel me? If we meet in person and, you know, we have a genuine relationship from there organically, then whatever. But I don’t think no one’s friends. I think, at the end of the day, it is a competition here, not everybody can be number one. But at the same time, it should be friendly competition. If we all on the same track team, and it’s time to race, and we practicing, I’m dusting you even though you my right hand. But it’s time to race, we got practice. But respectfully, you know? That’s how I look at it.”

Read More: Coi Leray Proposes All-Female Rap Song For First Number One Hip-Hop Hit Of 2023

Coi Leray’s Remarks On A Competitive Industry

Interestingly enough, another topic of conversation that came up in the interview was Latto’s line about the “Bops” hitmaker’s body on “Put It On Da Floor.” As she remarked on the situation and her reaction, she alluded to similar themes. “It’s not a sensitive conversation,” Coi Leray reflected. “I feel like it wasn’t more about the body, it was more of mentioning my name. I’m about positivity. For real. And I wasn’t sure where it was coming from. And not only that, I feel like the problem with our community today is we be so quick to try to change things but we don’t do nothing to actually change anything.

“So if we’re going to say we’re going to stop talking about bodies, then don’t mention anything about my body,” she went on. “Just period. Don’t compare me to nothing, don’t think about nothing. We’re not smoking on anything, it’s disrespect. And where I come from I just don’t like that. I don’t know, it’s starting to get old. The rap beefs are for the guys. You know, I don’t even think they should do it. Us artists, we kind of control the narrative. So if we just spend more time pushing that narrative we won’t give these headlines and these blogs no reason to go ahead and push this negative narrative. That’s something we got to come together on.” For more on Coi Leray, stick around on HNHH.

Read More: Coi Leray Claps Back At 2021 “XXL” Freshman Cypher Critics: “Clearly IDGAF”

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Ari Lennox Isn’t Down With Dating People In The Music Industry

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Ari Lennox isn’t about that risque life. She has made that abundantly clear. A recent tweet of hers confirmed jumping out of planes and testing the limits of height are not on her bucket list. And while scuba diving and Mt. Everest might not see Ms. Lennox anytime soon, there’s another group that won’t be spending quality time with the R&B artist. At the very end of her Twitter list, she calls out “music industry people” and her being okay with not dating anyone from the music scene.

The artist has had numerous relationships that turned sour due to the simple truth that they were also in the music business. Ari Lennox is famous and has many top-tier hits, including “Pressure” and “Shea Butter Baby.” When you’re as well-known as Lennox is, people date you to get clout or to network in the industry as a struggling rapper. Lennox feels jaded from the whole experience. There have apparently been numerous ex-partners who either pretended not to know who she was or didn’t let on that they were trying to make it big in music until later. This leads to Ari Lennox’s trust issues and the following Tweet…

Read more: Governor’s Ball 2023: Ari Lennox, Kendrick Lamar, And Ice Spice Among Best-Dressed Performers

Ari Lennox Has Trust Issues (For Good Reason)

Lennox has incredible self-awareness and healthy distancing, letting her date without wondering if the person she’s with is only with her to get famous. She’s even had partners that demeaned her and didn’t even recognize her musical achievements. Safe to say, Ari Lennox is done with the belittling and the lying. Hopefully, she can find someone who wants to date her for her, not just what she does for a living. For now, that means not dating anyone in music, period.

What’s next for Ms. Lennox? She’s currently on tour after dropping both Age/Sex/Location, her second studio album, and her surprise EP Away Message last year. (According to her, this is her last tour.) She is signed to J Cole’s Dreamville Records. Lennox has singles like “Whipped Cream,” which is about a previous relationship that went bad. We pray that Ari makes new music about her aversion to music industry dating. She has plenty of material for another album. (As of this writing, Ari Lennox is not dating anyone. However, this could be her keeping her personal business out of the limelight. At this point, we wouldn’t put it past her.)

Read more: J Cole Shocks Ari Lennox at London Concert

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Bobby Shmurda Should Cool It With The Rap Criticisms, Charlamagne Tha God Says

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Charlamagne Tha God has expressed his disagreement with Bobby Shmurda’s criticism of rap music. He says that Shmurda should not undermine the genre because he owes his fame and recognition to it. Charlamagne discussed the topic on The Breakfast Club‘s segment, “The Rumor Report,.” He went on to kindly acknowledge Shmurda’s energy and personality. However, he pointed out that the public hasn’t been receptive to his new music since his release from prison.

Charlamagne also emphasized that the culture may not be so keen on the new attitude. While he realizes that Bobby Shmurda has avoided being a snitch and is now creating positive music, the culture doesn’t seem to appreciate or acknowledge that about him. Furthermore, he believes that rap is the reason why people know Shmurda. He highlighted that, because of this, Shmurda’s criticisms of the genre may not resonate well with the audience.

The Origin Of Bobby Shmurda’s Opinion On Rap

The conversation about Bobby Shmurda’s disdain for rap music began when he appeared on The Danza Project podcast. There, he advised children to stay away from hip-hop because he sees it as dangerous. Shmurda expressed concern that kids might take the lifestyles portrayed in rap lyrics as reality. However, he says the rappers themselves may not have even experienced those circumstances. He believes rap music should uplift people and encourage positive change. Now, however, he believes it promotes negativity. As a result of this, Bobby Shmurda shared that he no longer enjoys rap music. Apparently, he only listens to it when he’s at the club.

Shmurda went on to say that he prefers reggae now. He is so disconnected from the rap scene that he wouldn’t even notice if another rapper dissed him in a song. This isn’t the first time Bobby Shmurda has discussed his decision to distance himself from rap music and make a change. In March, he took to Instagram to share his journey towards self-improvement after being involved in criminal activities. He made it clear that he is determined to pursue a productive and successful future. He says he wants to make the best use of his time.

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Salt Of Salt-N-Peppa Shares How Industry Pressure Lead To Her Contemplating An Abortion

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Throughout music history, women in the music industry have shared their experiences on how the industry has influenced their decision-making. More seriously, these decisions have included body altering such as Brazilian Butt Lifts, skin alterations, and even abortions. Cheryl James, also known as Salt of the legendary rap group, Salt-N-Peppa, recently got candid in an interview about her experiences as a member of the music industry. Cheryl James is interviewed with her groupmate in the emotional discussion.

In a sneak preview posted on youtube, the rap duo sat down with popular Tv-Talk Show Host, Tamron Hall, to discuss the truths and misconceptions women face in the music industry. The topic of motherhood lead Cheryl James to reveal the pressure she faced to get an abortion by someone she decided not to name. “I won’t say by who — but to your point, yeah, you just have to know that it’s something that you’re capable of handling if you want a kid and you want to have a career. And it’s definitely harder,” she said. Cheryl also took the moment to express how her having her child ultimately changed her life. “Like, I needed that lil’ baby in my life, you know?” she said. Additionally, she explained how her child was the “best thing” she has done.

Salt- N- Peppa Get Candid with Tamron Hall

Moreover, Salt-N-Peppa has broken barriers for women in Hip Hop. Their 1986 debut, Hot, Cool, Vicious sold over a million copies following its release. The album includes their most popular single ” Push It”. The song “Push It” has since become a pop culture phenomenon as it has been featured in films and commercials. The song is also platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Additionally, they won a Grammy at the 39th edition of the Grammy Awards.

Furthermore, Salt-N Peppa’s career has inspired women to enter the industry on their own terms. Tamron celebrated the duo by noting that they have achieved a successful career while balancing motherhood. In February, they appeared on the Grammys to celebrate 50 years of Hip-Hop. They have earned a successful career as one of the notable founding faces of women in hip-hop.

Coi Leray Speaks On Oversaturation In The Music Industry: “Every Song Is A Hit, Everybody Is A Star”

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As she embarks upon the week of her 26th birthday, Coi Leray has a few things to get off of her chest. On Monday (May 8), the Trendsetter hitmaker used her Twitter profile to vent about the current status of the field she works in, writing, “The music industry is oversaturated. Every song is a hit. Everybody is a star.” Thousands of followers made it known they agree with the singer by liking or retweeting the post, but others didn’t hesitate to chime in with their opinions challenging Leray’s comments.

“Can’t help but think Coi benefited from said saturation,” one user pointed out, seemingly referring to the endless TikTok hits the Boston baddie has released throughout her career. “Valid message, wrong messenger,” their message concluded. On Tuesday (May 9) morning, Leray responded to that tweet, along with a few others. “Y’all [buggin],” she chiefly declared. “My versatility, my stage presence, my stats, my collabs, my brand deals,” the “Anxiety” artist quickly reminded readers of her various talents aside from crafting catchy tracks.

Read More: Coi Leray Drops Another TikTok Hit In “My Body”

The Trendsetter Speaks Her Mind on Twitter

“[I’m a] fashion girl. I can dance, sing, [and] rap. It’s fine if you don’t see it now, I’m in no rush for you to notice,” Coi’s clap back continued. In another post that landed on her feed minutes later, she publicly hyped herself up even more as a reminder to any would-be haters that her confidence isn’t so easy to shake. “Lol, I’m that girl. Real life. Offline. In the booth, on the stage, on the red carpet. On the radio, overseas, and that’s just what it is, Leray noted. “Shout out to my bitches who stay true to themselves and [don’t give a f*ck] what nobody has to say!”

In later tweets, the soon-to-be birthday girl made it known that it’s all love, and she didn’t want to start drama with anyone. Rather, she’s reflecting on her achievements throughout the last year ahead of turning 26 on Thursday (May 11). Keep scrolling to read more from Coi Leray’s latest Twitter rant. Afterward, tell us if you agree with her take in the comments below. For more hip-hop and pop culture news updates, be sure to tap back in with HNHH later.

Read More: Coi Leray Calls Out Haters During Something In The Water Set

More from Coi Leray’s Twitter Page

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Bad Bunny Set For WWE Return Match

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Bad Bunny is one of the few celebrities to make the difficult adjustment of performing in a WWE ring. Recently, the WWE has had a string of good luck with their celebrity additions to the team. Logan Paul has been a phenomenal talent for the company. The YouTube star put on an excellent show for fans at this year’s Royal Rumble and his match at Wrestlemania. Now it is official that Bunny will be making his return to the squared circle. The Latin hip-hop star even has his next opponent lined up.

The WWE will be running its special event, Backlash, next month in Puerto Rico. When the announcement was made that WWE was returning to Puerto Rico, fans were already assuming Bunny would be involved. A few weeks ago, it was announced that Bunny would be the guest host for the special event. However, his match had yet to be announced by the company. But this past Monday, fans finally got the news they were waiting for. Bunny has been involved in an on-screen storyline with WWE superstar Damian Priest. Although now it seems that the two will have a match at next month’s special event.

Bad Bunny Set For WWE Street Fight

The match is being billed as a ‘San Juan Street Fight.’ A street fight in the WWE is basically a no-rules-style match. A match where weapons are legal and all but guarantee a lot of the action will happen outside of the ring. However, this past Monday on WWE’s Monday Night Raw, Bunny teased his match with Priest. Fans were welcomed to see Bunny bring his own weapon to the ring to give them a little taste of his match at Backlash. During the segment, Bunny challenged Priest to a street fight.

Professional wrestling fans have always been leary of celebrities coming into their space. Consequently, on many occasions, fans can spot out if a celebrity really wants to be a part of the professional wrestling world. However, everyone notices just how invested Bunny is when he hits the screen. Will you be tuning in to see Bad Bunny back in action with the WWE? Let us know your thoughts on Bunny’s return to action in the comment section. For the latest news in hip-hop and entertainment, keep it right here with HNHH.

Spotify Songs Are Being Ignored By The Millions

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Spotify has been a game-changer in the music industry. The streaming platform has made it easier for big-name artists to connect with their fans. Additionally, many would argue that Spotify has democratized the industry. Gone are the days when budding artists were forced to sell mixtapes to passersby on the street. Furthermore, Spotify has lessened the need for artists to be noticed by big-name producers or record companies. Now, wannabe music stars can simply record their songs and upload them to the internet.

However, there is a downside to Spotify’s explosion in popularity. The amount of people on the platform has caused oversaturation. Subsequently, many of the songs are being ignored. Baller Alert took to Instagram to shed light on a new study that shows that much of the music being uploaded to Spotify is not being listened to. The study says that nearly a quarter of music uploaded to the platform received zero plays last year. Subsequently, that accounts for about 38 million songs. Additionally, the study also says that another 67 million songs on the platform received less than ten streams. That accounts for about half of the songs on Spotify.

Spotify Still Dominated By Big Names

Meanwhile, the study went on to place the number of total songs on Spotify at around 158 million. That means that about three-quarters of all of the music on the platform is largely going unheard, Furthermore, these numbers seem to suggest what most observers likely already knew. Spotify is dominated by big names. Artists like Eminem, NBA YoungBoy, and Miley Cyrus do massive numbers on the platform. Meanwhile, the majority of artists receive little to no play.

Obviously, music is a very difficult industry to break into. Most people who set out to become big-name musicians never meet their goals. Moreover, attracting an audience can be a difficult task. Indeed even highly talented artists will never will never taste stardom. However, one of the more perplexing things about the study is that people aren’t even listening to their songs. Moreover, it seems they are not promoting the music to their friends and family.

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