Last year, Drake pleasantly surprised his fans with the unexpected release of a new project titled Honestly, Nevermind. Prior to that, he had debuted the first episode of his radio show, “Table For One.” During the show, the 35-year-old artist hinted at upcoming projects, not all of which are music-related. On the radio show, Drake revealed that he and Kenza Samir were set to release a poetry book later that year. He expressed excitement about the book and encouraged his listeners to look forward to it. An exact release date was not disclosed at the time. However, the announcement generated anticipation for the book’s arrival.
In the past year, Drake has remained extremely busy. He has released projects like Honestly, Nevermind and Her Loss. He also dropped a single titled “Search & Rescue.” However, despite these releases, some fans are eagerly anticipating a new album or at least another single from the Canadian superstar. Unfortunately, it seems that fans may have to wait a bit longer for that. Nevertheless, fans have a little something to look forward to in the meantime. Drake is finally dropping his poetry book.
After a year of anticipation, the book titled Titles Ruin Everything is set to hit the shelves. Drake recently took to Instagram to share the news, expressing his excitement about the book’s release. He mentioned that the book will be available starting tomorrow on Drake Related, as well as select retailers. In his post, Drake conveyed his genuine enthusiasm, stating that he has never been more eager for people to buy or support something in his life. He referred to Titles Ruin Everything as their first book. This indicates the significance of this creative endeavor for both him and Kenza Samir.
Fans took to the comments to let their thoughts be known on the project. Many expressed excitement. “Do I like to read? Yes. Do I have any idea what this is? Nope. Will I read it? Yes!” said one fan. Another agreed, saying that they’ve been waiting for Drake to release a coffee table book of his Instagram captions. “There’s Shakespeare, then there’s Aubrey,” said another user. What do you think of Drake releasing a book of poetry? Will you read it? Let us know in the comments!
As part of her Juneteenth giveback series, Lizzo announced a special new Sasha Be Flooting scholarship, complete with a $50,000 donation, in order to give back to Black music students attending the University of Houston — which is her alma mater.
“Today is very close to my heart, near and dear to home and a milestone for me,” Lizzo shared in an Instagram video. “It is for any young Black student from Houston, Texas who has applied to go to University of Houston to study at the Moores School of Music. That was me just a couple years ago, a young Black flute player who just needed a scholarship and someone to believe in them. Now I get to pay it forward.”
“We’ll be announcing who is the winner of that prize very, very soon,” she added.
Ahead of her scholarship announcement, Lizzo also teased it with a separate throwback Instagram post of herself playing flute during her Houston college days.
Fans in the replies of Lizzo’s post were admiring her dedication to giving back to where she came from. “As a former flute player you have no idea how much I admire you and look up to you,” one fan wrote. “I got accepted to the University of Houston (not studying music) and I love that you went there as well!”
“I wish more artists would do this,” another added. “Because it would make college so much more accessible.”
In addition to donating to the school, Lizzo has also given $50,000 to “Black-led grass roots businesses and organizations,” including the Sphinx Organization, Black Girls Smile, and the Marsha P. Johnson Institute so far in the series.
Check out Lizzo’s Juneteenth donations and the new scholarship posts above.
Lizzo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
As of last November, Cardi B had 13 known tattoos, according to Popsugar. While some of the rapper’s designs are dedicated to her two children, including a face tattoo of Wave’s name, the cryptic nature of her other tattoos might have casual fans wondering why she got them.
She has two massive designs on her body. The first is her most recent: a giant stream of flowers and butterflies that goes from her thigh to her upper back. Cardi got this one done, at least when it was revealed, around May 2020, courtesy of Jamie Schene.
Schene also reportedly touched up the second of Cardi’s giant tattoos, as she has a large peacock on her other leg and hip. The original piece was tattoed in 2010 before Cardi decided to add more colorful feathers and a butterfly addition — just to match her other leg.
“So after ten years I gave my peacock tattoo a makeover. This whole week I been takin hours of pain getting tatted,” Cardi previously captioned a photo of her touch-up. After a decade, the update made the tattoo a lot more vibrant than it originally had been.
As for the meaning of Cardi’s peacock tattoo, the Bronx rapper has never confirmed exactly why she got it — compared to other names tattooed on her that are more straightforward in meaning. However, considering the colorful nature, it simply might just be a representation of her fun and energetic personality.
Check out the photo of the tattoo above.
Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Stormzy is officially back with his latest single, “Toxic Trait.” The song features London rapper Fredo and is produced by Dave. “Toxic Trait” is Stormzy’s first release since his last album, 2022’s This Is What I Mean. The project was a reflective opus that saw Stormzy singing for a large portion of the tracklist. Although he still rapped on many songs, the rapping on This Is What I Mean was very personal and meditative compared to the explosive bangers on Gang Signs & Prayer and Heavy Is the Head. Stormzy sang on his previous albums but fully leaned into singing on This Is What I Mean. Besides a few bars from Ms. Banks, Stormzy’s last album did not feature any rappers. Therefore, “Toxic Trait” is Stormzy’s first rap collaboration in a while. It is the first time he and Fredo have collaborated, and it marks his second song with Dave.
The UK icon has worked with rap and grime legends throughout his career, allowing new artists to shine on his albums. Songs like “Bad Boys” with Ghetts and J Hus or “Audacity” with Headie One are perfect examples. Stormzy’s competitive spirit has allowed him to shine on songs with other skilled lyricists, like “Dead Body Part 2+3” with Little Simz and Kano or “Energy” with Avelino and Skepta. This new single with Fredo is representative of how Stormzy encourages other rappers to step up their game while they bring the best out of him. Take a look at the list of Stormzy’s Top 5 best rap collabs below, ranked from least to greatest.
5. Headie One feat. AJ Tracey & Stormzy – “Ain’t It Different” (2020)
Headie One’s debut album, 2020’s EDNA, was a star-studded event full of the UK’s biggest stars and rising names to look out for. One of the album’s significant highlights and biggest singles was “Ain’t It Different.” The song departed from Headie’s typical drill sound and samples songs from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, M-Dubs, and Lady Saw. The three approach the track with unique flows. Headie keeps his drill flow and raps about how prison has affected him, and AJ Tracey spits about his successes. Stormzy raps from a more mature perspective, reminiscing on when he first got into rapping while continuing to flex. “Ain’t It Different” saw three of the biggest names in the UK from different parts of London and is a career highlight for not just Stormzy but for Headie One and AJ Tracey as well.
4. Stormzy feat. Aitch – “Pop Boy” (2019)
Stormzy may be a lyricist who raps about personal and comments on important societal issues, but many of his most enjoyable songs are when he stunts on his peers. “Pop Boy” is an explosive banger from Heavy is the Head featuring Aitch, who was just starting to reach mainstream recognition at the time. On “Pop Boy,” Stormzy revels in his success while acknowledging criticisms that he went pop and sold out. He stands firm at the top of the UK scene and embraces his mainstream status. Aitch, now a household name in the UK, impresses with his verse as he slides over the beat with ease.
3. Ghetts feat. Stormzy – “Skengman” (2021)
“Skengman” was the second time that Ghetts and Stormzy had collaborated. Much like “Bad Boys” from 2017, the grime legend and the rap superstar brought the best out of each other on this song. The track’s instrumental sounds like a mysterious James Bond theme, creating a sinister atmosphere for Ghetts and Stormzy to spit some of their toughest bars.
The two sound calm and collected even when they rap menacing lyrics. Ghetts starts the song with a nimble rhyme pattern and ends the song with a choppy and aggressive delivery. Stormzy’s appearance in the song is its own cinematic moment as the production shifts around his verse. Ghetts and Stormzy complement each other, making for one of Ghetts’s best songs and one of Stormzy’s best rap collabs.
2. Chip & Stormzy – “Hear Dis” (2015)
Chip and Stormzy teamed up for “Hear Dis” in 2015, the year after grime had its cultural reset and propelled the genre to new heights. “Hear Dis” was a big moment for both Chip and Stormzy at the time. Chip led grime’s second generation before signing to T.I.’s Grand Hustle label and moving stateside. He then left the U.S. and set out to reconquer the grime scene. Chip did just that, reinventing himself and engaging in some of the genre’s biggest beefs. In 2015, Stormzy was just a rising name, gaining recognition with freestyles and viral hits.
A collaboration between the two helped establish Chip as an elder statesman in grime, and his co-sign helped Stormzy gain respect in the scene. The song itself is phenomenal as Chip and Stormzy trade bars back and forth over a traditional grime instrumental from the late DJ Scholar. The two showed immaculate chemistry on the song, which unfortunately may never happen again as Chip and Stormzy beefed many years later.
1. Dave feat. Stormzy – “Clash” (2021)
“Clash” is a collaboration between two of the UK’s biggest stars in their most impeccable form. Over a drill instrumental, Dave and Stormzy rap at the highest level, approaching the song differently. Dave’s delivery is relaxed, while Stormzy’s lively verse brings nuance to the song. In addition to how they complement each other, the beat switch during Stormzy’s verse excites the listener. The sudden switch leads to the two trading verses. The song is also quite catchy, making for one of the biggest hits of both of their careers and one of the best UK rap collabs.
Wack 100 recently appeared on the No Jumper podcast, where he discussed Gunna’s apparent diss. Allegedly, Gunna calls Wack 100 out on his song “i was just thinking,” which is part of the new album he released earlier this month, a Gift & a Curse. On the song, Gunna appears to reference him with the lyrics, “You wack n***as can’t get with this, I’m one hundred for sure.” “What he should have said,” he explains, is “Wack 100 never be a Gunna.” He then described his new line as “bars.” When the host asked him how he felt about Gunna calling him out in the song, he responded, “Good looking out, Gunna. Bozo.”
“You took the motherf*cking bait,” he explains, “you took the cake.” He then went on to call Gunna a “bozo” several more times. “Learn how to sit down and shut the f*ck up,” he tells Gunna, “and not do what we want you to do.” “That’s why your a*s is a little bitty a*s boy,” he says, “thanks for the clout.” Wack 100 continued, describing clout as “the new cocaine.”
Wack 100 had previously shared his thoughts on allegations that Gunna “snitched” on Young Thug amid the YSL RICO trial. He discussed thinking Gunna is guilty of “snitching” following the release of a Gift & a Curse. “He told,” he said during a Clubhouse discussion. “Listen… you’re not pleading guilty to a RICO, and they’re freeing you. He did something.”
Gucci Mane also recently dissed him on his new song with Lil Baby, “Bluffin.” In the song, he raps “I ain’t arguin’ on no internet, I’m not Wack100.” He later took to social media to respond. “You dissed me huh,” he wrote, “I heard dat sh*t.” He added, “Diss track response coming in 2 days ‘KNOCK OFF GUCCI’ IM REALY THE MANE! Sit down nay sayers we’re family Go stream dat sh*t NOW.”
Nicki Minaj recently made an Instagram announcement about the release of her song “Barbie World,” which serves as a promotional track for the new Barbie film and features Ice Spice. Accompanied by a promotional image of herself and Ice, Nicki shared the news in a caption stating, “It’s BARBIE B!CH If you still in DOUBT. #BarbieWorld JUNE 23rd… PRE-SAVE NOW!!!!” This announcement comes shortly after Minaj revealed that her upcoming album will be released on October 10. Additionally, Minaj shared a snippet from the end of the Barbie trailer, which featured the original Aqua song, hinting at its inclusion in her own release. Subsequent snippets confirmed this assumption.
The collaboration between Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice marks their second joint project in recent months. They previously collaborated on the remix of Ice’s song “Princess Diana,” which gained significant popularity, especially for Ice Spice. The remix reached #4 on the Billboard 100 and topped the Billboard Rap charts. Currently, it has spent seven weeks on the charts and currently holds the #48 position, generating substantial interest in Ice Spice from the general public. With their new single, the duo aims to replicate the success they achieved with their previous collaboration.
Nicki Looks Like A Real-Life Barbie In New Behind The Scenes Photo
Yesterday, Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice dropped their second collaboration, “Barbie World.” Fans have been eating it up. Both Nicki and Ice have also dropped some behind the scenes looks at the creation of the video. Nicki took to Twitter to post a photo of herself in front of a blue screen filming the video. The picture features Nicki in a barely-there swimsuit with pink hair and oversized sunglasses. It looks like the pair had quite a bit of fun filming the Barbie-themed video.
In the song “Barbie World,” Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice demonstrate their undeniable chemistry. The track creatively samples Aqua’s “Barbie Girl,” incorporating a modern Brooklyn drill sound produced by RiotUSA. This update gives the song a fresh and contemporary vibe. Both Minaj and Ice showcase their impressive rap skills, delivering intense verses that complement each other’s passionate energy. The chorus includes lyrics like “I’m bad like the Barbie / I’m a doll but I still wanna party” and “Pink ‘Vette like I’m ready to bend / I’m a ten, so I pull in a Ken.” This collaboration signifies Minaj’s mentorship of Ice Spice, suggesting that we can anticipate great things from Ice Spice in the near future.
Fans probably knew what to expect going into Usher’s residency in Las Vegas, or so they thought. Yesterday a video surfaced on Twitter of Usher jumping into the audience and crowd-surfing in the middle of a song. While crowd-surfing isn’t anything unusual at a show Usher probably isn’t the first name you’d think of doing it. Usher is in the middle of a residency at the MGM in Las Vegas playing a number of shows in June and July. He’s also scheduled to return to the stage later this year for a further residency in October.
Earlier this month Usher performed at The Roots’ Picnic festival in Philly. Before his Sunday night set fans caught videos of him just walking around the festival. Fans went crazy around the singer as he made his way through the crowd during someone else’s set, much to his amusement. Alongside Usher, the festival roster included GloRilla, Lauryn Hill, Ari Lennox, City Girls, and more.
Last month Usher was asked about what his dream collaboration was and the answer was pretty surprising. His choice was the legendary film director and king of mobster movies Martin Scorsese. While he’s been in a handful of movies before his dream job would be collaborating with the Goodfellas director. In the same interview, he made sure not to get fans’ hopes up after a recent rumor. The singer confirmed that there was no plan to release a sequel to his classic 2004 album Confessions. Instead, he’s trying to look forward and come up with new ideas to pursue.
Usher’s last album came out back in 2016. Hard II Love was his 8th album and it debuted at number 5 on the Hot 100. He followed it up with a short collaborative project with Zaytoven called in 2018 called A. He dropped “GLU” his first new single of 2023 so far and his most recent new material back in March. What do you think of Usher crowd-surfing during his residency in Las Vegas? Let us know in the comment section below.
Emerging from the bustling streets of East London, 23-year-old Äyanna steps onto the music scene with a radiant smile, an enchanting voice, and dreams of becoming the next powerhouse vocalist in the R&B scene. Her life unfolds with the vibrancy and daring spirit echoed in the music she writes and performs.
The Making Of A Songstress: Roots & Early Life
Äyanna was immersed in a culturally rich neighborhood and nourished by her English and Jamaican parents’ musical leanings. She drew her inspiration from diverse genres often including Reggae, R&B, and Soul. Fond memories of flipping through her father’s CD collection and helping select tunes for their car rides paint a nostalgic picture of her early exposure to music.
However, her mother first detected Äyanna’s exceptional vocal control. Returning home from school one day, Äyanna rendered a refined rendition of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” The performance left her mother pleasantly surprised. Soon after, the singer’s mom assumed the role of her first vocal coach. This direction guided Äyanna to perfect renditions of the Gospel song “Joyful Joyful” and Etta James’ iconic “At Last.”
Defying Norms: Pursuit Of The Musical Dream
Music wasn’t Äyanna’s first life goal. She embarked on a conventional path studying law and Spanish at the University of Bristol. However, Äyanna found herself yearning for a more creative life. Rejecting her father’s vision of a traditional career, she abandoned her studies to secretly chase her musical dreams.
Her pursuit led her to discover her knack for songwriting. Her 2019 single “Party Tricks” was one of her initial songwriting efforts. Yet, the haunting melody and poignant reflection on heartbreak suggested the prowess of an experienced songwriter. The song not only marked her entry on BBC’s Music Introducing but also caught the attention of music industry heavyweights at Love Renaissance (LVRN). “It’s the sole reason that I’m where I am right now,” she asserts.
Ascending New Heights: Äyanna’s Recent Ventures
Armed with notable songwriting credits, Äyanna now aims to introduce herself to a broader audience as a singer and performer. Collaborating with SPINALL and DJ Snake, she showcased her songwriting and singing aptitude on “Power (Remember Who You Are),” crafted for the Flipper’s Skate Heist short film. This infectious dance track ingeniously samples portions from Nina Simone’s “Sinnerman” and also features R&B sensation Summer Walker.
In 2023, Äyanna made a significant leap, signing with LVRN, home to acclaimed artists such as 6LACK, Summer Walker, DVSN, Davido, Spinall, Baby Tate, and others. She recently unveiled her debut track with the label, “Girlfriend,” combining elements of Pop, R&B, Soul, and more. Surely, Äyanna is on a path to establish herself firmly as next in line.
Three years ago, Victoria Monét took a huge step upward in her career with the release of her Jaguar project. Through nine songs, guest appearances from Khalid & SG Lewis, and highlights like “Moment” and “Ass Like That,” Monét showed off the polished and provocative sides of her artistry without error. In the end, Monét proved that she was worth attention to going forward in her career. Fans have been patiently waiting for a follow-up to that project, and at long last, we know when it will arrive.
In posts to her social media pages, Monét confirmed that her next project Jaguar II will arrive on August 25. A pre-save link of the project revealed that Jaguar II will be released with 11 songs including the previously released singles “Smoke” with Lucky Daye, “Party Girls” with Buju Banton, and “On My Mama.”
In an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music (per a press release) from back in May, Monét opened up about Jaguar II and what fans should expect from it:
You know what? I feel really lucky that, even from Jaguar Part One, I had planned for it to be a three-part project. So this album … this album is called Jaguar Part Two … so it really kind of breathes new life into Part One. If you’re just now catching onto me as an artist, you’ll know, it’s because it’s Part Two, that there was a Part One, so you may revisit it. And when I do tour this album… Hey, hey, hey. When I do tour this album, I will be doing songs from Part One, as well. So I feel like… because I’m still in this era, I get to still show love. It really became a result of observation of people’s attention span. And I know that, if people are just getting introduced to an artist, if they see a long list, a long album, they may get kind of overwhelmed, so I kind of always intended to microdose my style and my music to people in segments. But as I went on, I just kind of kept adding songs to those little segments. I know that there won’t be a Part Three anymore, because obviously, didn’t expect to take three years in between Part One and Part Two, or have a child in between.
You can view the artwork for Jaguar II above.
Jaguar II is out 8/25 via Lovett Music/RCA Records. Find out more information here.
Blueface and Chrisean Rock are undeniably toxic for one another, though they do have a knack for making serious money together. As the tumultuous couple continues to grow further apart, the 26-year-old is trying his hand at turning his first baby mama, Jaidyn Alexis, into a star the same way he did with Rock. Blueface has been hinting at doing this for some time now, but many failed to take him seriously as his efforts always seem to be pulled back to his soon-to-be second co-parent.
On Friday (June 23), the “Thotiana” rapper shocked social media with an announcement of Alexis’ first single, “Stewie.” If you’re familiar with the mother of two at all, you’ve likely heard online discourse that compares her to Stewie Griffin from Family Guy due to the shape of her head, which she fully embraces on the short new song. “Welcome @jaidynalexxisofficial to my new label @milfmusic17. Her first track is out, “Stewie” produced by @fbeatgocrazyym” Blueface shared in an Instagram post this afternoon.
Now that “Stewie” had had a few hours to circulate online, a pile of mixed reactions have poured in on Twitter. “I’VE BEEN WAITING ON THIS DROP,” one user praised Alexis. “JAIDYN DOING HER THING!! and love the song name, for all the haters to STFU,” they added.
Elsewhere, critics didn’t hold back when sharing their thoughts. “I assume this is what you hear while entering the gates of hell,” someone speculated. “Say what you want about Blueface that nigga is an entrepreneur. He be making shit out of nothing ,” another pointed out.
Keep scrolling to read more of Twitter’s mixed reactions to Jaidyn Alexis’ debut single, “Stewie.” Would you listen to more music from Blueface’s first baby mama? Let us know in the comments, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
IVE BEEN WAITING ON THIS TO DROP! JAIDYN DOING HER THING!! and love the song name “STEWIE” for all the haters to STFU
(@nojumper)
JAGUAR II IS COMING!!! 
(@madgkay) 
(@spoilmewitkashh) 