Music

Producer Jahlil Beats Discusses Bobby Shmurda’s Rise, Sidelined Debut, And Comeback

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Getty Image/Ralph Ordaz

Throughout his 2014 breakout hit “Hot N****,” Brooklyn rapper Bobby Shmurda paints a picture of his experiences with street life, from guns to drugs and everything in between. “Run up on that n****, get to squeezing, hoe,” the piercing lyrics go. “Everybody catching bullet holes, n****s got me on my bully, yo.” The beat, produced by Pennsylvania beat maker Jahlil Beats, is a Chex Mix bag of sonic stylings, from Dirty South trap to the aggressive, then-burgeoning sound of New York drill music, which is a direct look into Jahlil’s regional production influences. (He cites Swizz Beatz and Mannie Fresh as some of his major inspirations.)

The platinum-selling song hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Hip-Hop/R&B charts, and peaked No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2014. The official remix — one of many — features Fabolous, Chris Brown, Jadakiss, and Bobby’s fellow GS9 crew member Rowdy Rebel. Coupled with a stand-in-place groove now called the “Shmoney Dance,” the track took the internet and the country (especially New York City) on a viral trip. Artists from Lil Kim to French Montana freestyled over the beat, while Beyoncé hit the Shmoney during the On The Run concert tour with Jay-Z.

“I reached out to [Bobby] and I was just like, ‘Yo, you got my blessings, man, rock out with it,” Jahlil smiles. “[The beat and song] took legs of their own, and I was just grateful. I like to live a normal life, so a lot of things just don’t seem like they could reach that level [for me]. I was like, ‘We got one.’ I didn’t think I was going to catch [a hit] like that — I was just making street music. We ended up going number one, and it didn’t even have a chorus on it. That was the most unique thing about it for me.”

By the start of the 2010s, Jahlil Beats was steadily making a name for himself in the hip-hop world. The music maker (born Orlando Tucker) worked closely with fellow Penn State native Meek Mill on a number of tracks, including the standout 2011 single “Ima Boss” featuring Rick Ross. The infectiousness of the song, which gently steels video game sounds with bass-filled hip-hop, resulted in a six-label bidding war for the producer that same year. (He ended up signing with Roc Nation, and you may recognize his work from the tag “Jahlil Beats, holla at me.”)

From then on, Jahlil provided production assists for Rihanna and J. Cole, and released his Legends Era and Crack Music mixtape series featuring Lil Wayne, Big Sean, and many more. However, no one could have predicted the unparalleled success coming to the then-26-year-old, generated by a young Brooklynite who borrowed one of Beats’ tracks for the score to a growing phenomenon.

“People kept tagging me in clips of [Bobby Shmurda] throwing his hat up in the air, I didn’t really pay it no mind, I didn’t hear the song,” Jahlil, now 33, tells Uproxx via Zoom of his initial response to Bobby’s monster hit “Hot N****.” “I think Kevin Durant tweeted me and he was like, ‘yo, you hear this joint? This joint crazy.’”

For “Hot N****,” then-19-year-old East Flatbush-bred Bobby (born Ackquille Pollard) rapped over the beat to Lloyd Banks’ “Jackpot,” produced by Jahlil and originally released in 2012. Bobby had discovered the beat on YouTube and decided “it was the one.” Jahlil says the track was initially intended for Meek Mill to use, but the rapper thought it sounded too much like his song “Burn.”

A few weeks later, Epic Records’ executive vice president Sha Money XL reached out to Jahlil to inform him the label wanted to buy the beat, and that they were working to sign Bobby. The producer confirms Epic bought both “Hot N****” and Rowdy Rebel’s song “Shmoney Dance,” which Bobby is featured on. Jahlil was optimistic about taking his working relationship with Bobby to the next level by producing his debut album under Epic Records. However, a major blindside truncated the project during its developmental stages.

In December 2014, one month after the release of his EP Shmurda She Wrote, Bobby and 14 other members of his crew GS9, including Rowdy Rebel, were arrested. Bobby was charged with conspiracy to commit murder, reckless endangerment, drug possession, and gun possession. According to reports, the NYPD had been investigating GS9 (which stands for a plethora of things, including “Grimey Shooters,” “Gun Squad” and “G-Stone Crips,” according to the NYPD’s reports) for felonies and deadly altercations with rival gangs in the Brooklyn borough since before “Hot N****” became a hit. Former police commissioner Bill Bratton called GS9 “mindless thugs” at a press conference regarding the investigation. Held on $2 million bail, Bobby’s sentence carried a potential length of eight to 25 years.

“The last session I had [with Bobby and Rowdy] was for Juelz [Santana’s] ‘Time Ticking,’ and then a day or two later, they got locked up,” Jahlil recalls. He was at his house when his manager called with the news, which he “couldn’t believe.” “We were just making music. It was just us having fun, and then, that happened. It’s wild. [I felt like] I put all my eggs in the basket for them and Meek Mill, and the same thing happened.” Since the arrest happened in the early stages of working on Bobby’s album, it wasn’t even given a title yet. “I knew the impact these dudes [were] going to have,” Jahlil says. “I was really behind them a thousand percent, so it was kind of tough to deal with.”

Although additional criminal charges were dropped against Bobby in 2015, he still faced sentencing for drug and gun possession. In 2016, as part of a plea deal, Bobby was sentenced to seven years behind bars. He was first incarcerated at Rikers Island, and was subject to solitary confinement at one point; in 2017, he transferred to Clinton Correctional Facility in Upstate New York. He was denied parole in August 2020, but his credit for good behavior was restored last December. Bobby Shmurda was officially released on Feb. 23, 2021, and he will be under parole for the remainder of his sentence, which ends on Feb. 23, 2026.

“I think that once you go through stuff like that, all you [have] is time to think,” Jahlil says of what Bobby may have learned during his time away. While the producer admits he didn’t communicate too often with his collaborator while he was behind bars, he spoke frequently with the “high-spirited” Rowdy Rebel, who was released in December 2020 after serving a six-year sentence of his own. Rowdy reportedly kept him updated on Bobby, who “sent love.”

“I think that [their sentences] were a gift and a curse,” he continues. “Bobby went in and he lost some years, but that might’ve saved his life, you know? Now he can go and take care of his family and do better.” Since his release, he’s voiced his support for the #FreeHaiti movement and performed during events at NBA All-Star Weekend in early-March.

Despite the stalls in production with two of his most notorious collaborators, Jahlil kept busy during these last few years. He has notably produced for Busta Rhymes’ latest album, Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath Of God, and he divulged an as-yet-unreleased Justin Bieber/DaBaby collab to Uproxx. He’s also focused his attention on giving back to his hometown of Chester, Pennsylvania, namely by helping underserved residents of the area find affordable housing, developing properties, and running a sneaker store. “We really cracked down on a lot of our business, especially during this time,” he notes of working through the pandemic. “I’m doing stuff for my community and trying to balance that with music and family.”

However, he’s never forgotten about the unfinished business he has with Bobby Shmurda in the studio. The producer says that the sound they were going for during the planning process for his debut album was whatever fit Bobby’s interests, especially since his EP was a mix of several different sounds from different producers — “Wipe The Case Away” features a chorus sung by Ty Real and a subtle R&B vibe, while “Living Life” with Rowdy Rebel takes fans to the trap.

“He was just trying to figure it out,” Jahlil explains of Bobby’s musical direction. “But he ended up having a classic rap record stemming from him just doing him.” He notes he’s “been in touch” with Bobby’s camp and has sent over potential tracks to get their working relationship back in order. He’s also finished “three joints” with Rowdy Rebel.

Regardless of whether they end up cutting that highly-anticipated debut, Jahlil Beats is optimistic about the lessons Bobby Shmurda, his fans, and musical contemporaries can take from the saga. While GS9’s incarceration “stems from many things,” he hopes Bobby can use the incident as fuel to become the best version of himself.

“We all go through roadblocks, that’s just how life is,” Jahlil proclaims. “I think that it might have had to happen this way… Sometimes, you make mistakes, and some mistakes are a lot more drastic than others. Take something from it.”

Pink Sweats And Kehlani Grow Their Love In The Tender ‘At My Worst’ Video

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It’s been a little over a month since Pink Sweats released his euphoric album Pink Planet, which aptly arrived just in time for Valentine’s Day. Following it’s release, Pink Sweats tapped the venerable musician Kehlani to join him on a remix of the fan-favorite track “At My Worst.” Now, the two have teamed up to share a lighthearted video to their romantic track.

The colorful visual, directed by David Karp and Courtney Loo, shows Kehlani and Pink Sweats courting each other at a retro gas station. Using flowers as a symbol of their love, they turn a simple bouquet into a lush garden.

Speaking about his Pink Planet LP in an interview with Uproxx, Pink Sweats said it was a way of offering fans a unique glimpse into his world:

“It was letting people into my world, the creative space that I made for myself to escape, I want to share that with everybody else. It’s like being a kid, but we’re grown. It’s like where you’re a child, some people at least have grand imaginations, but nobody can come to that place in your head. For me, I get to live out my childhood through music where it’s like I’ve created this place in my head and now I’ve been able to share with the world. Like some Bridge To Terabithia type stuff. You’re just bringing your friends on the rise, everybody wants to listen and give me a shot. So it’s like come on, let me show you.”

Watch Pink Sweats and Kehlani’s “At My Worst” video above.

Pink Planet is out now via Atlantic. Get it here.

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

Nick Cannon’s ‘Wild ‘N Out’ Is Set To Return To VH1 In April

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Nick Cannon has more lives than a cat — and just about as many jobs as that. One of those jobs seemed threatened last year when the multihyphenate rapper-actor-tv-host made some comments on his podcast that were perceived as anti-Semitic, prompting ViacomCBS to sever ties with him. That left the future of his trademark show, Wild ‘N Out, in doubt as not was he on the outs with the owners of MTV and VH1, but production on the show was also shut down due to the pandemic.

However, it appears that his efforts to make amends have not gone unnoticed as a new promo teases the show’s return in April. According to Deadline, the new episodes were filmed before the coronavirus outbreak here in the States and will constitute the second half of the 15th (!) season of the popular improv comedy show. Guests set to appear include rappers 24kGolden, Ambjaay, Cuban Doll, Da Brat, MC Lyte, OMB Peezy, and Rapsody, along with Cannon’s show-hosting brethren Big Tigger, Donnell Rawlings, and Trinidad James. The Black Ink Crew: Compton cast will also appear, as will YouTuber-turned-R&B star Queen Najia.

The show will return on VH1 after Diddy hoped to bring Nick and his most popular creation to Revolt TV. The new episodes will air April 6 at 8 pm ET. You can watch the promo above.

Lucky Daye And Yebba’s ‘How Much Can A Heart Take’ Video Is A Hilarious Reversal Of Social Norms

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As the months closed in on the two-year anniversary of his debut Grammy-nominated album, Painted, Lucky Daye returned to the music world with the third EP of his career, Table For Two. The project arrived with seven tracks and six duets with each featuring a vocal contribution from a female artist. Looking to bring some new life into the project, Lucky returns with a new visual for “How Much Can A Heart Take” with Yebba. It doubles as a lyric video for the song, but in it, viewers see the two singers switch roles as Lucky sings Yebba’s part on the song and attempts to sing and act like she would while Yebba flips the script to play the “Roll Some Mo” singer’s role.

Lucky’s return began with his “On Read” single alongside Tiana Major9. The song was his first single since 2020’s “Shoulda” with Babyface, which landed on the deluxe reissue of Painted. As for Table For Two, the project also saw contributions from Ari Lennox, Mahalia, Joyce Wrice, and Queen Naija. Prior the EP’s release, Lucky could be found working alongside Buddy, Kaytranada, Leon Bridges, Kiana Lede, Spillage Village, Kehlani, and others in what was a feature-heavy 2020 for him.

Press play on the “How Much Can A Heart Take” video above.

Table For Two is out now via Keep Cool/RCA. Get it here.

The Guy Who Found Shrimp In His Cinnamon Toast Crunch Was Once A Rapper Named Hot Karl

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Whenever the internet latches onto a strange moment, it tends to get even stranger as more details emerge (and more racist, i.e. the “milkshake duck” effect, but thankfully, this isn’t about that). Case in point, the man who kidnapped the internet’s attention yesterday by tweeting about a bizarre discovery in his breakfast cereal turned out to have a truly fascinating past as a battle rapper — one that resulted in plenty of success outside of the music industry.

Jensen Karp, aka Hot Karl, may not be a household name to most, but in the LA battle rap scene — and in certain Hollywood television production circles — he’s kind of an underground legend. As Hot Karl, he was signed to Ice-T’s Rhyme Syndicate at just 11 years old, he entered Power 106’s Roll Call freestyle competition and held the title for 45 weeks while in college, and he signed to Interscope Records in the early 2000s, recording a debut with features from DJ Quik, Kanye West, Redman, and more which was never released. He wrote a memoir about it and shares his hip-hop knowledge as part of a trivia game. Oh, and he paid Chance The Rapper $5,000 to shoot a music video back in 2013.

Those experiences served him well in Hollywood, where after several gigs writing for WWE and VH1 and a truly fated radio hosting gig, he became executive producer of the short-lived celebrity rap battle show Drop The Mic, which famously featured battles between The Muppets’ Kermit and Miss Piggy, Randall Park and James Van Der Beek, and more, and helped launch the career of the white half of Blimes And Gab.

Users on Twitter were delighted to learn this info, but the “Hot Karl” trend was quickly taken over by teen fans of a gaming YouTuber named Karl Jacobs, who is apparently bad at taking selfies. I kid, teen girls, please do not murder me or perform witchcraft at me.

Karl Marx, the famed German philosopher who laid the groundwork for the modern conception of socialism, also got roped into the fun.

Knowing Karp, he’s likely enjoying all the shenanigans his tweets have caused because he’s a pretty funny guy, but hopefully, this thing doesn’t flatten his hard-won legacy down to just being “Cinnamon Toast Crunch Shrimp Guy” or “Danielle Fishel’s husband.” Oh yeah, that’s right: He’s also married to Boy Meets World‘s Topanga. I guess you could say he’s the real winner here.

Check out the reactions to “Hot Karl”‘s unlikely comeback above.

Rod Wave Makes His Final Request In The Somber ‘Tombstone’ Video

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In the Reel Goats-directed video for Rod Wave’s “Tombstone,” the Florida trap crooner recalls his struggles as he enjoys a snow day in the forest. However, in the deceptively sunny B-plot of the video, a little boy endures similar tribulations, watching his out-of-work father argue with his clearly overworked mom. His story comes to a head when he’s approached on the street by a police patrol car and things pretty much play out like you’d expect.

The somber video accompanies the latest single from Rod’s upcoming album, SoulFly, following the reflective “Street Runner.” The innovative rapper accompanied that single with a web video game that plays a chiptune version of the instrumental and lets players race a hot rod along a coastline at sunset collecting heart-shaped power-ups.

Before announcing the album’s release date, Rod had a falling out with his label over money, threatening to hold back its release until things were made right. Within a few days, though, he apologized for making the issue public and said everything had been resolved. He quickly followed up with a tracklist and release date: March 26, this Friday.

Watch Rod Wave’s “Tombstone” video above.

SoulFly is due 3/26 on Alamo Records. You can pre-save it here.

Baby Keem Goes Stir Crazy In His Apocalyptic ‘No Sense’ Video

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Earlier this month, Arizona rapper Baby Keem shared his first new single of 2021, “No Sense,” after a relatively quiet 2020 that saw the release of just two singles despite Keem’s appearance on the 2020 XXL Freshman cover. Today, he shared the apocalyptic video for the new track, which was produced by Kendrick Lamar’s pgLang, naturally.

The video finds Keem staring out the window of an apartment in a large apartment building complex, watching what appears to be masses of people congregating in the courtyard below. Inside the apartment, he seems to see a group of women sitting around a table exchanging little white packages, while outside, one of the buildings collapses for seemingly no reason.

Keem finally decides to leave the apartment, running to the parking garage and commandeering a car, but at the end of the video, he takes a curve in the exit corkscrew a little too quickly in his haste to escape and the car careens off the building before a smash-cut to black. If anyone wants to take a guess at what any of this means, they’re welcome to, because the video leaves a lot open to interpretation.

With “No Sense,” the total of videos he’s released since 2019’s “Orange Soda” blew up comes to three, including “Moshpit” and “Hooligan.” It seems clear that Keem is willing to take his time in releasing a full-length project and judging from the growing stream counts, his fans are more than willing to eagerly consume each long-awaited release.

Watch Baby Keem’s “No Sense” video.

Guapdad 4000 Stares His Demons In The Face On The Vulnerable ‘1176’

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Martin Frederick/Paul Middleton/Ralph Ordaz

The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow, and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.

One of Guapdad 4000’s press pics is a photo of him and his grandma, whom he lovingly calls “Naynay.” It’s a Tagalog term of endearment meaning “mom”; the way he uses it reflects the relationship he has with his Filipino grandmother as a result of his rough-and-tumble upbringing in West Oakland. Throughout his newly-released album, 1176, he highlights those aspects of his Filipino heritage as he shares some of his most vulnerable and personal material yet.

That cultural honor comes through in the titles of songs like “Chicken Adobo,” in which he compares a partner’s love to the heartwarming flavor of the Philippines’ most recognizable dish. The autobiographical vulnerability comes through in songs like “Uncle Ricky,” where he details his run-ins with a reckless relative, and “Stoop Kid,” where the porch of the house from the album’s cover becomes the center of the mise en scene for dice games, shootouts, and family drama to play out over the course of Guapdad’s life.

It’s only right, then, that his prime partner in this endeavor is someone who can relate to some of those aspects of his upbringing. Enter Illmind, a near 20-year veteran producer who has worked with some of hip-hop’s biggest hitmakers and well-respected underground legends from Drake (“You & The 6“) and J. Cole (“Love Yourz“) to Little Brother (“Good Clothes“) and Skyzoo (“Luxury” with Westside Gunn) — and he just happens to be Filipino, as well. Guapdad and Illmind met at a mutual friend’s session and instantly formed a personal and creative bond that resonates throughout 1176, from the unexpected Alice Deejay flip on lead single “How Many” to the ghostly, deconstructed Miami bass R&B of “Catching Bodies,” that brings out some of Guapdad’s most cutting recollections and observations.

Uproxx connected with the “Cartier Kuyas” over the phone to break down the new album, but unfortunately, the conversation had to once again swing to address the sharp rise in anti-Asian hate crimes over the past year in the wake of the recent spa shooting spree in Atlanta. While that conversation helped to highlight a sense of solidarity between the two seemingly disparate groups that actually form Guapdad’s genetic makeup, the rest of our discussion illuminated the intriguing creative process behind bringing 1176 to life.

I have to ask: how are you feeling? How are you responding to the tough news?

Illmind: It’s coming as a surprise to me, just as much as everyone else. It’s really unfortunate. I’m saddened by it. I’m praying for the people who have been affected and the families of all the people that lost their lives so far in these hate crimes. 2020 was an intense year for obvious reasons and now it’s almost like we’re shifting to each culture every year.

It’s rooted in hate. So I pray that we can do what we can to start shifting the narrative and, this might sound whimsical and like I’m in fantasy land, but I am a real true believer in love conquering hate at the end of the day, but getting there is going to be the challenge.

Guapdad: That was a powerful statement, Illmind. I’m over here completely resonating with that. I’m trying to take my time and come up with my more diplomatic response, because right now I’m just on some Oakland n**** sh*t because it’s infuriating. If somebody touched my grandma, I’m going to kill him.

I feel you. I remember you said that the last time we talked about this. So, as far as the album goes: What was the seed? How did this get started? Where did the idea come from and how did you water it and make it grow?

Guapdad: Essentially, the seed came from us. I only talk in this with this type of diction because we homies and I like to give you a bit more deeper scoop than most of the shit we’ve been doing: Honestly, I feel like innately, me and Ill, have been preparing our whole lives to meet each other and work.

Everything that he liked, everything that I liked, everything that we had done up until this point kind of snowballed into us f*cking clash-of-the-Titans meeting each other and just feeling like we was already friends. We both have those similar life experiences throughout our whole lives that led us to there, to where we got this crazy synergy. I don’t give a f*ck what Ill play. As soon as I hear it, the song’s done.

Illmind: I mean Guap said it all. That’s exactly how it started. It’s crazy because we come from two different coasts. Guap is from the West, I’m from the East. We came up on a lot of the same things even with that distance, from fashion to just music taste to just this aesthetic, visual audio aesthetic, everything. And we both take our crafts very seriously and we’re deeply passionate.

When you put two guys like us together, on top of the fact that we both share a similar culture being Filipino, it’s like what Guap said, we were almost sort of destined to do this. The first time I had a session with Guap was in LA, and it was almost like a deja vu moment, where it was like either I saw this happening or it was kind of like written in the stars and it was like, “Oh yeah, whatever you’ve been doing up to this point led to this point right now.”

Guap, how do you tap into this vulnerable mode and why was it so important to do it on this project coming straight off Dior Deposits?

Guapdad: Honestly bro, that was just one big venting session. I’ve been doing a lot of running from a lot of demons, especially throughout just quarantine and all of these things going wrong. And all of these things popping up in my life that trouble me, that take sleep away from me, that add to the pressures of my career. I run away from these things by just working more. I distract myself with work because I’m a f*cking work machine.

I hadn’t processed losing my house because I never slowed down. Had a going away last party at the crib, and I went and I got my tears out. I cried harder than I ever cried in my life at this sayonara event to my old residence. But I feel emotionally, hadn’t really dealt with that devil face-to-face. And the music, these beats, my heart, my spirit was forcing me to talk about it. It was forcing me to talk about that because creatively, I’d probably always reference it and never get over it if I didn’t.

I don’t want to always talk about how much it hurt to lose the house. I don’t want to always look at white people in my neighborhood and get mad at them for gentrification. I don’t want to harbor hate. So it was necessary that I made a song like “Stoop Kid” so that I can still exist in a normal space.

Illmind: It was crazy because at the point in the album creation, when Guap was like, “All right, let’s do some shit. I want to tell some stories, man. I need to pull some emotions.” And a light bulb came off for me because those are, personally for me, those are some of my favorite types of records to make with people. And when he said that, I pulled out the bag.

On “You & The 6,” that was [Drake’s] first time he’s talking about his relationship with his mother and father. “Love Yourz,” a song about Cole talking about the importance of self love and valuing the right things, became the muse for Forest Hills Drive. I feel like when I make music, there’s this emotion that I put into it. And when an artist feels that same, resonates with that vibration and is able to pull something deep inside of them and write something incredible with it, that’s my North star where I feel like I did my job.

What does Naynay think about the wild stuff you sometimes say on these records?

Guapdad: She don’t give a f*ck. [All laughing.] I’m paying bills, and she know my heart is good. One thing that’s tight about my grandma is she sees my blackness and my extrovertedness, she’s always nurtured it. There is a side of me that is very blunt. And there is a side of me that’s non-filtered. And she always accepts that because she accepts me expressing myself. And this is how I choose to do it. So she f*cks with it.

All parents everywhere are just winging it. But as a kid or a person without kids, especially, who never thought on that level, you don’t realize that. Because that’s who you look to when you hungry. That’s who you look to when you need money. That’s what you look to when everything fails and you got to restart. Some people don’t get that privilege. It should be every human’s fail-safe. And that’s how I look at my grandma. She like God to me in that way because her forgiveness is indefinite, and I’m appreciative of that. There’s something tangible that I can hold onto. Even though it’s emotion, that shit is so thick with presence, I feel like it’s physical.

I know you guys have to sit through a lot of press days and have to answer a lot of the same questions over and over and over again. I want to know: What’s a question that you guys wished somebody would have asked you that nobody’s ever asked you?

Guapdad: I never get to talk about cinema, and I have a real love for movies. If you ask me who’s my favorite sound designer, I would say Hans Zimmer.

Illmind: I’m going to copy Guap. Can I do some movie talk too?

Go for it!

Illmind: I guess a lot of people don’t know this about me, but I love John Woo, the director. Hard Boiled, The Killer, all the OG sh*t. Bullet In The Head, The Replacement Killers are fire. But in general, I’ve been really getting into Korean cinema from the ’90s and early 2000s. Korean cinema is something that I was pretty obsessed with for a long time. But I just think their sh*t is super fly. The soundtracks, the visuals, the type of cameras they use, the goriness, the storylines are so bizarre, but so fire to me. Old Boy is the most insane script to put a green light on. I’m talking about the OG one.

Guapdad: One of the greatest movies of all time.

1176 is out now via Paradise Rising / 88rising Records / 12Tone Music. Get it here.

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

Works By Nas, Janet Jackson, And Kermit The Frog Have Been Inducted Into The Library Of Congress

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Columbia

Having a work preserved in the National Recording Registry of the Library Of Congress is a significant honor, and now that feat is something a handful of artists can add to their resume. Today, the Library Of Congress announced its 2020 selections for the registry and among the highlights from the world of modern music are Nas’ 1994 album Illmatic and Janet Jackson’s 1989 album Rhythm Nation 1814.

Some other notable works include one of the oldest known audio recordings via Thomas Edison, Kermit The Frog’s “The Rainbow Connection,” Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s “Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World,” Kool & The Gang’s “Celebration,” Jackson Browne’s Late For The Sky, and the This American Life episode “The Giant Pool Of Money,” which is the first podcast recording to be included in the National Recording Registry.

Librarian Of Congress Carla Hayden said, “The National Recording Registry will preserve our history through these vibrant recordings of music and voices that have reflected our humanity and shaped our culture from the past 143 years. We received about 900 public nominations this year for recordings to add to the registry, and we welcome the public’s input as the Library Of Congress and its partners preserve the diverse sounds of history and culture.”

Check out the full list of recordings from the 2020 class below.

1. “St. Louis Tinfoil” — Thomas Edison (1878)
2. “Nikolina” — Hjalmar Peterson (1917) (single)
3. “Smyrneikos Balos” — Marika Papagika (1928) (single)
4. “When The Saints Go Marching In” — Louis Armstrong (1938) (single)
5. Christmas Eve Broadcast — FDR & Winston Churchill (Dec. 24, 1941)
6. “The Guiding Light” — Nov. 22, 1945
7. Odetta Sings Ballads And Blues — Odetta (1957) (album)
8. “Lord, Keep Me Day by Day” — Albertina Walker And The Caravans (1959) (single)
9. Roger Maris hits his 61st home run (October 1, 1961)
10. Aida — Leontyne Price, et.al. (1962) (album)
11. “Once A Day” — Connie Smith (1964) (single)
12. Born Under A Bad Sign — Albert King (1967) (album)
13. Free To Be…You & Me — Marlo Thomas And Friends (1972) (album)
14. The Harder They Come — Jimmy Cliff (1972) (album)
15. “Lady Marmalade” — Labelle (1974) (single)
16. Late For The Sky — Jackson Browne (1974) (album)
17. Bright Size Life — Pat Metheny (1976) (album)
18. “The Rainbow Connection” — Kermit The Frog (1979) (single)
19. “Celebration” — Kool & The Gang (1980) (single)
20. Richard Strauss: Four Last Songs — Jessye Norman (1983) (album)
21. Rhythm Nation 1814 — Janet Jackson (1989) (album)
22. Partners — Flaco Jiménez (1992) (album)
23. “Over The Rainbow / What A Wonderful World” — Israel Kamakawiwo’ole (1993) (single)
24. Illmatic — Nas (1994) (album)
25. “This American Life: The Giant Pool Of Money” (May 9, 2008)

Chance The Rapper Once Received $5,000 From The Man Who Found Shrimp In His Cinnamon Toast Crunch

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If you’ve spent a decent amount of your Tuesday on Twitter, you more than likely caught some portion of the growing story between Jensen Karp and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. It began when Karp posted an image of what he said were dried shrimp tails that he discovered in his box of cereal. He reached out to the brand’s Twitter account and was able to get a response, but it wasn’t the one he hoped for. As a result, he took his cereal box findings to a lab to confirm it. The entire thing was written about in The Washington Post and while we wait to see how this plays out, there are more details coming out about Karp that continue to shock people.

After hearing who was the owner of the shrimpy Cinnamon Toast Crunch box, Chance The Rapper hopped on Twitter to share an encounter he had with Karp early in his career. “Fun fact,” he said. “The Cinnamon Toast Crunch shrimpy guy gave me 5 racks to shoot a video back when I still had a nose ring.” Just in case you didn’t believe him, Chance posted the tweet with a video that shows him receiving the $5,000 check from Karp and celebrating afterward. The track that got the visual treatment was Chance’s “Na Na” collaboration with Action Bronson from his 2013 tape Acid Rap.

That’s not the only celebrity connection Karp has. People also learned on Tuesday that his wife is Danielle Fishel Karp — yes, the woman who played Topanga, the love interest of Ben Savage’s Cory Matthews, on the beloved teen sitcom Boy Meets World.