Music

JID Gives An Update On His Next Album With Studio Shots Of His Collaborators

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If you were ever wondering how to make an album, Atlanta rising star JID recently shared his version of an instruction manual, posting a photo dump of behind-the-scenes glimpses of the recording sessions for his upcoming album, The Forever Story. “This is how u make an album,” he wrote in the slideshow’s caption. The slideshow itself captures plenty of in-studio shots and shenanigans with collaborators like fellow Spillage Village member 6lack, Compton rapper Buddy, Florida rebel Denzel Curry, DMV area genre-bender Rico Nasty, and St. Louis space poet Smino.

Meanwhile, in his efforts to tide fans over until the new album is completed, JID has been releasing freestyles like “Cludder Freestyle” and “JIDtranada Freestyle“; remixes like the Denzel Curry collaboration “Bruuuh,” the updated Spillage Village track “Baptized” with Deante’ Hitchcock, IDK, and Flatbush Zombies, and the explosive Conway The Machine track “Scatter Brain” with Ludacris; and his own standalone single, “Skegee,” which sheds light on a dark corner of American history.

The Forever Story, whose title references JID’s debut album The Never Story, will be the dynamic rapper’s first full-length solo release since 2018’s DiCaprio 2. In the meantime, however, he could be found giving standout performances on group efforts like 2019’s Dreamville compilation Revenge Of The Dreamers III and 2020’s Spillage Village excursion, Spilligion.

Check out JID’s behind-the-scenes slideshow above.

Snoop Dogg Joins The Cast Of Jamie Foxx’s Netflix Vampire Hunter Movie

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There are so many elements about the headline above that make me so happy, but the details behind it (courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter) make me even happier. There is the fact that Netflix has a vampire hunter action thriller coming out called Day Shift, where the main character’s cover is that of a pool cleaner. There is the fact that the pool cleaner is played by Jamie Foxx in full “girl dad” mode. I was already all the way in, but then they went ahead and added Snoop Dogg to it. Give it to me now. Right now.

The film’s the directorial debut for J.J. Perry, a seasoned second-unit director on films like John Wick (yes), The Fate Of The Furious (yes), and Bloodshot (oh no), so we can be reasonably well-assured that the action scenes will be on-point — and really, isn’t that all you want from a Jamie Foxx vampire hunter/pool cleaner flick? The script, written by Tyler Tice, was discovered at a screenplay competition, so it can’t be all bad, and the cast, which includes Dave Franco, Eric Lange, Karla Souza, Meagan Good, and Zion Broadnax, among others, seems strong enough to support the admittedly kinda silly concept.

There are a lot of ways this could go wrong, but I’m choosing to remain positive because if nothing else, there is the possibility of watching Snoop Dogg react to a vampire attack to look forward to, and “Snoop Dogg reacting to things” is a genre with a wealth of fun moments — especially if the things turn out to be supernatural and unusual. Also, Jamie Foxx’s last Netflix action flick Project Power (in which he was again in full “girl dad” mode) was really enjoyable, as is his current ’90s-style sitcom on the platform, Dad Stop Embarrassing Me (do you see the theme developing?).

There’s nothing on when Day Shift will hit streaming, but turnaround on Netflix films is usually pretty quick so expect to see this one out at a theme appropriate time — say, Halloween.

Lil Nas X’s Father Defends The Rapper Against Allegations He Doesn’t Help His Struggling Mother

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Lil Nas X faced some criticism recently after a video of his mother begging for money surfaced. The rapper has yet to publicly address the video, but now his father has come to his defense.

In an Instagram post, Nas’ father, Robert Stafford, wrote that the rapper does provide for his parents and that when it comes to his mother’s struggles, a lack of support from Nas isn’t part of the problem. He wrote, “Despite what people say @lilnasx is the greatest kid a parent can be BLESSED with. Although his mom is in a struggle with an addiction she’s STILL a QUEEN and he goes through great lengths to make sure we’re taking care of. Those who have family members and friends dealing with addiction understands that there ain’t enough money you can throw at this situation to make it right. I dont usually address personal issues publicly but felt like this need to be. Please join us in keeping her in your PRAYERS. And to those out there trying to create a false story you wont prosper. #controlthenarrative”

In an early 2020 interview, Nas said of his mother, “I never really talk about my mom. She’s an addict so we don’t have the closest relationship. Even trying to get her better — things didn’t quite work out. But there’s still love. The biggest surprise of becoming globally famous? On the outside, everybody loves you — but on the inside, everything [feels] the same.”

Drake, Young Thug, And Gunna Discuss Their Relationship Qualms On The Slimy ‘Solid’

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Despite being two of today’s most popular artists in the hip-hop world, collaborations between Young Thug and Drake have come far and few over the years. Prior to today, their list of songs together stood at just three official songs, which the most recent being “D4L” from Drake’s 2020 project, Dark Lane Demo Tapes. Thankfully for fans of both artists, Drake and Young Thug have provided a new track to that list with help from Gunna thanks to “Solid.”

The track is a chilled-out, melodic effort that kicks off with Drake discussing his vacation preferences and his questionable interactions with a woman in his life. Gunna then arrives takes the torch to express his own romantic qualms, which prove to fall in line with Drake’s, before a seamless transition occurs and Young Thug steps forward to take the mic and close out the song.

Slime Language 2 arrives after months of anticipation and patience from fans. The 23-track effort is a star-studded affair with contributions from Travis Scott, Lil Baby, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Keed, Rowdy Rebel, Nav, Future, Kid Cudi, Meek Mill, and many more. Young Thug originally initially said the project would arrive in August 2020, but he quickly changed his mind and took back the initial release date.

Listen to “Solid” in the video above.

Slime Language 2 is out now via Young Stoner Life Records/300 Entertainment. Get it here.

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

Saweetie Feels ‘Risky’ After A Few Shots On Her Party-Ready Anthem With Drakeo The Ruler

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For the past few summers, Saweetie has provided a song for the soundtrack that lives during the year’s warmest months. From “Icy Grl,” “My Type,” and “Tap In,” the Bay Area rapper consistently provides bangers for her fans to turn up to. Hoping to keep up that streak, Saweetie returns with Pretty Summer Playlist: Season 1, a collection of songs teasing her debut album due this year.

The seven-track effort is led by “Risky” featuring Drakeo The Ruler — a song she previewed for fans a few weeks ago — and its accompanying video. The bright and colorful visual captures the warm and high-spirited aspects of summer as Saweetie and her girls turn up to the bouncy track. Drakeo The Ruler joins the fun with a straightforward verse that flexes his rap status and lays down the law for any of his opponents who may be listening.

Pretty Summer Playlist: Season 1 also presents contributions from Bbyafricka, Kendra Jae, Los, and Lourdiz as fans await Saweetie’s long-awaited debut album, Pretty B*tch Music. The effort also arrives after Saweetie teamed up with Gwen Stefani for “Slow Cap (Remix).”

You can watch the “Risky” video above.

Pretty Summer Playlist: Season 1 is out now via Warner Records. Get it here.

Saweetie is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

DMX Contributes A Sinister Verse To ‘Been To War’ With Swizz Beatz And French Montana

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Just a week ago, the world was hit with the sad news that hip-hop legend DMX passed away at the age of 50. His death arrived a week after he was hospitalized by a reported overdose, which led to a heart attack that left him in a coma. The news came as the rapper prepared to return with his first album in more than eight years. While fans wait to see if and when they’ll receive that project, they can enjoy a new verse from the rapper through guest feature alongside Swizz Beatz and French Montana.

The three artists join forces for “Been To War,” a rambunctious effort that sees all parties expressing the lack of fear they each possess as they’ve each seen the worse that life has to offer. Swizz Beatz leads the way with a raucous hook that serves as the perfect opener for DMX to arrive and lay a sinister verse. Then, French Montana comes through to close things out on the track. The song was released as a part of the soundtrack to the new season of Epix’s Godfather Of Harlem series.

“Been To War” arrives after DMX’s music streams jumped by almost 1,000% since his death. The rapper’s passing also saw his autobiography return to the bestsellers list.

You can listen to the new song in the video above.

Conway The Machine And 2 Chainz Team Up To Deliver ‘200 Pies’ On Their Mellow Collab

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If there’s one thing to be known about the Griselda collective, it’s that they’ll release multiple quality projects at a rapid clip. The group is already well into their 2021 campaign as Benny The Butcher is a couple of weeks removed from his The Plugs I Met 2 project. Now, Conway The Machine steps up to the plate with his own project, La Maquina. The 11-track effort finds Conway joining forces with 2 Chainz for “200 Pies,” an easy-going track that sees both acts flexing lyrical musical for over four minutes.

The track is not the first time this year that 2 Chainz has worked with a Griselda member as he previously worked with Benny The Butcher for the their “Plug Talk” track. La Maquina also presents features from Ludacris and JID (“Scatter Brain“), Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, and more. It’s an effort that arrives just under two months after Conway delivered If It Bleeds It Can Be Killed, a joint album with Big Ghost Ltd, and just over seven months after he shared his last solo album, From King To A God.

La Maquina comes as rumors Conway reportedly left the Griselda collective were shut down by the rapper and Westside Gunn, who denied having any conflict with the fellow Buffalo native. “U do know that’s my brother,” Gunn said in response to the reports.

Press play on “200 Pies” in the video above.

La Maquina is out now via Empire. Get it here.

IDK Pulls Up To ‘Shoot My Shot’ With Offset On A Charismatic Banger

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After delivering two projects to fans in the span of a year with Is He Real? and IDK & Friends 2, PG County rapper IDK took his foot off the gas for the next few months. Now, he’s back in action and coming off a string of releases that continues with his latest effort, “Shoot My Shot.” With Offset riding shotgun on the song, the two rappers show off their ability to get the attention of any woman they lay their eyes on. The track arrives with a charismatic video that’s filled with beautiful women and plenty of “shooting” references.

The new single could land on the rapper’s upcoming album, U See 4 Yourself. The upcoming effort is set to be the sequel to his major-label debut album, which he released back in 2019. IDK hasn’t shared too much information on his second album, but with his recent jump in activity, expect that news about it will arrive sooner than later.

Prior to the new single with Offset, IDK showed off his falsetto voice in a cover of Pharrell and Jay-Z’s 2003 track, “Frontin.” He also gave his supporters a hard-hitting effort with “2 Cents” after fighting his opponents on “King Alfred.” In the midst of that, he also offered a remix of Pooh Shiesty’s “Back In Blood” and joined Deante Hitchcock and Flatbush Zombies to remix Spillage Village’s “Baptize.”

You can listen to “Shoot My Shot” in the video.

IDK Is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Freddie Gibbs Provides A Laid-Back Verse For Kenny Mason’s Woozy ‘Much Money’

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Kenny Mason has grown to be one of the most talented and versatile artists in the new class of hip-hop, in large part due to his debut album, Angelic Hoodrat. The 14-track effort is an excellent showcase of the Atlanta native’s talent, which expands beyond the expected confines of the rap genre. Mason incorporates rock sounds into the album and does so once again on an extension of the project, Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut. It’s here that listeners can find an eye-catching collaboration between Mason and Freddie Gibbs.

Entitled “Much Money,” the track is a woozy effort that sees both rappers discussing the effects money and greed can have on an individual’s focus and ability to stay on task. Mason highlights the lack of loyalty some have to their squad saying, “Bet these n****s won’t die for the squad,” while Freddie Gibbs uses his verse to separate himself from the competition that he deems inadequate. In addition to the Freddie Gibbs contribution, Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut also sees guest appearances from Denzel Curry, Angel White, and Ambar Lucid.

On Freddie Gibbs’ side of things, the new track arrives after he dropped his “Big Boss Rabbit” single, which will most likely appear on his upcoming SSS album.

You can listen to “Much Money” above.

Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut is out now via RCA Records. Get it here.

Freddie Gibbs is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.