Music

R. Kelly Is Reportedly On A Desperate Search To Find Someone Who Will Buy His Song Catalog

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R. Kelly’s trial for criminal conspiracy and sex trafficking charges began last week. But there’s another issue that’s plaguing the troubled singer. According to Billboard, he’s on a mission to sell off his song catalog. He’s willing to “sell low” and hand off the catalog for anyone who’s willing to purchase it. The issue is that no one so far has stepped forward to buy it.

Earlier this month, R. Kelly’s lawyer Devereaux Cannick revealed that the singer is extremely short on cash, saying that his funds are “depleted.” Billboard estimates his catalog generates somewhere around $1.7 million per year, and while that might be a livable amount to some, a small portion of that amount actually falls into Kelly’s hands. Tack on his ongoing legal battles and the recent ones he’s lost, including a case that resulted in a woman winning $4 million after she sued him for sexually abusing her when she was 16, it’s clear to see why Kelly is in need of some cash.

However, it doesn’t seem like the price of his catalog won’t stop dropping anytime soon. The singer still has federal cases in New York and Illinois as well as state trials in Illinois and Minnesota, all of which could cause further damage to the catalog’s price.

Lil Nas X Reveals The Release Date For ‘Montero,’ His Highly-Anticipated Debut Album

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Lil Nas X has kept fans waiting quite some time for his debut album, which earlier this year he revealed would be titled Montero. The wait has been far from uneventful. Its lead single, “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” caused uproar, while the singles “Sun Goes Down” and “Industry Baby,” with Jack Harlow, has kept things exciting. At long last, Lil Nas X has revealed a release date, and it’s not too far from now.

Montero will be released next month, on September 17. The announcement was made through an album trailer the singer released on Wednesday night. The video is an extension of the one for “Industry Baby,” and it begins with a news anchor — played by Lil Nas himself — calling for information on the singer’s whereabouts after he broke out of prison while comically referring to himself as a “power bottom ‘rapper” and “talentless homosexual.” Next, it transitions to portray Lil Nas driving down a narrow road in the middle of nowhere.

You can watch the trailer for Montero in the video above.

Montero is out 9/17 via Columbia Records. Pre-order it here.

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

Future Will Hold A Benefit Concert To Raise Money Towards Earthquake Relief Efforts In Haiti

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Nearly two weeks ago, Haiti was hit with a 7.2 magnitude earthquake that killed more than 2,000 and injured over 12,000. They’ve now been left to pick up the pieces in what seems like a far-too-frequent occurrence. Future recently lent a helping hand to them, announcing a benefit concert to raise money for relief efforts. He shared details of the event on his Instagram page, revealing it would go down at the Oasis Wynwood in Miami, Florida on September 3.

“I would love for all my friends, family, music industry, fashion, and all other industries, and people as a whole to stand up for Haiti,” he wrote. “I want to use my voice to do whatever I can to support Haiti during these tragic times and will be doing a benefit concert on September 3rd in Miami. Tap in to support. – Pluto.”

Attendees can expect performances from “Lil Uzi & Friends” which of course means that Future will be performing with some notable names in the music world. Additionally, groups like the New England Patriots have given supplies and resources to aid in the country’s road towards recovery.

Lil Uzi Vert is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Isaiah Rashad Clarifies A Recent Tweet That Some Thought Was About Kendrick Lamar

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Last week, Kendrick Lamar made a rare return to social media to announce that his upcoming fifth album would be his last with Top Dawg Entertainment. The Compton-born rapper has been on the label, which was founded by Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith, since 2005, but now he’s looking to switch things up. Moments after the rapper shared the news, Isaiah Rashad sent out a tweet that some believed was an indirect message to him. “Everybody emotional. u not that special. quit embarrassing us,” his now-deleted tweet read. Despite their assumptions, Rashad clarified that this was not the case.

“I found that out after n****s said I was dissing him,” Rashad said about Kendrick’s announcement during an interview with The Breakfast Club. “I was on the way to my kid’s birthday party on Saturday, and me and her mom had had a little verbal whatever, and I knew that I couldn’t really say anything that I wanted to say, so I said it on Twitter for a second, and I’m forgetting that n****s are watching me, so I deleted it.” He added, “Not about him but I’m like damn, she’s actually going to see this and it’s kinda mean.”

This comes after Rashad offered a quick explainer after deleting the initial tweet. “N**** can’t eem subtweet his ex in peace,” the rapper wrote afterward.

You can watch a portion of his interview with The Breakfast Club above.

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

Pnb Rock Was Sentenced To Probation For A 2019 Arrest On Marijuana And Gun Charges

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Nearly two years after he was arrested on marijuana and gun charges, Pnb Rock has been sentenced. According to CBS 3 Philly, the rapper will spend the next three years on probation after pleading guilty in court. The charge was one count of receiving stolen property and one count of possession with intent to deliver. For each charge, he received 36 months of probation, but it was decided that the probations will run concurrently. He will also complete 100 hours of community service and have his supervision transferred to California, after receiving permission to do so.

According to Complex, Pnb Rock was originally hit with the charges after Bensalem, PA Police opened an investigation in 2018 after they received multiple complaints about loud parties and the smell of marijuana from the rapper’s residence. This gave the officers probable cause to search his house, and on January 20, 2019, a search warrant was executed by The Special Investigations Unit. The search resulted in the confiscation of nearly five pounds of marijuana, multiple scales, packaging materials, a stolen .40-caliber handgun, and $33,000 in cash.

After the arrest, Pnb denied the allegations during an Instagram Live session. “I don’t know what the f*ck they was talking about,” he proclaimed. “It wasn’t me! What the f*ck? I look like I’m selling drugs? Never!”

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

Doja Cat Has Been Announced As The Host Of The 2021 MTV VMAs

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The 2021 MTV VMAs are right around the corner and the host will be none other than the 2020 VMAs standout Doja Cat, according to Variety. After announcing Doja would be one of this year’s performers alongside Lil Nas X, Machine Gun Kelly, and Olivia Rodrigo, the show’s producers evidently wanted more of Doja’s quirky, electric energy on stage, perhaps believing her “go-with-it” attitude could help keep a handle on any unexpected shenanigans.

Doja’s proved pretty good at rolling with unusual occurrences, turning a recent fall into some impromptu choreo, so having her host could come in handy should the VMAs’ penchant for unscripted antics rear its head. She’s also proved to be immune to being canceled, joking that she’s survived fan backlashes “maybe 350 times,” which gives more support to her case.

The hosting selection caps an eventful year for the rising star, who released her third album Planet Her in June after performing her breakout hit song “Say So” at the 2021 Grammys. The album turned out to be her highest charting one to date, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, spending four weeks at that position. She previously performed “Say So” at last year’s VMAs, impressing with an intergalactic rendition of the track blended into a medley with “Like That.”

The VMAs are set for September 12 at the Barclay’s Center in New York.

Best Hip-Hop Songs of Summer 2021 Now That We’re Back Outside

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Khalid Says Finishing His Next Album Is ‘Overwhelming’: ‘My Passion Goes Away A Little More Every Day’

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Khalid’s career is off to a hot start: After establishing himself as one of the most promising up-and-comers with his 2017 debut album American Teen, he had his first No. 1 album with 2019’s Free Spirit. Now he’s working on his third album, Everything Is Changing. That album was given an approximate release window of this fall, but now it appears that may be in jeopardy.

On Twitter today, Khalid revealed that he’s feeling “overwhelmed” trying to finish the album, saying, “I only wanna be the artist I want to be, because creating is what keeps me from losing my my mind but my passion goes away a little more every day. I just want to finish this album and it’s really driving me crazy at this point.”

He went on to suggest that the album may be released later than initially anticipated (without explicitly announcing a delay), writing, “I’m gonna refocus, finish this album without stress, and put out something that I truthfully believe in. I’ma be me at the end of the day, that’s all I can be.”

Find Khalid’s tweets below.

“I only wanna be the artist I want to be, because creating is what keeps me from losing my my mind but my passion goes away a little more every day. I just want to finish this album and it’s really driving me crazy at this point. I ain’t even wanna come on here ranting but I gotta get this out of me lol.

I’m really sorry to keep you guys waiting for this album because I want it to be out more than anyone, so much that finishing it has became overwhelming and I need to find that joy again. I started this album and I felt free, like creativity was pouring out of me. I have some songs on here I know will change my life. I need to get back to making music how I want to make. the people who have gotten to know me over the years, I have faith that you’ll feel this music because it’s been authentic to me.

from American Teen until now I’ve made it my initiative to remain authentic to myself and who I am as an artist/person even when I had no idea what I was doing, I always trust my intuition. I write all this music from my soul, and will continue to do so. The only album I’m putting out is an album that I’m 100 percent in love with. I just can’t change myself to please anybody, I gotta live with myself at the end of the day so ima do what I want to do. when it gets to the point that the music I want out comes out… I got so much faith that it will resonate with you guys.

I’m gonna refocus, finish this album without stress, and put out something that I truthfully believe in. I’ma be me at the end of the day, that’s all I can be. I LOVE YOU GUYS. coming on here and speaking to you guys reminds me how much love we mutually have for each other. Thank you for supporting me because none of the success was possible without you guys holding me down. and that’s why ima keep doing this sh*t!”

Kanye West’s ‘Donda’ Listening Event At Soldier Field Will Reportedly Offer COVID Vaccinations

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After it was reported that Kanye West’s upcoming Donda listening event at Chicago’s Soldier Field stadium would not require proof of COVID-19 vaccinations or proof of a negative COVID test, representatives for the stadium told TMZ that Soldier Field will do on-site vaccinations the day of the event. ASM Global Management, which runs Solider Field, partnered with the city of Chicago to secure 1,500 doses of vaccines split between the two-shot Pfizer version and the one-shot Johnson & Johnson formula. For anyone getting the Pfizer dose, Department of Health officials will help set up a second appointment.

A similar program at the Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where Kanye held the first two listening events, reportedly only yielded a small number of vaccinations, but with the Delta variant spreading, perhaps Chicagoans will be more eager to inoculate themselves. Other safety measures will include a reduced capacity — only 38,000 will be allowed into the 63,000-capacity venue.

Fans have been led to expect a more elaborate production than those who attended the Atlanta show as well, as Kanye is apparently pulling out several of the stops to ensure his hometown event has much more to see — including a replica of his childhood home that was reportedly being built on the stadium field. Hopefully, with this third event, he’ll be more satisfied with the version of the album he’s putting forth because any more delays may end up costing him more than just stadium rental fees.

Jaxxon D. Silva Delivers A Moody Performance Of ‘Out Here On The Otherside’ For ‘UPROXX Sessions’

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22-year-old Los Angeles native Jaxxon D. Silva has been releasing music since 2017, bouncing from grungy alt-rock to low-fi, throwback hip-hop and collaborating with stars like Lil Peep and Skepta. Most recently, he dropped the five-song EP I Wasn’t Born With Enough Middle Fingers in April, continuing his streak of new releases and stretching his creative muscles to include references to grime and Chicago drill.

This week, he’s Uproxx’s latest edition to the Sessions performance canon, playing a moody rendition of his synthy 2020 trap anthem “Out Here On The Otherside.” The defiant lyrics exult in his status as an outsider and a rebel, inviting the listener to join him in going against the grain. “I’m out here on the otherside,” he croons on the hook. “Why don’t you try and cross the line?”

Watch Jaxxon D. Silva’s “Out Here On The Otherside” performance above.

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.