Music

Kehlani’s ‘Melt’ Video In Brazil Is A Sweet Depiction Their Budding Relationship With 070 Shake

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Last month, Kehlani released their third album, Blue Water Road, marking their first album put out since coming out to the world as Queer. The singer had teased the fact that Blue Water Road was, “…vastly different than anything I’ve ever created.” And while there’s a new sense of confidence in these passionate tunes, to long-time fans, it’s still that same sultry vocalist from hits like “Gangsta” and “Nights Like This.”

With the new video for “Melt,” we get the first intimate look at Kehlani’s relationship with their new partner, rapper 070 Shake. In the clip, the pair are in Brazil, sitting at an idyllic outdoor café at opposite tables. They each swig their cachaça at the same time and then meet up in a jungle abode to romance each other.

Speaking on the track itself, Kehlani said in a statement, “It’s about the feeling of laying up with someone, cuddling, or even being sexually intimate, and you want to fall in their skin.” And lyrics like “I can’t tell where your hair ends and mine begins,” and, “Across the bed feels way too far,” really raise the stakes for a pure depiction of their intimacy in the beautifully shot clip that also captures the essence of the pace of life in Brazilian so well.

Watch the video for “Melt” above.

Blue Water Road is out now via Atlantic. Get it here.

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

Quavo Seeks An Invite To Drake’s Basketball League: ‘They Don’t Want Us At OVO Arena’

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Drake’s fondness for the game of basketball is evident in his many, many courtside appearances at NBA games. It’s also clear in the videos he posts from his in-home basketball court where he hosts pickup games with his friends and trains his son to play like LeBron James. However, it looks like one of his friends is feeling left out. Quavo, who is a hoops junkie in his own right, working with grassroots leagues in California and balling out in NBA2k22, lobbied for inclusion in the fun at The Sanctuary (the nickname of Drake’s home court) in a post on Instagram.

“@champagnepapi They don’t want Us At The OVO Arena So We Take 7 Footers Instead,” he captioned a video on his Instagram Story. In the video, Quavo faces off with a taller opponent at the Georgia Tech gym, showing off some nasty handles and quick footwork to shake his defender for a stepback 20-footer. It’s an impressive combo and the sort of thing that could have Quavo moving up LeBron James’ rappers-who-hoop rankings, where Lil Durk currently reigns supreme.

Personally, I’d love to see a rapper-centric league where the likes of Quavo, Drake, 2 Chainz, Durk, and official professional player J. Cole can square off to show their other talents. For now, we’ll have to settle for social media videos or maybe Jack Harlow’s White Men Can’t Jump remake and Kawhi Leonard commercials.

Brandy Follows Through On Her Threat To Jack Harlow, Dropping A Fiery Freestyle To ‘First Class’

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When Jack Harlow admitted he didn’t know Brandy and Ray J are related, who could have predicted that it would lead to Brandy offering to hand him the lyrical fade — let alone following through? That’s right, Brandy, the R&B veteran who once starred in her own sitcom and gave the world “I Wanna Be Down,” actually decided to flex her mic skills and take full advantage of the viral moment.

Given that Jack made his embarrassing confession on Hot 97’s Ebro In The Morning show, it’s only right that Ebro was also the one to debut Brandy’s “First Class” freestyle. Hijacking the beat from Harlow’s own No. 1 single, Brandy spits a sinuous flow full of throwback ’90s-esque knowledge drops and references to Ray J’s “indestructible” glasses.

Jack is used to going viral for something or another, but when he appeared on Ebro In The Morning to promote his new album Come Home The Kids Miss You, he probably had no idea that he’d be the topic of discussion for a gap in his ’90s pop culture knowledge. Challenged to name a Brandy song for the show’s “White Ish Wednesday” segment, Harlow needed several hints, one of which was “Ray J’s sister.” When he wondered aloud “Who’s Ray J’s sister?” Twitter turned up on him for not knowing something that many considered obvious (the kid is just 24 years old and Brandy’s been out of the spotlight for pretty much his entire adult life).

When Brandy caught wind, she jokingly declared on Twitter, “I will murk this dude in rap at 43 on his own beats and then sing [h]is ass to sleep.” Jack gamely responded on his Instagram Story, using a clip from Brandy’s chorus on Kanye West’s 2005 song “Bring Me Down.” It looks like the ball is now back in his court after Brandy’s follow-up, although he may have the last laugh anyway; “First Class” is No. 1 for its third week, and if nothing else, this is great free promotion.

Drake Shared A Joyful Photo With Haim And The Sisters Had A Great Response

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Last month, Haim launched the The One More Haim Tour and last night, the trek brought them to Toronto for a show at RBC Echo Beach. While they were in the city, they met up with its proudest resident, Drake, who shared a photo of himself with the sisters.

It’s a happy image, with Drake sporting a wide smile with his arms around the Haims, Alana smiling with her eyes closed and tongue out, Este striking a tongue-out-arms-crossed pose, and Danielle going for a more subtle smirk. Drake captioned the post, “Just met the Beatles.”

Haim later shared the same photo and referenced Drake’s caption, writing, “We’re the Beatles.” Este also shared the photo on her personal account and wrote, “reunited.”

This was surely a major moment for Alana, as she’s been a longtime Drake superfan: In a 2014 Cosmopolitan interview, she described a custom Drake phone case she made for herself, saying, “I found these crazy Drake stickers, so I just stuck them on my phone. Basically, it’s the best thing that now I get to see Drake’s face on my phone 24 hours a day.” She added, “I’m the biggest Drake fan of all time. I mean, we all are. We all constantly fight about who gets dibs on Drake. But I think Danielle, my middle sister, is the frontrunner. She’s actually obsessed with him.” After being told about Drake and Rihanna’s breakup, she also noted, “I want to marry Drake, but if anyone could steal my spot in Drake’s heart, it would be Rihanna.”

Later, the two would appear in the same 2015 “Mean Tweets” segment on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, while Alana and Este were seen attending Drake’s birthday party in 2017.

Lute Is Proof That Things Get Better With Time In His Confident Video For ‘Like Wine’

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Earlier this year, Dreamville released their fourth compilation project as a group with D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape. The 15-track release features the entire label’s roster of J. Cole, Ari Lennox, JID, Earthgang, Cozz, Bas, Lute, and Omen. It also presented additional contributions from 2 Chainz, ASAP Ferg, Young Nudy, G Perico, Reason, Kenny Mason, and Sheck Wes. Nearly two months after the project arrived, Lute arrives with a visual for “Like Wine,” one of his contributions to the project.

In the video, Lute proves that many things in life, like himself and a nice bottle of wine, get better with time. He delivers this message as he drives around in an old BMW while also posing in a body shop filled with throwback vehicles. Lute’s latest video comes after he added to the experience behind his 2021 sophomore album Gold Mouf with visuals for “Eye To Eye” featuring fellow Dreamville rapper Cozz and “Changes” featuring BJ The Chicago Kid.

Lute’s newest video arrives he completed the North American stretch of Saba’s Come Back Home tour as an opening act alongside Enny.

You can watch the video for Lute’s “Like Wine” above.

D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape is out now via Interscope and Dreamville. You can stream it here.

The Music World Shares Their Condolences After The Tragic Shooting At Texas’ Robb Elementary School

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On Tuesday, The United States was once again hit with news of a mass shooting, and this time, it sadly occurred at an elementary school. An 18-year-old gunman entered Texas’ Robb Elementary School and began shooting at students and teachers in the building. The suspect, Salvador Ramos, was eventually shot and killed during a stand-off with officers. According to AP, the incident is the deadliest shooting at a U.S. grade school since 20 students and six adults were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut back in 2012.

The shooting at Robb Elementary School occurred just ten days after a racially-motivating shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo left ten dead. Unfortunately, both cases are examples of the mass shootings that occurred over and over again in the United States over the last decade. The shooting has left the music world to send condolences and extend a loving hand to a community, and a country, that could really use it.

Taylor Swift offered her words after she watched Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr speak passionately and criticize government leaders during a press conference. “Filled with rage and grief, and so broken by the murders in Uvalde,” Taylor wrote. “By Buffalo, Laguna Woods and so many others. By the ways in which we, as a nation, have become conditioned to unfathomable and unbearable heartbreak. Steve’s words ring so true and cut so deep.”

Missy Elliot also shared a message of her own on Twitter. “We living in some TRYING TIMES… It’s heavy,” she wrote. “I am praying for everyone that is struggling MENTALLY/FINANCIALLY/PHYSICALLY that some PEACE be RESTORED! So many in the world is dealing with pain & I don’t have the answers but I send you LOVE virtually.”

You can view more messages from artists in the posts below.

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

Rick Ross Reveals That He Has Never Had An Email Account

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Rick Ross is a busy man. The rapper just completed his partnership with Epic Records, and is currently taking offers from labels like Def Jam; he was also on Blxst’s last project Before You Go, alongside a couple of other collaborators. Despite his success and hustle, he told HotNewHipHop in a recent interview that he has never owned his own email address, which is especially surprising during the digital age where music is most often streamed online.

“I’ve only really released one album since the streaming really been at its strongest point, so for me, of course my greatest times were when we was at Best Buy for the signings,” Ross said. “That was the best feeling versus streaming. Ain’t no real connection with the fans now, to me.” He continued: “It’s different. When you talking about the streaming, you talking to a n**** who ain’t never had a email.”

About streaming, he added: “So the love for the streaming, it’s cool. We still get money, but is it from the streaming, or is it from the brand or Da Boss Rick Ross? ‘Cause regardless, I don’t care what we streaming, Da Boss Rick Ross got demands that’s gotta be met.”

You can read Ross’ full interview with HotNewHipHop here.

Drake Seemingly Responds To Pusha T’s Claim That He Was Banned From Canada

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It’s pretty clear at this point that Drake and Pusha T have no interest in settling their longtime. Tensions have been high between the rappers for years now, but the peak of their beef can back in 2018 when Pusha shared the news about Drake’s first child, Adonis, before Drake himself had a chance to announce it. The rappers have thrown subs at each other on various tracks, but in the latest development between the two, Pusha claimed that he’s been banned from Canada during a recent appearance on Drink Champs.

“I’m banned from Canada,” he said during the interview. “I can’t get back over there. I ain’t allowed to go back over there.” He added, “I went to my show [and] it was rowdy people at the show. I didn’t even get to the song. It got rowdy and I got on my way. It was cool.” The show Pusha is referring to is his 2018 Toronto concert that resulted in fans throwing drinks at him as he performed. However, Drake and his longtime OVO associate Chubbs seem to view things differently as an Instagram post from the latter reveals.

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“We Don’t Ban N*ggaz We Welcome Them With Open Arms,” Chubbs captioned a picture of him and Drake walking with an entourage of other people. Unsurprisingly enough, Drake caught wind of the post and chimed in with his own message. “Come on over,” Drake wrote with a laughing emoji.

This comes after Drake seemingly threw some shots at Pusha T in his guest verse on Jack Harlow’s “Churchill Downs.” On it, he raps, “But I gotta get a n**** back for that, it’s non-negotiable / It’s not even debatable,” which appears to be in response to Pusha’s “The Story Of Adidon.” Drake throws more shots with lines like, “All I hear is plug talk comin’ from middleman / All I hear is tall tales comin’ from little men,” and, “Daytonas with the green faces,” on the track as well.

You can view Pusha T’s Drink Champs episode as well as Drake and Chubbs’ comments in the posts above.

ESPN’s ‘The Greatest Mixtape Ever’ 30 For 30 Will Tell The Story Of The And1 Mixtape Tour

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For kids that grew up in my generation, the And1 Mixtape Tour was appointment viewing. You’d come home from school, turn on ESPN2, and then go outside in your best tall tee and oversized basketball shorts and try to replicate what you saw from Hot Sauce, The Professor, Alimoe, Escalade, Skip To My Lou, and everyone else in the driveway.

Streetball’s boom in the early-to-mid 2000s was formative for a generation of hoopers, influencing the style and skills of players who would go on to play in the league and bring some of that flair from the hardtop to the hardwood. While legendary streetball courts like Rucker Park have been curating basketball culture for decades in cities like New York, the And1 Mixtape Tour brought that to people nationwide, and ESPN’s latest 30 for 30, The Greatest Mixtape Ever, will tell the story of the meteoric rise and legacy of the tour.

Jadakiss will narrate the documentary, with interviews with NBA players like Iman Shumpert, as it will take a look at the impact of the And1 Mixtape Tour on both hoops and hip-hop, and how it bridged those two worlds together in a beautiful marriage of basketball and music that redefined an era of both.

The Greatest Mixtape Ever will premier on May 31 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Caitlyn Jenner Says Pete Davidson Treats Kim Kardashian ‘So Well’ While Kanye West Was ‘Difficult To Live With’

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This past February marked one year since Kim Kardashian filed for divorce from Kanye West, but it also marked the first time that Pete Davidson referred to Kim as his girlfriend for the first time. Pete and Kim have seemingly been doing well in their relationship. However, the occasions that they’ve made headlines have more times than not had to do with Kanye who has expressed his dislike of Pete in social media posts and in songs as well. Now, for the first time, Caitlyn Jenner is chiming with her thoughts on Kanye and Pete.

During a recent interview on The Pivot pivot podcast with Channing Crowder, Ryan Clark, and Fred Taylor, Caitlyn spoke about her feelings towards Pete and Kanye as well as how they’ve individually treated Kim. “[Pete and Kim] came over the day because I told them, ‘Come on, I haven’t even met him yet,’” Caitlyn began. “So she brought him over and they just spent a couple hours here at the house together — very different than what she would normally date.” Caitlyn then went on to speak about Kanye.

“But, Kimberly has been through a lot with the guys that she’s been with,” she added. You know, especially Kanye — very complicated guy. I liked Kanye, got along with him so well. Two of us did great together, and even when I transitioned, he was so on my side and you know, loving it. But he was very difficult to live with and Pete is 180 degrees [in] the other direction. I mean, first of all, he treats her so well, and when they were over here, Kim [was] so happy and Kim deserves to be happy.”

You can view Caitlyn’s appearance on The Pivot in the video above.