Music

Donald Glover Says The Cast And Crew Of ‘Atlanta’ Laughed At The Racial Profiling They Experienced In London

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In a little over a month, the long-awaited third season of Donald Glover’s Atlanta will premiere on FX, almost four years since the last season aired. Ahead of the new episodes, which are predominantly set in London, Stephen Glover, Donald’s brother, recalled that the cast and crew of the show were racially profiled while shooting scenes in London. One of the harassers claimed the group was carrying guns with them. But now Donald has clarified what he meant.

“He’s making a reference that we all have hammers, and we can just break into this place, which we kind of ignored,” Donald said during a TCA press tour. Atlanta co-writer Stefani Robinson added, “It was so insulting but not insulting at the same time because it took us five minutes to fully understand.” Naturally, the story made its way around social media, but according to Donald, the cast and crew of Atlanta didn’t take the situation as seriously as everyone else did. “That ‘racially abused’ headline about us is lame,” Donald wrote in a tweet. “The story is tru. but we were all laughin tellin it.”

Donald’s clarification comes after it was confirmed that Atlanta would come to an end after its fourth season. The news was shared by FX chairman John Landgraf, who said that the third and fourth seasons of Atlanta have already been shot.

Kanye West’s Listening Event For ‘Donda 2’ Will Livestream Exclusively From His Stem Player Website

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Last month, Kanye West announced that his eleventh album, Donda 2, will arrive on February 22. He even gave an astronomy-related reason for the specific release date. And yet the day is almost over the album is nowhere to be found. It shouldn’t be a surprise, given Kanye has failed to drop an album on its initial release date since 2013’s Yeezus. That being said, Kanye is still hosting a listening event for the album tonight at Miami’s LoanDepot Park Stadium. For those who will not be there in person, Kanye revealed where a livestream can be found.

An announcement from the social accounts of Kanye’s Stem Player device revealed that the listening event for Donda 2 will livestream exclusively from the company’s website. The event is set to begin at 8 pm EST, but it remains to be seen if there will be any delays.

The announcement comes after Kanye said Donda 2 will only be available on the Stem Player, which he co-created with Alex Klein and which retails for $214.50. He said the album will not be available on streaming services like Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal, and others.

“Today artists get just 12% of the money the industry makes,” he said in the announcement. “It’s time to free music from this oppressive system. It’s time to take control and build our own.” Afterward, Kanye revealed a 22-song tracklist for Donda 2 in a now-deleted Instagram post.

Tate McRae Is Magnetic In A Stripped-Back Live Performance Of ‘She’s All I Wanna Be’

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Tate McRae is quickly becoming one of pop’s most exciting new voices, and her new single is already making waves. Tate released “She’s All I Wanna Be” a few weeks ago, following the insanely catchy pop anthem up with — what else? — a quirky dance video a few days later. But this kind of single is a gift that keeps on giving, and the rising pop star is going to get the most out of it. Today, in partnership with Vevo, she released a stripped-back, live performance of the song that showcases exactly how versatile McRae is.

One of her strengths has been the ability to make sad, downtempo pop songs that still resonate with listeners, and that’s exactly what today’s live performance turns “She’s All I Wanna Be” into. Then again, one of the reasons Tate’s latest song has been racking up streams is because it’s a lot bouncier and more upbeat than some of her past work, even if the lyrics are still a little (okay, a lot) on the sad side of things. One thing is for sure, as a live performer, Tate has an uncanny ability to command a stage. Check out the performance above to see for yourself.

Questlove Unexpectedly Filled In For John Mayer’s Drummer, Steve Ferrone, At A Recent Show

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John Mayer is currently touring behind his surprisingly great new album, Sob Rock (a sh*t-post, if you will), and since it’s a No. 2 album, the sh*t is obviously resonating. But fans at last night’s show at Madison Square Garden got an unexpected treat. At the last minute, Mayer’s touring drummer, Steve Ferrone was out with Covid and couldn’t play the show — so Mayer hit up his friend Questlove, who was supposed to attend the show, to see if he could fill in.

Here’s what Quest had to say about the experience:

Welp. I thought I was hangin with the crew tonight. the plan was seeing a kick ass band at @thegarden —-I came home from LA early to do @fallontonight then me & my guys @bsherman2222 @sugasteve (from @qls) & @rayangry headed to see @johnmayer & @greg_phillinganes_live & @pino_palladino_official_ & @drh3 & @sharkey335 @steve_ferrone & the rest of “the avengers of music”——-I got out my show clothes all exited & then I checked my phone: “Ferrone got covid, can you sit in?”

Truth be told I coulda played the whole show. I texted Jimmy earlier I felt like Don Henley in 1988 when last min he played drums for @gunsnroses at the @amas (weirdest version of #Patience ever) I was anxious, amped, timorous, excited, scared & hyped!!

Gotta say once onstage it was gravy. I haven’t played with this combo since the @rootspicnic in nyc 2013 w D’angelo & we haven’t lost a step. It was hella fun tonight!

This also marks the THIRD time a circumstance kept me from seeing my idol drum (Ferrone is literally WHY I drum—-first time Petty’s unfortunate passing prevented me from seeing him drum & then I went to the 8th floor at 30rock to watch him sit in on @latenightseth & of course 3/16/22 the world shut down so that was strike two——and now this lol—-ONE OF THESE NIGHTS imma see my hero play drums.

Thanks Y’all.

Mayer also had to chime in on the situation, explaining his side of things and appreciation for Quest. Mayer said that the night will “bond us forever.”

Tonight’s show was special in ways that I’m still processing. We send our love to @steve_ferrone and @made4good in hopes they traipse through Covid and return to the stage quickly.

My boundless appreciation goes out to the legendary @questlove, who stepped in on an hour’s notice to help end the show on such a powerful and definitive note.

The brilliant musicians in this band stepped up in ways that I will never forget, and will bond us forever.

Most importantly, I thank everyone in attendance whose enthusiasm and energy in the face of some disappointing news lifted us all to something far greater than I could have ever expected. It’s the honor of my life to share these nights of music with you. The next couple of tour stops will feature this format (minus the very otherwise-engaged @questlove) and I will devote every moment to making sure we bring you the best show we can. Thank you, NYC. ♥

Not going to lie, a little jealous I didn’t get to witness this firsthand. Is there a supergroup project in the future?

Megan Thee Stallion Sues Her Label After Her Latest Project Wasn’t Counted Against Her Deal

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The battle between Megan Thee Stallion and her label, Carl Crawford’s 1501 Certified Entertainment, had simmered down over the past two years after a judge granted the rapper an order allowing her to release music again, but today, hostilities flared up again as Megan sued the label over the classification of her most recent project. Complex reports Megan is upset that Something For Thee Hotties wasn’t counted as an “album” according to the terms of her contract, despite being 21 tracks and over 45 minutes long.

The point of contention here is that Meg’s contract with 1501 is for four albums and that despite releasing Tina Snow, Fever, Suga, Good News, and Something For Thee Hotties in the four-odd years since she signed the contract, only Good News was counted against that total. Obviously, she wants out of her original contract, and her popularity is such that she may never actually need to sign another one. But having her under contract is (ostensibly) a good thing for 1501, which gets a percentage of all her royalties, whether they come from “albums” or “mixtapes.”

Unfortunately, 1501 is operating from a well-established playbook — it’s actually common practice for labels to count projects as mixtapes to keep artists under contract for longer, a problematic legacy of hip-hop’s penchant for putting out unauthorized, unofficial, or surprise releases. However, by the strictest terms, anything 45 minutes or more should technically count as an album as they’ve been defined for the past 80 years or so (EPs are 22 minutes, leaving a lot of wiggle room between the two designations). That’s Meg’s argument here; her lawyers write in the suit, ” There are no other parameters or requirements under the contract for what can be deemed an ‘Album’ other than total run time of the album. As such, Something for Thee Hotties satisfies her ‘Minimum Recording Commitment’ for the second option period of the agreement.”

Incidentally, Megan showed her teeth earlier today after Crawford posted a headline boasting of a victory in their previously existing case; however, it seemed he had misunderstood which of the cases against him she’d dropped. The suit regarding fair royalty splits is still ongoing and now, Megan’s added another one to the collection in the hopes of no longer dealing with Crawford again.

Kylie Jenner And Travis Scott Used Scott’s Real First Name For Their New Baby Boy’s Middle Name

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Earlier this month, Kylie Jenner announced she had given birth to her and Travis Scott’s second child together. Shortly after that, she revealed the kid’s name is Wolf Webster (Scott’s legal name is Jacques Berman Webster II). Now, it appears the little bundle of joy shares more with his father than just the last name.

TMZ reports in a birth certificate they obtained, the baby’s full name is written as Wolf Jacques Webster, with Jacques being, as noted above, Scott’s legal first name. The document also notes the boy was born at Cedars Sinai Medical Center on February 2 at 5:35 a.m. PT. The sheet also reveals the baby was delivered by Dr. Thais Aliabadi, why TMZ notes is the same OBGYN who delivered Wolf’s older sister Stormi and cousin True Thompson (the daughter of Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson) into the world. They also note that Wolf is different from Stormi in that Stormi’s birth certificate doesn’t include a middle name.

As for what Wolf looks like, fans have only caught a glimpse. Jenner shared a photo of Wolf’s hand when announcing his name, but that’s all we’ve seen of the little one so far. Stormi’s face has been seen online plenty of times in her short life, so it seems just a matter of time before fans get to see Wolf’s mug.

Drake’s Alleged Stalker Files For A Restraining Order Against Him — After Suing Him For $4 Billion

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I’m not sure if anyone explained to Mesha Collins how this “stalker” thing works, but it looks like she’s got at least some of the details backward. According to Radar Online, Los Angeles Superior Court documents show that Collins, who broke into Drake’s house in LA and apparently stole bottles of water, Pepsi, and Sprite in 2017, has now filed a petition for a restraining order against the rapper — this just days after a judge denied a motion to restart a $4 billion lawsuit she filed against him for invasion of privacy.

And as far as that restraining order goes, it seems that Drake is the one who needs to file against Collins. She reportedly returned to his house on multiple occasions, including one in which she was arrested for spitting on police officers who responded to security’s call for assistance. However, her luck and timing are apparently as bad as her grasp of boundaries; Drake wasn’t home either time she trespassed on his property.

Meanwhile, in summer 2021, Collins apparently filed the $4 billion claim against Drake without a lawyer, claiming that he shared private information about her in songs and defamed her by sharing her private information on Instagram. However, Drake reportedly never had any clue who Collins even was (apparently, he was never given the name of the woman who rifled through his fridge like a rabid raccoon), and Collins was unable to prove he’d ever posted anything about her, prompting a judge to dismiss the case. In her ongoing quest to meet her hero, it seems Collins is now betting a little reverse psychology will work where none of her previous efforts did.

Mura Masa’s ‘Bbycakes’ Features An All-Star Squad Of PinkPantheress, Lil Uzi Vert, And Shygirl

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Mura Masa put a bow on 2021 with his lone original track of the year in the sticky, glitchy “2gether.” It foreshadowed the third album from the Grammy winning and once-again-nominated producer, and now his first offering of 2021, “Bbycakes,” showcases an explosive spirit of collaboration.

Featuring vocals from British garage pop singer PinkPantheress, Philly rapper Lil Uzi Vert, and British rapper Shygirl, “Bbycakes” features a veritable all-star squad of talent. Released today, the track was tabbed as BBC Radio 1’s coveted “Hottest Record In The World” tag and with good reason. A pop song at its core, Mura Masa weaves in a cheery steel drum into a hyper-garage beat. Uzi’s flow, PinkPantheress’ hook, and Shygirl’s atmospheric inflections float so fluidly together, bringing together the best of what the four artists each bring to the table.

“I feel like ‘bbycakes’ is a future facing record,” Mura Masa’s Alex Crossan said in a statement. “Clashing U.K. with U.S., hard drill music with cute U.K. garage culture, underground with overground. Most of all it’s a mission statement for the vicarious and playful nature that I think popular music needs to be looking to in order to soundtrack those crucial moments of fun and hedonism in an increasingly cynical culture.”

It’s hard to to put a finger on what the future of music should sound like, but Crossan does it beautifully words and song. He says that excitement for the unknown is what inspires his next record and “Bbycakes” does it in spades.

Listen to “Bbycakes” above.

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

Kanye West Fans Are More Than Mildly Miffed ‘Donda 2’ Didn’t Arrive On Their $200 Stem Players

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Apparently, Kanye West did not make his new album, Donda 2, available to people who purchased his $200 “stem player” today as promised, and fans are certainly upset about it — despite his half-decade-long history of putting out projects late (Ye, the first Donda) or incomplete (The Life Of Pablo).

A month ago, Ye promised that the new album would be released on 2/22/22, then, just four days before that intended release date, he announced that the album would not be available on DSPs, and instead would only be available via the stem player. The stem player device itself is basically a smaller, more stylish version of the Artiphon Orba with way fewer features and a heftier price tag, while his idea to cut out the middle man is reminiscent of Nipsey Hussle’s 2013 Crenshaw mixtape, which the Los Angeles legend sold for $100 each.

However, while Nipsey simultaneously made the mixtape free to download or stream, the 1,000 or so fans who purchased the $100 version included tickets to his shows, an autograph from Nipsey himself, and random incentives like personal phone calls from Nip, signed photographs in the mail, and even an invitation to visit the rapper in his studio. Fans who bought Kanye’s stem player got… well, a $200 music toy and the hope that he’ll actually make the album available for download after his show in Miami tonight.

Adding insult to injury, Kanye apparently gloated on Instagram (according to The Daily Beast; the post has since been deleted), “To earn the $2.2 million we made on the first day on the stem player the album would have had to stream 500 million times. We did more revenue on stem player, without the album even being out than we would have done with the album being out on streaming.”

Which, you know, might have been the whole point. Kanye fans still have some hope, though, and kudos to him for finding an alternative means of releasing music (?) that defies the traditional system — which, to be fair, does suck for artists in a lot of ways, although he hasn’t pointed out how this makes anything better for anyone besides himself. Until the album is actually out, though, Twitter will likely be abuzz with fans grousing that he’s pulled the rug on them once again.

Megan Thee Stallion Goes Off On Her Label’s Owner For Posting Misinformation About Their Royalties Case

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Ever since early 2020, Megan Thee Stallion and her label, 1501 Certified Entertainment, have been embroiled in a contrast dispute over royalties that each believes the other owes. It’s a complex situation, but essentially, Megan would like to be paid more, while 1501’s founder Carl Crawford says that Megan and her management at Roc Nation are withholding his cut of the profits from live shows she did throughout her breakout year, 2019. The dispute has been contentious at times, and the latest development in the case has Thee Stallion going off on her quasi-boss.

After Megan filed a motion to dismiss part of her lawsuit, Crawford posted screenshots from celebrity gossip site AceShowbiz.com on his Instagram with the caption, “Only the real 🤘🏾town can relate. Now tell em to run my bread dating all the way back from 2018.” However, the headline in question only referred to Megan’s suit for a restraining order against 1501, which was blocking her from releasing music. However, since both 1501 and 300, the distributor for Megan’s music, cleared her to release Good News and Something For The Hotties, she no longer needed the court’s intervention. Posting to her own Instagram, she explained as much while characterizing Crawford as a bully — and kind of an ignorant one, too.

“This dude never know wtf is going on with his business,” she wrote. “he case that Was dismissed against you was from when you wasn’t trying to let me drop music … you and 300 signed off and let me drop music so there is no case no more… we are most definitely STILL IN COURT and YOU STILL GETTING SUED BC YOU OWE ME MONEY!!! I AINT NEVER BEEN PAID FROM 1501 IN MY LIFE ! I make money bc im MEGAN THEE STALLION ! Grown ass men wanna bully me and eat off my name and paint me out as a villain online bc they know these bandwagon ass haters gone eat that shit up ! I dont even be saying shit to you lame ass n****s bc the TRUTH always comes out.”

If Megan is right and she isn’t being paid by 1501, she certainly has a number of attractive alternative revenue streams, including endorsements for Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, a new Snapchat show, Off The Leash, and a development deal with Netflix. She’s also soon to launch her acting career with F*cking Identical Twins.