Music

Mick Jenkins’ ‘Contacts’ Video Has An Unexpected Twist At The End

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Where most rappers have to arrive at a crossroads in their career before deconstructing themselves on a record, 30 year old Chicago rapper Mick Jenkins has made a career out of doing so constantly. On his fourth album, Elephant In The Room, due out later this month, he opens up once again with conversations about both himself and the world around him.

With the just-released “Contacts,” he floats over a clean-hitting, contemplative beat produced by Rascal, Tae Beast and Eli Brown spitting “Stretching out, my shoulders wide / All my burdens boulder size,” before the cognizant punctuation on the hook that “Real eyes realize real lies, help me see the truth.” In the song’s video (above) directed by Ren, he takes his clone hostage before an unexpected twist at the end that can’t be missed.

Jenkins shared some thoughts on the upcoming album:

“From my estranged relationship with my father to friendships that don’t feel the same anymore to the even more basic idea of acknowledging that I need help. We become accustomed to allowing none progressive qualities and truths to occupy so much space in our lives simply by ignoring them, or ignoring them despite them being right in our faces! I intend to face several of those dormant issues/topics head-ons in the hopes that others can, at the very least, identify with the spaces I’ve grown from.”

Elephant In The Room is out October 29th via Cinematic Music Group. Peep the tracklist below.

Elephant In The Room Track List

1. The Valley of the shadow of death Prod. Tee-Watt, Thelonious Martin & renzell
2. Things you can die for Feat. Ben Hixon Prod. By renzell
3. Stiff Arm Feat. Ayinde Cartman Prod. By renzell
4. Contacts Prod. By Rascal, Tae Beast & Eli Brown
5. Scottie Pippen Prod. By Kiran Kai (Additional Production by Otto Maralot, Oscar Jerome Laurence, Jack Polley, Joe Armon-Jones & Oliver Simeon Sarkar Samuels)
6. Gucci Tried to tell me Prod. By Lophiile
7. D.U.I Feat. Green SLlime Prod. By Tee-Watt
8. Speed racer Prod. By Saba (Background vocals by Tiffany Lance)
9. Truffles Prod. By renzell & Monte Booker
10. Is, this Cigarette Prod. By Tee-Watt & LeRoyce (Additional Production by Otto Maralot)
11. Reflection Prod. By renzell
12. Rug Burn Feat. Serpent with Feet Prod. By Tee-Watt

Don Toliver Is Doing Everything ‘Way Bigger’ In His Latest ‘Life Of A Don’ Video

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Don Toliver takes in the sights in the video for “Way Bigger” from his newly released album, L.O.A.D. (Life Of A Don). The video sees Toliver standing on a rooftop overlooking the city, where he dances and raps, then performing atop a theatre marquee displaying the title of his new album. The stripped-down approach keeps the focus on Toliver’s music, which is marked by thumping bass and woozy, hypnotic synth loops.

Lyrically, the song focuses on Don counting his blessings, which include Goyard bags, Lambo trucks, and “hundreds of bands in cash.” The single’s content is in line with the other singles that he’s released from the album so far, which include “What You Need” and “Drugs N Hella Melodies” with Kali Uchis. The album itself features Travis Scott (who appears on two tracks, “You” and “Flocky Flocky“), Baby Keem, HVN, and SoFaygo. In addition to releasing his new album, Don Toliver has also been on his tour for it along with special guest BIA.

Watch the video for “Way Bigger” above and check out Life Of A Don, out now via Cactus Jack and Atlantic, here.

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

Meek Mill Expresses His Regrets In The Paranoid ‘Angels (RIP Lil Snupe)’ Video

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The latest video from Meek Mill’s new album Expensive Pain is “Angels (RIP Lil Snupe),” a heartfelt ode to the Philadelphia rapper whose career Meek Mill was helping to shepherd when he was shot and killed in June of 2013. Over a moody beat produced by Dougie, Meek reminisces on his lost friend and expresses his regrets. “When Snupe died, I was high, sh*t, I ain’t get to feel it,” he admits. Later he feels the paranoia from losing friends to the streets: “I can’t trust nobody, I can’t even invite nobody over.”

Meek’s album, which he released last week, to a warm reception from fans including Drake. The album, which featured appearances from A$AP Ferg, Brent Faiyaz, Giggs, Kehlani, Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Lil Uzi Vert, Moneybagg Yo, Vory, and Young Thug, was preceded by the videos for “Blue Notes 2” and “Sharing Locations” and accompanied by videos for the album’s “Intro” and “On My Soul.” Earlier this week, Meek also dropped the video for the title track.

Watch Meek Mill’s “Angels (RIP Lil Snupe)” video above.

Expensive Pain is out now via Atlantic Records and Maybach Music Group. You can stream it here.

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

Silk Sonic Moves Up The Release Date Of Their Album, ‘An Evening With Silk Sonic’

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Silk Sonic on Twitter

It looks like we’re all getting to spend An Evening With Silk Sonic a lot sooner than previously thought. After the duo consisting of pop-funk megastars Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak declared their album delayed so they could touch up the “parts that need a little more… grease,” they made an abrupt about-face this afternoon, announcing the album’s title and moved-up release date, November 11, with a photo post featuring funk godfather Bootsy Collins.

The anticipation for their album has been sky-high ever since they released their groovy debut single as a group, “Leave The Door Open” in March of this year. Since then, they’ve performed the chart-topping throwback at the 2021 Grammys, the iHeartRadio Music Awards, and the BET Awards. Their second single, “Skate,” was released in July, advancing the retro-futuristic sound of “Leave The Door Open” and proving that the duo had even more funk in store for their fans.

Silk Sonic also joked about adding golden-voiced R&B singer H.E.R. to their roster and even created a jingle for SelvaRey Rum. Meanwhile, it looks like their full album will hit just in time for the holidays.

An Evening With Silk Sonic is due 11/12 via Atlantic Records. You can pre-save it here.

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

The Rock Is Apparently A Rapper Now, Thanks To His Verse On Tech N9ne’s New Single, ‘Face Off’

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Okay, so yes, technically The Rock “raps” on “You’re Welcome,’ from Disney’s Moana soundtrack (in character as a Polynesian demigod, no less), and he did appear on Wyclef Jean’s 2000 single, “It Doesn’t Matter,” to do some of his signature smack-talk at the height of the WWE’s “Attitude” era. But on Tech N9ne’s new single “Face Off,” Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, wrestler, actor, action star, and world-class fitness motivator, actually raps. It’s … not bad? I mean, obviously, don’t quit your day job (or hurt me for saying so), but … we’ve heard worse.

After the track kicks off with some expected lightspeed tongue-twisting from Tech and his Strange Music cohorts Joey Cool and King Iso, The Rock, credited here as Dwayne Johnson, comes in with his own tough-talking bars, daring challengers to “bring Drama to the King Brahma,” boasting at the end that he nailed his verse in one take.

If he ever did decide to commit to music full-time (or at least, what constitutes full-time for future superheroes and former riverboat captains) The Rock wouldn’t be the first actor to jump into a music career. He would, however, be one of the biggest movie stars to do so, after appearing in the aforementioned Disney favorite Jungle Cruise and anchoring the upcoming Black Adam movie for DC Comics. For what it’s worth, even John Cena, who now shares a Fast And Furious role with his fellow former wrestling star, did it the other way around, using a Slim Shady-esque ring persona that included, yes, his own rap album.

You know what this means: We need a Verzuz. Get on it, Swizz!

Atmosphere, Aesop Rock, And MF DOOM’s ‘Barcade’ Video Brings Video Game Vibes

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New MF DOOM music continues to pop up nearly a year after his death last Halloween at the age of 49. The latest comes on Atmosphere’s new single “Barcade” from the Minnesota underground rap duo’s new album Word? which dropped today. Joined by Aesop Rock, the song constitutes a spiritual successor to the Molemen’s 2001 song “Put Your Quarters Up,” which also features Aesop, DOOM, and Slug trading bars about video games. “Barcade” continues in that vein, along with its suitably spaced-out video, which features arcade game visuals inspired by games like Gradius, Metroid, and Space Ace.

In the year since DOOM’s death — which was actually announced two months later, on New Year’s Eve — DOOM’s streaming numbers increased nearly 1,000 percent, and the rapper himself has appeared on a string of songs, both new and unreleased. In May, the first posthumous release was a joint album with Czarface, Super What?, while DOOM also made appearances alongside Your Old Droog on “Dropout Boogie” and IDK on “Red” with Westside Gunn and Jay Electronica. The Avalanches and Thom Yorke both also shared remixes of popular tracks that featured the late rapper, “Tonight May Have To Last Me All My Life” and “Gazzillion Ear,” respectively.

Listen to Atmosphere’s “Barcade” featuring Aesop Rock and MF DOOM above.

Cardi B Gets Teary-Eyed While Planning A Wedding With Raven-Symoné On A New ‘Cardi Tries’ Episode

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Watch Together

Cardi B’s vibrant personality deserves a chance to shine outside of music, and indeed, it has been afforded those opportunities. Aside from her various TV appearances over the years, in 2020, she launched her own show, Cardi Tries __, on Facebook Watch, Messenger, and Instagram’s Watch Together platform. As the title suggests, on the program, Cardi takes a stab at a number of different activities from outside of her usual wheelhouse.

The show is alive and well, and a new episode premieres today, in which Cardi teams up with Raven-Symoné to marry a same-sex couple; The episode arrives shortly ahead of National Coming Out Day on October 11 (which is also Cardi’s birthday). In an exclusive clip, Raven-Symoné shows Cardi some different options for flower and table arrangements. While looking at them, Cardi was so moved by the displays that she got emotional and started crying. While trying to compose herself, she said, “I want to get married… again!”

Elsewhere in the episode, Cardi and Raven-Symoné help a lucky person named Brandi plan a surprise wedding for their significant other, Shannon. Furthermore, Cardi herself actually officiates the ceremony, thanks to the power vested in her by the state of California (and an online class).

Check out the exclusive Cardi Tries clip above and find the full episode here. The show is available to enjoy using the Watch Together feature, which allows viewers to watch shows, movies, and other sorts of content with friends in real time on Facebook Watch, Messenger, and Instagram.

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

Vince Staples And Alchemist Reunite On The Jazzy ‘6 Five Heartbeats’

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It’s been a while since we heard from The Alchemist or Vince Staples about that project they supposedly worked on recently but as a consolation prize, Vince appears on the second installment of Alc’s EP series, This Thing Of Ours, which dropped today. Vince features on the song “6 Five Heartbeats,” spitting a ferocious verse in that languid delivery of his over a jazzy beat that belies the menace of Staples’ lyrics. “You had a blog, we had Berettas,” Vince sneers on the intro. The combination of the two always makes magic — the EP they’ve completed can’t come soon enough.

Vince revealed that the pair had been working together during an interview in which Vince said he recorded “30 verses on 30 beats,” blaming a delay in its release on the fact that “Alchemist moves at a very cryptic pace — he’s hella slow.” However, Alchemist refuted that account on Twitter, announcing “Vince is full of sh*t. I’ve had a finished 6 song EP with JUST HIM for over 3 months!! MIXED! Plus mad songs with him and Thebe [Earl Sweatshirt].” This got fans more hyped up but since then, the two have kept mostly mum about their plans for all these songs. Whether “6 Five Heartbeats” is one of those coveted verses remains to be seen, but it certainly bodes well for the eventual project.

Listen to “6 Five Heartbeats” above and stream This Thing Of Ours, Vol. 2, out now via EMPIRE.

Lil Wayne Is Releasing A 7″ Vinyl Box Set Of ‘Tha Carter Singles Collection’

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Lil Wayne’s singles run in hip-hop is practically unrivaled — especially the singles from his fan-favorite album series Tha Carter, which are about to be collected into a 7″ vinyl box set, “Tha Carter Singles Collection.” Including every hit record from “Go DJ” all the way up to yesterday’s “Ya Dig,” the 10-disc collection is available for preorder at Lil Wayne’s online shop for $200.00. Included with the records is a booklet with rare photos, two lithographs, and an outer box covered in Wayne’s tattoos.

The release isn’t the first time Lil Wayne’s branched out creatively this year. In May, Wayne joined the growing fraternity of rappers with their own festivals, launching the Uproar Fest in Los Angeles. In August, Wayne partnered with Topps trading card company for a limited-edition collection of cards commemorating the 10th anniversary of Wayne’s album Tha Carter IV. In September, he lent his likeness to the Funko toy brand for the new Vinyl Gold collection, which also includes figures of Ice Cube, the Notorious B.I.G, and Tupac Shakur.

And while that’s all well and good, Wayne’s number-one focus in 2021 remained on the music. So far, he’s featured on tracks with Polo G (“Gang Gang“), Conway The Machine, Drake, Moneybagg Yo (“Wockesha Remix“), Run The Jewels (“Ooh La La Remix“), and Logic (“Perfect Remix“), while also releasing the Trust Fund Babies joint project with Rich The Kid.

YoungBoy Never Broke Again Fans Add Over 100K Signatures To A Petition To ‘Free Youngboy’

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YoungBoy Never Broke Again — also called “NBA YoungBoy,” to the chagrin of the sports league’s operators — has hit No. 1 on the Billboard albums chart once again with his new album Sincerely, Kentrell. It’s a feat made more impressive by the fact that he’s gotten little to no radio play, according to The New York Times, and that YoungBoy himself was unavailable to promote the album due to his March arrest on federal gun charges. However, his loyal fans, who helped stream the album to the top of the chart, have a plan to get him out.

A Change.org petition, “Joe Biden Needs To Free NBA YoungBoy,” has racked up over 100,000 signatures under the belief that “Mr. Gaulden [YoungBoy’s real name] would see this as a great opportunity to ameliorate himself as a person and an artist.” The petition’s writer, going by YB Supporter, contends that “the 21-year-old 79 RIAA certifications holder isn’t a menace to society but is instead a kind-hearted soul who was mistreated and targeted by the F.B.I and Louisiana Police Department.” Perhaps the petition was inspired by the recent Trump pardons of Kodak Black, Lil Pump, and Lil Wayne.

Kind-hearted or not, though, the rapper’s lengthy list of legal issues certainly includes more than its fair share of accusations of violent crimes. In 2016, he was arrested on two counts of attempted murder, pleading guilty to a reduced charge of aggravated assault with a firearm and receiving a suspended 10-year prison term against three years of active probation. He was arrested again in 2018 on assault charges when a hotel camera caught him slamming his then-girlfriend to the ground and dragging her down the hall.

In 2019, his probation on the downgraded attempted murder charges ended with a 14-month ban on him performing, but he was sentenced to a year of probation in his later assault case. Then, in September of 2020, he was arrested along with 15 others in his native Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and charged with the distribution and manufacturing of drugs and possession of stolen firearms. His March arrest this year on federal charges stemming from the same case reportedly came after a car chase and foot pursuit in which K-9 officers tracked him as he hid out.