Music

Ed Sheeran Jokes About His And Beyonce’s Famously Contrasting Outfits From A 2018 Performance

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Back in 2018, Ed Sheeran and Beyonce performed their duet “Perfect” at Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, an event that honored Nelson Mandela a century after his birth. While Sheeran wore a simple outfit consisting of jeans and a casual shirt, Beyonce was wearing a flashy violet gown. As Insider noted at the time, this sparked conversations, with some saying the different outfits sent a message about gender standards while others argued that both artists dressed true to their respective styles.

Whatever the case, last night, Sheeran and James Corden joked about the moment on The Late Late Show.

As part of his week-long residency on the program, Sheeran joined the host for a segment called “Side Effects May Include.” The bit parodies medical ads by listing off fake side effects for non-medical things. One of the topics was “being underdressed next to Beyonce” and Sheeran and Corden took turns reading off the side effects, with Corden going first:

  • “Everyone being like, ‘Ed, what were you thinking?’”
  • “Being like, ‘I thought I looked nice, and then Beyonce shows up.’”
  • “Igniting a public debate about our cultural expectations of men and women”
  • “Being like, ‘Ugh, did I really look that bad? I mean, the t-shirt was clean!’”
  • “Really ticking off the Beyhive with your casual disrespect”
  • “Listen, James, if you’ve never stood next to Beyonce, you just can’t understand what you’re up against.”
  • “Getting the entire internet’s opinion of your shoes”
  • “Knowing that, in my heart of hearts, no matter what I might’ve worn, I am still me standing next to Beyonce.”

Watch the full segment above. Sheeran also performed “Thinking Out Loud” on the show, so check that out below.

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

Biz Markie Is Still Alive Despite Rumors Of His Death, According To His Manager

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There were rumors last night that rapper Biz Markie had died at 57. Now, though, his manager has confirmed that those rumors are false and that the rapper is currently alive.

In a statement to Pitchfork, the rapper’s manager, Jenni Izumi, said, “The news of Biz Markie’s passing is not true. Biz is still under medical care, surrounded by professionals who are working hard to provide the best health care possible. Biz’s wife and family are touched by the outpouring of love and admiration from his friends, peers, and fans alike. At this time, we ask for your continued thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”

The rapper has faced health struggles in recent years. Last year, he was hospitalized due to complications with diabetes, with which he was originally diagnosed in 2010.

Three years following his diagnosis, Markie told ABC News, “I wanted to live. Since I have to be a diabetic, if I didn’t make the changes, it was going to make the diabetes worse. I’m trying to get off [the Diabetes meds]. The way you gotta do it is lose the weight. I’m off half my meds, I just got to get off the rest.”

The rapper found his biggest mainstream success with his 1989 single “Just A Friend,” which peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was his sole song to appear on the chart. His most recent album, Weekend Warrior, was released in 2003.

Young Nudy Revealed Why It’s Hard For Him To Collaborate With Other Artists

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While collaborations between multiple artists have never been more common, not every artist is really on that page. Maybe that’s because he already has dueling alter egos to deal with? At least according to his brand new tour, “Dr. Ev4l Vs. Rich Shooter.” Anyway, in a recent interview with Young Nudy on the Big Facts podcast with DJ Scream and Big Bank, he talked about the sometimes challenging aspects of music industry niceties.

“You gotta go in there and fake smile with somebody in the motherf*cker,” he said. “They not just going to let you in the door.” Later on in the episode he doubles back down on the challenges of a sometimes finicky industry. “They will tell me they f*ck with me doe, but you know how that sh*t go,” he continue. “But, sh*t, I don’t know. I don’t really be, like, having nobody where I be like, ‘Oh yeah, I’m excited to work with this person.’ If you gonna do it, you gonna do it. If you don’t, I don’t get a f*ck. Imma finished that sh*t anyways… So I don’t know.”

Despite all that, on his latest project, DR. EV4L does have a few collaborations — with his cousin 21 Savage of course, and G Herbo and Lil Uzi Vert — but when it comes to artists who aren’t in his immediate circle, looks like they’re going to have to wait, or come totally real.

DVSN, Ty Dolla Sign, And Mac Miller’s ‘I Believed It’ Reflects On A Past Lover Who Broke Their Promise

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Every now and then we receive an unexpected collaboration from two or more artists and this new track seems to be one of those. DVSN, Ty Dolla Sign, and the late Mac Miller bring their talents together for their new song, “I Believe It.” It’s a reflective effort that finds the trio looking back on their past with a former lover who broke all the promises they once hoped to keep. Along with the song, DVSN announced a joint project with Ty Dolla Sign is “on the way” in a post to Twitter.

While the song marks the first time the three artists have collaborated on a song, it’s not the first time the individual acts have worked with one of the names on the song. Last year, DVSN recruited Ty Dolla Sign for “Dangerous City” off their third album, A Muse In Their Feelings while Mac Miller worked with Ty Dolla Sign back in 2016 on “Cinderella” from the late rapper’s album, The Divine Feminine. Prior to the song’s release, DVSN and Ty Dolla Sign both shared videos of them working on “I Believed It” with Mac Miller in the studio, confirming that the song was worked on and finished before Mac’s tragic death.

The song comes after DVSN shared a deluxe reissue of A Muse In Their Feelings and weeks after Ty Dolla Sign joined YG and Mozzy in the video for “Vibe With You.” As for Mac Miller, the late rapper has a book on the way comprised of stories from his friends and collaborators.

You can press play on “I Believe It” in the video above.

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

Nas, Freddie Gibbs, And Cordae Reflect On How ‘Life Is Like A Dice Game’

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Three generations of hip-hop’s top technicians come together on “Life Is Like A Dice Game,” a new Nas release from Spotify’s Spotify Singles program in conjunction with the RapCaviar playlist. A&Red by Carl Chery of Spotify and produced by Hit-Boy, the single spawned from Nas’ 1993 sessions for his canon classic debut album Illmatic, where he freestyled the verse but never finished a song for it.

Now, nearly 30 years later, Spotify has completed the song, adding a beat from Hit-Boy and verses from two of Nas’s most clear-cut successors in Freddie Gibbs and Cordae, both elite MCs in their own rights, to finally put the freestyle’s portentous final line — “When I finish the sh*t, it’s going to be a hit” — to the test.

Nas explained how the track came together in a press release, saying, “Spotify pulled out a leak from the 90s that I did eons ago, and asked if I could resurrect it. I can’t remember where I recorded it, or who produced it – maybe Easy Moe Bee, he was killin’ the game at the time! Carl Chery from Spotify suggested we connect with Freddie & Cordae to bring the song new life and I loved it.”

July also marks the 25th anniversary of Nas’ follow-up to Illmatic, the criminally underrated It Was Written, which dropped on July 2 in 1996, as well as the 30th anniversary of Nas’ universally lauded breakout verse on Main Source’s “Live At The Barbecue,” which changed the rap landscape on July 23, 1991.

Listen to Nas’ “Life Is Like A Dice Game” featuring Cordae and Freddie Gibbs below.

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

Brent Faiyaz And Drake Hope The Love Of Their Lives Will Enjoy ‘Wasting Time’ With Them

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From the early moments of his career to today, Drake has always offered a hand in spotlighting acts within the newer generation of both hip-hop and R&B. This includes ASAP Rocky and Kendrick Lamar, who he brought on to headline his 2012 Club Paradise tour before they earned their respective mainstream breakouts within the year that followed. Other names include Jhene Aiko, Migos, Lil Baby, and most recently Yung Bleu. The Toronto rapper’s streak continues with “Wasting Time,” his latest track alongside Brent Faiyaz.

He guests on The Neptunes-produced song that finds the pair pouring out their hearts to a special woman in their lives. While there might be issues in their growing relationship, Brent and Drake still desire to spend their free time with the respective women they have so much love for.

This song arrives after Brent grew to be one of 2020’s most popular R&B acts thanks to his F*ck The World project. The ten-track effort showed a more narcissistic side of the singer, one that often dipped into toxic habits within love. Recently, he’s kept fans happy with singles that include “Gravity” with Tyler The Creator and “Show U Off“.

As for Drake, the rapper continues to make his supporters wait for his upcoming sixth album, Certified Lover Boy. The project was supposed to arrive at the top of the year, but multiple delays have left fans with nothing but its lead single, “Laugh Now Cry Later” with Lil Durk, and hope that it arrives sooner than later.

You can press play on “Wasting Time” in the video above.

Britney Spears’ Request To Have Her Father Removed As Her Co-Conservator Was Denied

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Last month, Britney Spears reportedly had plans to speak with a judge about removing her father as co-conservator. But now, a week after she made her first testimony about her situation, a judge denied her request.

According to TMZ, Britney was not looking to push her other co-conservator, Jodi Montgomery, out of their role as she was satisfied with their work. However, her displeasure with the way her father has handled the conservatorship pushed her to request his removal. Unfortunately for the singer, her father will retain his position, but Bessemer Trust, a financial planning company from Boston, will step in as co-conservator of her finances with Jamie for the time being.

This comes after the singer’s father reportedly said he is not the one restricting her freedoms. According to TMZ, Jamie said he is not in control of things like Britney’s birth control usage and how much time she spends with her boyfriend. He adds that “he has been cut off from communicating with her.” Jamie noted that while he’s in charge of her finances, co-conservator Jodi Montgomery is in charge of her day-to-day decisions and has been for the last two years.

The judge’s denial comes a week after Britney called the conservatorship “abusive” during a hearing about the court-ordered arrangement. “I’ve been in denial,” she admitted. “I’ve been in shock. I am traumatized. I just want my life back.”

G Herbo Recruits 21 Savage, Polo G, Gunna, And More For His Upcoming Album ’25’

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G Herbo is just days away from dropping his second album in as many years. Titled 25, it follows PTSD, released last spring, and he just dropped the tracklist.

Across the project’s 16 songs, which extends to 19 with its bonus tracks, G Herbo calls on Polo G, Lil Tjay, 21 Savage, The Kid Laroi, Gunna, Yosohn, and Rowdy Rebel to assist him. The Chicago rapper first announced the project last week through a video trailer.

In addition to revealing the album’s tracklist, Herbo also sharing a lengthy message on Instagram about the road that led to 25. “I LOST MORE THAN I EVER GAINED BEING IN THE STREETS & STILL NEVER COMPLAINED,” he wrote in part. “NOW THAT I TURNED #25 I JUST GREW A LIL WISER BUT IM STILL JUST AS PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS SH*T & EVERYTHING I BELIEVE IN! I COULD GO ON & ON ABOUT THIS SH*T BUT IM NOT!

You can view the artwork for 25 above and its tracklist below.

1. “I Don’t Wanna Die”
2. “Cry No More” Feat. Polo G & Lil TJay
3. “Stand The Rain”
4. “T.O.P.” Feat. 21 Savage
5. “You Can’t” Feat. Kid Laroi & Gunna
6. “No Jail Time”
7. “Cold World” Feat. Yosohn
8. “Whole Hearts”
9. “2 Chains”
10. “Drill” Feat. Rowdy Rebel
11. “Trenches Know My Name”
12. “Doughboy”
13. “Demands”
14. “Loyalty”
15. “Pray 4 My Enemies”
16. “Turning 25”

BONUS:
17. “Statement”
18. “Really Like That”
19. “Break Yo’self”

25 is out 7/2 via Machine/Epic. Pre-order it here.

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

Drake Teams Up With A Climate-Focused Firm To Reduce His Carbon Footprint

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With much of the country in the midst of an insufferable heatwave, it’s no surprise that the conversation around global warming has returned to the forefront. Many people are doing their best to live as efficiently and cleanly as possible. Among them is Drake, who just teamed up with the climate-focused startup Aspiration in order to reduce and offset his carbon footprint.

“It’s exciting to partner with a company that’s found an easy way to offer everyone the ability to reduce their carbon footprint,” Drake said on Wednesday, according to Complex. “Aspiration’s innovative approach to combating climate change is really inspiring and I hope together we can help to motivate and create awareness.”

The rapper’s manager, Future The Prince, also chimed in with comments of his own. “Drake is a visionary with big ideas,” he said. “I was incredibly fortunate to find him a partner to not only help him realize his personal goals but to inspire others along the way. Drake, Dreamcrew, and I are all super excited about what Aspiration is doing and the possibilities and the road ahead.”

The company announced that through the partnership, they will calculate the carbon footprint of the rapper’s travel and other events — like tours — and use the resulting figure to offset the impact through its reforestation program. Their partnership is also focused on the firm’s Sustainable Impact Services, which uses Aspiration’s proprietary tools and tech in order to help offset carbon footprints.

Lil Nas X Wants His Fans To Stop Trolling Madonna Over Her Reaction To His BET Awards Performance Kiss

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On Sunday, Lil Nas X’s BET Awards performance of his recent hit “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” set social media abuzz with its racy final shot, which evoked comparisons to Madonna’s similar act at the 2003 MTV VMAs from many sources — including Madonna herself. However, Madonna’s lighthearted reminder to fans about Nas’ inspiration wasn’t taken in the spirit in which it was intended by many fans, prompting Nas to put in his two cents on the situation.

In the wake of the awards show kerfuffle, Madonna chimed in on Instagram to post a side-by-side photo comparison of her three-way kiss with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera and Nas’ make-out session with one of his backup dancers, including the tongue-in-cheek caption #diditfirst. Naturally, fans on social media came to Nas’ defense, trolling Madonna for what they saw as stepping on Nas’ moment.

However, Nas, replying to PopCrave’s post about Madonna’s seemingly petty reaction, subtly reminded fans that there’s often more going on behind-the-scenes than they know. “Me and Madonna are friends,” he wrote. “It’s just a joke.”

Meanwhile, much like the song itself (as well as its accompanying music video), the kiss continues to be controversial on social media, with some seeing it as a watershed moment for queer representation in mainstream media and others contending that it represented society’s decaying morals. For his part, Nas has handled the attention with his usual panache, wittily trolling his critics and threatening to up the ante the next time around — time will tell whether that prediction will end up being a joke or not.