Music

Chance The Rapper Is Bringing A Free Weekly Literacy Event To Chicago

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In the midst of all the horrible news this industry generates about hip-hop — the violence, ignorance, misogyny, and casual homophobia of it all — it’s nice to get some good news once in a while. To that end, Chance The Rapper is set to bring a free literacy event to his hometown, Saturday’s Books & Breakfast.

Living up to its title, the program will offer free books and free breakfast to attendees, as well as free family portraits. Designed for young children between the ages of three and eight, the events will run weekly on the South and West Sides, including sites in Englewood, Garfield Park, North Lawndale, and West Chatham. You can find more information here.

Chance has always been community-focused, and recently, he’s been returning to his efforts to give back. Most recently, he headlined the LA-based COVID-19 service event 1DayLA alongside his “Holy” collaborator Justin Bieber, helping the event “organize beautification projects, back-to-school events, free medical clinics, homeless assistance, and aid distribution.”

Meanwhile, you begin catching him live again sooner rather than later, as editing his concert film Magnificent Coloring World has made The Rapper “super thirsty” to start performing as well. You can catch the film in theaters in August.

BTS Cover Diddy And Faith Evans’ ‘I’ll Be Missing You’ In The BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge

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BTS has been achieving milestone after milestone lately, and now they’ve just tallied another one: The group had their first BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge performance today. They performed two of their own songs — “Dynamite” and “Permission To Dance” — and as is tradition, they also did a cover. The group chose “I’ll Be Missing You,” the classic single from Puff Daddy (now known as Diddy) and Faith Evans.

According to BBC Radio 1 presenter Adele Roberts (via Metro), Suga’s Korean rap on the song translates to:

“We’re now used to our routines taken away
But still can’t give up living on
We’re more worn out because we don’t know where this ends
We’re an island we made ourselves because we couldn’t trust each other
Hope an end comes for this tiring pandemic virus
Negative thoughts can sometimes be a minus
I knew it wasn’t the end so I couldn’t say bye
When that day comes, will say ‘hi’ like nothing happened. […]
I hate this world, our traces became memories
I just empty my mind, trust without conditions
I fill it every day with just loneliness
Not like the longing that encircles me
We miss you, baby
Whenever it may be
Here’s hoping we meet again, I promise.”

The group said of the performance, “It’s been almost two years we haven’t seen the ARMYs. It’s like 700 days and it’s the first time ever because sometimes we meet them three times, twice a day, and now it’s been a year or so. We miss all of you, BBC, Armys, everyone abroad
and in Korea, too. It’s kind of like a message to all of you.”

Ahead of the performance, Roberts said in a press release (as Consequence notes), “[BTS] have been so passionate, so supportive, and have hoped for a Radio 1 Live Lounge since the first time we played the band. Four years later, BTS have broken records, barriers, and boundaries. That dream is now going to be a reality. I’m beyond excited for us to finally be hosting the biggest boy band in the world!”

Watch BTS cover “I’ll Be Missing You” above and find their “Dynamite” and “Permission To Dance” performances below.

The Kid Laroi Expands His Debut Mixtape For A Third Time With The New ‘F*ck Love 3+: Over You’

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The Kid Laroi’s F*ck Love mixtape is a gift that keeps on giving. It was originally released in the summer of 2020 in a modest 15-track, 30-minute format. A deluxe edition later that year, titled F*ck Love (Savage), added some more tracks, which was followed just last week by F*ck Love 3: Over You, another expanded edition of the album. Now, the Australian rapper/singer is back with yet another addition to the album, this time dubbed F*ck Love 3+: Over You.

This version of the album adds six new songs — “I Don’t Know,” “About You,” “Lonely And F*cked Up,” “Situation,” “Attention,” and “Best For Me” — and bumps the mixtape’s total track count to 35 with a runtime of an hour and 18 minutes. While previous addendums to the album introduced songs with new featured artists — most notably the Justin Bieber collaboration “Stay” from F*ck Love 3: Over You — all of the song added via F*ck Love 3+: Over You feature Laroi unaccompanied.

Laroi wrote of the project on social media, “6 NEW SONGS OUT NOW!!!!! F*CK LOVE 3+!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU FAMILY. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.”

Stream F*ck Love 3+: Over You below.

F*ck Love 3+: Over You is out now via Columbia Records.

Irritated Fans Removed DaBaby From Dua Lipa’s ‘Levitating’ Remix And Added Megan Thee Stallion Instead

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Due to the fact that DaBaby keeps engaging in strange behavior like spouting off homophobic nonsense, and collaborating with Tory Lanez, the rapper who is trying to gaslight Megan Thee Stallion about their violent altercation that led to her getting shot last year, fans are quickly turning on the North Carolina breakout star. They’re turning so fast, in fact, that a new mashup replaces him on the remix of Dua Lipa’s hit single “Levitating” with a verse from Megan instead.

Since Dua and Megan themselves let us know they can’t wait to collaborate, fans took matters into their own hands and forced the issue. Some internet geniuses slapped Megan’s verse from her Phony PPL collaboration, “Fkn Around,” into the breaks where DaBaby’s verse formerly existed. They even went so far as to graft clips of Megan in the “Fkn Around” video into the “Levitating” visuals. When I tell you that the next generation has me in awe at least once a week! Check out the new fan-made clip, along with the original remix version below, so you can see how seamless the new version is. Above, I’ve also included the original Phony PPL song, because it’s also incredible and underrated. The internet, man, it’s the gift that keeps on giving.

42 Dugg Is The ‘Turnest N**** In The City’ In His Jittery New Video

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The Collective Music Group takeover continues with 42 Dugg’s “Turnest N**** In The City” video. Like other recent videos from Yo Gotti’s label like EST Gee’s “Price Tag” and Moneybagg Yo’s “Wockesha,” it features straightforward images of the rapper performing interspersed with computer effects like freeze frames, cutouts, and visual effects. Yo Gotti makes his customary cameos as well, while 42 Dugg shows off his money and jewelry on a yacht, surrounded by women.

42 Dugg is jointly signed to both Yo Gott’s CMG and Lil Baby’s 4PF after impressing both rappers with his 11241 Wayburn mixtape in 2018 and broke out in the mainstream after appearing on Lil Baby’s My Turn album on the songs “Grace” and “We Paid.” Earlier this year, he released his song “4 Da Gang” with Roddy Ricch, gaining even more momentum — momentum which culminated in his selection to the 2021 XXL Freshman List alongside fellow Michigan rapper DDG, Pooh Sheisty, and more. He further distinguished himself with his verse in the XXL Freshman Cypher, closing out a session including Flo Milli and Rubi Rose. The added exposure makes now the perfect time to turn up the promotion on his May mixtape, Free Dem Boyz, and build on the hard work that he’s put in — which is finally paying off.

Watch 42 Dugg’s “Turnest N**** In The City” video above.

Free Dem Boyz is out now on CMG and 4PF.

DaBaby Responds To The Criticism Of His Homophobic Comments At Rolling Loud

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After being criticized online for making homophobic comments during his Rolling Loud set this weekend, DaBaby has responded to fans’ disapproval. Unfortunately, anyone looking for contrition, empathy, or understanding from the North Carolina rapper had better look elsewhere, as instead of acknowledging the harm, he went on a defensive tirade, telling observers “it’s not y’all business” on his Instagram Story.

In his “explanation,” he insists that his words were taken out of context and “twisted up.” More important to him is that “the show is for the n****s that paid the money and took the time out they life to come enjoy the show.” He reiterates his original words and asserts that “all the lights went up… ’cause even my gay fans don’t got AIDS” and that they “ain’t nasty n****s” or “junkies.”

DaBaby came under fire for delivering a call-and-response during his set in which he said, ““If you didn’t show up today with HIV, AIDS, any of them deadly sexual transmitted diseases that make you die in two or three weeks, then put your cell phone light in the air.” He implored, “If you ain’t suck a n****’s dick in the parking lot, put your cell phone light in the air.”

Many pointed out the misinformation contained in his statement — neither HIV nor any other STDs can kill you “in two or three weeks” — and how repeating harmful stereotypes reinforces them, but it appears their concerns fell on deaf ears. Meanwhile, DaBaby has yet to address the criticism he also received as a result of bringing out Tory Lanez to perform with him after he performed his collaborations with Megan Thee Stallion, who Tory is accused of shooting in her feet.

You can see DaBaby’s response above.

Vince Staples Says Mac Miller Refused To Take Royalties For Their Collaborative ‘Stolen Youth’ Mixtape

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Back in 2013, Vince Staples and Mac Miller released a collaborative mixtape called Stolen Youth, which was entirely produced by Miller under the pseudonym Larry Fisherman. Now, Staples has revealed a touching anecdote about the late rapper, who died in 2018, saying that he refused to accept royalties from the project.

In an interview on N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN’s Drink Champs podcast, Staples said that Miller had creatively inspired him when the two were initially introduced by Earl Sweatshirt. “I wasn’t really making music at that time,” Staples said. “Earl had came back and I was just you know moving around with him making sure you know he was straight and shit. And I introduced myself to [Mac] and he was like, ‘I know who you are why don’t you make beats or whatever, why don’t you make music,’ and I say, ‘I don’t got no beats and he’s like, ‘Aight, I’m making some beats come over here on Friday,’ and then that’s how we ended up making music and being cool.”

Staples continued, talking about going on tour with Miller and how “he didn’t want no publishing.”

“He said, ‘If you make a million dollars buy me a S-Class Benz or something like that,’ the whole project [Stolen Youth] he gave me ownership of it. He just said, if you if you make a gang of money, just give me like a S-Class — and then took me on the road and paid for my room and board and still paid me. So yeah, you know that was the homie.”

Watch Staples’ interview above.

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

Kanye West Is In Fact Hunkered Down At Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium To Finish ‘Donda’

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As you no doubt have heard, Kanye West threw a massive Donda listening session last Thursday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, though the rapper did not end up releasing the album the next day, as had been promised. Now we know for sure that Kanye is camping out at the Atlanta stadium to put the finishing touches on the album, according to a stadium rep, who confirmed the news to Rolling Stone. Likewise, various media outlets, such as Rolling Stone and Pitchfork, have confirmed that the new release date for Donda will be August 6.

The August 6 date had already been circulating, with media personality Justin Laboy and Kanye collaborator Malik Yusef posting about the August release date last week. TMZ also reported an August 6 release date. As noted above, Donda had been slated to come out on Friday, July 23, via G.O.O.D. Music and Def Jam Recordings.

Over the weekend, TMZ reported that Kanye had essentially moved into the Atlanta stadium to put the finishing touches on Donda. The publication said that “sources with direct knowledge” told them that he and his teamed had created a makeshift studio space and living quarters in the stadium. The rapper even hired a chef to prepare meals for him and his team.

For those who did attend the Atlanta event, which was streamed on Apple Music (and broke streaming records), audiences got to hear a Kanye reunion with Jay-Z, plus album guest spots from Pop Smoke, Travis Scott, Pusha T, Baby Keem, Lil Baby, Lil Durk, and others. Donda, which is named for Kanye’s mother, also features a track called “No Child Left Behind,” which showed up in a new Beats ad starring US track star Sha’Carri Richardson.

Donda is out 8/6 via G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam Recordings.

DaBaby’s Rolling Loud Set Included A Bizarre, Homophobic Rant About HIV/AIDs

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DaBaby’s set at Rolling Loud Miami was an eventful one, prompting no less than three viral moments. In one, a mascot costume turned out to be occupied by Tory Lanez, incensing Megan Thee Stallion fans who thought DaBaby was showing disloyalty to the rapper who delivered him several hit collaborations in favor of her alleged abuser. That instance may or may not have led to the next, in which DaBaby dodged a dirty shoe flung his way by a fan in attendance.

But the last one might be the most bizarre. In between two songs, DaBaby tried for a call-and-response hype moment but apparently caught up in trying to encourage fans to count their blessings, he inadvertently shamed an entire community of people who already have to live under a stigma. “If you didn’t show up today with HIV, AIDs, any of them deadly sexual transmitted diseases that make you die in two or three weeks, then put your cell phone light in the air,” he said.

But then he made it worse, doubling down with a homophobic statement. “Fellas, if you ain’t suck a n****’s dick in the parking lot, put your cell phone light in the air.” There’s no generous way to put that one… it’s just outright homophobic, and fans are calling him out on Twitter. Check out their responses below.

Cardi B Responds To Accusations Of ‘Queerbaiting’ In Normani’s ‘Wild Side’ Video

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As usual, new music from Cardi B means lots of huge reactions from fans and critics. While the overall response to Normani’s “Wild Side” video, which features a cameo from Cardi B, is positive, accusations of the two female artists “queerbaiting” with their naked dance scene have begun to pop up. On Friday, Rolling Stone posted about the phenomena of queerbaiting, which is when a straight artist engages in queer romantic or sexual behavior to “bait” queer audiences purely for commercial gain. It can be harmful because it continues to play into the lack of representation for queer audiences by capitalizing on that desire.

But the accusations can also be off base, because interrogating someone’s sexual identity simply because of clothing or dancing in a music video is invasive and harmful, too. That was part of Cardi B’s response to the accusations that were leveled for the “Wild Side” scene, where she was naked, primarily to help hide the growing baby bump. She hadn’t publicly disclosed her second pregnancy at the time the video was shot.

“Uuummmm @RollingStone queer baiting?” Cardi wrote on Twitter. “You do know we was trying to hide a whole baby bump right ?Also I’m married to a man but I have express soo much about my bisexuality and my experiences wit girls. All of a sudden ‘queer baiting’ is the new word & people use it to the ground !”

She followed that initial response up with some more thoughts: “I don’t like this new ‘queer baiting’ word. I feel like it pressure artist to talk about their sexuality or their experiences that they don’t feel comfortable speaking about. If a artist kiss a girl on a video does that means she gotta show videos & text wit wit other women?”

Check out the “Wild Side” video above and decide for yourself.