Music

Meek Mill Celebrates His ‘Expensive Pain’ Album With Videos For ‘On My Soul’ And ‘Intro (Hate On Me)’

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For the better part of the last three years, fans of Meek Mill have patiently waited for a new album from the rapper and thankfully, the Philly native delivered just that. Expensive Pain is here for fans to enjoy, and along with the new batch of songs, Meek came through with two new videos for tracks off the album. The first is for “On My Soul,” a song laced with the rapper’s autotuned vocals that delivering brief stories about life’s hardships with the promise that these anecdotes are nothing but the truth.

The visual captures Meek in his natural state as he posts up in the studio and enjoys a ride around the city on dirtbikes and ATVs. A number of notable faces like Jay-Z, Swizz Beatz, Bobby Shmurda, Lil Uzi Vert, EST Gee, and more also appear in the video. A short time later, Meek returned with a second visual, this time for the album’s opening track, “Intro (Hate On Me).” This video is similarly shot as it captures Meek outside with his crew, but the song’s content provides a different atmosphere for it. Contrary to the introspection the rapper displays with “On My Soul,” Meek opts for a flashy and boastful tone on “Intro (Hate On Me),” which makes for an ideal introduction track for the rapper’s new album.

Expensive Pain comes complete with 18 tracks and guest appearances from Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Kehlani, ASAP Ferg, Moneybagg Yo, Giggs, Young Thug, Vory, Lil Uzi Vert, and Brent Faiyaz.

You can watch both videos above.

Expensive Pain is out now video Maybach Music Group/Atlantic Records. Get it here.

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

Tems Made Her Late Night Debut With A Performance Of ‘Avoid Things’ On ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’

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After a massive feature on WizKid’s near-perfect “Essence” from his album Made In Lagos, Nigerian singer Tems is coming into her own. A remix of that song, which many considered to be a song of the summer in 2020, featured none other than Justin Bieber. Whenever an artist gets a co-sign like that, it definitely helps the rest of the world notice them.

The Lagos-born musician was also featured on Drake’s Certified Lover Boy for the track “Fountains” and was recently featured as one Apple’s Up Next artists. Needless to say she’s on a bit of a roll, and part of her tear of breakout moves includes an appearance on late night.

She performed “Avoid Things” on Jimmy Kimmel Live, a song off her new EP If Orange Was A Place, which came out just a few weeks ago. “I am excited for everything the future holds,” she said recently in a press release. “My team and I have been working really hard over the years, now we’re in a new season and on a higher level and things can only get better as we reach more people all over the world.”

Check out her late night appearance above and expect to see a lot more from this artist in the future.

Bino Rideaux And Roddy Ricch Offer A Stern Warning Towards Betrayal On ‘Lemme Find Out’

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Bino Rideaux and Roddy Ricch are noteworthy West Coast rappers of today’s generation in their own rights. Roddy has worked with a number of popular names in the music world while delivering a critically-acclaimed debut album, that being Please Excuse Me For Beng Antisocial, as well a chart-topping hit song with “The Box.” On the flip side, Bino has progressed upward in his own career thanks to his 2020 project, Outside, as well as her sharp work with fellow West Coaster Blxst on their joint projects Sixtape and Sixtape 2. After a couple of years of hustling on their own, Bino and Roddy join forces for a brand new track.

“Lemme Find Out” is the duo’s first collaboration together and it’s one that finds them hinting at harsh consequences for those who dare to cross them. The duo also uses the track to make a move on the respective women that have caught their attention. “These n****s fraud, let me find out / Put this on your tongue, bet you’ll find out,” Bino raps. Roddy arrives for a second verse and adds, I’m that n**** that’s been standin’ ten toes for a whole / Your main n**** been doin’ you too wrong for a while.”

The track arrives after Bino connected with King Combs for “No Makeup” last month. He also delivered visuals for a trio of collaborations with Blxst, those being “Pop Out,” “One Of Them Ones,” and “Movie.” As for Roddy, he released his first solo single in almost two years with “Late At Night.” He also hinted that his sophomore album could be titled Live Life Fast thanks to a cryptic Instagram post.

You can press play on the new track above.

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

T-Pain And Kehlani Recruit BIA For An Additional Dose Of Confident Flavor On Their ‘I Like Dat’ Remix

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After pushing through his Instagram DM debacle earlier this year, T-Pain got to work in fulfilling requests from artists to collaborate, all of which he missed out on over the past couple of years. Furthermore, the singer called on some acts to work with him, one of them being Kehlani. Earlier this year the two united for “I Like Dat” and it’s a record that’s grown to be one of the more popular releases from the past few months. The duo now looks to give it an extra boost by calling on rising rapper BIA to remix the song.

The remix to “I Like Dat” is BIA’s latest spotlight in 2021 and for this occasion, the Massachusetts-bred rapper shows out. The remix comes after she teamed up with G Herbo for “Besito,” a track that’s set to appear on the upcoming deluxe reissue of her debut project, For Certain, which she released last year. “I Like Dat” is not the only song that BIA has remixed this year. Back in July, she teamed up with Nicki Minaj for a fresh version of her viral hit song, “Whole Lotta Money.” The remix came equipped with new verses from the rappers, with both of them briefly rapping back and forth at one point.

You can vibe out to the new remix in the video above.

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

Jay-Z’s Closing Track On ‘Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter’ Was Inspired By Dr. Dre’s ‘The Chronic’

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Later this year, Jay-Z will celebrate the 22nd anniversary of his fourth album Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter. The 15-track body of work is highlighted by records like “Big Pimpin” with UGK, “Do It Again (Put Ya Hands Up)” with Amil and Beanie Sigel, and “Jigga My N****.”

During a recent episode of the New Rory & Mal podcast, The Alchemist and former Roc-A-Fella Records A&R Kyambo “Hip-Hop” Joshua, who were guests on the show, reflected on Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter while Joshua revealed what one of Jay-Z’s inspirations was for the album.

Joshua noted that the closing song on Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter, which packages “Hova Song (Outro),” “Jigga My N****,” and “Girl’s Best Friend,” was inspired by the outro track on Dr. Dre’s 1992 album, The Chronic.

“I remember with The Chronic, ‘B*tchs Ain’t Sh*t was on the album and it wasn’t on the credits,” Joshua said. “I remember a n**** playing it in school and I’m like, ‘I can hear it, but I can never find it!’ They were like, ‘Nah, you just gotta let the album play.’”

Rory stepped in and added, “When y’all put Vol. 3 out, I remember the next day in school everyone was like, ‘Yo, did you let that outro rock? There’s three more records!’” Joshua replied straightforwardly, saying, “I did it strictly because of that, because of The Chronic.”

Jay and Dre have worked together on a number of occasions with the latter appearing on “Watch Me” from Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter. Jay-Z was also responsible for Dre’s verse on his popular record, “Still D.R.E.” Most recently, Jay’s Roc Nation imprint was responsible for recruiting Dre, along with Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar, as performers for the Super Bowl LVI halftime show in February 2022.

You can watch the episode of New Rory & Mal with The Alchemist and Kyambo “Hip-Hop” Joshua above.

Ray J Started Trending On Social Media After Some Fans Realized He’s Brandy’s Brother

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It’s a beautiful thing when the internet is used for good. Like helping the world learn something new, for example, rather than for negative things like cyberbullying and stan culture. An example of the former came on Thursday when a fan learned that singers Ray J and Brandy are siblings. It’s a fact that many people already knew, but better late than never to learn about it. That fan’s tweet likely came after Ray J got a tattoo of his sister’s artist logo, but their comments quickly went viral as some also learned something new as a result of it.

Others used it as an opportunity to reflect on Ray J’s biggest media moments and to remind people about the things the singer accomplished in his career.

One person recalled Ray J’s infamous interview with Complex where he claimed his Bunny Eyez glasses were indestructible, something that Complex’s Speedy Gonzalez proved incorrect just moments later during the sit-down. Another fan brought back a 2015 interview with Vince Staples on HOT 97 where the rapper asked for respect to be placed on the singer’s name due to the many things he’s accomplished in his career.

On the flip side, a number of fans had fed up reactions to people just learning that Ray J and Brandy are siblings. “I think I’m to old for Twitter because users are just now finding out that Brandy and Ray J are siblings & I’ve never been more confused on how someone can not know that,” one person wrote. Another person echoed a similar message, writing, “The fact Ray J is trending bcz people didn’t know him and Brandy are siblings is mind blowing.”

You can read more tweets about Ray J below.

Lizzo’s Ted Talk On The History Of Twerking Is Everything You Hoped It Would Be And More

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Lizzo has been one of the most vocal proponents of body positivity in pop music in recent memory. As a Black woman of size, she’s been very open about the cultural pressures she’s faced, not only growing up, but even after making it as a global star. So, she took it upon herself to help share the history of twerking with the world, since this ass-shaking dance also represents a major component in her own acceptance of herself. In the talk, she lets fans know that her butt was her least favorite part of her own body, and that embracing twerking was what helped her see it as a positive.

But she also wants to be clear about the rich twerking of history, which was derived from Black people and culture, with a direct parallel to West African dances like mapouka. As Lizzo explains, the dance was carried over to America through the transatlantic slave trade, and she traces it from Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith to Josephine Baker and more. “Black people will not be erased from the history, the creation, and the innovation of twerking,” she asserts. And it’s definitely stars like Lizzo that will make sure this history remains intact. Check out the full talk above.

Burna Boy And Polo G ‘Want It All’ In Their Cinematic Collaboration

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Afropop sensation Burna Boy is on a tear. Not only does he have an upcoming headlining set at the Hollywood Bowl — as the first African artist to ever do so — but he’s steadily been dropping a stream of new music that continues to buoy him past the success of his Grammy-winning album, Twice As Tall. Today’s latest actually features one of his most high-profile collaborations to date, with none other than Polo G joining him on the yearning “Want It All.”

In the video for the collaboration, the two artists take turns flexing about their recent accomplishments, recollecting how hard things used to be, and facing up to the pressure that their current success has created. Of course, Polo G is a rising Chicago rapper who is riding high off the success of his No. 1 album, Hall Of Fame, and just announced his own headlining tour in support of it.

Speaking on the collab, Burna said he’s had his eye on Polo for a minute, and was looking forward to working together. “I’ve been watching him for some time, and I just knew this had to get done, but it had to get done in the perfect way where the whole world gets to feel the reality of both of us,” he said. Check out the video above as both artists bask in the glow.

Wale And J. Cole Reunite On The J Dilla-Sampling ‘Poke It Out’

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Wale and J. Cole are a match made in hip-hop heaven, proving as much once again on their J Dilla-sampling new single, “Poke It Out.” The two former XXL Freshmen continue their long history of bringing out the best in each other on their smooth new jam, which interpolates the Jay Dee-produced beat from 1999 debut solo single “Vivrant Thing.”

The original was a huge hit in its own right, giving Q-Tip his highest-charting single to date; Wale and Cole’s version, produced by Cool & Dre, updates the lyrics but keeps a similar theme, letting the two rappers praise the beauty of a female companion with their usual slick, wordplay-laden rhymes. The two also shout out female rappers Coi Leray and Megan Thee Stallion as a way of touting their broad and inclusive tastes.

The single is the latest from Wale’s upcoming album Folarin II, which he also announced is set for release on October 22 through Warner Records. So far, he’s released a pair of other singles: “Angles” and the Mike Jones-sampling “Down South” featuring Texans Maxo Kream and Yella Beezy. From the singles released so far, it appears Wale’s latest album will pay homage to classic hip-hop as he parallels his legacy with those of his musical heroes in his ongoing efforts to prove himself one of the greatest rappers of all time.

Listen to “Poke It Out” above and pre-order Folarin II, out 10/22 on Warner Records, here.

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