Music

Blxst’s ‘No Love Lost’ Tour Sets The Example For Artists Hitting The Road Again

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Getty Image/Ralph Ordaz

I previously wrote about the return of touring for Uproxx’s fall preview of the most anticipated tours in hip-hop. But talking ain’t doing, and I had to get back out there myself after a year away. What I discovered in doing so? We are all a little rusty — artists and fans, both.

But, if you’re going to be a little rusty, Blxst has the blueprint for blowing past those first awkward speed bumps and putting on one hell of a show. Wednesday night at The Observatory in Santa Ana, the local rising star provided a pitch-perfect example for how to return from hiatus, even if you never really got a chance to tour in the first place.

That informed part of my reasoning for choosing Blxst as my own return show. Uproxx was high on the guy since even before the release of his fan-favorite EP, No Love Lost (which is also the title of his current tour — check out his UPROXX Sessions performance). Then, he was chosen as one of XXL‘s 2021 Freshman Class, causing his hype to skyrocket. Yet, even after all that, none of us has ever gotten to see him in tour context because his entire breakthrough happened during a global pandemic that basically shut down the industry.

So, of course, I had to make sure he’s the real deal. But also, going to shows can be overwhelming from the other side too. The Observatory has been pretty trusty for me over the years thanks to its out-of-the-way location (no Hollywood hustle and bustle), relatively cozy floor arrangement (I know my spots to get a good view without getting stepped on), and cheap drinks. I thought it’d be relatively easier to slip back into a groove somewhere I’ve been catching shows since even before it was my job.

That rust, though. For the first time, I actually had anxiety about getting to the venue late (I hate standing in line, so my tendency is to arrive right before the show starts in earnest), what I was going to wear (resolved by my old man tendency to just wear sweats to everything but weddings), and the whole entry rigamarole. I forgot my earplugs. I remembered to bring cash for parking. I give myself a cautious 7/10.

Blxst, meanwhile, saw some room for improvement right at the start of his set, as fans were treated to the sight of a roadie’s desktop while they struggled to switch backdrops from the opener’s simple static graphic to Blxst’s animated reel. However, the mishap may have illustrated Blxst’s greatest strength. While all this was going on behind him, he was actually performing his first song. I don’t think a whole bunch of people noticed the backdrop because the performer himself is so magnetic.

One thing that helped his stellar performance was the fact that No Love Lost is chock full of absolute slappers. “Overrated” got a huge pop, as did “Be Alone,” “Gang Slide,” and “Just Say’n.” He also peppered in joints from his and Bino Rideaux’s joint project Sixtape 2, and some of his more popular features with local acts like 1TakeJay and Kalan.FrFr, both of whom popped out to perform along with him. However, the crowd absolutely roared when Sacramento spitter Mozzy and LA summertime sovereign Dom Kennedy showed up to perform their songs with Blxst (Bino is on his own tour, and more than once I overheard a fellow attendee wish aloud for him to make an appearance).

Another tip for artists preparing to pop out: it helps to launch your tour with a rowdy local show. The young crowd — think early-20s, college-age kids, although The Observatory is an all-ages crowd (always get the mid-week show if you can) — was in his pocket from the jump. We’ve all spent months hearing his music at house parties, on our work/study playlists, and at local mainstays like the Drew League. On some songs, it almost seemed the crowd was doing all the singing for Blxst, although he and his talented backup singer were very impressive.

It’s clear that Blxst has spent time honing his live show, even if he couldn’t actually perform it for anyone yet. And that might be the biggest takeaway from his blueprint: use the time you have to perfect the craft of performing. While it seems a lot of artists throw together a setlist and head out, the long hiatus has, I believe, left fans hungry for more. Honestly, they deserve more. Before the pandemic, my last concert was an absolute yawner simply because it didn’t seem like the artists themselves felt like performing for fans was special. They’d taken it for granted. Blxst, who never got the chance to sing for an appreciative crowd, never did. He made it feel special for all of us — the artist and fans, both.

Tory Lanez Is In ‘Meaningful Discussions’ About A Plea Deal In His Megan Thee Stallion Case

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Rolling Stone reports Toronto rapper Tory Lanez’s defense is in “meaningful discussions” with prosecutors in the Megan Thee Stallion shooting case to work out a plea deal and avoid trial. Kathy Ta, a Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney, told the judge at a hearing for the case Thursday and reiterated to Rolling Stone after, “We’re in possible settlement discussions.” However, she said that if no deal is reached by November 3, then there will be a preliminary hearing in December, and witnesses will start being called.

Lanez’s defense attorney, Shawn Holley, told Rolling Stone in a statement, “As in every case, the lawyers for the parties discuss the possibility of resolving the case. This case is no different. That said, our position as to what did and did not happen in this matter remains unchanged, and [Tory Lanez]’s plea of not guilty stands.”

Tory Lanez is accused of shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the feet as she walked away from him following an argument after a party in Hollywood last summer. Megan was reportedly walking away from Tory’s vehicle when the Toronto rapper opened fire. He was charged in October with felony assault with a semiautomatic firearm and carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 22 years and eight months in prison. Some Megan Thee Stallion fans thought he suffered a major setback in his defense after he cryptically tweeted, “It’s been real,” but it turned out to be his way of getting attention as he began promoting his next album.

Janelle Monáe’s 17-Minute ‘Say Her Name (Hell You Talmbout)’ Features Beyonce, Chloe X Halle, And More

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Janelle Monáe has long used her art to bring attention to issues the world faces, and that’s just what she does on her latest, the 17-minute “Say Her Name (Hell You Talmbout).” The song, released to coincide with International Daughter’s Day on September 26, features the names of women who died at the hands of police brutality: Rekia Boyd, Latasha Walton, Atatiana Jefferson, Kendra James, Priscilla Slater, and many others, over 60 in total.

Monáe recruited a healthy roster of artists to help out with the track: Featured on it are Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Chloe X Halle, Tierra Whack, Brittany Howard, Zoë Kravitz, Prof. Kimberlé Crenshaw, Isis V., Asiahn, Mj Rodriguez, Jovian Zayne, Angela Rye, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Brittany Packnett-Cunningham, and Alicia Garza.

Monáe wrote on Instagram of the song, “We will never forget our SISTERS who have lost their lives to police brutality. Join me, @AAPolicyForum + my sisters this Friday, September 24th in this rally cry as we #SayHerName in honor of #InternationalDaughtersDay.”

As the title suggests, the track is a follow-up to her 2015 single “Hell You Talmbout,” a similarly spirited protest anthem.

Proceeds from the new song will go to The African American Policy Forum (AAPF) and their #SayHerName campaign. On their website, AAPF describes the campaign, “The #SayHerName Campaign is so much more than a hashtag. It is a multi-dimensional campaign centered around the experiences and demonstrated needs of the #SayHerName Mothers Network — mothers, sisters, and families who have lost daughters to police violence.”

Listen to “Say Her Name (Hell You Talmbout)” above.

Rihanna Fires James Corden As Her Assistant On ‘The Late Late Show’

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Rihanna is gearing up for her upcoming Savage X Fenty fashion show, and during the lead-up, she took time to indulge James Corden, who took over as her assistant for a Late Late Show segment. Corden didn’t do much actual assisting, as he was more focused on doing gags and kind of just being a nuisance.

He did manage to gather some insight on the show, though, like when Rihanna told him it takes months to put it together. She continued, “I’m really impressed by what my team and I have been able to put together, especially off a pandemic. So many restrictions, so many rules and boundaries.” Rihanna then trailed off as she noticed a Corden headshot had been added to a board of the show’s models and broke out into laughter.

Corden later asked Rihanna about the inclusivity of the show, and Rihanna said, “That’s all that I ride on. That’s my bottom line. My foundation is built on inclusivity, not just because it’s a thing. That’s a thing because people are making it a thing, right? But I only know my household, my childhood, my mom. She’s a Black woman with curves: I don’t know anything else. So when I make something, I’d be an idiot to want to exclude anyone. I don’t care what size you are, what race you are, what religion you come from: I want you to feel like you’re represented here.”

Ultimately, at the end of the segment, Rihanna understandably fired Corden given the poor job he had done throughout the day.

Check out the clip above.

BIA’ Bilingual Flaunts Her International Appeal With Help From G Herbo On ‘Besito’

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BIA’s rise to stardom has been an impressive thing to watch over the past year and the Massachusetts-born rapper continues her streak with help from G Herbo for their new collaboration “Besito.” The track sees BIA flaunt her bilingual rap skills by switching back and forth between English and Spanish bars about her ability to draw attention no matter where she is. G Herbo arrives with a verse of his own that shows love to the special lady in his life while he flexes some muscle of his own.

BIA’s newest release comes after Nicki Minaj joined her for a remix of her breakout hit, “Whole Lotta Money.” The remix was preceded by the rappers speaking about the new version of the song and how it came together during a joint Instagram Live. The song grew to be so popular that a store’s sold out their collection of Bottega Veneta heels, the luxury brand that BIA raps about on the song. BIA was amused by the situation and shared a tweet about it, writing, “Not the store clerk at Bottega saying the heels are sold out bc of the song.”

“Besito” comes ahead of the deluxe reissue of BIA’s debut project, For Certain next month. The update comes with six new songs that include “Besito” and the “Whole Lotta Money” remix with Nicki Minaj. Herbo and Minaj will join Lil Durk, Lil Jon, Doe Boy, and 42 Dugg as guest acts on the project.

You can press play on BIA’s new song in the video above.

For Certain (Deluxe) is out 10/22 via Epic Records. Pre-order it here.

Giveon Strives For A Single Moment Of Intimacy On The Emotive ‘For Tonight’

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After putting up an impressive year thanks to his 2020 EPs Take Time and When It’s All Said And Done, Giveon is back in action with his very strong single, “For Tonight.” The track is quote the emotive release as it finds the Long Beach native pleading for a brief moment of intimacy with a special love in his life. Despite his pleas, the singer’s partner seems skeptical towards opening up to Giveon as their concerns lie with what the future holds for the couple. Giveon asks them to focus on the present while allowing the future to take care of itself.

The track comes after Giveon repackaged his Take Time and When It’s All Said And Done EPs into one project titled When It’s All Said And Done… Take Time and the re-release came with “All To Me,” a lustful addition to the singer’s project. Giveon also earned his first No. 1 track thanks to his guest appearance on Justin Bieber’s “Peaches” with Daniel Caesar. Other highlights from the past year for Giveon include his appearance on NPR’s Tiny Desk, a video for “Still Your Best,” and his debut on daytime TV with a performance of “Heartbreak Anniversary” on Ellen.

You can press play on Giveon’s new single in the video above.

Run The Jewels Team Up With Lil Wayne For A Raucous ‘Ooh La La’ Remix

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I can’t write a better intro than the one Lil Wayne drops on Run The Jewels’ nuclear bomb from last year, “Ooh La La.” Weezy comes out swinging, landing haymaker after haymaker in a verse stuffed with electrifying, face-scrunching rhymes. If it seemed like Lil Wayne would feel out of place on a track with the anti-establishment Run The Jewels rappers El-P and Killer Mike, he lays those fears to rest near instantly.

The remix is one of the new tracks appearing on the newly released deluxe edition of RTJ4, which also adds a new mix of “JU$T” with Pharrell and Zack De La Rocha, the Royal Blood remix of “The Ground Below,” and the rebellious rap duo’s Cyberpunk 2077 soundtrack contribution, “No Save Point.” There are also instrumental versions of all the songs on the original album, giving fans a chance to try to rhyme like Lil Wayne over favorites like “Walking In The Snow” and “A Few Words For The Firing Squad.”

RTJ4, which El-P and Mike dropped at the height of the pandemic quarantines, was eventually tabbed as one of 2020’s best albums. They’ll be touring the project with Rage Against The Machine beginning in 2022.

Listen to Run The Jewels’ “Ooh La La” remix with Lil Wayne above.

Joyner Lucas And J. Cole Reflect On Their Wrongs In Love On ‘Your Heart’

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Joyner Lucas is on a streak of quality collaborations with popular names in the hip-hop world and the Massachusetts rapper’s latest example of that finds him beside J. Cole. The duo finds magic with “Your Heart,” on which the rappers admit to their wrongs in past relationships, which often left their past partner brokenhearted and hurt by the actions of Lucas or Cole. Both rappers use maturity and wisdom to criticize their wrongdoings while sympathizing with the person they hurt.

The song arrives after Lucas was at the center of one of the biggest stories in the past week. He accused well-known marketing strategist Karen Civil of stealing $60,000 from him nearly a decade ago after he reached out to her with the help of getting help for his aspiring rap career. Lucas fired off the accusations in a series of tweets and even went back and forth with Civil during a discussion about the matter on Clubhouse.

“My son was on the way and you stole 60k from me before I got in the game @KarenCivil,” Lucas wrote in a tweet. “I hired you as a consultant and below attached was the memo you sent me. I was desperate for help and you knew that. After you was paid you went ghost and didn’t expect me to pop. here I am.”

You can press play on the track in the video above.

Gunna And Future’s ‘Too Easy’ Is A Hard-Hitting Flex About Their Riches

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Gunna is getting closer and closer to releasing his latest album, Drip Season 4. He began the rollout for the project last month by sharing “9 Times Outta 10” with producer Taurus. The Atlanta rapper continues the promotional run for his next project by releasing “Too Easy” with Future. The track is a hard-hitting flex from the rappers about the riches and success they’ve attained in their respective careers. “Too Easy” arrives as a sign of what’s to come on Drip Season 4 and it remains to be seen when that project will arrive.

The song marks the rappers’ first collaboration since they teamed up for “Street Sweeper” last year. It also arrives after Gunna was honored in his hometown of Atlanta for his charitable efforts in the city. South Fulton Mayor William “Bill” Edwards announced September 16 as Gunna Day in Atlanta and had nothing but nice words for the rapper during a ceremony for the honor.

“Gunna is committed to giving back to the community that raised him, buffered him, sheltered him, and supported him by creating Gunna’s Drip Closet and Goodr Grocery Store, which is set to provide students of McNair Middle School with access to free meals, clothing, and toiletries for years to come,” Edwards said in a speech.

You can press play on the new track in the video.

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

Latto Switches Lanes And Arrives With ‘Big Energy’ On Her Dance-Ready Single

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Without a doubt, Latto was one of the highlight rappers to make her presence known in 2020. The Atlanta native made her mark with her inclusion in the 2020 XXL Freshman class and with the release of her major-label debut album, Queen Of Da Souf. However, with a new year comes new goals and new levels to reach and so far in 2021, Latto seems to be right on track towards achieving that. Months removed from a name change, the rapper returns with her latest single, “Big Energy,” a track that had fans requesting its release due to its uniqueness.

Latto’s newest release takes a step away from her usual hard-hitting strip club-friendly tracks as she opts to show off her versatility with the new dance-ready single. The song’s release comes after the rapper teased it during a brief performance during this month’s 2021 MTV VMAs. Prior to that set, Latto teased the song on social media which led to her fans repeatedly asking for its release and after a bit of a wait, the song is finally here for them to enjoy.

“Big Energy” arrives after Latto teamed up with Toosii for the video to their “5’5′” collaboration. Before that, she linked with Don Toliver and Lil Durk for a visual to “Fast Lane” from the F9 soundtrack.

Press play on Latto’s new track in the video above.