Music

Ed Sheeran Doesn’t Think 50 Cent Knew Who He Was Even After They Collaborated

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During a guest spot on the latest episode of “Hot Ones,” a very red-faced Ed Sheeran recounted a funny story about his collaboration with Eminem and 50 Cent on 2019’s “Remember The Name.” Apparently — and Sheeran says the rapper may refute this if asked — Sheeran was pretty sure that 50 Cent didn’t know who Sheeran was, even after they had worked together.

“If you were to go into my school and go, at the height of Shady Records, at the height of Aftermath [Entertainment], and go, ‘Which one of these kids is gonna do a song with Eminem and 50 Cent?’ No one would’ve guessed me,” joked Sheeran between bites of wings doused in hot sauce. “50 will probably disagree with this,” he continued, referencing the time they were both present at Wembley Stadium in the UK, “[but] I don’t think 50 had a f*cking clue who I was. I think afterwards he was like, ‘Oh, the ‘Shape Of You’ guy!’”

“Remember The Name” was part of the singer-songwriter’s fourth studio album, No.6 Collaborations Project, which also featured collaborations with Justin Bieber, Camila Cabello, Travis Scott, Stormzy, Bruno Mars, Young Thug, and more. At the time of release, Sheeran joked with BBC Radio One about the song’s rapped line “I was born a misfit / Grew up 10 miles from the town of Ipswich” and how it was unlikely that Eminem “would know where Ipswitch is.”

Watch Sheeran’s “Hot Ones” interview in full above, and listen to him tell the 50 Cent story at 11:55 into the video.

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

Goon Des Garcons Swaggers Through A Cocky ‘UPROXX Sessions’ Performance Of ‘Clanks’

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Sometimes, you can tell an artist is good just from their name alone. That’s the impression I got upon seeing the title “Goon Des Garcons,” and I am proud to inform you that he lives right up to that expectation with his UPROXX Sessions performance of “Clanks.”

The cleverly named rapper is a recent Los Angeles transplant by way of small-town Arkansas, signed to Def Jam, and tapped in with underground fan favorites like Fredo Bang, Landstrip Chip, and Reese Laflare. Musically, he takes plenty of inspiration from Kanye adherents like Kid Cudi and Travis Scott, but with the rebellious sonic proclivities of wavemakers like Tyler The Creator and the artists influenced by him such as Kevin Abstract and AG Club. It’s energetic and confident, yet down-to-earth and just quirky enough to stand apart from the pack. Stay tuned, because something tells me you’ll be seeing this name a lot more often very soon.

Watch Goon Des Garcons’ cocky performance of “Clanks” for UPROXX Sessions above.

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.

Lil Baby Was Reportedly Arrested In Paris For Marijuana Possession While James Harden Was Frisked

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Lil Baby was reportedly arrested for marijuana possession today in Paris, according to French newspaper Le Parisien. The rapper was traveling with his friend, NBA superstar James Harden, who was not arrested. The duo was in Paris for Fashion Week, with coverage prompting fans on Twitter to coin the moniker “Le Baby” in reference to a French reporter’s pronunciation of the rapper’s moniker. However, it appears the fun and games came to a halt as local police searched the rapper’s vehicle, which they claimed: “smelled strongly of cannabis.”

Police reportedly discovered 20 grams of marijuana in the car, leading to three arrests. Harden, who was not in the car at the time, was also searched as he returned but was allowed to go free. As Le Parisien notes, the arrest was not the rapper’s first weed-related offense or run-in with police; in 2019, he was arrested for reckless driving and eluding the police in his native Georgia. Baby and his friends were taken into custody to the 8th arrondissement police station by the Narcotics Transport Chief.

Lil Baby and James Harden were also recently seen hanging out together at Michael Rubin’s Fourth Of July party over the weekend, having a laugh in the background of a viral video of Lil Uzi Vert breakdancing taken by Uzi’s girlfriend, JT of City Girls.

Tyler The Creator Hops Aboard Some Very Cool Boats And Bikes In His New ‘Lemonhead’ Video

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Tyler The Creator has a new video for Call Me If You Get Lost single “Lemonhead.” Clocking in at about a minute and a half, the brief clip shows Tyler pantomiming playing a tuba (next to an actual tuba player wearing a sailor get-up), driving a speedboat boat through fields (kind of brings to mind images of Luke Skywalker riding his Landspeeder through Tatooine, if you will indulge me for a second), and ultimately wheeling off into the sunset via penny-farthing. As one does!

This is the latest visual offering from Tyler’s sixth studio album. Prior to this, he released the video for the song “Corso” the day after appearing at the 2021 BET Awards to perform “Lumberjack.” Call Me If You Get Lost, which the rapper released last month, became his second consecutive chart-topping album after it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. In his review, Uproxx’s Aaron Williams called Call Me If You Get Lost a “top-level rap album,” writing, “On Call Me If You Get Lost, Tyler is most like himself, free of the artifice that he no longer feels the need to hide behind — and free to finally let his nuts hang, so to speak.”

Watch the video for “Lemonhead” above.

Call Me If You Get Lost is out now via Columbia. Get it here.

Diddy Shares His Support For Runner Sha’Carri Richardson, Condemning Her Olympics Disqualification

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Although reactions to the International Olympics Committee ruling runner Sha’Carri Richardson ineligible for the 2021 Summer Games have been split, the colorful athlete has at least one powerful ally in her corner: Sean “Diddy” Combs, who tweeted his support for her and condemned her 30-day suspension for the use of marijuana.

Stating that his heart was broken for her, he noted, “I’m tired of white people sitting in a room making up decisions that affect our hopes and dreams. They will keep treating our athletes like slaves and entertainment until we shut down on these people!”

He then compared the judgment against her to the racist results of the US’s so-called War on Drugs, pointing out parallels that allow for the unfair treatment of people using a non-dangerous substance which was criminalized mainly due to its association with use by Black people. “So many of our brothers, sisters, mothers, daughters, and sons are rotting in jail for marijuana and it’s JUST NOT RIGHT,” he wrote. “Now, to see them using this against a young Black woman that is on the edge of her greatness, all because some white man decided to make it illegal, is shameful.”

He also noted that there’s no real reason for THC to disqualify anyone from competing because, as he wrote accurately, “Marijuana does not make you run faster.” He also noted a discrepancy between the treatment of Richardson, a Black woman, and Michael Phelps, a white male swimmer who was also previously allowed to compete after testing positive for THC. While the circumstances aren’t exactly apples to apples, his point still seems valid.

Richardson was determined to be ineligible for 30 days, beginning June 28, after qualifying for the Olympics with a 10.86-second 100-meter dash time. Unfortunately, most of that month overlaps with her events and she was not selected for the Women’s 4 x 100 relay. She said that she took marijuana to cope with the recent death of her mother. Other supporters have included Seth Rogen, who also pointed to the discrepancy in calling weed a performance-enhancing drug, joking, “If weed made you fast, I’d be FloJo.”

Vic Mensa Takes A ‘Victory’ Lap Over A Just Blaze Beat In His Triumphant New Video

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Last year, it looked like Vic Mensa, the genre-hopping Chicago rapper who had gone through the showbiz wringer since exploding onto the scene at the tail end of the blog era, was finally making his comeback and receiving his due with the I Tape EP. He’d returned to form, reunited with his longtime friend and collaborator Chance The Rapper, and regained the swagger that had made him an XXL Freshman in 2014. Then, the pandemic struck, effectively shutting down the momentum for Vic and pretty much every other rapper in the game.

However, he hasn’t let that setback stop him from completing his comeback. Instead, he kept working his and Chance’s collaboration, “Shelter,” performing on The Late Show and offering their own stripped-down live performance filmed at Chance’s house. Vic also continued releasing videos from the new project, including “Fr33dom,” and today, the video for the Just Blaze-produced “Victory.”

Equal parts celebratory and defiant, the track finds Vic slinging some of his slickest punchlines over a signature, triumphant-sounding Just Blaze beat, addressing the perception of his fall-off and expressing his love for the Windy City. The video, shot in black-and-white, is a simple affair in which Vic takes a literal victory lap around his city, then posts up in a parking lot to watch motorcycles burn rubber as he performs his witty, validating verses. With a C Tape no doubt in the works, it looks like Vic Mensa is back on track to retake the pole position in rap’s race for greatness.

Watch Vic Mensa’s “Victory” video above.

French Paparazzi Seemed To Call Lil Baby ‘Le Baby’ And The Rapper’s Reaction Went Viral

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On Wednesday was the Balenciaga 50th Couture Collection show for Paris Fashion Week. Aside from the inherent noteworthiness of the brand itself, also drawing attention to the festivities were high-profile attendees like Kanye West (and his elaborate face mask), NBA star James Harden, and Lil Baby. The latter two spent time together outside of the show, and there was one moment that has left the rapper trending today.

A clip shows Harden and Baby seemingly caught off-guard by some paparazzi photographers. Some of them shouted his name, but instead of Lil Baby, they seemed to have put a French spin on it by calling him “Le Baby.”

The rapper seemed a little amused by either the nickname or the attention in general, as he offered a polite smile and a wave. Following that run-in, both “Lil Baby” and “Le Baby” were trending on Twitter, with some users suspecting that Lil Baby was low-key into the new moniker.

Meanwhile, it was recently revealed that Lil Baby was one of streaming music’s top songwriters of 2020, according to a report. He also recently was crowned the ASCAP songwriter of the year and performed at the BET Awards alongside Kirk Franklin.

Check out some more reactions below.

DMX’s Official Cause Of Death Has Been Confirmed By Medical Examiners

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Legendary rapper DMX tragically passed away April 9 at the age of 50. Original reports claimed that the rapper had died from an overdose, but medical examiners have just now confirmed his official cause of death.

A source from the Westchester County medical examiner’s office reported DMX’s cause of death to Vulture. According to the publication, DMX died of cocaine-induced cardiac arrest that completely cut off blood circulation to his brain, causing him to go into a coma.

“His death literally happened immediately because the brain was dead,” the medical examiner’s source said. “So obviously, there were a number of days where he was on ventilatory support and so forth in the hospital. However, he was diagnosed brain-dead early on […] He never woke up from [a] coma.”

Following DMX’s death, there was an outpouring of love and support for the rapper’s legacy and family. The 2021 BET Awards aired a heartwarming tribute to the rapper featuring Method Man, Griselda, Busta Rhymes, and his own Ruff Ryders crew. Together, they performed some of his biggest hits like “Ruff Ryders Anthem” and “Party Up” as a montage of DMX images played behind them.

DMX’s family also got a blessing from Def Jam following his death. The record label reportedly dished out over $35,000 for his funeral expenses, including $7,450 for DMX’s custom casket.

Megan Fox Has A Message For People Questioning Her Age Gap With Machine Gun Kelly: ‘Go F*ck Yourself’

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Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox truly have a way with words when it comes to describing their relationship. Kelly infamously wears a drop of her blood around his neck and Fox once said being in love with him is like “being in love with a tsunami or a forest fire.” But despite their very public displays of affection, Fox still has to constantly field critics who slam her for the age gap between them. Fox chalks it up to the patriarchy, but still has a explicit message for those carrying judgement: “Go f*ck yourself.”

Fox recently sat down for an in-depth interview with InStyle Magazine where she spoke about her recent career resurgence and the moment she decided to stop living in fear of critics. The conversation inevitably turned to her romance with Kelly, who was recently seen packing on the PDA with Fox after painting his tongue black at the Billboard Awards.

Fox says she is sometimes criticized for dating a younger man, which she labels as “ridiculous.” Fox is only four years older than Kelly, a fact she says wouldn’t ever be mentioned if the roles were reversed:

“You want to talk about patriarchy? The fact that he’s four years younger than me, and people want to act like I’m dating a younger man. He’s 31, and I’m 35. Granted, he’s lived like he’s 19 his whole life, but he isn’t 19. No one would blink twice if George Clooney was dating someone four years younger. Four years? Go f*ck yourself. We would have been in high school together. That’s so ridiculous that women are treated that way.”

The actress also says she has paparazzi questioning where her kids are, a question that her ex-husband is never asked. “You don’t expect a dad to be with the kids all the time, but I’m supposed to not be seen and be at home with my kids,” she said. “They have another parent. I have to leave and sometimes I don’t want them photographed and they don’t come with me. This whole year I’ve been very surprised by how archaic some of the mindsets still are in some people.”

Of course, Kelly also made an appearance in the InStyle interview. When asked about what Fox is like, the musician fired off another head-scratching compliment. “She’s like the earth,” he said. “When it’s summer, it’s the hottest summer. When it’s winter, it’s the most amazing chill. In the fall and spring, it’s a beautiful transition.”

Read Fox’s full interview with InStyle here.

Wale Announces A Social Media Hiatus Due To Being ‘Extremely Sick’

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Wale, who built his career on his social media presence, has announced that he’s taking a break from posting and perusing as usual as the result of an unknown illness on Instagram. Posting the message to his Instagram Story, he informed fans that “I am out of commission. I been extremely sick since Saturday. I’ve missed many calls and texts. Thank you to everybody who called wit genuine concern. I ain’t sure how long I’ll be down but this sh*t ain’t slight.”

However, he softened the blow of this concerning message, promising: “Soon as I can come back strong, I’ll be back strong. As for now, management will run my socials. Much love, see y’all soon.”

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The news comes at an inopportune time for the DC rapper, who recently announced the impending release of his album Folarin 2, his seventh studio album and first full-length to drop since 2019’s Wow… That’s Crazy. Most recently, he appeared with Earthgang on their new single “Options,” as well as on its remix with Coi Leray, and promoted his own music with “Good Vibes” and the Gunna-featuring “Flawed.” Hopefully, his confidence and fans’ patience will pay off and he’ll get well soon.

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