Music

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.

Britney Spears Shared How Justin Timberlake Helped Her Settle Down Before Her 2001 VMAs Performance

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Brintey Spears used Thursday to look back at some highlight moments in her music career. This includes the singer’s iconic performance at “I’m A Slave 4 U” during the 2001 MTV VMAs.

“I will tell you this … before I went on that night I was feeling kinda out of body with nerves … I mean … I was in a cage with a live lion !!!!! I will never forget the moment before I went in the cage !!!!” she wrote in her Instagram caption. Later on in her message, the singer revealed how Justin Timberlake helped calm her nerves prior to the performance.

“Justin saw I could hardly talk so he held my hand and gave me a 5 minute pep talk which obviously worked!!!!!” she wrote. This moment came when the two were dating, a relationship that began in 1999 and concluded in March 2002. The note also comes after Timberlake voiced support for Britney’s battle against her conservatorship earlier this year.

“After what we saw today, we should all be supporting Britney at this time,” he wrote on Twitter. “Regardless of our past, good and bad, and no matter how long ago it was… what’s happening to her is just not right. No woman should ever be restricted from making decisions about her own body.” He added, “No one should EVER be held against their will… or ever have to ask permission to access everything they’ve worked so hard for.” He concluded, “We hope the courts, and her family make this right and let her live however she wants to live.”

You can check the throwback and read the singer’s full message in the post above.

Beyonce Reflects On Turning 40 And Thanks Fans For Their Birthday Wishes In A Touching Note

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Earlier this month, Beyonce hit a milestone age after she turned 40 on September 4. The singer previously spoke about the new decade of life in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar last month.

“My wish is for my 40s to be fun and full of freedom,” she said before later adding, “I want this next decade to be about celebration, joy, and giving and receiving love. I want to give all the love I have to the people who love me back.”

Less than three weeks after she celebrated her 40th birthday, Beyonce chose to close out Virgo season with a thank you note to her fans.

“As Virgo season comes to an end, I hope my fellow Virgos had great birthdays,” she wrote in a handwritten letter she shared on her website. “I’m so thankful for every inspiring human who took the time to send me all the beautiful messages. I cried tears of joy and was covered in chilly bumps. Your videos, your posts, your countdowns, your playlists and your well wishes, I will cherish forever,” she added. “I’m grateful to everyone involved, especially the fans, for the time and level of detail it took to organize such beautiful tributes. I admire and respect all of you and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

She continued, “This is the first year that I really understand what it means to be alive and to live in the moment. It’s the first time that I have an understanding of how fragile life truly is, how hard life can be at times, and therefore how important it is to stop and smell the roses during the good times.” Beyonce later reflected on turning 40 as her letter came to a close.

I thought I knew that at 21 or 30 … but I didn’t. The more mature I become, the more I understand and the deeper my joy grows. There’s a freedom and liberation knowing that I’ve made it to the other side of my sacrifice. I’m finally giving myself permission to enjoy the seeds I’ve worked so hard to plant my whole life

Whoever tried to condition women to feel that we are supposed to feel old or unhappy when we turn 40 got it ALL THE WAY F’d UP.

This has absolutely been the best I’ve felt in my life. I’m so grateful to be GROWN, GROWN!

Most of y’all met me when I was 15, and we have grown up together. You bring sooooo much joy into my life. I hope my art can continue to bring a little joy into yours.

Beyonce ended the letter by writing “I Love You” followed by “done” written 40 times before signing off with a drawing of a bumblebee.

You can view the letter on her website here.

Rich The Kid And Lil Wayne Announce Their Joint Album, ‘Trust Fund Babies,’ And Its Release Date

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Rich The Kid and Lil Wayne have both been quite active in the hip-hop world over the last couple of years. Rich The Kid dropped his Lucky 7 EP earlier this year after collaborating with Youngboy Never Broke Again for their 2020 joint project, Nobody Safe. Lil Wayne returned with his thirteenth album Funeral last year while also delivering deluxe reissues for the 2020 effort as well as his 2018 album, Tha Carter V. Now, for the rappers’ latest act, they’ll be joining forces for a new joint album titled Trust Fund Babies.

The project was announced on Thursday through Rich The Kid’s social media pages. He also unveiled the album’s cover art which depicts drawings of the two rappers as cartoon babies. The rapper also confirmed that fans would not have to wait too long to press play on it, as it’s set to release on October 1. Young Money’s president Mack Maine, who has been beside Lil Wayne for the majority of the rapper’s career, previously confirmed that Wayne and Rich The Kid were in the studio together working on a project together.

Maine also confirmed that fans can expect more projects from Wayne in the near future. They include I Am Not a Human Being III and Collegrove 2 with 2 Chainz.

You can view the announcement for Trust Fund Babies in the post above.

Trust Fund Babies is out 10/1 via Young Money/Rostrum Records. Pre-order it here.

Drake Dedicates His Latest Nike Nocta Golf Line To His Uncle Steve

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Drake’s fondness for basketball is no secret, but it might surprise fans to find that The Boy’s latest Nocta Nike collaboration focuses on golf instead of hoops. The new drop, which became available today, features 10 signature pieces inspired by Nike’s broader links collection. Items in it put unique spins on the usual golf attire, such as providing mock neck short-sleeved shirts in place of the usual collared shirts, as well as useful accessories like sunglasses and visor hats.

In a separate post on his own Instagram page, Drake explained the reasoning behind releasing a golf line, dedicating the collection to one of his “idols”: His uncle Steve, who introduced him to the game. “A collection dedicated to one of my idols,” he wrote. “A man who took me under his wing and showed me much of what life had to offer and even more so what your own life can become when you are dedicated and loyal. My grandmother Evelyn Sher has a resting place close to the King Valley Golf Club and our drives and visits to that course hold some of my most valuable life lessons and will forever be cherished.”

The Stephen Sher Nocta Golf collection is available now. A few of the pieces are already sold out, but you can check it out here.

Cardi B Co-Signs A College Marching Band’s Impressive Rendition Of ‘Up’ At A Football Game

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The last few songs we’ve heard from Cardi B have been showstopping collaborations, like when she teamed up with Lizzo to dispel haters on “Rumors,” or when she fired off some sultry lyrics on Normani’s “Wild Side.” Cardi’s last solo song, “Up,” was released back in February as the second single off her upcoming album, and while it’s been a few months since its release, the track is still being played everywhere — including college football games.

During halftime at one of their recent football games, Florida State University’s marching band — the Marching Chiefs — went all-out with a rendition of “Up.” They spread out across the entire field and got into an intricate formation to perform the track. Halfway through the song, the band dropped their instruments and delivered the viral “Up” dance, which blew up on TikTok after the song’s release.

Cardi saw a video of the marching band’s performance and instantly gave it her approval. “Go Florida states!!!!!! ITS UP!” she wrote alongside a gif of dancing Minions.

Watch a clip of the Florida State University band giving “Up” their all above.

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

Tory Lanez’s ‘It’s Been Real’ Tweet Was Apparently Just Bait For An Album Announcement

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It turns out Tory Lanez’s cryptic “it’s been real” tweet was really just bait for him to announce a new, ’80s-themed album. Fans thought the tweet was related to the shooting case against the Canadian rapper. Tory is currently under investigation for allegedly shooting Houston Megan Thee Stallion after a party in the Hollywood Hills last summer. Lanez exacerbated the situation earlier this summer when his surprise appearance during DaBaby’s Rolling Loud set apparently violated a restraining order for him to stay 100 yards away from Megan.

Of course, it appears that the “Skat” rapper knew all this when he posted the mysterious tweet after clearing all his Instagram posts — and wanted to use the reaction to drum up attention for when he announced his album. He posted a new tweet today, taunting the Megan Thee Stallion fans who rejoiced at the possibility of his arrest and jailing. “Me at my house watching n***s on Twitter celebrating and thinking I’m going to jail,” he wrote.

He then announced the title and release date of the new project, Alone At Prom, which will drop on December 1. In the album art, designed to resemble an old Polaroid photograph, Tory leans on a sink wearing polyester pants and a cheesy Jheri curl wig.

Meanwhile, Lanez still faces the possibility of penalties over violating court orders, as well as the original trial for allegedly shooting Megan Thee Stallion.

Vinyl Me, Please Announces Its Stacked Fall Slate With Records From Usher, Clipse, RZA, And More

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Vinyl Me, Please has established themselves as an essential ally to vinyl collectors over the years, as they regularly offer exclusive editions of revered albums, pressed in unique colors and accompanied by delightful extras. There are only three months left in the year, and today, VMP has shared the roadmap for how they’ll be handling their monthly releases for October, November, and December.

October’s albums of the month are Grizzly Bear’s Veckatimest (as the month’s Essentials release), Teddy Pendergrass’s Life Is A Song Worth Singing (Classics), Three 6 Mafia’s When The Smoke Clears: Sixty 6, Sixty 1 (Hip-Hop), and Sam Hunt’s Montevallo (Country). Following that in November will be Usher’s Confessions (Essentials), Freddie King’s My Feeling For The Blues (Classics), Clipse’s Hell Hath No Fury (Hip-Hop), and Gram Parsons’s Grievous Angel (Country). Closing the year in December are The Meters’s Rejuvenation (Essentials), Roberta Flack’s Quiet Fire (Classics), RZA’s RZA as Bobby Digital In Stereo (Hip-Hop), and Buck Owens & His Buckaroos’s Carnegie Hall Concert (Country).

All of the releases are bound to be special, and in particular, Usher’s Confessions represents something new for VMP, as Alexandra Berenson, their Head of A&R, notes, “We’re really excited for the opportunity to run a record like this because we haven’t really done a massive R&B crossover hit in our Essentials. It’s a very cohesive album and it has been totally underserved on vinyl. It hasn’t had a reissue since it first came out and we figured, ‘Let’s give this the VMP treatment. Let’s try to make the most definitive version of this record that we can.’”

Learn more about the upcoming Essentials releases here, the upcoming Classics releases here, the upcoming Hip-Hop releases here, and the upcoming Country releases here.