Music

Awkwafina Struggled To Answer A Question About Her Using A ‘Blaccent’ In Films

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Awkwafina has one of the most unlikely success stories in Hollywood, and her representation in both music and the film world has been an important step forward. But that doesn’t necessarily mean she hasn’t made missteps of her own within the comedic and accent work she’s employed in the past. In particular, the rapper and actress has faced criticism in the past for using a “blaccent,” or the current cultural shorthand for when non-Black people adopted a Black voice.

In both of her biggest films, Crazy Rich Asians and Ocean’s 8, Awkwafina has, at times, used what could qualify as a “blaccent,” and alongside that, accusations of cultural appropriation have risen as well. Though Awkwafina hasn’t spoken on the subject in the past, In the press cycle for her new movie, Shang-Chi, she was asked point blank about the topic. In her answer, she seemed to struggle to actually address the question, or whether she considered her past work appropriation. “Um, you know, I’m open to the conversation,” she began. “I think it, you know, it’s really something that is a little bit multi-faceted and layered, and so yeah.”

While that isn’t really a conversation itself, being open to it is potentially a start. To learn more about issues like the use of a blaccent and cultural appropriation, read Lauren Michele Jackson’s 2018 piece “Who Really Owns the Blaccent” for Vulture right here.

Lil Baby’s Jeweler Issues An Apology After The Rapper Exposed Them For Selling Him Fake Jewelry

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Anyone buying jewelry hopes they’re authentic. But sometimes they’re not. That’s what happened to Lil Baby wanted, who was forced to call out Rafaello and Co., a New York-based jewelry company after he discovered that they sold him fake goods.

The rapper recently discovered a Patek Phillippe watch, supposedly valued at $400,000, that he bought from the company was fake, along with some other goods.

“Now @rafaelloandco y’all Kno better then to sell ME of all people a FAKE Or anything that could be called a FAKE!” Lil Baby wrote on an Instagram video showing four rings and a diamond-flooded watch. “I stand on my name the same way y’all should! Ain’t no such thing as a mistake when that money involved ‍♂!! Don’t F*ccin Play Wit me Cause when I’m on that I’m on that #ansameforyoup*ssyn****s #dontplaywitbaby.”

Rafaello & Co.
Rafaello & Co.

Rafaello and Co. responded to Baby’s claims and accepted full responsibility. “We do stand on our name just like he does that’s why today he got those four rings for free and his money back because we didn’t do our homework on the watch and we take Full responsibility for that,” they wrote, adding, “But it didn’t happen intentionally and knows that for a fact.” In a second post to their Instagram Story, the company emphasized that the incident was merely a mistake that wouldn’t happen again.

Kid Cudi Escapes To A Higher Place In His Elevating Video For ‘Mr. Solo Dolo III’

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At the end of last year, Kid Cudi released his seventh album, Man On The Moon III: The Chosen. It was his first solo, full-length effort since 2016’s Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin’ and first overall since 2018’s Kids See Ghost, which he made with Kanye West. The album was a strong continuation of the rapper’s trademark series, and nearly a year after its release, Cudi returns with a new video for one of its tracks, “Mr. Solo Dolo III.” It finds Cudi enjoying a blunt in various places, like a studio, a party, and in the pool.

Cudi recently joined Young Thug and Strick for their own video, for their collaboration “Moon Man,” which showed the trio chowing down on a massive stack of pancakes. Cudi also spoke about Lil Nas X and explained why he thinks he will break down hip-hop’s “homophobic cloud.”

“When I saw the tweet about Nas’ album Montero not featuring Black male artists, and he replied that ‘maybe a lot of them just don’t wanna work with me,’ that made me sad,” Cudi wrote about Lil Nas for Time magazine’s 100 most influential people list. “There’s a homophobic cloud over hip-hop, and he’s going to break that sh*t down. We have to stand with him. I’m going to do whatever I have to do to let him know—you have my support. When we do our song together, however trippy the video is, let’s get sexy with it.”

You can watch the video for “Mr. Solo Dolo III” above.

Diddy And Jermaine Dupri Playfully Traded Shots And Held A Mini ‘Verzuz’ Battle On Instagram Live

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A few days ago, Jermaine Dupri called out Diddy in a tweet and challenged him to a Verzuz battle. Diddy shut down the request. “Beloved you my n**** but your arms too short to box with God!!!” he said in response to the challenge. However, Dupri seemed set on not going down without a fight, which he made clear during an Instagram Live on Friday. Dupri, who was on the livestream with Fat Joe and Snoop Dogg, called out Diddy once again. Eventually Diddy joined the livestream, which led to the producers playfully trading shots.

“Ayo, short arms. You need to chill out short arms. You hear me?” Diddy said to Dupri shortly after he hopped on the livetsream. “Ayo, I love you. First of all, I want the world to know that this is one of my best friends. You know, one of my best inspirations.” Diddy then addressed his doubters in the audience. “You amnesia-having motherf*ckers. I done gave y’all life for motherf*cking 20 years of music,” he proclaimed. “I’ma tell you, JD, anything I touch. Anything I breathed on, executive produced, anything I thought up, anything I fucking did, whatever. You hear me? Don’t play with me.”

“Are you listening, JD? … What you gon’ do when [Biggie’s] ‘One More Chance’ drops?” Diddy asked Dupri. “I’m the greatest. What the f*ck y’all talking about? I have the most No. 1s as an artist … I don’t even hear no one play none of your shit. Ayo, when we go back in the club, I don’t hear no one play none of your sh*t. Ain’t nobody rocking no Kriss Kross sh*t, or no Bow Wow. I want Dre! Where is Dre? Where is Dre?”

Next, Diddy challenged Dupri to a mini “five for five” Verzuz battle. While Dupri initially declined, Diddy kicked things off by playing “Victory,” “Who Shot Ya,” “Hypnotize,” “Come and Talk to Me,” “Whoa,” “All About the Benjamins,” and “FWMGAB.” He also played the remixes for “Flava In Ya Ear” and “O Let’s Do It.” Diddy even played some records Dupri’s produced, those being “Jump,” the “Welcome to Atlanta” remix, and “Money Ain’t a Thang,” because he refused to participate.

Finally, Dupri gave in and played Usher’s “Confessions” while asking Diddy if he had an “R&B record better than this.” Diddy responded by playing Mary J. Blige’s “I’m Goin Down.” However, after the livestream, Dupri questioned Diddy’s right to play Blige’s song as he was not listed as a songwriter or producer.

Lizzo Showed Love For BTS With A Short But Sweet Freestyle About V And Jimin’s Friendship

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With the release of her brand new “Rumors” single featuring none other than Cardi B, Lizzo is back in a big way. Which means the always-vocal artist is back to advocating for herself even when bullies try to fat-shame her, and making silly internet videos and freestyles for fans and other artists to enjoy. Luckily, today she’s focusing on the latter, taking a carefree approach to her still overlooked rap skills by employing them to praise BTS.

First, the pop star let fans know she’s in the studio and working, and asked what they’d like to hear her write about:

Then a fan suggested something about a true friendship, like the one between V and Jimin from BTS:

And that was all it took to get Lizzo cooking. Flipping an old snippet from Barney’s classic “I Love You” song, in under twenty seconds she had an homage to the relationship between V and Jimin, which has long been a beloved focus of their fans.

Hey, this might not quite be good enough to make the new album, but it’s still impressive that she can turn a freestyle around so quickly. Now let’s hope she keeps doing what Remy Ma suggested and ignoring the trolls with all her might.

Jaden’s ‘Summer’ Video Features A Rainwbo Bus And ‘Summer Of Love’ Vibes

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Even though it’s now September, it’s still the “Summer” in Jaden’s universe. The lighthearted single is off the young musician’s latest release, CTV3: Day Tripper’s Edition, which is the deluxe edition of his Cool Tape Vol. 3, a mixtape that earned our RX distinction for excellence. “Summer” and other tracks like “Bye” and “Cabin Fever” helped build the tape’s eclectic nostalgia, and the new video for “Summer” is full of the same colorful wistfulness and throwback vibes.

Cramming a whole massive crew of people into a technicolor school bus, Jaden’s penchant for Summer Of Love-style visuals are on full display here, tying directly into the aesthetic that already defined the mixtape. In this new self-directed video, he switches between crisp, clean shots of the bus and himself rapping in front of it in a purple blazer, and hazy, throwback visuals that recall the ’60s and ’70s with their vibe. It’s just more proof that even though he’s only 23-years-old, growing up around show business has all but guaranteed that Jaden’s eye for cinematography and his ear for music are both much more developed than your typical twenty-something. Watch the new video above and read our review of Cool Tape Vol. 3 right here.

G-Eazy Reflects On Fame And Shame In His Searing ‘Breakdown’ Video Featuring Demi Lovato

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G-Eazy is gearing up to release his fourth studio album, These Things Happen Too, which will be out next Friday, September 24. Ahead of the album’s release he’s shared several tracks, including “A Little More” with Kiana Lede and “Down” with Latto.

Today, he dropped a brand new single and video featuring another collaborator, Demi Lovato, an artist who has faced similar scrutiny as the Oakland rapper. As his debut album from 2014 was called These Things Happen, this new installment serves as a follow-up to his breakout, and if this new single “Breakdown” is an indication, the rapper is going to get brutally honest about what he’s been through. Most notably, the rapper’s break up with Halsey was well-documented as the pair had the hit single “Him & I” together prior to the relationship’s end, and were supposedly working on music right up until the end of their time together. He also faced further scrutiny for a 2018 drug possession incident in Sweden.

Headlines about their relationship flit by in the video, which frequently features a split screen of Demi and G-Eazy, both trying to handle what they’re going through. Demi’s struggles with addiction and recovery have also been well-documented, and they even released a tell-all documentary getting into the details of what happened. Directed by Daniel CZ, the video offers a searing reflection on fame, shame, and celebrity culture. Check it out above.

Armand Hammer Aren’t Just Ahead Of Their Time — They’re Making Bold Music For Now

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Hip-hop duo Armand Hammer have been making bold and thought-provoking music for just shy of a decade — but don’t call them ahead of their time. Rather, rappers Billy Woods and Elucid are making music for now. After putting out several records, including the 2021 LP Haram with Eminem’s current DJ, The Alchemist, Armand Hammer are finally getting the recognition they deserve. Charting their success in a recent Magnum Scenes video presented by Uproxx, Armand Hammer explain why they live up to their label as the “best lyricists on the planet.”

Born and raised in Queens, New York, Elucid never second-guesses himself when it comes to his music. That’s why when he first discovered Billy Woods, he knew they were destined to be musical partners. Known for his quick-witted lyrics, Woods’ love of the written word was inherited from his Shakespearean scholar mother. “For me, the trust was almost immediate because I’ve seen what he could do by himself,” Elucid said of the duo’s creative connection.

Armand Hammer didn’t pop off overnight. Instead, they made a name for themselves organically by booking their own shows with their favorite creatives. At the time, Elucid says a certain type of rap was “pushed to the side” in favor of commercially successful music. But Armand Hammer have always stayed true to their sound. “I still have a little bit of a chip on my shoulder about that because I never stopped doing the thing they said stop doing,” Elucid said.

Elsewhere in the video, Armand Hammer talk about their indie record label Backwoodz Studioz, so check out the above and explore the other musicians covered in the Magnum Scenes series here.

Additional footage by Alexander Richter

Nicki Minaj Threatens And Doxxes A Guardian Reporter Who Tried To Contact Her Cousin For An Interview

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“Ball-gate” just stopped being funny. Nicki Minaj, who has been under fire for spreading anti-vaccine misinformation over the past week, is now doxxing and threatening a reporter who reached out to her relatives in Trinidad for comment on the story. Nicki posted photos and shared the WhatsApp phone number of the reporter on her Instagram Story, calling the reporter “a dirty hoe” and claiming that her family is hiding out from reporters.

Nicki shared WhatsApp screenshots of the conversation via her cousin in which the texter identifies themselves as a Guardian reporter named Sharlene Rampersad and asks whether he’s the cousin Nicki referred to in the original tweet. Although there’s no way to confirm that the text actually came from the named reporter, the texter asks to speak with Nicki’s cousin, and if possible the friend whose wedding was supposedly canceled due to adverse reactions to a COVID vaccine, as Nicki’s original tweet suggested.

However, this reporter crosses a line by intimating that a competing outlet, CNN, is also pursuing an interview. The texter suggests that CNN would reveal personal information about the cousin — something against the journalistic integrity policy of any legitimate news outlet — and assuring that the Guardian would not. Aside from being the dirtiest of dirty pool, this sort of thing isn’t common practice at most outlets and is actually against the law in many jurisdictions.

Nicki, interpreting this messaging as a threat, went off, posting the WhatsApp phone number that reached out to her cousin, as well as two photos of the reporter. Screenshots can be seen below.

While Nicki certainly has a right to be upset at the unsolicited contact, there’s 1. no proof that the texter actually is this person, and 2. absolutely no call to violate a person’s privacy to her 157 million Instagram followers, many of whom have previously shown a penchant for cyberbullying people just for sharing their unfavorable opinions of her latest singles. While Nicki insists that she’s being targeted for “asking questions,” the truth of the matter remains: The “questions” she’s asking have already been answered several times over, and her spreading misinformation is a dangerous tactic that could very well get more people hurt. The COVID-19 coronavirus has killed well over 650,000 people and conspiracy theories only harm the distribution of vaccines meant to save lives.

However, if the person who reached out to her relations really is the named reporter, then shame on her as well for violating so many tenets of journalistic integrity in the pursuit of a quote. She should, however, be reprimanded by her employer, not terrorized by online vigilantes at the behest of an angry musician — especially not one distracting from the serious work being done to combat the spread of a deadly pandemic. That hasn’t stopped Nicki from also lashing out on Twitter, tagging Rampersad in an all-caps rant quoting a day-old tweet criticizing her for spreading misinformation.

‘Beat Box’ Rapper SpotemGottem Was Shot In A Miami Road Rage Incident But Is Expected To Recover

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TMZ reports that Miami rapper SpotemGottem is recovering in a Florida hospital after being shot multiple times while driving on the I-95 early this morning. The rapper told police he was being driven south on the highway when someone in another car began shooting at his car, hitting his driver in the hip and wounding Spotem, who was sitting in the passenger seat, in both legs. All told, the report says at least 22 shots were fired, likely from an automatic weapon. Both men were taken to the hospital in stable condition. Police believe the incident to be a case of road rage.

Meanwhile, SpotemGottem faces a list of weapons-related charges himself after being arrested in Aventura, Florida in July. Federal Marshalls served an aggravated assault warrant stemming from a June incident in which the rapper and some friends allegedly threatened a parking lot attendant with a semiautomatic weapon. Spotem allegedly had a Draco AK-47 lying next to him on the bed at the time of his arrest, adding a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Fans on social media noted the irony of today’s incident; Spotem’s name is a reference to locating an enemy and shooting him on sight, while his best-known hit, “Beat Box,” is about, you guessed it, what his gun sounds like when it’s firing. The popular song has since been remixed by a number of stars including Latto, NLE Choppa, and Polo G.