Music

Big Sean’s ‘Freshman 10 Freestyle’ Reflects On His Inclusion In The 2010 ‘XXL’ Freshman Class

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Just last week, XXL returned with their annual Freshman Class list which spotlights some of the best new talents in the hip-hop world. This is more times than not a celebratory moment, but it’s also one that reminds us of the past classes. With every new cast of acts, hip-hop fans wonder if the new kids will ever reach the heights that past Freshman class members did years after their inclusion. One example is the 2010 edition which featured J. Cole, Nipsey Hussle, Big Sean, Freddie Gibbs, Wiz Khalifa, and more, a group that often gets labeled as the best XXL class ever and if you ask Big Sean, he’ll tell you the same.

The Detroit rapper just released and 10th-anniversary edition of his debut album, Finally Famous, that featured remixed and remastered versions of the project’s original tracks as well as a new one titled, “Freshman 10 (Freestyle).” On the track, Sean reflects on his inclusion in the 2010 XXL Freshman class as well as meeting the artists that would stand beside him on the cover. More than a decade later, Sean acknowledges the greatness behind that class and how many of the acts are still thriving today. “But love to the whole clique / ‘Cause we got a platform that most don’t get,” he raps. “So shoutout Nip’, Wiz and Cole / Shoutout Pill and OJ too / Gangsta Gibbs for Sean Don and Jay Rock, too.”

He also concludes the statement with a bold, yet valid statement: “Real sh*t, I think we was the best class that ever came through.”

Listen to “Freshman 10 (Freestyle)” in the video above.

Finally Famous (10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition Remixed And Remastered) is out now via Def Jam. Get it here.

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

DaBaby Flaunts His Fast Cars And Their High Speeds On ‘Red Light, Green Light’

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Since releasing his debut album, Baby On Baby in March 2019, DaBaby has wasted little time between projects. The rapper doubled back a little over seven months later with his sophomore effort, Kirk. In April 2020, just under seven months after his second album, DaBaby once again reappeared with a new full-length effort, his No. 1 album, Blame It On Baby. At this point, it’s been well over a year since the North Carolina rapper has dropped an album so it’s only right that we expect its arrival in the near future. Thanks to the rapper’s second single in as many weeks, it appears that its release could be just around the corner.

DaBaby is back with his latest single, “Red Light, Green Light.” It’s a track that captures the rapper showing off his luxury vehicles as well as bragging about their quick speeds. “I like my Lamborghinis ’cause they drive fast,” he raps at one point on the song adding, “But the Maybach is probably my favorite whip.”

The rapper’s new song comes just a week after he shared “Ball If I Want To,” a braggadocios track that arrived as a defiant declaration towards excellence. Prior to that, he joined Yo Gotti for “Drop” and Polo G for “Party Lyfe.”

You can listen to “Red Light, Green Light” in the video above.

Kyle’s Pleading Single Asks To Let Him Go If You ‘Love Me Like You Say You Love Me’

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If there’s anything you know about Kyle, it’s that he’s never been afraid to share his feelings to the fullest extent on wax. His breakout single is the cheery “iSpy” track that welcomed him as a free-spirited rapper. More recently, Kyle caught a case of puppy love in a color video for “But Cha” with Josh Golden. However, elsewhere in his catalog, Kyle delivers sadder moments that focus on loss, heartbreak, and more. An example of this comes on his latest release, “Love Me Like You Say You Love Me.”

On it, Kyle struggles to walk away from a former lover as their relationship no longer exists. Despite attempts to hold on just a bit longer from both sides, the rapper deems it necessary to bring an end to their chapter in love.

The track arrives less than a year after Kyle dropped his second album, See You When I Am Famous!!!!!!!!!!!!. It’s an effort that came two years after his official debut, Light Of Mine, and one that saw him capturing the joy of dreaming throughout its twelve tracks that saw help from Rico Nasty, Tyga, Rich The Kid, K Camp, Trippie Redd, Bryson Tiller, and more.

You can listen to “Love Me Like You Say You Love Me” in the video above.

Doja Cat And The Weeknd’s Majestic Video For ‘You Right’ Welcomes The World To ‘Planet Her’

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The wait is finally over. After teasing her third album, Planet Her for the better part of the last year, Doja Cat has finally graced her fans with its release. The project arrives after she spent most of 2020 promoting songs from her second album, Hot Pink. This includes the chart-topping “Say So” and the TikTok favorite “Streets.” All of that is in the past now as Doja begins the third chapter of her career for Planet Her with a brand new video for “You Right” with The Weeknd.

The new track is also accompanied by a majestic video that follows Doja as she walks through an elegant palace as she details her desires for a man despite being in a relationship with another one. Planet Her was led by two singles, “Kiss Me More” with SZA and “Need To Know.” The former was an effort that submitted itself onto the list of song of the summer contenders. The duo also performed it at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards. The latter was a track Doja delivered to hold fans over until the album’s release. All in all, Planet Her arrives with additional features from Young Thug, Ariana Grande, and JID.

As for what’s next, Doja will soon make an appearance in the second season of Lil Dicky’s TV show, Dave, and take the stage alongside Justin Bieber, Lil Baby, and more for the Made In America festival.

You can watch the video for “You Right” above.

Planet Her is out now via RCA Records. Get it here.

Tyler The Creator Earns The ‘Juggernaut’ Title With Lil Uzi Vert And Pharrell

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Tyler The Creator turned to a new chapter in his career with the 2019 release of Igor, the rapper’s fifth album. It saw him truly putting his artistry on display in the way that he wanted to. Luckily for him, it all paid off as the album would go on to win Rap Album Of The Year at the 2020 Grammys despite Tyler’s ill sentiments with the honor. That’s all in the past now as he’s returned with his latest album, Call Me If You Get Lost.

Across the project’s 16 songs, an eye-catching track on Call Me If You Get Lost comes on “Juggernaut” with Lil Uzi Vert and Pharrell. The track is a bass-knocking number that’s equally chaotic and erratic as it is energetic and bouncy. This is thanks in large part raucous placement of the song’s drums that provide a unique landscape for the three rappers to lay their bars on.

Altogether on Call Me If You Get Lost, Tyler invites 42 Dugg, Ty Dolla Sign, NBA Youngboy, Lil Wayne, Teezo Touchdown, Domo Genesis, Brent Faiyaz, Daisy World, and Fana Hues. The project was also led by two singles: “Lumberjack” and “Wusyaname.”

You can press play on “Juggernaut” in the video above.

Call Me If You Get Lost is out now via A Boy Is a Gun/Columbia. Get it here.

Lil Uzi Vert is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Rihanna Turned The Matching Shark Tattoo She Got With Drake Into A Crown

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Rihanna might not have given fans a new album yet, but she’s has given them a new romance to fawn over. The singer and ASAP Rocky are the music world’s latest couple and their respective supporters got a decent glimpse at the lovebirds as they were seen walking together on their way to a date in New York City. While many had their eyes on the musicians, their outfits, and even a bouncer for a bar who refused to let the singer in because she forgot her ID, some noticed something small, yet fairly interesting, about Rihanna.

An image of the singer revealed that she turned the matching shark tattoo she received with Drake into a crown. She got the tattoo around September 2016 and weeks later Drake was seen with a matching one on his right arm. This of course occurred when Drake and Rihanna were dating and shared their respective collaborations “Too Good” and “Work.” While it’s unknown when the singer modified the tattoo, Rihanna’s fans had plenty to say about it in a number of posts they shared on Twitter.

One person wrote, “OOP! Rihanna covered up the shark tattoo she got for/with Drake” while another said, “Rihanna covered the shark tattoo…. I know Drake somewhere out there bawling his eyes out.”

As for the new couple that is Rihanna and ASAP Rocky, the latter spoke about the relationship in light detail during a GQ interview. The rapper labeled her as “the love of my life” and dove a bit deeper when he was asked how it feels to be in a relationship. “So much better,” he said. “So much better when you got the One. She amounts to probably, like, a million of the other ones.”

You can read more comments from fans below.

Britney Spears Apologizes For ‘Pretending Like I’ve Been OK’ Following Her Conservatorship Hearing

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Brintey Spears saw fans rush to her defense once again on Wednesday after details of her conservatorship hearing were made available to the public. It was here that the singer spoke to a judge for the first time in the thirteen years that conservatorship has existed and asked that it be terminated. She labeled it as “abusive” and added, “I’ve been in denial. I’ve been in shock. I am traumatized. I just want my life back.” She also detailed the restrictive lifestyle it forced her to live.

Her comments resulted in an outpour of support from the music world, which included her ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake. On Thursday, for the first time since that hearing, Spears spoke out in a message she shared on Instagram.

“I’m bringing this to peoples attention because I don’t want people to think my life is perfect because IT’S DEFINITELY NOT AT ALL,” she wrote in part under an image that displayed a quote written by Albert Einstein. “And if you have read anything about me in the news this week [newspaper emoji]… you obviously really know now it’s not !!!!

“I apologize for pretending like I’ve been ok the past two years,” Spears wrote. “I did it because of my pride and I was embarrassed to share what happened to me … but honestly who doesn’t want to capture there Instagram in a fun light.” She concluded, “Believe it or not pretending that I’m ok has actually helped.”

You can read the full statement from Britney in the post above.