More sad news for the hip-hop community today, TMZ reports that rapper Biz Markie, born Marcel Theo Hall, has passed away at age 57 due to complications from diabetes. In 2020, he was hospitalized due to the same issue and has now succumbed to the disease. TMZ cites a family source who confirmed the rapper died in a Baltimore hospital at 6:25 PM tonight.
A member of the Juice Crew, out of New York, and primarily known for his rhymes penned by Big Daddy Kane (also of the Juice Crew), the rapper, singer, DJ, record producer, actor, comedian, and writer was a multi-talented artist and entertainer who earned the title “Clown Prince Of Hip-Hop.”
His debut album Goin’ Off was released in 1988 and included underground singles “Nobody Beats The Biz” and “Vapors.” His second album, The Biz Never Sleeps came out just a year later, and even if you’re unfamiliar with Biz Markie’s extended catalogue, odds are most people have heard his breakout hit from this record, “Just A Friend.” After its release in 1989, it became a global hit, and still gets played even today, decades later.
His third album I Need A Haircut came out in 1991, and was followed up in 1993 with All Samples Cleared!. That title referenced a landmark sampling case one of his songs, “Alone Again,” was involved in. Later on, he released his final solo album, Weekend Warrior, in 2003. Aside from his career in music, Markie was also an on-screen presence and a comedian, including an appearance in Men In Black II and a stint opening for Chris Rock’s “No Apologies” tour in 2008.
19-year-old Jacksonville rapper Nehemiah Harden, better known as TikTok sensation SpotemGottem, was reportedly arrested by US Marshalls in his hotel room in Aventura, Florida, according to NBC Miami. Harden was scheduled to perform Rolling Loud’s return event next week in Miami, but now faces a litany of charges including aggravated assault. He was granted an $18,500 bond today.
Courtesy Miami-Dade Police Department
Marshalls had a warrant Spotemgottem from a June case in which the rapper and several friends broke the gate at a parking garage in Miami and reportedly threatened someone who tried to stop them — the story doesn’t make clear whether this was a passerby or the garage attendant — with a semi-automatic weapon. Marshalls say that Spotem had an AK-47 pistol lying on the bed next to him, which added a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon to his existing charges of aggravated assault with a firearm and accessory after the fact to a felony.
The rapper is best known for his viral single “Beat Box,” which has since received remixes from numerous rappers including DaBaby, Deante’ Hitchcock, Latto, Polo G, Lil Yachty, and NLE Choppa. The song is, fittingly, about SpotemGottem’s gun, which can “make a beat box” when fired. It became a TikTok favorite when creator Junebug created the #JunebugChallenge dance, which was used in numerous videos on the popular app.
A few months back, LA hip-hop boy band Brockhampton released their album Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine. They’ve also got a needle-drop on the recently released reboot Space Jam: A New Legacy. Now, Brockhampton leader Kevin Abstract has an upbeat new solo single out called “Slugger,” which features guest spots from Slowthai and SoundCloud rapper Snot.
As Stereogum notes, “Slugger” is co-produced by Abstract, Al Hug and Brockhampton’s Romil Hemnani. Plus, its release coincides with the first collection from Abstract’s own Video Store Apparel. “Slugger” also has an accompanying video where Abstract and friends lay out verses in what looks like the Video Store warehouse, while, of course, modeling the clothes.
Back in March, Abstract, who released solo album Arizona Baby in 2019, announced that Brockhampton’s next two albums would be their last as a group. Addressing impending split on Twitter, he wrote, “We all love each other and we wanna continue making the best music we can,” he wrote. “Everybody just getting a lil older and got a lot to say outside of group projects. We’ve dedicated the last ten years of our lives to making music together. This next project we’re just doing what’s rite.”
Listen to “Slugger” above. The first Video Store collection is available here.
2020 was big for Megan The Stallion thanks to her debut album, Good News. It features hit singles like “Savage” and “Body” and achieved a peak at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album came out in November 2020, and now, about eight months later, it has reached a major milestone: The album is now certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association Of America (RIAA), making it her first Platinum album.
The certification was confirmed on July 14, and last night, Meg celebrated the feat on Instagram by sharing a message for her fans, writing, “HOTTIESSSS GOOD NEWS IS OFFICIALLY PLATINUM [crying emoji] This is my first platinum album and I’m so proud! I made majority of this album in my living room during quarantine and to see it really do it’s thing makes me so happy ! Thank you everyone involved and most of all thank you hotties for RUNNING IT TF UP [horse emoji] can’t wait for y’all to see what’s next.”
Logic’s “retirement” was less of a departure from music and more of a break between projects. He has remained active since his 2020 album No Pressure and has dropped a handful of new songs so far this year. The latest of them is “My Way,” which features a dream-pop-inspired instrumental and Logic rapping about being confident in his way of going about life: “I’ma do it my way / Oh yeah, I’ma do it my way / They lookin’ at me sideways / But I ain’t livin’ for the dead today.”
This is his second new song of the month, as he started July by dropping “Vaccine.” At the end of May, he also dropped a pair of new songs: MadGic’s “Mafia Music” and a solo cut, “Over You.”
Meanwhile, Logic revealed last week that he landed an acting role in the upcoming Apple TV+ series Mr. Corman, which was created, written, and directed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Gordon-Levitt also stars, alongside Arturo Castro, Juno Temple, Debra Winger, and others. The show is set to premiere on August 6.
The rapper also has a new memoir, This Bright Future, coming out this year. He says of the book, “This is the story of everything I’ve gone through and it’s been a beautiful and difficult journey to relive. There’s honestly so much that I’ve never been able to express in my music and the interviews that followed. I’m so happy and proud to finally give my fans and the rest of the world my entire story. The way I never could with my music!”
Fousheé’s new Time Machine video “Clap For Him” is a tongue-in-cheek humblebrag, as the “Deep End” singer commands listeners to count any man she deigns to share her time with blessed. “He looked up and stumbled on a bad b*tch,” she sings, half-facetiously. In the video, she and a pair of stripper pals command the attention of their male co-stars while dancing their way through elegant surroundings as Lil Yachty comes in with a verse co-signing Fousheé’s boasts.
After “Deep End” put her on many fans’ radars last year thanks to a viral trend and her willingness to delve into the attribution confusion it accidentally caused, the singer finally released her debut album after a half-decade spent behind the scenes of the LA music industry. While songwriting paid the bills, Fousheé stocked up experiences and oddball concepts for songs and videos like “Gold Fronts” with Lil Wayne and “My Slime,” preparing for the day she could slide to the forefront and take advantage of her quirky aesthetic. That’s exactly what she’s done since announcing and releasing her debut album Time Machine this spring, and with unexpected features like the one on Vince Staples’ new self-titled album, it’s clear she’s intent on keeping that momentum going.
Watch Fousheé’s “Clap For Him” video featuring Lil Yachty above.
Tkay Maidza is a bit of a psychic. The Zimbabwe-born, Adelaide-raised singer/rapper released Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 1 in 2018 and followed up with a sequel during the peak of last year’s pandemic. Now, she’s completed the trilogy with Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 3. Released on July 9, the EP highlights the artist’s sonic brilliance, fusing electronica, synth-pop, trap, and R&B.
“It feels like a premonition in a way, but it’s interesting how every year has gone by and everyone’s like, ‘Well, she really predicted it.’ When it’s a new year and everyone’s like, ‘Goodbye 2018, this year is going to be my best year yet,’” Maidza tells Uproxx over Zoom. “But then as it’s gone by, you’re just like, “Well, last year was insane and weird.” It’s the perfect way to describe it because you just can’t really pinpoint what that feeling is. It’s just so familiar with what everyone’s been going through.”
This self-awareness derives from the 25-year-old’s growth that began with the 2016 release of her debut album Tkay. After deciding to become independent, she left Australia’s shores to expand her creative mindset in Los Angeles.
“I’m learning to trust myself. Before when I was trying to find the sounds and where I thought I fit in best, I wasn’t that well versed to know what the limit was,” she explains. “Now with these [new] songs, I feel like I had a sense of freedom and I can push myself harder. Whereas before I was like, ‘Am I supposed to do this?’ So I think it’s just stepping into that power, accepting it, and not being afraid of it. If my intentions are clear and I keep some sort of consistency with the world I’ve created, then my path should be great. I’m excited for whatever comes next.”
Below, Uproxx catches up with Maidza about her big transitional move to Los Angeles and betting on herself.
You released your debut album in 2016, and then you went from a major label to now indie. Did the title Last Year Was Weird stem from that transition?
The term “weird” is the way I described the plunge of going into the deep end and knowing that where I was. What I wanted was like a big leap forward, but I would have to start from nothing again. I was at that lowest point every day: “What the hell is going on?” But in a way, I always had a feeling that it would work out because this was the only way it could be.
“Breathe” is my favorite on Vol. 3 because it’s about betting on yourself and like you said, taking that plunge. But also being at war with your own thoughts.
It was so interesting because I wrote this song when I was in Australia with Dan [Farber], the producer, on Zoom. This was probably just off the second EP, which is so interesting because I feel like everything’s amazing right now. But I’m starting to see a lot of parallels between now and who I was five years ago. I think the whole crux of this is feeling underestimated, but also wanting to stay here because I just feel like some part of me will never fully accept what’s happening. It’s almost like telling myself to slow it down, but still keep going. It just shows I’m always going to go through these ebbs and flows. I remember when I was signed to a major label and everything was amazing, I still had those feelings. Being able to recognize it now, I’m able to move forward as opposed to being like, “There’s so many problems.” I think everyone goes through those ups and downs, even when things are really good.
Did you sample yourself on “Eden”? Because it sounds like the intro of “Breathe”.
So we sampled some of the radio samples from the second EP. We also sampled “Breathe” because obviously when you would hear it at the end and you’re like, “Oh my God, what?” It’s interesting because “Breathe” actually samples “White Rose” from the first EP.
That’s such a cool idea.
When you listen to albums from Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, Kendrick [Lamar], or Kanye West, they’re doing their own interludes and making random voices. You really feel like they’re creating this big story, but you can tell it’s them. That’s what makes it so special because there’s so many inside jokes and things that will never leave you. I was just trying to recreate that energy because that’s what makes it so unique and so yourself, ‘cause it’s not a sample from [sample library] Splice or anywhere else. You made it and then are re-purposing it in a fresh way. I was on Twitter and someone tweeted, “L.Y.W.W. — best radio on the planet”. It’s just the coolest thing.
Do you feel more liberated now that you’re in LA? The hip-hop scene could be limiting in Australia, especially when it comes to Black artists.
Yeah, definitely. I feel like I can step out of my door and not feel like I’m standing out as much. I think there’s more people around that just understand what I’m meant to be doing. I’m still different, but I don’t have to fully sell what I’m trying to do. That’s what every day felt like for me in Australia. Having that feeling over you all the time becomes tiring. No one really understands and they didn’t want to understand. Here in LA, it’s about creating your own universe ‘cause everyone wants to be different. My favorite artists here aren’t afraid to disappear for a bit and create some things and run with them. That’s what’s so inspiring about being in LA.
Who are some of your favorites at the moment?
I’m really loving Vince Staples. Jpegmafia, I’ve really enjoyed hanging out with him and just seeing how he thinks. We’re literally very similar people. I really like Fousheé, Rei Ami, Lolo Zouaï. They have so many different sounds, and they don’t want to stick to the same thing. They have cool and innovative production, and that’s what’s so inspiring.
I spoke to Jesswar earlier this year and she brought up you and Sampa The Great when discussing POC female artists in Australia.
Because she’s also a standout as well, she would certainly understand where it comes from. It’s just a numbers thing when you’re in Australia. It’s hard to convince people that it works because there’s so little of us, you know what I mean? If you’re going to take something to the radio, they’d be like, “Oh my God, this is amazing. But there’s nothing else in our playlist that sounds like this. So if we add it, we’ll let you know.” It doesn’t make sense.
On “Cashmere” you sing: “You ain’t safe until you lived your life with no fear.” As Black women, sometimes we have to put up this cold front and we’re not allowed to be soft or vulnerable.
That’s probably been the big challenge on this EP because I have hard songs like “Kim” and “Syrup” where I definitely want to be this badass female. But at the same time, when we reached “Cashmere,” I could finally breathe and just show this other side of me. It felt so empowering because not a lot of people, like you said, feel like they’re allowed to do that. The song has an energy that I resonated with. You find your unique self when you just embrace that.
There’s a lot of artists like yourself right now who are creating a space for Black girls to be expressive and be weird.
I think it just makes sense. There’s so many women in the world that it just comes a point, especially with the internet, where there’s everyone for someone. It’s cool to see the alt girls, the goth girls, and the hard girls pop up. For a while, the industry was like “This is the stereotypical definition of a female rapper or a female pop star. If you are a singer who’s Black, you’re probably doing R&B.” So it’s really exciting because there’s less pressure to be something you’re not.
We both come from a family of immigrants and sometimes us first-generation kids aren’t allowed to express love for the arts. I thought it was great that your parents fully supported you.
I played tennis for 10 years. I graduated from school with marks that were not high enough for me to do architecture. I had a lot of opportunities to do cool things, but I just wasn’t passionate about any of it. That was when my parents realized that when I love something, I will go all the way with it. That’s probably why they were supportive about it. The other thing was, they didn’t have to pay for it either. So they said, “As long as you can support yourself and you’re having fun and you feel fulfilled with your life, then that’s the most important thing.” A lot of us are told to be doctors and this and that. Then you reach 30 or 40 years old and you’re like, “Wow, I really didn’t live my life because I wanted to do something else when I was 20.” I was just like, “No, I don’t really want to do anything else. This is the one thing that I’m really obsessed with.” My parents [said], “Cool, go ahead.”
You seem like a competitive person. Does that come from your background in tennis?
I’ve always been competitive in sports and school. I did art all throughout high school. I just remember any time I wanted to hand something in, it had to be the best. It always had to grab someone’s attention because why else would you be doing it then? Obviously, it’s for yourself. But I just always want to do something at a high level that means something and creates an impact. But when I realized that maybe I’m not dedicated enough or I’m not spending enough time on it, then I just completely stop. It’s all or nothing for me with anything.
Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 3 is out now via 4AD. Get it here.
Saweetie’s still promoting her upcoming debut album, Pretty B*tch Music, despite delaying it after meeting Cher and attending a performance boot camp to bolster her live shows. The Bay Area rapper most recently sat down for a video interview with Billboard in which she reveals more details about the upcoming album, including the fact that some of its content upset her mom.
Apparently, Saweetie has a song that is partially in Tagalog — one of the official languages of the Philippines (Saweetie is part Filipino) — and her mom, who is Filipino and Chinese, doesn’t quite approve. “I do talk some sh*t in Tagalog,” she admits. “My mom was really against it. My Asian side, they’re very traditional — they were immigrants. So it’s like, their culture’s a little bit more reserved. So, she was just like, ‘Girl, I can’t believe you just said that!’”
The “Tap In” rapper also explains that one of the reasons for the album’s delay is how personal it is to her. She hopes it will “humanize” her in the eyes of fans who only see her as a star (albeit one with a cast-iron stomach) and tweet hurtful comments without considering their effects.
Once you’ve made a song like “WAP,” you’ve probably raised the bar on what people will let you get away with indefinitely. That certainly seems to be the case with Cardi B’s verse on Normani’s new song “Wild Side.” The rapper revealed on Twitter that after submitting her original verse for their collaboration, the singer apparently thought it was too tame, requesting Cardi to bring more “WAP” energy. Naturally, Cardi was happy to oblige.
Responding to a fan’s comment calling her “nasty nasty” and opining that it makes sense to have Cardi on a song like “Wild Side,” Cardi posted a gif of a mischievously grinning Wendy Williams and explained, “I did a verse and Normani team said they wanted nastier. Sooo I was like alright …. Your wish is my command.”
So far, it looks like Normani’s request is paying off. The song has become an instant hit with fans on Twitter, who were quick to fill timelines with enthused reactions to the video’s risque imagery and bold artistic direction. The track is Normani’s first single release since 2019’s “Motivation” (which likewise received an overjoyed reaction from fans) and may single her readiness to begin promotion on her solo debut album in earnest.
Cardi, meanwhile, has been whetting fans’ appetites for her follow-up album to 2019’s Invasion Of Privacy with features on projects from Migos and Pop Smoke, as well as an appearance in the latest Fast & Furious movie.
Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Once you’ve made a song like “WAP,” you’ve probably raised the bar on what people will let you get away with indefinitely. That certainly seems to be the case with Cardi B’s verse on Normani’s new song “Wild Side.” The rapper revealed on Twitter that after submitting her original verse for their collaboration, the singer apparently thought it was too tame, requesting Cardi to bring more “WAP” energy. Naturally, Cardi was happy to oblige.
Responding to a fan’s comment calling her “nasty nasty” and opining that it makes sense to have Cardi on a song like “Wild Side,” Cardi posted a gif of a mischievously grinning Wendy Williams and explained, “I did a verse and Normani team said they wanted nastier. Sooo I was like alright …. Your wish is my command.”
So far, it looks like Normani’s request is paying off. The song has become an instant hit with fans on Twitter, who were quick to fill timelines with enthused reactions to the video’s risque imagery and bold artistic direction. The track is Normani’s first single release since 2019’s “Motivation” (which likewise received an overjoyed reaction from fans) and may single her readiness to begin promotion on her solo debut album in earnest.
Cardi, meanwhile, has been whetting fans’ appetites for her follow-up album to 2019’s Invasion Of Privacy with features on projects from Migos and Pop Smoke, as well as an appearance in the latest Fast & Furious movie.
Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
