Eminem has had his fair share of controversy since his breakout 1998 album, The Slim Shady LP. Now he’s caught the ire of young TikTokers who’ve recently discovered his older songs. But their complaints have been brushed off by older fans, who were more acquainted with his catalog.
In a series of TikTok videos that were posted earlier this week, Eminem supporters declared that it’s a bit too late to try and cancel the rapper. The back and forth was labeled as a war between Millennials and Gen-Z, with the former coming to Eminem’s defense as the latter aimed to bring him down. As all of this went on, Eminem himself kept quiet, even as his name trended on Twitter. That changed on Friday when the rapper released a lyric video for his Music To Be Murdered By track “Tone Deaf,” which serves as a pretty obvious shot at his critics.
He announced the video on Twitter by using a pair of lines from the song. “I won’t stop even when my hair turns grey (I’m tone-deaf) / ‘Cause they won’t stop until they cancel me,” he wrote in the tweet.
Two months ago Eminem said he wasn’t worried about cancel culture. “With me, it’s literally like every f*cking every other day,” he said during an appearance on Shade45. “I understand some of the sh*t but for the most part like for people who just sit online and they feel like they need to b*tch about whatever it is to feel like they’re a part of something. With cancel culture, it’s like no one ever really gets canceled though.”
You can watch the lyric video above and see some tweets from Millennial Eminem fans below.
its crazy how this man can do absolutely nothing and still get on trending, Eminem really lives rent free in so many heads pic.twitter.com/fhD4IS5fdY
At just 21 years old, Lil Nas X is officially a first-time homeowner. The rapper recently closed a deal on the first house he purchased with his own money, and to celebrate, Lil Nas X shared some photos in his new crib. “bought my first house today,” he wrote on social media alongside selfies with his house keys, inside his kitchen, and beside a massive hot tub.
While he bought this house off the market, Lil Nas X informed a follower that he plans on designing a future house himself. “this the first one! the next one i’ll create myself,” he wrote.
this the first one! the next one i’ll create myself!
Buying a house is a huge accomplishment for Lil Nas X, as he wasn’t able to move into his own apartment until 2019. The rapper discussed a handful of his memorable life moments in a series of recent TikTok videos, where he got real about depression and family issues during his rise to fame. The rapper revealed that his mother has been in-and-out of rehab while battling addiction and, at one point, he was forced to move in with his abusive brother. But despite his personal struggles, the rapper still managed to become a Grammy-winning artist and continues his successful career.
Check out photos of Lil Nas X in his first house above.
Fans have been pressing SZA about the status of her sophomore album ever since the singer’s debut record Ctrl took off in 2017. SZA has said that her next LP is “on the way,” but to appease fans, the singer returned Friday to share a vibrant video alongside her 2020 single “Good Days.”
Directed by SZA herself, the “Good Days” visual depicts SZA drifting off in a daydream and transporting herself to two of her happy places. She appears in a whimsical garden, surrounded by moss and life-sized mushrooms, where she lets go of her inhibitions through meditation and dance. Her second happy place is a fully stocked library, where she combs through books while pole dancing.
Ahead of the visual’s release, SZA addressed how a snippet of her upcoming song went viral on TikTok. Because the song is unreleased, fans have decided to name it “Shirt,” but SZA isn’t so sure about that title. “‘Shirt’ is super easy to remember and now every time I work on it in the studio I reference it as ‘Shirt,’” she said in a recent interview with CBS This Morning. “Some people call it ‘Blood Stain,’ which is very graphic. Now this song, which I wasn’t even 100 percent sure of the placement on my album has centered itself on my album. Now we shot a video for it.”
All eyes are on Drake as fans continue to wait for his anticipated Certified Lover Boy release. Instead, Drake decided to hold fans over by dropping a handful of songs Friday in the form of his Scary Hours 2 EP, which included a collaboration with Rick Ross. But it now looks like the two rappers may have another project together in the works.
Drake and Ross’ “Lemon Pepper Freestyle” had people on the internet buzzing. But it seems as though one person, in particular, has more information than most about the two rappers’ working relationship. In response to a tweet about “Lemon Pepper Freestyle,” former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson revealed that they are actually working on a joint album. “The joint album they’re doing together [will] unseat all projects they’ve done to date,” Johnson wrote on Twitter.
The joint album they’re doing together with unseat all projects they’ve done to date https://t.co/GJDlW2gpmb
This isn’t the first time rumors of their joint project have circulated. Drake himself first drummed up anticipation way back in 2011 when he revealed in an interview with XXL that a project with Ross was in the works. “I have been working on a mixtape with Ross,” Drake said nearly a decade ago. “A mixtape called Y.O.L.O., You Only Live Once. I’ve been working on that for the last couple of weeks. We haven’t really connected because he’s been going through this thing with his health. I’ve been stashing my little beats and verses.”
Neither Drake nor Ross have confirmed the collaborative album yet. Time will tell if it’s on the horizon, or if fans will have to wait another decade for a new project from the two rappers.
Back in 2018, Twitter ignited with accusations of cultural appropriation against Bruno Mars, who critics said was cashing in on music inspired by Black entertainers. At the time, Mars responded by saying all genres of music, from jazz to hip-hop, have roots in the Black community. “In my world, Black music means everything,” he said at the time. Now, Mars is once again addressing his cultural appropriation backlash, this time by explaining his inspirations.
Bruno Mars recently sat down for an interview with The Breakfast Club alongside Anderson .Paak in support of their recent Silk Sonic single “Leave The Door Open.” Charlamagne Tha God, the host of The Breakfast Club, asked Mars how he felt about being accused of “cultural theft.” Mars responded by saying he does draw inspiration from Black legends like Prince and James Brown:
“I’ll say, you can’t find an interview where I’m not talking about the entertainers who have come before me. The only reason why I’m here is because of James Brown, Prince, Michael [Jackson], that’s the only reason why I’m here. I’m growing up as a kid watching Bobbie Brown saying, ‘Okay, if that’s what it takes to make it, then I gotta learn how to do the running man, I gotta learn how to do the moonwalk.’ That’s it. This music comes from love. If you can’t hear that, then I don’t know what to tell you.
It’s the truth, it’s not a secret. Like I said, we’re wearing the inspiration on our sleeve. What is the point if us as musicians if we can’t learn from the guys that come before us? I hope later on, down the road, there’s going to be a band that’s taking what we did and flipping that, and freaking that, and putting their own spin on it. Because if we don’t, then what was the point of us doing this?”
Charlamagne then asked Mars if he was ever “pissed off” by the cultural appropriation critics, and Mars said he wasn’t fazed. Rather, he understands that Black creators are oftentimes not given the credit they deserve. “There’s merit to what people are saying about Black entertainers not getting their flowers,” he said. “I’m champion of that, I’m with that. […] I understand. It’s just Twitter, man.”
When Eddie Huang’s directorial debut, Boogie, was announced, much attention was given to the presence of one of its stars: the late Brooklyn drill rapper Pop Smoke, in his own posthumous acting debut. While it was at one point considered unusual for rappers to jump into acting — especially before they ever had an album to their name — in recent years, it’s become much more common for a new and rising star to already have their hands in many different arts to ensure that at least one of them pays off. From Vince Staples in Dope to Cardi B in Fast 9 to Quavo in Wash Me In The River, more actors than ever are pursuing side careers in film.
The question on everyone’s minds, then, was whether or not Pop Smoke’s acting chops lived up to the billing. In the film, he portrays the title character’s rival hooper, as Boogie (Taylor Takahashi, also in his debut), a first-generation Chinese-American basketball player, transfers to a new school in the hopes of drumming up interest from a college program that can get him closer to the NBA. Of course, Boogie’s life is complicated; his estranged parents battle each other over his path to pro hoops and he becomes interested in a girl at his new school, all while butting heads with his coach over his role on the team.
From a pure “movie” standpoint, Boogie shows all the hallmarks of a debut directorial effort from Huang. While the foundation of the story is solid and the performances are for the most part superb, there are probably a few too many plot threads that need tying off by the film’s conclusion, many of which are pretty cliched. The dialogue suffers from “trying to be hip,” and it’s also unintentionally funny, possibly at times that aren’t meant to be — but that’s also probably a result of its New York shooting locations. There’s one moment in which a bystander can be heard reacting to Boogie’s dialogue with his love interest as he tries to explain the friction of balancing 5,000 years of cultural history with second-class citizen status.
Also — and this part just might be due to my proximity to the game — but I found myself a little bit frustrated with the basketball culture as presented. What little gameplay is seen is serviceable at best (with odd dialogue that doesn’t seem to suit the action on-screen), but while the behind-the-scenes workings of recruiting, scholarships, and overseas offers read true-to-life, there is astonishingly little context presented for any of it. If someone were completely unversed in how this stuff works, they’d be confused — even worse, for someone who is well-versed, it’s even more confusing.
When the choice is posed between skipping one year of NCAA eligibility to play for the Shanghai Sharks or walking on at Georgetown in the hopes of securing an NBA berth, I found myself flabbergasted that the former route seemed to preclude the latter outcome when several players have already been successful at it (more so than the traditional route of playing for a few years at a ranked school). It feels almost like advocating for the exploitative practices of the NCAA, while simultaneously dumping on non-US leagues — where US-born players often thrive and Jeremy Lin, who the film name-checks early on, went in the process of mounting his NBA comeback.
But Pop Smoke’s character appears relatively early and looms over the proceedings, giving the Brooklyn rapper plenty of opportunities to shine. He makes the most of them, stealing nearly every scene he’s in and giving off a magnetic aura that pulls the viewer in. He snarls on the court and smirks in the protagonist’s face, his husky growl dousing every line in sizzling New York authenticity. His performance made me wish that the love story had been cut in the interest of cultivating the two players’ rivalry — for the most part, we mostly hear about how Monk being the best player in the city, and rarely do the two actually share the screen in the first two-thirds of the runtime.
When they do, however, the screen lights up and the electricity is palpable. I found myself doing that two-panel meme of the guy playing the video game all laid-back until the score gets close. I scooted forward on my couch, leaning in to soak in the aura of tension. Much of this aura is given off by Takahashi, but the majority of it is Pop Smoke, who practically vibrates off the screen. It’s probably presumptuous to make a comparison to Tupac in Above The Rim… but that’s exactly what I’m going to do because even if the comparison isn’t apples to apples, the clementine that is Pop Smoke sure looks like a Tupac orange that just hasn’t grown up yet.
While the film makes little effort to flesh out the character — outside of repeated mentions of how badly Boogie needs to beat Monk — Pop Smoke does plenty of that work himself. He gives Monk a cocky, borderline brutish demeanor, but he holds back from pure thuggery. Monk is a New York classic, a trash talker who does whatever it takes to get into his opponent’s head and throw them off their game. And as infuriating as that can be — both on the court and in real life — Pop is a charismatic enough personality to not only pull it off but also to make viewers like his character almost as much as Boogie.
The one real drawback is that Pop’s performance is dragged down the same way the movie is; through unsure editing and amateurish writing. Not to speak ill of the dead, but the quick cuts during Pop’s on-court play make it clear he had way more talent on the mic than with a ball. Also, he’s alternatively listed on Google as either 5’5″ or 5’11”, which means those dunks are either being performed by a body double or on an eight-foot rim. He may have had plenty of potential as a future actor but a J. Cole-esque hoop dream pursuit was definitely out of the question.
Ultimately, Pop Smoke shining in his debut role the world winds up mostly highlighting — once again — how truly tragic his untimely demise remains. It seems certain now that he would have continued to grow in stature — his posthumous debut album, Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon was one of 2020’s most-streamed projects and demonstrated how truly versatile he could be — and collect further roles as charismatic villains and possibly even roguish heroes. Even in the limited screentime that the movie allows, he becomes the center of every scene he’s in — that is the very definition of star power. Unfortunately, the world will instead continue to miss out on the growth and charm of Pop Smoke, who by every indication here, had all the making of a bonafide movie star.
Doja Cat was the subject of a new cover story by V Magazine today, and as Complex points out, she had a pretty amazing conversation with SZA, who interviewed her for the piece. You should really read the whole thing, but my favorite part is in a question that leads into whether or not Doja finds herself in the hip-hop conversation, SZA reveals that Doja actually inspired her and made Solana feel more comfortable with herself.
I really feel like I relate the most to you because between the pre-TDE sh*t and crossing that path, I always felt like I couldn’t fit into anything. That my music isn’t “Black enough” with “Drew Barrymore.” Or I’m doing sh*t that’s strange. I never felt that as a Black girl, I could make music and be in these realms. You make music in all these other realms and make it sound like it touched my inner mind and spirit. It’s like, you’re exactly who I needed when I was in high school [and] college. I just wanted to feel like it’s ok to be an individual that isn’t really planted but is highly mutable and superfluid. Working with you was literally my dream.
SZA also shares their collaboration is reportedly called “Kiss Me More.” And the interview ends with SZA comparing Doja to Britney Spears, which doesn’t seem that far off anymore. Look for Doja’s new album Planet Her dropping sometime later this year.
Veteran Memphis rapper Young Dolph and his charismatic protege/cousin Key Glock set the rap world on fire in 2019 with their joint album, Dum And Dummer. Released independently, it had an impressive No. 8 debut on the Billboard 200, establishing Key Glock as a rapper to watch.
Get ready for another ride, because they just announced a sequel, Dum And Dummer 2, releasing the first single, “Aspen.” With a thumping beat riddling with quick hits of a church organ, “Aspen” once again displays the Memphis duo’s indelible chemistry, boasting about their rags-to-riches stories and promising to take a vacation at the famed Colorado resort town.
In the wake of the original Dum And Dummer, Key Glock capitalized in a huge way, following up his stellar performances with two well-received full-length projects in 2020, Yellow Tape and Son Of A Gun. The former debuted at No. 14 on the Billboard 200, proving that his newfound popularity from the joint tape could carry over to a solo project.
Meanwhile, Dolph himself followed up in 2020 as well with Rich Slave — which debuted at No. 4 on the 200 — and its deluxe version, which added eight new songs and an appearance from another of his Paper Route Empire signees, Kevin Muney.
Listen to “Aspen” above and keep an eye out for more Dum And Dummer 2 news.
It looks like Cardi B fans might not see more of her trademark clap backs or Asian snack purchases for a while; the “Up” rapper has deactivated her Twitter account. A search of Cardi’s @ name shows a “does not exist” message and there was apparently no explanation or warning before she deactivated the account. It’s unknown why she deactivated it or whether the deactivation is temporary, but she does have 30 days to restart her account before Twitter deletes it entirely.
Before the deactivation, Cardi announced that she was closing in on finishing her album, so that may have a bit to do with it. The account was also infamous for featuring Cardi’s wildest thoughts and clashes with other big social media personalities, including conservative commentators who tried to take her to task over her uninhibited lyrical content. She also used it to tease collaborations and new projects, such as potential songs with Playboi Carti and Lizzo, and address critiques of her music and personality, such as the time she explained why her songs inspire TikTok challenges.
Fans can still get Cardi B updates on her Instagram and her OnlyFans, which she started so that she could address fans directly without outside observers jumping to conclusions.
Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
At the time of his death, Pop Smoke was one of the hottest commodities in the rap game but he wasn’t the only drill-influenced artist with a stranglehold on radio and playlists. Chicago artist Polo G, working from the blueprint established by Windy City forebearers like Chief Keef and Lil Durk, also had a parade of hits traveling down the pipeline. Although the two shared common roots — they were even the same age — they never got to work together while Pop was alive. That’s a shame because “Fashion,” their posthumous collaboration from the Boogie soundtrack, is a stone-cold banger.
Built over a more New York drill-style beat — which is, technically, more of a UK drill style — the track leaves plenty of space for the two rappers’ lyrics to breathe, although there is a truly thunderous low-end typical of the style as well. There’s an interesting contrast between their styles as well, Pop’s gravelly, laid-back growl offering a smooth complement to Polo’s jagged, high-energy cadence.
Boogie, Pop Smoke’s acting debut and Eddie Huang’s directorial one, is out today via Focus Films. It follows a first-generation Chinese-American high-school hoop star as he tries to decide what to do with his future, with Pop Smoke playing his rival. Pop appears multiple times on the soundtrack, including on the song “AP.” The music for the film is by New York rap legend Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest and go-to New York hip-hop television composer Adrian Younge, who previously worked on Marvel’s Luke Cage.
