Last September, Cardi B went public with some footage of a group of Trump supporters in the Hamptons who were seemingly harassing her sister, Hennessy. Cardi labeled the harassers’ actions as “racist,” and they promptly responded with a defamation lawsuit. The rapper reportedly now wants the lawsuit dismissed, claiming they’re only going after her money.
It all started when Cardi’s sister Hennessy was looking to spend a casual day at the beach with her girlfriend. But then, according to Hennessy, she and her partner were approached by MAGA hat-wearing beachgoers who asked them to move their car. They obliged, but the altercation didn’t end there. Hennessy claimed that they were followed by the group and repeatedly told, “Go back to your own country.”
You wanna know why joe gotta talk to me Candice cause I have the #1 song & yet my sister can’t go to the beach in the Hampton’s wit out trump supporters harassing cause they were by themselves & Santa Claus was harassing my sis GF all because they are a Afro/Hispanic gay couple https://t.co/OLQX2mrzbppic.twitter.com/ISfJStODme
Cardi B shared Hennessy’s account of the argument and label them “racist MAGA supporters,” which the plaintiffs are using as grounds for the defamation suit. But according to TMZ, Cardi isn’t willing to go through with the case. The rapper reportedly filed a motion for a judge to dismiss the lawsuit because she believes they want to capitalize on the fact that she’s a celebrity. Cardi reportedly added that her heated words were just her “opinion,” and do not constitute defamation. “The remedy for thin skin is thicker skin, not a lawsuit,” the rapper allegedly stated in court documents.
Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Is there anyone better at the internet than Vince Staples? At least in the realm of hip-hop, there are very few who can hold a candle to his posting game (his live show is pretty great, too). He knows just how to get a rise out of people, make jokes, and offer helpful and necessary cultural commentary when needed. However, that’s not what he was up to tonight.
Instead, his focus right now was on some internet haters, ones who would not stop falsely claiming that his mother has recently laid hands on him. The claim, Staples states, is simply false. The Long Beach rapper posted a snippet of a text conversation the two had about said haters, and Vince confirmed his case with a material witness to the truth.
“Mama these n—-s on Twitter trying to say you was just beating my ass,” Vince texted. “Can you please tell them I ain’t get a whooping since the 90s and I been turnt up since birth.” Not one to disappoint her son, or his legion of fans who thoroughly enjoyed the exchange, Mama Staples wrote back: “That’s just like n—-s, talking about something they know nothing about!! You always been turned up!!!”
There you have it. Have a great weekend and know that if your mom doesn’t have your back like Vince Staples’ does, she needs to get in gear.
Every American learns about the work of Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr in their school’s curriculum. But there are countless Civil Rights activists and revolutionaries left out of the picture. One such organizer is Fannie Lou Hamer, a Mississippi native who was instrumental in rallying support around the Voting Rights Act of 1964. Now, Hamer’s story is set to become a documentary — and Common has signed onto the project.
The biopic is titled God’s Long Summer, named after the book written by Charles Marsh. The film will follow Hamer’s story as an activist and an organizer, as well as touch on the violent setbacks she faced along the way. According to Billboard, the synopsis reads, “she fought against the Southern political establishment, systemic racism and misogyny by exercising her right to vote and fighting for the rights of others. Labeled as plain spoken and unfit to lead the movement, Hamer captivated the nation with her powerful voice, sheer will, and faith in her fight against leaders at the highest levels of state and federal government and within the Civil Rights Movement itself to help secure passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.”
About his decision to join the film project, Common said: “Fannie Lou Hamer is a revolutionary figure we should all know. Her story and impact is evidence that Black History IS American History. We have all benefited from her work and dedication. I feel blessed to be working with this incredible group of producers to bring this story to the screen.”
Charles McLaurin, a fellow Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee member and close friend of Hamer’s, serves as a story consultant for the film.
“It’s impossible to talk about voting rights in America and not include Mrs. Hamer,” McLaurin said. “Her story will serve as a reminder of our long history of struggle to secure voter rights for all citizens in this country, and, add her powerful voice to the current struggle to pass new voting rights legislation.”
It’s been over two-and-a-half years since the music world lost the venerable rapper Mac Miller. Since his passing, fans continue to celebrate his life through his music. Though some of his work has been posthumously released, the final album the rapper debuted prior to his tragic death was the Grammy-nominated effort Swimming. The LP received critical acclaim at the time of its release and now, nearly three years later, it has officially become Miller’s first-ever Platinum-certified album.
Swimming became certified Platinum by the RIAA this past Wednesday. That means that Swimming has been purchased over one million times. While Swimming is the rapper’s first-ever Platinum certification for an album, the majority of Miller’s discography has been certified Gold. In fact, Miller’s posthumous release Circles was certified Gold the same day Swimming officially went Platinum.
News of Miller’s impressive album sales arrived just one day after an exciting announcement from the rapper’s team. Earlier this week, Miller’s friend and producer ID Labs confirmed that the rapper’s 2014 mixtape Faces is set to be released on streaming services. Faces is expected to be available for streaming later this year and will mark Miller’s second mixtape posthumously released on streaming platforms.
Mac Miller is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack Foundation has partnered with the city of Houston to provide aid to 50,000+ residents who were impacted by the recent winter storm that knocked out power and left Texans in freezing conditions with no heat or water. In a press release announcing the aid program, it’s noted that the Cactus Jack Foundation worked with local agencies including The National Association of Christian Churches, The Black Service Chamber, and even local restaurant owners to identify the most vulnerable people in need of assistance.
The program is using trucks loaded with hot food and clean water to deliver these needed goods directly to people with disabilities, families with children under the age of 18, senior citizens and homebound adults, and unemployed or low-income individuals who may not have access to transportation and other resources.
Travis isn’t the only Houston resident pitching in. After Texas Senator Ted Cruz basically bailed on his constituents for a family vacation in Mexico (build that wall, right?), Houstonians looked out for one another. Beyonce teamed with her Ivy Park partners at Adidas to provide financial aid to individuals, while Megan Thee Stallion and Ellen DeGeneres gave a donation of $50,000 to a local nurse who moved from Mississippi to help with coronavirus treatment efforts and got stuck in a hotel with five kids.
Even former residents like James Harden, who was traded to Brooklyn Nets earlier this year, is giving back to his former adopted city, giving away hot food from his restaurant last weekend. This week he also told reporters postgame after defeating my Clippers that he’s been on calls with Houston’s mayor, local plumbers, and his sponsors at BodyArmor to provide water to the city and more.
Ventura rapper Kyle takes a poppy turn on his newest song, “But Cha” featuring singer/songwriter Josh Golden. Released with an anime-inspired lyrics video, “But Cha” finds Kyle serenading his dream girl, reassuring her that he intends to stick with her for the long haul. “Your stock is goin’ through the roof and I’m investin’,” he winks. “No multiple-choice, ain’t nobody to choose.”
Kyle’s latest arrives eight months after his last album, 2020’s See You When I Am Famous!!!!!!!!!!!!, his second major-label album after 2018’s Light Of Mine. While Kyle has always embraced sunnier production and heartfelt themes, “But Cha” focuses even more on melody and lighter tones, much like Famous lead single “What It Is” minus the melancholy.
The turnaround time on his new song is impressive, considering he spent much of the year promoting Famous with videos like “Money Now” and “See You When I’m Famous” in the midst of pandemic precautions. He also managed to find time to work on season two of his surreal animated variety show Sugar & Toys, so being able to start prepping a new project just goes to show how committed he’s been through the past, wild year.
Listen to “But Cha” above.
Kyle is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Six months ago, Tobe Nwigwe debuted the video for his song “Eat” as part of an extensive and seemingly endless string of self-released singles showcasing the self-contained creative factory he’s created with his wife Fat, business partner/producer Lanell Grant, and director Nate Edwards. Last night, they brought their elaborate creations to late-night television for the first time, performing “Eat” on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and making sure it was an experience none of the show’s viewers will ever forget.
The performance, which was pre-taped due to COVID-19 restrictions, featured an eye-catching mod look, placing each of Tobe’s band members on a separate, social-distancing-approved circular stage, as masked models cat-walked through the background, then hit the spacious floor for another of Tobe’s elegantly-choreographed routines. Meanwhile, Tobe’s fit did as much talking as his bars did, as he flexed a massive puffer trench bearing the likenesses of Breonna Taylor and revolutionary Fred Hampton under the slogan “It’s hard to sleep these days.” Both Hampton and Taylor were killed by law enforcement officers in their sleep during raids on their homes.
Tobe’s ongoing release campaign has so far included songs like “The Truth,” “Pistol,” and “Tundah Fiyah” and featured guests like Big KRIT, Black Thought, Bun B, D Smoke, and Trae The Truth. Tobe also performed a cover of Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes’ 1975 classic “Wake Up Everybody.” You can watch below.
Samples have always been the backbone of hip-hop. The very first raps were performed over beat breaks, which were looped and extended to provide B-boys a platform for their gymnastic dance routines and rappers their bombastic bars. However, despite hip-hop’s preference for calling back to the past, making history as modern as a freshly-released single, the genre has oddly few examples of another tool for paying homage to the forebears and icons of days past.
Last week, M1 and Stic.man of revered revolutionary rap duo Dead Prez revealed that the late, great Los Angeles legend Nipsey Hussle reached out to them prior to his death for permission to remake their seminal 2000 debut albumLet’s Get Free — but the idea was never executed, as Nipsey passed away before he was able to begin work on the project in earnest. Besides this one high-profile example, there aren’t very many other albums by current rappers that seek to recreate the classic works that have inspired and influenced them. So, why doesn’t hip-hop have many cover albums?
Part of the answer may stem from rap music’s status as a young genre. Just 30 years ago, the culture as a whole was still fighting for its legitimacy, dismissed as a passing fad. However, that didn’t seem to stop musicians in other disciplines from nearly constantly covering each others’ songs to the point that there is widespread debate about the “best” versions of hits like “Respect,” originated by Otis Redding and made classic by Aretha Franklin; “Proud Mary,” a Creedance Clearwater Revival turned rocking revue by Ike and Tina Turner; and “Strange Fruit,” the defiant ode to Black resistance in the face of monstrous treatment sung by Billie Holiday and further popularized by Nina Simone.
Rock artists have also had a long history of reinterpreting classics for new generations. Consider Dirty Projectors’ Rise Above. In 2007, bandleader David Longstreth set out to replay Black Flag’s 1981 album Damaged from memory despite not hearing in for 15 years prior. If that sounds ambitious, Beck’s 2009 project Record Club would seem downright obsessive, as the genre-hopping multi-instrumentalist sought to cover whole albums in just one day each with a fluid collective of musicians. These included Leonard Cohen’s Songs Of Leonard Cohen, The Velvet Underground’s The Velvet Underground & Nico, and INXS’s Kick.
The form is a staple of other genres, such as rock and soul, but seems foreign to hip-hop, despite the fact that hip-hop now has enough history behind it to have several generations of “old-school” music, as many a millennial has been dumbstruck to learn in recent years. Where a 35-year-old today may have cited NWA, Public Enemy, or Run-DMC as “old-school” based on their high school experiences, a 15-year-old today looks at that 35-year-old’s high school faves like Jay-Z, Ludacris, or Nelly, and sees only a pack of old fogeys — Public Enemy may as well have been recorded on Fred Flintstone’s Dictabird.
Further complicating hip-hop’s relationship to cover projects is its reliance on samples and insistence on originality. Biting lyrics is a no-no of the highest order in hip-hop, and while sampling is the foundation of the art form, rarely are songs recreated or reinterpreted — and sometimes, choosing a sacrosanct record to recreate is seen as blasphemous. Just look at the reaction to DJ Khaled’s Outkast sample on his 2019 song “Just Us.” Borrowing the melody of “Ms. Jackson” didn’t work out any better for him than J. Cole’s similar homage — borrowing the loop from “Da Art Of Storytelling, Part 1” on “Land Of The Snakes — did for the North Carolina MC.
However, there is one example of a hip-hop cover album that was both well-received and tastefully done. In 2011, former Slum Village member Elzhi set out to pay tribute to one of his favorite MCs, Nas, by recreating Nas’s revered debut album Illmatic with a live band. The resulting mixtape, cleverly titled Elmatic, saw Elzhi putting his own unique twists on both Nas’s rhymes and the ’90s masterclass beats; Elzhi deftly re-worded some of the more iconic lyrical sequences, keeping the familiar diction and cadences, channeling them to flip Nas’s autobiographical tales into narratives of his own Detroit upbringing. The band embellished on the Ahmad Jamal, Gap Band, and Michael Jackson samples, bringing their musicality to the fore, where previously the drum tracks were the centerpieces of the album.
Elmatic‘s success only highlights how intriguing the idea of hip-hop cover albums truly is. Rap music, despite its reputation as a youth genre with little use for its elder statesmen, has always held a deep reverence for the history, breadth, and depth of Black music. Puffy can sample Diana Ross for a celebratory posthumous Notorious BIG single and Three 6 Mafia can turn a 30-year-old Willie Hutch soundtrack cut into an international players’ anthem, thoroughly disproving the trope that hip-hop doesn’t respect its elders. Rappers and producers simply choose to reinterpret what has already been done. If that’s not the essence of a cover, nothing is.
Nipsey Hussle and Elzhi both understood this, and both were willing to take the plunge, risking the disapproval of hardcore hip-hop heads to salute their musical forebears. That’s to be applauded — and imitated. Hip-hop now has a rich history of its own, just waiting to be mined, paid homage to, and translated into new terms for younger ears that may not be familiar with it, but are certainly much more receptive than they are given credit for. Whether it’s a New York boom-bap standard, a West Coast G-funk essential, or a Dirty South crunk classic, it’s time for hip-hop to begin giving its older albums some fresh looks.
Nipsey Hussle is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
