Canadian alt-jazz band BADBADNOTGOOD has been dropping a relatively steady stream of collaborative EPs over the past year, releasing sets with collaborators both unusual (hardcore band Turnstile) and apropos (soul crooner Baby Rose). Today, they added to this growing collection with a more self-contained EP release, Mid Spiral: Chaos, which hearkens back to some of the band’s more improvisational, jazzy material.
“If this music makes your ears we thank you very much,” the band shared via Twitter (which will never be called by “X” under this particular byline). “We have new friends playing over the whole record with us and this is an exciting and fun chapter. Peace!” Those friends, according to a separate tweet, include Felix Fox-Pappas, Kaelin Murphy, Juan Carlos Medrano, and Tyler Lott.
Brand new badbad going live in 4 minutes for the est folks. If this music makes your ears we thank you very much. We have new friends playing over the whole record with us and this is an exciting and fun chapter. Peace!
Mid Spiral: Chaos arrives in a busy year for the band. Not only did they release their EP Slow Burn with Baby Rose just a month ago on April 12, but they have also played Coachella and recently been announced as one of the performers on Aminé’s brand-new Portland festival, The Best Day Ever. All this is coming off a year in which they opened for Daniel Caesar on tour.
Last night (May 14), Megan Thee Stallion kicked off her much-anticipated Hot Girl Summer Tour. Her stop in Minneapolis has proven to be a hell of a show, and looks to be one of the most promising concerts of the summer. With an extensive setlist, as well as stunning choreography, and a fun time with fans all around, ticketholders are going to want to remember this night. Thankfully, each show will offer the opportunity to buy merch to do just that.
The Merch Available At Megan Thee Stallion’s Hot Girl Summer Tour
A fan who was in attendance at the Minneapolis show shared an image of the available merch via Reddit.
Within the merch collection are a black t-shirt with an image of Meg by a pool wearing a thong, a tye-dye yellow t-shirt, a long-sleeved red-shirt featuring Meg in a bikini, a white t-shirt with a print image of Meg in a pool, and hoodies with the Hot Girl Summer World Tour text with the tour dates listed on the back.
Fans can also purchase GloRilla merch, which includes a t-shirt featuring the cover of her new Ehhthang Ehhthang mixtape.
Most of the t-shirts go for $45, per the fan-shared photo.
The release of Gunna’s new albumOne Of Wun on May 10 was a moment met with restless anticipation. For fans of the Atlanta rapper, the album’s arrival was not preceded by the usual fanfare or explosive marketing campaigns other artists of his caliber tend to do. Instead, it came on the heels of personal and legal challenges that saw Gunna retreat from the public eye. That’s why Gunna’s choice to let the music speak for itself feels like a statement of sorts.
One Of Wun was also a hint at the deep exploration he seems to be going through in his journey so far as an artist. It’s also not a reach to claim that One Of Wun’s eclectic beats serve to amplify this narrative. His previous works painted pictures of luxury and excess, set against the backdrop of his signature flow and infectious beats. But One Of Wun showed another layer to the man; a man with deeper, complex feelings and sensitivities.
A central motif in Gunna’s latest album is his indulgences and the opulence and extravagance that his success has afforded him. This theme is woven throughout the album. However, several tracks stand out for their explicit portrayal of this luxurious life. On “Back in the A,” Gunna reflects on his rise from humble beginnings to a life of wealth, contrasting his past with his present. On “Prada Dem,” featuring Offset, a braggadocious anthem ensues, celebrating designer fashion, and the high-end lifestyle that has become synonymous with Gunna’s image. “Whatsapp (Wassam)” is another example where Gunna narrates an interesting experience of receiving a significant sum of money for a private show. Finally, “Neck On A Yacht,” produced by Turbo, is inspired by recording sessions on a yacht. Altogether, these tracks further emphasize the carefree and affluent lifestyle that Gunna now enjoys.
On Relationships And Women
Gunna explores his experiences with women throughout One Of Wun. However, there’s a sense of detachment in his approach. While the songs discuss women and sex quite a bit, it’s clear that there’s not much emotional depth involved. Take “Treesh” for example, where Gunna dives into the complexities of short-lived relationships, balancing between reluctance and enjoyment in casual encounters. Likewise, “Life’s Changing” sheds light on how his life has transformed. This includes his romantic involvements, especially as he deals with the challenges of fame and wealth.
Finally, Gunna’s One of Wun digs deep into his efforts to push forward despite the challenges life throws at him. Interestingly, the album seems to be inspired by his legal battles and the controversies surrounding his plea deal. Overall, it stands as a testament to his strength. Gunna brushes off the need for apologies from those who doubted him, focusing instead on his personal victories. Moreover, the title track resonates with this idea. His p lyrics underscore his unwavering determination to succeed in the face of adversity. This resilience shines through in “On One Tonight” as well. Gunna confronts the expectations of his critics for his downfall, reaffirming his steadfast commitment to thrive.
Production And Sound
Gunna continues to push the boundaries of trap music with One of Wun. With standout tracks like “Prada Dem,” featuring Offset, and “Whatsapp (Wassam),” this album is an experiment done right. The songs brilliantly exemplify his evolution as an artist. He combines his trademark melodic rap with newer sonic elements, such as afrobeats, to create a fresh sound.
Before the album’s release, Gunna had already established himself as a distinct voice in the trap genre. His unique melodies and sounds feature bouncy acoustic guitar loops, airy pads, and catchy synth melodies. This helps to create a rhythm that is both lush and laid-back. This sparse production style gives his voice full reign over the tracks, allowing his smooth delivery and clever wordplay to shine. Gunna’s hit “Fukumean” is a prime example of this signature style. This track was definitely one of the first to showcase his ability to create hits that resonate with fans everywhere. In similar fashion, One Of Wun’s sound is characterized by its mid-tempo beats and synth-driven melodies, and a seamless blend of traditional trap elements with innovative musical ideas.
Criticism
One of Wun is definitely evidence of Gunna’s melodic prowess and his established place in the trap genre. However, while the album showcases his signature sound and lyrical themes, it also reveals areas where the artist could have stretched his creative boundaries further. The album’s production is polished, with Gunna’s flow as precise as ever, but it often treads familiar ground. For example, tracks like “Collage” and “Hakuna Matata” are prime examples of Gunna’s ability to craft immersive melodies, but they don’t stray very far from the same sonic palette he has offered in the past.
Moving on, the project’s midtempo, synth-driven production, is not at all shoddy and is very cohesive. However, for a 20-track album, this sometimes borders on monotonous. Unfortunately, there are moments that lead to a sense of redundancy, especially as the album progresses. The album also seems to need a more specific lyrical depth that could have provided a more explicit understanding of Gunna as an artist. Many tracks don’t venture into new lyrical territory that might have offered a fresh perspective on Gunna’s experiences.
So, although One of Wun solidifies Gunna’s status in the trap scene and highlights his opportunities for growth. The album could benefit from a greater variety in production. Additionally, a deeper dive into the rapper’s personal narrative would have helped. Despite this, Gunna’s loyal fan base will likely find much to enjoy in the album’s familiar vibes and melodic consistency.
Kendrick Lamar is one of the biggest hip-hop artists of all time. However, the same could be said of Drake. In fact, when it comes to pure numbers, Drizzy remains at the top. Overall, Drake’s reign at the top has been put in serious jeopardy thanks to his recent battle with Lamar. In the eyes of fans, Drake was thoroughly outclassed by his opponent. Furthermore, Kendrick has been winning the numbers battle as “Not Like Us” became the number-one song on the Billboard charts. It’s been wild to watch unfold, and throughout this entire journey, Kendrick has remained out of the public eye.
As it turns out, this success in the battle has led to a whole lot of success as it pertains to the album charts. When it comes to the Billboard Hot 200, Kendrick’s albums have been seeing huge increases in their chart position. For instance, DAMN is currently 18th on the chart. However, it was down at 41 just last week. Additionally, To Pimp A Butterly has gone from not being on the list, all the way up to 109. Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers as well as good kid, m.A.A.d city have also seen lots of success. The former went from 192 to 55. While the latter went from 51 to 23.
This is in stark contrast to Drake, who has seen all of his albums lose positions on the charts. It shows that listeners are currently siding with Kendrick, and they want to hear if he may have dissed Drake elsewhere in his discography. If Lamar were to drop an album this year, there is no denying it would do some incredible numbers in its first week.
Let us know what you think of the battle between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, in the comments section down below. Who do you think won the battle between these two? Do you think Kendrick is the clear winner or can Drake make a real case for himself here? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
50 Cent is facing a $4 million lawsuit from consultant Michael Caruso who claims the Sire Spirits mogul cut him out of a deal with the company without getting proper compensation. Caruso says he played a critical role in launching Sire Spirits’ premium liquor brand back in 2015, but 50 never fulfilled a promise of offering him an ownership stake. 50 previously accused him of snitching on New York City nightclub kingpin Peter Gatien back in the 1990s in a post on Instagram caught by AllHipHop.
In the lawsuit, Caruso’s attorney, Paul J. Fishman, says his client “dedicated his time, expertise, and resources to ensure the success of Sire Spirits.” He further accuses 50 of wrongfully recording a phone conversation between Caruso and another individual without consent. “This illegal recording was a clear violation of privacy and an attempt to gain an unfair advantage in legal proceedings. Mr. Caruso’s rights were maliciously disregarded, and he suffered damages as a result,” he argued.
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 05: Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Sire Jackson attend the red carpet premiere of Starz “BMF” Season 2 at TCL Chinese Theatre on January 05, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
“This Fool been snitching since 1942 Don Julio!” 50 Cent wrote in a since-deleted post. “You know he gonna tell on everybody. LOL @beamsuntory is f*cked, they was paying this guy Michael Caruso a half a million a year and him and his partner Julious Grant put this together. @beamsuntory @jimbeamofficial. This is gonna make a great Tv show. @bransoncognac @lecheminduroi.”
In addition to calling out Caruso on social media, 50 has been embroiled in several other feuds online. He’s been going back and forth with King Combs after the son of Diddy released a diss track aimed at him over the weekend. He also called out Stevie J on Tuesday for taking sides in the beef. Be on the lookout for further updates on 50 Cent on HotNewHipHop.
Hot Girl Summer is officially here, since Megan Thee Stallion launched the Hot Girl Summer Tour in Minneapolis last night (May 14). If this show is any indication of concerts to come, here’s what to know about when you can expect her performance to start.
What Time Is Megan Thee Stallion On Stage For The Hot Girl Summer Tour?
Megan previously said of the tour, “I feel like I’ve never been able to be outside doing my own thing during the summer, since like 2019. So this is going to be the first time that I drop an album on time for the summer. I do want to give the hotties the Megan Thee Stallion experience.”
Check out the show’s setlist below.
Megan Thee Stallion’s Hot Girl Summer Tour Setlist
Hot Girl Season is officially upon us. Last night (May 14), Megan Thee Stallion kicked off her much-anticipated Hot Girl Summer Tour at Target Center in Minneapolis. The first night of the tour has already garnered much buzz, with Meg’s comprehensive setlist, top-notch choreography, flashy visuals, and more. And as Meg is known to do, the Houston rapper kept the party going.
So upon your arrival, be prepared to move your body-ody-ody into the night.
How Long Is Megan Thee Stallion’s Hot Girl Summer Tour Concert?
According to setlist.fm, the Hot Girl Summer Tour‘s setlist comprises of 29 songs. A review for Star Tribune indicated that the show went on for 95 minutes. Fans noted that that Meg went on beginning around 9:20 p.m., and therefore, can expect to leave around 11 p.m.
The songs you can expect to hear can be found below.
Megan Thee Stallion’s Hot Girl Summer Tour Setlist
One of hip-hop and R&B’s greatest to ever do it hit one of the most recognized late night talk show stages the other evening. Lauryn Hill performed one of her best works of her historic career on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. According to Yahoo Entertainment, the Newark, New Jersey native went on to play “Ex-Factor,” from her widely celebrated The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. However, she was not the only musical act under the bright lights. Her son and paternal grandson of reggae icon Bob Marley, YG Marley, was also a part of the incredible show.
We do not cover YG Marley here on the site, but he has had quite the start to his musical journey. His debut single, “Praise Jah Moonlight,” dropped in December of last year and it has become immensely popular. The California native sampled Bob Marley & The Wailers’ record “Crisis” on this song and it even features assistance from Lauryn Hill as well. YG performed that, as well as equally fantastic “Survival,” which just dropped yesterday (May 14).
After Lauryn’s segment, YG Marley joined his mother onstage, and they went to perform together. It has easily been one of the most powerful and wholesome moments in hip-hop this year. Especially in a year with so much beef and hatred between artists, this was a great thing to witness. You can check out clips from the performance with the IG post from 2Cool2Blog.
What are your thoughts on Lauryn Hill and YG Marley performing onstage together on Jimmy Fallon? Is this one of the most wholesome moments in hip-hop this year? Do you think they should make a collaboration album in the future? Are you excited to hear what Marley will do in the future? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Lauryn Hill and YG Marley. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Megan Thee Stallion has had a very solid start to the year. Overall, it began with her dropping off “Hiss” which was a diss track towards Nicki Minaj. Subsequently, she ended up going number one on the Billboard charts with this track, which was a huge success. Her most recent release is a track called “Boa” which came with an impressive visual. Last night, Meg started off her Hot Girl Summer Tour in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she performed in front of a packed house.
In the clip down below, you can see that there were lots of people in attendance. It seemed to be an exciting performance, especially with GloRilla as the opener. However, very soon after the show began going viral for its attendance, some accusations of seat-filling found their way online. In a screenshot posted by DJ Akademiks, you can see that someone was allegedly contacted to be a seat-filler via complimentary tickets.
In the quote tweets to Akademiks’ post, it was noted that this screenshot is fake. Ticketmaster has never offered “seat-filling” services before. Moreover, even the wording within the screenshot seems a bit off. Based on the videos from the concert, it is clear that fans are digging her tour so far. Meg is a big artist regardless of what the haters may say, and for now, there simply is no concrete evidence that her shows are being filled with decoys. Between this and the Drake–Kendrick Lamar beef, the conspiracy theories won’t stop.
— Hot Girl Summer Tour (@HotGirlSumrTour) May 15, 2024
Let us know what you think about all of this, in the comments section down below. Do you agree with Akademiks and his premise that something fishy is going on here? Will you be going to the Hot Girl Summer Tour? If so, what city will you be seeing it in? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
Childish Gambino has scored a major legal victory after a federal appeals court rejected Kidd Wes’ latest attempt to sue him over “This Is America.” The rapper is accusing Gambino of copyright infringement for allegedly plagiarizing his 2016 song, “Made in America.” Wes previously lost his initial suit against Gambino in 2023 after failing to copyright the underlying musical composition of his original song.
Regardless, Judge Victor Marrero noted at the time that even if he had the proper copyright, he doesn’t feel Glover infringed on his song. “Even if [Kidd Wes] had a copyright registration for the composition … dismissal would be warranted here because the elements of [the] composition purportedly infringed upon are insufficiently original to warrant protection or because they are not substantially similar to the challenged Composition,” he said at the time.
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 10: Donald Glover attends the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 10, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images)
The legal victory comes after Gambino surprised fans with a new project, last week, in the way of Atavista. The project serves as a reissued version of his fourth studio album, 3.15.20. “ATAVISTA is streaming now,” he wrote on Twitter. “This album is the finished version of 3.15.20, the album i put out 4 years ago. there’s a special vinyl coming soon w/ visuals for each song. the all new childish gambino album comes out in the summer.” In addition to the album, he’ll also be embarking on The New World Tour later this year.
Childish Gambino Stars In Politically Charged “This Is America” Video
Revisit Gambino’s politically charged video for “This Is America” above. In recent weeks, the song has been undergoing harsh retrospective reviews on social media. Be on the lookout for further updates on Childish Gambino on HotNewHipHop.
