Cardi B has been busy on her Instagram Live recently. She made waves after reacting to a controversial viral episode of 20 vs. 1. She had fans trying to find where the line is between the NSFW behavior in her songs and the content of the episode. That speculation doesn’t seem to be going anywhere as she returned to live with an NSFW rant about men. She compared all men to dogs, but she wasn’t just speaking in generalities. She listed some specific reasons why she thinks so.
“Because let me tell you about a dog. A dog f*ck anything. He could be a pitbull and he’s going to f*ck chihuahua. Real life dogs, you could put them in a cage with any type of animal and they’re going to f*ck all of them. That’s why men get compared to dogs because they just don’t give a f*ck,” she said during the stream. Unsurprisingly, fans online had a variety of reactions to the video with some finding her statements controversial and others just amazed at the level of detail she went into. Check out the clip that’s making the rounds online below.
Cardi B is expected to drop her second studio album later this year. She hasn’t released a project in 6 years since 2018’s Invasion Or Privacy. Despite that she’s stayed busy with hits like “WAP,” “Up,” “Money,” and “Put It On Da Floor Again” in years since. She’s already dropped two singles from the currently untitled second effort and promised fans that it would be released some time this year. Though she’s frequently shared updates on how the project is going, concrete information has been hard to come by.
What do you think of Cardi B’s surprisingly detailed explanation of why she thinks men are only compared to dogs? Are you looking forward to the release of her long-awaited sophomore album later this year? Let us know in the comment section below.
For the past few months, Lay Bankz has been a mainstay on all social media platforms. Whether it be X (formerly known as Twitter) or TikTok, Lay Bankz’s reach continues to grow by the month. The rapper, who hails from Philadelphia and is just 19 years old, follows a simple philosophy: Make good music and make sure it lands in people’s faces. It’s an idea that’s become the status quo in today’s social media era, especially in recent years with the presence of TikTok. It also presents the harder task of not being too much in the faces of the audience where they feel trapped, get annoyed, and run for the fences. There’s a balance to be mastered here.
Time will tell if Lay Bankz masters this, but it’s been so far so good for her. Her rise to fame kicked off last summer with the release of “Ick.” The bass-thumping addresses the “sassy man apocalypse” and begs men to “tighten the f*ck up.” The song went viral thanks to a video of Bankz dancing to it at a gas station. Her moves, which were energetic to say the least, forced you to stop and watch. The same could be said about her latest viral moment, pushed by her new single “Tell Ur Girlfriend.” The hype single is wildly infectious and begs for a few listens before moving on to something else. Both records, as well as her debut EP Now You See Me, are proof that Lay Bankz wants your attention, and she knows just how to get it.
With more music on the way, we caught up with Lay Bankz for the Uproxx Music 20 series. Scroll down to learn more about the rising Philly rapper.
I remember music from the time I was 3 years old. The first song I ever sang was “Irreplaceable” by Beyoncé.
Who inspired you to take music seriously?
Honestly, myself. Music is a form of expression and it’s subjective. Once I learned I could say how I felt in another form of conversation, I took advantage of that.
Do you know how to play an instrument? If so, which one? If not, which instrument do you want to learn how to play?
I grew up playing violin, I play a little piano too. I wanna get better at the piano and hopefully start playing guitar.
What was your first job?
Sweeping in my stepdad’s barbershop.
What is your most prized possession?
My voice. It’s a gift that I can’t see or touch. Intangible, but not unattainable. It’s brought so much to my life and I couldn’t hold anything else to such high value.
What is your biggest fear?
Not being able to sing. Or not being able to take care of the people who rely on me.
If you could appear in a future season of a current TV show, which one would it be and why?
Bridgerton, only because I’ve been watching it a lot recently.
Which celebrity do you admire or respect for their personality, and why?
Beyoncé, the way she controls any narrative placed upon her on any platform is admirable as ever. She always shows a sense of resilience, and she never does too much nor does she try hard to be herself. I love that about her.
Share your opinion on something no one could ever change your mind about.
Black-own everything.
What is the best song you’ve ever heard in your life, and what do you love about it?
That’s hard to say, there are so many songs I love. Doubling down on only one would be unfair because I grew up on so much music that I love for different reasons. Even to this day, I hear new music all the time that I appreciate for different reasons.
What’s your favorite city in the world to perform, and what’s a city you’re excited to perform in for the first time?
Philly, the love different from your own city. I’m excited to go out of the country and show my talents overseas.
You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location where it would be held.
What would you be doing now if it weren’t for music?
I don’t know. Maybe playing soccer or painting professionally. Whatever I would be doing would involve some sort of creativity or me being active because those are things I love. I got accepted to 23 colleges too, so maybe I would’ve went to school to study law.
If you could see five years into the future or go five years into the past, which one would you pick and why?
The past, just to visit moments and feelings I feel like I didn’t get to feel entirely because of how fast they happened. I experience so much every day and my life moves so fast that it’s easy to not entirely take in what’s happening to me. I wouldn’t want to see the future because I’m gonna always get there. Why rush to see what’s already written?
What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?
Love yourself first, because not everyone will love you how they say they do.
It’s 2050. The world hasn’t ended, and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?
I want my music to be held in high regard, I want it to be timeless. 2050 and after.
Blueface has been going through it these days. Overall, this is due to the fact that he is currently in jail. He landed himself in jail a few months ago after breaking the terms of his probation. For now, it appears as though he will have to remain locked up until July. However, on Thursday, he had himself a court hearing. During this court hearing, he was supported by none other than Chrisean Rock. At this stage, it appears as though he and Chrisean are back together. Although it remains to be seen how long that is actually going to last.
Meanwhile, with Blueface in court, some photos were covertly taken of the artist. In the post below, you can see that Blue was wearing his orange jumper, and didn’t seem to be in the greatest mood. Considering the circumstances, it is easy to see why this would be the case. For now, his release from jail remains up in the air. While his family would prefer for it to happen sooner rather than later, a timeline has not been made clear.
As many have noted, social media has been awfully quiet ever since Blueface found himself in jail. Some people believe this is a good thing, while others miss him dearly. When he first got locked up, he was beefing with Soulja Boy, however, that has since died down. Now, fans are just curious to see how all of this is going to shake out for him, as July approaches.
Let us know what you think of this situation for Blueface, in the comments section down below. Do you believe that he will be looking to make music again when he is released? Do you think he will continue to be with Chrisean Rock once he gets home? 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.
After 5 years of chopping samples and dropping unplanned bars with his closest friends, Kenny Beats ended his hit YouTube series The Cave. The Cave centered on one key phrase, which has become a spiritual mantra of Kenny’s studio: Don’t Over Think Sh**. Throughout 46 episodes of varying length, Kenny inspired rappers such as Freddie Gibbs, Danny Brown, Teezo Touchdown, and more to rap over hastily-made beats with uncleared samples, resulting in a myriad of delightful tracks that will never see life on any streaming service.
In an April 29 community post directly to his YouTube subscribers, Kenny Beats confirmed that he would be bringing The Cave to an end. “I spent 16 hours a day in that room, 7 days a week, telling any one I could reach to come make music,” the statement read. “After a while, we realized everyone who was coming by was going to be a legend, and the Cave started. This show changed my life, your support changed my life.” Let’s look back on a handful of the best freestyles to come out of the illustrious series.
ScHoolboy Q popped up for the series finale of The Cave and ended the show with a bang. As part of a victory lap from dropping his long-awaited album Blue Lips at the top of March, Q explained right from the start that he hadn’t had much material prepared. Ultimately, he managed to rap the “verse of the year” even though Kenny hadn’t finished chopping the beat.
It’s more than fitting that the final episode of The Cave saw Kenny Beats uttering his now-iconic refrain of “the show is not supposed to go like this,” as that became something of a motto throughout the series. If there’s one lesson to take away from Kenny’s show, it’s that rappers can be difficult to work with, incapable of following direction and flatly aggressive at times, but if you give them a hot enough beat, they’ll turn it into magic.
6. Isaiah Rashad
Like ScHoolboy Q, fellow TDE signee Isaiah Rashad also joined Kenny Beats on The Cave to promote a new album back in 2021. Rashad appeared on the show just before his album The House Is Burning hit streaming. Isaiah Rashad and Kenny clearly share a lot of camaraderie, and their chemistry shines on their quickly-constructed track.
Rashad was originally slated to appear on The Cave at an earlier date. The original episode never materialized online, for unknown reasons. Kenny Beats jokes about this at the beginning of the episode by labeling the song file “Zay Cave Take 2.” He also stated, “We have Isaiah Rashad in The Cave today, first time ever… Somebody leaked a photo a while ago, that was all Photoshop.”
Unlike most guests on The Cave, Thundercat doesn’t specialize in writing bars. This made his episode extra special, as he joined Kenny in constructing the beat, dropping some slick grooves on his bass before entering the booth. Thundercat exudes purely chaotic energy in the studio, making him one of the most entertaining characters to grace the series. In his February 2020 episode, Thundercat correctly predicts that Coronavirus is about to become a serious problem, expresses concerns over the upcoming presidential election, and downs a staggering 4 Yerba Mates, totaling more than 300 mg of caffeine in less than an hour.
4. Earthgang
Earthgang deserves a spot on this list for Olu’s incredible world map pants alone. Still, their inclusion can truly be credited to the “crazy kung-fu freestyle action” promised by WowGr8 early in the episode. The Atlanta rap duo joined Kenny Beats on The Cave in the first season. They provided a freestyle so well-crafted it could seamlessly have been dropped on streaming if its samples were properly cleared. The pair of Dreamville signees exhibit tremendous chemistry here, making their long-awaited episode one of the most memorable in the show’s 5-year run.
Denzel Curry’s episode of The Cave was billed as the season 1 finale. It packs the second longest run time of any episode at 16 minutes and 12 seconds in length. Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats dropped a collaborative EP only 6 months after this episode premiered. The project, titled Unlocked, solidified the fact that the pair perfectly fed off of each other’s musical energy.
While Denzel is less outwardly antagonistic to Kenny than his usual guests, he manages to keep the energy incredibly high. Kenny even remarks “Denzel here by himself is like more energy than ten people.” If we’re measuring by pure bars, this might actually be the best freestyle on this list, as Denzel effortlessly traverses multiple beat switches in real-time with memorable lyrics such as “Flames all on my body like I’m Charmander.”
2. Zack Fox
While Denzel Curry may have had the best jaw-dropping bars in The Cave‘s history, nobody made the show synonymous with their name quite like Zack Fox. The Cave is largely responsible for launching Zack Fox’s music career in the first place. Though Fox had dropped a few comedic tracks online before his Cave appearance, he was mostly known for his comedy writing and hilarious social media rants which once got him banned from Twitter (now X.)
While Thundercat may have exhibited some loopy energy on The Cave, Zack Fox appears on the series as the final boss of chaos. Fox raps hilarious bars about freeing Palestine and preemptively offering condolences for the impending death of Betty White. His freestyle was later developed into a “real” song titled “Jesus Is the One (I Got Depression)” that went mega-viral. When people think back to Kenny Beats’ series The Cave, there’s a 90 percent chance that this is the episode that got them into the show.
1. Vince Staples
Just two weeks after the explosive Zack Fox episode made The Cave a viral sensation, Vince Staples joined the show and launched the insanity to the stratosphere. Denzel Curry may have offered the best rapping, and Zack Fox may have provided the most comedy, but Vince Staples perfectly smashes these two worlds together with a freestyle that is equal parts off-the-walls and loaded with powerful rhymes.
From the top of the show, Vince Staples pesters Kenny Beats with the voracity of Bugs Bunny, demanding a beat with “808’s no heartbreak, at all” and “Black on everything crime, even animals.” Elsewhere in the episode, Vince throws up gang signs, accuses Kenny of engaging in the slave trade for locking his studio door, and raps the now iconic phrase “Kenny Beats is the police.” Kenny Beats cop memes flooded the internet for years after this landmark episode, causing the producer to jest in multiple episodes that “Vince Staples ruined my life.”
Bankroll Freddie is a Quality Control signee with multiple hit records, including “Drip Like Dis,” “Pop It,” and “Pandemic Boys.” Unfortunately, this past weekend, Freddie was in the news for something other than his music. According to Arkansas Online, Bankroll Freddie has been found guilty of multiple crimes. Some convictions could carry a prison sentence which sees the Arkansas rapper locked up for a lengthy period of time. For now, Bankroll Freddie’s sentencing status is not confirmed. However, it looks like the DOJ reportedly plans to hem the rapper up with multiple gang convictions. This situation has been likened to the legal struggles of many other prominent rappers such as Young Thug, who was locked up in 2022 on RICO charges in the state of Georgia.
The ruling, which was passed down by the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Arkansas, stems from a massive 2022 arrest. The arrest saw Freddie and several others arraigned on federal gang and drug charges. For now, let’s dive into this story and lay out the confirmed details as they currently stand. Here’s everything we know about Bankroll Freddie’s convictions and sentencing so far.
The federal investigation that saw Bankroll Freddie get convicted was responsible for over 34 initial arrests. Freddie’s father was among those arraigned and tried by the DOJ following the October 2022 sweep. The charges that stemmed from this investigation include a 61-count indictment against an alleged gang titled the Every Body Killas. Members of the so-called Loady Murder Mobb were reportedly also arrested alongside those affiliated with the EBK Gang. Per a filing with the U.S. District Court, the DOJ alleged that these apparent gangs “voluntarily and intentionally conspired” to distribute a wide array of illicit substances, including crack, cocaine, meth, and weed, as a means of developing an undercurrent of cash to fund additional organized criminal activity.
Bankroll Freddie was reportedly involved with the EBK Gang. As part of his alleged gang involvement, Freddie is accused of moving mass quantities of drugs across several counties in Arkansas and Texas. As the charges extend beyond state lines, federal investigators have gotten involved, making these charges extremely serious. Citing an investigation from March 2021 through October 2022, officers reportedly seized hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of cash, jewelry, and other holdings as evidence.
Freddie Did Manage To Beat Some Of The Charges
Bankroll Freddie was found guilty on several charges related to a federal gun and drug bust that occurred in 2022, but he was also found not guilty on some charges. The ruling came from the U.S. District Court in Eastern District of Arkansas. pic.twitter.com/FpBkcruhdK
Despite Bankroll Freddie’s unfortunate convictions, he was reportedly able to escape some of the most serious charges he was tried on. Per a DOJ ruling, Freddie has been convicted of one count of possession and distribution of a controlled substance, one count of marijuana possession and distribution, one count of firearm possession in furtherance of drug trafficking, and a single count of using a communications facility in the furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. These charges were officially handed down just this past week.
Additional charges were dismissed, including one extremely serious count of possession of a machine gun. Such a conviction would carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison. Despite getting off on this and other charges, Bankroll Freddie’s future is quite uncertain, as the 4 counts he was convicted on are nothing to scoff at. Additional information regarding Freddie’s sentencing is expected to be revealed to the public as this story develops.
Despite Bankroll Freddie’s position at Quality Control, the rapper has not released any new music since his arrest, save for a single titled “Ova’s.” “Ova’s” was released to DSPs on November 15, 2022, and was probably already in the process of clearing when the rapper was arrested. It seems that Freddie has been prudently choosing not to release any music as his legal drama unfolds. This is perhaps due to the recent scrutiny rappers are facing, which sees lyrics presented as evidence of actual crimes.
His last full project, From Rap To Trap 2, dropped in July 2022. Since then, Freddie’s fanbase has waned, dropping to only 237K monthly listeners on Spotify. For the time being, there’s no way to know what will happen to Bankroll Freddie, or when we’ll hear new music, though fans are surely hoping that the rapper has continued to write and record during the past 2 years.
SZA is one of the defining R&B artists of our time. If you ask SZA, though, she wants to be more than that, and she thinks that it’s because she’s Black that some people put her in that R&B box.
“The only reason I’m defined as an R&B artist is because I’m Black. It’s almost a little reductive because it doesn’t allow space to be anything else or try anything else. Justin Bieber is not considered an R&B artist; he is a pop artist who makes R&B, folk music, or whatever his heart desires. I simply just want to be allowed the same opportunity to make whatever I want without a label, [without it being] based on the color of my skin, or the crew that I run with, or the beats that I choose. I want ‘F2F’ to be seen as what it is. I want ‘Nobody Gets Me’ to be seen as what it is. I want ‘Kill Bill’ to be seen as what it is.
At the same time, it’s nothing to get bent out of shape about, because it’s just how people are processing you. As long as I don’t process myself that way. I don’t necessarily box myself into anything. I’m just trying to make music, trying to vibe out and enjoy the experience.”
She added, “Once we’re dead and gone, there will still be work to do in terms of how we’re seen in the world as Black women, and who we are allowed to be seen as — the multifacetedness and all our spectrums of expression. I think humanity will be constantly unfolding itself, and we will be showing each other who we are beyond the reductive labels our brains are regurgitating, from whatever we saw on the internet or learned in college or at home through socialization. We’ll get beyond that, and that’s just part of being human. I’m down to be human.”
Kendrick Lamar delivered a scathing takedown of Drake on the song “Euphoria.” This was released on Tuesday, early in the morning. Overall, fans couldn’t help but be mesmerized by just how much of a hater Kendrick truly is. After all, he has been gearing up for this beef for about 10 years now. However, no one could have predicted just how battle-ready he is. In fact, on Friday, Kendrick decided to double down with a new track called “6:16 In LA.” It was a bold move, albeit one that is paying off in the eyes of the fans.
Now that this new song has been released, fans are looking for some hidden meanings. As it turns out, Kendrick has given fans plenty to analyze. In fact, the producers of this new song are drawing quite a bit of attention. As you can see down below, Sounwave and Jack Antonoff are responsible for this song. This is very interesting as Antonoff is known for being Taylor Swift’s main producer. With Drake roasting Kendrick for his proximity to Taylor, it seems as though Kendrick is trying to be a bit cheeky here.
It is one of those easter eggs that you cannot help but laugh at. Furthermore, it is too much of a coincidence to simply dismiss. At a quick glance, it seems like this is all very calculated. Kendrick has never done things just to do them. There is always a reason and motive behind everything he does. With “6:16 In LA,” that could not be any clearer.
Let us know what you think of Kendrick Lamar including Jack Antonoff as a producer on the song, in the comments section down below. Do you believe that this is a solid easter egg that will get fans energized? How do you believe Drake is going to respond to all of this? 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.
We have another Kendrick Lamar diss track to get to with “6:16 In LA,” but most of us aren’t even done enjoying “euphoria” yet. Moreover, one of the wildest bars on there roped in YNW Melly’s open double murder case, for which he stands accused of taking the life of two of his friends. While that case is still open and he hasn’t received a conviction, K.Dot made a reference to it while referring to J. Cole and Drake: “I pray they my real friends, if not, I’m YNW Melly.” It was one of the sharpest lyrical moments on there as well as having that extra oomph for mentioning another rapper, and a controversial one at that.
Furthermore, YNW Melly actually reacted to this bar from the former TDE MC. ““Kendrick Lamar is one of my favorite rappers so I feel honored and appalled… I’m a household name, just for the wrong s**t!” he remarked in a statement to TMZ. What’s more is that journalist and media figure @LorenLorosa on Twitter spoke with Melly’s mother, who had a similar sentiment. She said that, even though the bar assumes a conviction that isn’t there yet, Kendrick still deserves a shoutout as one of the greats, and that it’s still a big deal to get a name-drop from him with a great bar.
Elsewhere, the two women remarked on how YNW Melly turned himself into the authorities almost six years ago, speaking to the arduous history behind the Kendrick Lamar bar. The Florida MC’s mother spoke on how unfair the case has been so far, and how it changed the public perception behind the artist. However, she also pointed out that Drake had shouted Melly out during an interview a couple of years ago before he went to jail. As such, both MCs clearly think that he’s worthy of the spotlight.
Meanwhile, even though YNW Melly escaped mention on this new Kendrick Lamar diss, there was one media personality that didn’t: DJ Akademiks. He recently reacted to the name-drop in the song in quite the hilarious fashion, as we expect from Ak. We’ll see what else the hip-hop world has to say about these disses and the beef in general. It seems like everyone wants to get in on this, but Melly and his family are some of the few folks who actually have a reason to.
DJ Akademiks has always made it known that he is a huge Drake fan. Although there have been times when Drake hasn’t seen eye-to-eye with the blogger, they have still remained friendly. In fact, Drake will sometimes feed Akademiks information. This information is subsequently read on stream for all to consume. However, as it turns out, this has led to people believing that Akademiks is “compromised.” That it is impossible for him to truly be objective given his proximity to Drake and his OVO camp.
Today, Kendrick Lamardropped off a new song called “6:16 In LA” which is yet another shot at Drake. Throughout this song, Lamar takes a more laidback approach where he plays on the megastar’s supposed paranoia. Furthermore, on the song, he claims that Akademiks is “compromised” and will continue to say that Drizzy is winning, no matter what. As you can imagine, Akademiks heard this new song live on stream. While he was actually a fan of what Lamar did on this cut, he did feel the need to respond to the “compromised” allegations.
In the clip above, you can see Akademiks applaud Kendrick for his effort here. However, as you can see, Akademiks also noted that he is not compromised. While he is a huge fan of Drake, he still feels the need to be objective. Furthermore, Ak said that some are trying to make it seem odd that someone would like Drake, given all he has given us in terms of music. It is a good point, however, fans are still going to see Ak as part of the OVO inner circle. He has given fans too many reasons to believe otherwise, at this point.
Let us know what you think of this reaction from DJ Akademiks, in the comments section down below. Do you believe him when he says that he isn’t compromised? How did you like this new Kendrick song? Do you believe that this could be a knockout punch? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will always be sure to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
Kendrick Lamar did, in fact, go “Back To Back” as promised and dropped another Drake diss, “6:16 In LA,” on Friday morning (May 3) three days after dropping “euphoria.” Moreover, this diss is a much more focused and specific takedown of the 6ix God rather than the multi-faceted and expansive set of points made on the first diss track. This time around, K.Dot is focusing on how much of his opponent’s OVO camp is supposedly against him, willing to give up info and only staying loyal because of money. Furthermore, he achieves this through lines like, “Have you ever thought that OVO was working for me?,” “Know the wires in your circle should puzzle you,” “If you were street smart, then you would’ve caught that your entourage is only to hustle you.”
Of course, as Kendrick Lamar fans tend to do, they will probably peel back a lot of other possible meanings and references in many of these bars in the next few days, so expect even more stuff to come out from both “6:16 In LA” and “euphoria.” But the points made here are very clear. On the other hand, Drake fans are already calling into question the Compton MC’s lyricism, specifically pointing to battle rap lines that he allegedly stole. But commonly repeated lines and metaphor openings that are peppered across The Boy’s catalog as well won’t be enough to change the narrative, or at least, that’s what Kendrick argues on this new song.
Elsewhere, people are already going wild with their reactions to “6:16 In LA.” Many of the bars here could relate to many references on previous disses, such as the Gunna bar on “euphoria” and Kendrick Lamar’s allusions to Drake’s bodyguard Chubbs. Still, it’s clear to see that people are really running with the idea that the Toronto collective is not as tight-knit as they would have you believe, which is probably exactly what Kendrick wanted to paint with his bars. Whether it’s true or not, they are some heavy claims to tackle.
Meanwhile, everyone’s now patiently waiting to see what Drake could offer in response to Kendrick Lamar. They’ve teased some really damaging ammunition for another round, and it seems like the former TDE lyricist is calling Aubrey’s bluff here. It’s not impossible for him to bounce back with a strong retort, and that might just lock them in a war for life. Regardless, it’s all been a pretty interesting spat to witness, and one that will go down in the history books no matter what.
— I couldn’t pick between these four.
(@nojumper)
