Fans of Palestinian rapper Belly got some great news earlier today. His last studio album dropped in 2021 with See You Next Wednesday. The album dropped on Roc Nation and XO with an incredibly impressive list of features. The Weeknd, PnB Rock, Gunna, Moneybagg Yo, Nas, Nav, Lil Uzi Vert, Big Sean, and Benny The Butcher all appear in the tracklist. He followed it up last year with a new mixtape called Mumble Rap 2. That project also featured Nav as well as Rick Ross and Gucci Mane.
Now his next album is on the way and fans won’t have to wait long to hear it. Belly took to Twitter to make a pretty noteworthy announcement. “I got a lot more to say.. 96 Miles From Bethlehem Tomorrow..” his post reads. It comes with the album’s artwork attached sporting its title 96 Miles From Bethlehem. But the post also features an additional promise. “profits from the album and merch will donated to Gaza, the WestBank and other affected areas around Palestine” it concludes. Belly isn’t the only celeb pledging money for the conflict in Palestine. The Weeknd has made two substantial donations towards aid in some of the areas most affected by the ongoing conflict.
I got a lot more to say.. 96 Miles From Bethlehem Tomorrow.. (profits from the album and merch will donated to Gaza, the WestBank and other affected areas around Palestine) pic.twitter.com/Ft56uyTGSF
In tandem with the announcement, Belly also released a new song called “Patience vs. Patients.” The track took aim at government lies about the conflict in Palestine. He’s been extensively outspoken about the conflict ever since it kicked off in October of last year. The entire conflict has put many celebrities prone to activism like Justin Bieber in an awkward position trying to make statements about the events.
What do you think of Belly announcing a new album that’s coming out tomorrow? Who do you think he may have recruited to feature on the album? Are you looking froward to hearing the project when it drops? Let us know it the comment section below.
Drake will be making two appearances on Camila Cabello‘s upcoming album, C,XOXO, she revealed in a new interview with Billboard. Speaking about the collaboration, she reflected on working on the music during a trip to Turks & Caicos with the Toronto rapper. Footage of the two riding jet skis together during the trip previously went viral on social media, leading to speculation that they were dating.
“He’s the f*cking GOAT, so it felt like shooting for the stars,” she said, recalling how she messaged him on Instagram. “I showed him the album when I felt comfortable enough and he really liked it. [The feature] came out of a nontransactional place. He had this idea of a song called ‘Hot Uptown,’ and it just felt like I was in the city. I was in Miami.” She added: “He wanted to do one more thing for the album. Why does he have his own song? Because selfishly, I just want to hear Drake on my own album … I love that for me — it’s like that rebellious mood. Who says I can’t do that? It’s Drake talking his sh*t.”
Camila Cabello at the Boom at The Standard Met Gala After Party held at The Boom Boom Room, The Standard Hotel on May 6, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Lexie Moreland/WWD via Getty Images)
Cabello previously discussed the trip with Drake during an appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast, as noted by AllHipHop. “I love him so much and I really listened to him a lot during my writing process for my album,” she said at the time. “And I really felt like he would like my album.”
Cabello has been promoting the new album for several months at this point. Other collaborators on it include Playboi Carti, Lil Nas X, and the City Girls. It’s releasing on June 28. Be on the lookout for further updates on Camila Cabello and Drake on HotNewHipHop.
It goes without saying that it’s been an incredibly busy month for Drake, and according to Camila Cabello, he has even more to come. Last week, the Toronto-born performer linked up with Gordo, who teased something exciting dropping this summer. Of course, this news arrived only days after he joined forces with Sexyy Red for a feature on her new EP, In Sexyy We Trust. He approached his first verse after his viral feud with Kendrick Lamar boldly, as the song samples Metro Boomin’s “BBL Drizzy.”
Now, Drake is gearing up to appear on Cabello’s upcoming album, C, XOXO, which is slated for release on June 28, 2024. Moreover, he’ll have an entire solo track on the LP, as well as a standard feature. The former Fifth Harmony star explained the decision during a recent interview with Billboard, revealing that while it was Drake’s idea originally, she’s totally here for it.
“Why does he have his own song? Because selfishly, I just want to hear Drake on my own album,” Camello told the outlet. “I love that for me — it’s like that rebellious mood. Who says I can’t do that? It’s Drake talking his sh*t. […] He wanted to do one more thing for the album.” The track in question is a two-minute-long interlude called “Uuugly,” which will come after his other feature, “Hot Uptown.”
Cabello’s Drizzy collab will follow her other recent collaborations with Playboi Carti and Lil Nas X, which are also set to appear on C, XOXO. What do you think of Drake getting his own solo track on Camila Cabello’s upcoming album? Are you looking forward to hearing it? What about her revealing that she made the decision “selfishly”? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
“It’s not that deep” might be one of Vince Staples’ favorite sentiments, whether in his recent Apple Music interview or when responding to overzealous fans online. The West Coast native has a beloved reputation for his upfront, earnest, and unfiltered perspective on hip-hop, commercialization, and the Black experience that is often perceived more comically than it should. What he says is not for shock value or nihilistic validation, but just a clear-cut explanation of why he views the world more cynically and skeptically than most. Vince always crystallizes reasons for this approach into his music, especially on his new album Dark Times.
This LP also serves as a bit of a sonic, emotive, and structural continuation of the ideas he championed in his last two solo studio albums. Vince Staples’ self-titled record was a moody deconstruction of his personal woes, beliefs, and demeanor whereas Ramona Park Broke My Heart nostalgically reflected on how the blessings and stresses of his upbringing in Long Beach shaped him. With Dark Times, he combines those two narratives to craft a more holistic, complete, and broad statement on history, temptation, and struggle as stormy clouds that are hard to strike light through in his life. Despite the sheer weight of this approach, the 30-year-old engages with it calmly and compellingly across a gorgeous sonic pallet that says much more in 35 minutes than most rap projects do in 70.
Brevity and tightness are a staple of Vince’s recent catalog, and while Dark Times is not the most extreme example of this, it’s the most fully realized. Thanks to seamless song transitions, consistently watery and soulful instrumentals with wondrous sample selection, and a very consistent emotional temperature, this album feels carefully constructed and assembled in a no-frills, minimal way that makes it clear that this deliberation is the result of a focused mindset at the moment, not meticulous and over-explanatory planning. As far as the sound, even the “Liars” interlude holds some dreamy woodwinds and tender piano, a beauty which other moments like the subtle bass on “Shame On The Devil” reinforce. Even if the album can sound ominous, the guitar licks and peppy percussion on cuts like “Children’s Song” embody the blue skies in Ramona Park.
There are guest vocalists on here like Baby Rose, María Real, Maddy Davis, and Kilo Kish that add more color, harmony, and ethereal vibes to already pristine productions. As far as the personnel behind the board, LeKen Taylor and Tyler Page take over most of the beats, with Cardo, Jay Versace, Michael Uzowuru, and more also being big players. Yet the extensive production roster doesn’t dampen the cohesive flow of Dark Times, nor does it render its warm, cavernous sound redundant. Songs such as “Étouffée” give the album a welcome bounce to keep the energies afloat, while the pots-and-pans drums and wintery keys on “Nothing Matters” bring us back to concrete. In fact, even sparse, staccato notes on “Black&Blue” combine with organs to really make bare elements sound all the more lush, and the dreary but lyrically triumphant “Freeman” solidifies this “less is more” belief.
Over these beats, Vince Staples delivers sharp, relatable, blunt, and sometimes brutal bars on all the topics his catalog tackles. The lyrical matter (in this case, not directly from his pen) comments on systemic paradoxes and conflicting experiences, such as the short intro’s breezy wind chimes leading into lynching imagery: “To live is to be, like the n***a in the tree.” But it also invokes vast pop culture knowledge and boasts cheeky lines like, “I don’t need your flowers, I’m living / First time I seen a million dollars, I squinted.” Vince also flexes some storytelling muscles through the disillusionment of cheating on “Justin” and a conversation with an incarcerated friend on “Government Cheese.” The ode to music’s apologetic power on “‘Radio’” and the more positive and hopeful “Little Homies” flesh out the overall character portrait through specific periods of growth.
All in all, Vince Staples talks a lot about duality and misleading behaviors in Dark Times. Whether it’s his commentary on how disposable people treat romantic partnerships, or his thoughts on the cyclical violence and combative frame of mind that white institutions exploit, his skepticism is overt. Most interestingly, though, the “SAMO” spitter seems to flip the idea of “making it out” on its head. Whereas this would be a grateful escape for someone of his background, he actually can’t fathom how his fame wouldn’t make him more sensitive and hyper-aware of his hardships. But it’s also not as hopeless of a conclusion as you might expect. Rather than use the light to forget the dark times, this album appreciates and savors those sunny days while acknowledging there is always something murky and much more real and urgent underneath.
Empathy is a dangerous quality in Dark Times. It can falsely equate rich people’s problems to prison time, blind one to insincere romantic advances, and serve as a crutch for guilt, separation, and evolution. Vince Staples faces these contradictions with his head held high and an unflinching gaze. Still, through deepening that empathy and understanding of the less green grass he came from, someone of his stature and lived experience can characterize it. Much like the grounded selflessness and removal of ego that this comes from, the lyricism and sonic pallet here are easy to comprehend, but difficult to fully reckon with if you don’t share that 20/20 hindsight. Most importantly, they portray a man who “longs for loving and affection,” but chooses to value simplicity and familiarity in the face of once again placing misguided trust in justice, love, or safety.
Dark Times as an album is fulfilling despite its short runtime, and the somber but occasionally bright production and well-paced, measured writing go a long way to impress and evoke. But it’s also somewhat of a summary and acknowledgment of everything Vince Staples has waxed poetically about since his Def Jam debut over a decade ago. The “Blue Suede” synth returns here, and the closing bird chirps and background noise on the Santigold-assisted outro, “Why Won’t The Sun Come Out?,” bleeds perfectly back into the project’s opener, “Close Your Eyes And Swing.” This thematic distinction and journey is not a loop that Vince feels stuck in: it’s one that he’s just been patient with unpacking. It resulted in an amazing artistic run that, while “not that deep,” speaks volumes to the need to understand our world for ourselves, and ourselves alone.
NAV never leaves the studio. It seems that way, at least. The Canadian rapper has dropped four projects in the last four years, and he’s already announced two more to come in 2024. He plans on dropping the mixtape Nav2, as well as the studio album On My Way 2 Rexdale. The production on NAV’s projects has consistently been a highlight, affirming the rapper’s ear for good beats and collaborators. This is what makes his latest linkup impressive, if not altogether surprising. The Canadian rapper posted photos on his Instagram of him alongside Pharrell Williams.
NAV and Pharrell posed for photos at the Louis Vuitton office in Paris, France. The two men enjoyed the Louis products in stock, but the most exciting aspect of the post was that NAV and Pharrell appeared to be working on music as well. One photo sees Pharrell playing a keyboard at a desk, while NAV sits next to him. The latter didn’t provide any context in the form of a caption, but it’s safe to assume that he has plans for a collab with Skateboard P. This would be the first time the artists appear on the same song.
The timing of the NAV and Pharrell photos is worth taking into consideration. Both men played a role in the recent battle between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, even if they weren’t putting out diss tracks of their own. NAV unfollowed Drake on Instagram in the midst of the battle, which led to Drake using lyrics from the NAV song “Turks” to troll him. Some fans theorize that the Drake line “head to Delilah with all of my ice” from “Family Matters” was also a dig at his fellow Canadian. Pharrell, meanwhile, has had tension with Drake for over a decade.
Kendrick Lamar criticized Drake’s beef with Pharrell on the song “Euphoria” and announced his plan to inherit it. Drake fired back on the aforementioned “Family Matters,” telling Lamar to come get Pharrell’s “legacy” out of his house. The “legacy” in question is jewelry designed and owned by P prior to Drake purchasing it. NAV and Pharrell have very little in common as musicians (outside of working with The Weeknd), but the shared enemy gives their prospective collaboration an interesting additional layer.
Vince Staples made sure he went out with a bang before departing from Def Jam Recordings. The now developed Long Beach, California multi-hyphenate has come a long way since joining the label nearly 11 years ago. For him, Dark Times is essentially a culmination of all of the skills that he has now harnessed and honed in. It is a mixture of great storytelling, rapping, thematic execution, and production choices.
One track that sees Vince Staples deliver on all those fronts is “Étouffée.” On this cut, the veteran uses this time to reflect on how far he has come from the Dark Times he went through growing up. Instead of getting really grim, Staples keeps it all the way 100 with the fans and people he proved wrong throughout his career. It is a fairly celebratory moment on the record and is a bit of a full circle moment.
“No love, I’ma sleep with my weapon / Porsche 911, slide through the section / Gotta show my homies I’m on now / Both soles on the ground, never sold out.” While this is going on, Vince is showing love to the rap culture in the rich city of New Orleans. “Big timin’, like them n****s in New Orleans / Grill shinin’, like them n****s from Magnolia / Chopper City in the ghetto, I’m a soldier now.” There is also a bright and fun beat switch at the end, which is clear nod to New Orleans bounce. Even though there are ton of great listens, “Étouffée” may be at the top.
What are your thoughts on “Étouffée” by Vince Staples? Is this the best track from Dark Times, why or why not? What is your favorite aspect of it? How would you rank all of his Def Jam releases? 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 Vince Staples. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Quotable Lyrics:
Dropped Big Fish, cuh been weak since (Cuh be trippin’) Damn, tell me how you really feel (That’s how you feel?) And, all I wantеd was a couple mill’ (Okay) Make the city proud (Hood) Put it on ‘forе them crackers come and tear it down What are you about?
Late last week, Jackboy unleashed his eagerly anticipated new album Trust The Process. The project arrives alongside various high-profile features, which have been quick to become fan-favorite tracks. He teamed up with Key Glock for “Really Rich,” for example, flaunting his fortune over a laid-back beat. The Haiti-born performer even linked up with Boosie Badazz for a lively banger called “Flip The VIN,” 2 Chainz and Ralo for “Believe Dat,” and more.
Overall, the project leans on the introspective side, as its title would suggest, with songs like “Better Without You” and “Forgot How To Cry.” It still manages to boast a fair number of more upbeat cuts, however, such as “Bob Barker” and “Styled By Meech.” This makes for a solid balance of mellow and energetic songs throughout the album. It even features a fun, topical track called “No Diddy” featuring Atlanta rapper BabyDrill.
Jackboy Recruits Key Glock, Boosie Badazz, Ralo, And More For Latest Album
For the most part, fans are enjoying his latest project so far, and feel as though it showcases an impressive amount of growth since his last effort. Trust The Process follows his 2022 album Majorly Independent, as well as various singles he’s released in the years since. It also follows some legal issues the artist was faced with earlier this year. Fortunately, they appear to have simmered down for the time being.
Jackboy was reportedly arrested in Port St. Lucie, FL in March on on several felony drug and weapons charges. Reportedly, officers were conducting a traffic stop when they allegedly noticed the smell of marijuana coming from the artist’s vehicle and allegedly observed a handgun inside. He was released the following month. What do you think of Jackboy’s new album, Trust The Process? What’s your favorite song from his latest project? Will you be adding anything to your summer playlist, or not? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
ASAP Rocky’s Don’t Be Dumb is one of the most notoriously delayed and long-awaited projects on the horizon right now, and in a world where Frank Ocean and Playboi Carti also exist, that’s saying something. Over the years, we got plenty of teases, announcements, merch drops, delays, and comments that, for one reason or another, have yet to result in a new album. Moreover, even singles have dropped that didn’t see a lot of follow-up, so a lot of fans are wondering what’s up with it. Well, the Harlem creative reportedly spoke recently on one reason as to why his new project is still in the oven.
“Dummies need to stop leaking,” A$AP Rocky reportedly remarked concerning his new album’s delay, a common and understandable notion. “Every time, it’s back to the drawing board.” However, this would probably hit a lot harder and ring much more true for fans if they weren’t asking where in the world these leaks that he talked about even are. The fact that people failed to get their hands on it is either a sign that they’re looking in the wrong places or that there aren’t any leaks to begin with, and that there’s another reason why there’s no new LP yet.
Of course, even if these leaks are a facetious claim, there are plenty of other valid and understandable reasons as to why this delay is so notorious and lengthy. If we were starting a family with Rihanna, beginning the journey of fatherhood, and getting a lot of extracurricular gigs in many fields, we might pause our project indefinitely, too. A$AP Rocky is in a very exciting time in his life right now, and it’s one that doesn’t need a new album attached to it to validate or immortalize it. Sure, it would be awesome, but it’s not like he is as elusive as some other folks who haven’t dropped in a while.
In addition, A$AP Rocky’s shooting case also brought him plenty of legal trouble and attention, which is another valid reason for delay. The most frustrating thing about it, though, is just how long he’s been teasing it for, and how rollouts seemed so close to manifesting but just missed the mark. Ultimately, we may never know why this new album is taking so long. There’s only one way to make us forget about that and make it a much more irrelevant question: by dropping it!
Rakim is planning to release a new album later this summer according to Kurupt. He made the announcement in a post on Instagram, Friday, while sharing the artwork for a single he’s featured on that appears to be from the project. The track’s title is “Rebirth” and it is produced by Rakim. Masta Killa is also featured on the song as well. In the caption of his post, Kurupt wrote: “July 26th – “Rebirth” Rakim new album Produced by Tha God Mc himself…. #Rakim #MasterKilla #GOTTi MY GOD……”
Fans were hyped in the comments section over the news. “OMG indeed! Is this a cover for a single?? I can’t believe a new Ra is on its way,” one user wrote. Another added: “I would of love to hear two or the greatest in tha lab. I bet they was going bacc to bacc.” More fans left behind heaps of fire emojis.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 04: Rakim attends the GRAMMY Gift Lounge during the 65th GRAMMY Awards At Tom’s Watch Bar on February 04, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
A new project from Rakim will be his first since 2009’s The Seventh Seal, which followed a ten-year hiatus itself. It will also be his fourth total as a solo artist, following his split from Eric B. in the mid-1990s. Check out Kurupt’s announcement for the upcoming album on Instagram below.
In other Rakim news, he confirmed on his Instagram Story, on Saturday, that he will be performing at Rock The Bells Cruise in November of this year. Other artists on the lineup include Busta Rhymes, Method Man, Redman, Jadakiss, Talib Kweli, and several more. Be on the lookout for further updates on Rakim and his new album on HotNewHipHop.
We have a new artist alert! Today, we are checking out Houston, Texas multi-talent DeeBaby. Not to be confused with DaBaby, we are checking out DeeBaby because his new album Can You Hear Me Now is here. The soon-to-be 28-year-old is drawing a lot of comparisons to artists like Kevin Gates, Moneybagg Yo, and maybe even a splash of Kodak Black and Rod Wave. That is because of his efforts to rap over booming Southern-fried trap beats.
He also likes to speak about his life experiences, as well as not being afraid throw some brags out there. For DeeBaby, this is following up on his 2023 record Junkie Mode, which also got the Chopped & Screwed treatment. However, this is third offering overall, with Black Sheep being his debut in 2021. Even though he has been garnering attention as of late, he has been working toward star status for a few years.
His first ever release came back in 2018 with “Venice.” Can You Hear Me Now is just one of many accomplishments for DeeBaby, though. He has been dropping single after single and contributing to other artists’ work. For example, he was teamed up with the likes of King Khemoo, YTB Fatt (who is on this LP), as well as Brown Money Mindz and fellow Texan That Mexican OT. See why DeeBaby is deserving of the attention by checking out his new tape above.
What are your thoughts on Can You Hear Me Now by DeeBaby? Which songs are you gravitating toward the most right now? Did YTB Fatt deliver a solid performance? Is this his best project to date, why or why not? 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 DeeBaby. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
