It shouldn’t come as a surprise to NBA YoungBoy fans that days after dropping off another album, he’s already got unreleased snippets surfacing online. So far in 2023, the Louisana native has been on a roll. He kicked things off with a featureless, 19-track effort, I Rest My Case, before working with Mariah The Scientist, Nicki Minaj, Post Malone, and The Kid LAROI on Don’t Try This At Home. Since then, YB has further expanded his discography with Richest Opp, and more recently, Decided 2. The latter hit DSPs this past New Music Friday (November 10), with just one guest appearance from Rod Wave on “Better Than Ever.”
So far, “Deep Down,” “My Body,” and “Free Sex” are all emerging as fan favourites, though were curious to see how the LP will age. As HipHopDX reports, an affiliate of the 24-year-old gave his Instagram followers a preview of what else YoungBoy has been cooking up lately, including a tribute to Kanye West. Using a sample of the embattled star’s “POWER” track from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, the Southern superstar gives the original lyricist his flowers. “RIP to the Donda, now I’m the biggest scholar / I got my own playlist, I say Kanye’s better,” he rhymes.
As is the case with most of the Baton Rogue-born star’s songs, not everyone is immediately feeling what they’re hearing. “He was going to off, then he started talking on the beat again,” one IG user wrote in Akademiks’ comments, criticizing NBA’s flow. “We listening to the same thing? This hard!” another person replied to the discourse.
Having the support of NBA YoungBoy behind him has to feel pretty good for Kanye West as he inches toward dropping another album of his own. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been all love for the father of four, as his wife Bianca Censori’s Australian friends reportedly held an intervention to help her acknowledge his “controlling” behaviour during her trip home this month. Read more about that at the link below, and let us know if you want YB to drop his full track sampling “POWER” in the comments.
Samples are pretty much everything in hip-hop: its lifeblood and point of origin, an indelibly useful creative tool, and a commercial headache. Moreover, we always hear about clearance disputes, royalty splits, and so much more when one artist wants to use another’s song. While that can sometimes be more attributed to the labels or management that these MCs work with, sometimes the beef can get in between the artists themselves. That’s what happened recently with NLE Choppa and Mike Jones, as the former called the latter out for copyrighting a sample that he already cleared: his song “Still Tippin’,” which became the instrumental for Choppa’s “CMON” freestyle. Now, Jones clapped back.
“Don’t care about getting respect,” Mike Jones responded to NLE Choppa’s complaints. “Especially if the respect wasn’t shown 4 months ago prior to releasing the music without getting the business clear! I told y’all #Welcome2TheMusicBusiness #StayTuned For Receipts & I wish a N***A Would!!!!” In fact, if you look up the Memphis MC’s freestyle, it’s no longer available due to this copyright claim. This means that this isn’t a situation in development or discussion in the legal world; it just happened quickly.
Furthermore, this is what NLE Choppa had to say to Mike Jones when this copyright claim came through. “Ion know if it’s Mike jones or his team but on everything y’all dead wrong for trying to copyright a song I cleared,” he expressed on Twitter. “That’s some hating s**t especially for a young n***a like me that’s just tryna please his fans. Ion feel that I lost d*mb respect but it’s cool fasho!” What’s funny is that this isn’t the first time that Jones in particular shut down remixes to his songs much to the public dismay of the sampling artist, as this happened to rapper BiC Fizzle with the exact same song earlier this year.
Meanwhile, what do you think of this whole debacle? Is Choppa right to be so indignant or is it time for people to pump the brakes on reckless or undue sampling? However you may feel, let us known the comments section down below. Also, stay up to date on HNHH for the latest news and updates on Mike Jones and NLE Choppa.
NLE Choppa recently took to social media, calling out Mikes Jones for allegedly copyrighting a song that had already been cleared. Choppa dropped his “CMON FREESTYLE” last week, spitting over Jones’ early-2000s track, “Still Tippin.” It seems, based on a recent Tweet from Choppa, that Jones copyrighted the track just recently.
“Ion know if it’s Mike jones or his team but on everything y’all dead wrong for trying to copyright a song I got cleared,” the 20-year-old wrote. “That’s some hating sh*t especially for a young n***a like me that’s just tryna please his fans. Ion feel that I lost d*mb respect but it’s cool fasho !” At the time of writing, Jones has yet to respond.
NLE Choppa Thinks Mike Jones Is On “Some Hating Sh*t”
Ion know if it’s Mike jones or his team but on everything y’all dead wrong for trying to copyright a song I got cleared that’s some hating shit especially for a young nigga like me that’s just tryna please his fans. Ion feel that I lost dumb respect but it’s cool fasho !
While many social media users appear to be on board with what NLE Choppa’s saying, some point out that Jones himself may not be responsible. Others note how this isn’t the first time Jones has taken issue with other artists sampling his music. Earlier this year, BiC Fizzle put the rapper on blast for getting his song “44s” removed from YouTube. Similarly, Fizzle’s song samples “Still Tippin.”
“Mike Jones you a h*e for making my n***a’s shit get deleted, n***a, with your broke a**,” BiC Fizzle said during a live stream. “The real kickback drop 4’s old broke b*tch,” he added. Jones eventually clapped back, telling Fizzle “You gotta learn the business.” He continued, suggesting that the artist failed to properly clear the sample. “Once you become an owner of something and people will want to sample your stuff, it’s a proper procedure of business that has to go down. Once that business goes down, you get the access gate to keep going,” he explained. What do you think of Mike Jones allegedly copyrighting a song that NLE Choppa had previously cleared? Do you think NLE Choppa’s reaction was warranted, or is he overreacting? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Last week, Drake dropped off his eighth studio album, For All The Dogs, after plenty of teasing. The 23-track project is jam-packed with high-profile features. J. Cole, Yeat, Lil Yachty, SZA, and more make appearances. One song even features the vocal stylings of Drake’s 6-year-old son, Adonis.
Another major artist, Yebba, also contributed to Drake’s new album on his track “Polar Opposites.” It features a dreamy sample of Yebba’s song at the end. It looks like the Canadian performer is a huge fan of her work and that song in particular, and he took to social media to let her know. “@yebbasmith drop the full song from end of ‘Polar Opposites,’” he wrote. “This is not a request it’s a demand [lock emoji].” She later responded, sharing his message on her own story. “Drake said it so we must,” she expressed.
She then shared a clip of the song in a later story, titled, “Waterfall (I adore you).” Yebba went on to post the song, which had been pitched down in Drake’s “Polar Opposites, in its original pitch. This sparked quite a bit of excitement from Drake. “Yes yes yes yes yes yes,” he commented. Drake and Yebba joined forces again back in 2021 for “Yebba’s Heartbreak,” which appears on his album Certified Lover Boy. The Arkansas-born artist isn’t the only one Drake’s shared his appreciation for amid the release of For All The Dogs, however.
Just ahead of the drop, Drake also showed love to Lil Yachty on Table For One, giving him a call to tell him how much he impacted his creative process. “I don’t think this album is what it is if I don’t get to run everything by you,” he explained. “The realest sh*t you can get is somebody that cares about you enough to tell you their real opinion.” What do you think of Yebba dropping “Waterfall (I adore you)” per Drake’s request? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Drake’s For All The Dogs contains a lot of guests, collaborators, features, and behind-the-scenes contributors… too many to credit, it seems. Moreover, rapper and signer Rye Rye recently took to Twitter to blast him for featuring her uncredited vocals on the track “Calling For You” featuring 21 S*vage. In a barrage of tweets, she also detailed how this isn’t the first time this has happened to her, marking a pretty nasty pattern if everything is as she says. Of course, you can see her credited on sites like Genius, but most listeners won’t put a name to the voice.
“REALLY @Drake MY VOCALS AGAIN?” Rye Rye tweeted. “& NO CREDIT? I really wanna be flattered but I feel like it’s trolling ATP OMG …one of my fave artists doing this I don’t know how to feel anymore. But thank you for reminding me that my 15 year old vocals are still legendary. This is not funny this sent me into a deep depression and made me angry inside the first time. Now I gotta relive this again after I was semi trying to push through. WTF I wanna be happy but like how.
REALLY @Drake MY VOCALS AGAIN? & NO CREDIT? I really wanna be flattered but I feel like it’s trolling ATP OMG …one of my fave artists doing this I don’t know how to feel anymore but thank you for reminding me that my 15 year old vocals are still legendary pic.twitter.com/BhKbAm17CP
“Like how tf lil John chair squeaking sample get credited on currents over my actual voice WTF,” the Baltimore native continued against Drake. “I’m feeling angry inside all over again.. I feel so disrespected.. guess that’s how the game goes huh lol bettttt. Ruined my whole f***in day I don’t even wanna fly nomore. Sitting here crying but I can’t be a sucker. I gotta turn this s**t into motivation. I always been strong and I feel it in the universe ima get what I deserve. Make me wanna turn into a b***h but ima let me heart keep being pure. I worked so hard at 15 when I created them vocals. I get that they’re legendary I love that yall f**k with it. But damn at first yall might didn’t know where the sample came from. Now it’s been made clear and yall still just can’t give credit.
More Tweets From Rye Rye
Fuck clout ..nigga going tell me he think I just want recognition from drake ..no I just want ppl to stop using my shit if they can’t properly credit me this goes to whoever who now knows ..and if I did want recognition rightfully so something of mine was used
This the generation of sampling and it starts from the little ass producer kids who started using me in club mixes …at first it was for no profit I understand that & some ppl didn’t know where it came from til now but yall outta hand atp
Honestly it was never even about the money when drake first sampled me if I would’ve woke up to credit like I should have received I would’ve been perfectly fine.. somebody to that caliber ..the label / team ain’t no rookies they should’ve made it right first time
“That s**t takes nothing at all,” she went on. “When I used the ‘anything you can do I can do better’ sample in my song it was my label job to CLEAR that before it came out. This for all the ppl saying it’s the producers. Yea ultimately BUT if you’re on a major they should be clearing all samples prior to releasing. And I’m not venting to social media thinking it’s gonna get me paid. But some ppl can see it and offer help/advice. Also it’s my voice ppl know it and bringing it to my attention so I can speak on it if I want tf yall weird af. ” For more news and updates on Rye Rye, Drake, and For All The Dogs, log back into HNHH.
The Halloween theme song is one of the most recognizable songs in pop culture. Since the original movie released in 1978 and the most recent entry in the franchise released in 2022, people have literally been hearing it for decades. Each movie in the series has its own version of the theme, but director and composer John Carpenter created the original. Fans of the series instantly recognize the foreboding piano melody, and even those who have never seen the movies know it means Michael Myers is near. Producers across the years have sampled the theme and used its creepy notes to create an eerie atmosphere for multiple songs. We’ve gathered five tracks that sampled the iconic theme and discussed how some even took their own creative liberties with it to make it their own.
“Murder Ink” – Dr. Dre feat. Hittman & Ms. Roq (1999)
Dr. Dre sampled the Halloween theme song on this beat which pulled many listeners in right away. While everyone associates g-funk with him, he demonstrated his range as his career went on, especially when he produced for other people. This track comes from his critically acclaimed album 2001. In this song, Dre leaves the rapping to features Hittman and Ms. Roq while he and Mel-Man handle production. Both of their verses tell an imagery-filled story of what will happen to those who cross them. The beat takes the sample of the Halloween theme from the 1978 film and speeds it up a little and hard-hitting drums make the aggressive rap verses stand out. During the back half of the track, a synthesizer lets the listener know Dre’s signature touch is still there even if his voice isn’t.
Three 6 Mafia is no stranger to using eerie samples and they – along with other Memphis artists – actually used the Halloween theme song several times across their discographies. This track puts the spooky feeling on the back burner as an upbeat, electro-pop, club-based atmosphere takes over. The original version of this song has the official Halloween sample however, the version most people are familiar with has a piano loop that’s very similar to it. Other sounds round out the production, which keep the energy high as the drums skitter and rattle around them. The song finds the group detailing a typical night for them at the club with simplistic but effective and energetic verses. Frequent collaborator Project Pat is featured on the track, while SuperPower handles the hook.
“The Tower” – Ice-T (1991)
Ice-T jumped on the sample of the Halloween theme song and told a story filled with details about life in jail. The theme is slowed down, making it sound scarier. The pitch is also slightly different, and this made listeners wonder if someone played it themselves or if it came from the original soundtrack. Other sounds, like a deep synth and what sounds like an organ, help keep the menacing feeling constant throughout the song. These sounds came courtesy of Bilal Bashir, DJ Alladin, and even Ice-T himself who also has production credits. After each of Ice-T’s verses, another voice comes in that reinforces the story he’s telling as they share experiences from their time in jail. The atmosphere of the song is bleak and every word used depicts the imagery of just how bad of an experience being in jail is.
“Speak My Language” – Nipsey Hussle feat. Lloyd Banks, Cory Gunz & June Summers (2009)
Nipsey Hussle is an artist from the West Coast and surprised many listeners when he got on the Halloween theme song. It’s almost unrecognizable to those unfamiliar since it’s not played on a piano and the pitch of it is completely different. Producer S-Class created something Nipsey would still feel at home while simultaneously creating something unexpected. The context of the song itself has nothing to do with anything eerie or scary at all. It discusses the motivated and focused mindset most of Nipsey’s music was known for and all the features keep the theme mostly consistent in their verses. Cory Gunz opts to focus on wordplay syllabic schemes, which still sound good. June Summers’ hook connects the verses from the three artists. This track shows how the iconic theme can still be present and not take away from the rest of the things happening in the song.
“Deadly Verses” – Gangsta Pat feat. The Villain (1995)
Gangsta Pat is another Memphis artist that utilized the Halloween theme song, and in his case, the spooky feeling was quite strong. This is the title track from his album, which was released in 1995. Other trademarks of Memphis production are all over the track and Gangsta Pat’s rapid triplet flow is the cherry on top of all of it. In addition to the Halloween theme, there’s a second melody that comes from the bass in the song, whose low level has an eerie feeling of its own. Featured artist The Villain shares his verse on the track and establishes the rapid-fire menacing flow and subject matter that Gangsta Pat follows with. He also produced the song himself along with the rest of the songs on the album.
What are some of your favorite hip-hop songs that sampled the Halloween theme song? Let us know in the comments section.
The Nike Air Force 1 Mid is an iconic sneaker that’s celebrated for its timeless design and comfort. It features a mid-top silhouette, offering ankle support without sacrificing style. Recently, there have been rumors of a sample collaboration between Nike and Off-White on a “Grim Reaper” colorway of the Air Force 1 Mid. However, it’s essential to note that this pair is not an official release, and its availability to the public remains uncertain.
The “Grim Reaper” concept, known for its black and white color scheme and signature Off-White details, has generated significant buzz among sneaker enthusiasts. Designer Virgil Abloh leads Off-White, a fashion label renowned for pushing boundaries with its designs and engaging in high-profile collaborations. While the potential release of the Off-White x Nike Air Force 1 Mid “Grim Reaper” is shrouded in mystery. It has already captured the attention of collectors and sneakerheads worldwide, demonstrating the enduring appeal of Air Force 1 and the influence of innovative collaborations in the sneaker culture.
The sneakers feature a spiked, black rubber sole and a black midsole. Also, white leather constructs the uppers, with black grim reaper accents found throughout. Vibrant green accents include the laces and a small tag beneath the black Nike Swoosh. Also, the Off-White hang tag is present. And a strap across the laces features the same design as the rest of the shoes. Overall, this pair is definitely a bit loud, but the Off-White x Nike collabs have been notably popular.
Sneaker Bar Detroit reports that the Nike Air Force 1 Mid x Off-White “Grim Reaper” has no plans to release to the public. As of currently, there are only 2 rumored pairs to exist in circulation. Let us know what you think of this sneaker, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the sneaker world. We will be sure to bring you the biggest releases from the biggest brands.
Since the music industry has become democratized, the phrase “there’s nothing new under the sun” has never felt more true. The current accessibility of creating songs means that many samples are used in similar ways, or at least frequently appear throughout the industry after trending on TikTok or other platforms. Some artists, such as Kelis, have expressed discontent with their throwback hits being repurposed. Others, like Juicy J, are grateful to see artists still putting beats he created with Three 6 Mafia to use. Big Sean is the latest to sample the Southern group. Of course, his “Precision” single hasn’t landed on streaming services quite yet.
As HipHopDX reports, the father of one gave us a taste of what’s to come on his upcoming album on Thursday (August 31). A minute-long preview of the unreleased song appeared in the new trailer for NBA 2K24‘s The City game mode. It’s set to release on September 8 and will honour Kobe Bryant with a tribute on the cover. Throughout the “Precision” teaser, fans can hear elements from Three 6 Mafia’s “Poppin’ My Collar,” which first landed back in 2005, helping to add more apple to Sean’s lyricism.
Aside from being used to promote the video game, it’s been noted that “Precision” is set to appear on Sean’s sixth studio album. Details surrounding the project remain sparse at this time. Now that we have an idea of what’s to come, it won’t be long before the single lands on DSPs. That will surely be followed with more updates from the Detroit native himself.
We’re certainly excited to hear that Big Sean has new music on the way. Still, that hasn’t stopped the growing concern about the obsessed fan that he and Jhene Aiko are hoping to take to court. Since there’s a newborn on their hands, it’s understandable why safety is a top priority for the famous pair. Read more about that at the link below, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
French Montana now has to answer for an old track of his, as a singer-songwriter hit him with a copyright lawsuit. Moreover, Skylar Gudasz claimed that her 2020 track “Femme Fatal” prominently contributes to the rapper’s 2022 cut “Blue Chills.” In fact, Gudasz expressed in her legal action that he and his team could’ve avoided the whole situation if things went according to plan. Apparently French’s team offered her upfront fees and continuous revenue for the sample, which consisted of a 50% share of copyright for publishing. However, Gudasz alleged that the song dropped anyway, despite this deal never coming to a close.
“Despite repeated promises from [French Montana’s team]… no signed agreement, fees, royalties, licensing agreements or monies have ever been sent to plaintiff,” her lawyers stated in the filing. In addition, it explained the circumstances behind their almost-finalized collaboration. Furthermore, industry executive Deborah Mannis-Gardner, known for her sample clearances, approached Gudasz in May of 2022. Specifically, they negotiated the aforementioned agreement to include over $7,000 in upfront fees and a .08% cut from master royalties.
French Montana Performing At The Tribeca Film Festival
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 16: French Montana performs during the “For Khadija” Premiere – 2023 Tribeca Festival at Beacon Theatre on June 16, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival)
Also, it had a half share of the composition copyright, along with half of the publishing rights. When Gudasz reached out about the release of “Blue Chills” with no final deal, Mannis-Gardner allegedly wrote “Oh jeez” in her response email. “DMG continued to maintain there would be a final agreement, sent emails finalizing the licensing agreement and requested invoices from plaintiff, which plaintiff timely sent … and even sent plaintiff a congratulatory email,” the lawsuit continued. Not only that, but French Montana seemingly congratulated Gudasz via Instagram comments and spoke about her role on the track on Apple Music’s Rap Life Radio.
Meanwhile, amid his massive success, Gudasz wants this remedied as soon as possible. “The unauthorized and infringing use by defendants of the song ‘Femme Fatale’ has caused irreparable harm, damage and injury,” her lawyers maintained. “Plaintiff has been deprived of the rightful experience of benefitting and enjoying the fruits of her labor.” For more news and the latest updates on French Montana, come back to HNHH.
Through the art of sampling, artists that you never would’ve expected to link up can create a meaningful bond. As small as they can be, it’s always nice to see distinct musical worlds from different eras bridge together. Of course, it’s usually the result of a great song, and that’s exactly what happened with Doja Cat’s new single “Paint The Town Red.” It samples the legendary Dionne Warwick’s “Walk On By,” and she recently uploaded an Instagram video shouting the rapper and singer out for her homage. Moreover, the soul and R&B star also suggested that fans who might not have heard of the song check it out.
“I wanted to say, I think it’s wonderful that these youngsters who are recording today had decided to listen to some really good stuff of the old folks,” Dionne Warwick expressed concerning Doja Cat. “Those that been recording for well over 20, 30, 40, 50 years and making decisions that good music plays a very important part. So I’m thrilled that you’re discovering us, that you’re keeping us alive.” The 82-year-old earned her first Grammy nomination for “Walk On By,” which she released in April of 1964.
“Did you know that Doja Cat’s recording is gonna be released today?” Dionne Warwick continued. “Now listen, all through the recording is a song that she sampled and [I’m] somehow quite familiar with. I must say that and I certainly hope you are too. This little thing called ‘Walk on By.’ Yeah, I am all through that recording, which is very nice of her to do. I certainly do hope this is lucky and good to her as it has been to me.”
Meanwhile, this is just the latest tribute to Warwick’s outstanding career, and a more tangible display of her influence and impact. With Doja saying that she switched up her sounds a lot for her next project, we can only dream of what else she sampled. These singles have proven to be tastefully contemporary while still making reference to the past, and there’s only more heat in the vault to come. Considering that, for more news and the latest updates on Doja Cat and Dionne Warwick, check back in with HNHH.
(@saycheesetv)
but thank you for reminding me that my 15 year old vocals are still legendary 
