Symba infused his rapping ability in endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. Sharing a black and white video on social media, Symba highlights his points in bars. Some of those include:
“Civil conversation comes from speaking to civil people, that man don’t have a plan so his dance is to speak evil, We don’t want to see the country burn, We want to see the country learn, that love and integrity is what makes the world turn.”
J. Cole is now in everyone’s line of sight, as Symba has sent a brutal diss his way earlier today. For those who are unaware Symba is an extremely talented songwriter and performer from the Bay Area. If there was someone who was going to attack J. Cole, he has the pen game to tangle with the best. With the Dreamville label head apologizing to Kendrick Lamar after “dissing” him on “7 Minute Drill,” a lot of people were turned off by it. Symba can confidently say he is a part of that camp after ripping into Cole on his new diss track “Control Freestyle.”
He decided to release it on YouTube only, which makes sense for a song like this. But with its limited exposure, it is still making waves on the internet. Fans are loving how someone was not afraid to share how frustrated they were with how Cole handled this entire situation. For example, one fan commented under the video, “I SUPPORT THIS MESSAGE: The streets are hungry. This is DAMN sure NEEDED after the apology. Thank you, Symba.”
XXL was able to breakdown the lyrics and they really convey feelings of utter disappointment from Symba. “I looked the devil dead in his eyes like I ain’t scared to die / For damn sure ain’t scared to go to war with a friend of mine / Pushing through sunset lighting up with the top down / Barbershop convos ’bout who sit at the top now / The Big 3 f***ed up, Cole gave up his spot now / Can’t say you top five if you scared to be hostile.” Symba then goes for the jugular, “I remember feeling your pain when you let Nas down / But you done let Bas down and Cozz down / You done let the squad down / Can’t say you the goat if you ain’t poppin ’em / We ain’t tryna hear all them apologies / Dot told you n****s that he usually homeboys with who he rhymin’ with / But this is hip-hop and you n****s should know what time it is.”
What are your thoughts on this diss from Symba toward J. Cole on his “Control Freestyle?” Was this a warranted attack, why or why not? Do you see Cole doing anything about this, considering how he handled Kendrick Lamar? Is this the coldest diss track of the year so far, 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 J. Cole and Symba. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on around the music world.
Bow Wow took to social media today to share his thoughts on artist development. He feels as though there isn’t enough of it going on these days. This is a sentiment that’s shared by many in the music industry, actually. Bow Wow’s thoughts are light on the vital need for a resurgence of nurturing and fostering emerging talents in the ever-evolving realm of music. Bow Wow’s tweet resonated with fans and industry insiders alike as he questioned the commitment of record labels to artist development. In the tweet, he wrote, “Can we please bring back artist development at these labels…. Do these labels even care about these artist? Y’all be throwing them on platforms knowing they not ready. A boxer is trained and taught before battle. We just keep throwing these subpar a** artist out here with no proper teaching.”
Bow Wow’s insightful analogy between the music industry and the world of boxing made perfect sense. He highlighted the level of training that boxers undergo before entering the ring, emphasizing that they are taught and honed for battle. In contrast, he said emerging artists are often put onto platforms without being properly prepared. He feels as though this leads to the emergence of what he deemed “subpar” talents who lack proper mentoring.
Can we please bring back artist development at these labels…. Do these labels even care about these artist? Yall be throwing them on platforms knowing they not ready. A boxer is trained and taught before battle. We just keep throwing these subpar ass artist out here with no…
However, his sentiments didn’t end there. He kept going by proceeding to name artists he felt deserved a push. “Its too many real ones out here on the come up like Symba, Westside Boogie … I can name so many more Lady London, Lola like new artist that GOT IT! Who deserve the push… but instead … man I’m done even speaking on it haha s**t be getting me hot. Stop pushing that bs on us! The fans are waking up and hip hop is about to change for the better. Stay in the house if you playing and move over and let the real ones play.”
Lastly, he echoed his words and doubled-down by what he meant by subpar. “They cant talk. I don’t understand wtf they saying,” he said. “Be dry as hell in interviews. Y’all know I take the stage serious! I don’t even wanna get on they stage presence. Rapping over vocals shit is sloppy out here man. We gotta clean this shit up. Get better or get tf out the way.” Fans resonated with his comments with many responses. “It’s not fun to see artists drop anymore,” one person said. “Labels don’t believe in Rollouts or building the anticipation like they used to.” “That’s over with now .. these labels are openly telling artist to already come to them established and popping and already platinum,” said another. What are your thoughts? Let us know below on HNHH!
Much like Timbaland, Swizz Beatz had his team of rappers for the BET Hip-Hop Awards cypher, enlisting the bars of Foggieraw, Symba, Cassidy, and ScarLip. The four-piece tackled beats from Swizz’s collection of classics, including “Echo” from the Poison album, “Touch It,” and more. You can hear the quartet go crazy below.
As the Hip Hop space continues to evolve, there has been a constant shift in stylistic rap choices. However, some artists shine best when they stick to the original formulas and make it their own. Symba is one of these artists, proudly repping the Bay Area with his West Coast sound. Symba has been in the game for a long time, but he’s especially been on a roll over the past 12 months delivering something unique, yet familiar. His chill blend of melodious rap and thought-provoking lyrics have likened him to some of Hip Hop’s early pioneers.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 18: Symba performs onstage during the Future Superstar tour at Tabernacle on March 18, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
Like many rappers before and after him, Symba moved to L.A. for a chance to blow up. However, securing paid shows, juggling studio sessions, and self-promotion ate deep into his pockets. Soon after, a deal with Columbia Records served as his lifeline, but the label put the rapper in a box. After about a year and six months with Columbia, he got dropped. In a positive turn of events, this kickstarted his path to self-discovery.
Symba spent the next six months using his social media and the Internet to carve out his niche. Speaking with G.Q., he attributes his subsequent stage success to two tracks dedicated to Nipsey Hustle, which he played at an Atlantic A&R party. “I wrote two songs, ‘Trapped’ and ‘Black Jesus.’ I played those songs at the aux party,” he said. What followed afterward was a trip to N.Y.C. that got him signed to Atlantic Records in 2019.
By 2020, Symba put out his first track on the label, “Serve.” The track summarized his life thus far as he spat about his hustling uncle’s advice on how the world works when it comes to making money, his $100,000 signing bonus with Columbia, and how he spent the bulk of it. By the end of the year, his first album, Don’t Run Away from R.A.P. was welcomed by fans, who embarked on his journey to discover and embrace himself.
In 2022, he dropped his second album, Results Take Time. The rap project featured notable acts like Roddy Ricch, Pusha T, and 2 Chainz. This body of work greatly amplified his profile. It also showed off his versatility, swimming easily from West Coast rap on songs like “Can’t Win for Nothing,” to trap on “Street N***a.” However, what makes Symba’s style of rap authentic are his personal lyrics and storytelling prowess. His music takes you through his personal experiences and growth.
Furthermore, his bars draw you in with their vulnerability, and more often than not, leave the listener with a glimmer of hope. Symba’s music is sure to welcome both the old Hip Hop heads, and today’s younger, more vulnerable audience. While his tracks have aggressive beats reminiscent of the 90s, they also embody a more chill rhythm for listeners to soak in his lyrics. The rapper’s lyrical and vocal prowess have earned him notable recognition in movie soundtracks, including Space Jam and Creed 3.
Symba was born Demario Raynel Driver. The 30-year-old lyricist is slowly becoming a household name, and it’s only just the beginning. He considers Lebron James to be his personal icon, and at a time, was focused primarily on basketball, eyes sight on the NBA. Today, his music has elevated his profile greatly. Symba has earned nods from Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. The Game has also acknowledged him as one to watch out for. Recently, he made headlines after a philanthropic visit to Nigeria, where he donated a hundred laptops to young Nigerian high school kids.
Fresh off of appearances on albums from 03 Greedo and Larry June, Ty Dolla Sign has announced his More Motion Less Emotion Tour, which kicks off in September and runs through October. Although he hasn’t announced an album to go along with it yet, there’s plenty of time between now and then for a rollout. Fortunately, the late summer/early fall start date allows him plenty of time to recover from his skateboarding accident last year.
He’ll be joined on tour by singer Leon Thomas, whose album was so good it prompted Ty to redo his own, and rapper Symba, who had a bit of a breakout last year thanks to his DJ Drama-produced Gangsta Grillz mixtape and a standout Tiny Desk Concert. Tickets go on sale this Friday, June 23 at 10 am. You can find more information here.
9/15 – San Diego, CA @ SOMA
9/16 – Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
9/18 – Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
9/19 – Albuquerque, NM @ Revel
9/21 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
9/22 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater
9/23 – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
9/24 – New Orleans, LA @ The Fillmore New Orleans
9/26 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
9/27 – Nashville, TX @ Brooklyn Bowl Nashville
9/29 – St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Live
9/30 – Miami, FL @ Oasis Wynwood
10/1 – Orlando, FL @ The Vanguard
10/3 – Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
10/4 – Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz
10/6 – Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore Silver Spring
10/7 – Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall
10/8 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
10/10 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues
10/11 – Montreal, QC @ MTELUS
10/13 – Toronto, ON @ Rebel
10/14 – Cleveland, OH @ Masonic Cleveland
10/15 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
10/17 – Denver, CO @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom
10/18 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Union Event Center
10/20 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
10/21 – Vancouver, BC @ Harbour Event & Convention Centre
10/22 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo
10/24 – Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades**
10/26 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Novo
10/27 – San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield**
** dates without Symba & Leon Thomas
Ty Dolla Sign is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
We’re midway through another weekend, making it the perfect time to deliver our latest Fire Emoji playlist update. At the very top of our list today comes a collaboration from Belly and Rick Ross on “Cocaine Spoon” from the former’s new Mumble Rap 2 project. The 11-track effort is just one of several that made its debut on New Music Friday (May 19), also boasting guest appearances from NAV, Gucci Mane, and Gil Scott-Heron.
Carrying the torch for female rappers is Connie Diiamond, who impressed us yet again with her latest single, “What They Do.” We also have quickly fallen in love with Aminé and Kaytranada’s joint effort, KAYTRAMINÉ. If you don’t have time to check out the full album, we suggest starting with “Master P” as a sampler, which is sure to lure you toward other titles on the tracklist. Following that comes Jay Worthy’s latest, “The Plug,” on which he connected with an iconic trio – Roc Marciano, Kokane, and Ab-Soul.
Ahead of the arrival of his highly anticipated LP next weekend, Lil Durk has given us another single. Earlier this month and J. Cole connected on “All My Life,” and now, he’s worked with EST Gee on “Spinnin’.” While Toosii found success all alone on “Favorite Song” earlier this year, he tapped Future to appear on the “Toxic Version” this weekend, which fans of the duo are already loving. Elsewhere in the news, Hendrix has said he’s hard at work on Dirty Sprite 3, much to hip-hop head’s delight.
Finally, we have a solo offering from Symba, called “Top G.” The hot new single came shortly after the lyricist shared his thoughts on Ja Morant’s ongoing situation with the NBA, which has warranted plenty of celebrity reactions over the past few days. Stream this week’s full Fire Emoji update exclusively on Spotify above. Did we leave out any of your New Music Friday favourites? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to check back on Sunday to catch our latest R&B Season playlist.
D’USSÉ Cognac celebrated Day 2 of this year’s Rolling Loud in New York, which featured headlining performances by A$AP Rocky, Lil Baby, GloRilla, and Boogie Wit Da Hoodie.
Conway the Machine, Statik Selektah, Key Glock, Joyner Lucas, Lil Gnar, G Herbo, Moneybagg Yo, Westside Gunn, Nardo Wick, Lola Brooke and more were allowed to relax before and after their performances at the VIP backstage bar that D’USSÉ provided at the D’USSÉ stage.
D’USSE collaborated with media personality and influencer Rama Sall, who met up with rappers Symba and Conway the Machine for their afternoon shows.
