SZA

SZA Shut Down A Viral Rumor Claiming Frank Ocean Was Removed From Her ‘Lana’ Album

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Frank Ocean fans are yearning for new music. The “Novacane” singer’s base is so desperate for some original work that one fan page kicked off a rumor of his return.

Over on X (formerly Twitter), a fan page Frank Ocean claimed that the musician was supposed to make a surprise appearance on SZA’s long-awaited SOS Deluxe: Lana album. But after the body of work was available on streaming, no vocals from Frank were to be found. Then the page alleged that SZA removed Frank Ocean’s verse “at the last minute.”

Well, in a now-deleted post, SZA chimed in to shut down the viral rumor. “LMAO now why would you even make this up,” she wrote. “Ur insane… it never existed… and don’t ever play on Frank’s name like that EVAAAA.”

Prior to SZA’s denial, users online were gathering their pitchforks and flood her comment section demanding answers. But with SZA clearing the air, the potential online firestorm was averted.

Back in July, Frank Ocean teased that he returned to the studio with an endearing selfie. However, the fruit of that creative session has yet to be put out into the world. So, Frank Ocean fans are going to need to hold out a little longer.

SOS Deluxe: Lana is out now via Top Dawg Entertainment/RCA Records. You can listen to it here.

SZA Responds To Rumor That Frank Ocean Was Axed Last Minute Prior To “Lana’s” Release

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A lot of folks want Frank Ocean to come out of hiding. It’s maybe why a fan page for the Blonde artist is making up some dubious rumors regarding a recent album. SZA’s SOS Deluxe: LANA hit streaming platforms over the weekend to much of the delight of her respective fan base. It had been in limbo for about a year thanks to a lot of leaks, tweaks, and more. 15 (technically 14 because of “Saturn”) new songs were tacked onto her 2022 record, and so far, the reception has been very positive. It’s also been talked about quite a bit within hip-hop circles too thanks to the lone guest, Kendrick Lamar, who appears on “30 For 30.”

Well, apparently, K. Dot wasn’t supposed to be on the deluxe tape by himself. According to HipHopDX “blondedhomer,” an “everything Frank” X page, made the claim that Mr. Ocean was also on LANA. However, for whatever untold reason, the “White Ferrari” singer-songwriter’s contributions were removed. “Frank Ocean’s verse on SZA’s new album LANA (SOS Deluxe) was removed at the last minute,” the account swears.

Read More: DJ Akademiks Jokes That Lil Baby Has Lost All His Talent

SZA Claps Back At Frank Ocean Fan Page For Their Unsubstantiated Claim

SZA calls out blondedhomer on X
byu/Simonsini inFrankOcean

The person never specifies which song, though, leaving this up for serious scrutiny. Well, sure enough, “blondedhomer” got it and from nonother than SZA. She was quite upset with the fan for dropping off such an unsubstantiated rumor, replying, “Lmao now why would you even make this up??” she began. “Ur insane. It never existed. And don’t ever play on Frank’s name like that EVAAAA.”

While she was certainly right to respond in this fashion, it admittedly does hurt to hear that Frank never had any input. He remains to be one of the most elusive names in modern music. However, despite him not dropping an album since his 2016 commercial and critical masterpiece, he still rakes in streams and monthly listeners. At this point a miracle (a Christmas one in this case) is needed for Frank to come back.

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SZA Geeks Out Over Receiving Actual Martin Scorsese Co-Sign After “Scorsese Baby Daddy”

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SZA is overjoyed by receiving a subtle name-drop from iconic film director Martin Scorsese after releasing the singer’s anticipated deluxe version of SOS: Lana. Indirectly, SZA received the mention from the director through his daughter’s social media. On Instagram, Scorsese’s daughter, Francesca, offered a subtle yet memorable nod of approval. Pairing a photo of her father with SZA’s new track, Scorsese Baby Daddy, Francesca captioned it, “SZA, Queen sh*t,” showcasing the song’s playful homage. SZA was quick to share her excitement, reposting the moment with an incredulous caption: “The fact that this isn’t AI, and it is actually Martin Scorsese 😭.”

The mentioned provided SZA with relief for delaying the new 38-song version of her sophomore album until last Friday’s release. Martin Scorsese inspired the new song “Scorsese Baby Dady.” The track further explores the singer’s fascination with cinema. The original SOS leaned heavily on Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill. “Scorsese Baby Daddy” offers a sly tribute by likening him to the king of emotional storytelling. In her lyrics, SZA paints a vivid picture of spiraling emotions and irresistible chaos: “I rolled up all my problems / And then I smoked about it / I could’ve called my mom up / I’d rather f*ck about it / Addicted to the drama / Scorsese baby daddy.”

Read more: Biggest Hip-Hop Moments Of 2024

SZA Receives Name-Drop From The Martin Scorsese

SOS: Lana also features new collaborations with Kendrick Lamar on the track “30 for 30.” Many believe the song to be another direct shot at Lamar’s rival and SZA’s ex, Drake. In the song, the duo describes a “corny-ass dude” that many believe is referring to the 6 God. The suspicion hasn’t resulted in a response from Drake yet.

The song and name-drop arrive with SZA making her acting debut as the co-star in the upcoming film One of Them Days. Alongside actress Keke Palmer, the film tells the story of best friends trying to gather up rent money before facing eviction at the end of the day. The film also features Katt Williams. The film is in theaters nationwide on January 24.

Read more: Hip-Hop Albums That Grew On Us The Most In 2024

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SZA Introduces Us To “LANA” On Our New “R&B Season” Playlist Update

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Happy holidays to all those who celebrate, and if you don’t, we still have a gift for you. Our latest R&B Season playlist update rounded up all the best genre-adjacent releases from this week for your convenience, and we have a massive one to start off with. SZA finally released her SOS Deluxe: LANA after months of teases and multiple delays, and fans loved the wealth of new material that’s worth a whole new LP. It’s got plenty of compelling highlights, such as a melancholy and ethereal electric guitar ballad on “Drive” and the more sensual, dreamy, and gentle “Diamond Boy (DTM).”

On the topic of sultry R&B, Jeremih decided to give this sound some unique, albeit seasonally corny changes on his new single, “Secret Santa.” Other than singing about taking stockings off and all the gifts that he’s going to give his partner, he fits the theme with light pianos, wintery chimes and bells, and even a slight drill swing to this record that surprised us on impact. All in all, it makes for a pretty unique Christmas song, even if it leans into its focus in a somewhat silly way.

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HNHH R&B Season Playlist

Elsewhere on R&B Season, we have more classic approaches to highlight outside of this holiday time, such as Chase Shakur’s snap-driven “FOCUS ON ME.” In contrast to other vocal treatments on this playlist update, this cut’s performance is more airy, breathy, and atmospheric, which pairs well with the synth pads and occasionally popping percussion. All of this makes for a hypnotizing song that prompts its own title, as some calming strings and electronic embellishments towards the end ascend this record into a higher plane.

Finally on R&B Season, we’d be remiss not to mention this new Nao single, “All Of Me.” Thanks to steady but trill trap drums, languid synthesizers, and more hushed and high-pitched vocal soars, this is the wooziest cut on this update. The East London musician doesn’t take up too much space on the track, but when she does pop in, she’s a perfect match. It’s perfect to snuggle up for cold nights ahead of 2024’s end.

Read More: Biggest Hip-Hop Moments Of 2024

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DJ Akademiks Doesn’t Understand Why SZA “Dissed” Him On New Kendrick Lamar Collab

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SZA’s new album SOS Deluxe: LANA closed out 2024 with a big musical bang, unless there’s somehow even more on the way before the year is out. Fans waited so long to get it, and it seems to have been worth the wait, as it garnered a lot of praise online and also caused a lot of discussion. One particular standout on this new record, though, is obviously the Kendrick Lamar collab “30 For 30,” which adds to his ridiculously dominant run in 2024. However, many fans listened to that track and came to some pretty strong “sneak diss” conclusions, which left their alleged target DJ Akademiks quite befuddled.

Moreover, he recently reacted to this speculation about SZA sneak-dissing him on his livestream, making it clear that he’s not a fan of her music and acknowledging their past beef. Still, despite all the criticism that DJ Akademiks threw her way, he doesn’t really think that she or Kendrick Lamar dissed him on that record, as he took a look at the lyrics and couldn’t really make heads or tails of anything.

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DJ Akademiks Speaks On SZA

That being said, one theory that DJ Akademiks seems to support is that Kendrick Lamar dissed Drake on this SZA collab. “You f***ing with n***as that’s thinking they cuter than you / Say you on your cycle, but he on his period too,” he raps on the cut, which some fans saw as a pointed attack at the 6ix God. Regardless of whether or not Drizzy will interpret it as such, it’s also a very easy theory to dismiss given the generally romantic and easy-going vibe of the track as a whole. We already know what it looks like when these artists actually go at each other, so why rush things?

Meanwhile, with even more SZA music seemingly on the way, we wonder whether she will respond to this DJ Akademiks take in any way. We doubt it, but then again, this year held many more surprises than we thought, and 2025 could certainly follow suit. In any case, fans are happy to have one last big collab and battle-adjacent debate in 2024.

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SZA Has Found Her “Diamond Boy” On New “Lana” Cut

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SZA has not been shy about her feelings toward people who love to leak music. “Leaking my music is stealing,” she wrote back in January. “This is my job. This is my life and my intellectual property. You are a f***ing thief, and I promise to put maximum energy into holding everyone accountable to the full extent of the law. I am tired.” Unfortunately, that message was not received by some because songs that were going to land on LANA wound up being scrapped. “Y’all leaked three songs from the deluxe. At this point, y’all can keep the throwaways and leaks. I’ll be starting ‘Lana’ from scratch. Do not ask me about it again. Thank you.”

Overall, we can understand her frustrations because it’s a big reason why the deluxe to SOS took so long to arrive. Unfortunately, we possibly lost out on some great tracks. But we can say with confidence that SZA still pulled through. “Diamond Boy (DTM)” contributes to LANA‘s greatness and this is a track that was initially teased by the artist directly. Multiple versions are on YouTube, and for the most part, the lyrics and instrumental have roughly remained the same. But the final version definitely sounds the best thanks to seductive guitar-backed instrumental that made the cut. SZA’s lyrics about this passionate love she shares with her man adds to the setting she’s trying to create. It’s another hit for us, and we encourage you to spin it.

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“Diamond Boy (DTM)” – SZA

Quotable Lyrics:

Usually, I can’t let down my guard (No)
It’s the way you say s*** smooth that got you far with me
Usually, I make ’em work so hard (So hard)
But the truth is I’m ruthless about you, why waste more time?
It’s 2 a.m. and I’m on again, don’t look at me likе that
‘Cause I’m with all the s***s, and I’m tired of prеtending, come break my back

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SZA Can Not Believe Her Martin Scorsese Name-Drop, Earned Her A Subtle Co-Sign From The Filmmaker Himself

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It appears SZA is grateful she abandoned her intergalactic trip to Saturn. Yesterday (December 20), after a slight hiccup SOS Deluxe: Lana was finally uploaded to streaming platforms. Among the 15 new tracks, SZA couldn’t help but make yet another movie reference. On the first installment of the musical series, Quentin Tarantino’s 2003 hit Kill Bill was her film fix.

But now SZA is all about coveted filmmaker Martin Scorsese, and he is all for it. Over on Instagram, Scorsese’s daughter Francesca shared a subtle stamp of approval from her and her dad. With a photo of her father (viewable here), Francesca used SZA’s track “Scorsese Baby Daddy” that name-drops Martin along with the caption: “SZA, Queen sh*t”

Well, shortly after SZA shared her geeked about reaction to the show of love. “The fact that this isn’t AI, and it is actually Martin Scorsese 😭,” SZA wrote in her repost.

Although the song doesn’t reference any of Scorsese’s award-winning films, it does something even better—hail Scorsese has the king of dramas.

“I rolled up all my problems / And then I smoked about it / I could’ve called my mom up / I’d rather f*ck about it / Addicted to the drama / Scorsese baby daddy / Right there, just a little further down / Got a brand new reason to spiral out / Bad mood, baby, come work me out / Oh, I’ma crash out, baby, don’t slow me do,” she sings.

Given that SZA’s recent interaction with Ben Stiller online led to him starring in the music video for “Drive,” this could be the start of an epic visual saga.

Listen to SZA’s song “Scorsese Baby Daddy” above. SOS Deluxe: Lana is out now via Top Dawg Entertainment/RCA Records. Find more information here.

SZA Embraces & Acknowledges Her Flaws On “Cry Baby”

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SZA fans are finally able to say that LANA, the deluxe of SOS, is finally here. The hinting, teasing, promoting, or whatever you want to call it, was going on for close to two years. Then, when the day did arrive, it wasn’t out immediately. Due to some mixing issues and tweaks, her supporters were really getting anxious. But at 3 p.m. ET, the record made its way onto streaming, and so far, there are some instant hits for us. We already got to a couple of them, with those being “Drive,” “Saturn,” and “30 For 30.” The latter features Kendrick Lamar and it just goes to show how that whenever they link it’s a hit. That song in particular is already sparking some debate online thanks to K. Dot’s verse.

Some think he’s subliminally dissing another rapper, but who really knows. While it’s great that it’s getting all of the attention (for the most part), we wanted to put more people on to “Cry Baby.” For many SZA die-hards this has been a coveted track. Its origins supposedly trace back to a Hyde Park set in London during the summer of this year. Then, it was teased at the end of the full music video for “Drive” yesterday. Now, the completed version is here, and it’s got some great writing and stunning singing, which is what you come to expect from SZA. It finds her taking on her flaws and insecurities and embracing them. Overall, she’s faced a lot of pressure throughout her career; something she acknowledges on the first verse. But the way she was able flip the narrative around on her “Cry Baby” is special. See what we mean by visiting the link below.

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“Cry Baby” – SZA

Quotable Lyrics:

If that attitude took a backseat, Miss Know-It-All
You’d find a man (Find a man)
You got no chill, you can’t (Ain’t got no chill)
Damn, baby, and maybe
If I stopped blaming the world for my faults
I could evolve

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SZA Promises To Release “More” Music Before The End Of 2024

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SZA had a rollercoaster of a Friday. She delayed the release of LANA (SOS Deluxe) at the last possible minute. She dropped the album roughly 12 hours later than expected, but it was worth the wait. The new deluxe edition came with an entire album’s worth of material, including a Kendrick Lamar feature. It was enough to satiate any hardcore SZA fan. The most exciting part of the singer’s rollout, though, is that she isn’t done. She got on Twitter the evening she dropped and claimed that she has more music on deck for 2024.

It may be surprising, the idea of new music after it took SZA two years to drop LANA (SOS Deluxe), but that is what the singer is promising. She told fans that “new treats” were on the way, and added that TDE label boss Punch has given her the green light. “Punch gave the go ahead to purge and drop all songs,” SZA wrote in a separate tweet. “More things are on the way.” You wouldn’t be judged for thinking SZA is merely hyping up new material, and won’t actually drop before the end of the year. We’ve seen it before, and in the case of Playboi Carti, we’re still seeing it. But SZA provided even more info on songs to come.

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SZA Will Drop Again On Christmas Or New Year’s Eve

SZA posted a screenshot of a text conversation between her and Punch. “King being kind n finna let me purge it all,” she tweeted. “Yes I’m secretly begging for more than this lmao everybody say thank you.” It certainly does seem like the singer is pushing for more songs to see the light of day. The screenshot has SZA referencing specific songs by name. She asks Punch if she can drop songs called “PSA,” “Take You Down” and “Open Arms.” The TDE boss responded by issuing a slight delay. He told the singer to wait a week or so before dropping again.

“I think we should def let this breath for a week at least,” Punch asserted. “Give it to them for New Year’s or Christmas.” Punch has been pretty communicative with both SZA and the fans during the LANA (SOS Deluxe) rollout. He claimed it was his fault the album was delayed by half a day. He did, however, make a joke about SZA after she posted the text screenshot. Punch quote tweeted the singer and wrote: “Aiight. Somebody get her phone.”

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Kendrick Lamar Appears To Diss Drake On New SZA Song “30 For 30”

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Kendrick Lamar and SZA have been a dynamic duo over the past few months. SZA had two standout appearances on Lamar’s album, GNX. They announced plans for a Grand National co-headlining tour in 2025. Now, Lamar has returned the favor and dropped a guest verse on SZA’s LANA (SOS Deluxe). It’s the lone feature on album, and sure enough, it has some subliminal disses packed into it. Lamar appears to go at someone SZA is friendly with, and all signs point to the target being Drake (again).

Kendrick Lamar’s verse appears on the song “30 for 30.” The rapper makes fun of someone SZA is close with, asserting they are more feminine than she is. “You f*ckin’ with n**gas that’s thinkin’ they cuter than you,” Lamar spits. “Say you on your cycle but he on his period too.” Drake was romantically involved with SZA at one point. The two also worked together on two huge singles in 2023, “Slime You Out” and “Rich Baby Daddy.” Drake went as far as to claim that SZA had Kendrick Lamar “wiped down” on his scathing Lamar diss “Push Ups.” Obviously, SZA has decided to back her former TDE brother in the battle.

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Kendrick Lamar And SZA Repurposed A Drake Song Title

There are other Kendrick Lamar bars littered throughout “30 for 30” that could be aimed at Drake. He claims his unnamed target is tender by rapping: “the tenderness of ’em, mistaking ’em for some waygu.” Then there’s the bar: “the tables been turnin’ so much, I was thinkin’ its foosball.” Another stray that is very easy to apply to Drake, given that many have claimed Lamar has usurped him in popularity. Then there’s the title of the song. “30 for 30” is, famously, the name of a Drake song from 2015. Granted, he added the word “freestyle” to his song, but this does not seem like a coincidence.

Kendrick Lamar’s added subliminals make sense, assuming they are aimed at Drake. The 6 God has launched a legal case against UMG and Spotify over the success of Lamar’s “Not Like Us.” Drake claims that the streaming numbers for Lamar’s biggest hit were “artificially inflated.” It doesn’t take a close look to infer who Lamar’s bars about being “cute” and tender could be aimed at.

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