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SZA Essential Songs

July 5, 2024 by newhiphopnews

SZA is one of the most riveting voices in contemporary R&B today as the music industry is filled with temporal fads and transient sounds. Solána Imani Rowe, hailing from Maplewood, New Jersey, but known as SZA, has transformed this genre through her unprocessed rawness. A manifesto, Ctrl (2017), her first album, was not an introduction but a personal awakening to modern womanhood. It addressed the issues of love, insecurity, and self-determination with the painful truth that spoke eloquently to a generation seeking the real.

Further, SZA’s music is an auditory weaving of R&B, hip-hop, and neo-soul using ethereal singing and pointed lyrics. She has received critical acclaim thanks to her ability to transform personal stories into anthems for all people while gaining devoted fans. Every song takes you on a trip inside her mind where she exhibits her deepest emotions without fear or censorship through poetic lines. Here, we go through five essential songs representing SZA’s evolution as an artist. This is in terms of the genre she represents and how well she speaks to the audience deeply.

1. “The Weekend” (2017)

When her 2017 groundbreaking debut album Ctrl dropped, SZA released “The Weekend.” This track presented SZA’s ability to handle intricate emotional territories with subtlety and bravery with its unashamedly honest examination of modern relationships. The song’s ethereal vocals, coupled with the smooth, sultry production of producer ThankGod4Cody, create an intoxicating and reflective environment.

Moreover, its impact was immediate and profound. It rose to No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 and brought SZA critical acclaim. This includes a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Performance. For this reason, this track is vital because it captures SZA’s unique combination of weakness and strength. It allows her to talk about the problems with love in a way that feels personal yet universal. She also has an uncanny ability to make music feel intimate while still resonating widely with audiences.

2. “Love Galore” (Featuring Travis Scott) (2017)

SZA’s debut album, Ctrl, had the standout single “Love Galore,” which showcases her ability to combine vulnerability and unabashed confidence. It is a collaboration with Travis Scott and was released in 2017, immediately hitting the right notes with its themes of longing. SZA’s silky voice is well matched by the atmospheric, hypnotic beat augmented with lush instrumentation. Travis Scott brought about a dynamic element by making them alternate their styles.

The song also enjoyed considerable success, peaking at No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching multi-platinum certification. This song became one of those anthems that define an artist, marking SZA as one of those R&B giants forever. Her writing was again on point, this time addressing issues concerning the complexities relationships go through when people try living independently. The importance lies in how it fuses raw emotions with refined beats, as exhibited by this track, displaying SZA’s flexibility.

3. “Good Days” (2020)

Released as a single in 2020, “Good Days” is a turning point for SZA’s artistry. The song embodies hope and deep thought at a time of uncertainty. Its gentle melody and floating production allow one to escape the hectic world. Over the production, SZA’s voice reflects on growth, healing, and inner peace, touching on issues that are so deeply personal they are universal.

Almost instantly, it hit home with fans, peaking at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earning immense praise globally. This indicates SZA’s capacity to rise above R&B conventions through music that combines lonely words with an uplifting message. This track is significant in terms of vocal delivery and thematic exploration because it reveals SZA’s artistic growth.

4. “Broken Clocks” (2017)

One of the songs that stood out from SZA’s critically acclaimed debut album Ctrl is “Broken Clocks.” It deeply explores the themes of time and the constant quest for one’s goals amidst personal challenges. Unveiled in 2017, this track illustrates SZA’s ability as a narrator. It explains her journey and the sacrifices she made. The production is simple but impactful, with a mellow beat allowing for SZA’s resonant voice and serious contemplation.

Its appeal also comes from how much people can relate to it emotionally. In fact, “Broken Clocks” has been a favorite among fans who have seen it being performed live by SZA while others find solace in identifying themselves with her lyrics. This song did extremely well on the charts and with its fan base, showing how deeply SZA could communicate with listeners through her music. For its honest depiction of struggle and grind hustle this song remains vital in displaying SZA’s blend of emotional rawness and lyrical genius. “Broken Clocks” shows she can create very personal yet universally understood music, further asserting her place in the RnB genre.

5. “Drew Barrymore” (2017)

Ctrl was introduced with the lead single “Drew Barrymore,” which illustrates her knack for personal storytelling entwined with universally relatable themes. The title is derived from the name of a popular actress known for her roles in teen movies. In this song, SZA explores her deepest fears such as questioning her self-worth and acceptance.

The song “Drew Barrymore” spoke to people on different levels, prompting many reviews from critics who appreciated its candid words. It touches on so much more than just a breakup song as it helps establish SZA’s unique style—a fusion of introspective lyrics and eclectic musical arrangements, making her an R&B outlier. This track is very important because it best showcases SZA’s talent for transforming adversities into triumphant anthems that define her sound. Also, this track not only exemplifies how deep she can be in lyricism but also sums up his ability to relate with people at a deeper level, thus making it a fundamental piece about his discography and an epoch-making event in his career.

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The Game Addresses Kendrick Lamar Beef Rumors After “Pop Out” Absence

June 20, 2024 by newhiphopnews

The Game is a legendary West Coast rapper. He was the biggest star in Compton during the 2000s, and served as a mentor for the stars who came up under him. He was also absent from the biggest L.A. show in recent memory. Kendrick Lamar brought down the house with his “Pop Out” show on Juneteenth, and fans were quick to point out that Game was one of the few CPT legends who did not get a shout-out or a reference. This led many to theorize that Lamar and Game were on the outs. The latter decided to hop on Instagram Live the day after the show to clear the air.

The Game made it clear that he was a fan of the “Pop Out” show. “Kendrick did his sh*t, and what he did last night was amazing for the West Coast,” he told his followers. “I sat back and I watched it. I ain’t have to be there to think that the muthaf**king sh*t was cool. It’s a dub for the coast.” He assured fans that he has no problem with Lamar or TDE as a label. The rapper actually claimed that he was given the chance to invest in TDE when the label was starting out. “[Anthony] Top Dawg [Tiffith] wanted to give me half of Top Dawg,” The Game stated. “I didn’t want nothing from n**gas. I just wanted to push n**gas in the right direction.”

The Game Claims K. Dot’s Concert Was “Amazing”

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The “Hate It or Love It” noted that he doesn’t live to engage in gossip. Still, he was annoyed by what he saw on social media during and after the “Pop Out.” “Stop speculating and doing all that goofy sh*t,” he demanded. “Muthaf**kas in my DM, all these blog sites talking about ‘the West Coast ain’t f**king with you and you ain’t this and you ain’t that. I be in my own lane, chilling. Taking care of my kids.” The Game also felt the need to assert the role he played in helping people like Dot and Nipsey Hussle break through to the mainstream. “That n**ga learned that sh*t on the way up,” he said. “Snoop looked out for me like that, I looked out for Kendrick.”

The rapper does have evidence to support his claim. The Game tapped Kendrick Lamar to appear on his 2011 song “The City,” and reunited with him on 2015’s “On Me.” Lamar, meanwhile, dedicated a verse to The Game on the 2012 song “Black Boy Fly.” The song, which uses Game’s real name, Jayceon Taylor, details the jealously that Lamar felt when the former released his classic debut, The Documentary. The respect has always been mutual between the two rappers, even if the friendliness hasn’t been.

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Reason Officially Leaves TDE

June 18, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Reason has officially announced his departure from Top Dawg Entertainment after months of rumors that he was gearing up for a change. He confirmed the move in a lengthy statement on Instagram, Tuesday. He thanked both his labelmates as well as his fans for their continued support over the years.

“THE LAST 7 YEARS HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLE, AND I’VE APPRECIATED ALL THE TIME AND EXPERIENCES THAT HAVE COME WITHIN THAT SPAN OF TIME,” he began. “I CAN’T EVEN PUT INTO WORDS THE SURREAL FEELING I’VE HAD OF BEING ABLE TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS, EXPRESSIONS, EMOTIONS, STORIES, AND EXPERIENCES WITH YOU ALL THROUGH THE PLATFORM PROVIDED TO ME BY TOP DAWG ENTERTAINMENT.”

Reason Performs At The 92.3 Real Street Festival

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 10: Rapper Reason performs onstage during the 92.3 Real Street Festival at Honda. Center on August 10, 2019, in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)

From there, Reason confirmed that he is officially done with TDE. He explained: “I WANT TO GIVE A HUGE THANK YOU TO TOP HIMSELF, NOT ONLY FOR GIVING ME A CHANCE TO LIVE OUT MY DREAM BUT ALSO FOR HEARING ME AND UNDERSTANDING MY DECISION TO TRAVEL A DIFFERENT PATH AFTER THE YEARS. THERE’S TRULY NO WORDS FOR THE AMOUNT OF RESPECT I HAVE FOR YOU, AND THAT’LL NEVER CHANGE, NO MATTER WHAT. I ALSO WANT TO THANK EVERY SINGLE TDE FAN WHO EMBRACED ME AND ALLOWED ME TO SHARE MY MUSIC WITH THEM. THERE’S NO WORLD IN WHICH YOU DONT MEAN THE ABSOLUTE MOST TO ME. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, A THANK YOU TO ALL THE ARTISTS WHO EMBRACED ME.” Reason first signed with TDE back in 2018, dropping his debut with the imprint, There You Have It, later that year. He followed that up with New Beginnings in 2020. Check out his full departure announcement below.

Reason Officially Departs TDE

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In the comments section, fans shared plenty of support for Reason and expressed their excitement for what’s to come. Be on the lookout for further updates on Reason and Top Dawg Entertainment on HotNewHipHop.

[Via]

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Kendrick Lamar’s “Pop Out Ken & Friends” Concert: Artists Fans Want To See

June 7, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Kendrick Lamar has just announced his upcoming “Pop Out – Ken & Friends” concert in Inglewood, California. The live show will kick off at 3 PM on June 19. Fans expect a wide array of on-stage performers, though they have not announced any to the public yet. The show will also be Kendrick’s first outing since the dust has settled on his brutal beef with Drake. Billed as “Ken & Friends,” the event has already excited many fans about the possibility of their favorite rappers joining Kendrick on stage. Let’s take a look at a few favored artists who would surely turn heads at the event.

7. Mustard

Given that this “Pop Out” concert is Kendrick Lamar’s first live show since the Drake beef, the number one question on everyone’s mind is, will he perform “Not Like Us?” On one hand, it seems like a no-brainer, as the platinum-selling single has been touted as a massive summer anthem, and has drawn throngs of crowds worldwide. On the other hand, Kendrick Lamar may very well eschew this performance in favor of tracks that promote peace and togetherness due to the concert’s Juneteenth setting.

Either way, if Mustard takes the stage, we’ll know that an earthquake is coming, as the acclaimed DJ will surely have the crowd stomping from the moment they hear his iconic producer tag. Mustard has also announced plans to release an album this summer. This means the DJ could preview a wide array of previously unheard cuts at the show.

6. Future & Metro Boomin

As long as we’re cool with playing Drake disses on stage at the “Pop Out” concert, Kendrick Lamar should absolutely bring Future and Metro Boomin into the mix. For starters, the trio could perform the explosive track “Like That,” which kicked off the beef back in March. Beyond that, Future and Metro have 2 full albums of brand-new material to showcase to the world. The albums, We Don’t Trust You and We Still Don’t Trust You, are some of the biggest releases of 2024. The Inglewood audience would certainly be welcoming to the iconic hip hop duo.

5. Kodak Black

Kendrick Lamar just brought out Kodak Black at Rolling Loudpic.twitter.com/XUCT7L0svt

— XXL Magazine (@XXL) July 25, 2022

Kendrick Lamar has made no secret of his kinship to Kodak Black in recent years. Yak was featured all over Lamar’s last album Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers, in the form of numerous spoken interludes and two highly-favored verses. Fans would certainly love to see Kodak Black live in concert alongside Kendrick Lamar, especially if it means seeing them perform “Silent Hill” together. If the rumors are true that Kendrick has a new album coming out in the near future, Kodak is a likely candidate to be on it, meaning the duo could even perform new unreleased music to the crowd.

4. Baby Keem

The Hillbillies a.k.a Kendrick Lamar & Baby Keem perfoming at Camp Flog Gnaw 2023.

Vía Dave Free Ig pic.twitter.com/P6VkMyL9R4

— CASANEGRA (@CASANEGRAMAG) November 12, 2023

This one is almost a certainty, as Kendrick and Baby Keem tend to move as one unit together these days. It’s well known that the “Hillbillies” MCs are cousins, and Keem was placed in a number of front-and-center moments during Kendrick’s Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers album. Baby Keem also toured with Kendrick throughout the entirety of his record-shattering Big Steppers tour. Rumors have been bubbling for months now that there may even be a Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem joint album in the works, though no confirmation has been provided on that front from either artist just yet.

3. Kanye West

KANYE WEST – LIKE THAT FULL SONG HQ pic.twitter.com/Z4LfB0bkbn

— Jasper (@Jasp3r_0) April 20, 2024

This is arguably the biggest long shot on this list, but it is still technically possible for Kanye West to make an appearance. West and Ty Dolla $ign have been making the rounds at numerous stops across the country to promote their ongoing Vultures album series. Kanye also firmly sided with Kendrick during the latter’s beef with Drake, even dropping a “Like That” remix. Despite this, people largely view Kanye as radioactive these days due to his outspoken antisemitism and public controversies.

Plus, Kanye did take subtle shots at Kendrick before dropping his “Like That” remix, arguing on a social media post that he “washed” Lamar on their 2016 collaboration “No More Parties In L.A.” While fans would love to see Kanye take the stage at Pop Out, nobody really knows the status of his working relationship with Kendrick right now.

2. SZA

Kendrick and SZA haven’t collaborated since the “Not Like Us” rapper departed their shared label, TDE, though they have been known to have exceptional chemistry on wax. Some fans have suggested that SZA has sided with Drake in the recent beef. These rumors are unsubstantiated, though SZA has worked with Drake in the last year, and the Toronto native even shouted her out while dissing Kendrick on the song “Push Ups.” An appearance from SZA at Pop Out would be a perfect way to solidify that she’s still cool with Kendrick while also promoting her long-awaited upcoming project Lana, which she has teased since late 2022.

1. Black Hippy

Speaking of TDE, Kendrick Lamar’s former label-mates ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock, and Ab-Soul would also be perfect picks to appear at the Pop Out concert. All three of the Compton MCs have deep roots in the neighborhood, as well as long-running relationships with Kendrick. Fans have demanded a Black Hippy collaboration album from the four artists for over a decade now, though it seems clear that it will never happen. At this point, a Black Hippy stage reunion would be the best that the fans can hope for. It would also make perfect sense as ScHoolboy Q recently dropped one of the hottest albums of the year with Blue Lips, while Jay Rock and Ab-Soul are each rumored to be working on new music behind the scenes.

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Kendrick Lamar Jokes About His Viral Photoshoot With Chanel

May 28, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Kendrick Lamar’s music is serious. He’s created some of the most sobering and grim hip-hop music in recent memory. It’s the reason he’s considered the scariest rapper on the planet. It’s also the reason he’s the only rapper with a Pulitzer Prize. The thing is, Lamar has a more of a sense of humor than his albums suggest. To Pump a Butterfly and DAMN. are not laugh-a-minute releases, but the rapper’s videos and his occasional public appearances prove that he doesn’t take himself too seriously. Case in point: his brand new Chanel photoshoot.

Kendrick Lamar is still basking in the glow of having beat Drake in a rap battle. He’s also coming off his second solo number one, “Not Like Us.” A photoshoot with one of the most prestigious fashion brands in the world was not expected, but it makes sense given his currently elevated profile. The photos dropped on May 28, and while the images were generally well-received, the rapper’s close friends couldn’t resist poking fun. Punch, Dot’s former executive producer at TDE, texted the rapper and asked him “What you doing dawg” with a laughing emoji. Lamar didn’t miss a beat. He sent back crying emojis before writing: “I think I’m cute on there man. Couldn’t resist.”

Kendrick Lamar Claimed He Looked “Cute” In His Shoot

Punch doubled down on the jokes. He clowned Lamar for the contemplative look he has during the photoshoot. “What are you doing with them dreamy eyes n**ga?” he asked. Lamar, once again, found the humor in what was seemingly a very serious and artsy shoot. “I’m crying dawg,” he added. Punch then asked the “Euphoria” rapper if he could post their text conversation on social media for fans. We don’t see the response in the screenshot, but based on the fact that we’re seeing the screenshot, it’s safe to assume that he gave approval.

Kendrick Lamar has been quiet since the release of his last Drake diss. There were rumors that the rapper was gearing up to release an album in May, but the month came and went without a formal announcement. Dot generally takes a long time between albums. This is what made the rollout of multiple diss songs in the span of a couple weeks such a shock to the music world. All we can do is hope that the rapper decides to keep the momentum going and bless fans with a release sooner rather than later.

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SZA Thinks “SOS” Is Too Low On Apple Music’s Greatest Albums List

May 16, 2024 by newhiphopnews

SZA is ruthless when it comes to critiquing herself. Part of what makes her such a good songwriter is her ability to pinpoint her insecurities and express them with lyrics that connect with the masses. It’s what’s led to her first two albums being hailed as modern classics. SZA is, conversely, very confident about the music she puts out. She knows she’s one of the best R&B artists working today. The confident side came out on May 16, when SZA was informed that SOS cracked Apple Music’s list for the greatest albums of all time. She was flattered, but she expected higher.

Apple Music is slowly rolling out its ranking for the greatest albums of all time on its streaming platform. There have already been some heavy hitters that have made the list, including Usher’s Confessions and Tyler, The Creator’s Flower Boy. SZA’s second album had the honor of placing much higher than these albums AND classics like people like George Michael and Solange. Rather than celebrate, SZA made it clear she was underwhelmed. “Lmao,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “72nd is so disrespectful.”

SZA Spent Several Years Working On SOS

SZA’s comments drew mixed reactions from fans. Some felt the singer was being ungrateful, despite having placed higher than several notable artists. Others championed her confidence, and felt that SOS was indeed one of the greatest albums of all time. The singer’s took several years making SOS, which is probably why she feels so proud of it. “I never thought in a million years that people would like it,” she told Variety. “Everybody came down to make sure I didn’t lose my mind if the album went bad once it came out. And now we’re just hanging out, ’cause it didn’t go badly.”

“Didn’t go badly” is an understatement. SOS earned nine Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year, and won Best Progressive R&B Album. It spawned a number one single with “Kill Bill” and a number two single with “Snooze.” The latter the distinction of being the only song to chart on Billboard for all of 2023. SOS was also ranked 351 on Rolling Stone’s 500 greatest albums of all time list. If you ask SZA, though, she probably felt that placement was too low as well.

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Top Dawg Claims That Kendrick Lamar Beat Drake: “Win For The Culture”

May 11, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith occupies an interesting role in the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar battle. His label, Top Dawg Entertainment, was put on the map thanks to the latter’s run of classic albums. When it came time for Drake to release his Lamar diss, “Push Ups,” however, he took aim at Top Dawg. He claimed the label boss took advantage of Lamar and made 50% of everything the rapper took home. “Top said drop and give me 50” is the chorus of the diss. Regardless of Drizzy’s dispersions, Top Dawg has stood with Lamar throughout the battle.

He even declared Lamar the winner on May 10. Top Dawg, who has had plenty to say about the battle on X (formerly Twitter), said that K. Dot’s victory was a victory for real hip-hop. “The battle is over,” the label boss wrote. “A win for the culture, while keeping it on wax.” He then took aim at publications and outlets for misleading fans and spreading false information. “Especially when these publications try to make it something else,” he noted. “We proved them wrong. That’s a victory within itself.”

Top Dawg Also Announced A TDE Compilation Album

This battle is over. A win for the culture, while keeping it all on wax. Especially when these publications try to make it something else. We proved them wrong. That’s a victory within itself. On another note, it’s time to wrap up this TDE 20yr anniversary compilation.

— TOP DAWG #TDE (@dangerookipawaa) May 11, 2024

Kendrick Lamar left Top Dawg Entertainment in 2022. He went on to launch his own company, pgLang, which has been the epicenter for all of his recent Drake disses. Despite no longer working with the TDE crew, Lamar appears to be on good terms with all of them. Top Dawg and Terrence “Punch” Henderson have praised the rapper online, while Jay Rock clowned Drake after the release of Lamar’s “Not Like Us.” “Don’t be mad at me y’all 69 God lost,” the rapper tweeted. “Lol old a*s tweets y’all digging up and still can’t read or comprehend.”

Top Dawg is aware of the positive exposure that the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar battle has brought to his label. He is, after all, a businessman. He wrapped up the tweet by teasing a brand new release, and a first within the TDE camp. “On another note,” he revealed. “It’s time to wrap up this TDE 20 year anniversary compilation.” TDE has never dropped an official compilation before (excluding Lamar’s leftover project untitled, unmastered), so this is a huge deal. Given how big a role Dot played in the label’s history, it’s safe to assume he will be all over the compilation.

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Who Is Dave Free & What’s His Relationship To Kendrick Lamar?

May 10, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Kendrick Lamar’s long-time business partner Dave Free has been trending quite a bit lately, as Drake repeatedly mentions him in the ongoing brutal rap feud between himself and Kendrick. An Inglewood, California native, Free goes back many years with Kendrick, both in a professional capacity and as a deeply-rooted friend. The exec has served as one of the key figures in Kendrick’s musical catalogue, helping to construct most of the visual releases which accompany projects such as To Pimp A Butterfly, Damn, and Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. Free also co-directed the concert film Kendrick Lamar Live From Paris: The Big Steppers Tour, which is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. Let’s take a moment to examine what Drake said about the record executive, check the validity of these claims, and highlight the bond shared between Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free.

Free Is Partially Responsible For Kendrick’s Career

INGLEWOOD, CA – AUGUST 27: (L-R) Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free accept the Video of the Year award for ‘Humble’ onstage during the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 27, 2017 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Right around the time Kendrick Lamar was first getting buzz for his ability to write rhymes, Dave Free was working as a computer technician. Kendrick and Dave are childhood friends who go all the way back to high school. After meeting TDE founder and CEO Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith through a work connection, Dave showed the label head Kendrick’s music, and the rest is history. Top signed Kendrick Lamar to TDE in 2005, and brought Dave Free along shortly thereafter as an in-house producer.

From there, Dave linked with Sounwave, Tae Beast, and Willie B, creating a production team known as Digi+Phonics. The team were responsible for handling most of the production needs of TDE acts such as ScHoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, Jay Rock, and others, and were even named on BET’s list of the top 10 producers of 2013. Free received numerous accolades for his work with the Digi+Phonics, solidifying his position at the label as he transitioned into an executive role.

He Became Co-President Of TDE & Co-Founder Of PGLang

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While crafting beats and working the boards with Digi+Phonics, Dave Free was promoted up through the TDE ranks, eventually becoming the label co-president alongside Punch. During this time, Kendrick Lamar hired Dave Free as his manager, and the pair worked closely co-directing music videos and other works. Dave and Kendrick have won MTV Video Music Awards, Grammy Awards, and numerous other accolades for their work, strengthening their creative bond. Free eventually parted ways with TDE in 2019, and served as a free agent before linking with Kendrick for their latest and greatest business venture.

In March 2020, Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free officially launched PGLang. Kendrick has been working with the independent multimedia company exclusively since leaving TDE after the release of Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers in 2022. The company also serves as the base for Kendrick’s cousin and protege Baby Keem, and has even released their own cell phone. Through PGLang, Dave Free has gone on to work with brands such as CashApp, Calvin Klein, and Converse, and even inked a deal to produce a feature film with the creators of South Park.

What Did Drake Say About Dave Free?

The heated exchange between Kendrick Lamar and Drake has resulted in nearly a dozen scathing records hitting the streets, each with ad-hominem attacks and unsubstantiated rumors. On tracks such as “Family Matters” and “The Heart Part 6,” Drake makes specific mention of Dave Free, claiming that the music exec carried out an affair with Kendrick Lamar’s long-time fiancé Whitney Alford, and may even be the biological father of Kendrick Lamar’s son Enoch. On “Family Matters,” Drake raps “I heard that one of ’em little kids might be Dave Free/ Don’t make it Dave Free’s/ ‘Cause if your GM is your BM secret BD/ Then this is all makin’ plenty f***in’ sense to me.”

Despite Drake’s insistence on these claims, there seems to be literally nothing linking this rumor to reality, as the best evidence the OVO camp could provide was a comment containing a heart emoji that Dave left on one of Whitney’s Instagram posts. A screenshot of the comment was used as the cover art for the diss track “The Heart Part 6,” though the track has largely been overshadowed by Kendrick’s smash-hit banger “Not Like Us.” At this time, neither Kendrick Lamar, Dave Free, or Whitney have come forward to discuss the drama.

[Via]

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Jay Rock Clowns Drake Fans Amidst Rap Battle: “Y’all 69 God Lost!”

May 8, 2024 by newhiphopnews

The hate is real. Kendrick Lamar put on a diss record masterclass over the last seven days, with three diss tracks and a rollout that completely stomped on his opponent’s. Drake rapped incredibly well on his responses, but the momentum is with Lamar, and his former TDE label mates are celebrating. Jay Rock got on X (formerly Twitter) on May 7 to let fans know who won the battle. He also took time out to make fun of Drake fans who were trying to dig stuff up on Lamar and his camp.

Jay Rock didn’t mince words. He not only clowned Drake fans for crying about their favorite rapper losing, but he referred to the rapper by the nickname Lamar gave him on “Not Like Us.” The 6 God has been dubbed the “69 God,” at least on the West Coast. “Don’t be mad at me y’all 69 God lost,” Rock tweeted out. The Watts emcee then turned his attention to the fans who have been going through old tweets from the TDE camp. Metro Boomin underwent a similar fan investigation on X, and wound up looking pretty bad considering the questionable nature of some of his old tweets.

Jay Rock Claimed That Drake Fans Are “Reaching”

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Jay Rock knows the Drake fans are looking for similar dirt on him and the rest of Lamar’s old label. He isn’t worried, though. “Lol old a*s tweets y’all digging up and still can’t read or comprehend,” he added. “14 year ago tweets y’all reaching for the stars lol.” This is not the first time Rock has voiced support for K. Dot during the battle. He praised his Black Hippy brother on X after the release of the first Drake diss, “Euphoria.” “Now this ain’t no AI,” he assured fans. “See I know Kdot!” He also updated fans on the score of the battle after Lamar dropped “Not Like Us.” “4-0 we already know,” he added.

A quick scroll through Jay Rock’s X timeline proves that he’s been team Dot the entire time. That being said, the rapper did delete the tweet about the “69 God” hours after posting it. It’s ironic, given that the Drake fans he alluded to are looking for messages that might get deleted. Jay Rock is also recording his new album, which is tentatively titled Eastside Johnny. A proper release date hasn’t been given, but Rock has confirmed that it will drop some time in 2024.

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ScHoolboy Q Shuts Down Rumors That Top Dawg Prevents Artists From Releasing Albums

April 25, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Earlier this year, ScHoolboy Q released his new album Blue Lips. It was the first new project he’s released in 5 years dating back to 2019’s CrasH Talk. While that record was met with very mixed reviews from critics and fans alike, Blue Lips has been subject to much more praise. The project sports features from Freddie Gibbs, Rico Nasty, Ab-Soul and more. Fans have praised it for some of its experimental ambitions.

During a recent podcast appearance, Q discussed how many of his label mates take similarly long breaks between projects. SZA and Kendrick Lamar both famously waited until 5 years after their 2017 albums DAMN and CTRL before dropping the follow-ups, Mr. Morale & The Big-Steppers and SOS. In his interview Q spoke on some of the theories fans online have concocted, that Top Dawg is responsible for the infrequent releases of artists signed to his label. Q shuts this down hard explaining that he’d have no incentive to do something like that. In fact, he jokes that Top probably wishes some of his marquee artists released more often. Check out the clip of Q dispelling the rumors below.

ScHoolboy Q Has Top Dawg’s Back

2024 is expected to be a major year for Top Dawg Entertainment as a label. At a show earlier this year they handed out a flyer revealing that nearly ever single artist on the label, and even some new ones who hadn’t been revealed yet, were releasing new projects. Q and SiR have already gotten it started dropping their new records in March. Singles from SZA and Doechii have also left fans hyped for what’s next as the label tries to live up to its promise.

What do you think of ScHoolboy Q shutting down rumors that Top Dawg holds artists back from releasing new material? Do you think all the previously announced TDE artists will actually drop new projects this year? Let us know in the comment section below.

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