Canada’s become a hub for some of the most innovative producers in the world, regardless of genre, and Eva Shaw is currently at the forefront. Over the years, she’s expanded from electronic music to dishing out bangers alongside some of the most championed artists from the country, such as Nate Husser and City Fidelia, among others. This month, she unloaded a brand new banger alongside TwoTiime, the Ottawa-born artist who recently signed to Polo G’s ODA label, titled, “no excuses.”
Shaw’s bubbly, upbeat production sets the stage for a potential song of the summer but it’s TwoTiime’s smooth melodic delivery that helps tie the record together. It’s an impressive stepping stone for the MC, who has been leaning deeper into the more pop-centric records as of late with songs like the Jackson 5-sampling, “One More Chance.” Plus, his ability to tap into this romantic side of himself certainly feels like a strong indication of his musical evolution and songwriting in general. The pitched up and filtered hook on “no excuses” is the icing on the cake. There’s no doubt that we’ll be hearing this record a lot throughout the summer.
Shaw’s been on an impressive run over the past few years. In 2022, she unveiled SOLO, a 27-song effort with plenty of trap influence that further bridged the connection between Canada and America’s underground scene. The project boasted appearances from Kris The $pirit, Thouxanbanfauni, Pressa, and more. Then, she followed up in 2023 with HYPE HOP 003 that showcased her prowess within electronic. In addition to “no excuses,” she also recently locked in with BTK Villeion for the single, “QUIET.”
As for TwoTiime, it’s been a rather quiet few months on his front. However, following the announcement of his signing to Columbia and ODA, he confirmed that a project is on the way. Last year, he unveiled singles like “Priceless” and “Find My Way,” leaving fans in high anticipation of his next move. Hopefully, we’ll have an update on a project sooner rather than later. For now, we’ll definitely have “no excuses” on heavy rotation. Check the single out above.
Quotable Lyrics I’ll get you right for the season Get you that Birkin you love for no reason My friends tell me that I’m tweaking But I don’t believe it, please don’t take kindness for weakness
Elliott Wilson calls it like it he sees it. He’s been complimentive of Drake in the past, and conducted what many consider to be the definitive Drake interview in 2020. That being said, Wilson did not hold back his criticisms during the 6 God’s battle with Kendrick Lamar. He believed that Drake lost the battle by a wide margin, and detailed the ways in which he did on social media. This led to the Toronto rapper unfollowing him on Instagram. According to Wilson, however, the bitterness didn’t stop there.
Elliott Wilson discussed his current relationship with Drake during a recent UPROXX interview. The rap journalist told the hosts that not only did Drake unfollow him, but has subsequently made it difficult for him to travel to Toronto. “Kendrick clearly won,” Wilson noted. “And I understand not wanting to see that on your timeline.” It was the next step of the process that proved to be more of an issue. “I got the call from the OGs,” the journalist revealed. “I’m not really welcome in Toronto right now.”
Despite putting Drake’s decision on blast, Wilson told the hosts that he understood why it was made. “I grew up in New York City,” he explained. “You know you don’t go through other people’s projects. Your projects is your projects. You might go visit shorty, but you ain’t got no business going to her projects looking for no problems.” The journalist respects that Toronto is the 6 God’s domain, and will abide by that until they’re on better terms. “I would not go to Toronto if me and Drake weren’t good,” he added. “That obviously makes sense.”
Elliott Wilson’s respect extended to any artist he’s criticized in the past. “You develop these connections with them and you have to manage that relationship,” he asserted. “And there’s ups and downs with that. So, I respect him. I don’t think he’s a bad person for unfollowing me.” One of the UPROXX host claims he saw the Wilson and Drake spat coming, but Wilson doubled down and said that he doesn’t take any of it personally. “Most artists don’t [f*ck with me],” he noted while laughing.
It’s no secret that Drake’s been dealing with some serious security issues at his Toronto home in recent days. Today, unfortunately, yet another alleged trespasser paid him a visit. In new clips and photos obtained by TMZ, the rapper’s security is seen restraining a man on his front lawn, with a knee on his back to prevent him from escaping.
An eyewitness told the outlet that he saw the scene unfold while taking a bike ride around the neighborhood. According to them, two guards tackled the man just a couple of hours ago. Reportedly, the alleged attempted trespasser didn’t give the guards too much trouble. At the time of writing, it remains unclear exactly who the man is, or what he was planning to do at Drizzy’s house. Luckily, it doesn’t appear as though he made it past the gates.
It’s already been a busy week for Drake’s security team. This is the third alleged trespasser they’ve dealt with. The first was on Wednesday when a man was held at the front gate by guards until police arrived. Reportedly, he claimed to be there simply “to see Drake.” The second was the following day, when another man was sent to the hospital after a run-in with his team. The specifics of that incident have yet to be revealed, though he was reportedly spotted arguing with a few guards before authorities arrived on the scene.
Drama in Drizzy’s Bridle Path neighborhood started even before the trespasser issue, however, with a shooting taking place nearby at the beginning of this week. Again, details of the situation remain murky. It’s been reported that one of his guards was hospitalized for multiple bullet wounds and was in serious condition following the shooting. What do you think of Drake’s security team reprimanding a third alleged attempted trespasser on the rapper’s front lawn today? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
The whole world is playing “Not Like Us” like wild, and Kendrick Lamar continues to not only stake his claim of victory in his battle against Drake, but get the charts on his side in the process. Moreover, there is now another metric in which this diss track exhibited staggering commercial success, a tight race to get the crown for considering how well all of these tracks are streaming. “Not Like Us” topped various streaming charts in the 6ix God’s home country, including Apple Music’s Top 100: Canada chart and Spotify’s Daily Top Songs Canada chart. Among the top five and top ten in these lists are “Family Matters” and “Euphoria” (the second-most streamed song in Drizzy’s home city of Toronto, with “not Like Us” at number three), as well as previous officially streamable diss tracks like “Meet The Grahams” and “Push Ups” that traveled the charts over time.
Furthermore, this is all very impressive and it would almost be an objective win for Kendrick Lamar… if numbers mattered at all in rap beef. There’s still plenty of debate between pgLang die-hards and OVO soldiers over who truly won the battle, but both sides are conceding some pretty unreasonable points from their own camp. For example, DJ Akademiks thinks that people claiming K.Dot stole his “Not Like Us” bars from Twitter are reaching too far. On the other hand, many Kendrick fans refuse to give Drake the proper credit for being a very formidable lyrical opponent, and dishonestly claim it was more of a blowout than it was.
Of course, this battle is technically not over yet, although if it isn’t, we hope that it manifests in bars and music rather than the real life direction that recent occurrences in Drake’s Bridle Path neighborhood have suggested (with no confirmed connection to this beef). That should never be the result of rap feuds no matter who it’s coming from, so maybe it would be best if it ended here. Kendrick Lamar and The Boy had an incredible tit-for-tat, albeit one that spread a lot of misinformation and has compromised both of their public images in exploitative and potentially harmful ways as far as women’s trauma is concerned. But such is the ugliness of hip-hop beef, a formula that we can hopefully keep away from these extremes as we reckon with it in a social media age.
Meanwhile, do you still think we’re on the battlefield or do you have a winner to crown? What’s been your favorite song to come out of all this? Whatever the case, let us know down in the comments section below. Also, check back in with HNHH for the latest news and updates on Kendrick Lamar and Drake.
Drake is the rap kingpin of Toronto. His moniker “6 God” is literally in reference to the city’s area code. Things have been dicey for Drake in the city, however, since he became embroiled in the Kendrick Lamar battle. His OVO store was vandalized with the title of Lamar’s latest diss, and a shooting led to a member of his security being shot in the chest. The misfortune continued on May 9. According to TMZ, the rapper was paid a visit by an unidentified trespasser.
The Toronto Police Department told TMZ they received a call around 3:30 pm ET on Thursday. The caller stated that a trespasser was walking around Drake’s property. The trespasser was arguing with Drake’s security by the time police arrived on the scene. It’s unclear what transpired between the trespasser and the rapper’s security. The former was, however, subsequently taken to the hospital. The information lines up with reports from earlier in the day, which stated that an ambulance was spotted near the rapper’s mansion. The trespasser has not been identified.
It’s the second time in two days this bizarre interaction has taken place. On May 8, a different trespasser approached the front gate of Drake’s estate. Police subsequently detained the man. The rapper has not issued a statement regarding either incident. He has, however, talked about the issue of gun violence as it pertains to Toronto.
Drake appeared in the 2019 documentary Remember Me, Toronto to assert that he was firmly against it. He also spoke on how his fame makes him a target, and the difficulty he has balancing that with a desire to give back to the community.
“It’s a daunting path to try and be the biggest and baddest from your ends,” he explained. “It’s just way more impactful if you put all that energy into a grind that people remember you and say, ‘I remember that guy came around and gave us all a chance.’ Those are the people who get the glory story.” Hopefully the trend of trespassers at the rapper’s home doesn’t continue.
Regional sounds have existed within hip-hop since the birth of the genre. While they were perhaps at their most clearly defined during the West Coast and East Coast battles of the 90s, they haven’t gone anywhere. The rise of southern rap later that decade set in motion a series of dominoes that led to contemporary trap styles. And the internet has allowed even more regional sounds to become identifiable to rap fans. And Ebro recently found himself in hot water when he weighed in on Toronto’s alleged lack of a regional sound while talking about the Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef.
During a radio discussion about the beef he took some time to shift the focus a bit. He made comments about both Drake and the city he comes from not having a definitive regional sound. As you’d expect, that was met with very mixed reactions by fans. In the comments, they continue the debate. “Drake do have a sound though , it’s young money they forgot that” one fan suggests. “Drake is a rapper from TORONTO and nobody was checking for Toronto for rap until Drake showed up. So how is Drake supposed to have a regional identity in a place that no one was checking for rap music?” another fan suggests. Check out Ebro’s full comments and the fan debates below.
Drake currently appears to be licking his wounds following a hostile beef with Kendrick Lamar. The two went back and forth for weeks resulting in some deeply personal disses. At the end of his most recent track “The Heart Part 6” Drake claims that he’s done with the beef. It’s yet to be seen if Kendrick has any response to the accusation that rumors he spread about Drake having a secret child were actually planted by Drake’s team.
What do you think of Ebro’s comments about Drake and Toronto lacking a definitive rap style? Do you agree with him that there isn’t anything recognizable about the cities rap output? Let us know in the comment section below.
Drake’s Toronto home, nicknamed “The Embassy” became the subject of intense media coverage following its unveiling on Architectural Digest in 2020. The $100 million mansion is now in the news for something other than its grandeur. Drake now joins the long list of music stars whose homes have become the target of shootings. On Tuesday, the 7th of April, the Toronto police released reports of a shooting that occurred. As of this moment, there has been only one major casualty, which is a seriously injured security personnel who was outside the mansion at the time of the incident. There has since been growing speculation that perhaps this incident is connected to Drake and Kendrick’s ongoing beef, though authorities haven’t confirmed whether that’s the case. Here are all the facts we know so far about the attack on “The Embassy.”
TORONTO, CANADA – MAY 7 : Toronto police investigate outside rapper Drake’s mansion after an overnight shooting that hospitalized a security on May 7, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu via Getty Images)
At about 2 a.m. on Tuesday, May 8th, a shooting occurred outside Drake’s massive 50,000 square feet mansion in Toronto. The victim was a security guard employed at the property, who was standing outside the gates when the incident took place. According to police, the guard was shot and sustained serious injuries around his chest region in what has been speculated to be a drive-by shooting (police didn’t confirm whether that’s the case). However, authorities have stated that he is presently receiving care.
Investigation And Speculation
The Toronto Police are actively investigating the shooting incident at Drake’s home. However, they have not released any descriptions of potential suspects. Furthermore, information about the getaway vehicle involved has also not been disclosed at the moment. Police said that they did collect “some video evidence which captures the incident,” though that has yet to surface. Unfortunately, on Wednesday, May 8, the police were called back to the home, where an intruder was finally apprehended, according to Toronto’s City News.
As the investigation continues, authorities are working to determine the motive behind the attack, which remains unknown at this stage. The police have not confirmed whether Drake was present at his mansion during the shooting. However, pictures show that there were cars packed in the home. Lead inspector Paul Krawczyk has informed the public that the suspect(s) made their escape on wheels.
This incident has raised eyebrows due to the rapper’s recent high-profile feud with fellow rapper Kendrick Lamar. The two have been engaged in a heated exchange, trading diss tracks and leveling unsubstantiated allegations against each other. However, authorities have cautioned against drawing any premature conclusions about a potential connection between Drake’s rap beef and the shooting. That won’t stop the rumor from circulating like wildfire though. As celebrity culture and “stans” are often the cause of these stalker-like attacks, it’s not surprising that this is a theory that the public has entertained.
Drake’s $100 million mansion is known for its grandeur and robust security measures, including guards, fencing, and surveillance systems. The shooting has undoubtedly caused concern among residents of the luxurious Bridle Path neighborhood. The local residents have also expressed shock and dismay over the incident. They are now voicing concerns about the potential impact on the community’s sense of safety. Drake and his team have not issued any official statements regarding the shooting. Regardless, the incident has sparked reactions from fans worldwide.
So far, Drake’s team have been cooperating with the Toronto police in the background. There has also been a call for any support in identifying the attackers. It is no shock that Toronto is slowly gaining a reputation for becoming more expensive, and thus, prone to these kinds of crimes. Furthermore, experts also believe that there is an increased threat on superstars whose locations of their homes are public knowledge.
If you are a Drake fan, you know what Bridle Path is. This is the neighborhood where the artist resides at in Toronto. Overall, he has a massive mansion in this area, and some even liken it to a compound of sorts. Of course, it was recently the subject of Kendrick Lamar’s cover art for the song “Not Like Us.” However, the neighborhood is now making headlines for a shooting that occurred last night at around 2 AM. According to reports, a man was shot in the area and underwent surgery for his injuries. Meanwhile, the party(ies) responsible fled the scene and are still at large.
At the time of the initial reports, it was made clear that Drake was not injured in all of this. However, the details surrounding where in Bridle Path this happened, remain murky. According to DJ Akademiks, police were blocking off the street around Drake’s home. Furthermore, a new image posted by Akademiks has led to some speculation as to what may have gone down. There is a caution tape outside of the front door. Moreover, a new report from the Toronto Sun claims that the artist’s security guard was shot multiple times. He was then taken to the hospital, although the wounds were not life-threatening.
Police Caution tape spotted infront of Drake front door. Some are speculating the shooting went down inside the property or bullets may have struck the house as well. Via @keep6ixsolidpic.twitter.com/BSO30HbtcK
In the Toronto Sun report, it was alleged that witnesses are calling it a “drive-by shooting.” For now, however, the police are still currently in the midst of an investigation. There are still numerous details to follow, and it seems like the exact specifics of what went down are murky. At the time of writing this, it is unclear as to whether or not Drake was home. That said, police do plan on interviewing those who were inside the home at the time of the shooting.
Let us know what you think of this situation, in the comments section down below. This is currently a developing story, and we will be sure to keep you informed on all of the latest updates, as soon as they become available. We will also provide the latest news from around the hip-hop world at large.
Near the end of Kendrick’s diss track, he delivers a mockery of the Toronto accent and some of the slang that comes with it. One word in particular was used, “crodi.” This is a word you will hear a lot in Toronto, and Kendrick used it in a manner that felt at least a little bit demeaning. Well, it seems as though Drake has issued a response to the use of the word. In the tweet below, you can see a screengrab from his Instagram story, in which Adonis can be seen looking in the mirror. Drake followed this up with the caption “Mirror time crodi…”
Only time will tell when Drake will deliver his response to Kendrick. If one thing is for certain, it is that we will be getting a clapback. DJ Akademiks has confirmed as such. It could come next week, or it could come in a month from now. Three weeks has seemingly been the standard response time in this particular feud, so fans should probably temper their expectations accordingly.
Let us know what you think of this feud, down in the comments section below. Do you believe that Kendrick is currently in the lead thanks to “Euphoria?” Or do you believe that Drake is still up thanks to “Push Ups?” Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
There comes a time in everyone’s life when change is inevitable, even if it’s not something they truly want to embrace. It’s a commonality within the creative process. Every artist should take a leap of faith toward what may feel like a new chapter, no matter how ambitious it might seem. For PartyNextDoor, his efforts have been at the forefront of R&B for the last decade. The imprint he left on Nothing Was The Same might be minimal on paper but it became the foundation of what he’d accomplish on his first mixtape. He’s the connective tissue in the lineage of Toronto’s sound. Drake and The Weeknd undoubtedly helped shape that foundation, but Party expanded it further, especially as the artists mentioned above began exploring their sonic palettes to a globally appealing level. In fact, one could even argue that Party has remained the only artist out of the three who remains rooted in the regional sound they spearheaded.
Whereas previous efforts, such as PartyMobile and PartyNextDoor 3, showcased his evolution as a producer and a writer, it only slightly displayed his pop sensibilities without deviating from the cloudy Toronto soundscape he helped develop and refine over the years. That said, P4 marks a shift in PartyNextDoor’s career. He finally embraces a cleaner and crisp sound — taking the bedroom R&B production and toying with it for an all-encompassing project that captures his evolution as both an artist and a person. Ironically, that wasn’t the initial reaction when he dropped the NSFW album cover last month. Paired with early singles like “r e a l w o m a n” and “h e r o l d f r i e n d s,” it felt as though we’d be getting even more toxic relationship advice from an individual who has historically failed to maintain one. However, the hedonism has toned down significantly while the Mississauga-born artist faces a fork-in-the-road dilemma. Coming into his 30s, there’s an urge to settle down and find an anchor to his chaotic life but also a reluctance to enter this specific phase.
The first lyrics heard on the album’s intro “c o n t r o l” are on-brand for Party. “Take your clothes off,” he sings seductively, prefacing the explosion of sexual tension that follows. The airy, euphoric production contrasts the typical PND intro song — glitchy and moody tributes to after-hours, Instagram Models, paranoia, and graphic descriptions of his bedroom activity. His ability to disguise his carnal urges as romance becomes even more effective when combined with the lush layers of production, including accents of opulent violins. It feels as though love is on his mind until the outro when a woman, a recurring voice across the album skits, divulges that PartyNextDoor proposed a ménage á trois. And just like that, we’re back to square one.
However, that intro only opens the floodgates to the moral quandary he faces across the album: is romance a fleeting concept, especially when weighed against temptation? Songs like “s t u c k i n m y w a y s” and “n o c h i l l” provide classic PND vibes on all fronts, down to the detailed materialistic displays of affection to the melancholic production that embodies the nocturnal side of Toronto. On the former, PND contemplates this newfound love and confronts his commitment issues. “Lettin’ all my h*es go,” he sings, “Love doin’ somethin’ to me, to make me stay.” But just as quickly, he retreats, singing, “Baby, don’t you be offended/ ‘Cause I’m so stuck in my ways, I never wanna change.”
The entire album provides a mixed bag of everything that has turned PartyNextDoor into a generational talent, albeit understated. During an interview with Billboard this year, he explained how he treated many songs on his last two albums as demos. Though the dim and hazy sound helped distinguish him from his peers and also contributed to the overall allure, it didn’t necessarily translate to commercial success. But after crafting hits for everyone from Rihanna, DJ Khaled, Drake, and Ye, to name a few, he said that P4 finds him “using everything I learned as a producer, as a writer, as an engineer.”
As a result, the rawness of his sound has vanished in his latest album. Part of it is due to the intentional decision to ditch the gritty auto-tune-friendly melodies to allow his passionate vocal prowess to take center stage, fueling his fiery delivery. It’s a minor change and not one that he hasn’t explored in the past. However, it’s what helps make songs like “c h e e r s” and “f o r c e r t a i n” clear contenders for summer anthems. While “c h e e r s” feels like a blatant radio-friendly record (one that works, by the way), it can feel a bit like a forced effort that plays up to the algorithm of DSPs and social media. Meanwhile, “f o r c e r t a i n” fuses dancehall with tinges of Latin flare — it almost has the essence of “Wild Thoughts,” which comes as no surprise since that’s yet another hit record that his pen was behind.
The beauty behind P4 is that it’s an excellent depiction of PND’s artistry and personality. Though he often comes across as a guarded individual who would prefer to succumb to his toxic traits as a defense mechanism, P4 allows his vulnerability to grow on both paper and in the booth. It’s evident in the skits across the album where he lets us eavesdrop on heated arguments. Then, on songs like “f a m i l y,” he peers at the past through a rearview with reluctance to move forward, though an understanding that he has to. While lead singles like, “r e a l w o m a n,” and the DMX-sampling, “l o s e m y m i n d” were infectious enough to keep us hooked, it’s how these pieces fit into P4 that makes the album such a gratifying listen.
(@The_Yng_Sinatra) 