VARIETY

Taylor Swift Has High Praise For Ice Spice In New Interview

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Ice Spice has been one of the breakout stars of 2023 by pretty much every metric. She not only rose to a massive level of popularity but also started making allies in high places pretty much immediately. She took home the fan-voted Best New Artist award at the VMAs earlier this month, beating out Peso Pluma and Renee Rapp. She’s also become pretty close friends with Nicki Minaj, and the pair have already scored two top-ten hits together. First Nicki joined for a remix of Spice’s song “Princess Diana.” After that, the pair teamed up again for the song “Barbie World” from the Barbie movie soundtrack.

During the VMAs, Ice Spice was sitting next to another one of her collaborators, Taylor Swift. Swift invited Ice Spice onto a remix of her song “Karma” earlier this year. The track landed on the deluxe edition of Taylor Swift’s Midnights album and became yet another top-10 hit for both artists. Recently, Ice Spice was the subject of a cover story for Variety which sought to identify the personality behind the quickly elevated superstar. She spoke on a variety of subjects herself in the piece, like Matty Healy’s notorious jokes about her on a podcast. But Variety also collected some testimony from artists who have worked with Spice and Taylor was happy to provide.

Read More: Ice Spice’s Doppelganger Blows Up On TikTok

Taylor Swift Says Ice Spice “Impressed The Hell” Out Of Her

In her full quote, Swift was overflowing with praise for the rapper. “I relate to Ice in many ways, but I think her dedication and focus is what blew me away from the very start. She’s extremely professional without being cold. Playful and fun without ever taking her eye off the prize,” she explained.

Swift also took the opportunity to laud Ice Spice for her professional demeanor despite how new of an artist she is. “She knows what is and isn’t ‘her’ and sets those boundaries with grace. She studies the industry and other artists’ careers but is very clear about charting her own definitive, original path. It’s her ability to carefully find that balance that impresses the hell out of me.” What do you think of Taylor Swift’s high praise for Ice Spice? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: Max B Flirts With Ice Spice: “She Looking Real Good”

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Ice Spice Reveals What Matty Healy Said To Her After Making Crude Jokes On A Podcast

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Lead singer of pop rock band The 1975 Matty Healy has found himself crossing paths with plenty of high-profile musicians this year. Most notably, the singer spent a few weeks as Taylor Swift’s speculated boyfriend. Many Swifties reacted negatively to the news citing various controversial statements Healy has made in the past. He also crossed paths with Azealia Banks and found himself being called out by pop singer Rina Sawayama. But one of the controversies that has stuck the most are strange comments he made about Ice Spice on a podcast.

Healy appeared on The Adam Friedland Show where he told a story about trying to reach Ice Spice through Instagram DMs. That spun into a tirade where the podcast hosts play offensive guessing games about the rapper’s ethnicity. While Healy doesn’t exactly participate directly he clearly finds the spectacle funny. Apparently, Matty felt the need to apologize as Spice was asked about it in a recent interview and she revealed what he said.

Read More: Ice Spice’s Doppelganger Blows Up On TikTok

Matty Healy’s Apology To Ice Spice

“When I had heard that little podcast or whatever, I was so confused. Because I heard ‘chubby Chinese lady’ or some sh-t like that, and I’m like, ‘Huh? What does that even mean?’ First of all, I’m thick. What do you mean Chinese? Ice Spice explains to Variety. She also revealed that she eventually received an apology from the singer. “But then they apologized or whatever. And the whole time, I didn’t really care.”

Spice also explained that she caught up with Matty recently and the pair have made up. “But that’s funny because I saw him at the Jean Paul Gaultier party a couple days ago, and he was like, ‘Hey, you OK?’ and I’m like, ‘Of course.’ He apologized to me a bunch of times. We’re good.” In the full interview she discusses a number of other artists and controversies she’s been a part of. What do you think of Matty Healy’s apology to Ice Spice for comments from a podcast he appeared on? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: Max B Flirts With Ice Spice: “She Looking Real Good”

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Steve Lacy “Didn’t Care To Announce” His Sexuality, He Says

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Steve Lacy’s enigmatic persona continues to draw fans in, with them patiently awaiting any detail that falls in their lap. However, as expected, especially when it comes to his personal life, he has kept it mum. The singer-songwriter recently opened up in a new interview with Variety about why he refrained from addressing his sexuality publically. Lacy claims that he found the process “unnecessary” and that it can cause an onslaught of unwanted attention.

Rumors began swirling about Lacy’s sexual preferences back in 2017. When he was asked by fans via Tumblr if he was interested in dating men, to which Lacy replied, “Sure, why not.” And yet, the internet subsequently ran with that narrative, labeling Steve Lacy as bisexual, despite him never specifying that. On the other hand, as the singer explains to Variety, he never actually came out. “I didn’t try to — it just kinda happened. I don’t care to announce who I’m into sexually. I think it’s silly. I never felt like I needed to come out.”

The Singer Also Opened Up About His Near-Fatal Car Crash

In 2020, while driving his luxury sports car — a Tesla Model 3 — through the streets of West L.A., the singer nearly came face to face with death. Reports show that a drunk driver had crashed into him at full speed. Luckily, Steve Lacy was able to escape unharmed. However, after a brush with death caused him to reflect on his fate. “Being that close to death, I had the realization that you could be doing everything right, and then some fucking dumbass can crash into your car head-on,” he recalled.

On the music front, Steve Lacy has made quite the name for himself since departing from The Internet. His meteoric rise has been something to witness. In 2022, his album, Gemini Rights, debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 with 34,000 equivalent units in its first week, and his single “Bad Habit” peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 earlier this year. In a 2022 interview with The Guardian, he noted that his genre-bending sound was inspired by “various rock and pop punk artists.”

Read More: Steve Lacy Draws Andre 3000 Comparisons For New Hair Cut

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Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Dr. Dre & Diddy Among Variety’s Best Hip-Hop Executives List

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In celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, Variety partnered with the Black Music Coalition to put together an unranked list of the 50 greatest executives in the genre’s history. Of course, it highlighted a lot of big names like Jay-Z, Diddy, 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, Lil Wayne, Eazy-E, and Jermaine Dupri. Also on the list were non-artist figures like Lyor Cohen, Irv Gotti, Suge Knight, and Andre Harrell, making for a well-rounded breakdown. Of course, there are many more names to break down, and you can find the full list of innovators and leaders here. For each mention, they briefly spoke on each business mogul’s accolades, polling 40 voters or so that comprised of journalists and fellow industry execs.

“To paraphrase one of his most-frequently quoted lyrics,” Variety said of Hov. “In March 2023, Jay-Z officially became a $2.5 billion business, man. The Brooklyn native has earned that rep, not only as one of the top-selling rappers of all time but by launching Roc-A-Fella Records, amassing a diverse portfolio including clothing, spirits, a streaming service and a stint as president of Def Jam.” Furthermore, Dr. Dre earned similar respect for his work in both music and business, as did Diddy, 50 Cent, and many others.

Read More: Dr. Dre To Be Honored With Star On Hollywood Walk Of Fame

Dr. Dre & 50 Cent With Eminem At The Hollywood Walk Of Fame

Best Hip Hop Executives Variety Jay-Z Diddy Dr Dre 50 Cent
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 30: (L-R) Dr. Dre, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Eminem attend a ceremony honoring Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 30, 2020 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic/Getty Images)

“Combs’ capacity for reinvention and diversification has enabled him to stay relevant for more than 30 years,” Variety penned for Diddy’s write-up. “He expanded into fashion, spirits, and wellness while setting an example for other aspiring moguls to follow.” For Fif, they shared: “The man born Curtis Jackson was already one of the world’s biggest rappers when he co-created Starz’s ‘Power’- a fitting title, since he’d long used it. He kickstarted his career by creating his own G-Unit mixtape series, revolutionizing the medium while drawing Dr. Dre and Eminem’s attention.”

Meanwhile, Variety also highlighted Julie Greenwald, Ethiopia Habtemariam, Cathy Hughes, Debra Lee, Sylvia Rhone, Sylvia Robinson, and Mona Scott-Young as unsung heroines in the industry. Still, with such a rich history within the genre, surely they left out some names in the process. With that in mind, let us know in the comments who are the most impactful or under-appreciated rap execs in the comments. In addition, keep checking in with HNHH for more news and the latest updates on your favorite business titans within hip-hop.

Read More: 10 Iconic Black-Founded Hip-Hop Labels

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Offset Reveals Cardi B, Future, Takeoff, Travis Scott & More Among New Album Features

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Offset Reveals Cardi B, Future, Takeoff As New Album Features

Offset took the pages of Variety for their latest issue. In addition to speaking about his wife’s support, the rapper also gave details about his forthcoming album.

In the interview, Offset didn’t reveal an album title but did reveal Cardi B, Future, Latto, Travis Scott, Chloe Bailey, and a posthumous TakeOff verse as features. During the interview, Offset played the track with Takeoff for the reporter.

READ MORE: Offset Tributes Micheal Jackson and Takeoff During First Ever Rolling Loud Thailand

The new album will be a step for Offset, who is ready to go hard at being a solo artist.

“This is me going full-fledged into my solo career,” Offset said. “The objective is to do it fully and smash shit and fuck the game up as a solo artist. I’m coming through, bustin’ through the door. It’s all set, my next chapter. It’s my time.”

READ MORE: Offset Calls Cap On Backstage Brawl Report: ‘Y’all is Crazy’

Offset revealed a Takeoff verse in his trademark float in March, rapping alongside Icewear Vezzo. In the interview with Variety, Offset didn’t mention Vezzo as a feature, so the track could have changed, or it’s a completely different verse. Offset is seen in the clip enjoying the single with a nice lil bit of flexing in for good measure.

There are currently no details on when we will get the album, but you can read his full interview here.

The post Offset Reveals Cardi B, Future, Takeoff, Travis Scott & More Among New Album Features appeared first on The Source.

DJ Khaled Presents Timbaland With Variety’s Music Pioneer Award

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DJ Khaled presented Timbaland with the Music Pioneer Award at Variety‘s Miami Entertainment Town event, last week. In doing so, the GOD DID producer spoke about Timbaland “breaking the doors” down him and other artists.

“He broke down doors for brothers like me to do what I’m doing today,” Khaled said at the podium. “Because I look at Timbaland, not just as a producer, but he’s an artist. He’s a CEO, he’s an amazing father. Timbaland is what you call the definition of being timeless. His music will play forever.”

DJ Khaled With Timbaland In Miami

MIAMI, FLORIDA – APRIL 13: DJ Khaled and Timbaland are seen onstage during Variety’s Miami Entertainment Town Brunch Presented By CN Bank on April 13, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by John Parra/Variety via Getty Images)

From there, Khaled thanked Timbaland for being a friend: “Thank you for breaking the doors down. Thank you for being my friend and always blessing me. Every time I call Timbo, he always says yes. It’s never no. I ask him to come to my house — every album I’ve made, probably like my last four albums, I would call Timbaland. He be one of the first people that I wanna play for, just to see his reaction.”

After thanking Khaled and taking the podium for himself, Timbaland quickly gave a shoutout to Missy Elliott. “I really wish my sister was here, Missy [Elliott] because this is why I’m in this beautiful city. It was because of her. And I made a lot of hit records here,” he said. Timbaland then spoke about the city of Miami in particular. “So Miami has always been my home. And to get this award at my home, man, it’s such a blessing,” he said. “[I’m in Miami] because of Missy Elliott, people like DJ Khaled, E-Class, who welcomed me. Trina. All these people welcomed me here and I never left here. And I don’t plan of leaving here.”

The award comes for Timbaland as he prepares to release a new album with his longtime collaborator, Justin Timberlake. While he didn’t provide an official release date, Timbaland did describe the project as a return to “fun Justin” and compared it to their classic effort, FutureSex/LoveSounds.

DJ Khaled Praising Timbaland

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Timbaland Confirms He & Justin Timberlake Have Finished A New Album

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Timbaland has confirmed that he and Justin Timberlake have finished work on a new album together. Timbaland spoke about working with his long-time collaborator on the new project during a new interview for Variety. He also discussed Timberlake’s polarizing 2018 album, Man of the Woods.

“I just left working with him, we just finished up and everything sounds great. Now it’s really on him how he plans to wrap it up and how and when he envisions it to come out. With an artist of his caliber, everything has to be aligned, but it’s done and it’s coming,” he shared.

Justin Timberlake & Timbaland Perform Together

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – FEBRUARY 08: Musicians Justin Timberlake and Timbaland join mPowering Action, a global mobile youth movement at Grammy Week launch, featuring performances by Timbaland and Avicii at The Conga Room at L.A. Live on February 8, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

“It’s fun Justin — it’s like FutureSex /LoveSounds but nothing too heavy, just giving you what you’d expect from us: not overthought, the lyrics are not so deep, it’s bob-your-head, dance-to-it music. Music is a young sport, and you have to keep it fun — fun and young. We’ve both seen a lot of life, but you can’t overthink it because of that, you have to bring out the 13-year-old, 18-year-old again, you know? If not, you can get into the old-fogey stage real quick. (Laughter) That’s just the world we live in,” Timbaland explained. “So you have to know how to be authentic and true to the art and understand it, and that’s what this album is. We took our time. We had songs that maybe were too complicated, but we said ‘We want it to feel like FutureSex part two,’ so we picked songs that will fit that.”

Timbaland and Timberlake have collaborated many times over the years. He produced the hits “SexyBack,” “Cry Me a River,” “Summer Love,” and “My Love” as well as the entirety of Timberlake’s 2006 album, FutureSex/LoveSounds, and his 2013 album, The 20/20 Experience. Timbaland didn’t provide details regarding a release date for his next effort with Timberlake.

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Chilli Reflects On “Amazing” Relationship With Matthew Lawrence

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Chilli recently reflected on her “amazing” relationship with Matthew Lawrence at Variety’s Power of Women luncheon, earlier this week. The TLC singer spoke with Page Six about her relationship at the event.

“It’s real and there is nothing fake about it,” Chilli told the outlet. “I’m here with him because I wanna be and he wants to be. We’re just so happy, we really are. I honestly didn’t think that I would experience what I’m experiencing now and I was OK with that.” “He has changed everything, the way I look at relationships. It’s so different,” she added but stopped short of marriage when asked about their future. “We’re still in the beginning stages so we’ll see.”

Chilli & Matthew Lawrence

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 09: Matthew Lawrence (L) and Chilli Thomas attend as Lifetime Celebrates Black Excellence with their Female Creatives and Talent at the +Play Partner House on March 09, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for Lifetime)

The comments from Chilli come after Lawrence previously had to clarify that the two are not trying to have a baby. He had caused confusion with remarks he made during an interview with Entertainment Tonight. “That’s the game plan. That’s what we’re trying to do,” he previously said. “My life is in complete bloom right now. I get to spend time with an amazing woman like Chilli. I’ve never gotten to be able to experience that kind of relationship before. She’s really, really special.”

He later explained in a statement: “I missed the first go around and now he’s starting a new family. And I was thinking, ‘Man, it’d be great if we could do it again, when I didn’t have the chance to raise a family together.’ So that’s what I meant by that. I didn’t mean to put any pressure on somebody I was dating or anything.”

Lawrence and Chilli first confirmed they were dating back in January. Lawrence and his ex-wife, Cheryl Burke, finalized their divorce just a few months earlier. Lawrence and Chilli were first spotted together last summer. They also reportedly spent the holidays together in 2022.

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Doja Cat Says Her Next Album Will Be More “Masculine”

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Doja Cat says that she’s going “in a more masculine direction” with her next album. The Planet Her rapper discussed the highly-anticipated project during a new interview with Variety published on Wednesday. While she’s been known for her pop sounds in the past, Doja says she’s been experimenting with punk.

“I know that I’ve done a lot of pink and soft things, a lot of pop and glittery sounds,” Doja said. “But for this next era, I’m going in a more masculine direction.”

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 23: In this image released on May 23, Doja Cat poses backstage for the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, broadcast on May 23, 2021 at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images for dcp)

“I feel like we have enough pop-punk artists right now,” she continued. “And if there needs to be more, then let there be more, but I don’t think I’m the one to do it. I want to explore more of a raw, unfiltered, hardcore punk sort of thing. It’s just something that I’m doing for my own personal fun — getting some drummers and guitarists together. And I don’t even know if that’s gonna make it out there.”

The Variety piece isn’t the first time Doja has discussed going in a new direction with her fourth studio album. Back in November, she told Dazed that her current inspirations are Machine Girl, Deli Girls, Orbital, and Death Grips, as well as the Beastie Boys. Going back further, Doja cited “rave culture” as a major influence on the new music during an interview with CR Fashion Book in September.

While she’s experimented with blending a variety of styles in the past, including pop, rap, and R&B, she says that she would keep punk more isolated from other sounds. She explained to Variety: “It does not mesh! I’m gonna see if maybe it could be fun, but it doesn’t make any sense to me.” She’s yet to confirm a release date for the project. Check out Doja Cat’s cover story for Variety below and be on the lookout for more details regarding her next album in the coming months.

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Zaytoven Sells Music Catalog: Migos, Lil Wayne & More

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Zaytoven is the latest artist to sell his music catalog, according to a Variety report on a newly inked deal. Moreover, Zay partnered with Ultra International Music Publishing and sold his extensive catalog of hits. While his name might not ring in your head the same as others, he made classics for Migos, Travis Scott, Lil Wayne, and many more. Put some respect on the producer’s name.

ATLANTA GA – JULY 16: Zaytoven attends Hot 07.9 Birthday Bash 2022 at Center Parc Credit Union Stadium at Georgia State University on July 16, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia.(photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage)

Furthermore, the deal reportedly consists of 560 songs written by the Atlanta producer from 2005 to 2022. These include Migos’ breakout hit “Versace,” Travis Scott’s “3500,” 21 Savage’s “Famous,” Lil Wayne’s “Problems,” and a slew of other hits. While these tracks likely add up to a lot of cash, they did not disclose the sale amount in this report.

However, this deal will also bring fans new music from Zay. UIMP CEO and co-founder Patrick Moxey shared how much he’s looking forward to working with Zaytoven in a statement.

“Zaytoven is an extraordinary talent,” he expressed. “He is the Father of trap music and has been the driving force of much of how we define that genre. Gucci Mane, Migos, Future – he’s been right there with these artists from the beginning in 2004 right up to the present day. I’m proud to announce that after working with him since 2007 we continue to be focused on future success.”

Moreover, this news comes just weeks after the 43-year-old launched his record label ZTP with music executive Big Trill. Moreover, he announced the label’s inception with a query searching for new talent to add to the roster.

“We are Blessed to announce that ‘ZTP’ The Label is official,” the producer posted via Instagram. “Me and @therealbigtrill are officially a label. We are SIGNING artist, producers, song writers, DJs, all brands. we are looking for a real team a solid team. Searching for all talent in every city, every state, every town!!!! Let’s get to work.”

Still, what do you think of Zaytoven choosing to sell his music catalog in partnership with Ultra International Music Publishing? Whatever the case, let us know in the comments down below. Also, as always, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest money moves, big sales, and forward momentum in the rap game.

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