Wale Says ‘Anybody That Raps for Real’ Can ‘Clearly’ See Doja Cat Is a Rapper
Vince Staples
Vince Staples Explains Why Hip-Hop Is Not A ‘Game’ But A ‘Business’
Vince Staples has never been one to mince his words about… anything. It was just last month that Vince criticized record labels for seeking “money in the violence” against rappers. “It’s money in it and they gonna keep selling it and we gonna keep perpetuating it and we gon’ be hurt when somebody die,” he said during the interview on Hot 97. “I don’t necessarily know if they care. If they did, man the album ready in four weeks once you die. You get more press on the album after you die.” Fresh off the release of his fifth album Ramona Park Broke My Heart, Vince took a moment to give his thoughts on the way hip-hop is presented.
Rap is often referred to as a “game,” and during a recent interview with Complex’s Speedy Mormon, Vince explained why hip-hop isn’t a game in his eyes. “What’s the game? In basketball, you dribble, you shoot, you score, you win,” he said. Vince added, “The reason it’s an expression is because somebody has to lose. So that way, when it ends up and you do it and it takes everything from you, then you just lost the game. But that’s not what it’s supposed to be. This is a business, you’re supposed to have good business [and] good morals. [Instead], they pay you, and you know [they say], ‘Oh, this is an opportunity so you don’t deserve ownership of your project,’ ‘This is an opportunity, you don’t deserve this, you don’t deserve that.’”
Vince continued, “They don’t call any other genre ‘the game.’ They call the rap game the ‘rap game’ because there’s a bunch of n****s running around and they don’t want to give Black people sh*t.’”
You can watch the full interview in the video above.
Ramona Park Broke My Heart is out now via Motown Records. You can stream it here.
Ty Dolla Sign is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Weekly Dope: Pusha T + JAY-Z, Fivio Foreign, Vince Stapes & More
A collection of our favorite songs of the week.
The Most Anticipated Hip-Hop Albums Of Spring 2022
What a year in hip-hop 2022 has already been. This year started with a bang thanks to new album releases from Gunna (DS4EVER), Cordae (From A Bird’s Eye View), and Earl Sweatshirt (Sick!). As the year continued, the big-name releases picked up momentum, with new albums from Saba (Few Good Things), 2 Chainz (Dope Don’t Sell Itself), $not (Ethereal), Big KRIT (Digital Roses Don’t Die), Earthgang (Ghetto Gods), and Conway The Machine (God Don’t Make Mistakes). That momentum has carried over into the beginning of spring, with King Von (What It Means To Be King), BabyTron (Megatron), Lil Durk (7220), Fly Anakin (Frank), Phife Dawg (Forever), Denzel Curry (Melt My Eyez, See Your Future), Buddy (Superghetto), and Latto (777) all contributing to the absolute mayhem that marked the first quarter of rap releases.
All that, and we still haven’t heard from heavy-hitters like JID, Kendrick Lamar, or Nicki Minaj, although increased activity from two of the three suggests that new albums may very well be dropping soon. For now, we’ll just focus on the albums we know are dropping (or have dropped — April 8 turned out to be a monster release day as well). And look, there’s no accounting for taste or surprise releases; your underground fave may not appear here but that doesn’t mean we aren’t always looking out to be pleasantly shocked by a relative newcomer or dark horse viral popup. Here are the most anticipated hip-hop albums of spring 2020.
Coi Leray — Trendsetter
The 2021 XXL Freshman had a stellar year in the wake of her breakout track, “No More Parties.” Following up with strong viral faves like “Twinnem” and “Blick Blick,” Coi proved she’s no one-hit-wonder. Trendsetter looks to bring some color and life to the rap game, bending the genre’s established tropes and throwing expectations for female rappers completely out the window.
Dreezy & Hit-Boy — Hit Girl
As the Chicago veteran — yes, she’s a vet, as she first emerged during the drill rap explosion of 2012 — aims to make her resurgence, she’s picked the perfect partner. Hit-Boy managed to jumpstart the career of rap icon Nas; if anyone can help Dreezy with her relaunch, it’s him. They’ve already made significant headway to that effect with the slick comeback singles “COVID Flow Freestyle” and “They Not Ready,” and honestly, no one could be happier about this than me.
Fivio Foreign — B.I.B.L.E.
When Pop Smoke was killed in 2020, the torch of the oncoming New York drill wave, seemingly passed to Fivio — Pop’s closest collaborator — by default. At times, it seemed uncertain whether he was ready for it, or whether he even wanted it. Yet, in the year and change since, we’ve seen Fivio take some laudable leaps as an artist. His notoriety has certainly increased as well, resulting in collaborations with big names like Kanye West and Nicki Minaj. If nothing else, it’ll be interesting to see what he does with it and whether he can blow some fresh wind into the movement’s flagging sails on B.I.B.L.E.
Jack Harlow — Come Home The Kids Miss You
Harlow’s new album’s title may be a mouthful, but the cocky Louisvillain has certainly earned some latitude to take a few left turns. Just check out “Nail Tech” and “First Class,” which have been stark departures from the upbeat, syllable-a-second breakout single “What’s Poppin’.” Jack promises more introspective material on his latest, but as it turns out, he’s not above relishing in his newfound success either.
Leikeli47 — Shape Up
Listen, the time is certainly ripe for the masked menace to make her long-awaited return. It has been nearly four years since her last album, Acrylic, and to be honest, the rap game has desperately needed a jolt of her fresh perspectives on New York City’s eclectic musical melange of styles and scenes. An MC’s MC, Leikeli has never been afraid to take big risks musically and who knows — maybe this time, the world will actually be ready for them.
Mount Westmore — TBA
The California supergroup consisting of E-40, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, and Too Short couldn’t have come together at a better time. All four rappers are independent and all four have been around the block a few times since they all emerged in the late-80s/early-90s. They’ve got the experience and wisdom of age, but also share a youthful enthusiasm for hip-hop and rap, and from the two singles they’ve released so far, they clearly enjoy working together and inspire each other in a way that has them all sounding more engaged than ever.
Pusha T — It’s Almost Dry
Once again, it’s time to see how many ways Pusha can make the same material sound brand new all over again. If anyone’s up to the challenge, it’s the guy who managed to sneak a cocaine reference into a fast-food jingle and unearthed a near-decade-old beat from 88 Keys’ stores. He even got Jay-Z to rap like he means it again. Push’s last effort, 2018’s Daytona, was universally acclaimed; could it be he has another consensus critical favorite up his sleeve?
Vince Staples — Ramona Park Broke My Heart
In all his years in the rap game, the Long Beach rapper has been a contrarian, an iconoclast, and someone who was singularly disinterested in the trappings of fame, let alone being a working musician aspiring to it. For the first time, it seems like he’s letting his guard down, demystifying his biography, and actually making music for the masses to enjoy. When Earl Sweatshirt did it, we got Sick! When Vince does it, we just might get another masterpiece.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Vince Staples Releases New Album ‘Ramona Park Broke My Heart’
Vince Staples’ new album, Ramona Park Broke My Heart, is now available via Blacksmith Recordings / Motown Records. Staples has announced Ramona Park Broke My Heart The Musical, a special cinematic performance that will be exclusively presented via the premium global social live media platform Moment House on May 1 and May 2 to celebrate the release, which is a tribute to the Ramona Park neighborhood in Long Beach where he grew up.
Vince will perform songs from the new album, as well as music from his entire repertoire, in an immersive visual environment inspired by Ramona Park Broke My Heart. Tickets to view the experience can be purchased here.
Ramona Park Broke My Heart is the follow-up to Staples’ critically acclaimed self-titled album from 2021, which introduced fans to his hometown as well as personal friends and family. Lil Baby, Ty Dolla $ign, and Mustard all appear on the new album. You can stream the new album below.
The post Vince Staples Releases New Album ‘Ramona Park Broke My Heart’ appeared first on The Source.
Best New Music This Week: Pusha-T, Jack Harlow, Fivio Foreign, and More
Pusha-T f/ Jay-Z, “Neck & Wrist”
Fivio Foreign f/ Quavo, “Through the Fire”
Jack Harlow, “First Class”
Lil Baby, “In A Minute”
Vince Staples, “When Sparks Fly”
BIA f/ J. Cole, “London”
Omar Apollo, “Evergreen”
42 Dugg & EST Gee, “My Yungin”
Coi Leray, “Box & Papers”
IDK & Kaytranada, “Taco”
Vince Staples Releases New Album ‘Ramona Park Broke My Heart’ f/ Lil Baby, Ty Dolla Sign, and Mustard
Vince Staples Returns With New Album, ‘Ramona Park Broke My Heart’
A story of growth.
Vince Staples Reveals The Tracklist For His Album, ‘Ramona Park Broke My Heart’
Vince Staples has been relentlessly teasing his new album, Ramona Park Broke My Heart for the past several months (or years, really), and today, he finally lets fans get a glimpse of what the album will contain. The Long Beach rapper shared the tracklist, revealing song titles such as “DJ Quik,” named for the Compton producer who helped craft the sound of West Coast G-Funk in the 1990s, and “Mama’s Boy,” which sounds like it promises to be one of Staples’ most (only?) vulnerable tracks to date.
Incidentally, the real DJ Quik may actually appear on the album, as Vince posted a photo of himself in the studio with Quik to announce that the album was finished. The project clocks in at 16 tracks, marking a compromise between the monstrous, double-disc runtime of his debut album, Summertime 06, and the ultra-short projects he’s released since then, including the groundbreaking Big Fish Theory, the nostalgic FM!, and his most recent album, 2021’s somber Vince Staples.
The album also features his recently released single “Magic,” which was produced by Mustard and gave Vince as close to a pop radio-friendly single as he’s ever had. The new production style used on “Magic” and Vince’s latest single “Rose Street,” along with his recent appearance on Tyler The Creator’s Call Me If You Get Lost Tour, suggest that this could be the outspoken rapper’s most commercially successful album yet.
Ramona Park Broke My Heart is due 4/8 via Motown. Pre-save it here.
More Artists Should Perform Like Tyler The Creator
Tyler Okonma has come a long way. The former Fairfax district skate rat is now a mogul on top of being a Grammy Award-winning rapper, singer, and producer as Tyler the Creator. But he never forgot his humble beginnings, which formed the focus of a large part of his concert at the Staples Center — sorry, Crypto.com arena — in Los Angeles Thursday night for his Call Me If You Get Lost Tour. During an intermission in the songs, right before he diverged into a nostalgic mini-set of his raucous early Odd Future material, Tyler reminisced with the crowd about those aimless but hopeful years, drawing a direct line between his rebellious nature and the success that he’s accrued in the past few years.
That go-against-the-grain mentality is what makes him such a great musician — and such a great performer. While so many rappers are content to simply show up and rap, Tyler brings a sort of unhinged glee to his performances, which makes him wildly fun to watch. He’s like the Jim Carrey of musicians, always moving, his coltish proportions adding another fun level to his wacky waving inflatable tube man arm flailing. His face contorts, his body accordions and expands, and his legs splay out. At one point, he did a full-on double leg dip — that’s a death drop, for you Drag Race fans out there, showing off a level of flexibility normally reserved for ballrooms and gymnastics competitions.
More @tylerthecreator
Rolls Royce pull up… pic.twitter.com/HbAp7AinV5
— Aaron Williams (@AaronAtUproxx) April 1, 2022
Then there are the props. Did I say “the Jim Carrey of musicians?” Sorry, I meant Carrot Top. I’ve been going to rap shows longer than I can even remember. I’ve seen dancers and pyrotechnics and guest stars and all manner of odd things on stage from piles of tires to vending machines to tanks. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone unpack luggage from a vintage Rolls Royce Wraith while rapping. Tyler’s love for bags is legendary; he’s got a chain based on his nickname of “Bellhop,” telling you exactly how much he loves luggage. At most, you’d expect him to have a few bags stacked onstage. Instead, he did the stacking himself — while rapping. He even has a butler!
The staging was some of the best I’ve ever seen too. Rappers love reproducing houses onstage; 2 Chainz, Kanye West, and YG are all examples who’ve employed this fairly standard trope. Tyler takes it to the next level, just like everything else. Silhouettes wafted across the lit windows, standing in for band members and guest rappers. Not content to simply stand on one stage and float along to the whimsical ’60s spy jazz of his latest album, he traversed the arena floor to a grass-covered stage in the middle. How did he get there? On a speedboat, from which he performed his album’s standout track “Wusyaname.” Once on his grassy getaway, he launched into older material from Flower Boy and his aforementioned Odd Future classics.
Wusyaname… On a boat@tylerthecreator pic.twitter.com/ppWuXQbAOp
— Aaron Williams (@AaronAtUproxx) April 1, 2022
Tyler knows how to pick his guests too. Kali Uchis, who took the set immediately preceding his, received a warm reception for her Selena-lite renditions of tracks from her 2018 album Isolation and TikTok-favorite “Sad Girlz Luv Money” by Amaarae. Vince Staples, never one to waste a perfectly good platform, delivered his set from the floor stage, which was redressed and lit from below, amplifying the haunting effects of songs like “Señorita.” And Teezo Touchdown, the oddball with a wig made of nails, set things off as always with his hype man Austyn Sux, challenging Tyler for most props used in a single performance (at one point he used a traffic cone as a megaphone, which was hilarious considering he was already miked up). If there’s anything I’d change about the show, it’s the venue; the sound is just so much better at The Forum, where entry and moving around is easier as well. Let the stars bring the chaos onstage; leave the lobby alone.
The crowds at a Tyler show are always fun; young, diverse, and reflective of his devil-may-care attitude towards convention and other people’s expectations. I think the entire row behind me sported septum piercings and crowd-watching felt vaguely like falling through a time warp to the mid-’90s. Curse the zoomers for bringing back wide-leg pants after all the hard work my generation did to make the cozy style functional and fashionable, but it’s pretty amusing to watch younger generations repurpose old styles in their own, funky way. In a way, they got that from Tyler, too; he’s constantly deconstructing his influences like Eminem and Pharrell, retooling them, and retrofitting them to his own unique way of doing things. That — and a healthy dose of persistence — is what got him here and judging from his show, is what’ll keep him here far into the (steadfastly odd) future.