The Weeknd Reminisces On His “After Hours” Run: “An Era”

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The last two years have been an incredibly successful and iconic time period for The Weeknd, who has notably experienced a drastic evolution in his artistry in tandem with a massive boost in celebrity. Bookended by the exciting single releases of “Heartless” and “Blinding Lights” as well as a never-before-achieved feat on the Billboard Hot 100, The Weeknd’s After Hours era will likely live on as one of the most important stretches in the Canadian artist’s career, and even despite his highly debated Grammy snubs, the XO artist thinks so as well.

Simply captioned, “an era,” The Weeknd‘s latest Instagram post features a fan-made collage that perfectly captures the magic, reinvention, and iconography of his After Hours run. Some of the pictures that make up the college include the singer-songwriter with his face wrapped in bloody bandages, the unmistakable “new face” that he debuted for his “Save Your Tears” music video, and various shots of his most popular new hairstyles. 

It’s also worth considering that The XO artist’s post seems to have a nostalgic vibe, almost as if he is reminiscing on the After Hours era instead of still enjoying it. The Weeknd has been known to separate his career into “chapters,” so perhaps his latest post is his way of acknowledging that he is onto something new. In a rather mysterious Instagram story post that was shared in tandem with the aforementioned post, The Weeknd posted a shot from what could be an outtake from his acclaimed “Save Your Tears,” and in the picture, he’s seen holding a gun to his neck, potentially signaling the end of the After Hours era. 

Screenshot of the Weeknd's Instagram story on March 25, 2021Instagram

Do you think that The Weeknd is hinting at what’s next to come or is he just still enjoying his victory lap following the insanely successful After Hours?

Lou Williams Becomes The Subject Of Jokes After Trade To Atlanta

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Every single year, the NBA trade deadline provides us with some amazing storylines that always get the fans riled up. This year, there were some big trades although nothing that involved massive superstars. Regardless, there were some deals that had fans engaging in some hefty debates, including the Lou Williams deal which had the Clippers sending him to Atlanta in exchange for the likes of Rajon Rondo.

It was a trade that also saw the Clippers give the Hawks two second-round draft picks, for good measure. Now, the Clippers get their point guard, and the Hawks get some depth that will help out the younger stars.

Following the trade, most fans were focused on Williams, who made headlines last summer after making a stop at Magic City in Atlanta prior to going to the NBA Bubble. It is that story that gave him the “Lemon Pepper Lou” nickname and now that he is a full-time Atlanta resident, fans made sure to remind him of his love for the establishment.

Twitter seemed to be flooded with jokes about the ordeal and overall, it was pretty hilarious. NBA Twitter has always been undefeated and this was yet another example of their creativity in action.

Lou Williams

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Rod Wave And Polo G Are ‘Richer’ Than They’ve Ever Been On ‘SoulFly’

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As of press time, the official audio for Rod Wave’s new collaboration with Polo G, “Richer,” is No. 1 on YouTube’s trending list. After pressing play on the song — which comes from Rod Wave’s new album SoulFly — it’s not hard to see why. The two rappers have brilliant chemistry, as Wave croons and Polo raps over the country-influenced, slow-grooving trap beat, addressing the pressures of their respective upbringings and chasing their dreams. “I’m richer than I’ve ever been,” Rod cries over the chorus, celebrating the change in his circumstances as a result of rap stardom.

Ahead of the release of the album, Rod previously released two singles with videos, the reflective “Street Runner” and the somber “Tombstone.” He also released a simple browswer racing game to go along with “Street Runner,” giving even more visual flair to the new song. SoulFly‘s rollout wasn’t entirely smooth, though; in February, the Florida rapper criticized his label, threatening to withhold his album over a money issue which was quickly resolved.

Meanwhile, his guest star, Polo G, has been working on his own third album while lending a lyrical assist to his fellow breakout star Lil Tjay on the ruthless “Headshot” featuring Fivio Foreign. To keep fans sated between projects, Polo also shared a triple video for his “For My Fans” freestyle in which he jumped on the three hottest beat trends simultaneously.

Listen to “Richer” above and check out Rod Wave’s SoulFly album here.

Lil Nas X Says His ‘Montero’ Album Releases This Summer And Mocks The Backlash Against His New Video

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After over a month of teasing his new song “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” Lil Nas X shared the video today — and it sure is something. A colorful, fantastical video, the clip offers such mythological imagery as angels and hell, where Lil Nas X seduces the king demon, only to kill him and take his crown. While such visuals were exciting to some fans, there were plenty of critics who spoke out against the video — and Nas was more than up to the challenge of shooting down the backlash.

One outspoken commenter took issue with the devilish character that Nas seduces in the video, as well as Nas’ sartorial choices. “Basically he is riding the Devil,” the critic complained. “Explain how this visualization is supposed to be interpreted by the youth? Should all men dress androgynously and sleep with satin [sic]?” Nas, who quoted the disingenuous tweet, simply replied, “Yes.”

In a more sincere explanation, Nas shared a letter written to his 14-year-old self, revealing that releasing “Call Me By Your Name” was “very scary for me.” He acknowledged that “people will be angry” and that “they will say I’m pushing an agenda,” but admitted, “I am. The agenda is to make people stay the f*ck out of other people’s lives and stop dictating who they should be.”

After getting a few hours of sleep, he returned to once again troll his critics. “y’all love saying we going to hell but get upset when i actually go there lmao,” he joked, before revealing that the “Montero” video is just the beginning — his debut album, also named Montero “drops this summer.” Meanwhile, he has yet to respond to FKA Twigs fans who claim he ripped off her “Cellophane” video.

You can watch the video in question here.

Kyle Lowry Reacts To Not Being Traded

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Yesterday was the NBA trade deadline and it felt like every single NBA fan was looking at the Toronto Raptors and whether or not Kyle Lowry would be traded. Lowry rumors had been circulating for quite some time and many believed that the Raptors would look to make a move given the fact that Lowry is a free agent in the offseason and would most likely sign somewhere else. 

Teams like the Lakers and the Heat had some offers for the Raptors but in the end, the team decided to hold onto their franchise point guard. The trade deadline was also Lowry’s birthday, and following the mess, he took to Instagram with some thank yous for all of the fans who wished him well on his special day. He also noted that his experience yesterday was a crazy one, but he appreciates all of the support.

“Today was a crazy day but the love I got from everyone has been amazing thank you all for making it known I’m loved and for all the birthday wishes,” Lowry wrote.

Raptors fans were rejoicing yesterday when news broke that Lowry was going to stay and it’s easy to see why. He is easily the most important player in the history of that franchise, and when all is said and done, his jersey will be hung in the rafters in Toronto.

Kyle Lowry

Elsa/Getty Images

The Alchemist & Armand Hammer Drop Off “Haram”

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The Alchemist continues to solidify what many have already understood to be fact: he’s easily one of the most creative and adaptable producers in the game. Not only has he been at the center of many stellar releases, but he’s also taken to producing full-length collaborative albums for some of rap’s most effective spitters; Conway, Freddie Gibbs, Boldy James, and now Armand Hammer with Haram. 

Though the cover art isn’t entirely for the faint of heart, the music on Haram is far more digestible. By now, Alchemist’s production style is well familiar — vintage samples, minimalist production, and plenty of space for his collaborators to flex. Lyrically, Hammer rises to the occasion, blending effectively with Al’s soundscapes. A dexterous rhymer and dense writer, it generally requires a close examination of Hammer’s bars to unpack their full potential. Paired with Alchemist’s grimy production, and it’s hard not to feel whisked away to a different environment entirely — a butcher shop, perhaps, as the project’s artwork would happily suggest.

It should be expected that Haram will not be for everybody, as enjoyment will likely stem from one’s appreciation of lyrically-driven underground hip-hop. For those who do buy into what he and Al are selling, however, Haram may very well be among the year’s underappreciated surprises. If you like what Alchemist has been cooking up of late, be sure to check out this new project now, and share your thoughts in the comments below. 

DJ Khaled Isn’t Letting Up On The “Khaled Khaled” Teasers

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DJ Khaled’s album mode for Khaled Khaled has been one of the most engaging album rollouts in recent memory. Starting with the release of the double Drake singles “POPSTAR” and “GREECE” last summer, the road to DJ Khaled’s forthcoming sixth studio album has been full of surprises and teasers courtesy of the iconic DJ and record producer himself. Over the past week alone, Khaled has teased collaborations with Migos, revealed that he had received vocals from H.E.R. and Post Malone, and shared behind the scenes pictures of Nas and Roddy Ricch in the studio with him. With that said, DJ Khaled isn’t taking his foot off the gas anytime soon.

In a slew of recent Instagram posts, DJ Khaled has now revealed that Lil Baby, Meek Mill, Tay Keith, among other artists have also stopped by his studio to lay down their contributions for Khaled Khaled. One picture shows Meek Mill leaning in front of a computer monitor while another shows Tay Keith posing with Khaled as he holds up a massive Ciroc bottle. The post that’s likely to really get fans excited, however, is the dramatic video that he posted that shows Lil Baby rapping in the booth, complete with dramatic music.

If the high-profile collaborations that DJ Khaled has been teasing over the past weeks are any indication of the magnitude of his forthcoming studio album Khaled Khaled, then it’s looking like the We The Best record producer’s sixth studio album will definitely be one for the books.

Are you excited for DJ Khaled to drop Khaled Khaled or are you tired of all of these teasers without any new music to go along with it?

NoCap & NBA Youngboy Release New Song “38Sides”

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Alabama rapper NoCap and Baton Rouge artist Youngboy Never Broke Again are both in difficult predicaments right now. The two incarcerated rappers are waiting for their freedom days to come as they both continue to struggle with legal issues. Throughout NoCap’s career, the 22-year-old artist has been in-and-out of jail, never getting a fair shot at succeeding in music. Youngboy Never Broke Again has reached superstar status but the 21-year-old continues to find his way into trouble, most recently getting arrested on Monday on two charges of possession of a firearm as a felon.

Hip-hop fans across the world are hoping for these two young rappers to be freed in the coming weeks and as we continue to wait for the good news, NoCap has officially released his latest single “38Sides” with NBA Youngboy.

The two clearly have strong chemistry, having worked together countless times in the past as part of the Never Broke Again collective. NoCap has a long history with Youngboy. With them both facing tough spots in jail, a new collaboration is only right.

Listen to “38Sides” below, where they bounce off each other seamlessly over Al Geno production.

Quotable Lyrics:

That broke sh*t like a virus, n***as don’t wanna come near it
Hellcat switching lanes, drive this b*tch just like a Cherokee
Something finna change, I just bought that hoe some Tiffany
No, I’m not a rapper, I’m just talking with some melody
Ain’t talking on no Apple phone, police tryna bury me

Jordyn Woods Not Engaged To Karl-Anthony Towns Despite Massive Rock

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On Thursday, model and influencer Jordyn Woods gave fans a big shock when she posted a photo of herself wearing a huge ring on that finger on Instagram. The 23-year-old was on set, wearing a casual, comfy fit and a stunning full face of makeup, smiling for the camera and leading her followers to believe she could be engaged. Of course, her comment section was immediately flooded with questions, with one fan asking, “Is that a ring with diamonds or a diamond ring?” 

Jordyn’s boyfriend, Minnesota Timberwolves player Karl-Anthony Towns, jokingly commented on the photo of Jordyn in front of a massive Air Jordan shoe, writing, “Knew I was missing a shoe….” This isn’t the first time the two have sparked engagement rumors, especially when Towns essentially confirmed he’d be putting a ring on the model’s finger on Twitter. “Same haters we got now are gonna be the same ones we have when I put that ring on her finger,” he wrote on March 18th. 

 

Elizabeth Woods, Jordyn’s mom and manager, confirmed that the two were not engaged, however, and the ring was just a piece of flashy jewelry that Jordyn was asked to wear for a photoshoot. Perhaps a proper engagement will come soon, though, considering Towns definitely thinks Jordyn is “the one.” Let us know your thoughts about this celeb couple in the comments. 

[Via]