DMX Gives His Final Bow On Posthumous Album, “Exodus”

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The album that Hip Hop has been waiting for has arrived. Prior to his untimely death, DMX was working on what would become his posthumous album, Exodus. Named after his young son and inspired by his faith, DMX was motivated to return to the studio after appearing on Verzuz with Snoop Dogg. X fans stormed social media with praise as million celebrated Earl Simmons and his legacy, and for his loved ones, it was incredible to see DMX receive his flowers on a global scale before his final goodbye here on earth.

Swizz Beatz has spearheaded the release of Exodus and has spoken out about the creation of the project while highlighting his decades-long friendship with DMX. “I’m just doing what I’m supposed to do. I don’t use the words ‘family’ and ‘brother’ lightly,’ Swizz told GQ.

“The way I’m showing up now is the way that I’ve been showing up for years,” he added. “It’s not even nothing new to me. I don’t deserve credit for it because other people weren’t doing it because I’m just doing what I’m supposed to do. And so, me going all out and pulling out all of the stops and all of the names to celebrate with him and even these listening sessions and all these interviews… It’s what I’m supposed to do. And I’m happy to do what I’m supposed to do for my brother.”

Features on the record include looks from Swizz, The LOX, Jay-Z, Nas, Lil Wayne, Moneybagg Yo, Alicia Keys, Bono, Cross, Infrared, Icepick, Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, Conway, Mr. Porter, Snoop Dogg, Usher, Brian King Joseph, and DMX’s son, Exodus Simmons.

Tracklist

1. That’s My Dog ft. The LOX, Swizz Beatz
2. Bath Salts ft. Jay-Z, Nas
3. Dog’s Out ft. Lil Wayne, Swizz Beatz
4. Money Money Money ft. Moneybagg Yo
5. Hold Me Down ft. Alicia Keys
6. Skyscrapers ft. Bono
7. Male Stick Up Skit ft. Cross, Infrared, Icepick
8. Hood Blues ft. Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, Conway
9. Walking in the Rain ft. Nas, Exodus Simmons, Mr. Porter
10. Take Control ft. Snoop Dogg
11. Exodus Skit
12. Letter to My Son (Call Your Father) ft. Usher, Brian King Joseph
13. Prayer

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Kanye West Might Be Chasing Dating Goals W/ Supermodel

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Kanye West is rumored to be moving on from soon-to-be ex-wife Kim Kardashian. While the celebrity power couple’s divorce case is still open, Kanye is believed to be secretly dating Russian supermodel Irina Shayk. This comes just weeks after the Grammy-winning artist was seen still wearing his wedding ring. Irina Shayk and Kanye’s association goes […]

The post Kanye West Might Be Chasing Dating Goals W/ Supermodel appeared first on SOHH.com.

Gwen Stefani Rejects Cultural Appropriation “Harajuku Girls” Backlash

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She’s long stood accused of cultural appropriation, but that hasn’t stopped Gwen Stefani’s career. The singer entered the music scene as the lead singer of Rock group No Doubt in the 1990s and after the band reached mega-success, Stefani ventured off as a solo artist where she dominated the Pop scene. She borrowed looks and mannerisms from Hip Hop and had an entire movement with her band of Japanese “Harajuku Girls” who traveled with her from coast to coast. Stefani donned traditional Japanese attire and changed her makeup to fit the style, but not everyone was thrilled about the look.

For decades, Stefani has faced backlash and criticism, even as recently as her music video for “Slow Clap” featuring Saweetie, but the Pop star sat down with Paper Magazine to address the controversy, citing her “deep fascination” with Japan and being “inspired” by the culture.

Gwen Stefani, Harajuku, Cultural Apprpriation
Getty Images / Stringer / Getty Images

“If you read the actual lyrics [in ‘What You Waiting For?’], it talks about being a fan of Japan and how if I do good, I get to go back there,” she told the publication. “I never got to have dancers with No Doubt. I never got to change costumes. I never got to do all of those fun girl things that I always love to do. So I had this idea that I would have a posse of girls — because I never got to hang with girls — and they would be Japanese, Harajuku girls, because those are the girls that I love. Those are my homies. That’s where I would be if I had my dream come true, I could go live there and I could go hang out in Harajuku.”

Paper noted that years ago actress and comedian Margaret Cho compared the Harajuku Girls with Stefani to a minstrel show. “If we didn’t buy and sell and trade our cultures in, we wouldn’t have so much beauty, you know?” Stefani said. “We learn from each other, we share from each other, we grow from each other. And all these rules are just dividing us more and more… I think that we grew up in a time where we didn’t have so many rules. We didn’t have to follow a narrative that was being edited for us through social media, we just had so much more freedom.”

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The Weeknd And Ariana Grande Perform ‘Save Your Tears’ For The First Time At The iHeartRadio Music Awards

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More than a year after he shared his celebrated album, After Hours, with the world, The Weeknd teamed up with Ariana Grande to deliver a new remix of “Save Your Tears.” The collaboration marked the third time the duo worked on a song together following 2014’s “Love Me Harder” and last year’s “Off The Table” each from Grande’s My Everything and Positions albums, respectively. The “Save Your Tears” remix arrived at the height of the singers’ stardom but they had yet to perform the song together in what fans hoped would be an epic moment. That changed on Thursday when The Weeknd and Grande brought their talents to the 2021 iHeartRadio Music Awards.

The Weeknd walked onto the award stage to begin his portion of the song. Clearing through his verse as blue and purple neon lighting shined above him, viewers were greeted by the surprise arrival of Ariana Grande who emerged from backstage to begin her own verse. The performance as a whole was solid and it showed the well-established chemistry the two singers held between each other.

The performance comes after The Weeknd took home a whopping ten awards at this year’s Billboard Music Awards. His wins came in categories that included Top Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, Top R&B Artist, Top Hot 100 Song, and Top R&B Album. He also teased new music from a new era during the award show. As for Grande, she recently got married to her fiance Dalton Gomez in what was a small yet intimate ceremony.

You can watch the performance in the video above.

BLM Co-Founder Patrisse Cullors Resigns: “It Feels Like The Time Is Right”

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She recently came forward to defend her real estate purchases, it’s being reported that Patrice Cullors is leaving her position with the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation. We previously reported on the controversy surrounding information that Cullors purchased multiple properties in Georgia and California to the tune of $3 million and soon, anti-Black Lives Matter advocates accused the activist of skimming funds from the foundation. However, Cullors bit back and stated she didn’t take money from the organization, citing her work as an artist, best-selling author, and various other ventures.

Even after the finances for BLMGNF were broken down for the public, the scandal remained. On Thursday (May 27), Cullors made the official announcement of her departure from the organization on Instagram where she shared in a video that she would now be focusing her time on a television deal as well as a new book.

Patrisse Cullors, Resigns, Black Lives Matter Global Network
Sarah Morris / Staff / Getty Images

“For over seven and a half years, I was in the day-to-day of that organization, working with our chapters, working alongside elected officials, challenging the police,” said Cullors. “At the end of 2019, many of don’t know this, I actually stepped back. I didn’t make a public announcement. I really wanted to see the next generation of leadership lead. And when the uprising happened last year, folks inside of Black Lives Matter asked me to come back and I had to really think about it.”

“It’s a lot of work, it’s a lot of responsibility, I love the work and so yes, I came back,” she continued. “It was always supposed to be interim and so, now is my time… I’ve created the infrastructure and the support, and the necessary bones and foundation, so that I can leave,” Cullors said. “It feels like the time is right.” Cullors assured viewers that there are “amazing, competent” folks at the helm of BLMGNF and she looks forward to what’s to come. Check out her video below.

Destiny’s Child Reunite To Discuss New Book, New Baby & Mental Health

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Destiny’s Child members, Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams, reunited this week to discuss the release of Williams’ new book Checking In: How Getting Real About Depression Saved My Life And Can Save Yours, and visit with Rowland’s new son Noah. In the Instagram posts revealing their mini reunion, which include pictures of the trio as well as audio clips from their hangout, they discuss the impact of Williams’ book as well as the member’s battle with depression during her run with the group.

When asked by fellow member Beyoncé what she hopes people learn from the book, Williams states: “It’s okay to not be okay and it’s okay to tell somebody you’re not okay.” She also admits to wishing she would have opened up to the other members about her mental health earlier: “Because I obviously — I should have done that with y’all. I’ve been open about a lot of things but I never was really truthful with how I really was. Even though y’all have proven to be safe — friends, safe sisters. Sometimes people have to know that you’re not going to be looked at differently if you say, ‘Y’all I’ve been sad too long.’ It amplifies one’s bravery and gives them courage. Like oh it’s okay.” 

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Vince Bucci/Getty Images

Knowles then responds with “I just know Kelly and I feel so honored that we are now your safe place where you can express any and everything. And we know that you are that for us and you’ve always been that for us.” The audio ends touchingly with the singers reminiscing about the cherished friendship and experience they have with each other, with Williams offering: “I’m thankful, so thankful for connection. This is 20 years, y’all of relationship.”

Despite the mental health focus of the link up, Beyoncé fans will be happy to know that the singer has new music in the works while jokingly freestyling.

Check out the Instagram posts below.

Will you be reading Williams’ new book?

Joey Badass Isn’t Afraid Of “Taboo” Topic Of Mental Health & Embracing His Emotions

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There has been increased awareness regarding mental health and many rappers are lending their voices to the cause. Discussions were already being had about taking care of one’s emotional and mental health, but after enduring a global pandemic and subsequent yearlong quarantine, people are becoming much more vocal. Joey Badass recently sat down with journalist Kim Taylor Bennett for the Best Advice Podcast, and the rapper spoke about the “taboo” topic and how he’s approaching taking care of himself.

“Well Emotional Intelligence 2.0 like it changed me, right,” Joey said of the acclaimed book by Jean Greaves and Travis Bradberry. “I feel like every day, even just with the topic of mental health, is such a taboo topic, it’s such an invisible thing.”

Joey Badass, Mental Health, Emotional Intelligence
Dimitrios Kambouris / Staff / Getty Images

“It’s such a hard thing to just grasp, and pinpoint,” he added. “Like, there’s people that we talk to every day that we would never even know are going through extreme mental pitfalls with the Emotional Intelligence book I feel like it really brought in my awareness on just picking up on, on nonverbal cues and stuff like that from the people that are in my life every day. Even understanding my own emotions and, and you know, how to deal with that.”

“And you know, just the ties to it as being a young Black man in America and how like… We grew up feeling like we had to throw off our emotions or ignore them. It gave me just a new perspective on embracing those feelings and embracing and those thoughts and understanding like, why I was feeling certain ways that I feel or why other people who feel the certain way they feel or why they might even say things and it be like, really covering up things that are way under the surface, that they really are trying to get out.”

Check out the episode below and listen to what else Joey Badass had to say about balancing fatherhood and his career, ditching an Obama movie gig to perform at Coachella, and much more.

Nicki Minaj Throws Shade At People Who Post Private DMs Or Text Messages

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Nicki Minaj has reassumed her role as one of hip-hop’s most talked-about artists after she made her return to the music world with the re-release of her 2009 mixtape, Beam Me Up Scotty. The project, which also featured three new songs including “Seeing Green” with Lil Wayne and Drake, would go on to debut at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 which made it the highest-charting re-released mixtape by a rapper and the highest-debuting female rap mixtape in history. It isn’t only new music that has kept Minaj in headlines recently, she’s also been a bit more active on social media, which has resulted in her sometimes sharing a piece of her mind with fans.

The rapper threw some shade at those who post private conversations, writing, “Y’all don’t feel corny when you post a private dm or text someone sent you?” For what it’s worth, Minaj definitely has a point. Sharing these back-and-forth messages that were intended to be kept behind closed doors violates that sense of privacy and confidentiality that existed when the conversation occurred. This is of course with the understanding that nothing offensive or obscene was shared during the exchange.

This isn’t the first it of shade Minaj has thrown, though. Recently, while celebrating the success of Beam Me Up Scotty, she took a shot at those who use TikTok challenges, merch bundles, and similar tricks to boost their sales.

“Beam Me Up Scotty no singles ‘Seeing Green’ is over 5 mins with no hook,” she wrote on Instagram. “No videos (which is always the biggest push for females, myself included). No RADIO, very little play listing due to a surprise release (artists get over 100 playlists for big launches). No TikTok challenges (which has become EXTREMELY helpful to all artists) love the app, btw. No merch to tie into sales AND NO PRE-EXISTING singles out to ADD to my FIRST WEEK SALES.”

The Game Must Pay $478K To Australian Promoters Over Axed Tour: Report

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A legal rift between Australian promoters and The Game has finally concluded. Back in 2017, The Game was all set to tour throughout Australia thanks to the Tour Squad promoters. The rapper was slated for a seven-date experience that traveled through areas like Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney, but behind the scenes, it’s reported that The Game and his team were at odds with Tour Squad. It ultimately fell through, but Tour Squad took Game to court and scored a legal victory.

According to the Daily Mail, The Game began adding on all sorts of expenses and even increased his performance fee, but a judge reportedly ordered the California rapper to pay up.

The Game, Australia, Lawsuit
Alberto E. Rodriguez / Staff / Getty Images

It’s reported that in addition to his $32,100 performance fee, Game wanted Tour Squad to handle financial responsibility for a tour documentary to the tune of $3 million. He also reportedly told promoters that they needed to cover all expenses for his entourage of 15 people while also upping his fee from $32,100 to $51,340.

A judge found Game in breach of his contract with Tour Squad and he’s been ordered to pay them $478,119 in damages, not including the interest of $78,508. This isn’t the only time The Game has had a hiccup pertaining to traveling in Australia; in 2016 he canceled a portion of his tour after he was denied entry due to his visa.

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