It has been some time since we’ve heard brand new solo material from A$AP Rocky aside from non-album loosies–since 2018 to be exact. Since the release of his third studio album Testing, the Harlem style King with other endeavors, particularly his fashion collaborations and modeling. He’s been spending some time relaxing with his new beau Rihanna as well, packing on the PDA in paparazzi shots of the two. The “Sundress” artist revealed to fans on Twitter that despite the long wait, he’s currently working on his upcoming fourth LP.
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While interacting with fans on Twitter, the self-proclaimed “Pretty Mother F*cker” (yes–he seriously told Swedish police that was his nickname), let fans know that LP4 was en route. After a fellow verified account asked the rapper, “when you dropping a album Bruv ??,” Rocky responded with a simple “WORKING ON IT RN.”
At the time, not much is known about the forthcoming project nor the estimated time it is slated to be released. Back in 2019, Juicy J suggested that Rocky had already begun working on his upcoming album All Smiles. Since then, no further developments about the album have been made, but it has been suggested the 2018 single “Sundress” was meant to kick off the roll out of the project.
The upcoming album will serve as his first release since his unjust detainment in a Swedish prison after he was arrested for assault. The outpouring of support from the hiph-hop community and Donald Trump alike helped contributed to his eventual release.
Though Offset initially made a name for himself as a lover of opulence, a hedonistic lifestyle, and the occasional bout of Draco-induced violence, the Migos lyricist has since attempted to position himself as an inspirational role model. As such, his first and only album — 2019’s Father Of 4 — found him exploring a more introspective side, one that understood the value of growth and self-analysis. Now, with Migos set to return with Culture 3 in the near future, Offset took a moment to reflect on his current goal.
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Standing beneath a mural of two iconic figures — Nipsey Hussle and Kobe Bryant, who both passed away in 2019 and 2020 respectively — Offset shared a few words of encouragement. “Motivate the youth in a positive way!!!” he captions, suggesting his own intention to step up as an influential figure for his young fans, though it’s unclear as to whether or not that will have an impact on his lyricism as a whole. Not that it should, as the ability to differentiate between music and real life is a skill that many young people should actively hone.
At this point, it goes without saying that Kobe Bryant and Nipsey Hussle will be immortalized as icons, and one has to wonder if Offset holds the same ambition. Perhaps we’ll see further insight into his mentality when Culture 3 drops, or if he does indeed follow-up Father Of 4 with another solo album.
After his release was widely reported across most major hip-hop news outlets, social media was quick to react to the 26-year-old man’s newfound freedom, celebrating with congratulatory messages and statements. Of course, the memes are also quickly circulating as people theorize that Bobby’s cap from the “Hot N***a” video is preparing itself to land back on the rapper’s head after he threw it seven years ago.
A few weeks ago, Bobby’s partner Rowdy Rebel was also released from prison, being welcomed back with open arms from the rap community. Now that they’re both free men, many are expecting them to link up in the studio for a “First Day Out” record. Hopefully, that arrives soon because, when it does, it will be sure to generate a ton of attention.
Welcome home, Bobby. Let us know how you feel about his release from prison in the comments section.
Twitter has proven time and time again to be the best platform for real-time reactions to the hottest topics in pop culture. In case you’ve missed it, Meek Mill has once against become the subject of intense scrutiny on the platform for a poorly executed lyric about Kobe Bryant in a leaked snippet of a collaboration with Lil Baby. “And if I ever lack I’m going out with my choppa it be another Kobe / Sh*t I can tell they ain’t never know me,” rapped Meek on the track, which earned him major backlash for its insensitivity.
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The backlash heightened when Kobe’s widow Vanessa Bryant checked the Philadelphia rapper yesterday (February 22) in an Instagram story post where she referred to the lyric as “disrespectful.” Social media users chimed in once again, with many pointing out that he may have gone too far this time.
One user penned, “Vanessa Bryant told Meek “I’m not familiar with any of your music” This a terrible two weeks for Meek.” Earlier in the month, Meek Mill and 6ix9ine almost got into a scuffle outside of a club that both parties recorded. Another user joked, “Ion think Meek will ever recover from that Kobe reference lmao he was already on thin ice from the fries on his lap in a pool.”
Some expressed disbelief that Vanessa added she didn’t know a single song by Meek in her call-out post. In response to this, one user noted that, “Girl they’re insane and especially given her age. Meek don’t music for her. Sh*t that n*gga don’t make music for my damn self.”
As many Twitter users pointed out, Meek is going to have to do some major damage control if he hopes to ever fully recover from this controversy. Check out some more reactions to Vanessa’s call-out post below.
Drakeo The Ruler is, in the eyes of many, befitting of The People’s Champ title. Having been falsely accused of a crime he did not commit, unjustly incarcerated, and targeted by a vengeful district attorney, The Ruler has since bounced back from his prison stint and continues to keep the momentum rolling. Following the news that he had connected with Drake for a collaboration, the song has officially arrived in full glory today, as Drakeo took to Zane Lowe’s Beats 1 radio to premiere “Talk To Me.”
As he explains to the host, the song came to be after he hit Drake up on Instagram only to find that the 6ix God was already working on a possible collaboration. “I hit him up, I’m like, “Let’s do something.” And then he’s like, “What’s your number? I got this song I did for you,'” explains Drakeo. “I’m like, “Dang.” At first, I was like, “That’s kind of different, but I’m like, nah. This Drake. I’m finna do whatever.” But at first, I’m like I don’t usually really do something like that. But then when I got on it, I’m like, “Oh yeah, this hard.” I’m just like “Drake bro!'”
Though some have probably already heard “Talk To Me” in full, those eager to hear what a Drakeo and Drake duet sounds like can check it out right here. The track is set to appear on The Ruler’s upcoming album Truth Hurts, which also includes his new single “Long Live The Greatest,” a tribute to the late Ketchy The Great.
QUOTABLE LYRICS
We just cool bro, you gettin’ too excited? Ain’t seen your face when I was up on that indictment Ain’t get a letter, I was strugglin’ and fightin’ With these peoples, they was demons Tried to put me in a cage, was sayin’ “free me”
Maybach Music Group’s Meek Mill is trying to make things right. The hip-hop veteran has come forward to address late NBA icon Kobe Bryant‘s wife Vanessa calling him out for a disrespectful leaked lyric referencing her husband’s death. Meek Mill Apologized To Kobe’s Wife MM went to his Twitter page to acknowledge the aftermath of […]
Today, 2 Chainz doubled down on his appreciation for the rap legend through a congratulatory Instagram post, praising Jay’s business acumen following a new partnership with Moët Hennessy. “See people don’t hold their nuts on HOV because they expect him to win,” begins Toni, addressing the myriad fans who view Jay to be the GOAT. “because he is older or maybe because he been setting the pace for so long he is such a beacon of light and change for so many like myself who graduated from the streets. He did the nba , nfl , shoes ,apparel, alcohol , tech , cannabis, real estate , reform etc ….you gone either hate or be inspired!”
“You know what side im on,” he continues, taking a moment to flex the scope of his own empire. “Entrepreneur , restaurants ,real estate , Gleague team, beverages, nail spa ,dispensaries etc ..Toni been a student of the game!!! Congrats Hov!” While it’s unclear as to whether or not this will revitalize his now-inactive quest for a Jay-Z feature, it’s always welcome to catch a glimpse into the mind of an entrepreneurial emcee, especially one of 2 Chainz’ caliber. Check out his message below.
Last year, Chiiild, the moniker for Montreal-based singer Yonatan Ayal, arrived with his debut project, Synthetic Soul. The seven-track effort was led by the success of “Count Me Out” and “Pirouette,” tracks that helped bring plenty of attention to him. He was eventually named one of the most promising Canadian acts and this year, Chiiild will look to fulfill that with his upcoming debut album, Hope For Sale.
While we’ve yet to receive music or a release for the project, Chiiild’s Yonatan spoke to us about the direction fans can expect him to go in on Hope For Sale. “The intention I think was — to break it down — lyrically, to be more conversational, to reflect the times [more],” he said. “A lot of the artists that I love and I grew up on are just like mirrors of society… it’s beautiful because you see what’s happening, what’s trending in life, not so much just music, and you’re like, ‘Hey this is what I need to reflect, this is my reaction to that trend.’”
Coming off a year like 2020 that was as hectic and overwhelming as any set of 12 months could be, Chiiild insists that as an artist, it’s important for him to reflect the times for listeners of today and tomorrow. “I’m here to translate what has happened in the streets and try to immortalize it on record and say, “Hey you know what? Tomorrow’s going to be better,’” he said.
As he continues to prepare new music for a release at some point this year, we sat down with Chiiild’s Yonatan and asked him for some of the Black artists that influenced him and his sound as he grew up and found his voice, and he gave us these thoughts on the five (but really six) Black artists that inspire his work.
Gigi
She’s an Ethiopian singer. She put out this self-titled album when I was a kid, or at some point a long time ago. It was just played on rides from Montreal to Toronto every few months when I went to visit family. It was so peaceful, so moody, [and] it still had so much of our culture in it. As an artist, you’re a sponge so it just seeped into me early. I would say she’s definitely my first inspiration. If you listen to the record, she has this version of her album, it’s called “The Illuminated Audio Version,” and it is so meditative, so peaceful, it just transports you to another place. When you think about the music that we’re making, that’s a big part. There is a sense of escapism, I do want you to put your headphones on, or turn it up real loud, and just get lost in it, build a ritual around the record and I feel like that’s what that album taught me to do. The best way for me to describe it, I’m not sure what it’s called by word, but it’s that moment where something that’s not sad makes you wanna cry. That’s the feeling where you’re on the brink [of tears] and you’re like I don’t know why I just feel this way and it’s overwhelming. That’s the goal, that’s the destination [with escapism]. I know it sounds dramatic, but I’m pretty dramatic.
Massive Attack
[They’re] kind of a Black and a White artist in one. To be fair, I don’t really see color in the same way partially because of that same experience we talked about earlier. I would say that music is probably the closest attempt at blending R&B, punk, reggae, dub, [and] industrial. It’s what they created as a world their own… I feel like the attempt is to create a world of our own as well, I want to be best in class, in my space with my tribe and my people, and build that one-on-one relationship. When I listen to Massive Attack, I’m just like, this is something that doesn’t get classified as Black music, but is Black music to me. That’s something that I love. Other things in life made me tap into who I am instead of trying to fit, being an Ethiopian Canadian, it’s like how much representation do we have in the world or in media until The Weeknd, that’s like yesterday. It’s not that long ago, I would say I was encouraged to just be myself because that’s the only way that I was able to radiate the way I’m supposed to. There’s a quote that I’m going to misquote that I heard that I think kind of sums it up the best: “Great strength is shown in restraint.” Being able to restrain from doing all those things and just focusing on my values and what I want to put in the world is my greatest strength and where I find my strength. It took a really long time to get to a place where I’m just like, “This is me, this is who I am, whatever take it or leave it.’ It takes everyone a lifetime to really get fully acclimated with themselves. At the same time, that’s what this is about, that’s really why I’m doing this. I’m doing it to represent myself and people like me and people will find it.
Sam Cooke
Because of how “Count Me Out” was conceived. “Count Me Out” really came from me watching an episode of Being Mary Jane and Sam Cooke’s “(Somebody) Ease My Troublin’ Mind” was playing. I was just immediately taken back by it, went and bought every CD I could find, or vinyl, but I essentially collected them all within that year and studied it, studied it, studied it and I was like, “I want this.” I want to do something like this that feels like this but that is a reflection of all my inspirations. When you think of “Count Me Out” and how starts in that string intro and how it’s in 6/8 and just the way it’s composed. You can tell that as an artist you’re a sponge, I’ve been listening to Sam Cooke for the whole year, “Count Me Out” happens, it’s just the natural process. I’m not sure anything that I’m doing other than trying to be my own being is on purpose. I think as artists we recognize things that are beautiful, interesting forms and that stuff happens in your everyday life. You go out the house and you see a strange car and you’re like, “Oh, this is really interesting, there’s something really attractive about it.” With music, you go into the studio and press a bunch of buttons and do all kinds of things and when something really special happens, as a great artist you recognize it, that’s all you’re doing. Like yeah, you did press the buttons, and yeah, you make it sound, but the point is you recognized it, that’s the difference.
Bob Marley
I’m kind of going back in time, so it’s like that’s also part of my DNA growing up. If you’re in an Ethiopian household, you understand the impact of Bob Marley but what’s impressive and with Bob Marley is his ability to represent everybody. Every shade of Black was represented with Bob Marley and that’s one man, it’s unbelievable. He did his thing and I really truly respect that and aspire to radiate one-fifth of his energy. I think some things are popular because they’re popular and some things are popular because they’re good and I think Exodus is popular because it’s both good and popular. It’s just incredible, that’s probably the album I listen to the most. I love “Buffalo Soldier,” I love the storytelling element, “No Woman No Cry” [as well]. It’s a journey, you turn on that album and from top to bottom it just feels incredibly homogenous. He’s telling his story, but at no point do you feel attacked or threatened by what he’s saying, and I think that’s a big superpower of him and his collaborators. He can be revolutionary without making you defensive. That’s magic, I don’t know how you do that. You just sing along to it whether you’re the perpetrator or the victim. You’re just like, “I’m with you.” That needs to be studied if it hasn’t already been studied it’s just the way that his messaging is just second to none.
Jimi Hendrix/The Weeknd
I would say Jimi Hendrix for his incredible gift, his talent, and ability to just communicate through his instrument, that’s something that we all as musicians want to be able to do. The other one would be The Weeknd more recently. Representation alone, the fact that he just keeps pushing the bar for artists like us, like I said, growing up there was no one that looked like me on TV and for him to go and continue to push the bar it’s incredibly inspiring and challenging at the same time. I’m in constant awe. That’s kind of the bar that keeps moving, if that makes sense. I’m grateful that we have somebody like that.
Idris Elba is best known for his acting work, but he’s also well-established in the music world. He performed at Coachella in 2019, he co-starred in a Stormzy video later that year, and also in 2019, he dropped a mixtape. In recent times, he’s been working on music and it looks like he has a Megan Thee Stallion collaboration on the way.
In an interview with CapitalFM’s The All-New Capital Weekender (as Billboard notes), Elba revealed he has a track with Meg and Davido on the way: “I’m putting out quite a bit of music, man. I’ve been really focused in coming out of last year into this year, trying to put more music out, so expect more. I’ve got a tune with Frankie Wah coming, I think it’s gonna be good. […] I got a sneaky tune with Meg Thee Stallion and Davido, shout out to the fanatics.”
He also added that he hopes to get on a track with his Cats co-star Taylor Swift, saying, “I’ve known Taylor a few years. People see the album sales, the awards. What they don’t see is the hard work. She is an incredibly hard-working person, she isn’t resting on her achievements. To perform live with her would be fun and hopefully we can make that happen.”
Watch Elba talk about his upcoming projects below.
New York rapper Bobby Shmurda is big free. The hip-hop veteran has finally tasted freedom after spending over six years behind bars on a federal gun conviction. Bobby Shmurda Officially Free According to reports, Shmurda has officially put his prison days behind him. Footage has started to circulate online showing him talking to his mom […]
