New Hip Hop News

TM88 is making moves. The acclaimed producer recently made waves when he shared a tantalizing hint about J. Cole’s The Fall Off, a claim that had many speculating about his involvement in the anticipated project. And while he has since been relatively quiet insofar as the teasers go, TM88 recently took to Twitter to share an update on what he’s been working on this week.

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As it happens, his schedule found him taking a pair of trips to Pluto, planning sessions with both the grown and baby versions of the once-planet. In other words, back-to-back studio sessions with Future and Lil Uzi Vert, both of whom recently collaborated on the low-stakes project Pluto X Baby Pluto. “Started the week working w/ Pluto , Ending it w/ Baby Pluto,” confirms TM, insinuating that his sessions with Lil Uzi Vert are about to kick off.

It should be noted that TM88 played a pivotal role in shaping two of their most acclaimed tunes, in “Codeine Crazy” and “XO Tour Lif3.” Coincidentally, or perhaps not, both are notably melancholic in nature. One has to wonder if TM88 will be reverting to that clearly successful formula on whatever he’s got cooking up right now, presumably for Future’s Monster 2 and Uzi’s untitled Eternal Atake follow-up. Check out TM88’s message below, and sound off if you’re excited to see what he’s got cooking up with Plutoes big and small. 

Though live concerts have become a temporary thing of the past for many artists, NPR’s Tiny Desk Home series has been a solid way for rappers to hone their performative chops. Following concerts from 2 Chainz, Conway The Machine, Benny The Butcher, and more, Jack Harlow has officially come through to run a setlist of hits complete with a live band arrangement. 

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With a total runtime of eighteen minutes, Harlow works in a solid six-song setlist, boasting a slew of That’s What They All Say standouts in “Rendezvous,” “21C / Delta,” “Funny Seeing You Here,” “Same Guy,” “Creme/ONCE MAY COMES,” and of course, “What’s Poppin.” For the performance, Harlow is backed by a live band, complete with a three-deep choir of backup vocalists. It’s refreshing to see each song reimagined with an acoustic arrangement, as the intricacies of the production are given room to truly shine.

Nowhere is that more evident than on the live version of “What’s Poppin,” which kicks up the infectious piano and throws in a slick delayed guitar for added emphasis. There’s clear chemistry throughout the entire setlist, the refreshing sight of musicians in sync, fronted by Harlow at the top of his game. We can only hope that once he is able to engage on a full tour, he brings a live band of this nature along for the ride. 

Check out the NPR Tiny Desk At Home concert, as well as the roster of people bringing it to life, below. 

MUSICIANS

Jack Harlow: vocals
O’Neil “Doctor O” Palmer: keys
Rico Nichols: drums
Joe Cleveland – bass
Rob Gueringer: guitar
Erik B: vocals
Chimera Patrice: vocals
Porcha Clay: vocals

Months after the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, authorities are reportedly concerned that another attack may be heading to Capitol Hill.  After receiving “concerning intelligence” related to a viral far-right conspiracy theory, Capitol police are boosting security at the Capitol in anticipation of any potential attacks on the building.

According to Complex, the conspiracy theory in question states that March 4—a date which held inaugurations for many years prior to the 1937 ratification of the Twentieth Amendment—is the “true Inauguration Day,” when Donald Trump will apparently regain his position in the oval office. In a security bulletin sent to CBS News, House Sergeant at Arms Timothy Blodgett revealed that his team was working with Capitol police to keep an eye on possible demonstrations and other potential acts.

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Below is a quick collection of Twitter reactions to the March 4 conspiracy theory. Several people have expressed uneasiness leading up to March 4 while other Twitter users don’t even take any of it seriously.

With beefed-up Capitol security in place ahead of Thursday, all we can do is wait to see if the conspiracy theory is a legitimate coup or simply a rumor blown out of proportion.

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A Brooklyn woman, known publicly as Zendi, has made allegations against rapper Fivio Foreign, claiming that he sexually assaulted her at a party. She made the claims during a live-stream, saying that Fivio forced himself on her and stuck his finger inside of her without her consent.

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Instagram blog @gossipofthecity_ has shared videos of the woman recalling her alleged experience with Fivio, saying, “I’m in a room, he comes in the room, he locks the door. This sh*t is not funny. We’re laying down and he starts touching me. I’m like, ‘get off of me’. I’m screaming but the f*cking music is so loud, I was screaming my friend’s name, but the music was so loud nobody could hear me. He sticks his fingers up me, I’m like, ‘yo, this feels like rape’. He’s like, ‘b*tch I will rape you right now.'”

The woman says that after Fivio’s friend and her friend entered the room when the music was shut off, the rapper got off of her. 

Zendi’s friend reportedly also shared her side of the story, corroborating her claims in the post below.

People have been commenting on the allegations on social media, reacting to the claims made against Fivio. Thus far, the rapper has not issued any public statements on the allegations. We will keep you posted on any updates.