Hip-Hop Music News
Tekashi 6ix9ine Releases First New Single Since Prison “GOOBA”: Stream
Tekashi 6ix9ine has returned with his first new single since his release from prison. Check out “GOOBA” via its colorful, NSFW video below. According to TMZ, the video was filmed in the rapper’s backyard, as he is currently under house arrest. It’s been over a year since the troubled rapper pled guilty to racketeering, firearm possession, and drug trafficking charges. He also admitted to being involved in an attempted hit on a rival gang member, as well as the shooting of Chief Keef. But after cooperating with prosecutors — some have called it snitching — the artist born Daniel Hernandez rejected witness protection and then behaved like such a model prisoner that his release date was moved up. He subsequently got out of prison even earlier than expected, when the coronavirus cri...
The Streets Demands to Know “Where the F*ck Did April Go” on New Single: Stream
The winter holidays tend to whiz by like a blur, and yet Januarys always seem to last forever. Because of this pandemic, the concept of time is again eluding those of us in lockdown, including The Streets mastermind Mike Skinner. Today, he voices his quarantine frustrations on the aptly titled “Where the F*ck Did April Go”. Skinner here takes a more ambient approach to his catharsis, his reflections quietly unfurled over cool and soft keyboard chords. In addition to tensions with a loved one, he laments the ruining of summer and how his “10,000 steps” have to all be done inside his flat. “I wrote this last week. It’s a weird time isn’t it,” The Streets rapper remarked in a statement. We were looking forward to the Summer just like everyone else, festivals and gigs all there, new music, new...
Ka Releases New Album Descendants of Cain: Stream
Brownsville, New York rapper Ka has released a new album called Descendants of Cain. It was initially only available for digital purchase via his website, but has now been released on digital streaming services. Listen below. Descendants of Cain follows his 2018 record Orpheus vs. The Sirens and it’s his seventh studio album overall. Technically, though, this is the rapper’s first full-length under the name Ka since he released Honor Killed the Samurai in 2016, notes Pitchfork. It will likely take multiple spins to catch on to everything Ka references on Descendants of Cain — an intentional move on his end. “Since I don’t depend on my music to eat, it’s given me the freedom to have fun and not expect anything from it,” he explains on his website. “I’m always surprised when p...
Lil Tjay Drops New Mixtape State of Emergency: Stream
Lil Tjay has returned with a new mixtape called State of Emergency. Stream it in full below via Apple Music or Spotify. Spanning seven tracks, the collection follows up on Lil Tjay’s impressive 2019 full-length debut, True 2 Myself. Here, the young Bronx native is joined by a handful of fellow rising New York hip-hop talents, including the late Pop Smoke, Jay Critch, Fivio Foreign, Sheff G, Sleepy Hallow, Jay Gwuapo, and J.I. The Prince of New York. According to a statement, Lil Tjay’s Pop Smoke collaboration, “Zoo York”, was one of the last tracks the fallen rapper recorded before his sudden passing in February. In an Instagram post promoting State of Emergency, Lil Tjay crowned himself the “King of New York” (while also taking a swipe at Tekashi 6ix9ine), “F*CK ALL THAT OTHER S...
Kehlani Stunts On New Album It Was Good Until It Wasn’t: Stream
Quarantine is about to get a lot more soulful thanks to Kehlani, whose new album It Was Good Until It Wasn’t is out today on Atlantic Records. Listen in below via Apple Music or Spotify. The follow-up to 2017’s SweetSexySavage features prominent collaborations with James Blake, Jhené Aiko, and Tory Lanez. Early on, Kehlani teased the sophomore record with singles “Toxic”, “F&MU”, and “Everybody Business”; all three came with music videos that were filmed while on lockdown. In a press release, the Oakland native described It Was Good Until It Wasn’t as a “tale of perspective.” To illustrate her point, she pointed to the album’s cover artwork, which depicts the artist curiously peering over a cinderblock wall in her yard. Editors’ Picks “The sun is shining, the sky is blue, bu...
Lil Durk Reveals New Album Just Cause Y’all Waited 2: Stream
Lil Durk has dropped his new album, Just Cause Y’all Waited 2. The collection is streaming down below via Apple Music and Spotify. This new effort boasts a big-name collaboration with Lil Baby and Polo G (“3 Headed Goat”). G Herbo also appears on a single called “Chiraq Demons”, while Gunna drops in on “Gucci Gucci”. The 15-track LP serves as the sequel to Lil Durk’s 2018 mixtape Just Cause Y’all Waited. It also comes less than a year after his Love Songs 4 the Streets 2 full-length, which featured 21 Savage, Nicki Minaj, and Meek Mill. Editors’ Picks According to a recent interview with Forbes, the new album’s title is also a reference to a forthcoming release from Lil Durk. “My next project was going to be with Metro Boomin,” the Chicago-bred rapper explained. “We can’t r...
UK Rapper Ty Dies At Age of 47 from COVID-19
Nigerian-British rapper Ty has died at the age of 47 due to complications from COVID-19. According to The Guardian, Ty (born Ben Chijioke) was hospitalized in early April. He was subsequently put in a medically induced coma, and though he initially showed signs of improvement, his condition ultimately deteriorated. He passed away Thursday, May 7th. Ty’s 2003 sophomore album, Upwards, was nominated for the Mercury Prize, the annual award given to the UK’s best record. Other nominees that year included Amy Winehouse’s Frank, Belle & Sebastian’s Dear Catastrophe Waitress, Basement Jaxx’s Kish Kash, and Franz Ferdiand’s self-titled debut, which ultimately claimed the prize. Ty’s follow-up album, 2006’s Closer, featured collaborations with De La Soul, Zion I, and Speech of Arrested Dev...
Lil Durk, Lil Baby, and Polo G Link Up on “3 Headed Goat”: Stream
Friday brings the release of Lil Durk’s latest album, Just Cause Y’all Waited 2, but he couldn’t wait to unveil one of the tracklist’s biggest collaborations. On the aptly titled “3 Headed Goat”, Durk links up with two of hip-hop’s most exciting names: Lil Baby and Polo G. Take a listen below. Spanning 15 tracks in all, Just Cause Y’all Waited 2 also boasts appearances from Gunna and G Herbo. He previously previewed the album with the lead single, “Viral Moment”. Lil Durk mostly recently popped up on G Herbo’s “Chiraq Demons”. Earlier this month, Lil Baby released a deluxe edition of his smash album, My Turn, and Polo G just dropped “DND” from his own upcoming album due out later this month. [embedded content]
DJ Jazzy Jeff to Host Fresh Prince Virtual Block Party
Summer, summer, summertime is just around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than with a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air block party? In honor of the timeless TV show’s 30th anniversary, DJ Jazzy Jeff is hosting “Break the Monotony”, an all-day, star-studded virtual concert event via Instagram Live. Named after lyrics from Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff’s “Summertime” smash, the virtual block party will honor “the music, style, and community of The Fresh Prince,” per a statement. The tunes will be provided by a long list of special DJs, including DJ Jazzy Jeff himself and the King of Instagram Live parties, DJ D-Nice. Also slated to spin one-hour sets are Just Blaze, DJ Clark Kent, Bryan-Michael Cox, Neil Armstrong, Crespo, Dede Lovelace, and Four Color Zack, among others. The “Break ...
Watsky Attempting to Break World Record with 33-Hour Freestyle: Watch
Bay Area rapper Watsky was looking forward to touring behind his latest album, Placement — that was, until the coronavirus derailed his plans. Now with nothing but time on his hands, the notable Def Poetry Jam alum has decided to spend his quarantine setting a world record for the longest freestyle. The MC born George Watsky is specifically aiming to rhyme for a mind-boggling 33 hours and 33 minutes straight. If he’s successful, he will break the Guinness World Record for the Longest Continuous Rap Performance, which is currently held by Pablo Alvarez’s nearly 26-hour triumph set in 2016. The 33-year-old Watsky kicked off his mission Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. PT and is hoping to make it to the finish line that’s set for Thursday, May 7th, 7:30 p.m. In true quarantine fashion, Watsk...
Little Simz Releases New EP Drop 6: Stream
Little Simz has released the new EP called Drop 6. Stream it below via Apple Music or Spotify. Drop 6 is her first solo release since last year’s excellent LP GREY Area, one of our favorite albums of 2019. The rising UK artist — whom Kenrdrick Lamar once said “might be the illest doing it right now” — recorded the new EP during one month of quarantine. Little Simz produced the tracks herself, with additional production from Kal Banx, BLK VYNL, St Francis Hotel, and OTG. While she started the EP at the beginning of April and finished it by the end, the interim was filled self-doubt and depression. In a statement, she wrote about getting in her own head, thinking, “‘This isn’t good enough, people won’t like this, it’s shit, the mix is trash,’ everything negative under the...
Things Get Hairy on JPEGMAFIA’s “BALD! REMIX” Featuring Denzel Curry: Stream
In February, JPEGMAFIA released a new jam for everyone with a “fucked up hairline,” “BALD!”. While Denzel Curry has a full head of hair, he also takes great pleasure in rapping about anything at all, and the two off-kilter MCs have unleashed a “BALD! REMIX” that takes on the haters and promises there’ll be hell toupee. After Peggy’s initial exuberant verse, the remix shaves down the beat to bare percussion. Curry starts off with a relentless, driving flow, before switching it up to a jazzier delivery. The accompanying music video was filmed on a cellphone outside of a convenience store, as the two artists take turns filming each other. It’s a delightfully lo-fi experience, as simple and full of joy as a couple of kids rapping on the corner. Check out “BALD! REMIX” below. In addition to “BA...
