Hip-Hop Music News
Public Enemy Return to Def Jam for New Album
Public Enemy are returning to Def Jam Records for the release of a new studio album. Entitled What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down and due out on the September 25th, the forthcoming album will mark Public Enemy’s first release with Def Jam in over two decades. Def Jam released Public Enemy’s first five studio albums, including 1988’s It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back and 1990’s Fear of a Black Planet, two of the most consequential records in the history of hip-hop. “For true fans of hip-hop all over the world, this is a historic moment,” said Def Jam GM & EVP Rich Isaacson in a statement. “Bringing Public Enemy home to Def Jam – in a time when their message is more necessary than ever – is a profound statement and a much-needed reunion. We are beyond excited to on...
AG Club Tap A$AP Ferg and NLE Choppa for “Memphis (Pt. 2)”: Stream
Ever since Baby Boy, Loui, Mick Antony, and Jody Fontaine formed AG Club and released their debut album Halfway Off the Porch earlier this year, the alternative hip-hop group has been quietly drumming up some underground buzz. Now, they’re gearing up for a proper breakthrough with “Memphis (Pt. 2)”, their new song featuring NLE Choppa and A$AP Ferg. “Memphis (Pt. 2)” is from AG Club’s forthcoming sophomore album, FYE, which is due out later this year. Apparently the group decided to reach out to a few of their favorite rappers to see if they were interested in collaborating on new music, but weren’t totally sure if anyone would be down. Needless to say, the group was over the moon when they found out both NLE Choppa and A$AP Ferb were game to jump on this single. “We had to get Choppa on t...
Bizzy Banks Is Stylish and “Extra Sturdy” on New Single: Stream
Bizzy Banks is the latest up-and-comer in Brooklyn’s drill scene, and it’s hard to argue that he doesn’t deserve the praise he’s been getting. Just in case there was any doubt, though, Banks has dropped a brand new single called “Extra Sturdy” where he proves his weight in words and flair. This is the latest track Banks has shared from his upcoming mixtape, G.M.T.O. (Get Money Take Over) Vol. 1, which comes out on September 4th via Atlantic. The 21-year-old rapper previously dropped the single “Movies” earlier this summer as well as the song “Don’t Start Pt. 2”. Editors’ Picks In the music video for “Extra Sturdy”, Banks can be seen rapping along to the track in a series of different locations. There’s a lot of great shots, but arguably the best ones feature Banks in a slew of stando...
Rick Astley Turns Post Malone’s “Better Now” into an Acoustic Banger: Watch
Rick Astley has gone from RickRolling to rollin’ with his brothers like it’s Jonas. The 54-year-old British musician has shared a cover of Post Malone’s “Better Now”, and dare we say it might be better now. “There are a lot of words in this song. It’s not my song, I don’t really know it properly,” Astley says in the YouTube video capturing the performance. “But I love it, so I’m gonna give it ago. Here we go, let’s see what happens.” What happens is perhaps a more impactful version of the Beerbongs & Bentleys hit. By turning the track into an acoustic banger instead of the trap-y pop of the original, Astley highlights the blues nature in the lyrics. He gives the words a bit of a country twang and growls out the chorus, really bringing the song’s melancholy to the forefront. Honest...
Ty Dolla $ign and Nicki Minaj Flaunt Their “Expensive” Taste on New Single: Stream
Nicki Minaj may be expecting, but the mother-to-be still appreciates a luxurious item or two or three. That’s why the rapper fits right in with Ty Dolla $ign on his latest single “Expensive”. “Gotta swipe the Amex if he go on a date/ If we go on a date, he gotta blow on my cake,” Minaj details her high standards. “These studs for my ears, these scarves for my hairs/ Latest bags from Chanel and I ain’t trying to wait.” As for Ty, the rapper knows the quickest way to his partner’s heart. “Beemers or Benzes, okay/ Diamond tennis necklace, okay,” he lists out. “Lambo or the double R truck.” Check out the video for “Expensive” below, which is not surprisingly filled with the mansions, cars, and pools of the rich and famous. Editors’ Picks Minaj and Ty previously worked together on “Swalla...
Black Thought, Pusha T, Killer Mike Wish You a “Good Morning” on New Song: Stream
Black Thought (photo by Philip Cosores); Killer Mike and Pusha T (photos by Ben Kaye) The Roots rapper Black Thought was supposed to drop latest project his Streams of Thought Vol 3: Cain & Abel last month, but he postponed its release in the wake of Malik B’s passing. While a new due date hasn’t been announced yet, Black Thought is building the hype again with “Good Morning”, a collaboration with Pusha T, Killer Mike, and Swizz Beatz. “Good Morning” features a bright, snare-driven beat provided by producer Sean C. Speaking of the song to Variety, Black Thought said it “speaks to an awakening.” He continued, “It’s a stellar lineup of features on one record – the level of dimension and different energy you get in one densely packed moment is unprecedented for the Roots and Bla...
Nasty C Unleashes New Album Zulu Man with Some Power: Stream
South African rapper Nasty C has unleashed his new album Zulu Man with Some Power. Stream it below with Apple Music and Spotify. A former rap prodigy, the man born Nsikayesizwe David Junior Ngcobo is now a 23-year-old hip-hop vet. Zulu Man with Some Power is his third LP, as well as his Def Jam debut, made possible by the success of 2018’s Strings and Bling. Nasty C produced almost all of his songs, and he demonstrated an effortless ability to slip into the pocket of the beat. He would have fit right in on American radio, which is a mixed compliment — after all, why did a (then) 19-year-old from South Africa sound like he’d grown up in Atlanta or Los Angeles? Some music execs tried to meddle, telling him to “sound more African.” This didn’t sit well with Nasty C. “I want the...
ASAP Ferg and Lil Wayne Join Forces on New Single “No Ceilings”: Stream
ASAP Ferg scored a summer hit with last month’s “Move Ya Hips” featuring Nicki Minaj, which has over 31 million streams worldwide. The Harlem native is looking to find similar success with his new single, the Lil Wayne-assisted “No Ceilings”. This fresh release serves as the first collaboration between the two MCs. Its title is a nod to Lil Wayne and his own 2009 mixtape of the same name. On the track, ASAP Ferg further honors Tunechi and his status as an ambitious hip-hop role model, rapping, “Like Wayne, I got no ceilings/ Where is the ceilings?/ I see no ceilings.” During his turn at the mic, Lil Wayne reaffirms his legendary reign: “I got no ceilings, I never had ‘em, n*gga/ Pop me a handle bar, then I handle business.” Editors’ Picks AXL produced the new single and Brooklyn’s ow...
Tekashi 6ix9ine Announces New Album Tattle Tales
Tekashi 6ix9ine has announced his first new album after his unexpectedly quick release from prison. Tattle Tales will take the stand starting September 4th. Way back in what feels like another lifetime — February of 2019, to be exact — 6ix9ine pled guilty to racketeering, firearm possession, and drug trafficking charges. Those are heavy counts, but he was sentenced to a mere 24 months in prison because of his cooperative attitude, which some have characterized as snitching. An MC from an earlier generation may have feared retribution, but 6ix9ine rejected witness protection and allegedly signed a $10 million record deal from prison. 6ix9ine announced the new album in an Instagram post shortly after landing in Chicago. In the video, the New York rapper is seen walking down the street with a...
Clipping. Announce Visions of Bodies Being Burned, Share “Say the Name”: Stream
Clipping. have announced a new a new album called Visions of Bodies Being Burned, which doubles as the second installment in their horrorcore series. To herald the October 23rd release date, the experimental rap group has unveiled the new song “Say the Name”. It’s Clipping.’s fifth album overall, and the follow-up to 2019’s apocalyptic statement There Existed an Addiction to Blood. Now, rapper Daveed Diggs and producers Jonathan Snipes and William Hutson have followed in the grand horror tradition and indulged in a sequel. Vision of Bodies Being Burned was produced by Clipping., mixed by Steve Kaplan, and features guest appearances by the LA twins Cam & China, experimental pioneers Ho99o9, Sickness, and Michael Esposito, as well as Jeff Parker, Tedd Byrne...
Martin Shkreli’s Purchase of Wu-Tang Clan’s Once Upon a Time in Shaolin to Become Netflix Film
The relatively short history of Wu-Tang Clan’s seventh studio album, 2015’s one-of-a-kind Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, is already something of a legend. It’s a weird, wild tale involving pharmadouche Martin Shkreli, $2 million auctions, diss tracks, and federal forfeitures. Now, the whole sordid story will be told in a new Netflix film. The announcement of the project was tucked into a press release about screenwriter Ian Edelman’s new movie, American Sole (starring Pete Davidson and O’Shea Jackson Jr.). As Collider reports, Brittany Runs a Marathon director Paul Downs Colaizzo will helm the project, with Wu-Tang’s own RZA producing alongside Brad Pitt’s Plan B. Edelman will be working off Colaizzo’s original draft of the script. For those who don’t know, the Wu-Tang Clan only produced one...
Kid Cudi Gets Tattoo of Kurt Cobain Wearing Daniel Johnston Shirt
Longtime Nirvana fan Kid Cudi has gotten a tattoo of Kurt Cobain wearing a Daniel Johnston shirt. Cudi shared the photorealistic ink in social media posts over the weekend. The tattoo appears to be on the outside of his left forearm, and was performed by Doctor Woo, he of the rumored two-year waitlist. As Uproxx points out, Cobain is depicted just as he was during the 1992 VMAs, complete with a shirt honoring Johnston’s 1983 album Hi, How Are You. As Woo said in his own statement, “Kurt in Daniel on Cudi…legends all the way round.” Cudi’s never been shy about his feelings for Cobain, and has tweeted about the grunge icon numerous times, including, “Never not thinkin’ about Kurt Cobain,” “Im obsessed with Kurt Cobain. I wish he was still here, so he could teach me guitar tricks,” ...
