Hip-Hop
July Album Anniversaries Every Music Fan Should Know About
As we enter July and leave the first half of 2020, we’re more than happy to look forward. Hopefully, that means returning to some level of normalcy (masks on, peeps), continuing to push for racial justice across society, and, of course, new music. As always, though, to know where we’re headed, we’re keeping one eye and both ears to our past. And there are plenty of groundbreaking records celebrating major anniversaries this month. Read on for a rundown of the albums we’ll be revisiting all month long and information on some of the pieces we’ll be featuring in correlation with these must-know anniversaries. Foo Fighters – Foo Fighters (1995) <img data-attachment-id="548547" data-permalink="https://consequenceofsound.net/2014/11/faces-dave-grohl/foo-fighters-foo-fighters-al...
Vanilla Ice to Play Fourth of July Concert, With 2,500-Person Audience, in Texas
Vanilla Ice’s upcoming concert could prove deadly, and it’s not because he’s playing a dope melody. The “Ice Ice Baby” rapper has announced a Fourth of July concert, with an audience, in the pandemic hotspot of Texas. With a spike in coronavirus cases, Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently ordered the closure of all bars and nightclubs. Restaurant are however allowed to stay open at a 50% capacity, and that’s the legal loophole that’ll allow Vanilla Ice’s concert to move forward as planned. The venue hosting the concert — Emerald Point Bar & Grill in Lake Travis — is considered a restaurant because at least 51% of its sales come from food. As a result, Emerald Point is able to welcome up to 2,500 patrons for its “Independence Day Throwback Beach Party”, which will be headlined by Mr...
DaBaby Is Performing at a 4th of July Concert for a Live Audience
Fresh off his moving performance at the BET Awards, DaBaby is ready to play to a live audience again. According to an Eventbrite listing, the North Carolina rapper is scheduled for a 4th of July concert in Decatur, Georgia that’s well aware of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The event, titled “4th of July Bash”, is hosted by J Hart Productions and is being marketed as part of a “weekend concert series” at Cosmopolitan, the newly renovated venue in Decatur. The event lists DaBaby as its featured performer on July 4th alongside MoneyBagg Yo and Blac Youngsta on July 5th. The “4th of July Bash” is proudly declaring itself “the only concert in the city.” Surprisingly, yes, organizers seem to be aware that COVID-19 has been skyrocketing recently — there’s been 43,644 new cases and 560 new dea...
Disclosure Enlist slowthai and Aminé for New Single “My High”: Stream
Disclosure continue to edge closer to the release of their first new album in five years, ENERGY. Following up on last month’s title track, the electronic duo is now sharing a second single called “My High”. For the Lawrence brothers, who are used to weaving together house-inflected club tracks, this latest offering incorporates a new fabric: hip-hop, courtesy of guest rappers slowthai and Aminé. Disclosure talked about the collaborative process in a statement: “We always wanted to work with rappers, we just didn’t know any and we had no means of contacting them… There aren’t a lot of rappers in Reigate. Writing ‘My High’ with Aminé was a lot a fun, he’s hilarious and may as well be a comedian. He writes so quickly and it’s amazing to watch. He brought so much energy to this already very e...
Here’s Where The Weeknd Is Donating $1 Million Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
The Weeknd’s altruism isn’t slowing down. On Monday (June 29), the XO commander donated a whopping total of $1 million with $500,000 going to MusiCares and the other half to front line hospital workers of the Scarborough Health Network. The Weeknd’s generous gesture is to help those affected by COVID-19. Along with his charitable donation, the After Hours singer brought back his XO face masks and matched every dollar to help raise the money. Earlier this month, The Weeknd shelled out $500,000 to nonprofit organizations committed to racial equality. Split between Black Lives Matter Global Network, Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp and National Bail Out, The Weeknd spoke on the importance of creating change for African ...
Fabolous vs. Jadakiss in ‘Verzuz’ Battle of New York Heavyweights: See Billboard’s Scorecard and Winner For the Showdown
It was Freddy versus Jason once again. Fabolous and Jadakiss served as the latest battle as part of Swizz Beatz and Timbaland‘s Verzuz series, as the New York veteran duo faced off for an Instagram live audience in the hundreds of thousands on Monday night (June 29). With more than four decades in music between the pair of rap titans, fans have had their calendars marked and Timberlands laced since the highly anticipated matchup was announced last week. There’s no bad blood here either, as the prolific MCs remain close friends and also released their underrated Friday on Elm Street joint album back in 2017. Instead of looking at it as more of a heavyweight bout, Fab and Jada see saw as a chance to showcase the depth of their decorated discographies, which range from underg...
Thom Yorke Reveals Second Sonos Radio Mix: Stream
In the past, Thom Yorke has provided the BBC with sleepy bedtime music, as well as more experimental playlists. Lately, the Radiohead frontman has been lending his curatorial skills to Sonos Radio, where he’s in charge of a 24-hour station called “In the Absence Thereof”. Last month, we got a taste of his first Sonos Radio mix, an expansive collection featuring everything from Iggy Pop and James Blake to Duke Ellington and Oneohtrix Point Never. A playlist for his second Sonos Radio mix has now arrived, and it promises a similar wide-ranging selection of material “that fascinates or moves” Yorke. Among the highlights on Yorke’s latest list of “influences and obsessions” are Sonic Youth rocker Kim Gordon, elusive R&B connoisseur Jai Paul, Maryland rappers JPEGMAFIA and Rico Nasty, and e...
Unlocking the Truth Break Up as Frontman Malxolm Brixkhouse Launches Solo Career
Unlocking the Truth, the young metal sensations who first created a buzz playing the streets of New York City, have broken up. In turn, frontman Malcolm Brickhouse has started a solo career as Malxolm Brixkhouse, and is supported by his bandmates one final time on his new single “Phantom”. The young band first made a name for itself when a video of one of its street performances went viral on YouTube. The trio, made up of young teenage and pre-teen musicians, went on to play Coachella and Warped Tour, and opened for such acts as Guns N’ Roses, Queens of the Stone Age, and more. In 2014, Unlocking the Truth inked a $1.8 million record contract with Sony, but negotiated their release from the contract a year later. They eventually released the album Chaos independently in 2016, but never qui...
Master P’s ‘No Limit Chronicles’ Docuseries Coming to BET: Exclusive
Part one is set to premiere on July 29 at 9 pm ET on BET. The story of No Limit Records is coming to BET. Billboard confirmed on Monday (June 29) that the five-part No Limit Chronicles docuseries will detail how Master P‘s record label went from the humble beginnings in the trunk of the rapper/impresario’s car to one of the most lucrative dynasties in hip-hop history. “BET is the perfect outlet for the NL Chronicles. I want to continue to inspire and educate my fans and introduce my journey to a new generation,” Master P explains in an exclusive statement to Billboard. “Many will relate to my humble beginnings and realize there are No Limits to what you can accomplish with hard work and determination.” Part one of the docuseries is set to premiere on...
John Legend, Black Eyed Peas & More Set for ‘Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular’
John Legend, The Black Eyed Peas, Lady A and many more are set to take the stage during NBC’s upcoming 44th annual Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular. Hosted by Jane Lynch and Today anchor Craig Melvin, the annual Independence Day event will be broadcast live from New York City. Additional performers confirmed for the telecast ahead of the yearly fireworks display include The Killers, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley and national youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman. Due to concerns over social distancing amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, this year’s Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular will look a bit different than it has in years past. This year, the event is being “reimagined as a series of neighborhood shows” through the city’s five boroug...
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo Announces MTV VMAs Date & Location
It’s happening! The MTV Video Music Awards are a go. Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York made the announcement during his Monday (June 29) press briefing, telling viewers that the annual ceremony would be held in Brooklyn. As the governor announced that New York City would be entering Phase III of reopening on July 6, he shared the unexpected news. “The Video Music Awards are going to be held Sunday, August 30, at Barclays Center,” he said. The slide displayed at the time also noted that “the event will follow all safety guidance, including limited or no audience.” Billboard has reached out to MTV for comment. In May, MTV told Billboard in a statement that they were looking into the possibility of safely holding the event live. “We’re exploring with gove...
Public Enemy Perform “Fight the Power” with Nas, The Roots, and More: Watch
Public Enemy joined forces with Nas, The Roots’ Questlove and Black Thought, YG, and Rapsody for a special performance of “Fight the Power” to kick off the 2020 BET Awards on Sunday night. The all-star collaboration, which was filmed remotely, was interspersed with protest footage and other powerful imagery to go along with updated lyrics referencing George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Rayshard Brook. Elsewhere during the BET Awards, Lil Wayne revisited his 2009 track “Kobe Bryant” in tribute to the late NBA legend; Megan The Stallion delivered a post apocalyptical performance of her new single “Girls in the Hood” and her remix of “Savage”; and DaBaby referenced George Floyd’s murder in a powerful visual for his performance of “Rockstar”. You can replay all of these performances below. ...
