Hip-Hop
Jill Scott vs. Erykah Badu in ‘Verzuz’ Battle of Neo-Soul Titans: See Billboard’s Scorecard and Winner For the Showdown
At the end of nearly two months of battles between regional producers, legacy producers, legendary rap producers, R&B and pop producers and writers, the Verzuz series of Instagram live song battles still had a glaring omission from their line-up: women. Lack of women behind the boards in music creation and production is a long-time industry issue, but Verzuz creators and battle commissioners Swizz Beats and Timbaland told fans they were working on a way to bring women into the fold soon. Last night, it finally came to fruition. On Saturday, May 9th, in partnership with Live Nation’s Femme It Foward, the series finally showcased two women for a singers version: neo-soul sisters Erykah Badu and Jill Scott. Fans and spectators joining Jill Scott’s IG live shortly after 7:00 p.m. imm...
Ghetto Fabulous: Andre Harrell Created a Culture of Black Excellence
“My goal is to bring real black America — just as it is, not watered down — to people everywhere through music, through films, through everything we do.” This was the manifesto of 32 year-old, newly-minted entertainment mogul Andre O’Neal Harrell, in conversation with the L.A. Times in 1992 about his $50M multi-media deal with MCA Records. Harrell, who founded Uptown Records, died on Friday, May 8th of an apparent cardiac episode at the age of 59. As the music industry mourns this unexpected loss, a refrain keeps echoing through posts and tributes: Andre’s impact on music and culture was never properly celebrated. In conversations about culture shifters and modern music moguls, Andre Harrell is often relegated to a supporting character role in the Sean Combs story. He’s t...
6ix9ine Flashes ‘$1 Million’ Jewelry & Stacks of Cash from House Balcony: Watch
6ix9ine is living his best life after being granted an early release from prison. On the heels of dropping his new comeback single “Gooba” on Friday (May 8), the 24-year-old rainbow-haired rapper shared a video on Instagram of himself flashing stacks of cash and showing off his “$1 million” diamond encrusted shark pendant and watch. “Every rapper calling each other pushing there albums back,” 6ix9ine captioned the video, adding the cost of his jewelry. “1,500,00 WATCHES (and) 750,000 CHAIN.” In his video post, the rapper — who was granted an early prison release last month amid the coronavirus pandemic — is seen on the balcony of a discreet house wearing a baby blue hoodie and shorts while singing and dancing to a remix of Brytiag...
BROCKHAMPTON Share New Tracks “Things Can’t Stay the Same” and “N.S.T.”: Stream
Exuberant hip-hop group BROCKHAMPTON have shared two new songs, “Things Can’t Stay the Same” and “N.S.T.”. According to reports on Reddit, both tracks were initially premiered during a password-protected livestream late Friday night, and were later uploaded to the group’s YouTube channel. Both cuts are said to be unfinished and unmastered. While hearkening back to the SATURATION days of banger after banger, both “Things Can’t Stay the Same” and “N.S.T.” offer a little taste of the unusual. The former is built around a chipmunk soul sample of “Trouble Will Find Me” by Amnesty, while the latter features a rare, welcome verse from producer Jabari Manwa. But the tracks have at least one thing in common: a scene-stealing, face-melting performance by Matt Champion. Check out “Things Ca...
Andre Harrell, Founder of Uptown Records, Dies at 59
Andre Harrell, music mogul and founder of influential R&B and hip-hop label Uptown Records, has died. Details are if his death are not yet known, but Harrell’s passing was first announced by DJ D-Nice on his Instagram Live early Saturday morning (May 9), and sources have separately confirmed it to Billboard. He was 59. Raised in the Bronx, New York, Harrell started a career in music as half of the early-’80s hip-hop duo Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (with Alonzo Brown). The pair had a handful of minor hits on Billboard‘s Hot R&B Songs chart — the biggest being the No. 31-peaking, Tom Tom Club-sampling “Genius Rap” in 1982 — but Harrell soon found other career aspirations, particularly after meeting Def Jam records founder Russell Simmon...
He’s Back: 5 Best Moments From 6ix9ine’s Return to Instagram Live
He’s back! Nearly 18 months since his 2018 arrest, Tekashi 6ix9ine finally returned to the public eye on Friday (May 8) with a highly-anticipated Instagram Live session, which shattered the IG Live record by topping more than two-million viewers at its peak. The usually-rowdy Brooklyn native has been radio silent, laying low for the most part since his April 2 release from prison, which came four months prior to the original date he’d be set free. Tekashi’s legal team secured him the right to serve the rest of his sentence on house arrest since he suffers from asthma and the coronavirus outbreak continues to run rampant through the prison system. Tekashi is wasting no time in resuming his rap career, as he debuted his pugnacious “GOOBA” single on Friday (May 8...
New Music Friday: 7 Songs You Need to Hear
Each Friday, Consequence of Sound rounds up the most exciting new music to hit our inbox. Today, May 8th, brings fresh releases from Angela Muñoz, Reo Cragun, Nana Adjoa, BandoKay, Peter Bibby, Berwyn, and Ariel View. Take a listen below, and keep track of all our favorite New Sounds via our exclusive Spotify Playlist. Angela Muñoz -“So Young” [embedded content] 18-year-old Los Angeles singer Angela Muñoz got her start collaborating with Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad on their 2018 project The Midnight Hour. Now, she’s ready to step into the spotlight on her own with the upcoming release of Introspection, due out on June 26th through Linear Labs. The hypnotic “So Young” serves as the album’s latest single. Reo Cragun – “Cuss You Out” [embedded content] Following opening stints...
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...
Will.i.am Promises the New Black Eyed Peas Album is ‘On Some Next Level-ness’: Exclusive
The Black Eyed Peas took over Billboard‘s Instagram on Friday (May 8) to dish about life in quarantine and their long-awaited new album. “I’m really excited about this Black Eyed Peas album,” Will.i.am teases exclusively in Billboard‘s latest IGTV video. “RITMO’s a smash. ‘Mamacita’? Smash. Last time I was excited about a project like this was [2009’s] The E.N.D., when we did ‘Boom Boom Pow’ and ‘I Got a Feeling,’ ‘Meet Me Halfway,’ ‘Imma Be,’ ‘Rock That Body’ — I feel the same way. Lordy, lordy, lordy! It’s on some next level-ness.” Meanwhile, newest member J. Rey Soul, who’s replaced longtime member Fergie as the lone female singer of the gr...
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...
Kehlani’s Star-Studded New Album ‘It Was Good Until It Wasn’t’ Is Here: Stream It Now
Today is Kehlani Day. The two–time Grammy nominee returns with her sophomore album It Was Good Until It Wasn’t, featuring assists from Tory Lanez, Jhené Aiko, Masego, Lucky Daye and James Blake. Spanning 15 tracks, It Was Good Until It Wasn’t is the followup to 2017’s SweetSexySavage, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. The rising R&B artist went on to claim the “Rule Breaker” award at Billboard’s Women in Music 2017. She’s clearly been missed. Kehlani was the top trending topic on Twitter in the hours after the album dropped on digital music platforms. Stream the new album in full below.
Lil Durk Returns With ‘Just Cause Y’all Waited 2′ Mixtape: Stream It Now
Lil Durk just dropped a big release, Just Cause Y’all Waited 2. The Chicago-bred, Atlanta-based rapper’s new mixtape dropped at midnight and features assists from Georgia locals Gunna and Lil Baby. The 27-year-old hip-hop artist chatted with Forbes ahead of its release, and spoke of how the lockdown is the right time to release music. “My next project was going to be with Metro Boomin. We can’t really move forward because everybody’s in the house or social distancing,” he explained. “I’ve already got the music. The title is based off everybody waiting on Metro—Just Cause Y’all Waited 2. I think it’s just the best time, because people are all ears. You see people on the Gram, you see people on Tik Tok. It’s the best time for streaming at this ...
