State Champ Radio Author: djfrosty
Page: 476
As Northern Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap face controversy for their overt support of Palestine, so too has Irish post-punk group The Murder Capital, who have seen two German shows cancelled due to their display of the Palestinian flag onstage.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
The group were scheduled to perform at Berlin venue Gretchen on Saturday (May 10), though the event was reportedly cancelled after discussions with the band about their habit of flying the Palestinian flag onstage during their live performances.
In response to the cancellation, The Murder Capital offered a spoken statement from outside the venue while holding the Palestinian flag. “We pulled into Berlin this morning. We had no idea that we weren’t allowed to fly this flag here today,” they explained.
Trending on Billboard
“We discussed it for an hour at length, what we should do. We came to the decision that we were not going to take the flag off the stage,” they continued. “That was a decision pretty easily made, but we discussed possible outcomes; ‘What if they decide to cancel the show?’”
According to the band, after deciding to go ahead with displaying the flag onstage, they were told they could not do so, nor could they replace the flag with a banner that read “Free Palestine.”
“It’s not just about national flags. It’s about political statements,” they continued. “And to us this isn’t just a political statement, it’s a humanitarian statement. We’ve been saying that in interviews for the whole time that we’ve been speaking about it as people. It’s not all about politics, it’s about people who are dying and being slaughtered every day, and that’s happening right now.
“So, for us as a band, Who’s had this flag on their stage for countless shows now. It would be the wrong thing for us to do to take it off the stage just so that the venue is kept happy. We don’t agree with that. We don’t agree. We spoke earlier today about this, about how we wish live music and art and theater could be free of political discussion and things like that, but as the world as it is, unfortunately it just cannot be.
“That’s the way it is, so we’ll be back to you as soon as we can,” they concluded. “We appreciate all your support deeply. But most importantly, free Palestine.”
Germany upholds strict laws in regard to antisemitism, with The Hollywood Reporter having noted that last year’s edition of the Berlin Film Festival urged attendees to wear clothes or symbols showing solidarity with Palestine, but urged caution in regard to the usage of certain language for fear that it may fall into the category of language considered prohibited hate speech.
In response to the cancellation of their show, The Murder Capital instead performed an acoustic set outside of Berlin venue Obentrautstraße 19.
The band had intended to again fly the Palestinian flag at their subsequent show in Cologne on Sunday (May 11), though they later confirmed the gig at Gebäude 9 was similarly cancelled, with an acoustic performance at Rheinpark taking place instead.
“We arrived into Cologne this morning hoping that what happened in Berlin yesterday would be an isolated incident, but tonight’s venue Gebäude 9 has also told us that we cannot have the Palestinian flag on our stage,” the band explained in a video shared to social media.
“The Palestinian flag itself needs to be on our stage and needs to be as visible everywhere in the world as possible,” they added. “These people are being eradicated, being starved, being bombed, and these war crimes and this genocide is being committed by the Israeli state and funded and supported by governments around the world.
“Us having a flag on our stage at a rock show is not a political statement. It is a human reaction to a horrific and unimaginable situation. But this is not history, it is happening right now today.”
The Murder Capital’s cancelled German performances aren’t an isolated incident. In April, fresh from the controversy surrounding the pro-Palestine and anti-Israel sentiments projected during their Coachella set, Kneecap were removed from the lineup of the Hurricane and Southside festivals in June, with their headline dates in Berlin, Cologne and Hamburg for September soon being axed as well.
Usher‘s mid-concert antics narrowly avoided a health concern while in London, with the singer attempting to feed cherries to an audience member with an allergy to the fruit. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Fans of Usher and his live shows have undoubtedly found themselves more than […]
Fans are being given the chance to buy up the contents of ‘Steve Albini’s Closet’ as part of a newly-launched series of weekly sales.
Albini – the prolific musician and recording engineer – passed away unexpectedly in May 2024, leaving behind a lifetime of items collected in the course of his various interests. Now, fans of the influential figure are able to rehome his treasured items into their own respective collections.
The opportunity takes place as part of Steve Albini’s Closet, a newly-launched website which describes itself as an “entity created to distribute the treasures amassed by the late polymath.”
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“Steve pursued many fields of interest, and most of them are represented somewhere in his collections,” the website’s description adds.
Trending on Billboard
Administered by former Forced Exposure editor Byron Coley, each item comes accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Coley himself, who notes that new items will be uploaded to the site each Friday, with proceeds going to benefit Albini’s estate.
The collection includes books, cassettes, singles, CDs, and LPs formerly owned by Albini, alongside zines, shirts, posters and flyers, original art, and both “enthusiasms” and “mysterious bargains.”
“Every Friday, expect 100-200 more, a steady stream of the unusual, the rare, the weird and the overlooked,” Coley notes. “Somewhere in the stacks, about 4,000 pieces wait their turn, plus a corner for the smaller curiosities.
“No grand plan apart from the slow unveiling of oddities and treasures, week after week, for the next year,” he adds. “Keep your eyes peeled.”
Albini died of a heart attack at the age of 61 on May 7, 2024. He left behind a legacy of lacerating noise punk as the leader of his bands Shellac, Rapeman and Big Black, as well as a long list of credits engineering (he preferred that title rather than “producer”) such landmark albums as PJ Harvey’s Rid of Me, Nirvana’s In Utero, the Pixies’ Surfer Rosa, as well as thousands of others.
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Source: Anna Moneymaker / Getty / Donald Trump
Look up, and you will see the corruption in the air in the form of a $400 million luxury jumbo jet occupied by the orange menace, Donald Trump.
CNN reports that the Trump administration will accept a luxury jet from the Qatari royal family that will be retrofitted to be used as Air Force One during Felon 47’s disastrous second term.
ABC News first reported the gift, which came on the heels of Trump’s first big foreign trip, which included a stop in Doha, Qatar.
How is this possible? According to the news website, the administration, best known for its grifting, will get some help from the Qatari Ministry of Defense because it will be gifted to the Pentagon.
Per CNN:
Given the massive value of a Boeing 747-8, the move is unprecedented and raises substantial ethical and legal questions. A Qatari official said the plane is technically being gifted from the Qatari Ministry of Defense to the Pentagon, describing it more as a government-to-government transaction instead of a personal one. The Defense Department will then retrofit the plane for the president’s use with security features and modifications.
Oh, and get this: The plane will be “donated” to Trump’s presidential library so he can continue to use it after he leaves office—that’s if he leaves, we should say.
A law enforcement source close to the matter told CNN that the Secret Service is viewing the plane’s gifting as a “security nightmare.”
“The (US Air Force) would have to tear it apart looking for surveillance equipment and inspect the integrity of the plane,” the source told CNN.
Trump also has the right people in certain positions who will not blink an eye at the gift and will help ensure it goes through without issues.
Per ABC News:
Sources told ABC News that Attorney General Pam Bondi and Trump’s top White House lawyer David Warrington concluded it would be “legally permissible” for the donation of the aircraft to be conditioned on transferring its ownership to Trump’s presidential library before the end of his term, according to sources familiar with their determination.
The sources said Bondi provided a legal memorandum addressed to the White House counsel’s office last week after Warrington asked her for advice on the legality of the Pentagon accepting such a donation.
Bondi’s legal analysis also says it does not run afoul of the Constitution’s prohibition on foreign gifts because the plane is not being given to an individual, but rather to the United States Air Force and, eventually, to the presidential library foundation, the sources said.
Democrats & One of Trump’s Biggest Fans Slam The $400 Million Gift
As expected, Democrats and ethics experts are sounding the alarm at the apparent violation of the emoluments clause.
“Nothing says ‘America First’ like Air Force One, brought to you by Qatar,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. “It’s not just bribery, it’s premium foreign influence with extra legroom.”
Kathleen Clark, a government ethics expert at Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, pointed out the obvious, saying the Trump administration is “structuring a transaction to try to avoid the obvious application of the law,” because Congress did not consent to the gift because it’s a clear violation of the clause.
“It is ridiculous. It’s a gift to Trump. The federal government is a pass-through,” said Clark.
Even some of Trump’s biggest fans like Laura Loomer are not feeling the their orange lord and savior taking a gift from the Qatari royal family.
Welp.
You can see more reactions to the $400 million gift in the gallery below.
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Source: @LGP_Qua / @LGP_Qua
According to multiple sources, Philly rapper LGP Qua has allegedly passed away at just 25 years old, and the news has come as a huge shock to the city.
As of now, his passing has not been officially confirmed, and the cause of death is unknown. Fans and the community are heartbroken, especially because Qua was known for spreading positivity and speaking out against violence. Meek Mill took to Instagram to send his condolences, “Killing ambitious young bulls like this on Mother’s Day is a Philly type of thing smfh..”
Qua, whose real name is Qidere Johnson, grew up in North Philly. He got serious about music after spending a short time in jail back in 2016.
That experience changed him, and he decided to use his voice to inspire others. He started gaining attention in 2017 when one of his powerful freestyles during Meek Mill’s incarceration went viral. It even caught the attention of big names like Jay-Z and Nas. LGP Qua was known for real, heartfelt tracks like “Stay Woke,” “Reaper,” and “Hungry Before the Bite.” He also worked with Will.i.am on “INSOMNIAC (woke)” and teamed up with Foot Locker on a positive campaign.
His upcoming mixtape Voice of the Youth, Vol. I had fans excited to hear more from him.
Outside of music, Qua always gave back. He often visited his old school to talk to kids about staying on the right path. Whether the news of his passing is true or not, it’s clear he made a big impact in Philly and beyond. He stood for change, and his message touched a lot of lives.
More news to come as the story develops.
Sleep Token‘s new album Even in Arcadia tops this week’s new music poll. Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (May 9) on Billboard, choosing the cryptic English group’s latest LP — their first with major label RCA Records — as their favorite new music release of the past week. In a week brimming with fresh […]
It’s a historic week for Latin music on the all-genre Billboard 200 albums chart. For the first time in the chart’s 69-year history, Spanish-language albums are Nos. 1 and 2 at the same time.
Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos returns to the top, jumping 7-1 on the May 17-dated chart after its vinyl release, while Fuerza Regida achieves its highest-charting album ever, as the band’s new 111XPANTIA debuts at No. 2.
Fuerza Regida also lays claim to the highest-charting Spanish-language album by a duo or group, or a regional Mexican music album, ever.
Debí Tirar Más Fotos adds a fourth total week atop the list, as it previously spent three weeks at No. 1, consecutively, on the Jan. 25-Feb. 8-dated charts.
The Billboard 200 began publishing on a regular weekly basis in March 1956.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new May 17, 2025-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on May 13. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
In the tracking week ending May 8, Debí Tirar Más Fotos earned 84,500 equivalent album units in the United States — with album sales comprising 48,000 (essentially all vinyl purhases), according to Luminate. As for 111XPANTIA, it earned 76,000 units — and of that, 39,000 were album sales.
Let’s take a look at some of the major milestones achieved this week by the teaming of Bad Bunny and Fuerza Regida in the top two slots of the Billboard 200.
Biggest Sales Week for a Latin Music Album in Nearly Six Years:
Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos returns to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, jumping 7-1 on the May 17-dated chart, following the set’s release on vinyl. It’s the fourth total week atop the list for the Spanish-language project, which spent three consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Jan. 25-Feb. 8-dated charts. In the tracking week ending May 8, Debí Tirar Más Fotos earned 84,500 equivalent album units (up 123%) in the United States, with more than half of the sum driven by vinyl purchases, according to Luminate.
It’s a historic week for Latin music, as Fuerza Regida — Billboard’s year-end top duo/group in both 2024 and 2023 — achieves its first top 10-charting set on the Billboard 200 with the band’s 111XPANTIA bowing at No. 2. In turn, for the first time in the 69-year history of the all-genre chart, Spanish-language albums are Nos. 1 and 2 at the same time. Further, 111XPANTIA marks the highest-charting Spanish-language album by a duo or group, and the highest-charting regional Mexican music album.
Trending on Billboard
Plus, rapper Key Glock notches his fourth top 10-charting effort on the Billboard 200 as Glockaveli premieres at No. 8.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new May 17, 2025-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on May 13. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
Of Debí Tirar Más Fotos’ 84,500 equivalent album units earned in the week ending May 8, album sales — essentially all vinyl — comprise a little over 48,000 (up 15,099%, it reenters Top Album Sales for its first week at No. 1), SEA units comprise just over 36,000 (down 3%, equaling 50.27 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs; it falls 5-6 on Top Streaming Albums) and TEA units comprise under 500 units (down 8%).
The album’s 48,000 sold marks the largest single-week sales for a Latin music album in nearly six years, since Santana’s Africa Speaks sold 57,000 copies in its first week (June 22, 2019-dated chart), driven by sales generated from a concert ticket/album sale redemption offer for the act’s then-upcoming tour. Such offers are no longer chart-eligible.
Debí Tirar Más Fotos surges back to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 after its vinyl shipments to customers impacted the tracking week — to the tune of nearly 48,000 copies. That’s the largest sales week for a Latin album on vinyl in the modern era (since Luminate began tracking sales in 1991). It surpasses the previous record, held by the opening week of Kali Uchis’ Orquídeas (20,000 sold across seven variants; on the Jan. 27, 2024-dated chart).
Debí Tirar Más Fotos’ lone vinyl edition — on blue-colored double-vinyl in a gatefold package — was sold exclusively via Bad Bunny’s official webstore for $29.98. It went up for pre-order in early February and was then (per the store) “estimated to ship on/around the end of April 2025.” The vinyl is currently sold out on the artist’s webstore, and it has not been announced if the vinyl will be restocked, or sold through any other seller. (The blue-colored vinyl is the only physical format on which the set has been released. It has yet to be issued on CD or any other physical format, and has only been available to purchase as a download.)
Since Debí Tirar Más Fotos debuted on the Jan. 18-dated Billboard 200 (at No. 2), it has yet to leave the top 10 after 18 weeks, with its chart fortunes largely fueled by continued strong streaming of its songs.
At No. 2 on the Billboard 200, Fuerza Regida debuts with its highest-charting album ever, and first top 10, as 111XPANTIA arrives with 76,000 equivalent album units earned — the band’s best week ever by units.
The set also becomes the highest-charting Spanish-language album by a duo or group (surpassing the No. 4 peak of Maná’s Amar Es Combatir in 2006), and for a regional Mexican music album (higher than the No. 3 peak of Peso Pluma’s Génesis in 2023).
111XPANTIA also earns the largest week, by units, for any Spanish-language album by a duo or group, and by a regional Mexican album, since the chart began ranking by units in December 2014. The previous high, in that span of time, for a Spanish language album by a duo or group was Santana’s Africa Speaks (57,000 in its opening week, in 2019), while the previous high for a regional Mexican title was Génesis (73,000 in its debut frame in 2023).
Of the 76,000 units earned by 111XPANTIA in its opening week, album sales comprise 39,000 (the band’s best sales week ever, and the biggest sales week for a regional Mexican album in the modern era; it debuts at No. 2 on Top Album Sales), SEA units comprise 37,000 (equaling 50.44 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs; it debuts at No. 5 on Top Streaming Albums) and TEA units comprise a negligible sum.
With 39,000 copies sold, 111XPANTIA surpasses the previous largest sales week for a regional Mexican title, when Selena’s Amor Prohibido sold 36,000 copies on the chart dated May 6, 1995, in the wake of her death in March of that year.
111XPANTIA was released on May 2 as a 12-song standard album, widely available as a digital download for purchase and via streaming services. On May 5, a deluxe edition of the set, with three bonus tracks, was issued via download services and streamers. The band’s official webstore carried the only physical format editions of the album: the 12-song version on four color vinyl variants, a standard CD, a signed CD (by the group’s lead singer, Jesús Ortíz Paz) and four deluxe boxed sets (two containing a branded T-shirt and a signed CD, two with a branded hat and a signed CD).
The new album was preceded by its hit single “Por Esos Ojos,” which reached No. 5 on Hot Latin Songs (March 1 chart), No. 3 on Hot Regional Mexican Songs (May 10), No. 5 on Latin Streaming Songs (March 1) and No. 79 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 songs chart (March 15).
111XPANTIA is the sixth charting effort on the Billboard 200 for Fuerza Regida, and the third to reach the top 40 (after PERO NO TE ENAMORES, No. 25 in 2024; and Pa las Baby’s y Belikeada, No. 14 in 2023). The group’s success has also extended to the Hot 100, where the act charted 13 song entries before the new album dropped.
Prior to the new album’s release, the group also logged eight top 10s (with one No. 1) on the Top Latin Albums chart, and 10 top 10s (with five No. 1s) on the Regional Mexican Albums chart.
Fuerza Regida’s success on the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 over the past few years has been so significant that the act finished 2024 as the top duo/group artist of the year — among all genres — for the second year in a row. In 2023, the act made history when it became the year’s top duo/group — the first time an act that primarily records in Spanish had ever achieved the feat.
(Latin and regional Mexican albums are defined as those that are eligible for, or have charted on, Billboard’s Top Latin Albums and Top Regional Mexican Albums charts, respectively.)
Nos. 2-7 on the latest Billboard 200 are all former chart-toppers. SZA’s SOS slips 2-3 (52,000 equivalent album units, though up 1%), Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time is steady at No. 4 (46,000; down less than 1%), Kendrick Lamar’s GNX dips 3-5 (45,000; down 7%), Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet falls 5-6 (41,000; down 6%) and PARTYNEXTDOOR and Drake’s $ome $exy $ongs 4 U descends 6-7 (40,000; down 7%).
Key Glock lands his fourth top 10-charting effort on the Billboard 200 at Glockaveli debuts at No. 8 with 34,000 equivalent album units earned. Of that sum, SEA units comprise 28,000 (equaling 37.28 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs; it debuts at No. 12 on Top Streaming Albums), album sales comprise 6,000 (it enters at No. 9 on Top Album Sales) and TEA units comprise a negligible sum.
Glockaveli was released on May 2 as a standard 18-song album, widely available as a digital download to purchase and via streaming services. The standard set was also available on CD (both signed and unsigned), vinyl (standard, color vinyl and signed color vinyl) and a deluxe boxed set containing a branded T-shirt and a CD. A deluxe edition of the album, with three bonus tracks, dropped mid-week — first via the artist’s webstore on May 4, and then wide the following day to general download services and streamers.
Rounding out the top 10 of the latest Billboard 200 are Morgan Wallen’s former leader Dangerous: The Double Album (rising 10-9 with 33,500 equivalent album units; up 1%) and Shaboozey’s Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going (falling 8-10 with 32,000; down 8%).
Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.
John Legend is opening up the “descent” of his former friend Ye.
In a new interview with The Times, published on Saturday (May 10), the 46-year-old R&B singer expressed shock over the dramatic changes in Ye (formerly Kanye West) after their close personal and professional bond in the early 2000s.
“Back then Kanye was very passionate, very gifted, and he had big dreams not only for himself but also for all the people around him,” Legend said, reflecting on how West helped launch his career after collaborating on the rapper’s 2004 album, The College Dropout. “He had so much optimism, so much creativity. It does feel sad, sometimes shocking, to see where he is now.”
The EGOT winner signed with West’s G.O.O.D. Music after releasing a pair of self-produced albums early in his career. The two artists collaborated on numerous projects over the years, but their friendship began to fray after West, 47, voiced support for Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Their relationship ultimately ended in the aftermath of West’s unsuccessful 2020 presidential bid.
Trending on Billboard
“I didn’t see a hint of what we’re seeing now, his obsessions with antisemitism, anti-blackness, and it is sad to see his devolution,” Legend told The Times.
Ye has faced backlash in recent months for his hate-filled, antisemitic rants on social media. The rapper has also expressed support for Diddy, who is currently on trial for sex trafficking charges.
Legend admits he’s not qualified to “psychoanalyze” West, but offers a guess as to why the embattled rapper has changed so much in recent years.
“After his mother passed in 2007 there was definitely a difference,” the singer said. “His descent started then and seems to have accelerated recently.”
West’s mother, Donda, died of a heart attack at age 58 in 2007 following complications from multiple cosmetic procedures. After her death, the rapper released two albums bearing her name: Donda (2021), which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and Donda 2 (2022), which was initially available exclusively on the Stem Player before being released on streaming services in late April.
Elsewhere in The Times interview, Legend reflected on West’s undeniable impact in launching his career.
“Kanye blew up after producing Jay-Z’s album The Blueprint in 2001,” he said. “Then he experienced a buzz as a solo artist and the whole time I was traveling with him, doing shows with him, getting exposure not only as his singer and keyboard player but also as an artist myself. I had been turned down by labels everywhere. Then The College Dropout sold 400,000 copies in its first week, everyone wanted to know what was happening in our camp.”
The singer added, “All those people who turned me down suddenly decided that my music sounded a lot better than it did the first time round.”
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Lex Records / Lex Records
Hip-Hop music has embraced and occasionally criticized artists who chase the familiar, as nostalgia is seen as a schtick among some purists. Fly Anakin gently leans into this concept on his latest album, (The) Forever Dream, with the Richmond, Va. native harkening back to the days before Hip-Hop notoriety and the joy of spotanenity.
Executive produced by rapper and producer Quelle Chris, an innovative artist in his own right, the Detroit mainstay’s inventive bent is felt throughout (The) Forever Dream. As the concept of the album seemingly unfolds, Fly Anakin’s usual sharp rapping ability doesn’t have that same whipcrack intensity as heard on his earlier releases on his own or alongside his Mutant Academy collective.
With this album, there’s fluidity in Anakin’s flow that he’s always possessed, but much slinkier as production from Shungu, Quelle Chris collaborator Chris Keys, The Alchemist, and Quelle himself all open varying runways for the artist born Frank Walton.
The widest of those runways is the spirit of the impromptu studio session, and that tone is set early with album opener “Good Clothes” featuring Demae. Anakin’s double-time flow pairs perfectly with Chris Keys’ dreamy backdrop, and as the track builds, so does Anakin’s comfort in the moment. As a warmup, Anakin allows himself a moment of braggadocio but never overdoes it.
Hopping ahead to “My N*gga,” Shungu’s hulking production allows Richmond’s $ilkMoney, and Anakin’s Mutant Academy colleague Big Kahuna OG to set the stage for a strong closing verse for Anakin. Quelle provides the bouncy hook for an early highlight. In the background of the track, you hear laughter, adding to the mystique of the album, and the conditions that inspired its direction.
Micall Parknsun provides the track for “Lil One,” one of (The) Forever Dream’s more inward-looking songs, and Quelle joins in on the mesmerizing hook and outro. August Fanon, a producer with several placements in the sprawling independent Hip-Hop scene, delivers the somber and soulful “Check On Me,” featuring a memorable verse from Philadelphia’s lojii.
The fun starts picking up on “NOTTOOSHABBY” with verses from Quelle Chris, $ilkMoney, and Richmond legend, Nickelus F. The beat from Child Actor sounds like something Quelle would produce himself, hence why he sounds so at home on the track. Anakin and Nickelus both take off on the track as well, even with Anakin missing a lyrical cue, but telling the engineer to keep the session going.
This is what makes (The) Forever Dream the most inviting of Anakin’s releases. There is a vision of relaxation, hazy clouds of good greenery, maybe some libations, and a bunch of friends, new and old, attempting to capture those sparkling moments on wax. Yes, this all existed before, but it is greatly expanded here.
“Lord Forgives, I Hold Grudges,” takes its title from a line from Anakin’s verse and just when it appears he’s going to let us in more into who he is, the lyrics trail off into sincere but largely general sh*t talk. This isn’t a critique, but it’s something that he routinely does across the album. Quelle’s Crown Nation partner, Denmark Vesey, who produced the track, delivers an amazing performance, and Anakin’s FlySiifu collaborator Pink Siifu lends his consistent free jazz-styled lyricism.
All through the album are moments of pure, unbridled joy. This shows up on songs like the summery “The Times” with a beat from frequent Homeboy Sandman collaborator Mono En Stereo, and “Corner Pocket” with The Alchemist on the production and a scene-stealing verse from bbymutha. Quelle’s hook is also another winner.
(The) Forever Dream isn’t a gigantic departure from Frank, Anakin’s 2022 studio album debut. However, it stands apart due to the freedom of taking chances outside the typical lanes Anakin is known for. As a complete listen, the album easily showcases Fly Anakin’s formidable ability, but highlights that he can veer off the typical paths and achieve his dreams in the process.
Check out the album below. Find the album at your preferred DSPs here.
—
Photo:
