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Weeks after rumors spread that Californian experimental hip-hop trio Death Grips had split, the band have now taken to social media to deny these claims.
Reports of the band’s initial breakup surfaced in early February, when a supposedly leaked message from producer Andy Morin appeared online, with the musician confirming, “yeah it’s over,” before placing the blame on vocalist MC Ride (whose real name is Stefan Burnett).
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“Stefan doesn’t want to do any more,” the message read. “But truthfully none of us can ever predict what will happen with the group.” At the time, no public statement from the notoriously media-shy band was issued.
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However, on Tuesday (April 8), the group took to their semi-active Instagram account to share their first post since October 2023, confirming that Death Grips is still very much a going concern.
“Despite rumour and hearsay, we remain active as Death Grips,” a message signed by Burnett and drummer Zach Hill read in the post, with the text itself written in marker atop a framed artwork. Notably, the statement lacked Morin’s signature, potentially suggesting that the group will continue as a duo in the future.
Death Grips first formed in Sacramento, CA in 2010, with Burnett, Hill, and Morin sharing their debut EP Exmilitary in April 2011. The group found wider fame thanks to the release of debut album The Money Store the following year, with positive reviews accompanying its appearance in the top 20 of the Heatseeker Albums and Rap Albums charts, and a placing of No. 130 on the Billboard 200.
Following a handful of other releases, Death Grips announced their initial split in July 2014, claiming “We are now at our best and so Death Grips is over,” and withdrawing from a planned tour supporting Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden.
Despite this apparent breakup, the planned second half of their The Powers That B album followed in 2015, with the group returning to the live stage soon after. Further albums and EPs have since followed, though Death Grips have not performed live since an appearance at 2023’s Austin City Limits festival, and have announced no further live shows.
Cardi B is sending her love to the Dominican Republic after the tragic collapse of the Jet Set nightclub roof in Santo Domingo left at least 66 people dead and more than 160 injured, at the time of publication. The rapper, whose father is Dominican, wrote a message of mourning to her BG Secret Society […]
Ye recently joined DJ Akademiks for an interview, where his controversial outfit sparked an online debate. Billboard staffers dive into his outfit choice, his commentary on Kim Kardashian, Kendrick Lamar, and Drake, as well as his recent split from Bianca Censori. Keep watching to learn more about the discussion.
What do you think of Ye’s interview with DJ Akademiks? Let us know in the comments below.
Stefanie Tanaka:
He just wants attention. I mean, he’s been kind of saying ridiculous sh*t, like, for like, over 10 years now.
Tetris Kelly:
We’re talking all things Ye, from his new breakup to his controversial wardrobe and his feelings on the Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef.
Jerah Milligan:
Y’all Kanye got on the KKK outfit.
Tetris Kelly:
Dude and of course, he’s doing it talking to Akademiks, of all people.
Jerah Milligan:
This is my thing. It’s like, I like Kanye. His music is great.
Tetris Kelly:
Was.
Stefanie Tanaka:
Let’s say was.
Jerah Milligan:
He’s a legend. Some of his music I still love, but this KKK, first off where do you get this? Like what do you-
Stefanie Tanaka:
You don’t think he just made that? Like it’s a sheet.
Tetris Kelly:
You could Google black KKK.
Stefanie Tanaka:
No, you don’t just think he put a black sheet over his head and cut like two eye sockets out of it.
Jerah Milligan:
It’s pointed.It’s like he put a cone on top of his head.
Judy Sanchez:
This is Kanye being Kanye. He’s completely on brand.
Stefanie Tanaka:
He’s a fashion designer, right?
Judy Sanchez:
Exactly.
Stefanie Tanaka:
He has Yeezy, he could have made it.
Jerah Milligan:
If I ever went to someone’s house and they were at a sewing machine just making a KKK costume, an exclusive all black one-
Stefanie Tanaka:
You think Kanye West was sitting at a sewing machine making this?
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Playboi Carti’s Music album has been a staple on the charts since its arrival in March, and King Vamp returned Tuesday (April 8) to release a visualizer for “Fine Shit.” Set in Miami, Carti comes alive in the 305’s nighttime and throws a turned-up yacht party off the 305 coast with plenty of homies and […]
Little Brother have announced that they’ll be hitting the road one last time starting this spring. On Monday, the North Carolina duo comprised of Phonte and Big Pooh announced they’d be hanging up their mics for good, but not without seeing their fans one last time. The pair will embark on a 12-date “Curtain Call” […]
Kai Cenat takes pride in giving back to the community, and one recent clip found him covering the cost of a pizza order for two young fans and their father after the children recognized him. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The heartwarming gesture went viral on […]
Travis Scott’s first major break in music came thanks to Ye (formerly Kanye West). Thirteen years after appearing on Cruel Summer‘s “Sin City” and working on Yeezus, Scott still has an appreciation for West giving him a chance.
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La Flame’s Complex cover story, which was published on Tuesday (April 8), sees him tackle quite a few topics, including his stance when it comes to his relationship with Ye.
“S–t, man. That’s my kid’s uncle,” he said in the interview, which appears to have taken place in February. “That guy took me in when I was young, when I was like 19. He taught me a lot about music. And not even just ‘taught’ me, but he allowed me to experience the creation of music.”
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Scott continued to reflect. “To create music with him, it’s what helped me grow, making a lot of beats,” he shared. “Whether it’s writing and collabing on music and film or clothes or whatever the f–k it is, just constantly learning.”
While Ye was raising issues with many of his peers during a series of explosive X rants in March, he took aim at Scott during an interview with DJ Akademiks. West — who has been facing backlash since 2022 for his hate speech — explained that why he felt disrespected by the “Sicko Mode” rapper.
“Trav left me off his album,” he said. “Took four of my songs from the ranch in Wyoming. My choruses, my exact singing lines — replace me with him, or put Future, SZA on the joints. With no explanation, the s–t just comes out.”
In August 2023, following Utopia‘s arrival, Scott performed in Rome and brought out West and gave his idol his flowers. “There is no Utopia without Kanye West. There is no Travis Scott without Kanye West. There is no Rome without Kanye West. Make some noise for Ye,” Scott told the crowd.
As for Scott’s next move, he’ll be headlining Saturday night (April 12) at Coachella. He also provided some context into his upcoming projects with another Jackboys label compilation and his solo album on the way.
“And for this next album, I just want to have the most ultimate fun with being creative,” he told Complex. “The most ultimate fun, taking all the things I learned and packing it in the CD and making it enjoyable to go crazy in the stadium. That’s the idea.”
Baka Not Nice recently sat down with Hot Freestyle’s Mic Check podcast and talked about being mentioned in Kendrick Lamar‘s “Not Like Us.”
When the subject came up, Baka revealed that he initially planned on immediately responding to Kendrick after the Compton MC rapped that he had a “weird case” and asked why Drake chose to continue to have him around. “My first initial thing was to respond and respond quickly, very efficiently and very to the point,” he said. “It started brewing in me because where I come from, that s—t doesn’t happen. You can’t just call out a man and not have paperwork to back up your talks. It’s ludicrous.”
He added that he couldn’t believe how big the song had gotten. “And then to see a whole nation behind it and celebrating it like it’s a true story is unbelievable,” he said. “Everybody has to understand: I have a kid, Drake has a kid, so, like, making accusations like that are ridiculous and out of this world.”
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He then revealed that he didn’t respond because Drake talked him out of it and asked him to ignore it. “I was building up a lot of anger but then I got a call,” he said. “And [Drake’s] like, ‘Yo, I know what you’re feeling, I know you as an individual, I know how you get down but I’m just letting you know, don’t listen to the noise ’cause it’s noise.’ If you go back and look at all these people that are saying things, they’re not even real people, they’re bots. Don’t let that s—t bother you, bro. And you know what? I mean, it’s not a good thing but they’re calling your name.”
Baka then asked fans to do their due diligence and look up the case Lamar was referring to because he felt like he was being accused of pedophilia. “And at the end of the day, they’re gonna get over this crap because they’re gonna realize that it’s crap, and then they’re gonna do their own research,” he said. “And when you do you’re own research, you’re gonna be like, ‘Wow, this guy made up a whole story about something that isn’t even true.’ It makes you look weird to me. I don’t know.”
He finally concluded his answer with a message to fans. “I wanna say one thing to America,” he began. Y’all need to get yourself together because, yo, making serious accusations like that, you need to have paperwork. That is the No. 1 rule.”
Baka Not Nice reveals he was going to respond to Kendrick Lamar, but Drake told him to ignore all the noiseHe also called Kendrick’s accusations “ridiculous” pic.twitter.com/3i5RE4GGXn— Hot Freestyle (@HotFreestyle) April 7, 2025
The “weird case” Kendrick mentioned stems from a 2014 incident when Baka — born Travis Savoury — was charged with procuring prostitution and human trafficking. Those charges were dropped after he pleaded guilty to assaulting a 22-year-old Toronto woman and was sentenced to six months in jail, according to the Toronto Sun.
Drake is currently embroiled in a high profile defamation lawsuit with his parent label, UMG, alleging it defamed him by promoting Lamar’s Drizzy diss track “Not Like Us,” which includes the lyric “certified pedophile.” UMG denied the allegations and later filed to dismiss the case.
Watch Baka Not Nice discuss “Not Like Us” below:
In celebration of Cypress Hill‘s seminal sophomore effort Black Sunday, the rap group announced it’ll be launching a new graphic novel titled CYPRESS Hill: BLACK SUNDAY. On Tuesday (April 8), the news broke that the band had been hard at working crafting the comic alongside Z2 Comics and writers Noah Callahan-Bever and Gabriel Alvarez. The […]
J. Cole did some reminiscing during his headlining set at his Dreamville Festival 2025 over the weekend, and he recalled a time when Jay-Z pulled up on him in the studio with Beyoncé to record for what became The Blueprint 3‘s “A Star Is Born.” Cole signed to Roc Nation in 2009, and he reflected […]
