State Champ Radio Hip-Hop
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It’s August 20, 2020 and the Dogg Days of Summer are still here — the Snoop Dogg Days. While many of us remain in the house waiting out the global pandemic, Snoop Dogg is on the go. The laid-back MC is boarding a private jet en route from Los Angeles to Atlanta, and just as the metallic bird carrying the forever-hustling superstar ascends into the stratosphere, former President Barack Obama sits down with his staff a few thousand miles away. Obama and company go over notes and meeting agenda, then the beloved 44th Head of State puts out the mandate, “Get Snoop Dogg.”
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In a few hours, Obama will be speaking at the virtual Democratic National Convention and he wants Snoop to introduce him to the audience tuning in to watch on the Twitch channel Behind the Rhyme TV.
When Snoop lands late in the afternoon in ATL, he gladly accepts Obama’s invitation (the collaboration at the DNC was abuzz with CNN writers). Later, the Dogg settles in his hotel room, he fires up some smoke and listens to a few selections from his new group on a portable speaker.
“We ain’t announce it yet, but me, Ice Cube, E-40 and Too $hort just made a group cuz,” Snoop says with a grin. “We already started on the album and that s–t is jammin.’ We’re having a ball making it. It’s gonna be big.”
And historic. The teaming up of Mount Westmore is the first time a collective of this magnitude has officially come together in rap. All four MCs have over been dropping hits for at least four decades. This year marks Too $hort’s 40th anniversary in rap, while last April Snoop celebrated the 30th anniversary since he debuted on Dr. Dre’s “Deep Cover.” Cube and 40 came out the Wild Wild West in the ‘80s. Everybody in the group is over the age of 50, and still exudes double energy that is beloved by the culture. Most importantly, they’ve all been friends for years.
Northern California natives 40 and $hort have been Bay Area fixtures both individually and together, ranging from collaborative albums to their mutual affinity for the championship-winning Golden State Warriors. The ties between the Southern Californian half of Mount Westmore run deep too: After all, Snoop took part in the N.W.A reunion in the early 2000s, standing in for the late great Eazy-E alongside Cube and Dre. All four have collaborated as solo acts and performed on the same concert bills throughout the years, too many times in total to count.
The four are so close, assembling Mount Westmore was as easy as making a few phone calls. A few months before Snoop got the call from Obama — when COVID-19 first put the world in lockdown — E-40 needed a distraction from making frequent trips to the kitchen. Ask 40 himself, and he’ll joke that he was eating so much, his refrigerator told him it needed a breather. The legendary rapper’s culinary break would come in the form of making music. His manger put the battery in his back to take advantage of his downtime by teaming up with his iconic brethren.
“That sounds groovy like a drive-in movie,” 40 recalls thinking when the idea of supergroup came up. The Vallejo King of Lingo hit up Ice Cube first. “‘What you think about putting a group together, man?” 40 asked Cube who was “doing a lot of nothin’” himself at home. “Who you talking about?” Cube retorted, thinking 40 was joking around. “Me, you, Too Short and Snoopy,” 40 replied. After a few seconds of processing, Cube responded with two words: “Hell yeah!” “What we gonna call it then?” 40, getting excited, questioned in his signature high pitch. Cube dropped another two words on him: “Mount Westmore.”
The group name was inspired by the great hip-hop debates by media and fans of who belongs on hip-hop’s Mount Rushmore. Two and a half years removed from the pandemic (or as E-40 calls it, “the Plan-Demic”), Too $hort’s compound in LA is serving as headquarters for three quarters of Mount Westmore. While Snoop has been back in the ATL shooting a film and traveling the states on tour, the other group members have been holding down the publicity run duties. It was only four days until the collaborative project Snoop Cube 40 $hort hit streaming services and showcased the West Coast legend’s rap prowess.
Today though, while Cube and Short are waiting on 40 to arrive, the powerful South Central LA street narrator gives some great stories about his Oakland counterpart’s younger days on the come up. Cube relays making calls from the road while they were on tour, playfully teasing him and Dr. Dre because they “were still at home” and weren’t popular enough to perform concerts in different cities yet. Cube also reveals that “A Gangsta’s Fairytale,” off his classic solo debut AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, was originally written for Eazy. Cube then further delves into the construction of Mount Westmore.
“When I see his name come across [my phone], I always know he’s gonna say something slick,” the rap hyphenate says about 40. “I always look forward to talking to him, ‘cause you gonna hear some new s–t you ain’t heard before.”
Almost on cue, you can hear 40’s signature squeaky voice in the adjacent room getting closer. In walks 40 Water with a smile and joke to greet everyone. “He has on a Raiders shirt and 49ers pants,” Cube says about 40’s plain black tee and red jeans when seeing his friend. The three laugh simultaneously. “I’m mixing it up!” 40 retorts with a smile.
Although they share a brotherhood, football is one thing the foursome don’t agree upon. A big debate takes over the room when they talk about the New Year’s Eve NFL matchup between the visiting Niners and the Las Vegas Raiders, which 40, Cube and $hort will be attending. E-40’s allegiance is to the Niners, while Cube and Short give him a million reasons why they are going to lose to their team, the Raiders.
When the impromptu hip-hop version of ESPN’s First Take is done, the three peel back some of the layers of their new album. Even though the Mount Westmore members were separated during the COVID outbreak, every MC had a studio in their home, so recording the LP was relatively easy.
“We all got track records for making really good, classic, timeless music,” $hort surmises. “So you gotta trust the process of each individual that they know what they like.”
They all called upon familiar producers that they used throughout their careers, such as Ant Banks, FredWreck, Rick Rock and 40’s son Droop E.
“You gotta find X amount of songs that all four people like at the same time,” $hort explains. “That’s the magic. So it couldn’t be just one producer. We put the word out, the floodgates opened up.”
Every time each member of Westmore got a beat they liked, they sent it to a group text. If none of the three other MCs responded, then the collective knew that track wasn’t it. The songs began to take shape when one or two of the other MCs responded to the group text by sending back the tracks with a verse on it. $hort took charge of keeping track of all the song files.
“I think the process was dope, because when you layer it like that, the next person is actually building on what the last one said,” $hort says. “As opposed to we all sitting in the studio and we’re gonna make this song one day while we’re here. This was different. You had a little moment to sit at home. I’ll listen to what 40 did or listen to what Snoop did. ‘All right, so he said all that, I’m gonna come with this.’”
The spirit of the Mount Westmore project lies in its versatility. The four members weren’t afraid to rhyme on soundscapes that may have been out of their wheelhouses. There was just one agreed upon mandate: Each MC had to bring their signature style to the table.
“It’s fun to be in a group,” Cube certifies. “This is my third group; N.W.A, Westside Connection and now Mount Westmore. It’s always fun, because you’re not carrying the whole load. You got f–kin’ Hall of Famers you can pass it to. That could be a point where you relax — but with us, we don’t relax. We know we’re all going to be on point and show each other why we’re here. We don’t take each other for granted. We all know we gotta shine.”
Snoop Cube 40 $hort has slappers throughout. The supergroup goes anthemic right out the gate with “California,” they touch the clubs with “Too Big” (with Dr. Dre speaking on the intro) and “Lace You Up” gives unapologetic real talk advice to the younger generation. “How Many” broaches the subject of snitching, and on “Nice Day,” Ice Cube discusses how people tried to cancel him for being in contact with the Trump administration.
“In 2020 they was trying to cancel me,” Cube describes of the song that was made right after the controversy. “So to me, it was to get it off my chest on how I was feeling. A lot of people got their political team, or people they want to be down with. I ain’t got no team politically. I don’t care about Democrats or the Republicans. All I care about is, are we winning as Black people? Are they breaking bread or are they helping us make our lives better?”
Cube came under fire because he presented his “Contract With Black America,” an economic plan for financial reform for Black Americans to the Democrats as well as the Republicans. Some people blew it out of proportion and accused Cube of working with Donald Trump, which he clarified as being untrue. He simply wanted Black people to get a higher percentage of the wealth in America and wanted to get information to see what both parties were going to do for the Black community.
“It was cool to have a record to be able to get s–t off like that, ‘cause everything I said in that record is true,” Cube continues. “Look at the type of people trying to cancel [you]. That’ll let you know what you’re dealing with. It is a lot of gatekeepers out here who want to push the status quo cause somehow, some way, they get paid off of it. Those are the ones that want to cancel you. Not the ones that are going through it and want a different way. Not the ones trying to figure out how to break [the destructive] mental and political cycle that we’re under.”
Mount Westmore look to do just that, whether it be overtly or subtly. Bigger than any statement they could make artistically, the aligning of Snoop, Cube, 40 and $hort shows the entire Black community that four kings can come together, put egos and politics to the side, build on friendships and form a business. Mount Westmore isn’t just a group name: The four have officially started a LLC with the same name, making them an actual corporation. They all promise big deals between their crew, as well as tours and more music, of course.
The collection of legends made in excess of 50 songs for their current project, and only 16 were chosen for the final tracklist. While a few of the remaining records will be rationed out for their various solo efforts, $hort promises at least one follow-up Rushmore LP, more than likely two.
“If I sat here right now and said, ‘Let’s go in the studio’ and I played you 20 songs that didn’t make the album, you would be like, ‘What the f–k? Why the f–k that ain’t on there?’” $hort details. “You would be mad. We got some s–t. The next level, it’s going to continue. It’s gotta be no less than two albums. Easily three.”
“We’re the most fun group in hip-hop right now,” Cube attests. “Ain’t nobody having more fun than us. It’s a good story for hip-hop in the sea of tragedy [going on right now]. This is a feel-good story in a lot of ways. Hearing our record, the sh-t is fun. It feels fun and we’re showing the youngsters, this is how you can do it. It’s important. This ain’t a record. This is a movement.”
Cheers to that. Before everyone leaves out, 40 pulls out two bottles of his Earl Stevens Sweet Red Wine and makes everyone repeat after him as he gives his “traditional toast.”
“I ain’t above you,” Cube and $hort say following their partner’s lead. “I ain’t below you. But I’m right beside you.”
In honor of #HipHop50, Mass Appeal and Sony Music Entertainment have agreed to partner to celebrate legendary SME artists and highlight Certified — their R&B and Hip-Hop digital catalog program.
According to a press release, “Sony Music and Mass Appeal will work together to showcase the creative excellence of SME’s dynamic talent and their contributions to music history through original content, experiences, merch and product collaborations in connection with Mass Appeal’s campaign leading up to this key milestone in Hip Hop culture.”
Second, Mass Appeal and SME will construct a new content series, Made By Hip-Hop. Set to debut later this year, Made By Hip-Hop will involve influential figures speaking on the genre’s impact and history. Last week, Mass Appeal and SME kicked off their partnership in NYC with the new photo exhibition Hip Hop: Conscious, Unconscious. The event showcased over 200 iconic hip-hop photos from 1972 to 2022 and had tremendous star power as Nas, New York City mayor Eric Adams, Raekwon, N.O.R.E., Styles P, Grandmaster Caz, Melle Mel, Havoc, Fabolous, Maino, Dave East, A-Trak and Ralph McDaniels all attended.
The photo exhibit will remain open to the public until May 21.
Last year, Mass Appeal teamed up with Live Nation Urban for several hip-hop-centric events, including festivals and park jams.
“We are thrilled to partner with the world’s leading live entertainment company to bring fans one-of-a-kind experiences in celebration of hip-hop’s 50th birthday, said Mass Appeal CEO Peter Bittenbender. “We are planning to celebrate all facets of the culture and globe via this dynamic partnership.”
Lil Baby made his Saturday Night Live musical guest debut on Jan. 28, performing a pair of tracks from his latest Billboard 200-topping album, It’s Only Me.
Following an introduction from host Michael B. Jordan, the Atlanta rapper stepped onto the stage of Studio 8H to deliver “California Breeze” and “Forever,” both of which reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 in October 2022.
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Baby previously made an appearance on SNL while assisting on DJ Khaled’s performance of “You Stay” in 2019.
Upon its release in October, Baby’s It’s Only Me album topped the Billboard 200 with all 23 tracks appearing on the Hot 100 songs chart, making it one of the year’s most dominant streaming releases.
SNL, which opened last week with musical guest Sam Smith, enters 2023 after an impressive 2022, in which the NBC sketch comedy series won an Emmy Award for outstanding variety sketch series. SNL is the most Emmy-nominated show in television history and currently holds 93 Emmy wins.
Watch Lil Baby’s SNL performances below. For those without cable, the broadcast will also stream on NBC’s streaming service, Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans on demand access to previous SNL episodes as well.
Last year, Coi Leray’s confidence level was low after her first album, Trendsetter, debuted at No. 89 on the Billboard 200. With a rough opening week, a residue of doubt seeped into her career and caused the affable star to hit the pause button. Despite her dismal debut, acts such as 50 Cent and Nicki Minaj lent support and encouraged her to stay positive, because they knew success was near. Fast forward nine months later, and Leray is smiling again, thanks to the success of her blistering Hot 100 hit “Players.”
“I’m 25, and sometimes you don’t know everything,” Leray says inside the Billboard LA offices on a balmy Friday afternoon. “I look at constructive criticism, even in a negative way. I try to figure out how to learn from it — just taking it and bringing it back even better. You don’t know everything. I learned the power of listening is key.” Leray’s bounce-back is a testament to her assiduous work ethic. Upon completing her Billboard interview earlier this January, she zipped to France for Paris Fashion Week, where she glowed in her see-through ensemble at the Yves Saint Laurent fashion show. Then, she hit the studio to work on new music with Pharrell.
Leray’s resurgence comes via her Grandmaster Flash-sampling single “Players,” a modern-day spin on the 1982 seminal hit “The Message.” Leray’s sing-songy hook and clever quips (“Applebottom make em’ wanna bite”) are TikTok gold, and blasted the record from social media sensation into Hot 100 territory. “Players” also received a jolt from a few remixes, including DJ Saige’s mashup of Busta Rhymes’ 1997 classic “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See” and DJ Smallz’s Jersey Club remix. Thanks to the bevy of remixes, “Players” sits comfortably at No. 54 on the Hot 100 this week, a new peak for the hit record.
“This lifestyle is so unexpected,” says Coi while petting her dog Brixx, who accompanied her to the interview. “Being in the industry, it’s so unexpected. You never know what you’re going to wake up and do tomorrow. I have paranoia like, “F–k, what’s next?” You gotta think positively. If I had positive paranoia, it would be good.”
Billboard spoke to Coi Leray about making “Players,” her newfound confidence, Diddy’s influence, her love for the female rap scene and more.
You put out Trendsetter last year and it had some hits. Looking back on it, what grade would it get and why?
I would give Trendsetter like an 8.5. I think the project was amazing, honestly, because “Blick Blick” was such a big moment for me. I feel like we put the focus on that song, and I really wish we could’ve catered to other songs — because there were so many other amazing features and songs on the project that I think are amazing.
I’ve been recording music for three years now, and a lot of those songs were scattered within that time with me being ready to drop. Me being so versatile and doing so many things, I don’t want to take the focus off the music — so I always thought it was important for me to drop so, people don’t get lost in the sex appeal or the dancing or the cooking or whatever it is.
I read an in old interview that you refer to yourself as “the big dog.” How has it been being the big dog for your family and your people?
It just feels like my mom tells me that I’m breaking generational curses. I’m standing on that. I love my family, I love my team, and I love everyone that supports me. And that really helps me where I need to go mentally, emotionally — don’t have to be necessarily physically or financially. I just know I got a lot of people that love me and I gotta go hard for it. Not only for myself, but my loved ones. It feels good.
For Trendsetter, I think about certain records like “Hollywood Dreams” or “Paranoia” at this stage of your career. How do you deal with fame knowing that your star power continues to get brighter by the day?
Just God. I’m surrounded by great people. I’m with the same two people. The same two people I actually sat in a room just like this with and signed my deal with Monty. When you got good people surrounding you, it’s little small s–t even if you got paranoia or anxiety, you got somebody that will be able to keep you on your toes. And God, of course. Then I got Brixx — my little baby. He helps me deal with a lot of paranoia.
You’ve always had a certain level of confidence but now I feel it’s A1. Where did you develop that confidence to now you’re blocking out the noise?
I’d say in 2021. The year I dropped “No More Parties.” That was one of my biggest years. It was so great, but it was also one of those years I got hated on so much. I feel like after that, there’s nothing that could really stop me.
When I walked into this game, Monte [Lipman], Republic [Records], they loved how confident I was. They loved how true to myself I am. After I went through that year, it kinda confused me about myself because that’s when it felt like the world was against me. That’s when I questioned myself if I was doing the right thing. I had to turn around and realize every single time there’s somebody on my back trying to put me down, I’m leveling up. I just went up on every hater and got through that whole thing and there’s nothing that nobody can do. Outside of this industry, I’ve been through some s–t. I’ve been on my own since I was 16.
A little birdie told me you’ve been taking dance classes. What made you decide to take those steps and up your performance game?
It’s just how serious I am about this s–t. When I came in, I always wanted to be one of the biggest female performing artists. I feel like I’m an entertainer. If I could level up my skills, whether it’s dancing, vocal lessons or acting, I’m gonna do that. I’m in the business — why not? I could’ve went to school or college and played sports, and I guarantee everything would’ve been about that. Now that I’m in music, everything is just about that.
You did the “Players” record in one take. How did that come about and do you normally do your records in one take?
Yeah, so that session, It was me Johnny [Goldstein], [Worldwide] Fresh and Feli [Ferraro] in there. Johnny’s the producer and Fresh and Feli are two amazing writers. I started working with more writers towards the end of last year. I worked with writers in the past, but I remember I was a little stubborn — like, “I don’t need nobody to write for me.” My pen game is amazing but this year is the first time I learned structure to a song. Like the verse, pre-chorus, bridge, hook…
“Apple bottom make ’em take a bite.” That might’ve flowed to me, but Fresh might have been, “Wanna bite.” When I went in there. we spent an hour and 20 minutes on that song. I go in there and cut all my melodies. I gotta bring the writers into my world. We sat there for an hour and 20 and came up with a singy hook and we came up with not that. I was pissed — like, I hate wasting time. I use my lockout session to do at least three songs a day. I said, “This not sounding right. It’s too generic. Let me go in there and try something else and do some straight rap s–t.” I’m always gonna do some melodies, but this time, I said, “No f–king melodies.” I hop on the mic and it just flowed: “Girls is players too.”
I been hanging with Diddy and we been partying. Diddy loves me. He thinks I’m so f–king talented. He believes in me so much, and that whole swag just came from that. I got fresh from the parties and vacations with them, and I’m back in the studio and it just flowed. We still got the reference. Even, “Apple bottom make ’em take a bite/ I just want to have a good night,” that’s me just staying in monotone. I felt like at this moment, we knew this was it.
Now, when I leaked the record in Miami, man, I did three songs that day in the car. We made three videos in the same setting. “Players” was one and two other unreleased ones and “Players” was the most lit. F–k it, I wanted to leak music. I like being little rebellious sometimes too. [The label] be like, “Wait!” Nah, f–k it. I get this instinct and I need to let it fly. I dropped it and I’m still numb to this day. It streamed 800,000 streams yesterday on one platform, and that’s the most any of my songs have ever done in a day.
I did see Grandmaster Flash gave you the co-sign. Did you have any intimidation knowing the story behind “The Message” trying to live up to it?
Honestly, it’s like hip-hop politics and we like the rookies. I was born in 1997, and as the rookies, you can’t question that. I have a family member in the [industry]… I feel like there’s certain things you shouldn’t talk about or touch on and just have fun with it. I feel like, if anything, this record was to connect the new with the old and bring us together. There’s been a lot of rah-rah music lately. There’s a lot of older cats and OGs talking about TikTok and the sound and it just feels good to bring everybody together. Whether you’re 10, 2, 80 or 30, everyone’s bopping, and those are the moments I love.
Flash, he’s so funny. I would’ve thought I’ve known him. I felt like I was in a time machine when I met him. It’s like he didn’t even age. I feel like, “I’m meeting you back in the ’90s.” If that was a movie, that’d be fire. Going back in time and I’m like, “What’s up?” He’s right here and he was so present. He got so much energy, he’s so healthy, and he looks so good. This guy, he can give me a lot of knowledge if you really think about it. That song was so big and I do know how much that it impacted hip-hop. I thought it was dope how humble he is. He’s very positive and I love positive energy.
Obviously, the record got flipped again by DJ Saige for the Busta version, and you showed respect him after it dropped. Why is it important to pay homage?
When you doing these samples, it’s one thing to do a sample and you blow up — but it’s another thing when you give credit when it’s due. I feel like a lot of people don’t do that. Even producers and writers, there’s so many people who don’t get their credit in the industry. The least you could do is give it to who created the motherf–ker. It shows respect.
When you’re in the game, they don’t have to let you use their song. They might not even own the publishing, but that’s still f–ked up. When I become a legend and someone wanna sample my song, I wanna be a part of that. I wanna know how it is. I don’t wanna be in the radio and then hear my song and not know what the hell is going on or not know who the artist is. I feel like that’s a connection that would change my life again, just off the simple fact I love hip-hop.
The fact you chose my song and you was showing me love, that’s just another prayer for me. I need people to pray for me. As long as people pray for me, I’ma be blessed forever.
I wanna go back to talking about your pen. Obviously, you take a lot of pride in that, especially when the whole leak thing happened with Latto…
And I had no clue that she cut that record.
Knowing that your pen is your pen, how are you able to allow writers into the mix and say, “Okay, we’re gonna do this record,” versus saying, “I got this.”?
Because I don’t have to do nothing I don’t want to do. I kinda look at it like a collab. It’s like if Gucci or Moncler wanted me on the cover wearing their stuff, and I like the stuff, then if I don’t like it, I don’t have to wear it. It’s the same thing with that song. If you play me a song and I think I could kill that s–t. I’ma businesswoman — not only am I talented, I’m also about my business. If that s–t’s a smash and I’m like, “All right cool, let’s do it,” I have the option to change whatever I want in the song. I have the options to tweak or do whatever. Once you give me the song, you can’t tell me what to do. You could give me advice and I’ma cut it.
Even when we did “Blick Blick,” the hook was already cut and we did the verse together. That’s why the verses sound different. I heard Latto’s version and the verses sound different but the hook was there. A lot of great music hooks are written and I don’t know — it’s a formula. I’ve only been in the industry for four years, and now I’m at point where I feel like I’m breaking superstar status and I’m learning that formula. I’m gonna be at a point where I’m making those f–king songs for the biggest of the biggest just off the simple fact I learned the formula. I didn’t learn it on my own, I had to be in the studio with these other amazing creatives to be like, “Alright, this is how this works.” But if you put me in the studio with any one of these b–ches I swear they’re not seeing me in any way. They’re not coming out with no hit. And I say that in the most humblest, friendliest, loving, and friendly competition way.
Do you still have that competitive fire?
I don’t have competitive fire. I don’t compete with them, because you just can’t. At the end of the day, I do know that it’s a competition. If I ran track, I’m trying to get first place. I don’t give a f–k if we go to the same school or are on the same team in the same jersey. If they said, “Yo race Coi down the street!” You don’t think I’m not about to try to dust her? This is my sister! Girls with the same energy, it’s like, “Oh you fire? I’m fire and I’ll see you at the top.”
The best thing about this industry, there’s room for everybody. That’s why it’s no competition. B–ch, I could be here and you could be here right with me. At the end of the day, even if we at the top of the mountain, I’ma be Coi and you gonna be you, and we could trade places or I could become someone else. I’m gonna determine my greatness, my destiny, and my future. What’s for you is for you, while we’re at the top together. Steel sharpens steel.
Some of my favorite female artists out right now that I truly love — like, GloRilla is my favorite. I like Ice Spice, I like Cardi and I think Nicki [Minaj] is one of the greatest artists of all-time. I like Meg and I think Doja [Cat] is one of the biggest artists and best female artists as well. Flo Milli too. Lola Brooke is fire. I love her cadence, voice, and energy. There’s so many fire women out there to the point where I love it.
I hope everybody continues to get their flowers. When I’m focused, I’m focused on me and when we run into each other, hopefully we collab and make a lot of girls come together and show unity. What’s the thing where Miley Cyrus was singing with Rihanna? You remember when they was all on stage? It was like Beyoncé, Shakira, Rihanna, Fergie, Miley Cyrus. It was one of the best moments in female history. It was just unity. All the fire top b–ches on stage singing at the time same time. I’ve never seen that in the past eight years.
I’m curious about what collaborations you might have on deck because your last album was so star-studded. Is that something you want to continue or do you want to give them more of yourself?
I’ve been in the studio locked in by myself. I feel like, at the time, I had so many features because I was so on the move. I was up-and-coming and I’m standing now … I’m just like, “Yo, I’m in the city, let’s link!” Get in the studio and make songs and then I think those songs are amazing so I’m like, “Put these on the project.” I’m more just focused on myself, and I’m 25 now. I came in and I was 19. I want to have kids one day and have a family one day. I’m focused on the assets, the longevity and the bigger picture part of things.
I feel because I made it about everyone else these past couple years, this is the year I said I’m being selfish. I do want to collab with so much more artists. I’ll still drop a 15-track project with 30 million features — I don’t give a f–k. I love music and I love different music. I love hearing a verse, hook, and then somebody comes in on the second and changes the whole vibe. It’s like, “Oh s–t.” Then we back to the hook. That’s great music. Everybody used to collab back in the day. We’re like changing. Technology went up so now everyone’s stuck up their ass. I feel like everybody should just chill and have a good time.
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Source: Prince Williams / Getty / Ice Spice
Ice Spice is currently the talk of the Hip-Hop world. Now the bubbling rapper is sharing what brought her to the game, and her origin story might surprise you.
Speaking with the New York Times in a recent profile, the Bronx born 23-year old rapper, who caught our attention thanks to her single “Munch (Feelin’ U),” revealed that her entry into the music genre was made possible from her love of coming up with witty social media captions.
Ice Spice, born Isis Gaston, also noted she got inspiration from Drill artists like Pop Smoke and Sheff G while trying to flip their lyrics to describe her mood and vibes in her bars.
“I like to hear catchy stuff, and I always be thinking like, Damn, what should I caption this? So I just started coming up with mad captions,” she said in her NY Times profile.
Ice Spice Has Goals & Aspirations
Ice Spice does not want to know just as a viral sensation, and she is looking to acquire crossover success and be a household name with all of the accolades to show for it.
“For me personally, I think I have passed that,” she said. “I do want to be a mainstream artist. I want diamond records and plaques and Grammys. So I think in order to get that, you do have to surpass just one subgenre.”
Ice Spice might be on her way to making her dreams a reality. She followed up her 2022 viral hit “Munch (Feelin’ U)” which peaked at No. 5 on Billboard’s Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart with “Bikini Bottom” in October and “In Ha Mood” in December.
She dropped her debut EP Like…? on Friday, featuring another standout track, “Actin a Smoochie,” which we are sure will be used in Instagram Reels and TikToks everywhere.
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Photo: Prince Williams / Getty
Pharrell Williams has collaborated with some of the most iconic artists of our time. But on Tuesday (Jan. 24) Skateboard P kicked it up a notch when he visited Élysée Palace for a hang with French President Emmanuel Macron for a discussion about internet safety and human rights.
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“A safe place for all, secure and open, peaceful and democratic, which respects human rights,” Macron tweeted along with a picture of the two men posing in black suits in a gilded palace room with the reflection of a giant chandelier in the window behind them. “That’s what the Internet must be and remain, especially for our children. It’s one of our battles. Artists, join us, and speak out! Thank you @Pharrell for your commitment.”
Pharrell retweeted the image and added a prayer hands emoji in comments. RTL reported that a spokesperson for Macron said [in comments translated from French] that the pair discussed “the digital world,” adding that they “got on really well. Pharrell Williams is very involved in the issues of the harmful effects of the internet and [smart] telephones on young people… It’s good because he [Pharrell] really reaches a big audience and he is very fine in his analysis.” Combating school and online bullying is a cause championed by Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron.
Pharrell is slated to appear at Wednesday night’s (Jan. 24) Yellow Pieces gala, a musical charity event that raises funds for the Hospital Foundation, a charity chaired by the country’s First Lady; Blackpink and French artists Vianni, Angel, Mika and Pascal Obispo are also slated to perform at the show at the Zenith Paris.
Check out the snap of Macron and Pharrell below.
A safe place for all, secure and open, peaceful and democratic, which respects human rights. That’s what the Internet must be and remain, especially for our children. It’s one of our battles. Artists, join us, and speak out! Thank you @Pharrell for your commitment. pic.twitter.com/84XAstay2m— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) January 24, 2023
BRISBANE, Australia — Mushroom Group, the Australian independent music juggernaut, has struck a partnership with Valve Sounds, the reactivated alternative-R&B, hip-hop and soul label.
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Co-founded by Sasha Chifura and Shelley Liu, Valve Sounds is “committed to the growth” of those genres within Australia, and “dedicates to carving a space for these artists to make an impact at an international stage,” reads a statement.
With its resurrection, a string of artist signings and a release slate. The Melbourne-based label relaunches with a roster featuring Sydney R&B multi-hyphenate Maina Doe; Nigeria-born, Melbourne-based producer, vocalist, and performer IJALE; and Brisbane indie/R&B newcomer King Ivy.
To celebrate the return of Valve Sounds, the trio will release a special collaborative number, “WYA” (Where You At), next Thursday (Feb. 2).
Mushroom Group has “been looking for the right hip-hop/R&B partner for some time now to complement our other labels,” notes Mushroom Labels COO Chris Maund.
Valve and its co-founders “stood out because they are entrenched in that scene and have a clear vision to break fresh hip-hop/R&B artists globally. Valve are signing artists whose sound is both authentic and borderless, giving them real opportunity to cut-through and deliver internationally,” he tells Billboard.
Maund points to the success of the recent Maina Doe single “Primal Design.” Mushroom Group serviced the track, which went on to land “a load of global playlists,” he explains. “That, will be the start of many.”
Following its launch in 2015, Valve Sounds released recordings from UV Boi, Nasty Mars, ESESE, Villette and Maya Hirasedo, and earned a reputation for its events and parties in Melbourne, spotlighting international and local artists.
Among the highlights were events at Melbourne Music Week’s 2016 and 2017 flagship venues State Library of Victoria and St Paul’s Cathedral, and its team curated a stage at Falls Festival, featured in VICE.
“Some of my fondest memories have been at Valve Sounds parties that we threw back in the day,” recounts Liu. “Feeling grateful to be working with Maina Doe, IJALE and King Ivy – three artists who I truly believe represent the future of music coming out of Australia and beyond.”
Through the new arrangement, Valve Sounds will have access to Mushroom Labels’ full suite of services across marketing, promotion, audience building, social strategy, distribution and analytics as well as global promotion, marketing and audience label services via UMG’s Virgin Music Label & Artist Services, an alliance forged in 2022, in tandem with Mushroom’s existing U.S. and U.K. teams.
Previously, Valve Sounds had a label partnership with Sony Music.
Valve Sounds now operates among the 25-strong group of companies within Mushroom Group, established 50 years ago by the late Michael Gudinski.
Mushroom Group CEO Matt Gudinski, the son of Michael, heaped praised on his new partners. “Their clear vision for the label and expertise in the R&B and hip-hop scene excels them as key industry leaders of the future,” he comments. “It’s with great pleasure we welcome them to the family and look forward to a longstanding relationship.”
Mushroom Labels includes Liberation Records, Ivy League, I OH YOU, Soothsayer, Bloodlines, Liberator Music and 100s + 1000s.
We just found out about the second point in Jack Harlow‘s super spicy “love triangle.” On Tuesday morning (Jan. 24), Doritos unveiled the second preview of its Super Bowl LVII ad, revealing that none other than hip-hop icon Missy Elliott is getting in on the snack attack.
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In the 15-second preview, Elliott is chilling at the studio surrounded by platinum record plaques (holding a bag of Doritos, of course) when her phone rings with a call she’s been waiting for. “Jack Harlow,” she practically sings upon answering. “What’s up? Collab? You know I’ve been waiting to collab,” she tells the unseen “First Class” MC.
“A love triangle?” Elliott then adds incredulously. “I don’t know about that.” According to Doritos, both rappers will appear in the big game ad slated to run during the Feb. 12 game at State Farm Stadium in Glandale, Arizona.
In the previous ad starring Harlow, he walks down a red carpet as paparazzi scream his name, with one snapper in particular smushing his face up against the limo window to ask Jack a very important question. As Harlow gets a moment’s peace inside his ride and begins digging into a bag of the brand’s new sweet and tangy BBQ Doritos, the pap yells, “Is it true about the love triangle?” Harlow considers the question before popping a three-corner chip into his mouth and slyly saying, “Maybe.” The photog, however, mishears him and yells, “Baby? You’re having a baby?”
Harlow is just one of the A-list names on tap for this year’s championship game, joining Rihanna, who will be headlining the halftime show. Last year’s viral Doritos SB ad featured Megan Thee Stallion and 2021’s was soundtracked by Queen’s 1984 hit “I Want to Break Free” and famously featured actor Matthew McConaughey in the bizarro role of #FlatMatthew. The 2020 version featured a dance-off between Lil Nas X and Sam Elliott in a wild west showdown cued to LNX’s global hit “Old Town Road.”
Check out the Elliott ad preview below.
Attorneys hired by Jay-Z and other entertainers have ended two lawsuits they filed on behalf of Mississippi inmates in 2020 over what they said were squalid living conditions at the state’s oldest prison — a facility that came under Justice Department scrutiny after outbursts of deadly violence by inmates.
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Even before the violence at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman in late 2019 and early 2020, state health inspectors had found repeated problems with broken toilets and moldy showers. Inmates said some cell doors did not lock, and it was common to see rats and roaches.
The lawsuits were dismissed Jan. 13 after the inmates’ attorneys and the state Department of Corrections said improvements have been made during the past three years, including installing air conditioning in most of the prison, renovating some bathrooms and updating the electrical, water and sewer systems.
In April, the U.S. Justice Department issued a report that said Parchman had violated inmates’ constitutional rights. The department said the prison failed to protect inmates from violence, meet their mental health needs or take adequate steps for suicide prevention, and that the prison had relied too much on prolonged solitary confinement.
The Justice Department spent two years investigating Parchman. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said in April that Mississippi Department of Corrections officials cooperated with the investigation and pledged to resolve problems.
U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock in northern Mississippi filed the order this month dismissing the lawsuits that were funded by Jay-Z; rapper Yo Gotti; and Team Roc, the philanthropic arm of Jay-Z’s Roc Nation. In a court filing, attorneys for the plaintiffs and for the defendants in the Mississippi Department of Corrections agreed that nobody involved in the lawsuits admitted liability or responsibility to anyone else in the suits.
“We’re pleased that Parchman has started to address the cruel and inhumane prison conditions after the Department of Justice’s investigation, but we aren’t satisfied with short-term improvements,” Mario Mims, who goes by the stage name Yo Gotti, said in a statement Monday (Jan. 22). “The Mississippi Department of Corrections has neglected these torturous living conditions for decades, so we will continue to hold them accountable and ensure they commit to creating long-lasting change that safely protects their incarcerated population.”
One lawsuit was filed in January 2020 and the other was filed a month later. They two were eventually merged. The second suit said Parchman was a violent, rat-infested place where inmates lived in “abhorrent conditions” and their medical needs were routinely ignored.
Burl Cain, a former Louisiana prison warden, became commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections in May 2020 and vowed to improve conditions at Parchman. Since then, the department has moved some inmates to other prisons. Parchman had more than 3,200 inmates in December 2019; it has about 2,450 this month.
“The Mississippi Department of Corrections appreciates the tremendous responsibility of housing individuals sentenced to our care, custody and control and has always been committed to continuously improving the living conditions of the individuals housed in all of our correctional facilities, including the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman,” Courtney Cockrell, an attorney for the department, said in a statement Monday. “Accordingly, we have and will continue to make diligent efforts to improve the quality of life for all individuals in the custody of the MDOC and provide them with opportunities to successfully return to their communities.”
Violence has been a longstanding problem in Mississippi prisons, where many jobs for guards have gone unfilled. Officials with the state Department of Corrections have said for years that it is difficult to find people to work as guards because of low pay, long hours and dangerous conditions. The state increased pay during the past two years.
The Justice Department said last year that it found “gross understaffing” and “uncontrolled gang activity.” It also found that insufficient security gave inmates “unfettered access to contraband.” Parchman was founded in 1901 on the site of a former plantation. For decades, inmates worked in a farming operation that critics said was akin to slavery.
Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner’s son, who was originally named Wolf, has a new name — and the couple have finally publicly announced his new name.
On Saturday (Jan. 21), Jenner captioned a series of Instagram photos with their son’s new name, Aire.
“AIRE,” she wrote with a heart emoji.
The post featured four images of the adorable Aire, including two pictures of Jenner lovingly holding him.
“I love you Aire Webster,” Kris Jenner commented on the post.
The name news comes just before the baby’s first birthday, which will be on Feb. 2. Scott and Jenner are also parents to Aire’s big sister, Stormi, who turns five on Feb. 1.
The couple had first said Aire’s name was Wolf after Jenner gave birth in February. But by March, Jenner clarified that her son’s name changed after realizing it didn’t fit his personality.
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“FYI OUR SONS NAME ISN’T WOLF ANYMORE. WE JUST REALLY DIDN’T FEEL LIKE IT WAS HIM,” she updated fans via Instagram on March 21. “JUST WANTED TO SHARE BECAUSE I KEEP SEEING WOLF EVERYWHERE.”
In September, during an interview on The Late Late Show With James Corden, she’d last updated that they hadn’t yet “officially, legally changed his name,” explaining at the time that “his name is still Wolf, his passport’s Wolf, but that isn’t gonna be his name. We’re just waiting and simmering on it … We don’t call him Wolf.”
See the name reveal post and the new snapshots of Aire on Instagram here.
