State Champ Radio Hip-Hop
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Gangsta Boo, a pioneering Southern female rapper and former member of hip-hop group Three 6 Mafia, has died, according to Fox 13 in Memphis, Commercial Appeal and other reports. She was 43.
Boo, born Lola Mitchell, was reportedly found dead on Sunday (Jan. 1) at approximately 4 p.m. at a home in Memphis. The cause of her death had not been released at press time.
Shortly after the news of her passing, Three 6 Mafia’s DJ Paul and Juicy J shared tributes to their former bandmate on Instagram. DJ Paul shared an captionless photo of the late rapper, while Juicy J posted a snapshot of the pair accompanied by a broken heart emoji.
“Man we was jus together three weeks ago,” Lil Jon commented in DJ Paul’s post. “Rest well quenn.”
The Three 6 Mafia members’ tribute posts also garnered comments from Ludacris, Bun B, Outkast’s Big Boi, Ty Dolla $ign, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s Krayzie Bone, Cypress Hill’s B-Real, and others.
On New Year’s Eve, Boo shared a video on Instagram about her accomplishments from the past year. “Some of the things that I did in 2022! So fun and productive, climbed out my shell alot!! 2023 go be 23’n! #JORDAN #BOOPRINT #recap Happy New 2023 everyone!” she captioned the clip.
Boo was born in the Whitehaven section of Memphis, Tennessee, on Aug. 7, 1979. She joined local hip-hop collective Three 6 Mafia — founded by DJ Paul, Juicy J and Lord Infamous — at the age of 15 in 1994. That same year, she recorded her first solo song with the group, “Cheefa Da Reefa.” The track would set the tone for the Memphis femcee, who later unveiled her most popular hit “Where Dem Dollas At?” from her 1998 debut album, Enquiring Minds.
Boo went gone through a number of transformations during her career, renaming herself Lady Boo in 2001 and releasing numerous solo albums. In 2013, she joined Da Mafia 6ix before the passing of band member Lord Infamous in December of that year. In 2014, she and Da Mafia 6ix’s other femcee La Chat, also recorded Witch together.
In recent months, Boo was featured on GloRilla and Latto’s collaboration “F— The Club Up,” a play off Three 6 Mafia’s “Tear Da Club Up.”
Boo spoke with Billboard in December 2022, revealing that she was working on a new project called The BooPrint, which she hoped to release early this year. She also touched on her legacy as a rapper in the hip-hop scene.
“I would honestly say that I have to admit, respectfully and humbly, that I am the blueprint. I hear my cadence in a lot of men and female rappers,” Boo told Billboard. “My sound is a Memphis sound. It’s a Gangsta Boo sound, it’s a Three 6 Mafia sound. So, I am the blueprint and I wear that badge proudly as f—.”
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The end of the year is here and once more, we take on the task of attempting to list out our favorite Hip-Hop albums of 2022. Just as we do with our CRT FRSH playlist, our year-end wrap-up covers the entirety of Hip-Hop as we don’t believe in segmenting the music that represents the culture.
The list of Hip-Hop albums listed out below is not ranked. Instead, we put the projects in alphabetical order. As a note to readers, we didn’t hear everything that was released this year but what we liked, we kept in the rotation. To be very clear, any project that had less than 10 songs did not get included. If so, artists like Planet Asia, J Scienide, Backwood Sweetie (please do the knowledge), R.A.P. Ferreira, and a handful of others would very well be included.
For those we’ve omitted, it’s not a slight to you or your art. Trust us when we say we’re always looking out for new music to feature.
Check out the list below.
3 the God Way (Kaimbr, Let The Dirt Say Amen, Sean Born) – Mount Olympus
The Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area has some of the strongest collectives of rappers, producers, and DJs in the world. The potent trio of Kaimbr, Let The Dirt Say Amen, and Sean Born, all amazing soloists, put together a body of work that should lead to more fantastic art from this gathering of the minds together and apart. The “DMV” is in good hands.
Ab-Soul – Herbert
I’m going to break the fourth wall here because I have to say that Ab-Soul’s “Do Better” helped me through an explosive mental health breakdown. I’ve always contended that Soulo was the best lyricist among the Black Hippy quartet, and Herbert proves much of that in droves. This is an album for the word nerds, lyric fans, and folks who lean into hearing a rapper challenge themselves with both vulnerable bars along with top-tier rapping.
Action Bronson – Cocodrillo Turbo
Action Bronson approaches music by using his outsized personality that seems coupled with a knowing wink to the listener that he’s just having a whole lot of fun barring out over dusty loops. Cocodrillo Turbo is a huge improvement from the entertaining Only For Dolphins. Bronsolini is still finding new ways to spit his fly Queens scriptures to the masses.
Benny The Butcher – Tana Talk 4
Benny The Butcher found himself focusing on the duties of a mogul as he continues to position his Black Soprano Family outfit correctly as a boss should. Tana Talk 4, in our opinion, is what many come to expect from the Buffalo, N.Y. star. Hard bars, plenty of dope production from the likes of Alchemist and Daringer, and features that make sense. Even more interesting is the fact that the album feels like The Butcher could’ve gone harder but seemingly held back.
billy woods – Aethiopes
The music of billy woods isn’t for everyone. For starters, there’s no real concern with sitting verses neatly in pockets. The dense poetics have several layers of meaning that no mortal will catch in one listen. That said, Aethiopes, produced fully by Preservation, sees woods toned down ever so slightly and even lets the listener in on who the mysterious rapper truly is. However, don’t mistake that for a dumbing down. This is still high-level intellectual rhyming.
Black Star – No Fear Of Time
Black Star, the duo of Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli, occupy a revered space in the world of underground Hip-Hop. After nearly 25 years after releasing their debut album, Black Star handed over the production keys to Madlib for a rousing listen showcasing the Brooklyn veterans at their best. While the album omitted the excellent “Fix Up” single, it still feels like a complete body of work and a hopeful sign of more to come.
Black Thought & Dangermouse – Cheat Codes
Black Thought has nothing left to prove regarding his formidable ability and it’s about time listeners take notice of his songwriting ability as well. Dangermouse provides the Philadephia lyricist plenty of open space for him to flex those noteworthy skills and impart wisdom in doses along the way.
Boldy James & Nicholas Craven – Fair Exchange No Robbery
Boldy James was productive in 2022 and any of his releases could be in place of this entry. That said, hearing the Detroit rapper alongside the capable sonics of Nicholas Craven was the perfect match. Mafia, what else?
Conway The Machine – God Don’t Make Mistakes
Without an ounce of hyperbole, Conway The Machine is one of the best rappers to ever live but so much of his greatness hides behind the stark street tales inspired by his upbringing in Buffalo, N.Y. The Machine relaxes his bravado for just a brief moment or two on his major label debut album, proving there is more to Conway than the tough talk and dope boy bars.
The Cool Kids – Before Sh*t Got Weird/Baby Oil Staircase/Chillout
We abhor the term “blog rap” but we understand why people use it. For the sake of simplicity, The Cool Kids are two of the pioneers of the blog rap scene and paved the way for a number of artists. But while their contemporaries are coasting on safe beats and barely pushing themselves, Sir Michael Rocks and Chuck Inglish updated their already hard-to-imitate formula.
Defcee & Boathouse – For All Debts Public and Private
Chicago is a hotbed of talent in relation to Hip-Hop and Defcee carries on that tradition with pride. Across the scope of the album, produced by the capable hands of Boathouse, Defcee’s confidence and crystal clear diction are infectious and inspiring.
Denzel Curry – Melt My Eyez See Your Future
Denzel Curry is largely known for his high-energy rapping performances but Melt My Eyez See Your Future finds the Florida MC toned down considerably, revealing how deft Curry’s penmanship truly is. There’s still some bombast in the delivery but it’s toned down for clarity’s sake and the listener is better for it.
Drake & 21 Savage – Her Loss
Aside from “that line” (and you know the one we’re talking about), Her Loss is pretty much a 21 Savage showcase. Drake always finds new ways to talk his sh*t and the album isn’t always flawless but the production and the combination of the pair are hard to resist.
Earl Sweatshirt – SICK!
Earl Sweatshirt doesn’t seem concerned with accolades or notoriety, which makes his music feel urgent at all times. It always appears that the artist born Thebe Kgositsile is still figuring out himself and invites his fans on a meandering journey that ultimately leads to saving one’s self. While we do learn a bit more about the lyricist, what really occurs is that this is a man who realizes the power of his voice is too important to mute.
EarthGang – Ghetto Gods
EarthGang, the duo of Olu and WowGr8, is woefully overlooked by certain segments of the listening public. We almost guarantee that if people new to the group took Ghetto Gods for a spin, they’d become instant fans. The sophomore slump is not a thing to worry about when the artists are this dialed in.
Freddie Gibbs – Soul Sold Separately
Freddie Gibbs has released so much critically-acclaimed heat that it’s hard to believe Soul Sold Separately is his major label debut album. To those fearful that the leap to the majors would dilute Kane’s world outlook, the album is very much Gangsta Gibbs at his best. Even when he locks in with familiar cohorts The Alchemist and Madlib, the Gary, Ind. native still finds lanes.
Fly Anakin – Frank
Richmond, Va. isn’t known as a Hip-Hop epicenter despite boasting homegrown talents such as Skillz and Nickelus F among others. Fly Anakin, one of the founding members of the Mutant Academy, delivers his first true solo debut album to pleasing results. And despite the big names of Madlib and Evidence on the boards, the rapper born Frank Walton is why you’ll be tuning in.
JID – The Forever Story
JID or J.I.D. However you spell it, the Georgia rapper’s third album, a proper follow-up to his studio album debut The Never Story, is an invite to the mind of the Dreamville standout. JID can RAP rap but it’s not just alien-level bar work as he’s adept at telling stories, high-minded concepts, and a gift for melody. It is perhaps the finest album to be released this year.
Ka – Languish Arts/Woeful Studies
Ka is arguably Hip-Hop’s greatest lyricist, and we say this as his rhymes are just as much a part of the song as the mournful loops he raps over. With an emphasis on imagery and philosophy hardened by the realities of growing up in Brownsville, Brooklyn, N.Y., the pair of albums is best taken as a whole as they mirror each other’s melancholy along with the hope for more simmering right under the surface.
Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
Kendrick Lamar built his fame under the guidance of Top Dawg and cemented himself as one of the faces of the TDE empire. Now that the Compton wordsmith is on his own, his latest album captures the struggles and angst of wrestling with the concerns of the mind and self. It isn’t always a comfortable listen but it might go down as K-Dot’s best work as time goes on.
Little Simz – No Thank You
Little Simz released No Thank You on Dec. 12 and it immediately gripped us. Just like the preceding album, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, Simz shines over the production from Inflo, who some might know as the band leader of the R&B collective, Sault. Trust us when we say that Little Simz and her soulful delivery will grab your ears and won’t easily let go.
LORD JAH-MONTE OGBON & SadhuGold
LORD JAH-MONTE OGBON shows and proves that Charlotte, N.C. has something to say. Spending time between the Queen City and Bucktown, U.S.A., the well-traveled rapper, and his hyperkinetic flows sound most at home over Sadhugold’s atmospheric backdrop, but that isn’t to say other joints JAH-MONTE dropped this year don’t compare. There wasn’t a weak release from him this year.
Lupe Fiasco – Drill Music In Zion
Lupe Fiasco is a rhyme scholar, literally, this after taking on a teaching gig at MIT this year. Beyond his time in the academy, the Chicago rapper locked in with past producer Soundtrakk for Drill Music In Zion, which he recorded in 72 hours but, as one can expect with Fiasco, it doesn’t sound like it.
Marlowe – Marlowe 3
Marlowe, the duo of rapper Solemn Brigham and producer L’Orange, are on their third collaborative project. What you can always expect from a Marlowe album is clean, ear-catching production and one of Hip-Hop’s most captivating voices in Brigham.
MAVI – Laughing so Hard, it Hurts
Charlotte is back on the list again by way of the young wizard MAVI and continuing to display his gift of words that we discovered on his proper debut, Let The Sun Talk. Some people lump MAVI with Earl Sweatshirt and MIKE and while slightly accurate, he shares more of himself than ever before. Sometimes, MAVI’s voice gets lost in the mix and it feels like an intentional engineering choice to make one lean in and take in what he’s saying.
Meyhem Lauren & Daringer – Black Vladimir
Meyhem Lauren is perhaps best known to most due to his alliance with Action Bronson but it only covers one segment of his career. Linking up with Griselda producer Daringer, the gruff Queens MC sounds at home and delivers the rap performance of a lifetime.
MIKE – Beware Of The Monkey
MIKE won’t be for everyone and it’s a shame because the young MC and producer managed to pack in an entire universe of emotion into a 16-bar verse. On this outing, it would be fair to call the album upbeat but it simplifies what the album is. MIKE is still concerned with honoring his mother’s life and pushing himself to greatness. Frankly, he’s already there.
Midaz the Beast – 84/87
Orlando, Fla. might not be the first city one thinks about when it comes to Hip-Hop but Midaz the Beast gives himself a grand opportunity to change that reality. Across two releases, 84 and 87, Beast proved why his rap moniker was chosen. A strong salute goes toward Delle Digga for the production.
Namir Blade – Metropolis
Namir Blade is a rarity, as the task of committing to a concept album is a difficult one. While Metropolis has weighty themes that won’t immediately grab everyone, the journey of discovery is sonically pleasing.
Nas – King’s Disease III
Nas is officially a veteran voice in Hip-Hop and several rappers look to him as a living inspiration. In the third installment of the acclaimed King’s Disease series with Hit-Boy, Nasir Jones put on a clinic in the booth and sounded just as vibrant as some of the younger rappers that revere him.
Open Mike Eagle – Component System with the Auto-Reverse
Open Mike Eagle’s albums pack many of his grand ideas into neatly served portions. And sometimes, a peek into the mind of the Chicago native feels invasive but he’s actually inviting us to the party. His latest album is full of OME’s usual laserlike focus as a writer but never forcing the issue. There’s so much to love here.
Pusha T – It’s Almost Dry
The undisputed champion of Coke Rap is Pusha T but for some reason, the bars don’t feel literal. In fact, and maybe this was always the case, Pusha’s lyrics feel like one extended metaphor delivered with the one-two punch of Ye and Pharell’s production.
Quelle Chris – DeathFame
It might be unfair to try and define Quelle Chris and his kaleidoscopic artistry. Every album release unveils another chamber of the fascinating, brilliant mind of Quelle and DeathFame might be the most interesting level yet.
Roc Marciano & Alchemist – The Elephant Man’s Bones
Our review here should explain everything.
Rome Streetz – Kiss The Ring
Queens has produced a bevy of great rappers and it’s a fine time to include Rome Streetz among that number. Now a member of the sprawling Griselda collective, Rome’s raps are sharp as ever and the intensity never relents for a second.
Saba – Few Good Things
Saba’s CARE FOR ME album would be a magnum opus for most artists. Somehow, the Chicago rapper dug even deeper into his reflective bag with his latest album and his writing has never been as gripping as it is now.
Sleep Sinai & Ohbliv – Shadow Self
Nebraska might not pique the interest of many Hip-Hop fans seeking the next one to watch within the genre. But for those who know how to dig and sift through the noise, Sleep Sinai is a worthy investment of time. Coupled with the production of Ohbliv, this might be Sleep Sinai’s top project yet.
Smino – Luv 4 Rent
Smino is hard to categorize. Is he a singer? Is he a rapper? He’s all of those things and then some. There aren’t many albums that contain this much soul and swagger in the same breath. St. Louis, stand up.
Vince Staples – Ramona Park Broke My Heart
Vince Staples has yet to drop a clunker of an album and his latest release extends the streak. On this outing, the Long Beach native wrestles yet again with the reality of his upbringing but never scolding from a lofty perch.
Westside Gunn – 10
Westside Gunn is finally closing the chapter on the HHW series and does so by bringing out the best in Busta Rhymes, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Black Star, and more. But the true star of the affair is WSG. The knock on the Buffalo boss is that he isn’t a great rapper but those claims should be put to rest. Westside Gunn is compelling as a rapper and it’s time the world accepts it.
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Photo: Getty
As jurors decide whether Tory Lanez shot Megan Thee Stallion in the foot two years ago, Megan’s boyfriend, Pardison Fontaine, is publicly sharing some thoughts on social media.
“To any woman especially ones of color that has suffered an injustice I feel for you.. when you do find the courage to speak up.. it seems you will be ridiculed.. your credibility will [be] questioned.. your entire past will be held under a magnifying glass.. in an instant you can go from victim to defendant in the eyes of the public,” Pardi wrote in an Instagram Story Thursday evening (Dec. 22).
He continued, “To any one with a daughter sister mother niece or aunt.. I pray for their protection.. I pray for their covering.. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.”
Megan and Pardi celebrated their second anniversary in October. The couple showed off their anniversary date night but Meg squashed any rumors that the couple were engaged in a tweet on Oct. 19. “Lol as nice as last night was we are not engaged,” she said.
In court last week, Megan recounted the alleged shooting and pinned the blame on Lanez. “I wish he would have just shot and killed me if I would have known I was going to go through this torture,” she said in her emotional testimony.
Lanez, who stands accused of three felony counts over the July 12, 2020 incident — during which prosecutors say he yelled “Dance, b—-” and shot at Megan’s feet — did not take the witness stand to testify in the trial. His lawyers have maintained his innocence, suggesting that the trigger might instead have been pulled by Megan’s former friend and assistant Kelsey Harris, who was also in the vehicle that night.
Lizzo is going Christmas tree crazy this holiday season.
In a preview of her upcoming interview on CBS Sunday Morning, the pop-rap star opens up about owning her first home in Los Angeles and dishes on how she’s been going a tad overboard with her Yuletide decorations.
“It’s like not having stuff for a long time, and now [that] I’ve got it, I’m going overboard,” Lizzo says during the sit-down. “I’m literally Santa Claus.”
The Grammy winner’s interview airs Christmas Day (Dec. 25) on CBS Television Network and will stream on Paramount+.
Lizzo, who recently brought holiday cheer during her musical guest appearance on Saturday Night Live, also discussed the joy of owning her very first house. Prior to the success of her 2019 breakout hit “Truth Hurts,” which reigned for seven weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, the Detroit rapper and singer spent many nights forced to sleep in her car.
“Staying in people’s rooms and sleeping on their couches,” Lizzo recalls. “Now, on this past tour, which I was blessed to stay in really nice places, but I was like, ‘I miss my house. Like, I can’t wait to come back to my own home and to my bed.’ I was like, ‘This is the first time I’ve ever said this.’ It’s a milestone for me.”
Lizzo has much to be thankful for in 2022. Her latest smash hit, “About Damn Time,” topped the Hot 100 for two weeks in July and August and is nominated for both record and song of the year at the 2023 Grammy Awards on Feb. 5. The artist’s fourth album, Special, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in July. The set follows her 2019 blockbuster, Cuz I Love You, which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and charted for over 100 weeks.
Watch a preview of Lizzo’s upcoming appearance on CBS Sunday Morning below.
The Hip Hop Nutcracker “turns Tchaikovsky on his head in the coolest possible way.”
The reimagining of the Russian classical composer’s 130-year-old ballet set in contemporary New York City has been living up to that promotional promise for the last 10 years. Now a holiday tradition in its own right, the dance extravaganza is currently in the midst of a 30-city tour. And there for each and every beat, notwithstanding a heart transplant in December 2020, has been the show’s special guest MC and one of rap’s founding fathers, Kurtis Blow.
“I was always a fan and supporter of the fusion of hip-hop with other genres of music,” says Blow, recalling the first time he watched a show rehearsal in 2013. “I saw these young b-boys and b-girls just doing their thing, representing with all the styles from popping and locking to electric boogaloo; kicks, head spins, back spins, windmills, air twists — and doing so to Tchaikovsky’s incredible classical music with hip-hop beats under it. I said, ‘Oh my God, I’ve got to be a part of this.’”
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The trailblazing artist known for classics such as “Christmas Rappin’,” “The Breaks” and “Party Time,” a fusion of rap and go-go, Blow was the first rapper to be signed to a major label (Mercury Records) in 1979, among other accolades. This past summer, Blow and fellow hip- hop legends, Chuck D and KRS-One founded the Hip Hop Alliance, the first ever union for hip-hop and R&B artists and the workforce that supports them.
The Hip Hop Nutcracker will wrap its 10th season in Hartford, Conn., on New Year’s Eve. The remainder of the tour will be dedicated to the late Stephen “tWitch” Boss, freestyle hip-hop dancer/choreographer and The Ellen DeGeneres Show co-host/co-exec producer. “We want to acknowledge the passing of one of our Nutcracker family members,” Blow says of Boss, who was part of Disney’s version of the show, now streaming on Disney+.
During a phone interview during the tour’s New York stop, Blow reflected on why The Hip Hop Nutcracker still resonates, life after his heart transplant and hip-hop’s monumental 50th anniversary in 2023.
For those who haven’t seen the show, what does your role entail?
I get everyone prepared for what they’re about to see by first taking them back with a medley of old school hip-hop songs because the show starts out in 1980 on New Year’s Eve. At the end of the intro, I sing a song called “New Year’s Eve” and in the middle of that, I have everyone count down from 10 to one. When we get to one, we scream Happy New Year as loud as we can. Then the show starts. At the end I come back and do “The Breaks” with the whole cast. These talented dancers from all over the world give 150% every night. Audiences come to the show — whose theme is love conquers all — and leave revitalized. I’m seeing generations from grandparents to their grandchildren and their daughters and sons. That’s what hip-hop is about too: all races, all ages.
What has your life been like since the transplant?
I am a walking, living, breathing testimony that God is still in the miracle business. What God did for me, God is able to do it for you and everyone else. This is a big part of my faith because I’m a preacher as well. Waking up the next morning after the operation, seeing the doctors and nurses and getting a thumbs up … I still get that joy every morning when I wake up. I thank God that I’m still alive — and [I’m] so grateful to be a part of this opportunity to spread love during the holiday season.
Which is something you first did in the late ‘70s with “Christmas Rappin’.”
I think it was 1978. Billboard included me, a young college student, in the last section of an interview about this new thing called rap. I will never forget it because during that time, there were other more popular MCs like DJ Hollywood, Eddie Cheeba, Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa. But that article became the basis of my credibility, and I think it was indirectly a part of me getting my record deal with Mercury. Robert Ford Jr. wrote that article. Later, he and J.B. Moore, who also worked for Billboard, produced my first gold single, “Christmas Rappin’”. I owe Billboard and just want to say thank you!
What does the genre’s upcoming 50th anniversary mean to you?
I started break dancing in 1972, became a DJ in ’73 and started rapping in ’74. I’ve witnessed this culture rise from the ashes of the ghettos of the Bronx, Harlem, Queens and Brooklyn. It was out of that cultural trauma that hip-hop was created; it was escapism in the music. Now it’s been around for 50 years and it’s still powerful — the No. 1-streamed genre in the world. Everyone around the globe is tuning in to listen to what hip-hop has to say. We definitely changed the world. And we have the opportunity to do it again. My message to all the young people out there is: We did it, and now the world is yours. The future is yours. You have the opportunity to build up your families, build up your communities and build up humanity.
Offset is finding it difficult to express any real happiness following the death of his cousin and Migos bandmate Takeoff.
The Atlanta-born rapper, 31, took to Twitter on Wednesday (Dec. 21) to share yet another heartfelt remembrance of Takeoff, who was murdered in Houston on Nov. 1.
“S— not easy fake smiling and s— tryna keep walking with my head up,” Offset captioned an onstage photo of Takeoff flashing the peace sign.
Takeoff, whose real name is Kirsnick Khari Ball, was shot and killed while attending an afterparty at a Houston bowling alley with his uncle and fellow Migos member Quavo. He was 28.
Houston Police announced in early December that Patrick Xavier Clark, 33, was arrested and charged with murder, while another man, Cameron Joshua, 22, was arrested and charged with the unlawful carrying of a weapon.
Following Takeoff’s death, Offset and Quavo remained relatively tight-lipped, privately mourning their massive loss. But both rappers honored Takeoff during a three-hour memorial on Nov. 11 at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena.
Offset also posted a statement to his Instagram account on Nov. 15, addressing his loss through an open letter to his late cousin, whom he lovingly referred to as “Take.”
“Every time you would see me, you didn’t give me a dap you gave me a hug. I wish I could hug you one last time,” Offset wrote. “I know someone with a soul like yours is in heaven now. I hope you can see how much we love you and miss you. You have left a hole in my heart that will never be filled.”
Offset’s wife, Cardi B, has also spoken out about how difficult things have been since the tragedy occurred, saying in a since-deleted Twitter voice note that she feels “so hopeless trying to make my husband happy.”
“Trying to make him crack a smile, f—in’ seeing him randomly cry,” she said in late November. “See him trying to distract his mind completely, f—in’ schedules been changing, trying to keep up with work after everything that he’s been going through these past couple of weeks. We not in the mood to be f—in’ playin’ around with y’all.”
As 2022 draws to a close, Billboard Pride is taking a look back at some the queer indie artists who saw their stars rise over the last 12 months. Below, NYC rap veteran Cakes Da Killa breaks down his big year.
Last summer, multiple publications declared that “house music was back,” thanks to superstars like Beyoncé and Drake infusing their new music with its chunky synths and four-on-the-floor drum patterns. For Cakes Da Killa, however, the genre never went anywhere. When asked how aware he was of the “revival” taking place, he quips, “Not at all. Too drunk to pay attention.”
Cakes was also too busy, focusing on his own career this year — after almost a decade of underground success, the NYC rap vet used his 2022 to show the world his versatility and preeminent songwriting with Svengali. Released in October through his new label home Young Arts, the long-awaited second LP proved to be a turning point in Cakes’ career — and one he’s eager to keep building on.
But as the rapper tells Billboard over Zoom, Svengali had been in the works since 2018, and got shelved since the outset of the pandemic in 2020. “It didn’t seem like the time [to release it],” Cakes explains. “I knew I wanted to be a creative person through the pandemic, but I didn’t want to drop a full body of work, like an album, during that time. … But then it was a situation where I had been sitting on this project for four years — this s–t was coming out regardless.”
For Cakes (born Rashard Bradshaw), persevering through adverse release conditions had already been the story of his entire career. Coming up during “the SoundCloud generation,” as he calls it, Cakes gained steam across various internet platforms with the release of his Easy Bake Oven mixtape in 2011. Joining the likes of Mykki Blanco and Le1f, Cakes became a point of fascination for media figures around the U.S., as an openly gay rapper leading the way towards greater visibility.
It’s a theme that continued throughout Cakes’ career — no matter what independent label he signed with or what kind of sound he was making, his sexuality had become the inextricable focal point of his public image, which made attempts to seek out the attention of major labels more difficult. “When I was coming out as an artist, the label system was not prepared for queer artists, so there was no option in the first place — it was like, ‘You’re an independent artist because you’re weird,’” he says.
When the pandemic hit, Cakes had a decision to make — he had crafted a new album that would potentially help re-contextualize his artistic contribution to rap, but that album was also rife with sorrowful themes. Ultimately, the world “had enough of all of that,” he says.
Instead, Cakes unveiled his Muvaland mixtape series with producer Proper Villains as he left his home in New York to move to Atlanta. Released in two volumes throughout the pandemic via HE.SHE.THEY, the sweltering club project saw Cakes leaning into his house roots with wild abandon.
Gaining newfound attention thanks to his booming pandemic club single “Don Dada” and still refining the sound of Svengali with producer Sam Katz, Cakes started 2022 with a big change when he signed an album deal with TOKiMONSTA‘s label, Young Arts Records. By working with a label run by a fellow artist, Cakes says he could see the difference from his past label experiences clearly. “She has this different type of perspective on how to run things, which I appreciate — it’s very artist-focused,” he explains. “The record deal was signed because they genuinely loved what I was doing and what I was making.”
With a renewed outlook on his place in the industry, Cakes looked at his second album and decided, as he puts it “‘F–k it, let’s put it out.’” On Oct. 28, the world was introduced to the world of Svengali, a hypnotic, genre-fused project that saw Cakes take a sharp left turn with his sound — the elements of his hip-house roots remained intact, now bolstered by a darker ambient noise around it.
“Sonically, what me and Sam produced was something that combined a lot of the sounds I listen to on the day to day — that’s jazz, neo-soul, R&B and house music — and the product is something that is so deeply me,” he says. “Muvaland is this very sugar-coated, high fructose corn syrup project, while Svengali is much more grown and refined.”
Cakes’ efforts didn’t go unnoticed: Svengali quickly earned critical acclaim, with Pitchfork writing that the album “feels like a milestone he’s been working toward for years,” and calling Cakes ” a bandleader of the jazz era he reveres, putting on for the divas and icons of his time.” While the album didn’t gain any instant success on platforms like YouTube or TikTok, the rapper says he’s watched his streaming numbers steadily rise since the project’s release.
As the topic of internet virality comes up, Cakes quickly becomes uncomfortable. Yes, he has a TikTok account that he posts on sporadically, and yes, he acknowledges that, without platforms like SoundCloud or Tumblr, his career likely wouldn’t exist. But when it comes to the dominance of TikTok in the current music market, Cakes doesn’t feel great about what it means for artists.
“It’s just so performative, to me,” he says with a sigh. “Historically speaking, that performative thing kind of feels like minstrel shows to me, to be real. I don’t think everyone has that intention, nor do I think it’s the intention of the app. But the connotation that it has — leaning choreography and dancing to get people to like you — doesn’t sit well with me.”
Throughout the conversation, Cakes makes it clear that success will happen on his own terms, not because of a viral trend he capitalized on or a major label deal that got him more radio airplay. He’s hustled before, and he’s happy to hustle again. “I’ve always been a hard worker and somebody who was a go getter,” he explains. “But when the pandemic happened, that was like, ‘The time is now, do what you wanna do. And if you’re gonna do it, make a product that you’re completely in love with. If it’s fab, people will like it.’”
That doesn’t mean he can’t dream, though — Cakes hopes to see the songs off of his upcoming summer project on the Billboard dance charts soon. More importantly, he hopes that his artistic renaissance over the last year allows him to finally be seen as a once-in-a-generation artist.
“I’m just over here trying to cement myself as somebody bigger than the ‘queer rap’ label that the media has placed on me,” he explains. “I’m trying to be considered as a dope songwriter and artist first.”
One of Coolio‘s last known interviews took place on a lark in an airport departure gate when the host of a crypto podcast happened to spot the rapper chilling out while waiting for a flight. In the new episode of PJ Vogt’s Crypto Island pod, the host describes his surprise at seeing someone who had the “incandescent shine” of a likely famous person casually sitting at a gate in New York’s JFK airport.
Wearing a green track suit and matching baseball hat with two slots cut in the top to make room for his signature at-attention braids, Coolio was friendly when Vogt asked him to introduce himself and a young fellow passenger named Grant whom the MC had befriended.
Waiting to board a flight to Copenhagen, Coolio explained to Vogt that he’d done his crypto research. “I am actually heavily invested into the metaverse,” said the “Gangsta’s Paradise” rapper who died on Sept. 28 in Los Angeles at age 59 of suspected cardiac arrest. “I have a nice swath of land in the metaverse and barring the internet crashing or somebody dropping an EMP (electomagnetic pulse) on the whole world and there being no power, this would be a good deal.”
Given the tremendous amount of energy needed to power crypto in the midst of what climate scientists have warned is a make-or-break moment for the rapidly warming Earth, Vogt asked Coolio to share his thoughts on the climate crisis. “I’m not so much worried about it,” Coolio said in a hoarse voice. “By the time it gets to be a serious problem I’ll be long dead.”
Though Vogt said Coolio understood the dangers of sea level rise and global warming, the rapper said he had “so many other things” to worry about right now that impending climate apocalypse was not on the list. Among them, Grant chimed in, was how they were going to get to Denmark. “Exactly, because I got a show tomorrow,” Coolio said. Though he’s more likely to suffer the ravages of climate catastrophe because of his age (20), Grant agreed about fretting in the right now versus worrying about our hothouse future.
And then Coolio dropped a serious bombshell. “I’m gonna tell y’all another thing that nobody will never tell you,” he said. “There’s another continent that they’re hiding from us.” Vogt, confused but intrigued, asked Coolio to elaborate. And so the rapper born Artis Leon Ivey Jr. explained that if you travel 50 miles out into the Antarctic Ocean — whether on a ship, plane or helicopter — you will be told by the military to turn back or face annihilation.
Grant said he’d also heard this conspiracy theory, and then doubled down with another one about hidden pyramids in Antarctica. “There are pyramids in the Grand Canyon,” Coolio noted. Vogt said he would save the rest of the chat for a later episode, but summarized a discussion with Coolio and Grant that involved them getting excited about what they described as an ancient race of aliens who were protecting part of the planet from marauding, fossil-fuel addicted humans.
The trio then boarded a plane — a sleepy Coolio in first class, Vogt in coach — with the host musing that as far-out as Coolio and Grant’s notions were, in a world where everything feels like it’s falling apart all the time, “it points to the allure of literally any distraction… any problem shinier than the big one: that we’ve accidentally created a world where our consumption is gradually killing us.”
Listen to the episode below (Coolio appears around 4:10 mark).
How time flies! Offset is looking back on his journey through fatherhood as his oldest child becomes a teenager.
The Migos rapper, 31, celebrated his first born son Jordan’s 13th birthday on social media Tuesday (Dec. 20) with a gallery of sweet family photos.
“Can’t believe I have a 13yr old my first born my King you turned me into a man at 17 I love you son,” Offset captioned the carousel of images on Instagram.
In the nostalgic post, the Grammy-nominated artist takes his nearly 21 million followers on a trip down memory lane, with numerous snapshots of the father and son posing alongside each other at various stages in the young man’s life. One picture shows Offset flashing a big stack of cash while his little boy smiles for the camera, while another finds the pair looking stylish in Gucci.
Offset and his wife, Cardi B, share two other children together — daughter Kulture, 4, and son Wave, 15 months. In addition to Jordan, he also has a young son and daughter from previous relationships.
In the title track of his 2019 debut solo album, Father of 4, Offset touches on becoming a father to Jordan at a young age.
“I was 17 years old when I had you/ Tryna find my soul when I had you/ I was oh so broke when I had you/ Locked up down the road when I had you/ Jordan, sorry I wasn’t there for all your birthdays/ I tried to hit, and I wasn’t rich, I had no workplace,” he rhymes.
The Atlanta-born rapper also opened up about fatherhood and the importance of blending his family in an interview earlier this year with Essence.
“It’s a blessing to be able to have them all together, and to have a wife who’s open and treats them as if they’re her kids,” Offset told the publication. “It could be an issue, but I don’t have to go through that, and that’s beautiful.”
Over the course of Ab-Soul’s sprawling 12-year career, the California rapper has examined numerous theologies in his quest for what he calls “the truth, if there is such.” The “Black Lipped Pastor,” as his devout followers call him, has long served as a beacon of hope for those unfulfilled with mainstream America, and it all started with his sophomore album, 2012’s Control System.
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With its intriguing mix of bravado and philosophical parables, the album has remained so beloved among alternative rap fans that at this point it’s practically scripture for Soul’s supporters. Control System took on an identity of its own; so did Ab-Soul, who leaned further into the murky waters of conspiracy with his subsequent releases, 2014’s These Days… and 2016’s Do What Thou Wilt. The latter being so bogged down in far-flung teachings that it was hard to pinpoint where one thought ended and another began.
Then, Soulo seemed to vanish. One year off turned into six, as he disappeared down what he called a conspiracy theory “rabbit hole” that ultimately separated him from his family and friends. The immense popularity of Control System was partially to blame.
“I’ve been trying to beat Control System, and I think that’s a big part of the reason why the [new] album is called Herbert – it’s about getting back to self,” the rapper born Herbert Anthony Stevens IV tells Billboard as he chews on a Starburst inside his New York hotel room. “I was riding with one of the big homies once and he said, ‘Man you’re always playing this character like you’re Batman or something. You’re from the hood bro. Why can’t you just talk about some of that sh-t?’”
Herbert, which released on Friday (Dec. 16), is by far the most personal project Soul has ever made. Throughout the album’s 18 tracks, Soul ruminates on his family, a past suicide attempt, as well as the state of rap and his place in it. As a rapper known for having answers, he spends the majority of Herbert asking a lot of questions – on “Moonstruck,” he plainly raps, “I don’t know what to think.”
As his search for a definitive truth morphed into an addiction, Soul says that he had to come to a place of acceptance surrounding the unknown. To do this, he offered himself up as more of “an instrument” for others. DJ Premier, Sounwave, James Blake, DJ Dahi, Hit-Boy and Boi-1da all flooded him with beats, and he asked his close friends and family for help in constructing the record. He allowed the people he loved to be the foundation for what Herbert would ultimately become.
“I was asking my guys, ‘What do you want to hear me on?’ I was challenging myself in that regard,” Soul says. The process not only birthed some of Soul’s best music in a decade, it helped him let go of the steering wheel, and not get so caught up in the “absolute truth” idea.
“Look, I’m in God’s hands now. God is good all the time,” Soul says. “I’ m just keeping it like that. I’m keeping the faith.”
When I was listening back to Do What Thou Wilt versus Herbert, the first thing that struck me was how transparent and clear your songwriting has become. How did your approach to songwriting change with this album?
For me, it’s more difficult to be simple than it is to be complex. It was challenging to simplify, and I wanted it to be an easy listen, because my last album in particular was very dense and very dark also. I almost even confused myself with that one. That wasn’t an album that was an algorithm. So this time around I just wanted it to feel good first, and I just wanted to be an instrument versus have it be about what I’m saying.
At what point did Herbert and those ideas really start to come together?
So I took a year and a half off from my last album, and I went in saying, “I’m not gonna have a concept this time, I’m just gonna be pure, be open and just try to speak from within.” It was fuzzy at first, to be vulnerable, organic, but I tell everybody that once I made “Fallacy,” I felt like I was on the verge of something and that I had a direction.
“Moonshooter” also feels like a pivotal moment on the album, because you seem to come clean and say “I don’t know what to think.” This unease feels like uncharted territory for Ab-Soul. When did that start to creep in, and have you been able to come to a place of acceptance around it?
I honestly feel like it’s liberating. “A wise man knows he knows nothing.” But anyways, I found myself becoming a critic of the new artists coming in. So I kind of came to this place of, “I ain’t got no gavel, who am I to judge?” Plus just being older now, we got a lot of new young artists that are amazingly talented and skilled and are bringing new flavor to the table. It’s inspirational. I really love Kembe X, and Doechii, Reason, to name a few. Those are my guys.
Was there a moment in particular where you caught yourself being a critic?
There was literally a moment with Lil Uzi Vert early, early on. He said something about passing on a Preemo beat. I think Preemo wanted to work with him or something, and I felt a need to speak up. I obviously cleared the air with him, but that was a moment where I was like: “Hold on. He has his own sound. Who am I to speak up on any young man out there trying to make something of himself?”
Jackson Pollack was just throwing paint and he was f–king Jackson Pollack. Some thought that was ridiculous. Others thought it was genius. Like, who am I? Let me just focus and make sure I’m creating the best product I can create.
Interestingly enough, you ended up working with Preemo on “Gotta Rap.”
That was a dream come true. I always wanted that and he made me work for it. I had to do it about five or six times before he felt the frequency. I respect his craft and what he’s brought to the culture. It was an honor. Even before Ab-Soul was my name I wanted a Preemo beat. It was a milestone.
On that note, we have to talk about “Do Better.” What do you hope that record will do for the legacy of Ab-Soul?
That’s one of the most organic songs I’ve ever made. Sounwave brought me the record and I immediately was drawn to it. Like I said I was just taking production, and I wanted it to motivate. I want us to try to be better at all things. To be your best self, and that was me talking to myself. I was trying to motivate me to be better. It was a conversation with myself.
Another record that stuck out to me in that regard was “Be Like That.” The song feels like you’re experiencing rock bottom, but also seeing the light simultaneously.
Absolutely. “When it feels like hell, heaven’s around the corner.” That was the hardest record to make, and it’s so important because that’s probably the most simplified [I’ve been]. I was like, “I don’t want no metaphors in this. I don’t want no punchline. Not one simile, I just want to speak,” and that was so hard for me to do. I don’t believe in forcing anything either, so I had to get into the spirit of it.
You’ve been working extensively with Jhené Aiko for years now. Tell me about the creative dynamic you two share and what you feel she brings to your music.
I saw one time somebody asked her if she was a rapper who she’d be and she said Ab-Soul. Jhené was with us in the trenches, in the beginning. She was with us early. A beautiful voice, beautiful writer, beautiful spirit and we just clicked. Also, you know she’s a Pisces, and we have that Pisces thing. Our collaborations are so effortless.
What your relationship is to the “Black-Lipped Pastor” nickname at this point in your career?
I’m still the Pastor! I feel like it’s more suitable now and that it’s tailor-made for me. It was a little baggier back then, but I feel like I’ve grown into it now. At the time I got that nickname I was heavy into theology and getting into the root of things, and it came from asking questions and trying to get to the truth, if there is such.
Tell me more about how being labeled the “third eye guy” impacted you.
Like I said I’m trying to climb out of the rabbit hole man. Let’s stay here. Let’s stay in this realm. Let’s stay on the ground. I was focusing on the unknown and the conspiracy and listen: Learn all you can while you’re here. Knowledge is power, but stay on the ground. Stay here. I felt myself becoming disconnected from my close friends and family in a sense. My way of thinking started to become extra terrestrial. The big homies are just trying to party.
Do you still consider yourself the “Third Eye Guy?”
I’ll always be the third eye guy, and I still believe those things but now it’s a faith. You heard my thoughts on them. I’m not trying to shove these theories down your throat. Once I felt the disconnect between the people that mattered to me most, the people that I trust the most, when I started feeling a disconnect between that and my relationships, I realized something is obviously wrong with me.
You gotta keep your foundation, man. I’m big on family and love and those things. I just started to feel like I was isolating myself. I didn’t wanna hang out as much because I wasn’t interested in what was going on. They’re like, “Yo bro, where you at? Pop out!” And I was, you know, staying inside.
How has Herbert helped your process of climbing out from that rabbit hole?
Oh, I’m back outside, baby! Listen man, I live in the now. I’m living right now. I’m in the now heavy.
