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“I’m just the warm-up, baby!” So declared Timbaland during his opening set (July 12) for one of the most anticipated tours of 2024: the Out of This World Tour — The Missy Elliott Experience: the rap icon’s first headline outing.
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It was the second of the tour’s two-night Los Angeles stand at Crypto.com Arena. With a percolating set that included classics in the songwriter-producer’s hit arsenal such as “The Way I Are,” 50 Cent’s “Ayo Technology” and Justin Timberlake’s “My Love,” Elliott’s longtime musical partner gave the packed house an appetizing taste of what would be in store later when the legend herself arrived onstage.
Fellow featured guests Ciara and Busta Rhymes brought their A games as well. Deftly catching Timbaland’s baton toss, a black leather-clad Ciara came out blazing to an explosion of audience cheers. Noting that she “just had my fourth baby,” the singer-songwriter proceeded to demonstrate she’s lost none of her formidable dancing skills as she — accompanied by a fiercely flexible dance crew — undulated, twerked and sashayed her way through crowd-pleasers like “Goodies,” “Ride,” “Like a Boy,” Promise,” “Level Up” and, of course “1, 2 Step.”
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Following suit, rap legend Rhymes, alongside his fave hype man Spliff Star, ratcheted the excitement level even higher with songs like Chris Brown’s “Look at Me Now” (featuring Rhymes’ signature rapid flow: “We don’t use special effects because we are the special effects,” noted Rhymes), “Turn It Up,” “I Know What You Want” and “Pass the Courvoisier.” He also brought Ty Dolla $ign and 310Babii to the stage. “We lift our artists up,” said Rhymes. “That’s what we’re supposed to do.”
Then it was Missy time.
Her ensuing 90-minute show was divided into four acts, introduced by dancer/master of ceremonies Kanec. Act one began with the huge image of a spaceship that touched down onstage. Then a portal door, emblazoned with a giant M, rose and there stood the woman that everyone — all cheering their hearts out — had come to see. Launching into “Throw It Back,” a silver-helmeted Elliott wasted no time getting down to business as she and her 20-member dance crew got to stepping on an invigorating eight-song set that also included “We Run This,” “Sock It to Me” and “I’m Really Hot.”
Elliott left no stone unturned (“We’re going to see who the real Missy fans are.”). as the next two eight-song acts featured roaring crowd pleasers from “The Rain,” “She’s a B—-” (wearing a bubble coat that billowed out behind her at one point) and a rollicking “Get Ur Freak On” to gems “One-Minute Man,” “Drip Demeanor” and “Coochie Don’t Fail Me Now.” To give fans an equal opportunity to view the proceedings a bit closer, four circular screens near the top of the arena relayed what was happening onstage as an energetic, red-haired Elliott went toe-to-toe with her male and female troupe of dancers. And at one point, to get even closer to fans during the second act, she hopped onto a smaller circular platform that was rolled out above the fans on the floor.
In act four, “the last stop on the planet,” Elliott (wearing a large pink fake fur hat) and crew donned graffiti-splashed outfits whose kaleidoscopic neon colors flashed brightly onstage (as did bracelets that were distributed upon entering Crypto). Segueing from a “WTF (Where They From)” mashup to “Bring the Pain” and another rousing fan fave “Work It,” Elliott surprised everyone by coming offstage and walking the perimeter of the venue, a seeming victory lap with her smilingly slapping hands as she passed by clamoring fans. Coming back onstage, Elliott rounded off the final act of her love fest with “Pass Dat Dutch” and “Dance with Me” before ripping it up with Timbaland on “Up Jumps the Boogie,” Rhymes on “Touch It” and Ciara on “Lose Control.”
“I say this every place I go,” the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer said toward the show’s end. “I never take for granted that you spent your hard-earned money; this means a lot. I appreciate every last one of you all. Amen!” And as a satiated crowd filed out of Crypto.com, their comments echoed what Rhymes had noted earlier in his show: “Thank you, Missy, for putting us all together.”
The 30-date, North American Out of This Word Tour – The Missy Elliott Experience lands in Las Vegas Saturday (July 13) with upcoming stops in Denver (7/16), Houston (7/20) and Washington, D.C. (8/8), before wrapping on Aug. 23 in Rosemont, Ill. View the rest of the tour’s itinerary on her official website here.
Candace Owens is firing back at Eminem after the Detroit legend dissed her on his new album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce).
On the track “Lucifer,” the 51-year-old rapper takes aim at the conservative pundit, spewing the lines, “And Candice O, I ain’t mad at her/ I ain’t gon’ throw the fact b—- forgot she was Black back at her/ Laugh at her, like them crackers she’s backin’ after.”
Em also refers to Owens, 35, as a “MAGA dirtbag in a skirt” and drops such nicknames for her as “Grand Wizard,” “Klandace” and “Grand Dragon,” before scheming to plans to “get in her pants.”
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Elsewhere on The Death of Slim Shady, the 15-time Grammy winner bashes Owens — a supporter of Donald Trump and a critic of Black Lives Matter — once again on the song “Bad One,” where he raps that “she turned her back on her own race.”
Shortly after the album dropped on Friday (July 12), Owens addressed the disses on her YouTube channel in an eight-minute diatribe, calling Eminem a “lefty elitist” who is “cosplaying a race that you aren’t.”
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“You’re so irrelevant, your music isn’t good anymore,” she added, dubbing Em “granddad Shady.” “He is a lesson to a lot of people out there that you need to know when it’s time for you to retire.”
This isn’t the first time Eminem and Owens have clashed. In August 2023, she criticized the rapper’s age and speculated about his sexuality after he sent a cease-and-desist letter to then-Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy for using his music while campaigning.
“Some people also say that when we get older we get grayer. We know that’s true,” Owens said in a video on her YouTube channel. “But for Eminem, the once hardcore rapper, it seems that he is getting older and gayer. Yes, Eminem might be gay.”
The Death of Slim Shady boasts 19 tracks and includes previously released singles “Houdini” and “Tobey,” featuring Big Sean and BabyTron, along with a sequel to 1999’s “Guilty Conscience” with Dr. Dre. Eminem peppered collabs throughout the project with special guest appearances from Jelly Roll, J.I.D, Skylar Grey, Bizarre, Ez Mil, and more.
The new LP marks Em’s first album since 2020’s Music to Be Murdered By as he seeks a 10th consecutive chart-topper on the Billboard 200.
See Owens’ response to Em’s “Lucifer” and “Bad One” disses on X below.
RCA Records has signed BERWYN in the U.S. as the Trinidad-born, London-raised rapper looks to plant his feet in America with his debut 12-track studio effort, WHO AM I. “[It’s] amazing to have the backing of a label like RCA, which has an incredible history of working with some of the greatest artists in black […]
Comedian Steve Harvey has heard it all as the host of Family Feud and Celebrity Family Feud over the past 14 years. But the always quick-on-his-feet stand-up was caught dumbfounded on Tuesday night (July 9) when Megan Thee Stallion offered up a predictably body-ody-ody-positive answer to the query “name something that might be curvy.” Wearing […]
Sexyy Red is pushing back against rumors of low ticket sales for her upcoming Sexyy Red 4 President tour. The “Pound Town” rapper took to X on Monday (July 8) to address reports about poor ticket sales. “My fans are buying tickets we’re doin just fine. We not cancelling no tour,” she wrote in response […]
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Today is 710 Day and we hope the cannabis-themed holiday will be celebrated safely and around people you truly rock with. To aid in the festivities, Roger Volodarsky, the founder and CEO of Puffco, put together a dope 10-track Hip-Hop playlist just in time for 710 Day.
I interviewed Roger Volodarsky last year for the site and the Brooklyn native shared not only his life story and the early days of Puffco, but also the fact he’s a big Hip-Hop head. As fellow fans of the Flatbush Zombies and the whole Beast Coast collective, Roger and I found a connection in our shared fandom of Zombie Juice of the Flatbush Zombies.
I suggested that Volodarsky put together his favorite collection of Hip-Hop songs in a playlist and he came up with an idea far better than mine. Taking time out of his busy schedule running all things Puffco, Volodarsky whipped together 10 tracks for 710 Day that aren’t your typical “stoner” fare.
The playlist opens up with one of my favorite songs, “Barz Simpson,” featuring the vocal talents of rapper and producer Sonnyjim alongside the late MF DOOM and the elusive Jay Electronica. Next up is Larry June’s “89 Earthquake” from the rapper’s collaborative project with The Alchemist, The Great Escape.
Any playlist with Dr. Baklava aka Action Bronson is a solid one and Volodarsky dug into the archives and placed “Imported Goods” on the playlist. The rest of the list is rounded out with tracks from recent XXL Freshman That Mexican OT, Moneybagg Yo, Peso Pluma, Quavo, Key Glock, Jgrrey, Zombie Juice, King Hendrick$, and Boldy James.
The variety of songs that Roger Volodarsky put together is impressive and kind of follows my CRT FRSH playlist ethos of mixing up all kinds of sounds no matter the region. There is no East Coast or West Coast bias, just dope songs from acts you should know and maybe others you’ll come to know. Follow the homie on his IG page here.
For now, check out the playlist below and have a happy 710 Day!
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Photo: Asha/Jerry Dempe/Stream Team
While you all are busy playing checkers on your phones, Eminem is playing multi-dimensional chess on his Apple Vision Pro headset. How do we know? Enterprising Stans went back to check the tape this week on an ad Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg released in February to promote their Gin & Juice cocktails in which […]
Drake fans, get ready: DJ Akademiks has revealed that new music from the Canadian superstar is on the way.
The news comes in the wake of Drake’s highly publicized feud with Kendrick Lamar, which has dominated the hip-hop world for months.
On Monday (July 8), Akademiks took to social media to rally behind Drake, addressing those who doubted the rapper’s staying power.
“All u n—– who been acting like Drake finished… bookmark this tweet for 6 months from now,” he declared. “We don’t want u n—– no where near us… Remember that.”
He added, “And yes… enjoy all the other noise and bs… Drake new music otw. and it’s fye… trust.”
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and yes.. enjoy all the other noise and bs.. Drake new music otw. and its fye…. trust.— DJ Akademiks (@Akademiks) July 8, 2024
Akademiks, one of Drake’s most loyal supporters, has remained steadfast in his defense of the “Hotline Bling” hitmaker throughout his ongoing beef with K.Dot.
During a May appearance on the Flagrant podcast, Akademiks argued that Drake came out on top in the conflict, highlighting the different expectations placed on the two artists.
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“The rules aren’t the same for both artists… Drake has never ducked a battle. He’s always been there,” he explained.
The anticipation for new Drake music has been building, especially after his longtime producer, Gordo, hinted at a summer release. In an Instagram post featuring a photo with Drake, Gordo teased, “You guys ready for summer 2024…”
Drake’s latest chart-topping success was with his track “First Person Shooter” featuring J. Cole, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on October 17, 2023.
This marked Drake’s 13th No. 1 hit, tying him with Michael Jackson for the most No. 1 singles by a solo male artist. “First Person Shooter” is from his latest album, For All the Dogs, which has already produced several other top 10 hits.
After decades of brushing off the label, Eminem is finally embracing the title of “White Rapper.” Now, to be fair, he’s doing it as part of a promotional team-up with slider slingers White Castle as part of the roll-out of his upcoming album. The burgers and beats collaboration was announced on Monday (July 8) in […]
Nicki Minaj canceled a planned set at the SAGA Festival in Romania on Sunday night (July 7) after the rapper said her security team warned her of potential issues due to a protest reportedly planned in Bucharest on Monday (July 8).
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“Out of concern for the well-being of our team and myself, I have been advised by my security detail not to travel to Romania’s festival tonight due to safety concerns regarding protests in the area,” Minaj tweeted on Sunday night just hours before she was slated to take the stage. “I look forward to seeing you all at another time.”
Minaj noted that the decision was also made with her family in mind. “As a mom, I have to make sure I’m making sound decisions for me to make it home to my son and for my team to make it home to their families,” wrote the mother of a three-year-old son with husband Kenny Petty. “To not heed the advice of security at this time is simply not what I think I should be doing. I love you and thank you for your understanding and support. I am very excited to see my fans this Friday in London for another very special headlining show at Wireless Festival.”
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Minaj was slated to headline the weekend festival that also featured sets from Armin Van Buuren, Raye, Rita Ora, Hardwell and Tyla among many others. The MC did not specify what the security concerns were and at press time a spokesperson had not returned a request for additional information on the cause of the show’s cancelation; in addition, at press time there appeared to be minimal reporting about a protest in Bucharest on Monday.
According to Rolling Stone, SAGA festival organizers issued a statement on Sunday, writing, “It is with a heavy heart that we have to announce Nicki Minaj has just cancelled her performance due to concerns for her and her team’s well-being in Romania… This has nothing to do with SAGA, and is beyond our powers. The news has left us all devastated, and we know it’s a huge disappointment for all of you, just as it is for us.” Organizers reportedly said that all unscanned tickets for the sold-out Sunday festival gig would be refunded.
The MC also reportedly ran into some issues during her show at Malahide Castle near Dublin, Ireland on Saturday night, when fans complained she took the stage late and performed a shortened set. The Irish Independent reported that some Barbz were demanding a full refund after Minaj was said to have made fans wait in the rain for 45 minutes before reportedly taking the stage after 10 p.m. local time, then cutting the gig short after 45 minutes. Other reports place her stage time between 60-63 minutes. Before the show, producer MCD Productions noted in an X post that “Nicki Minaj’s set is due to start at 8.20 pm,” noting that “the licensed curfew is 10:30pm.”
Typical set times on Minaj’s current tour have been running between 60 and 75 minutes according to setlist.fm and it appeared that the rapper performed for just over an hour in Dublin after being played on by her tour DJ, DJ Boof.
Minaj posted a series of pics from the set in Dublin — which she dubbed “#GagCityDUBLIN” — with followers taking to the comments section to air their disappointment about both shows. “girl when are you coming to romania if you didn’t attend saga?,” wrote on about the scotched Romania gig, with an Irish fan adding, “You have no respect for your fans @nickiminaj actually awful €100 for us to get drenched in the rain for you to play for 40 mins wow its actally shocking!!! No manners young kids badly disappointed you have no morals woman !!!! I hope all your future shows are boycotted.”
In another Instagram post featuring footage of Minaj preparing to take the stage in Dublin, fans continued to complain about the show, with one writing, “Worst gig ever, arrived on stage at 9.50, kept fans waiting in the lashings of rain, proceeded to have loads of length costume changes, lots of fans left disappointed,” with another saying, “The real reality?….Dublin mad as f cause she’s turned up hours late and people had to leave cause they were standing in rain for hours waiting.”
While Minaj has not made any additional statement beyond the one concerning the show in Romania, the rapper did cryptically post a series of images of the terrifying Chucky from the Child’s Play movies on her X account with no additional comment late Sunday night.
This isn’t the first hiccup on the tour. Minaj was arrested in Amsterdam in May on her way to perform in the UK at Manchester’s Co-Op Live after being detained by Dutch police who reportedly found “dozens of joints” in her luggage; shortly after, Minaj canceled a planned June 2 show at Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam.
The next gig on Minaj’s Pink Friday 2 tour is slated for Friday (July 12) at the Wireless Festival in London.
See Minaj’s statement below.
Out of concern for the well-being of our team and myself, I have been advised by my security detail not to travel to Romania’s festival tonight due to safety concerns regarding protests in the area. I look forward to seeing you all at another time. As a mom, I have to make sure…— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) July 7, 2024