Hip-Hop

With so many Hollywood movies on ice as the strike by actors drags on into the fall, Busta Rhymes is prepping his own blockbuster. Actually, make that Blockbusta, the MC’s 11th solo studio album, which is due out on Black Friday, Nov. 24.

Busta announced the project in a video posted on his socials on Monday (Oct. 23), in which he held a Zoom sit-down with the project’s four AAA-list super producers: Pharrell Williams, Timbaland and Swizz Beatz. “This project right here is executive produced by the f—ing committee,” Swizz said in the clip. “Pharrell the Pharaoh, Timbo the King, Swizz Beatz the student.”

Timbaland gave thanks for the Transformers-like gathering of production legends, telling Busta that he is, “so grateful that you chose me to be a part of your legacy.” Pharrell also gave some insight into the project, whose track list has not yet been released.

“You really feel illuminated,” Skateboard P said of the collection that also lists Busta as an exec producer. “This illumination is good because I think people gonna be able to get and feel that.” Timbaland had a one-word description for the follow-up to Busta’s 2020 sequel album, Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God, which featured guest spots from Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Rick Ross, Mary J. Blige, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Anderson .Paak, Mariah Carey and more.

“Timeless,” Tim said, as Swizz scatted, “The Blockbusta, Busta Rhymes…zaa zaa za, zone, zone, zone.” The clip ends with a volcano erupting the album’s title into the sky.

In September, Busta dropped the “Luxury Life” single featuring Coi Leray and last week he teased a new single, “Chooky,” featuring Elesia Limura and O.T.; at press time it was unclear if either song will be featured on the new album.

Check out Busta’s Blockbusta announcement below.

Cardi B gave husband Offset props this weekend for being his own man and inspiring her to do things her way. “So proud of my baby!!,” Cardi wrote on Sunday evening (Oct. 22) of the Migos member and solo star.

“Going against all odds… leaving his label, starting fresh, staying focused determined and not letting nothing break him… he did that!” she added. The “Bongos” MC then cryptically added, “MY TURN.”

At press time spokespeople for Offset and his former label, Quality Control, had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment.

Back in August, Offset ended his lawsuit against Quality Control Music, the label that helped launch him and the Migos into superstardom. TMZ reported at the time that Offset would not work with QC moving forward as a solo artist and that “all disputes and differences were smoothed over.” A year earlier, the MC born Kiari Cephus filed paperwork in Los Angeles seeking a declaratory judgement “that Quality Control has no rights, title, or interest in or to Offset’s recordings” since he bought out his deal with the company in 2021. He alleged at the time that despite buying the rights to his solo works, QC continued to claim ownership over his recordings.

Billboard previously reported that Offset signed a production agreement with Quality Control in 2013 that covered his work in Migos and as a solo artist. According to court documents, as of January 15, 2021, Offset “negotiated a deal in which he reclaimed the rights to his own solo recording and songwriting from Quality Control,” and the new arrangement made the star the “sole owner of all rights, title, and interest in and to his services as a solo recording artist, entertainer, and songwriter.”

A judge formally dismissed Offset and QC’s suits against each other on August 16.

Despite that agreement, Offset claimed that QC continued to assert an ownership interest in his 2022 single “54321,” even though the track was credited to his then label, Motown Records; he is currently signed to Capitol Records.

Cardi has been teasing the long-in-process follow-up to her 2018 major label debut album, Invasion of Privacy, for much of this year, with no formal release date set at press time.

See Cardi’s tweet below.