R&B/Hip-Hop
Page: 258
Watch Latin American Music Awards
When Anycia sauntered onto the stage during her sold-out headline show at SOB’s in New York City (March 30), a star had very clearly entered the space. And with a buzzing crowd packed shoulder to shoulder, mingling and vibing through clouds of marijuana smoke, the venue was ready to welcome her like the star she is.
From fan-favorite “BRB” to buzzy collabs like “Splash Brothers” (with Karrahbooo) and the Latto-assisted “Back Outside,” the crowd rapped along to every word of Anycia’s growing catalog, effortlessly emulating the Atlanta emcee’s raspy, blasé tone. At one point, Anycia gave her microphone to a fan, who happened to be a law student traveling from out of state, and she rapped an entire verse bar-for-bar as Anycia looked on in humble shock and glee. A little bit later, another fan surprised Anycia with a bouquet of flowers, which she tearfully and gratefully accepted.
[embedded content]
“They was blowing my mind,” she says of her fans. “It just made me realize like, You really got fans, girl!”
With her debut full-length projects hitting DSPs on Friday (April 25), the ascendant rapper is gearing up for the next phase of her career. Princess Pop That – which features collaborations with Luh Tyler and Cash Cobain – finds Anycia branching out from the Detroit-type beats that characterized her earlier output while still maintaining her authenticity. When Anycia raps, “Beat up the cat ’cause he know I’m a dog/ I turn a prince to a frog/ I turn a frog to a prince/ I’ll leave a n—a on missed call,” on Princess Pop That standout “ATM,” he laid-back tone is somehow both menacing and inviting, a truly intoxicating mixture.
She knows she can take anybody’s man and walk them like a dog, but she doesn’t necessarily feel the need to shout that from the rooftops. If you know, you know – and when it comes to Anycia, everyone will know whether they were seeking that knowledge or not.
After opening up for Veeze last year and kicking off 2024 with her most-viewed music video yet in “Back Outside” (three million hits on YouTube in just three months), Anycia is ready to take her moody e-girl-meets-ATL baddie aesthetic all the way to the top.
In an illuminating conversation with Billboard, Anycia breaks down her three essential Princess Pop That tracks, details how she’s adjusting to her rising fame and reveals what really makes her emotional.
What are three songs that you think are must-listens from Princess Pop That?
“Squeegee,” just because I like the sample on it. I picked it out, it’s “Let’s Get Away” by T.I., it’s very nostalgic for me. It’s already a song that I always listen to, so [I knew I wanted to sample it]. I like to incorporate the s—t that I listen to in the beat or some type of way.
“EAT!” is just a bop to me. Love that song. And working with Kenny [Beats] is always cool. [In the studio], we were just vibing. I had some tacos – I get the same s—t, I had my lil carne asada, some guac with a lil rice and beans and stuff like that – mess my stomach up a lil bit, but I did what I had to do and I made my song and everything was tea! I [also] had some wine, I love cabernet! [Laughs.]
[This] one’s growing on me only because I did an interview and it made me realize, “Wait, I really have never seen no b—h at the bank before for real.” It used to be my least favorite, “ATM,” but it’s growing on me. Chile, I did not like that song. It’s grown on me because I really ain’t never seen nobody that I don’t like at the bank. They be everywhere else in the world: Popeyes, the grocery store, the mall, I ran into a b—h at the damn doctor’s office. I ain’t never run into no b—h that I don’t like at the ATM withdrawing something. I ain’t never seen a b—h inside the bank, I never even drove past no b—h in front the bank! I ain’t never seen them nowhere near no money!
[The studio session for “ATM”] was turnt. I was drunk. I had just went out to eat, I was having a time, chile! Sometimes I freestyle, it depends on how I feel. I had some shots, so a b—h was freestylin’, you know how we get, chile.
You’ve said that you’ve always been doing music in your life, but you tried to take it seriously in 2022. What are your earliest musical memories?
I used to go to a Christian School, and it was a concert – now that I think about… it might’ve been a little racist! Because why did y’all make me the rapper? Then I had to think about it, like, Maybe it’s not racist. I was always singing and doing stuff in class, so they made me the rapper. They had me in a puffer jacket with the fur on it in Atlanta around Easter time! It was pretty hot!
So, I just rapped about God. It was like my own little solo. That’s why I feel like… he know that I made that song for him! That’s why I’m getting all the blessings I’m getting.
What do you remember listening to in the house?
I grew up with girls, my mom and my grandma, and they both are completely different. My grandma would be listening to Sam Cooke and Luther Vandross and Teena Marie, stuff like that. My mom would be listening to Crime Mob, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Field Mob, Ciara, Cherish, so I grew up on that. My mom’s from California, so she got a West Coast vibe and the girl’s just cultured, she’s musically inclined.
How do you thinking growing up in a household of women shaped you into who you are today?
With the women that I was brought up around, they really just taught me to embrace myself 100%. No matter the situation, always be comfortable with yourself. Like I said, my grandma and my mama are the complete opposite, so I get completely different opinions on s—t and we still like that now. They’ve always taught me to remain in tune with myself, really just how to be a f—king woman, how to stand your ground, how to understand every dynamic of a woman, how to enjoy your woman experience no matter what the f–k is going on. And no matter what, just to give it 100%.
Have they ever given you notes or advice on music or your career at all?
No. Even if they did, I’d take it with a grain of salt — because I’ve always been one of those people that got to bump my own head to figure some s—t out. Can’t nobody tell me what the f—k because I feel like it’s different strokes for different folks, your story is not the next person’s story. I do take advice. I’m learning to take advice from people that have actually been in those [situations]. You know parents love to put their 1-2 in! You tryna give me a 1-2 and you ain’t even had that 1 yet. Just let me do what I do, and you just support.
Nobody really sounds like you. How did you develop your rap voice and your flow?
In the beginning, I used to be trying to do little melodic type s—t. Just dibbling and dabbling in some bulls—t. But, at one point in time, I just realized… B—h, just talk.
Last winter you put out your debut EP, Extra. How would you describe your growth from that project to Princess Pop That? What are some of the biggest lessons you learned since putting out your first project?
Nothing really musically. I just be doing my lil thing. I get into different bags with myself. I learned how to adapt to different s–t. Let me learn how to get in different bags and step out my element but still be myself. Before, I felt like people was putting me in a box: Detroit type beats. That’s not a problem, but my biggest thing is I want to be just me. I just want to be in my own lane. I don’t want nobody on the same street with me. This is my street, I’ll come over there when I come over there. It’s private, gated community. [Laughs.]
[embedded content]
We got Kevin Durant, Drake, and Latto — you’re entering your debut album era with some massive co-signs. Which one meant the most to you and who’s given you the best advice about this whole music thing?
Ain’t nobody gave me no advice. Everybody’s given me support. I don’t really look for advice. I’m not vulnerable with people unless we’re close. I don’t make you feel like I need any advice. If anything, I want you to be looking to me like, “B—h what can I do to be like you?” I don’t give a damn who it is!
I’d say Latto is my favorite [co-sign]. She’s such a girl’s girl, and we had fun shooting the [“Back Outside”] music video. I met her at her birthday party prior to that. The girls really be my favorite to me.
You recently toured with Veeze, who had his own breakout moment last year. What did you take away from that experience?
Before [the Veeze tour], I would be so nervous. I still do be a little nervous, but now it’s better because I know people are starting to get the gist of what’s going on. Like [at] SOB’s, people are coming to see me. For the Veeze tour, I was still fresh. It was different states that we were going to, that I literally was finna s—t bricks backstage — like, Is these people gonna boo me? I used to worry about that.
I learned that no matter what room we step in, no matter what performance I do, even if they don’t know me, the whole goal is to make sure that they know me before they leave.
What was it like when you got that call to open for him?
It be certain s—t that hit me like, “OK, this is really going on!” But, for the most part, I was just thinking about… where we was finna be at. Like responsibility s—t. I was nervous about performing, but I wasn’t [screaming] or anything like that.
Is there ever a moment where something happens and you are screaming and jumping?
Not screaming and s—t, [but] I got emotional at SOB’s. All this s—t is very intimate to me. A lot of stuff excites me, but not for real. The smallest things mean so much to me. I cried at SOB’s because I was surrounded by people [who] have been with me a while. Them flowers? Chile, that was the lead for the first tear. One of the women that work with me, she got me a custom lil letterman jacket with “sold out show” on the back, I just bust out in tears, chile, I was so emotional. But I cleaned it up real good after that!
How do you stay grounded with all of these big career changes?
It’s not easy at all. I wouldn’t even sit here and be like I’m all the way around it. It’s s—t that irritates the f—k out of me every day. Business s–t, you know what I’m saying? I get overwhelmed, I won’t say aggravated or irritated. I have a lot to do. This is what I decided to do, you ain’t really going to get no sleep like that. But it’s definitely tea!
It’s [less] being grounded and [more] learning how to do what you got to do and go with that and still incorporate being you and not losing sight of what the f—k the bigger picture is. Like if I don’t want to do something, I’m not gonna do it. If I don’t like something, I’m gonna say I don’t like it. I’m open to how the f—k you feel, or why you think I should do it, but if I don’t want to do something, it’s always myself first.
When it comes to creating your stage show, do you have anybody you look up to?
Sometimes I don’t even know what the f—k I’m going to do before I get on that motherf—ker! I don’t know what it is. Truth be told, I go to rehearsal, I get up by the stage, I get the bubble guts and then everything just goes out my mind. I’ll step on the stage and see the people and my stomach starts hurting. I be like, Oh, s—t, they really pulled up. I feel like a scary b—h that didn’t really want to fight for real. The scary b—h that dopped the addy and didn’t think they was really gonna come. I be backstage like, They gon beat my a— bro!
And then you gotta go out there, cause your mom in the back, like, You brought these b—hes to my house! They just paid gas money and s–t, I got to get out there. So, it just clicks. Sasha Fierce! I get up out there and something takes over and we just start rocking out.
[At] Rolling Loud, I had a mental f—king breakdown on the plane. I got mad when I got to the to the damn hotel room. I was being a b—h, then I just broke down. See, that’s what happens with me. I’ll be a b—h, and then I turn into a b—h for real. I’ll be a b—h, and after all the bulls—t, all it takes is one person around me to be like, “What’s up?” and I’ll break down in tears. Then we have a nice little pep talk and we back into action. But I was on that plan laughing and crying with the f—king wine taking pictures. I took selfies of me crying!
How was performing at Rolling Loud?
It was cool. My mom got to see me, that was her first time ever being able to see me before. I had to make sure it was a special show because she is a hard cookie to crumble, baby. I couldn’t just bring her to a regular show. I had to bring her to Rolling Loud. She was excited, she got a shirt and everything. That was the best part for me, my mom seeing me.
And the people out there, I didn’t think that they would be there for me. I underestimate myself in some circumstances. It just hasn’t completely clicked all the way. It’s clicking, don’t get me wrong, but it’s crazy because I’m literally being myself.
What are those moments where it really started to click for you?
It be the most random times, like when I’m doing some s—t where I didn’t expect nobody to see me. I was in the flea market getting one of my grills made, and there was a young woman with her mother. First of all, I was going to pass out, period. I am anemic and I hadn’t ate. I was waiting on the lady to change my phone case, and I was getting really lightheaded. I had on a damn windbreaker jogger suit! [Laughs.]
So, I’m leaning on the damn stool and this lady come over like, “Hey, are you Anycia?” And I’m still adjusting [to fame]! Normally, a b—h ask you what’s your name or who you is at 285 Flea Market, I don’t know whether to say yes or no! So, I’m like… this b—h finna beat my a–. She gon knock me clean the f—k out. Then she like, “My daughter over there, and she shy!” I look over and the daughter over there [hiding]. She wanted to take a picture, so I [got myself together]. All of that was random!
But for real, I be forgetting I can’t go outside with my wig all the way back. I can’t go outside with a bald cap on no more!
When it comes to fan interaction like how do you navigate that? How’s that relationship developed over time?
It really wasn’t a development thing! I’ve always been a person that likes to break the ice and command a room. I’ve always felt [that with] being a leader, you determine the room. Whoever tags along, tags along. Whoever don’t, is not meant to be in my world. I’ve always been a people person, but I don’t like who I don’t like.
Who’s on your Mount Rushmore of rap?
1, me. 2, me. 3, me and 4, me. But the way it has to be set up, it’s different styles that I done did. Some cute braids, cornrows, 30-inch bust down straight down the middle — and then the next one just gon be me being the baddest b—h I can possibly be.
What’s your favorite rap album?
Probably Princess Pop That.
What are your top five songs ever?
“Big Body” by Anycia. “BRB” by Anycia. “Back Outside” by Anycia. “EAT!,” it’s also by Anycia too. And “Squeegee” by Anycia.
Watch Latin American Music Awards Doja Cat isn’t here to run a day-care center or host your family outings. The Scarlet rapper discussed the explicit nature of her music on X Friday (April 26), and pointed out that the lyrics she writes aren’t necessarily for children’s ears. “idk what the f–k you think this is […]
Watch Latin American Music Awards Killer Mike has his foot on the gas pedal in 2024, carrying the momentum from his three Grammy wins earlier this year. He gave one of his Michael standout tracks a mini-makeover on Friday (April 26), as an extended remix of “Exit 9” arrived featuring a new verse from the […]
Watch Latin American Music Awards Joe LaPorta understands the fast-paced nature of rap music. “[When I left New York University], the industry was completely different,” says the 44-year-old mastering engineer who has worked with everyone from Imagine Dragons to Miley Cyrus to, most recently, Future and Metro Boomin. “It was still a physical medium. There […]
Watch Latin American Music Awards
Normani might as well be talking to herself on new single “1:59” when she purrs, “don’t talk too much, just do this s–t.” Sure, in the context of the collab with Gunna that dropped on Friday (April 26) the focus is on get-down-to-business pillow talk. But the sexy refrain could just as well be channeling the thoughts of fans who’ve been waiting nearly six years for the former Fifth Harmony star to drop her full-length solo debut since that fateful day in 2018 when she tweeted, “I have my album title y’all.”
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“Just do this s–t!” you can hear them yelling after the string of singles she’s released since leaving FH in 2018, including her Billboard Hot 100 No. 9-charting solo debut with Khalid, “Love Lies.” Then there was her No. 7 2019 collab with Sam Smith on “Dancing With a Stranger,” that year’s irresistible “Motivation” and Charlie’s Angels soundtrack song “Bad To You” with Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj, as well as songs with Megan Thee Stallion (2020’s “Diamonds”) and Cardi B (2021’s “Wild Side”) and Calvin Harris (2022’s “New to You” with Tinashe and Offset) in the time since.
But still, no album… until the singer announced the title in February, Dopamine, and teased the riding-a-rocket-in-a-leather-bikini-cover, and then, on Friday, finally, the release date: June 14.
“I know what it’s like to put out music and records that I don’t wholeheartedly believe in. When we were in [Fifth Harmony], we didn’t have the opportunity to have a real opinion until the last project we did,” the singer tells ELLE in a new cover story that details how her plans to release the LP — which at one point was called 1906 for the address of her grandmother’s house where she was raised, then Butterfly Effect — was serially delayed in part due to her parents being diagnosed with cancer; they are both doing better now.
Pile on what the profile describes as heartbreak, “intense, unwarranted internet scrutiny” and a fight for creative control early in her career and you can easily understand the delay.
“I promised myself, ‘If God gives me another opportunity to do things in my own way, I’m not going to take that for granted,’” she says of the collection described as mixing uptempo dance tracks with songs exploring those struggles during and after 5H’s split. “I think that there’s a false narrative that because of how long this process has taken, that means I don’t care, or that means I’m more interested in doing other things than putting this body of work out. Nobody wants this project to come out more than me. I think that at the end of the day, if I stand behind this wholeheartedly, it doesn’t matter what the world thinks.”
To put a finer point on it, she says, “this body of work really is just a representation of my resilience.”
One of the key parts of the album cycle so far has been the outpouring of support she got when she announced the album earlier this year, especially from her former 5H bandmates: Camila Cabello, Ally Brooke, Lauren Jauregui and Dinah Jane. “This is a milestone, knowing everything that I went through in order to just get to this point. I wanted to be present in that and not allow any negative comments,” she tells the magazine. “I really wanted to just celebrate myself. In terms of the support from the girls, that’s really full circle, to be quite honest. We were put in very unrealistic circumstances. We did our absolute best with what we had, but I think that it’s really cool to just see everybody prosper. It was cool that that moment [for me] could also be a moment that could bring us all together.”
She says the album title is a representation of the “highs and lows” she’s endured, while the rocket-straddling cover feels “energetic… it feels like a hit.”
Asked how she feels about the state of women, especially Black women, in music right now, Normani turns to hers, and many others’, north star: Beyoncé. “I want to see more women in charge. I want to see more Black women as chairmen. I want to see more Black women as CEOs,” she says. “I want to see more Black women produce. I know that all of those exist, but it’s just about getting the opportunity and the recognition.”
Normani specifically points to Bey “taking over the country space” with her Cowboy Carter album, which she dubs “revolutionary… Those are the types of things that I set out to do. Now you have country artists who look like us coming out and just being like, ‘We’ve always been here.’ I think that it’s educational not only for music lovers, but also in the Black community. We’ve pioneered a lot that we don’t get recognition for. I think that it’s just really cool being able to witness Beyoncé be fearless and do something that is much bigger than herself. That’s honestly what I want to see more of in every single space of the music industry, because we deserve that. I also want to see Black women not have to fight so hard. It gets exhausting. We’re just as brilliant. We have amazing ideas, and our resilience.”
Listen to “1:59” below.
[embedded content]
This week, Billboard is publishing a series of lists and articles celebrating the music of 20 years ago. Our 2004 Week wraps here with rap trio Trillville, whose signature 2004 hit “Some Cut” has proved one of the most memorable hip-hop hits of 20 years ago, an incredibly enduring reference point across genres in the years since.
In an era when buzzy singles can spend just one week in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 before completely falling off the chart, the lifespan of a single feels especially arbitrary. Songs can stay perched at No. 1 for weeks or be the talk of the town and a distant memory within a three-day period.
Songs like Trillville’s “Some Cut,” however, have proven to boast a gloriously endless shelf life. Twenty years removed from its initial single run, “Some Cut” remains the foundation of not just some of the biggest hits and dance trends of the first half of the 2020s, but also eternal inspiration for the squeaking production motif that has enamored countless styles and genres, from R&B and reggaeton to K-pop and Jersey club.
Trending on Billboard
“This is the sound,” stresses Jamal “Dirty Mouth” Glaze. “It’s an authentic sound. You can’t deny that sound because that’s the golden era of [Southern hip-hop and crunk], from the ‘90s to the early 2000s.”
In 2004, “Some Cut” climbed to a peak of No. 14 on the Hot 100, earning the crunk trio the biggest chart hit of their career and one of the biggest club hits of the early ’00s. According to Luminate, “Some Cut” has earned over 157.3 million official on-demand U.S. streams to date and sold nearly 500,000 pure copies. Blessed by Lil Jon’s Midas touch, the unabashedly carnal track meticulously balances a gentle piano riff, sultry bass and guitar — and, of course, that iconic squeak loop. With the late Cutty Cartel kicking off the affair by rapping and singing perhaps the greatest series of questions in contemporary music — “What it is ho, what’s up? / Can a n—a get in them guts?” — “Some Cut” is nasty and proud. It’s the effortlessly suave delivery of each Trillville member, alongside Cutty, that allows the track to playfully toe the line between raunch and forbidden fantasy.
[embedded content]
The crown jewel of Trillville and Lil Jon’s collaborations, the genesis of “Some Cut” lies in the scrappy can-do attitude of the group’s Donnell “Don P” Prince. As he tells it, Trillville was toiling away in the club circuit for a few years before “Some Cut,” packing out shows in Atlanta — thanks, in part, to group member Lawrence “LA” Edwards, who was a club promoter at the time. Eventually, one of Don P’s friends gave him the number to the CEO of BME Records, Lil Jon’s record label, and he seized the opportunity.
“I was like, ‘Hey, man, we got something here! People keep telling me that our music dope, that they like it!’” recalls Don P. “It was something about the way I said it, because he was like, ‘Usually, people keep telling me that they’re the dopest and the best.’ So, he called me to the office, we developed a relationship from there, and I started going to the office every single day.”
Don P’s persistence paid off tenfold once Lil Jon eventually attended a big warehouse show the group had been hard at work preparing for. Lil Scrappy, another Lil Jon protege-turned-club hitmaker, was also in attendance that night at the “crazy show,” which jumpstarted the professional relationships between all artists involved.
In 2004, Jon launched BME Recordings with The King of Crunk & BME Recordings Present: Trillville & Lil Scrappy as the fledgling label’s first offering. A split album with each side hosting the respective debut albums of Trillville and Lil Scrappy, the LP debuted and peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard 200, spawning several singles, including the seminal “Some Cut,” and ultimately shifting over 1.25 million album-equivalent units.
Rooted in the raw, raucous energy of crunk music, the recording sessions for Trillville & Scrappy mirrored the vibe of the music. “It was just a party atmosphere, drinks everywhere,” Dirty Mouth reminisces. “You had the porn playing on the TV, that’s how we got inspired. We was young, wild and we had fun.”
“With us, it was never just a [regular] studio session,” Don P adds. “The song that you hear is the vibe that was happening.”
Of course, that studio session yielded Lil Jon’s magical “squeak” moment, which resulted in the priceless ingredient that made “Some Cut” such an irresistibly catchy and oft-imitated record. As the story goes, the Trillville crew were in the studio working on songs for their debut LP when the playback of “Some Cut” was queued up in the system. “We kept hearing something,” Don P says. “And I was like ‘What the hell are they talking about?’ Well, every time [Lil Jon] was playing the song back, he was [makes rocking motion] and the chair was squeaking. All at the same time, everybody was like, ‘It’s the chair! It’s the chair!’”
In a moment of ingenuity that can only happen when a studio session is directed by the vibe of its artists, they mic’d the chair up, recorded the squeaks and placed them throughout the record — most prominently in the intro. Though those squeaks came from a chair, they recall the sound of a mattress during sex, hence its prominence as a go-to sample across genres in the decades since.
“We was always an innovative and creative and we worked together because Lil Jon is always innovative and creative as well,” reflects Don P. “You could take any other group and I promise you they wouldn’t do that.”
[embedded content]
That likely is the case, but even with its infectious composition, “Some Cut” wasn’t even originally planned to be a single from Trillville & Scrappy. “Neva Eva,” which peaked at No. 77 on the Hot 100, arrived on Nov. 4, 2003, as the first single for Trillville, while “Head Bussa” (with Lil Jon) was the first single for Scrappy. With “No Problem” heating up the streets as the second Scrappy single, the original plan was for the Pastor Troy-assisted “Get Some Crunk in Yo System” to serve as the second single from Trillville.
“[The remix version with Snoop Dogg and Pitbull] of ‘Some Cut’ was supposed to be the first single from our new album, Trillville: Reloaded,” notes Don P. “What happened was, the DJs started playing [the original] ‘Some Cut’ on they own, so I called Naim [Ali], who our A&R at the time, after I saw how people were going up for the record in the clubs, and said, ‘Ay, bro, we need to push this record.”
Just like how they self-advocated to originally connect with Lil Jon, having their ear to the streets resulted in the smartest marketing pivot of Trillville’s career. Trillville, BME and Warner Records didn’t just give “Some Cut” a half-hearted push for a late-album cycle single, they cranked out “a clean [version], super clean [version and], a super duper clean radio version,” jokes Don P. “There was so many versions of that song we did, I still don’t know which one to rap when I perform, to this day!”
Given that the crunk music blueprint involves the songs percolating in the streets and clubs before breaking through on radio, Trillville had already heard “Some Cut” outside – but hearing it on the radio confirmed to them that the song had reach a different level of popularity.
“I was driving and I heard [“Some Cut”] on either 107 or V103, I had to pull over!” laughs Dirty Mouth, “That thang was jamming too! I was like, ‘Damn, it’s on now!’”
And on, it was. In just one week, “Some Cut” had eclipsed “Neva Eva” as Trillville’s highest-charting entry on Billboard’s marquee singles chart, and it wouldn’t even hit its peak until 14 weeks later. For Trillville, the biggest signifier that the song was resonating on a higher level than their previous songs was the increased diversification of their crowds.
“I just noticed the crowd went from a bunch of Black people to a bunch of Black and white people to a bunch of Black, white, and Mexican people,” says Don P, with Dirty Mouth chiming in, “It was more women, though! More women than dudes and the dudes came when the women came.”
Crafting records specifically catered to women is a hip-hop practice that is as storied as it is convoluted in the greater context of the misogyny that is intrinsically tied to the genre. With their previous singles erring more on the gangster side than the smooth-talking Lotharios they posture as on “Some Cut,” Trillville knew they needed something for the women.
“We needed a female record,” explains Dirty Mouth. “We came up in the era of pushing and shoving and throwing bows and sweating — now it’s time to get on with the ladies. Give the ladies something that they can gravitate to. So, that’s what we did.”
So, how exactly does a song this crass – made in a studio with porn playing in the background, no less – find a home amongst the ladies? Well, one answer lies in the late Cutty Cartel’s hook. Caked in a seductive Southern drawl and delivered with a swaggering wink that complements the twinkling keys in the production, Cutty’s hook is arguably the most recognizable part of “Some Cut,” at least as far as vocals go. The smoothness of his performance simultaneously masquerades the raunch of his lyrics, and provides a smart juxtaposition to the gruff delivery of each Trillville member.
“Rest in peace, Cutty,” Don P says of the inimitable artist, who passed on Aug. 30, 2019. “He so smooth with it. He’s a rapper and an R&B singer, so he could come with that melodic sound.” Dirty mouth adds: “He’s the Nate Dogg of the South, I always say!”
In addition to Cutty’s suave hook, the “Some Cut” music video also helped the track carve out an eternal place in the hearts of women across the country. In fact, the Fat Cats-helmed clip – which found the Trillville crew renting a mansion for a single day to host a house party – featured appearances from several women who would go on to be major fixtures in entertainment, including reality television star Porsha Williams and prolific video vixen Summer Walker (not to be confused with the future R&B star of the same name).
[embedded content]
And, in the spirit of a truly timeless record, “Some Cut” is still a source of inspiration for some of today’s biggest artists across R&B and hip-hop, namely TDE rap star Doechii, three-time Grammy-winner Victoria Monét and, of course, Beyoncé, who paid tribute to Cutty’s chorus backing vocals in the third verse of her remix of Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage.” Before Monét’s “On My Mama,” which samples another beloved ’00s Southern hip-hop smash (Chalie Boy’s “I Look Good”), she had a major viral moment in 2021 with a dance break set to the “Some Cut” intro. Choreographed by Ysabelle Capitulé, who was still a child when “Some Cut” first hit the streets, the dance break spawned hundreds of thousands of recreations across social media.
Last year, just one year shy of the 20th anniversary of “Some Cut,” Doechii interpolated the track on her own Kodak Black-assisted “What It Is (Block Boy).” Opting to flip Cutty’s hook to a woman’s perspective instead of taking a stab at the infamous “squeak” sound, Doechii rode “What It Is” to the biggest hit of her career, peaking at No. 29 on the Hot 100 and earning her her first RIAA Platinum plaque. At the 2023 BET Awards, Trillville joined Doechii onstage to perform a mashup of both tracks.
“My potna, J. White Did It produced [‘What It Is’],” says Don P. “He hit me up and told me he was doing something, but I just didn’t know what it was. Then Warner Brothers hit us up, [played us the record], and I was like, ‘Oh, my God!’ I loved that song from the very first time I heard it. So, of course, we all cleared it. I had no idea it was going to be that huge, but I kinda did because I loved it so much.”
[embedded content]
Although “Some Cut” has remained one of the go-to early ’00s hip-hop cuts for contemporary performers, crunk, the defining sound of Trillvile’s catalog, is notably absent from the current mainstream. With a movie based on the Trillville story due early next year (music video director Todd Uno is currently attached to direct) alongside an accompanying soundtrack, Don P, Dirty Mouth and LA hope to reignite the coals of crunk outside of all the callbacks to “Cut.”
“I wrote the script three years ago, and we just started production this year,” reveals Don P. “It’s been fun to cast other actors that look like us going through the experiences that we went through back then. This movie is going to show the young people what it was and give older people that nostalgic feel.”
And as for the soundtrack? “It’s literally going to sound like an updated version of 2004 crunk,” teases Don P. “We’re trendsetters, it’s been such a pleasure to know that people really appreciated what we brought to the table, and the movie and soundtrack reflect that.”
Ne-Yo is one of the genre-defining R&B singers of the 2000s, and his invite to NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series was long overdue. The long-time bad-boy R&B singer made his Tiny Desk debut on Friday (April 26), which saw him run through a medley of soulful hits from his catalog, in addition to bops he’s […]
This week, Billboard is publishing a series of lists and articles celebrating the music of 20 years ago. Our 2004 Week continues here as we catch up with J-Kwon, the St. Louis rapper who had one of the year’s biggest breakout hits with “Tipsy” — which has now also been revived in one of the biggest breakout hits of this year, Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song.”
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
J. Kwon’s rags-to-riches life story could be turned into a movie.
Hailing from St. Louis, Kwon — born Jerrell Jones — went from sleeping in cars and eating out of trash cans to being a millionaire rapper battling Usher on the charts and performing on the season 20 finale of Saturday Night Live (hosted by the Olsen twins). Oh, and all before the age when kids typically get their high school diplomas.
Trending on Billboard
A 17-year-old J-Kwon saved the best for last when it came to recording for his debut album Hood Hop, as “Tipsy” was the final track added to the project. “All I know is I did ‘Tipsy’ and ‘Tipsy’ is forever it,” he asserts when looking back at his trunk-rattling breakout hit. “That’s the No. 1 song ever.”
Kwon’s party-starting ode to underage drinking arrived in January 2004 and carried its club-friendly momentum to No. 2 on the Hot 100, where it was boxed out by Usher’s “Yeah!” (a popular fate for many hits in ’04). Parent album Hood Hop was released through Arista Records that April, and debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 with 125,000 albums sold in the first week.
In conversation with Billboard about his achievements, J-Kwon is charismatic and grateful. In a serendipitous turn of events, Kwon’s name and signature hit has been revitalized in the top 40, thanks to Shaboozey’s chart-schorching new hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”
The Cowboy Carter guest put a country twist on J-Kwon’s counting flow from “Tipsy,” which he interpolates (along with the song’s main hook) on his own “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” The viral track arrived via American Dogwood/EMPIRE earlier this April, and vaulted to a No. 36 debut on this week’s Hot 100 (dated Apr. 27). The singer jumped to No. 1 on the Emerging Artists chart and also topped the Digital Song Sales and Country Digital Song Sales charts.
“I got a crazy percentage,” J-Kwon reveals of the business dealings behind Shaboozey’s interpolation. “The clearance process – can’t nothing go down unless J-Kwon say it goes down. That’s facts. Of course, when I come in, I’m talking strong numbers. That’s all of my song. But I’m proud of him.”
Check out the rest of our interview with J-Kwon, which finds him reflecting on 20 years of “Tipsy,” Shaboozey’s interpolation and receiving Kanye West’s co-sign.
[embedded content]
Take me back — it’s the 20th anniversary of “Tipsy.” Last week was 20 years since it hit No. 2 on the Hot 100.
Hold on now, we can’t just take you back — because we still taking you forward.
What I remember most is probably me needing a sign from God. I needed a real sign from God. I used to look in the mirror and I used to see my face changing. It was so crazy to me, because I was like, “I just need to make something happen.” It was me and [producers] the Trackboyz. It was epic.
When I [met] with L.A. [Reid]. [Producer/affiliate] Memphitz flew down to St. Louis like, “Yo, we gotta take J-Kwon up to L.A. Reid.” I’m like, “You’re lying.” This s–t is not happening. When they took me to L.A. Reid it was so crazy — because this is L.A. Reid.
L.A. Reid pulls out his drumsticks… He’s hitting these drumsticks extra hard. He’s like, “I got millions [of dollars] for you.” I’m like, “Don’t lie, Reid.” Jermaine Dupri was in the room. I think he was the president of Arista Records. That’s how we all connected.
I had this song like, “Diamonds big and blue like Papa Smurf….” I was kinda referencing JD, you little. No disrespect, I love Jermaine [Dupri]. I still love Jermaine, but it was so funny. I put everything on the line to get that situation done. Everybody in the room start rocking. L.A. Reid had the whole office shutdown when J-Kwon came up.
So at that point, when you met [Jermaine Dupri] and L.A. Reid, you didn’t have “Tipsy” yet.
I had “Hood Hop.” That’s my baby. I was like, “I’m so much bigger than…” not “Hood Hop” per se, but I’m bigger than the ears listening to something as such. I wanted something massive. [“Tipsy”] was the last record I recorded [for the album].
I purposely went in there and did it as the last record. They said, “Kwon we got money open on the budget.” I said, “I wanna do one more record, and I want a smash hit.” Everybody would say that once they got a hit. Ask Mark Williams. I was like, “I need one more.” We some people that they thought couldn’t do it.
What do you remember about the “Tipsy” studio session?
It was definitely crazy. First of all, they bought me a club in [Mark “Tarboy” Williams’] house. The opportunity to show them I could do it is crazy. They bought me a club inside their house, before I got my own mansion. The session was so surreal. It was like American Horror Story. I’m like, “Yo, this is going elsewhere.” I wasn’t 18 yet. Put it like this, the studio session was like nothing you’ve ever heard of. What I remember most is money keep coming.
When did you know “Tipsy“ was a hit?
I was at 100.3 The Beat. It was the St. Louis station, and Kanye West was rolling through town. Kanye called up there and he was like, “Yo, this is a hit.” He was like, “That song is out of here.” Song of the year, decade, century, it never stops. I didn’t need him on the remix, because that would’ve been more money I had to pay out. We could do a new remix right now because my songs never die.
In 2013, Kanye said it was his “No. 1 song.”
And he’s my No. 1 artist. Him, Nelly, Eminem and Jay-Z. Put Kanye up there.
What do you remember about performing on Saturday Night Live with the Olsen twins [Mary-Kate and Ashley] hosting?
If I told you everything I remember, we couldn’t use the interview. I love them twins. I have twins of my own. I have Jason and Jessie. I have twin brothers so I get it. I’m striving to get my twins as high as them. The only thing I remember about SNL is the twins and all I remember is Full House.
[embedded content]
I don’t understand how “Tipsy” is still only certified gold [on the RIAA website]. They have to update the plaques!
When it comes to J-Kwon, if you think about it — I had my own shoe deal, Pepsi deal, grand finales of Saturday Night Live, I did the Apollos all before the internet era. I took Greyhounds up to New York and I wanted to be on. Then I look at the massive s–t I’ve done.
They gave me a gold plaque the first day my record came out. I cried, dog. Big Bob was like, “What are you crying for?” I say, “Because I only got gold.” He say, “It’s only the first day!” My gold means more than n—as’ platinum. Of course, “Tipsy” is like quadruple-platinum. Coming off that, that was a big situation for me. I come from nothing. I came from sleeping in cars, homeless, eating out of trash cans [and] selling drugs.
What do you think about Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” interpolating you and paying homage to “Tipsy?” He debuted at No. 36 on the Hot 100.
It really ain’t even paying homage; I got a crazy percentage… Let’s say it like this, we did that together, and I’m proud of him.
[H-Snow, J-Kwon’s manager, joins the call to interject]: We were compensated. Basically for the song, we do have credit and a deal was worked out in both parties’ favor. Respect the artist and his craft. We license it to somebody and the original artist has to be compensated. As far as the clearance process, artists have to clear their record. They didn’t want to clear Kanye’s “Through the Wire.” Shaboozey has [J-Kwon’s] blessing and the label has his blessing.
J-Kwon: I probably own more than the labels own. You could go on his page and he’s yelling HHM [Hood Hop Music]. Any deal Kwon do, it’s Kwon. We did huge numbers with that and I’m proud of myself because I actually structured that myself. I had consulted with -– I’m just that guy, you can’t move without J-Kwon. Even with the new era, songs still move, but every song that got J-Kwon influences pops. I did a couple deals. Wait and see. You never know.
H Snow: Let’s just say you might be calling us in another month or so.
J-Kwon: I wanna say shout-out to Trackboyz. [Staff member] Lisa Elise Covington. [Co-manager] Sean Caldwell. Memphitz. Jermaine Dupri, did I mention him? If I didn’t, let me mention him now. I got to shout-out L.A. Reid, God and my momma Terry Jones. I gotta shout-out [Empire president] Tina Davis and Shaboozey.
I gotta mention Nelly. Nelly is real big for me. He’s super huge for me. Me and his relationship is crazy. He does things for me that no one has ever done. I try to be as humble as possible, if you look at the way my career is set up, it don’t happen like that.
[embedded content]
Could we see you on the “A Bar Song” remix?
Well, I’m on the original. It might be a remix!
What are you up to now music-wise?
[My new album] Last Call, Sobriety Check. That’s what we doing now. Let’s go, HHM. If I give you a date [for the new release] then I gotta stick to it. One thing about it, two things for sure — the fans gotta know I love them for real. Without them, there would be no J-Kwon. I can’t believe all the love I’m getting. [J-Kwon also mentions his Expen$ive Ta$te clothing line].
“Tipsy” peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100 only to be boxed out by Usher.
I hit No. 1 on every other chart. It’s cool. If I hit No. 2 on Hot 100, you already know what I hit on the other charts. I need people to say it how it really go. The boy was No. 2 on Hot 100. I’m still selling right now.
What do you think about St. Louis rappers now like Sexyy Red?
I love Sexyy Red. My No. 1 artist out of St. Louis right now is I got [a few] – J-Kwon, Sexyy Red, Kane Koca, T Tone and I got Nelly.
Anything you want to leave us with before we go?
I wouldn’t rather be nowhere but right here, right now. I’m driving through all these big-a– houses. With or without all of that, all I know is I did “Tipsy” and “Tipsy” is forever it. That’s the No. 1 song ever. Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song” is the No. 1 song of the year.
The only thing more Detroit than hometown heroes the Lions is D-town legend Eminem. So it was fitting that on the first night of the 2024 NFL Draft at an absolutely jam-packed Hart Plaza on Thursday (April 25), Slim Shady was on hand to help kick off the proceedings. The reclusive hip-hop icon took the […]
Past, present and future stars of the football world were in Detroit on Thursday (April 25) for the 89th annual NFL Draft. But some of the city’s music superstars — specifically rappers Eminem and Big Sean and Motown legend Smokey Robinson — made sure the throngs of fans attending the festivities didn’t forget the Motor City’s rich musical heritage.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
And Eminem added to the celebration by announcing his next album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace), for summer release via an ad during the draft broadcast.
Big Sean was charged with opening the nightly NFL Draft Concert Series, delivering parts of 11 songs during a half-hour long set. Backed by a DJ, drummer and keyboard player, Sean prowled the opulent Draft Theater stage sporting a bandana and a Detroit Lions jersey with the number 97, worn on game days by popular homegrown defensive lineman Aiden Hutchinson. “If you’re excited about the NFL Draft. let me hear you,” he called to a sea of super fans inside the theater and tens of thousands gathered in a public area just beyond – a record-setting crowd of more than 275,000 that forced the NFL to close gates early in the evening.
Trending on Billboard
Playing his first home town show in nearly two years, Sean — who now resides in Beverly Hills — marveled at “the fact I went to school right around the corner from here… I used to record right around the corner at my homie’s studio, and this was all I ever wanted to do, man. So I just gotta say thank you for anybody who’s ever heard a song of mine, sang it at a bar, purchased a song.”
Sean reached all the way back to his first album, 2011’s Finally Famous, for “My Last” and dotted the set with career-spanning hits including “Paradise,” “Blessings” and “Bounce Back.” He also touched on collaborations with Kanye West (“Mercy” and “Clique”) and Drake (“All Me”) and dedicated a rendition of YG’s “Big Bank” to Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who signed a four-year contract extension with the team on Thursday.
Sean also featured his latest single, “Precision,” and told the crowd he was working on his sixth album, the follow-up to 2020’s Detroit 2. In addition, he shouted out his nearly year-and-a-half year old son with Jhene Aiko, saluted this year’s draft prospects — who he called “all my future multi-millionaires” — and gave props to fans from other teams. But Sean made his own rooting interest clear. “I know the Lions are gonna get their shot, you feel me?” he said. “Sooner or later… I can feel it, though.”
The Lions won the NFC’s North division last season, but lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the conference finals, one game shy of reaching the Super Bowl. Ironically some fans held up a “You’re in 49ers” banner in front of Sean throughout the performance.
Robinson was not at the draft in person, but provided a voice-over for the prime time broadcast on ESPN and the NFL Network, with a new mix of the Temptations’ “Get Ready” — which Robinson wrote and produced — playing behind him.
Devout Lions fan Eminem then helped to kick off the draft itself with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, first taking part in a filmed segment in which Goodell proposed a rap battle — to Eminem’s obvious bewilderment. Then, he joined Goodell on stage to turn the crowd’s boos (a ritual when it comes to the commissioner) to cheers. “Detroit, what up! It’s here!” Eminem shouted. “Make some noise for the Detroit Lions,” he added before ushering on current team stars Hutchinson, St. Brown and quarterback Jared Goff and Hall of Fame veterans Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson to more rapturous cheers.
The NFL Draft, as well as the Concert Series, continues through Saturday. The celebrated Detroit Youth Choir performs on Friday, while “Mine” hitmaker Andrew Bazzi, who hails from nearby Canton, Mich. wraps things up on Saturday.