R&B/Hip-Hop
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A little more than a decade ago, Mumford and Sons were everywhere, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with Babel and going on to win album of the year at the Grammys. Journalists cranked out articles about the ascendance of like-minded acts that favored acoustic instruments, and one writer called up Joie Manda, a longtime hip-hop executive who had then recently started a new gig at Interscope Records. “I was asked, ‘How do you feel rap is doing with other kinds of music prevailing this year?’” Manda remembers.
Manda’s job has changed — he is now founder and CEO of Encore Recordings, home of rising acts like Victony and Uncle Waffles — but he is still humoring the same questions. “All this is cyclical,” he says.
Last year, music executives noticed that the market share of hip-hop and R&B was gradually declining; then this June, Billboard reported that rap had yet to produce a Billboard 200-topping album or Billboard Hot 100-topping single in 2023. The second fact took on more weight in light of the first, and questions about hip-hop’s commercial health surged once again, careening around rap Twitter and touching off think pieces and aspirational marketing plans (Toosii told SiriusXM he aims to have rap’s first No. 1 of 2023). “Everyone’s speaking on how we haven’t had a No. 1,” says Aaron “Ace” Christian, who manages the rapper Cordae and the producer Turbo. “This is a filtering process. It’s like survival of the fittest.”
Existential concerns about the fate of various genres and scenes appear increasingly common around the music industry. K-Pop is allegedly “in crisis.” Even entire nations are worried: “The global market share of U.K. artists has slipped” markedly, according to the former head of the British Phonographic Industry, leading him to call for additional government investment in music in 2022.
All these gloomy pronouncements are likely lost on most listeners — fluctuations in genre fortunes from year to year are barely perceptible from ground level. While the general public couldn’t care less about genre market share, however, the music industry relies heavily on these numbers for its own internal report card.
And in an intensely competitive industry, conversations about genres’ commercial momentum are also inextricably tied to power within music companies. Everyone flocks to a space that’s bubbling, hoping to grab a piece. Conversely, when a genre is believed to be on the downslope, that often impacts the way resources are allocated inside labels. Budgets can be trimmed, opportunities denied. “Black music is such a large part of the music industry,” Naima Cochrane, a Black Music Action Coalition board member, told Billboard earlier this year. “But if that starts to slip, then our voice becomes a little less urgent.”
Executives with long track records in rap are acutely aware of this dynamic. “It’s not just a hip-hop thing — pop’s [market share is] down too,” says Dave Gordon, a streaming consultant and manager. (Pop’s portion of the market is down 5.8% year to date relative to the same period in 2022, but that fact hasn’t elicited the same handwringing around the industry — possibly because the space has still produced chart-toppers like Miley Cyrus‘ “Flowers.”)
“Obviously when you’re at the top and the No. 1 genre, which some people [in the music business] dislike, you have a bullseye on you,” Gordon continues. And the stat about No. 1’s, which he calls “unnecessary,” “feels like a, ‘yes, finally!’ type of thing” from an industry that was never entirely comfortable with hip-hop’s dominance, and may be hoping that its lead continues to narrow.”
Several longtime executives also point out that genre-related statistics are increasingly ill-suited to describe a world packed with blurry genre-hybrids. “I don’t feel that hip-hop’s not present at the top of the charts,” says the producer Salaam Remi (Nas, Miguel), pointing to the undeniable rap influence in SZA’s SOS, which spent the first five weeks of 2023 atop the Billboard 200. “This is just hip-hop energy switched around.”
For another example of hip-hop getting the assist, if not the points: Morgan Wallen is classified as country, but he slips easily into a rap cadence on the second verse of his multi-week No. 1 “Last Night.” Elsewhere on his chart-topping album One Thing at a Time, he borrows from the Rich Gang classic “Lifestyle.”
Wallen “is a country artist who takes a hip-hop approach to his songwriting,” says Simon Gebrelul of Isla Management, whose roster includes prominent rap producers like Boi-1da, Jahaan Sweet, and OZ. “Hip-hop is the No. 1 driver in our culture right now.” Of course, the success of rap-inflected country may do little to quell the concerns of hip-hop devotees. But it does point to a side effect of prominence: Nearly every other commercial style of music has swiped elements of hip-hop for added oomph. This is a testament to rap’s influence — and a challenge to its dominance.
Some hip-hop executives do see the recent numbers as a call for a direction change within the genre. A manager in the space worries that the underwhelming chart statistics from the first half of the year reflect “a lack of innovation in sound — everybody got comfortable grabbing a beat from an Atlanta trap producer.”
Others focused more on lyrics than sound: “Subject needs to matter again,” Christian argues. “If you don’t have anything to say, then eventually people are going to stop listening. Hip-hop became so quick and transactional that the value of it is being diminished, and that’s why people are resorting to other genres.”
Another longtime challenge identified by hip-hop executives is the genre’s tendency to spawn vibrant regional scenes that are hyper-specific. These may not always translate nationally — they weren’t designed to — even with major investment from record companies. “Drill is the last subgenre that really came to the forefront, but the subject matter is very regional,” Gordon says. As a result, drill fandom “really doesn’t go much further than Chicago, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and maybe Philadelphia listenership-wise,” adds another hip-hop A&R who requested anonymity to speak frankly.
But the hip-hop-tide-is-ebbing narrative has the potential to obscure exciting trends in contemporary rap. “You have more ladies in front — so many of these women are doing something that’s raw and making noise,” Remi notes. “You have a lot of niches rearing their heads in different ways,” adds Max Gousse, founder of Artistry Group and a longtime major-label executive before that.
Those developments — along with the fact that hip-hop and R&B still claim the largest chunk of market share, even if growth has slowed — are part of why a number of the executives who spoke for this story see the chart-focused headlines as alarmist. “I was a manager for 20-plus years, and I would have really amazing years, and not so amazing years, right?” says J. Erving, who got his start on street marketing teams for the likes of Mobb Deep and Cypress Hill and eventually went on to found the artist services company Human Re Sources. “The Lakers don’t win a championship every year.” (Gordon uses a slightly different basketball analogy, alluding to the fact that the biggest rappers have yet to release an album this year: “This is like the USA team with all college kids on it — the NBA is still the best.”)
When it comes to marketshare statistics, Manda radiates indifference. “If you’re an executive, and you’re only looking at the data and what piece of the pie hip-hop is to make a determination about how you invest in it, you should probably stay out of it,” the executive says simply. “Because you don’t love it.”
Today (June 26), Roc Nation Sports branches into the golf world by joining forces with the Ryder Cup ahead of its 44th edition in Rome this September. To help create new audiences for one of golf’s most competitive contests, the partnership between Roc Nation Sports International and the Ryder Cup will include DJ Khaled serving […]
06/26/2023
From Quavo and Offset reuniting for a Takeoff tribute to Sexxy Redd performing “Pound Town” in the aisle, check out the best moments from the 2023 BET Awards.
06/26/2023
This was supposed to happen three years ago. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of her 2000 seminal debut album — Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1 — the singer-songwriter announced she would tour and perform the entire Hidden Beach Recordings project in 2020. Then, along came the pandemic.
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But the wait was worth it for the 17,500 screaming fans who greeted the three-time Grammy winner at the Los Angeles stopover on her relaunched anniversary tour. Strolling onto the stage at the sold-out Hollywood Bowl, garbed in a sparkly pantsuit accented by a colorful kimono, a smiling Scott said to resounding applause, “Hello everybody. Welcome to the 23rd anniversary of Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1. It’s a great pleasure to present this to you.”
And from there, Scott took fans all the way back to day one, beginning with the double-platinum album’s opening tracks “Jilltro,” “Do You Remember” and “Exclusively.” Then, the first of several massive sing-alongs erupted as she segued into her first-charting single, “Gettin’ in the Way,” followed by her second single and first top 10 hit on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, “A Long Walk.” As Scott glided into the latter track’s fitting first verse (“You’re here / I’m pleased”), one fan shouted, “She’s not playing tonight!”
That jubilant fervor continued throughout the rest of the night as Scott lovingly wound her way through more standouts from her first album. These included “He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat),” which has become a Scott concert staple, “The Way,” “Honey Molasses,” “Love Rain,” “The Roots (Interlude),” “Slowly Surely” and “Watching Me.”
Watching and hearing Scott perform her breakthrough album, several realizations came to mind. First, her vocals are just as stunning as they were 23 years ago. The way she flexes those muscles on songs like “He Loves Me,” hitting operatic-type notes, still brings fans to their feet. Second, her insightful lyrics about life, love, relationships and self-empowerment are just as on-point as they were 23 years ago. She also possesses the innate ability to connect one-on-one with fans even while performing in front of thousands of them. Plus, she’s still having fun, as evidenced by the way she interacts with her backing band and three background singers, letting them do their thing as she does hers.
At one point during the show, as the conga player and the drummer laid down percolating solos, Scott exclaimed, “This is live music, MFs! There’s nothing MP3, ABC … none of that s—, about it.”
Warming up the crowd for Scott during an unseasonably chilly night were DJ Diamond Kuts and the Adam Blackstone Band. The latter brought out two special guests as well. Roc Nation artist Dixson performed covers of Bill Withers’ “Just the Two of Us” and D’Angelo’s “Untitled (How Does It Feel”), while Jon B delivered two of his hits, “Someone to Love” and “They Don’t Know.”
The next stop on the Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1 anniversary tour is in Concord, Calif. on June 24.
Megan Thee Stallion may be taking a break from music, but she’s still keeping fans entertained over on social media.
The star took to TikTok and Instagram Reels on Friday (June 23) to share a hilarious update on what’s she’s been up to lately. “B—-, since the last time y’all seen me, I learned to do a motherf—ing pull up,” she narrated the clip at lightning speed, as she’s seen doing pull ups and having a workout at the gym with her new trainer. “Ok, so anyways, I can’t drop music right now but, b—-, I might as well drop a little workout routine.”
After the gym, Meg shows herself and her dancers getting cryotherapy, “because, b—-, we’re going to tear it up [onstage] so I need my legs, ligaments, joints, knees to be percolating.” She also shared scenes looking at Birkin bags at Hermès in Paris, France, before getting glam, having a creative meeting, and attending the Louis Vuitton Spring 2024 Menswear Collection Runway Show.
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“What’s been going onn hotties ❤️🔥 y’all miss me? Dont ask me bout no dang music rn lol,” she captioned the post.
Last month, the “Savage” rapper revealed to InStyle that she’s taking a much-needed break from music to focus on her wellbeing. “Fans can expect new music when I’m in a better place,” she told the publication. “Right now, I’m focused on healing.”
She added that “the music and entertainment industry can be a grind, so it’s important to take time off and avoid burning out. Life is all about balance.”
See Meg’s vlog-style update via Instagram below.
Busta Rhymes is set to receive the lifetime achievement award at the 2023 BET Awards on Sunday, June 25. Bia, Coi Leray, Cutty Ranks, Dexta Daps, M.O.P., Rah Digga, ScarLip, Spice, Supercat, Swizz Beatz and more will take the stage to celebrate the rapper and his 30-plus year musical legacy.
The show, which calls itself “culture’s biggest night,” will air on BET from the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles. The show airs live on the East Coast at 8 p.m., and on tape delay on the West Coast at 8 p.m. PT.
This is the third year in a row that the lifetime achievement award has gone to a rapper. Queen Latifah, who started out as a rapper before diversifying into many areas of entertainment, was the honoree two years ago. Sean Combs was the honoree last year. Previous recipients were artists in mainstream R&B, from Whitney Houston, the first recipient in 2001, to Mary J. Blige, the 2019 honoree.
“Busta Rhymes is a multifaceted, award-winning artist who has mesmerized audiences for decades with his original hip-hop sound and one-of-a-kind visuals,” Scott Mills, CEO of BET, said in a statement. “He continues to leave an indelible mark on the culture that we hold dear, and it is with great pride that we present this year’s lifetime achievement award to a visionary, a master of rhyme and a true pioneer.”
Busta Rhymes, 51, has received six awards at the BET Hip-Hop Awards, but he has gone 0-12 at the Grammys.
The rapper topped the Billboard 200 in 2006 with The Big Bang. He has climbed as high as No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 twice, with “What’s It Gonna Be?!,” a 1999 collab with Janet Jackson; and “I Know What You Want,” a 2003 collab with Mariah Carey that featured The Flipmode Squad.
In addition to his musical achievements, Busta Rhymes, who was born Trevor Smith Jr., has acted in several movies, including Higher Learning (1995), Shaft (2000) and Halloween: Resurrection (2002).
This year’s BET Awards will pay tribute to the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. Dem Franchize Boyz, D-Nice, Erick Sermon, Fabolous, Jeezy, Redman, Styles P and YG were added to the performance lineup for this segment, joining the previously announced 69 Boyz, Big Daddy Kane, Chief Keef, DJ Unk, E-40, Fast Life Yungstaz & Easton (F.L.Y.), Fat Joe, Ja Rule, Kid ‘N Play, MC Lyte, Percy “Master P” Miller, Remy Ma, Soulja Boy, The Sugarhill Gang, Trick Daddy, Trina, Tyga, Uncle Luke, Warren G, Ying Yang Twins and Yo-Yo.
Apart from that anniversary salute, 2023 BET Awards nominees Ice Spice and Latto, and hip-hop artist Mad Lion are set to perform live on the show, joining the previously announced Coco Jones, Doechii, GloRilla and Lil Uzi Vert.
Kaliii and 2023 BET Awards nominee Lola Brooke will perform on the BET Amplified stage.
The BET Awards has been the No. 1 cable award show among all adults 18-49 for the last two years, and is the No. 1 cable award show among Black adults 18-49 for the 21st consecutive year (CY02-CY22).
Voting for BET Awards 2023 Viewer’s Choice Award, which began on June 8, ends June 25 at 6:30 p.m. PT/ 9:30 p.m. ET. Cast your vote at BET.com.
Connie Orlando, EVP, specials, music programming & music strategy, will oversee and executive produce the annual show, with Jamal Noisette, VP, specials, music programming & music strategy to co-executive produce for BET. Jesse Collins Entertainment is the production company for the show, with Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay also serving as executive producers.
CeeLo Green and Grammy-winning producer Jack Splash (also known as THE PINK) have partnered with CEEK Metaverse for their upcoming collaborative project THE PINK out later this year. The record’s first single, “Serious,” arrived on Friday (June 23) with an animated video to follow on July 7 via www.ceek.com and the CEEK VR App. Explore See latest videos, […]
Con-grad-ulations are in order for Cardi B‘s mini-me. In an adorable recent Instagram post, the “Up” rapper revealed that her almost five-year-old daughter with Offset, Kulture Kiari, is officially a Pre-K graduate. “My baby moving on up,” Cardi wrote Thursday (June 22), sharing several photos and videos from Kulture’s pre-school graduation ceremony. “I’m a emotional […]
“Kali…” From the second she introduces herself on the Tate Kobang and YG! Beats-produced “Area Codes,” Kali’s sultry laidback delivery solidifies her as an undeniable force.
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The runaway success of “Area Codes” has been a long time coming for Kali the Atlanta-bred rapper, who’s been grinding since she was just 12 years old, but didn’t release her first body of work until 2021. “This Why They Mad Now is my baby,” she gushes. “That’s when I was like, ‘Okay, we’re gonna give this a try and we gon’ see how far we can take this.”
Since the release of her first mixtape, Kali has been steadily laying the foundation for this moment. She got her first minor hit in 2021 with a This Why They Mad Now track titled “Do A B—h,” and the ATL Jacob-produced “MMM MMM” became her first TikTok hit later that year. A remix of “MMM MMM” featuring Billboard 200 chart-topper Moneybagg Yo and fellow Atlanta MC Latto appears on Toxic Chocolate, Kali’s major label debut. For Toxic Chocolate, which also featured collaborations with fellow early 2020s breakout stars Yung Bleu, Muni Long and BIA, “I was in my toxic bag,” Kali notes.
Blending her around-the-way affability with slick wordplay and delivery that can be as flirtatious as it is biting, Kali’s style is already singular — and she’s just getting started. Since its March release, “Area Codes” has amassed over four billion views on TikTok, and the song is pulling over 11 million streams per week in the U.S. alone. Buoyed by a bevy of remixes featuring everyone from Kenzo B to Luh Tyler, “Area Codes” is also Kali’s fastest-growing music video, as well as her first entry on the Billboard Hot 100, where it currently sits at its No. 33 peak.
As Kali readies her next steps to continue the momentum of “Area Codes,” we linked up with our June R&B/Hip-Hop Rookie of the Month to speak about her forthcoming new mixtape, her song on the Barbie soundtrack, Ludacris’ “Area Codes,” and whether she really likes “pasta and lobster.”
You’re Panamanian and from Atlanta. How do those two cultures impact your artistry?
I haven’t really tapped into the Panamanian. I wanna wait to solidify myself in the rap game and then tap into that. That way people know like, “Oh, Kali, she’s a really cool rapper, but she also taps into her Spanish side.” So, it’s something that I wanna work on in the future.
I feel like Atlanta is so big. Everybody comes from Atlanta. I just wanna make my own stamp. I just wanna be legendary in Atlanta, like, “Oh, Kali brought her own swag to Atlanta and she just been killing it for the females.” I’m younger and I love rap music like [Young] Thug, Future, Gucci Mane, them is like… that’s Atlanta to me. When somebody thinks of Atlanta — like who represents Atlanta and what Atlanta sounds like — I want it to be me.
You’ve been rapping since you were 12 years old. When you first started putting out music, it kept getting taken down. Now that you’re at this point in your career, what would you say to 12-year-old Kali and the Kali of This Why They Mad Now?
Everything happens for a reason. You can’t control what God has planned for you. I look back like, “Maybe those songs weren’t ready to come out and I wasn’t ready to be this huge artist.” Everything literally happens for a reason.
“Area Codes” is taking over the world right now. When you finished recording the song, did you have a special feeling about this one?
Yes! When I finished recording “Area Codes,” that same night, I called my team, and I was like, “We got one. This is the one, I’m telling y’all, it’s a hit!” And I was right!
Where were you the first time you heard “Area Codes” in public?
A lot of times, I would go to clubs and give my music to the DJs to play in the club. I don’t quite remember where I was, but I love hookah, so I was probably at a hookah lounge somewhere. I was like, “Play my song!”
TikTok has been pretty instrumental in helping “Area Codes” blow. Was there a specific TikTok, or a specific moment, that confirmed the song’s virality for you?
I always say it was when the sports teams started using it on TikTok. I feel like once guys get a hold of a female song, you’re winning. Because even if they aren’t relating to it, they’re having fun with it, so I love seeing the sports teams do it. I’ve seen a hockey team do it. I don’t know the names of the teams, but a lot of baseball teams were doing it. I even seen a rugby team doing it!
How did you come up with the idea to do different remixes for different area codes? What was the process of selecting and securing those artists for each of the remixes?
I just wanted to expand “Area Codes” and get everybody tapped into the song. It’s called “Area Codes,” so I gotta go to different area codes and see which artists are popping off and can really bring something new to the track! I did Luh Tyler, Sexyy Red, Mello Buckzz, Lil Kayla and Kenzo B, and they’re all super-popping right now. They killed their verses. They definitely added to “Area Codes” and brought their audiences in too just like I brought my audience to theirs.
We’re just piggybacking off of each other, you know? Just creating a vibe, so when I go to those cities, we lit, and I can go hang with them and see what their area code is like. I can see what their vibe is like when it comes to music and who they are as artists.
At Summer Jam earlier this month, Ice Spice brought out you and Kenzo B to perform “Area Codes (718 Remix).” Talk to me about working with Kenzo and conquering such an iconic stage.
Kenzo was super cool. She’s just taking over. She showed me around New York because I never had a chopped cheese before. She’s really cool. I just wanted to tap into New York. I feel like New York is a hard place to get people to latch onto your music, so Kenzo was perfect, because everybody is super-supportive of her, and I love to see that. They’re like, “Oh, Kenzo’s winning!” She’s like my little sister. I love her. And Ice Spice is my girl. We always be interacting on the internet, and she loves “Area Codes.” She told me, “I’ve been paying attention to your music before you even blew up.”
The energy when I came out for Summer Jam was so different. That’s all I can say. I was really nervous at first. I’m like, “Do they know ‘Area Codes?’” And then I was like, “Girl, you on Billboard! What are you talking about?” When Ice Spice said my name and the crowd went crazy, I was like, “Oh my God, this is such a great feeling!” It was my biggest crowd yet. I’m sure it’ll get bigger, but it was great. It was such a great feeling, it put me on a high, like, “I gotta do this again! I could do this. I need a longer set. I need to get there.” New York always turns up for me, top two and not two!
“Area Codes” is obviously lifting your career to new heights. You’re top 40 on the Hot 100, at over four billion views on TikTok, you’re pulling 11 million streams a week with this song — do you feel any pressure to keep up this momentum?
I definitely feel the pressure, but it’s a good feeling to have. I gotta go bigger, you know? It’s always good to compete with yourself and make yourself work harder. I definitely feel the pressure, because I’m trying to get that top 10 spot, I wanna go number one! That’s a dream of mine, and that’s the goal that I’ve been having for myself, so I’m definitely putting a healthy amount of pressure on myself.
How do you balance healthy pressure and unhealthy pressure? Where is that line for you?
I have a really good team that just helps me be like, “You got this, just breathe. We gonna get there.” Everything happens for a reason and at its own timing, just pray and manifest. That’s how I keep healthy. I celebrate myself too. Once you celebrate yourself and the accomplishments that you do have, it’s easier to be like, “Okay, how can I go bigger? ‘Cause I did this.”
What was the big celebration when “Area Codes” hit the Top 40?
I’m a dinner type of girl. And a lounge and hookah. That’s how we celebrate. Let’s go get a strawberry lemon drop and toast. I like a lowkey vibe. My team is like my friends too, so we just like lowkey stuff.
So, do you like pasta and lobster for real?
I do like pasta and lobster for real, okay! [Laughs.] I be making some good pasta and lobster! I don’t know what the noodles is called, but they like the long crinkly noodles. They went viral on TikTok one time. I make a white cream sauce that’s so good, put some white wine in it and some sweet tomatoes and Italian parsley. Chop that lobster up, you put it in there and you got you some good good food.
How are you handling the massive boost in your profile with the success of “Area Codes?”
I’m still the same me! It’s crazy cause I say this all the time, but it hasn’t hit me. I’m still the girl that walks around with my team and no security. I’m just chilling. I literally just be chilling. It hasn’t hit me like, “Girl, you gotta stop doing these things. You can’t keep doing this.” I go to the grocery store and people notice me, but I got this fat bonnet on thinking nobody gonna know who I am, just looking crazy, you know? So, I’m still just chilling. Until it gets really like super crazy.
You’ve recently caught some flak about supposedly not knowing Ludacris’ “Area Codes.” Let’s set the record straight: Did you really not hear his song before making yours? Have you listened to it since, and could a mashup or a remix with Luda be on the way?
I really didn’t know Ludacris’ “Area Codes!” A lot of people got it misconstrued and thought that I said that I didn’t know who Ludacris was. I never said that. I just never heard that particular Ludacris song.
I heard it once — I was getting ready to shoot my video when we were doing treatments at. My team was like, “Hey, do you want to try to do like a little concept like this?” And I was like, “Wait, what?” That’s when I listened to the song, and I watched the video at the same time, and I was like, “Oh, my God! Great minds think alike!” I just hope nobody thinks I’m copying, but it’s a great song and I didn’t mean any disrespect to Ludacris or anything. We haven’t had a conversation, but maybe in the future, we could have a conversation about mashup or a remix or something like that.
Toxic Chocolate, your major label debut, featured a bunch of collaborations with artists who are on a career trajectory similar to yours. What do you get out of the collaboration process, and how does it impact the way you approach your solo records?
I love collaborating, because different artists bring different vibes, and you never know what’s gonna go up. The fact that “Area Codes” went up with me solo is super great. It makes me feel like I’m doing something good. It does feel good that Muni Long was going up crazy, [Yung] Bleu too. I like to work with people I know, so it’s organic.
Let’s talk about your next mixtape. Two of your biggest songs, “MMM MMM” and “Area Codes,” use pretty minimalist beats — will we hear more production like that on the next project? Who have you worked with so far, and when can we expect it?
I feel like the next tape is everything. We have the simple beats, but I worked with some pretty big producers, and they be putting their foot in them beats! We gonna get a little bit of everything. I worked with London on da Track, YG Beats, Honorable C.N.O.T.E., $K, and B Ham. The tape should be out around the end of July/top of August.
Conceptually, musically, and lyrically, what kind of headspace were you in while making this tape?
Toxic Girls Need Love Too is a play on Toxic Chocolate. Toxic Chocolate… I was in my toxic bag. I just wanted to talk my s–t. I was in my feelings. But Toxic Girls Need Love Too is like, I was in the toxic state, kinda fell in love, and then got to the, “I wanna focus on me,” healing side of it. So, it’s a little bit of everything. Fun summer stuff, getting in my feelings, and being more vulnerable. This is me finding who I am as an artist, and as Kali.
Sometimes it’s hard, because I’m not a vulnerable person. I have to really know people to want to be like that. So, I worked really hard on being vulnerable on this tape. Super hard. I’m just trying to relate and show people that I can relate to them and that it’s not all green over here. It gets hard sometimes, and I get in my feelings too. I’ve been that girl in a position where I’m crying and I’m hurt about certain things and it’s hard finding yourself again.
You have a song on the upcoming Barbie soundtrack. Were you a big Barbie kid growing up?
Yes! I feel like everybody had to love Barbie! All the baddies had to love Barbies.
So, Barbies over Bratz?
Listen, I’m both! I’m team both, because I love me a good Bratz, and I love me a cute lil Barbie. They’re both baddies!
What can you share about the song? Did you get to see any footage from the film before writing and recording your parts?
It’s definitely different from things that I’ve done in the past, especially working with Fifty Fifty. I’m excited to get into the whole pop lane, and switch it up for the girls. I feel like the collab was unexpected. I know everybody was like, “It’s definitely Kali and Ice Spice!” Soon! Whenever Ice Spice is ready. But me and Fifty Fifty both going up, so we had to come together.
I only heard that it’s a live rendition of Barbie. I heard my girl Issa Rae was in there, and I was like, “Oh, this is perfect!” I love her, she’s so funny. That’s really all I heard about it. They gave me the vibes and I just got on it.
What would be the story of the Kali Barbie doll? What would her occupation be?
She’s definitely a rock star. She’s giving… cutesy, rock star, baddie.
In tandem with the song’s full release Friday (June 23), New York rappers Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice have also unveiled the official music video for their “Barbie World” collaboration. Doused in various shades of pink and featuring a litany of ripped Ken-like background dancers, the “Barbie World” music video is the ultimate doll dream. […]