R&B/Hip-Hop

LL Cool J Reveals He Has an Unreleased Collaborative Album With 50 Cent: ‘It Didn’t Work’

Hip-hop has been a collaborative culture since its inception, and from Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch the Throne to Drake and 21 Savage’s Her Loss, collaborative albums have become their own phenomenon within rap music. And LL Cool J almost added one to the collection. The rapper revealed on the Wednesday (Aug. 9) episode of The Breakfast Club that he once wrote a collaborative album with 50 Cent.

“I tried to do a more collaborative writing album. I did a whole album with 50 Cent. And we were writing together on this album,” LL Cool J recounted. “And when it was done, I listened to it. I’m like, ‘It sounds good. I like the music, it sounds cool, but it ain’t me.’ So, I ain’t put it out.”

“It was nothing against 50, I love 50,” he clarified. “I just wanted to try something different. Maybe we collaborate, write together … It didn’t work.”

When one of the radio show’s co-hosts brought up “Paradise,” LL’s 2002 Billboard Hot 100 top 40 hit (No. 36), the Grammy-winner explained, “50 wrote the chorus on ‘Paradise’ for Amerie, which she sung. He didn’t write my rhymes … when that happened, I didn’t even know 50 was involved. That was The Trackmasters, they got that done.”

As one of the most celebrated and decorated rappers of his era, LL’s artistry has always been as important to him as his persona. “The collaborative thing, when it comes to my verses, that doesn’t work for me,” he said.

The “Mama Said Knock You Out” rapper also mused about the apprehension that comes with continuing to rap while aging, and said that he “loves” to be underestimated because “it makes the jabs that much stiffer.”

Watch his interview with The Breakfast Club above.

Chuck D Named Music Ambassador & Content Architect for MLB’s Hip-Hop 50 Celebrations

Public Enemy co-founder and hip-hop legend Chuck D will have a key role in crafting Major League Baseball’s year-long Hip-Hop 50 celebrations. In a press release on Thursday (Aug. 10), MLB confirmed that Chuck D will serve as both music ambassador and content architect for their forthcoming festivities.

This Friday (Aug. 11), Public Enemy will perform at Hip-Hop 50 Live at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York, the birthplace of hip-hop. During the event, Chuck D will serve as MLB’s special correspondent, capturing the electric atmosphere in exclusive content for MLB’s various platforms. He is also slated to collaborate with MLB on content, music and stories throughout the rest of the year — including in-stadium videos focused on the relationship between baseball and hip-hop culture.

“As a longtime baseball fanatic, I am beyond honored to be the first Hip Hop artist to work with Major League Baseball in this exciting new way — connecting sound and culture to the stories of the game,” the rapper said in a statement. “Thank you to MLB for adding me to the lineup … and the pitch is on the way.”

Friday’s concert coincides with MLB’s launch of their yearlong partnership with Mass Appeal’s Hip-Hop 50. As part of the partnership, MLB and its various clubs will create content, merchandise and giveaways to celebrate Hip-Hop 50 throughout the 2024 season. The concert is set to include performances from Run-D.M.C., Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne, Lil’ Kim, Trina, Eve, T.I., Common, A$AP Ferg and more.

Public Enemy has earned two entries on the Billboard Hot 100: 1991’s “Can’t Truss It” (No. 50) and 1994’s “Give It Up” (No. 33). On the Billboard 200, the group has sent two titles to the chart’s top ten out of ten overall entries — 1990’s Fear of a Black Planet (No. 10) and 1991’s Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black (No. 4).

Lil Tay Is Not Dead, Says Instagram Was Hacked

Lil Tay, who was reported dead on Wednesday (Aug. 9), is still alive.

The 14-year-old rapper and viral internet personality shared in a statement to TMZ on Thursday (Aug. 10) that her Instagram account was hacked. At the time of publication, the statement announcing her death has been deleted. “I want to make it clear that my brother and I are safe and alive, but I’m completely heartbroken, and struggling to even find the right words to say,” she told the publication. “It’s been a very traumatizing 24 hours. All day yesterday, I was bombarded with endless heartbreaking and tearful phone calls from loved ones all while trying to sort out this mess.”

She continued, “My Instagram account was compromised by a 3rd party and used to spread jarring misinformation and rumors regarding me, to the point that even my name was wrong. My legal name is Tay Tian, not ‘Claire Hope.’”

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The news of her fake death was announced in a statement posted on Lil Tay’s Instagram account, which described her passing as “sudden and tragic” as well as “entirely unexpected. “It is with a heavy heart that we share the devastating news of our beloved Claire’s sudden and tragic passing,” reads the statement posted Wednesday (Aug. 9). “We have no words to express the unbearable loss and indescribable pain. This outcome was entirely unexpected, and has left us all in shock.”

The statement also revealed that her brother died too. “Her brother’s passing adds an even more unimaginable depth to our grief,” it read. “During this time of immense sorrow, we kindly ask for privacy as we grieve this overwhelming loss, as the circumstances surrounding Claire and her brother’s passing are still under investigation.”

The self-labeled “youngest flexer of the century,” Lil Tay shot to fame in 2017 with controversial viral videos showing off wealth and cussing out haters.



J. Cole Joins 50 Cent at NYC Concert, Calls ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin” the ‘Best Album of All-Time’

On Wednesday night (Aug. 9), J. Cole joined 50 Cent in Brooklyn for The Final Lap Tour and had high praise for the Queens MC. 

After 50 surprised the audience with Cole’s arrival, the Dreamville general quickly dove into his 2014 Forest Hills Drive gem “No Role Modelz.” Afterward, Cole gave the G-Unit superstar his flowers while onstage together. “Can I say this before I walk off stage? If you don’t make some noise for one of the greatest n—as to do this shit, 50 muthaf–king Cent, Curtis Jackson,” he exclaimed. Cole doubled down on his admiration when he paid homage to his 50’s classic debut album. 

Get Rich or Die Tryin’ is the best album of all time. I don’t give a f–k what you talking about,” Cole said emphatically. “It’s Get Rich or Die Tryin’ at number one, and it’s Thriller at number two, and I love Michael Jackson.”

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50 Cent’s 2003 debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin’ is critically acclaimed and spawned a slew of Billboard Hot 100 hits, including “P.I.M.P.” and the project’s two chart-toppers “21 Questions” and “In Da Club.” The album is 9x platinum, while the latter shares the same accolade. 

“My run was so uncomfortable that everyone would like to forget that it happened,” 50 told Billboard in his cover story earlier this year regarding his seminal effort. “That’s just the way it is with the artist community. I didn’t come in being friendly because I had to find a way into it — not find a way to be good enough to work in the community. The biggest compliment in the early stages was that artists felt like they’d made it when they got the deal. You had to earn the right to have the deal.” 

See J. Cole supporting 50 in the moment below.

6ix9ine Arrested in Florida After Traffic Violation

Tekashi 6ix9ine was arrested in Palm Beach County, Fla., on Wednesday (Aug. 9) following a traffic violation, according to NBC News.

The publication noted that the controversial rapper (born Daniel Hernandez) was pulled over when they “observed a vehicle commit a moving traffic violation” and that the vehicle “did not have a license tag,” according to authorities. 6ix9ine was then taken into custody for failure to appear for a July 12 court date stemming from a traffic incident in June, though he was later released on bond on Thursday (Aug. 10).

Over the past several years, 6ix9ine has had a few run-ins with the law, as back in 2020, he was released from prison after serving just eight of his 24-month sentence. He was sentenced in December 2019, for a slew of crimes related to his time as a Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods member, originally facing 47 years to life. Hernandez earned leniency in his sentencing because of his testimony against other members of the New York street gang, with attorneys for the rapper asking the judge in the case to sentence him quickly after two other Nine Trey members were found guilty in part thanks to 6ix9ine’s testimony.

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The new arrest comes just three months after 6ix9ine was hospitalized in South Florida after three men attacked the rapper at a gym.

DJ Khaled Announces New Album ‘Til Next Time’ With New Single Feat. Lil Baby, Future & Lil Uzi Vert

For his 14th studio album, Til Next Time, DJ Khaled rolls out the red carpet for his superstar compatriots, Future, Lil Baby, and Lil Uzi Vert, as they’ll join the Grammy-winning producer on his new single “Supposed to Be Loved” this Friday (Aug. 11).

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To kick off the countdown for Til Next Time, Khaled dropped a comical trailer featuring his two children, Asahd and Aalam Tuck Khaled, along with his “Queen,” Nicole Tuck Khaled. The clip opens up with Khaled draining a seemingly impossible shot on the golf course before segueing into his everyday life, including him on the beach and basketball court. 

Til Next Time will serve as Khaled’s first release since the news of his partnership with Def Jam last winter. Under the deal, Khaled will also serve as the global creative consultant to Def Jam and UMG. “This new chapter marks a special time for me,” said Khaled in February. “The energy at this point in my career is at an all-time high, and I’m grateful to Sir Lucian Grainge for allowing me to join his empire at this stage in my journey. Together, we will achieve even greater heights and take it to the next level. I feel blessed and so inspired with renewed energy. I’m excited to not only partner but to come back home to Def Jam. 

Earlier this year, Khaled notched five Grammy nominations, most notably for his star-studded collaboration “God Did,” which featured Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Lil Wayne and Fridayy. 

Check out Khaled’s album trailer for Til Next Time in the video above.

Ja Rule’s ‘50 & Forever’ City Sessions Show for Amazon Music Canceled

Update: Hours ahead of the show on Thursday, Aug. 10, the 50 & Forever City Sessions show set to feature Ja Rule as headliner was canceled “due to unforeseen circumstances,” according to a message on the event’s page. Ticketholders will receive a refund, and no action is required. 50 & Forever will be announcing a new City Sessions show in New York City at a later date.

Original story below:

As we enter hip-hop’s birth month, the entire music industry is pulling out all the stops to celebrate the genre’s 50th birthday. On Friday (Aug. 4), Amazon Music announced Ja Rule as the headliner of the final “50 & Forever” City Sessions livestream of the summer. The Grammy-nominated rapper will join a lineup of peers and collaborators for a performance from The Rooftop at Pier 17 in New York City on August 10, the eve of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary.

Throughout the “50 & Forever” series, Amazon Music is paying tribute to hip-hop’s monumental global influence on music, culture and society. Created by Rotation, the hip-hop and R&B brand from Amazon Music, “50 & Forever” has celebrated the occasion with curated events, livestreams, playlists, original content, and new music across a plethora of platforms, including Amazon Music, Twitch, Audible, Prime Video and Amp.

Ja Rule’s performance marks the finale of the “50 & Forever” City Sessions series from Amazon Music. This summer, the Amazon Music channel on Twitch has streamed content every week leading up to hip-hop’s 50th anniversary on August 11. Thursday’s (Aug. 3) City Session livestream from Atlanta featured Jeezy, T.I. and Young Dro. Amazon Music also streamed exclusive live performances from hip-hop stars like Rick Ross, Wale, Clipse, Joey Bada$$, Curren$y and more.

Ja Rule has earned eight top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including the No. 1 singles “I’m Real” (with Jennifer Lopez), “Always On Time” (with Ashanti), and “Ain’t It Funny” (with Jennifer Lopez). On the Billboard 200, the hip-hop giant has sent a pair of titles to the chart’s summit: 2000’s Rule 3:36 (one week) and 2001’s Pain Is Love (two weeks).

Elyrix & Gunna Enjoy A ‘Day Off’ In New Music Video

Rising rapper Elyrix and Billboard 200 chart-topper Gunna revel in a much-needed “Day Off” in the official music video for their new collaboration.

Shot entirely in black and white, the music video follows Elyrix celebrating his day off after ending the work day slumped over on his desk. Alongside Gunna, the two rappers spend the music video drinking, rolling blunts and rapping about their seemingly unstoppable work ethic. “I’m always right here workin’, looking down, lookin’ at you likе you fell off/ Always trap with the team I don’t call the shots, they make sure my sins don’t go up,” Elyrix raps in the chorus.

In the music video’s description, Elyrix wrote, “This song was made in 2022. After numerous requests, I have finally decided to release it.”

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The new music video arrives on the heels of Gunna’s latest solo video. On Aug. 2., the Grammy-nominated rapper released the official video for “Rodeo Dr.,” in which he flaunted the success of “F—kumean,” his latest Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit, and paid homage to O.J. Simpson’s notorious car chase.

Gunna has earned four top 10 hits on the Hot 100, reaching as high as No. 4 with both “F—kumean” and the Grammy-nominated “Drip Too Hard” (with Lil Baby). On the Billboard 200, the “Too Easy” rapper has sent five titles to the chart’s top 10, including the No. 1 albums Wunna and DS4EVER. His most recent album, this year’s A Gift & A Curse, opened at No. 3 with 85,000 units shifted in its first week of release.

15 Musicians Who Have Streamed With Kai Cenat: Drake, Ice Spice, 21 Savage & More

The record-breaking Twitch streamer has already amassed an impressive list of guest stars from the worlds of rap, R&B and pop.

From Billie Eilish to Ice Spice, the 2000s babies have been making their presence known across the entertainment industry over the past few years. Bridging the worlds of Twitch livestreams and music is 21-year-old streamer and content creator Kai Cenat.

Earlier this week (Aug. 4), Cenat made national headlines when a giveaway he organized in Union Square, Manhattan, devolved into a riot that injured several people and damaged countless pieces of property. Cenat was taken into custody by the NYPD and charged with first-degree rioting, inciting a riot, and unlawful assembly. 65 of the hundreds of people present were arrested for the participation in the riot.

While the unfortunate failure of his giveaway gifted many people their first introduction to Kai Cenat, the streamer’s 23 million-strong follower total across social media platforms proves how deeply he and his content have penetrated both Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Hailing from The Bronx, New York, Cenat is the most-subscribed Twitch streamer of all time, and the winner of streamer of the year at the 12th Annual Streamy Awards. Cenat has also crossed over into music, releasing several like 2022’s “Bustdown Rollie Avalanche” (with NLE Choppa) and this year’s “Dogs” (with IShowSpeed). This May, Cenat performed the intro for the Fast X soundtrack, which peaked at No. 79 on the Billboard 200.

Kai Cenat’s combination of comedy, gaming, and music, specifically hip-hop and R&B, have helped him grow into one of the most influential content creators for the next generation — and that hasn’t gone unnoticed by some of music’s biggest stars.

Spurred by a genuine love for Cenat and knowledge of his powerful social media reach, several key artists across contemporary hip-hop, pop and R&B have streamed with the cross-platform powerhouse.

Here are 15 musicians who have streamed and collaborated with Kai Cenat:

Travis Scott Nabs Fifth Streaming Songs Chart Leader

Travis Scott scores his fifth No. 1 on Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart – and first since 2020 – with “Meltdown,” featuring Drake, which debuts atop the Aug. 12-dated tally.

In the July 28-Aug. 3 tracking week, “Meltdown” earned 32.2 million official U.S. streams, according to Luminate.

Scott first led Streaming Songs as a featured artist on Kodak Black’s “Zeze” alongside Offset in 2018. He ruled as a lead artist in 2019 with “Sicko Mode” and “Highest in the Room” and then again in 2020 as part of Kid Cudi collaboration The Scotts on the duo’s eponymous “The Scotts.”

Between “The Scotts” and “Meltdown,” Scott’s top rank had been the No. 3 peak of Drake’s “Fair Trade,” on which he is a featured artist, in 2021, with his best as a lead act being the No. 4 peak of “Escape Plan” that year.

“Meltdown” becomes Drake’s record-extending 17th No. 1 on Streaming Songs, which began in 2013, and his second in 2023, following the one-week reign of “Search & Rescue” in April. Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift are the next closest with six toppers apiece. With five rulers, Scott moves into sole possession of the fourth-most No. 1s all time.

Most No. 1s, Streaming Songs

  • 17, Drake
  • 6, Justin Bieber
  • 6, Taylor Swift
  • 5, Travis Scott
  • 4, Ariana Grande
  • 4, Cardi B
  • 4, Lil Baby
  • 4, Miley Cyrus

In all, seven songs from Scott’s new album Utopia appear in the top 10 of the Aug. 12-dated Streaming Songs list, with “Meltdown” followed by “FE!N,” featuring Playboi Carti, at No. 2 (25.6 million streams). It’s the most Scott has had in the top 10 simultaneously, surpassing the five he had in the top 10 of the Aug. 18, 2018, chart upon the release of his album Astroworld.

Scott now boasts 28 top 10s overall, placing him fifth all time. Drake leads all acts with 86 top 10s.

Most Top 10s, Streaming Songs

  • 86, Drake
  • 39, Taylor Swift
  • 34, Lil Baby
  • 30, The Weeknd
  • 28, Travis Scott
  • 27, 21 Savage
  • 25, Future
  • 24, Kanye West

Each of Scott’s songs from the 19-track Utopia appears on Streaming Songs, down to No. 37, where “Parasail,” featuring Yung Lean and Dave Chappelle, ranks with 10.5 million streams.

Concurrently, as previously reported, “Meltdown” debuts at No. 3 on the multimetric Billboard Hot 100, while Utopia bows atop the Billboard 200.