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Wale and Nike have finally linked up. The rapper out of the DMV has been influential within the sneaker community over the years and has promoted Nike for free in his music from the start. His 2008 song “Nike Boots” was a hit during the Blog Era and helped him make a name for himself.
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Wale has been known for the sneakers he wears ever since, but for some reason, he and Nike hadn’t collaborated before. This is something that he’s brought up on multiple occasions, most notably in 2018 when he hopped on Instagram Live to show off his massive collection. While holding up an Air Mag sneaker from Back to the Future, Wale asked when the sneaker giant was going to hit him up. “When is Nike going to play fair, man? Just call me. Hello?” he said while using the sneaker as a phone. “They ain’t on the phone, they givin’ everybody else deals and s–t.”
That is until now.
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Wale is the face of Nike’s DMV Cherry Blossom Foamposite One campaign, and not only is he in the commercial, he’s rapping a new song in it. Produced by Emil and Tommy Black, “Ghetto Speak” is a somber love letter to the greater Washington, D.C., area. “From a land that far too well comprehends universal madness,” Wale raps. “Not too far from the symbolic architecture that masks it/ But all is fair, I guess/ ‘Cause broken glass, cherry blossoms, them bullet fragments don’t look as fantastic on the pamphlet.”
The song then comes to an abrupt end and the ad features underground king Big Lordy (formerly known as Ankhlejohn) sitting down on a stoop, saying, “Background checks, you know where it started,” as a nod to the conversation around the DMV’s overall influence on hip-hop sneaker culture, especially when it comes to Foams, New Balance and the Nike Air Max Goadome aka Nike Boots.
Last year, Wale and Jim Jones got into a back-and-forth about which region started the Nike Boot trend. On the track “Fine Lines” from the Rick Ross and Meek Mill album Too Good to Be True, Wale throws a subtle jab at the Harlem rapper. “North Faces and Foams, we grew up in that jawn,” Wale raps. “We was ballin’ in Goadomes before we could Jones.”
Wale and his label, Universal Music Group, are hosting a giveaway in which fans submit pictures of themselves wearing their favorite pair of Foams for a chance to win. You can submit pics here.
There’s no word yet on whether or not “Ghetto Speak” will hit streaming.
Nicki Minaj still has some tricks up her sleeve in her Pink Friday 2 era. The superstar took to X on Tuesday (Aug. 20) to announce a deluxe version of her latest album, though she noted that she’s going to keep fans “posted” on the release date. “I love it so much. I’ll be performing […]
Ice Spice has shut down rumors claiming she’s taking Ozempic for weight loss. The Bronx native dispelled the allegations in an X Spaces on Monday (Aug. 19) while sniping at those speaking about her figure.
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“I actually came on here to talk about that real quick. I wish y’all never learned the word Ozempic,” she said. “That’s one thing I wish. Oh my God! Like, what even is Ozempic? What the f–k is that? Genuinely, what is that?”
Ice continued to spew. “You lazy-a– b—–s never heard of a gym? It’s called the gym, it’s called eating healthy, it’s called being on tour,” she added. “Like, what the hell? Maybe if I was sitting at home all f–king day, it’d be easier to stay big.”
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Sexyy Red chimed in on Instagram, coming to Ice Spice’s defense regarding people constantly commenting on her weight. “Y’all act like people can’t b stressed or not eat as much and she still look good so next,” she wrote.
Ozempic is an FDA-approved prescription medicine for those diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, but also has been used off-label for weight loss.
The 24-year-old has brushed off the speculation and continues to rock the stage as part of her first headlining trek on the Y2K! World Tour. She took over L.A.’s Hollywood Palladium on Monday night (Aug. 19) and brought out her “Bitch I’m Packin’” collaborator Gunna for a special surprise for the fans.
The rest of the tour will make stops in Oakland, Tempe, Dallas, Houston and Atlanta before wrapping up in Miami on Aug. 31.
Ice Spice’s anticipated Y2K! debut album arrived in July with features from Gunna, Travis Scott and Central Cee. The LP reached No. 18 on the Billboard 200. However, the rapper never saw the project as a make or break for her and is enjoying connecting with her fans on the road.
“I think people try to put that pressure on me just because I have been so successful,” she previously told Billboard. “I don’t really put too much weight into it. Of course, I appreciate it and I prefer it, but it’s not a make-or-break for me. I’m just happy with the album I made.”
Hear what Ice Spice had to say about Ozempic below.
#IceSpice reacts to discourse about her weight loss, via spaces: “Its called gym? It’s called being on a tour[…]maybe if I was staying home all day it’d be easier to stay big.”pic.twitter.com/ndhELax8me— All Tea All Shade (@TeaTimeTips2) August 20, 2024
Releasing a debut album is understandably daunting, but releasing your first album on a major label is a much different ball game. Not many people can say that their major label debut LP follows a head-turning stint on a Netflix hip-hop reality competition show (Rhythm + Flow) and a Grammy win alongside Billboard Hot 100-topping cross-genre savant Anderson .Paak. Then again, there’s only one Rae Khalil.
Speaking with Billboard via Zoom just days before the release of Crybaby – a luscious 13-track R&B fantasia that finds her moving from low-key neo-soul to jaunty new jack swing – Rae Khalil is on the precipice of a life-changing career shift to complement the turbulent tides of her personal life. Across the four-year journey to Crybaby, grief has relentlessly reared its head; Khalil lost her grandmother this year and her great-aunt passed “a couple [of] weeks ago,” which significantly altered her approach to completing her new LP and sharing it with the world.
“I would say I’m now dedicating this project and this part of my life to her and my family,” Khalil muses. “I think the No. 1 [thing] is being intentional and accepting all the emotions as they come. Some days are stronger than others.”
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As she awaits Crybaby’s arrival on DSPs, some of those days were spent watching House of the Dragon – which she namechecks as the last time she shed a few tears herself. Officially released on Aug. 9, Crybaby cements Khalil’s major-label metamorphosis by way of slick production contributions from a bevy of craftsmen, including .Paak and Nascent, as well as winning collaborations with the likes of Freddie Gibbs, Benny Sings, Khal!l, Tiana Major9, Zacari, AA Rashid and .Paak himself.
Sure, the cast of characters has gotten exponentially larger, but Crybaby is perhaps Khalil’s most honest and arresting work yet. The anxiety that comes from weighing the sacrifice of aligning yourself with the label system against maintaining complete independence grounds the LP, giving the record a worthy thematic center to match its generally gritty grooves. “My compass does just fine on its own/ So much pride, it built a second home/ I can’t hide behind me no more,” she croons on the stunning lead single “Is It Worth It?”
With a deluxe edition in the works and her eyes on an upcoming tour, Rae Khalil is ready to fully step into and own her own spotlight with Crybaby. In an intimate conversation with Billboard, she opens up about her four-year recording process, what she’s learned from Anderson .Paak, and the unfortunate mishap that gave way to a collaboration with her favorite rapper.
A lot of people got to know you through Rhythm + Flow back in 2019. What lessons did you bring from that experience to the creation of Crybaby?
I would definitely say trusting my guts. It’s five years ago now, [it was] such a great time period in my life. I remember taking advice from a lot of people at that time and listening to what other people thought I should be doing. I learned that this is my career, I’m the one [who’s] going to be standing on the brand of Rae Khalil. If there’s anything that I’m making or doing, I really want to stand behind that 100%.
Why did “Crybaby” feel like the appropriate title track for this album?
I thought it’d be a cool idea to change the narrative for what that means. “Crybaby” originally has a negative connotation, of someone who’s a whiner. I wanted to switch it to be someone who doesn’t have a problem with being vulnerable and sharing the parts of themselves that are maybe a little bit more on the sensitive side… not being worried about what others think. Kind of repurposing the word, making it more positive.
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When was the last time you cried?
S–t, I’m telling you that episode [of House of the Dragon] was so good last night, I did shed a couple of tears! But in all seriousness, this has been a pretty tough year for my family. We lost a matriarch in our family in my grandmother, and a couple weeks ago, we lost her sister as well, so it’s kind of a generational shift happening, but it’s allowing me to be more present. I think it’s making me focus on the lessons and values that my grandma taught me my whole life and implementing that in my career and my personal life.
How has it been for you suffering these kinds of losses, but also rolling out this project which obviously marks a major moment in your career?
Life will always happen, and it’s up to us to figure out how we are going to endure and persevere. I do think that there’s some type of poetic thing happening with losing people [who] were in my life and shaped my ideology. That chapter of my life is now closed, and [there are] so many new opportunities, especially in my career. I have opportunities to travel and meet new people and get to know myself more. I look at it as a beautiful tapestry of good and bad. It’s what’s required to happen for more growth.
What were you listening to in the house growing up and what were you listening to during the sessions for Crybaby?
When I work on albums, I’m just so in the music process that I’m not really listening to music. I love driving back from the studio with just silence, and then I’ll dabble with some of the new songs coming out, but it really takes me a second to get back into the groove of being an avid music listener of what’s new.
But what shapes any talented artist is the diversity in what you listen to, right? [Growing up], I had Motown and soul and R&B, but I also really enjoyed *NSYNC and Backstreet Boys. That was my era of pop music — Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Destiny’s Child. Then I would hear Anita Baker and The Jackson 5 on the weekends while we’re cleaning. And my brother would be listening to Evanescence and my aunt would be listening to David Bowie and then my grandma’s listening to f—king Jean Carne and Sarah Vaughan.
Talk to me about how “Come Home” came together. There are really strong New Jack Swing vibes on that one, which gives the tracklist a nice jolt of energy.
I made that song two weeks before I had to turn in the project. It was really just a magical moment. I had another song [in its place], but certain things about it wouldn’t get cleared in time. So, I was in panic mode and I was like, “Well we need something with high energy because [the album is] just going to be a very R&B thing if we don’t have some type of upbeat moment.”
I just recently met Khal!l through Instagram, and he sent me a collection of songs, and “Come Home” was one of them. I went to the studio the next day and I made that song in three hours. I love that song so much.
How did you get AA Rashid on the intro?
“Hot Track” is my favorite song, and Shid is a mentor of mine, a very good friend and spiritual adviser. He just loves me. Obviously, I listen to Griselda, I’m a big fan — but a friend of mine would talk to me about his lectures. Some of them are on YouTube, and I watched a couple and really gravitated towards some of the things that he talks about.
Randomly, I was just in downtown LA with my partner at a liquor store and he was in there, and I was just like, “Wait, Oh my God!” We started talking and he had a book on him that he wrote, and he told me to buy it and I did – that was years ago. Then we just became friends; I just met him on the street and that night we ended up going to his house and hanging out. He’s just the best and has always been in my corner and always been a fan of my music.
It really was just me asking, “Hey, I know you do this for Westside Gunn, is there any way you could just come and sit and talk?” So, we just recorded him talking for about 10 minutes, and it was really me and my engineer that pieced it all together. I like how it sounds like a sequence, but it really is not. We had to move things around, that’s what’s so fun.
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“Hot Track” is such a powerful song. My longtime collaborator and producer Jared Rubens found that sample; that song was probably one of the first songs we made in our New York sessions for this album, which had to be December 2022. I’m sitting there and I’m listening and asking about the sample and he’s like, “I don’t know, some song [“When Morning Comes”] by O.C. Smith.” I got chills because I’ve been hearing that name my whole life; he was a longtime friend of my grandmother’s. They traveled to Africa together. He had a church that my grandma went to, and he married my mom and my dad.
Jared didn’t even know any of this! Out of all the songs he could have sampled, it’s this song by this guy who was very close to my family. It was so reaffirming and reassuring that this is exactly what I’m supposed to be doing. That song means so much to me, especially now that my grandmother has passed. She had the opportunity to hear the song, and she really loved it.
Who is Cisco and why did he get a song named after him?
Cisco Swank! He’s a super-talented multi-instrumentalist, a Berkeley grad, who makes his own music. I forget how we met, but I think it was in New York. He’s just a whiz kid and a good friend of mine in the jazz community. We had a session and that song came together and he played everything. That’s why I named it that. It was really cool to see him hopping on the drums and then the organ and then the guitar. He spent like an hour and a half on the whole thing. These sessions were very intentional. We didn’t waste any time.
I believe we might have started something else before, but once we did this song, it just felt right. I’ve been working on Crybaby for about four years and I’d say there are probably four songs out of the 13 that have made it through that whole four years. There’s been a lot of rearranging. In that specific spot where “Cisco’s Song” is, I had a couple of different ideas, but I wanted to honor him.
Obviously, you and Anderson .Paak have a rich history together. What kind of official and unofficial rules governed the Crybaby sessions?
I think the unofficial rule was: do your best and go as hard as you can. Even when you think you’ve done your best, go harder. In the span of four years, I’ve workshopped over 50 songs and I enjoyed them all. I was just trying to elevate how I [could] push until I felt like I said everything I needed to say. I wanted to make sure I didn’t feel like there’s anything missing or anything [that was] still required in the song.
A spoken rule was: We get an opportunity to do what we love, so let’s be grateful and show up with a positive attitude every time we’re in the studio. Every time that I’m with Anderson, whether it’s with my music or working with his or other artists’, I think there’s just a level of gratitude that’s in the room that derives from him. He’s really one of the hardest-working people I know. When I asked him about it, [he was] like, “Well, why wouldn’t I be? These are my dreams, right? Everything I wished for.” I try to take that in every session, even if I’m tired or we’ve been there for hours. These are literally my dreams, so we’re gonna be here till we get that snare sound right.
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You also appeared on the new NxWorries album. Were there any songs that you guys had to decide if they would end up on that record versus yours?
No, that’s a big boy album! [Laughs.] Those guys have been doing it for a long time. I was just blessed [to be included]. But I will say that I had to f—king fight for me to be on “OutTheWay” — because, at the end of the day, that’s my big bro and I think he wants me to do my best. When I first did the song, he was like, “It’s cool.” But I think he was nervous. He said to me, “You’re already on another song. I don’t know… two songs?”
He kept telling me, “Every time I play it for other people, they’re like, ‘This one’s my favorite.’” I had to really prove my worth in a very humorous, sibling-like way. We have a lot of demos together; there’s a version of “Lockdown” somewhere that I have a verse on. I’m just happy that I got to be on such an iconic album.
This album skews primarily R&B, but we got to know you as an MC. Was that an intentional choice?
I’ve been singing since I was five, so I just wanted to be considered as good a rapper as I’m a singer. I had a chip on my shoulder for so long, but it wasn’t really until Anderson helped me realize that we can do everything. Why wouldn’t you put your best foot forward and showcase your strong suit? I believe that my rap ability is up to par with my singing, but I feel like I catch more ears with my singing voice. So why wouldn’t I sing very beautifully, in hopes that it’ll make people interested in what else I can do?
I thought an R&B album would be a perfect introduction to the huge tapestry of all the different things I want to do in music, you know. I kind of get nervous, that’s why it’s important for me to put “She’s A Bore” on there or “Hot Track” or “Overcast/Overture” because I still like to be myself and sing and rap, but I’m also giving you what you want from me.
Were there any particular pressures that you felt in crafting this album versus your other projects?
I was born in 1996, so I grew up with album rollouts. Loving music my whole life, it’s like, “Wow, I’m on a major label.” That means I have to make major label moves. I think it was December 2022, I had a full 13-track album called Crybaby with a bunch of songs that are not on there anymore, and I played it for Anderson. He was like, “This is good, but it’s not great.” I remember being crushed; I had been dedicating everything to these songs and he told me to dig deeper.
That’s where the “Is It Worth It” idea came from — just me asking myself those questions of, “Do I even want to do this to the extent of being in these rooms I don’t want to be in?”
I knew the gravity of being on a label like Def Jam, and I wanted the music to mirror that, and I think I did it. Songs like “Come Home,” “Is It Worth It,” “It Is What It Is,” and “Bittersweet” are all really strong and took a long time. This didn’t happen in a couple of months, so I just want people to feel the care and the time in the songs.
How do you think this album fits in conversation with your other projects from a thematic standpoint?
I think it’s an evolution and an elevation artistically. I think it’s more introspective. The last album’s called For the World, so I was making music for the world. I think these songs are more like diary entries, it’s not necessarily for the world. If anyone wants to listen, that’s awesome. But this is very personal, and I’m building on my own personal story as a person and an artist.
You are credited as executive producer on this record. How do you understand that term and what did that look like for you during the album-making process?
I think executive producing this album for me meant that I was a part of every single process. I can’t wait for the day when I can make an album and it’s like “Okay, I recorded it bye!” But I was there every day like, “Move this there. Turn me up here. Move me to the right a little bit. We need something like this, I’m going to call my friend. He’s going to come put violin. Who can I add [to] this? Now I need to call my homegirls, get some backing vocals.”
I was there in the mastering process, the mixing process. I saw some songs get mastered by tape. We didn’t choose those, but it was really cool to be in the room watching it. I wanted to make sure I was an integral part of every single aspect of the album. Even [with] the art direction, I’ve had that album cover for four years. Ever since the artist drew it, I knew I was going to work with it and have the picture inspire some of the songs. I was the catalyst and the crux to bridge the gap from the old Rae Khalil to coming into a major label and what that looks like.
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Not everyone can say they have their favorite rapper on their major label debut album! What was it like working with Freddie Gibbs?
I originally had a different rapper on “Carpinteria,” and he was just lazy. The recording that he sent me… the audio was just shit. I asked him to redo it and he left me on seen. It was just a bunch of bullshit. I enjoy your music, but I’m not gonna put up with you not being communicative. I remember sharing that with Anderson and being so bummed out and crying, and he was like, “We’ll just get Freddie to do it.”
I just didn’t think it was real. I remember teasing him like, “Yeah, I remember you said that. We’ll see!” And then all of a sudden, it happened. I was like, “Oh my God, oh man, you made my dreams come true.” I’ve been able to hang out with him more frequently, and he’s just so fun. I’m such a fan girl, so I’m always [asking him questions]. He blessed me with a beautiful verse. It was supposed to be a short verse, but he did such a long one. Apparently, he really loved the song!
Do you have any plans to tour the album?
Oh, that’s the dream! I would hope so. My manager’s telling me Billie Eilish is going on tour — and that’s really far-fetched, but if I could open up for her, I think that would open up a lot of doors. That’s who I have my eye on, you know. Hopefully, she reads this article.
Are you happy with the major label version of Rae Khalil?
I am so happy. This is coming from the girl who started rapping when Acid Rap was popular. I was like, “I’m never gonna sign!” [Laughs.] I had no idea what I was talking about. There’s a reason why Beyoncé is still at Columbia. I’m that type of artist [who wants] to build a working symbiotic relationship [with a label]. It’s a business at the end of the day, so I want to do well in the business aspect so much so that I have more creative freedom in the music aspect. I love Tunji. I love Def Jam. I’m just really happy to be where I am.
I’m a little nervous. I started putting music on SoundCloud in high school, so to be at this point is really cool. I’m approaching everything with open arms.
It may be the week of the Democratic National Convention — where Vice President Kamala Harris will reiterate that “we’re not going back” — but hip-hop is pretty into nostalgia right about now.
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Travis Scott’s iconic 2014 mixtape Days Before Rodeo is finally set to hit streaming platforms (Aug. 23), and Pitbull and Kesha’s 2013 Billboard Hot 100-topping “Timber” came back to the news cycle after Kesh’a name mysteriously disappeared from the title of the track’s accompanying music video on YouTube. With “Team Pitbull” on the case, that was quickly rectified, which is all anyone can really ask for, right? Dale!
In other news, Future & Metro Boomin showed NYC that they really are “Like That” with their We Trust You Tour which featured a Big Apple showcase of special guests and a Travis Scott cameo for “Type S–t” and his “FE!N” anthem.
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Houston mourned homegrown “Scream” rapper and producer BeatKing, while Nicki Minaj announced Tyga, BIA and Skillibeng as the openers for the second leg of her Pink Friday 2 World Tour kicking off in September.
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from Cash Cobain & Laila’s monster “Problem” collaboration to Kalisway’s witty new jam. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
Freshest Find: Skylar Simone, “Permission”
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An R&B hidden gem radiating in the same neighborhood of the genre as Victoria Monét. Skylar Simone impresses with her robust Def Jam debut project SHIVER, which arrived packaged into an appetizing five-pack last week. Any of the EP’s tracks could make the cut here, but we’ll spotlight Simone’s angelic vocals engulfing a guitar riff on the racy “Permission.” “Every day of the week, get me weak in the knees/ Can you do that for me? Cus’ I want your addiction,” she begs while schooling her love interest in a game of chess in the official visualizer clip. At 22-years-old, the Florida-born singer is just coming into her own as a woman, indulging in all that life has to offer. Although, Simone isn’t the typical wet behind the ears early 20-something looking to find their way. She’s been calloused with the release of three albums and another three EPs, which have her well-prepared for a quantum leap to stardom.
Lord Sko & Statik Selektah, “Lesson Learned”
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Much has been made recently about emerging white rappers and their place in hip-hop. As for Lord Sko, he tastefully pays homage to the classic New York City rap scene that raised him and the 20-year-old recruited Statik Selektah’s attention in the process. “Lesson Learned” is the latest offering from the Newport Lord’s upcoming 14-track PIFF project (arriving in October). He’s brushed off flow comparisons to A$AP Rocky, and continues to graffiti his own path out of the Big Apple. Certain jarring yet witty bars like Sko’s plans for “saving up to buy the devil’s soul” have listeners doing a double-take while skating over Statik’s knocking production. Keep an eye on him heading down the stretch of ‘24.
Jean Dawson feat. Lil Yachty, “Die for Me”
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Jordan Peele just found the perfect fit for another ominous song to soundtrack the trailer to his next thrilling blockbuster. Menacing piano keys send chills up your spine as a possible score to a horror film, while Jean Dawson welcomes fans to the Glimmer of God era with fresh co-signs from SZA and A$AP Rocky. “Don’t show up at my funeral If you won’t die for me,” Dawson delivers as a sobering truth. Enter Lil Yachty, who shows off his chameleon-like artistic ability when matching the diabolical themes Dawson sought out. Look for Glimmer of God to land this fall when JD hits the road for his North American headlining trek.
Cash Cobain & Laila!, “Problem”
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Move over Busta Rhymes (“Touch It”), the posse cut has returned to the Big Apple. Cash Cobain and fellow NYer Laila! heat up ahead of their highly-anticipated projects on the way with “Problem,” which is built around a mash-up of a Cash sexy drill beat and Laila!’s “Not My Problem” single. 14 different artists hop onto the conga line in total with Big Sean, Fabolous, Rob49, Anycia, Kenzo B, Flo Milli, 6LACK, Lay Bankz, Luh Tyler and more spanning the near eight-minute gauntlet of a track. The Slizzy Summer continues for CC leading into his PLAY CASH COBAIN album later this week.
Xenia Manasseh, “Bad Side”
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Ahead of her forthcoming sophomore album, Love/Hate, Pt. 2, L.A.-based, Kenyan-Ugandan singer-songwriter Xenia Manasseh has one simple message: don’t get on her bad side. “I don’t want you getting on my bad side, don’t suffer for nothing/ This here is my warning to you,” Xenia proclaims in a chorus that layers chugging kick drums, snappy snares and tasteful synths, making for the perfect soundscape for her voice to lord over. There’s a distinct ’00s R&B vibe going on here, but Xenia doesn’t fall into the trap of pastiche, instead using different vocal filters and snazzy descending melodies to add some dimension to the largely understated production.
Kalisway, “Sex”
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Kalisway’s got the funk! On this standout cut from her new A Kid From Toronto album, she reminds us that “Sex/ Is not everything.” She employs a tone that starts off somewhere between bratty and brassy before she lifts into a dizzying falsetto in the song’s second half, her journey through her vocal range perfectly mirroring the limitlessness of funk music. It’s no secret that sex is one of the most covered topics in R&B for a reason — it’s the genre of love and pain for a reason! But R&B, and its sister genres of funk and soul, can cover much more, and sex is indeed not everything.
“Covered emotions could make you feel blind/ You might not see it that way, then you might as well sleep tight/ Who cares if I’m feeding my fears? I’m wanting desire/ Having a way with life filled with power,” she croons. When we treat sex as everything it strips it of the elements that make it such a transformative experience. Everything is sex, except sex, which is power — but what good is that power if it doesn’t truly satisfy what you most desire and crave?
On the heels of releasing his The Hood Poet album on Aug. 9, Polo G is set to hit the road in support of his latest LP. Polo announced a 26-city North American trek on Tuesday (Aug. 20) with The Hood Poet Tour slated to kick off in Denver on Oct. 24.
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“I’ve always put my heart into my music, and now I’m bringing that energy to the stage,” Polo G said in a statement. “This tour is for the fans who’ve been with me since day one and for everyone who’s been part of this journey. I can’t wait to share this experience with y’all.”
The Hood Poet Tour will see support from Vonoff1700, Skylar Blatt, Diany Dior, Scorey and Twotiime. Tickets will be available with a local presale on Wednesday (Aug. 21), with the general public getting a chance on Friday (Aug. 23) at 10 a.m. local time. VIP packages are also available on Polo’s website.
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Following the Denver kickoff, The Hood Poet Tour will be making stops in Kansas City, his hometown of Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, NYC, Boston, Philly, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, San Diego and San Francisco before wrapping up in Los Angeles on Nov. 29.
Polo G’s The Hood Poet served as his fourth studio album, and featured appearances from Future, GloRilla, 42 Dugg, Offset, The Kid LAROI, Lil Durk, G Herbo, Hunxho and Fridayy. The LP was Polo’s first to debut outside the top six on the Billboard 200 as the project came in at No. 28 in its first week on the chart while hitting No. 5 on the Top Rap Albums chart.
Find all of the dates below:
Oct. 24 – Denver, Co. @ Fillmore Auditorium
Oct. 27 – Minneapolis, Minn. @ Uptown Theater Minneapolis
Oct. 29 – Kansas City, Mo. @ The Midland Theatre
Oct. 30 – St. Louis, Mo. @ The Pageant
Nov. 1 – Milwaukee, Wis. @ The Eagles Ballroom
Nov. 2 – Chicago, Ill. @ Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
Nov. 3 – Grand Rapids, Mich. @ GLC Live at 20 Monroe
Nov. 4 – Detroit @ The Fillmore Detroit
Nov. 5 – Toronto, Ontario, Canada @ REBEL
Nov. 7 – New York City @ Palladium Times Square
Nov. 8 – Hartford, Conn. @ The Webster
Nov. 9 – Providence, R.I. @ The Strand Ballroom
Nov. 10 – Montclair, N.J. @ The Wellmont Theater
Nov. 11 – Boston @ Citizens House of Blues Boston
Nov. 13 – Philadelphia, @ The Fillmore Philadelphia !
Nov. 14 – Washington, D.C. @ Echostage
Nov. 15 – Raleigh, N.C. @ The Ritz
Nov 16 – Atlanta @ The Eastern
Nov. 18 – Charlotte, N.C. @ The Fillmore Charlotte
Nov. 20 – New Orleans, La. @ The Fillmore New Orleans
Nov. 21 – Houston, Texas @ Bayou Music Center
Nov. 22 – Austin, Texas @ Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater
Nov. 23 – Dallas @ South Side Ballroom
Nov. 26 – San Diego @ House of Blues San Diego
Nov. 27 – San Francisco @ The Midway
Nov. 29 – Los Angeles @ The Wiltern
Today (Aug. 20) signals the impending launch of the Gunna x BMAC 30349 Guaranteed Income Program. The Gunna-supported $500,000 initiative — a new alliance between Gunna’s Great Giveaway and the Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) — will provide a $1000 monthly stipend to 30 families living in the 30349 zip code of South Fulton, Georgia.
Applications for the Gunna x BMAC 30349 Guaranteed Income Program, which officially launches Sept. 18, are now available HERE. In a release announcing the initiative, the program’s stated goal is to “give families a guaranteed monthly income via cash placed directly in their hands for a year and, most importantly, provide support services ranging from financial empowerment to mental health.” Gunna and BMAC will work in tandem with South Fulton Mayor Khalid Kamau and community organizations that service South Fulton to identify the recipients.
“As mayor of South Fulton, I am deeply committed to fostering economic opportunities and uplifting our community,” said Kamau in the announcement. “The partnership between Gunna, BMAC, and the City of South Fulton represents a transformative step in addressing the economic disparities that some of our residents face. The Gunna x BMAC 30349 Guaranteed Income Program is not just an investment in our city’s future, but a powerful example of how we can create meaningful change through collaboration and innovation. I am proud to support this initiative and look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on the families in our community.”
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Four-time Grammy Award nominee and multiplatinum rap icon Gunna, who was raised in South Fulton, added, “When I launched Gunna’s Great Giveaway, my goal was to uplift my hometown by providing resources that could make a tangible difference in at least one household. Partnering with BMAC to introduce the Guaranteed Income program in South Fulton is a significant step toward enhancing these communities and transforming the economic landscape of the city.”
The new program is the latest addition to Gunna’s other ongoing community initiatives. Those include Gunna’s Drip Closet, a free in-school clothing store, and the Goodr Grocery Store at McNair Middle School, through which students are given access to free necessities. Once the Guaranteed Income program begins, BMAC will also help mentor the grant recipients through its network encompassing music, film, fashion and technology.
“BMAC’s mission to achieve systemic equity must begin with economic justice,” said BMAC co-founder/president & CEO Willie “Prophet” Stiggers. “Black Americans are too often locked out of critical opportunities and pathways to climb the socioeconomic ladder despite being central to every cultural and financial movement in this country’s history. Partnering with Gunna to bring needed financial relief and, more importantly, mentorship and other services leading to sustainable change is very powerful. Our organization will continue to partner with artists and others looking to put equity in action so our community can tap into its fullest potential.”
Gunna and Stiggers will spotlight the Gunna x BMAC 30349 Guaranteed Income Program during the BMAC Gala in Los Angeles on Sept. 19, with celebrations continuing Sept. 29 to commemorate Gunna Day (whose official date is Sept. 16). Announced earlier this month, the fourth annual BMAC Gala will pay tribute to LL COOL J and Usher, among other honorees.
The 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago kicked off in style on Monday night (August 19) with rousing speeches from former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton and President Joe Biden and riveting performances from Jason Isbell and Mickey Guyton.
But on a night when Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and her VP nominee, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, made surprise appearances, one of the biggest unexpected moments came during the reveal of a new ad for the Harris/Walz campaign that is scored to Beyoncé‘s a cappella version of the bid’s theme song, “Freedom.”
The powerful Lemonade track that has quickly become the musical grace note of the 11th hour campaign that kicked off when Biden unexpectedly agreed to drop out of his second race against convicted felon and former one-term President Donald Trump soared from the speakers inside Chicago’s United Center to help hype the crowd up for what turned out to be a very long night.
Opening with images of horses running free on the prairie and trains moving through the desert West, the video was full of classic images of Americana, from desperate Dust Bowl families to American troops storming the beaches during WWII, plenty of American flags and the Statue of Liberty. “What kind of America do we want?” Oscar-nominee actor Jeffrey Wright intoned over video of regular citizens suiting up for a day’s work. “One where we’re divided, angry, depressed? C’mon! We’re Americans! Fascism? We conquered it. The Moon? Landed on it. The future? Building it. Freedom? Nobody loves it more.”
As pics of Black Lives Matter protests, the moon landing and Civil Rights, reproductive rights and gay pride marches mixed with training film of Paralympic athletes and citizens of all races and abilities filled the screen, Bey’s voice soared as she sang, “Freedom, freedom, I can’t move/ Freedom, cut me loose/ Singin’ freedom, freedom/ Where are you?”
In contrast to the often dark, dire message from Republicans during the RNC several weeks ago, the “Freedom” video offered a message of hope and unity, save for a bit that spotlighted the deadly Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol by Trump’s followers. “I’mma keep on running cuz a winner don’t quit on themselves,” Beyoncé’s bellowed as footage of Harris promised, “extremists want to take us back, but we are not going back!”
The convention that runs through Thursday (August 22) will nominate the nation’s first Black and Asian American woman to the precipice of the highest office in the land. It is expected to be a star-studded affair that will contrast with the RNCs roster of septuagenarian professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Fighting CEO Dana White, model Amber Rose, country singers Lee Greenwood, Jason Aldean and Chris Janson and rapper-turned-far-right country singer Kid Rock. Instead, the DNC will have nightly celeb hosts including Kerry Washington, Mindy Kaling, Ana Navarro and Tony Goldwyn as well as guest Julia Louis-Dreyfus, along with Jason Isbell and Mickey Guyton (who performed on night one) and James Taylor, who was cut for time on the first night.
After jumping into the race at the end of last month, Harris’ campaign rolled out “Freedom” during the veep’s walk-out at her inaugural visit to campaign headquarters; the rousing, full-band album version of the song was also featured in an early campaign video. Unlike Trump, who has been sued, issued cease & desist orders and strongly-worded requests to stop using the music of popular acts during his campaign stops by musicians who do not agree with his divisive, name-calling rhetoric, Queen Bey gave the Harris campaign full approval to use “Freedom” during the run for the White House.
And while Trump re-posted fake AI-generated images of what appeared to be Taylor Swift fans, and the singer herself, endorsing his third presidential bid over the weekend, the Harris campaign has been flooded with full-throated, A-list endorsements from a galaxy of contemporary and classic stars, from Olivia Rodrigo and Barbra Streisand to Megan Thee Stallion, John Legend, Spike Lee, Katy Perry, Charli XCX, P!nk, Cardi B, Kesha, Jane Fonda, Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro and George Clooney, among many others.
Watch the new “Freedom” campaign video below.
The 2024 Summer Olympics are but a memory at this point, but for Public Enemy rapper Flavor Flav the flame burns on. The excitable hip-hop hype man isn’t done boosting the names and stories of U.S. athletes, including the paralympians who are gearing up to take the stage in Paris next week.
“THIS is just one of the many @gofundme for the @Olympics and @Paralympics that I support,” tweeted Flav about the games that will take place from August 28-Sept. 8. “Imagine spending 18 years taking ya kid to every practice and game and working 2-3 jobs to buy equipment,,, and then not being able to watch them play the biggest game of they life.”
Flav was responding to a post from Paralympic sprinter Nick Mayhugh, who earlier this month wrote, “HELP SEND MY PARENTS TO PARIS! [gold medal emoji]. I created a @gofundme to help pay for expenses to send my parents to the #Paralympics! They’ve never been out of the country, & couldn’t watch me compete in Tokyo due to COVID. Any & all donations are appreciated!” The rapper was one of more than 300 people who’ve donated anywhere from $5-$500 to the cause; he appears to have donated $100 under his birth name, William Drayton. So far, the campaign has raised $11,126 of its $10,000 goal.
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Three-time gold medalist Mayhugh is a 28-year-old Paralympian who just qualified for his second Paralympic team. The athlete who discovered he had cerebral palsy at age 14, helped the U.S. Men’s National Para Soccer team win its first bronze medal at the 2019 Para Pan American Games and then switched to track for the Tokyo Olympics, where he won a trio of golds in the 100M T37, 200m T37 and the 4X100m medley at the 2021 Games.
“I am humbly asking for any and everyone’s help to get my parents over to Paris to watch me compete for Team USA and bringing home more gold medals!” Mayhugh wrote in his GoFundMe.
Flav has been all-in with the U.S. squad this year, pledging $1,000 and a cruise for all the members of the U.S. Women’s Water Polo team and helping to cover rent costs for 24-year-old discus thrower Veronica Fraley and, before it was restored, offering gymnast Jordan Chiles a giant, bejeweled bronze clock in place of the bronze medal that was briefly stripped from her over a technicality.
The friendship with the water polo squad rambled on to Las Vegas recently, where the PE hype man got hype with the athletes at Resorts World on Saturday night, after being welcomed to the resort with a giant American flag display on the hotel’s facade. “imma so proud of all these women. Look at all the support and attention brought to this sport and women’s athletics. We changing the game and that is something BIG to celebrate,” Flav wrote on Instagram alongside video and photos of him partying with the women.
See Flav’s tweet and Vegas party video below and check out Mayhugh’s GoFundMe here.
THIS is just one of the many @gofundme for the @Olympics and @Paralympics that I support. Imagine spending 18 years taking ya kid to every practice and game and working 2-3 jobs to buy equipment,,, and then not being able to watch them play the biggest game of they life. https://t.co/xnZWGABNbs— FLAVOR FLAV (@FlavorFlav) August 15, 2024
WOOWWW,!!! Y’all we did it,!!! FULLY FUNDED within a day. This is the power of unity and community. Y’all helping make some dreams come true,!!! 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾@nickmayhugh @gofundme https://t.co/BiFE6VJNot— FLAVOR FLAV (@FlavorFlav) August 16, 2024
Kendrick Lamar had rival Los Angeles gangs on stage with him at The Pop Out concert in June, and YG looks to continue spreading that same message of unity across California. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news YG spent his Sunday (Aug. 18) brokering the start of […]