The year 2020 in music felt like a drag. Aside from a number of brave acts who dropped new music last year, many rappers and singers were sitting on hard drives full of new songs and albums, waiting for the COVID-19 quarantine to lift and for outside to open up. Finally, the times have shifted. And with the recommencing of concerts, clubs and parties that can be attended without fearing for one's health (for the most part), rappers like Drake, J. Cole and Tyler, The Creator, among others, have been making up for lost time with an ample amount of releases in 2021 so far.
Though he pump-faked the January drop of his Certified Lover Boy album, Drake did make noise with an appetizer called Scary Hours 2 in March to hold folks over. The three-track release housed yet another coveted collaboration with Rick Ross, “Lemon Pepper Freestyle.” The hypnotizing song, coproduced by the likes of Keanu Beats, Boi-1da, plus more, flips a live iteration of Quadron’s “Pressure,” providing a genteel, luxury rap-leaning foundation for the two to spit fire over.
Since the start of his career, Tyler, The Creator has dropped a new project every other year. Following the 2019 release of the Grammy Award-winning IGOR, he came out of the cut and released Call Me If You Get Lost at the end of June. The Billboard 200 No. 1-selling LP, which is a certified Gangsta Grillz effort with DJ Drama, has more bars than a blank notebook of sheet music, not only from Tyler, but from artists like YoungBoy Never Broke Again and TyDolla $ign on “Wusyaname” as well. The track, produced by Wolf Haley himself, reworks H-Town’s “Back Seat (Wit No Sheets)” and to butter it up even more, Ty Dolla $ign’s vocals are drizzled over the top.
J. Cole has one of the best mixtape catalogs in rap. He brought that hungry, better yet starving energy back for his highly anticipated sixth album, The Off-Season, which saw a release date a few months ago in May. With a 12-track offering that defines the phrase “no skips,” his pen is sharper than ever before, evident on records like “My.Life” featuring 21 Savage and Morray. In what sounds like a sequel to “A Lot,” all three XXL Freshmen—Cole in 2010, 21 in 2016, and Morray this year—deliver solid rhymes over a dizzying beat coproduced by Jake One and Wu10. Cole spazzes with a no-mercy approach, 21’s verse is crammed with quotables and Morray’s hook will give anyone goosebumps.
The high quality execution have made these songs undeniable picks when it comes to best of the year so far. But of course, they weren’t the only ones who have put up money balls. Below are more heat rocks that made both commercial and underground waves, including Polo G’s “Rapstar,” Ski Mask The Slump God's "Dr. Suess," City Girls’ “Twerkulator,” Silk Sonic’s “Leave The Door Open” and many, many more.
Check out Best Hip-Hop Songs of 2021 So Far below and see which of your favorites made the cut.
"Lemon Pepper Freestyle"
Drake Featuring Rick Ross
Lemon Pepper Freestyle
"Wusyaname"
Tyler, The Creator Featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Ty Dolla $ign
"My.Life"
J. Cole Featuring 21 Savage and Morray
"No More Parties (Remix)"
Coi Leray Featuring Lil Durk
"Rapstar"
Polo G
"Wockesha"
Moneybagg Yo
"Straightenin"
Migos
"Calling My Phone"
Lil Tjay Featuring 6lack
"Maybach"
42 Dugg Featuring Future
"His & Hers"
Internet Money Featuring Gunna, Don Toliver and Lil Uzi Vert
"Up"
Cardi B
"Miss The Rage"
Trippie Redd Featuring Playboi Carti
Trippie Redd – Miss The Rage ft. Playboi Carti (Official Music Video)
"Twerkulator"
City Girls
City Girls - Twerkulator (Official Video)
"Thot Shit"
Megan Thee Stallion
Megan Thee Stallion - Thot Shit [Official Video]
"Tombstone"
Rod Wave
Rod Wave - Tombstone (Official Video)
"Eenie Meenie"
Yung Baby Tate
"Leave the Door Open"
Silk Sonic
"Kiss Me More"
Doja Cat Featuring SZA
"Montero (Call Me By Your Name)"
Lil Nas X
"Headshots (4r Da Locals)"
Isaiah Rashad
"Ski"
Young Thug and Gunna
"Beat Box 3"
SpotemGottem Featuring DaBaby
"Who I Smoke"
Yungeen Ace, Spinabenz, Whoppa Wit Da Choppa and FastMoney Goon
"Count On Me"
BROCKHAMPTON Featuring A$AP Rocky and SoGone SoFlexy
"Lucid Dreams (Remix)"
Juice Wrld Featuring Lil Uzi Vert
"Best Friend"
Saweetie Featuring Doja Cat
"5'5"
Toosii Featuring Latto
"Go Crazy (Remix)"
Chris Brown and Young Thug Featuring Future, Lil Durk and Latto
"Impatient"
DDG and OG Parker Featuring Coi Leray
"Real As It Gets"
Lil Baby Featuring EST Gee
"Shoot My Shot"
IDK and Offset
"Every Chance I Get"
DJ Khaled Featuring Lil Baby and Lil Durk
"Plug Talk" Featuring 2 Chainz
Benny The Butcher and Harry Fraud
"Late At Night"
Roddy Ricch
"I Like Dat"
T-Pain and Kehlani
"Tell Em"
Cochise Featuring $NOT
"Perfect Timing"
YG and Mozzy Featuring Blxst
"Dr. Suess"
Ski Mask The Slump God
"Wants and Needs"
Drake Featuring Lil Baby
"Never Left"
Lil Tecca
"She Make It Clap"
Soulja Boy
"Whole Lotta Money"
BIA
"Trenches"
Morray
"Pride Is The Devil"
J. Cole Featuring Lil Baby
"Ramen & OJ"
Joyner Lucas and Lil Baby
"Sorry Not Sorry"
DJ Khaled Featuring Nas, Jay-Z, James Fauntleroy and Harmonies by The Hive
"I Believed It"
DVSN and Ty Dolla $ign Featuring Mac Miller
"Solid"
Young Thug and Gunna Featuring Drake
"Time Today"
Moneybagg Yo
“Scatter Brain”
Conway The Machine Featuring J.I.D and Ludacris
Super Unique Hip-Hop Merch That You Can Buy
From Travis Scott's McNugget body pillow to Young M.A's sex toy collection, there's plenty of unique hip-hop merchandise you can cop right now.
StockX
Travis Scott's McDonald's Chicken McNugget Pillow
Resell Price: $170
Buy here.
The merchandise from Travis Scott’s McDonald’s collaboration was loaded with a number of Cactus Jack-imprinted sneakers, clothes and accessories. Within the merch pack was a Chicken McNugget body pillow, which was initially priced at nearly $100. The bedding item, large enough to sit up straight in the passenger seat of a car, sold out immediately. But fear not, for a short stack of blue faces, StockX ensures that the deep-fried cushion can be all yours.
Chance The Rapper Official
Chance The Rapper's Coloring Book
Price: $25
Buy here.
To accompany Chance The Rapper’s Grammy Award-winning mixtape Coloring Book, fans and their respective families can cop a literal one of their own. The price will provide buyers with 35 pages to bring to life with a four-pack of crayons. Fit for both child and adult activity, the inside of the book includes visuals for each song on the project, ranging from stenciled appearances by the guest artists and pop culture movie references, exemplified in odes to classic material like Space Jam.
Top Dawg Entertainment
Top Dawg Entertainment's Championship Ring
Price: $500
Buy here.
Strengthened by the Achilles' heels of artists like Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, Isaiah Rashad and R&B goddess SZA, plus more, Top Dawg Entertainment as a collective is no stranger to championship-worthy album runs. Well, if you rep the team on your back, you can also ice out your finger to reflect the set. For half of a grand, you can score a metal ring paired with goldstone glass and 15 cubic zirconia diamonds to celebrate 15 years of the imprint’s success.
Megan Thee Stallion
Megan Thee Stallion's Dog Outfits
Price: $15-$35
Buy here.
Megan Thee Stallion wants her Hotties to be the flyest things on the street. And, their pets, too. As a proud mother of four pups, she sees the value in keeping her canines just as drippy as she is. The palette of animal merch available on her website includes mini hoodies, travel bowls, tank tops, bandanas and more that all read “Hot Dog.”
StockX
Travis Scott's Rodeo Action Figure
Resell Price: $1,833
Buy here.
Good news for Travis Scott fans: you can actually purchase the custom action figure featured on the cover of his debut album, Rodeo. The collectable item, for ages 13 and up only, retailed for around $150. Rest in peace to those days though. Because now, you can’t get this rare bad boy for any less than a couple of thousands on reselling sites like StockX.
Kid Cudi Official Store
Kid Cudi's Bape G-Shock
Resell Price: $420
Buy here.
Remember when G-Shock watches were the most elite wristwear? The self-proclaimed "Man on the Moon" Kid Cudi recently teamed up with Bathing Ape to create his own custom version, decorated with pink, red, blue and yellow flushes. If you have the tag “trendsetter” attached to your name, you can bring this nostalgic flex back for a little over $500 on StockX, though it originally sold for less than half of that.
Sniper Gang Apparel
Sniper Gang's House Slippers
Price: $44.99
Buy here.
Don’t let the hard shells fool you. Goons like to stay comfy, too. Kodak Black’s Sniper Gang, comprised of rap generals Jackboy and 22Gz, among others, has an entire line of merch that includes house slippers available for purchase. Whether you elect to buy the green Zombie Bear, the orange Heartless Bear or the red HBK Heart, the rap label is guaranteeing that all big steppers stay cozy at any given time.
Migos Official Store
Migos' 2018 Tour Costume
Price: $125
Buy here.
Back in 2018, Drake and Migos embarked on the Aubrey & The Three Migos Tour, a major North American trek to celebrate the releases of the year's rap blockbusters Scorpion and Culture II, respectively. When the Atlanta trio touched the stage, they were dripping in different, colored jumpsuits that they soon put up for sale as Halloween costumes. The redesigned ensemble, shown in red, features reflective straps, zippers and D-rings like the originals did. And for a few dead presidents, it can have a home in your closet today.
ShopYoungMA.com
Young M.A's Strap Set
Price: $159.95
Buy here.
As the story goes, consistent talking points in Young M.A's music include drinking Hennesy, moving brash with her fellow Bloods and of course, pleasing her lady. If you’re looking to spice up your own bedroom experience like she brags about doing on the regular, the Brooklyn rapper has got you covered with a strap-on starter kit, which includes three caramel-colored dildos with a harness, a vibrating plug, lube and even more X-rated items.
Official Eminem Online Store
Eminem's Childhood Home Brick
Resell Price: $8,000
Buy here.
A few years back, Eminem decided to sell bricks from his childhood home in Detroit. There were 700 pieces of the crib, seen on the cover of The Marshall Mathers LP 2, put up on his website for no less than $315 per bar. Some higher-priced packages included the clay block, a dog tag made out of wood from the home, The Marshall Mathers LP on cassette and a signed certificate of authenticity. That package today is being resold on eBay for almost 10 grand. Yes, you read that correctly.
Grailed
Jackboys Racing Helmet
Resell Price: $450
Buy here.
Behind the release of their first self-titled compilation in 2019, the La Flame-led gang Jackboys released a lot of racing-themed goods as merchandise. In the pack was a helmet used to coincide with the visuals from the effort, strapped with Cactus Jack decals. This sold-out brain protector reportedly retailed for about $300. However, good look finding it now for any price under $450 on sites like Grailed and eBay.
StockX
Lil Yachty's Resse's Puffs Milkcuzzi
Resell Price: $888
Buy here.
Lil Yachty took the cereal-eating experience up a notch with his Reese’s Puff collaboration last year. On top of having his own staple box, the Quality Control Music artist also teamed up with the brand to shell out a toy boat deemed the Milkcuzzi. The collectable came with a remote for sailing it and a waterproof Bluetooth speaker. Off the rip, it was priced at $150 before it sold out. If you multiply that by five or six, you’ll get the current asking price on reselling sites.
Shop.postmalone.com
Post Malone's Hard Hat
Price: $40
Buy here.
Maybe you work in construction, maybe you’re going to a themed party or maybe you’re just a headstrong Post Malone fan. Either way it goes, he has some distinctive headwear that you can tote in the form of a Posty Co hard hat. The yellow construction-like gear hat resembles the shade of his platinum-selling album, Beerbongs & Bentleys, for about the same price as a regular dad hat.
Filed Under: 42 Dugg, Anderson .Paak, Bangers, Benny The Butcher, Bia, Bruno Mars, Cardi B, Chris Brown, City Girls, Cochise, Coi Leray, Conway The Machine, DDG, DJ Khaled, Doja Cat, Drake, dvsn, FastMoney Goon, Feature, Gunna, Harry Fraud, IDK, Internet Money, Isaiah Rashad, J.I.D, Joyner Lucas, Kehlani, Lil Baby, Lil Nas X, Lil Tecca, Lil Tjay, Ludacris, Megan Thee Stallion, Migos, MoneyBagg Yo, Morray, mozzy, Offset, OG Parker, Polo G, promo, Roddy Ricch, Saweetie, Silk Sonic, Ski Mask The Slump God, Soulja Boy, Spinabenz, SpotemGottem, T-Pain, The List, Trippie Redd, Ty Dolla $ign, Tyler The Creator, Whoppa Wit Da Choppa, YG, Young Thug, Yung Baby Tate, Yungeen Ace
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FEDS SHOCKED AND UPSET WITH KANYE WEST AND DRAKE’S SUPPORT FOR LARRY HOOVER – REPORT
C. Vernon Coleman II
Published: December 11, 2021
Kyler B via YouTube
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Kanye West and Drake's recent reunion to support imprisoned O.G. Larry Hoover reportedly has the Feds shocked and upset.
Ye and Drizzy headlined a huge Free Larry Hoover Benefit Concert on Thursday (Dec. 9) at the Los Angeles Coliseum. The sold-out show came together as a means to help raise awareness for Hoover, who is currently serving six life sentences after being convicted of murder and running a criminal organization in 1997. According to a TMZ report published on Saturday (Dec. 11), the Feds are "surprised" and upset by the decision of the two rap megastars to support a convicted criminal who they say is "the worst of the worst."
Hoover is credited as the cofounder of the Gangster Disciples street gang in Chicago in the early 1970s. He was convicted of murder in 1973, despite not being named as the person who pulled the trigger. While serving a life sentence, he was accused of continuing to operate the gang from inside prison. He was found guilty of drug conspiracy, extortion and continuing to engage in a criminal enterprise in 1997, and sentenced to additional multiple life sentences. He is currently serving six life sentences in a supermax prison. Hoover has turned a new leaf and works to promote peace among the gangs in Chicago. Over the summer, a federal judge denied Hoover a sentencing break.
Kanye has been on the free Larry Hoover train for a few years. Back in 2018, when MAGA-hat wearing Kanye visited the White House, he asked then president Donald Trump to pardon Hoover, to no avail. Like-minded Rap-a-Lot CEO J Prince was able to connect some dots with Kanye and the Hoover family earlier this year. They invited Drake along to help with the mission, with Drizzy obliging in October. With Drake and Ye working together on a common cause, they ended their lengthy beef, culminating with the epic concert on Thursday.
These Rappers School You on the Best Ways to Get to the Bag
Lil Baby, Kendrick Lamar, Drake and more.
Paras Griffin, Getty Images
Lil Baby
Song: "Get Money"
Lyrics: "All I do is get money/Monday through Sunday, Sunday through Monday/It ain't no stoppin', always gon' clock in/Ask for my bookin' phone like I'm trappin'"
Kevin Winter, Getty Images
Kendrick Lamar
Song: "Gotta Love Me"
Lyrics: "100K for a walk through, why you talkin' to me?/Starin’ at a dead president, they be talkin' to me"
Jarritt Clark, Getty Images
Drake
Song: "Nonstop"
Lyrics "Al Haymon checks off of all of my events/I like all the profit, man, I hardly do percents (I don't do that shit)"
Paras Griffin, Getty Images
Quavo
Song: "I Get the Bag"
Lyrics: "You get the bag and you fumble it/I get the bag and I flip it and tumble it"
Jaon Koerner, Getty Images
Lil TJay
Song: "Run It Up"
Lyrics: "I just stack up that money, I run it up/Give a fuck ’bout who love me, I run it up/What the fuck they gon' tell me? My money up"
Prince Williams, Getty Images
Future
Song: "Purple Reign"
Lyrics: "We gon' never have closure/Got real estate downtown, investing all over/I heard you're trying to talk down like I ain't focused"
Chris Schwegler, Getty Images
Big Sean
Song: "No More Interviews"
Lyrics: "So I’m treating every second like it's an investment/Time is money, every second I’m collecting"
Paras Griffin, Getty Images
Money Man
Song: "3D"
Lyrics: "In the high rise with the floor-to-ceiling window/Made at least 300K from crypto"
Paras Griffin, Getty Images
Rick Ross
Song: "Vegas Residency"
Lyrics: "Restaurants, I got me 50 and they do they thing/Now I'm into sports and think I really need a team"
Prince Williams, Getty Images
Moneybagg Yo
Song: "No Sucker" featuring Lil Baby
Lyrics: "Did they just really give me 80K for 30 minutes? Yup/And can't nobody tell me how to spend it"
Rich Fury, Getty Images
DaBaby
Song: "Pony"
Lyrics: "Need to pull up my pants, pull my shirt down/I make what they make in three months for a verse now (Yeah)"
Theo Wargo, Getty Images
Cardi B
Song: "Bickenhead"
Lyrics: "Give him some vag', I'm gettin' a bag/Give him some ass, I'm gettin' some Raf/When I'm done, I make him cum, but then, he comin' off that cash"
Prince Williams, Getty Images
Meek Mill
Song: "Pound Cake Freestyle"
Lyrics: "All real estate, fuck it, I'm buying the curb/I buy a crib every week from the hood to the ’burbs/Making investments with this money I'm blessed with"
Roy Rochlin, Getty Images
J. Cole
Song: "A M A R I"
Lyrics: "Multi' and I'm still munching/Big bag, never fear fumbling"
Theo Wargo, Getty Images
Joey Bada$$
Song: "Unorthodox"
Lyrics: "Young boss, man, got Jimmy Fallon endorsements/From porches to Porsches, getting portions of fortune"
Dimitrios Kambouris, Getty Images
Jay-Z
Song: "I Got the Keys"
Lyrics: "Key to life, keep a bag comin'/Every night another bag comin'/I ain't been asleep since ’96/I ain't seen the back of my eyelids"
Hollywood To You/Star Max, Getty Images
Soulja Boy
Song: "Bitcoin"
Lyrics: "Stacking up Bitcoins, I got money pouring (Uh)/I'm doin' shows, stacking dough, now is you feeling me? (Uh)/I'm running up the bands, on cryptocurrency (Yeah)"
Rich Fury, Getty Images
Lil Uzi Vert
Song: "Enemies"
Lyrics: "Ballin', I'm just on it, I'm just on it/Gettin' all this money, off recordin'"
Robert Kamau, Getty Images
Nicki Minaj
Song: "Megatron"
Lyrics: "I need a blunt-blunt/I own my own Moscato, bitch, we gettin' drunk-drunk"
Kevin Winter, Getty Images
Eminem
Song: "Alfred's Theme"
Lyrics: "But how could I get up in arms about you saying trash is all that I put out?/Bitch, I still get the bag when I'm putting garbage out"
Filed Under: Drake, Kanye West
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THE 13 BEST NEW SONGS THIS WEEK
Robby Seabrook III
Published: December 10, 2021
Prince Williams / Jerritt Clark, Wireimage (2), Getty Images
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Week in and week out, there are plenty of brand-new rap songs, no matter the time of year. It can be really difficult to stay aware of what's out and also what's hot, so XXL decided to make things much easier for you. Instead of sorting out nearly everything that released this week, we've narrowed it down to strictly the best of the week, saving you plenty of time.
Expect to see selections from the established stars, the next wave of new talent, the up-and-comers and everyone else in between. If your song is fire enough to beat the competition, it'll take one of the weekly spots. You can trust us on this one; follow our lead and you'll never get laughed off the aux cord again. Your friends will finally trust you with playlists; it'll be wonderful. In addition to that, you can check back every week for the latest and greatest tracks. You'll always have somewhere to turn to each week, being sure to find some songs you'll dig.
Enjoy this week's list, featuring new songs from 2KBaby ("Julia Lewis"), Rick Ross ("Warm Words In A Cold World" featuring Future and Wale), Wiz Khalifa ("Purple Fantasy" featuring Young Deji) and more. See you next week.
"Julia Lewis"
2KBaby
2KBABY - Julia Lewis (Official Audio)
Julia Lewis
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$1.29
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"Warm Words In A Cold World"
Rick Ross featuring Wale and Future
Rick Ross - Warm Words in a Cold World (Official Visualizer) ft. Wale, Future
Warm Words in a Cold World [Explicit]
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$1.29
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"Purple Fantasy"
Wiz Khalifa, Cardo, Sledgren and Young Deji
"Ain't My Fault"
Doe Boy featuring Rowdy Rebel and 42 Dugg
Ain't My Fault [Explicit]
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$1.29
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"Royal Rumble"
Key!, Matt Ox and Quadie Diesel
"No Drama"
Bankrol Hayden
No Drama [Explicit]
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"Walk Down"
Lil Gotit featuring CEO Trayle, Lil Double 0 and Biggz
Walk Down [Explicit]
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$1.29
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"Blessings"
Cousin Stizz
Blessings [Explicit]
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$0.99
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"Pop Out"
TM88 and Pi'erre Bourne
Pop Out [Explicit]
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"Doom"
Juice WRLD
Doom [Explicit]
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"Young Stunna"
YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Birdman
Young Stunna [Explicit]
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"Best In Me"
Hotboii
Best In Me [Explicit]
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"Baller"
Big Boi and Sleepy Brown
Baller [Explicit]
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See Best Comeback Albums in Hip-Hop
Aftermath Entertainment / Interscope Records
Dr. Dre, 2001 (1999)
Mega-producer Dr. Dre had already become a household name by crafting beats for America’s primary gangsta rap group N.W.A in the late 1980s and 1990s, and artists from the multiplatinum-selling imprint Death Row Records. In 1996, just a few years removed from Dre dropping his 1992 classic album, The Chronic, he left Death Row to start Aftermath Entertainment and released the compilation Dr. Dre Presents: The Aftermath. However, critics bashed the effort for having too many artists and it seemed like they couldn’t get over the disappointment of not getting another high-level Dre project on a solo tip. Three years later, Dre's doubters had little to say when he assembled the West Coast team of Avengers—Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg, Kurupt and more—for the release of 2001 in 1999. Dre came correct with the quality, which was applauded in praise from fans. The effort went six-times platinum in the first year of its release, and reestablished why Dr. Dre's name should never be slandered.
Roc Nation
Jay-Z, 4:44 (2017)
Jay-Z’s audio tell-all arrived with 4:44, his 13th solo album released exclusively via Tidal and Sprint in 2017. Following Bey’s candid Lemonade and preceding their joint LP, The Carters, 4:44 served as Jay’s first solo project since 2013’s Magna Carta Holy Grail. The album spawned a No. 1 debut, Grammy nominations and more firepower in the argument for his G.O.A.T. status. Though Magna was met with mixed reviews despite securing double-platinum status, 4:44 received a stamp of excellence for the growth and elevation that permeated Hov's rhymes. Once again, parading an array of stories and entendres that could be dissected in a classroom setting, Jay proved that his pen game is never lacking on 4:44.
Def Jam Recordings
2 Chainz, Based on a T.R.U. Story (2012)
Real ones remember the Atlanta-bred titan Tity Boi as one-half of the group Playaz Circle. If you need a song to strike your memory, just think back to the hit “Duffle Bag Boy” with Lil Wayne. After dropping two projects under the group name and Ludacris’ Disturbing Tha Peace imprint, 2 Chainz reinvigorated his career with T.R.U. REALigion, one of the best mixtapes of 2011. Following T.R.U. REALigion, he cracked the seal open on his solo debut album, Based on a T.R.U. Story, the following year. The Kanye West-assisted "Birthday Song" became the celebratory anthem for men who loved voluptuous women while "I'm Different" offered the extraordinary set an ode to highlight their one-of-a-kind flair. "No Lie" featuring Drake also proved that the two artists could make effortless hits. The project was certified platinum both in the streets and on a commercial level. Plus, it earned him a Grammy nomination. 2 Chainz bounced back with a vengeance.
Kemosabe Records / Columbia Records / Taylor Gang Entertainment
Juicy J, Stay Trippy (2013)
After embarking on a solo career following Three 6 Mafia parting ways, Juicy J had to reinvent himself while going the solo route. His first two single-handed efforts in the form of albums, Chronicles of the Juice Man and Hustle Til I Die, didn’t hit on the money in terms of commercial success. But Juicy’s talent was never lost, which is evident throughout his 2013 LP, Stay Trippy. Serving as the first drop under Wiz Khalifa’s Taylor Gang imprint, Stay Trippy brought Juicy to new mainstream heights. He cracked the top five of the Billboard 200 album chart and sold almost 60,000 units more in the first week than his previously released Hustle Till I Die. All-star producers Lex Luger, Mike WiLL Made-It, Timbaland and Juicy himself all contributed to creating the project's beats. Guest appearances by juggernauts Lil Wayne, The Weeknd and Chris Brown were also part of the celebration. With platinum-selling tracks like "Bandz a Make Her Dance" featuring Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz, and the gold-certified "Bounce It" with Wale and Trey Songz, Juicy’s recipe for stunning punchlines and strip club anthems was perfected with Stay Trippy.
Atlantic Records
Twista, Kamikaze (2004)
Twista, a Chi-town flame-spitter known for his hurried yet precise flow, got bit by the label bug early on in his career. A contract dispute resulted in a seven-year gap between his third album, Adrenaline Rush, and 2004's Kamikaze. The latter earned Twist his first No. 1 album and a platinum certification, further proving that he was still on the top of his game. "Overnight Celebrity" featuring fellow Chicago native Kanye West, and "Slow Jamz" also featuring Kanye and Jamie Foxx—both were produced by Ye as well—were to thank for much of the album's initial success with the latter reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The heavy soul samples utilized throughout the LP provided the rap vet with a sonic bed to cram each song with eccentric bars. And even if those lyrics weren't caught in full, they paired nicely with the production. Using Kamikaze as an extension to sport his verbal agility, Twista beat the system here and survived a contract fiasco that could've easily derailed his success.
Def Jam Recordings
Nas, Life Is Good (2012)
Nas’ pen game has never been lacking. His 1996 debut classic, Illmatic, placed the bar into the stratosphere for not only himself but fellow MCs that aimed to balance club bangers, street tales and conscious poetry on wax. In order to keep his legacy sturdy, Nasir kept his foot on the gas until the Grammy Award-nominated and politically charged Untitled LP in 2008, which marked the start of a four-year gap between releases—the longest break in his career. In 2012, the Queens-bred rapper rose from the ashes and dropped Life Is Good, an opus that flaunted his ability to make songs that could soundtrack any setting. "Daughters," "Cherry Wine" featuring the late Amy Winehouse, and "Bye Baby" are just a few examples of his stellar rhymes supported by elite beats. Over graceful production mainly massaged by No I.D., the seasoned rhymer sounds just as sharp as he did before he could legally purchase a bottle. The effort was praised for being yet another bulletproof example of what beauty looks like in the booth.
Geffen Records / GOOD Music
Common, Be (2005)
Common’s top status in the history of acclaimed Chicago rappers isn’t up for debate. The Soulquarians limb could do no wrong early on his career until critics came upon his fifth album, Electric Circus, in 2005. Some fans shunned the offering for being sonically all over the place, and used his strategy of diversifying his sound against the rhymer. For his next LP, getting back to his roots as a poetic lyricist was a top priority. Common enlisted Kanye West to produce a vast majority of 2005’s Be and shut down his haters with a press of the play button. The album earned a No. 2 spot on the Billboard 200 chart, a huge leap from the No. 47 debut that Electric Circus made. Similarly to that No. 2 position by Be, the effort takes that second spot in Common's catalog as well, only behind 2000’s Like Water for Chocolate.
Ice H2O / EMI Records
Raekwon, Only Built For Cuban Linx, Pt. II (2009)
Raekwon solidified himself as one of the Wu-Tang Clan’s most lethal MCs back in the 1990s. Two years after the Wu dropped their classic LP, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), in 1993, Rae crafted his debut solo album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... He showed the world that his mafioso rap was in a realm of its own with this release. Two albums followed, with his third, The Lex Diamond Story, arriving in 2009. However, the effort received critiques for not being the best display of the talent The Chef possessed. Six years later, he dropped a sequel to his classic debut and chin-checked the naysayers. A No. 4 debut on the Billboard 200, collabs with Ghostface Killah, Method Man, RZA, Slick Rick, Busta Rhymes and Jadakiss highlighted the emphasis on solid bars and the lyrical daggers were flying. Saluted on a universal level, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II depicted the Staten Island seed in top form with the Wu logo glaring bright and surrounded by melted speakers with the heat that he puffed out.
Epic Records
A Tribe Called Quest, We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service (2016)
A Tribe Called Quest is considered by many rap fans to be one of the greatest hip-hop groups of all time. Their emphasis on bringing social issues to light while simultaneously hitting folks with eccentric drip and clips cemented their legacy in the realm of rap and they impressively restored that feeling way down the line. Nearly 20 years after they broke up and opted to focus on their solo careers, ATCQ released their final album, We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service, in 2016. The LP features assists from guests like André 3000, Kendrick Lamar, Talib Kweli, Anderson .Paak, Kanye West and more. They seemed charged up to put their differences aside, and hit the nail on the head sonically by bringing back their crisp merger of jazz and rap genres. Feeding off a formula that turned them into bona fide superstars decades ago, their finale was as good as it could get. A No. 1 landing on the Billboard 200 and a gold certification proved it.
Conglomerate
Busta Rhymes, Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God (2020)
Brooklyn-raised legend Busta Rhymes decided to get back on his bully in 2009, and released Back on My B.S., an album with a title to match his energy. That would be the last project to surface for over a decade from the boundary-shifting rhymer and visionary until Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God in 2020. The effort is a sequel to 1998's E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front and had been in the works since 2009. However, a departure from Cash Money Records placed the project on the back burner. By 2020, Busta refined the effort with guest features, including coveted hip-hop acts like Eminem, new school G.O.A.T.s like Kendrick Lamar, R&B queens Mariah Carey and Mary J. Blige and dancehall royalty Vybz Kartel, just to name a few. Mixing a blend of new songs and records that were crafted over the last decade, Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God was praised for its bombastic energy, arresting production and onslaught of flows.
Killa Entertainment / Cinematic Music Group
Cam'ron, Purple Haze 2
Following up a classic album will always be a tall task, but Cam’ron’s Purple Haze 2 is a blueprint example of how to do so properly. Ending a decade-long hiatus after dropping Crime Pays in 2009, Killa Cam delivered PH2 in late 2019. and revived the swaggy essence that made him a household name back in his solo days at Roc-A-Fella Records and as a member of Dipset. An obvious sonic standout from the effort lays squarely in the production, with a heavy emphasis on rhythmic samples that had the rap game on lock in the 2000s. Those beats can be mostly credited to The Heatmakerz, REK and Skitzo. And on the note of bars, reminiscent tales of being a street baby are delivered with ease and grit, evoking the spirit of the first installation, released in 2004, which is also deemed as Cam’s magnum opus. “Losin’ Weight 3” and “This Is My City” are perfect for replay value. Simply put, Purple Haze 2 had fans wondering how Cam was still this good after all of that time.
GOOD Music / Def Jam Recordings
Pusha-T, My Name Is My Name (2013)
Pusha-T had one hell of a run alongside his brother Malice as the undefeated tag-team duo Clipse. After releasing three albums together, the brothers Thornton disbanded to focus on their solo careers. Push linked up with Kanye West at G.O.O.D. Music in 2010, and started going even crazier than he did in a previous run of securing platinum plaques and shifting the culture with hits like “Grindin'.” He showed and proved on every Good Friday track, released a couple of addicting mixtapes and finally released his solo debut album, My Name Is My Name, in 2013. "Numbers on the Boards," "Sweet Serenade" and "Nosetalgia" highlight the Virginia rep's sharp rhymes and flex raps. The LP includes production from super-producers Kanye, Swizz Beatz and Pharrell, plus guest appearances from Rick Ross, Kendrick Lamar, Future and his G.O.O.D. peers 2 Chainz and Big Sean. The effort was easily deemed as one of the best albums of that year, thanks to the top-notch beats and the pedigree of Pusha's pen. As you can see, that was only the tip of the iceberg for his culture-shifting revival of coke rap.
Mos Def
Yasiin Bey, Negus (2019)
It was a sad day when The Mighty Mos Def, now known as Yasiin Bey, put his rapping days behind him. He announced the retirement of his fabled career via Kanye West’s website with an intention to shift over into the worlds of fashion and film in 2016. After letting his fans know that he would release a few more efforts before the halt of his career, including a new Black Star album and a joint project with Mannie Fresh, Mos continued to tour and came through with Dec. 99th with Ferrari Sheppard that same year. Some fans bashed the effort for being underwhelming as it lacked the concise sound and lyrical execution that previously made him an underground rap legend and genre prophet. A few years later in 2019, Yasiin released the new album Negus, and rolled it out as an art exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum: no gimmicks to get commercial acknowledgement or streams. Back to his roots of bringing that raw energy and perspective, fans praised the effort and the Brooklyn native for stepping back up to the plate. It’s safe to say that he hit it out the park here.
Filed Under: 2KBaby, 42 Dugg, Bangers, Bankrol Hayden, Big Boi, Biggz, Birdman, CEO Trayle, Cousin Stizz, Doe Boy, Hotboii, Juice Wrld, key, Lil Double 0, Lil GotIt, Matt Ox, Pierre Bourne, Quadie Diesel, Rowdy Rebel, Sleepy Brown, The List, TM88, YoungBoy Never Broke Again
Categories: New Music
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KANYE WEST FORGETS LYRICS TO DRAKE’S ‘FOREVER,’ LAUGHS IT OFF MID-PERFORMANCE – WATCH
Aleia Woods
Published: December 10, 2021
ReNji2K via YouTube
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Kanye West and Drake made history last night, mobilizing together for the freedom of Chicago's Gangster Disciples cofounder Larry Hoover by putting on the Free Larry Hoover benefit concert in Los Angeles. However, as headline-making as the event was, Kanye became a topic of conversation as well for flubbing some of his own lyrics.
On Thursday night (Dec. 9), Ye and Drizzy, who had been beefing for years and recently mended fences, took turns performing their records at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Drake rapped his hits "God's Plan," "Girls Want Girls," "Laugh Now Cry Later," "No Friends in the Industry" and others, while Yeezy went through his catalog and rhymed tracks such as "Good Life," "Flashing Lights," "Can't Tell Me Nothing," "Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 2" and more. There were quite a few moments when Kanye forgot some of his lyrics, but when he got to the end of his set where he was joined by Drake for their collab "Forever," Ye had a lapse of memory to the point where he actually laughed it off.
"Y'all seen my story, my glory/I had raped the game young, you can call it statutory" was a couple of the bars that gave Ye trouble.
And those who were either watching the show live from Los Angeles or livestreamed via Amazon Prime, made sure to mention via Twitter that Yeezy was struggling a bit during the performance.
One person tweeted, "This man Kanye forgetting the lyrics to his own songs lol."
This man Kanye forgetting the lyrics to his own songs lol
— T H E B O Y 🤴🏾 (@Trey3stiff_) December 10, 2021
Another wrote, "Kanye forgetting the lyrics at his concerts >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>."
A third person acknowledged the slip-ups, but still gave the rapper his props, writing, "Kanye really out here forgetting lyrics and laughing at it. Haha but he still bring the energy and passion."
In Kanye's defense, though, his last concert—the Saint Pablo Tour in support of his The Life of Pablo album—concluded in 2016, so it's been five years since he last hit a stage in this way.
Drake and Kanye West making amends and throwing a monumental benefit concert with the help of Larry Hoover Jr. to raise awareness for Hoover's father's release comes a month after Kanye invited Drizzy to squash the beef they had, which dates back a few years and is tied to Drake's longstanding feud with Pusha T.
Larry Hoover was convicted of murder in 1973 and is currently serving a life sentence. The infamous Chicago figure was accused of operating his Gangster Disciplines gang from behind prison walls and was found guilty of drug conspiracy, extortion and continuing to engage in a criminal enterprise in 1997. Thus, Hoover was hit with additional multiple life sentences.
There was hope that he would receive leniency from a judge via the First Step Act, but a judge denied the sentencing break to Hoover last summer.
And despite reports that Hoover had concerns surrounding the benefit concert that was put together in his honor, things appeared to have gone on without a hitch.
Check out Kanye and Drake's performance of "Forever" below.
Scroll down to see more reactions to Yeezy forgetting his lyrics.
Here Are the Monumental Moments Rappers Squashed Beef
Frazer Harrison, Getty Images for Coachella
Jay-Z and Nas
Jay-Z and Nas' beef was historical and nearly just as monumental as their reconciliation. The New York City rap icons' static dates back to the late 1990s, with a couple of incidents and disses that transpired after Hov released his first album, Reasonable Doubt, and when Esco dropped It Was Written.
However, the flame was ignited when Jigga dropped his "Takeover" freestyle during Hot 97's Summer Jam concert in 2001. The savage record later appeared on Jay-Z's The Blueprint album. Nas bobbed and weaved Jay's jabs, countering the song with the scathing diss track "Ether." The Brooklynite and Queens, N.Y. native went on to sling more blows back-and-forth, but that all came to an end when Jigga and Nasir joined forces at Power 105.1's I Declare War show at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, N.J. in 2005.
The two men appeared onstage together, shook hands and the beef dissipated from that point. Since making amends, they've appeared together on "Black Republican," "Success," and most recently DMX's "Bath Salts" and DJ Khaled's "Sorry Not Sorry" with James Fauntleroy.
Paras Griffin, Getty Images (2)
Jeezy and Gucci Mane
The year was 2005, when Gucci Mane, Jeezy—then Young Jeezy—and Boo dropped their anthemic "Icy" record. An unfortunate and deadly beef between Guwop and Jeezy sprouted after Jizzle thought the song was going to appear on his Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101 album, but Gucci put the collab on his Trap House project instead.
From that point, venom began to fly in the form of diss tracks. Physical altercations transpired and Pookie Loc, also known as Henry Lee Clark III—a close friend of Jeezy's who was signed to the rapper's Corporate Thugz Entertainment (CTE) World record label—was killed. Gucci was accused of murdering Pookie Loc in Georgia the year the hit record he did with Jeezy and Boo dropped. Reports claim the killing was done in an act of self-defense.
The supposed story behind the murder was that Gucci was visiting a woman in Decatur, Ga. when four men reportedly burst into her apartment looking for him. The men fought, gunshots rang out and the suspects left the scene. Days later, Pookie's body was found outside by a nearby middle school. As mentioned, Gucci claimed he was acting in self-defense. The DeKalb County Police Department dropped the charge against the 1017 Records leader in 2006, citing lacked physical evidence connecting Gucci to the crime.
Fast-forward to 2020, many unsuspected moons later, the rappers came together for a Verzuz battle. While the event was tense and had several "WTF" moments, they ended the livestreamed hit-for-hit battle with a performance of their "Icy" record. And now, they're on the road on their Legendz of the Streetz Tour alongside Rick Ross, Lil' Kim, Fabolous, 2 Chainz, Yo Gotti and DJ Drama.
Cole Burston / John Lamparski, Getty Images (2)
Drake and Meek Mill
Meek Mill may have dropped his debut album, Dreams and Nightmares, with Maybach Music Group in 2012, but he had been dominating Philadelphia's mixtape rap scene since around 2006. And when he poked and prodded Drake on Twitter one random night in July of 2015, it was about Drizzy not penning his own bars, a cardinal sin in the rap era Meek came up in.
"Stop comparing drake to me too.... He don't write his own raps! That's why he ain't tweet my album because we found out!" Meek typed in the first seemingly unprovoked tweet. Like Jay-Z and Nas, Meek and Drizzy's beef has it's own notch in the rap feud hall of fame. When Meek decided to go on his tirade and fire off ghostwriting allegations Drake's way, he name-dropped an artist from Atlanta named Quentin Miller, who Meek Mill claimed had assisted Drake with his raps.
And although the Toronto rhymer remained mum initially, it was after Hot 97's DJ Funkmaster Flex played the reference track for Drake's "10 Bands," which appears on If You're Reading This It's Too Late that Drizzy decided to defend himself with the fiery "Charged Up" diss on July 25. In response to the track, Meek tweeted, "Baby lotion soft. I can tell he wrote that 1 though." And days later, on July 29, Aubrey added fuel to the fire with "Back to Back (Freestyle)," which contained a slew of quoteables that social media took advantage of to create memes galore.
The following day, Meek Mill dropped his own song taking jabs at Drake called "Wanna Know," which didn't receive the widespread welcome reception from hip-hop heads that he may have hoped for.
Three years later, on Sept. 8, 2018, Drizzy and Meek made amends onstage at the Boston tour stop of the Aubrey & The Three Migos Tour. They went on to collab on "Going Bad" for Meek's Championships album that same year.
Leon Bennett / Marcus Ingram, Getty Images (2)
The Game and 50 Cent
50 Cent and The Game are in a positive space these days, but in the mid-2000s, things were the complete opposite for the two rappers. It all started shortly after Game signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment—under the Interscope Records umbrella—in 2003, the label Fif was also signed to. Later that year, Dre and Interscope CEO Jimmy Iovine had Game become a member of 50's G-Unit crew.
Eventually, 50, who wrote a couple of tracks for the Compton rapper's debut album, The Documentary, including their collabs "How We Do" and "Hate It of Love It," shared that he felt neglected and that the focus was on Game and his album while Fif was supposed to be working on The Massacre.
After 50 Cent worked on Game's LP, a full-fledged beef ensued, with Fif accusing Game of being disloyal. After The Game did a Hot 97 interview in 2005, and stated that he was going to do a collab with Nas and that he had no qualms with Jadakiss, Fat Joe and others—all of whom 50 had issues with at the time and dissed on his 2005 track "Piggy Bank"—Fif did an interview of his own at the same New York City radio station, banishing Game from G-Unit.
Game apparently sought revenge against 50 and arrived at Hot 97 with a few associates while the Queens native and his G-Unit constituents—Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks and Olivia—were still at the station. Members of Game's crew then got into a shootout outside Hot 97.
50 and Game managed to make an appearance on MTV's TRL together in 2005, and the following year, they exchanged numerous disses at each other. Ultimately, with no real hint at reconciliation, 50 Cent and The Game were both spotted at Ace of Diamonds Strip Club in Los Angeles back in 2016. Fif and Game exchanged daps and friendly banter.
Rich Fury / Earl Gibson III, Getty Images (2)
Lil Wayne and Birdman
Lil Wayne and Birdman's feud was one that might've come from left field for some rap fans. The relationship between the rappers, who at one point referred to themselves as father and son—hence their collab "Stuntin' Like My Daddy" from their Like Father Like Son LP—went south around 2012, and it was because of unpaid money owed to Weezy, who signed to Cash Money Records in 1995.
That year, Wayne said that his Tha Carter V album would be his last. An album that didn't arrive until 2018, but there's an explanation for that. In 2014, Weezy F. Baby called out Birdman and Cash Money Records on Twitter, revealing that he had disowned the label and felt that he and his creativity were prisoners. Weeks later, Wayne filed a hefty $51 million lawsuit against his former label, claiming that Birdman had breached the terms of his contract by withholding the release of his album. The suit also pushed for Wayne's contract to become null and void with the label. The same would go for his artists on Young Money Inc., a subsidiary of Cash Money Records.
And after dropping the diss record "Up Next" towards Birdman in 2015, Lil Wayne yelled out "Fuck Cash Money" during a show in Jacksonville, Fla. Wayne then tried to remove Birdman from business dealings in connection to his Young Money label, citing claims that Birdman doesn't pay his artists their royalties.
Things between the two men didn't simmer in the slightest over the next few months. While Wayne had a performance at Club LIV in Miami, a drink was supposedly thrown at him by someone who was in a section occupied by Birdman and his crew. Then, there was the incident in which Birdman and Young Thug were allegedly tied to when Weezy's tour bus was shot up. Reports claimed the shooting was an attempt to kill Lil Wayne. There is no confirmation that he beef and the shooting was related, but an affiliate of Young Thug's, Peewee Roscoe, was arrested for the shooting. Thug was also once a member of Birdman's Rich Gang collective.
A possible reconciliation looked like it was happening after Lil Wayne and Birdman both attended Drake's New Year's Eve party in 2015. Then they performed onstage together in 2016, and also hit the studio. However, Wayne filed a $40 million lawsuit against Universal Music Group in March of 2016. The filing claimed that UMG used some of Wayne's profits to supplement some of Birdman's debt.
Then, during a 4/20 performance in Denver, Weezy spoke out against Cash Money again, yelling "Fuck Cash Money" to the crowd. At this point, the $51 million lawsuit against Cash Money remained unsettled.
Rick Ross later became involved when he dropped "Idols Become Rivals," a diss towards Birdman, siding with Weezy and condemning the Cash Money CEO's treatment of his artist.
And in 2018, Lil Wayne and Birdman were spotted together at their old stomping ground, Club LIV in Miami and weeks later at Birdman's release party for the Before Anything soundtrack.
During Birdman's 2021 recent appearance on The Big Facts podcast, he explained how he and Wayne patched things up.
"Any problem from my son on down, and I gave him 50 million, I cleared it up,” Birdman said. "I ain’t want my name like that, especially with Wayne...I’m nothing without this dude."
Despite Birdman and Wayne being scheduled to appear in court over the lawsuit Wayne filed, they reportedly settled outside of court for an undisclosed amount.
Frazer Harrison / Mike Stobe, Getty Images (2)
French Montana Jim Jones
Jim Jones and French Montana were at odds for years. This is roughly a 15-year-old beef. While the exact date of when things got sticky between the Harlem, N.Y. and the Bronx native is unknown, it all stems from a time when a hit had supposedly been put out on French—who was also reportedly involved in a shooting–while he was immersed in the street life.
This was around the time when the footage began circulating online of Jim getting into an altercation at Rucker Park in Harlem, N.Y. The Dipset rapper apparently began making comments via social media about French's street troubles, presumably suggesting that Jim had some sort of involvement.
Tensions thickened after Max B—a pivotal former member of Jim's ByrdGang—and Jim fell out. Max, a close friend of French, said during an interview from prison last year that the beef between French and Jim was primarily due to "egos clashing, a lack of respect, a lack of everything."
Max and Jim Jones, who supposedly clashed due to business dealings gone sour, have reportedly buried the hatchet as well.
Jim Jones and French Montana exchanged a plethora of disses towards each other, but in April of last year, the two men squashed their 15-year-old beef on Instagram Live for the world to see.
French told XXL at the end of last year, "Something 2.0 for French, besides putting a mixtape on a major platform for the first time, is ending my beef with Jim Jones that I was beefing with for 15 years. And yesterday [Nov. 23], we shut down the bridge in the middle of the city [in New York], that connect, you know, Harlem and The Bronx, and it was a moment where there was 100 gangstas...and everybody like standing, like, you know, one side stand on one side, and just like, the love was so immaculate and there was just a moment for hip-hop that was just like, damn, I wish I woulda did this before."
French and Capo have since dropped two songs together: "That's a Fact" and "Too Late."
Theo Wargo / Tim Nwachukwu, Getty Images (2)
Ice Cube and Common
Common and Ice Cube may have appeared on the big screen together, but decades prior, they were entrenched in a diabolical lyrical feud, which all started with the Chicago rhymer's "I Used to Love H.E.R." The song, an ode to Common's love for hip-hop, which was metaphorically depicted as a woman the rhymer was infatuated with, dissected his stance on the genre transforming into violent, gangsta rap in other regions. Apparently, Cube took this as a diss, although it wasn't intended to be as Common said in his 2011 memoir, It'll All Make Sense.
Ice Cube unleashed a diss track of his own towards Common on Mack 10’s “Westside Slaughterhouse,” released a year after "I Used to Love H.E.R." arrived in 1994. Common fired back with "The Bitch in Yoo," produced by Pete Rock, after Westside Connection—comprised of Mack 10, WC and Ice Cube—further ignited the feud while on BET's Rap City.
Years later, in 1996 and 1997, the East Coast and West Coast rap beefs changed the culture forever following the murder of Tupac Shakur in 1996, and The Notorious B.I.G. in 1997. Thus, the Honorable Louis Farrakhan held a peace treaty for Common and Ice Cube, allowing them to genuinely set their differences aside in April of 1997, less than a month after Biggie was killed, at the Nation of Islam's headquarters in Chicago.
Despite the issues between Common and Cube being put to rest, their crews didn't forgive as easily. Apparently, Goodie Mob, Fat Joe, Common and Mack 10 were all called up to do a Sprite commercial and someone from Common's team had a confrontation with Mack 10. Fat Joe reportedly intervened once things intensified and Common's associate got the boot from the set and allegedly damaged Mack 10's car.
Many years later, evidence of Common and Ice Cube's squashed beef was shown when Common starred in Cube's Barbershop: The Next Cut film. They also collabed on a track that appeared on the soundtrack called "Real People," which addresses their prior beef and reconciliation.
John Phillips / Frazer Harrison, Getty Images (2)
Drake and Chris Brown
Drake and Chris Brown's dispute is one that went beyond typical music beefs that usually reside on wax. This one became physical. As the story goes, the bad blood is allegedly over Rihanna—both Drizzy and Breezy were romantically linked to RiRi.
In 2012, the rapper and singer got into an alarming brawl inside W.i.P. nightclub in New York City's SoHo area. Apparently, Drizzy, who was rumored to be dating Rih at the time, supposedly dissed Chris when he turned down a bottle of Ace of Spades champagne in the club.
Tension between the two artists actually lasted until about 2018, when they reunited onstage for the first time since 2009. Chris Brown and Drake performed together at the Los Angeles stop of the Aubrey & The Three Amigos Tour, squashing their beef in a very public way. They later collabed and dropped the platinum single "No Guidance." There was even talks, as recent as last year, of a joint album between Drake and Chris.
Marcus Ingram / Jamie McCarthy, Getty Images (2)
Fat Joe and 50 Cent
50 Cent's long-standing and potentially never-ending beef with Ja Rule funneled into their relationships with other rappers. Actually, Ja's 2004 joint "New York," which features Fat Joe and Jadakiss, ignited a vile feud between Fif and Joey Crack.
After the song dropped, 50 unleashed a diss towards Joe on his record "Piggy Bank" from his 2005 album, The Massacre, which was met with a rebuttal from the Bronx, N.Y. rapper. Joe dropped "My Fo Fo," a cut from his All of Nothing LP, that same year.
And of course, disses were exchanged on numerous mediums. Around 2005, 50 said he'd beat Fat Joe's "ass" while on Kay Slay's radio show on Hot 97 after the Queens, N.Y. native claimed that Joe said on a Philadelphia radio show that he'd punch 50 in the face. Joe also called in to Kay Slay's show and called 50 a "coward."
That same year, Joe took a few jabs at 50 Cent and his G-Unit collective at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards. A full-length album worth of diss tracks were made between the two rappers, who ultimately called a truce in 2012 at the BET Hip Hop Awards, thanks to the late Chris Lightly, a music executive who cofounded Violator Records and died in August of 2012.
During an interview with Talib Kweli's People's Party With Talib Kweli this year, Fat Joe explained the moment their beef was squashed.
"I never thought in my life I would squash the beef with 50 Cent," he began. "I’m the real deal. If we would have bumped heads somewhere, it would have went down physically 100 percent. So when Chris Lighty died, I went to the funeral by myself. I show up, and 50 Cent is there. He’s on the other side, I don’t see him. When I show up to the BET Awards, we on point. We super focused. That’s the only way I can explain it legally. They say rehearsal. I perform ‘Lean Back’ and then 50 Cent comes out. He ends up right by where I’m at. And when the music stops, he puts his hands out, and says ‘Peace for Chris Lighty.’ Chris Lighty wanted peace."
Joe added, "I think we have an obligation, a responsibility to show these young brothers that beefing over words can be squashed. You can become friends. It doesn’t have to result in us killing each other. The rap beef doesn’t have to turn violent in the streets. I hope everybody sees that and says, ‘The shit they were saying to each other, and now they’re friends? It can happen...I’ve been beefing with these people so long. Why don’t I squash beef with all my enemies, and see what doors it opens?”
Bygones seem to be bygones in the case.
Filed Under: Drake, Kanye West
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JUICE WRLD, RICK ROSS, BIG BOI AND SLEEPY BROWN AND MORE – NEW PROJECTS THIS WEEK
Aleia Woods
Published: December 10, 2021
Epic / Grade A/Interscope / Purple Ribbon/HITCO
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The weather is getting colder, Christmas is approaching and the gift of hip-hop keeps on giving. Keep reading to find new music arriving this week from a beloved Chicago rhymer, one of the biggest bosses out of South Florida's Miami-Dade County and a veteran rapper-producer-songwriter duo from Atlanta.
Juice Wrld may be gone, but his team will make sure he's never forgotten by keeping his legacy alive. Today (Dec. 10), the beloved rhymer's camp has offered his second posthumous album, Fighting Demons. Lil Bibby, CEO of Grade A Productions, the label Juice was signed to, shared the news that unheard music would be arriving in the form of an album last October and they've made good on their promise. Ahead of Fighting Demons being available on DSPs, a visual teaser was shared on Juice Wrld's social media, which was a video montage of the rhymer on tour, where he addressed addiction, anxiety and depression and how he's used his music as a tool to help individuals with those struggles. Legends Never Die, Juice's first posthumous album following his death, which was caused by an accidental overdose, arrived in July of 2020.
Rick Ross is back after a two-year album hiatus. Following the 2019 release of Port of Miami 2, Rozay has delivered his latest album, Richer Than I Ever Been. The LP is comprised of 10 tracks, including the effort's singles "Outlawz" with 21 Savage and R&B vocalist Jazmine Sullivan as well as his most recent joint, "Little Havana" featuring The-Dream and Willie Falcon. Ross, known to conjoin street anthems over luxurious beats, announced his solo return last month, unveiling his regal album artwork, featuring himself wearing a cream-colored fedora with a matching cloak with burgundy and gold embroidery and a massive ruby ring. Mr. Port of Miami's soundtrack is just in time to close out 2021's fourth quarter.
Big Boi of OutKast and Organized Noize's Sleepy Brown have joined forces to drop their long-awaited album, Big Sleepover. The Atlanta-based duo, who have been working collaboratively since OutKast's debut Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik in 1994, have described the album as a combination of "gangsta" and "sexy." About the 15-track album, Big Boi said, "It’s that different. Expect the unexpected from us like it’s totally left of what’s going on in the mainstream. We just chart new territory and give out the most positive vibrations and joy––that’s what it’s all about." The LP contains guests appearances from Killer Mike, Ceelo Green and more.
See more releases from PnB Rock, Madeintyo and UnoTheActivist, Wiz Khalifa and more below.
Fighting Demons
Juice Wrld
Grade A / Interscope
Fighting Demons [Explicit]
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Richer Than I Ever Been
Rick Ross
Epic
Richer Than I Ever Been [Explicit]
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Big Sleepover
Big Boi and Sleepy Brown
Purple Ribbon / Hitco
Big Sleepover [Explicit]
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Wiz Got Wings
Wiz Khalifa, Cardo and Sledgren
Atlantic
Wiz Got Wings [Explicit]
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$8.99
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B4 AVA
A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie
Atlantic
B4 AVA [Explicit]
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$4.99
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Chomp 2
Russ
Russ My Way Inc.
CHOMP 2 [Explicit]
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From the Bayou
YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Birdman
UMG Recordings / Never Broke Again, LLC / Atlantic Records
From The Bayou [Explicit]
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Yo!88
Pi'erre Bourne and TM88
Capitol/Interscope
Yo!88 [Explicit]
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Yokohama
Madeintyo and UnoTheActivist
MadeinTYO
Yokohama [Explicit]
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$8.99
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Pop?
Tierra Whack
Interscope
Pop? [Explicit]
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$2.99
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2 Get You Thru the Rain EP
PnB Rock
Atlantic
First Quarter
2KBABY
Warner Records
First Quarter [Explicit]
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$7.99
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Lil Pump 1.5
Lil Pump and Ronny J
Tha Lights Global / ONErpm
Lil Pump 1.5 [Explicit]
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Life of a Hotboii
Hotboii
Hotboii
Life Of A Hotboii [Explicit]
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So Cold I Do Em 2
Drakeo the Ruler
Stinc Team
So Cold I Do Em 2 [Explicit]
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Sol EP
Zacari
Top Dawg Entertainment
Snoop Dogg Presents Algorithm (Global Edition)
Snoop Dogg
Def Jam
See Rappers With the Longest Gaps Between Albums
Is the music worth the wait?
Larry Busacca, Getty Images
Kendrick Lamar
Gap Between Albums: 4 years and counting
Released Damn. album in 2017.
Hasn't released an album since then.
Earl Gibson, Getty Images
Isaiah Rashad
Gap Between Albums: 5 years and counting
Released The Sun’s Tirade album in 2016.
Hasn't released an album since then.
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Ab-Soul
Gap Between Albums: 5 years and counting
Released Do What Thou Wilt. album in 2016.
Hasn't released an album since then.
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Nas
Gap Between Albums: 6 years
Released Life Is Good album in 2012.
Released Nasir album in 2018.
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Lil Dicky
Gap Between Albums: 6 years and counting
Released Professional Rapper album in 2015.
Hasn't released an album since then.
Dia Dipasupil, Getty Images
Fetty Wap
Gap Between Albums: 6 years and counting
Released Fetty Wap album in 2015.
Hasn't released an album since then.
Jamie McCarthy, Getty Images
50 Cent
Gap Between Albums: 7 years and counting
Released Animal Ambition album in 2014.
Hasn't released an album since then.
Alberto E. Rodriguez, Getty Images
Pharrell
Gap Between Albums: 7 years and counting
Released Girl album in 2014.
Hasn't released an album since then.
XXL Magazine
Jon Connor
Gap Between Albums: 7 years
Released Unconscious State album in 2013.
Released SOS album in 2020.
Ethan Miller, Getty Images
Nelly
Gap Between Albums: 8 years and counting
Released M.O. album in 2013.
Hasn't released an album since then.
Prince Williams, Getty Images
Waka Flocka Flame
Gap Between Albums: 9 years and counting
Released Triple F Life: Fans, Friends & Family album in 2012.
Hasn't released an album since then.
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DMX
Gap Between Albums: 9 years
Released Undisputed album in 2012.
Released Exodus album in 2021.
Scott Dudelson, Getty Images
Mos Def
Gap Between Albums: 10 years
Released The Ecstatic album in 2009.
Released Negus album in 2019.
Brian Ach, Getty Images
Busta Rhymes
Gap Between Albums: 11 years
Released Back on My B.S. album in 2009.
Released Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God album in 2020.
Mark Wilson,