The Red Cross called the recent flooding in Louisiana “the worst to hit the U.S. since Superstorm Sandy” and Boosie Badazz has stepped up to help. The Baton Rouge native and his brother/manager Taquari “TQ” Hatch gathered up thousands of clothing items and hygiene kits to donate to get basic essentials to the victims of the floods who have lost their homes and personal items in the wake of the devastating disaster.
Drake is using his “Summer Sixteen” tour stops to address issues he has with certain rappers. In cities such as Detroit and Washington, D.C., Drizzy cleverly sent some subliminal jabs at Joe Budden and Meek Mill—two MCs who have gone at him before on wax and social media.
On Sunday night, Drake and Future’s tour made its way to Philadelphia at the Wells Fargo Center. It wasn’t long until fans speculated that Drake would fire at Meek on his home turf. This Instagram he posted a few hours ago was already signs that he was ready to go. (The “lucky numbers” he’s referring to are his birthday, which is October 24, 1986 or 10 – 24 – 6.)
Cash Money Records’ legal woes continue to pile up. According to a report from TMZ, Birdman’s label is now involved in yet another lawsuit after two songs the label put out used samples without paying the original songwriters. The songs in question are Lloyd’s “You,” f/ Lil Wayne, and Glasses Malone’s “Certified,” f/ Akon. “You” samples “True” by Spandeau Ballet, a popular British rock group from the 1980s.
According to the TMZ report, the sampled artists have brought a lawsuit against Cash Money seeking $3.3 million in damages for the lack of payments. Although “Certified” was a relatively minor song for Cash Money, “You” was a major hit. The song peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2007, becoming Lil Wayne’s second top 10 single. It also topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart during that same year. A remix of the song featured contributions from Nas and André 3000.
Fetty Wap is getting nostalgic about the past now that he’s a big star in hip-hop. His new single “Different Now” recalls the days when he wasn’t quite so successful. “Oh my God it’s so different now, yeah/How they used to hate me now they love me now, yeah/I remember days of wearin’ hand-me-downs, yeah/Got it out the mud, they understand me now,” he sings on the chorus, referencing his days growing up in a rough neighborhood in Paterson, N.J. The Vinylz and Frank Dukez handle production on the track.
“Different Now” is the second single from Fetty’s upcoming sophomore album. The project is due sometime this winter, and will serve as the official follow-up to his platinum-selling, self-titled 2015 debut. That album spawned a number of ubiquitous hits, including “Trap Queen,” “My Way,” “679,” and “Again,” and turned Fetty from an unknown property to a household name in a remarkably short time period. He’s had a quieter 2016, but still scored minor hits with “Wake Up,” and his Fifth Harmony collaboration “All In My Head (Flex).”
Outside of music, Fetty Wap recently made his debut on Love & Hip-Hop: Hollywood this season alongside his child’s mother Masika Kalysha. The pair’s public feuds and drama have drawn major tabloid coverage and ended up getting them a spot on the show. Kalysha appeared on the first season of the show, but was absent from its second season.
You can purchase Fetty Wap’s “Different Now” on iTunes.
Diddy and Cassie have reportedly broken up following a heated argument that took place between the two in a car parked in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Wednesday. According to TMZ, the longtime couple started arguing in the car after Cassie told Diddy she wanted to break up with him. Diddy allegedly grabbed her phone and started scrolling through it before getting out of the car with the phone, and Cassie took off with the driver.
Is RetcH the newest member of the Top Dawg Entertainment family? According to the New Jersey native, he is.
“JUS SIGNED TO @TOPDAWGENT #1UP #FASTMONEY,” he tweeted along with a picture of him sporting a diamond-encrusted TDE chain. Another picture showed him posted up next to a Kendrick Lamar plaque while still wearing the chain and smoking a blunt.
BET released the official nominees for its 2016 Hip-Hop Awards, and not surprisingly Drake leads the pack for the third year in a row, racking up 14 nominations in the wake of his new album VIEWS. Future wasn’t too far behind him, nabbing 10. DJ Khaled followed with nine, and Kanye West grabbed eight. After years of absence, Remy Ma and Fat Joe stormed back into contention with their comeback track “All the Way Up” featuring French Montana. Several artists also make their BET Hip-Hop Awards debut, including Chance the Rapper, Desiigner, Tory Lanez, Bryson Tiller, and Anderson .Paak.
The award show will tape later in September in Atlanta, and will premiere on BET on Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. Be sure to be on the lookout for more announcements surrounding the ceremony, including the hosts, performers, and cypher participants.
In the meantime, you can check out the full nominee list for the 2016 BET Hip-Hop Awards below.
Best Hip-Hop Video
2 Chainz – Watch Out
Desiigner – Panda
DJ Khaled F/ Jay Z & Future – I Got the Keys
Drake – Hotline Bling
Fat Joe & Remy Ma F/ French Montana & Infared – All the Way Up
Kanye West F/ Rihanna – Famous
Best Collabo, Duo or Group
DJ Khaled F/ Drake – For Free
DJ Khaled F/ Jay Z & Future – I Got the Keys
Drake & Future – Jumpman
Drake F/ Wizkid & Kyla – One Dance
Fat Joe & Remy Ma F/ French Montana & Infared – All the Way Up
Best Live Performer
Drake
Future
J. Cole
Kanye West
Kendrick Lamar
Lyricist of the Year
Chance the Rapper
Drake
J. Cole
Kanye West
Kendrick Lamar
Video Director of the Year
Benny Boom
Colin Tilley
Director X
Hype Williams
Kanye West
DJ of the Year
DJ Drama
DJ Envy
DJ Esco
DJ Khaled
DJ Mustard
Producer of the Year
DJ Mustard
Dr. Dre
Metro Boomin
Mike WiLL Made-It
Pharrell Williams
MVP of the Year
DJ Khaled
Drake
Future
Kanye West
Kendrick Lamar
Track of the Year
All the Way Up – Produced By Cool & Dre and Edsclusive (Fat Joe & Remy Ma F/ French Montana & Infared)
Controlla – Produced By BOI-1DA (Drake)
Hotline Bling – Produced By Nineteen85 (Drake)
I Got the Keys – Produced By Southside (DJ Khaled F/ Jay Z & Future)
Panda – Produced By Menace (Desiigner)
Album of the Year
DJ Khaled – I Changed A Lot
Dr. Dre – Compton
Drake – Views
Fetty Wap – Fetty Wap
Future -DS2
Kanye West – The Life of Pablo
Best New Hip-Hop Artist
Anderson .Paak
Bryson Tiller
Chance the Rapper
Desiigner
Tory Lanez
Hustler of the Year
DJ Khaled
Drake
Future
Jay Z
Kanye West
Made-You-Look Award (Best Hip-Hop Style)
A$AP Rocky
Drake
Future
Kanye West
Nicki Minaj
Best Hip Hop Online Site/App
Allhiphop.Com
Complex.Com
Hotnewhiphop.Com
Worldstarhiphop.Com
XXLMag.Com
Best Mixtape
Chance the Rapper – Coloring Book
French Montana – Wave Gods (Hosted By Max B)
Future – Purple Reign
Lil Uzi Vert – Lil Uzi Vert VS. The World
Young Thug – Slime Season 3
Sweet 16: Best Featured Verse
2 Chainz – No Problem (Chance the Rapper F/ Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz)
Drake – Work (Rihanna F/ Drake)
Kendrick Lamar – Freedom (Beyoncé F/ Kendrick Lamar)
Kodak Black – Lockjaw (French Montana F/ Kodak Black)
Nicki Minaj – Down In the DM – Remix (Yo Gotti F/ Nicki Minaj)
Impact Track
J. Cole – Love Yourz
Jay Z – Spiritual
Jidenna – Long Live The Chief
Raury F/ Key – Trap Tears
Sir The Baptist F/ ChuchPeople – Raise Hell
People’s Champ Award
Desiigner – Panda
DJ Khaled F/ Drake – For Free
Fat Joe & Remy Ma F/ French Montana & Infared – All the Way Up
O.T. Genasis F/ Young Dolph – Cut It
Travis Scott – Antidote
Young Thug – Best Friend
Lil B the Based God confirmed that he collaborated with the elusive Frank Ocean on his long, long-awaited new album Boys Don’t Cry.
“He called me to come out and do some stuff for his album, Boys Don’t Cry, that’s coming out,” Lil B revealed to Dazed. “Frank is amazing. He’s a beautiful man with a beautiful voice. He’s a very strong man, a very strong person. Anything that I can do to help him, I will.”
Unfortunately, Lil B had no new information when it came to nailing down a date when we can actually expect to hear the album. “If Frank releases,” he said. “Let’s see what Frank releases. Frank has the material.”
Lil Uzi Vert had another crazy encounter with his fans over the weekend, as he made his way towards the stage for his set at the Day N Night Festival.
Fans spotted Uzi during the festival and a few tried to get close to him, which quickly turned into a frantic scene, as a mob of people began to tackle the rapper to the ground. Pandemonium ensued as Uzi tried to make a quick run for it, but he ran into a guy and then was pulled down to the ground by another fan before he could get away. That’s when the rest of the crowd quickly circled in, making Uzi invisible in a sea of people. Of course, one attendee caught the whole thing going down on her phone. According to Twitter reactions, the Philly native was still able to put on a successful set and later greeted fans while in his Ferrari.
the highlight of this weekend was when I got on video lil uzi vert getting attacked while running to the stage pic.twitter.com/ia8PICTXU1
— Krod (@KatiieRodd) August 15, 2016
This actually isn’t the first time an unsuspecting Uzi has been bumrushed by fans at a concert. Earlier this month, the rapper was pretty much forced to climb a fence after overexcited fans began to surround him at the Hard Summer Festival. It was a pretty similar situation that started with Uzi trying to take some photos with fans before it quickly escalated into madness. Uzi must not have been too phased by the whole thing because he later posted a clip of the incident on Instagram while simultaneously promoting Pharrell’s new shoe creation and his own new Perfect Luv Tape.
Apple Music and Birdman have reportedly inked a deal for a documentary about Cash Money Records, according to a report from Billboard. “Welcome to the fam [Birdman],” wrote Larry Jackson, Apple Music’s head of content, on Instagram. “Tough negotiator. Much respeck.” Although original reports indicated that the entire label would be entering into some type of exclusive streaming deal with Apple Music, several sources confirmed to Billboard that the “power move” was simply a one-off documentary about Birdman and Cash Money.
This makes more sense, as several of the label’s artists are already engaged in separate streaming deals. Drake is very publicly tethered to Apple Music, while Nicki Minaj is an artist-owner of Tidal.
So far, there’s not much information available about the actual documentary. Tensions between the stars of the label remain high, as it’s currently embroiled in a pair of lawsuits from Lil Wayne. As such, it’s hard to imagine Wayne, Drake, or Nicki wanting to sit down for extensive interviews about their experiences with Cash Money. We’ll have to wait and see what form the movie ultimately takes, but it should be interesting to see one of Apple Music’s first major forays into filmmaking and distribution.
For now, keep an eye out for more information about the Cash Money and Apple Music film that’s apparently on its way.