Hip-Hop: Last News

DaBaby has pleaded guilty to misdemeanour simple battery after allegedly sucker-punching a man in his sixties.The rapper was originally charged with felony battery in 2022, where he was accused of punching Los Angeles County rental property owner Gary Pagar. The incident allegedly occured during an unauthorised music video shoot, in which Pagar’s lawsuit claimed DaBaby rented the property for a “private vacation”, instead hosting 40 people and a film crew to shoot a music video.When Pagar attempted to stop the music video being filmed, someone in the rapper’s crew attacked the property owner.

LL COOL J has announced that his new album ‘THE FORCE’ will have a star-studded tracklist and has shared his new single ‘Passion’.Taking to his official social media accounts, the hip-hop legend shared a post that featured the album artwork as well as the full tracklist. Produced entirely by A Tribe Called Quest’s Q-Tip, the 14-track project features the likes of Eminem, Nas, Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes, Saweetie and more.In addition to sharing the tracklist, LL COOL J also shared ‘Passion’, the second single to be released from the album. The song features a flowy and laidback beat while the rapper spits: “Diss tracks can’t distract a mack / Too hot to troll, I’m so cold / Whether Fahrenheit or Celsius these n***** know,” highlighting his relaxed delivery.My new album THE FORCE launches 9/6/2024 scroll up for the cover art and track listing.

The Director’s Label was a definitive document of the MTV era’s waning days. The series of DVDs celebrated music video directors who elevated the form and created a new mini-universe of aspiring auteurs: Spike Jonze, Jonathan Glazer, and Michel Gondry all went on to win Oscars, and underground sci-fi visionary Chris Cunningham helped usher Aphex Twin into popular consciousness with videos for “Come To Daddy” and “Windowlicker” before disappearing.

Beastie Boys will sue the company that owns Chili’s Grill and Bar, claiming the restaurant chain unlawfully parodied their 1994 hit ‘Sabotage’.The hip hop trio have filed a lawsuit against Brinker International for using their song in a Chili’s advert, which allegedly spoofed ‘Sabotage’ and its iconic Spike Jonze-directed video.Filed on Wednesday (July 10) in New York on behalf of the three members Adam Horovitz ‘Ad Rock’, Mike ‘Mike D’ Diamond and the estate of Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch (who passed away in 2012), the band’s lawyers argued the chain used ‘Sabotage’ “without the permission of the rights owners.”Beastie Boys do not license any of their intellectual property for “third-party product advertising purposes”, which Yauch reportedly included in his will.They claimed one Chili’s video not only used ‘Sabotage’, but also showed “three characters wearing obvious 70s-style wigs, fake mustaches, and sunglasses who were intended to evoke the three members of Beastie Boys performed scenes depicting them ‘robbing’ ingredients from a Chili’s restaurant.”The band have alleged this was meant to parody the ‘Sabotage’ video and falsely given the impression that they endorse Chili’s.Beastie Boys are seeking around $150,000 (£115,932) in damages and demanding Brinker remove the offending videos.

Kendrick Lamar has dropped the long-awaited music video for his viral Drake diss track, ‘Not Like Us’.Released on July 4 and co-directed by the rapper alongside Dave Free (who Drake had also dissed in ‘Family Matters’), the video features a slew of West Coast icons, including cameos from Tommy the Clown, producer Mustard – wearing a Toronto Blue Jays cap – and former Toronto Raptor DeMar DeRozan.The Compton MC opens with a new set of bars, which also name-drops Los Angeles native and ‘To Pimp A Butterfly’ collaborator Kamasi Washington: “Reincarnated, I was stargazing’ / Life goes on honey all of my babies / Woke up, lookin’ for the broccoli / Hot key, keep a horn on me, that Kamasi / IP ownership, the ownership is by me / Mister get off, I get off at my feet.”Along the way, Lamar works out in a sparse room populated by just speakers and canvases, performs alongside Crip-Walking dancers, visits Tam’s Burgers and brings out a massive crowd onto Compton’s streets to jam along to the track.Near the end of the video, Lamar also dances with his partner Whitney Alford and their two children – seemingly pushing back against Drake’s accusations against Lamar of infidelity and family mistreatment.Notably, Lamar also takes aim at Drake’s label OVO. Declaring “no Ov-Hoes were harmed in this video”, he destroys an owl piñata – referencing the logo of Drake’s label.

Wireless Festival has announced it will finish early on Sunday in time for the Euro 2024 final.The Finsbury Park festival will start today (July 12), but following the news of last-minute dropouts Tyla and Digga D, the festival took to social media to announce its early closure.Tyla cancelled her festival appearances and upcoming world tour due to a long-term injury. Digga D has not specified the reason for his cancellation, but the drill rapper was arrested on drug charges whilst on livestream back in May this year.Now, Wireless will finish at 7pm on Sunday, which the festival stated was “to give you plenty of time to travel home to watch the EURO final England vs Spain match”.Although details of full stage times are expected to be released later today, Doja Cat will still perform her full headline set as planned.A post shared by Wireless Festival (@wirelessfest)Last year’s Wireless Festival took place at Finsbury Park in July 2023.

Drake during the ESPYs ceremony last night (July 11) – watch the footage below.The awards show – which was held at LA’s Dolby Theatre – was hosted by the Compton-raised tennis star, who fired shots at the rapper in her speech last night.“And if I’ve learned anything this year, it’s that none of us—not a single one of us, not even me—should ever pick a fight with Kendrick Lamar,” she said, referencing Drake’s current feud with Lamar.She then went on to seemingly Crip Walk to Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’, which saw the Compton rapper claim Drake was a “certified paedophile” amongst other accusations.“[Lamar] will make your hometown not like you,” Williams continued. “The next time Drake sits courtside at a Raptors game, they’re gonna Forrest Gump him – seat’s taken!”Watch the moment here:Serena Williams just crip walked at the ESPY Awards to 'Not Like Us' making fun of Drake"and if I've learned anything this year, its that none of us should ever pick a fight with Kendrick Lamar… he will make your hometown not like you, the next time Drake sits courtside at a… pic.twitter.com/KAwTdm4uWR— SOUND (@itsavibe) July 12, 2024According to DJ Akademiks, Drake has music on the way.

Rap Blog is a weekly showcase of a standout rap song. I've been haunted for five months now, liable to randomly exclaim, "If I had a dollar for every faithful bitch in the world my account'd be empty" or "I ain't never dropping no mid!!!!!" Good rappers convince you they're the best alive while their songs are playing; better rappers like Veeze and Rylo Rodriguez casually drop lines that ring in your head while listening to other people's music.

Rick Ross getting into a fight in Vancouver, Canada has gone viral amid his feud with Drake – and 50 Cent shared his thoughts on the altercation.The assault reportedly took place after the ‘I’m A Boss’ star performed at the Ignite Music Festival on Sunday June 29.Ross walked off stage while playing Kendrick Lamar‘s infamous Drake diss track, ‘Not Like Us’, and – in the viral brawl footage – you can see what’s thought to be Ross arguing with a member of the crowd. The man threw a punch at Ross, prompting a brawl between the attendees gathered around the two men.In the video, some of Ross’ squad can be seen getting pushed around and falling to the ground.

Eminem has teamed up with Babytron and Big Sean on his brand new single ‘Tobey’.Tapping into the legendary superhero Spider-Man and the 2002 film of the same name, ‘Tobey’ sees the Detroit rapper wax: “Tobey Maguire got bit by a spider, but see, me, it was a goat” during the song’s third verse before rapping: “Way beyond crazy, Shady gone, but hey, maybe, I am the GOAT/With Big Sean and BabyTron, and that’s why they be on the shit they be on.”The single’s cover art features Eminem with fellow Detroit rapper Big Sean and Babytron recreating the viral three Spider-Men pointing at each other meme. The song marks the second single to be released from the ‘Just Loose It’ rapper’s forthcoming 12th album ‘The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce)‘.

Donald Glover has called out the Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards for having the same amount of awards as Sam Smith.The BET Awards were hosted last night at LA’s Peacock Theatre, where Donald Glover was nominated for Best Actor and was part of a tribute performance to Usher.Though he eventually lost out to Denzel Washington, the actor and musician did take to the stage to present the Album of the Year to rapper Killer Mike. During his speech, he said although he was “really excited” to be at the ceremony, he “wanted to get some things off my chest”.“This isn’t personal but I just feel like I should have more BET awards,” he continued.

Massive Attack have shared the details of their ‘Act 1.5’ show at Bristol Downs and its measures to reduce emissions.Details of the homecoming gig were first shared in December, when the trip-hop collective confirmed that 2024 would see them perform at an all-day “large-scale climate action accelerator event” – celebrating 25 years of climate activism for the band.The gig will take place on August 25 at Clifton Downs in Bristol, and will mark the first performance that Robert ‘3D’ Del Naja and Grant ‘Daddy G’ Marshall have played on UK soil in five years. The likes of Killer Mike, Lankum, Sam Morton and the Wild Bunch’s DJ Milo are also set to perform at the gig.

Run-DMC – has apologised for wearing a gun-shaped bag at this year’s BET Awards.The reality TV star and entrepreneur recently came under fire after she posed with an emerald green, rhinestoned clutch on the red carpet at the ceremony last Sunday (June 30). In photos, she would point the purse as if it were a real gun, aiming it at photographers with a smile.Some people took to social media to share their disdain for the move.

Will Smith got his rap groove back at the BET Awards on Sunday night.The 53-year-old Oscar and Grammy winner performed his new single “You Can Make It,” a gospel-charged testimony — featuring Haitian-American singer Fridayy and the Sunday Service Choir — that was released on Friday.The performance marked the first time Smith appeared at an awards show since he infamously slapped comedian Chris Rock across the face for a joke at the expense of Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith.“The darker the hell you gotta endure/The brighter the heaven you get to enjoy/The harder the fall, the higher you soar/God opens a window when the devil closes the door,” raps Smith, sounding more like the Fresh Preacher.“Believe me, they tried to bleed Will Smith/In the rearview, I see adversity was the gift/To lift me higher gifts require faith/So dry your eyes and then you’ll find the way,” he continues over the take-you-to-church arrangement.It all continues the Oscar Slapgate redemption tour that Smith has been on since “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” opened to boffo box office on June 7, reestablishing the actor as a bankable movie star.But now, the “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It” MC is looking to regain the music cred that led DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince to receive the first Grammy for Best Rap Performance in 1989.Smith wasn’t the only rap icon to take the stage at the 2024 BET Awards: Ms. Lauryn Hill celebrated the 25th anniversary of her Album of the Year Grammy win for her 1998 classic “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.”Also performing at the show — hosted for the fourth time by Taraji P.

Donald Glover gave fans at an advance IMAX screening of A Quiet Place: Day One, a preview of his forthcoming new film Bando Stone & The New World. Check out more details below.In April, Glover announced that his next – and final – album as Childish Gambino: ‘Bando Stone & The New World’ will double as the soundtrack for his upcoming movie of the same name. Though there’s no official release date as of yet, Glover told social media followers in May: “the all new childish gambino album comes out in the summer”.Now, he’s offered the first glimpse at the film during a screening for A Quiet Place: Day One. The trailer has yet to be officially released online.

Rap Blog is a weekly showcase of a standout rap song. My first encounter with Baby Osama was hearing her rap over a Jersey club flip of “Over My Dead Body.” When I interviewed the Bronx rapper last summer, she told me she had never heard the Drake song before, and in fact thought the sample had come from an anime.

Jay-Z and Nas‘ scrapped collab song from the ’90s has now gotten an official release through the re-release of Shaquille O’Neal’s third album.The former NBA star’s third studio album – 1996’s ‘You Can’t Stop the Reign’ – has now been made available to stream on streaming platforms. The LP features the track ‘No Love Lost’ which includes the likes of the two rappers alongside fellow NYC MC Lord Tariq.

Glastonbury 2024 – a first for the festival that celebrates South Asian culture. Check out our video on the Arrivals area above.The Arrivals stage is based in the Shangri-La area of the Worthy Farm site and has been designed by a group of South Asian cultural organisations, including Going South, Dialled In and Daytimers.

Ludacris surprised fans in Milwaukee with a free performance over the weekend after his gig was cancelled due to severe weather conditions.In a video posted to his Instagram on Monday (June 24), Ludacris can be seen walking into a bar in the city, with a speaker strapped across his body as he performed his 2001 hit ‘Move Bitch’.Alongside the video, which features fans singing along at the surprise, free concert, the rapper wrote: “My show in Milwaukee got cancelled last night due to rain and thunderstorms, but I DEFINITELY wasn’t leaving the city without touching the people.”Check out a snippet of Ludacris’ performance below:A post shared by Ludacris (@ludacris)Last year he performed the track while descending from the Atlanta Falcons’ Stadium’s roof, as part of Atlanta’s celebrations for the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.Prior to that performance, he revealed that he plans on releasing new music this year, eight years after his last full length LP ‘Ludaversal’. Speaking to BET, Ludacris said: “Yeah, some music projects will be coming out [in 2024].

Lauryn Hill has announced a new set of tour dates with the Fugees.It comes after a run of dates of ‘The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill’ were cancelled last November after the artist cited a “serious vocal strain for the past month”.She has since returned to performing with a handful of shows across February, March and April of this year including a slot at Coachella.Now, a new run of dates with the Fugees, including two shows in the UK at the Co-Op Live arena in Manchester and The O2 in London in October have been announced with tickets going on general sale for those concerts this Friday (June 28) at 10am BST. You can purchase tickets here.Before that a pre-sale will also be held from 10am BST tomorrow (June 26) until 9am on Friday and tickets can be purchased here.

Tove Lo has responded to Megan Thee Stallion’s request for the two to work together on new music.At a show in Phoenix this week (June 19), Megan picked up a sign from the crowd and made a public appeal to the Swedish singer that they should work on a collaboration some time.“Tove Lo, I don’t know if you’re seeing this, but we gotta do a song, because they’re not fucking around,” Megan said. “Somebody record this for my girl and tell her we need a song.”Now, Tove has given her reply, and it seems like the collab is on.