Tory Lanez Urges Other Entertainers To Speak Out And Protest
Tory Lanez took to social media to call out other entertainers to use their platforms to speak out on social injustices and to aid in protests.
By: Omar Cook
The murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police has sent people around the country and the world into an uproar. Protests have broken out all over the country and more and more people are beginning to speak out on social injustices. What’s been interesting is that at a time like this where an incident affects the entire country, you are starting to see people’s true colors about how they feel and what they truly think.
Everyday you log into social media, you see a new entertainer or celebrity being “canceled” for something they have said.
List of people cancelled:
— The Queen (@WorldofJayona) June 1, 2020
Doja Cat
Desi Banks
B. Simone
T.I- on probation for that Wakanda comment
Who else?
Tory Lanez took to instagram live to call out entertainers to disagree with how some of them have voiced their opinions against the protests. He also encouraged them to get out and walk in the protests themselves to see it first hand as he was seen protesting in Miami as well.
A lot of people have disagreed with how the protests have turned from peaceful to violent, and have included vandalism and looting. The counter argument has been that Black people have been degraded for so long that, the vandalism is warranted at this point and that this is the way to gather people’s attention. A good amount of the looting and destruction has also been done by people who aren’t Black and are using this as an opportunity to push their own agenda. People are hurting, that is the bottom line behind all of this.
Lil Wayne made a very controversial statement recently saying “if we want to place the blame on anybody, it should be ourselves for not doing more than what we think we’re doing.” Crazy. Tory Lanez took to twitter to address this very statement.
And to any of my black peers in this entertainment industry .... if your opinion on this matter at hand is ANYTHING along the lines of “ we need to blame ourselves ... and it’s not the cops fault “ or “u gotta look at both sides” .. personally from me to u ... FUCK OUTTA HERE
— Tory Lanez (@torylanez) May 31, 2020
With emotions running extremely high around the country, it is imperative that people with major platforms are using their voices to influence this world for change. Silence is also a major statement in itself as being silent accomplishes nothing for us and lets us know that you are complacent in the way the world is going. It’s time for major changes.
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Album Review: Future's "High Off Life" Does Not Disappoint
Future released his new album “High Off Life” featuring 21 new tracks, after riling up fans on twitter.
By: James Teague
One of the intriguing things when it comes to being part of a fanbase for an artist is being a fan of an artist long enough to know exactly when they’re getting ready to release an album. It all started right around Mothers day when Future decided to tweet Happy Mothers Day to all of the important women of his life who happen to be the mothers of his children. Some days after that, Future then started letting off some cryptic tweets that caused the timeline to be in an uproar.
Some were not thrilled at the tweets which then caused some of the tweeters to throw their own triggered subliminals to the Atlanta Rapper (I don’t know why as if he was going to even respond to them) . The whole time as I’m watching the chaos unfold, there was only one thing that came to mind: Future is gearing up to drop an album. And low and behold the announcement was made to the people for his new upcoming album, High Off Life, like clockwork.
To be completely honest, I was somewhat surprised that he decided to release a new album during this Pandemic because most of his music created is made to hit more while you’re outside and active whether at the club, bar, day party, or working out in the gym. But at the same time. we were eventually due for a new Future album. If you’ve a VIP member of the Freeband Baptist congregation aka Future Hive, then I can already assure that this album is a solid listen.
Coming off of his last album, The Wizrd, we got the hints from the music and interviews that Future was closing down a chapter and heading into a new chapter with his music. Coming into High Off Life, we find that Future is still livings life the rockstar lifestyle. I’ve seen some mention that there was an attempt towards a rebrand on this album. But listening to the music, we still find Future in his usual trap element with songs such as “Trapped in the Sun” and “Hi-Tek Tek“.
When it comes to album intros, Future proves with “Trapped in the Sun”, that he is undefeated in setting the tone for each new album. The first half of the albums starts on a strong foot all the way up until we get to “Trillionaire” with NBA Youngboy. The highlights coming from the features on this album came from Future and Travis Scott teaming up for “Solitaires.” Listening to the duo, the chemistry and vibe was effortless and showcased us the “Rock star lifestyle Might Dont make it” vibes. Needless to say, the other features on this album minus the bonus tracks “Life is Good”, “Last Name”, and “100 Shooters”, the rest of the features were lackluster.
When looking at the tracklist for High Off Life, I just look at all of the last 5 singles after “Accepting my Flaws” as album bonus cuts because those 5 records have already been available prior to High Off Life being released. Listening to “Accepting My Flaws” rings off as an indicator that this is the album closer. All in all, as a fan of Future’s music i thoroughly enjoyed this album for the purpose it served. The tracks that stood out the most to me were “Hi Tek Tek”, “Solitaires”, “Ridin Strikers”, “Posted With Demons”, “Too Comfortable”, and “Accepting my Flaws”. However when compared to the last album The WIZRD, High Off Life does fall short. The difference between the two is that with The WIZRD, the body of work is much more complete and the sound is more fresh whereas with High Off Life certain moments throughout the album sounded uninspired and rushed.
Don’t get me wrong the album is still a good solid project but you cant help but think if whether or not this was just put together and thrown out there for something to hold the masses over. So if you’re a member of Future Hive, then it’s a high chance you’ll be satisfied with this album regardless simply because the “Future formula” was familiar. However if you’re a casual listener then I can understand one was to feel how they feel in regarding the album.
Future - Trapped In The Sun (Audio)
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Erykah Badu And Jill Scott Was More Than A Battle, It Was An Iconic Moment Between Queens
Erykah Badu and Jill Scott share a history of shaping what our music of Neo-Soul sounds like today. These inconic singers were able to come together to uplift each other and give a backstory of how far they’ve come since the jumpstart of their careers in the music industry.
By: Lauryn Bass
The quarantine has proven to be very eventful. One of the highlights out of quarantine was the Verzuz battle of Erykah Badu versus Jill Scott. The two queens were the first females to be headlined on the Verzuz platform, which hyped up the dishing out of their music against each other. This which swept through the media masses and turned out to be deeper than we all thought.
The two singers, who share a history of shaping what our music of Neo-Soul sounds like today, were able to come together to uplift each other and give a backstory of how far they’ve come since the jumpstart of their careers in the music industry.
Hosted on their personal Instagram pages, the two artists went live sharing their hottest songs back and forth. Fans were able to leave comments of praise as they listened to the hottest hits of each singer. As the two vibed with the crowd, Jill Scott begins to share her love for Badu and explains how she influenced her life.
“I was given the opportunity to write a song for the first time, which happened to be for you, and it took off,” Jill explains.
The conversation between them then goes into detail about a performance that Jill Scott opened up for Badu. Jill Scott exclaims how nervous she was to even greet Badu.
“I was told that you were going to be backstage but by the time I got myself together, you had already left.” Scott continues.
Erykah responds with just as much love and how she loved how “dope” the song was that Jill had written for her. She also tells Jill how much she loves her as an artist and how much respect she has her work.
“You had this look and sound that stood out to me,” Erykah reminisces.
Throughout the live, what many believed to be a battle turned out to be an uplifting atmosphere of two humble women in the music game, who prize each other for their art. They shared advice to the viewers about doing what they love and just going for it. Many enjoyed the intimate setting created by the two. It truly was a joy that was even more contagious than COVID.
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Nayome Talks Her New Single "Do You Mind"
Texas singer Nayome, dropped her jazzy new single “Do You Mind”!
“I stemmed inspiration from wanting to experience someone on a deeper level. Knowing someone and really having fun in the process of discovering / experiencing them”
By: Omar Cook
It’s been a minute since Texas singer Nayome, dropped her last EP R E C O V E R E D +, but she is back with her jazzy new single “Do You Mind”!
“I stemmed inspiration from wanting to experience someone on a deeper level. Knowing someone and really having fun in the process of discovering / experiencing them. I think for the future my songs hold more value when it comes to translating my personal experiences. It’s important that I share my experience in my unique way and hope it resonates with others.”
The track produced by Sam Houston and engineered by Sam Hinds features a dope saxaphone melody from saxaphonist Kevin Antoine. This track is a good preview to what’s in store for Nayome as she is working on a new project that she hopes to release by July. The single will be released on all platforms on May 16. Check out the single below!
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Jeh $inatra Talks His New Album "God Intentions"
New York artist Jeh $inatra dropped his new album God Intentions! $inatra talks the creation of his album, cultural empowerment, and the importance of self awareness!
“Listen to the music. Digest the words...but most importantly absorb the message that it brings. Life is much more than just flashy material things...LOVE LIVE LIFE unconditionally and unapologetically ”
By: Omar Cook
New York artist Jeh $inatra dropped his new album God Intentions! The album is positive and uplifting to Black culture, speaks on spirituality, and also touches on some deep subjects such as police brutality.
“We all have intentions to do the right thing, live our lives according to the way God wants us to. Despite the cards we’ve been dealt in life we can always look to God for that light, that beacon of hope to get us through our toughest situations no matter how challenging they may be. We all intend to live our lives accordingly through God.”
The album features 8 tracks, with one of our favorites being “Halos & Crowns” for the line of “They quick to shoot Trayvon but never shoot Rachel. It’s gotta be something in they blood that make em’ hate you, make em’ wanna be racial.” When asked about what track is a must listen, Jeh $inatra said:
“All of them lol. Each is an individual part of a full length story if listened to in the proper sequence...but if I had to choose one I would say God’s Gift. Too many of our beautiful sisters lack the love and encouragement to properly function in today’s society not to mention we get everything from a woman from life itself to the love we carry with us throughout this thing called life.”
Last year $inatra dropped a 4 track EP titled For the Family which was dope for sure, but this project is a much more complete project due to the story telling on every track. Speaking on what to expect from this album, $inatra says:
“Growth. Awareness of who I am and the legacy I want to leave behind as a man who stood for more than just self prosperity but a man who always took into account the prosperity of his people and his culture. I hope these words can help carry someone through Life proudly.”
God Intentions shows the musical growth from his last project and shares a great message for the culture. $inatra discusses what people can expect from listening to this project.
“Complete transparency of the man I’ve become today and what I truly stand for. The advancement of my people and the empowerment of them as well. My integrity is truly intact and I have an abundant amount of self awareness I hope the listener can hear on this project.”
Listen to the album below!
Jeh $inatra - Heaven on Earth (Intro)
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Ray Lavender Talks Building His Music Career, Lessons and Sacrifices, and Keys To Success!
R&B singer Ray Lavender hit the music scene in 2007 with his hit single “My Girl Gotta Girlfriend”! After over a decade in the music industry, Ray discusses the building of his music career, lessons and sacrifices throughout his career, and what it takes to be a successful artist! Check out the interview here!
“When you listen to Ray Lavender, I want you to feel me through my music. I want you to know that I love the craft, I love the art and I love that I am blessed with the gift of song.”
By: Omar Cook
In 2007, R&B artist Ray Lavender hit the music scene in a major way, dropping his debut album X-Rayted which featured his hit single “My Girl Gotta Girlfriend”. Ray Lavender was the first artist to be signed to Akon’s Kon Live Records, which was a joint venture with Geffen Records. Ray made his way Atlanta by way of Monroe, Louisiana where he began to pursue a successful music career. 13 years later since making his debut, Ray is still producing music and has also dived into the world of acting and is preparing himself to be a mogul with a record company owner and movie production company.
Ray Lavender - My Girl Gotta Girlfriend (Dirty Ray, Closed Captioned)
We talked with Ray Lavender in an exclusive interview, check it out below!
How long have you been making music and how did you break into the music industry?
I’ve been making music for a long time ever since I can’t remember. I remember when I was 12 years old and one of my favorite songs was a song called “Two Occasions” that was written by Babyface. That’s when I began the songwriting process. I can remember writing my first song when I was 12 years old and I recorded it with no music on a little tape cassette. The song wasn’t really that good but it was my first song and that’s when the writing process began. I broke into the music industry professionally at the age of 18 years old. That is what I met Akon and Dallas Austin.
What was the creative process behind your hit song “My Girl Gotta Girlfriend” and how did your career shift due to its success?
When I wrote “My Girl Gotta Girlfriend”, I was in a really creative space at the time. I was already signed with Interscope records and Akon‘s record label but at the time the single that they had for me wasn’t a single that I wanted. So I chose to go back in my life and pick out one of the highlights of my life and I wrote a song about it. The world ended up loving that song and it became my first single but the inspiration came from two young ladies and I thank them for putting me through that stress because now I have a hit single from it. Lol.
What projects can we look forward to in the future?
My future projects consist of my new EP Quarantine and Chill with my first single “100”. I’m also doing a lot of acting in stage plays and in movies coming up and am also writing a Christmas movie at this current time.
What motivates you and how do you define success?
What motivates me is knowing that I am very talented at what I do. I wake up every day trying to outdo what I did the day before. What also motivates me is knowing that my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ blessed me with an amazing talent and that’s the gift of song so that I can share it with the world. My definition of success is you being happy and doing what it is you love.
Ray Lavender - Stay
What do you believe is the formula to being a successful artist in today’s hip hop culture?
The formula to success is simple and that’s being creative and thinking outside of the box of whatever it is that you are seeking to do. But you have to work hard at it or else it’s not going to work. You have to understand that hard work really pays off and nothing is going to come to you. You have to do your best to make it work.
Who has been your greatest inspiration?
My greatest inspiration first and foremost ... is my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ because without him nothing will work. After that it’s my parents. They took amazing care of me and my siblings and they always told us to work hard to become great. So with that they are my inspiration. And I can’t leave out Sam Cooke for being amazing inspiration to me musically.
How do you generate new ideas for your music?
I generate new music ideas by what’s going on in my life at the time. I’m really creative, witty, and clever when it comes to writing and putting words together so when I think about my life and what I’m going through, I put them all in song because i’d rather be rapping or singing it.
What lessons have you learned over the course of your music career?
I’ve learned to make sure you read all of your contracts. I’ve also learned to make sure you know where all of your money is going at all times. I’ve learned that no one is really your friend when it comes to money and business and you have to separate the two. I’ve also learned that hard work will win every time someone tries to do you wrong.
What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?
What encourages me to make music is that I am really talented at it. I love to hear a new song by me. It excites me to hear the end of the song and all the harmonies and all the runs that I selected to go into that song. Music is not just music to me, it’s a form of art and I don’t write songs, I paint them. I make moments in time and that’s what excites me. I get discouraged when I make these amazing records and then financially I’m cheated out of the money. When you work so hard on the composition, you want to be properly compensated for it and sometimes the people that you deal with treat you unfairly.
What sacrifices have you had to make, to build your career in music?
I’ve sacrificed a lot of time away from my family. A sacrifice finishing college and playing basketball. I sacrificed watching some of my kids be born because I had a show to do. I sacrificed a lot of time and a lot of my hard earned money to become successful.
What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?
To upcoming artists trying to break into the music industry, my advice is to learn the music business. Learn your craft. If you’re trying to sing, go study the greats and figure out why they became great. Never give up no matter who tells you that you’re not good enough. Stay the course and you will win.
Where do you see yourself and your career in the next 10 years?
In the next 10 years I see myself as a big Music Mogul with the Wrecker company that has multi platinum Artists sign to it. I also see myself with a movie production company and producing my own movies.
Is there anything else you would like people to know about you or your music?
When you listen to Ray Lavender, I want you to feel me through my music. I want you to know that I love the craft, I love the art and I love that I am blessed with the gift of song. I want you to understand that I want to be great and I am going to be great. When you think of music, I should be one of the ledges that pop up in your head long after I’m gone. I need you to understand that that’s what I’m working on and that is what will happen. Just like fine wine, you have to wait for it to get the best taste from it. And I’m almost ready!!
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Jhamasa Goes Animated With A New Visual To Her Single "Blue Baby"
Los Angeles singer Jhamasa dropped a dope visual to her single “Blue Baby”! Check it out here!
By: Omar Cook
Los Angeles singer Jhamasa dropped a dope visual to her single “Blue Baby”! The song produced by produced by Tour Love featuring Yapi Drew and Amadi, was already a vibe to begin with, but Jhamasa took it to the next level with a unique video concept.
The video is all in animation which was co-Illustrated and animated by Jessica Claypool. The song is a toned down R&B track that is perfect for a late night drive and a big switch up from her last video “Bad Mamma Jhamma”. Jhamasa continues to build her resume with consistent bangers and it’s hard to find a miss in her music catalogue.
“Blue Baby” explores a modern concept that every millennial can relate to, which is dating in the social media era and checking out the person you’re dating to make sure they check out. Watch the video below!
Jhamasa - Blue Baby (Official Music Video)
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Lylo Gold Drops A Seductive New Single "Foreplay"
London singer Lylo Gold dropped a seductive new single, titled “Foreplay” which is the second release from her upcoming project Open!
“I want foreplay and I wanna do it your way.”
By: Omar Cook
London singer Lylo Gold dropped a sexy new single, titled “Foreplay” which is the second release from her upcoming project Open, which is set to drop this summer! Lylo teamed up with producer Sunset Drver, to deliver this passionate, sensual track.
Lylo Gold steps outside of her normal vibe to showcase an intimate and seductive sound that is influence by the trap-soul genre. This is a perfect quarantine song and is great for the bedroom. The collaboration between Lylo Gold and producer Sunset Drver is big moment for UK R&B and a quick teaser for what’s to come on her new project. Check it out below!
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Babyface and Teddy Riley Break Instagram Live Record In Iconic 'Versuz' Match-Up
Babyface and Teddy Riley broke the instagram live record in an iconic match-up on "Versuz". Recap the event here!
By: Omar Cook
The first couple tries didn’t go as planned do to sound issues, but when it finally got rolling, it was major. 2 iconic producers in Babyface and Teddy Riley went head to head for the best “Versuz” matchup to date on instagram live.
Swizz Beatz and Timbaland have teamed up to create an instagram series to take advantage of everyone sitting at home by pitting top notch artists and producers against each other in song for song match-ups. Some of the match-ups include RZA vs. DJ Premier, Ne-Yo vs. Johntá Austin, Mannie Fresh vs. Scott Storch, French Montana vs. Tory Lanez, The-Dream vs. Sean Garrett…but this was by far the best match-up.
Teddy Riley and Babyface teamed up to break the instragram live record by attracting over 500,000 viewers. The playlist was crazy between the 2 featuring artists such as SWV, Ready or Not, Tevin Campbell, Doug e Fresh, Janet Jackson, Toni Braxton, Blackstreet and many more!
Babyface recently battled the covid-19 and recovered which pushed the date back but it definitely did not disappoint. Babyface has a decorated resume writing and producing 26 #1 hits and earning 11 Grammys while Teddy Riley has 2 Grammys as well. This was a historic moment in music as 2 producers who are responsible for a lot of the songs we grew up on gave us an epic battle. If you missed it, check it out below!
Teddy Riley Verzuz Babyface - RnB Hits Broke IG Live [Full Version]
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10 Years Later, Wiz Khalifa's "Kush & OJ" Is A Certified Classic
10 years ago, Wiz Khalifa dropped his classic mixtape Kush & OJ, which is arguably his best project to date.
By: Omar Cook
Nostalgic and iconic are two appropriate words to describe Wiz Khalifa’s Kush & OJ mixtape, which debuted 10 years ago on April 14, 2010. That’s right, a whole decade ago. Crazy! If you’re an avid hip hop fan, you very well know the significance of this project.
At a time when digital mixtape culture was reaching new heights with sites like datpiff and livemixtapes.com pumping out all of the latest music, Kush & OJ blew up to millions of downloads to kick off the new decade. At this time WIz had already dropped some classic mixtapes with Flight School, How Fly, and Burn After Rolling, but you could argue that this was his most complete project. This project embodies the phrase “No Skips” as you could run through this tape from start to finish and it would be virtually impossible to choose a favorite song.
The tracklist was crazy, featuring songs like “Mesmorized”, “Up”, “The Statement”, “Spotlight”, “The Kid Frankie”, “Never Been”, “In The Cut”, “Still Blazin”, and “Glass House”. It’s no secret that Wiz has tailored most of his music content to the weed smokers, but even if you don’t indulge, it’s hard to deny the musical production of this project and not enjoy it. For those of us that were in high school, college, early 20s, this projects brings back great memories of a simpler time.
This was Wiz in his prime, the Wiz we hope to hear anytime he drops a new project. He dropped some dope projects soon after with Cabin Fever, Taylor Allderdice, and Cabin Fever 2, but neither of those will match the presence of Kush & OJ. 10 years later, this is still one of the hottest mixtapes to drop. Thank you Wiz for the memories. Listen to the mixtape below!
Wiz Khalifa - Waken Baken