Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020
Yo! Thanks for opening the fifth edition of Read About It. 💯
On Sunday, the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards were overshadowed by the tragic and sudden passing of Kobe Bryant at only 41 years old after he was involved in a helicopter accident in Southern California. In an unsettling conflict of events, the Grammys were being hosted at the Staples Center, Kobe’s home court for 20 seasons as a Los Angeles Laker. Following the news of his passing, fans flocked to the stadium to pay their respects to the NBA legend, and there were some calls for the Grammys to be postponed.
But the show went on with the weight of Kobe’s death very much in the air. Credit to Alicia Keys, the host of the awards, who handled the situation with incredible poise. She appropriately began the night by paying tribute to The Black Mamba. “We’re literally standing here heartbroken in the house that Kobe Bryant built,” she said.
After singing a brief a cappella performance alongside Boys II Men, which was coordinated in only 10 minutes ahead of the show, Alicia touched on the healing power of music before moving the show forward. “We’re going to make sure that we are celebrating the most powerful energy – the most beautiful thing in the world – the one thing that has the power to bring all of us together: that’s music,” she remarked. “It’s the most healing thing in the world.”
Bravo, Alicia.
Nipsey Hussle, another LA legend who was taken from the world far too soon after he was shot and killed outside of his Marathon Clothing store in Crenshaw in March 2019, was honored by the Grammys as well. To start, he earned his first-ever Grammy for Best Rap Performance for his song “Racks in the Middle,” featuring fellow Californian Roddy Ricch and producer Hit-Boy. Lauren London, Nip’s longtime partner, as well as his brother, sister, grandmother and daughter accepted on his behalf. Summarizing his bigger-than-music mission, London said, “Nip did it not just for the awards but, for the people.”
But the tributes to Nipsey weren’t finished yet as his friends and collaborators DJ Khaled, Meek Mill, Roddy Ricch, YG and John Legend offered performances in his honor. Meek and Roddy took the stage first to perform the just released “Letter to Nipsey,” where Roddy sing-raps, “Had to stare through these tears, ’cause I see you every time my eyes close.” Joined by YG, DJ Khaled and John Legend then did their collaborative effort with Nipsey, “Higher,” which also earned a Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Performance, marking Nip’s second win of the night.
Besides these two very somber storylines, as well as the lack of recognition for the late Juice WRLD outside of a brief slide during the Memoriam section, the biggest hip-hop moments of the night undoubtedly came from Tyler, The Creator. Equipped with his now signature blonde wig, Tyler gave a fiery and ground-shaking performance (literally) of “EARFQUAKE” and “NEW MAGIC WAND,” two standout tracks off IGOR. Flanked by Boys II Men at the beginning and dozens of lookalikes near the middle, Tyler contorted his body and demonstrated remarkable stage presence, resulting in the best performance of the night.
Tyler continued to dominate as he won the Grammy for Best Rap Album, bringing his mother on stage with him for his acceptance speech. It was the culmination of a dream that was a decade in the making. During the post-award interview is when he really let his thoughts be heard, though, expressing shared confusion about why IGOR was nominated for Best Rap Album when it’s not really hip-hop.
“On one side, I’m very grateful that what I made could be acknowledged in a world like this, but also, it sucks that whenever we – and I mean guys that look like me – do anything that’s genre-bending or that’s anything, they always put it in a rap or urban category, which is – I don’t like that ‘urban’ word. That’s just a politically correct way to say the n-word to me,” Tyler said.
“When I hear that, I’m just like, ‘Why can’t we just be in pop?’… Half of me feels like the rap nomination was a backhanded compliment,” he continued. Virgil Abloh praised Tyler’s courage afterwards, stating that the way Tyler feels about the label ‘urban’ is his “exact sentiment when I hear the word ‘streetwear’.”
Before we scroll down to talk about what else is poppin’ across hip-hop, be sure to follow us on Instagram @readabout1 to know when our latest (w)rap-ups drop. You can also check out our playlist on Spotify or Apple to hear the artists and songs we’re rocking with. Much love!
– Gerard Smith, editor of Read About It
1. Cardo – Game Related: Known for his work with both hip-hop superstars (Wiz Khalifa, Drake, Travis Scott) as well as rising artists (Baby Keem, BEAM), Cardo’s soundscape is one of the most diverse in hip-hop. Whether fueling mosh pits comprised of reckless high schoolers or providing the soundtrack to cruise sessions for more sophisticated young adults, Cardo is constantly innovating and providing bounce. His latest project, Game Related, builds on an affinity for cosmopolitan West Coast funk, bringing together tried-and-true talent from California and Detroit.
First up is Larry June, a smooth rapper from the San Francisco Bay region who combines the carefree swagger of Dom Kennedy with the pimpin’ ain’t easy attitude of Too $hort. Previously teaming up with Cardo for his 10-song Mr. Midnight mixtape in summer 2019, Larry is all about getting ya mind right and getting to that bag, reminding listeners to stay on track and mind their business along the way. “Don’t check me, bitch check ya engine light,” he proclaims on “Best Behavior.”
Next, Payroll Giovanni is an OG who originally built his reputation as a member of the infamous Detroit rap crew Doughboyz Cashout. Similar to Larry, Payroll possesses a matured hustler’s mentality, but is a little rougher around the edges. Payroll and Cardo originally came together for Big Bossin Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, shaping the sound of the underground summer in 2016 and 2018. It was with these two projects that Cardo started to fuse his signature sunny synths, sliding bass lines and 808 cowbells with the darker, mashed up piano chords made popular in Detroit rap. On Game Related, many of these elements are coming together once again.
Furthering the Detroit narrative is Kid HBK, or The Heartbreak Kid, who was also a flagship member of Doughboyz Cashout. In the cover art below, you can see HBK in the red convertible holding up a heart chain while sitting next next to Payroll, who slyly counts up some money. This illustration accurately reflects HBK’s role in the foursome as the most outspoken and in-your-face, a persona he’s embodied for many years. For all my Detroit people, HBK lets it be known that he’s still moving about the city and not looking to make friends. “St. Clair Shores, I take her / now this bi**h ain’t yours,” he raps on “Amg Snatchin’.”
Standout tracks include: “Stats,” “Foreign Today” and “Amg Snatchin’.” Stream Game Related on Spotify, Apple or Tidal.
2. Lil Tecca – “Shots”: Only a couple of weeks after dropping a video for “Bossanova,” Tecca is coming with another movie, this time for “Shots.” Over watery bells from Internet Money’s Taz Taylor and Nick Mira, the dudes behind Tecca’s breakout hit “Ransom,” Tecca pays no mind to the doubters and naysayers while immersing himself in Jamaican culture. According to the director, Omar Jones, who also led the video for “Did It Again,” a lot of their time in Jamaica was spent in Lime Hall where some of Tecca’s family lives.
3. Young Nudy – “No Go”: Coming off a strong 2019 that saw Nudy team up with Pi’erre Bourne for the standout project Sli’merre, he’s back with his first single of 2020, “No Go.” Directed by iNIGHTLYFE and co-directed by Nudy, the accompanying visual shows the Atlanta rapper posted up outside the local Phat Phish Cafe in an all black fit while shedding some light on his adventures creeping through the street. He also announced a tour that will take Slime across North America in March and April.
4. Warhol.SS x Ugly God – “Top Off”: Out in Los Angeles, Warhol and Ugly God link up for the video for “Top Off,” the most exciting track off Warhol’s recent mixtape M.I.A. For their first collaboration together, the two SoundCloud talents rev it up in a Mercedes-Benz and pop up at the strip club, an exotic car gathering and on Melrose Ave. “Keep me out the loop, no more internet / you wan’ book me for a show? I’m chargin’ 10 for dat,” Warhol asserts over sparkling production from Kid Hazel.
5. Maxo Kream – “Drizzy Draco”: Omar Jones (director of the Lil Tecca video above) is on fire this week. He also crafted an amusing video for Maxo’s bass-bumping “Drizzy Draco” off his well-received album Brandon Banks, released in summer 2019. Maxo is portrayed here as a shot calling kingpin, riding around town and dealing with everyday folks who have clearly given him some trouble, including a “janky ass crackhead,” a mysterious middle-aged woman who’s “always in the mix,” as well as a “screaming ass lawyer.”
6. Roddy Rich pays tribute to Kobe on Fallon: Fresh from winning his first Grammy for “Racks in the Middle,” Roddy popped out to The Tonight Show to give a captivating performance of his current No. 1 song, “The Box.” Being from Los Angeles, he was also wearing a No. 8 Laker jersey to show his respect for the late Kobe Bryant. There’s no sign of Roddy cooling down any time soon as Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial is reportedly on pace to push Eminem’s Music To Be Murdered By out of the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart next week.
Lil Wayne’s new album comes tomorrow: Weezy’s 13th studio album, Funeral, is set to be released Friday, Jan. 31, 2019. Besides a few loosies here and there, it’ll be the first big drop for Lil Wayne since Tha Carter V in 2018. While not much is known about its contents, Lil Wayne said that he was “a big Lil Baby fan” and had been working with him and Big Sean, according to a XXL interview from summer 2019. In that same interview, Wayne mentioned that LoopHoles, Rio, Academics, MonstaBeatz and London on Da Track will likely carry a lot of the production weight. He also said that he’s trying to keep up with what’s fresh by “trying to put out music that sounds like a little more like today’s music.” In Wayne’s mind, that means adding hooks. “I forget about hooks,” he said. In a snippet uploaded ahead of the album, Wayne previewed a song with a catchy hook, “Wild Dogs.”
One easter egg that was spotted ahead of the release was with the supposed Funeral cover art (pictured above). When flipped, it reads “lil wayne”. Wayne recently delivered a nice guest verse on XXXTENTACION’s posthumous Bad Vibes Forever, so hopefully he packages up that same energy for this latest effort.
50 Cent earns star on Hollywood Walk of Fame: Stemming from a long career in which he’s made waves across music, TV, film, clothing, health and even books, 50 Cent was rightfully given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In a speech during the ceremony, Eminem reflected on meeting 50 for the first time, his accomplishments and his relentless nature. “Of all the things I don’t remember about 2002, I have a very clear memory of the first time I met 50. One of the first things I noticed was his presence. It just kind of felt like he was going to be a star. He was the whole package,” Em said. Dr. Dre, Top Dawg of TDE and others were in attendance for the ceremony.
Major festivals announce lineups: First, Rolling Loud published the MONSTER lineup for its upcoming Miami 2020 festival taking place from May 8-10. The headliners are A$AP Rocky, Travis Scott and Post Malone. Surprisingly, Playboi Carti is listed under A$AP on Friday, though some may contend that Carti would be a better headliner. Other top performers include: 21 Savage, Trippie Redd, DaBaby, Young Thug, Lil Baby, Big Sean, Gunna, Lil Uzi Vert, Roddy Ricch and many more. A$AP will also headline the UK’s Wireless Festival, happening from July 3-5, along with Skepta and Meek Mill.
The Game, Big Sean featured on Kobe dedication track: Justin Credible, 1/2 of the DJ and radio host duo known as the LA Leakers, shared a snippet from The Game and Big Sean just days after Kobe’s passing. Over some inspired drums from Hit-Boy, Sean splits up verses from The Game. “F**k 24/7, I’m goin’ 24/8,” he raps. Would be awesome to hear this one in full.
Pop Smoke spends a rack on sneakers: Only a couple weeks after being indicted for allegedly transporting a stolen Rolls-Royce across state lines, Brooklyn’s Pop Smoke appeared on Complex’s Sneaker Shopping series. In an ironic shot at the beginning of the video, 20-year-old Pop seems to pull up in a Rolls-Royce Wraith, which is the same kind of car he’s accused of stealing and transporting across the country. While there haven’t been many updates regarding his legal situation, Pop seems to be doing fine as he talks about his basketball fandom and cops a few pairs of expensive Jordans and Air Force Ones.
QUICK HITS…
- Eminem Passes Kanye West for Most Consecutive No. 1 Albums on Billboard 200 Chart (XXL)
- Run-D.M.C. recorded an unreleased Adidas song with Kobe Bryant: ‘It was just beautiful’ (Yahoo! Entertainment)
- Listen to the First Episode of ‘Infamous: The Tekashi 6ix9ine Story’ (Complex)
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Read About It By Gerard Smith 