Melvoni | Block Work | #FunkFlexFreestyle0006

We seem to be on a role in BK, still filming in Greenpoint at Fade to Famous barber shop(yes we will hit other blocks, but this is a good spot!). Flatbush on the Spot, Melvoni came through to give us these melodic tunes!

Follow me the Producer of the series:
Tat Wza IG | Twitter

I’m not gonna hold you, this young man is talented AF and just starting out, he’s gonna be here for quite some time! He reminds me of a mix between A Boogie and Lil TJay;

Looking forward to hearing some hits from him!

https://ift.tt/3leWijV

OT the REAL | FUNK FLEX | #Freestyle152

Another Philly spitta spitting in NYC, OT the Real! OT has been on his been on his grind since he got out from his 6yr bid, and he likes to show his street side through his bars.

This has actually been a long time coming, OT’s main management, Izzy from Philly, has been promoting OT to us for about 2 years now, ever since he won top curator through out Messenger platform. OT shows how real he is with these bars, check it out;

https://ift.tt/341AWQg

Rah Swish | Block Work | #FunkFlexFreestyle0005

That Brooklyn Bullsh*t, we on it! Straight out of the Flossy, aka Canarsie Brooklyn New York, Rah Swish came through and delivered those Bars!

Follow me the Producer of the series:
Tat Wza IG | Twitter

The line of “I don’t fu** with Ni**as the fu** with ni**as the don’t fu** with me”… I felt that for Sure!

Brooklyn Drill or Flossy Drill, that boy had a great bop!

https://ift.tt/2S3siuX

LGP QUA | FUNK FLEX | #Freestyle151

We’ve been watching this young man spit bars for a while now, the very talented “Voice of the Youth” has been dropping bars all over the Web! LGP Qua, LGP stands for “Let’s Get Paid”, one of Philly’sfinest… it was time to bring him up!

What surprising and refreshing night, this young man came up and mouthed some words of wisdom to his fellow youths that I really hope resonate in the community to bring more positivity into ‘Our Community’!

Please go this young man’s social media and praise him, from the hood, No gangterisms, No ‘let me show you how hard I am’, NO ‘black on black crime, ni**as & bi**hes talk’, true Black Excellence!

https://ift.tt/3cAUtL7

Kranium | Block Work | #FunkFlexFreestyle0004

“Block Work”, as Funk Says, ‘The New Series continues’! This time we’re back with a diff vibe from the streets, Kranium out here with chunes! Repping Jamrock and NYC via Queens(not just Jamaica Queens), he sat with Funk, and with the sounds of NYC, the vibes really came out!

Follow me the Producer of the series:
Tat Wza IG | Twitter

I wish the bus didn’t step on the hook so much because Kranium Killed it!

https://ift.tt/2ElXvGt

SMOKE DZA | FUNK FLEX | #Freestyle150

A lot of speculation since the launch of “Block Work” that the legendary Hot97 #FlexFreestyle Series was not happening any more… But not only is it still counting with Smoke Dza hitting the 150 mark with Bars!

Harlem’s own Bar smith is on a run for his “Home Grown” project, he stopped by the Hot97 Stu with some Phillepe Chow’s(which was def delicious!) and some Vue for Funk Fliggity… a good time was had by all. Let’s get to these Bars:

Along with dropping Bars and a new album, he’s been giving back to his community and enjoying his Smokers Club status! drop a comment in the YT and tell him you’re fave line!

https://ift.tt/32PxEQT

Bizzy Banks | #FunkFlexBlockWork0003 | #FunkFlexFreestyle

This week Flex got to some Heat from the streets, young Bed Stuy Brooklynite Bizzy Banks, also claiming East NY, young Banks stopped by Greenpoint Brooklyn with that Brooklynns Drill.

Follow me the Producer of the series:
Tat Wza IG | Twitter

On another epic episode of the Freestyle #FunkFlexBlockwork, outside with the lots of Sounds from New York on the track, this truly IS what NYC sounds like!!

Look, I’m from a diff era, and I have a real Love for BARS… But I don’t front on Heat, and Bizzy Banks’ wordplay shows talent! The ‘thing 1 Thing 2’ stuff did it for me, what was yours?

https://ift.tt/3bYFpa6

#FunkFlexBlockWork0002 | Action Bronson | #FunkFlexFreestyle

Last time in the BX Dave East, repping Harlem, Bars were def LAID! Well Here we go again, back in these streets, this time Greenpoint Brooklyn, Action Bronson laying down these BARS repping Flushing Queens!

Follow me the Producer of the series:
Tat Wza IG | Twitter

Let’s Start with the actual Bars:

As Action put it on location, that was like a Flawless victory, “Finish Him”. Stay Tuned for More heat, and get ahead of everyone by Subscribing to the Youtube Channel and hitting the notification Bell

https://ift.tt/3hFE5Lb

Funk Flex Top 10 Greatest Rappers/MC’s; Here Are The Requirements

Ok, Yes this stems from the conversation still going on to this day about the List Flex put out October 2019. Apparently Flex ran into some guys that were still having a debate about it so Flex decided to put the top 10 in video form!

Tat Wza IG | Twitter

Main Requirement, Living… clearly this is a diff conversation with some of the GREATEST EVER not on our plain of existence. the rest is based off BARS and body of work.

Here’s the list:

10 – Black Thought
09 – Jadakiss
08 – Pusha T
07 – Kendrick Lamar
06 – J. Cole
05 – Drake (Questionable Pen)
04 – Rakim
03 – Nas
02 – Andre 3000
01 – Jay Z

If you can’t catch a vibe off that, let Flex tell you himself;

I’m sure there’s some debate in this list alone, what are your thoughts?

https://ift.tt/2QI6xjO

Meek Mill Shares First Glimpse of Son

Meek Mill is a proud dad.

Just a week after welcoming his second son, the Philly rapper is sharing the first glimpse of his baby boy with girlfriend Milan Harris. Taking to Instagram Stories, Meek posted a Boomerang of himself feeding the newborn with a bottle of milk. But fans will have to wait to get a better look at the baby, whose face remains hidden in the photo.

The parents have yet to share the name of their baby boy, who was born on Meek’s 33rd birthday on May 6. “Milano dropped me off a king on my birthday!” said Meek, who also has a 9-year-old son, Murad Williams aka Papi, from a previous relationship.

Harris celebrated her first Mother’s Day with a special gift from Meek, who sent her boxes of white roses with “Boy” spelled out in blue. “Happy first Mother’s Day @iammilanrouge #goldfish,” he captioned his post.

View this post on Instagram

Happy first Mother’s Day @iammilanrouge #goldfish

A post shared by Meek Mill (@meekmill) on May 10, 2020 at 1:13pm PDT

Just a week after giving birth to her son, the new mom is getting back to work. She continues to run her fashion label Milano Di Rouge while nursing her newborn. “Pumping, working & conference call…while baby is sleeping,” she wrote.

Meek also has a busy summer ahead. Earlier this week, he announced that his Dream Chasers playlist will drop in June featuring his new single “How You” with Vory.

Ariana Grande Talks Doja Cat Collaboration, Love for Rihanna, & Mac Miller’s Legacy

Ariana Grande is turning to music during trying times. While quarantined at home, the singer called into Zane Lowe on Apple Music’s “At Home With” radio show.

During the wide-ranging interview, which was conducted over FaceTime, she opened up about working with Justin Bieber on their feel-good duet “Stuck With U,” with proceeds benefitting the First Responders Children’s Fund.

“We just wanted to make something fun that also helps and kind of makes people feel, I think less alone,” said Ariana. “Or just like be hopefully somewhat uplifting. I think it’s also a really literally isolating time for people mentally, too. So just, we wanted to put music out because music is the thing that makes people feel good. It’s the thing that speaks most to people’s spirits and we just wanted to lift them.”

She also revealed that she and Doja Cat have recorded an unreleased collaboration. “I’m obsessed with her. I love her,” she said of the “Say So” hitmaker. “I was able to work with her earlier this year on this song that I want to save for whenever it’s time again, to drop. But I love her so much. I love her personality. I love what she brings to the table musically. She’s just such a breath of fresh air. I think she’s brilliant and so talented.”

Ariana recalled sending the song to Doja, who happened to be in the shower. “She twerked so hard that her wig fully flew off. She had a whole verse done, everything was done. I was like, ‘First of all, you ate.’ She was like, ‘How many bars can I take? Because this is mad inspiring and I want to just go.’ And I was like, ‘Take as many bars as you want. Do it. If you’re inspired to say stuff, let’s go.’ And so she just goes off on it, and it’s so much fun, and I love it. It’s my favorite so far.”

At one point, the conversation turned to her late ex-boyfriend Mac Miller and the legacy he leaves behind. “I think that nothing mattered more to him than music ever,” she said. “He was a person who gave literally every single second of his thought and time and life to his music. And I think that’s so evident in what he’s left us with… It’s just such a beautiful gift I think that he kind of touched the world with, and I think the thing he’d want most is for us to just appreciate it and not forget about it.”

Grande also gave props to her favorite divas including Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Madonna, who she included on her “At Home With” playlist. “I had to throw in all my favorite vocalists, but Whitney for me has always been at the top, tip-top, number one. She’s the best,” she said. “When I was younger, my mom and everyone, we would just blast the divas, Whitney, Madonna, Mariah, Celine. It was a very vocal, gay musical house.”

Plus, she revealed that she’s a proud member of the Navy, and can’t wait for Rihanna to drop her long-awaited ninth album. “I’m really glad that she’s putting in so much effort. It means a lot,” she said. “I listened to ANTI every day. I think it’s time, I need it. You know what I mean? Sorry. She’s going to hate me for saying that, but I want it so bad. I get it. I appreciate it. Can you just post it and then just leave and then go back to work. And I’m buying the undies. I’m buying the makeup. I’m streaming ANTI, I’m streaming Unapologetic. I’m streaming Loud. Every day, I really am. And I’m being patient and I’m supporting, but I just need you to hit send and just post it and just let us have it.”

Fans have also been waiting for Ariana to drop a new album, but she’s in no rush. While she’s constantly creating, she doesn’t feel “comfortable” releasing music anytime soon. “There’s nothing to tell. I’m not putting one out,” she said. “I’ve been making stuff. I’ve been making a lot of stuff, but that’s not where my head is at right now.”

Future Announces New Album ‘High Off Life’

Future season is upon us again.

The prolific Freebandz rapper surprised fans by announcing that his eighth studio album High Off Life will arrive this Friday, May 15.

Executive produced by DJ Esco, the 21-track set features the Drake-assisted hit “Life Is Good,” which was recently certified 4x platinum, along with the remix with Lil Baby and DaBaby.

The star-studded guest list also includes Travis Scott (“Solitaires”), YoungBoy Never Broke Again (“Trillionaire”), Young Thug (“Harlem Shake”), Lil Uzi Vert (“All Bad”), Meek Mill (“100 Shooters”), and Lil Durk (“Last Name”).

During an interview with XXL earlier this year, Future revealed the album’s original title, Life Is Good. “It’s about life and being good and just enjoying life,” he told the magazine. “So many tragedies and catastrophes and everything is going on in the world. And you want to enjoy life, as long as you have it. Waking up, breathing, well, you want to be able to soak it all up and be appreciative for every moment on this earth, every moment that you’re living.”

High Off Life follows June’s Save Me EP and The WIZRD, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in January 2019. “This album right here defines me at a creative level,” he said of his latest project. “Going to the next level where you just going to the next level and always going outside the box, but still remaining true to my core fans and my core audience.”

See the tracklist below.

Diddy Shares Emotional Tribute to Andre Harrell

Just days after the sudden passing of Andre Harrell, Sean “Diddy” Combs is opening up about the devastating loss.

Taking to social media on Monday, the hip-hop mogul penned a touching tribute to the legendary music executive, who died Thursday at the age of 59. In his post, an emotional Diddy said he’s trying to come to terms with the loss of his mentor and father figure.

“I honestly still can’t believe it, I’ve got to give myself the reality of this in doses,” he tweeted. “Because I can’t even handle this. I hope to God that you are all blessed to have someone in your life that loves you and believes in you like this man believed in me.”

He also sent his love to Harrell’s family including son Gianni and cousin O’Neal McKnight. “I’m going to miss him so much. I can’t even imagine life without Dre. God bless Gianni, O’Neal and the rest of the family,” added Puff. “LOVE YOU FOREVER DRE!!!!!!!!!!

I’m going to miss him so much. I can’t even imagine life without Dre. God bless Gianni, O’Neal and the rest of the family.
LOVE YOU FOREVER DRE!!!!!!!!!!

— Diddy (@Diddy) May 11, 2020

In the early 1990s, Harrell gave a young Sean Combs his big break when he hired him as an intern at Uptown Records, after being introduced to him by Heavy D. Harrell fired Diddy in 1993 before he went on to found Bad Boy Records. “I guess Andre didn’t want two kings in the castle,” Diddy told The New York Times. “I had obtained some success, some notoriety, and I didn’t realize it wasn’t my house.”

They remained close throughout the years. In January, Puff paid tribute to his mentor while accepting the Industry Icon Award at The Recording Academy and Clive Davis’ Pre-Grammy Gala. “I wanna thank Andre for being a big brother, for believing in me. Dre, I’m only standing up here because you gave me the chance,” he said as Harrell looked on with tears in his eyes.

“As a black man, you took me underneath your wing… I call you my big brother, but tonight I gotta tell you the truth… I told you my father died when I was two-and-a-half. Andre, you’ve been my father for the last 30 years.”

Harrell died from heart failure at his home in West Hollywood, Calif. on Thursday night. In the wake of his death, friends including Mariah Carey, Teddy Riley, Russell Simmons, and Usher also paid tribute to the influential executive on social media.

Nelly and Ludacris to Face Off in ‘Verzuz’ Battle

It’s going down down, baby.

Nelly and Ludacris will face off in the next “Verzuz” battle, which will take place Saturday, May 16. Swizz Beatz and Timbaland made the official announcement on Instagram Live following Saturday’s battle between Erykah Badu and Jill Scott.

“Ludacris called me and said he wanted the smoke,” said Swizz, while Tim responded, “Nelly want the smoke with Ludacris!”

Nelly and Ludacris will face off on the next #VERZUZ battle on Saturday, 5/16 pic.twitter.com/6BWEOrv1MP

— Rap-Up (@RapUp) May 10, 2020

Expect an epic matchup from the St. Louis and Atlanta rap titans. Nelly has 14 top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 including the chart-topping “Hot in Herre” and “Dilemma,” while Ludacris’ catalog includes smashes such as “Stand Up,” “Southern Hospitality,” and “Money Maker.”

Erykah Badu and Jill Scott were the first women to battle in the “Verzuz” challenge, which took place in honor of Mother’s Day. The livestream set a new record for “Verzus” with 750,000 viewers tuned in at once, including Rihanna, Michelle Obama, and Quincy Jones.

Previous “Verzuz” battles have included Babyface and Teddy Riley, DJ Premier and RZA, Ne-Yo and Johnta Austin, Scott Storch and Mannie Fresh, and Lil Jon and T-Pain.

According to Swizz, you have to be a GOAT to even get an invitation. “You gotta have 20 hits to get in Verzuz,” said Swizz. “GOAT means greatest of all time. Don’t put yourself in that fire if you don’t got no ice.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Swizz Beatz (@therealswizzz) on May 9, 2020 at 7:54pm PDT

6ix9ine Defends Snitching, Declares Himself ‘King of New York’

6ix9ine is getting back to his old ways.

A month after he was released from prison early due to the coronavirus, the rapper released his new single “GOOBA” and returned to Instagram Live on Friday (May 8). During his 13-minute rant, which was watched by an audience of two million, a defiant Tekashi defended his snitching while putting his haters on blast.

The livestream opened with his girlfriend Jade and her sister Baddie Gi twerking to “GOOBA” before the rainbow-haired rapper emerged dangling a pair of handcuffs and dripping in jewelry, while Inner Circle’s “Bad Boys” played.

Standing in a bedroom, he showed off his four diamond-covered watches that each cost a reported $1 million. “That’s a million, y’all could never,” said Tekashi, who turns 24 today.

After rapping along to his Tory Lanez-assisted hit “KIKA,” he addressed his return. “You know why people so mad? ‘Cause they thought it was over for me. They counted me out,” said Tekashi. “Y’all could never cooperate with the government and come back. Y’all could never do that. I’m a living legend at the age of 24 years old. Shout out to Tory, shout out to Drake, shout out to Bad Bunny, y’all ni**as could never. Stop playing with me.”

Following his feud with Meek Mill earlier in the day, Tekashi took aim at the competition. “We can’t beef. Me and y’all not the same. Y’all not the kings of New York. Look at the numbers. How y’all let that kid rat? How y’all let him rat and come home to still get more numbers than us, break all the records? Y’all can’t stand it.”

Tekashi, who signed a multi-million-dollar record deal, continued to boast about his recent purchases including a $500,000 shark chain and a fleet of luxury vehicles including a Lamborghini Aventador, Wraith, McLaren, and G-Wagon. “All mine. All bought out,” he said. “You’re a little boy. Sit down. The king is home. It’s over.”

He admitted to snitching (“Listen, I snitched, I ratted, but who was I supposed to be loyal to?”), saying that members of his former gang, the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods, were not loyal to him in the first place.

“If there is a street code and if something’s so-called loyalty and everything and no snitching and all of that, I get it. Where was the loyalty when you was sleeping with my baby mother? Where was the loyalty when you were caught on the wiretap trying to kill me? Where was the loyalty when you tried to kidnap my mother? Where was the loyalty when you were stealing millions of dollars from me? So who broke it first? I get it. Don’t fight fire with fire. I’m sorry. But what did I do wrong?”

Added Tekashi, “I’m a rainbow-haired Mexican kid. I rap. I’m not ’bout that gang shit, but listen, I know how to get us out. You wasn’t loyal to me.”

He also thanked his fans, his legal team, and the judge. “I love you guys. Thank you for helping me come back as strong as possible,” said 69. “I wanna say thank you to the judge for allowing me to come home to my family, to let me celebrate a birthday out here with my family.”

And as millions of viewers looked on, he ended by crowning himself king. “I’m the biggest artist in the f**kin’ world. Men lie, women lie. Numbers don’t lie.”

6ix9ine Returns with New Single ‘GOOBA’

Hate him or love him, 6ix9ine is back.

Just a month after his release from prison to home confinement, the embattled rapper returns with new music. On Friday, Tekashi dropped “GOOBA,” his first release since his 2018 debut Dummy Boy.

Expect even more more music. He has reportedly set up a studio at home and is recording an English and Spanish album as part of his multi-million-dollar deal with 10K Projects.

A judge has also given him the green light to film music videos “within the confines” of his home. Tekashi can perform employment-related activities for two hours per week and one specific day pending advance approval by his probation officer.

6ix9ine was released from a Queens Detention Facility on April 2 to avoid contracting the coronavirus. He will serve the remainder of his 24-month sentence under supervised release. He has already returned to social media, popping up during Tory Lanez’ Instagram Live and even feuding with Meek Mill.

Kehlani Says Drake Helped Name Her Album

Kehlani has Drake to thank for inspiring her album title.

The singer is opening up about the instrumental role the 6 God played in naming her new album It Was Good Until It Wasn’t. During an interview for the debut episode of Apple Music’s R&B Now Radio, Kehlani revealed that she traveled to Canada to finish the project with Boi-1da and on the last day of her trip, she paid a visit to Drake’s house.

While having a “life conversation” and discussing their music, Kehlani casually used the phrase while referencing her personal life. “We were talking about the old music, talking about what we were both about to do,” she said. “And I was just talking about personal life and I was just like, ‘Man, yeah, it was good until it wasn’t.’ And he was like, ‘Say that shit again.'”

That’s when she knew she had found her album title. “He was like, ‘That’s your album.’ And I was like, ‘You might be right,’ because that just summed up everything when I try to have this really long-winded explanation to you about the project.”

Kehlani is grateful to Drake for his guidance. “Shout out to that guy for catching that one ’cause that would’ve been just something that I said,” she added.

Amid the pandemic, she decided to take things into her own hands and shoot and edit her own videos including the visuals for “Toxic” and “Everybody Business.” “It was something that was just a journey for us alone so I think that’s the biggest thing about this whole quarantine was that I impressed myself and that’s why no matter what happens with this album, this might be my favorite project I’ve ever put out or done,” she said. “I impressed the shit out of myself and I picked up some valuable things that I’ll be able to take into the next project.”

It Was Good Until It Wasn’t drops tonight featuring Tory Lanez, James Blake, Lucky Daye, Masego, and Jhené Aiko. “She was super busy so I’m just grateful that she actually took the time to do this,” she said of the Chilombo star. “She didn’t have to, but she did. And she was like the only girl to send a verse back.”

The full episode of R&B Now Radio with Kehlani airs Friday at 11 a.m. EST on Apple Music.

Doja Cat Says She ‘Manifested’ Her ‘Say So’ Remix with Nicki Minaj

Doja Cat is turning her dreams into a reality.

On Friday, she dropped the remix to her hit single “Say So” featuring one of her favorite artists, Nicki Minaj. Now the L.A. hitmaker is opening up about how the long-awaited collaboration came to be.

Speaking with Nick Cannon on Power 106’s “Nick Cannon Mornings,” Doja said the remix “happened very quickly,” but she’s been manifesting it for years. “It was a conversation for a long time,” she said. “And I was like, ‘This is who I want, this is who I want. Please God, please, please, please.’ And it just happened.”

The idea originally started as an inside joke with her fans on Instagram Live. “I was ending every sentence with ‘featuring Nicki Minaj.’ So I was saying, ‘Damn you look good featuring Nicki Minaj’ [or] ‘My ass itch featuring Nicki Minaj,'” she said. “But that was so long ago but then it happened and I feel like I manifested it or something.”

When asked if she was privy to Nicki’s verse in advance, Doja said she was surprised just like everyone else. “It wasn’t discussed before so it was a surprise for me too, but she killed it as per usual.”

The remix includes some controversial lines, which some fans took as a shot at Wendy Williams (Nicki has denied the diss), but Doja says that’s all part of the appeal. “People want to create like a lore or like a story or a fantasy over somebody’s lyrics. At all times, if they’re big enough and there is some sort of seemingly ‘competition’ to whatever’s happening, so it’s just for their entertainment and not so much the truth.”

She added, “She’s an entertainer and that’s on period.”

The original “Say So” is currently No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, but should see a boost next week thanks to Nicki’s remix. Doja recently performed her Hot Pink hit as part of Vevo’s LIFT Live Sessions.

Rick Ross Accused of Not Paying Child Support

Rick Ross is going through baby mama drama.

The mother of the rapper’s two children has accused the Maybach Music mogul of not paying child support.

According to Bossip, Briana Camille said Ross hasn’t made payments in months and did not support her financially throughout her pregnancy.

Additionally, Camille claims that Ross hasn’t attempted to see their 3-year-old daughter, Berkeley, and 2-year-old son, Billion, in two months and has accused him of evading her attempts to serve him with her paternity and child support lawsuit.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by . (@therealbrianacamille) on Sep 9, 2019 at 7:00am PDT

Camille’s lawyer, Randall Kessler, says that his client tried to keep the matter private before going public. “[She] has done all she can to keep this civil, and has avoided commenting to the press,” said Kessler. “But after Mr. Roberts (Rick Ross) through his lawyer, made untrue statements to the media and the failure of the father of her children to provide any support for the past few months has left her with no choice but to seek help from the court and to offer this reply to what his lawyer told the press.”

Ross is denying the accusations. His lawyer, Leron Rogers, maintains that he has been paying child support and reached out to Camille through his lawyers to take a DNA test following their split.

The former couple welcomed son Billion Leonard Roberts in November 2018. Their daughter, Berkeley Hermes, was born in September 2017. Ross also has a teenage daughter Toie from a previous relationship.

View this post on Instagram

#BillionRoberts

A post shared by . (@therealbrianacamille) on Dec 26, 2019 at 6:10am PST

Travis Scott and Kid Cudi’s ‘The Scotts’ Debuts at No. 1

Travis Scott and Kid Cudi are blasting straight to the top.

The rappers’ collaborative single “The Scotts” debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song, which debuted during Scott’s “Astronomical” virtual experience on Fortnite, racked up 42.2 million U.S. streams in the week ending April 30. It also opens at No. 1 on Digital Song Sales, with 67,000 downloads sold, boosted by 15 physical copies of the single with artwork designed by KAWS.

“The Scotts” marks Scott’s third No. 1 on the Hot 100 and Cudi’s first. “THIS MEANS SO MUCH TO ME!!! IVE BEEN IN THIS GAME FOR 12 YEARS AND I FINALLY DID THIS W MY MUTHAFUCKIN BROTHER!” tweeted a grateful Cudi. “TO MY PARTNER IN RAGE TRAVIS AND ALL MY FANS AROUND THE WORLD THAT SUPPORTED US AND GOT US ON LISTS, I FUCKIN LOVE YOU!!”

THIS MEANS SO MUCH TO ME!!! IVE BEEN IN THIS GAME FOR 12 YEARS AND I FINALLY DID THIS W MY MUTHAFUCKIN BROTHER! TO MY PARTNER IN RAGE TRAVIS AND ALL MY FANS AROUND THE WORLD THAT SUPPORTED US AND GOT US ON LISTS, I FUCKIN LOVE YOU!! https://t.co/vAt4d6WeGN

— The Chosen One (@KidCudi) May 4, 2020

Travis previously reached No. 1 with “Sicko Mode” in December 2018 and “Highest in the Room,” which debuted atop the Hot 100 in October 2019. Cudi previously peaked at No. 3 with his 2009 breakout single “Day ‘N’ Nite.”

Megan Thee Stallion also earns her first top 10 Hot 100 hit with her Suga hit “Savage,” which rises from No. 14 to No. 4 following the surprise remix with Beyoncé.

Elsewhere in the top 10, Drake’s “Toosie Slide” slips 2-3, Roddy Ricch’s “The Box” drops 3-5, and Doja Cat’s “Say So” drops 6-5, although it should see a boost next week following the remix featuring Nicki Minaj.

The #Hot100 top 10 (chart dated May 9, 2020) pic.twitter.com/9qFG5v3e2d

— Billboard Charts (@billboardcharts) May 4, 2020

Drake Battling for No. 1 on Charts

Drake is vying for No. 1 on next week’s charts.

The rapper’s surprise mixtape Dark Lane Demo Tapes is putting up big numbers since its release on Friday. According to HITS Daily Double, the 14-track set is expected to move 230-255,000 equivalent album units in its first week, of which 18-23,000 are in album sales.

But country legend Kenny Chesney is hot on Champagne Papi’s heels with his latest album Here and Now, which is on track to do 220-235,000 units in its first week. Of that number, a whopping 210-220,000 are from traditional album sales.

Drake appears to have a slight edge with streams currently projected to top 275 million, but Chesney is close behind thanks to a concert ticket bundle.

On Friday, Drake dropped Dark Lane Demo Tapes, a precursor to his sixth studio album, due this summer. The project consists of “some leaks and some joints from SoundCloud and some new vibes,” including collaborations with Chris Brown, Future, Playboi Carti, and Young Thug.

Final numbers won’t be released until next Sunday. Meanwhile, YoungBoy Never Broke Again is expected to top this week’s Billboard 200 with his mixtape 38 Baby 2.

YG Announces New Album ‘Laugh Now Kry Later!’

YG is ready for the next episode.

A year after his last album, the Compton rapper is readying his fifth studio album–Laugh Now Kry Later!

On Friday, he dropped the title track, which serves as a gift to fans during quarantine. The video, shot in his hometown of L.A., features a tribute to the late Nipsey Hussle along with appearances from his two young daughters.

“This song is the title track from my upcoming album Laugh Now Kry Later!” said YG. “There’s more heat coming when we’re back outside again, but wanted to give my fans something to vibe to while we’re all inside. Stay home, stay safe and stay dangerous.”

Laugh Now Kry Later! marks the follow-up to last year’s 4REAL 4REAL, which debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200. In honor of Valentine’s Day in February, YG released his “Konclusions” collaboration with his now ex Kehlani.

In addition to releasing his own music, YG has launched his 4Hunnid joint venture with Epic Records. He recently introduced his first signee, female rapper Day Sulan.

Megan Thee Stallion Reveals How Beyoncé Ended Up on ‘Savage’ Remix

Megan Thee Stallion is opening up about her top-secret collaboration with Beyoncé.

Earlier this week, the Hot Girl and Queen Bey surprised everyone when they dropped the remix to “Savage.” When she spoke with Ebro Darden on Apple Music this week, Meg was still reeling from the dream duet with her fellow Houstonian.

“I really can’t believe it, because being from Houston Beyoncé is just Queen. That’s all you know. There’s no debate, it’s nothing else to say—who’s better than Beyoncé?” she said.

Meg reveals that she had to keep the song under wraps, not telling anyone, not even her best friend. “Nobody knew I was working on the song, nobody knew we was working on the song,” she said. “I didn’t tell my best friend, I didn’t tell nobody on my team. I didn’t tell anybody.”

When she first heard that Bey wanted to do a remix to her hit “Savage,” she couldn’t believe it. “I got a call one day and they were like, ‘Yeah, Beyoncé gonna do a remix of Savage,’ and I was like, ‘Shut the f**k up’ … I didn’t believe it—I was like, ‘Okay, whatever.'”

The day the song dropped, she cried tears of joy. “I woke up and I was like… ’cause I knew the song was coming out… but, it was still like, ‘Is it really gonna drop? Are we doing this for real for real?’ And I mean I cried… like I had to call my grandma.”

She recalled the first time she met Beyoncé at her and JAY-Z’s New Year’s Eve party. “They had a New Year’s Eve party at the house, so no it didn’t come from that day, that was like legit my first time meeting Beyoncé. And oh my God, we really danced like all night, I was really in there cutting up. I was like, ‘Wow, Beyoncé accepts my turn up… she likes ratchet Megs’ and I love it.”

Since the song’s release, she’s spoken to Bey. “She was just super supportive. Every time I see her she’s always like telling me, ‘Keep going, keep going hard, you really got it—do you,'” she said.

Added Meg, “She’s somebody that really inspired me too, so just to know that Beyoncé even has heard any of my music or just has watched me as an artist come up doing what I’m doing and that she’s rocking with me enough to even do a song with me, that’s really something that touched my heart because I looked up to Beyoncé since I was like young. It just seemed like a dream but in the back of my head I just always knew that at some point in my life I have to do a song with Beyonce.”

Proceeds from the “Savage (Remix)” will benefit COVID-19 relief efforts in Houston through Bread of Life, Inc., which serves hot meals to the homeless at St. John’s United Methodist Church in downtown Houston.

Drake Is Reportedly Dropping a Surprise Project Tonight

Drake is planning a big surprise.

The 6 God is reportedly dropping a new project called Dark Lane Demo Tape tonight. On Thursday, fans noticed that several new tracks started to appear on music ID platform Shazam, with titles such as “From Florida With Love,” “Landed,” and “Time Flies.”

The project will reportedly consist of 13 tracks, including collaborations with Future and Young Thug (“D4L”), Chris Brown (“Not You Too”), and his long-awaited collaboration with Playboi Carti (“Pain 1993”). His chart-topping hit “Toosie Slide” and the previously-released “Chicago Freestyle” and “When to Say When” also appear on the tracklist compiled by fans.

Drake previewed his collaborations with Playboi Carti and Fivio Foreign during OVO Mark’s Instagram Live earlier this month, while “Desires” with Future was leaked by Drake himself in January.

It appears that the project is a mixtape to hold fans over until he drops the official follow-up to 2018’s Scorpion. “Album’s on the way, ’bout to slap head tops off,” he said during OVO Mark’s livestream.

Drake has yet to comment on the rumored project, but all signs point to new music.

Rumoured tracklist for new Drake tonight, pure speculation though pic.twitter.com/SZCuy6aq8c

— Will (@TheWayLif3Goes) April 30, 2020

DRAKE X CARTI TONIGHT!! pic.twitter.com/3WZtbeipIz

— Amin & Hugo (@aminethugo1) April 30, 2020

RUMOR: According to Shazam Drake may be releasing a new song featuring Chris Brown tonight.

Drake is also rumored to be releasing a surprise mixtape/album. pic.twitter.com/ydXKoS0Ifh

— Chris Brown News(fan) (@ChartsBreezy) April 30, 2020

Watch a Sneak Peek of The Weeknd’s ‘American Dad’ Episode

The Weeknd is taking over your TV screen.

After conquering the charts with his latest album After Hours, the superstar singer is foraying into television by co-writing an episode of the TBS animated series “American Dad.”

On Tuesday, he shared a sneak peek of the episode, entitled “A Starboy Is Born,” before it airs next Monday. In the teaser, Roger Smith, voiced by Seth McFarlane, transforms into The Weeknd and performs his own rendition of his hit “Starboy.” “Life’s much better as The Weeknd though / Partial Strip view at the Flamingo,” he sings.

May 4th. A Starboy is Born pic.twitter.com/Ly4PiURucr

— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) April 27, 2020

The Weeknd also makes a cameo as himself in the 30-second clip. “I thought you were going to murder me,” says an animated Abel while seated around the show’s characters at the dinner table.

According to Deadline, the episode will also feature an original song by the Grammy winner, whose album After Hours is currently No. 2 on the Billboard 200.

The Weeknd’s episode of “American Dad” airs Monday, May 4, at 10 p.m. on TBS. Get a sneak peek below.

Next Week pic.twitter.com/Vtx7bsyGKF

— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) April 28, 2020

Summer Walker Teases New EP

Summer Walker plans to release new music before the world ends.

The R&B songstress took to her other Instagram account, @GalactaWhore, to tease a new EP. “I’m gonna drop this EP when I figure out the world is not ending,” said Summer, who’s been quarantined in her house due to the pandemic.

In the meantime, she is treating fans to some unreleased music. “Mess up your white tee / I’ll do you dirty,” she sings in one snippet.

Summer released her record-breaking debut album Over It in October, but remains one of the most in-demand features. She recently collaborated with dvsn (“Flawless’ Do It Well, Pt. 3”), 21 Savage (“Secret”), and Davido, who dropped a video for their duet “D & G” last week.

She can also be heard on the remix to Khalid’s single “Eleven,” which drops Friday.

Eleven
The video
Friday pic.twitter.com/eYOGCdNOJL

— Khalid (@thegreatkhalid) April 28, 2020

French Montana Says He Has ‘No Beef’ with Young Thug

French Montana ain’t worried about nothin’.

After going back and forth with Young Thug on social media following his comments about Kendrick Lamar, the “Unforgettable” rapper is moving on. Speaking with Fat Joe’s “Joprah Show” on Instagram Live, Montana said he “ain’t got no beef” with Thugger.

“I want the people to know, all I did was stand up for myself at every situation,” explained Montana. “The Jim Jones beef, that was Max [B] beef, but he’s my brother, so his beef is my beef. And I beefed with Jim 15 years ’cause of Max, and I still didn’t squash the beef with Jim until Max said, ‘It’s all good.’ So that’s what type of guy I am.”

French Montana says he’s no longer beefing with Young Thug pic.twitter.com/WFAHKq57OI

— SOHH (@sohh) April 26, 2020

He claims that Thug’s real issues with him had nothing to do with Kendrick. “You not gonna come and call me a fool knowing it was about something else that had nothing to do with me and Kendrick,” he added. “It was wack and I hated that it happened like that since it’s Ramadan, it’s my second day fasting. I want to do the positive thing here and stay out the way of trouble ’cause at the end of the day, me, Thug, and Kendrick is three different artists. I just feel like I want everybody to do their thing.”

He insists that there’s no bad blood. “I ain’t got no beef with him. It wasn’t no real beef. It was a miscommunication about something.”

Earlier this week, French told Complex that he “might outshine” Kendrick in a battle because he has “more hits” than the Compton MC. “I might outshine them, not because I’m a better rapper or whatever it is, just I’ve got more hits,” he said. “Kendrick Lamar got albums, he got masterpieces, but if you was to put us on a festival stage, I would outshine him ’cause I have more hits than Kendrick Lamar.”

His comments sparked backlash from Thug, who slammed the Coke Boy on Instagram. “Stupid ass ni**a say he got more hits than Kendrick Lamar,” said Thug, who also called French a “fool.” They exchanged heated words on social media. At one point, Thug threatened to call Meek Mill and leak a video of French allegedly getting “knocked out,” while French criticized Thug’s fashion and finances.

Lil Wayne Taps Tory Lanez, Jessie Reyez for ‘Funeral’ Deluxe

Lil Wayne is bringing the Funeral back to life.

On Friday, the Young Money boss took over Apple Music’s Beats 1 for the first episode of his new show Young Money Radio. During the live broadcast from his Miami mansion, he welcomed special guests from the music and sports worlds, and even announced a deluxe edition of his chart-topping album Funeral.

Weezy previewed two collaborations that are set to appear on the project, “Help” featuring Tory Lanez and a duet with Jessie Reyez called “Love You, Fuck You.”

He didn’t reveal a date for the deluxe, but hinted at an imminent release. “It’s coming out soon, maybe sooner than y’all expect,” said Tunechi, who dropped Funeral in January.

On his inaugural show, he also welcomed guests including Travis Scott, Lil Baby, Babyface, and the mayor of New Orleans, LaToya Cantrell, and announced a $200,000 donation to his hometown of New Orleans to aid with COVID-19 relief efforts.

Lil Wayne and Apple Music are donating $200,000 to New Orleans for COVID-19 relief efforts #YoungMoneyRadio pic.twitter.com/w4goVI8mYm

— Rap-Up (@RapUp) April 24, 2020

Diddy Teases ‘Verzuz’ Battle with Dr. Dre

Hip-hop fans’ dreams could be coming true.

Diddy and Dr. Dre may be facing off during an epic “Verzuz” battle. While speaking with Fat Joe on Instagram Live Friday, the Bad Boy mogul said talks are underway for a potential matchup between the music titans.

“Yeah, we talkin’ about it,” he told an excited Joe.

Diddy announces to Fat Joe that he will battle Dr Dre officially soon pic.twitter.com/IjpSKYtd4z

— Complex Ambition (@ComplexAmbition) April 25, 2020

However, they have yet to finalize plans and their collaboration could end up taking on a different format. But either way, Puff promises greatness.

“We’re discussing a masterclass,” added Puff. “To be honest, the things we discussed, we need to do something great and we need to do something for the people if we come together. I’m not sure if it’s gonna be the ‘Verzuz’ or what it’s gon’ be, but we definitely gon’ do something.”

Diddy hosted his Dance-A-Thon fundraiser on Easter Sunday. The star-studded livestream featured appearances from Drake, Jennifer Lopez, Cardi B, and Lizzo, and raised over $3.7 million for COVID-19 relief.

Timbaland and Swizz Beatz’ “Verzuz” series has already produced matchups between Boi-1da and Hit-Boy, The-Dream and Sean Garrett, Ne-Yo and Johntá Austin, Scott Storch and Mannie Fresh, T-Pain and Lil Jon, and the much-hyped battle between Babyface and Teddy Riley, which was the most-watched livestream yet with over half-a-million viewers.

Taking to Instagram Friday, Swizz thanked his supporters while teasing the next battle. “Can’t want to announce the next one,” he said, adding the exploding head emoji.