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Monday, March 16, 2015
Tinashe Releases 'Amethyst' Mixtape Featuring Iamsu
Tinashe enjoyed a breakout year in 2014, but is looking to take advantage of her momentum and has not been resting on her laurels in 2015. After releasing the visuals for her single, “Bated Breath,” the singer’s latest release comes in the form of a mixtape, Amethyst.
Running seven tracks deep, the tape features production from DJ Dahi, Ryan Hemsworth, Nez & Rio and Iamsu! among others, with the only feature coming courtesy of the latter. Amethyst opens with the earthy cut, “Dreams Are Real,” and is a pretty solid offering — save for “the future is mine” adlibs peppered throughout the end of the song.
The opener may be no chump, but the project’s second track, “Wrong,” picks things up a bit and is sure to be a fan-favorite. The Ryan Hemsworth-produced song borrows from the Kool and the Gang classic, “Summer Madness,” with impressive results and showcases Tinashe’s knack for songwriting. “Wake up inside of my castle / I banish you from my heart / I do not care if you love me/ You know you’re wrong from the start,” she sings.
Other standouts include “Wanderer” and the mid-tempo “Worth It,” making Amethyst more than worthy of your ear, especially if you’re into some good old fashioned R&B.
Listen to Tinashe’s Amethyst Mixtape
See 20 Rappers’ & Singers’ Yearbook Photos You Won’t Believe
Azealia Banks Shares Photos From Playboy Shoot, Reveals Abusive Dating History
Meow! Azealia Banks gets catty for Playboy magazine’s Music Issue. After revealing the mag’s cover photo, the 23-year-old rapper shared a couple of pictures from her sexy spread in the magazine.
Shot by famed fashion photographer Ellen Von Unwerth, the photos feature Banks mimicking the behavior of a furry feline. In one pic, the “212″ rhymer is holding a huge ball of yarn just like a cat and in another photo, Banks is naked splashing in a pool of milk. In a third shot, she stares at the camera with her cat-like eyes wearing a feline headpiece and looking like a real-life cat woman.
Although the photos are kind of tame considering Playboy’s history of nude women, Banks tells the magazine she was eager to shed her clothes. “Posing for Playboy was a no-brainer. I was like, ‘Yes! They want to see me naked,’” she tells writer Rob Tannenbaum.
Also in the interview, Banks talks about her mother, her past Twitter feuds, religion and her bisexuality.
At one point in the discussion, she reveals that she once dated a man who was 43 years old when she was 17.
“There’s something very wrong with a man that age who wants to date a 17-year-old girl,” she says. “I didn’t know how to shave my bush and s— like that. I had a hairy p—-. I didn’t know how to wear perfume. I had neon pink barrettes in my hair. And as ’212′ started to pop off and my career started to happen, he became jealous.”
“He choked me and beat me up, and of course you should not be f—ing with a man who puts his hands on you, but I was stupid and young,” she finished.
As for a music artist she would like to emulate her career after, Banks named the richest man in the rap game.
“Jay Z. That’s the only person I have my eye set on. The race thing always comes up, but I want to get there being very black and proud and boisterous about it,” she states. “A lot of times when you’re a black woman and you’re proud, that’s why people don’t like you. In American society, the game is to be a nonthreatening black person. Jay Z hasn’t played any of those games, and that’s what I like.”
Playboy magazine’s Music Issue, featuring the catty Azealia Banks, hits newsstands this Friday (March 20).
Watch Azealia Banks’ Behind the Scenes Playboy Shoot Video
What’s Beef? 10 Hip-Hop Twitter Feuds
Kanye West Debuts BRIT Awards-Inspired 'All Day' Video
After making headlines earlier today for sharing nude photos of his wife Kim Kardashian, Kanye West decided to throw another grenade at social media. This time it’s in the form a visual for his new single, “All Day.” Fans may have been anticipating an epic music video — the rapper premiered a Steve McQueen-directed visual during Paris Fashion Week — but they may ultimately be in for a bit of a disappointment.
Yeezy has been known for dropping cinematic clips, but being the unpredictable creative that he is, it appears that he has switched up his original game plan. The rapper decided to use footage from his performance at the 2015 BRIT Awards in late February for the official “All Day” video.
He shared his reasoning for opting to go with the live performance music video route on Twitter. “I felt the Brits performance captured the energy of the record,” West wrote, before adding he “decided to make it the first official video featuring Theophilus Allan Kingdom and Paul McCartney.”
While Sir Paul wasn’t present to make the BRIT Awards show, Theophilus London and Allan Kingdom were present for the performance and played shotgun while Yeezy captivated the crowd with sheer presence. West is flanked by a crew of affiliates, including U.K. rapper Skepta, whom the G.O.O.D. Music head honcho gives a priceless shout out. He delivers his lines with the terse focus and tinge of ferocity that we’ve come to love from him. His wife Kim Kardashian makes an appearance in the video — albeit while watching from the crowd alongside renowned fashion icon Ralph Lauren.
While the status of Steve McQueen’s version of the “All Day” video remains unknown, we’re confident it will eventually surface, as most things do in the internet age.
See 10 Most Anticipated Rap Albums of 2015
Raekwon Drops Tracklist and Album Artwork for 'F.I.L.A.' (@Raekwon)
Last month, Raekwon announced the release date for his highly anticipated project, 'Fly International Luxurious Art' as April 28, and now the tracklist and artwork have been revealed.
Reebok Classics Question Mid Easter
Reebok Classics is on a mission to continue supplying sneaker fiends’ with their drug of choice — they’ve been doing so for the past three years. All starting with the rerelease of Allen Iverson’s 1996 Question Mid kicks just 36 months back, the footwear conglomerate is continuing the Question Mid saga with its latest holiday-themed Question Mid Easter.
A remake of Reebok Classics Kid’s Question Mid, the Easter-inspired kicks sit with a vibrant, pastel colorway. The sneakers feature an all-white midsole, a full grey upper highlighted with chalky lavender around the tongue — Reebok is even spelled in white — and a metallic pink-and-blue toe. There are pink accented shoelaces as well to provide these kicks with some final festive decor.
The seasonal footwear is slated to hit shelves nationwide Mar. 27 — one week before Easter. Sneaker heads can cop the Reebok Classics Question Mid Easter at Finish Line, Eastbay, Villa or Reebok.com for $94.99.
See 20 Surprising Sneaker Releases
Remy Ma Throws Papoose Extravagant 'Harlem Nights' B-Day (@Papooseonline)
Earlier this month on March 5, Papoose was blessed with another year of life.
The Weeknd Performs 'Earned It' at 2015 Juno Awards [VIDEO]
There’s no question that the Weeknd is enjoying the success of his recent hit, “Earned It,” off the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack. The Canadian crooner performed the seductive ballad at the 2015 Juno Aweards Sunday (March 15).
Rocking a black suit and a white button-up, the 25-year-old hit every note perfectly and meshed well with the large, booming sound provided by the small orchestra and pianist.
The singer’s falsetto delivery was also on point. He didn’t lose any of the fullness in his voice despite the notes being extremely high.
Lyrically, the Weeknd couldn’t have enunciated the words any clearer or sold the song any better. The TV audience soaked it all up. Screams, claps and cheers could be heard loudly throughout the crowd.
The singer also gets credit for holding down a huge stage all by himself. There were no props, back-up performers or anything else to take away from his set.
The dreadlocked singer also took home the award for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year, as well as the biggest prize, Artist of the Year.
“Um, I’d like to thank the Junos of course. I want to thank Canada man,” he said in one of his acceptance speeches. “Thank you guys. I wouldn’t be here without you. Thank you.”
Meanwhile, “Earned It” continues to be the biggest hit of the Weeknd’s career, currently holding a No. 7 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.
See 20 Rappers’ & Singers’ Yearbook Photos You Won’t Believe
Watch a Sneak Peek of Snoop Dogg's 'Empire' Cameo
Snoop Dogg is making a big switch when it comes to his record label — at least in TV land. The rapper joins Lucious Lyon’s roster in the two-hour season finale of Empire .
A teaser clip of the episode shows Snoop playing himself. The West Coast MC and Terrence Howard’s character, Lucious, are having a press conference to announce a joint venture.
“Double L, man. Lucious Lyon, the man, the myth, the legend right here,” Snoop says after a reporter asks him why he’s releasing music on the fictional record label. “Let’s just say Lucious cut me in on a piece of the action.”
At this point, Snoop is a veteran of the small screen as well as a vet behind the mic, since he’s already been on series like Just Shoot Me, Chappelle’s Show, The Bernie Mac Show, The L Word, Weeds, The Boondocks and even the soap opera One Life to Live.
Snoop will also be performing his new Pharrell-assisted single, “Peaches N Cream,” on the show — his first performance of the song since it debuted earlier this month. “Peaches N Cream” will be on the rapper’s new album, Bush, which hits shelves on May 12.
Take a look at Snoop Dogg in action below. His appearance on Empire airs Wednesday (March 18).
Johnny Cinco ft. Offset QC Migos - "Trap Back" (Music Video) (@1johnnycinco)
Johnny Cinco featuring the Migos' Offset, and YFNkay in a visual for "Trap Back" produced by Spiffy.
Benzino Reacts With Joy After Althea Announces She's Pregnant (@IAMBENZINO)
On Monday former Love & Hip-Hop Atlanta cast member Althea Eaton used Instagram to announce her pregnancy.
Davillins - The Flow Show / F.O.H D (Official Video) (@davillins @deejay_akil)
Davillins - The Flow Show / F.
Watch Performances and Get Daily SXSW Updates at the HypeON Hub
Want to stay on top of everything that’s happening in Austin, but don’t feel like following 50 different Twitter accounts and monitoring 100 different sites? Want to watch performances of all of your favorite acts performing in Austin, but don’t want to sit through endless hours of shaky handheld phone video with bad audio and worse camera angles? This year, Hype Hotel and Mazda have you covered. They’ve created a HypeON hub that pulls together all of the highlights from SXSW in one place, as the festival is happening – including exclusive video of performances from the Hype Hotel Presented by Feed the Beat, along with original photography and exclusive reports from around the festival. So this year, say goodbye to the hacky, bootleg-quality YouTube uploads. Watch high-quality Hype Hotel performances – and stay on top of all the action around the festival – all in one place with daily reports and updates at the HypeON hub.
Brought to you by Mazda, official automobile sponsor of #HypeON. #MazdaSXSW #HypeON
Kanye West Shares Nude Photos of Wife Kim on Twitter
In an act that has the potential to once again break the Internet, Kanye West took to Twitter on Monday and sent out a bunch of photos featuring his wife Kim Kardashian wearing nothing but her birthday suit.
Lil Wayne and Crew Bring the Heat in Young Money Cypher (@karencivil)
Some of Young Money's finest showcase their skills in a new cypher brought to us by Karen Civil.
Birdman Silently Switches 'YM' to 'CMBRG' in Throwback IG Post (@LilTunechi @Birdman5Star)
Birdman is looking forward with his business ventures and his record labels, as seen on his latest Instagram post.
Looking for Videographers, Interviewers and Footage at SXSW
VladTV is hiring videographers and reporters in Austin, TX, who will be covering a list of events at SXSW 2015.
Drake Denies Involvement in 'Homecoming' Documentary
On Monday, Drake announced via Twitter that he is not involved in any way with the documentary 'Homecoming: The Lost Footage.
Kevin Gates' Photo of His Dead Grandmother Shocks Fans
A photo posted by Kevin Gates (@iamkevingates) on Mar 13, 2015 at 6:37pm PDT
Kevin Gates is known for posting outrageous photos and videos on his Instagram account. Over the weekend, the Baton Rouge rhymer shocked his fans once again with a photo of his deceased grandmother.
The “I Don’t Get Tired” rapper wanted to share with his followers the woman that he affectionately calls his mama. However, the picture left some of his readers aghast, including us.
In the photo, Gates’ hand is covering the woman’s mouth. “Viewing the body of the woman I called my mama before my show, I’m a miss you I love you forever R.I.P.,” he wrote.
Now without any explanation, the photo can be perceived as ghoulish. Some of his fans even accused Gates of trying to show off his huge watch, while others felt that it was inappropriate to show his deceased grandmother on the ‘Gram. One person wrote, “This isn’t appropriate for Instagram. Visiting her body is personal and should be private, not used to get attention. RIP.”
However, Gates posted a 15-second video explaining why he was covering his grandmother’s mouth. Apparently, the rapper was hiding her broken jaw, which she suffered when they put her in a body bag.
Still, the photo is a little jarring. We haven’t seen a rapper post a photo of a dead family member on Instagram before. Nevertheless, we send our heartfelt condolences to Gates and his family.
Do you think Kevin Gates posting a photo of his deceased grandmother on Instagram is inappropriate? Tell us in the comments below.
The Show must go on #BWA #idgt
A video posted by Kevin Gates (@iamkevingates) on Mar 13, 2015 at 8:02pm PDT
The Great Marijuana Debate: 10 Rappers Who Love to Smoke Weed
Kylie Jenner Flashes Crowd with Sheer Top Ensemble in London (@kyliejenner)
Kylie Jenner left little to the imagination during an event in London Friday night.
Chris Rock Pokes Fun at Suge Knight's Legally Blind Defense (@ChrisRock @sugeknight)
Chris Rock has joined the rest of the internet by poking a little fun at Suge Knight's infamous defense against his hit and run case.
Exclusive! DJ Paul Talks Breaks Down Why Gangsta Boo Left Three 6 Mafia (@Damafia6iX)
Within this VladTV exclusive DJ Paul speaks about his new project with Da Mafia 6ix and who he considers to be part of the group.
Snoop Dogg and Ludacris Roast Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber is kind of a big deal. But over the past few years, the child star-turned-singing heartthrob has caught a considerable amount of flack for his juvenile ways and has become the equivalent of a punching bag in the media and press.
And while piling on is rarely a good thing, a few of the Biebs’ famous friends decided to do that during a comedy roast centered around him, which took place at Sony Pictures Studios in Los Angeles on Saturday night (March 14). USA Today was there to capture all of the action.
Hosted by comedian Kevin Hart, the Get Hard star kicked off the festivities, which will air on Comedy Central later this month. “Tonight we’re going to give what his parents and the legal system should have done years ago, we’re going to give this boy an ass whoopin,” Hart said to a crowd of onlookers, which ranged from family and close friends, including Jaden Smith and Kylie Jenner.
“He may have turned 21, but Justin will always be a baby to me. Since babies piss everywhere and never know when to shut up,” said Ludacris, who collaborated with Bieber in the past on his hit single, “Baby.” “Justin Bieber wants to be black so bad, he’s actually seen Kevin Hart’s movies in theaters.”
Snoop Dogg was also in attendance and participated with his own jabs, as well as Martha Stewart, who gave Bieber a rundown of what to expect if he ends up in prison, which she called “inevitable.” Comedian Will Ferrell also joined in on the fun, opting to go in Ron Burgundy mode to disparage the singer.
When it was Bieber’s turn to take the mic, he hilariously joked, “What do you get when you give a teenager $200 million? A bunch of has-beens calling you a lesbian for two hours.” He took ownership of his past behavior during the roast. “I’ve turned a lot of people off in the last few years. But I know I can still put out good music and turn everything all around. You have my word — I will not end up broken, pathetic, bitter,or sitting on someone else’s roast. I’m at a moment of change. This is a new day,” the pop star stated.
He concluded the ceremonies in classic Bieber fashion, announcing, “I’m going to Vegas… on my jet, bitch!” proving that nobody beats the Biebs. Comedy Central’s Roast of Justin Bieber airs March 30 at 10 p.m.
Watch a Preview of Roast of Justin Bieber
See 20 Rappers’ & Singers’ Yearbook Photos You Won’t Believe
Exclusive! Gorilla Zoe on Flo Rida Being His Biggest Competition (@GorillaZoe)
Courtesy of Pe$o, VladTV delivers this exclusive with Gorilla Zoe.
Exclusive! Charlamagne: J. Prince Is the Metal Detector of Houston (@cthagod)
Charlamagne tha God weighed in on James Prince retrieving Steve Francis' chain, plus the drama surrounding Iggy Azalea and Nick Young, in a recent interview with VladTV.
Fans React to Kendrick Lamar's 'To Pimp a Butterfly' Album
The wait is over. Kendrick Lamar’s sophomore album, To Pimp a Butterfly, unofficially arrived Sunday night (March 15), much to the chagrin of executives at Top Dawg Entertainment. If you were lucky, you were able to download the album via iTunes and Spotify before TDE put the kibosh on that.
Fans’ reactions, via Twitter, have been mixed so far. Some love it while others need more time to digest the music. Other listeners compare Lamar’s album to that of the Black Panther Party movement in terms of the his pro-black lyrical content. Then there are supporters making the connection between Lamar’s music and that of Parliament-Funkadelic.
However, there are a few rap fans who aren’t feeling Lamar’s LP overall. Some feel the subject matter is boring, while others aren’t fond of the production.
Check out more fans’ reactions to Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly album below.
10 Most Anticipated Rap Albums of 2015
Exclusive! Big T and Bizarre: Daylyt Has a Cocaine Problem (@bizarresworld @bigtqmb)
Big T and Bizarre came through to build with Battle Rap correspondent Mike Florence where they discussed topics such as Big T's battling and blogging, Bizarre's battle legacy, and Eminem surviving in today's battle world.
Exclusive! Jhonni Blaze: When It Comes to Business, Rich Dollaz Is On Point (@jhonniblaze)
Jhonni Blaze spoke on the status of her relationship with Love & Hip Hop costar and manager Rich Dollaz in a recent chat with VladTV.
XXL Launches 2015 Freshmen 10 Spot Voting
It’s the most wonderful time of the year for rising hip-hop artists. XXL magazine is gearing up for their annual Freshman class cover, which the outlet uses to shine light on burgeoning rappers — and occasionally R&B artists — whom they feel have the buzz and skills to continue making an impact. You could debate whether the most deserving artists are selected or even highlight the ones that have failed to live up to expectations (remember Donnis?), but one thing you can’t deny is that the Freshman list creates plenty of dialogue and that it is an invaluable notch to put on a new artist’s belt.
For the past three years, XXL has implemented a voting process that allows us — the fans — to have a say in who should have the final slot of the list, No. 10. After the XXL staff decides on the first nine artists that will appear on the cover, the artist with the highest total votes (that wasn’t selected in the staff’s Freshmen lineup) will be featured in the issue as well. This effectively gives the people a chance to decide who is worthy of the Freshmen 10 Spot. Past winners of this contest include Jarren Benton, Dizzy Wright and Iggy Azalea.
As for this years contestants — aside from probable shoo-ins such as Dej Loaf, Bobby Shmurda, Fetty Wap PARTYNEXTDOOR, Raury and Tink — a few names to look out for are Alex Wiley, Bas, Lil Herb, Your Old Droog, Vince Staples and Young Dolph, among others.
The voting process begins today (March 16) and ends March 22, which gives fans ample time to get their picks in. Who will your pick be? Vote for your favorite rapper or singer below.
See 10 Most Anticipated Rap Albums of 2015