Nicki Minaj, shown at the American Music Awards in January, testified Thursday in a Philadelphia court on behalf of boyfriend Meek Mill. (Kevin Winter / Getty Images) By Christie D'ZurillaContact Reporter With Meek Mill facing an irritated judge and the serious possibility that he'll spend more time behind bars on a probation violation, girlfriend Nicki Minaj has taken the stand on his behalf. And she's making it personal. "She's not going to be the one sleeping alone if he goes to jail. I am," rapper Minaj told the judge in a Philadelphia court Thursday, referencing Mill's parole officer. "He's not perfect, but I can't believe how much he's changed." Change would be a good thing for hip-hop artist Mill, 28, real name Robert Williams. His current trouble goes all the way back to a 2008 conviction on drug-dealing and gun charges. He was sentenced to 11 to 23 months in prison, served only a few and was paroled in 2009 on five years' probation. It's that last part that's been hard for him: He's violated his parole a number of times, and in 2014 his probation was revoked, leading to about four months back in prison, getting out on Dec. 2, 2014. Now he's accused of submitting a suspicious urine sample and repeatedly changing his court-approved travel schedule. His attorney, Frank DeSimone, told the judge Thursday that Minaj "would not marry a criminal or a bum," TMZ reported. He also said his client had told him the night before how much he respected the judge. "He wouldn't be who he is if you sent him to the state penitentiary in 2009. He wouldn't be Meek Mill," DeSimone told Common Pleas Judge Genece Brinkley. "He doesn't have a lot of structure. He can be irresponsible," said Minaj, the 33-year-old "Bang Bang" performer who was sworn in under her birth name, Onika Maraj, and didn't mention any wedding plans. "Since I've come in his life, I think I've been working on that a little bit. ... He's just getting accustomed to being an adult." The AP said Brinkley warned DeSimone as the hearing ended: "He is thumbing his nose at me," she said, "and I haven't been convinced otherwise." But wait, back up a second to the part where Minaj didn't say she and Mill were planning to marry. Didn't he just give her another hulking diamond this week? Aren't they, like ... ? "He and I are not engaged," Minaj told Billboard in an interview published Thursday. "But he said he would like to give me three rings before we get married." Ring No. 1 arrived in April, sparking a round of engagement rumors just four months after he was released from prison and the couple started dating. The second one came for her birthday on Tuesday, apparently: She published shots of another enormous rock on Instagram on Wednesday. "Now this is what I'm talking about baby," she wrote. "Lol. Love u ... @meekmill ~ RANG finga whr da rock iiizzzzzzzz."
Having played against Michael Jordan for a good portion of his career, Milwaukee Bucks head coach Jason Kidd is well aware of the former Chicago Bulls star's legendary abilities. So when talking about Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry on Saturday night, Kidd was not being facetious when he compared the reigning MVP to Jordan. "He's this generation's Jordan." Kidd told reporters. "We all wanted to be like Mike, and children today will grow up seeing Steph." Do note that Kidd is not saying that Curry is a similar player to Jordan. He is mainly comparing Curry to Jordan on a generational level, which is quite true. Jordan captured the imagination of a generation of fans during his playing career and now Curry is doing the same. Due to his build, stature and how he actually plays the game, Curry has become one of the league's most popular and marketable players. He was the lead vote getter in last year's All-Star game and Curry's jersey is number one in sales. And like Kidd says, children are not only proudly wearing Curry merchandise, they are also beginning to play like him, too. Curry may not have the "Be like Mike" marketing campaign like Jordan did but he doesn't need that. His play is already making an impact on a generation of youth. This is Stephen Curry's world, we're just living in it.
When you reached tracks five and eight on Erykah Badu’s critically-acclaimed mixtape, But You Caint Use My Phone, you probably heard a familiar voice that many attributed to Drake. But with a little bit of clarification, Ms. Badu swiftly confirmed that it wasn’t the Toronto native blaring out of your speakers or earphones. It was an artist named Aubrey Davis who goes by the stage name ItsRoutine. While you’re wondering whether or not Drizzy is aware that he has a sound-alike out there, no need to fret because Badu shared a tidbit on the situation. In an interview with Pitchfork, the “Phone Down” singer revealed that she notified the Toronto native of her plans. “I talk to Drake once a week,” she said. “He’s my friend, and I told him about ItsRoutine, and he laughed and made a joke that he didn’t want these guys taking up his tea time.” On the OVO leader’s track “Days in the East,” he referenced one night where he shared a cup of tea with Badu. The Dallas native and Drake have an extensive relationship, with him serving as inspiration for her latest soundscape. After the release of the 29-year-old’s catchy and remix-worthy song “Hotline Bling,” Badu did a rendition of her own and concocted But You Caint Use My Phone in the process. He’s an inspiration to me. Sonically he’s in a place where I want to be,” she said in an interview with The Fader. “It’s halfway between where I was and halfway to where I am now. If I want to come out and do something, I will try and raise myself to his bar or channel myself to his frequency.”
Y. ROME IS ON THE CUSP OF GREATNESS Y. Rome has had an outstanding 2015 and his 2016 is looking even more promising. He has been all over the place this year making a sighting at Summer Jam, performing in front of COMPLEX,XXL, & Fader magazies, dropping a smash single "Oh My Oh My" feat Republic Records artist Charles Hamilton, and setting many shows a blaze at A3C music festival and conference.
But before this year ends he has blessed his fans with a new ep called 'THIS IS ME NOW" or "TIMN' for short. Y. Rome brings the heat with this EP with singles like "Kurnin Dope" and "Since You Wanna Play" Feat K Zeus. The production is top notch including some fire from in house producer Steven Nieves (AKA Kal El Beat) on tracks like Amazing and Superheroes...This EP has a industry feel and the simple but dark cover lets the audience know that its about to get serious...peep the tracklist below check the tape below and let us know if you think Y.Rome is gonna be the future of Hip Hop.
Drake made the comments at the third-annual “Drake Night." Adele said earlier this month that she’d like to do an official remix to Drake’s “Hotline Bling.” The Canadian rapper-singer said he’s game. “I’d do anything with Adele,” Drake said to the media in Toronto Wednesday (November 25), per etalk. "I’d literally go to Adele’s house right now and do laundry for her.” Drake made the statement at the third-annual Toronto Raptors "Drake Night.” He is the NBA team’s global ambassador. Drake also said that his dancing in the video for “Hotline Bling,” which Adele says she’s danced to, came naturally. "That was all impromptu,” he said. “I just took a chance on being myself, being confident, being comfortable. The fact the world is having fun with it is amazing.”
Travis Scott joins singer for North American dates, while the Weeknd and Big Sean tagged for European shows By Daniel Kreps November 23, 2015
Although Rihanna hasn't revealed the details surrounding her impending LP Anti, the singer has already plotted a long world tour in support of her new album. The Anti World Tour kicks off February 26th at San Diego, California's Viejas Arena and will spend three months circling North America before the first leg closes out May 7th at Oakland's Oracle Arena. The following month, Rihanna will embark on a two-month trek through Europe. SIDEBAR Rihanna (L) and artist Roy Nachum Rihanna Cover Artist on How He Crafted 'Anti' Imagery » Travis Scott will serve as Rihanna's opening act throughout the North American leg, while the Weeknd and Big Sean will accompany her on the European tour. Anti World Tour tickets go on sale to American Express card members and Tidal subscribers on November 30th, with a general on-sale date for all shows scheduled for December 3rd. Anti is the culmination of a long recording process for Rihanna; after releasing four albums in four years between 2009 and 2012, it's been three years since Unapologetic arrived in November 2012. Rihanna hasn't been completely dormant: In the past year, she's released three singles – "FourFiveSeconds," "Bitch Better Have My Money," and "American Oxygen" – but it's unclear whether those tracks will appear on the Kanye West-executive produced LP. "To me it's never done until it's done. Until the final moment," Rihanna told NME in a September interview. "I have so many songs I love – and they're so different – that it's hard to actually put them all on the same album." The singer also revealed she had worked with Charli XCX on some songs that could potentially make the final tracklist. Recently, Rihanna revealed her Roy Nachum-creared album cover and the album title for her upcoming LP at a Los Angeles event. Anti's impending arrival was trumpeted in mysterious Samsung ads during the American Music Awards; when the album does arrive, it will likely spend a period of exclusivity on both the Tidal streaming service and Samsung mobile devices before public consumption.
Rihanna Anti World Tour – U.S. Dates February 26 - San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena February 28 - San Jose, CA @ SAP Center March 1 - Phoenix, AZ @ Talking Stick Resort Arena March 4 - Austin, TX @ Frank Erwin Center March 5 - Houston, TX @ Toyota Center March 6 - Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center March 8 - New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center March 9 - Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena March 12 - Jacksonville @ Jacksonville Arena March 13 - Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena March 15 - Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena March 18 - Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena March 19 - Cincinnati, OH @ U.S. Bank Arena March 20 - Charlotte, NC @ The Time Warner Cable Arena March 22 - Washington, DC @ Verizon Center March 23 - Buffalo, NY @ First Niagara Center March 24 - Auburn Hills, MI @ Palace of Auburn Hills March 26 - Hartford, CT @ XL Center March 27 - Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center April 2 - Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center April 3 - Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo April 5 - Quebec City, QC @ Centre Videotron April 6 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre April 9 - Baltimore, MD @ Royal Farms Arena April 10 - Boston, MA @ TD Garden April 13 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Center April 15 - Chicago, IL @ United Center April 18 - Winnipeg, MS @ MTS Centre April 20 - Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place April 21 - Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome April 23 - Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena April 24 - Seattle, WA @ KeyArena April 27 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Vivint Smart Home Arena April 29 - Las Vegas, NV @ Mandalay Bay May 3 - Los Angeles, CA @ Forum May 7 - Oakland, CA @ Oracle Arena Rihanna Anti World Tour – European Dates June 11 - Amsterdam, Holland @ Amsterdam Arena June 14 - Coventry, United Kingdom @ Ricoh Arena June 16 - Cardiff, United Kingdom @ Cardiff Stadium June 18 - Sunderland, United Kingdom @ Stadium Of Light June 21 - Dublin, Ireland @ Aviva Stadium June 24 - London, United Kingdom @ Wembley Stadium June 27 - Glasgow, United Kingdom @ Hampden Park June 29 - Manchester, United Kingdom @ Emirates Old Park July 4 - Stockholm, Sweden @ Tele2 Arena July 7 - Copenhagen, Denmark @ Refshale Island July 9 - Hamburg, Germany @ Volkspark Stadion July 13 - Milan, Italy @ San Siro July 15 - Nice, France @ Allianz Stadium July 17 - Frankfurt, Germany @ Commerzbank Arena July 19 - Lyon, France @ Grande Stade July 23 - Lille, France @ Stade Lille July 26 - Prague, Czech Republic @ Synotip Arena July 28 - Cologne, Germany @ Rhein Energie Stadion July 30 - Paris, France @ Stade de France August 2 - Berlin, Germany @ Olympiastadion August 5 - Warsaw, Poland @ PGE Narodowy August 7 - Munich, Germany @ Olympiastadion August 10 - Vienna, Austria @ Ernst Happel Stadium August 12 - Zurich, Switzerland @ Letzigrund Stadion
IT’S NOT “PINK LAVALAMP,” BUT CHARLES HAMILTON’S “BLACK BOX” EP IS HIS FUTURE
We would sit under the crescent moon and dim streetlights, our voices echoing down the neighborhood, entering windows belonging to real adults with real jobs and tormented by real life. The cheap brown liquor kept our souls warm, our ambition kept us sane, we were the dreamers with empty wallets that believed in the art we created and nothing more. Art would take us from the jobs we loathed into the visions we saw the few hours we slept. It was a special time, when the dreams outweighed desperation, when our confidence conquered logic, a time I’m reminded of when playing Charles Hamilton’s The Pink Lavalamp. He was just like us, an outcast with a bit of arrogance wanting nothing more than to create and be rewarded for pouring his soul into the craft. He put so much of himself into the music it was almost like hearing a pulse, the faintest heartbeat, a true representation of someone that had nothing else. The sample of Graham Central Station used in the introduction of the project told you everything you needed to know about him, that music was life. Charles had a lot of mixtapes, most I liked, but no project resonated quite like The Pink Lavalamp. In one album he encompassed all the traits that made him unique. There was lyricism, storytelling, metaphors, similes, introspection, the kind of music you make with one hand in heaven and a foot in hell. No demons were hidden, no skeletons locked away, the honesty made him into a figure of transparency. Not a brand or persona but the man struggling with suicide, depression, addiction, women, money, family and life as an artist starving. The title was perfect, pink representing his favorite color, lava lamps only glow in the dark and his music was illuminated by the darkness of his reality. I believe it was the brutal honesty that people attached themselves to, rapping from the heart, fragments of a soul in the form of a song, the man behind the microphone felt like a friend and not a stranger. There’s something special about music made out of desperation, it’s like the most beautiful rose that blooms from the concrete. It’s far from perfect, thorns that will prick your fingers if held too tightly, but still a marvelous sight to behold. A few weeks ago 40, the in-house producer for OVO, was tweeting about Drake during the ghostwriting debacle, how rap has never seen a rapper speak as openly and honestly about their life as Drake. I laughed at the thought of Drake as the apex of rapper honesty. There’s countless emcees worth being named, but Charles was one of the first that came to mind. In all his songs about former lovers, I don’t think Drake has anything poignant and poetic as “Come Back To You.” Drake speaks so much about family but has nothing with the amount of heart and passion as “I’ll Be Around.” Has he ever recorded a suicide note like “Latte”? I’ve always gravitated toward the personal, these are just a few songs that really made me into a fan of Charles. I sought his music when feeling overwhelmed by the world, someone else that was going through the storm of life but turning the emotions into art. Unfortunately, Charles’ issues were deeper than I could imagine. He was suffering, despite tragedies inspiring the masterpieces that created his cult following, issues that simply couldn’t be buried by success would swallow him before reaching the pinnacle of his potential. His rise and fall happened swiftly, from being a promising XXL Freshmen signed to Interscope to dropped and hated. The internet loves hard and hates harder, there’s no in-between. Hollywood has made us suckers for a good comeback story, hip-hop has taught us to never underestimate the underdog, Charles Hamilton’s return embodies both. After some turbulent years he made his grand reappearance as an artist signed to Republic Records and even scored a single on the show and soundtrack for Empire that featured Rita Ora. The hard drugs were absent, his mental health greatly improved, he was officially back. My feelings toward his resurgence was mixed, I was happy for his health but wondered how the music would sound. The question was answered last week when I checked out his forthcoming project, The Black Box EP. This will be his first proper offering through his recent label deal. The EP is a new sound for Charles, most noticeably apparent by the lack of vocal samples, a trademark of his former work. The six songs are polished but still has a Charles feel to them. He is direct as ever, unafraid to mention the punch in the face, J. Dilla, and a few other problematic situations that slowly lead to his downfall. There’s a song, “Man’s World,” where he speaks on racism and being black in America that immediately stood out. “Down The Line” is another strong record that will definitely give Starchasers what they been missing. Overall, the EP sounds like an artist regaining his footing, which comes with a lot of trial and error. The hooks are bad, a majority of them fall flat, but despite the rough edges it was good to once again hear the rapper that made me download a bunch of mixtapes with a cartoon hedgehog return from his lower points. There will always be someone that wants Jay to be the rapper on Reasonable Doubt, for Eminem to be the druggy madman on the Slim Shady LP, for Lil Wayne to return to his mixtape days. It’s an attachment to the familiar that craves the best of their work again and again. It doesn’t work that way though, for any of us. You’ll never be who you were yesterday, artists can never make an album like the one before. It goes against natural progression. There’s a part of me that wants Charles to be that artist who made The Pink Lavalamp, but that’s not who he is anymore. We aren’t the same kids that stood in the street lights howling at the moon. So for the old fans intrigued by the new Charles Hamilton, expect some change. And for new listeners first encountering him though Black Box, I highly recommend going back to The Pink Lavalamp. That time in Hamilton’s life is gone, but we can listen to it forever.
Who says Lightning can't strike twice... Mill Vll & Vina Love had the internet buzzing when they collabed and gave us "Best Of Me" a remix of Hov & Mya. Now the dynamic duo seems to be following up with another banger remix in "Tell Me"...The kid from the Bronx is like a young Lebron entering the league honestly the sky is the limit and Vina Love is def a Diva in the making ... Check the vid and track out on youtube and soundcloud respectively
Drake is on top of the world right now, but he's not infallible.
“Pound Cake / Paris Morton Music 2” Who did it: Jay Z Andre:There’s been a tenuous cold war happening between these two for some time. They end up on each other’s records where they throw subtle shots at each other over the course of their 16s. This time, Jigga got the better of Drizzy with lines like “I had Benzes ‘fore you had braces…” and “The homies said, ‘Hov’ it ain’t many of us / I told ‘em less is more niggas, there’s plenty of us.” Was Jay doing that thing where he subliminally disses the emcee he’s on a track with? Of course. We’re talking about Hov’ right? Ural: Who would have thought that Hov and Drizzy would finally get together again on wax after that catastrophe that was “Off That” from The Blueprint 3? Having Nothing Was The Same end with “Pound Cake / Paris Morton Music 2” was the proverbial icing on the cake with two of Hip Hop’s biggest pop culture icons together. While Drake spit enough bars to keep up with Jigga Man, Roc Nation’s head managed to keep the conversation around him with this line: “I've done made more millionaires than the lotto did/Dame made millions, Biggs made millions/Ye made millions/ Just made millions/ Lyor made millions/ Cam made millions/ Beans' a tell you if he wasn't in his feelins.” Yikes.
“Champion” Who did it: Nas Andre: This little paid attention to track off Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday:... Roman Reloaded was underwhelming even with the additions of Jeezy, Drake and Nas. Everyone seemed to mail it in except Nasir, though, who proceeded to body the record with lines like “I saw my first two million dollars, I was 23 / I’m barely a man, yet, I had some killers under me.” Ural: Having Jeezy, Drake and Nas on Pink Friday… Roman Reloaded track “Champion” could have possibly been the next “Monster.” However, Nasir Jones managed to school everyone with relatively ease with Drizzy coming off with the weakest verse. Meanwhile Nicki and Jeezy would probably tie for the second best.
“Hell Yeah F*ckin’ Right” Who did it: Lil Wayne Andre: “HYFR” had the utterly cringe worthy yet ridiculously catchy and meme worthy chorus, “Do you love this shit? Are you high right now? Do you ever get nervous?” But what it mostly had was a particularly salient Lil Wayne delivering some of the best bars he’d delivered in a while, knocking Drizzy back on his heels. These two had been going back and forth on each other’s records for a while now with wins on both side. This one goes to Wayne if not only for the line, “My nuts hang like ain’t no curfew, bitch, if you wave then I will surf you..” Ural: It’s safe to say the video for “HYFR” will be probably become more iconic in the future than Drake’s actual verse. This was totally Weezy’s party with his catchy as hook and verse like Andre mentioned above.
“Unforgettable” Who did it: Jeezy Andre: “When I say fo’ life you say fo’ever,” croons Jeezy and right there in the opening bars Jeezy shows a newly minted Drake what it’s like to bodied on his own record. There’s an indelible charm to Jeezy that Drake just doesn’t quite know how to capture yet, and while he was relatively green (you can tell because they gave Jeezy some chorus duty, which is something that would never happen now) he just gets lost under the current of Jeezy’s grizzly tenor. Ural: Thank Me Later was a large disappointment in terms of large major label debuts. “Unforgettable”s sample of Aaliyah’s “At Your Best (You Are Love) should have lit a fire under Drizzy’s back considering his love for the late great singer. But, Jeezy takes the cake without much effort. From the looks of things, Drake was going through the lyrical motions. Thankfully, he fared better for what could be considered his only true classic Take Care.
“Blessings (Extended Version)” Who did it: Kanye West, Big Sean Andre: Look, this one isn’t his fault. The original version just had he and Big Sean so Champagne Papi wasn’t stressed. Then, suddenly, Kanye comes out of nowhere to remind everyone why he’s one of the greatest of all time. HIs stream of consciousness is so mature at this point that he conveys exactly what he means to with no real fuss. Yeah, Drake killed the hook, but Kanye’s verse made the extended version one of the most sought after tracks of the year. This isn’t to say that Big Sean’s verse wasn’t murder, either. This might be one of the best verses of his career, and there’s no doubt they both came correct because of Drizzy’s presence on the track. Ural: Drake’s hook for “Blessed” was a lot higher profile than his actual verse because Kanye’s verse is arguably his best this year besides the guest verse to Tyler, The Creator’s “Smuckers.”
“Fuckin’ Problems” Who did it: Kendrick Lamar Andre: Kendrick Lamar murdered this song. His “Bitch, you know you want this dick!” line is as aggressive and rappity-rap as he gets most times. No one on that track was ready. Ural: Ironically, “Fuckin’ Problems” is one of OVO’s few collaborations where he took an active role in production through his Champagne Papi alias. Verse wise, K Dot made everyone else's verse, even the core artist A$AP Rocky, damn near unnoticeable. Guess Drake was another casualty of Lamar’s lyricism.
