With Valentine’s Day weekend underway, this week’s Top 10 is led by Rick Ross‘ latest single from his upcoming Mastermind album. Ross’ newest track comes after his appearance on last week’s Top 10 with his “Oyster Perpetual” freestyle and finds him reuniting with an artist he’d long feuded with in Jeezy. Ice Cube’s newest singles follows at #2 after his record breaking film opening in January. Cube’s newest album, Everythang’s Corrupt, is scheduled for a May release and will serve as the rapper’s first official project since 2010. In an exclusive interview with HipHopDX near the end of 2012, Cube described the album’s first single as meant “for the political heads.” After leading last week’s list with “Titenas,” Ab-Soul helps round out the Top 3 with his feature on Common’s newest No I.D. produced banger.
The rest of the list includes a new self-produced track from Mac Miller, Nicki Minaj’s eyebrow raising single, and lingering Grammy performances from Kendrick Lamar, Imagine Dragons, and Juicy J.
Rick Ross & Jeezy Reconnect On “War Ready”
After years of feuding, Rick Ross and Jeezy finally squashed their beef with a new collaboration slated to appear on the MMG founder’s upcoming album. “War Ready,” which reunites the rappers from past collaborations like the remix of Ross’ “Hustlin’,” is the latest single from Mastermind which is scheduled for a March 4 release. Alongside Jeezy, artists like Kanye West, Jay Z, Lil Wayne, and more will reportedly feature on the emcee’s upcoming sixth album.
AD LOADING...
In a recent interview with Huffpost Live, Ross described the dispute with Jeezy as a “misconfusion.” “Real bosses get over that and that’s what we did and I’m happy we was able to do that and set the examples for some of the younger bosses that’s coming up and let ‘em know it’s all about making that positive progress,” he said. “MMG and Ricky Rozay, I’m expanding and getting bigger every day,” he says. “It’s a lot of other entrepreneurs that’s doing the same and Jeezy is one, so it was just time for us to come together. Let’s capitalize and something big happen for the game, for Hip Hop for the culture and we may be doing something else. You never know.”
Ice Cube Releases “Sic Them Youngins On Em” From Upcoming Album
With the recent announcement of a May 13 release date for Ice Cube’s upcoming Everythang’s Corrupt, the Ride Along actor released a second single from the album earlier this week. “Sic Them Youngins On Em,” which begins with a mention of his Lench Mob Records label, finds the rapper kicking the type of lyrics that popularized his music more than twenty years ago. “Come to the boss if you need some work,” he raps, “Come to the boss if you need some hurt / White collar boy if you check my shirt / Here come my sons just like LaVert.”
Ice Cube’s Ride Along debuted over Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Weekend and quickly became the most commercially successful film opening ever on the holiday. The film’s success also earned its place as the highest grossing weekend film opening ever in the month of January.
AD LOADING...
Common Enlists Ab-Soul For “Made In Black America”
With frequent collaborator No I.D. responsible for the production, Common released his Ab-Soul featuring single earlier this week. “Made In Black America,” the second single from the Chicago emcee’s upcoming Nobody Smiling album, was let loose from Power 106’s LA Leakers on Wednesday (February 12). With Common holding down the first verse and Soul closing out the number, the track features No I.D. signature sample-heavy production. “My President is Black / I wonder if Pac thought we was ready for that / Or, did we move too fast? / I don’t give a fuck, shit my Grandpa glad,” the featured TDE emcee spits on his second verse.
While Common has yet to announce an official release date for his upcoming tenth album, his first since 2011, the project is slated to feature production exclusively from No I.D. The rapper has spoken at length about the nature of the record, calling 2014 “one of [his] greatest times in music.” “Nobody Smiling was really a thought that came about because of all the violence that was going on in Chicago, or that is going on,” he said. “I like to say was because we’re going to bring it into fruition that it’s going to stop. All the violence that’s going on, it happens in Chicago, but it’s happenin’ around the world in many ways.”
AD LOADING...
This Week’s Top 10
1. Rick Ross f. Jeezy – “War Ready (Prod. by Mike WiLL Made-It)”
2. Ice Cube – “Sic Them Youngins On Em”
3. Common f. Ab-Soul – “Made In Black America (Prod. by No I.D.)”
AD LOADING...
4. Mac Miller – “Diablo [Prod. Larry Fisherman]”
5. Nicki Minaj – Lookin Ass Nigga [Video]
6. Cam’Ron – “We Made It (Remix)”
7. ScHoolboy Q – “Break THe Bank [Prod. Alchemist]”
AD LOADING...
8. Kendrick Lamar & Imagine Dragons – “m.A.A.d city” & “Radioactive” (2014 GRAMMY Performance) [Video]
9. Meek Mill f. Yo Gotti – “Know No Better [Prod. Cardo]”
10. Katy Perry & Juicy J – “Dark Horse” (2014 GRAMMY Performance) [Video]
AD LOADING...
