This week in Hip Hop, Kendrick Lamar bestowed upon the Hip Hop world DAMN., but not without a leak first. Also, Chris Brown and Lil Wayne found themselves under investigation for their association with alleged drug dealer Cuban Harry who sung like a Canary at trial and still got convicted. Then, Joey Bada$$ sales projections for All-Amerikkkan Bada$$ were announced.
Kendrick Lamar Releases “DAMN.”
Hours before Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. dropped, it leaked. Yup. All 14 tracks.
Fans weren’t too happy about it and quickly pointed out that a Target employee may have been the culprit.
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Rihanna, U2 and Zacari are the only features on the project and production has been handled by the likes of The Alchemist, 9th Wonder, Teddy Walton and Mike WiLL Made-It, who blessed the lead single “HUMBLE.”
After DAMN.‘s release, it appears Kendrick’s “loud and abrasive” artwork designed by Vlad Sepetov has become an afterthought following all of that harsh criticism.
Stream Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. here.
Chris Brown & Lil Wayne Under Investigation Over Cuban Harry Drug Ties
Miami producer Harrison “Cuban Harry” Garcia haphazardly posted his illegal moves on Instagram and consequently got busted for selling drugs by Homeland Security. Among his buyers were reportedly Chris Brown and Lil Wayne who Garcia says he sold “a lot of narcotics” to. A wire transfer from Breezy in the amount of $15,000 was also traced.
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Cuban Harry used his Instagram to promote his services under the handle “Muhammad_A_Lean” as he allegedly pushed marijuana, Xanax and cough syrup.
Despite his lawyer trying to portray him as a kid who tries to be harder than he actually is, jurors still made the decision to convict him. He will be sentenced on June 3.
Read more here.
Joey Bada$$ “All-Amerikkkan Bada$$“ Sales Predictions
Joey Bada$$’s All-Amerikkkan Bada$$ was released last Friday (April 7) and now the sales predictions are officially in.
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The politically-charged album delivered “woke” in music form, spearheading the Black millennial revolution. The 22-year-old addresses every tough social justice issue from socio-economics to racism.
Hits Daily Double predicts that Joey will move 24,000-27,000 units and 31,000-34,000 SPS. This should place him at #9 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Read more here.
DXclusives: G Herbo, Destructo, Los Rakas & The Breakdown
Catching up with Chicago artist G Herbo at SXSW in March, the “Pull Up” rapper tells HipHopDX that he credits Nicki Minaj for helping to get his career off the ground.
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“I’m so humble and down-to-earth. I look up to Nicki Minaj, of course, she helped jumpstart my career,” he said in an exclusive interview with DX’s Shirley Ju. “Of course, I love Nicki forever. But I thought I just seen Remy Ma in Miami. I was going to walk up to her and get a picture. It’s Remy Ma. She one of the coldest Hip Hop females ever, along with Nicki.”
EDM DJ Destructo gives HipHopDX some insight on why he made his recently released EP Renegade.
“I feel that most people that do music are cookie cutter and they copy,” he tells Associate Producer Ural Garrett. “My whole attitude with making music or throwing festivals is to be different and mix and match things that you wouldn’t know goes together. Put sounds together. The people who follow me, listen to my music or come to my shows are renegades to because they want something different. Back in the day, if you liked rapped, you stay over there. If you like rock, you stay over there. If you like techno, you stay over there. Now kids like everything. They’re renegades. They like what they like.”
Latin rap duo Las Rakas hail from The Bay and they spoke with Senior News Writer Victoria Hernandez about the Oakland Raiders becoming the Las Vegas Raiders and how it affects them as loyal fans.
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“We’re there every year, whether they’re winning or losing,” Raka Rich says. “We’re loyal. And a business decision didn’t matter about our loyalty. Everything is for money. It didn’t matter about the people. That’s where the world is going now. Everything is for money. It didn’t matter it has a great vibe.”
There’s no way Rich will be rooting for his hometown’s old team in the future.
This past week’s The Breakdown with Justin Hunte explored all of the rappers who are inspired by Tupac. From Troy Ave comparing attempts on his life to ‘Pac’s last days to even teen heartthrob Lil Zane, Hunte looks at the Battle of the Tupac-A Likes from all angles along with Scarface and E.D.I. Mean.
