Hip Hop Week In Review: Lil Durk & Tekashi 6ix9ine To War Over Streams & Hip Hop Mourns Chadwick Boseman's Passing

This week in Hip Hop, a global tragedy struck the entertainment world as most of the culture grapples with the Jacob Blake shooting in Wisconsin. The latest act of blatant police brutality caught by cell phone bled into the sports world, shuttering several scheduled games.

All the while, Internet Money, The LOX and Jaden Smith released new albums and Ty Dolla $ign, Big Sean, Nipsey Hussle, Nicki Minaj and more all appeared on new songs.

Lil Durk & Tekashi 6ix9ine Both Releasing Albums Next Week

On August 26, Tekashi 6ix9ine announced his upcoming album Tattle Tales in the Chicago hood known as “O-Block” — prompting responses from Windy City rappers Lil Durk, King Von and Lil Reese.

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In a brazen act of disrespect, the rainbow-haired rapper poured out a bottle of Tito’s Handmade Vodka to mock the dead and singled out Durk’s slain cousin OTF NuNu a couple of days later.

“CAME TO OBLOCK .. came to pay my respect to @lildurk cousin nuski who was killed by gun violence,” 6ix9ine taunted. “we need to change as a community #RIP NUSKI PRE ORDER THE ALBUM LINK IN MY BIO SEPTEMBER 4TH.”

Durk especially made his desire to be disassociated from Tekashi 6ix9ine clear via Drake’s “Laugh Now Cry Later” single, but took the bait set by his Hip Hop opp after hearing his dead family member’s name get mentioned.

To return fire, the OTF boss announced an album of his own; The Voice to be released on Septemeber 4, the same release date as 6ix9ine. Although details are sparse for both projects, 6ix9ine let his fans know he’s wondering if he should include a 2017 Tory Lanez verse for a heightened controversy. If all this sounds fabricated to fans, they may be on to something. Both Durk and Lil Tjay claim 6ix9ine and team offered seven-figures to keep the buzz burning as their albums drop.

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For anyone taking notes, Big Sean is also dropping D2 day.

Hip Hop Remembers Chadwick Boseman As A Superhero

On the evening of August 28, the social media accounts of Black Panther lead star Chadwick Boseman announced the gutwrenching news the acclaimed actor had passed away at just 43 years old. Equally surprising was the news he battled colon cancer in the public eye after being diagnosed in 2016 and going on to shoot the films Marshall, Da 5 Bloods, the final two Avengers flicks and of course, Black Panther.

The revelation of his death became the most-liked tweet in Twitter’s history in short order with more than 7 million likes as of press time. Directors Ryan Coogler and Spike Lee, who worked with Boseman on Black Panther and Da 5 Bloods respectively, openly admitted they were oblivious to the cancer diagnosis.

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Dozens of rappers including (but not limited) to such as Nas, Drake, Snoop Dogg, Migos, Cardi B, Rapsody, Black Thought, Cordae and Ice Cube were floored by the news and let the community know it. Gospel legend Kirk Franklin immediately hit the studio to remix Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s 2018 hit “All The Stars” from the Black Panther soundtrack.

Boseman’s final film, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, will be released on Netflix at a later date.