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The rap game has proven to be successful for Dave East, but just in case it doesn’t work out, he always has a career as a fashion model. Hip hop was all over New York Fashion Week as celebrities shared photos of themselves sitting first row at various shows, but Dave East switched things up and took his strut to the runway.

John Lamparski / Stringer / Getty Images

The Survival rapper was featured in the show for Hakan Akkaya on Tuesday (February 11). “Big Stepper @hakanakkaya,” Dave wrote in a caption of one of his Instagram photos. People couldn’t help but make note of his shoes and threw a few playful verbal jabs his way. He took the jokes in stride. “(The Comments Bout The ? Got Me ?).”

Back in 2017, Tyra Banks told Dave that he should seriously consider a career as a professional model. She shared a picture of the rapper to her Instagram page and asked him why he wasn’t smizing for the cameras. He gave a light-hearted response, but it looks as if she may have planted a seed. Check out a few photos below, as well as a video of Dave in action. We also included Tyra’s three-year-old post for good measure.

Coming off the release of his latest and arguably most introspective project, uknowwhatimsayin? (2019), Danny Brown has earned his right to be considered one of hip-hop's most respected underground kings. Currently on the European leg of his 2019-2020 tour and recently unveiling a blossoming relationship with Rockstar that will immortalize the Detroit emcee forever, Danny Brown was pleasantly surprised to learn that his 2017 single "Ain't It Funny" was used during Christopher John Rogers Fall/Winter 2020 presentation at New York Fashion Week, this past Saturday (Feb. 8). 

The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund-winning designer, Christopher John Rogers presented a total of forty different garments utilizing boisterous silhouettes, iridescent fabrics, and a color-coordinated lineup of models ranging in complexion, wearing natural hairstyles. The packed house was able to consume the designs to a very fitting soundtrack, curated by Skype Williams, which included tracks like FKA Twigs and Dennis Ferrer’s "Hey Hey," Eurythmics’ "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)," SBTRKT’s "New Dorp. New York," and more. 

The fashion presentation came to a climax as Danny Brown's "Ain't It Funny" instrumental was played during the show's finale. Christopher John Rogers himself took a moment to capture the models walking the runway in unison to the experimental beat his Instagram account. Yesterday evening, Danny Brown saw the clip on Twitter and simply quote Tweeted the video simply stating, "Ain't It Funny."

Check out the clip of Christopher John Rogers NYFW Fall/Winter 2020 collection featuring Danny Brown's "Ain't It Funny" as well as the "Savage Nomad" rapper's reaction in the videos provided below.

An alumni fashion show hosted by the Fashion Institute of Technology on Feb. 7 ended up crossing serious lines in its attempt to be cutting-edge. In addition to the avant-garde clothing, models were made to wear accessories that were intended to highlight “ugly features of the body.” When an African-American model, Amy Lefevre, pointed out the racist implications of placing her in monkey ears and oversized lips, she was told by one of the staff members that it was fine for her to feel uncomfortable for only 45 seconds. “I was literally shaking. I could not control my emotions. My whole body was shaking. I have never felt like that in my life,” Lefevre told The Post afterwards. “People of color are struggling too much in 2020 for the promoters not to have vetted and cleared accessories for the shows.” Lefevre ended up walking in the show without the accessories, but angrily stormed out once it finished. Of course, this story sparked outrage once it made its way to the public. 

FIT president, Dr. Joyce F. Brown, initially offered a semi-defensive response to the situation. “This program protects a student’s freedom to craft their own personal and unique artistic perspectives as designers, to be even what some would consider to be provocative, so that they find that voice,” she said in a statement. “However provocative design and fashion might be though, my commitment to ensure that people are not made to feel uncomfortable, offended, or intimidated is also of the utmost importance not only to me personally but to the college community as well. We take this obligation very, very seriously and will investigate and take appropriate action regarding any complaint or concern that is made in this situation.”

On Tuesday (Feb. 18), Brown penned a more lengthy apology, which still defended the innocuous intention behind the costumes. “Currently it does not appear that the original intent of the design, the use of accessories or the creative direction of the show was to make a statement about race,” Brown wrote. “However, it is now glaringly obvious that has been the outcome.” Read the full statement below. 

On Friday, February 7th, as part of New York Fashion Week, the FIT MFA program in fashion design held its first graduating students runway show at Chelsea Piers. There were over 100 guests in the audience to witness both their achievements and creativity. As many of you now know, there was an unfortunate and disturbing reaction to the show that I want to address.

As we understand it, some of the students and models involved in the show were offended by the accessories—large prosthetic ears and lips and bushy eyebrows—used to style one particular collection. Calling them racist, one model refused to wear these items and indeed walked down the runway without them.

Currently it does not appear that the original intent of the design, the use of accessories or the creative direction of the show was to make a statement about race; however, it is now glaringly obvious that has been the outcome. For that, we apologize—to those who participated in the show, to students, and to anybody who has been offended by what they saw.

Let me be clear: no person should be made to feel uncomfortable—particularly about race—in service of their work, job, livelihood, or course of study. Right now, we are actively investigating how this happened. And as you’ll read, we have outlined several steps to address the concerns and questions of students, faculty, and our community. We take this very seriously and our response and actions going forward will reflect that.

It is my position that all students must be afforded the safe space and freedom to learn and develop their voice, even if the voice is provocative to some. At the same time, I am deeply committed to creating a teaching and learning environment in which people are not offended or intimidated. There is a balance that must be struck between these two imperatives, one that is not always easy to find, but it is the college’s responsibility to find it. As both a former faculty member and an administrator, I appreciate how fine a line there is to draw between these two.

Consequently, we must, as educators, be certain we are providing students the cultural and historical perspectives they need as they realize their artistic vision. Simultaneously, we must provide guidance so that they recognize and respect potential risks and unintended consequences of their creativity. Regrettably, we failed in this instance to recognize a creative statement that could have negative consequences. Regardless of intent or artistic vision, we must be continually aware of that which constitutes an authentic artistic expression, and that which creates a risk to the intended message and interpretation of the art form. There is no room for error which can be interpreted as racism, homophobia, religious intolerance or any other kind of bigotry.

In the days and weeks that follow, as mentioned above, we will be taking several steps to address the concerns of our community. We will be engaging with our Diversity Council, our Faculty Senate, the UCE and the Student Government Association to continue this important conversation; we will put in place safeguards to ensure that a situation like this will not happen again; and finally, there will be an ongoing investigation about the event itself—how it occurred, who was involved, and why there was no immediate follow-up.

This is not the moment to simply remind ourselves of all of the good and productive efforts we have made in the name of diversity, inclusion and civility. I have said that civility and diversity are a work in progress on this campus. We have to recognize as individuals and as a community that we cannot be complacent and that there is still much work to be done—and I am personally committed to making that happen.

Lil Wayne definitely has a type: models. The rapper was happy and in love not too long ago with plus-sized model La’Tecia Thomas, and the two of them even got engaged last fall. However, things didn’t exactly work out, as it was revealed last month that Wayne and his fiancée had called it quits. Now, Weezy appears to have locked down yet another striking beauty, as rumours swirl that he’s dating Puerto Rican-Kuwaiti model Denise Bidot.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for EA Sports Bowl at Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest

The first sign that these two may be an item was the fact that Denise is the only account that Wayne follows on Instagram. Wayne also mentioned that he had a new lady in his life while talking to Nicki Minaj on Young Money Radio on Friday (June 12th). While they were discussing Nicki’s marriage to Kenneth Petty, she recalled some relationship advice Wayne had given her in the past. “Remember when you was telling me that I be having an attitude all the time because I needed good dick?” she reminded him. “You was right though!” Wayne laughed and told her, “I just hope my girl heard that, that’s all.”

Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for American Eagle

Wayne and Denise have known each other since at least last summer, as they were photographed together in a promotional shot for his Young Money collection with American Eagle. Denise has modelled for brands like Savage x Fenty, Lane Bryant, and Levi’s. She was also the first plus-sized model to walk the runway for two different straight size brands during New York Fashion Week.

JP Yim/Getty Images for Chromat

Ciara is making sure to document all of the best moments of her second pregnancy with husband Russell Wilson, as she shared a photo showing off her baby bump while rocking a white bikini on vacation. The singer let all of us know that she’s living her best life with a recent Instagram post, in which she can be seen posing next to a pool in all-white while looking off into the distance. Ciara captioned the photo with just a simple hashtag, “#Friday,” and indicated that Russell was the mastermind behind the gorgeous shot.

Ciara and Russell announced that they were expecting another child roughly three weeks ago, and the happy couple haven’t stopped basking in the beautiful moment ever since. Ciara even twerked onstage during an event for New York Fashion Week, proving that she won’t let her pregnancy hold her back from some harmless fun.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

While this will be Ciara and Russell’s second child together, Ciara does have another child with ex-fiancé, Future. Russell’s mother, Tammy, recently opened up about the first time Russell told her about his relationship with the woman who would eventually become his wife. She recalled how she reacted upon finding out that Ciara already had a child with another man. “If you’re really serious about it, then you have to love that kid as if it were your own,” Tammy told Russell about Future Jr. at the time. “If you’re going to be with someone who has a kid, you can’t treat that kid any differently than if he were yours.” Words of wisdom from Mama Wilson.

Lizzo, arguably the hottest pop singer on the scene right now, is stealing fashion headlines again — someone please give her a permemnant spot at New York Fashion Weeks from here on. She won’t disappoint. 

After turning heads earlier this year at a Los Angeles Lakers game in her “thong dress,” on Tuesday she showed up at the 2020 Brit Awards in London in a full-length, Hershey’s chocolate wrapper-inspired gown. The brown satin dress, designed by Jeremy Scott for Moschino, was emblazoned with the words “milk chocolate” and even featured product details such as nutritional facts and a giant barcode on one side. Adding some serious bling to the quirky outfit, Lizzo carried a diamond-encrusted Judith Leiber purse that resembled a partially-unwrapped candy bar. She finished off the look with a deep brown lip color, brown eyes, and nails that looked as though they were dipped in molten chocolate.

Jim Dyson/Redferns/Getty Images

The fashion diva posted a series of photos in her chocolate dress on Instagram as well as a full post with the racy caption: 

“The best kind of chocolate. If you ever wondered what I taste like…”

We’re melting, Lizzo!

Nicki Minaj and her husband Kenneth Petty took a break to be cute last week, attending New York Fashion Week for the first time as a married couple and cuddling up to one another as they watched the Marc Jacobs show unfold. With the release of her new single “Yikes,” Minaj has been much more active on social media than in recent times, updating her page almost daily and even returning with an all-new episode of her drama-filled Queen Radio show. Nicki and Kenneth first attracted the eyes of fans when they were photographed in the most sexually-provocative poses, testing out Instagram’s censorship standards, and now they’re back with more of the same, grinding up on one another in a new shot.

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Nicki Minaj updated her social profile with a new picture of herself and her man, noting that it was taken by one of their drunk friends. “I got 2 days of pics that all look like this,” she joked about the low-quality, poorly-angled image. “But there’s a lot to celebrate.”

The Queens rapper sure does have a lot to celebrate. She just released her first new solo single since announcing her retirement last year, also getting married to the man of her dreams in 2019. There’s a ton of positivity in her life and it’s nice to see her embracing it. The caption brings up a few questions though. What is the Queen celebrating specifically? Did she just sign a new endorsement deal with a major company? Could she have finished her heavily-discussed new album, which wasn’t even in the cards at one point? Or, even bigger, could she be pregnant?

The New York-based rapper has been plagued with pregnancy rumors for the last year and a bit and when she told the world that she would be taking a break from music to focus on her family, many of her diehard fans assumed that she would swiftly follow up that announcement with one pertaining to the growth of her household. Maybe it’s finally time for Petty and Minaj to welcome a little boy or girl into their lives. After all, they haven’t exactly been secretive about their desire to have some kids. They’re definitely getting enough practice in too. Of course, that’s purely speculative and neither Minaj or Petty has confirmed anything regarding a potential pregnancy.

The “Barbie Tingz” rapper claimed that she would be deleting the image soon from her profile, but the number of “likes” on it may cause her to think twice about doing so. Already, the picture has racked up nearly one million double-taps by fans and peers alike, with La La Anthony acting among the celebrities who had to do a double-take at the provocative pose. We wouldn’t be surprised if, in the next couple of days, Minaj updates us with even more pictures her drunk buddy took of her and her husband. With two days worth of images, it would be a shame not to share them with the masses.

What do you think she has to celebrate these days?

She’s kept her fans waiting on pins and needles, but Rihanna is still churning out her forthcoming album. The singer promised that her next project would arrive in 2019, but the year came and went. It’s clear that Rihanna has been juggling multiple businesses and as the popularity of her Fenty brand rises, she’s shifted much of her attention to its continued development.

Larry Busacca / Staff / Getty Images

Fans have often trolled Rihanna over the album rumored to be titled R9 and the singer has issued more than her fair share of clapbacks when fans cross the line. In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight during New York Fashion Week, Rihanna was asked about her next record. “Dot, dot, dot. To be continued,” she told the outlet when asked about the whereabouts of the project. “I like to antagonize my fans a little bit. Well, they antagonize me, too! So, they get it right back.”

On Thursday, RiRi added hype around the conversation once again after she shared a photo to her Instagram Story. It suggests that she’s once against working with The Neptunes and over the photo she wrote, “Gang. Back in the STU.” Of course, that’s a nod to the Jackboys’ “Gang Gang.” She and Pharrell had a massive hit with 2017’s “Lemon,” so fans are excited to hear what they’ve cooked up.

Last Friday (February 7) The Cut asked Rihanna how she planned on spending her Valentine’s Day. “I’m going to be in the studio,” she revealed. “I’m so excited actually. I can’t say who I’m working with, but it’s somebody I’ve been wanting to work with him for a long time.” Are you looking forward to another hit from Rihanna and Pharrell?

Jeannie Mai has been forced to respond to xenophobic insults aimed at her and her boyfriend Jeezy after trolls warned the rapper not to get coronavirus, which began spreading in China, after attending a New York Fashion Week event. Jeannie Mai, whose parents are of Vietnamese and Chinese heritage, addressed the comments on a new episode of The Real, hoping to combat any misinformation about the virus in doing so.

Cindy Ord/Getty Images

The daytime talk show host discussed the “hurtful” things that people have been saying to her and Jeezy since they stepped out at NYFW, using the opportunity to also speak on how the virus has brought xenophobia to the forefront nationwide. “I also heard that there are schools that are considering to quarantine Asian kids because they just want to keep it safe,” said Mai. “I just want to say, we know that misinformation coupled with fear leads to xenophobia, right? Xenophobia is a deep-rooted fear against foreigners. So, we just got to do better and know that when it comes to yourself, educate yourself so that you don’t give life to fear.”

Jeannie Mai followed that up by walking into the audience and giving hugs to the women and men who showed out to watch them talk live, attempting to erase any false narrative attached to herself and the virus. 

Watch her full statement below.

Nicki Minaj has officially made her public return, releasing a brand new single last week and stepping out with her husband Kenneth Petty at the Marc Jacobs Fall 2020 show during New York Fashion Week. The rap superstar teased her retirement last year but, clearly, something changed inside of her and she decided that the world needed more of her New York-laced bars. The highly-talented individual dropped “Yikes” and took back her Queen Radio show before bringing her hubby to one of the most exciting NYFW events last night, locking lips in their front-row seats as they considered their next stylistic moves.

Nicki Minaj is certainly a fashionable individual, being spotted numerous times over the years at Fashion Week events. As for her life partner, some would say that Kenny Petty is missing some drip. Meek Mill clowned the man for resembling a Jimmy Jazz mannequin the other day so he might be taking pointers from his wife on how to dress to impress.

Uploading some moments from their time at the Marc Jacobs runway show, Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty clearly enjoyed themselves, kissing in one video shared to Instagram and showing out for the paparazzi in another.

These two form one of hip-hop’s favorite couples of the moment. Do you think Minaj has found herself a keeper?

Bill Nye has had one of the greatest resurgences into the limelight after taking a nearly two-decade hiatus from educating the youth about science. His new Netflix series, Bill Nye Saves The World, continues to bless viewers with new seasons, he's entered the political realm raising awareness about climate change, he's even educating misinformed personalities in the hip-hop realm. Now, the 64-year-old mechanical engineer might have found a new calling after walking the runway during New York Fashion Week, this past week, as an aspiring model. 

Rob Kim/Getty Images

On Wednesday (Feb. 5), Bill Nye participated in the Blue Jacket Fashion Show at Pier 59 Studios. The television personality modeled a blue floral, tuxedo jacket, designed by Nicholas Graham, black slacks, and leather wingtip dress shoes. Unlike most trained models who are taught to remain expressionless while walking down the runway, the highly-popularized educator decided to take his modeling assignment to the next level and two-step his way down the runway to Lizzo's "Juice" as the show's final presenter. 

Several other celebrities participated in this year's Blue Jacket Fashion Show including former New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia, Mario Cantone, CNN's Don Lemon, former New York Giants wideout Victor Cruz, and more.

This particular event holds a special significance to Bill Nye as the fashion celebration benefitted the Prostate Cancer Foundation, an initiative funding research for the cure to prostate cancer. During a recent interview with Addy Medina, the Science Guy revealed that his father fell victim to prostate cancer and expressed how grateful he is to be able to support a good cause stating:

"You can test for this prostate hormone. So I think that we are, and by ‘we’ I mean researchers, are close to solving this problem and so to support this cause is cool."

In 2017, Bill Nye also walked the runway at the Blue Jacket Fashion Show during New York Fashion Week. Check out the footage of the young Science god, f*** it up on the runway to Lizzo's "Juice" in the video provided by Jessica Weiss below. 

Tinashe has evolved into one of the game’s premier thirst-trappers. Ever since departing from RCA Records and pursuing the independent route to release her excellent new album, Songs For You, Tinashe has been glowing up. She continues to stunt on us with her latest series of Instagram posts. 

The pictures show off the killer outfit she wore to Laquan Smith’s New York Fashion Week show on Saturday (Feb. 8). She poses in a skintight leopard-print bodysuit with a red transparent raincoat draped on top. Sporting long braids, the singer appears to have really been feeling herself. She even captioned one of her posts with a boastful lyric from her song “Link Up”: “Head coach, I might put you on the team.”

Last week, Tinashe announced the dates for her upcoming North American tour, “Tour For You”. 

Tinashe’s Tour For You Dates
April 20 – Detroit, Mich. @ Saint Andrew’s Hall
April 21 – Chicago Ill. @ House of Blues
April 22 – Pittsburgh, Pa. @ Spirit
April 23 – Silver Spring, Md. @ The Fillmore
April 24 – Boston, Mass. @ Big Night Live
April 25 – Philadelphia Pa. @ TLA
April 27 – New York, N.Y. @ Gramercy Theatre
April 29 – Toronto, O.N. @ Danforth Music Hall
May 9 – Denver Co. @ Summit
May 11 – Houston, Tx. @ House of Blues
May 12 – Dallas Tx. @ House of Blues
May 15 – Phoeniz, Az. @ Crescent Ballroom
May 16 – Los Angeles, Calif. @ The Belasco
May 17 – San Diego, Calif. @ The Observatory North Park
May 18 – Santa Ana, Calif. @ The Observatory
May 19 – San Francisco, Calif. @ August Hall
May 22 – Vancouver, B.C. @ Commodore Ballroom
May 23 – Seattle, Wash. @ Neptune Theatre

It looks like Jordan Brand and Fragment Design have another limited edition sneaker collab in the works – this time partnering up on the Air Jordan 34 silhouette. Fragment Design’s Hiroshi Fujiwara took to instagram on Thursday morning, following Nike’s New York Fashion Week show, to give fans a first look at the collaborative kicks.

Like previous Fragment x Jordan collabs, the kicks consists of a white, black and blue colorway. Furthermore, you can see that these Air Jordan 34s come equipped with the beloved ‘Nike Air’ branding on the heel. The Air Jordan 34, billed as one of the lightest basketball shoes ever created by Jordan Brand (size 9 weighs just 13.1 oz), includes the following features:

• An Eclipse Plate, formed by two Pebax pieces, which helps reduce the overall stiffness and strips down the weight

• A forefoot Zoom Air unit, with herringbone traction pattern – providing optimal explosion off the foot 

• Limited Upper – heel counter, tongue, eyestay and midfoot reinforcer – showcasing the purest form of a basketball shoe 

• The number 23 is featured in Morse code on the vamp

Release details for the Fragment x Air Jordan 34 have not yet been announced but we’ll keep you posted with any additional information. In the meantime, click here to preview the Top 10 sneakers dropping in February. 

Unlike some of their industry peers who prefer to keep their love lives under wraps, Quavo and Saweetie have no problem showing off their relationship status IRL and on social media. After blowing up with her 2017 viral hit “Icy Grl,” Saweetie wasted no time linking up with Migos frontman Quavo around the same time that she dropped her major label debut, High Maintenance. However, despite the fact that the Bay Area rapper is far from ashamed of linking up with one of the hottest emcees in the game, Saweetie is determined to remind fans that she didn’t sleep her way to the top. She entered the industry on her own merit, and is committed to building a reputation separate from her part as one-half of a major hip-hop power couple. 

“I feel like I work so hard to build my brand, and people knew who I was before [we were together],” argues Saweetie. “ICY GRL” had gone gold and I was already touring and making a name for myself, so I’m kinda just living my life, I’m my own entity, I’m my own brand, I’m basically a young mogul in the making.”

Keep scrolling for the cutest pics of this strongly boo’d-up couple shared to their millions of followers on the ‘Gram. 

Roc Nation

Quavo and Saweetie rolled up to the annual Roc Nation brunch clad in full red carpet drip. 

2020

Quavo and Saweetie rang in the New Year by leaning on each other for warmth while skiing through the Aspen slopes. 

GQ

These two hitmakers only had eyes for each other on the GQ Men of The Year red carpet. 

Happy Halloween 

“P A R T N E R I N C R I M E. Halloween Killas,” captions Quavo alongside a snap of himself and Saweetie in their 2019 Halloween costumes. 

My Type 

Boo’d up from the red carpet to the stage. 

Smile 

Saweetie couldn’t help but kiss her man when the cameras came out. 

Surprise 

Quavo made sure Saweetie’s birthday away from home was one to remember. 

Congratulations

Even though Saweetie and Quavo are in the same industry, the “ICY GRL” rapper clearly wants nothing but success for her man. 

Mr. And Mrs. 

“Mr. & Mrs. H U N C H O. The ? is Yours ??,” writes Quavo alongside a snap of himself and his partner in crime. 

Our Type 

All smiles as the cameras flash during New York Fashion Week. 

Ms. Ciara is not letting anything stop her from twerking—not even her pregnancy. The singer took the stage at a New York Fashion Week event on Thursday, and took the opportunity to show off her knees of steel and booty-shaking skills. During a mashup of various songs like Lil Jon and the Ying Yang Twins‘ “Get Low” and Saweetie’s “My Type,” Ciara lined up with her backup dancers before breaking to take center stage. The soon-to-be mama of three then turned around and started twerking as the medley transitioned into her 2004 hit “Goodies.”

Decked out in a black leather outfit, Ciara can still out-twerk most, even with a bun in the oven. This twerk sesh was not the first instance that Ciara has showed off her dance moves since announcing her pregnancy, however. The expectant mother shared a video last week of herself goofing around to Roddy Ricch’s “The Box” at the Super Bowl.

Amy Sussman/Getty Images

She and husband, Russell Wilson, announced on January 30th that they were expecting another child. This will be their second child together, following the birth of their daughter, Sienna Princess, in April 2017. Ciara also has a 5-year-old son, Future Zahir, with her ex-fiancé Future.

Fenty officially took over New York Fashion Week on Friday (February 7). Rihanna and her bright orange Fenty drip descended on Bergdorf Goodman for her event where she shared a preview of her upcoming collection during a digital window unveiling. Earlier in the day, RiRi shared a snippet on Instagram with a message for fans in the area. “When y’all was asleep last night, I was out interacting with my @fenty digital windows at Bergdorf Goodman ?!” she wrote in the caption. “If you happen to be in NYC today do a lil drive by before it ends tonight!”

Dimitrios Kambouris / Staff / Getty Images

The pop star-turned-fashion-and-beauty-mogul was all smiles during her event that included a few friends who stopped by to support her. Shade 45 radio host Daniel Jean was able to get a snippet of Rihanna as they sipped on wine and enjoyed the DJ spinning Roddy Ricch‘s hit track “The Box.” In the video, Jean jokingly says, “I think it’s time to tell the world that you’re having my baby.”

Rihanna’s face immediately twists up as she side-eyes him with a smirk. She’s rumored to be newly single so hey, do what you have to do. Meanwhile, fans are still waiting on the singer to drop her next project, and she’s tired of people harassing her about it. Fenty seems to be the priority at the moment, but we’re crossing our fingers that 2020 will be the year that the rumored R9 record hits the streets.

Cardi B is many things: a rapper, a former reality star, a hell of a personality, and apparently a contortionist. Well, that last one may not be entirely true, but Cardi is definitely one bendy broad. She showed off her stretching skills in an Instagram post on Friday, which features a photo of Cardi lifting her leg all the way up to the sky while she was goofing around in the club.

Cardi captioned the very purple photo, “At this moment @achontishanise knew she finna carry me out the club.” It’s probably true, considering how blitzed Cardi looks with her tongue out and toes pointing toward the ceiling, but despite her obvious inebriation, she was still somehow able to pull off this pose. It’s impressive that anybody who’s ever given birth could even be this flexible, so hats off to Ms. Belcalis.

Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Universal Pictures

Cardi recently got involved again in some beef that’s been dragged on for quite some time now. She came to the defense of her best friend, Star Brim, after Star and Rah Ali fired shots back and forth. The beef between these ladies all began years ago at New York Fashion Week, when Rah was named as the culprit who gave Cardi a massive bump on her forehead after throwing a shoe at her in a brawl.

Cardi B and Rah Ali are back to beefing since that fateful New York Fashion Week fight that left a massive knot on Cardi's forehead. Ever since Rah was rumoured to be the culprit that threw hands (and shoes) with Cardi, Star Brim, Cardi's bestie, has been threatening to return the favour to Rah with a proper ass-whooping of her own. Star's most recent invitation to square up came on Instagram last week, after Rah called Star out for hyping up an unfavourable meme of Rah's friend and famous Cardi foe, Nicki Minaj.

Drake‘s commitment to Nike is impressive. So it was no surprise when he showed face in New York City, once again, but this time for New York Fashion Week. The rapper was spotted front row with Rosalía and Virgil Abloh for Nike’s presentation. The rapper shared a slew of photos with both the singer, “La jefa de Sant Esteve Sesrovires” which translates to “the head of Sant Esteve Sesrovires.” Perhaps this might mean a collaboration is on the way? He’s been dabbling outside of hip-hop and R&B a lot more in recent years, this could be a strong indication of what he has in store on his next project. 

Drake’s friends go where ever he goes so he had to bring his head of security, business partner and long-time friend, OVO Chubbs. Drizzy shared a flick with a meme-worthy flick of Chubbs looking incredibly concentrated. Drake seems to believe Chubbs already plotting out Nike’s design for the next season. “Third fashion show ever and Chubbs is already thinking about next seasons designs @nike #creative,” he captioned the photo.

In other Drake-related news, Drake has secured another platinum plaque in his extensive collection. Future and Drake’s “Life Is Good” has officially gone platinum. Unfortunately, this didn’t mark another number one hit for either one of the artists. The song has maintained its spot at number two on the chart, only being blocked by Roddy Ricch‘s “The Box.” Hopefully, Drake does come through with more music before the year ends. Maybe the highly speculated What A Time To Be Alive 2?

Peep the flicks below

Lil Kim performed in Detroit on Saturday night, and fellow female rapper Kash Doll was in close attendance. Kash Doll shared an abundance of Instagram stories documenting her whole evening with Kim, including a video of the two of them backstage as Kim prepares to go on stage followed by some clips of Kash Doll rapping along to “Crush On You” as Kim performs. It looks like Kash Doll even joined Kim at one point, as she reposted a story of the two of them performing onstage together. After the show, Kim and Kash Doll shared some laughs with Kim’s entourage, which included Fat Joe, before heading to dinner where Kash Doll began freestyling at the table.

Once the evening started coming to a close, Kim and Kash Doll both proceeded to grab the cheque, which resulted in the two of them fighting over who will cover the bill. Kash Doll shared some footage of the whole ordeal, with a sweet message about Kim in the caption.

“Me and queen bee @lilkimthequeenbee fighting over the bill last night was a highlight of my female rap career..! Like really last night was epic! I’m honored ?she’s the best! I had soooo much fun it was on the flo!” Kash Doll wrote. Kim returned the love several times on the post, including in her comment, “?? My BABY!!!!! ??❤️ITS ON DA FLO!!!! Fr ???.” It’s unclear who ended up covering the bill, but regardless, it looks like these two ladies had a blast together. Things weren’t always so peachy keen between them, at least on Kash Doll’s part. In September, she revealed that she and Kim had officially met at New York Fashion Week, in which they addressed some former resentments Kash Doll had toward Kim that Kim wasn’t even aware of. All was resolved, and the two of them appear to be super close now.

Upon discovering an old tape of his formative project Power Of The Dollar, 50 Cent issued a confident declaration. “Damn i did this in 1998 and i still can rap better than you fools.” A reminder that behind all of the antics and brand-pushing hashtags stands a proud emcee. One who seldom gets the credit he might deserve. Despite having held his own alongside lyrical elites like Eminem and his own group-mate Lloyd Banks. Despite having engaged in battle with rappers like Jadakiss, The Game, and Rick Ross, three foes who would surely lay waste to a lesser challenger. Not to mention the fact that his breakout movement was based off a simple premise, which is to say, freestyling over established beats and outshining the original artist.

Consider that mixtapes of that nature have essentially gone extinct. These days, mixtapes are basically albums, albeit generally more free-flowing and lax. Back when 50 was carving out his lane, attempting to crack into an industry that was essentially too fearful to do business with him, he was spitting with a hunger not often seen in this era. Unafraid to call out names and make enemies, Fif’s intensity carried into his early music. The aforementioned Power Of The Dollar, his classic mixtape Guess Who’s Back. His reputation as a wild card allowed him a certain presence on wax, one who seemed willing to back up any threat made. For a gangsta rapper, that’s an invaluable tool. And while many have explored similar territory as young 50 tended to favor, few did it with as much relish. He seemed to feel a devilish glee while detailing acts of violence, one that imbued him with a villainous charisma — the likes of which are still felt to this day.

Dave Simpson/WireImage/Getty Images

Remember, this was a rapper who eyed the coveted New York crown. He expressed as such on the classic “Be A Gentleman,” when he called out one of his chief competitors in Jay-Z. “Still n***s actin’ like I don’t get down or something, like I ain’t the next n***a to wear the crown or something,” he taunts, a rhyme basic on paper but impactful on wax. “You gonna talk about your chips ’til we run in your crib and you gon’ ask dumb questions like, ‘can I live?’” At the time, the race for New York kingship was tight — names like Jay, DMX, Ja Rule, Ghostface, and Raekwon were comfortably in the running delivering excellent music. And while each one was more established than Fif, he somehow managed to remain in the race. Immense hustle and work ethic can go far, but not without the skill to match. Without the ability to toggle beast mode, longevity is out of the question. It’s the reason tapes like the aforementioned two stand up today, not as historical relics but as genuinely badass servings of grimy NYC rap.

But what about his rapping ability makes him a top tier emcee? Insofar as the lyrics themselves are concerned, Fif seldom engaged in what has come to be unflatteringly described as “rappity-rap.” He’s concise in his messages, letting the attitude present within his voice emphasize any point. “In the hood summertime, it’s the killing season / it’s hot out this bitch, that’s a good enough reason,” he shrugs, on the Dr. Dre produced “Heat.” Lines like that hold more character than some rappers conjure in an entire song. The entirety of “Heat,” arguably the greatest song of Fif’s career, is a masterclass in visual storytelling. “Don’t think you safe ’cause you moved out the hood, cause ya mama still around dawg, and that ain’t good,” he continues. “If you was smart you’d be shook of me, cause I get tired of looking for ya / spray ya mama crib and let yo ass look for me.” Where a lesser lyricist might have simply delivered the threat in a passing line, Fif’s internal rhyme scheme set up gives it even more power. 

CityFiles/WireImage/Getty Images

And if “Heat” doesn’t hold the crown as 50’s greatest record, there’s a strong case to be made for another Get Rich Or Die Tryin classic, “Many Men.” It should be noted that as a writer, Fif seldom gets overtly conceptual in his use of language. He tends to operate in a rather frank manner, drawing from personal experience and presenting his philosophies accordingly. “In the Bible, it says what goes around, comes around,” raps Fif, in the climactic verse. “Hommo shot me, three weeks later he got shot down, now it’s clear that I’m here for a real reason / cause he got hit like I got hit, but he ain’t fuckin’ breathin’.”

On paper, the lines read relatively simple, the premise straightforward. Yet it’s exactly this approach to morality that makes his rapping so compelling. It’s not entirely different from an emcee like DMX, whose words were imbued with a similar gravitas; neither have to flow in a dexterous fashion to impress, masking lack of character with aimless lyrical gymnastics. Instead, 50 was able to paint vivid pictures with the simplest of lines, evoking the smell of gunfire, the scowls of his foes. “I’m observant in my hood, cause n***s be dumbing, shots forfeit the dice game, all you see is the running,” he reflects, on Massacre opener “In My Hood.” Words that may as well be a scene off a cinematographer’s storyboard.

How does all that factor into 50 Cent’s ability as an emcee? Those who would reserve him a spot in the top ten might be quick to tout his songwriting prowess, his ability to adapt to a variety of instrumentals, or his ear for melodic singsong flow schemes. Yet it’s unlikely that many would place him in the same conversation as artists like Royce Da 5’9”, Black Thought, Nas, Eminem, Andre 3000, or Jay-Z, rappers that have become known and regarded for their lyricism. Though 50’s writing does possess depth and authenticity, his preference for a frank and minimalist delivery has given him the illusion of simplicity. That should never be mistaken for weakness. There’s an authoritative quality to his tone that made him, at his prime, one of the most compelling rappers in the entire game. 

If there’s one format that never fails to elicit excitement, it’s the posse cut. With roots deriving from hip-hop’s inherently competitive elements, a trial-by-fire tradition associated with regionalist pride among other factors, the posse cut often finds emcees in an unspoken quest to emerge with the standout verse — much to the benefit of the song as a cohesive whole.

Alliances are built and strengthened; the old adage of strength in numbers holds true in the booth. Unfortunately, the posse cut has come to feel like a dwindling art. Where it once seemed to be one of the game’s preferred structures, an all-but-guaranteed album highlight, newer artists have tended to steer away from the beloved tradition. That’s not to say they have disappeared entirely, but it’s become a far cry from the glory days in which hip-hop’s best lyricists would unite on sprawling, multiple-verse, sometimes even six-minute-long epics.

In honor of the posse cut, we have compiled a list of the thirty best hip-hop hs to offer. As to what technically qualifies a posse cut, it should be noted that crews have been by and large excluded from the mix — lest the list turn into a rundown of Wu-Tang Clan’s greatest hits. Should a crew be present on a track having opened the door for a fellow emcee or two, however, that’s another story. Should you call yourself a hip-hop-head, it’s likely you’ve heard a few of these already. Maybe even all of them.

Should that be the case, be sure to hit the comments with your thoughts on the ranking – including any snubs you might feel were overlooked. Obviously, placing thirty classics in numerical order is not exactly a cut-and-dry process, and many of the selections below are, to be perfectly honest, interchangeable from their allotted spots. How far can one timeless anthem really differ from another? Perhaps it’s best to not overthink this one, and simply bask in a celebration of some of the greatest collaborative hip-hop songs of all time.

– Mitch Findlay

30.  Dreamville, J.I.D, Mez, Buddy, Jace, Reese LAFLARE, Ski Mask the Slump God, Smokepurpp & Guapdad 4000 – Costa Rica

While healthy competition can drive a posse cut to heightened levels of excellence, so too can the simple purity of camaraderie. Especially when substances are involved. The Revenge Of The Dreamers 3 sessions were legendary in that regard, bringing emcees of all walks of life into the studio for a two-weeks-long creative haven, culminating in no shortage of new music and friendships forged along the way. In many says, the bombastic “Costa Rica” feels like the heart of the Dreamers sessions, a gathering of like-minded emcees feeding off one another’s energy during an extensive night of recording.

Hearing the stories of “Costa Rica’s” creation is akin to hearing a longtime journeyman reflect on a particularly epic night. Those electric feelings bleed into the song itself, with each emcee simply happy to be there — nobody is vying for top billing, with the brief verses all possessing an endearing sort of spontaneity. There’s something undoubtedly pure about hearing the entire room echo Ski Mask The Slump God’s raucous cries of “going on a date with an AK!” A relatively new addition to the list, but one that captured a distinct moment in time, one that will likely follow each participant for the rest of their lives. 

– Mitch

29. Trae Tha Truth, T.I., Dave East, Tee Grizzley, Royce Da 5’9″, Curren$y, Snoop Dogg, Fabolous, Rick Ross, Chamillionaire, G Eazy, Styles P, E-40, DRAM, Gary Clark, Jr. & Mark Morrison – I’m On 3.0

There are posse cuts, and then there are songs that boast more featured artists than most albums. It’s difficult to get more than 10 MCs to deliver dope verses that feel both fresh and different enough from one another, while ensuring that the track as a whole doesn’t drag on for so long that listeners start to check their watch. This balance is key, and that’s exactly what Trae Tha Truth and his assembly of artists successfully achieve on “I’m On 3.0.” Serving as the third installment of Trae’s “I’m On” series, this most recent incarnation takes what Trae and his previous collaborators did on both prior renditions and builds on it. While Mark Morrison’s vocals remained on the chorus, now accompanied by Gary Clark Jr. and D.R.A.M., Trae traded in the eight rappers from “2.0,” and recruited a whopping 12 replacements. Although a bold move, it ultimately paid off.

While some posse cuts require the song itself to somehow work around all the different contributing rappers’ individual styles in order to create a cohesive sound, in this case, the burden seems to lie on the artists themselves to ensure that their particular flow and lyrical flair fits the overall vibe of the track. Although there are certainly some undeniable standouts amongst this group, Chamillionaire’s verse has been widely regarded as the major highlight, the track serving as a platform on which the underappreciated MC was finally able to really show off his chops. In the case of this cut, the expression “third time’s the charm” certainly rings true.

– Lynn

28. Sway & King Tech, Eminem, RZA, Xzibit, KRS-One, Tech N9ne, Chino XL, Pharoahe Monch, Kool G Rap, Jayo Felony, DJ Revolution – 1999 Wake Up Show Freestyle

As the new millennium was dawning on a generation of hip-hop fans, Sway and King Tech were using their position to assemble an absolutely insane collective. Capturing the raw energy of a cipher and channeling it onto a golden-era instrumental, the “1999” edition of the “Wake Up Show” freestyle kicked off with Bobby Digital on a mission, representing for the Wu-Tang movement and bringing a legendary pedigree from the jump. On that note, there’s plenty of notable wordsmiths on deck; Eminem landed his first collaboration with Xzibit and Tech N9ne, Chino XL proved why he stands among the underground’s most respected lyricists, and KRS-One imbued the track with the presence of a true “master of ceremonies.” 

– Mitch

27. Chris Brown, Kanye West, T.I., Fabolous, Rick Ross & Andre 3000 – Deuces (Remix)

Chris Brown has had his fair share of ups and downs. 2010 was essentially a peak “down” time in Brown’s long career, as a year prior, he left Rihanna with bruises on her face following an argument with her that escalated to physical blows. Thus, by the time 2010 rolled around, Chris Brown was essentially working his way back into our good graces, one song at a time. 

It was around this same time that the singer ended up collaborating with Tyga for their joint mixtape, Fan of a Fan. “Deuces” served as a single off it, also featuring R&B singer Kevin McCall. It’s the sort of catchy, easy beat that you can still bop your head to right now, which is exactly the type of record we needed from Breezy back then– something we didn’t have to analyze too closely but would be easily enjoyed by masses. 

As the song grew legs on the internet, Chris Brown recruited a ton of star power for the massive remix– which just goes to show the span of his reach and his clout, even amid domestic violence allegations. It doesn’t hurt to have Kanye West, T.I., Drake, Andre 300, Fabolous and Rick Ross in your corner when you’re in the process of a career comeback. Each artist drops off their personalized dose of female relationship fodder and what spurs them to leave a particular relationship, for a total of eight verses on this epic remix. Andre 3000 blesses us with the final farewell, in philosophical manner: “And here I am, all heavy with the words where / Somebody that’s a nerd, likely fast forward / But, shit, they asked for it / It’s hard to throw up them deuces / ‘Cause when you know it’s juicy / You start to sound like / Confucius when makin’ up excuses / Chase the Cabooses until the track gone / I gotta find me a new locomotive, stop makin’ sad songs.”

– Rose

26. Lil Kim, Left Eye, Da Brat, Angie Martinez, Missy Elliott – Not Tonight (Ladies Night Remix) 

With so many classic posse cuts being testosterone-heavy affairs, you know the ladies had to come through and represent. “Not Tonight’s” official remix arrived in 1997 as part of the Nothing To Lose soundtrack, earning its “Ladies Night” moniker with appearances from Left Eye (RIP), Da Brat, Angie Martinez, and Missy Elliott. A pivotal moment for females in hip-hop, the accompanying clip was lined with legendary artists like Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, T-Boz, Xscape, and many more.

Oozing with a charismatic swagger, each rapper attacks the groove with their own distinctive flow: Angie with the newcomer’s wide-eyed energy, Brat with the aggression, Kim with the Junior M.A.F.I.A sauce, Left Eye with the playful sensuality, and Missy coming through as the exclamation point — “you ain’t gon’ use me to just be singin’ hooks.” 

– Mitch

25. DJ Khaled, Akon, T.I., Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Birdman, Fat Joe – We Takin Over

“We Takin Over” had the ultimate formula for a certified hit. The track, led by posse-cut-conductor-extraordinaire, DJ Khaled, boasts verses from five major hip-hop heavyweights—Lil Wayne, T.I., Rick Ross, Birdman, and Fat Joe—some in their prime, others proving with ease that they’ve still got it. Their verses were also punctuated by Akon’s signature high-pitched vocals delivering a criminally catchy hook on the chorus. Combine all of these elements with some stellar production from Danja, and you’re guaranteed to come out with a banger.

While practically every MC on this world-domination anthem manages to hold their own, there’s one clear star. As was often the case on a Weezy-featured posse cut in those days, Wayne blows everyone else out of the water, sliding in at the very end to close out the show only to upstage his preceding partners. His unhinged, bloodthirsty delivery paired with Danja’s looming production has the track ending on a high, followed only by one final declaration of the title from Akon. Based on the sheer number of remixes alone that this cut birthed, it’s clear that “We Takin Over” left an impression not just on fans, but on other artists, as well. Though certainly a product and reflection of it’s time sonically, it still manages to hold up all these years later.

– Lynn

24. The Game, Jim Jones, Snoop Dogg, Nas, T.I., Fat Joe, Lil’ Wayne, N.O.R.E., Jadakiss, Styles P, Fabolous, Juelz Santana, Rick Ross, Twista, Kurupt, Daz Dillinger, WC, E-40, Bun B, Chamillionaire, Slim Thug, Young Dro, The Clipse, Ja Rule – One Blood Remix

Junior Reid’s 1989 single “One Blood” has been flipped on countless occasions but perhaps, the most popular use of the sample is in The Game’s single, “One Blood.” Reid’s original single represents unifying the human race, regardless of race, class, or religion, in the face of division. The Game carried the theme in the megamix that brought together rappers from every coast in an attempt to unify gang bangers. Twenty-five rappers were included on the track such as Jim Jones, NORE, Nas, T.I., Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, Jadakiss, Clipse, Styles P, and more, though some of the verse may have been reused from the regional remixes The Game also released. 

Running for nearly twelve minutes in length, the star power alone would be worth its placement on this list but its impact on the streets is forever as the game unified Crips and Bloods from the East and the West on one track. 

– Aron

23. Tech N9ne, Busta Rhymes, Yelawolf, Twista, Twisted Insane, D-Loc, U$O, JL B.Hood & Ceza – Worldwide Choppers

Fast rap isn’t for everyone. In fact, it has recently become synonymous with “corny,” a go-to move for rappers hoping to mask a lack of sauce with sheer technical prowess. Yet countless artists have proven that double-time delivery can be undisputably badass, including some of Tech N9ne’s handpicked “Worldwide Choppers.” Not only does this posse-cut feature nine contributing rappers from across the globe, it does so while operating under a strict conceit: all parties must gun for that god-forsaken Guinness World Record.

Arguably the quickest of the bunch, Tech sets the tone for fellow hyperspeed rappers Twista and Busta Rhymes to absolutely wreak havoc, with both parties sliding several interesting flow-schemes into their verses. Between Twista’s “stig-a-ma-tism” scheme and Bus-a-Bus’ “Get ’em, hit ’em and finish ’em” scheme, we’re looking at a masterclass in verbal dexterity. 

– Mitch

22. Jay-Z, Twista, Killer Mike, Big Boi – Poppin Tags

When hip-hop fans think of posse cuts, they think of all-time great rappers, multiple dope verses, and production that will keep your head nodding along throughout the entire song. Jay-Z’s “Poppin Tags” off of The Blueprint 2 is absolutely one of those posse cuts that ticks off every single box and then some. 

First off, let’s start with the soulful production by none other than Kanye West. By 2002, Kanye was an established producer and “Poppin Tags” was yet another highlight on his growing resume. As for the verses, those are what make this song truly stand out. Jay-Z begins the track with a fast yet steady flow that features bars about, as the title suggests, spending a lot of money. From there, Twista comes into the picture with blisteringly fast bars that create a nice contrast between him and Jay-Z’s skill sets.

The entire track is six minutes long and in the latter half, we get some southern influence with verses from Georgia natives, Killer Mike and Big Boi. Both of these MCs bring their signature flows and sounds to the track which helps spice things up a bit. Depending on where you live, one could argue Big Boi and Killer Mike actually outshine Twista and Jay-Z although that’s a debate we’re sure the commenters would love to engage in.

– Alex Cole

21. Kanye West, Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz – Mercy

Kanye West’s GOOD Fridays series recalls a simpler time in rap, when the market was less crowded and free download links were still the norm. Ye really shook things up with the series, drawing in more and more eyes every Friday when he came through with some sort of fire, GOOD Music cut, often featuring a crew of artists. “Mercy” was among them, and would go on to make the final tracklist of the underwhelming Cruel Summer compilation album. Nonetheless don’t let that take away from the strength of the collaboration which features a pre-controversial (well, pre-Trump) Kanye West, Sean Don, Pusha T and GOOD Music-affiliated 2 Chainz. 

The beat is one of the most iconic aspects of this record, with its dancehall sample and alternating keys kicking off the record. There’s really nothing else to say except that it was, and remains, a banger that will still get a party lit in a matter of seconds. 

– Rose

20. T.I, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, M.I.A – Swagga Like Us 

Where posse cuts of the nineties seemed to thrive off the spirit of lyrical competition, those creeping closer to modern times appeared more concerned with sheer spectacle. Despite enlisting three heavy-hitting lyricists for the occasion, T.I’s “Swagga Like Us” was hardly concerned with administering death-by-a-thousand-bars. The musical equivalent to a Basquiat hanging in one’s foyer, the Grammy-Award winning Paper Trail single was so confident in its mere existence that all it needed to do was show up.

That’s not to say the four emcees didn’t come correct, with the Troubleman asserting himself as the defining verse, but it’s clear they approached this one with the energy of a pickup game. A championship pickup game, to be sure. Impossible to ignore on the basis of sheer talent, “Swagga Like Us” remains a defining cultural moment, the ultimate flex on wax. 

– Mitch

19. Noreaga, Big Pun, Nature, Cam’Ron, Jadakiss, Styles P – Banned From T.V.

What is it about Jadakiss that seems to gravitate toward the posse cut format? Once again, Mr. Raspy slides onto this list as a key contributor to Noreaga’s absolutely stacked “Banned From TV.” On that note, fellow Ruff Ryder Swizz Beatz made New York history the day he wrapped this particular beat up — little did he know he’d be providing the soundtrack for a gathering of the the titans, including an appearance from the late Big Pun, the quitely scene-stealing Nature, and a classic back and forth from Kiss and Pinero.

Though many have come to know NORE as a lovable and perpetually inebriated storyteller on Drink Champs, long before that he was an integral member of the New York hip-hop landscape; one who commanded enough respect to bring such a  ridiculous lineup to the table in the first place. And the results speak for itself, with “Banned From TV” encapsulating everything a classic posse cut is all about. Leave the best verse debates for the philosophers.

– Mitch

18. Dr. Dre, Kurupt, RBX, Lady Of Rage, Snoop Dogg – Stranded On Death Row

Dr. Dre has been at the center of many epic collaborations, and narrowing down one in particular was no easy feat. For the longest time, 2001’s extensive west coast anthem “Some L.A. N***az” had all but secured the position — that is until “Stranded On Death Row” started to spread back into the picture, a relic of one of hip-hop’s darkest and dopest eras. Featuring contributions from Kurupt, RBX, The Lady of Rage, and a young Snoop Dogg, the Dr. Dre-produced banger features hard-hitting verses from all involved.

Kurupt spazzes out the gate, his tongue-twisted style and references to Jean Claude Van Damme instant reminders of simpler times. Yet it may very well be the Lady of Rage who leaves the deepest impression, he sneering cadence and violent vows solidifying her as the most feared inmate on the doomed cellblock. “I plead guilty on all counts, let the ball bounce where it may, it’s just another clip into my AK,” she raps. “Buck ’em down with my underground tactics. Facts and stacks of clips on my mattress.”

– Mitch

17. Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Eminem – Forever

You can’t talk about modern-day rap posse cuts without mentioning “Forever,” the 2009 single from Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and Eminem. When it was originally released as part of the More Than A Game soundtrack, the song was tremendously impactful. You’ve got to believe that if these four rappers linked up another time one decade later, the critical reception would be even wilder. And that’s saying a lot, considering “Forever” has gone 6x platinum since its release.

Each artist featured on the track is given ample time to shine through on “Forever.” Drake starts things off before Kanye West slides over the second verse. Lil Wayne takes over for the third verse before things close out with a remarkable appearance from Eminem. Drake, Kanye, Weezy, and Em are all iconic in their own right and they will each sit high on rap’s totem pole when this is all said and done. Drake sang that he wanted this to last his entire life and, eleven years later, he’s arrived at that stage. We may never see another star-studded posse cut like this.

– Alex Zidel

16. Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Pusha T, John Legend, Lloyd Banks, Ryan – Christian Dior Denim Flow

“Christian Dior Denim Flow” counts another entry in the GOOD Fridays series helmed by Kanye West. It’s another example of the type of insane artist-gathered collaborations Ye was putting out at this time, alongside beats that were often “big” for lack of a better words– beats that were luxurious, over-the-top, lofty– perhaps recalling My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy in the sense that they were highly arranged and layered, but a bit less refined.

“Christian Dior Denim Flow,” similar to “Mercy” also contains production that at one point breaks down, leading the way for Lloyd Banks’ raspy verse. Kid Cudi delivered the melodic hook with assistance from John Legend, but he also closes out the song with a verse– that was another hallmark of these GOOD Fridays collaborations, they were often songs spanning over 5 to 6 minutes in length– especially long if you consider these days’ 1-2 minute records. Yet this just ensured that every single artist featured on these posse cuts would have their own time to shine, ultimately making each one so exciting. 

– Rose

15. Bone Crusher, Cam’Ron, Jadakiss, Busta Rhymes – Never Scared Takeover Remix

For those who came of age during the early millennium, Bone Crusher’s “Never Scared” likely holds a special place in your heart. Though the original lineup of Killer Mike and T.I. made for a strong baseline, Bone Crusher’s New York ambitions secured three of the East Coast’s most capable lyricists in the midst of their primes. With the hard-knocking and uniquely Southern instrumental from Avery Johnson and Jermaine Dupri intact, Cam, Jada, and Busta made themselves at home, seemingly moving to one-up each other with each new verse.

Narrowing down a clear standout might come down to personal preference, but there’s something about Jadakiss’ steely demeanor that makes his presence on the “Takeover Remix” uniquely formidable. “I ain’t neva scared, I got big hammers everywhere,” his flow methodical. “In places where you need yo passport at, I’m heavy there.” 

– Mitch

14. Fat Joe, Big Pun, Nas, Jadakiss, Raekwon – John Blaze

On the basis of reputation alone, “John Blaze” promises to be an onslaught of bars from a handful of dominant East Coast emcees. Many of whom would feel right at home in a top-ten lyricist conversation. As such, there’s an unspoken sense of healthy competition permeating the padded track — though Big Pun would swiftly go on to live up to his well-earned moniker of dream-shatterer.

While recognized by purists as elite, the effortless nature with which Pun would absolutely run laps around legendary emcees often goes unappreciated by the game at large. “The same n***a who known to blow out your brain mineral, I reign subliminal inside your visual,” he spits, his dexterity insane. “Try to supply your physical with my spiritual side of this lyrical / I’ll appear in your dreams, like Freddy do, no kidding you / Even if I stuttered, I would still sh-sh-shit on you.” Listen, there is no universe that would position me to speak ill of Nas, Jadakiss, Raekwon, and Fat Joe — but “John Blaze” really does feel like Big Pun’s showcase. 

– Mitch

13. Obie Trice, Lloyd Banks, Eminem, 50 Cent – We All Die One Day

Obie Trice was looking to make a big first impression with his debut project, Cheers, all the way back in 2003. When you’re backed by an artist like Eminem, there is always going to be pressure to deliver and that’s exactly what he did. Perhaps the biggest highlight on his debut effort is the posse cut “We All Die One Day” which features the likes of Eminem, 50 Cent, and Lloyd Banks.

This extremely gritty banger stands out thanks to some gritty production by Em – among other reasons – who also provides the longest and most technical verse of the song. The track starts with a smooth chorus from Lloyd Banks that eventually transitions to a visceral and violent verse from Obie Trice who is very open about shooting and killing those who get in his way. In the ensuing verse, Lloyd Banks flexes his money and accomplishments while letting people know that he still has an edge to him despite making it out of the hood. Following Em’s verse, 50 Cent helps wrap the song into a neatly tied bow as he provides some violent bars that run parallel to Obie Trice’s first verse.

As far as blood pumping posse cuts go, “We All Die One Day” is certainly up there.

– Alex Cole

12. B.G ft Big Tymers & The Hot Boys – Bling Bling

Say what you will about the mastermind behind it, but Birdman’s Cash Money dynasty has endured as one of hip-hop’s most legendary movements of all time. Featuring the talents of B.G, Juvenile, Turk, Lil Wayne, Mannie Fresh, and Baby himself, the New Orleans-based label helped forge a sound that continues to influence hip-hop as we know it today.

“Bling Bling,” originally released as the lead single on B.G.’s 1999 album Chopper City In The Ghetto, brought the entirety of Cash Money into the fold for a stacked celebration of lavish living. Driven by an iconic beat from Fresh, who also holds it down with a swaggy verse, “Bling Bling” encapsulates the collective’s sound at its most effective — playful, confident, and formidable if pressed. “N***s wear shades just to stand on side of me,” raps B.G., closing things out with a highlight verse. “Hoes say take that chain off boy ya blindin’ me.”

– Mitch

11. Ruff Ryders, Jadakiss, Snoop Dogg, Scarface, Yung Wun & Jadakiss – WW III

Regionalism is one of the most important tenets in hip-hop stylistic analysis. Throughout the years, different cities and states have developed distinctive sonic qualities, many of which are held dear by the artists who claim a given locale. On Ruff Ryder’s introductory banger “WW III,” location played an integral role. Bringing together the likes of Jadakiss, Snoop Dogg, Scarface, and Yung Wun, each rapper opened their verse by representing for the cause.

The conceit imbued “WW III” with a sense of gravitas, only enhanced by the bombastic — and instantly iconic– Swizz Beatz production. In one corner stands Snoop Dogg, representing the “west coast.” In another stands Yung Wun, triumphantly screaming “ATL Shawty!” Across is the imposing figure of Scarface, holding it down on behalf of the entire “muthafucking South.” And for the East Coast is none other than Jadakiss, who closes the anthem out with a nail in the coffin.

– Mitch

10. Danny Brown, Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, Earl Sweatshirt – Really Doe

On paper, “Really Doe” stands among the most stacked gatherings of lyricists on this list. In reality, it was never meant to appear as such. When Danny Brown originally conceived the song, it was meant to be a duet between himself and Ab-Soul. Upon hearing the instrumental, Kendrick Lamar deted from the intended plan to contribute elsewhere on Atrocity Exhibition and made himself at home.

Last but not least came Earl Sweatshirt, whom Danny bestowed the coveted position of the final verse, an honor reserved for the most valuable player. Few can dispute that the former Odd Future poet absolutely bodied the track, lines like “I’m the type of ni**a it ain’t never been an honor to judge” deftly showcasing his clever mind at work. Throw in a creepy instrumental from Detroit legend Black Milk and you’re looking at the perfect posse cut for witching hour reflections. 

– Mitch

09. Puff Daddy, The Lox, Notorious B.I.G, & Lil Kim – All About The Benjamins Remix

With all this talk about a Verzuz battle between P. Diddy and Dr. Dre, many have been fondly reminiscing about the Bad Boy era. After all, such was the time when the Notorious B.I.G. was alive and well, bodying tracks at every opportunity. The classic remix to Diddy and The Lox’s “All About The Benjamins” is no exception, with Biggie and Lil Kim sliding through to represent for the Junior M.A.F.I.A. movement.

From the moment Diddy sets it off with a laid-back yet assertive opening verse, his flow seeped in the signature style of his label, “”All About The Benjamins” never lets up. Aside from boasting hard hitting salvos from a youthful Jadakiss and Sheek Louch, it’s the new additions that leave the deepest imprint. “German Ruger for yo’ ass, bitch, deep throat it,” raps Lil Kim. “Know you wanna feel the womb ’cause it’s platinum-coated / take your pick, got a firearm you shoulda toted.” You’d be hard-pressed to find a hip-hop head incapable of vibing to this timeless cut.

– Mitch

08. LL Cool J, Method Man, Redman, Canibus, DMX, & Master P – 4, 3, 2, 1 

Many hip-hop historians have come to remember “4,3,2,1” as the song on which LL Cool J and Canibus dissed each other in their respective verses. A darkly comedic turn of events to be sure, as the whole beef essentially kicked off after LL misinterpreted one of Canibus’ lines and decided to clap back accordingly. It’s hard to resist the scandalous allure of such a narrative (especially since it led to some great diss tracks from both parties), but we mustn’t forget one key factor.

This song assembled some of the best lyricists of the late nineties and engaged them in competitive sparring over Erick Sermon’s production. Given the pedigree of talent involved, it’s hard to deem a clear winner. Yet there’s something unmatchable about DMX’s menacing cautionary tale, which reveals the consequences of crossing his path at sundown. If you’re unfamiliar with the fact that LL Cool J was a murderous rhymer in his prime, look no further than “4,3,2,1.”

– Mitch

07. DMX, Jay-Z, Jadakiss, Styles P, Sheek Louch – Blackout

It doesn’t get more New York than DMX’s epic Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood gathering “Blackout.” Another instance of healthy yet borderline competitive sportsmanship, the Swizz Beatz produced classic finds DMX, Jadakiss, Styles P, Sheek Louch, and the Jigga Man sliding through to lay down verse after verse. In true posse-cut fashion, the chorus is forsaken in favor of straight bars and listeners are all the better for it.

Especially when it comes time for Jay-Z’s supremely confident verse. “The beeper done changed, you dead bitch, the Reaper done came,” he raps, his mafioso roots coming through strong. “I suggest ni***s stop speakin my name, cause trust me, y’all can still feel the heat in the rain.” A welcome collision of worlds between the Ruff Ryders and the R.O.C, “Blackout” is the perfect encapsulation of a structure we simply don’t see anymore. And yet, at the time of its release, music like this was still doing numbers. 

– Mitch

06. A$AP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$, Yelawolf, Danny Brown, Action Bronson, Big K.R.I.T – “1Train”

At the time of its release in 2013, all six rappers present on “1Train” were stars in their own right. Speaking with Complex, Rocky explained that he wanted to create a posse cut evocative of early nineties hip-hop, employing an array of his contemporaries boasting a variety of distinctive styles. Tethering the disparate time periods is Hit-Boy, who laces a symphony at once rugged and distinguished. There are honed flows and outlandish quotables, be it Danny Brown’s “worst enemy’s penis” bar or the imaginative Action Bronson implementing a “Chilean Horse” into his imagery.

It’s almost impossible to discern the standout performer, as each rapper comes together like some deadly coalition, but Big K.R.I.T’s murderous bars certainly conclude matters on an emphatic note. Despite its relative youth, it’s fair to deem “1Train” one of the most impactful tracks of the past ten years.

– Mitch

05. Eminem, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, & Nate Dogg – Bitch Please 2 

The Up In Smoke Tour remains one of hip-hop’s defining tours, with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, Ice Cube, Nate Dogg, Eminem, and countless Aftermath affiliates embarking on a weed-fueled odyssey. In some ways, Marshall Mathers LP’s fifteenth track “Bitch Please II” encapsulates the spirit of Up In Smoke. Marking a milestone for Slim Shady, who secured his first collaboration with Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg, the eerie sequel emerged as a highlight on its unexpected home album.

Between Dre’s braggadocio, Snoop’s laid-back swagger, Xzibit’s imposing aggression, and Em’s scathing wit, there’s somehow enough common ground to make for a cohesive vibe. With stellar verses from each performer — including one hell of a chorus from Nate Dogg– it’s Eminem’s climactic “fuck you” that resonates the deepest. Although, X to the Z does make a compelling case, especially when he whips into his “ashes to ashes” rhyme scheme.

– Mitch

04. Bone Thugs & The Notorious B.I.G. – Notorious Thugs

The East Coast met the smokey Midwest on Biggie Smalls’ second studio album Life After Death when the Brooklyn legend linked up with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony for “Notorious Thugs.” 

Gangsta rap was at its height while hip-hop suffered the loss of both Biggie and Tupac in a matter of months of each other. The hypnotizing piano keys, twangy guitar, and the choral harmonies of Bone Thugs turned into a haunting gospel of romanticized inner-city turmoil with violence and paranoia riddling each rapper’s verse. What might be most notable about the track, though, is that it became a further testament that Biggie had mastered the art of flow. Before even signing a deal, Biggie Smalls was highly revered for his technical prowess and viscous flow but “Notorious Thugs” took it to a new level. Without compromising his skillset, he leaned deeper into the double-time, melodic flow that Bone Thugs introduced to the game with a defining verse in his catalog.

– Aron

03. Three 6 Mafia ft UGK & Project Pat – Sippin’ On Some Syrup

To say Three 6 Mafia were ahead of their time is an understatement. To this day, many of their lyrical and sonic trends — from celebrations of hedonism to the dark southern banger — have become embedded within the very fabric of the contemporary soundscape. Nowhere is that more effectively encapsulated than on “Sippin On Some Syrup,” a posse cut extraordinaire that brought the Underground Kings and Project Pat into the fold for a rollicking good time.

The track, which arrived on the 2000 album When The Smoke Clears: Sixty 6, Sixty 1, featured a dangerously smooth instrumental produced by the two-headed monster Juicy J and DJ Paul. The perfect backdrop for an influx of excellent verses, with the late Pimp C, DJ Paul, Juicy J, and Bun B holding it down. With each mind married to the singular concept of giving into inebriation, it’s difficult to single out a standout verse — though it’s hard not to credit Pimp C for bringing the legendary term “simp” into the mainstream vernacular. 

– Mitch

02. International Player’s Anthem (I Choose You)

UGK’s biggest commercial record is also considered one of hip-hop’s finest collaborations, and a certified classic. Pimp C and Bun B teamed up with fellow hip-hop duo OutKast in 2007 for this ode to marriage, from the perspective of a player who may or may not have changed his ways. It’s equally important in UGK’s catalog, as the last single the duo put out before Pimp C’s passing.

The music video for the collaboration made the record even more exciting: it’s a full-out hip-hop wedding with Andre 3k playing the role of the lucky man, and other artists acting as invited guests to partake in the big day. 

It’s hard not to simply drop in Andre’s full verse here and call it a day. Apparently, Pimp C didn’t even like Andre’s verse when he first heard it (!!), taking issue with the fact that Andre had opted to remove the drums for his opening verse. Still, the song comes together in epic fashion. As soon as Andre’s verse ends, the drums pick up alongside Pimp C’s nasally verse. Willie Hutch’s “I Choose You” fills the record with soul and funk, thanks to the horn arrangement and vocal sample. It’s a record that marries soul with hip-hop with funk. In spite of this, it’s the type of record that doesn’t sound dated, the type of record someone could ostensibly drop today and we would consider it to be just as fire as it was over 10 years ago.

– Rose

01. Bone Thugs & 2Pac – Thug Luv

There aren’t any other groups in hip-hop that have the bragging rights that Bone Thugs-N-Harmony have. A Midwest group signed to Eazy-E’s Ruthless Records, they remain the only hip-hop group to ever work with Biggie and Tupac while the legendary rappers were still alive. Even for a group with five members, collaborations with artists like Big, Pac, Eazy-E, and more had Bone Thugs bringing their influential sound across the coasts. 

“We doin’ this shit from Cleveland to L.A,” 2Pac screams at the top of his collab with BTNH on “Thug Luv.” Riddled with sound effects of gunshots, Pac and Bone Thugs bring the world into a warzone. Between Pleads to the Lord for forgiveness, Pac and Bone Thugs’ united Thug across America for an anthem specifically geared for the streets. Though the only collaboration between the two entities, they hoisted Thug Life for the world to see. 

– Aron

The death of Pop Smoke remains one of the many low points of 2020, a tragic murder that saw an artist’s life ended at the onset of his highly-promising career. In the weeks that followed, many artists reflected on Pop’s potential; 50 Cent vowed to help make his first posthumous album one to remember, while collaborators like Quavo and Nav did their part in preserving Pop’s memory through Instagram tributes and kind words.

Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images

Having previously collaborated with Pop Smoke on Meet The Woo 2’s “Shake The Room,” which went on to land a video in the wake of his death, Quavo has once again taken to Instagram to share some kind words about the slain rapper. Sharing an image of himself and Pop living it up in luxurious fashion, the Migos rapper took a moment to mourn his “FRIENDS IN HEAVEN.” He also encouraged his followers to go listen to “Shake The Room,” though some may find the act of listening to Pop Smoke too bittersweet at the moment.

It goes without saying that Pop Smoke would have been a force to be reckoned with, were he still with us. Meet The Woo 2 was already a major step forward for the New York rapper, earning him some massive co-signs in the process. Rest in peace, Pop Smoke — gone but not forgotten.

Though Juelz Santana is currently locked up, the Dipset family is eagerly awaiting his return as a free man, Jim Jones has been especially been advocating for his release on social media. Earlier today, the rapper hit the 'Gram where he shared a throwback to the mid-aughts with the I Can't Feel My Face duo, Lil Wayne and Juelz Santana. Apparently, at the time that the photo was taken, Wayne had spent a whole summer in Harlem where he began picking up on some of the fashion out there.

Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

"#DipSetFunFact #tunchi came to Harlem for a whole summer picked up a lot of drip along th way #FreeJuelzTillWeSeeJuelz," he recounted. "Ps th plastic bag i has in my hand was full of money this was th night Of th mtv awards in New York I forget th year."

Lil Wayne's maintained a solid connection with Dipset over the years, especially with Juelz Santana. The two had promised in the mid-aughts to release a joint effort titled,  I Can't Feel My Face which never came out but could very well see the light of day sometime this year. In a recent episode of Love & Hip-Hop, it was revealed that Lil Wayne and Juelz Santana's long-awaited project might even drop while the Dipset rapper wraps up the remainder of his prison sentence. Peep the pic below. 

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#DipSetFunFact #tunchi came to Harlem for a whole summer picked up a lot of drip along th way #FreeJuelzTillWeSeeJuelz Ps th plastic bag i has in my hand was full of money this was th night Of th mtv awards in New York I forget th year

A post shared by jimjonescapo (@jimjonescapo) on Mar 31, 2020 at 9:59pm PDT

Sometimes, a change in circumstance can be the shot in the arm that an artist needs to revitalize their career. Whether it’s jumping ship to a new label, embracing independence or breaking away from a relationship that’d turned sour, starting fresh has been a source of inspiration for many MCs.

From The Game leaving G-Unit and carving out his own legacy to Busta Rhymes and Birdman brokering “a golden moment” for hip-hop when he signed to Cash Money, it’s often been the case that change shouldn’t be averted, but embraced. On other occasions, what’s seemed like a brightly-lit path to greener pastures morphs into something barren and desolate. Here, we find the tragic tale of Rakim’s short-lived affiliation with Aftermath and Dr Dre.

Widely regarded as one of hip-hop’s true pioneers, it speaks volumes that in a genre that’s so steeped in conflict, no one takes umbrage with the fact that one of Rakim’s popular aliases is “The God MC”. As one half of a duo that revolutionized hip-hop in the late 80s with Eric B, the mouthpiece behind Paid In Full, Follow The Leader and Don’t Sweat The Technique was about as impeccable a rapper as there was during his rise to worldwide acclaim.

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Still, there was a time where the New York native was languishing in the commercial doldrums. The reverence for his skills hadn’t depleted, but he’d reached something of a crossroads when it came to shifting units. His sophomore solo album, 1999’s The Master was an accomplished body of work that featured phenomenal production from the likes of DJ Premier and Clark Kent while displaying his lyrical prowess in all its glory. Even with its noteworthy attributes and an immense, Primo-crafted lead single “When I B On Tha Mic,” the album peaked at number 72 on the Billboard charts. To put this sharp decline into perspective, his 1997 comeback album The 18th Letter secured the number four spot with ease. Now, he was falling short of the top 50.

In his time of need, a West Coast icon parachuted into his orbit with an outstretched hand. Just as his controversy-courting protégé Eminem had helped rescue him from a time where his position seemed precarious, Dre looked to pay it forward to one of the genre’s true innovators. Announced while the Compton mastermind was on location at the video shoot for “Stan” in October 2000, Dre made the acquisition public in a brash fashion that captured the mood of his Interscope-backed imprint at the time.

“We just signed Rakim to our label, straight up,” he said, “Rakim is on Aftermath, and the name of his album is going to be Oh My God. This is going to be the biggest hip-hop record ever, straight up and coming at you from Aftermath, baby, so fuck all of y’all.”

An emphatic statement if ever there was one, it’s easy to see why the producer had high hopes for helming a new Rakim album. After all, Dre had regained the Midas touch, striking gold with not only Eminem but his own return to the fray on 2001. After admiring one another from afar, Rakim had first mentioned that “Dre‘s been putting the word out that he wants to do some beats for me” way back in 1995. A few years later, the stars had aligned at a time where Ra had found himself out on a limb.

Chris Weeks/Liaison/Getty Images

Left stationary within an ever-changing landscape, Dre’s guidance and awareness of the modern marketplace seemed like all it’d take for The God MC to reassume the throne. Yet by 2003, the ties between the two were severed without this potentially seminal album ever seeing the light of day. The pair “mutually decided to go their separate ways,” declared Ra’s manager Zach Katz in a statement. “There are reasons, but I really can’t get into them, just basically creative differences. And he’s already talking to other [labels].”

Now, there remains very little as evidence that the two ever even had a partnership. Save for the bhangra-infused hit “Addictive” with former Aftermath signee Truth Hurts and his formidable contribution to Eminem’s 8 Mile OST, all that remains is a smattering of leaked tracks including the gripping “After You Die” and “The Watcher Pt 2” from Jay Z’s The Blueprint: The Gift & The Curse. 

“I’m glad Jay did it… I needed that at that time,” Rakim told The Breakfast Club in September 2019. “It lit a fire for me. I’ve been out since ‘86. Everyone was categorizing rappers, “old school” or this. To be able to be on a joint with Dre and Jay let people know that yeah, I’ve been around for a while, but I know what I’m doing.”

As for what exactly went wrong, the dialogue has been one-way. Upon relocating to California and setting up shop, an ideological divide began to open up between the Dre and Rakim, that they clearly hadn’t anticipated. During a lengthy interview with Toure on Vlad TV, Ra laid it all bare.

“I guess listening to certain songs that I did– listening to stories– I guess he wanted me to do that…a gangsta rap album, I guess,” Rakim revealed. “That’s his formula, but I thought at that point I should be doing something different. I was maturing at the time. I had grown up a little bit, trying to elevate with [my] music, as well. I’m looking at it like ‘Yeah, get with Dre.’ I wanted to make a mega project that wasn’t…of course it’s hip-hop, but I wanted everybody to be able to listen to it, get this opportunity. I wanted to make the best of it. But, like I said, we would sit in the studio, and he’d put on a beat, and he would sit next to me and be like ‘yo, I want you to talk that sh*t on this one.’ I’m like ‘Dre, that’s what you say on every track you play, bruh. When you gonna let me rhyme on something?? Why I gotta beef with everybody?'”

These squabbles aside, Rakim didn’t want to imbue his music with the more exclusionary lyrical content that Dre and his entourage had become renowned for across both The Chronic and 2001, stating, “I was looking to try and do a dope album and make sure that your daughter could listen to it, my grandmother can listen to it, and it was no bars or anything. We had a different view. We tried some things. Did a couple dope joints, but once we realized…after him trying to push me to talk crap on every song, and me being rebellious, I guess he realized yo, this ain’t gon’ work. Actually, I’m the one that told Dre, ‘I appreciate the opportunity and everything, but I’m going back to New York, bruh.’ I stayed out there another month but after that, it was like listen, I appreciate the opportunity.”

Not confined purely to interviews, the scenario was also referenced in “It’s Nothing” from his 2007 compilation tape The Archive: Live, Lost and Found as he revealed:  “I went to LA to get with Dre, we tried to bridge the gap in. Take night, mix it with day, I guess it wasn’t meant to happen.”

Positioned at two different ends of the spectrum, Ra neatly summarized the parallel outlooks that both men were coming from during a conversation with HardKnockTV in 2009. “If Dre say ‘yo Ra, I want you to talk about killing somebody on this one. I’d say ‘nah, I want to talk about bringing somebody to life on this one.'” Later in that same interview, Ra leaves the door slightly ajar for them to try again: “It didn’t work out but hopefully we can hook up in the future, do a little joint together. No bridges burnt.”

Although most of his remarks focused on a lack of middle ground, one interview with Red Bull Music Academy inferred that Rakim was unwilling to relinquish the autonomy over the rhymes themselves. As we know from the thousands of dispatches from his studio, Dre is a perfectionist and once he has his vision, it becomes unwavering. This proved too much of an unassailable hurdle and, despite their somewhat uneasy truce in recent years, it made The God MC pine for the days with his old partner-in-crime.

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

“He wanted me to set it off and brag about who I was and what I did. I’m glad he had a vision for me, we just couldn’t find a medium where he was happy and I was happy with either the direction, topic or whatever it was. Eric B was more that I’d say ‘yo I’m doing this on that’ and he’d be like ‘go ahead.’ That was one thing that was cool about Eric B, he never tried to detour my thought or tell me what I should be saying on a record. He left that up to me.”

For all that, despite it sounding like pure magic on paper, their visions were simply incompatible.

Pras Michel, one-third of the legendary Fugees crew, showed up to Manhattan Family Court on Monday (March 16) in a complete Tyvek Suit. The Haitian-American emcee was not attempting to be humorous in the event of this current national crisis but chose to wear the suit due to an intern at the courthouse who had tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) last week. Prior to his diagnosis, the legal intern had spent a total of two weeks in the Manhattan Family Court’s 60 Lafayette building without knowledge of being infected prior to getting accurately tested. With that said, the “Ghetto Supastar” rapper was taking no chances in his latest court appearance in regards to the $100,000-plus he owes his ex-wife, Angela  Severiano in unpaid child support. 

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

According to The New York Post, the state of New York will temporarily discontinue new jury trials and postpone non-essential court functions in an attempt to contain the virus. As for Pras and his hazmat suit, he appeared in court on Monday to prove that he paid his ex-wife the $20,000 he had previously failed to show proof of payment for which resulted in his temporary incarceration. During the beginning of the proceedings, Judge Carol Goldstein noted the surreal scene, stating:

“Let me just put on the record. The father came to court head-to-toe in full hazmat gear, full booties, full outfit with gloves, hood and a mask.” 

After relieving himself of his facemask, Pras was able to reveal to Judge Goldstein that he fulfilled his $20K child support payment in a total of three cash payments to Moneygram, which would, in turn, forward the funds to a collection agency for his ex-wife and their son, Landon. The New Jersey emcee produced the receipts in court providing proof of the payment. 

The judge found Michel’s proof sufficient enough to allow him to return in May with proof of the next $15,000 payment. Pras originally owed Severiano a total of $127,000 in unpaid child support, he now owes a total of $102,000 after the judge subtracted an additional $5,000, according to Page Six. 

According to Severiano’s attorney, Robert Wallack, “Angela still hasn’t received any money yet.”

Following the court proceeding, Pras took to his Instagram account to flex on his haters while sporting his Tyvek suit, captioning multiple photos:

“I want to first thank NY family court for understanding my situation, but I want all the fake news and everyone to know I’m fully committed to taking care of my son and I Am not nor ever was a deadbeat dad.”

Pras then went on to reveal that he flew across the country to make sure he appeared in court and detailed that his outfit wasn’t a fashion statement but for his own and other people’s safety, as he continued:

“I’m in my Chanel hazmat suit to assure the health safety of both me and people around the court.”

Check out Pras’ Instagram post stunting outside of the Manhattan Family Courthouse in a complete Tyvek suit in the photos provided below. 

Over their lifespan, mixtapes have changed in body, but never in soul. Whether the vehicle is zip files, MP3s or C60 cassettes – they’ve always been an integral part of hip-hop’s maturation. Many fans like myself have benefited greatly from the projects that introduced new artists and DJs to the listening community – even though they were candidly, loosely ethical, bootlegged copies of intellectual property that created questions about fair use and legality – they also grew to mega popularity and demanded substantial financial returns. Overall, mixtapes have and continue to have a convoluted but important legacy.

Growing up, I was never really able to afford albums, so mixtapes were my window into hip-hop. If you’re old enough, you’ll remember having a “burner” in high school. No, not a prepaid cell phone – a person who was known for selling mixed CDs blessed with the game’s newest and most exclusive music. Luckily, one of my best friends and teammates was the aforementioned “burner.” So, after practice, we’d swing by his house and he’d go into the secret lab (which was really just the computer desk in his parent’s den) and voila, like magic a shimmering CD would float down from the heavens into his hand before tossing it in mine. This alchemistic wizardry unlocked a treasure chest of tunes that fueled my love for rap music. We’d sometimes just ride around for hours in his car after school listening to our favorite tracks and debating about the newest artists. 

One thing I loved about the tapes was their pageantry. You remember where you were when you heard classics like Lil Wayne’s Dedication or Jay Z’s Carter Collection. I’ll never forget where I was when I heard the Clipse now-infamous mixtape We Got It For Cheap Vol. 2. The project was drenched in voiced interludes and obnoxious DJ tags but most importantly vicious and imaginative bars. With the help of producer Clinton Sparks, Malice, Pusha-T, Sandman, and Ad-Liva redefined what the word mixtape meant. Rhyming over other rappers’ instrumentals in an uncanny fashion. As if they had something to prove and they deserved that industry acclaim and cultish fanfare. Back then tapes were a flare gun shot by up and coming artists trying to paint their name on the day’s rap mural. Take these lines by Malice for example: 

We Got It For Cheap Vol 2 – Intro [Malice]

“And it’s a known fact y’all tired of the circus,

So come home where you smell the crack in the verses!

The whole rap world watched the Clipse take a bow,

We left it in ya hands, you ain’t make Father proud!

None of y’all can copy; a hard act to follow,

We was cursed with the spirit of verses, the stigmata!

Suicide bomb ya, like Mohamed Atta,

Or the doors on that Phantom, Re-Up, we rap martyrs what?” 

Nowadays, it’s fairly normal to see artists routinely flood the hip-hop streets with an abundance of content. Every other week it seems rappers are delivering new music to fans – a far cry from earlier eras, times when listeners waited sometimes years to hear anything new from their favorite emcee. Twenty-plus track playlists, as is the en vogue terminology, and “commercial” mixtapes appear on platforms like Apple Music and Spotify with great regularity but in days past this sort of saturation did not exist. The explosion of the internet and advancements in technology has rendered music-making more accessible to hopeful DJs, producers, and rappers alike. Prior to this, getting your hands on a mixtape was a very limited and tangible experience. Sort of producing a snobbish hip-hop subculture. You’d have to find the block where the tape was being sold, sometimes out of a trunk or the corner store and get your hands on one before they were all gone. The web and early mixtapes sites allowed artists to reach more listeners quickly.

But, how did we get here? What are the origins of this modern-day practicality? And how can we explain the ebb and flow of their use and popularity from the infancy of hip-hop until now? Mixtapes have long been a grey area for both record labels and artists who bend copyright laws to facilitate the distribution of the mostly promotional projects. Mixtapes were some of the first building blocks for hip-hop – appearing as early as the mid-1970s in New York City. The groundbreaking compilations featured artists such as Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa. Classic records like “Planet Rock” emerged from mixtapes. They were incredibly effective in the early days and fans would collect and trade these tapes which helped spread hip-hop. 

From the 1980s into the 1990s, DJs began to join in on the mixtape craze and became a driving force in their revolution. Music personalities like Kid Capri and DJ Clue took tapes from sets on cassette, to an exclusive consumer experience featuring hard-to-find tracks and verses– he infamously had Biggie’s “Juicy” on one of his mixtape cassettes prior to the release of B.I.G.’s Ready to Die album, resulting in a furious call from Biggie on-air at Hot 97. DJ Clue is no doubt a pioneer in procuring the medium as its own art form. Clue helped build the prototype for tapes which became iconic.

DJ Clue, Memphis Bleek and Jay-Z circa 2001 at the Soul Train Awards –  Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage/Getty Images

Once homemade and sold door to door, in barbershop, and flea markets – the tapes grew into a multi-million dollar industry. RIAA reportedly estimated that in the early 2000s mixtapes were generating as much as $150 million dollars in sales each year. During this growth the music industry, for most part, turned a blind eye to the enterprise. I assume they equated the lost royalties to be invariable to gained promotion from the circulation of these tapes. Mixtapes famously incubated the early rap careers of artists like 50 Cent, T.I. and Jeezy. Like them, many rappers built the groundwork for their careers with mixtapes. Gaining the attention of major labels through the buzz those compositions created at a grassroot level.

Perhaps no artist in hip-hop history has executed and leveraged mixtapes to his benefit quite like 50 Cent. To rap purists, his name is synonymous with the word. Curtis took the game one step further, by not just spitting 16 bars on someone else’s instrumental, but making the songs his own. 50’s mixtape tracks were so popular they’d often get played in nightclubs and had mass appeal across the country. 50 rode the momentum he built through his mixtapes to one of the best selling debut studio albums of all time.  

Mixtapes grew to be a core marketing strategy for rappers of the new millennium. They essentially became the de facto demo tape for an artist. To do that, they took on many different forms. Battle campaigns waged against the industry (50 Cent), promotional teasers for upcoming albums, DJs combining exclusive verses tracked by high-profile rappers. Both artists and DJs found a lot of ways to leverage mixtapes effectively. Mixtapes also have and continue to be used for artists who want to exercise more creative freedom in their music. Giving them an avenue to express freely without the label’s influence. 

In 2007, DJ Drama and DJ Cannon were arrested on federal racketeering and bootlegging charges from the alleged sale of mixtapes. With the endorsement of RIAA, authorities raided the pair’s Atlanta studio – seizing more than 80,000 CDs and thousands of dollars in producing equipment. Classically dubbed the “mixtape martyrs,” Drama and Cannon bit the bullet for the industry. Drama, of course, pioneered the insanely popular “Gansta Grillz” series. Cannon was influential in his own right with the Affiliate Music Group – also producing tracks for previously mentioned “Gansta Grillz” series. The pair were incredibly formidable in the early part of the decade. It was a comeuppance and turning point in the timeline of mixtape culture.    

Don Cannon (L), DJ Drama, and DJ Sense, 2005 – Ray Tamarra/Getty Images

After the fall of the “mixtape martyrs,” in 2010, the mixtape industry looked to be on life support and in desperate need of defibrillation. There was a time when you needed mixtapes to find the newest music but blogs and websites partially replaced the importance of the tapes in that they exposed listeners to new content without the quest. Everything was now at your finger tips. In a way, fans didn’t critically need mixtapes like they once did. Also, there was no way to charge for mixtapes with sites and social media spreading them. DatPiff, LiveMixtapes and HNHH began streaming mixtapes for free and made them easily accessible. It became more difficult to find a physical copy of any mixtape release. Yet as they have so many times over the years – mixtapes adapted to survive producing a new era in consumption. The boom of streaming took mixtapes yet another step. 

Mixtapes are now big business components and perhaps just as important as albums themselves. A culmination of the mixtape timeline would be Chance The Rapper cashing in on a Grammy Award because of his project Coloring Book. He actually grew to superstardom before ever releasing one album. Acid Rap, another mixtape of his, initially propelled him into the spotlight along with a series of features on a-list records. Referencing Coloring Book he famously said on his Kanye’s “Ultralight Beam”: “Let’s make it so free and the bars so hard that there ain’t one gosh darn part you can’t tweet.”and on the project he had an entire song dedicated to addressing the place of mixtapes in hip-hop, saying “Am I the only n*gga still care about mixtapes.” 

There’s an overwhelming amount of content hitting the web. Some have expressed concerns about hip-hop being extremely oversaturated with an influx of music. But don’t expect things to change. Now, mixtapes are an essential part of mainstream rappers’ portfolios. No longer reserved for merely the up-and-coming. J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Future, Drake, and others will hit fans with new music, ambush-style. The compositions have also now lost their ties to DJs, free of interludes and drops like the ones in We Got It For Cheap Vol. 2. What we have now is a fusion of demo tapes and mixtapes which are their own entities. But if you ask me, more music is always a good thing. The essence of mixtapes are to cut out the middleman and get the music to the fans – without all the red tape. Now you have Apple Music and Spotify featuring mixtapes on their platforms, further bolstering their value to an artist’s catalog and blurring the lines between them and albums. So much has changed but so much stays the same. Mixtapes have morphed but retain their status in hip-hop.  

What’s your favorite mixtape, or mixtape memory? Sound off in the comments.

Last weekend, NBA titans collided during all-star festivities in Chicago. Being recognized as an all-star is one of the sport’s highest honors. However, if we hooked a few players up to lie detector tests, they’d probably trade in their selection for another symbol of praise. Who could turn down the clout of a signature sneaker? Getting your very own signature sneakers means being immortalized by the culture and in the hearts and closets of footwear enthusiasts. Debates about all-time great sneakers are just as intense as ones about rankings the players who wore them. A truly great signature sneaker transcends the court and becomes a nostalgic part of that fashion era. But legendary kicks aren’t all applauded for the same reasons. While some are lauded for historical importance, others are remembered for their technical advancement or wearability.   

Sigs take a player’s brand and cache to a new level – taking individuals once virtually unknown to towering, giant advertisements on New York City building scapes. And it’s not always just stars who get sigs. In 2016 Adidas gave Nick Young, a journeyman role player, his own Crazy Explosive PE. Many felt it was better than league stars Steph Curry and James Harden. Nike continues to dominate when it comes to signature basketball shoes but other brands like Adidas and Under Armor occasionally make waves as well. A few of my personal favorites are Charles Barkley’s 1994 Nike Air Max2 CB34, Kobe’s 1997 Adidas KB8, Allen Iverson’s 1996 Reebok Questions, and the 1996 Jordan XII.  

A great signature shoe should embody the presence of the player it is meant to epitomize. Possessing design characteristics that are consistent with the individual’s style of play and their charisma (or lack thereof). Speaking directly to their flair. For an example of this, look no further than the Nike Zoom Flight 98, crafted for Gary Payton and nicknamed “The Glove.” Or the 2013 Kobe 9 Elites (arguably one of his best kicks with Nike). The disfigured product blueprints that never escaped artroom floors are a testament to how hard it is to effectively capture this magic. So, when brands catch lightning in a bottle with the perfect marriage of design, player, and product – it’s a beautiful thing to behold. Sitting on the shrine of shoe store shelves all over the globe. 

There’s no real formula for choosing a favorite – while some may be more swayed by the way a shoe feels and performs, other may be solely focused on the look or what made them popular. Less science and more personal preference. Risking slander from the most unforgiving of crowds, the sneaker community, I’m going to stick my neck out and compile a list of the best signature shoes for current NBA players.

10. Adidas – Harden Vol. 4 – James Harden

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Not a fan of the lace clips and the design is a bit boring. It seems like a step back from previous versions. Plus is the shoe is lighter, but they no longer feature BOOST cushioning. Not sure what Adidas is thinking here.  

9. Nike – PG4 – Paul George

Image Nike

PG came out the gate strong with explosive colorways but the same complacency we’ve seen with Durant’s line has set in with George’s designers as well. The PG3 was one of last year’s top models. A lot of sneakerheads are disappointed in the 4. 

8. Under Armor – Curry 7 – Steph Curry 

Image Under Armour

After some rather disappointing releases, the Curry 7 is Steph’s best shoe yet. It’s honestly the best design we’ve seen from UA and they’re still built to protect Steph’s fragile ankles.

7. Nike – Freak 1 – Giannis Antetokumpo

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

He may be the best player in the game, but his kicks need work. Giannis’ shoes can be found worn by almost every high school basketball team in the country. It’s the perfect team basketball shoe that looks good in any colorway. This is a great place for Giannis to start. Hopefully, they keep improving.

6. Adidas – D.O.N. Issue #1 – Donovan Mitchell

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

I’m very impressed with “The Spider’s” first signature. Adidas also did well playing off his nickname with four Superhero colorways. The shoe’s propulsion clip and BOUNCE cushioning round out some pretty sophisticated technology to boot. Solid debut for Mitchell.  

5. Nike – KD 12 – Kevin Durant

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Durant’s shoes are some of the most comfortable on the market and the colorways always go crazy. Yet, it seems like Nike has gotten lazy with the design over the years. Take a look at the KD 13 and you’ll see what I mean.

4. Jordan – Why Not Zer0.3 – Russell Westbrook

Harry How/Getty Images

Brodie’s signatures are almost as aggressive as his style of play. Bold colorways offset even bolder stylistic features.

3. Adidas – Dame 6 – Damian Lillard

Abbie Parr/Getty Images

The rapper-athlete’s shoe might be as underrated as his game. Traction and control set Lillard’s signature sneaker apart. The shoes are very light due to the mostly mesh and knit construction of the upper. Arguably the best thus far in the series.  

2. Nike – LeBron 17 – LeBron James 

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Critics will say that the LeBron 17s are a bit heavy and clunky, which is debatable – but it makes up for that in performance and comfortability. There are also a ton of colorways to choose from as is the case with LeBron releases. Overall the LBJ shoe line rarely disappoints. Like its predecessor, the shoe’s upper is composed of battle-knit providing superior comfort.

1. Nike – Kyrie 6 – Kyrie Irving

Al Bello/Getty Images

With his mesmerizing handles and acrobatic finishes at the rim, Kyrie Irving has perhaps the most aesthetically-pleasing style of play in the association. So, it is fitting his signature shoe is the most stylish. Great traction and support while evolving of the Kyrie 5. Sneakerheads will also notice Nike lowkey ripped elements of the Yeezy 2 in this Kyrie model. 

An exciting time for sneakerheads appears on the horizon as young stars like Zion Williamson, Trae Young, and Luka Doncic are sure to have signatures coming soon. Young is with Adidas while Doncic and Williamson are team Jordan Brand. All three are under the age of 20 and have had ridiculously spectacular starts to their career – the likes we’ve barely seen out of players this young. With Luka bringing a strong international appeal, Trae’s connection with Atlanta’s hip-hop scene and the Migos, and Zion’s Sportscenter leading nightly highlight reel – the next crop of players to get signature sneakers are probably ascending before our eyes.

What are some of your favorite signature sneakers? Let us know in the comments, below.

People were perplexed when news broke that Pop Smoke had been arrested for allegedly stealing a vehicle. In January, the New York City rapper was reportedly taken into custody at the airport as he was making his way to the City of Lights for Paris Fashion Week. Federal agents claim that the rapper borrowed a Rolls-Royce Wraith for a music video in November 2019. The owner of the car, in turn, would receive VIP treatment at one of Pop Smoke’s concerts, but according to authorities, the owner claims he never received his car back. It was finally tracked down in Arizona. 

Pascal Le Segretain / Staff / Getty Images

Pop Smoke recently sat down with Angie Martinez at Hot 97 to talk about his latest release, Meet the Woo 2. While there, Angie asked about the rapper’s recent run-in with the law. “Foolishness. I’ll tell you later,” the rapper said. “But just know… You know, it’s cap. We gon’ keep it like that.” He may not have said much about the ongoing investigation, but Pop Smoke did have a few words of wisdom for other young men such as himself who are making money in the industry.

“I’m a give a message to my young n*ggas,” he began. “N*ggas like us, coming where we come from, we can’t afford to f*ck up. We can’t afford to slip up. Make no mistakes, you heard, because they watchin’ and they want us to. We got all odds against us. And fake n*ggas be winnin’ sometimes. So, if you wanna succeed, you can’t f*ck up. You ain’t got no space for it. You can’t afford it.” Watch his full interview below.

Yesterday, Nicki Minaj announced that her Beats 1 show, “Queen Radio”, would be making its return on Monday with its first episode of 2020. She detailed that the show would be airing live from New York and would feature special guest interviews. At the end of her Instagram caption announcement, she ominously wrote, “YES, WE WILL GET INTO SOME THANGZ.” This phrase is ominous given the history of “Queen Radio” and given the past week of Nicki’s life. The rapper’s irregular radio show has largely served as a platform for her to start beef, comment on beef or end beef. Last Wednesday, Nicki came for Meek Mill after he liked a photo that mocked her husband, Kenneth Petty. The exes ended up going back-and-forth on Twitter, launching disturbing accusations at one another. Nicki alleged that Meek beat her while they were dating. In return, Meek claimed Nicki paid her brother’s legal fees despite knowing that he was guilty of molesting his step-daughter. Despite later expressing regret for engaging in this online dispute, Nicki rehashed it on “Queen Radio”, although in a very mild way. 

Today’s episode was primarily about Nicki’s fans. She phoned Barbz around the world and let them ask questions in exchange for giveaways. “This is the reason why I switched up my show today,” Nicki said, presumably referring to how she kept things non-scandalous. “I just love my fans so much.” However, shortly after pointing out how wholesome the episode was, Nicki may have sent some subtle shade in Meek’s direction. 

Rich Fury/Getty Images

She specifically requested for her DJ to run back the beginning of her verse on her 2018 song, “Chun Swae.” She would not proceed with the show until he replayed the following bars: “Yo, I’m me, I’m Barbie drippin’ / DB9, Barbie whippin’ / If he say he don’t want me back, he be lyin’.” It’s the third line that draws attention. When Nicki was clowning Meek the other day, she wrote about him in an Instagram story, “Trigger fingers turn to #TwitterFingers bad built face ass obsessed with the Queen.” Amid this beef, Meek officially revealed that he’s dating fashion designer Milan Harris, who is also pregnant with his child. Regardless, Nicki seems to be insinuating that Meek is still not over her. 

Following all the love our Netflix Stand-Up Comedy Specials feature received, we figured why not give the people more of what they want. In addition to Netflix’s wealth of comedy talent and Amazon’s burgeoning roster (Jim Gaffigan, Ilana Glazer), HBO remains relevant as it continues to shepherd in a new crop of comedians on the rise. Equal parts hilarious and offbeat, HBO utilized 2019 as a year to embrace the unexpected in comedy. Whether it was a Muslim comedian discussing casual sex, a Salvadoran comedian performing miniature prop comedy, or a celebrated young comedian opting to make a two-part documentary about his family – HBO remained in the forefront of comedy during a period when over-saturation and bingeing became king.

Ramy Youssef: Feelings

Between the breakout successes of his debut hour-long HBO stand-up special and critically acclaimed Hulu sitcom, comedian-actor Ramy Youssef (Mr. Robot) had the year of most comedians’ dreams. And the praise only continued as 2020 kicked off with Ramy winning the Golden Globe award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy. But this whirlwind year all started back in April of 2019 when Youssef filmed his first HBO special, Ramy Youssef: Feelings to a diverse crowd full of hijabs and hipsters. This dichotomy is essentially Youssef’s demographic sweet spot – contemporary Muslim Americans and woke Millennials. At the heart of this social Venn diagram you will find Ramy and his budding brand of comedy chock-full of faith and vulgarity. Whether he’s discussing Islamic customs, comparing Michael Jackson to LeBron James, or complaining about white Uber drivers – Ramy Youssef: Feelings is an immediate triumph and one of, if not the best hour of stand-up released last year.

Julio Torres: My Favorite Shapes

Julio Torres is another young comedian coming off a career-shifting year. This past June, the former Saturday Night Live and The Chris Gethard Show writer created, wrote, and starred in the Spanish-language supernatural-themed HBO comedy, Los Espookys. The 6-episode series currently maintains a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has been renewed for a second season. Shortly after the success of Los Espookys, HBO released Torres’ debut stand-up special My Favorite Shapes. As bizarre as it may sound, My Favorite Shapes revolves around the goofy stories and hilarious anecdotes Torres pulls from his favorite shapes including crystals, miniature furniture, a cactus, and a Ferrero Rocher chocolate. To describe this special as anything other than odd or unorthodox would be an understatement, as Torres even states: “I just need to show my shapes. That’s all this is for.” His dry wit is matched by the sheer silliness of each shape and the seriousness with which he approaches it all. My Favorite Shapes will have you cackling and scratching your head at the same time. But one thing is for sure, Julio Torres is one of comedy’s newest and most unique voices ready to blow at any moment.

Lil Rel Howery: Live in Crenshaw

Beginning with a soulful a cappella rendition of the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” and a performance by the L.A. Youth Step Team – Lil Rel Howery’s debut HBO stand-up special, Live in Crenshaw, emanates a pep rally on a hot day in LA. Filmed inside a sunlit gymnasium at Susan Miller Dorsey Senior High School in the heart of the south Los Angeles neighborhood of Crenshaw – Lil Rel regales his audience with a variety of stories spanning from the viral video of two families brawling at Disneyland to paying for his uncle’s funeral. Loud, physical, and full of chuckles, Lil Rel will keep viewers laughing along with the audience for the entirety of this one-hour special – even as the sun begins to set on the high school gym.

Gary Gulman: The Great Depresh

With Gary Gulman’s HBO hour-long debut and first special in four years, there was already a great deal of pressure on the nearly 50-year-old comedian. Add to it the fact that Gulman had been in and out of hospitals for clinical depression over that extended period and was now performing new material on the topic makes Gary Gulman:The Great Depresh one of the most important comedy specials produced in recent memory. Directed by Michael Bonfiglio (Jerry Before Seinfeld), executive produced by Judd Apatow (Knocked Up), and released during Mental Illness Awareness Week, this 75-minute stand-up special/documentary is much more than jokes about being sad. Infusing documentary interludes touching on his struggle with depression, anxiety, and hospitalization – Gulman described the special as “a hybrid, where I do some documentary about my recovery, treatment, and my hospitalization, and then I do stand-up surrounding that.” The documentary moments include interviews with his wife, mother, and psychiatrist. Filmed at Roulette Intermedium in Brooklyn, the special branches out to less “depressing” topics such as Millennials’ take on bullying, participation trophies being a metaphor for life, and how his mother’s voice is constantly in his head. Not your traditional HBO comedy special, Gary Gulman:The Great Depresh is an important watch for anyone who has personally experienced, or known someone who has struggled with depression.

Amanda Seales: I Be Knowin’

Amanda Seales begins her hour-long HBO special self-admittedly stating that this special is for the ladies. This is made even more apparent throughout the special when the cameras reveal a nearly all-female and predominantly black audience – which makes for a great crowd particularly when Amanda initiates a sing-along to the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Throughout the special, Seales runs through a bevy of topics that raise audience members from their seats including the pointlessness of catcalling, the comedic styling of Harriet Tubman, and what it’s like being the only black girl at a sleepover. Filmed at the Edison Ballroom in New York City by Stan Lathan (Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones) – I Be Knowin’ celebrates all of Amanda Seales’ hilarious qualities in one succinct hour of comedy. Whether you know her from Insecure, Get Your Life, or The Real – I Be Knowin’ is sure to have her on your comedians-to-watch list for the indefinite future.

Dan Soder: Son of a Gary

A comedian many may have never heard of performed HBO’s final stand-up special of the decade. While Dan Soder might not be one of the biggest names in comedy, any viewers willing to take a chance on this special covering dead dads, drugs, and Denver will quickly convert to fans. Perhaps best known for his Sirius XM Radio show with Big Jay Oakerson, The Bonfire, or his role as Mafee on the Showtime series Billions – Dan Soder’s comedy ascendance has been slowly building up to this moment. And to relish in the apex of his first hour-long HBO special, Soder opted to spend the majority of his time telling jokes about his deceased alcoholic father, Gary. If even the mentioning of this sort of dark humor has piqued your interest, then immediately go watch Son of a Gary.

Daniel Sloss: X

Scottish comedian Daniel Sloss’ fourth stand-up special and first for HBO also happens to be his 10^th solo show – hence the aptly titled X. Written, directed by, and starring the notoriously dark humored 29-year-old comedian – X was filmed in front of packed audience at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney, Australia. Prefacing his performance with a quick suggestion to “Get comfortable. If you’re not comfortable, don’t fucking worry about it. I’m about to provide plenty of material that’s going to make most of you very fucking uncomfortable.” For those unacquainted with Sloss’ humor, this is the perfect introduction to his hour of jokes ranging from sex education to the male ego and what it’s like telling another man you love him. Still considered a comedy prodigy with over ten tours and four specials before the age of 30, Daniel Sloss is an acquired taste worth trying out. But as the second half of the special shifts to more speaking than joking, your attention span may be tested.

Pete Holmes: Dirty Clean

Airing a month before what would end up being the third and final season of Crashing, HBO premiered Dirty Clean, the series’ star and creator’s latest special. Named for the fact that as a former Christian comic, he still can’t perform dirty material without receiving admiration for his clean humor – Holmes delves into topics that may finally lift this label. In his latest hour of comedy, Pete discusses the topics of pooping, masturbating, and his wife Valerie’s large breasts, yet as portrayed in Crashing, he’s still labeled by his Christian upbringing, going to Christian camp and college, and briefly performing on the Christian comedy circuit. Directed by Marcus Raboy (Friday After Next) at the Aladdin Theater in Portland, Oregon – Pete Holmes is one of the few comedians today who exude joy during his stand-up. And while I love a sarcastic and depressed comedian as much as the next guy, the brand of humor Holmes has perfected over the past few years is a refreshing change of pace needed within today’s comedy world.

2 Dope Queens [season 2]

For the second season of this popular podcast turned four-episode HBO special, co-hosts Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson took their hosting, special guests, and stand-up comedians to the next level. Similar to the first season, each episode has its own theme that the girls dress for and riff off between one (sometimes two) special guest(s), and three (or two) stand-up sets. The four themes of season two are “Fashion,” “Nostalgia,” “Music,” and “Regal AF.” The special guests to get excited for are Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o, Daniel Radcliffe, Janet Mock, Lizzo, and Keegan-Michael Key. Some of the female, people of color, and LGBTQ stand-up talent you’re bound to fall in love with include Janine Brito, Jamie Lee, Bowen Yang, Shalewa Sharpe, Pat Brown, Rory Scovel, and Jacqueline Novak. Unfortunately it’s now been nearly a year since the second season aired with no formal announcement of a third season from HBO. But you can always go back and re-watch all eight episodes, or listen to their two and a half years worth of podcasts to get your 2 Dope Queens fix.

Jerrod Carmichael – Home Videos/ Sermon on the Mount

Following the breakout success of Jerrod Carmichael’s first two HBO stand-up specials: Love at the Store directed by Spike Lee and 8 directed by Bo Burnham – you’d think the 32-year-old comedian from North Carolina would quickly plot his return to the stage. Instead he convinced HBO to go in the exact opposite direction, allowing him to create two short-form documentaries about his family. The first, titled Home Videos and running less than 30-minutes, features Carmichael interviewing the female members of his family including his niece, sisters, and mother about topics involving school, black beauty, and fidelity. He bluntly asks his sister, “You still been on your pro-black, pro-women shit? Or are you off that this week?” She later tells him, “The fact that you as a black male wants to listen to black women, that’s the start.” Far from a comedy special, Home Videos is smart, intimate, and full of funny people having serious conversations.

A month and a half later HBO released the second half of the documentary, Sermon on the Mount. Now speaking with the men of his family, Carmichael candidly shares conversations with his nephews, brother, cousins, uncle, and father about what it’s like to be a black man in America today. These discussions are shot alongside Carmichael’s mother seeking guidance from her preacher. Longer and less poignant than Home Videos, Carmichael’s Sermon on the Mount serves as a fitting ending to the narrative he’s documented – respectfully giving his father a chance to speak for himself in the film’s final moments. Any fans of Carmichael’s comedy or viewers interested in an authentic portrayal of the black family experience will get more out of this documentary than your average comedy special.

Virgil Abloh’s brand Off-White and sportswear giant Nike have been frequent collaborators over the last few years and it doesn’t look like they will be stopping anytime soon. As of right now, many in the fashion world are in New York for fashion week. Yesterday, Nike hosted a forum where they showed off a plethora of new sneakers, including the Tokyo 2020 collection. In addition to their Olympic range, Nike unveiled a brand new Off-White collab with an interesting aesthetic.

As you can see from the Instagram post below, the shoe is a chunky runner with a black upper and green highlights. At first, the name of this shoe was unknown until Abloh confirmed it’s called the Rubber Dunk, according to Sole Collector.

For now, there is no release information in regards to the Off-White x Nike Air Rubber Dunk. Many are expecting this shoe to drop in the summer although nothing has been confirmed. With this in mind, be sure to stay tuned for details as we will bring them to you as quickly as possible.

Let us know in the comments below what you think of this sneaker and whether or not you would cop it once it drops.

Dating back to the beginning of A$AP Rocky’s rise to prominence, there has always been something linking the Harlem superstar to Rihanna. In 2013, the two musicians were spotted behind-the-scenes of the “Fashion Killa” music video kissing, which prompted dating rumors to hit the web. Since then, gossipers have been following their every move to determine exactly what their relationship is. After RiRi made an appearance with A$AP Rocky at Yams Day 2020, it was rumoured that the two spent the night together, sleeping in the same New York hotel suite. This week, the mill intensified with reports that the two were casually dating, possibly marking the inception of the latest music power couple and, reading the news, fans reacted in droves.

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Fresh off of her split with billionaire Hassan Jameel, Rihanna appears to have already moved on with A$AP Rocky, who shares a similar lifestyle to her. The differences between Jameel and Rih may have been too much with gossip sources pointing to their drastically inconsistent schedules as the primary reason for their breakup. Now that she and Rocky might be an item, their biggest supporters are taking to Twitter to express their excitement over the bond, predicting how gorgeous their baby will be, whining about having no chance with either one of the stars, and more.

When you heard the rumors, how did you take them? Do you think they’ll last?

Pop Smoke has made a ton of news in recent times. The rapper found himself in a bit of beef and some legal trouble but it seems like everything is good with him, for the moment. Following Paris Fashion Week, the rapper was arrested upon his arrival in New York. Police said that the rapper transported a stolen Rolls-Royce and now, he’s facing some years in the case.

Pop is undoubtedly one of the hottest out right now so a potential prison sentence could be detrimental to his career and his pockets. But shortly after his arraignment, it was reported that his bond was set at $250K and his mother was forced to put her home up in order to make sure he was released from jail. Well, the rapper has been flashing racks in recent times to dispel the rumors. Taking to the ‘Gram, he wanted to put those reports to rest, once again, with a photo of himself holding a massive amount of cash.

“NIGGAS SAID?I COULDNT PAY FOR MY BAIL?,” he wrote.  I TOLD EM?BELIEVE NONE OF WHAT YOU HEAR??AND HALF OF WHAT YOU SEE.”

In related news, the rapper announced that he was dropping his upcoming project, Meet The Woo 2 next month. With a Feb. 7th release date set, we’re excited to see how he comes through on his new project. 

“Alls my life I had to fight, nigga!”

During a peaceful 1963 demonstration against segregation laws in the city of Birmingham, Alabama activists were met with violent attacks from high-pressure fire hoses and police dogs producing some of the most disturbing and iconic images of the civil rights movement.

Fire fighters use fire hoses to subdue the protestors during the Birmingham Campaign in Birmingham, Alabama, May 1963 – Frank Rockstroh/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

“Alls my life I had to fight”

In 1921 the Greenwood district of Tulsa, Oklahoma – an almost exclusively black neighborhood filled with thriving businesses was attacked by a mob of angry white residents. Dozens were killed. It’s christened the single most violent act of racial violence in American history. 

Tulsa, Oklahoma after the race riots. Injured and wounded prisoners are being taken to hospital by National guardsmen – Hulton Archive/Getty Images

“Alls my life I had to fight, nigga!” 

August 2014, police officer Darren Wilson shot and killed Michael Brown, an unarmed teenager, in Ferguson, Missouri, sparking national outrage and weeks of protests to follow. 

A demonstrator protesting Darren Wilson’s shooting death of Michael Brown is arrested by police officers in St. Louis, Missouri – Joshua Lott/Getty Images

“Alls my life I had to fight”

August 2005, impoverished residents of New Orleans, many of them black, waited on government assistance after Hurricane Katrina ravaged Southeast Louisiana. Due to slow federal action, many would lack basic necessities like water, housing, and health care.    

“When you know, we been hurt. Been down before. When our pride was low, looking at the world like where do we go. And we hate po-po, want to kill us dead in the street for sure. I’m at the preacher’s door. My knees getting weak and my gun might blow but we gone be alright.”

It was author and activist James Baldwin who said, in his 1956 book Sunny Blues: “All I know about music is that not many people ever really hear it. And even then, on the rare occasions when something opens within, and the music enters, what we mainly hear, or hear corroborated, are personal, private, vanishing evocations. But the man who creates the music is hearing something else, is dealing with the roar rising from the void and imposing order on it as it hits the air. What is evoked in him, then, is of another order, more terrible because it has no words, and triumphant, too, for that same reason. And his triumph, when he triumphs, is ours.”

Kendrick’s triumph is indeed our triumph on “Alright.” His decree of imminent victory in the face of terror pierces through our inter-mutual spirits even if for a moment. The song forces you to hear the volumes of tidings he arranged in less than 800 words. A dynamic message. The 2015 song which became an anthem for the Black Lives Matter movement will forever live on and exuberantly embody the power of hip-hop.  

Five years after Eric Garner’s death, people gather in protest, July 17, 2019 in New York City – Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Chuck D and Public Enemy dubbed hip-hop the “black CNN.” This will always be the truest legacy of the culture. On To Pimp A Butterly, Lamar boldly and impenitently charges the menaces of capitalism, racism, and discrimination. A radical exposition of blackness in the current social context. A tale of our plight towards unblemished equality. Like Public Enemy and NWA did with “It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back” and “Straight Outta Compton” Kendrick Lamar fashioned the way we view the world with his third studio album. 

Pitchfork named Kendrick Lamar’s thought-proving single “Alright” from his black power manifesto To Pimp A Butterfly, song of the decade. In my opinion, TPAB is the most important rap album of this generation. So much of hip-hop is criticizing an analyzing systems of oppression – police brutality, poverty and social injustice in all forms. 

In the same article, Pitchfork said, “It’s not every day, or even every decade, that a song will become platinum-certified, Grammy recognized, street ratified, activist endorsed, and a new nominee for Black National Anthem; that it’ll be just as effective performed before a massive festival audience or chanted on the front lines at protests; that it’ll serve as a war cry against police brutality, against Trump, for the survival of the disenfranchised. Inspired by a trip to South Africa, Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” bears a message of unbreakable optimism in the face of hardship.”

Hundreds of years ago as slaves we sang joyful songs to get us through the daily brutalities of chattel subjugation. During the civil rights era, we marched as an independent army demanding the civil liberties that America continued to disallow. Now, years later, we still need this variety of music to heal from the dreary tangibilities of the time. It’s a feel-good record that reminds you of struggle’s beauty while inciting a resolve of altruism. Lamar boxes with hopelessness and optimism on an unforgettable beat. It is a beautifully conducted waltz in a ring of controversy. 

Black people have been rebelling against the power structure through music for generations. The songs we sang during slavery had to be partially euphemistic; the messages hidden in the complexity of the linguistic gymnastics we still do. It was the bedrock for the ways we speak today. It was our own little undetectable, daily uprising in passing. In many ways, this is hip-hop’s precursors. Ta-nehisi Coates described how rap gave him the earliest sense of what writing should mean. This stated in his New York Times best-selling book Between The World and Me. I feel the same as Coates. Listening to these street journalists reporting from and for the unrepresented voices in America shaped my social consciousness. This too was my earliest inkling of literature’s true power and purpose. Rakim was my Shakespeare. Ice Cube my Allan Poe.

I was about 10 years old when I first experienced a protest. In the city of St. Petersburg two white police officers had killed an unarmed, teenage black motorist. After the police department refused to shared information the community became furious. I remember ducking down in the car as projectiles flew threw the air and the muffled rumble of chants filled the cool Florida air. Right after that experience was when I first heard “The Point of No Return” by Ghetto Boys. I found refuge in the song’s lyrics given the anger I felt – not fully understanding the gravitas of this situation but knowing that I always saw other black men dying on the news at the hands of police. 

“Alright” was chanted during protests and rallies in the years since its release. As songs of my early youth gave me a form of solace in times of unrest so did this composition. Due to its social timing and indignation of black America, the song quickly grew into the soundtrack to calls for justice. The track grew popular in the shadow of several high-profile police killings which involved unarmed black men.  

“I’m fucked up, homie, you fucked up but if God got us then we gone be alright.”

Part avouchment, part affirmation. The song’s hook proxies its brilliance. Under Kendrick’s commanding voice we all collectively wrapped our arms around each other in a show of unity and asserted that – even if it does not feel like it right now – we will be okay. And further, we are in this fight together. We symbolically linked arms across the nation in a season of new awakening driven by feelings of cheated social impartiality.  

A cocktail of hope, anger, depression, “Alright” harvests some deep-rooted theoretical analogies long tied to the black psyche in terms of the false perception of America’s dream. Kendrick’s disposition expresses a glimmer of hope shrouded in equal resignation. He’s torn. Back and forth Lamar goes, a display of internal struggle. Pleased with the progress yet contending nothing has ever changed. Wrestling with the idea that given oppression’s stronghold, will things ever truly change?

The balancing act between hopefulness and sadness. The weight on his shoulders. He speaks for a group of people. He’s trying to tell people to rise up: you have the talent, you have the talent and ability and promise. The other side is accepting the realities of the world we live in. Even though he’s Kendrick Lamar, a celebrity, when everything boils down he can just as easily be another statistic. A powerful message. Giving yourself a chance to believe. 

Several other artists have made songs that speak to the same conviction as those articulated in “Alright.” Each era of hip-hop has had a commensurate anthem. The 80s had “Fight the Power” by Public Enemy and “Fuck the Police” by NWA. The 90s had “Changes” by 2 Pac. The 2000s have “Be Free” by J. Cole and these songs hang in the rap section of black history’s esteemed gallery of art.  

Hip-hop artists haven’t just written songs about change, they’ve been consistently linked to activism. Beyonce’s halftime performance at the Super Bowl, with an outfit honoring the Black Panthers, was an unforgettable moment. Diddy’s “Vote or Die” campaign during the 2004 Presidential election. J. Cole and Talib Kweli joining demonstrations in Ferguson, Missouri after Mike Brown’s shooting.

The messages conveyed in “Alright” by way of To Pimp A Butterfly are reinforced through Kendrick’s performances and the song’s visual artistry. Lamar stood on top of a cop car during most of his 2015 BET Awards performance. Here he directly accosts the power structure not of law enforcement but of injustice. In his set, the police car works as a physical embodiment of the inadequacies in criminal justice. Demonstrations like the Watts riots of 1965 produced images reminiscent of Kendrick’s show. 

During his 2016 Grammy performance, Kendrick came out with faceless soldiers who represented the disenfranchised and exploited people upon which the American dream is built. This is further highlighted by the initial soundbite “America, God bless you if it’s good to you.” Turning the ideological motif “God Bless America” on its head. This acts as a perfect precursor to his performance of the song “XXX” which references both gun violence and police brutality against blacks.

Kendrick Lamar performs in shackles at the 2016 Grammys – Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Dave Chapelle came out during an interlude of the same performance to remind the audience that “the only thing more frightening than watching a black man be honest in America, is being an honest black man in America.” 

Kendrick was interviewed during Austin City Limits. The moderator asked him, “When you write a song or make a record do you think about how it’s going to affect people. The impact that it could have?” K-Dot responded, “Prior to this album, prior to a lot of my new music – a lot of the records were just for me. It was more of a selfish type of thing. Until I seen that people out here actually connect with it just as deep or even more than me writing it. So, now I go into the aspect of how can I make something that’s personal for me but also personal for that’s listening to it. So, when I go in to make a record like that. To Pimp A Butterfly. I go in with the mind state that it has to connect. Not only for me and my culture but for people from other walks of life. People around the world.”  

One of the most lasting and polarizing images involving the song came in Cleveland, Ohio. In unity and solidarity, protesters began chanting “we gone be alright” after being pepper-sprayed by police. A viral moment that echoed across the digital sphere. This song was that rare moment James Baldwin spoke of – when we truly hear the music and its message. When the undeniable connection happens between artist and consumer. With “Alright” Kendrick’s triumph was our triumph.

Pop Smoke is one of the most exciting new rappers in the game right now, representing the gritty side of New York that doesn’t care all too much about melody or a catchy hook. What the 20-year-old drill artist brings to the table is his street sensibility and a story that many can relate to. His hit singles “Welcome To The Party” and “Dior” paved the way for him to make an appearance on Travis Scott‘s new Cactus Jack compilation project JACKBOYS, highlighting the final song “GATTI.” Unfortunately for him, he has reportedly found himself in trouble with the law, getting arrested this morning for allegedly transporting a stolen vehicle across state lines.

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

According to TMZ, federal agents popped Pop Smoke this morning for travelling in a stolen 2019 Rolls-Royce Wraith, which he had reportedly borrowed for a music video shoot. The report reads that, back in November, Pop Smoke and the owner of the whip agreed for the rapper to use the car in a new music video, offering the owner special treatment at a concert to pay him back. Pop Smoke was apparently supposed to return the vehicle the next day but, when he didn’t, the owner of the Rolls reported it as stolen and tracked it down in Arizona. For context, the recording artist had met the man in California. 

Pop Smoke is set to be arraigned later today in Brooklyn. He was arrested at the airport upon his return from Paris Fashion Week.

Free Pop Smoke!

Ricky Gervais and Ellen Degeneres might have had some of the most polarizing moments on the 2020 Golden Globes stage this past Sunday. But it was Beyonce and Jay Z that drew the most attention from the 77th annual Golden Globe attendees this year. Not only did music’s most prominent power couple arrive at the ceremony fashionably late, the Carters also showed up with multiple bottles of their very own Armand de Brignac (Ace of Spades) champagne to the Moët-sponsored affair. 

With Beyonce‘s undeniable aura and Jay Z upholding the integrity of a brand he’s fully invested in, the two took the spotlight from those in attendance without taking a single foot on stage. So much that when Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon ran out of beverages of their own they asked the duo for a glass of their champagne that runs for approximately $300 a bottle. 

The exchange went viral and Reese Witherspoon took to her Instagram account to poke fun at herself by Photoshopping herself into the background of the seated couple at this past weekend’s award ceremony. Yesterday the gracious, musical couple exuded a level of class many would appreciate when they gifted Reese Witherspoon with an entire case of Ace of Spades Champagne delivered directly to her home. 

Reese Witherspoon posted the surprise gift to IG story proclaiming: “I just got home from New York, and the most beautiful flowers are here and a case of Ace of Spades champagne.” A note attached from B & Hov read, “More water — Jay and Bey.”

The actress closed out the video toasting with her mother, stating “Cheers guys, thank you so much!”

Check out Reese Witherspoon popping her own gold bottle in the video provided below and check out the full list of Golden Globe winners, here.