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All The EDM At Coachella 2020, Including Two Legendary Come-Back Sets

Coachella just dropped the lineup for 2020 with headliners Rage Against The Machine, Travis Scott, and Frank Ocean. As with any Coachella lineup drop, there will be armchair analysts pouring over every inch of the lineup, offering pontifications as to why this is either the best lineup in years or the worst they’ve ever seen.


There’s also the question of how dance music stacks up to previous years. It’s always a tough question because such a specific section of the lineup is EDM-oriented, it’s not like they’re going to hit on every genre or every person’s favorite artist. However, the festival routinely hits on big acts and new, deserving ones year after year.

In 2020, attendees will be able to bear witness to a very, very wide assortment of artists, from Calvin Harris to SLANDER to Duke Dumont to Peggy Gou to TNGHT. In fact, there are some seriously special EDM performances on the docket.

One of them, as already stated, is TNGHT. The Hudson Mohawke and Lunice group only just returned in 2019 after a six-year hiatus with the 8-track II and a show with Brownies & Lemonade. Now they’re playing Coachella — what a comeback. The other is Duck Sauce, the A-Trak and Armand van Helden duo that last played the festival in 2014. A-Trak teased the return of the group earlier this week, but who was to know they’d be planning something like this.

Apart from the “special” performances of the festival, you also have Calvin Harris returning for his first time since he headlined the festival in 2016. We’ll have to wait for set times to see if he’s playing ahead of headliners Rage Against The Machine on the main stage or closing the Outdoor Theater on Friday. With him will be Madeon, Lane 8, GRiZ, TOKiMONSTA, Cashmere Cat, VNSSA, Lost Kings, and more to be announced with Do Lab and Heineken House.

Saturday will feature Flume and Disclosure, two acts who haven’t played the festival in years. They’ll be accompanied by Caribou, Deadmau5’s techno alias Testpilot, Black Coffee, Jai Wolf, Yaeji, Tchami, Dixon, Hot Chip, DJ Koze, Floating Points, ANNA, Matoma, Chris Liebing, Whipped Cream, GG Magree and a few others. This is looking like the strong day for the Yuma tent if you’re just going for the techno.

Sunday has some huge names in dance music, but appears to be the weaker day overall. Louis The Child tops the dance music names — we’ll see if they’re blessed with a main stage slot or maybe a headliner position at Sahara. You never know with Coachella these days where someone might end up. Fatboy Slim, Mura Masa, Duck Sauce, SLANDER, Duke Dumont, Big Wild, SebastiAn, and others help round out a strong finish to the weekend.

Weekend 1 is completely sold out. Weekend 2 presale begins Monday, 1/6 at 12pm PT. You can register here.

 

Photo courtesy of Coachella

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A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

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A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

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'Justin Bieber: Seasons' Docuseries Coming This Month [OFFICIAL TRAILER]

Justin Bieber is gearing up for his 2020 comeback — and now we have the inside scoop on his 10-part documentary series coming soon.


Justin Bieber: Seasons will premiere YouTube Originals on January 27 and stream weekly. The new docuseries shows the pop star at his best, as well as his worst. Ultimately, Justin opens up to reveal his biggest challenges as he gets back into the studio to record his first album since 2015.

With an all-new album and full-on tour, Bieber is showing us a side we’ve never seen before. Plus, he’s exposing his life behind-the-scenes through this brand new docuseries based around the forthcoming album and his current state.

Bieber previously worked with Jack Ü, DJ Snake, David Guetta, DJ Khaled and many more, racking up billions of plays in the process. Now, he’s readying to release his first solo music since Purpose.

Watch the official trailer below.

Justin Bieber: Seasons (Official Trailer)

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Wendy Williams Sparks Dating Rumours With Her Show’s DJ Boof


New year, new boo.

Wendy Williams ended her decade as a single woman who left her husband after he had a baby with his mistress. Her public breakup was quite a media craze and the talk show host handled it well despite her one check in to a sober living home. At one point, Wendy was having fun with a much younger man and then she told her studio audience that she was seeing a wealthy doctor.  

Wendy Williams Sparks Dating Rumours With Her Show's DJ Boof
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

Now that the new year is here, it seems though both flings are in the past since the 55-year-old recently shared on Instagram that she was having dinner with DJ Boof. Wendy uploaded an image of herself licking her fingers at a dinner table in Manhattan, New York. “Guess who took me for dinner because he likes to watch me eat?!” she captioned the image with DJ Boof tagged. 

Boof works as a DJ on Wendy’s show and the duo are both on holidays and are set to head back on January 6th for a live taping. 

“There’s so many power girls out here these days…and a lot of them do not know how to keep that attitude of power back at the office,” Wendy previously said of dating. “Like a man likes a woman to be a woman, in my opinion. They don’t always have to be reminded that you’re the CEO of whatever, whatever. Except when you have to pull that out every once in a while.”

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Predicting 2020 Music Trends


Forecasting the year to come and taking stock of what 2019 can tell us about the trends of tomorrow.

The past year in music brought with it a plethora of new faces and milestones, some of them more applause-worthy and conspicuous than others. Given that we’re still very much in the early transformative stages of the streaming era, understanding the shifts that are happening now will provide a window into the future. With all that said, let’s take a look at how the music industry is evolving as we head into the new decade.

Going Global

Beyond hip hop’s success in the U.S., where it’s now the biggest music genre in terms of total consumption, it has rapidly grown into a worldwide mainstream commodity. The unlimited connectivity of the internet has exponentially sped up this globalization and has amounted to substantial revenue opportunities. Expanded operations and an influx of capital on the African continent, as well as in Asia and the Middle East, are beginning to transform once dormant markets into legitimate players in the music economy, with the potential to not only reach billions of new users, but also expose more localized talent to a wider audience. Democratization and collaboration are the cornerstones of modernity, and hip hop’s forging of international bonds has the power to crack all manner of charts. The past year alone delighted fans with the mainstream arrival of acts ranging from Billie Eilish to BTS to Burna Boy, as well as increased visibility surrounding the UK’s effervescent grime scene and Asia’s experimental music fireworks.

A Post-Genre Era

Predicting 2020 Music Trends

Lil Nas X and 6lack attend the 2019 GQ Men of the Year After Party – Randy Shropshire/Getty Images 

Music journalists and industry gatekeepers have long had an unhealthy obsession with pigeonholing artists into categories. Yet thanks to the unfettered expansion of hip hop’s cultural footprint, diversification and hybridization were in full bloom in 2019, a year in which the stars aligned for several of music’s boldest and brightest trailblazers. None were more distinguished than Lil Nas X, who marched (spurred cowboy boots in tow) to the gates of Billboard to take on the charts giant, where he ultimately emerged unscathed with the longest running No. 1 song in U.S. chart history. The inescapable rise of “Old Town Road” would not have been possible without forward-thinking curatorial outlets like TikTok and Triller that allow users everywhere to repurpose and share their music. Such platforms have facilitated in breaking down barriers between genres through their capacity for virality and fueling of “music as memes” all manner of remixes, edits, and mashups. Prejudices and preconceived notions continue to crumble beneath the blossoming conception of music as a fluid frontier, capable of supporting the lush sonic smoothies of Koffee, the stylized he-loves-me-not musings of Tyler, The Creator, and the drill-based provocations of Pop Smoke.

More Breakout Success For Female Emcees

Predicting 2020 Music Trends

Kehlani & Megan Thee Stallion attend Rihanna‘s Diamond Ball, 2019 – Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

One female emcee after another grabbed the public’s attention in 2019, whether it was Lizzo with her triumphant theatrics on “Truth Hurts,” Saweetie and City Girls with their call-and-response anthems, or Megan Thee Stallion and her devoted Hot Girl Summer “hotties.” Others like Noname, Rapsody, Rico Nasty, and Tierra Whack further contributed to the astounding resurgence of women in hip hop. In fact, 2019 “yielded the highest total of (female) rappers making their mark on the Billboard Hot 100 this decade,” a statistic that speaks to just how electrifying the conversation has become in recent years. While there’s no denying the outsized impact of women in hip hop over the course of the genre’s history, it finally feels as if the narrative is beginning to shift to appropriately honor and celebrate both the veterans who paved the way and the new faces who are preserving and building upon their legacy. 

Social Media’s Cult Of Personality

If Tekashi 6ix9ine’s dramatic rise and fall taught us anything, it’s that self-made stars and precocious personalities are hoisted by the masses of the social media age. Universal access to smartphones, and by association social media, is empowering artists to keep pace with their audiences at a previously unprecedented rate. Now more than ever, artists are encouraged to develop bold branding strategies and imagery that sticks, and they’re choosing to connect with listeners directly rather than through the squeaky clean lens of their handlers. All of this has produced a completely new and refurbished pop landscape in which music makers are firmly in the driver’s seat when it comes to nurturing media presence, while labels in the traditional sense of the word have resigned themselves to a more hands-off role as financial overseers and talent investors.

The Intersection Of Videos Games, Online Entertainment, & Live Music

Predicting 2020 Music Trends

Blueface performing at Rolling Loud LA edition 2019 – Photo by Evie Hoffman for HNHH exclusively

Virtual reality and live streaming are tech spaces with endless possibilities, and they’re aiding artists in orchestrating massive cultural moments that unfold in real time. In February, Marshmello’s historic Fortnite concert brought in upwards of 10.7 million live “attendees” in what could very well prove to be the tip of the iceberg for virtual viewership. Meanwhile, 800,000 users tuned in to the YouTube premiere of Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next” while over 600,000 scampered to Twitch to watch Ninja and Drake take a crack at duos in the aforementioned battle royale. Rolling Loud, “the largest hip-hop festival in the world,” boasted a throng 60,000 strong at its inaugural New York set this past fall, and with plans to take the show overseas, there’s no telling what the ceiling might be for high-end livestreaming experiences. Who knows: VR capabilities that enable Adam Levine and Jonah Hill to share courtside seats at a live Lakers game could translate into groundbreaking new avenues of engagement for those looking to snag virtual concert tickets and take in the action up close while still in their pajamas.

Riding The “Content” Tidal Wave

Content diversification on streaming services was never a matter of if but a matter of when. Investment in exclusive and original content is well underway: we’ve already seen Spotify take ambitious steps to monopolize the realm of podcasts with their purchase of Gimlet & Anchor, and Pandora established a Podcast Genome similar to the one that powers its internet radio service. Given how scalable technology has become, it’s no surprise that multi-format creative agencies are thriving. The crossover between music and gaming has taken video outlets YouTube and Twitch by storm, while music-based platforms such as COLORS and Lyrical Lemonade are creating compelling blueprints for the future and re-envisioning their role in the space along the way. This entrepreneurial spirit has resulted in the convergence of different areas of media, whether that be music, fashion, film, etc. Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty, Action Bronson’s “Fuck That’s Delicious,” Offset’s partnership with esports organization FaZe Clan, and Drake’s involvement in the revival of Top Boy are but a few example of artists re-envisioning themselves as entertainers and content creators.

No End In Sight For Album Tug Of War

Augmented by the boon of major platform playlists, the discussion surrounding the fluctuation of the album format has been defined by two distinct schools of thought. On one hand, homogenized and inoffensive music devoid of creative merit has engendered passive consumption on a massive scale, as vastly popular algorithms continue to dictate the prosperity of bloated releases. It’s a trend that isn’t going anywhere: lengthy tracklists do numbers, and artists will likely continue to submit desperate, long-winded bids as a means of gaming the system. Elsewhere, more succinct and palatable releases, most notably those comprising Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music rollout of summer 2018, have garnered equal attention if for different reasons. All of this is to say that both ends of the spectrum are finding success in the pursuit of replayability, further bolstering the eternal struggle between quality and quantity.

An Appetite For Conceptually-Conceived Music

The Trump-born melange of crisis and confusion has opened the door for artists to explore ideas of identity and rich, politically-tinged narratives. It’s an environment ripe for socially-literate creatives looking to voice their anger and frustrations with the state of the world. Ambitious vessels such as Janelle Monae’s Dirty Computer and Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly are the audio equivalent of an escape from modernity’s fractured state, and their success in blurring the lines of fiction and reality underlines a demand for forging deeper connections with artists and the environments they weave.

What do you predict for 2020? Let us know in the comments.

If you liked this, check out:

The Singles Era Is Upon Us (And What It Means For Music Consumption)

Collision Course: How Musical Independence Has Ignited A Streaming War

How Leaked Music Has Evolved In The Streaming Age

 

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DaBaby Arrested for Battery of A Promoter

2020 is starting off great for DaBaby. The Grammy-nominated rapper was arrested Thursday afternoon in connection to a robbery. According to various sources, DaBaby and his crew were meeting up with a concert promoter to get paid for a gig — the promoter handed over $20,000 but the rapper claimed he was owed $30,000. As one source told TMZ, “Things just went out of control.”


DaBaby allegedly robbed the victim of $80, a credit card, an iPhone 7, and then doused him with apple juice.

He was arrested for battery with bond set at $1,500.

This morning, Dallas police issued a warrant for DaBaby for “organized criminal activity.” According to TMZ, the warrant is in connection to a fight with a food stand employee at DFW Airport last month.

The rapper was also just announced for Coachella — we’ll see if these criminal proceedings have any effect on his booking at the major festival.

 

TMZ

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A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

post image

A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

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50 Cent Reveals French Montana’s Bugatti Is A Rental & Has a CD Player

50 Cent isn't letting up in the battle of the Bugattis.

As you probably already know, Fif was pissed when French flexed the Bugatti he "bought" himself for Christmas after Fif flexed the Bugatti he bought himself for Christmas.

50 already revealed that French's Bugatti is a used 2008 Veyron whereas his is a 2020 Chiron.

Now Fif has Instagram posted conversations with an unnamed man with experience with the supercar French bought. According to the man, French's Bugatti has a CD player because it pre-dates USB ports and the car has already been passed all around New York.

"I just got the papers don’t ever in ya life play with me?he got a fucking 60 month loan on a 08 ?‍♂️ n!gga it will be 2025 when you out that car," 50 captioned the recording.

Does 50 need to let up or should he keep going in?

Posted In: Beef 50 Cent French Montana
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A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

post image

A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

post image

A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

post image

A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

post image

A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

post image

A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

post image

A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

post image

A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

post image

A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

post image

A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

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A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

post image

A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

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Coachella 2020 Lineup Is Finally Here

After teasing many of this year’s artists, Coachella has just dropped the full lineup for 2020.


As suspected, Rage Against The Machine, Travis Scott, and Frank Ocean are headlining Friday, Saturday, and Sunday respectively.

Calvin Harris will make his first return to the festival since he made history on the main stage in 2016 as the first EDM headliner, Flume and Disclosure will play Saturday, and Louis The Child tops the EDM lineup on Sunday.

As far as EDM goes:

Friday boasts Madeon, Lane 8, GRiZ, Peggy Gou, TNGHT, Damian Lazarus, slowthai, TOKiMONSTA, Malaa, Erick Morillo, Cashmere Cat, VNSSA, Lost Kings.

Saturday will welcome Caribou, Testpilot, Black Coffee, Jai Wolf, Yaeji, Tchami, Dixon, Hot Chip, Floating Points, ANNA, Masego, Matoma, Chris Liebing, Paco OSuna, Whipped Cream, GG Magree.

Sunday will round off with Fatboy Slim, Mura Masa, Duck Sauce, SLANDER, Duke Dumont, Big Wild, SebastiAn, Hayden James, DOm Dolla, Luttrell.

And of course, that doesn’t count the Do Lab or Heineken House lineups yet, let alone the parties in nearby Palm Springs during the weekends.

One unfortunate act who was suspected but isn’t on the lineup: My Chemical Romance.

See below!

 

Photo courtesy of Coachella

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A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

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Coachella Is Dropping Its 2020 Lineup Live Right Now [UPDATED]

The 2020 Coachella lineup is almost here. Based on previous years, it could be dropping as soon as tomorrow, and if Coachella’s Twitter is anything to go by, tomorrow it could certainly be.


Right now they are digging up old tweets about artists at Coachella and essentially confirming the artists set to play at this year’s festival. Check below for hints for Denzel Curry, Rage Against The Machine, Caribou, FKA Twigs and more!

Still rumored are Flume, My Chemical Romance, Lana Del Rey, Thom Yorke and more for the undercard. We also expect Travis Scott and Frank Ocean as headliners alongside RATM.

Stay tuned for more Coachella Lineup updates…

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A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

post image

A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

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Pioneer DJ Is Changing Its Name

Back in May, Pioneer and Pioneer DJ confused many media publications when it was reported that Pioneer was selling off its remaining 15% share in Pioneer DJ. Pioneer sold a significant majority of its DJ arm to investment firm KKR & Co. in 2015 — as such, the two no longer share offices, employees, owners, operations, product lines, etc.


Now, as of January 1, 2020, Pioneer DJ is changing its name to AlphaTheta, and the confusion continues. Pioneer DJ brands, such as its CDJ and DJM lines of products, will retain the Pioneer DJ branding. It is only the corporation that will change names.

In the announcement, AlphaTheta said the change was made to “better reflect our values and vision.” Any betting man would also suggest that the change was to more effectively differentiate their business from Pioneer’s, which now focuses primarily on non-DJ/pro audio facing brands.

You can read the full press release from AlphaTheta below.

Pioneer DJ Corporation has changed its company name to AlphaTheta Corporation as of January 1, 2020. Our brands and brand names, including Pioneer DJ, will not be affected.

We’re updating our corporate name to better reflect our values and vision. The change is not related to any merger, sale, or reorganization.

We take great pride in our commitment to the music industry and we’ve chosen our new company name, AlphaTheta Corporation, based on our passionate vision to innovate, inspire, and entertain.

WHY ALPHATHETA?
Music can guide the human brain into extremely powerful states of mind.

Peak human experience can be enhanced with an optimal balance of creative music, superior sound technologies, and group coherence. AlphaTheta refers to the brain wave frequencies achieved in these peak states. Our vison [sic] is to use our innovative technologies to enable and enrich these peak moments.

AlphaTheta enables you to go Beyond the Music.

post image

A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

post image

A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

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Future & DJ Khaled Joined By Meek Mill & Diddy To Kick Off New Year On Jet Skis


What a crew.

A power squad of hip hop’s finest took to the deep blue sea today to start off the new year on a dope note. We already knew that DJ Khaled and Future were spending the day together today, cruising around on a pair of jet skis, but another participant in their day of fun was revealed when Khaled posted a video of he and Diddy reflecting on New Years past.

In the video captioned, “Life is good HAPPY NEW YEAR Bless up,” Khaled and Diddy wish each other a happy new year, followed by Diddy clapping and insisting that “It’s gonna be a great one, ladies and gentlemen. It’s gonna be action-packed.” It’s definitely good to see Diddy so optimistic about 2020, considering how rough 2019 was for him. He even recently revealed the dark depression he went through this past year in an emotional confession. Khaled proceeds to point out to Diddy, “You know I bring in the new year with you every year,” which Diddy confirms, and notes that they’ve also gone jet skiing every year in the past as well. Khaled lets everyone watching know that “life is good,” and that they’re starting the decade off right.

Meek Mill was also part of the star-studded group of pals’ ocean adventure, as revealed in yet another video posted by Khaled, captioned, “HAPPY NEW YEAR 2020.” Notoriously repetitive, DJ Khaled utters the phrase “Take a look at 2020” multiple times, to which Meek responds, “2020 it’s real wavy on the way.” Not gonna lie, this activity looks fun as hell. Fingers crossed for an invitation next year.

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FIRST LISTEN: SLANDER Debut Gorgeous New Collab with Jason Ross On NYE

The decade might be over, but time stops for no man! As we move into 2020, we’re already hearing clips of new music to look forward to, including this collaboration between SLANDER and Jason Ross played at Decadence Colorado on New Year’s Eve.


Titled “Better Than Heaven,” the song begins with some soft male vocals before bringing out SLANDER’s iconic heaven trap sound. With Jason Ross in the mix, the drop also gets some trance/melodic energy that rounds out the sound and really takes it up to the next level.

No word yet on when this is coming out except “coming soon” from SLANDER, but bet we’ll be keeping an eye out for it. Check out the clip below.

 

Photo MigPxl

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A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

post image

A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbra Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

post image

A-Trak Teases The Return of Duck Sauce, His ? Duo Side Project

Nine years ago, A-Trak and Armand van Helden teamed up for the first time as Duck Sauce and dropped their debut single, “Big Bad Wolf.” Six years ago, the duo dropped their debut album, Quack, including the smash hit, “Barbara Streisand.” And then nothing…


Since then, A-Trak and van Helden have been hard at work on their solo careers, but we’ve always had Duck Sauce in the back of our minds. Those iconic live shows, the incredible branding, the creativity in the studio and behind the decks — we wanted more. Now, it seems we’re getting our wish.

Happy New Year to all of us, as A-Trak dropped a pretty heavy-handed teaser for the duo’s return in 2020 on Twitter. With a caption including “2020,” a duck emoji, and tagging Armand himself, such a connection was obvious and undeniable.

Still to be seen is how the duo will enter the new decade, whether they’ll bring back their iconic funky house sound or bring the group into the new decade with fresh sounds and inspirations. Either way, we’re quacking excited. Check out their debut album again below.

 

Photo Rukes.com

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Spotify Takes A Stand, Suspends All Political Ads for 2020

With the 2020 presidential election now only eleven months away, people living in the US are sure to see the amount of advertisements for candidates skyrocket in the coming months. However, one place you won’t be hearing any ads is Spotify. The streaming company announced last week that it would be suspending the sale of political advertising on its platform


“At this point in time, we do not yet have the necessary level of robustness in our process, systems and tools to responsibly validate and review this content,” the company said in a statement to Ad Age. “We will reassess this decision as we continue to evolve our capabilities.”

Spotify’s ad-supported tier boasts 141 million users, none of whom will receive political advertising in the new decade.

According to Ad Age, the new policy covers political organizations such as candidates for office, elected and appointed officials, Super PACs, nonprofits and political parties. It also removes content that advocates for or against political entities and legislative or judicial outcomes. The company will not, however, control political ads that are embedded in for third-party podcasts, though they will still be subject to Spotify’s content policy.

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21 Savage’s R&B Love Affair Is A ReflectIon Of The Evolved "Gangster Rapper"


21 Savage’s self-expression through singing denotes the duplicity of hip-hop and the evolution of the “gangster” rapper.

In November of 2019, artist 21 Savage spoke to hundreds of Atlanta students about the dangers of gun violence. The speech was part of Fulton county’s “Guns Down, Heads Up” program. An initiative to curtail the rising number of illegal firearms in the community. During a local news feature, he explained that urging area youth to be wise in not resorting to guns was his mission. However, his single “Immortal” which was released just 20 days prior had a different message. “Brand new Mac-90 with the drum attached, you a shit talker we got drums for that. Tryna fist fight boy you dumb for that. You gone catch a bullet in yo long for that.”

Can a hardcore rapper grow as a person, as a man, as a member of his community – yet still let his music promote the darkness of his past? 

What happens when a man with a troubled past embraces his mortality and refuses to wallow in the same mentality that resulted in the very pain he once sought to escape?

Is society receptive to the duality of a black man finding the silver lining in his suffering, dealing with the convolution and weight of surviving life in the hood? 

If you never cared to learn more about 21 Savage you may have these and other questions. Yet, given the effort, you’d quickly find that the man behind the microphone is more complex than can be understood simply by taking his music at face value. It requires a fair analysis of the environment in which he was born. The environment he references in music. Through his words, though sometimes corrupt, Savage has constructed a platform. In the 27-year old’s maturation, he continues to use that platform to make a change, perhaps the only way he knows how. This while still healing from a past that likely haunts him.

21 Savage's R&B Love Affair Is A ReflectIon Of The Evolved "Gangster Rapper"

Patrisse Cullors, Co-Founder of Black Lives Matter presents 21 Savage with an award at the NILC Courageous Luminaires Awards, October 2019 – Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for NILC

In an interview with Genius, 21 Savage said, “Words are powerful. You have to be mindful of how you use them. I’m a rapper, so yeah, I’m going to rap about certain shit – but that’s entertainment. That’s music. That’s my past life. When it comes to what I’m doing in these streets is like a man. Fuck a rapper. Just me as a man and what I stand for, don’t throw dirt on that because that’s like a big accomplishment.”

21 Savage leaped onto hip-hop’s proverbial stage, the light finally shimmering on a sound once dimly lit in almost hidden crevices of SoundCloud. If The Slaughter Tape catapulted Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph onto that stage his soon-to-follow EP Savage Mode was the crowd surfing frog splash off of it. The hip-hop community had embraced him. Each project he’s released since has pitted him deeper and deeper into the modern-day pop-culture lexicon. The Slaughter Tape featured a hardcore, gritty production style, heavily fleeced with 808s and a dark ominous undertone. Listening to the early Savage catalog feels like you’re walking into the belly of the slums. His menacing voice and catchy ad-libs rattle your eardrums from start to finish as he uniquely tells his story.

Back in the early days of his emergence, 21 Savage was lauded for his hardcore street, oftentimes violence ladened lyrics. Praising the gang lifestyle and endorsing problematic behavior. Behavior young men feel forced into because of the realities of living in a socioeconomically challenged neighborhood. As time fell through the hourglass on 21 Savage’s career, his tune has started to shift. Both in his outward demeanor and in his music. Perhaps it even softened.

On his most recent album, I am > I was, he goes in-depth about the tumultuous relationship with his father, losing loved ones and the pain of heartbreak. As the title would suggest Savage’s second studio album signifies a turning point in his life. Seeking to be a better artist and a better man than he once was. For his endeavors in proliferation the rapper was rewarded with a Grammy nomination for Rap Album of the Year.

“I just feel like I’m becoming a better person. My music is just getting better. Learning the game better, learning how to move, learning how to create – everything’s just growing.”

 “I might rap about a lot of stuff, but that’s just a reflection about what I’ve been through. But in real life, everything I do is positive.” 

For someone who has been through so much, it’s great to see a man able to freely express himself. His ups and downs. Both his unrestrained joy and his pain. On a 2018 Breakfast Club interview, Savage admitted that “sometimes he cries” when reflecting on the passing of a friend. DJ Envy followed his statement up by saying “the fact that you said you cry is good because a lot of people will never admit that they cry.” The Atlanta-raised rapper then says “That Jeezy and Keisha Cole song, “Dreaming,” I don’t care where I’m at if that song comes on I’m going to cry.”

It was here that we realized 21 Savage, like many of us, uses music to mend emotional scars – which would explain his love affair with singing R&B. Music often acts as an emotional ointment, just as 21 Savaged described in this interview. It helps us to process our traumas. For black people, music is sometimes the only therapy we ever had. In many cases, it is the only way we were able to process the things we went through. Have you ever been to a party or a gathering and that classic R&B song plays that calls up so many emotions? We, as African-Americans, don’t simply experience music – we escape into it. Losing ourselves in the words and the melody. Hoping for a momentary fix from reality. For black men, we deserve the chance to be free of the stereotypes that chain us to a nonexpressive mascot-like existence.  

21 Savage's R&B Love Affair Is A ReflectIon Of The Evolved "Gangster Rapper"

21 Savage at his “Hot Boyz” Birthday Bash, October 2019 – Carmen Mandato/Getty Images 

In the same interview, Savage admitted that he had been to therapy. Imagine a 90’s gangster rapper talking about therapy in a radio interview. As we’ve become a more conscious and progress thinking community in hip-hop, much of the facade has melted away and we accept these men as human beings who have experienced real things that take a toll on them – not these beacons of hyper-masculinity. We see evidence of this in today’s “gangster rapper.” 

Savage speaks on this candidly in his writings:

“I done did a lot in these streets and that’s facts. PTSD like I came from Iraq.”

“I lost all my friends countin’ bands in the Bentley coupe

Diamonds on me doin’ handstands, Rosé on my tooth

If she wanna dance, let her dance for the money, ooh

I don’t need no friends if you really wanna know the truth.” 

In the Summer of 2018 Savage began frequently posting himself singing on Instagram’s Story feature. He sang everything from The Weeknd to R. Kelly to SWV. Bellowing his heart out. The selection a testament to his wide range of musical tastes. This past Summer the rapper claimed “I’m singing R&B this time on tour,” in an Instagram post. Savage stated that singing clears his mind. So, these internet karaoke sessions may be part medicine, part liberation. Signs of his internal cultivation. 

Men are freer now to express themselves. To be open with their feelings and show a softer side. 21 Savage is an example of this. We as a society have moved toward allowing men the opportunity to be human. To be tender and vulnerable creatures, while still endorsing their masculinity. Breaking down the barriers of masculinity has been tougher than knocking down the Berlin Wall within the tribe of hip-hop. Misconceptions of male identity have long contributed to a hyper-aggressive culture of male behavior. Many times men are incredibly pensive because they’re asked by society to partake in this play where their role is merely the beast. 21 Savage’s exterior may present a hardcore gangster rapper. Now we’re seeing a softer side of Savage. Growth is the companion of time and 21 Savage isn’t the same person that scrapped and crawled his way out of the trenches. He’s a greater version of that.

21 Savage’s journey exemplifies the dichotomy that exists in rap. He wants desperately to help his community and his actions show that. But his music is still filled with violence and belligerence. The Grammy nominee’s infatuation with R&B is a sign that he’s torn about the content in his music. On one hand, it propelled him to stardom, on the other hand, it goes against the things he seems to stand for. But the stories in his music make up who he is. Without the horrors of his past, Savage may not be here to share the journey.

“I just feel like I’m becoming a better person. My music is just getting better. Learning the game better, learning how to move, learning how to create – everything’s just growing.”

Savage takes his fandom of R&B to the next level by more frequently singing on his music, too. Issa Album explored this on tracks “Facetime” and “Special.” In “Special,” thanks to auto-tuning, he gifts us with a silky vocal arrangement. On his 2019 album, I am > I was, 21 Savage had a few tracks on which he sings in a contemporary R&B style. He later hopped on several prominent R&B remixes; Jhene Aiko‘s “Triggered,” a song in November with Alicia Keys and Miguel titled “Show Me Love,” as well as Normani’s “Motivation.” There may be more of an audience for 21 Savage ballads than there were for former generations of gangster rap. In what many call the golden era of hip-hop, for two decades, gangster rappers really carried the genre. But I would argue, few of the most influential artists in the past 10 years have been hardcore rap artists. Gangster rappers have had to evolve and adjust with the times in order to survive. 

21 Savage isn’t alone either. Other rappers known for abrasive style and content like NBA YoungBoy and Kodak Black are showing their more vulnerable sides nowadays. Last year Kodak released HeartBreak Kodak, a project filled with songs of love’s enmity. HipHopDX called the album “808s & Heartbreak meets the trap.” Needless to say, it was heavily R&B influenced. NBA YoungBoy made waves with his release of “Dirty Iyanna,” Michael Jackon’s “Dirty Diana” reimagined. The track features YoungBoy singing feverishly in auto-tune under the iconic baseline. Social changes and advancements in technology have made creatives that never would’ve sung in generations past empowered to give it a shot.

21 Savage's R&B Love Affair Is A ReflectIon Of The Evolved "Gangster Rapper"

21 Savage gives out a plate of food during his YMCA Thanksgiving Dinner, November 2019 – Prince Williams/Wireimage/Getty Images

It’s a proverb of the duplicity that exists in hip-hop and the evolution of the “gangster” rapper. Savage has several different community initiatives where he focuses on giving back. From hosting charity dinners to giving away school supplies in his old neighborhood. After his run-in the ICE and threat of deportation, Savage is now even advocating for immigrant children. It also highlights the line between art and reality. To quote 21 Savage one final time, “This is art, so how the fuck you gone tell me how to express myself – it ain’t no right or wrong way to be a hip-hop artist.”’

If you liked this, check out:

21 Savage’s 2019: An Exercise In Restraint

21 Savage & The Importance of Growth

21 Savage: Born In The UK, Made In Atlanta

Summer Walker & The New R&B Archetype

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OWSLA Drops 2019 Skrillex Yearbook With Live Show Photos & "Unreleased Content"

In 2019, we saw a resurgence of Skrillex. I want to avoid using “return” because he never truly left, but certainly in the past 12 months we’ve seen more of him both in our playlists and on our lineups than we did in either 2017 or 2018.


With such a stellar year behind him, and hopefully another one to look forward to, OWSLA just dropped a special 2019 Skrillex Yearbook that contains a collection of 2019 live show photos, as well as “behind the scenes and unreleased content.”

This is an essential coffee table item for any die-hard Skrillex fan, and you can get yours here. Pre-order ends 1/8/2020 and it will ship in 4-5 weeks.

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NBA Stars React To The Passing Of David Stern: "We Lost A Legend"

Stern was 77.

Former NBA commissioner David Stern passed away on Wednesday at 77. He served as the NBA's commissioner from 1984 until 2014, and helped make the league one of the most powerful sports corporations in the world. His tenure is considered the most successful period in basketball history, and he even went on to start the WNBA in the mid-90s. Stern's impact on the sport is bigger than anyone can put into words, but legends all over the league are offering up their words none the less. Stars from Kobe Bryant and Shaq, to Magic Johnson and Scotty Pippen, took to social media to share kind words and moments.

"The game changed in so many ways under David Stern’s leadership and vision," tweeted Kobe. "He demanded the best of everyone because he gave it himself." "The NBA owes David Stern a debt of gratitude," tweeted Isiah Thomas. "His courage, innovation intelligence, tenacity & his ability to manage our league that has become a global success. He charted a path for modern-day basketball." Check out all the reactions below.

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Marvel’s "WandaVision" Gets Release Date Pushed Up To 2020

Marvel fans rejoice!

When last we saw Marvel's Vision, he was being murdered by Thanos. This led to a dope fight scene one movie later where Vision's lover, Scarlet Witch, overpowers Thanos so badly in a fight that he reigns down missiles from the sky killing his own men just to escape her. Scarlet Witch, who is played by Elizabeth Olsen, is one of the most powerful figures in the MCU and she will be getting a spotlight very soon. Vision and Scarlet Witch will star in WandaVision, a new Disney+ Marvel series that was slated to debut in 2021 right before Doctor Strange In The Multi-Verse Of Madness hit theaters. WandaVision is supposed to tie directly into Doctor Strange, and Scarlet Witch will co-star in the film with the Time Stone wielding sorcerer. 

Disney+ recently released a preview of everything set to hit their streaming service in 2020, and surprisingly, WandaVision was included. That means fans will get the show earlier than expected, although an exact release date is still unknown. It looks like Kevin Fiege is trying to set up a cliff hanger that will keep fans guessing until Doctor Strange In The Multi-Verse Of Madness comes out to conclude that story arc. Teyonah Parris, Randall Park, Kat Dennings, and Kathryn Hahn will star alongside Olsen and Paul Battany in the series. 

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The xx Confirm They're Working On New Music Heading Into 2020

We’re projecting that 2020 will be a great year for music, as The xx confirm they’re back in the studio!


For fans, there’s no better way to start off the new year than this — “We’ve all been working on new music,” The xx captions the post below, “can’t wait to share it with you! Hope you have the best new year!”

Over the years, the 3-piece English indie band have championed a distanced blend of rock, pop and electronic, painting outside genre lines in the best possible ways. Their debut album xx came out in 2009, followed by Coexist in 2012 and I See You in 2017.

Jamie xx also made waves with his own solo record, In Colour, which released in 2015.

See their official announcement below and get ready for the return of The xx in 2020.

The xx – New Music 2020

 

H/T: Consequence of Sound

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Ekali Says He's Dropping 2 Albums In 2020 [DETAILS]

Ekali announced he has not just one, but two albums coming out in 2020.


The producer’s debut album was expected sometime last year, but recently we were filled in on the January 2020 release. As he confirmed in the post below, A World Away is on the very near horizon.

Ekali already released a few singles off the album: “Runaway” with Reo Cragun, “Be Fine” with Wafia, “Back To You” with Kiiara,” and “Hard To Say Goodbye” with Illenium and Chloe Angelides. He also teased a new song with Elohim, “Fairytale,” his favorite song he’s ever made.

As for the second album, Ekali has plans to launch a new side project. It’s expected to be house “with a different twist,” according to the producer.

Read below and get ready for tons of music from Ekali in 2020.

MORE: Albums to Look Forward to in 2020

Ekali Albums Coming 2020

 

Photo Justin Amoafo Photography

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Watch Bassnectar, Illenium, Rezz, Porter Robinson & More As They Ring In The New Year

This year — well, I suppose, technically, last year — ravers had their choice of an abundant amount of New Year’s Eve events across the country, both large festivals and local club shows. Whether you were at Countdown in Southern California, Decadence in Arizona or Colorado, Snowglobe in Tahoe, Resolution in Seattle, or wherever else, you likely rang in the new year with a smile and a sh*tload of confetti.


Thankfully, social media exists, so if you weren’t at one of these sets, chances are someone has already uploaded it. Below you can check out count downs from Bassnectar, Illenium, Rezz, Porter Robinson, Skrillex, and Alesso, and we’ll be adding more as we find them.

Let’s all make 2020 a year to remember!

Bassnectar

Bassnectar NYE Countdown! from EDM

Illenium

Happy new year from ILLENIUM from EDM

Rezz

Skrillex

Alesso

Porter Robinson

 

Photo Rukes.com

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