TM88 has been behind the boards for countless jams, lacing hit records like Lil Uzi Vert's "XO Tour Life," Future's "Codeine Crazy," Young Thug's "Future Swag," and many more. In fact, there are some who might even name him among this generation's most consistent producers, an influential mind responsible for some of today's musical trends and patterns. Unfortunately, it would appear that TM has been feeling slighted of late, taking to Twitter to offer some thoughts on a double standard between producers and rappers.
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"Is it me or Rappers don’t support producers like producers support rappers ?" he writes, and while he doesn't name names, it does feel as if the hitmaker is speaking from personal experience. Either way, it's interesting to hear his take on the dynamic between producers and rappers, a dynamic that has occasionally led to animosity in the past; issues can range from uncredited beats to improper distribution of royalties, but it's not exactly uncommon for producers to voice concerns with the way they've been treated in the past.
Given how symbiotic the relationship between rapper and producer truly is -- I mean, think of your favorite rapper and you can bet there's an equally creative producer who played a role in shaping their sound. In the best-case scenarios, the creative relationship is explored and both parties benefit. Unfortunately, given that TM took the time to voice his annoyance, it would appear he's harboring some unresolved issues. Check out his take below, and sound off -- is he speaking facts? Do producers deserve more support from the rappers they help elevate?
Michael Jordan’s Unearthed LeBron James Take Is Insanely Bad
Michael Jordan didn't think very highly of LeBron James back in the day.
Michael Jordan is considered to be the greatest player in basketball history although LeBron James is certainly a close second. Over the years, Jordan hasn't had very much acknowledgment of LeBron and doesn't seem too interested in having much of a relationship with him. Perhaps much of this has to do with the fact that Jordan is a competitor who doesn't want to associate himself with someone who could take over his position as the GOAT.
In fact, Jordan didn't have much faith in LeBron, from the start. In a recently unearthed newspaper clipping from before LeBron was drafted, Jordan claimed that LeBron had potential although he would most likely be in the lower tier of shooting guards and small forwards. He even went so far as to say that LeBron had yet to play against men and that it would be an extremely uphill climb before he could be truly great.
Of course, all of this was proven false when LeBron entered the league as he was a superstar right out of the gate. LeBron became the league's most dominant player in very short order and at 35 years old, he remains the face of the NBA. Needless to say, Jordan isn't much of a talent evaluator although his career as an executive has proven that already.
Jay Williams Angrily Scolds Stephen A. Smith For Bucks Take
Stephen A. Smith got Jay Williams all riled up with his Milwaukee Bucks disrespect.
Stephen A. Smith is known for his steady stream of hot takes and sometimes, these hot takes can be too much for people to handle. In all fairness, the take we are about to bring you isn't really that hot. In fact, it's the take that makes the most sense. However, that didn't stop ESPN analyst Jay Williams from being highly offended by it.
It all started when the subject was changed to the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks are currently 50-8 and Jay Williams tried to make the argument that if the Bucks hit 70 wins, they should be considered as one of the greatest teams of all-time. Smith immediately shut down that theory and stated how the Bucks need to win a championship before even being mentioned in the same breathe as some of the best teams ever. This led to a meltdown from Williams who told Smith he was being too disrespectful to Milwaukee and that he should be banned from the city.
Stephen A. continued to antagonize Williams and even suggested that being banned from Milwaukee wasn't exactly a bad thing. Smith immediately recognized that he had struck a chord with Williams and decided to enter full troll model. Realistically, Smith's main point was pretty accurate as the Bucks have yet to demonstrate deep playoff success. They made it to the East finals last season but they need to do more in order to be taken seriously.
Ebro’s Take On Eminem Sparks A Heated Debate
Ebro speaks his mind.
In the review of Music To Be Murdered By, I mentioned that the project was destined to divide. Such has become true for Eminem in general, and artist whose legacy has been continuously besieged by detractors. While some may only be mobilizing to combat the fury of the Stans, it's become expected to see heated discourse following the release of any new Eminem music. Those in the media often find themselves embroiled in, sometimes even sparking these debates to begin with. Look no further than Ebro, who took to Twitter to offer his own take on Eminem's place in hip-hop culture.
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As a longstanding hip-hop authority, Ebro's words hold weight. It's no wonder his take on Eminem is particularly strong, leaving much to unpack beyond a surface level. "Eminem’s success comes from him being white, he’s even said it," claims Ebro, knowing exactly what sort of can of worms he's opening. "Lack of respect also comes from him being white. The disdain for him comes from him being successful @ something Black people own. His love for the culture is why he worked so hard to be great and get respect."
It didn't take long for the debate to spark and Ebro seized the opportunity to double down. "Eminem treats Rap how Black folks have had to treat life," he continues. "Be 5x better, work 5x harder than everyone and still not necessarily get respect." The tweets found many people chiming with agreement while others took issue with Ebro's angle. Accusations of "hater" were flung willy-nilly, though it should be noted that his infamous top ten list had Eminem at number ten. High praise to be sure, though his opinion on "Rap God" seems to suggest a distaste for Em's more recent musical output.
How do you feel about Ebro's takes on Eminem's respect, success, and musicality?