During this week’s episode of The Masked Singer, viewers were shocked to find out that the person behind the Polar Bear costume was none other than Grandmaster Flash.
“In the world today, there’s a lot of sadness and when I seen this show on a rough day I had for business – I was laughing!” Grandmaster Flash said according to HipHopDX. “It actually had me laughing. It allows you to let your guard down and just have fun. It’s a great show. It’s a great show.”
While the new season recently started, he still managed to make it to episode three before facing elimination. Grandmaster Flash performed Blondie’s “Rapture” during his time on the zany competition series.
“I sung horribly, but I sang it the best way I can and sitting down with the musicians and the vocal coaches in doing the best I can do with it,” he told Variety about how he felt during the performance. “But I had to do it with this 15 pound [costume] on me and do it in a cool way. I’m trying not to laugh but it was so stupid, but it was so fun.”
As the story goes, “Rapture” was written for him after Debbie Harry attended one of his shows with Fab Five Freddy.
Watch Grandmaster Flash’s reveal on The Masked Singer above.
Yesterday (March 2), Rockstar Games announced the new Grand Theft Auto Online event. Through March 8, users now have the chance to earn “even more lucrative” rewards in all of the missions that feature Dr. Dre.
According to NME, “the event will offer double in-game cash and RP rewards for completing F. Clinton & Partner’s Security Contract missions.” The publication also notes that “finishing Payphone Hits for Franklin” will earn fans more money.
Finally, anybody who simply logs on to GTA Online before the set date will receive a free White DJ Pooh Tee.
Last December, Rockstar Games unveiled The Contract expansion — which included the rapper’s new music on the soundtrack, given it serves as a direct tie-in to the game. Players have to help him track down his stolen music.
“Dr. Dre’s stolen phone is the talk of the town. Word is the device is loaded with never-before-heard music,” the company posted on social media. “Tracking it down before it leaks could make or break your new “celebrity solutions Agency” — and you’ll be the one getting your hands dirty.”
Dr. Dre’s stolen phone is the talk of the town. Word is the device is loaded with never-before-heard music.
In other recent news within the Grand Theft Auto realm, 50 Cent hinted on social media that he might have some possible involvement in the forthcoming game — so there’s plenty happening for players to be excited for.
After what seemed to be a slow couple of months to start the year, things really picked up last week with releases from the likes of ALLBLACK, Don Toliver, Key Glock, Logic, Payroll Giovanni, and more. That momentum continued this week as Young Nudy dropped Gumbo, Don Toliver added four new songs to Love Sick, and Nas, Joey Badass, J. Cole, and Nicki Minaj all released new songs. But the new music didn’t stop there; check out more below.
Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending March 3, 2023.
Albums/EPs/Mixtapes
Che Noir X Big Ghost Ltd. — Now Or Never
Che Noir
I’ll always have a soft spot for this Buffalo-bred rapper, whose self-sufficient style has been a charming inspiration for the past few years. Her latest project is actually one of several produced by Big Ghost this week, but her unique point of view has always been the most interesting of the producer’s street-centric collaborators.
De La Soul — Stakes Is High
De La Soul
I know, I know! This isn’t “new” in the classic sense of the term. But the pioneering hip-hop trio’s catalog will certainly be new for thousands of fans who haven’t had access to it until now. And while the “best” of their releases varies depending on who you ask, there is perhaps no more influential work among them than Stakes Is High. So much of hip-hop owes a debt to this one album. If you only check out one this weekend, let this be it.
Dreamville — Creed III: The Soundtrack
Dreamville
The trend of rap record labels taking over the production of heavily anticipated film soundtracks has generated some truly great collections, from the Black Panther soundtrack helmed by Top Dawg Entertainment to the 88rising-led soundtrack for Shang-Chi. Now, J. Cole’s squad gets in on the action, taking the baton from Mike Will Made-It (who produced the Creed II album) and the results are typically strong.
Kenny Mason — 3
Kenny Mason
The West Atlanta rapper’s one-of-a-kind style continues to set him apart from many of his fellow ATLiens. Influenced as much by the music of alternative rock bands like My Chemical Romance and The Smashing Pumpkins as by Future and Outkast, he offers a unique blend of genres that mashes up grunge and hardcore hip-hop into an aggro-emo gumbo that makes Kenny the bridge between sections of that Hot Topic T-shirt wall.
Masego — Masego
Masego
Coolly combining rap, soul, and jazz on his last projects, Masego returns from a multi-year break with a self-titled collection that is one of hip-hop’s most anticipated projects of this year.
Macklemore — Ben
Macklemore
Say what you want about Macklemore, he’s always been a solid rapper and a really earnest follower of hip-hop. He may have made some public missteps, but he’s always taken ownership of them. That tradition continues on his latest, most personal album yet.
Slowthai — Ugly
Slowthai
More thrashy but emotionally vulnerable grime-punk from one of the UK’s most compelling voices.
Young Nudy — Gumbo
Young Nudy
Speaking of gumbo… 21 Savage’s cousin makes another stunning comeback full of weird, off-kilter production and brusque, unapologetic street rhymes.
Singles/Videos
Big Boss Vette — “Pretty Girls Walk (Remix)” Feat. Coi Leray
St. Louis, stand up! Big Boss Vette has been slowly building up her audience with brash, braggartly raps and thumping production that has found a following in the “bad bitch” niche. Employing one of rap’s it-girls in Coi Leray should vastly accelerate the process.
Cousin Stizz — “The Fan”
The Massachusetts rapper taps Snapz, Dilip & Berg for a ghostly instrumental in the first single from his upcoming project Game Ain’t Based On Sympathy.
Finesse2Tymes — “How to Act”
The Memphis rapper drops a fun party anthem with a thematically consistent video depicting one hell of a house party.
Larry June & The Alchemist — “89 Earthquake”
More laid-back luxury from Good Job Larry, whose Frigidaire cold flow is perfectly complemented by a signature production from Alan The Chemist. Their collab project, The Great Escape, drops on March 31 — we can’t wait.
Maiya The Don — “Dusties”
Say what you want about the modern trend of carefree Black girl rap, but it’s hard for me not to enjoy rappers like Brooklyn’s Maiya The Don dismissing and discounting the “Dusties” in their lives while sampling the hits of my youth (in this case, 50 Cent and Lil Kim’s “Magic Stick”).
Mike Dimes — “Heavy Metal”
Mike Dimes has been getting more and more attention lately, and tracks like the rumbling “Heavy Metal” certainly show the San Antonio rapper is intent on making it worth fans’ while.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Bia has come a long way since her reality TV days on Sisterhood Of Hip Hop. Although many rap music fans were introduced to the rapper from her viral song “Whole Lotta Money,” the Boston native has made it clear that she hasn’t always lived the fabulous life she bragged about her in the song (that spiked sales in Bottega Veneta heels).
On her new rags-to-riches single, “16,” produced by AzizTheShake, the musician shared just how far the rough road stretched before arriving in the lap of luxury.
The first verse opens with Bia rapping, “Waitеd my turn, now I’m havin’ that / I want that man, you can have him back / So sick of showin’ b*tches how to rap,” continuing, “Who the f*ck gon’ pay my bills, ho? / I ain’t even did my nails, ho / You gon’ make me beat your ass, at sixteen, I done had to pay my bail, ho / Dryin’ my clothes on the radiator / Movin’ in silence, can’t wake the neighbor.”
In the chorus, Bia doubles down on her come-up story, rapping, “I came from a place where there’s nobody to look up to / We weren’t broke together, tell me how the f*ck I trust you / I left mama house, b*tch, I ain’t have nowhere to run to.”
It is unclear if “16” is the lead single to any forthcoming project, but Bia did share with People that she has wrapped up her album and that “it should probably be out within maybe a spring, summer vibe.”
Fenix Flexin found success earlier in his music career thanks partly to his contributions to several platinum singles and acclaimed full-length projects as a collective. Now, as a solo act, the West Coast rapper is looking to continue the streak.
After securing collaborations with the late Drakeo the Ruler and D-Block Europe on his project, Fenix Flexin Vol. 1, released in 2021, Fenix is well on his way. To show just how ready he is, the recording artist dropped by the UPROXX studio for a zealous in-studio performance of his song, “We On It.”
Quickly after the video went live, fans began to pour into the comment section to sing his praises. One user even shared how Fenix is, but according to the rapper, this won’t be for too long.
Watch Fenix Flexin’s UPROXX Sessions performance of “We On It” above.
UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.
Fenix Flexin is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
You might be forgiven for not knowing that hip-hop superproducer Metro Boomin claims St. Louis as his hometown. After all, thanks to his work with trap rap mainstays like 21 Savage, Future, Migos, and Young Thug, his looming, thunderous instrumentals have become the de facto sound of Atlanta. But although he’s made his mark in the Peach State, he still counts the Show Me State as home.
And now that St. Louis has added a sports team, the St. Louis City SC, he’s all-in on showing his support — even if he’s never been the biggest soccer fan. The club is kicking off its inaugural home game with the “CITY Block Party” at the CITYPARK stadium Friday, March 3 at 6 pm CST and Saturday, March 4, headlined by Metro Boomin with a special DJ set from Anderson .Paak as DJ Pee .Wee (they’ll be supported by local acts Mvstermind, Kennedy Holmes, and DJ Mahf).
Metro was kind enough to check in with Uproxx via Zoom to talk about the sound of St. Louis, his connection to his hometown, the cross-regional impact of his music, and of course, his burgeoning soccer fandom. We also fell down an anime rabbit hole and talked about ASAP Rocky’s upcoming albumDon’t Be Dumb, which Metro contributed to so heavily that the Harlem rapper nicknamed the album Flacko Boomin.
How’d you get involved with the City Block Party and what made you say yes to kicking off the St. Louis City SC season?
Because of St. Louis, more than anything, me being born and raised there and always looking for great opportunities and the right opportunities to bring awareness and shine more light on the city. Definitely excited to be a part of this. This is big. This is historic. St. Louis getting a soccer club, that’s major. I’m just grateful that they even reached out and I jumped at the opportunity.
Yeah, yeah, I understand. Anything Compton-related, I’m on it. Were you a big fan of soccer growing up at all? And if so, who was your team?
Actually, no, I was a fan of soccer, but I just always been such a fan of St. Louis and I still am. But I actually started going to some soccer games a few years ago. It was just a new experience and I remember after the first one I just kept going because it was just a different kind of excitement — just the fact that you know how most games, there’s pauses in between play? It’s just nonstop. That was new for me and really just piqued my interest and opened my eye up to that world.
Now that St. Louis has its own team, are you going to get season tickets?
Man, hopefully. Hopefully, man, I don’t want it to be a one-and-done thing. I definitely plan on just getting as involved with the club as I can.
And of course, another name for soccer is football. We know our Super Bowl just passed. Were you rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs?
Yeah. Even though it’s not the Rams (Metro roots for the Los Angeles team), it was still Missouri. I had to go with that over Philadelphia. It’s still like, Show Me State.
Yes, sir. Speaking of St. Louis, I wanted to ask you about how St. Louis has figured into your music, but it occurred to me that for someone my age if you say, St. Louis, we’re going to think of Nelly, St. Lunatics, and Chingy, but when people hear Metro Boomin, a lot of times I think they may associate that with Atlanta, like Migos, Future. How do you reconcile that in your music?
That’s one of the main reasons I jumped at this opportunity and why I wear a Cardinals hat all the time: Just to remind people, you know what I’m saying? I’m born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. Atlanta is my second home. I moved there at a young enough age that I grew up there as a man, but I went to school in St. Louis.
And as far as the music, even though I worked with a lot of artists, a lot of my come-up was with a lot of prominent Atlanta artists and aiding their come-ups as well… I’m all automatically in the Atlanta conversation, but I feel like just how I was doing that with the Atlanta artists, the next step for me is just bringing and shining a light on St. Louis talent because there’s just so much of it. It’s so much raw talent. That’s one of my next goals for sure.
What would you say is the thing that sets St. Louis apart from most other cities in terms of the sound musically? Right now, you guys have Smino who’s very spacey, like Parliament-Funkadelic almost. Whereas for yourself, you have the trap, 808 thing. Does the city have a signature sound? And if so, what is it?
Man, St. Louis’s signature sound is, more than anything, soul. We put feel in. It’s no gimmicks in our music. Everyone always talks to me about my production, just how dynamic [it is] and just the ranges of where it can go. And I feel like that comes from just growing up in St. Louis. Traditionally in hip-hop, it’s like, okay, you got the South, you got the West Coast and the East Coast, mostly the West Coast and the East Coast.
But man, growing up in the Midwest, it’s like we was catching all the East Coast, the West Coast, the South. I grew up listening to Tupac, but at the same time, Cameron, Dipset, Outkast, Eminem, just from everywhere. Back then, people on the East Coast was really just listening to East Coast rap. People on the West was really listening to West Coast and so forth. But through the way music traveled, I feel in the middle, we was just catching everything. And I feel like that has a big impact on my sound as well as just everybody in St. Louis because we all come up just listening to everything.
I know you do a lot of interviews. I do a lot of interviews. We both get sick of hearing and asking and answering the same type of questions over and over again. If you were going to ask yourself a question for an interview, what would it be? What’s something you always wanted to talk about but never had the chance to?
Damn, that’s a good one. I ain’t going to lie. I got a lot of respect for that question. That’s a good one. That’s the first time I got that one. Something I always wanted to be asked. Ooh, damn, I’m trying to think of something good.
Well, I’ve had people tell me about all kinds of things. Anime, sports, sneakers, clothes, all of it.
As far as anime, I just got into that in the past year.
Oh, really? Cool. What you been watching?
My introduction was One Punch Man. I just fell in love with that. It just became a theme for me. And in the process of watching that while I was working on Heroes And Villains, someone had told me, they was like, “Man, you need to watch My Hero Academia.” I had started that. And then as I was finishing the album, I didn’t have that much time, but my little brother, he’s eight, he ended up flying through the season, and now he’s on season six. I’ve been binging it for the past couple of months, and I just caught up to season five today on the plane. I got to season five, and I’ve been loving that show. I ain’t going to lie, I’ve been watching that a whole lot. I started Attack on Titan, I got to get back on it, and somebody told me to watch Death Note. I’m supposed to watch that too.
Those influences are strong. May it give you lots of inspiration for your next project.
Nah, without a doubt. It gave me a lot of inspiration, even on the last one, just on the morality and the duality of just Heroes And Villains, and just even watching that stuff every day, it put a lot of stuff in perspective on the point I was trying to get across with the album.
You are a truly groundbreaking producer in your own right. And for me, one of the most groundbreaking producers of my generation was De La Soul. Are you looking forward to De La Soul hitting streaming tomorrow? And if so, which project are you streaming first and why?
Well thank you, I appreciate that. De La Soul? They hitting streaming tomorrow?
Yes, sir. For the first time ever in the whole history of streaming.
Damn, that’s crazy. It’s crazy that if you really think about it, it’s really a bunch of stuff that’s not on streaming, that growing up, it was so regular. I was always so big on a lot of the Death Row albums.
I would probably say, what’s that one? … I was in fourth grade, sixth grade. I remember it had the cover with the blue. It was a calendar. What was that?
Yeah, The Grind Date. I really recommend that one. That one’s really tight. That one’s actually not part of their original deal so it was actually already on streaming, you can check that one out now if you want to.
Meanwhile, ASAP Rocky is jokingly calling his next tape Flacko Boomin, which I think is really clever, but it also highlights how closely you’ve been working together. Are you able to reveal any details of that project ahead of time?
Man, it’s crazy. I was talking to Flacko yesterday. I wish people really knew the details of our history and just our brotherhood over time, between me and him, and linking with him through Yams back in high school when I was in St. Louis still. That’s how I first linked with them. I just feel like right now it’s just an accumulation of everything lining up for us to finally just do our joint. We always do so many songs and I feel like we just done got used to just them stashing and piling up and not putting them out. But what can I say, man, you got to stay tuned. I promise we won’t waste your time.
Seattle rapper Lil Mosey has been found not guilty of rape after a two-week trial, according to XXL. The trial, which began on February 22, concluded with the rapper cleared of all charges, which were brought in 2021 when the then-18-year-old rapper was accused of having intercourse with a woman who was passed out during a party with Mosey and a pair of associates, Joshua Darrow and Francisco Prater, who will be tried in separate cases.
Mosey pled not guilty in 2021, but was still ordered to stay away from the alleged victim. If convicted, he could have faced life in prison and up to $50,000 in fines. According to the victim’s statement, the rapper and his friends invited the woman to a cabin party in 2020 (when Mosey was still 17) and passed out from alcohol consumption. When she came to, she said that the men had taken the opportunity to have sex with her, although she could not give consent.
Today, Mosey wrote in an Instagram post, “Spent 2 years of my life going thru the storm and I’m happy to say that God finally brought the truth to light. Thank you.” Meanwhile, his defense attorney, Shane O’Rourke, gave a statement to XXL in which he said the rapper had been “completely vindicated.”
Today (March 3) is a big day for hip-hop: De La Soul’s beloved catalog is finally available on streaming services. Right now is of course a bittersweet time for the group, though, because in the midst of this, De La Soul and the hip-hop community at large are still reeling over the recent death of group member Trugoy. Well, last night, the surviving De La Soul members hosted a tribute concert to commemorate their big streaming moment, and naturally, there was some emotion at play.
Towards the end of the evening, Maseo addressed the crowd to speak about his journey. He got emotional talking about Trugoy, saying, “I usually have a lot of words to say, but I’m at a loss for words, y’all. My emotions are very displaced. My man is gone. But I appreciate all of y’all for all these years of supporting us.”
At the end of his speech, he was fighting back tears as he again thanked De La Soul fans for their support.
In a lengthy post shared after Trugoy’s death, Maseo wrote in part, “Dave – thank you so much for being in my life. Although you and I would argue like hell, we would both admit when we were wrong and totally come full circle and say, ‘I Love You.’”
“Everytime I see that Vice City image… just a flood of memories pour in! Whatever you got going on with this… I’m interested,” one wrote.
“50 you gotta explain it now! I just bought the rockstar games trilogy with Vice City. What is going on here. And yes I’m gon buy it again,” another added.
Everytime I see that Vice City image… just a flood of memories pour in! Whatever you got going on with this… I’m interested
According to NME, early footage of GTA 6 was leaked online previously — prompting an arrest to be made by British police. The game franchise’s publisher, Take Two, noted that despite that happening, it won’t affect development.
“With regards to the leak, it was terribly unfortunate, and we take those sorts of incidents very seriously indeed,” Take-Two’s CEO Strauss Zelnick said in November. “There’s no evidence that any material assets were taken, which is a good thing, and certainly the leak won’t have any influence on development or anything of the sort.”
SZA’s SOS tour has been off to a great start so far. However, it appears it has hit a sudden bump in the road, as her Philadelphia show for tonight (March 2) was postponed for a later date, according to a new announcement from the Wells Fargo Center venue.
“The SZA performance scheduled for today at Wells Fargo Center is postponed,” they posted. “Fans are encouraged to hold onto their tickets for the rescheduled date to be announced shortly. All tickets will be honored.”
The SZA performance scheduled for today at Wells Fargo Center is postponed. Fans are encouraged to hold onto their tickets for the rescheduled date to be announced shortly. All tickets will be honored. pic.twitter.com/bPfn0mnvh4
Because of this, her tour opener, Omar Apollo, revealed he was doing a new “secret show” in NYC instead as a solo act. Tickets for his concert at Irving Plaza promptly sold out. Apollo is expected to take the stage after doors open at 8:30pm.
As some fans on social media have pointed out, the line for his one-night-only show is also seemingly already piling up, with a photo posted about an hour ago.
Yesterday, she attended Billboard‘s Women In Music event in Los Angeles, as she was the recipient of Woman Of The Year — so it’s possible the time and distance could have caused the delay.
SZA’s tour will presumably continue with the next scheduled tour dates, which is a two-night run at Madison Square Garden this Saturday (March 4) and Sunday (March 5). More information on her upcoming concerts is available here.
Omar Apollo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
BLOOM OUT NOW!
(@rec3de) 
GreenLightGang this shit bigger than POWER trust me. 
BOOM
Inependet Music Collection 