One of Rihanna’s ever-so-vigilant Navy fan pages asserted that the Grammy Award-winning musician “surpassed Eminem and is now the second artist with the most certified singles in the United States.” According to the Recording Industry Association of America’s (RIAA) website, this is, in fact, true.
Rihanna surpassed Eminem and is now the second artist with the most certified singles in the United States (as lead). pic.twitter.com/1eqQ48oL7g
With 166.5 million certified units credited to her name, the musician beats out Eminem by a small margin, namely a mere 500,000 units. High atop the chart is Drake, with 184 million certified units. Rounding out the top 5 artists are Kanye West at No. 4 with 142.5 million certified units and Taylor Swift at No. 5 with 137.5 units.
The remaining artists in the top 10 include Post Malone at No. 6 (134 million certified units), Justin Bieber at No. 7 (116 million certified units), Beyonce at No. 8 (114.5 million certified units), the Weeknd at No. 9 (111 million certified units), and Katy Perry at No. 10 (109.5 million certified units).
RIAA’s database lays out Rihanna’s highest awards singles as “We Found Love” feat. Calvin Harris is at diamond status. Her singles “Needed Me,” “Work,” and “Stay” are all nine times platinum. “Umbrella” is listed as eight times platinum. Meanwhile “This Is What You Came” with Calvin Harris, “Diamonds,” “Disturbia,” and “Only Girl (In The World)” are all listed at 7 times platinum.
The video for Nicki Minaj‘s new single “Red Ruby Da Sleeze” dropped on Mother’s Day eve. Filmed on her homeland of Trinidad and Tobago, it finds Minaj flexing comfortably as her confidence in her bars and beauty shines through. Sporting nearly half a dozen designer looks while relaxing between 2023 Carnival festivities, the musician takes in the tranquility offered by the country’s oceanside as her brash lyrics create an enticing juxtapose energy.
Minaj has proven that she can effortlessly dapple in pop music — see her latest feature with Kim Petras — but her roots are firmly planted in slick-talking rap tracks.
“Who the f*ck told bitches they was me now / I knew these b*tches was slow / I ain’t know these b*tches senile / Married a shooter case you N***** tried to breathe loud / Boom your face off then I tell him cease-fire/I’m the A, B side,” raps Minaj.
But that isn’t the only standout lines that caught fans’ ears. The lines “700 on them horses when we fixing to leave / But I’on fuck with horses since Christopher Reeves” and “Dorito b*tches / Mad that they nachos (not chose),” sparked rumors that she and another emcee is involved in a silent feud.
Co-produced by Go Grizzly and Cheeze Beatz, the track ushered in Minaj’s fierce new music persona. The song was initially released on March 3, with a teaser video clip dropped soon after. She even debuted the track live at Rolling Loud Los Angeles. Now the full video is finally here. You can watch it above.
Lil Durk is almost healed from the past traumas of losing his friends and family to gun violence, or so his forthcoming album’s title suggests. But, unfortunately, in hip-hop, beef is what moves the promotional needle forward. The rapper has had his fair share of high-profile feuds, including longstanding tension with NBA YoungBoy and social media disputes with Tekashi 69 and Soulja Boy. Still, Durk alleges that he has been offered money to participate in a few. Taking to Twitter, he wrote, “Labels try to pay me to beef. I just can’t fake it. I’m different. I’m him. Unpredictable.”
Labels try to pay me to beef I just can’t fake it I’m different I’m him unpredictable
Later in the day, he returned to the platform to post, “Automatic support get y’all munyun (money) together all that other cap is bap,” many fans believing that Durk was closing out his initial post.
Automatic support get yall munyun together all that other cap is bap
Over the past few years, the “All My Life” rapper has begun to publicize his advocacy work. While some have criticized his motives, Durk has maintained that it is to showcase his positive work, highlighting that he is much more than the beef he’s been linked to. Some of those efforts included meeting with his hometown Chicago’s mayor-elect Brandon Johnson, to discuss programs for the city’s children. Another was the formation of his HBCU-focused scholarship.
Last month, Labrinth released his third studio album, Ends & Begins, which features the Euphoria fan-favorite, “Never Felt So Alone,” along with a collaboration with Zendaya, called “The Feels.” In the weeks prior, he performed electrifying Coachella sets, in which, Zendaya and Billie Eilish made surprise appearances. All of these moments have fans waiting on pins and needles for an update on the third season of Euphoria.
However, in a recent interview with Variety, Labrinth, who composes music for the show, says even he is in the dark about what’s to come of the show’s upcoming season.
“I don’t even know if they’re writing it yet,” said Labrinth. “There’s a whole writers strike, so. But hopefully, they get it together and it’s a vibe. I think me and Sam [Levinson] are supposed to talk at some point, but I’m excited. I think all of the guys that are working on the show are excited to get back into it when it’s coming around. It’s intense when it comes around, though. Once it comes around, you’re like, whew.”
There are rumors that the season is set to premiere in early 2024, and will contain a five-year time jump, however, given the ongoing WGA writers strike, who knows when we’ll actually find out?
While the Fast And Furious movies always promise to be action-packed, equally as thrilling are their accompanying soundtracks. Each of the Fast soundtracks usually contains a good mix of rap, hip-hop, and R&B tracks, and the soundtrack for Fast X is no different.
The Fast X soundtrack will arrive next Friday, in tandem with the movie. Ahead of its release, a few songs from the soundtrack have dropped, including an updated version of Daddy Yankee‘s “Gasolina” with Myke Towers, as well as “Toretto” by J Balvin. Another song, YG‘s “Let’s Ride” features Ty Dolla $ign, Lambo4oe, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, and posthumous vocals from The Notorious B.I.G.
Jimin of BTS is also set to release a new song from the soundtrack called “Angel Pt. 1,” which will feature Kodak Black, Muni Long, NLE Choppa, and JVKE.
You can see the soundtrack’s cover art and full tracklist below.
Artist Partner Group / Universal Studios
1. Kai Cenat – “The End of The Road Begins (Intro)”
2. Lil Durk – “Spinnin’” Feat. EST Gee
3. Anti Da Menace & Luh Tyler – “Get It”
4. YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Dermot Kennedy & Bailey Zimmerman – “Won’t Back Down”
5. Kodak Black & NLE Choppa – “Angel Pt. 1” Feat. Jimin of BTS, JVKE & Muni Long
6. 24kGoldn, Kane Brown & G Herbo – “My City”
7. Lil T Jay, Friday & Khi Infinite – “Countin’ On You”
8. Cootie, BiC Fizzle & Big X Tha Plug – “SupaFly”
9. Babyface Ray, BabyTron & Peezy – “Reaper”
10. NLE Choppa & Nardo Wick – “Steppers”
11. Kordhell & Key Glock – “9 In My Hand (Fast X Remix)”
12. Suicide Boys – “Datura”
13. BIA – “Furious”
14. J Balvin – “Toretto”
15. Maria Becerra – “Te Cura”
16. Justin Quiles, Dalex & Santa Fe Klan – “Sigue La Fiesta”
17. Daddy Yankee – “Gasolina (Safari Riot Remix)” Feat. Myke Towers
18. Skrillex – “Vai Sentando” Feat. Ludmilla, King Doudou & DUKI
19. ANNA – “Bando (Fast X Remix)” Feat. MadMan & Gemitaiz
20. YG & The Notorious B.I.G – “Let’s Ride” Feat. Lambo4oe, Ty Dolla Sign & Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
21. Jessie Murph – Nothing Else Matters”
The Fast X Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is out 5/19 via Artist Partner Group and Universal Studios. Find more information here.
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
An 18-year-old man who was charged in the 2020 shooting of rapper Pop Smoke has admitted to killing him in a juvenile court hearing, according to a report from Los Angeles Times.
The hearing took place this past Friday (May 12), wherein the 18-year-old also admitted to home-invasion robbery along with allegations that he personally and intentionally discharged a firearm at the time. The man was 15 years old at the time, and is reportedly expected to serve time in a state juvenile facility until he turns 25.
During the hearing, L.A. County Superior Court Judge J. Christopher Smith told the 18-year-old and his 19-year-old co-defendant that Pop Smoke, whose real name was Bashar Jackson, “lost his life over no good reason.” The judge has issued an order for the names of the defendants who were minors at the time to be withheld.
“You have no right to take somebody’s life. You have no right to take somebody’s property,” Smith said, per City News Service.
Additionally, three other people were charged in the killing of Pop Smoke during the hearing, according to the Associated Press. A teenager, whose name was also ordered to be withheld by the media, as well as Corey Walker, who was 19 at the time, and Keandre Rodgers, who was then 18, were charged with murder during the commission of a robbery and burglary.
The talk of this week might have been Janelle Monae’s racy pre-album release antics, but hip-hop don’t stop when it comes to new music. Releases this week included Killer Mike’s twin videos for “Don’t Let The Devil” and “Motherless” and Baby Tate’s “Hey Mickey!” remix with Saweetie. Meanwhile, Moneybagg Yo announced his mixtape release date, while Diddy and Jermaine Dupri finally nailed down a date for their Verzuz battle.
Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending May 12, 2023.
Albums/EPs/Mixtapes
Deante’ Hitchcock — Once Upon A Time
Deante
The Atlanta rapper burst onto the scene in 2020 with the stellar debut, Better. Since then, he’s kept busy, dropping the Every Day The 14th EP, writing on P-Valley, and practicing his pen with a string of fierce freestyles. His life has changed in a variety of ways, giving him plenty of material for his comeback.
JasonMartin FKA Problem — I Owe Myself
JasonMartin
Compton rapper Problem has gradually gotten more and more personal with his music, so a name change shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone (it’s also more SEO-friendly, which this writer certainly appreciates). That trend continues on I Owe Myself, his first release of the latest chapter in his life and career.
Russ — Chomp 2.5
Russ
Russ rewinds on his latest, tapping into the lyrical energy of his first Chomp EP after turning Chomp into a full-length release in 2021. The difference this time is the lack of guests, letting Russ take center stage on one of his own projects once again. After all, he often boasts that he’s self-made (to a point), so it’s important to celebrate the person (mostly) responsible for his success.
Singles/Videos
A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie — “MVP” Feat. G-Eazy
As the NBA Playoffs roll on, A Boogie contributes this motivational single to ESPN’s coverage, with some help from one of the Bay Area’s highest-profile stars (who is probably happy to have his voice driving the Golden State Warriors’ comeback against the Lakers).
Chase B — “Ring Ring” Feat. Quavo, Travis Scott, Don Toliver & Ty Dolla Sign
Three of rap’s most prominent melodic voices offer their assistance as DJ/producer Chase B launches his bid for solo stardom. Ty Dolla Sign brings the icing to the cake, running the anchor leg with a soulful bridge that finishes the moody track strong.
Full disclosure: I’m a superfan of the Michael Jackson sample from De La Soul’s “Breakadawn.” That this song uses that beloved classic as a foundation is already an unfair advantage, but then IDK sets himself apart from the masses of his peers by sharing his platform with a pair of boundary-pushing performers that I’ve been championing for a while now. It’s a win in my book.
Lil Durk — “All My Life” Feat. J. Cole
After teasing the long-awaited track for some weeks, Durk and Cole’s collaboration doesn’t disappoint. If Durk wants to make the full swing to positive messaging, I say “f*ck the haters on Twitter.” Anyone who’d rather see you self immolate for their entertainment instead of using your platform to uplift your community is a dickhead and doesn’t deserve your creativity or passion.
Lil Tecca — “Need Me”
Before Luh Tyler, there was Lil Tecca, the previous owner of the “coolest teen in rap” title. He might have aged out of that illustrious stature, but the cool factor hasn’t dissipated at all. He actually does something interesting with his sample of Brandy and Monica’s “The Boy Is Mine” and sounds as comfortable as he ever has on the mic.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
In March, Coca-Cola® and Warner Music Group’s WMX teamed up to introduce the Coca-Cola® Transformation Team, a talent search inspired by Coca-Cola® Move, the brand’s latest innovation that celebrates “the transformational power of music.” The entry period has since come and gone and three worthy artists were chosen: San Cha, Eduardo Marìa, and Kallitechnis.
The three were given quite the opportunity: an insightful roundtable discussion with Steve-O Carless, president of A&R for Warner Records. He sums up his philosophy, “An an artist, you want to be up to speed with how the business is forever transforming, ever evolving. When something doesn’t fit, I’ve learned you create it. I call it ‘taking the stairs,’ as opposed to waiting for the elevator.”
He also notes, “I find it disappointing when I see artists use old thinking, of what they think the record business is, to kind of set their goals. That’s a huge mistake.”
Those are both nice big-picture thoughts, but during the conversation, he got more granular as well, giving the three Coca-Cola® Transformation Team artists more specific and actionable ideas to consider. Overall, all parties involved had interesting things to say and the difference of perspectives presented strong learning opportunities, so check out the video above.
Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Haley Lu Richardson has been a fan of the Jonas Brothers since she was a teenager. The White Lotus star is now living her teenage (and adult) self’s dream by starring in music videos with the group and serving as the official “Jonas Brothers Correspondent” for the Today show.
To celebrate the release of the Jonas Brothers’ sixth album, the cleverly titled The Album, Richardson reported from the group’s performance outside of Studio 1A on Friday morning. “I love you, Kevin! I love you, Nick! I love you, Joe!” she shouted at the boys. “They love me too! They said it! Did you hear?”
The day before, the actress proved her love not through words or chocolate or wine, but by twerking.
Richardson revealed her favorite Jonas Brother in an interview with People. “Obviously I was in love with Nick for my whole life. If I had to pick, it would probably be Nick just because of this one-sided connection that I’ve had for him since I was 10,” she said. “But honestly, after meeting them and being a fan of them into adulthood, I truly just see what makes them each so absolutely uniquely incredible and talented, and the things they each bring to the band and also the world. I just absolutely love all three of them.”
Everybody’s got family problems, but perhaps no one has the same kind of problems as an entertainer. For example, Logic recently recounted how his fame and wealth figured into an awkward reunion with his father. Appearing on comedian Andrew Santino‘s podcast, Whiskey Ginger, Logic said his dad asked him for $1 million the first time they met after a long estrangement.
“Last time when I was talking to my dad, he asked me for a million dollars,” the Maryland rapper recalled. “F*ck no, I didn’t give it to him. He said, ‘I want a million dollars.’ I said, ‘For what?’ He said, ‘For my band so that we can buy a house and make music in it.’ I’m like, ‘What?’ So I ask him once we get back together: ‘Please don’t ask me for money. Can we just f*cking throw catch or some shit?’ And he’s like, ‘Alright! Alright.’ This MF flies in, he’s not there for six hours and he’s like, ‘I need you to buy me a truck.’ Immediately! And then that goes into, ‘I need you to pay all my bills.’ And then I’m like, ‘Dad, no.’”
Inependet Music Collection 