THE BEAT DROP 🥁
A pulse of the culture.
If you’re reading this it’s another weekend at the crib, and I am getting into JACKBOYS 2, as you should too. This week had a lot going on as usual, including Drake taking over Wireless Festival for three days straight and Clipse’s album leaking before its official release date.
THIS WEEK’S TRACKLIST 💿
The most important news items of the week.
Travis Scott released JACKBOYS 2 with on a SUNDAY.
Drake had London turned up at Wireless Festival and brought out Lauryn Hill, Skepta, Central Cee, Sexyy Red, plus more and his final show wrapped a little earlier than expected.
DDG also pulled up to the show and got a shout out from the 6 God himself.
Clipse’s album Let Got Sort Em Out leaked. I wonder who was responsible for that?
Justin Bieber dropped an album called SWAG and it’s beyond good.
Jail pics of Blueface surfaced and he looks absolutely jacked.
Kid Cudi married his longtime girlfriend Lola Abecassis Sartore.
Megan Thee Stallion popped out with Klay Thompson and sparked dating rumors.
Metro Boomin debuted a MySpace-inspired website to debut who will be on his upcoming mixtape A Futuristic Summa.
BARS OF THE WEEK 🎤
Notable quotes or lyrics that made waves.
"Yeah, man, I swear these old niggas kill me / Know my YNs feel me / They just want the real me / Blue Bugatti, I'm dodging TMZ / Made a hundred off pushing T's / Now my phone on DND.” — Travis Scott on “CHAMPAIN & VACAY” off JACKBOYS 2 responding to Pusha T’s diss.
"You know I know where you're delicate / Crush you to pieces, I'll hum a breath of it / I will close your Heaven for the Hell of it.” — Pusha T on “Chains & Whips.”
“Clipse is for bitter grown men who collect Kaws dolls and shop at Kith and Union.” — Kerwin Frost on his IG stories comparing Clipse to Justin Bieber — that JB himself reshared.
“I don't care about that at all. It's fine. I would miss me, too. I really would.” — Pusha T on his thoughts of Kanye West saying he missed him.
“Nobody can out rap London. Nobody. No disrespect to America. No disrespect to my country. But, nobody can out rap London rappers.” — Drake on the Wireless Festival stage speaking rubbish.
CHART TOPPERS 📈
Notable top-performing rap and R&B tracks on streaming platforms and charts.
Drake reclaimed the top spot with the rapper with the most Spotify listeners following the release of “What Did I Miss?”
Furthermore, Drizzy and PartyNextDoor’s $$$4U lifted up seven spots on the Billboard 200 to No. 10 with Bad Bunny sitting at No. 7.
SZA’s SOS shot up three spots, landing at No. 4.
SOUND WATCH 🎧
Upcoming releases and recent drops worth noting.
Travis Scott’s JACKBOYS 2 is out now 17 songs deep with features from Future, GloRilla, 21 Savage and more. I highly recommend “PBT” with Tyla and Vybz Kartel, personally.
Clipse Let God Sort Em Out dropped filled with 13 luxury raps and features from the likes of Tyler, The Creator, Nas, Kendrick Lamar, and the usual suspect Pharrell Williams, among others.
Justin Bieber caught the world by surprise with his sonically dominating SWAG album. Light on features, Sexyy Red, Cash Cobain, Gunna and Lil B all make an appearance, along with Druski on the skits.
Larry June and Cardo unleashed Until Night Comes.
Homixide Gang released their rockstar made single “5G.”
Tyla dropped off her new track “Is It.”
Burna Boy delivered the danceable No Sign of Weakness.
Lil Tony came through with Tkey v Tony.
mgk offered the music video for “vampire diaries.”
DB.Boutabag shared the visual for “Slight Vent Pt. 3.”
B.U.G Antman unleashed “Belt.”
Eddie Valero popped off with “Clark Kent” right on time for that new Superman movie.
Kid Cudi shared “Grave” ahead of the release of his forthcoming project Free.
Giveon blessed us with his latest album BELOVED.
Odeal released his project The Summer That Saved Me with a feature from Leon Thomas.
BEHIND THE MUSIC 🎵
Industry news.
Megan Thee Stallion's Pete & Thomas Foundation will honor Southern Black Girls and Women's Consortium founder LaTosha Brown alongside 13-year-old mental health advocate Mila Henry at the gala. The event will be hosted by Taraji P. Henson in New York.
STEAK REPORT 🥩
Feuds, diss tracks and social media spats.
Nicki Minaj is claiming JAY-Z owes $200M from TIDAL. She alleged that she was given 24 hours to sign a contract for $1M — a whole lot less than what she was promised. It sounds like she upheld her part of her deal and despite doing so, the other party did not uphold their part. Now, she is out for blood and wants the heads of anyone associated with Roc Nation on a platter.
Which brings me to this No NDA Network Twitter account that is hellbent on exposing the entire music industry if some key players don’t pay them what they’re owed. The account accurately predicted Justin Bieber’s SWAG release and unveiled information surrounding Carti and JACKBOYS 2. They are coming for Roc Nation as well, along with Atlantic, UMG, EMPIRE and a few names I am familiar with. 🍿
There’s also some weird thing going on with Bieber, Clipse and Roc Nation. Strange because the audiences are NOT the same, yet people are speculating something is brewing because the Roc Nation Distribution account posted Biebs mugshot to their story with “CLIPSE” emblazoned across and Justin responded with a repost from Kerwin Frost, insulting the kind of people who listen to Clipse’s music.
None of this was on my bingo card, but I am surely paying attention the way it needs to be paid.
TOUR BUS 🚌
Concert and festival announcements, tour updates and live performance highlights.
J Balvin, Doja Cat and Tems lit up MetLife Stadium for the FIFA Club Worldwide Halftime Show.
Post Malone wrapped up his sold out ‘Big Ass Tour’ with Jelly Roll in San Francisco and fans sang him “Happy Birthday.”
FREESTYLE 🎙️
Memes and viral moments.
RAP HILL ⚖️
Legal matters affecting the music industry.
Judge Vargas still hasn’t ruled on whether she will be dismissing Drake’s lawsuit against UMG. We are waiting to see how this one unfurls.
OUTSIDE 📸
Sightings and appearances.
Lauryn Hill, Central Cee, Kevin Durant, DDG, Adin Ross, Latto, Sexyy Red, Mario, Vanessa Carlton, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Dave, J Hus, Skepta, Popcaan, Rema, Vybz Kartel and more popped out for Drake’s 3-Day Wireless Festival residency.
BIRTHDAYS 🎉
Celebrating artists and industry figures born this week.
MF DOOM, Lil Kim, Dougie B, Rhymefest, CJ Fly, Capital Steez, Lil Zane, Nine Vicious, Jucee Froot, China Mac, Warhol.SS, Sevyn Streeter, D Woods, Jaden Smith, Lute
OUTRO ✌🏽
A final thought.
I never thought Travis Scott would respond to Pusha T but he did. If you check out JACKBOYS 2 cut “Champain & Vacay,” you will hear Trav left him a few lines. I always felt like if Travis were to respond, it would obviously be on a slapper that would move the crowd — I was correct. Although the response itself is lukewarm, however the kids will be raging to this. Was it necessary for La Flame to say anything? Not really. Pusha’s diss towards the Mo City rapper itself was unnecessary but I guess Push had that on his chest and needed to get it off.
Other than that, JACKBOYS 2 is just what I expected from the Cactus Jack collective. It’s the kind of music that gets the crowd hype. Even though it’s being met with mixed reviews, I’ve never been the type to take the peanut gallery seriously. I especially love “PBT,” “DUMBO” and “NO COMMENT,” so JACKBOYS 2 will be in rotation.
xx
listening to let god sort em out again