May 9, 2024

About the author  ⁄ Adam Fleischer

Cam’ron Wasn’t In The Studio With Just Blaze For ‘Dipsh–s,’ But He ‘Would Love To’ Work With Him Again

by 05/16/14

With reporting by Rob Markman

There’s no denying Cam’ron and Just Blaze have incredible chemistry. Together the charismatic rapper and multiplatinum producer have cooked up some unforgettable tracks and they did it once again, earlier this week, when they dropped “Dipsh–s.”

“It’s been a long time — maybe ten years,” Cam’ron told MTV News at the 5th annual FlashFWD Awards. “I just had a show with Just, actually, in D.C. about three weeks ago. So, me and Just are still in communication and we’re still good, but we haven’t actually been in a session together for a while.”

The track, which will be included on Cam and A-Trak’s upcoming Federal Reserve EP, was co-produced by A-Trak, Just Blaze, and Oliver; they just weren’t all in the studio at the same time.

“With the way technology works these days, A-Trak can come bring me a session, and I can end up changing the entire thing,” Just told MTV News on Friday (May 16).

And that’s kind of what happened. Just says A-Trak and Oliver brought him the beat — after Cam had rapped on it — and he ended up stripping it down, removing the sample, adding in live instrumentation, changing the drums and adding Dame Dash’s rant at the end.

It wasn’t a quick process, either.

“I was working on the master to that record up until eight hours before the video came out,” Just said, adding that it took him about a month to finish the record.

“As soon as I sent A-Trak the final, ...

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Body Paint And Private Jets: Check Out Kid Ink And Tyga’s ‘Main Chick (Remix)’ Video

by 05/16/14

With reporting by James Lacsina

The perils of fame: Groupies want to be with you, and they don’t even know you for you. All they know is your name.

Ah, such is the life. And such is the struggle that Kid Ink and Tyga wrestle with in the “Main Chick (Remix)” video, which dropped on Friday (May 15).

“It’s me and Tyga having a private plane party,” Kid Ink told MTV News when we caught up with him in L.A. at Wango Tango over the weekend. “Some fan groupies sneak on the plane, which kind of happens sometimes on tour. We’re in the air, so after that, it’s like, nowhere to go.”

Chris Brown, who sings the hook on the song, is not in the visual, as he continues to serve time behind bars.

There are plenty of girls, drinks and paint dripping, though.

“Usually, I do a lot of performance videos, or strictly story videos,” the Los Angeles rapper said. “This one is kind of more about just the visual, and catching the eye when it’s on mute. I think I got a good artsy vibe for it.”

Ink is currently on his My Own Lane Tour.

Usually pouring water on my head. Catch me @adamfleischer
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Pusha T On No Malice Turning Down Another Clipse Album: ‘That Was Hard’

by 05/16/14

“I came to him and I was like, Man, I got these ideas; I got these beats I want you to check out. And he was like, I’m not doing another Clipse album right now. Wow. That was hard.”

Those are some of the first words we hear from Pusha T in CNN’s profile of he and his brother, No Malice, on an episode of “CNN Tonight,” which aired on Thursday.

The clip remined why we may never see Pusha T and No Malice recording new music together again: They’ve chosen separate paths.

CNN’s Bill Weir headed down to Virginia to speak with both Push and No Mal — granted, separately — in their hometown in Virginia. They went to the spots where they grew up, drove around, and spoke candidly about their experiences.

Though Pusha said he would love for Clipse to reunite musically, his brother, with a renewed faith, is no longer comfortable rapping about some of the topics — like drugs, sex, and violence — that the Virginia duo came up on. No Malice said hip-hop is “the only genre that eats its babies,” before adding that, “they can’t invent a dollar amount to get me out there.”

In addition to discussions about the future of the group and each guy’s separate journey, the 15-minute piece also had some cool anecdotes, like that Pharrell was the one that suggested that they become a group, that they grew up with a pool in the backyard, and the time Kanye rolled up ...

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Lil Wayne Goes All Mixtape Weezy With These ‘D’usse’ Lines

by 05/16/14

Tha Carter V can’t get here soon enough.

Last year, Lil Wayne promised his fans he was going to work harder, and it sure sounds like he’s kept his word.

“Believe Me,” Weezy’s single featuring Drake, set the tone when it dropped earlier this month. But he took things to a whole other level Thursday night, when he released “D’usse.” The track, which takes its name from the Jay Z-endorsed Cognac, finds Tunechi rapping with a renewed vigor and energy over a triumphant beat by Lee Majors.

It felt right to look closer at some of Wayne’s lyrics from the track — the kind of rhymes that evoke thoughts of “the Mixtape Weezy” Hov rapped about on “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune),” and that remind why fans fell in love with the YMCMB star. We’ll drink to these.

“I been did my time, I’m getting better with time/ But real n—-s don’t whine, we’ll burn down your vineyard”
These kind of lines are Free-Association Weezy at his finest, flawlessly bouncing from bar to bar, flexing his homophone expertise.

“I been ballin’ since cornrows, still duckin’ the narcos/ My little n—-s in war mode, you spark it up, we charcoal”
Wayne’s been the official hip-hop “Fireman” since 2005 and Tha Carter II, and he’s intent on continuing to bring that heat — different than your average spark.
Cash Money Records Pre-Grammy Party To Honor Lil Wayne

“Blessings on top of sins, restin’ with topless twins/ Picture me broke ...

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You Can Choose Ab-Soul’s Album Release Date: Here’s How

by 05/15/14

Looks like Ab-Soul won’t have to leak his own album, after all.

The Top Dawg Entertainment rapper threatened to do just that earlier this month, after he grew frustrated with the lack of a firm release date for his upcoming project, These Days. Those anxieties have now been alleviated. Sort of.

The retail release will drop sometime in June, according to TDE CEO Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith. When, exactly? Well, that’s up to you.

A look at the replies, not surprisingly, shows that fans lean towards pushing for a release date earlier in the month, rather than a later one.

Soulo seems excited. We are too.

Usually pouring water on my head. Catch me @adamfleischer
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Nicki Minaj Is Just One Of The Huge Features On Cam’ron’s ‘First Of The Month’ Series

by 05/15/14

On Thursday, Cam’ron released the video for “Dipsh–s,” which will be featured on his upcoming A-Trak-helmed Federal Reserve EP. But Killa’s also got plenty more in the works — including his “First of the Month” EPs launching this summer, with some big names by his side.

“The people that’s gonna be on this project is Nicki Minaj, 2 Chainz, Wiz Khalifa, Estelle and Gunplay, so far,” Cam told MTV News last night at the 5th annual FlashFWD Awards, presented by Soundctrl, at Manhattan’s Irving Plaza, where he performed “Dipsh–s” for the first time.

You won’t get all those heavy-hitters on one release, though. With his “First of the Month” rollout, he’ll be dropping new music at the top of every month. Each release will be accompanied by a 25-minute visual component, too.

“The first one is July 1 for the visual, July 3 for the music,” Killa revealed. “And we’ll put it out — the visual — every first of the month. So, August 1 will be another visual, September 1. And then, whatever the first Tuesday is of every month, we’ll be doing the music, as well.”

The Harlem native said that he just struck a deal with Empire Distribution, who will release the series digitally. Each EP will include five or six tracks.

This won’t be the first time we hear Cam alongside some of those other MCs. In 2012, he was featured on “The Bluff,” from Wiz’s O.N.I.F.C. album. He was also featured on Nicki’s “I Am Your Leader,” from Pink ...

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Will Lil Wayne’s ‘D’usse’ Snippet Bring Another Jay Z Collab?

by 05/15/14

Lil Wayne just released his Tha Carter V single, “Believe Me,” featuring Drake, earlier this month, but Tunechi has already got us excited for his other new music.

During the latest episode of his weekly web series “Weezy Wednesdays,” the rapper previews a brand new song: “D’usse.” The track, produced by DJ Nasty, takes its name from the Jay Z-endorsed Cognac, which Wayne pours himself a glass of in the video.

“This motherf–kin’ D’usse got me sweatin’ and shi–. Word to God,” he says over the beginning of the airy, symphonic beat. “Hov, f–k wit’ ya boy.”

The 16-second clip leaves us with plenty of questions, though.

Will the track be featured on Tha Carter V, due out later this year?

Seems like a safe bet, but we don’t know for sure.

Will it feature Jay?

The two have worked together before, but, more recently than that, they’ve exchanged jabs on wax. While their lyrical warfare hasn’t been ignited of late, Hov and Drake continue to send shots in each other’s direction.

When will we get the final version?

This one’s hard to predict. With “Believe Me” still impacting, the full version of “D’usse” may not drop for a bit. This will have to suffice until then.

Usually pouring water on my head. Catch me @adamfleischer
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Jay Z, Beyonce And Drake Lead BET Awards Nominations

by 05/14/14

All of the recent headlines about Jay Z and Beyoncé may have momentarily overhsadowed their music, but let’s not forget that each half of the power couple released a well-received, high-selling album, with a unique rollout in 2013. It’s for work on those projects — Magna Carta Holy Grail and Beyoncé, respectively — that Hov and Bey are being ackowledged at the 2014 BET Awards.

Jay, Bey and Drake — who scored another chart-topper with his third album, Nothing Was The Same — lead the way with five each. Just behind them, with four each, are Pharrell and August Alsina.

On the acting side, Gabrielle Union, Kerry Washington, Lupita Nyong’o, Idris Elba and Michael B. Jordan all earned nominations. Head over to BET for the full list of nominees.

The annual show goes down on June 29, in Los Angeles.

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
Beyoncé
Janelle Monáe
Jhené Aiko
K. Michelle
Rihanna
Tamar Braxton

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
August Alsina
Chris Brown
John Legend
Justin Timberlake
Pharrell Williams

Best Group
A$AP Mob
Daft Punk
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
TGT
Young Money

Best Collaboration
August Alsina f/ Trinidad Jame$ – “I Luv This”
Beyoncé f/ Jay Z – “Drunk In Love”
Drake f/ Majid Jordan – “Hold On (We’re Going Home)”
Jay Z f/ Justin Timberlake – “Holy Grail”
Robin Thicke f/ T.I. & Pharrell Williams – “Blurred Lines”
YG f/ Jeezy & Rich Homie Quan – “My Hitta”

Best Male Hip Hop Artist
Drake
Future
J. Cole
Jay Z
Kendrick Lamar

Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Angel Haze
Charli Baltimore
Eve
Iggy Azalea
Nicki Minaj

Video of the Year
Beyoncé – “Partition”
Beyoncé f/ JAY Z – “Drunk In Love”
Chris Brown – “Fine China”
Drake – “Worst Behavior”
Pharrell ...

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How Did Justin Timberlake End Up On Michael Jackson’s XSCAPE? Timbaland Explains

by 05/14/14

The deluxe version of Michael Jackson’s new album, XSCAPE, has just one feature: Justin Timberlake on “Love Never Felt So Good (Remix).”

Sure, JT embodies some of the King of Pop’s qualities, but how did he end up on the album?

“L.A. [Reid] was torn; I wasn’t as torn,” Timbaland, who serves as the album’s executive producer, told MTV News about the singer’s inclusion. “I’m like, The kids gonna flock to this one. People don’t know Off The Wall like they know ‘SexyBack.’ So, this got more feel like if it was ‘SexyBack,’ but respect to Michael Jackson, this is how we gonna do it.”

As for why Timberlake is featured on the “Love Never Felt So Good (Remix),” as opposed to another track — that was his choosing.

“He picked the song, and that song stuck out to him,” Timbo explained. “The other songs, he was like, That’s Michael, man; you can’t get on nothing with Michael. It’s Michael.”

On the song, for which a video dropped on Wednesday morning (May 14), Jackson has the opening verse, and JT follows with his after that.

“He inserted himself just enough in ‘Love Never Felt So Good,’ and just added to what Michael was doing,” he said. “He didn’t really do too much. When he came in, it made him look special, but it didn’t make him look overwhelming. It was just enough.”

The single recently hit No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, and will likely continue to grow from there. It’s an outcome ...

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‘It’s Still Dipset, You Dipsh–’: Check Out Cam’ron’s New Video

by 05/14/14

“I know you missed this/ It’s still Dipset, you dipsh–s,” Juelz Santana raps on the chorus of “Dipsh–s.”

The video for the track proves that he’s not lying, either. We did miss it, and it is still Dipset. The whole record feels like a bit of a trip down memory lane — without being dated in the least.

The song is part of Cam’ron and A-Trak’s upcoming Federal Reserve EP. In addition to Cam and A-Trak, the video features Dips members Jim Jones, Juelz and Freekey Zekey, as well as Dame Dash (who provides some classic sh– talk at the end) and Just Blaze (who co-produced the song).

The visuals, directed by Ricky Saiz, are a showcase of Harlem, complete with shots of kids playing basketball, the Dips kicking it in the project stairwell, a 128th Street and Lenox Avenue street sign, and plenty more. Also, Killa rocks fur.

The EP should drop later this year.

Usually pouring water on my head. Catch me @adamfleischer
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