Latest news with #BlackHippy
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ab-Soul Adds To Joey Bada$$ Vs. West Coast Feud On Untitled Track
Ab-Soul has responded to Joey Bada$$'s ambitious feud with multiple West Coast rappers on a song of his own. On the untitled track produced by Low the Great & Python P, the Carson-bred lyricist has some words for the Brooklyn rapper, DJ Akademiks, and teases a Black Hippy reunion. Although the song plays more like a warning shot than a full-on diss record, Ab-Soul's intent is not lost in the bar-heavy performance. He takes on Joey Bada$$ with respect for his peer and their longstanding relationship, but stands firm in knowing the power in his own skills and solidarity with the West Coast. In his upload, he repurposed an image posted on January 2018 by his close friend Armon 'Doe Burger' Stringer, who passed away in 2021. 'Come to find out STEEZ was the leader of the whole s**t/Wish we could've bust it down more 'fore he transitioned,' he rhymed, paying homage to the Pro Era crew and the late Capitol STEEZ. 'Fast forward, 4-7 on me permanently/Meanin', if you f**king with them, then you f**king with TDE/This a competitive game, ni**as better be in shape/ Catch you a friendly fade, then keep it that way.' In the two-part track, Ab-Soul also makes sure listeners 'Don't forget the dash' and sends shots outside of the rappers entangled in the drawn-out feud. 'Carson across my belly, I'll prove I won already/ Bar none, don't cross the ninety-one without a pass/You gon' need credentials and premium gas/And I'ma slap Akademiks when I see him.' The song comes after Joey Bada$$ hopped in the booth, defending himself amid disses from Ray Vaughn, Daylyt, and AZ Chike in his attempt to bait Kendrick Lamar to respond. A highlight of the entire ordeal came when the 1999 rapper joined Ab-Soul and Big Sean in a Red Bull Spiral freestyle cypher where everything was laid on the table. 'At the end of the day, I was going to be super cool but f**k it, man. I choreographed the whole sh*t,' explained the 38-year-old to VIBE. 'Because of the whole thing with Joey and a couple of the homies. I knew he was going to have something to say about that.' He continued to detail, 'Me and Joey are really close, obviously. And so, we had to let the world know that we are just keeping it on wax. Hip-Hop is competitive, it's a sport. It's real healthy, but it's not…it doesn't have to be disrespectful or dangerous or anything like that…We can get busy and still shake hands.' More from Joey Bada$$ And Serayah Can "Bearly Wait" For Newborn In Baby Shower Pics DJ Akademiks Clowns Ab-Soul For Being Legally Blind In Response To Diss Track Joey Bada$$, Serayah Announce They're Having A Baby Boy
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
DJ Akademiks Clowns Ab-Soul For Being Legally Blind In Response To Diss Track
Akademiks has responded to Ab-Soul threatening to 'slap' him, poking fun at the rapper for being legally blind. On Tuesday (May 27), Ab-Soul reignited the lyrical flames on Instagram, jumping into the ongoing rap war between Joey Bada$$ and a host of West Coast emcees with a scathing new track. Known for his introspective bars and fierce loyalty to his peers, the Carson, Calif. rapper used the moment to stand tall for his Black Hippy collaborator Kendrick Lamar—and to issue a personal threat to media personality DJ Akademiks. 'Imma slap Akademiks when I see him,' Ab-Soul raps on the fiery record, which targets Joey Bada$$ and serves as a passionate defense of the West Coast's lyrical legacy. The bar didn't go unnoticed. Akademiks, never one to back down from controversy, swiftly clapped back on social media with a provocative tweet that many perceived as both dismissive and disrespectful. 'Sounds amazing. Just remind that ni**a they won't throw a funeral for him like Nipsey. keep rapping lil ni**a we ain't see u slap nothing yet,' he wrote, comparing Ab-Soul's cultural impact to that of the late Nipsey Hussle. But he didn't stop there. In a subsequent livestream, Akademiks took his criticism further by mocking Ab-Soul's well-documented visual impairment. 'Usually when ni**as attack me they go fat jokes first. I'm like he don't even go fat jokes. This a new angle,' he said. 'Come to find out this bi**h a** ni**a can't even see. He don't know what I look like. In his f**king brain, I'm a stick figure.' Ab-Soul, who has openly spoken about being legally blind due to Stevens-Johnson syndrome, has never shied away from weaving his condition into his music, using it as a lens for both vulnerability and strength. Akademiks' comments, however, sparked a mix of backlash and laughter online, with some fans and artists calling his statements unnecessarily cruel, while others found humor in the live-streamer's remarks. The track that further fuels the feud between Ab-Soul and Akademiks is part of a larger rap war sparked by Joey Bada$$, who recently launched lyrical attacks on several California-based artists including Ray Vaughn, Daylyt, AzChike, Reason, and others. The battle has fueled a new wave of regional tension and pride, with West Coast voices like Ab-Soul stepping up to defend their turf—bar for bar. Listen to Ab-Soul's new song below. More from Pusha T Addresses Drake's UMG Lawsuit Over Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" Joey Bada$$ And Serayah Can "Bearly Wait" For Newborn In Baby Shower Pics Ab-Soul Adds To Joey Bada$$ Vs. West Coast Feud On Untitled Track
USA Today
07-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Who will perform with Kendrick Lamar at the Super Bowl? Our predictions
Who will perform with Kendrick Lamar at the Super Bowl? Our predictions Show Caption Hide Caption Kendrick Lamar teases his Super Bowl performance Grammy award-winning artist Kendrick Lamar reveals what to expect from his upcoming Super Bowl halftime show. Entertain This! Super Bowl 59 has the sporting landscape focused on the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, but plenty of people will be tuning in to see Kendrick Lamar and the halftime show. So far, the enormously famous rapper — fresh off a huge night at the Grammys — has largely kept his plans for Sunday under wraps. Lamar has talked about a focus on "storytelling" during his performance, but as far as a guest list, the only performer confirmed to be joining him is SZA, another Grammy winner who has worked with the Los Angeles native on multiple occasions. That has opened the door to plenty of speculation. Lamar has a history of incorporating surprise guests, most notoriously bringing scores of big names on stage at last year's "The Pop Out" concert. With a long list of hits involving verses from other hip-hop superstars and a creativity that opens the door to include artists from other genres, the possibilities for the halftime show at Caesars Superdome feel endless. Who could take the stage with Kendrick Lamar at Super Bowl 59? Here's some predictions: Super Bowl halftime show: Predicting Kendrick Lamar's setlist SZA This one's not a prediction but something we already know. In January, Apple Music confirmed that SZA, who has since won her fifth Grammy, will join Lamar as part of the halftime show at Super Bowl 59. The duo have made multiple songs together, including the Grammy-nominated "All the Stars" in 2018, and are going on tour together beginning in April. Given the frequency of their collaborations, it would have been a shock if SZA wasn't involved in the halftime show. Black Hippy Super Bowl performances often see artists combine with like-minded performers, balancing the desire to surprise fans with the need to make sure the performance goes off without a hitch. For Kendrick Lamar, that probably means turning to Black Hippy, the supergroup he was a part of for years alongside ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock, and Ab-Soul. The four Los Angeles rappers teamed up for 14 years starting in 2008, though they never put out an album. Instead, they dropped numerous hits on one another's solo projects. The group broke up in 2022, but reunited for Kendrick's "The Pop Out" mega-concert at the Kia Forum last summer. Given the cultural impact of that concert, Black Hippy banding together once again feels like a solid bet at Super Bowl 59. Doechii Super Bowl halftime shows don't all have to feature longtime collaborators. We could see a new breakout star like Doechii take the stage, especially in the aftermath of her Best Rap Album win at the Grammys. However, just because there's not a Kendrick/Doechii song tearing up the charts yet, it doesn't mean the Florida native should be ruled out of Sunday's halftime show. Last year, Kendrick called her "the hardest out" in a post on Instagram, offering significant praise for Doechii's "Alligator Bites Never Heal" mixtape. Part of the art of assembling a Super Bowl halftime show is mixing the old with the new, playing some long-standing hits while incorporating newer songs in an unexpected way. If Doechii emerges from some part of the stage during a medley on Sunday, it will be a surprise ... but not a total stunner. Dr. Dre It's no stretch to think that West Coast legend Dr. Dre could perform with Kendrick Lamar at Super Bowl 59. The latter considers the former a mentor, and Dr. Dre had Kendrick as one of his guests on stage at Super Bowl 56. Earlier this month, Dr. Dre was obviously delighted to see Kendrick win five Grammy Awards, and the aforementioned halftime performance three years ago in Los Angeles was well-regarded. It stands to reason that Kendrick will return the favor, possibly with a rendition of "The Recipe" off his 2012 breakthrough "good kid, m.A.A.d city." What about Taylor Swift? Taylor Swift is by now a well-established regular figure at Kansas City Chiefs games, so of course it will come as no surprise that she is expected to attend Super Bowl 59. The pop icon is famous enough that NFL broadcasts regularly cut to shots of her, generally enjoying the game like anyone else (albeit from slightly nicer seats) and rooting for boyfriend Travis Kelce. Taylor Swift: Are Travis Kelce's stats better or worse with Taylor Swift at Chiefs games? Here's the thing, though: she and Kendrick Lamar have a song together, a remix of her 2014 hit "Bad Blood." Over the years, the two have remained friendly, with Swift raising a glass at the Grammys to yet another Kendrick award. On top of that, Kendrick worked extensively with Jack Antonoff — a prolific collaborator of Swift's over the years — on his most recent album, "GNX." Super Bowl halftime shows are supposed to feature great music, but they've also relied on surprises in recent years. Could we see a Kendrick/Swift collab? It might boil down to whether Swift views the game as a work occasion, or if she just wants to enjoy some chicken tenders and watch Kelce push for his fourth Super Bowl ring. Who won't be performing with Kendrick Lamar? Other than the obvious answer — that'd be Drake — we know of at least one rumored guest at Super Bowl 59 who won't be performing with Kendrick Lamar. New Orleans native Lil Wayne has confirmed he won't even be in the city for the Super Bowl. Despite one of Kendrick's early mixtapes, "C4," featuring numerous freestyles over beats from Lil Wayne's highly successful album "Tha Carter III." However, both rappers have publicly discussed how they won't be working together at Super Bowl 59, much to Lil Wayne's apparent chagrin. How to watch Super Bowl 59: Time, TV channel, streaming Super Bowl 59 will be broadcast nationwide on Fox. Streaming options include Fubo, which is offering a free trial for new subscribers, or Tubi. Date: Sunday, Feb. 9 Sunday, Feb. 9 Time: 6:30 p.m. ET 6:30 p.m. ET TV : Fox : Fox Streaming: Fubo, Tubi Fubo, Tubi Location: Caesars Superdome (New Orleans) Watch Super Bowl 59 on Fubo We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn't influence our coverage.
