Latest news with #Dreamville
Express Tribune
10-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
J Cole's manager Ibrahim Hamad denies Dreamville sale clarifies UMG deal closure and artist payouts
Dreamville Records cofounder and J. Cole's manager, Ibrahim 'Ib' Hamad, has dismissed speculation that the label was sold, clarifying that its recent financial windfall came from the closure of its partnership with Universal Music Group (UMG), not a buyout. For those that misunderstood, we did not sell Dreamville lol. Never will, never would. We ended our Dreamville partnership with umg and some blessings came with that and When blessings come your way it's only right to share those blessings with the family. Just some clarity 🫡 — Ibrahim H. (@KingOfQueenz) August 9, 2025 'For those that misunderstood, we did not sell Dreamville lol. Never will, never would,' Hamad wrote on Twitter. 'We ended our Dreamville partnership with UMG and some blessings came with that. When blessings come your way, it's only right to share those blessings with the family. Just some clarity.' Rumors of a sale began after label artists JID and Bas publicly discussed receiving substantial payouts when the UMG deal ended. Speaking to Elliott Wilson and on The Joe Budden Podcast, Bas revealed that Cole distributed the proceeds among the Dreamville roster. JID praised the move as 'one of the most beautiful things in hip-hop,' adding that it's rare for artists to benefit financially when a label partnership concludes. He noted that some members could walk away from music entirely and still be financially secure, calling Cole's gesture unusually selfless in an industry he described as 'predatory.' Bas echoed that sentiment, framing the distribution as proof of Cole's commitment to the artists he works with. While the financial details remain undisclosed, Hamad's statement makes clear that Dreamville remains independent and under Cole's leadership. The label continues to operate actively, including promoting JID's new album and working with its roster on upcoming projects.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tomorrowland festival still scheduled to go ahead despite stage fire, says organiser
The Tomorrowland music festival in Belgium is still scheduled to take place this weekend despite a huge fire that destroyed the event's spectacular main stage on Wednesday (16 July). Images shared on local news sites and social media showed flames and plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage, which took two years to build, and spreading to nearby woodland. Nearby residents were urged to close all windows and doors until the fire was under control. With the festival due to begin on Friday (18 July), spokesperson Debby Wilmsen has reassured those attending that the fate of the event rests with authorities, according to the Belga News Agency. 'There's a lot of fake news going around, but we're definitely expecting 38,000 visitors at the Dreamville campsite tomorrow. They're looking forward to it, and we're looking forward to it, and we're going to give them a warm welcome,' Wilmsen said despite a site employee describing 'an apocalyptic scene'. 'The festival will go ahead, albeit without the main stage,' Wilmsen said. 'I can't yet say how we're going to handle that.' Fireworks burst and smoke rises as a fire engulfs the main stage of Tomorrowland, an electronic music event, in Boom, Belgium (Morgan Hermans via Reuters) In a separate statement, Wilmsen added: 'Our showpiece, which took two years to build, is gone. Fortunately, the other stages are intact. The intention is truly for the festival to go on. But we can't work magic, so it will be without the Mainstage. Our production team will now do everything to make something beautiful out of it.' She continued by declaring that 'cancellation was never considered' but said organisers are consulting with authorities about whether the site is safe enough for people to attend. 'If tomorrow it turns out that the site is not safe and we receive instructions from the authorities, we will follow them. Safety is always the priority,' Wilmsen added. 'We suddenly heard bangs and saw fire near the stage, a huge amount of fire,' an unnamed onlooker told Het Nieuwsblad newspaper. 'We were just putting the finishing touches on it. One more day and it would be finished.' Tomorrowland attracts tens of thousands of fans from across Europe (AFP) Dozens of emergency teams were seen rushing through the festival grounds just after 6pm in an attempt to extinguish the flames and evacuate those inside the grounds. There were no members of the public present at the time, but around 1,000 staff members were working on site. The annual electronic music festival is held in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, draws tens of thousands of visitors from around Europe. Some of the world's most popular DJs are due to appear on the stage over the weekend, including Martin Garrix, David Guetta, Fisher, Swedish House Mafia and Steve Aoki. Back in 2017, the festival had to evacuate over 22,000 people after another major fire. The crowds at Barcelona's Tomorrowland Unite were forced to flee just hours before Steve Aoki was due to headline the event.
Hypebeast
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
JID Is Dropping a Mixtape on July 4
Summary JIDis back with big news and new music. Continuing his infamous series of freestyles – first dropping off '30' in January of 2024 and then '31' back in October – the Dreamville rapper has delivered on '32.' The high-octane cut hears the rapper run circles around any preconceived notions of him over the beat fromPlayboi Carti's 'HBA.' 'They be killin' me, sayin' they killin' me / Only leadin' by a couple of kilometers / I'm just here to compete for infinity / Interscope hit your boy with a twenty-piece,' he spits early on. As for the visual, JID reminds us of his Division 1 athlete days, compiling footage of his high school football games as the official visualizer montage. Most importantly, however, is that '32' ushers in the release of JID's new project, confirmed to drop this Friday:GDLU to be a lead-up to his August albumGod Does Like Ugly,the mixtape's tracklist has not yet been revealed. GDLU Preluxedrops everywhere this Friday, July 4, while the studio albumGod Does Like Uglyis slated to release in full on August 8.
Forbes
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
J. Cole's Masterpiece Reaches A Momentous Milestone
J. Cole's 2014 Forest Hills Drive hits 550 weeks on the Billboard 200, outpacing all his other ... More charting albums combined. RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - APRIL 02: J. Cole performs during the 2023 Dreamville Music festival at Dorothea Dix Park on April 02, 2023 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by) J. Cole has never failed to send any of his proper solo albums to No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The rapper has collected a half-dozen champions on that tally under his own name, but one stands out from the rest as not only one of his most beloved projects, but also easily his longest-running success. It is that full-length, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, that helps the hip-hop powerhouse reach a landmark number he has never seen before. 2014 Forest Hills Drive Hits 550 Weeks on the Billboard 200 2014 Forest Hills Drive reaches 550 weeks on the Billboard 200 as it holds on and charts once again. This frame, the bestseller rises from No. 156 to No. 150 as it celebrates hitting that momentous milestone. Luminate reports that in the past tracking period in the United States, the decade-plus-old collection shifted 10,000 equivalent units. That's fairly consistent with how it performed just a few days ago. J. Cole Joins Eminem and Kendrick Lamar It is rare for any musical act to keep an album on the Billboard 200 for a decade, let alone push past that milestone. Cole is one of only a handful of hip-hop musicians to reach 550 frames on the ranking of the most consumed albums in the U.S. With this one title's success, he joins stars like Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, and 2Pac, who have all managed the feat before him. 2014 Forest Hills Drive Outpaces All J. Cole's Other Albums Combined 2014 Forest Hills Drive is far and away Cole's longest-charting album on the Billboard 200. Only one other collection, Born Sinner, his sophomore full-length, has pushed past triple-digit stays. 2014 Forest Hills Drive has lived on the Billboard 200 for so long that it has racked up more weeks on the tally than all of his nine other charting wins combined. That roundup includes five other projects that have held on for at least a year, including Born Sinner, The Off-Season, KOD, Cole World: The Sideline Story, and 4 Your Eyez Only. J Cole Only Appears on Two Billboard Charts Cole's former No. 1 only manages to appear on one other Billboard ranking at the moment. 2014 Forest Hills Drive dips to No. 44 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, where it has also performed exceptionally well for years and has managed 421 stays.
Express Tribune
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Offset teams up with JID for hard-hitting new single 'Bodies'
Offset is turning up the heat this summer with his latest release, 'Bodies,' a high-octane collaboration featuring Dreamville rapper JID. The single, which samples Drowning Pool's 2001 nu-metal anthem 'Bodies,' marks Offset's second official release of 2025 and signals a shift toward a darker, more intense creative direction. Offset previously released 'TEN,' but 'Bodies' brings a sharper edge. 'It's about standing on who you are, coming out the mud, and being confident in the face of adversity,' he shared in a statement. The track's gritty production and combative lyrics arrive amid ongoing drama between Offset and his estranged wife, Cardi B, giving the song added emotional weight. JID's surgical lyrical precision complements Offset's aggressive delivery, creating a balanced but ferocious energy. Offset's booming verses clash and flow with JID's rapid-fire style, making 'Bodies' a standout anthem for fans of hard-hitting hip-hop. The track is already generating buzz among fans of both artists and those who appreciate genre-blending rap with rock influences. With its bold sample, unfiltered energy, and lyrical sharpness, 'Bodies' is poised to be a defining song of summer 2025. As Offset continues his solo campaign, this collaboration with JID could mark a new era in his evolution—one fueled by conflict, confidence, and creativity.
