Cardi B is embracing the conservative backlash to her raunchy Grammy Awards performance of “WAP,” because the controversy is only helping to drive up video views of the set.
The rapper teamed up with song collaborator Megan Thee Stallion to turn up the heat at Sunday’s (March 14th) ceremony with a steamy rendition of the X-rated tune, which saw the stars bump and grind against one another onstage.
However, Cardi, who has always made it clear the song was not for children, insists having haters discuss the topic on TV and online has only served to boost YouTube views of her Grammys appearance, which ultimately benefits her.
“Love it or hate it, criticize it , judge it JUST BRING THE VIEWS IN… NUMBER 1 trending,” she tweeted.
As the video footage passed the four million views mark, Cardi quipped, “Americans are so horny,” and went on to share footage of Owens’ appearance on broadcaster Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show.
“Yaaaayyyyyyy WE MADE FOX NEWS GUYS !!! Wap wap wap (sic),” she joked in the early hours of Tuesday.
Cardi has since remarked, “Matter fact I’m just going to thank Candy (Owens).
“She put my performance on Fox News giving it more views that boosted the views on YouTube and is counting towards my streams and sales…
“STREAM UP AND WAP .REMEMBER GROWN PARENTS ONLY YOU CAN MONITOR WHAT YOUR KIDS WATCH NO1 ELSE (sic).”
Cardi is no stranger to the criticism of WAP, an acronym for Wet Ass P####, as she also faced backlash over the song’s subject matter when it was first released last summer.
When you hear the name Brazil Hill, great expectations follow.
No stranger to the struggle or hard work, RichPoint Music’s “it-factor” is killing ’em softly.
Deemed by many, a creative genius, Brazil delivers the versatility and consistency needed to become a staple in this game. Her tracks are rooted in raw emotion, contain relatable content and overall, just make you feel good. There’s no topic or genre Brazil can’t make her own.
The epitome of authentic artistry, Brazil Hill makes her AllHipHop.com debut with her new single “Beat It”; a feel-good track for the masses.
Inspired by the gifts and hardships of everyday life, Brazil’s music has become therapeutic for not only herself but the listener. Whether she’s singing or delivering bars, each track is a hit, and now she’s back with her first single of the year.
“Beat It” is a fun, flirty track that puts you in the mindset of a night out with nothing, but good vibes; a club banger and an undeniable follow up to 2020 singles, “U” and “Today23”.
It appears Cardi’s controversial “Up/WAP” set at this year’s Grammy Awards ceremony and the backlash directed at the 28-year-old celebrity is actually benefitting the Bronx-born rapper. The YouTube version of her Grammy performance has been trending at #1 on the platform since it was published on Monday.
According to the reliable Chart Data account on Twitter, “Up” recently crossed the 1 million units sold mark after only being released six weeks ago. However, the RIAA has not officially certified the single as Platinum. RIAA award certifications are not always presented to the artist when the track first becomes eligible.
Not only has “Up” continued to pull in millions of plays across multiple streaming services, but the Top 5 hit is also well positioned to climb to the #1 on the Hot 100. “Up” previously debuted and peaked at #2 before slipping to #6 on the latest chart.
If Cardi B is able to rise to the top of Billboard‘s Hot 100 rankings once again, she would extend her record of most Number Ones by a female rapper to 5. No other woman in the history of the genre has more than two #1 records in their career. Cardi would also become the first female rapper to have two solo singles arrive at the apex of the Hot 100.
.@iamcardib's "Up" has now sold over 1 million units in the US.
Previously, the entertainment superstar born Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar topped the Hot 100 chart with “Bodak Yellow” (2017), “I Like It” with Bad Bunny and J Balvin (2018), “Girls Like You” with Maroon 5 (2018), and “WAP” with Megan Thee Stallion (2020).
Industry forecasters are projecting a very tight race for No. 1 on the next Hot 100 chart. Cardi B’s “Up” and former leader “Drivers License” by Olivia Rodrigo are competing for the title. “Drivers License” ruled the rankings for eight consecutive weeks in 2021 before being dethroned by Drake’s “What’s Next” in the most recent tally.
“I met Jay-Z [raising hands emoji]. He let the security walk with [Beyoncé] and he walked by [himself]. Boss Shìt [crossed fingers emoji],” tweeted Lil Baby on Sunday night. That post has collected more than 181,000 likes on Twitter.
During an interview with Billboard, Lil Baby spoke about his appreciation for the billionaire mogul. He told the publication, “I’m really not that fond of meeting other celebrities, but Jay-Z is a guy who I look up to, and look up to the way he moves and the things that he’s done. I see myself following in his footsteps.”
I met jay z 🙌🏽 He let the security walk with bey an he walked by his self. Boss Shìt 🤞🏽
The 63rd Annual Grammy night also saw Jay-Z and his family achieve historic milestones. The Roc Nation boss took home his 23rd Grammy, the most in history for a Hip Hop artist. Jay’s wife, Beyoncé, won her 28th Grammy.
Queen Bey is now the most decorated performing artist and female artist of all-time at the Grammys award show. Jay and Beyoncé’s 9-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, won her first Grammy as well.
With Jay-Z as inspiration, Lil Baby is currently on the path to possibly becoming one of the most accomplished rappers of his generation. His second studio album, My Turn, received both critical acclaim and commerical success.
Hip Hop recording artist Kiari “Offset” Cephus is taking his talents to HBO Max. The Atlanta-bred rap star will produce a streetwear competition titled The Hype for the streaming platform.
According to a press release, Offset will also serve as a “co-signer” for the upcoming program. The Hype will feature ten streetwear professionals competing in challenges that combine fashion, music, art, and lifestyle.
Migos member Offset, Bephies Beauty Supply founder Beth Birkett, and Emmy-nominated costume designer Marni Senofonte make up the judging panel. Speedy Morman will host the eight-episode season.
“I feel like the show Hype was created with creatives like myself in mind. I’m happy to not only be a co-signer for the show but a producer. We are giving opportunities to the culture,” offered Offset.
HBO Max’s The Hype is being produced by Scout Productions. Roc Nation affiliates Jay Brown and Tyran “Ty Ty” Smith are credited as executive producers for the show.
“We understand the importance of providing a platform to allow others to tell their stories. We are thrilled to have another opportunity to partner with HBO Max and showcase this unique part of the fashion world via The Hype,” stated Rob Eric, executive producer and CCO of Scout.
Eric added, “Along with Ty Ty and Jay, we’ll step beyond traditional fashion trends and bring viewers into the nuanced world of style and self-expression that is also a full-time business.”
“We see the ubiquitous influence of streetwear culture all around us – from high fashion and popular culture, to a form of individual self-expression and identity,” said Sarah Aubrey, Head of Original Content for HBO Max. “We are excited to embark on this journey to find the next great streetwear designer with our partners at Scout, Jay Brown and Ty Ty Smith.”
The forces behind Saturday Night Live have announced the show’s next slate of performers. Veteran Hip Hop star Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi is set to be the musical guest for the April 10th edition of the program.
Cudi will be part of the SNL episode hosted by Promising Young Woman actress Carey Mulligan. The Man on the Moon III: The Chosen creator expressed his excitement about the upcoming gig.
“If u know me, u know SNL is a huge dream of mine. This is huge. Cannot friggin wait!” tweeted Kid Cudi. This will be the first time the Cleveland-raised rapper will make his way to the Studio 8H stage.
If u know me, u know snl is a huge dream of mine. This is huge. Cannot friggin wait!
Before Cudder runs through his songs on 4/10 another Hip Hop recording artist will get the chance to entertain the NBC audience. “Whats Poppin” hitmaker Jack Harlow will appear on the March 27 episode of Saturday Night Live.
Harlow dropped his debut studio LP, Thats What They All Say, on the same day as Man on the Moon III: The Chosen. The album opened at #5 on the Billboard 200 chart with 51,000 first-week units.
The highly-publicized Twitter spat between Belcalis “Cardi B” Almánzar and Candace Owens went to another level yesterday. The latest round in the back-and-forth feud between the entertainer and the commentator includes threats of legal action.
Owens took issue with Cardi’s sexually-charged “WAP” performance at the Grammy Awards, suggesting the televised set would lead to the end of American values. Cardi shot back at the conservative commentator by just posting, “Yaaaayyyyyyy. WE MADE FOX NEWS GUYS!!! Wap wap wap.”
The Bronx-bred rapper later posted, “Matter fact I’m just going to thank Candy. She put my performance on Fox News giving it more views that boosted the views on YouTube and is counting towards my streams and sales. STREAM ‘UP’ AND ‘WAP.’ REMEMBER GROWN PARENTS ONLY YOU CAN MONITOR WHAT YOUR KIDS WATCH NO1 ELSE.”
Owens responded, “I don’t work for Fox News, Belcalis, nor do I take issue with you having success. I take issue with you being used to encourage young women to strip themselves of dignity. Men typically treat women how they treat themselves. You know that.”
Cardi then began posting explicit photos of former First Lady Melania Trump as a way to accuse Owens – an outspoken Donald Trump supporter – of being hypocritical. Things took a major turn when Cardi posted what appeared to be a tweet sent out by Owens in November 2020 where she apparently admitted that her husband had sex with her brother.
Owens claimed the tweet was photoshopped by Cardi B’s team and threatened to file a lawsuit. The Republican pundit tweeted, “Yes. Just spoke with my family. I am 100% suing Cardi for that nonsense. You can’t just start throwing out wild lies against private members of my family because you’re upset someone called [you] out on your degenerate performance. I‘ll keep you all posted.”
Cardi responded by pointing out that Candace Owens was a Twitter trending topic on the date listed on the tweet attributed to Owens. The Invasion of Privacy album creator also uploaded screenshots of blog articles that covered the tweet back at the time.
She also posted, “I’m going to sue Candy for claiming I photoshopped a tweet that dozens of articles reported about back in November [2020]. First, she [claimed] me and my team photoshopped it, now it was a fake tweet. Which one is it? Everyone is free to Google.”
First Amendment and defamation lawyer Ari Cohn jumped into the melee to offer his opinion about the potential court cases. Cohn tweeted directly to Owens, “Should have talked to a competent lawyer instead of your family before announcing this.”
Owens replied to Cohn by stating, “You’re an idiot. My lawyer thankfully is not. Actual malice is not a standard that applies to my private citizen brother.” The Chicago-based attorney answered back, “Then how are you going to sue her, d######.”
I don’t work for Fox News, Belcalis, nor do I take issue with you having success. I take issue with you being used to encourage young women to strip themselves of dignity. Men typically treat women how they treat themselves. You know that. https://t.co/1BZQOVTR6t
What is your obsession with the Trump family? You are digging up modeling shots from our former First Lady from 3 decades ago. She has evolved, you have not. What you did at the Grammy’s was disgusting. Own it. https://t.co/LNEYdolGwd
You are insecure and I irk you because I see right through the facade. You are a part of a larger cancer that is manifesting in black culture. There’s no person in America who can look you in the face and honestly say they wish they’re daughters turned out like you. https://t.co/VFDnA8hi6u
If you think making your husband a sandwich is a sin, but popping your v##### into another woman’s v##### in front of the world is power— you are a lost soul.
What the actual hell are you talking about? Are you dead serious right now trying to substantiate a photoshopped tweet? Asking one more time before I get the lawyers to make you publicly admit you’re lying and embarrass yourself. https://t.co/aiBOghhcv6
Hip Hop recording artist Megan Thee Stallion was one of the champions of this year’s Grammy night. Meg won three awards – Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance, and Best New Artist.
The Houston native also performed “Body,” “Savage (Remix),” and “WAP” at the ceremony. Apparently, some people were not high on what Megan is offering with her music and her brand. She addressed her critics on Twitter.
“Don’t mention me if you not a hottie thanks,” tweeted Megan Thee Stallion. The 26-year-old Good News album creator was referring to the name of her diehard fans who are known as Hotties.
She added, “Before I go… y’all be acting like people force y’all to look at s### you don’t like… if you like puppies follow puppy pages, if you like food follow food pages, if you like bad b###### follow me [woman tipping hand emoji] SIMPLE K BYE,” tweeted Meg.
Before I go… y’all be acting like people force y’all to look at s### you don’t like.. if you like puppies follow puppy pages , if you like food follow food pages, if you like bad b###### follow me 💁🏽♀️ SIMPLE K BYE
Jay Electronica is back at it, after being a featured attraction at the Grammy Awards on Sunday. The New Orlean emcee has recorded a new video stemming from the Grammy-nominated album A Written Testimony.
“A.P.I.D.T.A.” is the first song to generate a music video from the highly regarded, critically acclaimed album that features Jay-Z as a co-feature on nearly every track. “A.P.I.D.T.A.” is no different.
The tune is one of the most popular ones from the opus for its somber, yet melodic tone. The two Jays emote over lost loved ones, particularly Jay Elec’s own mother.
“The day my mama died, I scrolled her texts all day long/The physical returns but the connection still stay strong/Now I understand why you used to cry sometimes we ride down Claybourne/You just missed your mama/Now I just miss my mamas.” – Jay Electronica
The rapper’s mother died in 2019 and produced a gut-wrenching, but completely honest testimony of grief. Jay-Z carries much of the song, reciting his lyrics in a hushed, pained tone.
“I got numbers in my phone that’ll never ring again/’Cause Allah done called ’em home, so until we sing again I got texts on my phone that’ll never ping again/I screenshot ’em so I got ’em, I don’t want this thing to end.” – Jay-Z
The song’s vibe is compounded, because was recorded the same night Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others died in a horrific helicopter crash.
A Written Testimony was a 13 year process for Jay Electronica, who was coveted as one of the artists that could “save” Hip-Hop. While the genre has continued to grow and ultimately dominate charts, headlines and the overall marketplace of music, Jay Electronica continued to mystify, tease and captivate audiences.
No word on exactly when the video will drop or if there were be other visuals from the album.
The Wu-Tang Clan’s iconic “W” is probably one of the most recognizable logos in Hip-Hop.
However, because of the large number of core members and ancillary acts connected to the mostly-Staten Island collective, a lot of people don’t know who all are in the group.
Which is how a 29-year-old Florida man and his friend were able to swindle over a quarter-million dollars in services from 19 businesses in 2019 by pretending to be a member of the group’s management team and Roc Nation agency.
One staffer from a Fairfield Inn and Suites in Augusta, GA, who happened to be a fan, alerted the FBI and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office — presumably thinking “Nah these dudes ain’t wit’ no Wu-Tang.”
Apparently, the duo used “fraudulent and stolen credit cards to rent limousines, defraud hotels, caterers and production studios in multiple cities as early as September 2019.”
Acting U.S. Attorney David Estes noted in the release, “For several weeks, these men defrauded multiple businesses by posing as famous musical artists and their retinue … Thanks to an alert hotel clerk, their phony hit parade came to an abrupt halt.”
The millennial’s name was Aaron Barnes-Burpo and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
He has to pay $300,000 back to the businesses (hotels, studios, and car rentals) and will serve seven years in federal prison (coupled with three years supervised release after his prison term).
His friend Walker Washington, 52, has not been sentenced but is too old to be in this situation with a man that could be his child.
Grammy-winning singer H.E.R. is ready to “go full throttle” with her acting career after making her movie debut in Jennifer Garner’s new family comedy “Yes Day.”
The star, who picked up the Best Song Grammy on Sunday for I Can’t Breathe, is keen to take a step back from the recording studio to ramp up her acting credentials.
“I’ve been so focused on making music but I think it’s time now for me to go full throttle with acting,” H.E.R. told Entertainment Weekly.
“I’m working on that right now, following my passion for acting.”
In her film debut, H.E.R. had the opportunity to sing a cover of the Four Tops’ Baby I Need Your Loving in a music festival scene with Garner and her movie daughter Jenna Ortega, and she enjoyed working alongside the Hollywood veteran.
“(Garner) was so sweet and so much fun,” the R&B artist shared. “We got to improvise a little bit. It really was just such a fun environment. She told me she loves my music, which is really cool. Plus, my band got to be a part of it with me, which was so dope. It was such a surreal experience for me.”
In addition to Yes Day, H.E.R. has been a part of the success of Judas and the Black Messiah, as her song Fight For You features on the historical film’s soundtrack, and earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song on Monday.
Reacting to the news on Twitter, she wrote, “WOKE UP TO AN OSCAR NOMINATION!!!! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! GOD IS SO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!”
And, speaking to EW before the nominations announcement, she said of the movie, which revolves around the betrayal and death of Black Panther Party Chairman Fred Hampton, “Judas and the Black Messiah was such an important story because it’s so important to black history.
“I was really honored to be a part of it and I had a lot of fun making the song because I was able to tap into that late ’60s and early ’70s vibe. I’m a soul baby, it’s my favorite genre of music.”
She added, “Being able to do something really musical for it and to be able to talk about what was happening then and connect it to what’s been happening now with social injustice, was cool for me – bringing those two worlds together.
“At the end of the day, we’re still fighting for a lot of the same things we were fighting for then. That’s what I wanted to bring out in the song. It’s very different from what I did for Yes Day.”
As you all know, I like to keep it positive in this section. Back in the day, used to have a section in the room was called signs the world is coming to an end. To this day, I believe that is the inspiration for Charlamagne’s “Donkey of the Day.” He put a twist on it. But that is to be a mystery until someone admits it. Nevertheless, I kind of stopped doing it because it was getting so depressing and the news was so dismal, that I didn’t want to bring peoples vibrations down. Well, I had to do this one.
An argument over stimulus check resulted in a quadruple murder in Indiana. A man named Malik Halfacre (what a name!), his charged with killing three adults and a child after they had an argument over money. This man is only 25-years old, and is now accused of murdering four people for a $1400 stimulus check. The crazy thing is, Jeanettrius Moore, his ex, offered him $450 of the check and he said he wanted all of the money. He reportedly made a threat like he was going to get the money no matter what, the day prior to. He later came back went through the woman’s purse looking for money, and then, suddenly people were getting killed everywhere including a seven-year-old girl – his daughter.
A relative named Wendy Johnson told a local TV station, “He wanted some of Jeanettrius’ tax money, stimulus money. She said, No, you don’t deserve any of this. I work. I take care of our child. You don’t do anything.” Bro killed his own seed over $1400 – allegedly! The other victims are listed as 23-year-old Daquan Moore, Jeanettrius’ brother, Tomeeka Brown, her 44-year-old mother, and her 35-year-old cousin, Anthony Johnson. “He shot Daquan first,” Wendy Johnson said. “He shot Anthony. He turned around, and he shot my auntie Tomeeka. My aunt Tomeeka said, ‘Malik!’ and he shot her again.”
Here is where “allegedly” becomes just a legal thing.
Jeanettrius was shot, but survived. She has already identified him as the murderer, according to reports.
Neighbor Craig Jackson told WISH TV Station why she was shot. “I said, ‘Why did he shoot you?’ And her exact words were ‘stimulus money’ … Her exact words were, ‘I am the only one who got away. He killed the rest of them.’ Those were her exact words.”
Halfacre took his 6-month-old daughter, Malia Halfacre, but they found her Sunday uninjured. All of this happened in Indiana, where Freddie Gibbs is from.
See why I stopped “Signs The World Is Coming To And End”? IT IS!
RayvenJustice is restoring the essence of his originality. In 2014, the East Oakland singer released his first big hit “Slide Thru”. Since then, he’s gone on to collaborate with Hip-Hop heavyweights such as Migos, Too Short, E-40, Jim Jones to name a few. Today, he is returning with a brand new project titled “Back To Slidin” which features an all-star cast of collaborators including Sada Baby, Yungeen Ace, Pacman Da Gunman, YBN Nahmir and many more.
The Bay Area native kicked 2021 off with his smash single “Doggin” featuring Sada Baby, which sampled the classic Chaka Khan track “Ain’t Nobody”. Followed by his second single “RIDE” which interpolated the timeless Nelly track “Ride Wit Me” hook. “Back To Slidin” features production from Wave 808, Link Up, Space, Werd, Vinnie and more.
With a contagious style Rayven Justice reps Oakland and has been making waves on the music scene worldwide from New York to Atlanta to Germany shwoing that his music transcends labels and exceeds expectations time and time again.
Drawing from his bitter sweet environment to tell the real stories that fans hear in his music. His first album, I Have a Dream, encompasses the reality of his ruff yet beautiful childhood with its street-smart lyrics and catchy beats.
“Music is my passion and I value the abilities I have to experience the creative process from beginning to finished product.”
Starting off as a rapper, Rayven’s style quickly morphed into a style that is heavily influenced by R&B. Now with eight years and counting in the game, Rayven’s future endeavors include opening his own studio and branching into the film industry and continuing to develop his style further. Check out this new project filled with big features and even bigger records that will resonate across the globe.
Eddie Murphy once got high and went roller skating with his pal Prince in the middle of the night.
The “Coming 2 America” star and the late “Kiss” hitmaker were friends for years and had a series of wild times, but Murphy’s favorite story took place at Prince’s house after one of the music legend’s concerts.
“The craziest Prince night, the most surreal Prince night, was (when) we went rollerskating at, like, four in the morning,” Eddie tells pop star, Kelly Clarkson, on her U.S. talk show.
“It was after one of his concerts. We went to his house to get something to eat and it was three in the morning, four in the morning, and he said, ‘Hey, you wanna go rollerskating?’
“I was like, ‘What?’ And he had a roller rink somewhere (in his house). It was set up with music playing. And you know those shoes that people used to wear, that light up? Prince had these skates that the skates would light up (and) he was going around on these skates.”
Because the whole night was so surreal, Eddie’s glad he enjoyed a little marijuana first.
“I was like, ‘Maybe I should take a hit of a joint, just in case I see something crazy,” he laughs. “And when we got there and he skated around with those skates on, I was like, ‘I am so glad I hit the joint before we came’.”
Honestly, I wish Kodak Black would just put out an album. The Florida-based rapper recently got out of jail, but he didn’t stop there. He started up instantly with drumming up controversy and conversation around his out of the booth antics. The rapper smooshed his son in the face with a handful of birthday cake. He recently says he inspired Jay Z. And now he’s spewing that Megan Thee Stallion owes him money for some lingo he says he invented. This guy is 23 years old. I hope he lasts.
So here’s the gist of it all. Kodak Black, back in the day, before jail, said a phrase, “drive the boat“ and claims that it has been stolen. Megan Thee Stallion, coming off of three Grammy wins on Sunday, used that phrase a couple years ago and even made it more popular. To my recollection, she did not use it for clout or to jump start her career. She used it to entice people to party and drink bad liquor.
By the way, this is not the first time he’s called Meg out.
Wait there’s more…
Kodak Black just keep going on and on and on. There’s more but I will stop there.
“Gin & Juice” hitmaker Snoop Dogg is getting into the rosé racket with a new wine line.
The rapper has partnered with the taste masters at 19 Crimes to launch Snoop Cali Rosé – a blend of Grenache and Zinfandel with notes of fresh raspberry, strawberry, and red cherry.
It’s the second collaboration between Snoop and the wine brand bosses, who unveiled Snoop Cali Red last year.
“We did it big with 19 Crimes Cali Red, so you know we had to do it again – and this time, I was thinking pink,” Snoop Dogg said in a statement. “I can’t wait for everyone to sip on my Snoop Cali Rosé and bring those fresh feels from spring into summer and beyond. I hope when you open a bottle of this wine you take a little mind trip to my Cali home. This is how we Rosé the Snoop Dogg way!”
A new beef is brewing between Tiffany Haddish and Nicki Minaj following the leak of a blistering attack on the rapper’s reputation.
In the audio from Haddish’s invite-only Clubhouse app chat, one fan could be heard calling the Girls Trip star “the Nicki Minaj of comedy,” prompting another to joke, “But unlike Nicki, she shows up on time.”
Tiffany appeared to enjoy the back-and-forth, adding, “And unlike Nicki, I treat everybody with respect and dignity.”
It’s not clear what prompted the barbed jibe, but the comedian and the rap star had a very awkward run-in onstage at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards after Nicki appeared to take offense at host Haddish’s opening monologue, during which she poked fun at girl group Fifth Harmony.
“Don’t be coming for Fifth Harmony because (singer) Normani is that b####!” Nicki snarled.
50 Cent weighed in on the latest drama on Monday, suggesting it’s never a good idea to take on Minaj.
“SMH (shaking my head), I don’t know why people mess with (Nicki), LOL!” he wrote.
The beef blew up hours after Haddish became the first African-American woman to score the Best Comedy Album Grammy since Whoopi Goldberg in 1986.
Tiffany seemed baffled by the headlines in a reply to one of the Barbs, who attacked her on IG:
Travis Scott has dropped his latest venture, Cacti Agave Spiked Seltzer, across America as part of his deal with brewing giant Anheuser-Busch.
The rapper announced the seltzer line, which comes in three initial flavors – pineapple, strawberry, and lime – back in December, and the project hit stores on Monday.
Scott introduced fans to his latest venture with a new TV commercial, which debuted during the 2021 Grammy Awards telecast on Sunday, featuring the rap star and comedian pal Eric Andre.
“Finally getting CACTI out into the world and into the hands of fans is a surreal moment for me and the team,” Travis said. “This has been something I had a strong vision for and have wanted to do for a while. It was important to me to be heavily involved in the entire creative process; from the flavor obviously, to the can design, packaging, and the entirety of the brand world we’ve built.
“I sought to create a beverage brand that was unlike others in the market. Our Agave Spiked Seltzer is super refreshing and smooth, and the brand in general is something that I’m super proud of. We built this project from the ground up together and this is just the beginning.”
When it comes to Memphis, it seems hip-hop has seen a resurgence. From Yo Gotti to Moneybagg Yo to NLE Choppa to Key Glock, there’s no denying the slew of talent coming out of the city. Insert Fresco Trey, who is here to stand out amongst his peers: creating feel-good rap-meets-R&B music that stands the test of time.
Considering himself to be a sonic trailblazer, Fresco fondly remembers road trips with his father who played CDs of Tupac and Kanye West over and over and over. With that grew a hunger, passion, and dedication, feeding his independent grind and fueling him to do to break through into the mainstream.
His name Fresco comes from his high school Spanish class, where he learned the word Fresco means “fresh and cool” at the same time.
Fresco admits his manager forces him to be on camera all the time, which his showcased his personality. “My humor is a little much. I’m a big kid, I do whatever and say whatever. I don’t mean no harm about nothing, people from the outside looking in wouldn’t know.”
Most recently, the 21-year-old unleashed his new single titled “Feel Good,” which literally exudes positive and good vibes upon each spin.
AllHipHop: What was the household like growing up in Memphis?
Fresco Trey: My household was dope, I had my mom and my dad. My parents have their issues and separated for a period of time, but it was nothing we couldn’t get over. All of that made it better for me in the long run, adversity and sticking through stuff. If you have bad times, through thick and thin you learn how to put up with certain stuff and get through it. Music helped me even at my lows, when I thought it wouldn’t work out for me. I was able to learn from my household, keep it pushing and get to the better days which are now. That household was great.
AllHipHop: You grew up to Tupac and Kanye, were you aspiring one day you’d get to that level?
Fresco Trey: Coming up, I never thought I’d be rapping. With Tupac, he did inspire me with his lifestyle. The way he thought about things and how smart he was, how he spoke his mind and what he believed in inspired me. I never thought I’d be doing music so I never thought I’d be as big as him one day.
AllHipHop: Talk about being different from what people assume the Memphis music scene would be.
Fresco Trey: I love being different coming from the city because overall, it makes me stand out. People can appreciate what I do and respect it. You get a lot of hate from the city, which is everywhere. But from what I do, I’m so true to myself that people can’t do anything but respect it. Even if you don’t like it, you can respect it because I’m being myself, talking what I mean and meaning what I say. I love being myself where I come from.
AllHipHop: “Feel Good” out now, how are you feeling?
Fresco Trey: I feel good. “Feel Good” has brought a lot of success to the team like we planned for it to do. Everybody feels good. “Feel Good” has brought a lot of traction to our situation, a lot of phone calls, a lot of people reaching out. Can’t do nothing but feel good about it.
AllHipHop: Are labels reaching out?
Fresco Trey: Yeah you got labels, other artists, blogs. You got everybody reaching out showing love. It’s a humbling experience and I’m grateful for it.
AllHipHop: Bring us back to when you created this record.
Fresco Trey: When I made the record, I was in a space where I felt the world needed to feel good. There was a lot of dark stuff going on in the world. Bro, summer’s almost here. It’s time to feel good again. That’s my inspiration behind making that song, I wanted to think of anything that could possibly make a person feel good. It started with the beat, my boy Thomas sent it to me. It was a perfect fit for the situation. We made some magic. It was all off the top, all organic. I wanted it to be an organic vibe, just feeling good.
AllHipHop: Did you know it would make such an impact?
Fresco Trey: We kind of did, yeah. When I showed it to the team, everyone said “bro, this might be the one.” It was crazy because at first, I only had the loop to the first chorus and the first verse. I didn’t have any drums, any hi-hats, just a loop. I wanted to drop it like that but they said “this song is special, you have to add more to it.” I did a second verse , we built the beat around it. Everybody knew it was going to be crazy so we’re happy it did what we thought.
AllHipHop: What was your creative vision with the visual?
Fresco Trey: We wanted to show fun, good times. We added a little role play to it but for the most part, we wanted to show fun. That’s why we went so hard on the pool party, we wanted to show us having a good time. We had a dope ass Airbnb in California, we wanted to go up and that’s what we were able to do. It was crazy because the police came to try to shut it down a few times, Dylan (manager) almost got taken to jail. We’re partying too loud and it was Covid. There were too many people in the house and they kept coming back, people kept calling the police. Every time the police came, we’d tell everyone to go in one room. We’d all squeeze into one room.
AllHipHop: Like high school days?
Fresco Trey: Yeah facts. [laughs]
AllHipHop: What’s the meaning behind the girl disappearing at the end?
Fresco Trey: First thing in the song, I say “diamonds dancing dripping on my wrist to make me feel good.” It was 3 girls and every time I’d touch them or kiss them, they turn into diamonds. I’m that man, I do something to them.
AllHipHop: Talk about YERT and what it stands for, I know it’s your name backwards.
Fresco Trey: My uncle hit me 3 days ago like “bro, I didn’t know YERT was your name backwards.” I thought of it because I was creating a PSN on my Xbox Live. I was going to put Fresco Trey but somebody had already taken it. The person who did it actually DM’ed me like “bro I’m sorry, I took your Xbox name. I wanted to have it for when you get famous.” I said “alright, you can keep it bro.” I spelled my name backward and it was Yert Ocserf. I started saying YERT when I was on the game and it caught on. I needed to do something so I created an acronym for it: Young Educated Relentless Talent. YERT is a thing people like to say when they see me, YERT! Wassup man?
AllHipHop: Growing up an introvert, how is music a coping mechanism for you? Are you still an introvert?
Fresco Trey: Yes, I feel like I am. With the people around me every day, I’m super playful and hyped with them because they’re my peoples. When it comes to me being around other people, I’m super reserved. I have to be around you for a little minute for me to open up, that’s how it’s always been. Music’s like a best friend to me. Sometimes when people go through things and they come and talk to you about them, they don’t always need a response or feedback. People want to vent and for you to listen, that’s how music is for me.
I can talk to the microphone, I don’t have to worry about the microphone judging me or saying something back that I don’t want to hear at the time. It’s going to listen to me and help me, that’s someone I know I can talk to and not have to worry about anything else. I’m grateful people can relate to the things I say on my tracks.
Fresco-Trey Photo by: Thomas-Welch Courtesy of Fresco Trey Camp
AllHipHop: You don’t drink or smoke?
Fresco Trey: I drink Bel Air occasionally, but I’m an innocent baby.
AllHipHop: 3 things you need in the studio?
Fresco Trey: I need a Twix. Every now and then I need a Red Bull, then my n#### Matt. He’s going to get me hyped. He’s my hypeman, that’s my dog. If you’ve been on my TikTok, you’d see him.
AllHipHop: What does TikTok do for your career?
Fresco Trey: It’s crazy because I didn’t like TikTok at first, I didn’t get It. The day I said “I didn’t like TikTok,” two days later Dylan posted a video on my TikTok and it went crazy. I started blowing up off that.
Dylan: It was how to make a hit. The journey of him creating his music from scratch and his creative process.
Fresco Trey: It went crazy, the video did 400K views. I posted a video the next day of my song with Zaytoven, it did close to 500K views. The next video I posted was a song I just made that’s going to be on my album, that one’s at 800K views. It’s going crazy.
AllHipHop: Talk about creating your own label, Fresco The Label, as a place to foster music unique to your own pop/hip-hop lane.
Fresco Trey: Fresco The Label is wanting to be your own boss. Whenever we first started this, we wanted to own our own stuff. Have our own label and be like Diddy, be as big as them. That’s our motto: be your own boss. When I make music, I always tell people it’s okay to please your friends and give people what they want. For me as an artist on the rise, I want to create a fanbase that loves what I do. I don’t want to blow up with something I don’t feel comfortable doing.
I don’t want to blow up doing trap music or rockstar music, I want to blow up making honest music. If I make a song and I blow up doing what I like doing, that way I don’t have to feel uncomfortable the rest of my career because my fans love me for the music I like doing. I never put myself in a genre,l I always make music I like to make. People generalize it however they want to and that’s fine, but I like making music I like to make. I want fans that like music I like to make.
AllHipHop: How’s the independent grind?
Fresco Trey: It’s a grind for sure because everything is a trial run. You take bumps on the way and learn from everything. For anyone going independent right now, get you a solid team. Get a team you could trust that will go hard for you, especially as hard as you go for yourself. That’s what we did, my team’s going hard just as hard as I was going in the studio. They went just as hard and everything started spiraling up. Focus on finding the right team. Once you do that, everything will take care of itself fr fr.
AllHipHop: What can we expect next from you?
Fresco Trey: I have a single dropping called “Love Don’t Live Here.” Right after that, we’re going to drop my tape. I’m thinking about calling it “Love Don’t Live Here.” The single we’re going to drop is going to be the intro for my tape. “Love Don’t Live Here” ‘cause love don’t live here.
AllHipHop: Where does it live?
Fresco Trey: S### with you. It doesn’t live with me.
Drake is at the top of the pile right now. There’s no questioning the man’s dominance in the music space. And what do people at the top of their game do? They show love. But before I get into that, let’s just talk about what Drake has done. Recently the rapper confirmed through Billboard magazine that he had done some thing no one has done he had a “1, 2, 3.” What is that? “1,2,3” is representative of his new accomplishment of having three songs from his new EP at the top of the charts. And so to celebrate, he had a party.
I am not privy to the party and all of the festivities that happened, but those that were able to post, which I wasn’t, we’re celebrating drakes newest accomplishment. Apparently there is a party that a lot of people were invited to and they did it up. One of those people apparently was Bow Wow. That’s right bow Wow a.k.a. Shad moss. Drake gave him so much love that it may resuscitate his career as a rapper.
In a slightly weird Instagram video, Drake says that without Bao well there is no him. I am not exactly sure in what way he meant, but I thought it was pretty cool did he gave him that much love. The truth is, Dre comes from Canada and was an actor. Bow Wow may not be much of a Canadian but he was a rapper and actor. He showed a lot of people how to get famous and successful as a young person. These guys are the same age but I can only imagine that Drake saw something in Bow Wow that lived within himself. So we showed him love! Look at this.
By the way I never fully understood Drake fascination with do rags, even though he clearly has the texture to create the waviness that everyone like me longs for.
I can’t wait to see these pictures from the party.
