Culture
Cyphers to Sit-Downs: Watch Joe Budden’s New Interview With Nicki Minaj
Joe Budden’s interview with rapper, singer, songwriter, actress Nicki Minaj — one of the highest-grossing female rappers of all time was recently uploaded to Youtube. The setup was quite a positive change from Budden’s previous podcast with Nicki and two other guests where tensions were sky-high. The interview kicks off with Nicki and Budden reflecting on the ’09 BET Cypher and how much has changed since then.
Nicki Minaj (2022) From Nicki Minaj (2008)
In response, Nicki wishes that she had been more appreciative of herself from her image and her raw talent. For context, it’s pretty important to note that Nicki’s rise to stardom began at the start of social media. She also reflects on the confines of desirability, with regard to getting ass shots. Very few people can fully fathom how jaded Nicki became — especially as a Black woman whose brand was colorful, quirky, and unapologetic.
Nicki the Pinkprint: “pink wig, thick ass, give ‘em whip-lash”
Nicki and Budden transition into a conversation about the standards set for aspiring female rappers and whether or not the pop star has a hand in this “starter kit.” As we know, there is a clear image and sound that is almost requisite to recognition and success in the industry — the doll. The same image that Nicki spearheaded at the start of her music career (as the Harajuku Barbie with colorful hair and full bangs) has been replicated by a lot of today’s newest female rappers.
Nicki the Mogul
As Nicki and Budden speak about music moguls like Jay-Z, Budden inquires about Nicki’s steps toward cementing her name as a music mogul. She speaks of ‘Queen Radio,’ which will be headed to Amazon. Nicki also sheds light on the makings of her documentary, her management company and also a record company. She also mentions that she will be taking on a role in an upcoming film that will be bigger than her previous cameos.
Nicki the All-Time Influencer
Nicki and Budden spoke about the importance of Black women speaking up about their cultural impact. History has shown time and time again that black women’s creativity is often imitated and of course, their brilliance cannot be duplicated (i.e. Coi Leray, FKA Twigs). Unfortunately, though, Black women typically have to demand their flowers.
“You have to mention it or they’ll act like it never happened!”
Time after time, Nicki has had to advocate for herself after being snubbed from Grammy awards.
She’s even had to speak out against the other networks (BET) for snubbing her accomplishments as this generation’s pink print for women in hip hop. Nicki also asserts that she and Lil’ Kim shouldn’t have already been on the cover of American Vogue for their dominant influences in pop culture.
How does Nicki navigate through this new age of rap?
Toward the end of the interview, Nicki speaks about how she has remedied writer’s block in the midst of motherhood and the pandemic. Nicki says that the privilege of having “sparring partners” like Drake and Lil Wayne on ‘Seeing Green‘ has helped her get back in the ring. Many fans have mentioned that the song is very consistent with the trio’s sound from the late 2000s into the 2010s. Nicki and Budden two spoke about navigating the new era of music where artists are trying to solidify their sound but are also looking to score a hit single with today’s rap trends.
The two end the interview with discussions about the perks of parenthood and the momentum that Nicki will be picking up on shortly. Many people are excited to see the new heights that Nicki will be experiencing soon.
Culture
Megan Thee Stallion’s Lawyer Calls Harassment Lawsuit ‘Salacious’
Megan Thee Stallion‘s lawyer, Alex Spiro, addressed the lawsuit filed by Megan Thee Stallion’s former cameraman Emilio Garcia, alleging sexual harassment and a hostile work environment. Spiro, in a statement to Page Six on Tuesday (April 23), dismissed the lawsuit as an opportunistic money grab and characterized it as an attempt to tarnish his client’s reputation.
“This is an employment claim for money — with no sexual harassment claim filed and with salacious accusations to attempt to embarrass her,” he said. “We will deal with this in court.”
The suit details an incident where Garcia allegedly found himself trapped in a moving SUV with Megan whileshe engaged in sexual activity with another woman during their time in Ibiza, Spain.
According to court documents, “The following day, STALLION inquired whether PLAINTIFF was in the SUV the previous night. PLAINTIFF confirmed that he was in the SUV. Subsequently, STALLION instructed, ‘Don’t ever discuss what you saw.’ STALLION berated and directed her fat-shaming comments towards PLAINTIFF such as ‘Fat Bitch,’ ‘Spit your food out,’ and that ‘You don’t need to be eating.’”
Garcia is seeking compensation of over six figures, Garcia’s lawsuit requests unpaid wages, overtime pay, and other benefits as per California labor laws, along with statutory penalties and punitive damages.
Culture
Chance The Rapper Announces New Mixtape ‘Star Line’
Chance The Rapper quietly revealed his upcoming mixtape, “Star Line,” via Instagram. In his bio, he simply stated, “Working on my mixtape it’s called Star Line.” The project will feature collaborations with notable artists like Lil Wayne, DJ Premier, Lil Yachty, and more.
On X (formerly Twitter), Chance shared a teaser clip featuring appearances from Wayne, Preemo, Lil Yachty, Jermaine Dupri, T-Pain, Jazze Pha, and Vic Mensa. Additionally, he gave fans a sneak peek of a new track titled “Buried Alive” and polled them on whether he should drop a music video for it.
I’ll be ready to go pic.twitter.com/zYliNZJsjj
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) April 21, 2024
“Star Line” marks Chance The Rapper’s follow-up to his 2019 album, “The Big Day.”
Culture
Saweetie Posts Receipts of Quavo Sliding into DMs Following New Chris Brown Diss
Saweetie took to social media Tuesday morning that her ex-boyfriend Quavo reached out to her via direct messages, following his mention of her in his latest diss track aimed at Chris Brown, titled “Over Hoes & B-tches.”
In the song, Quavo raps, “I can take a model chick and make a Saweetie, n-gga,” which Saweetie didn’t take lightly. She shared a screenshot from January 2024, showing Quavo’s message on Instagram, which she hadn’t opened. The preview read, “Damn. We used to mean af to each…” Saweetie’s caption for the screenshot humorously suggested she hopes the model Quavo compares to her.
hopefully the model he turns into me replies pic.twitter.com/eSqBcPh0wP
— ❄️ (@Saweetie) April 23, 2024
This exchange coincided with Saweetie attending a USC game with Chris Brown.
Saweetie reacts to Chris Brown's new track dissing Quavo. https://t.co/aBANHh04lj
— miixtapechiick.com (@MXCKdotCom) April 20, 2024
"You f–ked my ex-h-, that's cool, I don't give no f–k, lil n—a (Still a b—h)/'Cause I f–ked yo' ex when you were still with her, b—h, I'm up, lil n—a."
The two were spotted at a USC… pic.twitter.com/EqDEAVA44w
The history between Saweetie and Quavo dates back to their relationship from 2018 to 2021, which ended amid allegations of infidelity on Quavo’s part. Chris Brown didn’t hesitate to leverage their past relationship in his own diss track, “Weakest Link,” claiming to have been involved with Saweetie while she was still with Quavo.
“You fucked my ex-ho, that’s cool, I don’t give no fuck, lil n-gga/ ‘Cause I fucked yo’ ex when you were still with her, bitch, I’m up, lil n-gga,” he rapped.
Quavo previously dated Brown’s ex-girlfriend Karrueche Tran, who filed for a restraining order against Brown after their breakup in 2017.
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