Connect with us

Culture

Joey Bada$$ and Ab-Soul Address Rumored East vs. West Tension in Spirited Red Bull Cypher

Published

on

Joey Bada$$ and Ab-Soul came face to face on Red Bull’s new Spiral Freestyle series, using the moment to address and de-escalate speculation around an alleged East Coast vs. West Coast rap beef.

Joined by Big Sean, the cypher offered bars, competition, and moments of clarity, especially as both MCs responded to earlier tension sparked by Joey’s verse on The Ruler’s Back, where he downplayed recent West Coast rap success. That line led to a response from TDE’s Ray Vaughn on Crashout Heritage, and calls for Soul to step in.

Ab-Soul took the first swing, addressing the situation with layered wordplay and reflection:
“Lyt was heavy and Ray definitely stepped / But this is Hip Hop, you know we still on that / It was healthy for the sport, sticking to the roots, keeping it competitive / Just be lucky that Soul ain’t stepping in.”

He also made it clear there was no real animosity, reminding the audience: “Pro Era the masters that ain’t ever incorrect / But it’s still TDE till 3000 and forever.”

Joey followed with direct rebuttals, asserting dominance while rejecting the idea of beef for clout:
“They don’t want the war with the Martian, they sending they troops / At the general, but I’m the one who Ab salute / They obsolete, can’t compete ’cause I’m too elite / Tryna spark a match but they simply lackin’ the heat.”

He continued, “This ain’t no East versus West / I just think that I’m the best, as a matter fact, I know,” before taking a pointed jab at Ray Vaughn and referencing the broader culture shift in hip-hop:
“These bars could put Bad Boys on Death Row / Kinda crazy how Suge and Puff in jail, though.”

There was also a line that raised eyebrows: “I was at the party but I never seen a freak off / Instead a battle rapper on stage showing his cheeks off,” possibly referring to recent headlines involving Diddy and performance theatrics from other MCs.

Still, the overall tone remained rooted in competition, not conflict. Ab-Soul even joked with Big Sean after the Detroit rapper said, “Your wifey said I’d wash you.” Soul replied, “I told that to you in confidence, big bro.”

While things got spicy lyrically, both Joey and Ab-Soul showed the energy behind this exchange was meant for the sport. It wasn’t a beef—it was rap. And they kept it that way.

News

Rihanna Becomes First Female Artist to Surpass 200 Million RIAA Singles Certifications

Published

on

Rihanna Becomes First Female Artist to Surpass 200 Million RIAA Singles Certifications miixtapechiick

Rihanna has crossed 200 million RIAA singles certifications in the United States, becoming the first Black vocalist and first female artist in the organization’s 73-year history to reach the milestone. Her total now stands at 200.5 million.

Two certification updates on April 10 pushed her over the mark. “Unfaithful,” track three on her 2006 album A Girl Like Me, was certified 4x Platinum in celebration of the album’s 20th anniversary. Her 2005 single “If It’s Lovin That You Want,” the second single from her debut album Music of the Sun, also crossed the 1x Platinum threshold more than two decades after its release. Platinum status represents one million equivalent units in the United States, with the RIAA counting 150 on-demand streams as the equivalent of one digital purchase.

Rihanna Becomes First Female Artist to Surpass 200 Million RIAA Singles Certifications miixtapechiick

Among all artists, she ranks third behind Drake at 277.5 million and Morgan Wallen at 215 million.

Rihanna hasn’t released an album since Anti in 2016. Catalog staples like “Umbrella,” “We Found Love,” “Only Girl (In the World),” and “Don’t Stop the Music” continue to accumulate certifications without new music driving them. Outside of her Super Bowl halftime show in 2023 and contributions to the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Smurfs soundtracks, she has released no new solo music in nearly a decade.

As previously reported by miixtapechiick.com, Rihanna was spotted in the studio at 2 a.m. earlier this year and told Harper’s Bazaar in 2025 that she had “cracked the code” on the direction for her next project.

Continue Reading

Culture

J. Cole Goes Scoreless in CBA Debut With Nanjing Monkey Kings

Published

on

J. Cole Goes Scoreless in CBA Debut With Nanjing Monkey Kings miixtapechiick

J. Cole made his debut with the Nanjing Monkey Kings in the Chinese Basketball Association on Saturday night, finishing without a point in eight minutes off the bench as Nanjing lost 95-81 to the Guangzhou Loong Lions.

Cole went 0-for-5 from the field, with all five attempts coming from behind the three-point line. He finished with one rebound and one assist. Cole addressed the outing on his blog afterward, keeping it straightforward. “I got to play 8 minutes in one of the top leagues in the world, got a few good looks but wasn’t able to hit one,” he wrote. “A couple more games and maybe those shots would have started to fall! Either way I’m fulfilled and grateful! Sh*t, I feel like I dropped 20!!!”

He also explained why he only appeared in one game. “Initially I was scheduled to play in at least 3 games for the Nanjing Monkey Kings of the CBA. The work visa process took way longer than expected, so I was only able to play in one before heading back.”

Saturday’s game was Cole’s third time suiting up for a professional team. He played for the Rwanda Patriots in the Basketball Africa League in 2021 and the Scarborough Shooting Stars in Canada the following year.

Continue Reading

Culture

Rihanna Steps Out in Paris With Daughter Rocki Irish Mayers

Published

on

Rihanna Steps Out in Paris With Daughter Rocki Irish Mayers MIIXTAPECHIICK
Rihanna for Dior / Steven Klein

Rihanna was spotted in Paris last week with her daughter Rocki Irish Mayers, marking one of the baby girl’s first public outings since her birth in September 2025. A$AP Rocky was also present, spending the day with their eldest son RZA. Their youngest son Riot did not appear in photos from the outing.



Rocki was dressed in a vintage Dior green-and-black John Galliano beanie from 2002, a gray pleated Dior dress layered over jeans and sneakers. Rihanna wore a Carhartt hat, a Prada striped polo shirt, and carried her “Dracula” Dior bag. Rocky and RZA were photographed walking hand in hand nearby, with RZA in a pink-striped tee and dark shades.

Rihanna announced Rocki’s birth on Instagram on September 24, 2025, posting a photo holding her newborn alongside pink silk baby boxing gloves. “Rocki Irish Mayers Sept 13 2025,” she captioned it. During the Smurfs premiere earlier this year, she spoke about her sons’ reaction to having a little sister. “I’ve always wanted a girl,” she said. “But God knows best, right? And I love my boys.”

Rihanna and Rocky welcomed RZA in May 2022, Riot Rose in 2023, and Rocki Irish in September 2025.

Continue Reading

Trending