Belly. All photos taken by Miguel Crespo for RESPECT.

At Made In America 2018, rapper and songwriter, Belly, made a huge announcement. During his set on the main stage, the XO/Rocnation artist mentioned his new album, Immigrant, will be releasing on October 12th. He also shared merch and the official cover art which is him as a boy in Jordan. 

Immigrant official album cover.

We got up with Belly and talked about his start in music, meeting The Weeknd and Jay-Z, and his new album, Immigrant.

What is RESPECT to you? What is your definition of RESPECT? 

I think RESPECT is leading your life in a certain way that people have to address you. They have to approach you in a certain way.

What was it like growing up in Canada? What was it about where you lived that inspired you to make music?

The first part of my life, my childhood was in the Middle East. That inspired me a lot. Then I moved to Canada and then the states. That inspired me a whole lot more. I think every piece of my life, every chapter of my life inspired me to want more and do better every single day. Once you hit this type of caliber, everybody is great. If you’re not great, you’re not keeping up.

How did you get your start in the music industry?

I used to write poetry when I was mad young. When I first learned how to speak English, the first thing I started to do was rhyme words and piece sh*t together. I used to listen to Ready To Die by B.I.G.. That was my blueprint. From there I started writing raps, you know?

You’re one of the best lyricist out today. How do you feel about the current state of Hip Hop? 

Thank you, man. Thank you for saying that. A lot of people overlook the fact that I could eat their favorite rapper so I appreciate you for that. But to answer the question, I don’t really look at that. As long as I sit down and craft my sh*t the way I’m supposed to. That’s what the market needs. It’s needs a bunch of different sh*t. There’s cheap wine and there’s expensive wine. The sh*t you can’t get in the stores. That’s the type of sh*t I like to have. I don’t care about that cheap wine out there. I’m trying to make that exclusive grape.

What’s your relationship like with The Weeknd and Jay Z? How did you meet them?

Me and Abel have known each other damn near 10 years now. It’s been a long time. It started as a friendship and became a working relationship. Now it’s still a great friendship and a brotherhood. I think with Jay Z, he heard my sh*t and signed me to the ROC based off one project. So idk, man. I feel like that was just the stars aligning for somebody like Jay to hear my sh*t and sign me, you know?

You just announced your new project, Immigrant. Is there any info you can give us? Upcoming singles or any artists you might’ve worked with?

Of course I got my brother Nav and my brother Abel on the album. Other than that I think it’s more like a diary, bro. It’s a diary of my life. It’s the most venerable I’ve ever been on any album. It means the most to me than anything I’ve ever put out. I purposely cut songs off that I felt didn’t relate to the album. To me, even if it was a hit and everybody felt like it was, it didn’t matter. If it doesn’t match the theme of this, this Immigrant sh*t, I don’t want it in my album. We can figure it out. We can put it somewhere down the line.

Who would you like to work with in the future? Artists or producers.

I think Swizz Beatz. Swizz Beatz is dope as fu*k. Swae Lee, my XO brothers 88Glam. We’re overdue. That’s about it right now.

It’s been a big year for you and it’s about to get bigger when the album releases. What’s next for you and what can we look forward to in the future? 

I think we got to take it one day at a time, bro. I love to make music, I love to write music. I make music for a lot of people. I write for a lot of people. I think it’s a blessing in disguise to float around making music living my best life, man.

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The post RESPECT. Interview: XO’s Belly Talks New Album, Meeting The Weeknd And Jay-Z appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

DJ Khaled‘s ninth studio LP, Major Key, is the biggest release of his career with a track list that includes most of hip-hop’s brightest stars. Not only is Drake, Future, and Jay-Z featured on the album’s two lead singles, but Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, Gucci Mane and many more also make an appearance.

This album is a statement to the transformation Khaled has gone through in his career over the past six months. He signed to L.A Reid‘s Epic Records and even signed a management deal with Roc Nation. Khaled is now an A-List celebrity. How famous? He’s recently had multiple Good Morning America, Ellen Degeneres Show and Nightline appearances. So it wasn’t all that much of a secret when the new attention that Khaled started to get would culminate into a great record full of star-studded collaborations.

pic.twitter.com/5T0AkEvrIp

— DJ KHALED (@djkhaled) August 9, 2016

Not all of the records on Major Key are as memorable—although there are way more hits than misses on this LP.

Major Key opens in an epic fashion. The singles “I Got the Keys” and “For Free” lead the album. “I Got the Keys” features the first time Jay-Z and Future ever met on a released project. Hov is engaging giving out two verses with witty punch lines and references to Khaled’s everyday wisdom:

“I got a bag for lawyers, like, “F*ck your charges!/
Hop out the courtroom, like, “What charges?/
Big pimpin’ on your court steps/
Case y’all ain’t notice, I ain’t lost yet.”

Future delivers a catchy hook featured on a ton of DJ Khaled’s new merch. All in all, the track lives up to the hype that was set when Khaled announced the single. “For Free,” however, has surpassed earlier expectations for the record. Khaled calls upon the six god to deliver another hit in their long time partnership. Both of these tracks have done well on the Billboard top 100. “For Free is currently #13, while ” I Got the Keys” ranks in at #30. Meaning that there is no shortage of ears listening to the singles of this LP because they are played on radio stations all over the country.

The next three tracks on Major Key are a collection of perfect summer tracks. The record “Nas Album Done” features a tantalizing verse from the Queens bridge native:

“To all my ghost supporters, go support us/
Like a local black-owned grocery store/
‘Cause in the hood shit ain’t passed down through blood”

“Nas Album Done” has to be one of my favorite Nas tracks in years and it gets me excited for his next project.

Then there is “Holy Key.“ The Big Sean and Kendrick Lamar track is a roller coaster ride of emotions. Sean continues to impress me with his verses’ since the release of his third studio LP, Dark Sky Paradise. On “Holy Key” he might have exceeded my expectations. Sean’s flow on this record is aggressive and emotional at the same time. Big Sean rhymes about the state of racism in America and police brutality.

“Father help us, police doing target practice with real bodies/
Mommas in the streets, crying, standing over a still body”

Sean’s performance really overshadows Lamar’s verse, which is also stellar, but it just doesn’t have the same effect as the G.O.O.D Music signee’s performance. This Big Sean verse is another list of highlights that comes from the first part of Major Key.

“Jermaine’s Interlude” is another outstanding record on the LP. Featuring no one else other than J.Cole. This track, like many other records on Major Key, feels like a throw away track for whatever project the artist was working for on. For example the Travis Scott record “Tourist”  and “Pick These Hoes Apart,” work in the same vain. Though Cole’s offering comes with some very vibrant production and a soulful verse from the Roc Nation artist.

“Tables do turn and labels do burn/
The second they ask you to sell your soul/
Don’t you do it, don’t you fold/
Say “F*ck that shit” and be bold/
Cause all them stories you told/
On records worth more than gold”

Khaled was really blessed by the collection of tracks he was able to compile with the group of artists that he did. Especially when some of them turn out as well a “Jermaine’s interlude.”

From there, Major Key turns into an album with multiple records that sound like they will be playing on a radio station near you soon. The A-List club of features on the tracks  “Do You Mind” and “F**K Up The Club” almost feels like a We The Best staple at this point.

However, the most surprising track on this LP would have to be “Don’t Ever Play Yourself .” This track features some hip-hop royalty in Jadakiss, Busta Rhymes, and Fat Joe. New york rapper, Fabolous also makes an appearance. However it is the new We The Best signee, Kent Jones, who comes through with a really dope verse.

“F*ck a beat for a verse when I could do all three/
No pop artist but pop is what you rappers do call me/
A lot of washed out ni**as tryna find hope in/
I’m just tryna raise a son like my blinds’ open”

Jones is so captivating on this track, it will make you double take when you realize he is the cat on the radio with that “Don’t Mind ” song.

All in all, Major Key, turned out to be as big as Khaled proclaimed it to be. The LP contains a handful of tracks that will play on the airways for the remainder of the calendar year. While also catering to some the true fans of the hip-hop culture by showcasing some iconic acts.

You can listen to Major Key, on Apple Music here.

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The post RESPECT. Review: DJ Khaled’s ‘Major Key’ – An Iconic Collection of Hits appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

North Carolina emcee, Rapsody, has come a long way since breaking out from the rap collective Kooley High.

Since then Rapsody has been featured on some the biggest rap albums in the past five years. From Big K.R.I.T to Kendrick Lamar, the Raleigh rapper has been able to bring her legendary wordplay to a larger audience. Add this to the success of her own projects

Add this to the success of her own projects She Got Game and Beauty and The Beast, Rapsody was destined to earn that major label deal with Jay-Z‘s outfit ROCNATION. Rapsody announced the news during the Brooklyn Hip-Hop festival.

Rapsody rocking through “The Man.”#Jamla#RocNation#BeautyAndTheBeast ##BKHipHopFestpic.twitter.com/4TT46dhmOU

— darryl robertson (@darry_robertson) July 16, 2016

This is a huge move considering that the Roc has been aquiring some of  Hip-Hop’s most promising young acts which include BELLY and Vic Mensa.

Welcome to JamRoc. #Jamla #Rocnation

A photo posted by R A P S O D Y (@rapsody) on Jul 16, 2016 at 1:53pm PDT

The Hip-Hop community has come out in full effect to support Rapsody’s new deal.

Watching big sis @rapsody perform at the @bkhiphopfest and she announces her @rocnation deal!!!… https://t.co/t7RHVPapFc

— Mark Steele (@whoismarksteele) July 16, 2016

Rapsody.Jamla.RocNation

— Sinopsis (@TheSinopsis) July 16, 2016

Even though Rapsody has inked a deal with ROCNATION, it still looks like she will still be associated with her current label Jamla records for now. The only thing to expect now is her major label debut, which she has been working on according to her July 4th tweet.

Album II | 2016 © Jamla Records

— Rapsody (@rapsody) July 4, 2016

Hey, maybe we will even get a J.Cole and Hov feature on the album. That would be the stuff of dreams.

For more news on Rapsody and all of the ROCNATION artists keep it locked on RESPECT.

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The post Rapsody Inks Deal with Roc Nation appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Following his teammate Victor Cruz, the North Carolina native becomes the 7th athlete to join the firm as the agency continues to grow since its inception in 2013. Other notable clients include Kevin Durant, Robinson Cano, C.C.Sabathia, and Skylar Diggins.

Nicks is currently a free agent and is probably hoping Mr. Carter‘s team will broker a deal that is even just a fraction of what was brokered for Cano.

Many doubted the agency’s ability to attract and manage contractual dealings of the firms’ signees, however, after a little less than a year into the venture the firm has seen nothing but growth.

Congratulations to Mr. Nicks, who is undoubtedly celebrating with a complimentary bottle of Ace of Spades–Mr. Carter and Co. know how to get you paid.

The post News: Hakeem Nicks Joins La Familia appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.