21 Savage – I Am > I Was

Image credit: Epic

Arguably the biggest album to drop this latter half of the year, 21 Savage delivers his sophomore album I Am > I Was (I Am Greater Than I Was). The project sees 15 tracks and additional appearances from ScHoolboy Q, Offset, J. Cole, Post Malone, Young Nudy, Lil Baby, Gunna, Project Pat and Childish Gambino. Simply put, the Atlanta native has definitely solidified his top spot in the game with this release.

The-Dream – Ménage à Trois: Sextape

Image credit: Radiokilla LLC

Here’s a surprise: The-Dream, an artist who’s been a part of your favorite hits for more than decade, has decided to return with a 40-track, 3-part offering titled Ménage à Trois: Sextape. He explained the release to Billboard:

“Everyone that knows me knows I don’t save records. I try and build in that moment and be inspired by the moment… This is all new s***. I didn’t cut any corners of edginess. I just stuck to what my root was, because that’s what happens. You can be an architect of a certain thing and what’s new is always ‘better’ than what’s old. I can’t compete with what’s new, people expect certain things from me, whether they wanna admit it or not, but nobody can ever say I’ve made a s***ty record or ever made an album with fillers. That’s not ever anything that I want to do, that’s me letting my core down and the core of R&B down. I just got bored for awhile and I wanted to dive more into things with people like Nas and Jay-Z and create a culture for The-Dream that wasn’t like, ‘Oh, the king of R&B!’ I want to be the king of music.”

You (and your significant other) can press play on the music — and accompanying visual — to set the mood below.

YoungBoy Never Broke Again – Realer

Image credit: Never Broke Again, LLC

Peep this: YoungBoy Never Broke Again has already delivered four EPs (or one project in four parts) and an album, all critically-acclaimed. Even with his current set of releases, the Louisiana emcee still has a whole mixtape for fans to enjoy pre-2019. Titled Realer, the project sees 12 tracks and appearances from Plies and Lil Baby (on the track “Cross Me”).

A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie – Hoodie SZN

Image credit: Atlantic

New York’s A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie follows up his International Artist EP (and last year’s debut album, The Bigger Artist) with a new release titled Hoodie SZN. The project sees 20 tracks and appearances from Offset, Tyga, 6ix9ine, Don Q, Juice WRLD, Young Thug, Lil Durk, PnB Rock and more.

Suggested Articles:

NEW ALBUM FRIDAY: Vic Mensa, Kodak Black & More

NEW ALBUM FRIDAY: XXXTentacion, Gucci Mane & Ice Cube

The post NEW ALBUM FRIDAY: 21 Savage, The-Dream, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie & More appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Image credit: Taylor Gang/Atlantic

UPDATE: Ty Dolla $ign has liberated his official visual for “Love U Better,” which — in addition to his collaborators — also sees cameos from YG, Sevyn Streeter, Trae Tha Truth and Jeremih. Check that out below.

Following the two quality — if not widely slept-on — projects Free TC and Campaign, Ty Dolla $ign is now returning back to his highly-coveted Beach House series for a third (or fourth, depending on your view) installment. In addition to the announcement, the Taylor Gang crooner also revealed a new track from the forthcoming offering titled “Love U Better,” which features heavyweights Lil Wayne and The-Dream.

Produced by DJ Mustard and Twice as Nice, the track samples Mary J. Blige and Lil Kim‘s classic 90’s cut “I Can Love You” and sees the three artists on their best Trap-and-B vibe — this is especially the case for Ty$ himself:

Pull up on your girl with my roof gone
I’ma pull up on your girl with my jewels on
Pull up on your girl with that heat on
She don’t know if it’s a Dolla or a Dream song
First I beat it from the back, she on top now
Used to wanna leave, but she not now
She used to wanna be with you, but n***a, not now
It’s kinda funny how she put herself on lockdown

Enjoy “Love U Better” below. Beach House 3 will hopefully be arriving sometime before year’s end.

Suggested Articles:

24hrs Drops Visual for “What You Like” (Feat. Wiz Khalifa & Ty Dolla $ign), “Twenty Did It Again”

Vince Staples Teams Up With Ty Dolla $ign for “Rain Come Down”

The post NEW VIDEO: Ty Dolla $ign Feat. Lil Wayne & The-Dream – Love U Better appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Meek Mill has been releasing visuals from his latest project Wins and Losses for the last few weeks and finally outside the shorts, Meek has dropped a video for the led single “We Ball.”

The video for the Young Thug collaborative track serves as an audio in memoriam to “all of those we lost to the streets.” The visual opens featuring fallen rapper Lil’ Snupe freestyling over a classic Dr. Dre beat before going into a video which features footage of a funeral, the streets, and glimpses of Meek’s continued push for success.

In other Meek Mill news, as previously reported, Meek responded to Trick Daddy‘s recent demand for an apology following comments Meek made on Ebro in the Morning while promoting his new album. Trick Daddy called out the Philly-bred rapper for his comments on Dreamchasers’ influence on Miami youth.

“Ever since you lost your girl, you been tripping,” he said on Instagram. “As a matter of fact, your visa has expired. You owe me and my city an apology.”

During an interview with Cosmic Kev on Power 99, Meek said there will be no apology and stated that if anyone had a problem with him, they should contact him directly and not vent on social media, specifically Instagram.

“I come from Philadelphia, all our OGs, they don’t get on Instagram where we’re from,” he said.

Wins and Losses, which dropped last week, is Meek’s third album via MMG and Atlantic. The heavily anticipated project features appearances by Young Thug, Lil Uzi Vert, Quavo, Future, Rick Ross and The-Dream, among many others.

Check out the video and Meek’s response below.

Suggested Articles:

Rap Game’s Nia Kay On Meeting Queen Latifah: “You could feel the legendary-ness”

RESPECT. Interview: Iyana Halley Talks True To The Game And Mentorship

P-Funk Princess Imani Scott New Video Is Dope!

The post Meek Mill Drops “We Ball” Video Feat. Young Thug [Watch] appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Moving forward from that, Meek decided to turn fans’ attention back to the music with a new visual for “YBA (Young Black America),” which features The-Dream. The track takes from the classic JAY-Z cut “Blueprint (Momma Loves Me),” which was produced by Bink! The visual sees Meek reflecting on his troubled past in the comforts of his presents (ie. a Rolls Royce).

Whether or not “YBA” will appear on the forthcoming album Wins & Losses remains to be seen. In the meantime, you can enjoy the clip above.

Suggested Articles:

Meek Mill Recruits Chris Brown and Ty Dolla $ign for “Whatever You Need”

Meek Mill Delivers New Visual for “Glow Up”

The post NEW VIDEO: Meek Mill Feat. The-Dream “YBA” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Adding to their list of hits,  Joe and Remy are in the running this year for a grammy with the 2016 single “All The Way Up” and together this duo’s chemistry shines bright and cannot be denied. Although many of us expected to hear Plato O Plomo this weekend, at the last moment the album was moved to Feb 17th. Meanwhile “Heartbreak” is a great track from Remy Ma and Fat Joe and is sure to keep you excited in wait for the duo’s album.

Suggested Articles:

M.I.A Rages War with Her New Video “P.O.W.A.”

Kodak Black Recruits Danielle Bregoli of “Cash Me Ousside” for “Everything 1K” Video

The post Fat Joe, Remy Ma & The Dream Drop Off “Heartbreak” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Get your whips and chains ready: the forthcoming sequel to the erotic drama Fifty Shades Of Grey — titled Fifty Shades Darker — will be arriving in theaters February 10th. In lieu of the film’s release, we now get to see the star-studded line-up for its soundtrack, which includes Nicki Minaj, Nick Jonas, The-Dream, John Legend, Corinne Bailey Rae, Halsey, Tove Lo and more. The soundtrack is also led by the Zayn (Malik) and Taylor Swift collaboration, “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever”, released last month.

Check out the full tracklisting for the Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack below; we’ve also included a stream of the aforementioned track via Apple Music.

1. Zayn & Taylor Swift – I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)
2. Halsey – Not Afraid Anymore
3. Jry (Feat. Rooty) – Pray
4. Tove Lo – Lies In The Dark
5. Toulouse – No Running From Me
6. John Legend – One Woman Man
7. The-Dream – Code Blue
8. Nick Jonas & Nicki Minaj – Bom Bidi Bom
9. Sia – Helium
10. Kygo (Feat. Andrew Jackson) – Cruise
11. Corinne Bailey Rae – The Scientist
12. José James – They Can’t Take That Away From Me
13. JP Cooper – Birthday
14. The Avener (Feat. Mark Asari) – I Need A Good One
15. Joseph Angel – Empty Pack Of Cigarettes
16. Anderson East – What Would It Take
17. Frances – What Is Love?
18. Danny Elfman – On His Knees
19. Making It Real

Suggested Articles:

Spectacular, Miss Nikki Baby, V Bozeman, Kyla Pratt & More Spotted at Pre-GRAMMY’s “50 Shades of Spectacular” Experience

‘White Girl’ Film Discusses Addiction, Privilege and Incarceration

The post Nicki Minaj, The-Dream, John Legend & More Tapped For ‘Fifty Shades Darker’ Soundtrack appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Years without any music from Solange, yet today she humbly brought a new album out of the woodwork. She released her cover art on Instagram, which seems to be popular now a days, and even shared her release date. She did not blow up the internet however we all know Solange is silent yet deadly. Her ability to be so low-key yet so fierce puts all of our edges at risk.

Her cover art is very anatomical and seems as if she has taken more than enough time to plan these renaissance-esque looks and themes. Just with a simple deep read of the album cover her hair definitely can’t go unnoticed. The natural and flowing style resembles that of the powdered wigs that high class civilians used to wear. The mixture of the barrettes resonate with doing hair of certain textures and cultures. Her album name, A Seat at The Table could go in so many directions including back to the congressional tables of our countries stark beginning. Or simply a call to her position in her sister and brother-in-law’s dynasty. Who knows, but she is definitely offering images to make minds wander far and wide.

The album is set to drop on Saturday, September 30th and includes features from Lil Wayne, Q-Tip, Sampha, and The Dream. With features like this infused with her own lyrics, this album is looking like it could be the next wave in the music industry.

Her timing and patience is immaculate considering the crisp look and release of her work. Many artists today have become a bit sloppy with their music releases. Solange is working like a surgeon with her methodological movements, and I can’t wait to see how the music sounds! Check out her art work for yourself and see what you think!

Suggested Articles:

Solange’s ‘Saint Heron’ Brand Celebrates Diversity

New Video: Janelle Monae feat. Solange — “Electric Lady”

The post Solange Swiftly Released Her Album Drop Date appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.