Nicki Minaj was always seeking to keep her relationship with Safaree on the down-low, however the recent break-up has for sure been extensively publicized. In an interview released with Power 105.1 the Fly emcee revealed her deepest thoughts on the situation which is clearly a touchy subject.
Playing the part as Nicki’s hype man over the years, the two appeared almost inseparable, well… this seems to be the underlying issue here:

If I wasn’t a rapper, we would have children, be married, and be living happily ever after. That’s what we’re both sad about because we know that this is what did it.

Breaking down in the interview, the Pills N Potions rapper explained:

I don’t think people realize, it’s not just a relationship or break-up. That was a humongous part of my life. This is not some person I picked up off the street. This is somebody I grew up with. Like I don’t even know how I’m gonna function without that person in my life.

She continues:

I’ve never lived my life as a famous person without him. It is something that I am dealing with publicly and it’s not easy. I’m also not gonna joke about it or try to disrespect him, and try to act like he didn’t mean the world to me, and still doesn’t mean the world to me. I’m just figuring it out.

Nicki seems to be reflecting her thoughts through new music, while Scaff Beezy wrapped up his feelings in a single sentence:

We will always love each other no matter what. Peace n that’s the last I’ll say ’bout it.

The post Nicki Minaj ‘Happily Never After’ With Safaree appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Nicki Minaj unites with her Young Money team on her latest “Only”, the third single from her album The Pink Print. The cut features her YMCMB counter parts Drake and Lil Wayne. Chris Brown is also featured on the hook, this is the first time he and Drake have appeared on a track together since their infamous beef. The star-studded track is produced by Dr. Luke, Cirkut and J. Mike who successfully created a killer beat. Unfortunately, we have heard stronger verses from the Young Money team. Nicki’s album, The Pink Print, recently got pushed back from November 24 to December 15th. Get into the track below.

The post New Music: Nicki Minaj Feat. Drake, Lil Wayne & Chris Brown – “Only” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Yesterday, Lil Wayne announced that his upcoming album, Tha Carter V, will be released on Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and Republic Records on October 28, 2014.

Back in August, Weezy gave fans a taste of the album by releasing the official album artwork (seen above). Tha Carter V is a continuation of the rapper’s story in Tha Carter IV and is the artists eleventh studio album to date.

So far, Wayne has dropped “Believe Me” and “Grindin,” both collaborations with Drake that were promoted on the Drake vs. Lil Wayne Tour. In August, Wayne released the official video for third single, “Krazy,” which features the artist going off his rocker in a mental health institution among a patient population of old, white people.

Watch the videos for “Krazy” and “Grindin” below and stay tuned for Tha Carter V due out on the 28th.

The post Lil Wayne announces release date for “Tha Carter V” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

25 & 24: Rich Homie Quan: “Put your ass to sleep, baby girl tempur-pedic” / Young Thug: “Let the lil bitch come roll me like tempur-pedic” (“Beat It”)

Guess these guys were on the same comfy page that day.

23. Young Thug: “Baby, give me hat, Oops I meant head” (“I Got”)

When mistakes (or “mistakes”) become breakthroughs.

22. Young Thug: “When the kids in town, tell em never ever use daddy’s dishes” (“I Know It”)

Weird request, but they’ll definitely do what he says.

21. Rich Homie Quan: “He lucky I even used a condom / Wait, I even hit her in front of your children, stupid nigga! I’m lying” (“I Know It”)

We did tell you Quan can be mean. This is the foulest prank ever.

20. Young Thug: “I’ma keep one inside the chamber like Wilt” (“Tell Em [Lies]”)

Legend has it that Wilt had about 20,000 in the chamber.

19. Rich Homie Quan: “That lil ho retarded, had to nickname lil bitch.. tortoise” (“Beat It”)

Quan gets linguistic and literal.

18. Rich Homie Quan: “Milk Marie she got pretty pussy, call it pink cause a nigga fell in love with it” (“Milk Marie”)

Fewer lines of logic are harder to follow than this one, which is what makes it great.

17. Young Thug: “Split that money up in eight ways like I’m an octopus” (“Givenchy”)

Young Marine Biologist.

16. Young Thug: “Everything come out your mouth is a fairy, no tooth” (“730”)

A hilarious stretch of a line.

15. Young Thug: “Ice skating like Lupe Fiasco / Ima stack then hundreds tall no Rango” (“See You”)

One point for rhyming and pairing those wildly different references, and another for the fact that Thug (probably) was referencing The Cool specifically.

14. Young Thug: “Put that lil bitch on her feet, no Bengay” (“Beat It”)

No one would have thought of Bengay, but we’re still glad he clarified.

13. Rich Homie Quan: “Baby I’m the hot dog, you can be the relish” (“War Ready”)

Pickup-line innovator extraordinaire.

12. Rich Homie Quan: “Just met a lil bitch with a long name, muthafucka had more letters than Tennessee” (“Bullet”)

It’s not hard to picture that aggravatingly long name just following Quan around like a dark cloud until he arrived at the studio,  and out came this gem.

11. Young Thug: “That pussy wet she gotta dry it outdoors” (“Freestyle”)

Even with all the “pussy so wet” lines out there, Thugger found still found a new, funnier one.

10. Young Thug: “She gon’ look over these bitches like terms and conditions” (“Tell Em [Lies]”)

Even YMCMB superstars have to scroll and click to get to their iTunes.

9. Young Thug: “I’m bangin’ red like strawberries” (“Imma Ride”)

The first and only time Bloods have been compared to strawberries.

8. Rich Homie Quan: “Did a show in Boston drinking lean out a tea cup” (“Beat It”)

A whole new meaning for “Boston Tea Party.”

7. Young Thug: “Got more loud than a parade” (“Pull Up”)

Parades do sure have a lot of loud.

6. Young Thug: “Swear to God I think a blunt came with my shoes / (That’s the way they laced)” (“Pull Up”)

Dope shoes.

5. Young Thug: “She ain’t know what time it was ’til I bought her first clock” (“Givenchy”)

This line is all sorts of absurd, but also clever as hell, which Thugger doesn’t get quite enough credit for.

4. Young Thug: “My weed is loud and you smokin’ libraries” (“Imma Ride”)

You know the Gang was laughing their collective asses off when Thug spit this.

3. Rich Homie Quan: “I don’t wanna fuck with her, if she ain’t gon’ keep it” (“Beat It”)

That’s a bold fucking condition, Quan.

2. Young Thug: “I ain’t never been in love, I don’t know how pain feel” (“Freestyle”)
This one isn’t quite as absurd as the rest, but the fact that this startling and introspective line comes just a moment before #11 on this list is enough for us to count it as outrageous.

1. Young Thug: “No copy but her face I paste” (“Pull Up”)

Clever. Nasty. Surprising. Rich Gang.

The post The 25 Most Outrageous Lines From ‘Rich Gang Tha Tour Part 1’ appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Competition has always been a part of Hip-Hop. It was one of the driving factors that made the genre what it is today. From the days of Harlem block parties where emcees and DJs alike would battle for the crowd’s approval to the recent rise of battle leagues across the globe, competitive instinct comes with the genre. Proving that you were a better rapper than the next guy not only created a certain style unique to rap music, but it also sharpened each artist’s skills. It’s clear that in almost every rap song you hear, the rapper is claiming how he or she is superior in the game, whether lyrically, financially or all around hotter in these streets. It pushes rappers to be better at any capacity. However,  it doesn’t stop with just the rappers.

From top to bottom, our culture is filled with competition. CEOs of record labels, A&Rs, DJs, producers, writers, bloggers, clothing companies and even fans of Hip-Hop handle business in the most competitive way. Everyone is trying to prove they are the best at what they do. The Hip-Hop culture is quite possibly the only genre of music where  competition is completely visible all the way through. Just try and imagine a country star dropping a verse like “Control”; wouldn’t happen in a million years.

So if Hip-Hop is so competitive in every which way, why aren’t live shows? Can a live Hip-Hop show display that street battle vibe? Well, according to Lil Wayne and Drake, it can.

The Young Money frontmen just concluded a 31 show tour entitled Drake vs. Lil Wayne. The concept of the show was to have the two rap mega stars battle back and forth with their slew of hits. Themed after Capcom’s street fighter design, the two rappers would each have turns battling the other for ultimate crowd reaction. For the whole night they would go song for song until one of them eventually won. For starters, the odds of either rapper winning on any given night was so close because of their obvious individual catalogues. That being said, each show was so even split in terms of love for each rapper. On top of that, they created an app which fans going to the shows could download which would give them the opportunity to decide which rapper started the show and who won at the end of it all. An official Twitter account was also created to let fans from around the world know the score throughout the tour.

So why should this tour matter to Hip-Hop? For starters, it brought back competitive edge that fans say is missing. The tour’s vibe was way different than anything seen before because it pitted two stars against each other. Normally, massive tours like these whether with one rapper or multiple, tend to get redundant in terms of setlist, crowd reaction and outcome. This tour brought people back to the days when their favorite local emcees would battle at the house party to insurmountable acclaim. The only thing different here is that those local rappers are Drake and Lil Wayne, and that house party is a massive concert venue. Luckily, that priceless vibe remains the same. Concert goers claimed that it really felt as if they were trying their best to win. Both rappers legitimately wanted to defeat the other and control the majority of the show; a quality that Hip-Hop was built on.

It was also the first Hip-Hop live show to have total interactivity with fans. Just as in a street battle or slam poetry session, the crowd decided who’s hot and who’s not. Again, the setting might be a little different, but the ability for fans to control the outcome of a major rap concert is almost revolutionary. Being able to decide who comes out first and who wins the entire show with a touch of a button increases the fan experience exponentially.

In closing, the Drake vs. Lil Wayne tour reinforces the notion that it’s okay to be competitive in Hip-Hop. These days it seems as if rappers are too concerned with getting features for their upcoming albums rather than focusing on winning over a crowd. It is clear to see that you don’t have to be enemies to be competitive. Drake and Lil Wayne are potentially the most loyal pairing in rap today and the fact that they just battled each other for crowd support is refreshing. By them putting on this tour, all kinds of doors open for more healthy competition outlets. Rappers know that competition is just as valued to the culture than any other aspect; all they need to do is embrace it.

The post The Significance of the Drake vs. Lil Wayne Tour appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

A common complaint in hip-hop today is the fact the music is losing its authenticity. Hip-Hop heads from the Internet to the barber shops seem to claim that the “lyrical” substance in rap music has exponentially declined over the years and in turn is ruining the genre as a whole. To an extent, they’re right —  in the sense that Hip-Hop is no longer solely about lyrical displays of brilliance and conscious messages. Something that needs to be realized is that Hip-Hop is diverse. In this day and age, Hip-Hop is quite possibly the most diversified genre of music on the planet. There are more sub-genres than you can count and it seems like a new lane is being opened every single day. The genre is no longer just for America’s urban youth. Everyone and their mom is listening to rap music, from Compton to Calcutta.

With all that being said, there is one hip-hop label that has always kept it authentic: Cash Money Records. Established in 1991, Cash Money artists have been giving the game hit after hit for more than two decades. They have prided themselves on making the type of Hip-Hop you can get excited about. Ever since day one they have made people bounce to their summer anthems, club hits and braggadocios bars. Their artists may not be the most “traditional” of emcees, but their song making ability is unrivaled. They have mastered the art of mixing the values Hip-Hop was built on with new age style that can definitely move a crowd. The label has multiple branches and collectives including Young Money and Last Kings among others, but the new focal point of the label comes in the form of rapper collective Rich Gang.

Rich Gang includes basically everyone who falls under the Cash Money records umbrella. The supergroup released its debut, self-titled project last summer to mediocre acclaim. It featured contributions from almost every Cash Money Records artist atop a plethora of features. In all honesty, it sounded more like a “popular rapper” compilation than a exclusively Rich Gang LP. However, this past week, they switched the script and dropped a follow up mixtape: Tha Tour Part 1.

So what’s new? For starters, they have trimmed the roster down. This particular mixtape only features rhymes from Birdman, Rich Homie Quan and Young Thug. Sounds like a recipe for success, and it is. The name of the tape derives from the upcoming tour these three are commencing November 1. Their chemistry is obvious and can be seen on their Billboard hit “Lifestyle.” However, even though they are heavily affiliated, neither Quan nor Young Thug are signed to Cash Money. At first this may pose a problem of legitimacy but as you listen to the tape, you can see how perfect the fit really is. The other thing that sets this mixtape apart from their previous release is that it contains a consistent sound. Often with compilation albums the production is all over the place with contributions from a multitude of different beat makers. For example, on Rich Gang’s first album, the sounds ranged from Boi-1da’s vivid horns and samples all the way to The Runners bass heavy rumblers. It’s good to have variety but too many sounds can cripple an album’s flow. Luckily for Tha Tour Part 1, most of the production is handled by in-house producer London On Da Track. Not only does this give the mixtape more consistency, it makes for way better listen.

The 20 track mixtape starts off with your run of the mill Birdman intro which is to be expected. His job on this mixtape seems to be more host than actual contributor. He has a verse here and there but the spotlight is really on Rich Homie and Thug. The first track itself, entitled “Givenchy,” turns into one of the mixtape’s most honest where Quan and Thug give their rendition of a gangster ballad to all the females that hold them down while they are out in the streets. Even though the whole tape has good song sequence and flow, it seems to be top heavy with hits. Songs like “War Ready,” “See You” and “Flava” are easily the strongest and come within the first 25 minutes of the project. Amongst those few opening tracks is the tape’s best, “I Know It.” The song has a very retro concept to it that brings back that old Louisiana bounce vibe. The use of the spikey synths topped with hoppy horns and Young Thug’s melodic rhyme schemes channels memories of that old Juvenile and Lil Boosie feel; something the game has been missing.

In terms of lyrical content, Tha Tour Part 1 gives you exactly what you would expect. There is nothing remarkably special about their messages or verses but that’s almost the best part. Thug and Rich Homie go back and forth on multiple tracks talking about everything from girls to clubs to popping bottles and everything in between. It isn’t so much what they are saying but how they are saying it. Both Thug and Rich Homie have ultimately mastered the new age Auto-Tune use. Making their delivery more dark and murky rather than high octave oriented makes for a good sonic combination. As you dive deeper into the tape you can hear some slower cuts that really showcase the duo, especially Thug’s, attention to beat matching. It seems as if every single pop on the drum or snap of the snare matches perfectly with each cadences and vocal tone rapped. Standout bars including Young Thug’s third verse on “Imma Ride” just goes to show where these guys are at style wise: “I’m bangin’ red like strawberries/I told your bitch ain’t goin’ steady/My weed is loud and you smokin’ libraries/I got a thing for that fetti/All my diamonds green like lettuce/And what you worth to me? Petty/Let’s get it.” The rhymes are perhaps typical but the way in which he has pieced it together is almost poetic.

If there is something to take away from Rich Gang’s Tha Tour Part 1, it’s that hip-hop has layers. Among the critical view of “turn up” rap music, Rich Gang and the good folks over at Cash Money Records have always realized that that style has a life of its own in the clubs. They have mastered the art of creating club records that give people a reason to get excited about rap music; something that is obvious on the mixtape. Sure, they don’t give ground level perspectives on the socio-economic landscape of America or anything of the sort but they aren’t trying to. They aren’t concerned with solving world issues with their words and that is their prerogative. In order to fully enjoy this mixtape, you have to know what you’re getting into. If you are in the mood for braggadocious lines and Auto-Tune heavy hooks that make you want to pop bottles in Miami, then Rich Gang’s Tha Tour Part 1 mixtape is for you.

The post Mixtape Review: Rich Gang – Tha Tour Part 1 appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The Summer is coming to a sad end but as New Yorkers we very well know that we must go out with a bang first! And we sure will with the hottest party to happen in NYC. Forever Fresh, S.O.B.’s and Noizy Cricket have put together a ’90s VS Naughts Yacht Party to take place this upcoming Saturday, August 16th at 10:30 p.m. on the Luxury Infinity Yacht at Pier 40, 353 West Street.

As you can see on the flyer above, it’s going to be one hell of a night! And we are prepared to give one lucky person a pair of tickets to attend. All of you high rollers that enjoy a good time on a yacht, hit us up on Twitter and enter to win! The contest is running from today up until Thursday, 12 p.m. EST. You must hit us up on Twitter and tell us what your favorite ’90s hip hop song is. And for those of you that don’t win, you can always purchase tickets to attend. Good luck!

The post Contest: Win a Pair of Tickets to the 90s VS Naught Yacht Party appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.