INTERVIEWS: Rick Ross Tells Birdman To Pull Up, Explains Idols Become Rivals Diss & Lil Wayne, Port Of Miami 2

Rick Ross Tells Birdman To Pull Up, Explains Idols Become Rivals Diss & Lil Wayne, Port Of Miami 2

INTERVIEWS: FUTURE’S FULL INTERVIEW WITH ZANE LOWE

FUTURE’S FULL INTERVIEW WITH ZANE LOWE

PART 1

PART 2

INTERVIEWS: FUTURE OPENS UP ABOUT ‘HNDRXX,’ ‘MY COLLECTION,’ & FATHERHOOD

FUTURE OPENS UP ABOUT ‘HNDRXX,’ ‘MY COLLECTION,’ & FATHERHOOD

Before dropping his second album in two weeks, Future sat down with Zane Lowe on Beats 1 for part two of their Q&A.

“It’s a special time for me and music,” explained the “Draco” rapper. “I’m glad we got a chance to put everything out, the way we did it, the way we set it up. Me to be able to give this second part to Future, which is Future HNDRXX, I believe it’s spectacular. I’m excited for the fans.”

According to Future, this one will be quite different from the self-titled LP, which is set to top next week’s charts.

“I believe HNDRXX is more personal,” he said. “This is the Honest album I was supposed to have been honest about. When it was time to have the Honest album [in 2014], I was like, ‘Okay.’ I was just using it as a title instead of being able to actually be honest in the music. This is it. This is HNDRXX. This is me opening up and letting it all out so I can moved past it and certain things, I won’t have to speak on it again.”

One of the songs Future will be candid on is the Metro Boomin-produced opener, “My Collection,” a “special” cut that apparently may ruffle some feathers.

“It might get attention,” he said. “It might get more attention than I want it to get, it might get attention I thought it wouldn’t get, it might get the wrong attention, it might get great attention. Who knows? I just know it’s a song I feel good about. I feel great about everything that I’m saying. Whenever you deliver on tracks, to not hold nothing back, and this is me not holding anything back…People might react to it different. They might tweet about it different. Or however somebody might think it’s directed to them…I hate that I have to be the person that touch on their life and be personal and direct with certain situations but I’m glad it’s me than anybody else.”

While “My Collection” is said to be personal, Hendrix says he hopes others take from it as well. “It made me express myself,” he said. “I feel like anyone can relate to something on the song. It’s not just for me…I don’t quite frankly think it’s touching on one specific person. I feel like it’s for everyone who can relate.”

According to Future, he was able to make so much music in such a short time span because he’s “obsessed with making music” and “addicted to the studio.” But that comes at a cost. At times, it’s kept him away from his children, Prince, Londyn, and Future Zahir.

“You gotta sacrifice so much, even the times with your kids,” he explained. “You have to just do music and you’re becoming this entertainer and so many people require so much of your time for different things, different obligations you have to make money, or just different obligations you have as a person in whatever the situation may be. You gotta leave town and miss out on certain things, that you feel like you should be there. Like, your dad should be a part of this moment. I gotta be like, ‘Damn, man, your daddy really a superstar and entertainer.’ My kids gotta understand, they gotta make a sacrifice, having a superstar dad. My career choice is my career choice. Just stepping out of that zone, to be able to be a provider. I understand my position as a provider and my role as a dad also…Just being able to be comfortable with it. Everybody wanna be a super dad and the best dad ever but sometimes, I’m just realizing that I’m not perfect.”

HNDRXX, a follow-up to last week’s Future featuring Rihanna and The Weeknd, is due Friday (Feb. 24).

INTERVIEW: ScHoolboy Q's New Album Coming Soon

ScHoolboy Q's New Album Coming Soon

ScHoolboy Q dropped by Zane Lowe’s Beats 1 radio show Thursday afternoon and gave an update on his new album.

“I just left the studio like 3 hours ago,” he told Lowe. “I’m halfway done with it. I never been this inspired that fast.”

Q just dropped Blank Face LP last summer, but before the year ended, he said he’s ready to drop another project this year. He even talked about what the content of the next project would revolve around.

“It’s moreso my life after I made it to the point of ScHoolboy Q. I gave you me, but I never gave you the other side of me: the father, the dude that’s actually happy, the dude that doesn’t be in the hood just hanging out. The dude that’s trying to put his homies in position now. I’m not a deadbeat father anymore.”

He also talked to Lowe about his creative process, the GRAMMYs (for which he’s nominated for two, and Q acknowledged “they don’t put rappers like me in the GRAMMYs”), the progression of his albums, the importance of street rappers, the evolution of Los Angeles rap and more.

A bonus from the interview? He said he’s got a “bunch more new records” with Anderson .Paak ready to go. We’ll take as many as he’s willing to give us.

Listen to the full interview below.

                                      

FERGUSON NEWS: Ferguson Activist Schools CNN's "Wolf Blitzer" During Baltimore Interview "Broken Windows Are Worse Than Broken Spines?"

Ferguson Activist Schools CNN's "Wolf Blitzer" During Baltimore Interview "Broken Windows Are Worse Than Broken Spines?"

NEWS: Jay Z Wants TIDAL To "Extend The Album Cycle" & Restore "Fair Trade" In Music

Jay Z Wants TIDAL To "Extend The Album Cycle" & Restore "Fair Trade" In Music

Jay Z shares some insight into the goals of his new streaming service, TIDAL.

There was no way the announcement of TIDAL was going to go down without a surprise, but while plenty of people thought they had it figured out (an album drop from Rihanna or Kanye West), no one predicted the actual unveiling -- the huge cast of musicians who co-own the service.

Despite sharing ownership with Kanye West, Rihanna, Madonna, and many more, Jay Z's name has been attached to the service for the last few weeks, and it was Hov who gave the first interview on the goals of the company with Billboard today.

Jay revealed in the sit-down that he's attempting to make sure that everyone involved in music (those behind the scenes moreso than the artists) gets their fair share, as well as his goal to maintain a consistent output from artists that isn't limited to an album cycle.

Check out some excerpts from Jay's #NewRules below. Read the full interview here.

On restoring "fair trade" in music:

Definitely. For someone like me, I can go on tour. But what about the people working on the record, the content creators and not just the artists? If they’re not being compensated properly, then I think we’ll lose some writers and producers and people like that who depend on fair trade. Some would probably have to take another job, and I think we’ll lose some great writers in the process. Is it fair? No. If you put in work, everyone else, you go to work you get paid. That’s fair trade. It’s what our country is built on.

On what he wants out of TIDAL:

Artists come here and start making songs 18 minutes long, or whatever. I know this is going to sound crazy, but maybe they start attempting to make a “Like a Rolling Stone,” you know, a song that doesn't have a recognizable hook, but is still considered one of the greatest songs of all time, the freedom that this platform will allow art to flourish here. And we’re encouraging people to put it in any format they like. It doesn't have to be three minutes and 30 seconds. What if it’s a minute and 17, what if it’s 11; you know, just break format. What if it’s just four minutes of just music and then you start rapping?

On whether it will offer exclusives from artists:

Well, it’s up to the artist. You know, there’s a thing now, it’s called the album cycle. You put your single out, promote it, then another single -- I think that now for an artist an album cycle doesn’t have to end. They’re on Instagram and Twitter and all these things, so we’re just talking about ways of extending that album cycle, and it could be anything. What if it’s a video offering tickets to the next concert, or what if it’s audio or video of the recording process? It could be anything. It could be them at home listening to songs that inspire them. Anything they want to offer, you know; just be as creative as possible, that’s the only charge, really. Make it look really good and make everyone that consumes it think, “Man, I got something really great.” Treat the people with respect; make it memorable.

INTERVIEWS: Juvenile Interview With The Breakfast Club! Why Did He Sign With Cash Money Again, Lil Wayne & Birdman Situation & More

 Juvenile Interview With The Breakfast Club! Why Did He Sign With Cash Money Again, Lil Wayne & Birdman Situation & More

Juvenile on Power 105.1's The Breakfast Club.

VIDEOS: Kanye West 2015 Interview With Zane Lowe!

 Kanye West 2015 Interview With Zane Lowe!

BBC Radio 1: Zane Lowe meets Kanye West for the first time since their infamous 2013 interview. Containing strong language and adult themes throughout, this is Kanye West as he is right now. 

NEWS: Young Money Cypher & Interview Coming Soon?

Young Money Cypher & Interview Coming Soon?

A YMCMB cypher and interview maybe coming soon.

Yesterday photos surfaced online of Lil Wayne and his fellow YMCMB crew on the set of some sort of video shoot alongside frequent business partner Karen Civil. While it was unknown at the time what they we’re shooting, HHNM is reporting today that an exclusive cypher and interview is on the way.

According to reports, CivilTV will be directing this upcoming cypher and interview, which will presumably touch on the current status of YMCMB and their recent label woes. By the looks of the pictures, fans can expect to hear Weezy, Mack Maine, Gudda Gudda, Lil Twist, Cory Gunz and Flow all allegedly take turns on the mic. Unfortunately, there were no Drake or Nicki sightings in the pics, but you never know what could be up their sleeves.

Until we get further news or actual confirmation on this possible cypher & interview, be sure to check out Drizzy’s new surprise mixtape, If Youre Reading This Its Too Late. (Don’t forget Weezy’s Free Album is on the way too y’all.)

Peep photos in the gallery above.

NEWS: Bobby Shmurda Talks Jail, Stabbing Rumors & Bail From Behind Bars

Bobby Shmurda Talks Jail, Stabbing Rumors & Bail From Behind Bars

Bobby Shmurda speaks to Billboard from behind bars, detailing his case and life inside jail.

The latest bit of news we got from the Bobby Shmurda/GS9 trial came earlier this week, when we learned that the young rapper has had his bail revoked. Although he's still behind bars and without a bail option, Shmurda spoke toBillboard about life in jail, rumors that he had been stabbed, and his hopes for getting out. Read the interview below.

How is it in there?

It's survival, survival. Survival of the fittest.

Has it been hard on you?

Not that hard. I get a lot of love in here.

People in there know who you are and know "Hot Boy"?

Yeah, everybody. Every time I walk the halls, I see people and they yell out "Ah Ah!" or something.

There are so many rumors, like, that you got stabbed.

It's nothing but rumors, man. I'm good. Everybody knows I'm good. I'm chilling. We over here -- we over here thugging it out, man. [Laughs.]

Your mother and your lawyer are working hard to get you out on bail. Are you hopeful about that?

Uhhh… We're trying, but right now I think the DA and the judge and everyone in the court is being biased. It's so crazy. The favoritism, yeah. They don't have no evidence, no nothing on me for the bill to be so high. I haven't been out for a year, I haven't been around for a year. So I didn't make two million dollars! [Laughs] They gave me a bill they know I can't pay. We can pay the 10 percent. And we tried to pay the 10 percent and they told us collateral. And every time we go for bail, it's something new.

Your last hearing was Jan. 29. What were you thinking in court?

When I see the judge and the DA, I just see a bunch of people [who are] trying to take my life away for being blessed. That's what I look at when I look at them. It looks like a bunch of haters.

How do you feel about the other people who are your co-defendants? Have you been in touch with them at all?

Some of them I don't know. Some of them I do know. They just started picking anybody out of the neighborhood. They got me locked up with -- I've seen, I don't know, probably like six people here. I don't even know everybody. It's crazy.

Besides your mother, who have you been in touch with?

I talked to Meek [Mill]. I talked to French [Montana]. I talked to Migos. I stay in contact with people.

What are you planning to do when you get out?

Write some platinum songs. [Laughs.] Finish up this deal I got with Epic.

Do you have a message for your fans?

Yeah. Keep your head up. Everybody goes through tough times and good times. You know what, tough times don't last forever. I say, God makes his toughest battles for his strongest soldiers.

[via]

INTERVIEWS: Unlce Murda Interview With The Breakfast Club! Talks Beef With Bill O'Reilly, Issues With The Police, Hearing K Michelle's Pussy Stinks & More

Unlce Murda Interview With The Breakfast Club! Talks Beef With Bill O'Reilly, Issues With The Police, Hearing K Michelle's Pussy Stinks & More

Uncle Murda on Power 105.1's The Breakfast Club. 

INTERVIEWS: Uncle Murda On The Breakfast Club

Uncle Murda On The Breakfast Club

NEWS: A$AP Rocky Speaks On A$AP Yams' Death

 A$AP Rocky Speaks On A$AP Yams' Death

A$AP Rocky speaks at length on the death of A$AP Yams for the first time.

If you've followed A$AP Rocky's career, you know A$AP Yams has always loomed over it. From creative decisions, to promotion, to production choices, Yams was always around. The two were also good friends, or "brothers" as Rocky described their relationship in a recent Instagram post, so it was clear that the rapper would be deeply affected by Yams' sudden passing. Billboard caught up with Flacko, following the screening of his acting debut, "Dope", as well as a short musical performance at Sundance.

"That performance --that was just going to stop me from crying," he said, explaining why he decided to cut his set short. "I had to address it, because the whole time I was rapping and I wasn't into it, which is sad, but I just gotta keep it real. I can't front. It's even harder knowing that I gotta fly out in less than an hour just to go bury him. That's the part that eats at me."

Rocky later cleared up assumption-based rumors that Yams had passed from a drug overdose. "People were saying that Yams overdosed on drugs --he didn't overdose on any drugs," he explained. "I feel like people feel that way because that's all he's in pictures doing. When you see A$AP Yams you see Hennessey or purple drink, you see some type of controlled substance or illegal narcotic."

As far as the rapper's next project, Yams is still serving as executive producer, alongside celebrated musician Dangermouse. "I'm really intrigued for people to hear how that combination sounds. Yams manifested his powers into it."

INTERVIEWS: Producer Sonny Digital Speaks On Being Nominated For A Grammy For "Tuesday", How Artists Get Swerved When Asking For A Beat & More (Hot 97 Interview)

Producer Sonny Digital Speaks On Being Nominated For A Grammy For "Tuesday", How Artists Get Swerved When Asking For A Beat & More (Hot 97 Interview)

INTERVIEWS: Kendrick Lamar Talks About TDE President, Punch, Releasing Music

Kendrick Lamar Talks About TDE President, Punch, Releasing Music

Watch Kendrick Lamar talk about Punch releasing new music.

Kendrick Lamar recently sat down with MTV News and talked about his TDE President, Punch, putting out music of his own lately. Praising his skills, K Dot told MTV that he was ecstatic that his TDE President is unleashing his inner musician for the fans.

K. Dot even says Punch has been nice with the rhymes for the past ten years. He’s quoted stating,

“Punch [has] always been a crazy lyricist aside from being a pioneer in the company. He always had the knack for music and that’s what inspires the actual company. Every body has so much passion for the art, it’s not just on the business end, so they know how to cater to the artists.”

“We’ve seen this a long time ago, [it's been] 10 years in the making. So him going out there and not being afraid to put these crazy records out — that we’ve been telling him [to] — it’s actually an achievement and I’m proud of it. Because talent, you can’t hide that.”

Check out the brief interview above, and if you haven’t heard Punch do his thing yet, then listen to all his recent releases right here.

Get More: Music News

INTERVIEWS: Kevin Hart Interview With The Breakfast Club! Feelings On Sony Exec. Calling Him A "Greedy Whore", Will He Be A Comedy Legend? & More

 Kevin Hart Interview With The Breakfast Club! Feelings On Sony Exec. Calling Him A "Greedy Whore", Will He Be A Comedy Legend? & More

Kevin Hart on Power 105.1's The Breakfast Club

INTERVIEWS: Rae Sremmurd Talk Kendrick Lamar Tweet & "Unlock The Swag"

Rae Sremmurd Talk Kendrick Lamar Tweet & "Unlock The Swag"

Rae Sremmurd reflect on all the love they've received since dropping their debut album "SremmLife."

It's not often that the reclusive TDE rapper Kendrick Lamar tweets, so when he does, twittersphere pays attention. This was the case three days ago when K. Dot surreptitiously tweeted lyrics from Rae Sremmurd's album cut "Unlock The Swag." Basically, it meant Kendrick had been listening to the album and enjoying it, a definite co-sign for the fast-rising duo, at least for those who know the reference.

The simple tweet, "Unlock duh Shwag, Shwaa Unlock," has since been retweeted over 6,000 times. It was definitely not a bad way for Rae Sremmurd to start their day, especially considering it was the day their album dropped. Kendrick isn't alone in helping promote SremmLife on twitter (or any other social media platform for that matter). Artists like Chance The Rapper, Nas, Future, Nicki Minaj and more have all shown their support for the two brothers. We caught up with them the other day to find out how they've been feeling since their debut album dropped.

The duo spoke about seeing the plethora of tweets from fellow rappers in the game, expressing their excitement at all the love they've received.

"No matter who it is, I just be like, damn that's crazy. Cause we came from the mud, it just feel crazy," Swae Lee started. "Nas hit me inside of the head, when I seen that Nas did, that hit me inside of the head. When the God shout you out, man, you gotta respect that," continued Jimmy.

As for that Kendrick tweet, Swae Lee said, "That's crazy bro. That's like a big moment in history right there for us." As per usual, Slim Jimmy continued his train of thought, saying,  "I feel like I woke up at 4'oclock in the morning, and started hitting the punching bag."

"That's how he made the song, matter of fact," Swae Lee added. "Unlock the swag, [he] just did that, and then went in the booth and dropped the hook...It's basically turning your juice up, what everybody gotta do every day anyways, they gotta wake up, turn your juice up. Before you even wake up, you unlock the swag, then you wake up."

They cap off the interview by discussing rowdy female fans who ask to have their boobs autographed/put their hands down the rappers' pants. Watch it in full below.

NEWS: Fabolous Addresses Drake Diss

Fabolous Addresses Drake Diss

Fabolous says that Drake's Rolling Stone comments did not get to him.

Fabolous said that he cleared the air with Drake after the Canadian rapper mentioned him in a Rolling Stone article, according to an MTV interview posted today (December 29).

“Not to keep adding to an old story, but I spoke to Drake a little while after,” Fabolous says in the video. “I ran into him at a Jordan Brand event and he was disgusted by how press will kinda instigate a story — make it seem worse than it was for the sake of being story.”

Fabolous references Drake’s published comments in his interview with Rolling Stone published in Februray. The article delves into Drake’s thoughts on Hip Hop artists such as Jay Z and Kanye West.

"There were some real questionable bars on there," Drake says in the interview. "Like that Swag-hili line? Come on man, man. Even Fabolous wouldn’t say some shit like that."

Fabolous says Drake apologized to him over the comments.

“He apologized that I was even brought into that whole mess," Fabolous says. "I was shocked. Out of that conversation where they were talking about Jay and Kanye, for my name to come up in that mix, it definitely seemed like it was spoken up. It’s over. It’s under the bridge. I got a lot of respect for what Drake does and he’s expressed to me personally, so we move on from there.”

Fabolous says that he spoke with Drake in person, rather than airing his feelings over social media.

“I actually just bumped into him,” Fabolous says in the interview. “I wasn’t even too much tripping on it because I didn’t know how much truth to it there was. In my young twitter days, I might have fired a remark back but now I’d rather chop it up.”

Fab says that he is critical of the media’s willingness to sensationalize words.

“As a young artist, you gotta experience that before you understand that they will take your words and either flip ‘em,” Fab says. “It might’ve been a light part of the conversation, but they use it as the strength to sell the story, to sensationalize the story.”

Fabolous’ '90s-themed album The Young OG Project dropped last week, to a 3.5 from HHDX.

In late 2013 Fabolous told Sway’s Universe that Drake inspires him.

"But sometimes I need something that's gonna push me in a different direction, like 'Yo, that guy said something that touched me' I told Drake, Fabolous says. “Drake is one of those guys who's from this generation, but he can rap. No matter what you say about the kid, he can rap."

via.[HHDX]

Get More: Fabolous, Music News

NEWS: BOBBY SHMURDA TALKS FAKE PROMOTERS, GROUPIE LOVE & THE SHMURDA MOVIE

BOBBY SHMURDA TALKS FAKE PROMOTERS, GROUPIE LOVE & THE SHMURDA MOVIE

INTERVIEW: The LOX: We've Never Fallen Off Lyrically, We're Always Nice

The LOX: We've Never Fallen Off Lyrically, We're Always Nice

 The LOX spoke with Jenny Boom Boom about the longevity of their careers as a loyal group in this clip from their exclusive interview with VladTV.

They reflected on the fun they have while constantly touring, and how they perform in front of packed crowds even if they don't have a new album out to boost their hype. Throughout the years, regardless of if they've been viewed as the hottest rappers out or not, the LOX strongly believe that they're one of the few who've never fallen off lyrically.