SHORT FILM: Drake - Obey Your Thirst (Episode 1)

Drake - Obey Your Thirst (Episode 1)

Drake is a superstar—the only guy who could dethrone Taylor Swift on the charts with a mixtape. In a rare interview, he spoke with The FADER.

Coming up in Toronto, people told Drake to move to New York if he was serious about making it. Instead, he stayed where he was and made history by proving that if you’re a truly multi-layered artist, you can make it from anywhere. “Do it the way I did it," he says in the above Obey Your Thirst documentary. "Do it from where you’re at. If you have the music, that's all it takes."

Now, at the top of his game, Drake says he competes not with established legends or other top-sellers, but with the countless kids itching to take his spot.

Now that hip-hop's playing field is more open than ever before, Drake knows 
there are countless kids itching to take his spot. Those up-and-comers are now his competition, not any established rapper. “That’s how I try to keep pushing this forward,” he says. “Just to let that kid know that I’m not done yet.” Watch the full documentary above, and stay tuned for three more by Sprite and The FADER, sharing the stories of Nas, Vince Staples, and Isaiah Rashad.

http://www.thefader.com/2015/06/24/dr...

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NEWS: Tink Covers The Fader

Tink Covers The Fader

Tink covers the new issue of The Fader.

Tink is poised for success. With Timbaland backing the rapper-slash-singer, and a strong buzz thanks to the producer leaking a few records during a Breakfast Club sit-down last year, she has the rap game's full attention. The Fader capitalizes on that today by nabbing the soon-to-be star for the cover of their new issue.

For the interview, The Fader heads to Chicago to visit the suburban home that Tink grew up in, where she lives to this day, with her parents. We get to hear about Tink's beginnings in music, how she connected with Timbaland (and eventually signed to his imprint Mosley Music Group), as well as her upcoming debut album due out via Mosley/Epic.

"Before I met Timbaland, I didn't have a specific sound," she says during the interview. "I was just fishing for beats in my email, picking out things I liked. With Timbaland, it's a bit more organized."

She also speaks on the female competition within the game, "There's a broad range of male rappers, so if they're going out on a limb and they sound different, it's okay because we have twenty other rappers doing what the radio wants. As far as females, there aren't as many, so if you want to compete, you have to sound just like this because that's the only thing hot right now. If you want to compete, you have to look like this."

Read the full interview here.

VIDEOS: Inside Miguel's L.A. Home!

Inside Miguel's L.A. Home!

At Home With Miguel, presented by Sonos and The FADER. 

NEWS: Bobby Shmurda's Attorney Speaks On Case, Says Bobby's On Rikers Island

Bobby Shmurda's Attorney Speaks On Case, Says Bobby's On Rikers Island

Bobby Shmurda's attorney, Howard Greenberg, speaks on the case against Bobby, revealing that he spent Christmas in prison on Rikers Island.

Since Bobby Shmurda and members of GS9's indictment last week, we haven't gotten much new information about their case, as no news about bail has surfaced. Yesterday, Shmurda's attorney, Howard Greenberg, spoke to The FADER about his client's whereabouts, potential release on bail and the (in his opinion) "bullshit" nature of the charges. Read his interview below.

So where is your client now?

He is on Rikers Island. I'm on my way up there as we're speaking. He was visiting with family today for Christmas Eve. [Note: in a follow up call, Greenberg said he wasn't able to see Pollard on Wednesday because he was busy with another visitor.]

After Pollard was arrested, you said that Epic was working on putting up his $2 million bail. Is there any news on that front?

There is no news. We're just trying to put something else together now.

Can you tell me why you think the NYPD has gone after Bobby?

The government hates rap and the government hates rappers. They construct a narrative and add rationalizations to make it seem true. They recruit guiltless and loveless people to whom truth is meaningless and convince them to say what they want to say. These people are jealous of a brother on the way up.

Do you think the prosecution would try to use any of his lyrics or videos as evidence at trial?

I don't put anything past these guys.

Do you have any thoughts on the text of the indictment? 

I've analyzed the indictment down to the bone. It's just talking. Bobby shouldn't be charged with anything. I have told your colleagues in the media, the indictment is a bunch of bullshit. First 41 pages are just kids talking, in not even english. Bobby isn't charged with anything except talk in the indictment.

The prosecutors have listed two social media posts in the indictment. Recently, police have leaned on social media heavily to prove young New Yorkers guilty of gang activity. Do you think they'll use social media posts at trial? 

Of course. It's just because they don't know how to respect a person.

Any other thoughts?

My guy's rich, he's busy. He's always on tour. He's supposedly leader of this crew, but he's not charged with any violence. Use your head, it doesn't make any sense. I'm not going to let them crucify Bobby Shmurda.

VIDEOS: Trey Songz: Earlier That Day

Trey Songz: Earlier That Day

INTERVIEWS: Ab-Soul Takes Karen Civil On A Tour Of LA

Ab-Soul Takes Karen Civil On A Tour Of LA

DE's Ab-Soul shows Karen Civil where he loves to shop and eat in Los Angeles for The FADER and Reebok Classic's Coast To Coast series.