Illmac & Dizaster Face Off As Condiments In Animated Rap Battle

Underground rapper and battle rap legend Illmac dropped an animated video on his YouTube channel on Monday (May 28) depicting a URL/KOTD style battle event going down inside a refrigerator, between condiment bottles. The crudely-done cartoon, reminiscent of Adult Swim’s lo-fi aesthetic, showcases the classic rivalry between ketchup and mustard coming to a head.

Ketchup is voiced by world-famous battle rapper Dizaster, who bars out with lines like, “Since you run with butter/ My toast will never jam like your buddy Smuckers.” Illmac himself plays Mustard and admirably holds his own against the scowling, red opponent, “Somethin’ squirtin’ if I see Ketchup pack it/ And tear his top off, like a ketchup packet.”

Illmac spoke to HipHopDX about the birth of this idea:

“I was smoking with the homie Bobby Bucher, bored at the studio. I was making a sandwich … And he came in like, ‘Yao let’s battle as Ketchup and Mustard.’ We battled on some high freestyle shit. Then a few months ago I was brainstorming ideas for new YouTube series and that popped into my head. I knew to pull it off the way I wanted it to it had to be a cartoon … to maintain more of a surreal, unique vibe.”

Illmac is treating this like a pilot to a potential series. “We’re going to shop it around to see what we can really do with it. We’re super hyped on the final product,” he says.

He explained there are several other episodes mapped out, and, while he can’t confirm one way or the other what will make the final cut, some ideas that have been thrown around are ‘Dog vs Cat,’ ‘Mullet vs Man Bun,’ and ‘Peanut Butter vs Jelly.’

The short was produced by Illmac and Andres Salaff, who also did the animation. Illmac and Dizaster recorded the voicework along with rapper/veteran battle organizer Lush One, who played the box of baking soda hosting the battle. Chase Moore is responsible for the intro and outro music. The background art was illustrated by Thomas Lynch III.

Check out the video, which is packed with sight-gags, puns, and food-related bars.

Article source: http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.47062/title.illmac-dizaster-face-off-as-condiments-in-animated-rap-battle

Hip Hop Album Sales: Lil Baby’s "Harder Than Ever" Makes Big Billboard 200 Debut

Lil Baby’s latest effort, Harder Than Ever, has made its Billboard 200 debut at #3 for the week ending May 24.

Elsewhere on the chart, South Korean boy band BTS and their latest album Love Yourself: Tear knocked Post Malone’s Beerbongs Bentleys out of the #1 spot, which was bumped to #2.

Further down the list, NAV’s Reckless entered in the Top 10, Playboi Carti’s Die Lit took a 57 percent dive, and 19-year-old newcomer Juice WRLD and his Goodbye Good Riddance project made its entrance at #15.

Big Moves For Lil Baby

2 Shows One Night Had To Hop On A Leer ?

A post shared by ??? ? (@lilbaby_1) on Apr 26, 2018 at 7:37pm PDT

With 71,108 total album equivalent units sold, 4,524 pure album sales and a streaming count of 97,187,972, Lil Baby’s newest project Harder Than Ever landed at the #3 in its first week. Released by Quality Control, Harder Than Ever serves as the follow-up to 2017’s Too Hard mixtape.

Lil Baby recently teamed up with Drake for “Yes Indeed,” which is the second single from the project.

NAV Makes Top 10 Debut

ATL next??

A post shared by Nav (@nav) on May 13, 2018 at 11:24am PDT

NAV and his new effort, Reckless, hit the chart at #8 with 36,401 total album equivalent units, 3,903 pure album sales and a streaming count of 47,685,520.

The project comes roughly 10 months after Perfect Timing, his collaborative mixtape with celebrated producer Metro Boomin. It debuted on the Billboard 200 at #13 with 30,000 total album equivalent sales in its first week.

Playboi Carti Takes A Tumble

*woke up like this .. *woke up like this ..

A post shared by @ playboicarti on Apr 11, 2017 at 11:39am PDT

Playboi Carti’s Die Lit plummeted 57 percent but still ended up at #10 in its third week. With 26,378 total album equivalent units sold, 544 pure album sales and a streaming count of 38,078,809, the album fell seven spots from the week ending May 17.

The platinum-selling rapper’s self-titled mixtape was released last year and moved 28,000 units in its first week.

Read the Die Lit review here. 

Top 10 Billboard 200 Rap RB Albums For The Week Ending 05/24/2018

Note: The first number below is this week’s “total album equivalent units” count, an intersection of album sales, single sales, and streams implemented by Billboard’s new rating system. A pure album sales figure is available in bold in parenthesis and information about each album’s streaming count is available in brackets.

  1. Post Malone — Beerbongs Bentleys — #2 — 122,954 (15,215) [151,302,953]
  2. Lil Baby — Harder Than Ever — #3 — 71,108 (4,524) [97,187,972]
  3. Cardi B — Invasion Of Privacy — #5 — 48,102 (3,501) [60,808,160]
  4. J. Cole — KOD — #7 — 41,318 (6,207) [51,062,890]
  5. NAV — Reckless — #8 — 36,401 (3,903) [47,685,520]
  6. Various Artists — Black Panther: The Album — #9 — 28,248 (5,466) [30,179,199]
  7. Playboi Carti – Die Lit — #10 — 26,378 (544) [38,078,809]
  8. Post Malone — Stoney — #11 — 25,994 (1,891) [33,730,829]
  9. Migos — Culture II — #12 —25,924 (1,380) [34,133,448]
  10. Juice WRLD — Goodbye Good Riddance — #15 — 23,538 (1,052) [32,413,835]

Article source: http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.47058/title.hip-hop-album-sales-lil-babys-harder-than-ever-makes-big-billboard-200-debut

Whitney Houston Estate Reacts To Pusha T’s Controversial "DAYTONA" Cover

The Whitney Houston Estate is reportedly reeling from Kanye West’s choice to use a photo of the late music icon’s drug-laden bathroom for the cover of Pusha T’s DAYTONA album.

In a statement obtained by Entertainment Tonight, the estate says it’s “extremely disappointed in Kanye’s choice. Even in Whitney’s death, we see that no one is exempt from the harsh realities of the world.”

Following the album’s May 25 release, Houston’s cousin Damon Elliott told People Magazine he was “disgusted,” while Houston’s nephew Gary Michael Houston defended West’s choice.

“The person who violated the trust of my aunt by taking the photo and selling it to tabloids for their own personal and/or financial gain is more of a travesty to me,” Gary Michael told Good Morning America. “People should research that — because whoever exposed it are the people who violated her trust, mistreated her, and who should ultimately be held accountable for contributing to circumstances surrounding her demise.”

West spent $85,000 to obtain the controversial photo, which was reportedly taken by a family member in 2006 when the legendary singer was in the depths of her drug addiction.

Whitney Houston died on February 11, 2012 in Beverly Hills.

(The original version of this article was published on May 26, 2018 and can be found below.)

The cover art Kanye West chose for Pusha T’s DAYTONA album isn’t sitting well with Whitney Houston’s family.

The image, which is a 2012 photo of Houston’s drug laden bathroom, has reportedly infuriated Houston’s cousin Damon Elliott. He told People Magazine he wasn’t aware of the album art until he got a call from his daughter.

“[She was] frantic,” Elliott said. “She sent me this picture from the album cover and I immediately got sick to my stomach because it took me right back to six years ago.”

The late pop icon passed away in 2012. According to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office, Houston’s death was caused by drowning and the “effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use.”

The image was a brutal reminder of the pain they felt finding out Houston was gone.

I finally got my album art… #DAYTONA 5/25

A post shared by Pusha T (@kingpush) on May 24, 2018 at 2:03pm PDT

“I was actually in shock because I’m in the music business,” he said. “I’ve watched the train wreck happening, but I didn’t think he’d [West] go this far in invading someone’s family privacy. To do something for a publicity stunt to sell records, it’s absolutely disgusting. It hurt my family and my daughter. It’s petty. It’s tacky.”

“I just want him to tell me why he did it,” he added. “What is the creative side of this? What’s the point? It shows no creativity.”

Elliott said he reached out to his mother, legendary singer Dionne Warwick, to warn her before she stumble on it herself. He said he has yet to hear from Houston’s mother Cissy Houston.

Embed from Getty Images
Elliott is demanding an apology from West and wants the cover art to be replaced by something else. If he gets a call from ‘Ye, he’s prepared with questions.

“What were you thinking?” he said. “Did you think this through? And if you did, why did you do this? Because you’re hurting people. It knocked the wind out of me last night. When someone passes, you try to mourn and move on and remember the good times.

“Why are you going to pay $85,000 to bring something to the forefront?”

In an interview with Angie Martinez, Pusha explained that West called him in the middle of the night and said he wanted to change the cover art. But the G.O.O.D. Music president didn’t want to pay the $85,000 it would cost to buy the photo. West then agreed to foot the bill.

Since DAYTONA’s Friday (May 25) release, the album has already stirred up plenty of controversy and sparked a seething diss track from Drake.

Article source: http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.47019/title.whitney-houstons-cousin-calls-kanye-west-pusha-ts-daytona-cover-art-disgusting

Pusha T Claims Drake Is A Deadbeat Dad On "The Story Of Adidon" Diss Track

Hot 97’s Funkmaster Flex aired Pusha T’s response to Drake’s seething diss track on Tuesday (May 29) titled “The Story Of Adidon.”

Over JAY-Z’s beat for “The Story Of O.J.,” the G.O.O.D Music president accuses Drake of hiding a son and being a “deadbeat” father. He also says he’s “angry and full of lies” as he tells Drizzy’s father Dennis Graham to “stay off the ‘Gram.”

Pusha goes on to allege the Toronto superstar has a hidden son with nude video model Sophie Brussaux. She reportedly said the conception took place in January and accused the 6 God of ordering her to get an abortion.

Instagram/sophieknowsbetterInstagram/sophieknowsbetter

The back-and-forth kicked off last week when Pusha fired shots at Drake and Cash Money CEO Bryan “Birdman” Williams on the DAYTONA cut “Infrared” and Drake retaliated with the “Duppy Freestyle.”

Listen to “The Story of Adidon” above and check the full lyrics below via Genius.

Article source: http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.47059/title.pusha-t-claims-drake-is-a-deadbeat-dad-on-the-story-of-adidon-diss-track

Turkish Rapper Ezhel Arrested For Allegedly Promoting Drug Use With Lyrics

Turkish rapper Ezhel was arrested on May 25 for the charge of “promoting use of drugs,” according to The Independent. The arrest came after he was released on probation last month.

Ezhel’s manager Riza Okcu told The Independent, “writing a song cannot be a crime — the government should arrest the real criminals. Rap music tells the truth about what happens in the streets.”

Ezhel can face five to ten years in prison for promoting drug use, according to Bianet. With support from fans and popular venue Babylon, the hashtag #FreeEzhel was trending at #1 in Turkey on the night of his arrest.

KOVL, a collective Ezhel started with producers Buggy and DJ Artz, stated that Ezhel turned himself in on the charge.

The 28-year-old MC from Ankara, Turkey is scheduled to perform with Wiz Khalifa on July 4 at Küçükçiftlik Park in Turkey and at the Sziget Festival in Hungary in August.

Watch his most recent music video, which has over 32 million views, and stream his latest project below.

Article source: http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.47041/title.turkish-rapper-ezhel-arrested-for-allegedly-promoting-drug-use-with-lyrics