While Reason has proven himself to be one of Top Dawg Entertainment's secret weapons, liable to snap whenever called upon, it would appear he's opted to give his upcoming major-label debut the Joyner Lucas treatment. Which is to say, staggering singles like "Show Stop," "Flick It Up" with Ab-Soul, "Trapped In" with Boogie and Soulo once more, "I Might Not Make It," and "Pop Shit" with ScHoolboy Q. Now, it would appear he's readying another big drop, this time teasing some new music with J.I.D. and Isaiah Rashad.
To be fair, he really only said three words: "Reaz, Zay, JID." But if that's not a tease for an upcoming single, what the hell is? Clearly, the fans want the music at this point, and it doesn't help that both Rashad and J.I.D. have been keeping their respective vaults relatively guarded. When one particularly fiendish follower demanded the single by the end of the day, Reason promised that the wait would not be a long one. While that remains to be seen, the combination of emcees all but guarantees that something glorious will emerge as a result.
True, the wait for Reason's big TDE release has been on the lengthier side, but damned if it hasn't led to some quality drops along the way. Add another one to the pile, and sound off below -- are you excited to see what Reason, J.I.D, and the ever-elusive Isaiah Rashad have cooked up?
J.I.D. Invites Deante Hitchcock To Spillage Village
Ahead of their big single drop, J.I.D. opens the door for Deante Hitchcock to join the Spillage Village collective.
Atlanta crew Spillage Village emerged from hibernation to channel the harbingers of the apocalypse, announcing their upcoming single "End Of Days." Those familiar with the clique, which consists of J.I.D, EarthGang, 6LACK, Mereba, HollywoodJB, and JurdanBryant, understand that the clique has been growing together for years now; the mutual respect is only matched by the musical talent.
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images
While it's been four years since they dropped off their latest album Bears Like This Too Much, Spill Vill have confirmed that their next album Spilligion is set to arrive later this year. And with momentum looking strong, what with lead single "End Of Days" landing tomorrow and all, Deante Hitchcock has come looking to see if the group is seeking new applicants.
"Rapping wise I always wished I came up round a group of n****s like @SpillageVillage," writes Deante, showing some love to his collaborator J.I.D and the collective as a whole. "Them boys keep each others pens sharp and I love hearing all of em come together. Can’t wait to hear the new shit." The kind words were enough to elicit a response from J.I.D, who invited Deante to join should he be so inclined. "Y’all got good dental insurance?" asks Deante, only to have his dreams swiftly shattered. "Nope, we broke baby," responds J.I.D.
While it's unclear whether Deante will actually move forward as a member of Spillage Village, it wouldn't be surprising to see him continue to build with the clique. Perhaps we'll even see a feature on Spilligion, whenever that one lands. Check out the exchange below, and look for "End Of Days" to drop tomorrow.
Spillage Village Dropping New Single "End Of Days" This Week
Have no fear, Spillage Village is returning to save the day with a brand new single out this Thursday.
Back when things seemed like simpler times, EarthGang offered fans a ray of hope by way of a brand new Spillage Village album, titled Spilligion. And while they didn't give an exact date, it would appear we've reached the rollout stages. Today, EarthGang took to Twitter to preview the project's first single "End Of Days," confirming that it would be arriving in full this Thursday, complete with some visuals.
Image HNHH
The song features contributions from J.I.D, Mereba, EarthGang, JB, and Jordan Bryant, along with production from the stacked collective of Christo, Elite, Mike Dean, Olu, NiceRec, and Jay Card. J.I.D. previously teased the track on his IG Live back in March, revealing a slick verse from Wowgr8. "Before it's all said and done I'ma spend this money," he raps, over the slinking bassline. "Before it's all said and done I'm gon' fuck these hoes / and I ain't pulling out shit but the chopper though, I end the weak like Domingo and Sabado."
Given everything going on in the world right now, the title "End Of Days" feels appropriately spooky. Still, we can't help but take comfort in knowing that Spillage Village is returning to the fold, and a full album from the Atlanta collective should be exactly what the doctor ordered. Look for their new single to arrive by the week's end, and keep an eye out for more news on Spilligion's release date. Are you going to check this one out?
Rich Brian Summons Denzel Curry, J.I.D, & More For Epic Posse Cut
Rich Brian is trying to make the next "1Train," inviting damn near half the rap game's new generation for the occasion.
As everyone knows, the posse cut is one of the great hip-hop track formats -- this isn't disputable, as the list of fantastic classics simply speaks for itself. Unfortunately, it feels as if this new generation has yet to fully embrace the posse cut as their predecessors once have. That's not to say it's gone altogether extinct, but is it fair to call it endangered? In any case, Rich Brian seems ready and willing to do his part in the preservation efforts, calling upon a variety of his compatriots on Instagram and Twitter.
Scott Dudelson/Getty Images
His premise is simple -- line up an extensive roster to take turns bodying an ever-changing instrumental, one that presumably morphs to suit the talents of each party. "Yo imagine a long ass song with ALL of us going OFF on every verse and it has hella production changes & tempo transitions????" He writes. "Lets do this man fuck."
The initial guestlist calls upon Tyler, The Creator, Joji, Childish Gambino, Chris Travis, Kevin Abstract, JPEGMAFIA, Denzel Curry, J.I.D., IDK, Jaden Smith, Pouya, Buddy, J. Cole, Danny Towers, Higher Brothers, and EarthGang. Declaring his aim to make the next "1Train," he also opens the floor for some heavyweights to slide through if so desired, inviting all the "1Train" veterans (except Yelawolf) for a reunion. Though his aim is likely ambitious beyond reality, you've gotta admire his vision.
View this post on InstagramDeante Hitchcock’s "Better" Features J.I.D. & Young Nudy
Deante Hitchcock announces his debut album “Better,” featuring appearances from J.I.D, Young Nudy, and more.
Though the world remains at a standstill, that hasn’t stopped Deante Hitchcock from announcing his official debut album Better. Arriving ByStorm Entertainment and RCA Records, the album is set to land on May 13th, boasting appearances from J.I.D, Young Nudy, 6LACK, Miguel, and more.
Johnny Louis/Getty Images
We’ve already seen a few choice singles from the upcoming project, including the features from Spillage Village’s own J.I.D. and 6LACK. The former came through to bless Deante’s most recent single “I Got Money Now,” a lively banger produced by Brandon Philips Taylor — you can check that out here. As for 6LACK, he made sure to bless the project’s lead single “How TF,” which dropped all the way back in November — that one is available right here.
With production laced entirely by Philips Taylor, the eleven-track project is likely to go a long way in putting Hitchcock on an abundance of radars. Check out the full tracklist below, and sound off — are you excited to see this one arrive? If so, be sure to check back here on May 13th, when Better officially lands in full.
“I Remember”
“I Got Money Now” ft. J.I.D.
“Altitude” ft. Young Nudy
“How TF” ft. 6LACK
“Flashbacks” ft. Miguel & St. Beauty
“Gimme Your Money”
“Circles”
“Shadowman’s Interlude”
“Growing Up/Mother God”
“Angels”
“My B*tch”J.I.D’s Plans For New Music Have Been Derailed
It would appear that J.I.D's plans to release new music have been derailed by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The detrimental effects of the coronavirus are numerous, and though music has become a solace for many, even that has found itself disrupted. For J.I.D, who planned on following up 2018's excellent DiCaprio 2 with an album produced entirely by No I.D, his best-laid plans were unfortunately laid to waste. Over the weekend, the Dreamville rapper took to Twitter to vent his frustration with the ongoing situation, which has seemingly led to a stagnation period for the once-prolific writer.
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
The rant started with an alarming declaration, in which J.I.D. declared "this shit no fun no mo." Upon further prodding, he revealed that the problem had nothing to do with writer's block, but had everything to do with the rollout period blues. "man idk what to drop, this shit all wierd now man," he continued, fielding a fan's question about future music.
In response to the rationale that new music is better than no music, J.I.D. was quick to rebuttal with a sad reality. "Ok we do that, then what, no tour? Not getting to see u guys and celebrate, the content and intention of the music is way more important now, I’m tryna line it up perfect cuz it’s hard to create is uncertain times," he maintains.
A fair point, and one that will likely be on the mind of many-an-artist. Either way, we've got nothing but love for J.I.D, and should he decide to wait for things to calm down before releasing, it's a decision that must be respected. Luckily, it's not all dour news -- J.I.D is set to appear on the upcoming Spillage Village album Spilligion, which is due out late spring or early summer.
EarthGang & J.I.D. Dropping "Spillage Village" Album Soon
EarthGang, J.I.D, 6LACK, Mereba, Hollywood JB, and JordanxBryant -- aka Spillage Village -- are doing their part to cure the quarantine blues.
Though humanity's battle against Coronavirus has ultimately led to a state of mass self-isolation and quarantine, EarthGang, J.I.D, 6LACK, Hollywood JB, JordanxBryant, and Mereba of Spillage Village have decided to stack the deck in our favor. True, the entire music industry currently rests in an uncertain state; the idea of artists holed up in a studio, using the same microphone one after another hits a little different these days. Yet art must prevail, and the Atlanta Collective has officially announced their new album SPILLIGON is on the way.
Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
EarthGang took to both and Twitter to make the announcement, taking a moment to share a heartfelt message on the former platform. "The quarantine has made it happen," writes EarthGang, putting a positive spin on an otherwise negative situation. "New album coming from the village, are y’all ready for it. Let’s make it happen. Let’s build a stronger community during this time."
Olu & Wowgr8 doubled up by sharing an unreleased track, presumably off the album, which features JID, Mereba, EarthGang, JB, and Jordan Bryant. It's unclear whether it was whipped up in recent times, but the subject matter certainly suggests as much. "It's the end of days, end of times, my oh my," sings Venus, previewed in what looks to be a J.I.D Instagram Live stream. As of yet, none of the participating parties have yet to unveil further release date information. Considering EarthGang's tone, however, it wouldn't be surprising to see SPILLIGION surface sooner than later. Major thanks to the Village for this one!
Denzel Curry’s Homecoming: A Conversation Deeper Than Rap
INTERVIEW: Hours before his homecoming performance in Miami against J.I.D for Red Bull Music’s Zeltron Worldwide, Denzel Curry details his new performance series, recognition, and the importance of unifying the hip-hop community.
Before the XXXTENTACIONs (RIP), Smokepurpps, and Lil Pumps of the world emerged there was the Raider Klan — one of the most pivotal hip-hop collective in the last decade. The South Florida movement became defined by the DIY approach and punk-rock spirit with odes to Memphis and Houston. Cloud rap became the stepping stone for what would later be known as SoundCloud rap. As Raider Klan disbanded, it was the young buck of the group, Denzel Curry, who continued to fulfill his potential. With the abrasiveness of metal and punk rock combined and his high-level technical abilities launched a small, dedicated following which, over the years, has expanded to a global scale.
Denzel stands on his own two feet these days. The success of TA13OO and it’s follow-up Zuu marked his official grand entrance into the game, although he’s been in it for years. His recent success, however, has helped him push his own creative boundaries. For example, the recent release of UNLOCKED with Kenny Beats provided more than just a project, arriving alongside an accompanying short film with anime-style animations.
Ian Witlen/Red Bull Content Pool
Denzel’s affinity for wrestling, dancehall soundclashes, and appreciationfor grime’s Lord Of The Mic series all come together for Red Bull Music’s Zeltron Worldwide series where he goes head-to-head against another high-caliber rapper of his choosing. With Flatbush Zombies as the inaugural challengers, followed by Joey Bada$$, Denzel Curry returned back to his hometown of Miami for the latest installment against J.I.D, who he describes as “one of the best lyricists of all time, honestly.” The significance behind Zeltron Worldwide, however, goes deeper than pushing his own creative boundaries. It’s about creating a space for rappers — one where bars preside over bullshit and hopefully beyond his own battles, an event that can unify rappers at a time where it feels like we’re losing members of the community at a rapid pace.
“I’m creating a place where we might — there’s a community of us. We may not like each other but let’s take it to our advantage, man,” Denzel explained about the bigger picture of Zeltron Worldwide. “I just feel like we need to be unified and together on some real sh*t because it’s only us as artists, we share each other’s struggles, you know?”
Hours before his homecoming performance in Miami against J.I.D for Red Bull Music’s Zeltron Worldwide, he jumped on a quick call with HNHH to discuss the series, his complicated relationship with Miami these days, and why he feels like he’s gone from underrated to underappreciated.
TK Akatora/Red Bull Content Pool
Bringing Zeltron back to your hometown, in Miami, what’s your relationship with the city like these days in comparison to when you dropped Zuu? I know you were recording in L.A. around then.
I don’t know, I haven’t performed here in a long time, so I don’t know what my relationship is with the city at this point. Last time I came here and performed at Rolling Loud, that sh*t was sh*tty. Not my performance but the crowd was wack as f*ck.
Do you find performances are different since you moved away from Miami?
Yeah. I don’t know how to describe it. I was gone for such a long time. When I do stuff in the city, it’s fine.
That’s dope. I know you’re performing with JID tonight, I was wondering what the importance of bringing J.I.D to Miami was as opposed to having him at the Atlanta show?
It’s cool. Originally I wanted J.I.D to defend his home turf. I wanted him to defend Atlanta. We was on tour at the time and Joey Bada$$ was willing to be a participant in the Zeltron Worldwide, so we ended up battling — me and Joey — and I was gonna catch J.I.D on the rebound. He was like, “I promise I got you on the next round.” I was like “alright cool” and it ended up happening.
That’s dope. As you guys step into the ring, what aspect of JID’s artistry do you find yourself appreciating more when you’re in a ring with him as opposed to being in the studio or something?
First of all, we’re both from the South. Secondly, we’re both technical. Third, we can both get with each other on every level, you know? Only difference is our age. He’s older than me. J.I.D is one of the best lyricists of all time, honestly.
For yourself, you’re kind of like a young OG in your own right, you’ve been at it for a while. In my opinion, you’ve had a larger influence on this generation of music than a lot of people give you credit for —
I don’t get no credit. They’ll bypass my sh*t in an instant. If you want the real Denzel talkin’, this is him. So, nobody give me f*ckin credit. Every time I put out some sh*t, I bust my ass for it. For years dropping nothing but quality and mothafuckas keep going and saying, “oh you’re so underrated.” Like now it’s getting from underrated to underappreciated. Now, It’s getting to the point where it’s like, ‘bruh, I don’t want to do this sh*t no more if It’s just going to fall on deaf ears.’ I don’t get the credit I deserve, for real. I rather do creative shit like more of this Zeltron stuff than just being a rapper.
Definitely. Going into these events, I remember watching your RapGenius with Flatbush Zombies and you mentioned it’s important for you to unify the game so at a point right now where it feels like we’re losing a lot of members of the community, can you tell me why it’s significant for you to have these opportunities to create a unique experience for your fans and for the rap game as a whole?
I’m creating a place where we might — there’s a community of us. We may not like each other but let’s take it to our advantage, man. It’s like, white people are just throwing money at us [laughs] you know what I’m sayin’? And we f*ck ourselves up by trying each other and doing stupid sh*t just for the Gram, flexin’, whatever the case may be. I’m just like, ‘they’re throwing money at us, they’re giving away money to us,’ and we — how we use it? We’re going to jail, we’re doing all types of dumb sh*t. I just feel like we need to be unified and together on some real sh*t because it’s only us as artists, we share each other’s struggles, you know?
Stephanie Estrada/Red Bull Content PoolIs that the type of conversation you have with the artists you invite to do these events with you?
Yeah, I talk to a lot of artists about it. There’s a lack of realness. If I tell somebody like, “Hey bro, I wanna battle you” and we do this sh*t for fun. It’s a friendly competition. It’s fun, it’s not judgemental. We don’t let nobody be like, “oh the winner is this or that” or let politics get into play, we just do it because we like to. I just want to end conflict. Say, for instance, Rich the Kid and Lil Uzi Vert have had problems with each other, right? If this was a factor in that, if this was playing a role in that, right? They’ll both be getting money and they won’t have to deal with each other. And they get to showcase who’s better than who, for real, for real. Instead of like, pulling up, and all this shit over some words. If you gon’ go over it over words, you can battle over words. If a n***a ain’t said, ‘go suck yuh mudda’ or some shit like that, then, n***a, let that shit go, bruh. And if it is, put your money where mic is, you know what I’m sayin’?
Nah, for sure. Do you feel like as a fan of the game, that aspect of battle rap has been missing, like it’s been misconstrued with like personal sh*t?
Yes cause me and Daylyt, we’re homies. We talk about this sh*t all the time. He loves the Zeltron stuff and what we do with the Zeltron sh*t. He wanted to come, he was like, “I like how you bring the battle aspect but on your terms.” Where it’s like music against music because that’s how soundclashes go, you know? Like my manager is Jamaican and I’m very familiar with soundclashes just by living down here in South Florida, so you gotta make that sh*t be known. And I’m a big fan of Lord Of The Mics and stuff. So all that stuff serves as inspiration. Battle culture is good. Like, even Skepta used to clash, you know?
I know you’ve done joints with AJ Tracey in the past. Having that connection with the UK, what’re the chances of you taking the Zeltron Worldwide to the UK and doing clashes on their turf or having artists back on your turf?
You know, me and JME just talked about that. We need to get that sh*t crackin’ ‘cause he likes what I’m doing with it. He likes how it’s going down. They seen the first one, me vs. the Flatbush Zombies and they were like, “yo, damn, we be doing this sh*t too.” You know, they like the originators of that, you know what I’m saying? And he was just like, ‘Damn, if we came over there and battled them like how A$AP Mob did or Taylor Gang’ — it would actually, like, it’ll be worth it.
J.I.D’s First Encounter With Lil Uzi Vert Is Hilarious
As we celebrate the release of "Eternal Atake," J.I.D looks back on the first time he met Lil Uzi Vert at a festival last year.
Lil Uzi Vert is a bit of a peculiar individual but a loveable one at that. It's just something we've all learned on the road to Eternal Atake. Earlier today, Uzi finally blessed us with the long-awaited project out the blue just a few hours ago and so far, it does not disappoint. Following its release, J.I.D hit Twitter to recount the time he met Lil Uzi Vert backstage at a concert. The Dreamville rapper shared a few crying emojis as he recollected Uzi singing his praises, and then his own.
Tabatha Fireman/Getty Images"I met Uzi at this festival last year and bruh was like J.I.D I fw ur music, I like how u think, I was like, same bro, u talented as fuck, he said I know, I wake up as lil UZI everyday, but I’m just telling you u nice," J.I.D tweeted, adding, "@LILUZIVERT fina play dis EA." Lil Uzi Vert ultimately retweeted this to his following.
Over the past week, Uzi's ramped up the campaign for Eternal Atake over the last few days. The rapper released the Backstreet Boys-sampled single, "That Way" on Sunday. In the last few days, he released a short film to accompany the album as well as the tracklist and cover art.
Have you listened to Lil Uzi Vert's Eternal Atake yet? Sound off with your thoughts on the album in the comment section below.
EarthGang Bring Out J. Cole, J.I.D. & 6LACK In Atlanta
Dreamville was in the building during last night's EarthGang concert, where the duo brought out J. Cole, J.I.D, and 6LACK.
EarthGang are known for putting on a memorable live show, and last night's Atlanta concert found the duo bringing out J. Cole, J.I.D, and Spillage Village's own 6LACK. A testament to Dreamville's unity, fans were surprised to see J. Cole take the stage in the opening moments of the Welcome To Mirrorland Tour. "Turn the music up," he begins, as the crowd reacts with uproarious applause, before launching into "A Tale Of Two Citiez" off 2014 Forest Hills Drive.
Naturally, having all those Dreamville rappers in one place meant a performance "Down Bad" was inevitable, and fan footage shared on Twitter reveals a spirited rendition of the Grammy Nominated posse cut. 6LACK also got his time to shine with a performance of "Pretty Little Fears;" while the R&B singer isn't an official Dreamville signee, his Spillage Village credentials make him an affiliate through and through.
Following the raucous concert, EarthGang's Olu and Wowgr8 took to Twitter to have a laugh at the changing of the guard. "ShoutOut to the homie @JColeNC for opening up our show last night. Keep doing your thing bruh you gone be big one day." Clearly, EarthGang wanted to close out their Welcome To Mirrorland tour with a bang, and what better way to do that than bring the homies into the fold?
All things considered, Dreamville seems positioned for another major year in 2020, following a 2019 campaign that saw Revenge Of The Dreamers 3 arrive alongside EarthGang's own long-awaited Mirrorland. If you haven't checked that one out yet -- don't sleep, there's still time. Were you lucky enough to catch the homecoming concert in Atlanta?