[vodpod id=Video.3350878&w=425&h=350&fv=%40videoPlayer%3D75569049001%26amp%3BplayerID%3D7412036001%26amp%3Bdomain%3Dembed%26amp%3B] As you already know, Da Snowman’s on the cover of the April/May issue of VIBE. But before the issue hits the newsstand, take a look at how the images came together.
Hi-Tek and Talib Kweli’s upcoming opus has recently been pushed back once again and this time the new date is May 18th. Patience, my friends. Catch the official tracklisting after the jump.
For most of the night at Highline, there weren’t any surprise guests. But all that changed when Donnis brought out singers Estelle and Ryan Leslie. Up top, he assists the chanteuse on her new single “Freak”. Below, R Lez lends a hand on “Gone”.
The distant relatives had a family reunion last night at the Fillmore auditorium. During K’Naan’s set, Nas and Damian Marley crashed the stage and performed, “As We Enter”. Listen to the track in full on May 18th.
“The Streets Got A New Face” and Noreaga’s got a new mixtape in tow called Camouflage Season. Blend in and press play. 57th Ave
As a label exec, Jay-Z has one helluva track record—for better or for worse. Although Jigga saw success with Rihanna and Ne-Yo during his presidency at Def Jam, not much could be said for former rap acts like Tru Life and Aztek. But don’t look for Cole to be added to the list. As the first artist on Hov’s Roc Nation, he speaks on how he plans to prevent from becoming just a memory.
During Freddie Gibbs’ set at the Highline Ballroom, he brought back Jay Rock to perform their duet off Str8 Killa No Filla for the very first time. Lyrically, they’re supposed to represent!
Ricky pins a verse to Diddy’s new track. This has to be a record in terms of turnaround time for a “remix”. 57th Ave
When it was P-I-Double’s turn to hit the stage, he performed his normal set list but capped it off with “Ok Denn” from 4075: The Refill. Has anyone seen that video yet?
While plugging her current LP, New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh), Erykah also discusses her controversial video and shares some of her good advice with Chelsea during their discussion on male rappers and Ms. Badu’s previous exes. Yardie Night Before: Erykah Badu On Jimmy Kimmel
Great breakdown of Statik Selektah’s *Round Trip*! Honestly, this 2023 Mass Appeal release is pure boom-bap bliss from start to finish. Statik really outdid himself with those smooth, jazzy sample flips and turntable scratches, creating the exact kind of laid-back, golden-era hip-hop vibe you want playing in the background while relaxing at Denmark holiday cottages over a quiet weekend. The guest list alone is stacked—having legends like Posdnous kicking things off on the opener "Round Trip (For Dave)" alongside heavy hitters like Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, and Inspectah Deck on "Unpredictable" makes every track feel like a proper event. Even the newer-school features like Benny the Butcher, Conway the Machine, and Joey Bada$$ fit effortlessly over the dusty, soulful production without a single wasted verse. Definitely one of his most cohesive projects in years and an easy front-to-back spin for anyone who appreciates real hip-hop craftsmanship.