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beef April 18, 2020
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What’s beef? Lil Uzi and Playboy Carti’s rivalry is entertaining AF

Playboi Carti and Lil Uzi Vert exchanged shots on social media yesterday, adding intrigue to the question of if the two iconic artists are actually beefing.

We have to wonder: Are they best friends or mortal enemies? Is this raw emotion or desire for publicity?

Thursday, Carti dropped a single, “@ MEH,” after months of silence and stans pleading for new music.

And it bumped.

This song is the perfect springtime banger. Calm enough, but still makes you want to move your feet and throw your head up in the air as you shake your shoulders and sing Carti’s lines.

Following the track’s unannounced drop, Uzi posted a picture of Carti’s cover art on his own Twitter and Instagram, with the caption “Just meh.” Now was this a nod to his contemporary or a shot at the quality of the song?

My initial reaction, like many people I think, was belief in the former. But Uzi and Carti are two of the most unique and enigmatic artists we have in the game right now. It wouldn’t be the strangest thing to imagine them having beef over something the rest of us are not privy to.

Carti responded on Twitter by possibly mocking Uzi, and hinting at dropping more music Monday.

It didn’t take long for the renaissance man to respond.

About a month ago when Eternal Atake dropped, Uzi tweeted this.

All signs point to him thinking about Carti. To be honest, for Uzi, Carti might be the only worthy opponent in the hip-hop ring. And then, a thrilling Thursday night of back-and-forths happened. We can’t help but be entertained.

Whether or not Carti and Uzi are serious, or just looking to build up each other’s numbers, it is a fact we will probably not know for some time, if ever. What do we know?

Carti just dropped a hot single in a time we need it most. And apparently, more music is on the way.

https://twitter.com/newchxppa/status/1250867919162146816?s=20

Also, Uzi did tweet once “he drop imma drop again.” Does that mean we’re getting new music from Uzi again too?!

What a time to be alive!

beef January 15, 2019
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What’s streaming beef? Hulu drops Fyre Fest doc days before Netflix

It’s Fyre Fraud (Hulu) versus Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened (Netflix).

In the epic streaming content battle, Hulu has one-upped Netflix and released their own Fyre Festival documentary. What’s the most savage? Hulu dropped it at the same time the review embargo for the Netflix doc was lifted.

Which one sounds like the hottest documentation of the biggest failure of all time? Hulu’s Fyre Fraud does have one over on the Netflix documentary and that is an exclusive interview with the Fyre Festival fraudster himself, Billy McFarland.

Deeming it a “true crime comedy,” Hulu puts the Fyre Festival on blast. Besides the exclusive interview with McFarland, who has been convicted of fraud and sentenced to six years in prison, the doc examines the stories of ticket-holders and whistleblowers as well.

In a statement, Fyre Fraud directors Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason spoke on including McFarland and how the con-artist got ahead in the dark age of FOMO and digital influencers. They said,

“McFarland’s staggering ambition metastasized in a petri dish of late-stage capitalism, corporate greed, and predatory branding, all weaponized by our fear of missing out. Our aim was to set the stage for a strange journey into the moral abyss of our digital age, going beyond the meme to show an ecosystem of enablers, driven by profit and willing to look the other way, for their own gain.”

Hulu’s Fyre Fraud (Hulu)

https://youtu.be/ljkaq_he-BU

Although Hulu beat Netflix to the drop, Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened, which premieres on Jan. 18, is said to have kept a tighter focus and has juicer details surrounding the fraudulent festival.

Described as “a first-hand look into the disastrous crash of Fyre as told by the organizers themselves, Netflix might’ve dived deeper than the Hulu doc.

It honed in on the Fyre Festival’s origins as a promotional event for a talent booking app, questioned the festival’s organizers, and discovered the true victims weren’t rich kids who could afford to go but the local Bahamian employees that were never paid.

Even though there is no interview with McFarland, in Netflix’s Fyre doc, curious viewers will truly see how this venture unraveled and became the extraordinary criminal event it did.

Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened (Netflix)

Lowkey, according to an interview with the Ringer, Fyre director Chris Smith said  McFarland claimed to have been offered $250,000 by Hulu. Continuing his fraudulent legacy the con-artist pitched $125,000 exclusive deal with Netflix. Smith declined.

Even after McFarland dropped the price to $100,000, the Fyre director couldn’t do it after spending time with people whose lives were negatively impacted by their experience at the Fyre festival. “It felt particularly wrong to us for him to be benefiting,” said Smith.

Smith told the Ringer,

“It was a difficult decision but we had to walk away for that reason. So then he came back and asked if we would do it for $100,000 in cash. And we still said this wasn’t something that was going to work for us.”

Co-director of Fyre Fraud Jenner Furst denied that they gave McFarland anything close to the amount of $250,000 and admitted that the production paid McFarland for licensed behind-the-scenes footage and consent to an eight-hour interview. Furst told the Ringer,

“I can’t tell you the amount but what I can tell you is that if you printed [$250,000], that would be a lie. That was not the amount. It was less than that. I don’t know why Chris [Smith] is quoting him that way. We both made a film about the same person. We know the person is a compulsive liar.”

Hustling 50 Cent GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

Regardless of content streaming beef, documentary drop dates or guap received by a con-artist for an exclusive, the most important benefactors are the viewers and what they think.

We know the numbers will reveal who really documented the Fyre Festival best.

beef May 30, 2018
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How Pusha T vs Drake shows us that hip-hop is better with beef

It wasn’t until this past memorial weekend that everyone realized they needed beef in hip-hop.

Even last year when it seemed we were fed up with Nicki vs. Remy, Yo Gotti vs. Young Dolph, Beans vs. Meek, Game vs. Meek, and even Big Sean vs. Kendrick, we still found ourselves salivating at the sight of blood when G.O.O.D. President Pusha T released his third solo album, DAYTONA. 

The May 25th album took aim at Drake on the song “Infrared,” which was a response to Toronto native’s single “Two Birds, One Stone,” featured on his 2016’s project More Life. 

As much as we made have complained about how unnecessary and frequent the tiffs were in 2017 and how “no one wins when the family feuds,” deep down we didn’t care. We live for the drama; the players just weren’t big enough.

2018 up until this point had been the same way. Tekashi 69‘s antics don’t quite get it done and Joyner Lucas and Logic aren’t even close to having the cache or catalog that warrants our interest.

This past memorial weekend, however, has shown us is that when the heavyweights come to play, not only are we all in, but we’re on pin and needles in excitement.

The Ye produced track brought up ghostwriting allegations yet again and talked down Drake’s chart success on claims of artistic compromise.

“The bigger question is how the Russians did it? It was written by Nas but it came from Quentin,” Pusha raps.

If the Daytona’s critical acclaim and spotlight didn’t invoke Drake, the conversation surrounding “Infrared” did, because it caused Tronto’s very own to respond with a quick 15-hour turnaround in a free singled titled “Duppy.”

Suddenly we found ourselves back in 2015 — with heavy punches from heavy hitters — and all that ‘let beef alone’ talk was gone.

Drake came with a lightning-quick retort (again) and cleverly employed social media (again), this time by drawing up an actual invoice and putting it on his Instagram.

These were the kind of tactics that got mainstream brands like Whataburger, Pornhub, Rosetta Stone and many others on his side during the Drake/Meek Mill beef.

You’re welcome. 🦉

A post shared by champagnepapi (@champagnepapi) on

The fallout has been an intense, hard-to-keep-up-with past four days on the internet, where”beef” has been at the tips of tongues in riveting fashion.

Pusha was given response times, Drake was applauded for his bravery to step to anyone, and commentary from any and everyone seemed to be inescapable. It seemed to me that beef — the mere conflict of two emcees — is welcomed in abundance.

Pusha T and Drake dominated the trending topics all memorial weekend and just when you thought it had died down, three days after Drake’s scathing freestyle, Pusha T responded with “The Story of Adidon”, and brought the truth out of us all: we love this shit.

https://twitter.com/carlchery/status/1001659095957389312

Drake’s mother, his father, the mother of his child, financial troubles with Cash Money, racist accusations and jabs at his dying best friend we’re all covered by Pusha, and… people seemingly ate it up.

It went so viral, CBS — a hard news program — even gave it coverage.

Depending on who you ask, all is fair in love and war, but this is not about the lines crossed and much as it’s about the fascination. A dying man with multiple sclerosis was told he was on the clock and our response is how fun it all is.

Maybe it’s an unspoken understanding. Maybe it’s a cultural thing that no one has denied. But the truth of the matter is that hip-hop needs beef. Along with Grafitti, Emceeing, B-Boying, DJing, and Knowledge, Beef should be the sixth pillar of hip-hop.

The anticipation between responses, picking of sides, back and forth debates on who got who, the blatant disrespect —  hip-hop fans everywhere love every second of the pettiness.

Tupac and Biggie have drawn lines in the sand — set the boundaries, if you will — and set precedent to the most braggadocious competitive genre out, and it’s tradition to partake.

Hip-hop is our license to petty.  In any other genre the high road is encouraged, but in hip-hop, the pettier, the better.

As much as positivity may be encouraged, we want to clashes — need the clashes. It’s on par with every single other aspect of what makes hip-hop, hip-hop.

Right now Pusha T is being applauded for his jabs. Let the people tell it, he’s up — he’s done what he’s supposed to and, as you read, this is “good for hip-hop.”

No matter where this goes or how many lines are crossed remember this is what the people want — this is what hip-hop is about. Until then, the ball is in Drake’s court.

beef November 27, 2017
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Cam’ron and Ma$e squash their beef but we all know who won

The entire state of New York must have been disappointed yesterday after Murda Ma$e and Cam’ron’s Twitter exchange last night.

After the two former Children of the Corn members traded diss songs, Cam shared a screenshot of a Twitter exchange between the two on Instagram.

“You still my brother if you would like to be…This was just for bragging rights #mase #theoracle,” Mase tweeted.

Y’all see this it’s right ‍♂️ ya man I hope he wit the shits tho

A post shared by @mr_camron on

The short-lived spat between the two Harlem legends began a day after Thanksgiving when Ma$e dropped the scathing diss “Oracle“. Floating over Jay Z’s Blueprint 2 title track, Murda shed light on Cam’s past beefs, side-ways deals, and even makes incest claims against Killa.

Because of the personnel the beef felt nostalgic; and all of the internet felt the same way.

https://twitter.com/therealrahdigga/status/934155454434938880

If you’re wondering what triggered the former Bad Boy member, it stems back from Cam’s relentless agitation.

This past March Cam aired Made out on Instagram Live about becoming a pastor and more recently on his latest projectThe Program, he came at Mase on “It’s Killa” where he shared a story about a situation that Mase got in years back and how he felt disrespected after helping out.

Got this ni**a home and he passed me a hundo ($100 dollars?!)
Told him straight up I ain’t feeling him
Let me curve this ni**a ‘fore I end up killing him

And he kept going in:

I watched him play Pop Lotti against Baby Maine
At this time I’m moving heroin in Maryland
They both died and this n***a turned reverend​!

So if anything, “Oracle” was well-deserved. That didn’t stop Cam from responding though. After previewing this diss on his Instagram he dropped “Dinner Time” on Black Friday, but didn’t quite garner the response that Ma$e did.

But between sub-par production value, played-out homophobia and simply weak ass bars, to say the response was disappointing would be an understatement and the internet is letting him hear about it.

In particular people pointed out how terrible the sound quality, giving internet trolls far too much material for a holiday weekend.

https://twitter.com/HumbleTeej/status/934631296533397504

https://twitter.com/varsityforlife/status/934631055398785025

https://twitter.com/_yungkoala/status/934631932926873600

Seeing at how fast the whole back and forth ended it’s possible the situation could have been promo fort the follow up of The Program, The Program 2, set to release on New Years Day.

We may never know, but for now Mase got one over Cam. It will be interesting to see if this is yet another comeback for the one of  hip-hop’s legends.

beef October 27, 2017
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The Beef Is Real: Big Shaq and Shaquille O’Neal are trading diss tracks

Folks, we got Shaq beef.

After Michael Dapaah, aka Big Shaq, captured our hearts and minds with his bars in ‘Fire in the Booth’ a couple months ago, dude has become legitimate star.

With firey bars and very good temperature control (mans not hot), Big Shaq has parlayed his ‘Fire in the Booth’ appearance into a music video and interviews with Ebro and Jimmy Fallon.

I mean, who can resist the ingenious wordplay of:

“The ting goes skrrrahh, pap, pap, ka-ka-ka
Skibiki-pap-pap, and a pu-pu-pudrrrr-boom
Skya, du-du-ku-ku-dun-dun
Poom, poom”

Big Shaq is a true talent.

Big Shaq has obviously garnered a lot of attention since dropping that fire in the booth. Now, the real Shaq, as in Shaquille O’Neal, has dropped a diss track aimed at the up-and-coming UK emcee.

In “Mans Not Hot”, Shaq teams up with Toronto rapper ShaqIsDope (there’s a lot of Shaqs here, try to keep up) to aim a diss track at Big Shaq.

O’Neal reminds everyone that he is the original,

“There’s a lot of people that are named after me — Shaquille, Shaq. But keep in mind… there’s only one Big Shaq. It is I … the originator, the dominator, the creator.”

Shaq is completely right in this case. His fame actually bred an entire generation of kids named Shaquille.

Regardless, Big Shaq then came back at the og Shaq while at Bleacher Report, spitting some brazy bars, well actually more like spoken word bars, taking shots at the former Lakers center.

The beef is so real.

Hopefully all of the various Shaqs involved can sit down and resolve their differences. There’s room enough for multiple Shaqs!

Mans never hot.

50 cent September 11, 2017
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10 years later: The Kanye Vs. 50 Cent ‘beef’ over record sales is a hip-hop relic

On September 11th, 2007 history was made as Kanye West managed to best 50 Cent in a space that 50 was seemingly in control of.

On this day, Kanye released his third album Graduation alongside 50’s Curtis, both albums created an insane level of hype due to the most profitable feud in hip-hop history.

We all remember the constant radio showdowns between Kanye and 50 fueled by Kanye pushing for the same release date as him. The idea evolved into what seemed like a presidential running as the streets immediately became divided.

Every conversation about the two albums was heated even though the actual music on both projects couldn’t really be compared to each other in any sense. Everyone loves a great underdog story and that was the exact appeal which propelled the feud into a monumental moment in music history.

50 was a juggernaut from 2003 to 2005, a modern day Goliath who was responsible for ending multiple careers and had the presence of a hip-hop veteran even though he was only on his third official release.

Along with 50’s gigantic presence in hip-hop he was also killing shit with his $400 million Vitamin Water deal and his G-Unit brand clothing solidifying the fact that he could not be fucked with.

50 Cent Laughing GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

In hindsight, championing Kanye as the underdog who could take down 50 was a pretty clear choice. Debuting just a year after the Get Rich or Die Trying artist with College Dropout, Kanye was making a legitimate name for himself.

Kanye’s story was humble in the beginning, the producer who no one wanted to hear rap managed to gather two platinum albums while being the essential backpacker. His music was soulful and impactful all the while being accessible.

Kanye was still not regarded as a superstar until 2007 when his entire image began to evolve. The stunner shades, insane BAPE fits, and braggadocious demeanor made it clear to see Kanye was ready to take the next step into stardom.

https://giphy.com/gifs/hip-hop-rap-japan-h8tTtYSMvf4kw

50 Cent and Kanye challenging each other to outdo the other’s record sales became an actual conversation. The younger crowd was ready for their champion to dethrone the aggressive rap 50 was making, while the older crowd pushed back for 50 to shut Kanye and his nontraditional hip-hop the fuck up.

This feud was purely for hip-hop and the fans, it wasn’t going to escalate like some rap beefs in the past.

Granted, if the beef wasn’t actually “real,” the numbers certainly would be and both artists had a lot to lose. Kanye, who couldn’t be fazed by 50’s tough demeanor, was representing an entire generation’s voice.

Kanye West Smiling GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

These albums being musical opposites made the feud that much better as it directly showed what the world decided it wanted to sound like and 2007 proved to be ready to accept Kanye’s more experimental and musical approach.

Kanye ended up raking in 960K units his first week to Fif’s 690K—his then-worst showing to date immediately solidified Kanye as the new champion of hip-hop and the leader of pushing the sound forward.

I know both of those numbers are damn near impossible in today’s climate but back then 690K was low for 50, showing just how impactful Kanye’s “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” and “Stronger” singles proved to be.

This is a type of monumental event that can’t be replicated today. With no younger acts really caring about the older generation or dethroning some of the established artists and the internet putting music choice into the user’s hands, the sale beef between 50 and Ye will remain hip-hop history.

The win for Kanye not only solidified him as a juggernaut in the game, it was also the start of the end to traditional gangsta rap, instead paving the way for experimental music that challenged hip-hop listeners’ expectations.

At the end of the day, both artists sold a shit ton of albums and made millions but only one came out on top.

Kanye West Shrug GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

That crown has to be given to Mr.West for being the David to 50 Cent’s Goliath.

beef July 28, 2017
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Will UFC 214 be Daniel Cormier’s redemption over Jon Jones?

At UFC 214, a new chapter will be written in the long history of Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier.

Cormier, the current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion will defend his title against his rival and former champ Jon Jones.

The history between these two dates all the way back to when Cormier, then in the heavyweight division, made the choice to move down to lightweight.

Many questioned Cormier’s ability to cut down to 205 after his 2008 Olympic cut disaster.

Daniel Cormier Dancing GIF by UFC - Find & Share on GIPHY

Jones, who had surged to the top of the lightweight division and cemented himself as one of the division’s top fighters, was a scary threat in the Octagon.

At 6’4″ with a 7 foot wingspan, Jones knew how to deal punishment with his assortment of kicks, punches, and spinning elbows making him a lethal opponent.

https://giphy.com/gifs/LHqfpNhP3hHdC

Cormier said in an interview,

“Jones beat eight guys in a row, and I think five of them were U.F.C. champions. It’s ridiculous. “

A fight between Cormier and Jones was inevitable. The fight was scheduled for UFC 178 but Jones pulled out of the fight due to injury.

https://giphy.com/gifs/jones-destroys-teixeira-QuYIbff43y3te

The fight was rescheduled for UFC 182 where during a press conference the bad blood between both men boiled over and resulted in a stage brawl.

Then came January 3 2015. Jones’ offense was simply stellar and Cormier did put up an impressive fight.

However, Jones beat Cormier by outwrestling the former Olympic wrestler.

This hurt Cormier more than the actual loss as it reminded him of his Olympic failure.

https://youtu.be/s9_m3gbn68k?t=1m20s

Then on April 25th, Jones was charged with leaving the scene of an accident in Albuquerque, New Mexico and stripped of his light heavyweight belt.

Cormier defeated then number one contender, Anthony Johnson for the vacant title.

Lets Go Fist Bump GIF by UFC - Find & Share on GIPHY

A rematch was scheduled for UFC 200 but Jones tested positive for banned substances and was removed from the fight.

Finally, UFC fans will get the long awaited rematch between Cormier and Jones this Saturday at UFC 214.

Jones is widely known for his striking ability stemming from jiu-jitsu and gaidojutsu as well as his wrestling ability.

https://giphy.com/gifs/jones-destroys-teixeira-Fyi8Ra5kO9Ffy

Whereas Cormier is a phenomenal wrestler and ground technician. He’s also well versed in jiu-jitsu, Muy Thai, and Kickboxing.

Daniel Cormier Ufc GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

For Cormier, this fight is not all about the win. It’s about redemption for the loss at UFC 182. Cormier stated after the UFC 214 press conference,

“What I saw in Jon Jones was he’s a confident man. But he’s putting on a little bit more than people will ever recognize until their two inches from his face like I saw. He may be confident, but in those eyes I see more doubt than I’ve ever seen and I believe their are a number of reasons for that”

Cormier, with his newfound determination, as well as his fighting skills inside the Octagon, should be able to beat Jones and redeem the dark spot that has haunted him for two years.