The last Creative Weekly for the month of May features stories from Jay-Z, Rick Ross and Lloyd Banks. Also, BET reveal the nominees for this year’s BET Awards. Read the latest issue of our CW magazine below.
Jay-Z Recalls Writing Still D.R.E. For Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg
LeBron James’ The Shop series returned to HBO on Friday, with special guests Jay-Z, Bad Bunny, WNBA superstar Nneka Ogwumike and and marketing executive Paul Rivera. During their discussions they touched on everything from sports, to politics and film. Along the line Jay recalled the iconic moment he wrote “Still D.R.E.” for Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre.
“On that reference track, I’m doing Snoop and Dre, both of them,” he explains. “But, you gotta have like somewhat of a reverence for them.. the music they were making.. The Chronic and all of that.. in order for me to really nail the essence of Dre and Snoop, it had to be like a studied reverence of what they were doing, I had to put myself in their shoes.”
Elsewhere in the discussion he talks feeling intimidated by DMX’s stage presence. Hov said he was scheduled to perform after X, but became slightly uneven after watching X’s opening theatrics.
“X is about to go, and I’m like, I wanna see,’” Jay recalled. “And he goes [growls], and the fucking arena goes crazy. First of all, it’s deafening, and I’m like, ‘Ohhh shit.’ He has a thing, like an Alize and Hennessey mix, it looks like blood, like he’s drinking blood, and he’s running back and forth [on the stage]. Halfway through the show, and then he takes his shirt. And the whole crowd goes wild. ‘Aaaaaah!’”
“He’s going nuts, right? And I’m like, ‘Shit.’ First the guys are going crazy, now the girls are going crazy,” he continued. “And then he gets to the end, and he starts a prayer. And now they’re crying, the whole arena is crying. And then [concert organizers] go, ‘OK, now you go.’”
Rick Ross Sued by St. Louis Promoters Over Missed Concert
Rick Ross is being sued by St. Louis promoters over a missed concert appearance.
Rick Ross was reportedly tapped to perform at an event in St. Louis back in January, but the event was ultimately canceled. Now the promoters and their respective companies, Black Luxury Entertainment LLC and Rockhouse Entertainment, are taking Rozay to court for setting them aback over $74,000 in expenses.
The promoters, Antoine Meeks and Orlando Watson, who represented their companies Black Luxury Entertainment LLC and Rockhouse Entertainment, said in a lawsuit filed in the St. Louis Circuit Court that their companies paid Ross $30,000 on October 21, 2019, with another $30,000 promised to the rapper upon his arrival. Ross never appeared, and the two promoters said they spent an additional $6,000 for the venue, $3,300 on travel expenses, $4,100 on marketing and promotional material, and $25,000 on “production costs.”
Meeks and Watson’s attorney, Thayer Weaver, claim Ross ignored every attempt to reschedule the concert, saying the rapper ignored their calls and emails.
Lloyd Banks Reveals ‘The Course of The Inevitable’ Album Tracklist & Release Date
Lloyd Banks will be making his long-awaited return with a new album next month. The former G-Unit rapper announced that his new album “The Course Of The Inevitable” arrives June 4.
Serving as his first album since 2010’s H.F.M. 2, The Course Of The Inevitable is packed with 18-tracks and includes guest appearances from the likes of Styles P, Roc Marciano, Benny The Butcher, Vado, Ransom, and Sy Ari Da Kid. You can pre-order COTI here.
BET Reveal Nominations For 2021 BET Awards
BET have revealed the nominees for this year’s BET Awards and it looks like hot girl summer never left.
Megan Thee Stallion leads this year’s ceremony with seven nominations including Best Female Hip-Hop Artist, Video of the Year (“WAP”), Album of the Year (Good News), Viewer’s Choice Award (“Savage Remix”), and Best Collaboration for her features with DaBaby (“Cry Baby”) and Cardi B (“WAP”).
DaBaby also racked up nominations in seven categories as well including Best Male Hip Hop Artist, Album of the Year (Blame It on Baby), and four nods for Best Collaboration for his features alongside Roddy Ricch (“Rockstar”), Megan Thee Stallion (“Cry Baby”), Pop Smoke & Lil Baby (“For the Night”), and Jack Harlow (“Whats Poppin Remix”).
Drake and Cardi B follow with five nominations each, whilst Bruno Mars, Chris Brown, Anderson .Paak, and Chloe x Halle are the third most-nominated acts with four nods each.
The BET Awards will return to L.A.’s Microsoft Theater on Sunday, June 27, at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
2021 BET AWARDS NOMINATIONS
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
After Hours – The Weeknd
Blame It on Baby – DaBaby
Good News – Megan Thee Stallion
Heaux Tales – Jazmine Sullivan
King’s Disease – Nas
Ungodly Hour – Chloe X Halle
BEST COLLABORATION
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch – “Rockstar”
DJ Khaled ft. Drake – “Popstar”
Jack Harlow ft. DaBaby, Tory Lanez & Lil Wayne – “Whats Poppin (Remix)”
Megan Thee Stallion ft. DaBaby – “Cry Baby”
Pop Smoke ft. Lil Baby & DaBaby – “For the Night”
BEST FEMALE R&B/POP ARTIST
Beyoncé
H.E.R.
Jazmine Sullivan
Jhené Aiko
Summer Walker
SZA
BEST MALE R&B/POP ARTIST
6LACK
Anderson .Paak
Chris Brown
Giveon
Tank
The Weeknd
BEST NEW ARTIST
Coi Leray
Flo Milli
Giveon
Jack Harlow
Latto
Pooh Shiesty
BEST GROUP
21 Savage & Metro Boomin
Chloe X Halle
Chris Brown & Young Thug
City Girls
Migos
Silk Sonic
BEST FEMALE HIP HOP ARTIST
Cardi B
Coi Leray
Doja Cat
Megan Thee Stallion
Latto
Saweetie
BEST MALE HIP HOP ARTIST
DaBaby
Drake
J. Cole
Jack Harlow
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke
DR. BOBBY JONES BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
Bebe Winans – “In Jesus Name”
Cece Winans – “Never Lost”
H.E.R. – “Hold Us Together”
Kirk Franklin – “Strong God”
Marvin Sapp – “Thank You For It All”
Tamela Mann – “Touch From You”
BET HER AWARD
Alicia Keys ft. Khalid – “So Done”
Brandy ft. Chance The Rapper – “Baby Mama”
Bri Steves – “Anti Queen”
Chloe X Halle – “Baby Girl”
Ciara ft. Ester Dean – “Rooted”
SZA – “Good Days”
BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT
Aya Nakamura (France)
Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Emicida (Brazil)
Headie One (Uk)
Wizkid (Nigeria)
Young T & Bugsey (Uk)
Youssoupha (France)
VIEWER’S CHOICE AWARD
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”
Chris Brown & Young Thug – “Go Crazy”
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch – “Rockstar”
DJ Khaled ft. Drake – “Popstar”
Drake ft. Lil Durk – “Laugh Now Cry Later”
Lil Baby – “The Bigger Picture”
Megan Thee Stallion ft. Beyoncé – “Savage (Remix)”
Silk Sonic – “Leave the Door Open”
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Cardi B – “Up”
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”
Chloe X Halle – “Do It”
Chris Brown & Young Thug – “Go Crazy”
Drake ft. Lil Durk – “Laugh Now Cry Later”
Silk Sonic – “Leave the Door Open”
VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Benny Boom
Bruno Mars and Florent Déchard
Cole Bennett
Colin Tilley
Dave Meyers
Hype Williams
BEST MOVIE
Coming 2 America
Judas And The Black Messiah
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
One Night In Miami…
Soul
The United States vs. Billie Holiday
BEST ACTRESS
Andra Day
Angela Bassett
Issa Rae
Jurnee Smollett
Viola Davis
Zendaya
BEST ACTOR
Aldis Hodge
Chadwick Boseman
Damson Idris
Daniel Kaluuya
Eddie Murphy
Lakeith Stanfield
YOUNGSTARS AWARD
Alex R. Hibbert
Ethan Hutchison
Lonnie Chavis
Marsai Martin
Michael Epps
Storm Reid
SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
A’ja Wilson
Candace Parker
Claressa Shields
Naomi Osaka
Serena Williams
Skylar Diggins-smith
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
Kyrie Irving
Lebron James
Patrick Mahomes
Russell Westbrook
Russell Wilson
Stephen Curry
Creative Weekly is a magazine-styled segment that highlights some of the week’s biggest hip hop stories you may have missed. Be sure to follow us and subscribe for more updates.
