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Anderson .Paak Once Got Wasted At Rick Ross’s Estate

Despite feeling the impact of the “Lockdown” like everyone else, Anderson .Paak is still managing to make the best of his year. As you might remember, the Aftermath artist dropped off a collaboration with Rick Ross called “Cut Em In,” which recently earned some appropriately lavish visuals. And though the pair connected on wax prior to the clip’s release, Paak reveals that he first met Rick Ross on the video set — an introduction that soon led to some amusing antics.

Anderson .Paak

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“When it came time to do the video, that was the first time I ever met him face to face,” explains Anderson, speaking with Zane Lowe on Apple Music. “Super cool estate, eight-plus hours on the video set. Then after the next day we went and gave us a full tour of his house, drinking Belaire until, I mean, I got so drunk, man. They had to drag me out of there, dude. I wanted to stay all week, but man, this dude is a cool cat bro. One of the coolest cats in the industry, man. That’s why he’s been around for so long and has a connection to everybody. It’s like them cats like that.”

On a musical note, Paak also takes a moment to reflect on one of his biggest influences — the legendary producer Dilla, who still feels underappreciated in today’s climate. “I was a late learner to Dilla and that whole scene,” explains Paak. “When I was coming up, I was really heavy into the 2000s era and that kind of just went over my head. When I was in high school, it was all about Jay-Z, Nelly, Ludacris, and Missy. And then when I got older and got into Dilla, it was like that’s all I wanted to listen to.”

“And then you start seeing the effect of his music and how it has on people,” he continues. “And just infectious grooves, it’s hard to find groove-based music in new music now, people that are really making groove-based music. And that’s what I feel like we’re making and we’re a part of that lineage in hip hop…he’s definitely one of my icons and someone I really look up to.”

Are you excited to see what Anderson .Paak has been cooking up on a musical level?

[via Zane Lowe on Apple Music]

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Kanye West Joins Chicago Ceremony Honoring His Mother With Dr. Donda West Way

Kanye West was in Chicago for a street naming ceremony honoring his late mother, Dr. Donda West, and celebrating her lasting contributions to the city, her impact on education and the arts, and her influence on her son’s life.

A portion of 78th Street bears the official designation of Dr. Donda West Way, an appropriate tribute to a woman whose legacy remains deeply entangled with Chicago. Local news covered the ceremony, attended by community leaders, and Ye could be seen clapping in the background, wearing shades, as the new street sign was unveiled.

The event celebrated Donda West’s accomplishments and her impact on the people in her life. It was also a moment of profound personal significance for Kanye. His mother played a large part in building his confidence and supporting his musical ambitions, leading him down the path that would ultimately make him one of the most recognizable artists in music.

West had already paid tribute to his mother in his 2021 album Donda. The project took 10 years to complete, the amount of time it took Ye to process her tragic passing. Donda’s voice is present throughout the album, adding another personal element to a project centered on her memory and legacy.

The Chicago ceremony falls during a busy time for West. The artist is on a world tour and played a couple of shows in Chicago just a few weeks ago. Despite the ongoing controversy about his recent past and public reception, his repeated returns to the stage have underscored the enduring size of his audience.

Currently, the unveiling of Dr. Donda West Way is not about music but about celebrating Donda West’s life and accomplishments and the impact she continues to have through the legacy she left behind.

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DJ Akademiks Opens the Door to Pusha T Amidst Drake Controversy

DJ Akademiks seems to be changing his tune on Pusha T after the leak of the rapper’s alleged album with Pharrell, though the project reportedly includes several direct shots at Drake.

The reaction is notable as Akademiks and Pusha T have been on completely unique sides of the long-running Drake-Pusha T divide. Pusha T’s infamous beef with Drake reached a major milestone in 2018 with the release of “The Story of Adidon.” Akademiks has an OVO chain and has been a big supporter of Drake, which makes his latest comments about Pusha T even more shocking.

The two have had their differences, though they have never gone back and forth publicly over the years. Akademiks, however, responded to the leaked project with a more sympathetic view of Pusha T’s position. Akademiks didn’t just point out the rapper’s continued Drake references; he also recognized that Drake has been beefing with Pusha T and Pharrell over the last few years.

Things got spicy when Akademiks reminded him that Pusha T has liked a couple of his posts before. That detail apparently has Akademiks considering reaching out directly to talk with Pusha T.

Does Pusha T even want that kind of conversation? Still, Akademiks’ comments imply that he believes there’s room for a more productive discourse between two personalities who have historically been on opposite sides of the Drake-Pusha T feud.

For now, the leaked album has provided an unexpected opening for dialogue. Akademiks’ openness to Pusha T’s side, even with his clear ties to Drake, shifts the conversation away from taking sides and toward whether a direct conversation could actually happen.

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