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Benny The Butcher Says Artists Use Breonna Taylor’s Name For Clout

Hip Hop fans have been streaming Burden of Proof non-stop since Benny The Butcher released his Hit-Boy-produced project at the stroke of midnight. The Griselda rapper delivered his first solo project since Summer 2019, and it’s a labor of love that got Benny back into street-beast mode. The rapper dropped by the L.A. Leakers show on Los Angeles’s Power 106 radio station to discuss the rawness of his new album and during the chat, Benny mentioned that he’s an authentic artist who doesn’t need gimmicks to impact the culture.

“You’re never gonna hear Benny on no record speaking…just trying to clout chase just because of the Black Lives Matter movement going on,” Benny The Butcher said. “I’m not never gon’ make a Black Lives Matter song. Not saying that other rappers shouldn’t. That’s just not how I speak to my people. I speak to my people in a different way.” The hosts noted that Benny, himself, is a “representation of Black Lives Matter” so he doesn’t need to express that in the same way as other artists.

“A lot of times with all of this going on with the social media, everything is so visual,” Benny added. “Fans want people to speak on certain things just because. But me, I’m a doer, so I don’t feel comfortable, or I don’t even like how a lot of these guys, they say Breonna Taylor name but they’re not directly involved.”

L.A. Leakers stated that many artists tweet a little something and that’s enough for them. “The public makes them believe that,” said Benny. “The public is so hungry for a celebrity’s attention. It’s almost like the public settles for that… Knowing you could do so much more if you really wanted to do something, it would be bigger than a tweet.”

Benny went on to say—using the Breonna Taylor case as an example—that the shooting “is a real situation,” so it’s unknown how Taylor’s family feels about seeing her face plastered everywhere. “I don’t want to disrespect the family.” Listen to Benny The Butcher on Power 106 below.

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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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