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Price Brings Melanin Celebration With Debut Solo Album “CLRD.”

Although the provision of a dense concept album with meaningful lyrics and production from the likes of Boi-1da would seem out of place for a novice solo artist, don’t let the short discography fool you. California native, Price, has been spending ample time finely tuning the skills we would come to witness in CLRD.

From his 2009 signing to Interscope Records as part of the prolific duo, Audio Push, to his successful collaboration with Pink Sweat$ for the soundtrack to HBO’s Insecure, this has been a long time coming.

With this in mind, it seems fitting that CLRD. takes place in the context of a school day, as we find the unique lyricist eschewing mainstream braggadocio raps, in favor of his plans for maturation. On “RUMORS” we get a succinct vision of his self-esteem, as he prioritizes not the way in which others perceive him, but the innate integrity of his acts.

As the album’s second of eight tracks, it helps establish a motif of Price recognizing that life as an up-and-coming rapper is far from insulated from systemic societal flaws. Recognizing his place in society as a rapper, a male, and especially an African-American, is in essence the lesson he acquires throughout his “class”.

Despite the recognition of arbitrary roadblocks he knows are likely to stand in his way, Price shows no sign of diminished ambition. He still aspires toward love and social prosperity as evidenced by “WATERMELON”, wherein he reckons with the struggle of trying to be a king in society, while also telling a female love interest “I know what’s seen I helped you unlock your inner queen”.

Even with the brief trip from “RUMORS” to “WATERMELON”, and in turn from “WATERMELON” to the end of the album, Price doesn’t waste a moment. He stresses every syllable just as he stresses his rhetoric of confidence in the black community, until the album’s end, “TUSKEGEE”, where he asserts, “Stop. Black man, know your worth.”

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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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