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Wale Wants To Drop New Music This Week

Though 2020 has failed to deliver on so-oh-many different fronts, it’s been a solid enough time to be a Wale fan. Not only did the rapper slide into the doomed year with his recent Wow…That’s Crazy album under his belt, but he also delivered the highly topical and musically diverse The Imperfect Storm, a response to the death of George Floyd and the ensuing protests. And seeing as he’s been steadily cooking up in the studio, including at a recent session with Meek Mill, some have been wondering whether or not the MMG lyricist intended to close out the year with a bang.

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From the sound of it, Wale intends on doing exactly that. Taking to Twitter, he opened the door to the possibility of some new music, contemplating dropping off a surprise at some point this week. “I think I’m gonna drop some music this week,” he muses. “What you think.” Naturally, many of his fans responded favorably to the proposal, with some even wondering whether Wale has been sitting on an album this whole time. Given how fast artists have been churning out full projects, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Wale follow suit in that regard.

Though the expected date would normally be Friday, November 6th (the same day as Nav and Wheezy’s upcoming Emergency Tsunami), Wale did flip the script by suggesting the possibility of an earlier release. He also teased the possibility of a “Barry Sanders pt 2,” albeit under a different name, which seems to indicate that he does have something a little bigger on the horizon. Look for him to shine further light on his gameplan at some point this week — are you excited for some new Wale?

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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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