My favorite thing that happened this week was James Corden driving around with Rod Stewart while singing his songs. Well, technically, it’s my second favorite thing. My favorite was when A$AP Rocky showed up.
An indictment has been filed in Cobb County, Georgia accusing Jimmy Winfrey, a.k.a. Peewee Roscoe, of several interesting felonies related to that time back in April when Lil Wayne’s tour bus was shot at. What compounds the interestingness here is that Birdman and Young Thug are mentioned as being in contact with Winfrey before and after the shooting. Speculation abounds that this means ol’ Cheep Cheep and Co. were conspiring to have Wayne killed. It seems doubtful, given that the weapons used were handguns, and the indictment refers to aggravated assault rather than attempted murder. Still, it doesn’t look good, especially with Young Thug getting arrested this week for threatening to shoot a security guard in the face.
Lana Del Ray’s “Honeymoon” is dark and sadly beautiful.
I don’t suppose that’s unexpected. Her critics, however, continue to be predictable with potshots about her style and previous projects—none of which are relevant. (And I prefer my Bond themes on Quaaludes, thank you very much.) More importantly, the subtle orchestral production tells me Del Ray has parted ways with Dan Auerbach, who insisted on putting his rather heavy-handed stamp on Ultraviolence, and I hope it’s an indication that the new record will be largely guitar-free.
Art the Jewels, a gallery exhibit inspired by our favorite buddy-cop rap team Run the Jewels, is opening Saturday 7/18 at 63 Bluxhome Street Gallery. Hit it up, San Francisco!
Check out this interview with Mitski where she discusses how to deal with haters:
“Don’t give them any more of your time and energy, don’t let them take part in your journey and current/eventual success, don’t acknowledge them. Don’t let them benefit from you whatsoever.”
GZA jumped on a Sweet Valley track as part of a new EP compilation from Converse.
The Genius drops science quite literally as he lectures on cosmic interactions and the Earth’s environment. I don’t understand how this is supposed to sell shoes, but I’m glad they did it.
The people are hungry for Despot. How do I know? He dropped “House of Bricks” this week and everyone lost it.
The Guardian called him the “most well known” of a group that includes El-P and Action Bronson. I’m not arguing with any of that. He’s a great MC. It’s a great track! But it’s three years old. I saw him do this song at a show exactly two years ago. So it doesn’t sound new to me. I won’t complain, and I’ll take what I can get while hoping that eventual complete album comes out.
50 Cent filed for bankruptcy this week, a move that was largely misinterpreted by the usual Twitter jokesters. The Guardian even misses the point, despite mentioning it first thing: the bankruptcy filing happened at the same time 50 was ordered to pay $5 million in damages to Lastonia Leviston because he posted a sex tape of her online as an attack on Rick Ross. It’s nothing to do with 50’s rise to fame, or the hardships he’s had to endure, or his spending habits. His lawyers have advised him to do this so he won’t have to pay damages, since bankruptcy proceedings typically take precedence over other civil suits. Leviston has filed a motion to allow her suit to continue, arguing that the bankruptcy was only initiated after 50 knew about the $5 million judgment.
Joell Ortiz and !llmind have teamed up for a new record (out today!) and you can hear the single “Hallelujah” which bounces and swerves while Ortiz makes a case for his excellence not in spite of his indie status, but because of it.
“I do white people shit better than white people; you can’t out white people me,” proclaims Damon Dash in this excellent longform piece about a mogul who got knocked down and is still pushing for a comeback.
Watch Mew’s new video for “Witness” featuring a slew of quick cuts of the band in a sea of dancing fans. Or maybe just listen to it instead.
I’m linking to this Mac DeMarco thing not because of the song, which is okay, but because I didn’t realize he had christened himself a “jizz jazzer” and subsequently every single thing written about him includes this term. Now, jizz jazzer—that’s a name that no one would self-apply where I come from.
Finally, do not watch this. DON’T WATCH IT. DO NOT WATCH. I warned you.
THIS WEEK’S PLAYLIST: