Posts tagged with "Travis Scott"

DJ KHALED – GOD DID

GLOBAL ICON DJ KHALED NOMINATED FOR SIX 2023 GRAMMY® AWARDS

IN TOP CATEGORIES SUCH AS “BEST ALBUM OF THE YEAR,” “BEST RAP ALBUM,” & MORE

NEW ALBUM GOD DID OUT NOW

Another one! Global mega-star DJ Khaled has once again risen to the top of the game with six nominations at the 2023 GRAMMY® Awards. He has earned a total of 10 nominations throughout his career to date. The 2023 GRAMMY® Awards airs live from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA on February 5! He has also notably tied Future for most rap category nominations this year.

Leading across categories, he picked up three nods for “GOD DID” [feat. JAY-Z, Fridayy, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, & John Legend], including “Song of the Year,” “Best Rap Song,” and “Best Rap Performance.” His most lauded work to date, GOD DID, also snags a nomination for “Best Rap Album.” He scored a nod in the category “Best Melodic Rap Performance” for “Beautiful” [feat. SZA & Future]. Plus, he emerges in the biggest category of the night, garnering a nomination for “Best Album of the Year” for his contribution to Mary J Blige’s Good Morning Gorgeous [Deluxe].

Stay tuned for more from DJ Khaled as always!

Earlier this year, Khaled captured #1 on the Billboard Top 200 with his thirteenth full-length studio album, GOD DID [We The Best Music Group/Epic Records]. It stood out as his fourth career #1 debut on the Top 200 and fifth straight #1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart.

Get GOD DID—HERE.

The album has arrived as a cultural milestone in its own right. Stretching past the eight-minute mark, the title track “GOD DID” [feat. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, JAY-Z, John Legend, & Fridayy] has sparked an important conversation. As part of a special report for MSNBC, Ari Melber host of The Beat broke down JAY-Z’s four-minute verse as a cogent and cohesive analysis on the failures of the prolonged generational drug war framed through the icon’s own journey embodied in the rhyme, “cocaína into champagne.“ However, it didn’t stop there. Khaled, JAY-Z, Melber, and journalist Rob Markman engaged in this discourse publicly on Twitter Spaces. JAY-Z went one step further and uploaded Melber’s initial report as “HOV DID” on all streaming platforms. Rolling Stone and People have chronicled this chain of events, and the conversation continues. However, it all started on “GOD DID.”

Meanwhile, “Use This Gospel (Remix) [feat. Kanye West, Emimen (prod. by Dr. Dre & The ICU)] bowed at #1 on the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs Chart and Hot Christian Songs Chart—Khaled’s first #1 entries on the respective charts. Additionally, he notched 10 entries on the Billboard Hot 100, including “God Did” at #17, “Staying Alive,” which is now RIAA Certified Gold, at #21 (Greatest Gainer/Streaming), “Beautiful” at #29, “Big Time” at #31, “Use This Gospel (Remix)”at #49, “Juice WRLD Did” at #55, “Keep Going” at #57 “Party” at #66, “It Ain’t Safe” at #77 “No Secret” at #78 and “Let’s Pray” at #86.

Beyond posting up over 800 million cumulative streams and views, GOD DID finds Khaled everywhere. GQ spoke to him as part of an in-depth profile and proclaimed, “Sixteen years after his star-studded debut, 2006’s Listennn… the Album, many of its same guests showed up for God Did, and getting these now-giants to answer the call today is even more of an impressive feat.” Meanwhile, Elliott Wilson and Brian “B.Dot” Miller of Rap Radar chatted with him for an all-encompassing podcast. Plus, he took the stage at the MTV VMA to present the award for “Best Collaboration” to Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow for “Industry Baby.”

He celebrated the rollout with an unprecedented deluge of videos, including, “Big Time” [feat. Future & Lil Baby], “It Ain’t Safe”[feat. Nardo Wick & Kodak Black],“Party All The Time”[feat. Quavo & Takeoff], “These Streets Know My Name”[feat. Skillibeng, Buju Banton, Capleton, Bounty Killer, & Sizzla], “Keep Going” [feat. Lil Durk, 21 Savage, & Roddy Ricch], “Beautiful” [feat. SZA & Future], “Way Past Luck” [feat. 21 Savage], and “Jadakiss Interlude” [feat. Jadakiss].

Delivering the hip-hop event of the summer, he welcomed an A-list cohort of friends to join him for his latest magnum opus. For the first time ever, he collaborates with none other than Dr. Dre and The ICU in addition to joining forces with Eminem, Future, Kanye West, SZA, 21 Savage, Lil Wayne, Lil Durk, Roddy Ricch, Travis Scott, Latto, City Girls, Kodak Black, Quavo, Takeoff, Gunna, Bounty Killer, Sizzla, Buju Banton, Skillibeng, Capelton, Fridayy, Don Toliver, Jadakiss, Nardo Wick, Vory, John Legend, and the late Juice WRLD. Of course, he also reunites with longtime brothers Drake, JAY-Z, and Rick Ross, while his sons Asahd and Aalam guest and co-Executive Produce once more. Check out the full tracklisting below.

He notably set the stage for the album with “Staying Alive” [feat. Drake & Lil Baby]. It has already amassed over 185 Million audio streams and 50M views for the music video. Plus, it bowed at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100, holding strong on the chart.

The anthem king has returned with GOD DID, and he delivers his biggest, boldest, and best body of work to date.

Last year, Khaled unleashed his twelfth full-length album, KHALEDKHALED [We The Best Music Group/Epic Records]. It arrived as his third #1 debut on the Billboard Top 200, sixth #1 on the Top Rap Albums Chart, and fourth #1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart. It also reached platinum status.

Two words say it all, GOD DID.

QUAVO × TAKEOFF

QUAVO & TAKEOFF UNLEASH NEW ALBUM

ONLY BUILT FOR INFINITY LINKS

STREAM THE ALBUM HERE

WATCH THE “NOTHING CHANGED” VIDEO

Famed Atlanta rap duo Quavo & Takeoff have unleashed their hotly-anticipated collaborative LP Only Built for Infinity Links, out now via Quality Control Music Group/Motown Records. The high-powered duo unite with electric-chemistry as well as an impressive slate of feature artists including Mustard, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Young Thug, Gunna, Summer Walker, Birdman, and Gucci Mane with iconic production from DJ Durel, Murda Beatz, Buddha Beats, Money Musik, and more. Only Built for Infinity Links is a deep-dive into Quavo & Takeoff’s universe through their melodic and expansive adlibs, infectious hooks, and their agile wordplay. To accompany the release, Quavo & Takeoff shared a new music video for “Nothing Changed.”

“We wanted to pay tribute to some of the best rap duos of all time with this album and remind the culture that we’re really one of them. Raekwon and Ghostface, Outkast, The Throne, and now Quavo and Takeoff.” – Quavo

“This is a no skips type of album. We wanted it to play through like a live show, we come in strong and then bring you on a journey. Definitely knew we had to bring out icons only for the features.” – Takeoff

Only Built for Infinity Links follows a string of the critically lauded singles “Us. vs. Them” featuring Gucci Mane, “Big Stunna” featuring Birdman, the RIAA Gold Certified multi-million streamed “Hotel Lobby”, and the recent, hard-hitting “Nothing Changed”. On Thursday, in celebration of the new project, the pair performed live on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Quavo & Takeoff’s collaborative debut captures the dynamic duo at their best as a team of prolific icons that continue to push the culture forward.

ONLY BUILT FOR INFINITY LINKS TRACKLIST:

01 – Two Infinity Links

02 – Tony Starks

03 – Hotel Lobby

04 – Bars Into Captions

05 – See Bout It ft. Mustard

06 – To The Bone ft. YoungBoy Never Broke Again

07 – Not Out

08 – Chocolate ft. Young Thug and Gunna

09 – 2.30

10 – Look @ This

11 – Mixy ft. Summer Walker

12 – Messy

13 – Nothing Changed

14 – Integration

15 – Big Stunna ft. Birdman

16 – Us vs. Them ft. Gucci Mane

17 – Hell Yeah

18 – Tools

ABOUT QUAVO

Along with bringing trap to the masses as one-third of Migos, rapper/producer Quavo brings his triplet flows and personalized style to his solo releases and a multitude of other artists’ tracks as a featured guest. His 2018 solo album Quavo Huncho rose to the number two spot on the Billboard charts, and he appeared as a guest on several songs that did time in the Top Ten, including hits from Drake, Justin Bieber, and Post Malone. Quavo frequently releases new material in the form of non-album singles, including songs like 2020’s “Too Blessed,” 2021’s “Strub Tha Ground,” and 2022’s “Hotel Lobby.

Quavo was born Quavious Marshall in 1991 and grew up in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Alongside Offset (his cousin) and Takeoff (his nephew), he helped form Migos in 2009 and they released their first mixtapes, Juug Season in 2011 and No Label in 2012. (No Label went on to receive a sequel in 2014.) However, it wasn’t until the release of the track “Versace” from their 2013 mixtape, Young Rich N*ggas, that they came to full prominence. The song was a breakout hit, receiving further exposure when Drake produced a remix. In 2014, Quavo was named “most influential rapper” by the online hip-hop community Complex Music. In subsequent years, he appeared on further releases with Migos, most notably their full-length albums Yung Rich Nation (2015) and C U L T U R E (2017). He also appeared on tracks like “Champions” for Kanye West‘s GOOD Music label and performed alongside Young Thug on 2016’s “Fuck Cancer,” and on 2017’s “Go Off” with Travis Scott and Lil Uzi Vert for the Fate of the Furious movie soundtrack. Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho, a collaborative project with Travis Scott, was also released in 2017. The following year, Quavo released a series of solo singles, including “Workin Me” and “Bubble Gum.” Those tracks found their way onto his official solo debut, Quavo Huncho, which arrived in October 2018. The album featured guests such as Drake, Travis Scott, Kid Cudi, 21 Savage, Offset, Takeoff, and even Madonna. Quavo continued adding flare to other artists’ singles with featured verses over the next few years, appearing on tracks by E-40, Don Toliver, Iggy Azalea, Major Lazer, 2 Chainz, and many others. In 2018, Quavo was featured on DJ Khaled‘s “No Brainer,” which peaked at number five on the charts, and in 2020 he was featured on another track that hit that mark with his contributions to Justin Bieber‘s single “Intentions.” He also issued several singles of his own, including the 2021 song “Strub Tha Ground,” featuring Yung Miami. The following year saw Quavo team up with Takeoff on the singles “Hotel Lobby”, “Us vs Them” ft. Gucci Mane, and most recently “Big Stunna” ft. Birdman.

ABOUT TAKEOFF

Takeoff is the youngest member of trap trendsetters Migos, whose songs “Versace” and “Bad and Boujee” became major streaming hits, and whose 2017 sophomore album, Culture, topped the pop charts in both the U.S. and Canada. Along with his contributions to Migos, Takeoff released his solo full-length debut, The Last Rocket in 2018, along with singles like the 2022 Rich the Kid collaboration “Crypto.”

Born Kirshnik Khari Ball on June 18, 1994 in Lawrenceville, Georgia, Takeoff started Migos in 2009 with family members Quavo and Offset in a bid to escape the ghetto cycle of poverty and crime. Their breakthrough single, “Versace,” came out in 2013; the album Yung Rich Nation followed in 2015, and Culture came two years later. Takeoff’s non-appearance on the album’s 2016 lead single, “Bad and Boujee,” caused a minor Internet controversy; he brushed it off, claiming he was simply unavailable for the recording session. In May of 2017, he released his first solo track, “Intruder.” Takeoff occasionally appeared solo as a featured performer on tracks by other artists, including Jose Guapo, Chill Will, and, most notably, Calvin Harris, on the song “Holiday” from the Scottish producer’s 2017 album Funk Wav Bounces, Vol. 1.

Migos’ third album, the lengthy, 24-track Culture II, was released in January 2018. Takeoff made his own full-length debut in November of that year with The Last Rocket, which debuted in the Top Four on both the R&B/hip-hop chart and the Billboard 200. Appearances on various singles followed over the next few years, including featured roles alongside Rich the Kid on “Too Blessed” and YRN Lingo on “All Time High,” both released in 2020. In 2022 he reunited with Rich the Kid for woozy recent single “Crypto” and teamed up with Quavo on the new singles “Hotel Lobby”, “Us vs Them” ft. Gucci Mane, and “Big Stunna” ft. Birdman.

KEEP UP WITH TAKEOFF: Twitter | Instagram

KEEP UP WITH QUAVO: Twitter | Instagram

NAV – DPBA

Chart-topping rapper, producer, and XO artist NAV has released his fourth album, Demons Protected By Angels. Executive produced by NAV & Amir “Cash” Esmailian, the album features Gunna, Lil Uzi Vert, Travis Scott, Lil Baby, Future, Don Toliver, Lil Durk, Bryson Tiller, Babyface Ray, and Realest K with production from NAV, Wheezy, Pro Logic, Boi 1da, Money Musik, Tay Keith, BenjiCold, Rex Kudo and more. Demons Protected by Angels includes the previously released singles “Never Sleep” ft. Travis Scott and Lil Baby, which quickly amassed over 40 million streams in a month, as well as the pensive “Wrong Decisions” track, which Nav produced and directed the video for. The album art was created by famed German-born, New York City-based visual artist Erik Parker.

For the release, NAV teamed up with VLONE for a limited edition run of merch inspired by the album. The VLONE X NAV DPBA https://shop.navmusic.com/.

NAV’s most recent effort, his 2020 Emergency Tsunami mixtape, garnered praise from GQ, Complex, Hypebeast, and more, plus earned Nav his debut late-night TV performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! His past two studio albums, Good Intentions (2020) and Bad Habits (2019), debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 100. Additionally, he’s amassed over 9 billion global streams, 4 Billboard Top 10s, and 11 Hot 100 hits. This year alone, three songs earned RIAA-Platinum certifications with 2X Platinum “Tap” (feat. Meek Mill), 2X Platinum “Myself,” and “Up.”

Lister HERE.

Album art by Erik Parker

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FOR MORE ON NAV:
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NIGEL SYLVESTER

Nigel Sylvester, BMX superstar walked the ESPYS carpet in style. Nigel chose to wear a full leather AMIRI suit coupled with stacked diamond bracelets, a beautiful diamond link necklace & rainbow spectrum diamond rings all by Los Angeles based fine jewelry brand, METAL NOIR. METAL NOIR has become the go-to jewelry brands for men being that it focuses on impactful yet subtle luxury. It’s no surprise the Jordan Brand athlete chose to wear the unreleased sought after Travis Scott Reverse Mocha 1s to finish off the look.

*Photo Courtesy of Getty Images

Who: Nigel Sylvester Celtics NBA Superstar (Styled by: Anthony Clayburn IG: @clay_visions

Where: Los Angeles, CA: 2022 ESPYS

What: Nigel Sylvester walked the carpet in METAL NOIR

Rainbow Diamond Ring: The Full Spectrum Collection ‘ROYGBIV’ Emerald cut ring in solid 18K Rose Gold with 30 point Multi-Color natural Sapphires. Approximately 5 Carats. HERE

Rainbow Diamond Cuff: Our Full Spectrum Collection Cuff Bracelet in Solid 18K Yellow Gold with rainbow sapphires and black diamonds. Approx. 2.8 Carats. HERE

Diamond Cuff: Our Signature Collection Double Row Bracelet in Solid 18K Yellow Gold with round brilliant diamonds. 5.8 Carats. VS+ Clarity. HERE

Diamond and Yellow Gold Ring: Our Signature Collection Single Row ring in solid 18K Yellow Gold with round brilliant diamonds. Approximately 1.2 Carats. HERE

Diamond chain necklace: Signature Collection Full Diamond Linked Multi-Ring Necklace in solid 18k Yellow Gold with round brilliant diamonds. Approx. 8 Carats. HERE

GASHI – GASOLINE

Today, genre-bending artist GASHI returns with the release of his latest single, “Gasoline,” out now via RCA Records. His first taste of new music in 2022, “Gasoline” comes ahead of GASHI’s anticipated forthcoming album, due out later this year.

Opening on a chorus of dark synths and echoing vocals before kicking into a seductive, pulsating beat, “Gasoline” is a six-minute track that showcases GASHI’s undeniable lyrical flow and soulful melodies. The latter half of the song kicks into a slick freestyle, highlighting GASHI’s musical prowess as he spits boastful bars about his life and career to date.

About GASHI

Born in Africa and raised in NYC, GASHI spent much of his young life as a refugee, moving from country to country. His family eventually settled in Brooklyn, where he was introduced to music at a young age. GASHI absorbed a melting pot of musical influences throughout his youth, resulting in the formation of his unique sonic palette. His dynamic sound has allowed GASHI to collaborate with a wide range of talents, including Chris Brown, Travis Scott, Sting, Dua Lipa, and more. GASHI continues to defy and bend genres throughout his discography and has trophied countless global anthemic hits as well as critical acclaim.

Today, GASHI is the only male Albanian artist to chart on multiple Billboard charts. In the last few years alone, GASHI has released two studio albums – including his 2021 hit album 1984 – sold out venues across the globe, and accumulated over 1 billion streams with over 300 million video views worldwide. The New York Times cited GASHI as “the trap Phil Collins” and received co-signs from peers, including Travis Scott and A$AP Rocky, who affirmed GASHI as “one of the dopest artists to come out of New York.” A trajectory that is supersonic and an impact that is undeniable, this is GASHI.

*Photo Credit: JMP

Rosalía – CANDY

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To celebrate the arrival of MOTOMAMI, Rosalía treats fans to another eye-popping visual with the music video for “CANDY.” Watch the video which features Rosalía partaking in her favorite pastime of karaoke HERE.

Rosalía launched a once-in-a-lifetime immersive experience on TikTok LIVE. Drawing a massive audience well over a million viewers, she performed 14 tracks from the record during a mind-blowing show, giving each song its own distinct feel and visual. The event was personally conceptualized and created by Rosalía, directed by Stillz, and produced by CANADA with all the footage impressively filmed exclusively on mobile phones.

About Rosalía

Rosalía is a Grammy & Eight-Time Latin Grammy Winner who has quickly “leapt to the forefront of the global pop landscape” on the strength of her innovative musical fusions and distinctive style. She has repeatedly shattered barriers for both female and Spanish language artists, while being widely hailed as: “a complicated genius… reflecting femininity and strength… a new generation leader… making Flamenco a global phenomenon… while becoming Earth’s Most Exciting Pop Star.” With the May 2018 release of her innovative breakthrough single “Malamente (Cap.1: Augurio)” and the fall arrival of her landmark album El Mal Querer, fans worldwide quickly embraced Rosalía’s phenomenal vocal capability meshed with her now fully realized fusion of classic Flamenco and other timeless music styles of Spain, with R&B, hip-hop, contemporary Latin-American rhythms and electronic beats. Coupled with Rosalía’s strong influences from industrial visual arts, female empowerment, fashion and choreography, it became clear to critics that: “El Mal Querer is a boundary-breaking modern masterpiece… that has resonated like a shockwave… it stands out from virtually everything else on the global pop landscape.” As a result of the album’s long-running impact, and additional 2019 singles that followed, Rosalía garnered a GRAMMY Award, standout GRAMMY performance, the historic first-ever Best New Artist Grammy nomination for a Spanish Language artist, and eight Latin Grammys, including Album of the Year. Additional acclaim has included 2 MTV VMA‘s, multiple magazine covers-including the annual Sunday New York Times Magazine‘s special Culture Cover, highly praised Coachella and Lollapalooza festival appearances, the most watched global YouTube video of 2019 for a female artist, and “Best Music of the Decade” picks from Rolling Stone, Billboard, GQ, The LA Times, Pitchfork and more. While Rosalía has spent a large majority of time immersed in the creative process of writing and recording her eagerly-awaited next album, she also finalized landmark brand partnerships with Nike and MAC‘s “Viva Glam” campaign, lead the field of LATIN GRAMMY winners for the second year in a row became the first-ever all-Spanish language music artist to grace the cover of VOGUE in the United States (with the January 2021 “Vogue Values” issue, photographed by Annie Leibovitz), and joined Travis Scott, Bad Bunny, the Weeknd, Billie Eilish, Arca, Tokisha and more on massive streaming collaborative tracks. She now begins her next creative chapter with the music of MOTOMAMI.

TRAVIS SCOTT COMMUNITY INITIATIVE

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PROJECT HEAL: TRAVIS SCOTT ANNOUNCES $5 MILLION FOR COMMUNITY-FOCUSED INITIATIVES

Applications Open Today for $1,000,000 in Scholarships Enabling 100 Black Students Experiencing Financial Hardship in their Senior Year to Graduate On-Time from HBCUs

LONG-TERM SERIES OF PHILANTHROPIC, COMMUNITY SERVICE & INVESTMENT EFFORTS OFFER ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS, MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS FOR VULNERABLE KIDS, DESIGN EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS, AND A FIRST-EVER TECH-DRIVEN SOLUTION FOR EVENT SAFETY

Today, artist and performer Travis Scott announced Project HEAL, a multi-tier, long-term series of community-focused philanthropy and investment efforts.

Kicking the effort off today, $1 million in pledged scholarships for students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) will be available to give a leg up to students in need. With Scott’s support, the Waymon Webster Scholarship Fund will grant $10,000 scholarships to seniors who have reached academic excellence (averaging 3.5 or higher GPA) but who are facing the last-minute challenge of financial adversity in their second semester senior year – and risk not graduating. The scholarships will help bring 100 students over the finish line, diploma in hand. This is the second year that Scott has supported HBCUs and represents a tenfold increase.

Past recipients include students at Howard University, Morehouse College, Texas Southern University, Grambling State University, and Prairie View A&M University – Scott’s grandfather’s alma mater where he also served as an educator. The scholarship is named after Waymon Webster to honor his lifetime of dedication to academic excellence. Applications are now open online at cactusjack.foundation.

Travis Scott said: “My grandfather was an educator who made a difference in thousands of young lives throughout his life. He is a major influence on me and countless others, whose dreams he believed in, whose hopes he invested in, and whose futures he made big. It’s in his spirit that we are creating projects and programs that will look to the future of our communities and create hope and excellence in as many lives as possible.”

Jordan Webster, Project Manager at the Cactus Jack Foundation’s HBCU Program, Howard University student and sister to Travis Scott, said: “I know personally how deeply important my grandfather’s academic legacy at HBCUs is to Travis and to my entire family – my twin brother Josh also attends an HBCU, at Prairie View A&M University. Travis creates hope and makes a real difference to 100 of our HBCU peers who will be able to graduate without going into crushing debt. As a third generation HBCU student, I cannot be prouder to partner with Travis on the second year of this exceptional initiative.”

Nasire Branch, a recipient of the first annual Waymon Webster Scholarship and current Morehouse College student, said: “When I announced that I planned to attend Morehouse College, a lot of people told me I was making the wrong decision and that I’d be putting myself in too much debt. Thanks to the Cactus Jack Foundation’s support, I am one step closer to accomplishing my dreams of being not only the first in my family to attend an HBCU but the first to graduate with a four-year degree.”

The second pillar of HEAL addresses the country’s skyrocketing mental health crisis – and focuses much-needed resources to support services for young people in lower-income communities of color, many of whom have few available, accessible, affordable mental health options.

With seven figures in pledges to fund digital counseling and telephone hotlines, Scott will provide free programs with licensed professional counselors and social workers. Houston-based behavioral health expert, Dr. Janice Beal, will lead the effort with Scott’s support. Beal is the Programing Director of “Well Being in Color,” a peer mental health education program for students of color in addition to her private practice. Most recently, Dr. Beal developed mental health pipelines for the Houston Independent School District during the COVID-19 pandemic. She serves as a member of the Mayor of Houston’s task force for special needs and advises United States Congressmembers on youth mental health issues.

Dr. Janice Beal said: “Mental health has traditionally been a taboo subject. As life begins to return to normal, many young people are still suffering and need help to re-adjust after serious disruptions to their experiences at home, in school and within their community. With Travis Scott’s help, HEAL’s programs will help empower young people to overcome mental health issues and become the best they can be.

The third pillar, in conjunction with Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack Foundation, is a seven-figure expansion of the CACT.US Youth Design Center at TXRX Labs in Houston, a nonprofit makerspace for young artists, designers, tech innovators, including free studio space, workspace, tool spaces, job and apprenticeship training, youth education, and events. HEAL will fund a new comprehensive creative design education program for the Center – existing where fashion, art, technology, and music intersect – through a strategic online partnership with a historically black college or university.

The fourth and final pillar is to address safety challenges for large-scale live events through funding the US Conference of Mayors Task Force on Event Safety and a tech-driven device currently in development. This solution is a culmination of stakeholder inputs from key experts from the tech sector, government, emergency response, event management, health, and public safety experts.

This will be the first time all these stakeholders will work together to most effectively address the safety challenges faced by future large-scale events, which will culminate in a comprehensive report of recommendations. HEAL will work towards advocating that this report serves as the new safety and security blueprint for all festivals and large-scale events.

Rev. Dr. Johnnie Greene, President of Mobilizing Preachers and Communities (“MPAC”) and Senior Pastor at the Mount Neboh Baptist Church in Harlem, New York, said: “Travis Scott’s generosity will directly help Black youth and families in need. From providing academic scholarships to critical mental resources and inspiring educational programs, Travis Scott is standing up for the Black community by providing the support needed to ensure that our God-given potential is recognized and realized, and soon. We need more leaders who are willing to step up in times of need like this, and I commend Travis and his team.”

Rev. Dr. D.Z. Cofield, MPAC member and pastor of the Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Houston, said: “At a time when the Black community is still struggling to overcome the twin crises of the pandemic and racial injustice, and all their negative impacts on our physical, financial, mental and spiritual health, Travis is providing unmatched assistance with HEAL. I applaud him for doing what his community needs at such a critical time.”

About Project HEAL

Project HEAL is a multi-tier initiative dedicated to addressing challenges facing today’s youth, especially those from marginalized and at-risk communities.

In conjunction with the Cactus Jack Foundation, Project HEAL unites initiatives ranging from academic scholarships, free mental health resources, a creative design center and a first-ever, tech-driven solution for event safety. These efforts, independently and collectively, aim to solve challenges and overcome issues impacting the youth community. Learn more at heal-project.org.

Astroworld Festival

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By: McKinley Franklin

Popular rapper and Houston-native Travis Scott hosted the Astroworld Festival this past weekend. The festival resulted in eight fatalities and dozens injured. How did the once cherished Astroworld Festival turn so dark so fast, and how can society learn from this atrocity?

This year’s Astroworld Festival marked the third of an annual series since 2018. The festival is held in Houston, Texas, where Scott grew up. Scott’s third studio album attributes directly back to Houston, being named after a theme park from Scott’s childhood, Astroworld. Before the festival was held in 2019, Scott was given a key to the city of Houston from the city’s mayor. The rapper received the key during his Astroworld Tour while performing in Houston. While presenting Scott with the key, mayor Sylvester Turner praised him for the recognition and reputation that Scott linked with the city of Houston. During the presentation Turner also announced that Scott had inspired the city to bring back another amusement park, like the original Astroworld, to the city.

Later in 2019, the second annual Astroworld Festival was held where a prelude to the events in this past year’s festival would be showcased. Much like the most recent festival, fans stormed the venue and three people were reported to be trampled. Such patterns of seemingly aggressive behaviors have been associated with Scott in the past that date back to 2015. Two arrests of Scott have been reported for similar behaviors of prompting fans to engage in disorderly conduct(s). Both instances involved Scott encouraging fans to breach security at music festivals.

After another successful year of the festival in 2019, the annual scheduling came to a halt amidst the ongoing pandemic in 2020. With much anticipation due to the cancellation of the festival in the past year, Scott announced the third annual festival in May 2021. This year the festival would be extended to two days “due to overwhelming demand as well as rave reviews around the festival’s incredibly curated lineup.” The official lineup was not released until October 26 of 2021, a little over a week before the festival was scheduled. Popular artists in the lineup included SZA, Young Thug, 21 Savage and Lil Baby, accompanied by Travis Scott as the leading headliner of the festival. Scott promoted the festival on his socials and referred to members of the lineup as “avengers.” In the same post Scott also communicated that the festival was sold out, but he had managed to acquire more tickets so that more fans could be in attendance.

November 5, 2021, marked the beginning of what was supposed to be the two-day Astroworld Festival. Festival gates opened at 1pm this past Friday, and mayhem began shortly after. A lot of the set protocols and rules surrounding security at the festival were disregarded early before the festival commenced. Security was failing to enforce ID and coronavirus vaccination checks, as well as other rules surrounding prohibited items and general security checks. The performance areas were noticeably packed around 7pm, and the crowds only grew as Scott’s performance was approaching. A countdown started thirty minutes prior to when Scott was set to perform, and as the countdown crawled down, so did the available space for those at the venue.

When Scott finally did take the stage, the intense compressing of the crowd really took off. The squeezing of the crowds became unoccupiable as the first song in Scott’s performance began. Fans in the crowd had nowhere to move, and if there was movement it was inevitably devastating. People were falling onto the floor, piling on top of each other in some areas. Individuals began to become so crushed that they were passing out in the crowds. Fans that were close enough to the front of the stage begged security to pull them out of the crowds to safety, As the night continued, paramedics were seen amidst the masses of fans performing CPR, treating unconscious people and even carrying off lifeless bodies.

During the chaos, Scott continued his performance taking few short pauses to notify security of fans being unconscious in the crowds. Kylie Jenner, Scott’s baby mother of two, posted to social media a video of the crowds at the festival with a noticeable ambulance in the mass of people. Multiple videos and images have been posted from fans at the festival across social media platforms. Specific videos recount the fearful experiences that individuals went through, and some even recount people trying to notify security of the chaos that was occurring throughout the swarms of fans in the crowd. The festival continued, forcing over three hundred people to be treated on-site by medical personnel, dozens being hospitalized and eight individuals dead.

How did the festival turn out so gruesome? On the Astroworld Festival webpage there are clear rules, regulations and precautions written out that were to be followed. One of the main problems that resulted with this festival was the insufficient quality of security and amount of medical personnel/ supplies onsite. Fans were spotted running past security throughout the day leading to Scott’s performance. Security checks were not followed as intensely as they were publicized to be. An insufficient number of medical supplies and personnel showed cracks in the groundwork of the festival throughout the day and when Scott’s performance started.

How can festivals be prevented from tragedies like this from reoccurring? A few simple tactics can be implemented that all lead back to ensuring efficient safety of all people in attendance of a festival. To ensure a safe venue, festivals must be held at safe venues with secure layouts. Creating a reliable layout with a well-organized security team can allow for a safer and more comfortable experience for everyone. Making sure the facility and its grounds have been well-inspected, kept and prepared for the festival are key elements to a safe experience. A well-managed and prepared security team and plan for the facility of an event can also ensure a safer experience for a festival.

BOSLEN – DUSK TO DAWN

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BOSLEN RELEASES MUSIC VIDEO FOR “FORSAKEN” FEATURING VORY

WATCH HERE

DEBUT ALBUM DUSK to DAWN OUT NOW

LISTEN HERE

“Redefining what Black music can look, feel and sound like” – FADER

“Boslen is on a clear cut path for international stardom.” – Lyrical Lemonade

“Boslen has been making a name for himself” – HotNewHipHop

After racking up millions of streams and receiving acclaim from COMPLEX, Lyrical Lemonade, HotNewHipHop, and more, Vancouver-bred genre-defying artist Boslen unveils the music video for “FORSAKEN (feat. Vory)” today. Watch it HERE. It stands out as the latest highlight from his tastemaker-praised debut album, DUSK to DAWN – out now via Chaos Club Digital / Capitol Records. Listen HERE.

“The FORSAKEN” music video is the visual representation of an unfiltered tormenting battle that I and many others face when seeing the end of a relationship before it arrives.” – Boslen

Directed by Cole Muters, produced by Jacob Green, and Creative Directed by Natasha Dion, the visual brings the lyrics and mood to life with intimate closeups of this bold boundary breaker against a lush backdrop.

DUSK to DAWN has already eclipsed over 9.6 million-plus streams and counting in addition to inciting widespread critical applause. Atwood Magazine hailed it as “a raw reckoning manifest in music: The kind of record that needs to be felt in full in order to be understood at its core,” and HotNewHipHop praised “his vibe is ambitious, cinematic, and sometimes reminiscent of earlier Travis Scott releases.” EARMILK christened him “a new voice in hip-hop, taking a refreshingly personal angle on the genre and establishing himself as an exciting, multi-faceted artist to watch,” and FLAUNT put it best, “Boslen is a whole vibe, and we can’t get enough.”

Featuring guest spots from Tyla Yaweh, Vory, Dro Kenji, Rascalz, and Charmaine, DUSK to DAWN draws its undeniable power from Boslen’s boundary-pushing vocal experiments, shapeshifting transitions, and heavier production than he’s attempted before. After opening on the soulful minimalism of “DUSK” the album cycles through an entire spectrum of textures and moods, ultimately arriving at the beautifully warped “DAWN.” Naming hyper-creative artists like Kid Cudi among his main inspirations, Boslen notes that DUSK to DAWN emerged from a desire to explore how vulnerability and self-empowerment can co-exist.

Drake – Certified Lover Boy

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DRAKE RETURNS TO #1 AROUND THE GLOBE WITH HIS TENTH #1 ALBUM DEBUT

CERTIFIED LOVER BOY ACHIEVES TOP CONSUMPTION & OVERALL STREAMING DEBUT OF 2021 WITH OVER 1 BILLION STREAMS IN ITS FIRST WEEK

CAPTURES #1 ON BILLBOARD 200 CHART, #1 ON TOP R&B/HIP-HOP ALBUMS CHART, AND #1 ON TOP RAP ALBUMS CHART IN U.S.

DRAKE BECOMES FIRST ARTIST TO DEBUT WITH TOP 5 SONGS ON BILLBOARD HOT 100 CHART

SETS ANOTHER RECORD WITH MOST FIRST-WEEK ENTRIES ON THE BILLBOARD HOT 100 CHART AS “WAY 2 SEXY” FEATURING FUTURE & YOUNG THUG DEBUTS AT #1 WITH 9 ADDITIONAL SONGS DEBUTING SIMULTANEOUSLY IN THE TOP 10

Drake has notched his tenth #1 album and the biggest album debut in over a year with the release of Certified Lover Boy (OVO/Republic). The album has amassed an astounding 1 billion-plus streams within its first week with global consumption approaching 1 million units.

What’s more, it has bowed at #1 across multiple charts including #1 on the Billboard 200 Chart, #1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart, and #1 on the Top Rap Albums Chart, with the #1 Consumption and Overall Streaming Debut for 2021. Certified Lover Boy has smashed the record for “most first-week entries on the Billboard Hot 100” with “Way 2 Sexy” featuring Future and Young Thug debuting at #1 and an unprecedented total of 9 simultaneous entries within the Top 10. This marks the first time in history that an artist has ever debuted with the Top 5 songs on the Billboard Hot 100. It is also the first time an artist has ever debuted with 9 songs in the Top 10 and one of the rare and special occasions when an artist captures #1 on both the Billboard 200 Chart and Billboard Hot 100.

Drake has also set a “new record on Apple Music with the biggest album debut ever on the platform,” surpassing his own record from 2018 when Scorpion opened with 170 million streams. He became the service’s “most-streamed artist in a day for 2021.” Certified Lover Boy continues to break records on Apple Music, with three songs from the project “beating the record for most-streamed songs in 24 hours.” “Girls Want Girls (feat. Lil Baby),” “Champagne Poetry,” and “Fair Trade” (featuring Travis Scott) are the three biggest song debuts ever on Apple Music, surpassing Drake’s “Nonstop” from his 2018 album Scorpion. On Spotify, Drake topped his own all-time record for single-day streams with Scorpion notching 132 million single-day streams with this release.

Other #1 debuts include the UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, The Netherlands, and more. It emerges as his fourth #1 in the UK.

Toronto’s Drake remains one of the best-selling artists of all time and the most influential of his generation. The RIAA has recognized him as the highest-certified digital singles artist in the United States. Among dozens of honors, he has garnered four GRAMMY® Awards, six American Music Awards, a record 27 Billboard Music Awards, two BRIT Awards, and three Juno Awards. He has broken and achieved numerous records that are most likely to never be surpassed, including “the most Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100,” “the most charted songs of any artist ever on the Hot 100” with 29, “the most simultaneously charted Hot 100 songs in a single week” with 27, “the most continuous time on the Hot 100” with 431 weeks, and “the most Hot 100 debuts in a week” with 22. He released his sixth full-length albums, Certified Lover Boy, in 2021.