YouTuber Vocal Synthesis says rappers label Roc Nation filed copyright notices against their AI impersonations
Jay-Zs company Roc Nation have filed takedown notices against deepfake videos that use artificial intelligence to make him rap Billy Joels We Didnt Start the Fire and Hamlets To be or not to be soliloquy.
The anonymous creator of the YouTube-hosted videos, known as Vocal Synthesis, has said that copyright notices were filed by Roc Nation, stating: This content unlawfully uses an AI to impersonate our clients voice. The two aforementioned videos have been removed, though others remain, including one of the rapper taking on the Book of Genesis.
Vocal Synthesis said via a deepfake video using the ersatz voices of Barack Obama and Donald Trump that they had no malicious purpose and were disappointed that Jay-Z and Roc Nation have decided to bully a small YouTuber in this way.
The Guardian has contacted Roc Nation for comment.
Deepfake videos have already caused great controversy in political and celebrity circles, with California outlawing them in 2018, and Facebook banning them in January. The technology has most notoriously been used to create fake pornographic videos featuring famous actors the PornHub website banned deepfakes in 2018.
Deepfakes differ from so-called cheapfakes, which dont involve AI and instead feature re-edited footage with the aim of distorting the truth. Famous examples include a video of Nancy Pelosi doctored to make her look drunk, and one of Keir Starmer created by the Tory party for social media where he appeared unable to answer a question. Posting on Twitter this week, Donald Trump shared a fake gif of Joe Biden sticking his tongue out.
There are debates over the copyright implications of AI-created videos such as the Jay-Z performances, with digital access advocates Creative Commons arguing: It is ill-advised to force the application of the copyright system an antiquated system that has yet to adapt to the digital environment on to AI.
On 1 March, Chuck D said the group would be moving forward without Flavor Flav, his colourful sideman since the inception of the political hip-hop group in the mid-1980s, adding: We thank him for his years of service and wish him well. He subsequently claimed he had been sued by Flav which Flav denied on Twitter and that Flav had been suspended from the group since 2016, complaining that he always chose to party over work. He also added that Flav better find rehab, and accused him of being motivated solely by money.
The spat seemed to have been triggered by Flav not performing at a Bernie Sanders rally, with Flav stating via lawyers that he had not endorsed any political candidate in this election cycle, and that Chuck D was not allowed to use Public Enemys image to endorse a candidate: While Chuck is certainly free to express his political view as he sees fit his voice alone does not speak for Public Enemy.
Flav himself tweeted: You wanna destroy something weve built over 35 years over politics? Ive been clean for 10 years & there is no PE w/o Flavor Flav. Im worried about you Chuck, you can divide people or bring people together, yall know what side Im on.
But Chuck D has now described the entire episode as a hoax: Does it take doing crazy sht [sic] or catastrophe to wake people up? Obviously so, even when paying attention is the cheapest price to pay, he wrote on his website.
He continued: I had watched Orson Welles War of the Worlds from 1938 when he pulled the wool over the publics eyes as they put 100% belief in the technology of radio. Most people followed like a Pavlovic dog just like they do now Hearing the confused mush of political talk while under the bowels of Trumpotus made me use a presidential stage as my platform. Out of this storm came a plan between Flav and me to remind people that whats important should have as much, if not more, value than just whats popular. Thus came the HOAX, our War of the Worlds.
He added: Flav doesnt do benefits and stays away from political events we been cool and always agreed about that. He detailed the difference between Public Enemy a group featuring him and Flav with Enemy Radio, an auxiliary unit that features all the members except Flav, and which performed at the Bernie Sanders rally, in Los Angeles on 1 March.
The announcement came alongside a new single, billed as Enemy Radio featuring Public Enemy, that reunites Chuck D and Flavor Flav on a track. Food Is a Machine Gun castigates the US food industry, inspired by Kristin Lawlesss book Formerly Known As Food. The lyrics attack the US Food and Drug Administration, sugar intake, and the use of pesticides and chemicals in food production. An Enemy Radio album, Loud Is Not Enough, was also announced.
In a 70-minute interview with Tim Einenkel, Chuck D elaborated further about the situation. He said he wanted to help bring [Flavs] stock up, as negative stories were dominating over positive ones: I didnt like that he was getting hammered in the media.
He admitted there had been a cease and desist letter from Flavs lawyers, after the Sanders concert was billed as Public Enemy Radio rather than Enemy Radio. I know that hit a sore spot [with Flav] … and then came the cease and desist letter, and I counteracted … The bottom line was a plan to turn this into a teachable moment.
He argued that only negative news stories get traction The news you read about hip-hop is about another dead rapper and that this was proved by the news of him firing Flav, that actually proves the fact the gadgets are ruling the game.
Flavor Flav has not commented on the announcement or the interview.
Lawyer argued 6ix9ine, who had been called a model prisoner, faced higher risks because of his severe asthma
The rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine was released from federal prison early Thursday afternoon to serve the final months of his sentence in home confinement, over fears the rappers health would be severely impacted if he were to contract coronavirus while incarcerated.
6ix9ine, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, is serving a two-year sentence for his entanglement with a violent street gang, and was set for an early release from prison in August. In March, a judge had called the 23-year-old a model prisoner.
The decision to release 6ix9ine to home confinement comes as New York City is battling the spread of the coronavirus, including in prisons and jails. Figures published by the Legal Aid Society on Tuesday indicated there were at least 180 cases of coronavirus in New York City jails. High profile Rikers Island inmate Harvey Weinstein reportedly tested positive for the virus last week.
Bill de Blasio, the New York City mayor, announced last week that at least 900 inmates in the city had already been released because of the spread of Covid-19.
Lance Lazzaro, 6ix9ines lawyer, argued the rapper faced higher risks from the coronavirus because of his severe asthma. Other convicted celebrities in confinement, including R Kelly and Bill Cosby, are making similar arguments to also push for early releases.
6ix9ine was convicted in November 2018 for his involvement in the Nine Trey Bloods gang and charges of racketeering, drug trafficking and firearm offenses. The Brooklyn rapper, who found success through the Soundcloud rap explosion and became well known for his outlandish persona, worked with federal officials in their investigation of his gang in exchange for reduced prison time.
Lazzaro has said 6ix9ine does not plan to enter a witness protection program, as many have speculated the rapper would due to expected retaliations from gang members. He hopes to resume his career, Lazzaro said on Thursday.
States across the nation from Texas to California have begun releasing inmates, hoping to avoid repeats of the massive spread of coronavirus in the New York system. The top doctor at the Rikers Island complex said this week that the jail is a public health disaster unfolding before our eyes. The number of confirmed cases at Rikers spiked from one to nearly 200 n just 12 days, Ross MacDonald, the jails chief physician, said.
Oprahs Bank Account becomes Canadian rappers 208th US Hot 100 hit, beating the record set by the cast of Glee
Canadian rapper Drake now has more US chart hits than any other artist in history, scoring his 208th Billboard Hot 100 entry this week.
The rapper broke the record, previously set by the cast of the TV show Glee, with the track Oprahs Bank Account by Lil Yachty and DaBaby, which he guests on. It reached No 85 off the back of 10.5m streams. He is also at No 3 in the chart with Life Is Good, a track with Future, and at No 46 on Chris Browns song No Guidance.
With a cross-generational, cross-demographic appeal thanks to a blend of rap, pop and R&B, Drake has become the worlds top rapper. Spotify named him the most streamed artist of the last decade, with 28bn global streams.
His first US chart entry was Best I Ever Had, which debuted at No 92 in May 2009, eventually rising to No 2. His 207 chart placements since have been bulked out by frequent guest spots on tracks by artists including Rihanna, Nicki Minaj and Travis Scott, as well as his solo hits. He has scored seven US No 1 singles, while all five of his studio albums and three of his mixtapes have reached No 1 on the US album chart.
Acting on behalf of 152 inmates, the rapper and mogul argues prisoners constitutional rights are being violated
Jay-Z has filed a civil lawsuit against the Mississippi Department of Corrections on behalf of 152 inmates at a state prison, alleging barbaric conditions.
Parchman prison is accused of abhorrent conditions, abuse and constant violence, inadequate health care and mental health care, and overuse of isolation the people confined at Parchman live a miserable and hopeless existence confronted daily by imminent risk of substantial harm in violation of their rights under the US Constitution.
Among the problems detailed by the lawsuit and an accompanying documentary film made by Jay-Zs company Roc Nation are a lack of staffing that has allowed prisoner violence to flourish, sewage-filled cells, contaminated food and water, and a lack of adequate healthcare. Nine inmates have died at the prison so far in 2020.
The suit calls for the Department of Corrections to eliminate health and safety risks within 90 days. The department wouldnt comment on the suit, but has previously said that violence is gang-related rather than linked to staffing issues.
It is the second lawsuit brought against the prison by Jay-Z, in tandem with fellow rapper Yo Gotti the pair filed a suit on behalf of 29 other inmates in January.
Jay-Z has frequently involved himself in African American civil rights cases using his philanthropy arm Team Roc, including those of other figures from the rap world. He intervened over 21 Savages detainment by immigration officials, and the sentencing of Meek Mill following a probation violation, saying: Whats happening to Meek Mill is just one example of how our criminal justice system entraps and harasses hundreds of thousands of black people every day.
He has also reportedly bailed out protesters in Baltimore and Ferguson who were detained during anti-police brutality demonstrations, and has taken on dozens of other cases with civil rights lawyer Alex Spiro.
From horrorcore fantasies to soul-searching nightmares, here are the greatest moments from the Detroit rappers tumultuous career
30. Rap God (2013)
Eminem illustrates all the cadences he has mastered over the years, channelling flows from influences such as Tech N9ne and Big Pun like an exorcist summoning spirits, and moving through an impressive 1,560 words in just six minutes. Some critics have dismissed this as empty rappity rap, but the fact a 41-year-old still cared this much about his craft deserves our respect.
29. Same Song & Dance (2009)
Although Marshall Mathers has repeatedly trashed 2009s Relapse in interviews, the record, which is a nightmarish ode to horrorcore rap, has aged well particularly this dread-inducing tale of a stalker who lynches Lindsay Lohan. Critics hated the creepy accent, which sounds like the bastard child of Borat and the Simpsons Groundskeeper Willie, but by embodying such a ludicrous pastiche of a serial killer, Em enjoyed a much-needed dose of escapism at a time where his private life was starting to unravel.
28. The Ringer (2018)
Just like Jay-Zs similarly misguided DOA (Death of Autotune), The Ringer is a track from a veteran unhappy with the direction rap is headed. Mocking the supposed cliches of mumble rap, Em is essentially an angry old man shouting at a (Sound)cloud. But after years of disappointing albums plagued with turgid stadium pop, it was just exciting to hear Eminem sound so fired up again he makes for a very convincing Victor Meldrew.
27. Dont Front (2013)
On this overlooked B-side, Eminem tears through the thunderous boom-bap of Black Moons classic street-corner drama, I Got Cha Opin. This is that rare museum exhibit that doesnt bore you to tears, with Em giving his fans a nostalgic serotonin boost after a duo of truly awful albums: Recovery, and The Marshall Mathers LP 2.
26. Its OK (1996)
Much of Eminems forgotten 1996 debut, Infinite, is spent trying to imitate the multi-syllabic flow of Kool G Rap over beats that sound like cheap rip-offs from Nass Illmatic. But the playful nocturnal funk of Its OK, which is littered with enthusiastic ad-libs from best friend Proof, results in the records most inspired rapping, as an introspective Em uncharacteristically discusses finding God.
25. Till I Collapse (2002)
This shot of cathartic rage is still wildly inspiring, even if its appearance on every video game trailer sponsored by Mountain Dew might have diluted its impact a little. It was also fun to hear Nate Dogg sounding so emo and getting a chance to croon about something other than being a horny stoner.
24. Stay Wide Awake (2009)
With synths that appear to scream out in pain, this is one of Dr Dres weirdest concoctions. The songwriting may be the byproduct of a recluse spending his days writing raps amid Jeffrey Dahmer YouTube documentary binges, but Eminem mostly succeeds in trying to replicate the unhinged tone of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and thats impressive. Tyler, the Creator said this had the best flow ever.
23. Drug Ballad (2000)
On Drug Ballad, Eminem is high as a kite, resiliently throwing jabs from beyond the clouds and refusing to come back down. The funky thrusts of bass replicate the energy of a horny, if incredibly tacky, spring-break party in the nu-metal era. Its a window into a simpler, trashier time, where sniffing glue while playing with a Rubiks Cube was somehow considered an attractive personality trait.
22. Brain Damage (1999)
Turning his childhood traumas into whimsical entertainment, Eminem transitions from being bullied into being the bully, and his nutty turn of phrase and dark recollections of a Detroit high school where even the principal joins in with the beatings are frequently hilarious. Few artists can find light in such a dark setting and this song, released just a few months before the Columbine massacre, presciently hints at American schools dangerously abandoning their outcasts.
With a mischievous beat that sounds as if it was crafted by Dr Dre rhythmically squeezing a bunch of clowns noses, this is a continuation of the silly pop theatrics of The Real Slim Shady and My Name Is. When Eminem claimed rap would be empty without him around, it was hard to disagree.
19. Cleanin Out My Closet (2002)
A bit like watching a white trash family drama unravel on the Jerry Springer show, this intensely autobiographical song works because Eminem isnt afraid to operate from a place of weakness. Em also shares his mission statement as an artist, rapping: Give em hell for as long as Im breathing.
18. Scary Movies (1999)
Eminem has always made an artform out of killing people and his absurdist pledge to Throw you down a flight of stairs / Then Ill throw you back up them is undeniably hilarious. Scary Movies is a reminder of a time when Em wasnt just a great rapper, but a great comedian, too.
17. The Way I Am (2000)
As good as The Slim Shady LP was, it was a bit too heavy on dick jokes, and this highlight from its follow-up showcases clearer artistic growth. A haunting meditation on fame, its a paranoid, inward-looking tale of being so famous that you get followed to the bathroom.
16. Hellbound (2000)
Rapping over regal music from beat-em-up game Soulcalibur, Ems promise to fuck the planet until it spins on a broken axis projects a larger-than-life confidence. Eminem slashes through the beat like a katana sword, writing the hyper-animated blueprint that Kendrick Lamar and Nicki Minaj would later follow.
15. Jay-Z Renegade (feat Eminem) (2001)
Originally an Eminem collaboration with frenemy Royce Da 59, Ems potent critique of middle America proves he was one step ahead of his broadsheet critics. He is operating at the height of his powers, with verses so vivid that Nas even taunted Jay-Z with the barb: And Eminem murdered you on your own shit.
14. If I Had (1999)
Em has rarely sounded this dejected, with the artist wondering what he must sacrifice in order to make a million dollars. When he would rap about his personal life later on in his career there was too much syrupy sentimentality and self-pity, but here (where he recalls earning $5.55 an hour) Eminem has never sounded so relatable.
13. Superman (2002)
The kind of song that might get an artist cancelled today, Superman is a twisted take on the love bops Nelly and Ja Rule were routinely pumping out. Endlessly catchy, its the closest Em has come to a club banger, and his problematic Lothario dazzles rather than disgusts because he dares you to take him seriously.
12. Im Back (2000)
Not all of Dres beats on the Marshall Mathers LP have aged that well, but Im Back remains truly compelling theme music for a comic-book villain. Eminem fans the flames by threatening to murder Columbine bullies; at this point, he genuinely felt like pop cultures most provocative son.
11. Guilty Conscience (1999)
Playing into media claims that rap music was leading young people astray, rarely has a mainstream rap single been so conceptual, as Em and Dre play the two conflicting sides of the male conscience. Em tells Dre who assaulted TV host Dee Barnes in 1991 hes in no position to lecture someone else on how to treat a woman. Its still bold.
10. Deja Vu (2009)
This is a three-dimensional account of what its like to be a person with the kind of privilege that might fuel a drug addiction. Em recounts being in an ambulance after an overdose, but the fact he does so while joking about his fears of suffering a cliched death like Elvis makes for an endearing listen.
9. White America (2002)
Aware that he was every parents worst nightmare, Eminem dissects his cultural influence with real precision. Screaming his vocals from the very back of his throat, he also grapples with his white privilege, acknowledging: If I was black, I wouldve sold half. White America showed rappers they could be rock stars, too punk rappers such as Slowthai and Denzel Curry will have learned a lot from this.
8. Remember Me? (2000)
Designed to be blasted out of a car in a dingy alleyway at 1am, this abrasive shot of horrorcore is as raw as an exposed nerve ending. Each verse is more unhinged than the last, with Eminem fully embracing his growing mythology as raps angry blonde.
7. My Name Is (1999)
You couldnt make these kind of jokes today, but back in 1999, this subversive doozy really felt like Slim Shady was breaking through MTVs glass ceiling. Em played the role of pop cultures Dennis the Menace ever so well, mocking the misguided idea that rappers should be considered role models over a catchy Labi Siffre sample.
6. Square Dance (2002)
Eminem is too self-aware to create truly transcendent moments, but this experimental banger is the closest he ever got to crafting one. Tapping into post-9/11 paranoia, Em plays the role of the demented ringmaster, bringing you into his garish circus with aplomb. It is basically the rap version of Being For the Benefit of Mr Kite!
Arguably the darkest song to ever appear on a diamond-selling album, the murderous chaos of Kim powerfully reflects a misguided lovesick rage. Em switches between male and female voices with an unsettling schizophrenic power, with the bittersweet chorus also strangely enchanting. This broke new ground for storytelling rap, and made your mum lock away your copy of The Marshall Mathers LP in a safe, for ever.
3. Dr Dre Forgot About Dre (feat Eminem) (1999)
This track perfected the juxtaposition between Dr Dre as the world-weary OG and Eminem as his deranged apprentice. Rapping like a cartoon rottweiler, Em chomps his way through the beat in a way that is linguistically dizzying. As far as perfect producer and rapper dynamics go, this remains the one to beat.
2. The Real Slim Shady (2000)
If MTV had become a little safe and too draped in shiny suits by 2000, this was Eminem attempting to liberate it from its excesses and give pop cultures trashier icons (Will Smith, Fred Durst) a much-needed spanking. This was a single so big that it opened up hip-hop to the suburbs and made millions of white teenagers dye their hair blond.
1. Stan (2000)
Six-minute epics about crazy fans who drown their pregnant girlfriends dont usually top the pop charts, but Stans storytelling was so vivid and claustrophobic that it grabbed you by the neck and forced you to get into the back of that car. This shifted the pop paradigm completely and gave a face (and name) to the kind of toxic fan culture that would later multiply with the explosion of social media. As far as rap storytelling goes, it is unlikely Stan will ever be bettered. This is Eminems Stairway to Heaven, and the fact he could even make Dido sound bearable is testament to just how good he used to be.
The rapper, real name Bashar Jackson, 20, was at home in Hollywood, Los Angeles, when two men wearing hoodies and masks entered the house and fired multiple shots, according to police sources quoted by TMZ. He was pronounced dead at a hospital in West Hollywood early on Wednesday.
The two men are apparently at large. Another man was briefly detained by police but released soon after.
On Tuesday, Jackson had posed for Instagram photos holding stacks of money in a luxury SUV outside a house in Los Angeles. He had located himself in the city earlier in the day on his Instagram stories. A friend had also posted photos of the pair together outside the house with an address number visible, while Jackson himself had posted footage of bags with labels including his address, leading to fears that the house was subsequently targeted in a robbery.
Jacksons career was beginning to take off. By blending the sound of the UK and US drill scenes often in collaboration with British producer 808Melo with gruffly delivered lyrics, he was being talked about as one of the most promising young MCs in the US. Primarily based in New York, he collaborated with rappers including Travis Scott, Nicki Minaj, Skepta and Quavo, and the video to his signature track Welcome to the Party has been viewed 23m times on YouTube. His album Meet the Woo 2 reached No 7 in the US charts when it was released earlier this month.
Jackson was arrested in January after allegedly stealing a Rolls-Royce he had borrowed for a music video, transporting it across the country to New York. The prosecutor claimed he was affiliated with the Crips gang. He pleaded not guilty to the theft and was released on $250,000 bail and barred from having contact with gang members.
In October, he had been prevented from performing at the Rolling Loud music festival in Queens, with New York police contending he was affiliated with recent acts of violence city-wide, though without making charges.
Musicians paying tribute included Chance the Rapper, 50 Cent, Kehlani and Nicki Minaj, who wrote: The Bible tells us that jealousy is as cruel as the grave. Unbelievable. Rest In Peace, Pop.
He is the latest in a spate of US rappers to be violently killed. XXXTentacion was killed aged 20 in June 2018 after he was robbed at a Florida motorcycle dealership; Nipsey Hussle, 33, was shot and killed in Los Angeles in March 2019. Other young and highly successful rappers, including Mac Miller, Lil Peep and Juice WRLD, have recently died from drug overdoses.
Overdoses or violent crime have claimed Mac Miller, Juice WRLD and Nipsey Hussle. Its not a fairytale lifestyle, admits an insider but should the business do more to protect its stars?
It might sound callous, but Jacob Thuresons parents, Erik and Judy, were not too worried when they heard about his latest overdose. It had happened a couple of times already and the 18-year-old rapper had always made it out of hospital in one piece. Thureson, who performed under the name Hella Sketchy, was among the wave of emo-influenced trap rappers who came up using the music platform SoundCloud. He had recently relocated from the family home in Texas to Los Angeles after being signed to Atlantic Records.
As Erik drove to work, he cycled through a mental list of options: more inpatient treatment? Thureson had already been to rehab, twice. Ketamine therapy?
There would be no further plan of action. Shortly after Erik left for work, Judy received another phone call. Things were very bad, and they should come to the hospital now. Fourteen days later, on 27 June 2019, Thureson died.
Many young rappers have died in the past few years. Mac Miller died in 2018 aged 26 after consuming cocaine and counterfeit oxycodone containing the synthetic opioid fentanyl. Lil Peep died at 21 in 2017 an accidental fentanyl and Xanax overdose. Juice WRLD died late last year after a drug-induced seizure aboard a private jet. It is believed he swallowed multiple Percocet pills in an attempt to hide them as police raided the plane. On New Years Day, a rare female death: Minnesota rapper Lexii Alijai, the victim of yet another accidental fentanyl overdose.
Alongside these deaths by misadventure, there are the victims of violent crime. Despite being accused of horrific abuse by an ex-partner, XXXTentacion enjoyed massive popularity before being killed in 2018 aged 20 as he was robbed outside a Florida motorcycle dealership. Pittsburgh rapper Jimmy Wopo touted as the heir to local forebears Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller was killed in a drive-by shooting the same day. Two weeks later, 21-year-old Canadian rapper and Drake tourmate Smoke Dawg was killed outside a Toronto nightclub. In March 2019, Nipsey Hussle was shot dead outside his Los Angeles clothing store.
Looking at such lyrics, you might reasonably conclude that these rappers wanted to die. But while some of them did experience mental illness and addiction, their death wish was as much of an aesthetic as the pink hair and facial tattoos. So why did the nihilistic pose become a self-fulfilling prophecy, ending the lives of young people barely out of their teens? And what can be done to arrest it?
One problem lies in the way these rappers careers have built with unprecedented speed. While earlier generations of musicians might spend years gigging before being spotted, DIY rap stars have circumvented the record industrys gatekeepers to accrue wealth and success often while still in their teens leaving them struggling to adapt to sudden fame. Peep went from having no manager to being managed by a very large company that deals with high-profile artists, and with that came more money and more pressure, says his friend and collaborator Adam McIlwee, who performs as Wicca Phase Springs Eternal.
In an industry that is ruthlessly dedicated to discovering the hot new thing, pastoral care can be nonexistent. Record labels often dont care about these rappers. They know that when theyre done, the next SoundCloud or Instagram rapper is behind them, says Calvin Smiley, an expert in hip-hop and social justice at Hunter College in New York. On an even more cynical note, he questions why Juice WRLD was carrying his drugs personally. Ive been around hip-hop artists, and the rule of thumb is that there is a friend who holds the drugs and takes the fall, Smiley says. You wonder: where were his handlers? Where were the people giving him direction?
The role of management is also coming under scrutiny. Peeps mother, Liza Womack, is suing First Access Entertainment, who managed the rapper. She claims that they encouraged drug use on Lil Peeps final tour, would obtain drugs for him, and pushed the rapper beyond the limits of what somebody of his age and maturity level could handle emotionally, mentally, and physically. (First Access Entertainment did not respond to a request for comment, but in a legal filing has said its dealings with Peep were purely of a business nature and not the type of special relationship giving rise to an independent duty of care.) McIlwee claims that Peep had a fight with his management shortly before he died. I know there was a show he did not want to play for whatever reason and [the drug-taking] was him just showing the world he didnt really care.
McIlwee says that labels and management should give artists time to recover. If your artist is in trouble, you have to step in and say its time to take a step back or re-evaluate the release schedule, the touring, he says. So the artist can get healthy and have a long career. But that doesnt happen much, because long careers are boring.
There are signs that lessons are being learned. Giuseppe Zappala of Galactic Records manages Lil Tecca, the 17-year-old SoundCloud wunderkind whose track Ransom reached No 4 in the US and has amassed more than 650m plays on Spotify. He has learned to read Teccas moods carefully: if the young rapper appears overtired, Zappala will clear the schedules. He ensures that Tecca has at least a day off between shows and that tours last no longer than five weeks. Sometimes he brings chefs on the road to ensure he is eating healthily. Sleep is another priority, although there is a limit to what Zappala can do, given that Tecca is a teenager. There will definitely be times when Tec wants to go to the studio until 8am, Zappala sighs. I say: That may not make the most sense, because youve got a show tomorrow at 1pm. Its about trying to instil routine in him.
XXXTentacions lawyer, David Bogenschutz, says the rapper had been concerned that someone would kidnap or kill him. He was generating money and notoriety. The day XXXTentacion was shot, it is believed he was stalked from his bank to the motorcycle dealership.
The rap game isnt like any other industry, says producer Jimmy Duval, who worked with XXX. There are a lot of guns and bullets flying around.
Smiley says that hip-hops relationships with drugs has changed absolutely. Earlier generations of rappers used drugs as a tool to accrue wealth, speaking about selling them as a way out of poverty, rather than using narcotics themselves (bar weed and alcohol). Once success arrived, drugs were used as a social signifier: music videos depicting tables groaning with bottles of Hennessy and cocaine-dusted mirrors. That reality has shifted to a more flagrant form of glamorisation.
A turning point came at the turn of the 2010s, when rapper Juicy J helped popularise lean, then the drug of choice in Houstons chopped and screwed music scene. An addictive and dangerous concoction of soda, candy and prescription cough mixture containing codeine, references to lean oozed into rap: Lil Wayne celebrates it, Young Thug freely drinks it during interviews, and Juice WRLD said he was inspired to try lean after listening to Future. Roddy Ricchs hit track The Box, currently the US No 1, has an anthemic chorus with a line about drinking lean to get lazy.
Rappers also began hitting party drugs such as MDMA and cocaine, as well as the prescription drugs OxyContin, Xanax and Percocet. Future celebrates molly, Perocets in his 2015 smash Mask Off. (That is a horrible combination of drugs, says Duval of Mask Off: The whole hook is you having a fucking heart attack.) The rapper Lil Pump posed with a Xanax-shaped cake to celebrate reaching 1 million followers on Instagram, a particularly brain-dead stunt given that counterfeit prescription drugs containing fentanyl have been blamed for the 10-fold increase in opioid-related deaths in the US between 2013 and 2018.
A culture of performative excess began to strangle the scene, viewed through the panopticon of social media, which encourages risk-taking behaviour, says Smiley: You have to be on 24/7, because everything is about likes, shares and counting how many followers you have. Thureson posted videos of himself drinking lean on Instagram; when his parents confronted him, he claimed it was purple Gatorade. He told me it was just the culture, his mum, Judy, says. Peep posed with prescription pills on his tongue hours before he died.
Braden L Morgan, known as producer Nedarb Nagrom, was Peeps roommate for three years. He believes Peep abused drugs to alleviate the pressures of touring, which he hated, and that hangers-on offering him drugs made things worse. He was really nice and would say yes to everything, so hed do whatever anyone offered him. And as he got more popular, more people wanted to be his friend, so they gave him the stuff more. He calls Peeps death a horrible accident. He got unlucky. I have no doubt that if he hadnt passed away, he was going to chill out.
As Miller sang in his biggest hit, it is time to finally start practising some self-care. But the burden should not fall to individuals: as labels and management cash in on this wave, they must take greater responsibility for artist wellbeing. You have to prioritise their health and happiness before music or fame, says Zappala. Its tough being a successful artist, not knowing whether the people around you have genuine intentions.
His goals for Tecca are clear. Im going to develop Tec into an artist who has a 10, 15-year career, says Zappala. When hes 30, hes still going to be relevant.
After a frenetic year, the Grammy-nominated star is the hottest rapper in the US. He talks about his quest to be the best and the forces that could bring him down
Its impossible to know where to focus your attention. On the six members of Jabbawockeez, the dance troupe wriggling on stage like breakdancing stormtroopers? The wobbling pair of blowup kewpie dolls? Or maybe the man with DaBoy Baby carved in Carolina blue script on his chest?
Then DaBabys track, Bop, explodes from the loudspeakers and a new sensory assault begins: backflipping dancers in black Billion Dollar Baby tracksuits; synchronised routines from people in Nasa flight outfits; a dancer with red booty shorts who bounces on her head, splits her legs akimbo and twerks.
Billie Eilish and Lizzo are competing for a string of the top prizes, but could the likes of Ariana Grande, Lana Del Rey and Rosala cause upsets?
Noise threatens to drown out the music at the 2020 Grammy awards. A line had been drawn under the tone-deaf leadership of Neil Portnow, who had presided over the ceremony since 2002 between 2013 and 2018, Grammy winners were 91% male, but, after a 2018 ceremony where men swept the board again, Portnow said it was on women to step up and create opportunities for themselves.
A woman, Deborah Dugan, replaced him; a taskforce was appointed, and in December they published their report, calling for greater diversity in the Academy voters. Any hopes that they had moved on, though, were scotched last week by Dugan being suspended for alleged misconduct; Dugan countered by saying she had been sexually harassed, that the Academy had covered up an alleged rape by Portnow, and that the voting was corrupt.
So we go into this years ceremony more jaded than ever, but the irony is that, no matter how poisonous the Academy is and regardless of whether it is rigged or not, we ended up with a much more diverse range of nominees this year. Leading the pack are Lizzo with eight noms and Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X with six each a vibrantly youthful and non-conformist trio. But will the Academy members shake off the past and vote for the future?
Record of the year
Bon Iver Hey, Ma Billie Eilish Bad Guy Ariana Grande 7 Rings HER Hard Place Khalid Talk Lil Nas X ft Billy Ray Cyrus Old Town Road Lizzo Truth Hurts Post Malone & Swae Lee Sunflower
Aside from the merely pleasant HER and Khalid tracks, this is a strong field. While lots of eyes are on Lizzo and Eilish, this could perhaps be Ariana Grandes year. Its her first time with nominations in the big four categories rather than being patronised in the pop awards and, with its My Favourite Things melody, doddering Academy voters might listen to 7 Rings and say: Hey, its one I know! Triumphant earworm Old Town Road is the longest-running No 1 in US history; Bad Guy is a showcase of the kind of fiendish genius usually employed by Hollywood horror movies to construct elaborate ways for teenagers to get killed. But an Academy eager to telegraph its modernity might go for Lizzo: Truth Hurts is a great underdog story, reaching No 1 two years after release, and her charisma is near universally infectious.
Will win: Lizzo Truth Hurts Should win: Billie Eilish Bad Guy
Album of the year
Bon Iver i, i Lana Del Rey Norman Fucking Rockwell! Billie Eilish When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? Ariana Grande Thank U, Next HER I Used to Know Her Lil Nas X 7 Lizzo Cuz I Love You (Deluxe) Vampire Weekend Father of the Bride
This is Grandes best chance of a big win. Thank U, Next is a superbly realised almost-concept album about heartache, grief and moving on that can be witty, even caustic, but never cruel it sealed her as one of the three or four definitive pop stars of our time. Lizzo, HER and Lil Nas X are hampered with too much 6/10 material across their albums; Lana Del Rey was the critical hit of the year and will certainly beat out fellow Pitchfork darlings Bon Iver and Vampire Weekend, but may not cut through to the more august and mainstream Academy members. Eilish was the inescapable pop-cultural breakthrough of the year, and her album has such terrific range and invention. She will, hopefully, squeak this.
Will win: Billie Eilish Should win: Billie Eilish
Song of the year
Lady Gaga Always Remember Us This Way Billie Eilish Bad Guy Tanya Tucker Bring My Flowers Now HER Hard Place Taylor Swift Lover Lana Del Rey Norman Fucking Rockwell Lewis Capaldi Someone You Loved Lizzo Truth Hurts
Piano-driven ballads dominate the songwriting category, including Taylor Swifts only big nomination. Lover is such classic American songcraft, though Lewis Capaldis powerful Someone Like You is the best of these ballads and it would be a British win to remember. Eilish is streets ahead in terms of songwriting innovation and should win for that Duh! alone. But, while Truth Hurts most famous lyric (I just took a DNA test, turns out Im 100% that bitch) may have been plagiarised and its British author later added to the credits, Lizzo has this sewn up. The lyrics are hilarious, and it is a massively successful example of that new school of songwriting where a single melody is repeated over and over until the brainwashed public is involuntarily chanting it and then clawing hopelessly at their faces.
Will win: Lizzo Truth Hurts Should win: Billie Eilish Bad Guy
New artist
Black Pumas Billie Eilish Lil Nas X Lizzo Maggie Rogers Rosala Tank and the Bangas Yola
Nice to see some country-soul curveballs here in the excellent Black Pumas and Yola, though the less said the better about the tune-free Tank and the Bangas at any rate, theyre all making up the numbers. Maggie Rogers didnt really break beyond her fanbase with her underrated debut album, and Im sure the Academy will see Lil Nas X merely as a two-hit wonder. Lizzos debut album came out in 2013, whereas Eilish has only just turned 18 and feels like the rightful owner of this award. But you can bet than every Latinx voter is going to be going for the astoundingly talented Rosala, who won big at the Latin Grammys and could cause an upset here.
Will win: Billie Eilish Should win: Billie Eilish
Pop solo performance
Beyonc Spirit Billie Eilish Bad Guy Ariana Grande 7 Rings Lizzo Truth Hurts Taylor Swift You Need to Calm Down
Just as performances where you cry, shout and climb inside the carcass of a bear win you Oscars, the leading pop award rather behoves you to give it some welly not for nothing has Adele won it three times. Eilish and Grandes variously murmured and chatted performances will appear to the Academy like weirdo arthouse choices here, and even Swift is in a relatively conversational mode. Beyoncs ponderous Spirit was the lame old wildebeest eaten by the younger jackals on the Lion King soundtrack, so this is Lizzos to lose.
Will win: Lizzo Should win: Billie Eilish
Rock performance
Bones UK Pretty Waste Gary Clark Jr This Land Brittany Howard History Repeats Karen O & Danger Mouse Woman Rival Sons Too Bad
Anyone looking for evidence of backroom dealing in the Academy might well make Bones UK their exhibit A: Pretty Waste is the kind of creative vacuum beloved only of nihilistically cocaine-addicted LA music industry execs looking for something to soundtrack rock bottom. The rest is pretty good. Rival Sons riffs and hollering make them the most tangibly rock thing here Karen O essays 60s pop, and Brittany Howards History Repeats is a kind of bluesy funk tune, but with mainstream rock stranded out on a sandbar while rappers and pop stars taunt it on jetskis, they need to blur the genre lines. Gary Clark Jr could edge this with his politically charged This Land, half-rapped over a heavily skanking backing.
Will win: Gary Clark Jr Should win: Rival Sons
Rap performance
J Cole Middle Child DaBaby Suge Dreamville feat JID, Bas, J Cole, Earthgang & Young Nudy Down Bad Nipsey Hussle feat Roddy Ricch & Hit-Boy Racks in the Middle Offset feat Cardi B Clout
Many voters hearts will go with Nipsey Hussle, whose murder last year robbed the world of a skilful, soulful MC who united backpacker hip-hoppers and mainstream rap fans. Racks in the Middle also features Roddy Rich, who has broken through spectacularly over the last year. But the track pales next to two others here: DaBabys Suge is a slowly prowling piece of minimalism that makes Offset sound fussily overworked in comparison; its ridiculous that DaBaby isnt up for best new artist. He is rather damaged goods after a series of run-ins with the law, however. That could hand Middle Child the win, on which J Cole raps as if hes high-stepping across the surface of a lake, his triplet time full of balletic grace.
Will win: J Cole Should win: DaBaby
Country solo performance
Tyler Childers All Yourn Ashley McBryde Girl Goin Nowhere Willie Nelson Ride Me Back Home Blake Shelton Gods Country Tanya Tucker Bring My Flowers Now
If you scoff at country, youll probably always scoff at country, but this spread of songs shows off the admirable breadth of the genre and may pique your interest yet. Willie Nelsons song is a bit something-and-nothing; Tanya Tuckers Bring My Flowers Now is nominated in the song of the year category, and its live-for-today message and simple piano backing will appeal across the Academy, but its rather workmanlike. Ashley McBryde outdoes her in the ballad stakes, but its Tyler Childers and Blake Shelton both strongly channelling the gospel and soul music that not so secretly underpins country who are the strongest here. Childers song would make for a classy first wedding dance, while Sheltons stirring ode to proud Christian labour, while deeply unfashionable, will have you gazing soulfully across a cornfield.
