Snoop Dogg released a compilation over the weekend entitled Death Row Summer 2022. A playlist that’s appropriate for the summer months. It’s an interesting mix of music. The album comprises 15 tracks and features contributions from The Eastsidaz, Tha Dogg Pound, Butch Cassidy, Raphael Saadiq, LaToiya Williams, Miguel, and more.
Along with the release of the full-length album, Snoop has also released the visuals for the lead track, “Whoopty Whoop,” which features Tha Dogg Pound members Kurupt and Daz Dillinger rapping about people saying nonsense and how they stay on top of their game:
Tha Dogg Pound and their crew can be spotted in the above video strolling along and performing at what appears to be a convention. In addition to their rhymes, they can be seen performing in front of murals of Warren G, Snoop, and the late Nate Dogg.
In March, Tha Dogg Pound announced their resignation from the legendary Death Row Records label, which Snoop had acquired from MNRK Music Group just a month earlier. He also revealed that the sequel to Tha Dogg Pound’s classic 1995 debut album is on its way in a removed Instagram video:
“Kurupt and Daz, we are back with the Dogg on The Row. Here’s some exciting news for all of you coming up. We have formulated a plan, and we are working on it. Dog Food 2 is coming, it’s Kurupt, Daz, Snoopy hitting ’em real heavy with that.”
It is always stimulating to see new rappers rise to fame from the bottom up, especially when it is a woman who has made her mark. There is no doubt that the south has produced some high quality talent over the past few decades. Rap, in particular, enjoys great success and legacy throughout the south, especially in Texas. Rising stars such as Erica Banks are bound to hold household names in the near future because of their ability and work ethic. It’s still pretty early in the game for Ms. DeSoto, but she is definitely making a mark on the game right now. Diary Of a Flow Queen, the debut studio album from Erica Banks, is out today (June 17).
Despite the sluggish start to the year, music in general has been doing well this year, and Erica Banks has certainly contributed at a fabulous pace. The DeSoto rapper’s hit single “Bust It” came fresh from her tour and set the tone for all of the great things she will be able to give to us in the days ahead. Diary Of a Flow Queen is a manifesto of the artist’s ascendance to the top and a clear demonstration that she is here to stay.
In an interview with HotNewHipHop, Banks discussed how surprised she was to hear that DaBaby wanted her to sign to his Billion Dollar Baby label after just a year of rapping: “I just wasn’t expecting it to happen so fast.” I had just started rapping a year before, and then he reached out to me, although it wasn’t very recently. However, I was overwhelmed. When you have people offering different goods in different locations, you’re left wondering, “Where should I go?” I simply go with my intuition.
The release of SZA debut studio album Ctrl, five years ago this week, marks a milestone. 14 tracks were included on the album, including collaborations with none other than Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, Isaiah Rashad, and James Fauntleroy. SZA and Top Dawg Entertainment were able to achieve significant critical and commercial success with the project. This included landing SZA at number three on the Billboard 200 before her music spent an incredible 260 weeks atop that chart. Over the years, the project has also been certified double Platinum and released classic singles including “The Weekend,” “Love Galore,” and “Broken Clocks.”
SZA and TDE announced that they will upgrade Ctrl’s fifth anniversary with a deluxe upgrade. This upgrade includes seven additional songs recorded between 2014 and 2017, as the singer revealed at the time. Among the seven songs is an alternative version of “Love Galore” which includes a new verse by singer SZA, adding to the song’s original theme of regret about love gone by:
In the months since the release of Ctrl, SZA has teased a forthcoming album through loose tracks such as “Passport,” “Hit Different,” “Good Days,” “Nightbird,” “Joni,” and “I Hate U.” Additionally, she contributed music to a series of big moments in entertainment, including Lamar’s score to Black Panther, as well as collaborations with DJ Khaled, Cardi B, Justin Timberlake, Post Malone, and Megan Thee Stallion.
A deluxe version of Babyface Ray’s album FACE was released last month. It added eight new tracks to the project, in addition to collaborations with DJ Esco, Lil Yachty, Lucki, and more. As part of an upgraded release this week, the Detroit talent revealed a music video for “Spending Spree,” a Hendrix Smoke, DY Krazy, BMarch808Mafia, and Kayn-produced track that has Veeze joining the group and seeing both of them focused on money before anything else:
The accompanying clip for “Spending Spree” was created by Image Control Studios, and features Babyface and Veeze testing out some jewelry and money in a garage while a whip is playing in the background. Their crews can also be seen in an undisclosed location with their respective vehicles.
Face made its initial appearance in January with 20 cuts and the help of Icewear Yung Lean, 42 Dugg, G Herbo, Pusha T, Landstrip Chip, Vezzo, and Wiz Khalifa. After a year and a half after his well-received seven-track EP Unfuckwitable, Babyface Ray has released his sophomore project featuring guest appearances from Moneybagg Yo, EST Gee, and Kash Doll. In the same way as FACE, Unfuckwitable was later reissued with a deluxe edition packed with two additional tracks.
Earlier today (May 19), Headie One collaborated with French rapper Gazo to release a new song called, “22 Carats.” The music video was directed by Screetch with the video produced by French producer Leo Eynard. Viewers are taken on a wild ride by the duo as they fuse their styles together through the dark city aesthetic:
The most recent Headie One production, Too Loyal for My Own Good, was released last October. The album contained 13 tracks and zero features. Before that, he released his official debut album Edna, which featured collaborations with Skepta, Drake, M Huncho, Young T & Bugsey, Stormzy, AJ Tracey, Future, Mahalia, Aitch, and more. There would be a deluxe edition of Edna available a few months later, which featured exclusive collaborations with RV, Burna Boy, Rich The Kid, and NorthSideBenji. In sum, Edna is his biggest hit to date, having reached the top spot on the UK Albums chart and earning silver certification.
As far as Gazo’s debut mixtape, Drill FR, was concerned, he released it in February 2021, going on to top the French album charts. The La Cour des Grands collaboration project has been dropped due to my partnership with Kim and Kalash this year.
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