The teaser, which stars Kevin Hart, features a triumphant rendition of the two groups’ monumental collaborative single “Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You).”
According to a synopsis, the series was inspired by the iHeart true-crime podcast Fight Night and the Million Dollar Heist, the retelling through first-person accounts of a notorious armed robbery, which took place on the night of Muhammad Ali’s 1970 comeback fight against Jerry Quary in Atlanta. The infamous heist would go on to not only “transform Atlanta into the ‘Black Mecca,” but also change one man’s life.
“When a hustler named Chicken Man (Kevin Hart) hosts an afterparty to celebrate the fight with a guest list of the country’s wealthiest, the night ends with the most brazen criminal underworld heist in Atlanta’s history,” the synopsis details.
The description continues: “Suspected of masterminding the crime, Chicken Man is hellbent on clearing his name but must convince his old adversary, J.D. Hudson (Don Cheadle), one of the first Black detectives in the city’s desegregated police force, who is tasked with bringing those responsible to justice.”
Check out the teaser below.
Though “International Players Anthem” from Bun B and Pimp C with André 3000 and Big Boi has become one of the most beloved songs in Hip Hop history, it almost didn’t include OutKast.
In an installment of Juicy J’s interview 2020 with HipHopDX, the Memphis OG emphatically declared he and DJ Paul had actually staked their verbal claims on the song first as Three 6 Mafia, but the label superseded their efforts. In fact, he says he felt “crazy” when he first heard André 3000’s iconic verse because he had no clue what was going on at the time.
“I was like, ‘Man, God dang,’ because, see, what was crazy, me and Paul did a verse on it at first,” Juicy J exclaimed. “And the label — we didn’t even notice this, we moving around. The label had denied the clearance. I was like, ‘What the fuck? Why you all didn’t let me know?’ Man, I was ready to go up there and fucking cause hell at that label. Who the hell authorized that? I was like, ‘Who would authorize something dumb like that?’”
Eminem signals the disappearance of his rap career with the aptly titled new song “Houdini.” The superstar lyricist also plays a superhero named Rapboy in the accompanying comical video featuring Dr. Dre and 50 Cent.
Eminem Officially Kicks Off His New Album With “Houdini”
Over the last month, Eminem has been teasing the release of his forthcoming 12th album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce). Today (May 31), the Detroit MC debuts “Houdini,” the first single from the project. The Em and Luis Resto-produced track is named after famed escape artist Harry Houdini and samples Steve Miller Band’s 1982 chart-topping hit “Abracadabra.” While the goal may be to off Slim Shady, this new effort sure sounds like the music coming from Marshall Mathers’ alter ego of the 1990s.
“Houdini” finds Em serving up some questionable lyrics regarding Megan Thee Stallion being shot by Tory Lanez (“If I was to ask for Megan Thee Stallion if she would collab with me/Would I really have a shot at a feat? I don’t know, but I’m glad to be, back like…”), addressing his own past drug use (“Now, back in the days of old me/When right around the time I became a dope fiend/Ate some codeine, as a way of copin’, taste of opiates, case of O.E. (Mmm)/Turned me into a smiley face emoji”) and detailing the gender identity of his cat (“My transgender cat’s Siamese, identifies as Black, but acts Chinese”).
In the accompanying music video, Em plays superhero Rapboy who battles an evil Slim Shady. The old Slim time travels from 1999 to 2024 to wreak havoc on the city of Detroit. Dr. Dre co-stars in the visual, which features cameos from 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, Royce 5’9″, The Alchemist, Boogie and more.
Marshall Mathers called on prominent magician David Blaine earlier this week to assist with his rollout plan for the new track. Em and Blaine were on FaceTime together discussing how the rapper could make his career disappear. The moment, captured in a promo trailer, ended with Blaine eating a wine glass.
Why Does Eminem Want to Vanish?
As Eminem prepares to drop what seems to be the final project of his more than 35-year career, the question remains why is he trying to vanish? The self-proclaimed “Rap God” has been lyrically annihilating the competition for over three decades. With 10 No. 1 albums in his career, from The Marshall Mathers LP to Music to Be Murdered By, and plenty of pivotal accolades to show for his lengthy run in the game, the chart-topping artist may be bowing out of the game once The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) arrives. He’s already featured an obituary for Slim in a Detroit newspaper. Could he be retiring or is he just trying to kill off his old alter ego? Stans are waiting for some clear answers.
Take a look as Rapboy beats up Slim Shady in the video for “Houdini” below.
Fresh off the conclusion of Hip Hop’s greatest battle, Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar, we proudly present our prized picks of many of Hip Hop’s finest moments in the spirit of competition.
Snoop Dogg etched his name in college football history as the new namesake of the Arizona Bowl. The Doggfather unveiled a multi-year sponsorship deal to rechristen the bowl game as the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl Presented by Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop on Monday (May 6).
The popular rapper’s announcement touted his history of sending Snoop Youth Football League players to college football programs and the NFL.
“College football fans are exhausted by the constant talk around NIL, conference realignment, coach movement, transfer portal and super conferences,” Snoop said. “So, it’s time we get back to the roots of college football when it was focused on the colleges, the players, the competition, the community, the fan experience and the pageantry … It’s only fitting that I step up and help get this thing right. I’m ready to bring the juice back to college football.”
The Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl will be held at Arizona Stadium in Tucson on December 28. The game will feature teams from the Mountain West Conference and Mid-American Conference.
“We’re thrilled about our groundbreaking partnership with Snoop and Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop,” the Arizona Bowl’s executive director Kym Adair said. “This year, the Arizona Bowl is bringing sports, libations and entertainment into a singular bowl game, and we are changing the definition of what a brand partnership is in the NCAA.”
The Arizona Bowl is owned by the non-profit organization TD4Tucson, which donates 100 percent of its net proceeds from the game to charity. This year’s pre-game festivities include charity events and the SNOOPER Bowl, a showcase of Arizona and California’s best youth football teams.
If a picture is worth 1,000 words then well-constructed diss track cover art has to be worth at least 1 million laughs. With the track comes the opportunity to double-tap an opponent by doubling down with the cover art.
In years past, several rappers have used mixtape and song covers to additionally besmirch a foe. In 1993, Eazy-E released the EP It’s On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa. The alternate cover for the offering features a Dr. Dre obituary. In the early 2000s, G-Unit released dozens of mixtapes and used cover art to clown their enemies on multiple occasions. One of the most notable is the artwork for G-Unit Radio Part 21: Hate It or Love It, on which they plastered a pic of The Game wearing a thong on the cover.
Recently, rappers’ diss track artwork game has gotten even more creative. In April of 2024, Rick Ross released his Drake diss song, “Champagne Moments.” On the track, Rozay attacks Drake’s mixed race by continuously calling him a White boy. The Miami rapper doubled down with the artwork for the song, using a photo of a White man who resembles The Boy.
Drake’s “Push Ups” diss song aimed at Kendrick Lamar, Rick Ross, Metro Boomin, Future and The Weeknd was also released in April of 2024. On the track, Drizzy jokes about K-Dot’s shoe size. For the cover art, Drake simply used a tag for a size 7 shoe. Chris Brown and Quavo’s raging beef the same month featured multiple diss tracks. Both artists upped the ante by also dissing each other on their songs’ covers.
Kanye West looked to the past as he plotted a tour for his Vultures album trilogy. According to Billboard, Ye rehired his former manager John Monopoly.
Monopoly returned to the managerial role more than a decade after parting ways with Ye. The move gave Kanye a manager for the first time since 2018.
Kanye reunited with Monopoly amid efforts to arrange a world tour. Live Nation and AEG reportedly will not be involved in Kanye’s tour despite the success of his Vultures album listening parties. Ye remained a toxic figure in the music industry due to his antisemitism and other offensive remarks, which led to multiple brands cutting ties with him.
Controversy did not stop Kanye’s loyal fans from supporting him. Ye and Ty Dolla $ign’s single “Carnival” made it to No. 1 on the latest Hot 100 chart. The track became Kanye’s first No. 1 song in more than 12 years.
Ye last reached the top of the Hot 100 with his Katy Perry collaboration “E.T.” in 2011. “Carnival” marked the fifth No. 1 song of his career. His other No. 1 hits were “Stronger,” “Gold Digger” and Twista’s “Slow Jamz.”
The Texas native revealed the tracklist with a callback to the 2000s as he shared a picture of a blank CD that had the songs written on it. Alongside the aforementioned names, Slim Thug, Moneybagg Yo, Fredo Bang and Z-RO are also among the featured guests.
“YU READY??” OT asked fans in the caption, while revealing the effort is due out this Friday (March 1).
In a whirlwind year, 2024 DX Rising Star That Mexican OT skyrocketed to fame with his smash hit “Johnny Dang,” paying homage to the famed Houston jeweler to the stars. The summer anthem — which also features Johnny’s business partner Paul Wall — not only graced the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 11 weeks but also earned a RIAA gold certification.
EnjoyTheBEATZ.com Top 10 Remix Chart (based on sales) August 2023
Excludes free remixes.
10. Elvis Presley – Bossa Nova Baby remix
9. Stevie B – I Wanna Be The One remix
8. Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock – It Takes Two remix
7. Diplo and SIDEPIECE – On My Mind remix
6. Dr Dre feat Snoop Dogg – Dre Day remix
5. Zara Larsson vs Mann – Buzzin’ Lush Life mashup
4. Sugarhill Gang – Rapper’s Delight remix
3. Kelly Rowland feat Eve – Like This remix
2. Cypress Hill – Insane in the Brain remix
Queen Latifah holds the distinction of being the first rapper to perform at a Super Bowl halftime show. The hip-hop icon rocked the mic at Super Bowl XXXII in 1998. Although Latifah sung during her set, she left an indelible impression on the NFL, which allowed other rappers to grace future halftime stages.
For example, Missy Elliott delivered a show-stopping performance at Super Bowl XLIX in 2015—and she wasn’t even the headliner. The veteran rhymer was a guest performer for Katy Perry and rapped a medley of her biggest hits, including “Get Ur Freak On,” “Work It” and “Lose Control.”
Another memorable halftime performance happened in 2022, when Dr. Dre headlined the Super Bowl LVI’s Pepsi Halftime Show and brought out Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent and Mary J. Blige. Everyone brought their A-game and each artist delivered an electrifying performance.
Outside of football, rappers hit the stage at other sporting events as well. In 2011, Rihanna brought out Drake and Kanye West to perform during her headlining set at NBA All-Star Weekend. In 2013, Ludacris was tapped to be the musical ambassador during the NCAA Final Four games, which took place at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta. Luda was on the bill for a halftime show that also featured fellow rapper Flo Rida.
XXL decided to take a trip down memory lane and compiled a list of 13 of the most memorable halftime performances during a sporting contest. Check it out below.
Queen Latifah Performs During Super Bowl XXXII
In 1998, Queen Latifah was one of a slew of performers selected to pay homage to the legacy of Motown Records during the Super Bowl XXXII halftime show. Performing her song “Paper,” which features a sample of the Motown classic “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” Latifah made history as the first rapper to hit the stage at the Super Bowl, opening yet another door for hip-hop.
Nelly Performs During Super Bowl XXXV
Coming off the heels off his wildly successful debut album Country Grammar, Nelly joined music royalty during the Super Bowl XXXV halftime Show. In the midst of ‘N Sync, Britney Spears and Mary J. Blige joining Aerosmith on stage for a rendition of their hit “Walk This Way,” Nelly came out of nowhere, dropping the opening verse from his own hit single “E.I.” over Steven Tyler’s rollicking guitar riffs.
Diddy and Nelly co-starred alongside the likes of Jessica Simpson, Janet Jackson, Kid Rock, and Justin Timberlake during the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show in 2004. Performing a medley of Bad Boy’s biggest hits, including “Bad Boy for Life,” “Diddy” and “Mo Money Mo Problems,” Diddy was joined by Nelly, who lit the crowd on fire with a quickstrike from his 2002 hit, “Hot in Herre.” It was a historic moment that’s unfortunately been overshadowed by Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake’s Nipplegate controversy.
The Black Eyed Peas Perform During Super Bowl XLV Halftime Show
“Boom Boom Pow,” “Pump It,” “Let’s Get It Started” and “Where Is The Love?” are just a few of the selections The Black Eyed Peas performed during their headlining performance during the Super Bowl XLV halftime show at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. In addition to rockers like Slash, The Black Eyed Peas were also joined by Usher, who popped up to perform his will.i.am collaboration “OMG” before the Peas closed things on a high note with a reprise of their sing-along smash, “I Gotta Feeling.”
In 2011, Rihanna performed during the NBA All-Star Game halftime and brought along a few surprise guests to turn up the energy. Drake was the first surprise—he spit his verse from her Rih’s single, “What’s My Name.” The Bajan singer later summoned Kanye West for a performance of “All Of The Lights.”
In 2012, Nicki Minaj appeared alongside Madonna and M.I.A. for a rendition of “Give Me All Your Luvin’,” their collaboration from Madonna’s MDNA album, during the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show.
Ludacris and Flo Rida Perform at NCAA Final Four 2013
Atlanta representative Ludacris served as a musical ambassador for his stomping grounds during the NCAA Final Four 2013, which was held at Centennial Olympic Park. Billed alongside a diverse list of acts that included Sting and Dave Matthews Band, Ludacris pulled out all of the stops, turning up with signature cuts like “Pimpin’ All Over the World,” “What’s Your Fantasy” and “Roll Out,” showing the attendees a bit of southern hospitality in a big way.
Missy Elliott Performs During Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show
During the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Katy Perry gave the crowd and viewers a pleasant surprise when she brought out Missy Elliott. The rap legend had been relatively quiet on the music front for much of the previous decade, performed a medley of her biggest fan favorites, with songs like “Get Ur Freak On,” “Work It” and “Lose Control.”
Kendrick Lamar and Pharrell Williams Perform at 2014 NBA All-Star Weekend
Hip-hop was in full force during the 2014 NBA All-Star Weekend, as Kendrick Lamar and Pharrell Williams were tapped to hit the stage and take part in the festivities. Kendrick, who headlined the Saturday night of the All-Star Weekend, performed a medley of hits, including “M.A.A.D. City” and “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe,” prior to the Sprite Slam Dunk, while Pharrell Williams joined Janelle Monae and Earth, Wind & Fire during All-Star Game player introductions.
E-40 Performs During Game 1 of 2015 NBA Finals
In 2015, legendary spitter E-40 put on for The Bay by performing during halftime of the series opening match-up between his hometown squad’s Golden State Warriors and LeBron’s Cleveland Cavaliers. Hitting the crowd with bangers like “Tell Me When To Go” and “Choices,” E-40 sprinkled his swagger all over the court, perhaps providing an energy boost that helped Steph Curry’s squad to win the series in six games, giving the team its first NBA title in decades.
Desiigner Performs at Rucker Park
Brooklyn rapper Desiigner took his talents Uptown when he performed at Rucker Park in 2016 during the Entertainer’s Basketball Classic. With a standing-room-only crowd flocking to the court, the G.O.O.D. Music signee delivered a charged-up performance of his breakout hit “Panda.”
Flo Rida Performs During Game 2 of 2017 NBA Finals
Flo Rida may have made his bones coming out of the Florida rap scene, but the rapper showed Golden State Warriors fans a good time by delving into a set that ran the gamut of his biggest hits during the second game of the 2017 NBA Finals. “My House,” “Good Feeling” and his Sage the Gemini collab “Game Time” were among the tracks that Flo Rida pulled out of his grab bag of hits during his performance, which got everyone from kids to the Warriors cheerleaders involved.
Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and More Perform During Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show
Dr. Dre spread California love during his headlining set at the 2022 Super Bowl. The hip-hop icon along with Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent and Mary J. Blige delivered memorable performances at the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
Among the highlights included Eminem kneeling after performing his Oscar-winning song “Lose Yourself” in honor of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Of course, we can’t forget K-Dot’s militant performance of “Alright.”
Speaking to DJ Whoo Kid on his own radio channel Shade 45, the Detroit rap legend teased new material, saying: “I’m working on a little something.”
Whoo Kid then asked Eminem about a potential collaborative album with 50 Cent, to which the Shady Records boss replied: “I don’t know where that’s come from but it’s crazy.”
Em also revealed he’s been trying to get his “Patiently Waiting” rhyming partner to put together a new album: “I’m trying to get him to make a new album so bad. We need another 50 album like really bad. 50’s on a roll right now. He’s been on a roll since the tour.
“I told him whatever the fuck he needs from me, I’m here. That shit’d be crazy, though — an album with me and him.”
Check out his comments at the 7:14 mark below.
Eminem’s last studio album, Music to Be Murdered By, arrived in January 2020 and was followed by a Side B deluxe edition in December of that year.
He also released the compilation album Curtain Call 2 — the sequel to his 2005 greatest hits record — in 2022, which featured some of his biggest songs from the second half of his career as well as previously unreleased material.
While fans have continued to clamor for new music, Em has largely remained silent on the prospect of another album.
50 Cent, meanwhile, has previously teased that he would be reuniting with Dr. Dre for a new album, which would mark his first since 2014’s Animal Ambition.
