Kanye West Reportedly Played New Music At Recent Industry Event

Kanye West previews a new song featuring Rihanna.

After dropping off his Paul McCartney-featured single “Only One” at the top of the month, all eyes have been on Yeezy’s next album and when we’ll get to hear more new music from it. Well it seems like we maybe closer to hearing new music than we know as Billboard is reporting that Yeezy played a newRihanna-featured smash last night at iHeartRadio's music summit in Burbank, California.

Before playing new tunes though, Kanye put on a 45-minute speech, where he spoke about his evolution from soul beats to working with Daft Punk and adding EDM elements to his music. He also spoke about comments he made at Governor's Ball in 2013 where he claimed that he didn't want to be on radio anymore saying "I was joking! Of course I want to be on the radio!"

But the main highlight from the evening that has everyone talking is Kanye’s upcoming record with Rihanna, which is described as an acoustic guitar and a "massive hook and chorus." Kanye then slammed his laptop shut and walked offstage to a roaring applause, according to Elliott Wilson.

Dilla Day Coming To Los Angeles

The celebration of Dilla's life comes to Los Angeles.

While the Dilla Day celebration was already announced to be taking place in Miami this year as a full weekend,it's now announced to be taking place in Los Angeles as well. The event is scheduled to take place in Miami February 5th through 8th, as well as taking place February 13th in Los Angeles. 

Artists scheduled to perform include Elzhi, Bishop Lamont, J Rocc, Guilty Simpson, Frank Nitt, Phat Kat, and Phoreyz. Tickets for Dilla Day LA are currently available via TheRegentTheater.com. 

Dilla Day LA will be hosted by Dilla's longtime friend, Dave New York who released the following statement:

"This is the first Dilla Day in Los Angeles. There was a lot of drama at Dilla Day Detroit behind the scenes, especially backstage, that a lot of people don’t know about if you weren’t there. Ma Dukes and I were talking and she knew how much love he had in LA from the fans. I was like, ‘Ma Dukes, why don’t we do a Dilla Day in LA?’ Ma Dukes looked at me like, ‘Well, you’re in charge of Dilla Day LA.’”

Nas "Not Surprised Cops Still Murdering People"

In a recent interview with GQ, Nas says Eric Garner situation is "embarrassing to New York, and it's embarrassing to the country".

Nas has always been one to say how he feels. From speaking on the conditions in the streets of New York on his classic debut Illmatic, to speaking on his personal life in his latest album, Life is Good, Nas has been somewhat of an open book in good times and bad. In a recent interview with GQ Magazine, Nas was asked if, due to his history in New York, he was surprised cops are still killing innocent people.

'Unfortunately, I'm not surprised cops are still murdering people," Replied the Queensbridge lyricist "But I am surprised that the law enforcement did not do the correct thing with illegal chokeholds. A chokehold because of a man stating his piece—telling them he didn't do anything. An illegal chokehold! It's embarrassing to New York, and it's embarrassing to the country,"

Nas went on to speak on the rest of the world's reactions:

"I've got to go around the world, and people will ask me, 'What's wrong with America?' This is why they don't like us. And this is why they're going to beat us. When they see that weakness, they're seeing a way to take us down. The outside world, they've already seen that."

When asked his response to questions regarding America's problems, Nas replied:

"I say America's about fighters, and we fight each other sometimes, but that's what family does. I try to make upshit, because it's embarrassing, and they see through it. If the plane brings me to Paris and all over the news is the police shooting down dark people in the streets? I'd look at all of them as savages. And I'd say, 'Wow, what's wrong?' It's transparent. They see what's going on over here. And they laugh at our government and law enforcement. That's one more for them. They're really the civilized ones. And they see everyone as being more civilized than America. And we've got nothing to say."

Other subjects covered in the interview include activism,retirement, and the earlier years of his career.

Wale Reaches Out To Kanye To Design New Uniforms For The Wizards

In October of last year the Washington Wizards took a page out of the Toronto Raptors' playbook by employing a rapper to be a part of their organization. The Wiz gave DC-native, Wale the title of 'creative liaison' with the hopes that he could help provide some more excitement for their already entertaining squad. 

Speaking with ESPN The Magazine, Wale delivered some more information as to his plans for the future of theWizards and it could include some new jerseys. 

"I want to be a shot in the arm to DC basketball," he said. "My job is to provide a spark, at all costs. I'm not going to do anything corny, but I'm talking to Kanye about designing new uniforms. I want to see the phone booth rocking every time I come here. I want to create the 'Lake Show,' create what the Bulls had. I want to take the personality of our stars—John [Wall], Otto [Porter], Marcin [Gortat]—and create what Kemp and Payton had, what LeBron and D-Wade had. That's the vibe I want."

Look, I can remember that fuzzy reception on Fox 45 watching Calbert Cheaney and Chris Whitney and those teams lose to the Phoenix Suns by 15, 20. But now? Now we have a team to be proud of. And even if you're coming to a game for the wrong reasons, like trying to win a pair of shoes or something, I want you into it. We want to sell this place out.

The Wizards certainly don't need any help creating any more of a buzz considering they already have one of the most exciting back courts in the game and, at 29-13, are currently the #2 seed in the Conference. Washingtonrecently decided to go back to their 'Bullets' inspired uniforms, so another change seems unlikely- though a Wale xWizards x West collab would definitely get the people talking.

T.I. Didn’t Feel Comfortable Sampling Jay Z On “Bring Em Out”

In October 2004, T.I. dropped the song “Bring Em Out,” the lead single from his second album for Atlantic Records,Urban Legend. With a clever hook that Swizz Beatz crafted by sampling Jay Z from his “What More Can I Say” song, the record shot up the charts, becoming Tip’s first-ever Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and getting airplay at sports arenas around the country. A decade after he first tasted the upper echelons of the mainstream, T.I. looks back at the making of “Bring Em Out.”

T.I.: I remember I didn’t want to make it because it had a Jay Z sample [from “What More Can I Say”] and I was like, “Have y’all cleared this with dude?” I just didn’t ever want to just take somebody’s voice. You know, this was the beginning of when that was made popular. This was the very beginning of when people started sampling other people’s voices and taking pieces of other people’s verses and putting them in hooks. Before then I think nobody but Premier was doing it.

[Jay sampling Nas on “Dead Presidents”] was more underground hip-hop popular. If you recognize, the biggest problem that everybody has with Reasonable Doubt is that it never reached a true commercial success the way it should have, you know what I’m saying? When he did it, it was popular underground, and those of us who really loved hip-hop [loved it]. But on the [charts] it was never that. So that fad, that approach to music, never caught on until after this. And I was uncomfortable with it, kinda because of the way that situation played out; Jay used Nas’ voice for that record, Nas had something to say about it and then it turned into [the beef].

So at that point I was like hey, wait a minute. How does dude feel about me using his voice? I don’t know if I need that. And [Swizz Beatz] was like, “Man, listen. Let me deal with Jay. You just record the song.” So I went on and did the song and it was one of my biggest hits up until that point.

I don’t know if I ever heard it at a game, so to speak. I mean, I know it’s been licensed and used for so much, it’s definitely flattering. I don’t know if I have any added feeling because it’s at a sports arena, you know what I mean? I know a lot of comedians and a lot of people who come out on stage and have to be introduced, they step out to it. Which is cool, man. Whatever people see fit to use it for, man, except for balancing the coffee table.

Lupe Fiasco Explains Who "Tetsuo & Youth" Was Made For

"I don't think this album is for new Lupe fans," Lupe Fiasco says regarding "Tetsuo & Youth." "I don't think you can get this album and become a Lupe fan."

With his fifth studio album, Tetsuo & Youth, released today (January 20), Lupe Fiasco recently spoke with DJ Skee to discuss the project and reveal why he believes this effort is not designed for new Lupe fans.

“I don’t have one, to be honest,” Lupe Fiasco says regarding his musical message in 2015. “I don’t think this album is for new Lupe fans. I don’t think you can get this album and become a Lupe fan. It’s a really good album, but it’s not meant for that. It’s not meant to get you to come in and buy this. It’s to satisfy something that I think kids where saying that they were missing over the past two albums, which were to go sell records. And not even Food & Liquor II. Food & Liquor II was kind of like, ‘I want to get off Atlantic [Records] and here’s album number four.’ On this one, as we leave and get off this label, I’m gonna give the fans what they want. I’m gonna give them [it] because they don’t think I can do it and it’s like, ‘I can do it all day.’”

Elsewhere during the conversation, Lupe Fiasco spoke on whether or not he believes radio records are important at this stage of his career.

“I dunno, it depends,” Lupe says when asked whether he needs radio records. “We’ve had our biggest successes with radio records. That’s what pays the bills and sends my little sisters to school and stuff like that. At the same time, too, I think I’m just at a place in my life, as a person, where artistically I’m so just free, that I don’t really care. I don’t really care about the radio. I don’t really care about the reviewers. I don’t care about the bloggers. It’s like I got 16 fans that I pointed out, they don’t even know who they are, that I just lurk and look at and I make songs for them.”

J. Cole Covers ESPN Magazine, Explains Dale Earnhardt Jr. Shoutout

J. Cole his on the cover of ESPN magazine.

J. Cole surprised fans with the announcement of his 2014 Forest Hills Drivealbum late last year, and he surprised us once again when he achieved the biggest first week sales in hip hop for the year. He did all of this without conventional promotional strategies, but it doesn't mean he'll turn down a magazine cover if it's offered to him.

Cole stars alongside Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the cover of ESPN's music issue, and while the connection between the rapper and the NASCAR driver isn't immediately clear, the two were actually paired due to a shoutout Cole gave the racer on his album. Read a quote from Cole's reasoning for the nod below.

It all started when I missed the deadline for the physical CD album credits, so I decided to put them on a song and basically shout out everybody who had something to do with the album. I’d been working on the album for a year, and I was in such an ecstatic mood — I felt like I won. So while I’m shouting out everybody, I was like, “I may as well pretend a shoutout, somebody I have no idea who they are, just as a joke.”

Dale was selected entirely at random, as Cole explained that he saw an interview with the driver where he shared his love of "Power Trip". You can read the full story here, and view the cover in the gallery above.