Rihanna Says Her Upcoming Album Feels ‘Real,’ ‘Soulful’ And ‘Forever’

Last week, Noname and J. Cole squared off in a lyrical tic-for-tac over the issues of accountability during the recent deaths of many African Americans at the hands of police brutality. After launching her track "Song 33," Noname went on Twitter over the weekend and apologized for engaging in a battle of the words with Cole. 

"i've been thinking a lot about it and i am not proud of myself for responding with song 33," she tweeted regarding her Madlib-produced track. "i tried to use it as a moment to draw attention back to the issues i care about but i didn't have to respond. my ego got the best of me. i apologize for any further distraction this caused."  

She later added: "madlib killed that beat and i see there's a lot of people that resonate with the words so i'm leaving it up but i'll be donating my portion of the songs earnings to various mutual aid funds. black radical unity."

The initial skirmish between Cole and Noname occurred last month when the Chicago lyricist subliminally called out high profiled rappers for not being vocal during the protests for George Floyd. Fans pointed the fingers to Cole, and Kendrick Lamar for fitting Noname's description, and the former took offense, releasing his controversial track "Snow on the Bluff." Subsequently, Cole spoke on the song's creative process on Twitter and said he had no ill feelings towards Noname.

"Morning. I stand behind every word of the song that dropped last night," he began. "Right or wrong I can't say, but I can say it was honest. Some assume to know who the song is about. That's fine with me, it's not my job to tell anybody what to think or feel about the work. I accept all conversation and criticisms. But Let me use this moment to say this Follow @noname. I love and honor her as a leader in these times. She has done and is doing the reading and the listening and the learning on the path that she truly believes is the correct one for our people. Meanwhile a n---a like me just be rapping."

In return, Noname stormed back with her searing rebuttal "Song 33," questioning Cole's decision to speak on her tweet rather than the larger issues at hand. 

Check out Noname's tweets below.

i’ve been thinking a lot about it and i am not proud of myself for responding with song 33. i tried to use it as a moment to draw attention back to the issues i care about but i didn’t have to respond. my ego got the best of me. i apologize for any further distraction this caused

— Noname (@noname) June 21, 2020

madlib killed that beat and i see there’s a lot of people that resonate with the words so i’m leaving it up but i’ll be donating my portion of the songs earnings to various mutual aid funds. black radical unity ✊🏾

— Noname (@noname) June 21, 2020

This article originally appeared on Billboard.

Update: 12:00 AM EST (June 11, 2020) —  Goldenvoice is assuring ticket holders that passes for the 2020 Coachella and Stagecoach festivals will be honored in 2021.

The company confirmed that next year’s Coachella festival will take place over two consecutive weekend beginning April 9-11 2021. Stagecoach kicks off the following weekend after Coachella ends.

Ticket holders will receive an email on Monday (June 15) “with further instructions to request a refund or to roll over to next year.”

pic.twitter.com/s8oZARGJYf

— Coachella (@coachella) June 11, 2020

Original story below...

After initially being postponed until October, the 2020 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival has officially been canceled. Riverside County Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser decided to cancel Coachella and Stagecoach Music Festival amid concerns that COVID-19 could get worse in the fall.

“Given the projected circumstances and potential, I would not be comfortable moving forward,” Kaiser said in a statement on Wednesday (June 10). “These decisions are not taken lightly with the knowledge that many people will be impacted. My first priority is the heat of the community.”

Officials in Riverside County consulted with Goldenvoice, the company behind the annual festivals, before making a final decision. Coachella and its country music counterpart, Stagecoach, are both expected to return to Indio, Calif. next year but with updated health precautions in place.

Coachella and Stagecoach aren’t the only major music festivals to get canceled this year. The 2020 Lollapalooza festival was also axed because of the pandemic. “We wish we could bring Lollapalooza to [Chicago’s] Grant Park again this year, but we understand why things can’t move forward as planned,” reads a message on the festival website. “The health and safety of our fans, artists, partners, staff and community is our highest priority.”

Update: 12:15 A.M. EST (June 11,2020) — As promised, Tekashi 6ix9ine and Nicki Minaj unleashed their new single “Trollz.”

Watch the music video below.

Original story below...

Tekashi 6ix9ine and Nicki Minaj are teaming back up for the new single, “Trollz,” the rap duo announced on social media on Wednesday (June 11).

The “Trollz” music video drops at midnight on Friday (June 12). A percentage of the single's proceeds will go to The Bail Project Inc.

“The fund provides free bail assistance to low-income individuals who cannot afford to pay bail,” Minaj tweeted, along with a Black Lives Matter hashtag.

A portion of the proceeds from #Trollz including merch items, will be going directly to The Bail Project Inc. The fund provides free bail assistance to low-income individuals who can’t afford to pay bail. #BlackLivesMatter #TrollzVIDEO tmrw @ midnight https://t.co/bZEurWg6Jx pic.twitter.com/G0t0crYh8E

— Mrs. Petty (@NICKIMINAJ) June 10, 2020

nObOdY gOiN To WoRk wiTH HiM No mOrE LINK IN MY BIO ‼️‼️ GO PREORDER TROLLZ RIGHT NOW PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS FROM TROLLZ WILL GO TO BAILING OUT PROTESTERS ❤️

A post shared by TROLLZ (@6ix9ine) on Jun 10, 2020 at 10:00am PDT

“Trollz” marks the second single from Tekashi since being released from prison early, and his latest collaboration with Minaj after “Fefe.” Last month, Minaj teamed with Doja Cat for the “Say So” remix, which scored the Queens native her first No. 1 hit on the Billboard singles chart.

Minaj isn’t the only artist to link up with the 23-year-old rapper as of late. Akon jumped in the studio with Tekashi to work on an apparent follow-up to his 2003 single, “Locked Up.”

LOCKED UP PART 2 IM ON ALBUM MODE THIS ALBUM GOING CRAZYYYYYYY @akon ❤️

A post shared by TROLLZ (@6ix9ine) on Jun 7, 2020 at 10:16am PDT