Month: July 2025

Clipse Just Changed the Game… Again.

Clipse is back and the impact is seismic.

This isn’t just a nostalgic return or a reunion for the sake of headlines. Nah. This is a meteor strike in a rap landscape that’s been, frankly, coasting. Pusha T and No Malice, two certified veterans from Virginia Beach, just re-entered the arena with Let the Lord Sort ‘Em Out, and they’re landing to the body, head and, at times, below the belt.

In a time when algorithms, social media antics, and microwave music dominate the mainstream, Clipse offers something rare: intention. It’s mature. It’s cold. It’s calculating. It’s Contemporary Adult Dope Boy Rap—a genre I’m stamping right now. Nobody’s truly mastered what aging gracefully looks like for the street-savvy emcee. We have seen it only for titans like JAY-Z to ghost the culture. Clipse did that which was as elusive as an electric eel covered in oil. They created a sonic lane that merges wisdom, war stories and wit without sounding preachy or washed. Or overly hard. These are grown men rapping at the highest level. Two artists, almost 50 and over 50, out-rapping entire generations.

This isn’t a review. But I have to briefly talk about “Birds Don’t Sing,” a standout track featuring John Legend and Voices of Fire. It’s soul-shaking. Deep. Emotive. It centers on their parents and the painful beauty of loss, legacy and reflection. In a genre where parents are often missing, condemned or spiritually benign, this song brings the pain to the forefront. It punched me in the chest. I lost my father at a young age, and this song unearthed that grief all over again. A white Billboard reviewer dismissed it as one of the weaker tracks. Maybe he couldn’t hear the frequency Clipse was operating on. I stopped reading his words immediately. Cultural resonance can’t be measured by metrics. Some things are meant to be felt, not explained. Sometimes the you have to come from the soil to get the soul.

The brilliance of Clipse is in their duality. Pusha is the brand keeper, the risk-taker, the wildcard who’s been navigating luxury rap and corporate chessboards. Malice—formerly No Malice—took a spiritual path, all the way to being a preacher. But on this album, he returns with a vengeance. Many are saying he out-rapped Push. And guess what? That’s fine. This isn’t sibling rivalry. It’s sibling supremacy. I love it.

We’ve seen countless rappers attempt comebacks after long hiatuses, chock-full of gymnastics. Most don’t stick the landing. Clipse could not fall off because they managed to create demand though absence. They have Pharrell and others, as well. The supporting cast of Ab Liva, Tyler, The Creator, Nas, Kendrick Lamar and others are all amazing on Let the Lord Sort ‘Em Out. Clipse hovered just under outer space and just above the clouds. Never predictable, but omniscient. OutKast should take note. I’m just saying.

Now, let’s talk culture. We’ve continually made the mistake of measuring success by first-week numbers and playlist placements. Oh, and do not get me started on those that exist outside of our villages. Clipse didn’t come to play that game. F that. This isn’t about units. This is about impact. The community is talking. Quoting lines. Debating verses. And recognizing that something real has happened.

This album isn’t about the past. It’s about setting a path forward. To me, this is a roadmap for artists aging in Hip-Hop, for Black men reclaiming vulnerability. The culture must learn to balance growth with grit. Let the Lord Sort ‘Em Out proves you can evolve and still remain raw. It’s strategy. It’s elegance. And yes, it’s a little bit petty. Because Hip-Hop is going to maintains that sharp edge. The grown folks who tried to make “mature rap” a thing often forgot that some ingredients is part of the culture’s DNA. Clipse didn’t.

And that brings me to the bigger picture. Clipse has created a blueprint. It is not the only one, but for rappers of a certain ethos, this can help. They’ve shown us what longevity looks like with purpose. They’ve redefined what it means to be an elder statesman in a genre obsessed with youth. Whether the rest of the industry follows their lead is anyone’s guess. But know: This is what cooking looks and feels like. That microwave sh#t gotta go.

You’ve been told. You’ve been informed. And yes: you’ve been warned.

​AllHipHop

Larry David is stepping back into the spotlight with a fresh comedy project and some presidential backup as he teams with Barack Obama and Michelle Obama for a new HBO sketch series that blends satire with American history.

The six-episode limited series, greenlit by HBO, will be co-written by the Curb Your Enthusiasm creator and longtime collaborator Jeff Schaffer, who will also direct.

The Obamas are producing the project through their Higher Ground banner, marking another creative venture since their recent work on Leave the World Behind and Court of Gold.

The show’s concept was originally pitched as a tribute to the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States.

But, according to the official logline, things took a turn when David entered the chat: “President and Mrs. Obama wanted to honour America’s 250th anniversary and celebrate the unique history of our nation on this special occasion… But then Larry David called.”

The cast will include familiar faces from Curb Your Enthusiasm along with a lineup of “noteworthy” guest stars, though no names have been confirmed yet.

Barack Obama, known for his dry wit, explained the collaboration.

“I’ve sat across the table from some of the world’s most difficult leaders and wrestled with some of our most intractable problems. Nothing has prepared me for working with Larry David,” he said.

David, who wrapped Curb in April 2024 after 12 seasons, had hinted at retirement. But in typical fashion, his explanation for returning to TV was anything but ordinary.

“Once Curb ended, I celebrated with a three-day foam party. After a violent allergic reaction to the suds, I yearned to return to my simple life as a beekeeper, harvesting organic honey from the wildflowers in my meadow. Alas, one day my bees mysteriously vanished. And so, it is with a heavy heart that I return to television, hoping to ease the loss of my beloved hive,” David said.

The series does not yet have a title or release date, but HBO confirmed its development on Thursday.

​AllHipHop

Ja Rule confessed to finessing Red Lobster during his early romance with wife Aisha Atkins—all in the name of love.

According to US Weekly, Ja Rule opened up after his brand Amber & Opal Whiskey launched their new frozen Honeycomb Cocktail exclusively at Tender Crush Crispy Chicken in SoHo.

The Hip-Hop vet confessed that he used to dine and dash with his now-wife, Aisha Atkins, when they were still young and broke. The couple has been married for 24 years now and Ja says they still laugh about those broke-but-happy days.

“I’ve known my wife since I was broke. Some of our best dates were then. I used to take her to, like, Red Lobster and s**t.”

Ja said they would eat heartily and then he went into scam mode, while she had no clue he was pulling a fast one on the seafood chain.

“I told her, ‘Hey, let me finish up paying for this, take care of this. The cab’s outside, you go get in the cab,’” Ja Rule admitted.

He blamed the restaurant’s layout for making it way too easy to sneak out.

“Right by the door was the bathroom and pay phone. So people used to go fake like they on a pay phone, slide out, hit the bathroom, slide out. So, yeah, I did that,” Ja Rule admitted.

When Aisha found out about the scam years later, she was stunned and couldn’t believe Ja could have done such a thing.

“We are able to still laugh about and share when we’re eating good and actually paying for the meals. You remember those times,” Ja Rule said.

Ja Rule is still hustling—just legally this time. He’s been on tour with Nelly and Ashanti as part of the “Where The Party At Tour” world tour, which also features Eve, Fabolous, Jermaine Dupri and other special guests.

​AllHipHop