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The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Month: September 2025
Lily Rose’s first full-length record is finally here, and its title, I Know What I Want, couldn’t be more fitting. While the song itself reflects on someone knowing what they don’t want in a partner, Rose uses it to make a bigger statement – one that represents the creative freedom she’s found making this record independently.
The talented singer/songwriter is happily married to her wife, Daira, but that doesn’t mean she’s immune to the effects of falling for the wrong person. She tackles this universal experience in the track which she chose for the title as a way to represent all the changes that she’s experienced in her career over the past five years. This record is Rose’s chance to show her listeners that she knows what she wants for her music and now she finally has the freedom to bring that vision to life.
“I’ve kind of been on the scene for almost five years now and we’ve never put out a full length album and I’ve gone through a lot of different changes when it comes to my team and where I’m at…The theme that stood out to me of where I feel like I’m at right now is I just have creative control over everything again, and I know exactly what I want in my career,” she explained to Country Now. “Luckily, I had a song that had that title. Even though the song means something else, the title means something a little different to me. So it just feels like that’s kind of where I’m at right now is having control again and knowing exactly what I want.”
The process to making this album looked different compared to 2021’s Stronger Than I Am EP. Now as an independent artist, Lily Rose chose to assemble 13 tracks, with some written as long as five years ago and others penned just within the last year. For her, one of the greatest benefits of creating as an independent artist has been having “less cooks in the kitchen.”
“It’s really up to just my producer, Paul Giovanni, and me of what is going to make the album and what isn’t. And that’s the process we used was what are just 13 unanimous songs that were just yeses? And it’s been really cool on that front,” she pointed out.
Their ultimate goal was to find songs that are unmistakable Lily Rose, so much so that no other artist would be able to cut it. When she finally got back all the final mixes and masters, the Georgia native admits it was “pretty overwhelming,” but in the best way knowing that she was one step closer to putting out it out to the world.
“When I was with a label or when I wasn’t with a label, the one thing about me is I’m never going to cut and put out a song that I don’t love and see myself in. So every single song I’ve ever released, whether it was before ‘Villain,’ after ‘Villain,’ anything, I adore with all my Heart. But I think with these 13 songs, there’s really a huge spectrum of me on there…I hope fans can just see I’m not one lane.”
Lily is responsible for co-writing all but two songs on the project – “Drinkin Bout” and “Let Ya Know When I Get There.” Once again, she leaned into her mission of choosing songs she could truly see herself in, and the moment she heard these two stories, she knew they were hers to record.
“I just can’t imagine anyone else singing the song. This is for me. And ‘Drinkin’ Bad’ is actually the coolest story. We were in the studio and we had three out of the four songs chosen of what we were going to cut, and that song got pitched to me while I was in the studio and we figured it out at lunch, how we would change it, how we would change the key, all of that, where we would sing it.,” she recalled. “We cut it two hours after we got pitched. So yeah, both of those songs mean the world to me. ‘Let You Know When I Get There,’ it feels like my own and I can’t wait to be able to start playing ‘Drinkin’ Bout’ too. It’ll be great.”
Another key to making the album feel so authentic was opening up and sharing more of her heart than ever before. The perfect example of this is the final track on the project, “Slow Me Down,” which features a heartfelt story dedicated to Lily’s wife. She admitted that writing a deep and meaningful love song can be difficult, even for someone who is head over heels for their partner, but she was able to accomplish that with this particular song making it one of her favorites on the project.
“When you hear ‘Slow Me Down,’ you might not even listen to the lyrics first because it is kind of an abrupt song. We quite literally slow down the chorus into a whole other time signature and BPM. So I think her first reaction was like, this is so sweet, but this is such a weird song,” Rose said of Daira’s reaction to the song. “We wanted to do something weird. And then I think when she listened to it more and more, the lyrics connected a little bit, but it’s a very different thing and I hope people like it.”
Across these songs, Lily Rose also proves that she doesn’t follow one lane sonically. Of course, she stays true to her roots, letting country serve as the foundation of her music, but she also pulls from other genres including hip hop and rock while also letting her vocals shine more than ever before.
“I try to show off the pipes a little bit more, and yeah, I hope that they just start to get to know me even more than they already do with some of these songs,” she shared.
Equal parts vulnerable and bold, I Know What I Want proves that Lily Rose is an artist that’s fully in control of her sound and her story. As a result, she solidifies her identity as one of country’s most exciting voices.
Lily Rose is currently in the midst of her I Know What I Want headline tour and while she’s already been testing out a few of her new songs live, there’s still plenty more to be shared following the album’s official release.
The post Lily Rose Gets Candid About Her First Full-Length Album, ‘I Know What I Want’ appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
Since she was 17, Gabby Barrett’s life has been moving at lightning speed. She launched her career on American Idol, where she met her now-husband Cade Foehner, and has worked tirelessly ever since to grow her career while also becoming a mom of three by age 25. Through it all, she’s stayed grounded in her faith, which has helped her to shape how she now defines success.
Sitting down on the The Jinger & Jeremy Podcast with her husband by her side, Barrett reflected on her journey up until this point. When asked how she has been able to manage all the different aspects of her life with such grace, the songstress responded, “By the grace of God, I just take it day by day. That is all that I can do. If I think too far down the line, it just doesn’t work out very well for me.”
She went on to admit that there is no secret to finding that perfect balance between her constant flow of performances and spending time with her kids. There is no doubt that it has been a difficult task, but being able to lean into her faith has been her true saving grace.
“I trust in the Lord that he will keep me on the right path. He knows that my heart wants to be towards my children and my family and my husband first,” she declared. “And I truly believe that he sustained me to this point in doing so. And I think something that’s been big for me is just reframing my brain and this is something that I’m continually working on.”
To keep herself in check, Barrett says she often asks herself, “What is the definition of success for me? What does that mean for Gabby?” Doing this has allowed her to see that while all the recognition and accolades that have come from her career are meaningful, those trophies aren’t what defines how successful she feels in life.
“Charts are great. All the streaming numbers are great, awards are great, all those things are great and I’m very, very thankful for them. But success, when I get down to brass tacks, in my heart, success is measured for me by faithfulness. So how am I treating other people? What am I singing about? How am I representing myself so that my children will look at me? Who do they see as they get older? Am I doing things that are pleasing to God? All of those things are really what’s important to me, and that is my measure of being successful is being faithful at the post of where God’s put me. And that’s something that I struggle with because being an artist in the music industry, it’s very competitive. It’s very fast moving. It’s very work, work, work, work, work, work. It’s very challenging sometimes,” she explained.
“It’s always a work in progress for me,” Barrett continued. “But that’s where I’ve had to reframe my mind is successfulness about being faithful with what God has given and where you’re at rather than paying attention to the numbers and the money and the awards.”
Barrett says she really began leaning into her faith when she and Cade started dating in March 2018. He gave her a Bible, and she remembered feeling as if a switch had flipped in her mind.
“I can’t even explain it, but yeah, so our journey’s been interesting. God’s been guiding it the whole way.”
As their bond grew, so did their faith and their desire to have deeper conversations about where their relationship was headed and how they would navigate that journey with their individual music careers.
“We’re both Christians, we both want our relationship to work. We know that it probably won’t work if you’re trying to pursue that solo and I’m trying to pursue this solo and we’re going to meet up a weekend out of the month at the airport to have a date and then be ships crossing in the middle of the night. How are we going to be able to sustain a marriage? How are we going to be able to raise a family?” she wondered. “I knew I wanted to be a mother, I wanted to have kids. And so we were talking about all this, and it just made sense to start doing it together.”
The lovebirds stuck together through all the ups and downs that came their way and eventually tied the knot in 2019. They welcomed their first child, a daughter named Baylah May shortly after, followed by a son, Augustine Boone Foehner, and another daughter, Ivy Josephine Foehner.
Even though marriage and having kids, Gabby Barrett says they had tremendous support around them and have always felt lucky to be able to have a team that shows so much support in their goal of growing a family alongside their musical dreams.
“Everybody was very supportive. Now, by the time I got to the third baby within a couple of years, I was a little nervous about that one. I was a little bit nervous. But again, everybody was very supportive on my team’s side of it, which I really appreciate. That’s really helpful.”
Now, the family of five lives out their lives together, splitting their time between their home in Texas and touring on the road.
Gabby Barrett is currently on her Life I’m Living Tour 2025, with one remaining date on October 5 in Ocean City, MD. In the midst of the trek, she dropped her new song, “The Easy Part,” marking her first release this year that offers a glimpse at the next chapter of her career.
The post Gabby Barrett Shares Why Faith, Not Fame, Defines Her Measure Of Success appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
Bailey Zimmerman recently reunited with a young fan named Lucas at the Grand Ole Opry where they shared the stage for a second time, making for a moment that will bring tears to your eyes.
According to Lucas’ mom, Jessica, the now 10-year-old was born at 24 weeks weighing 1lb 10oz 12 1/2 inches long in November 29, 2014. Ever since then, he has spent his life in and out of hospitals battling multiple medical issues including a seizure disorder, chronic long failure, vision impairment and hearing impairment, shortgut syndrome, and motility issues with his bowels. Despite a lifetime of hospital stays, surgeries, and health challenges, Lucas has defied every expectation of doctors.
“He had a trach until he was six and on a ventilator till he was four…he has had over 40 surgeries since he has been born. Unfortunately, Lucas has had multiple coding episodes where CPR was performed but Lucas just keeps fighting. They told us he would never walk talk or even live to the age of 1 and here we are at 10 years doing everything they said he wouldn’t do,” Jessica told Country Now.
Knowing everything her son has went through, Jessica went the extra mile to bring a smile to his face. She explains she purchased meet and greet tickets for Zimmerman’s show in St. Louis Missouri on June 13th and the second the two met, it was an instant connection that she never could have predicted. But their time with Bailey Zimmerman didn’t stop there, in fact that was only the beginning.
“After the meet and greet, Lucas and I were sitting on a picnic bench waiting for the concert to start and Bailey was leaving the meet and greet and he stopped to sit there and have a conversation with Lucas,” she recalled. “They talked about his music and [asked] Lucas [what] his favorite song was. When Lucas told him ‘Rock And A Hard Place’ was his favorite song, Bailey told him to stay till the end because that’s the last song he plays.”
@bailey.zimmerman LUCAS YOU ARE A LEGEND… LOVE YOU SO MUCH BUDDY🥹❤️ #musictok #livemusic ♬ original sound – Bailey Zimmerman
Lucas and his mom soon found out why Zimmerman asked them to stay until the very end. Just when his concert was starting to wrap up, the Illinois native told the crowd he had a special guest he wanted to bring on stage with him. He then sought Lucas out of the crowd and surprised them by pulling him up to the stage. This made for an incredibly emotional moment for Jessica.
“Tears were rolling down my face during that whole performance of seeing this bond between Lucas and Bailey. It was totally a night to remember. The next day it went viral on social media and within a week or so there was over 8.3 million views.”
@ferfer_88 Bailey brought Lucas on stage last night. Bailey truly is an amazing person ❤️ #BZ #baileyzimmerman #stlouismusicpark #lucas ♬ original sound – Ferfer🏁🏁
It turns out that the country star may have made a lifelong friend that night. A new video posted to Zimmerman’s Instagram this week showcases the moment he was reunited with Lucas, this time backstage at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.
“I got something super special. If any of you guys remember, I played a show in St. Louis Missouri and I met a kid named Lucas. He ended up becoming one of my best buds, he came up on stage with me, and he is here at the Grand Ole Opry tonight. I get to see him again,” Zimmerman explained in the video.
The next clip showed the two friends running towards each other and embracing in a hug. While catching up, Zimmerman asked if Lucas remembered their time in St. Louis, to which he confidently responded, “yes.”
Zimmerman’s excitement levels went up another notch after the young boy handed him a framed photograph of their first meeting together. His mom said that Lucas made sure to autograph the photo, so that they can both have something with the other person’s signature on it as a token of their friendship.
“We’re best friends,” Zimmerman told a smiling Lucas.
That night, Lucas and his mom got front-row tickets to see Zimmerman take on the iconic stage. They didn’t have meet and greet tickets, however once he got word that Lucas was in the building, he made sure to bring them backstage.
“[I] jumped up and down, and I was so excited that he got to see his best friend again,” said Jessica.
Before the meeting was over, Zimmerman paused to ask his fan a very important question. “Should we run it back at the Opry?”
@jesspd1987
He earned a rousing “yes” and yet another high five from Lucas, locking in their deal to share the stage once again. Zimmerman was later captured telling the Opry audience about the first time he interacted with Lucas and then proceeded to invite Lucas to join him on the iconic stage.
The crowd cheered loudly in support of Lucas as he danced while Zimmerman sang the breakout hit once again. Even though Jessica noted that Lucas was nervous in front of the big crowd, he was also incredibly happy to be back with his best friend.
“I can’t express how amazing this has been for Lucas. Or how amazing Bailey Zimmerman has been! There are no words to describe how I feel about Lucas and Bailey friendship! Lucas asks me all the time what his best friend Bailey is doing or when he can see him again! My heart is so full of happiness and eyes full of tears when I see those two together!”
This marked only their second time seeing Bailey Zimmerman in concert, however Jessica shared her hope that they will also get to attend a stop on his next tour.
“Lucas’ birthday is in November so hoping to maybe plan something special for this year! Not sure what yet but seeing Bailey would be amazing,” she shared.
Bailey Zimmerman’s kindness towards Lucas will certainly ever be forgotten.
The post Bailey Zimmerman And 10-Year-Old Fan Lucas Share Tear-Jerking Reunion At The Grand Ole Opry appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
Last night, Kelsea Ballerini delivered a one night only show in Chicago, IL exclusively for SiriusXM and Pandora. The unforgettable event packed out The Riviera Theatre with a lucky group of SiriusXM subscribers and fans who snagged tickets after entering for a chance to attend.
While the venue was much smaller and more intimate than the arenas Ballerini played on her headlining tour earlier this year, she still made it feel massive. Between her powerhouse energy, dazzling light show, and set list that featured everything from her early hits to her newest tracks, the room full of fans were captivated all night long.
The crowd was already buzzing thanks to the SiriusXM and Pandora DJ, but the night truly kicked off when fans’ wristbands started to flash in time with the beats on the darkened stage, building anticipation for Ballerini’s arrival. Eventually, the country star’s vocals lit up the venue with her first performance of the night. She started off by taking fans back in time with her debut single, “Love Me Like You Mean It.”
Ballerini commanded the stage in a shiny burgundy jumpsuit with an off-the-shoulder top and a sleek cutout, paired with matching patent leather boots. As she made her entrance, Neon pink letters appeared on the wall behind her, putting the lyrics to the early hit on display. However, it was clear that the crowd didn’t need the extra help as they sang along flawlessly, never missing a lyric or beat.
“Chicago, are you ready to start unpacking with us?” she asked as she grabbed her guitar and began delivering tracks off her latest album, PATTERNS.
After starting off strong with “Baggage,” the Tennessee native celebrated true friendship by diving into the empowering “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too)” and “Heartfirst” off 2022’s Subject To Change project. She then shifted gears momentarily to perform her one and only cover of the night, Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams.”
Fuchsia pink flowers danced across the screen as Ballerini approached the mic, pausing to thank SiriusXM, Pandora, and the fans in attendance. She opened up about how performing for a room full of devoted listeners is a “beautiful, healing, connective thing,” and admitted that on this particular night, she really needed that connection.
“I want to tell you that we have not gotten to play a show for you guys since tour ended a couple months ago and we have so been looking forward to this night with you. Thank you so much to SiriusXM and Pandora for letting us come to Chicago,” Ballerini gushed. “I missed you so dearly. I think there’s this beautiful healing connective thing that happens when I get to play music with you and candidly, your girl needed it this week so thank you for being here.”
The show continued with Ballerini tapping into more tracks off her latest project including the title track, “We Broke Up” intermixed with emotional confessions off her fan-favorite Rolling Up The Welcome Mat collection with songs like “Blindsided,” “How Do I Do This,” “Mountain With A View,” and more. At one point, she even hopped off stage to get up close with her front row fans and belt out “Muscle Memory.”
The 15-song setlist rounded out when Ballerini returned to the stage for a final encore. This time she was wering a fluffy fur coat and sat on a barstool with an bright white lights being the oly thing to light up the stage. The lights came from the back wall and flacked tward, surrounding Ballerini. She got candid as she told the crowd, “I may need a little extra help with this one tonight if you don’t mind” before delivering an unforgettable and moving and powerful performance of “Penthouse.”
The 15-song setlist came to a close as Ballerini returned for a final encore, this time wrapped in a fluffy fur coat and seated on a barstool under stark, bright white lights that cut through the darkness of the stage. Beaming from the back wall the lights surrounded her, making for a stunning scene to set the tone for her last song of the night.
Turning to the crowd, she candidly admitted, “I may need a little extra help with this one tonight if you don’t mind,” before delivering a raw and emotional rendition of “Penthouse” that left the audience captivated.
Overall, this was a very special night for Chi-town’s country music fans, one they, and Ballerini, won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
Kelsea Ballerini’s performance will air in its entirety on SiriusXM’s The Highway (ch. 56) on Friday, October 3 at 11am ET and will also be available to stream anytime on the SiriusXM app.
The post Kelsea Ballerini Wows Chicago With One-Night-Only Show For SiriusXM & Pandora appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
Jordan Davis checked off a career milestone on Wednesday (Sept. 24), headlining a sold-out show at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado. The multi-platinum hitmaker lit up the stage with a high-energy set that included his eight No. 1 singles, fan favorites, and new tracks from his just-released third studio album, Learn the Hard Way.
The Louisiana native opened the night with “Ain’t Enough Road,” the tour’s namesake track, before seamlessly rolling into “Turn This Truck Around.” Already a standout from Learn the Hard Way, the song had fans singing every word, signaling another hit in the making. Davis kept the momentum going with his current radio single, “Bar None,” which turned the amphitheater into a massive singalong.
After performing “Almost Maybes,” Davis paused to reflect on his journey from playing the nearby Grizzly Rose nightclub to headlining one of the most legendary venues in the world.
“Since I moved to Nashville in 2012, and started touring in 2014, there has been one place that I’ve always wanted to play. I met a girl tonight that said she saw me at the Grizzly Rose in 2015, but that place was always Red Rocks,” he told the crowd. “I want to thank every single person here tonight for allowing me to check this one off the bucket list, but more importantly, for selling this place out tonight. Thank you so much.”
The milestone night came with a few surprises. Davis first welcomed Marcus King to join him on stage for a funky rendition of their collaboration, “Louisiana Stick.” Later, the audience erupted when Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning appeared, teaming up with Davis for a lively performance of “Wagon Wheel.” MacKenzie Carpenter also joined Davis on stage, stepping in for Carly Pearce on the standout duet “Mess With Missing You.”
If Red Rocks had a roof, it might have blown off from the energy that ignited during “I Ain’t Sayin’.” Surrounded by the stunning red rock walls, fans around every inch of the amphitheatre could be seen dancing, jumping, and singing along.
Davis closed the night with a goosebumps-worthy rendition of “Buy Dirt.” As photos of his family lit up the big screen, he brought the heartfelt ballad to life in a way that felt fitting for Red Rocks: the cool night air, stars twinkling above, and a crowd singing in unison. It was one of those moments you wish you could bottle up and keep forever.
“Thank you all for giving me my favorite night in music I’ve ever had,” Davis shared before leaving the stage. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
Mitchell Tenpenny delivered direct support for the show, firing up the crowd with radio favorites like “Drunk Me” and “Truth About You.” A standout moment came during “Bucket List,” when fans surprised him by holding up homemade signs confessing that seeing him at Red Rocks was on their bucket list. The moment moved him to tears.
Kicking things off earlier in the night, MacKenzie Carpenter set the tone with her clever songwriting and undeniable “Country Queen” energy, getting the crowd ready for an unforgettable evening.
The U.S. leg of Jordan Davis’ Ain’t Enough Road Tour continues through October 25. Early next year, he’ll bring the show overseas for a run of headlining dates in the UK, New Zealand, Australia, and more.
Jordan Davis Red Rocks Amphitheatre Set List
Ain’t Enough Road
Turn This Truck Around
Bar None
Slow Dance In A Parking Lot
Louisiana Stick (with Marcus King)
Almost Maybes
A Little Lime
Next Thing You Know
Son of a Gun
Tucson Too Late
Singles You Up
Jesus Wouldn’t Do
Church in a Chevy
Starting Over (Chris Stapleton cover)
Mess with Missing You (with MacKenzie Carpenter)
3 AM (Matchbox 20 cover)
Red Dirt Road (Brooks & Dunn cover)
Photograph (Nickelback cover)
Wagon Wheel (Old Crow Medicine Show cover with Peyton Manning)
Mr. Brightside (The Killers cover with Mitchell Tenpenny)
I Ain’t Sayin’
Take It From Me
Buy Dirt
The post Jordan Davis Checks Red Rocks Off His Bucket List With Unforgettable Sold-Out Performance appeared first on Country Now.
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Floetry’s ‘Floetic’ Gets Vinyl Reissue
Floetic, the 2002 debut album from R&B duo Floetry, is getting reissued on vinyl. It marks the first time this album has ever been available on vinyl. Floetic will be available in two different formats: a standard black 2LP and a 2LP issued on dark rose vinyl, available via Interscope Records. Both options will be available officially on November 14, and are available for pre-order now.
Containing the group’s biggest hit, “Say Yes,” Floetic was a hit in both the United States and the United Kingdom. “Floetic” and “Getting Late” were also hits. Also notable on the album is the demo of “Butterflies,” which was written for Michael Jackson and appears on his 2001 album Invincible. Floetic was nominated for four Grammy Awards, including Best Contemporary R&B Album, and individual nominations for the songs “Floetic” and “Say Yes.” The group also won three Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards for the album, for “Say Yes,” and for Best New R&B/Soul Group. The album was also eventually certified gold.
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Floetry was formed in the United Kingdom in 1997 by Marsha Ambrosius—known as the “the Songstress”—and Natalie Stewart, “the Floacist.” Combining spoken word poetry and melodic vocals, Floetry dubbed their music as a whole new sound under the neo-soul umbrella. “We were also saying Floetry is more than a name, it’s a genre, it’s a style, it won’t die as long as long as we remember, it will be kept alive,” Stewart reflected in an interview with You Know I Got Soul marking the album’s tenth anniversary.
After spending a few years performing in the U.K., Floetry’s career really took off when they relocated to Philadelphia in the early 2000s and performed with the Black Lily women’s collective. The duo followed up Floetry with their only other album, Flo’ology, in 2005, and eventually disbanded in 2006. However, the Songstress and the Floacist have reunited several times over the years, touring together in 2015 and performing a handful of dates earlier this year in Ohio.
Order Floetry’s Floetic on vinyl now.
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Cardi B revealed her grueling three-month recovery from butt reduction surgery and shut down critics of her body during a revealing episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast.
The Hip-Hop star, known for her unfiltered honesty, opened up about the physical toll of reducing her Brazilian Butt Lift, saying the process was far from simple.
“For me to reduce my butt, I have to literally sit on the table, get cut from the bottom, get cut from the top, and be on bed rest for three months,” she told host Alex Cooper.
The “Bodak Yellow” rapper, who is currently expecting a child with NFL player Stefon Diggs, said she has no plans to undergo another procedure despite lingering pressure from the public.
“I already did a reduction and people will be like, ‘Well, you need to reduce your butt more,’” she said.
Cardi clarified that the surgery was far more invasive than people assume.
“And it’s like, I think you guys think that people just plug something inside my a**hole and just suck it out,” she said.
Still, the Grammy winner said she’s reached a place of acceptance with her appearance.
“I look at myself in the mirror, and it’s like, I really wouldn’t change a thing,” she said.
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Death Confirmed By Cuban Officials
Assata Shakur died Thursday in Havana at age 78, according to a statement from Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Officials cited “health ailments and her advanced age” as the cause of death. Her passing ends a decades-long chapter in the life of one of the most polarizing and influential Black liberation figures of the 20th century.
From Conviction To Asylum
Born JoAnne Deborah Byron in 1947 and later known as JoAnne Chesimard, Shakur rose to prominence as a member of the Black Liberation Army. In 1977, she was convicted of first-degree murder for the 1973 shooting of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster during a traffic stop on the New Jersey Turnpike. She escaped from prison in 1979 and resurfaced in Cuba, where she was granted political asylum in 1984.
Her escape and subsequent life in exile made her both a revolutionary icon and a wanted fugitive. In 2013, the FBI added her to its Most Wanted Terrorists list, offering a $2 million reward for her capture. She was the first woman ever placed on that list.
A Lasting Influence On Hip-Hop
Shakur’s political legacy extended far beyond activism. Her influence is deeply embedded in Hip-Hop, where her story became a symbol of resistance and empowerment. As the step-aunt and godmother of Tupac Shakur, her ideology helped shape one of rap’s most influential voices. Tupac referenced her in his 1991 track “Words of Wisdom,” linking her revolutionary stance to the emerging wave of politically conscious rap.
Common paid tribute to her in his 2000 track “A Song for Assata,” featuring CeeLo Green. The lyrics included, “I’m thinking of Assata, yes / Listen to my love, Assata yes / Your power and pride is beautiful / May God bless your soul.” Common later explained, “I read this sister’s story, [and] knew that it deserved a song.”
Her impact also resonated with Public Enemy, whose politically charged lyrics often echoed her themes of systemic injustice and resistance. Chuck D and other artists in the conscious rap movement viewed her as a symbol of defiance that aligned with Hip-Hop’s activist roots.
Life In Cuba And Literary Legacy
While living in Cuba, Shakur kept a low profile but remained engaged in political discourse. Her 1987 memoir, Assata: An Autobiography, became a foundational text for students and scholars of Black radical thought. The book continues to circulate widely among activists and academics.
During her trial, Shakur maintained her innocence, claiming she was targeted because of her activism. Her involvement with the Black Liberation Army in the early 1970s reflected her belief in armed resistance against racial oppression.
Final Chapter Ends In Havana
Shakur died on September 26, 2025, in Havana. Her death marks the conclusion of a life that spanned civil rights struggles, revolutionary activism, and the cultural evolution of Hip-Hop as a platform for political expression.
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21 Savage didn’t hold back when critics questioned the surprise reunion between Young Thug and YFN Lucci on their new albums, which dropped Friday (September 26) and signaled the end of a years-long feud.
The two Atlanta rappers stunned the Hip-Hop scene by featuring each other on their respective comeback projects.
Thug’s UY Scuti includes a guest spot from Lucci on “Whaddup Jesus,” while Lucci’s Already Legend returns the favor with a Thug appearance on “Still Waiting” alongside 21 Savage.
The mutual features marked the first time the two have collaborated publicly after nearly a decade of tension and public jabs.
But not everyone welcomed the peace treaty. Some online critics accused both artists of trading authenticity for unity.
That’s when 21 Savage jumped in with a sharp Instagram comment aimed at the naysayers.
“Yall want n##### to beef forever then say they ain’t appreciate they blessings if they get locked up for it,” he wrote, urging critics to shut up.
21 savage speaks on people who are upset about YFN Lucci & young thug being buddy buddy pic.twitter.com/p3n7b2fEJQ
— STREETWORK85NAWF BY DRE HOVA
(@Streetwork85N) September 26, 2025
Thug’s UY Scuti is his first full-length release since being freed from jail in October 2024.
The album features a stacked lineup including Future, Cardi B, Travis Scott, T.I., Sexxy Red, 21 Savage, and YFN Lucci, among others.
Meanwhile, Lucci’s Already Legend marks his return to music after his own legal troubles. The 21-track album includes previously released singles like “Would You Care?” and “JAN. 31ST (my truth)” and clocks in at just under an hour.
The dual releases and mutual features were seen by many in the Hip-Hop world as a symbolic end to one of Atlanta’s most notorious rap rivalries. Following the releases, Lucci confirmed in an interview that the collaboration was deliberate, designed to reset the narrative and foster unity within Atlanta’s rap scene.
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