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Friday, April 2, 2010 | 7:14am
Drake & Nicki Minaj Takeover The Cover of XXL Magazine (May 2010) — Is The Rap Game Next?
With Lil’ Wayne, Drake & Nicki Minaj, no other label seems more poised to takeover the game — but can the Young Money rookies deliver?
Young Money’s Drake & Nicki Minaj seems to both on the elevator to success whether you like it or not or think they’re nice on the mic or not. With the label’s biggest star, Weezy, in Rikers -Young Money may not miss a beat judging from the buzz on these freshman oh can’t used that word both snubbed XXL’s freshman cover because they felt they were more polished than a freshman or as Nicki Minaj puts it:
“Drake & I, we love XXL. We just shot for XXL. With all due respect, we felt like we kinda had graduated from the freshman class. We felt that XXL missed the mark when they didn’t put us on the cover prior to that. They have to pay for that. They can’t say, ‘Hey, get on the next one.’ But we love XXL. That’s like a hip-hop classic. So we said, ‘Can we have something just a little bit more catered to us, so that we feel like we have still grown as artists, so we’re not at all disrespecting the magazine?’ They were cool with that.”
Check out the issue’s highlights below:
Lil Wayne might be gone ’til November, but Young Money is still in the house. Nicki Minaj and Drake take center stage next month as Weezy’s protégés grace the cover of the May 2010 issue of XXL. Both have built a deafening buzz throughout the past year and change, with standout verses and chart topping singles under their respective belts. With fans clamoring for their highly anticipated debut albums, Drake and Nicki stand on the cusp of being crowned hip-hop’s new reigning king and queen. XXL Editor-in-Chief Vanessa Satten sits down with Nicki for a candid Q&A, while senior editor Benjamin Meadows-Ingram documents Drake’s rise.
In addition to our in-depth interviews with the Young Money all-stars, this blockbuster issue also includes investigative pieces on the struggles of female MCs and the death of the New York rap star, complete with a borough-by-borough breakdown of the Big Apple’s hip-hop history. Other issue highlights to lookout for are profiles covering the triumphant return of Reflection Eternal and the tragic demise of Little Brother. Also, Bun B gives us an early preview of his upcoming Trill O.G. album and Joell Ortiz goes on a fake-booty scavenger hunt in The Cool.
XXL’s May 2010 issue with Nicki Minaj and Drake hits stands nationwide on April 20.
FILED IN Need to Know
Rap sucks. this is some BS!
Where are the Highbrid articles on the Wu Massacre Album. the Reggie noble album coming in May? Mixtapes of relevant emcees. Dammit! I can’t take this anymore.
I might boycott Highbridnation…well just the articles. I love the fatties. lol
check the top right corner of the mag…. go get it and they’ll tell you whats wrong wit new york hip hop….
drake look like a young barack right there
aw that shit is 2 cute lol
I swear i cant stand these two. What do these two really do for Hip-Hop other than doom its existance.
Drakes flow is garbage. Metaphors are inconsistant, if not humdrum. Word play is down right WACK.
***in the club you know I ball, chemo*** WHAT THE FUCK DOES THAT MEAN?!?!?!?
Nikki Manaj is another wannabe Lil Kim, without the rhyme skill. She is garbage on a hot tin roof!!!!
***pick any line, from any rhyme***
Seriously the only reason I watch, when she is on television, is beacuse I’m praying for a boobslip or there is be naked picture following but alas, there never is and I’m tired of waiting…
I was driving home from work the other day and as it seems, both of the Hip-Hop stations, Power 105.1 and Hot 97.1 was playing tracks from these two. I turned it to the jazz station for the rest of my hour and a half drive home.
nicki just as nice and if not nicer than kim. no comparison. kim is like a porno. nicki is a cartoon. think jessica rabbit on the mic…cuz when you get chemo you go Bald. “balled” spent a lot of money. i thought it was cute. drake damn near nice as wayne. you must be retarded or sumn. that is all.
oh yeah swimming in the money come and find me: NEmo!
Yo ca$h, you got your ticket to go see Drizzy at the Palladium Ballroom? I did, as for my opinion. I think dude has got talent. He’s a lyricist and his wordplay is by far one of the best thats come around in a few years. Shit even HOV knows he’s nice. And Nicki? She just has that charisma, she’s different and she can hold her own. And I’d definitely beat it up… And all them NY rappers need to come out with some hits. The South ain’t giving up the crown anytime soon. Yall niccas keep doing the same shit. Even 50 fell off. WU-TANG had their run but they getting older and don’t want to change with the times. Thats why they don’t have fans. Take notes from Jay-Z….O-A-K-C-L-I-F-F!!!
http://twiturm.com/knzsf i kick brandnew oldskool
does that chick have any REAL hair??? she wears wigs all the time. is she, really, real?!?!
Im tired of hearing Drake TRY and sing. damn near on every song he on. its insulting to everyone who tries to sing.
she’s a cartoon character. she goes thru themes…
damn whats good with everyone sounding like kat stacks with all that hate in there blood. they both are nice at what they do. sorry buddy this aint the 80/90′s (wu-tang, reggie nobles).drake is nice and nicki is fat back certified.rather listen to them than waka flaka
and all that other garbage. and its far from over
Hip Hop has changed… its evolving and this is the new change… i dig what drake flow is about… drake don’t spit about things he doesn’t know or do… you don’t hear him talking about holding guns and standing on the corner… its different… get use to it.. WU-Tang was the shit, but its dead and that kind of hip hop isn’t coming bacl///
All u old people need to realize that Hip Hop is a young peoples game OK. Stop saying u don’t like this and that about the NEW RAP GAME. It aint ya game anymore. you are damn near 30 u want Reggie buy Reggie Noble u want Wu tang buy 36 chambers. Just Take this as a sign of Old Age!!
Sympala…please. Redman, Meth, Ghost and Rae are worlds better than these tight jean wearing, little pink shirt having, chichi terrorist out there.
And the chicks in the rap game are wack. A bunch of talentless whores who think they can get in the game like trina. Yeah ok. I’ll be the one to say it. KRS One is better than most of the people in the game as well.
You lost your rap opinion card. If you listened to Redman’s last mixtape from DJ Rake, you would see how much better he is than these fags and dikes.
And don’t ever talk about Tony..Starks will destroy your best rapper. Everyone knows this. As a matter of fact, I should go tell Tony to get on Highbrid nation and let y’all onion head ass kids know what’s the deal.
Enjoy your Tpain, your lil Wayne (who is going to come out of jail with an aching asshole) and the rest of them losers whothink they are good. Who the F is drake? Are we talking about music or a coffee cake? Wasn’t this guy on Nick jr? Come on now. What’s next? Nick Cannon is the best lyricist of all times? Stay your tongue, young one.
Yo, I’m sick of this. Where’s my news column, Highbrid? I’ll put these foolish young children on with some current hot hip hop. Name one of your favorite “new” rappers who is better than ghost, Meth, red or rae.
Go get this kid 3CCs of Supreme Clientle, both purple tapes and a Gilla house.
im lafing at dude.
WU is trash compared to TODAYS mcs. sorry. they got hella rhymes but what else. nigga aint tryna decipher shit and decode ya flows. meth n red is nice but outside of them.. im good on the WU.
New school Hip Hop is garbage real talk . Last Genration of Hip Hop at least had a vast variety from Female MC’s to Humor to Gangsta to Political from RUN-DMC Salt and Pepa to Public Enemy to NWA to Snoop to Em.The evolution of hip hop as a whole I love , plus what it has become in a Global standpoint .As 4 the new school at least have more than 2 hits on your shit and stop featuring every1 on your shit if u r solo artist keep it that way.
I’m down to go Verse for verse matching the real emcees to these fassys.
Name of one them who can take down the hustler/lyricist Cormega!
A hush comes over the crowd…HUSH!
who? real talk most of these cats yall naming. can only rap. no swag. no delivery. no nothing. like oatmeal. all they ass bland. we got flavor. lol. this is hilarious.
LOL!!! Cormega!!!! LOL!!!!!!
I’m 30 this year, and although I’m well aware of the fact that my type of rap music isn’t in the forefront anymore, I try not to hate on the new kids on the block I always remember when me an my peoples was coming up and the older gods was hating on us and the music we were listening to. With that being said Nicki Minaj is TRASH! I get it though, she’s going to be the black Fergie; silly rhymes over club beats that will have all the girls dancing and the guys wanting to be were the girls are. But please dont shit on my head and call it a hat! Trying to convince me that this girl has any type of skill it’s a gimic hopefully it’ll work well and she’ll sell and be successful, and I sincerely mean that.
As far as Drake is concerned he has talent, me personally I like a more upbeat hardcore sound IE; D-Block, Ghostface, Mobb Deep, Original Dip SET, Dead Prez, Wu-Tang Etc. Music that gets me amped,Drakes flow is way to slow and sing songy for me he’s form that Kanye, kid cudi rhyme tree. I listened to his new single “Over” many times and everytime I damn near fall asleep. I will say however that he does seem to be himself which is more than you can say for a lot of rappers new and old. I dont think Hip Hop is dead or dying, it’s different. You have the older generation and you have music for them IE; the new WU Massacre album (which is excellent by the way) and you have the younger generation who wants the new Drake, can you fault them for that?
I think it is the Duty of the older heads to school the youngins about the game so that they dont make the same mistakes that you did. Also old heads cant hate b/c ur past ur height of popularity and u spent your time getting high and bangin groupies. But also youngins respect the ones who cam before you know ur history and dont take this hip hop shit for granted. To the media outlets let these young artist actually do something before you give them the crown.
Old heads can try and school all they want but if new heads don’t listen and all the recordheads and A&R type 2 looking 4 is mindless dance music or nuthing deeper than a Mr.turtle pool thought wise then Hip Hop music as a whole is n trouble.There is no real political, conscience, or hardcore Hip Hop 4 a reason .”Keep the KKKoons dancing and blind 2 what the real plot is ….Destroying Hip hop music 4 good”. PS no BS The KKKorpeRATS are almost at the finish line of doing just that.
http://twiturm.com/knzsf the future
Swag?
What? I’m 32. What is this Swag nonsense? Let me break out the bifocals and the dictionary to look up this nonsense.
Are you serious? you are telling me Ghost has no flow? No delivery? This dude is the best story telling emcee out right now. Next to Rick the Ruler, Ghost crushes the game. I can name countless people who have flow and will crush these losers out there. I’m dead ass now… give me your best lyric from these new cats and I’ll give you some lyrical crack from some real emcees.
Pull ya pants up, loosen them jeans and get a adult shirt. I’m sick of these people killing hip hop. What’s next? 6’6″ 240 is a lyrical genius? Drake can’t deliver, flow, hold a battle with anyone from QB. Ghost will roast anyone in the game. ANYONE. Have you heard the freestyle with Mef and Red…broken language? They kill that Trigger the Gambler beat. Come on now. (This is a good topic people. lol)
Lil Wayne was better when Cash money had BG, Juve and Turk. Drake…I don’t listen to nonsense. If you can prove to me that these dudes are nice, I will buy some fitted jeans, a pink shirt (smeedium) and some old pumas.
I want proof. The proof is in the rassclat pudding.
first of all im 28. What is this Swag nonsense? http://twiturm.com/y6ccn < Swag Incarnate lol Are you serious? you are telling me Ghost has no flow? No delivery? < nigga sound like he got boogers in his nose when he rap. This dude is the best story telling emcee out right now. < if i wanna hear a story i’ll ask my granny to read me a bedtime one….nigga tellin hella stories but NOT JAMMING SORRY! lol Pull ya pants up, loosen them jeans and get a adult shirt. I’m sick of these people killing hip hop. < so fashion is killing hip hop? that aint got nuttin to do wit the GAME. i can clearly seee u one of them BITTER up north folk begging for the new KRS-ONE or some more swagless monkeys to drop some more LYRICAL boring BUllshit. lol. Being lyrical is more than Droppin Knowledge being LYRICAL is a question of taste. Ghost will roast anyone in the game. ANYONE. < LMAO. all dat dude roast is HAM n TURKEY…tell dude to go get a tonsil-ectomy so we know what he sayin…..WHAT HIT GHOST EVeR DROP? be fo real…lol. Mef and Red < the only dudes that you named on any southern MC level.
I don’t listen to nonsense. <cuz wayne be OVER your head now. i ve heard MANY other ppl say the same. I DONT KNOW WHAT WAYNE BE TALM BOUT…. boy so creative he GOES OVER A LOT OF PPL HEADS. i understand. i can translate for you. lol
ok i have to chime in on this one. im 35 years old, so i think i might know a little bit. first of all i grew up in a very small town in miss. i remember hearing hard times 30 days (rundmc) can u feel it (fat boys) if i ruled the world (kurtis blow),etc.. just 4 that alone i will always be in debt to the east coast.when i moved to houston by 85 it was utfo, krs-one, epmd, rakim, big daddy, kool g rap.. here is the catch though, we also had kwame, dela soul, digital und,kid n play. they were all goin platinum. what the deal is there has always been different genres of rap, the difference is the media and radio outlets only play the kidnplay type music. back then they played all of it and even had a video 4 it. so u chose what u want to listen 2. the powers that b doesnt want it like that anymore, b cause there is a plan to destroy hiphop by the powers that be.anytime blacks are happy and successfull it gets torn down. people my age are not hatin on you youngsters we just want a choice of music to listen 2, but the labels want let it. peace
Well put, another difference is that when hip-hp was in its early stages the majority of the artists were older dudes, they had a little bit more life experience,developed vocab, and world view to be more aware of what they were spitting. LL was the first real young god to come and rip it down and after that the door was open for the younger cats. Fast fwd. to 2010 u have Lil Wayne @28 he’s been in the game for 12 yrs already and now he’s got a bunch of young,talented, but a bit clueless artist under him and its young guys leading younger guys.
I dont know about all that powers that be destroying hip hop shit…. it doesn’t run that deep 4 me. I do think the fans need to support the artists they like regardless of age if you if you like Ghost, buy Ghost albums, go to his shows, and support him as an artist his entire career. Same thing goes if you like Drake or Minaj. Cause the end of the day the labels and money and the flow of the game is dictated by us the fans.
your right. the powers that be is some deep shit. have you ever wonder why you dont see any videos anymore espec. hiphop? remember when you watch a mc hammer video then youll watch the symphony video, and later on that day you would watch a janet jackson video, madonna,ect.. well remember that positive energy you had, the happiness that appear when you heard a biz markie song. the powers hat be want you to feel like you feel now when supaman that hoe comes on…… lol… its like are you kiddin me/ its gonna alot worse and then hiphop will slowly wash away like disco. disco was a happy positve energy like old school hiphop use to be. Go to you tube and check out professor griff the industry, and learn a little about the powers that be.
I said the same shit earlier look up a few and check what 2NA$$TEE wrote , gr8 minds think alike Dewayne . Yes we even had female MC’s that had skills . Don’t 4get the Weesssst Coast tho.
You are so right. My bad i forgot about the ladies! they were so dope back then i can barely listen to a female mc. i was just listenin to wrath of my madness (queen latifah) and had goose bumps for 15 minutes. there was also the one and only mc lyte. go listen to im not havin that or paper thin, no rapper male or female today could touch those songs. i even enjoyed 357 yeah yea. salt and peppa; need i say more? just listen to ill take your man, cant be touched. Like i said the youngins are doin their thing, but 1979-1999 those are the golden years like it or not it well never be like that again.
the west? when i first heard 6 in the morning, i immediately went to the thrift store and got some all black clothes and i was only about 13. king tee hit us in the head wit that first lp shit was nasty. Too Short freaky tales? enough said. i can go on and on, n.w.a., pharecyde, souls of misc.. the great top 5 of all time Cube, eazy, snoop. once again the powers that be made suge night put an end too all that fun. Shame
this is a post fulla of people who know nuttin about the GAME. i am an Artist. Evolve or BECOME EXTINCT. thats all i gotta say.
if you are an artist, good luck, if you do get the deal be prepared to not be successful unless you sell yourself or our people out. depends on what you think is success. if respect in the streets is enough ok, but if you want the 100 millons of dollars you will have to sell out thats the game homie no disrespect and if ur white disregard
LMAO! “IF YOU’RE WHITE DISREGARD” LOL!
oh yeah i aint white.
i will not seel out. TRUST. im out the mold of OutKast and Goodie MOB. Bootsy and James Brown. aint just coming with Hip Hop. GOOD music period. to me success is being remembered for you works. martyrdom. i spit a line it said: “Swag Sharp like Kill Bill Swords, Hanzo Hattori, Animated like Toy Story, I don’t do it for the money i Do it For the Glory….” of course a nigga want the money but hell the fame is what satisfies me.
Evolve or Bcum xxxtinct really , I take that as meaning longivity as well and if that’s the case u better bring up L.L.Cool J. then. Been in the Game since 1984 wrote “Can U Rock it Like This” 4 RUN DMC’c at age 16 full lentgh LP/CD what ever u call them shits by 17 1st artist on DEF JAM well “Tela Rock” was actually, last cd was 2007 what artist nowadays can last over 2 cd’s name me 1 . Do u really think Lil Payne or Drakula is really going 2 last over 20 years sure Wayne came out when he was 11 or 13 but lasting 20 plus will not happen again especially with the joints that r out now. Y me yoo…..really Pimp’n ?! If so “Ur mind is playing tricks on ya”. another classic by the way. Geto Boys 4 life.
hillarious! lil payne
wayne is close he been in OVER 10 years where da fuck you been? what joints are you speeaking of ???? nigga GOT HITS how hits MAKE YOU FADE AWAY? wayne done evolved got fans who dont even know who the Hot Boys Are…thats LONGEVITY. LUDACRIS i named ONE. Lil Watne i NAMed TWO. TI I NAMED THREE. lol yall dont know shit about music. just cuz you personally dont like wayne dont mean he aint a helluva musician.
REALLY ASK YO SELF IS WAYNE REALLY ALL THAT? Quick name two songs, name a title to 2 of wayne songs. I bet you cant do it in less than 20 seconds. please dont say the block is hot because that would mean that the last 3 years is irrelevant; and all this work he puttin in. Dude i like wayne but come on all that whinnin and gigglin thru all the songs, and for drake to sound just like him, so what he’s gorilla black now. the rap game is a joke, so funny that that little line you got there is alrite, but it want make it, because its not gimmicky enough, i dont know if i can do the stanky leg to it.
Lollipop and Prom Queen. easy. aint no wayne fan persay. im a musician. and to understand music. is to give credit where credit is due. wayne and drake are from similar rhyme trees but ok thats why you have a Franchise. to build in your own image. i got a camp of lil dudes i do music with so of course they gon take on similarities just human nature. that ONE line is one of many. u sound like someone who really dont do thier homework. im in the game. so im studyin everyday. wayne just at a point wher he DOESNT just have to lyrically smash everydude alive. his play raps Smash all these wack ass east coast dudes these folks on here naming. its easy to him right now. i understand where hes coming from. the rebirth is kinda like andres love below or kanyes 808s you know that experimental album just pure emotion fun whatever. give dude a break. when i hear wayne laffin n shit i laff too. cuz i know what mind state he was in when he said whatever he said. i can relate. drake on the other hand is for fans of PRE CARTER III wayne. he got wayne GO DJ and just ran with it. good for him. solid wordplay. distinct voice when you hear drake u know its him. a lot of yall easat coast dudes voices are very FORGETTABLE who da FURCK is CORMEGA anyway? sound like a creatine supplement. im from Dallas funny you mention Stanky Leg. hell everybody dancin its just OUR turn now. if it gives the city shine im all for it. im just here to let yall know we got more WAY more. Trust. Cash Out.
im 35 homie, ive done so much homework its ri diculous. lollipop and prom queen? thats the shit im talkin about. he is almost 30. like i said i like wayne his wordplay is sick. i guess im more into a message or politic or feel good rap, storytellin etc…. you have to admit that the game is watered down it just is.
to no fault of the artist its the labels and the outlets. have hears a song and been like wtf.. but a month later you are turnin it up and jammin it. it didnt grow on you homie they are controllin us thru musical frequencies. go to youtube look up (professor griff, the industry) keep an open mind i kno you rap and dont wanna kno but check it and hit me wit the reply
da* he loookkk like a old man