GRUNGECAKE

Category: Music

  • Busta Rhymes responds to allegations from former assistant Dashiel Gables

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    This week, legendary Hip-Hop artist Busta Rhymes, born Trevor Smith, has publicly addressed recent allegations made by his former assistant, Dashiel Gables. In a statement, the ‘Break Ya Neck’ rapper firmly denied the claims, describing them as “completely and categorically” false.

    According to Busta Rhymes, Gables briefly worked for him before their professional relationship ended. The rapper stated that the arrangement “did not work out” and suggested that the accusations are a form of retaliation for being dismissed. “Apparently, Dashiel has decided to respond to being let go by manufacturing claims against me in an attempt to attack and damage my reputation”, he said.

    Busta Rhymes also revealed plans to take legal action, confirming that he is preparing a countersuit. He expressed confidence that the case will expose what he believes to be the true motivation behind the allegations: “an attempted shake-down by a disgruntled former assistant.”

    The Brooklyn native, known for his decades-spanning career, chart-topping hits, and electrifying performances, emphasised that he looks forward to disproving the claims in court. “Ultimately, I am certain the truth will prevail”, he concluded.

    While specific details of the allegations have not yet been made public, the dispute has already attracted widespread attention in the entertainment industry. Legal experts note that high-profile cases like this often become protracted battles, with public opinion shaped as much by media coverage as by the courtroom outcome.

    For now, Busta Rhymes remains steadfast in his position, framing the situation as a calculated attempt to harm his image. With a countersuit in the works, this legal clash could develop into a high-profile court battle—one that may reveal far more about the personal and professional dynamics behind the scenes of a music icon’s career.

  • Offset prepares to release new solo album ‘Kiari’ this month: See track list

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    Offset—born Kiari Kendrell Cephus—has officially revealed his third solo album, ‘Kiari’, set to release on August 22, 2025. The announcement, originally made in a high‑energy reveal in Times Square, included the album cover and the full eighteen‑track lineup, showcasing this as one of his most personal bodies of work yet.

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    As the title indicates, ‘Kiari’ is deeply rooted in Offset’s real name and identity. The project is being heralded as his most introspective effort to date, reflecting recent personal milestones—including relationship upheavals, fatherhood, and public scrutiny—while continuing to build on his solo evolution.

    Kiari Track List

    1 Enemies
    2 Pills (featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again)
    3 Professional
    4 Back in That Mode (featuring YFN Lucci)
    5 Different Species (featuring Gunna)
    6 Bodies (featuring JID)
    7 Love You Down
    8 Run It Up (featuring Key Glock)
    9 Set It Off
    10 Folgers
    11 All Of My Hoes
    12 Calories
    13 Checkmate
    14 Backends Fasho
    15 Prada Myself (featuring Teezo Touchdown)
    16 Never Let Go (featuring John Legend)
    17 Favorite Girl (featuring Ty Dolla $ign)
    18 Move On 

    Standouts among the collaborations include YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Gunna, John Legend, Ty Dolla $ign, Key Glock, Teezo Touchdown, YFN Lucci, and JID.

    This new release follows Offset’s 2023 album ‘Set It Off’, and his debut solo effort ‘Father of 4’ (2019), tracing his trajectory from group success with Migos to fully realised solo artistry.

    Given both the deeply personal title and the eclectic roster of guest artists, ‘Kiari’ promises a layered listening experience—one that merges vulnerability, high‑energy features, and Offset’s signature lyrical style. As the release date nears, fans and critics alike are watching closely to see how his identity and story unfold across this ambitious project.

  • Paris Jackson challenges Michael Jackson Estate over lavish legal payouts, demands transparency and oversight

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    Paris Jackson, 27, has filed a court motion challenging how her late father Michael Jackson’s estate has been managed—especially focusing on a series of controversial legal payments. In her petition, Paris accuses the estate’s executors of approving “premium payments” to outside law firms for 2018 alone amounting to approximately $600,000–$625,000 in unrecorded or late‑approved attorney time, often referred to as “uncaptured time”. She labels these fees as lavish gratuities and alleges a “lack of oversight” and opaque accounting practices that undermine beneficiary trust.

    In her motion, Jackson seeks court‐mandated disclosure of documents relating to legal costs paid between 2019 and 2023 and requests that future payments be held pending court approval. She also proposes appointing a third executor to ensure independent oversight of the estate’s ongoing administrative and financial management.

    Executors John Branca and John McClain strongly defend their record. In filings dated July 15, they assert that these premium payments were justified given their success in rescuing the estate—assumed to be more than $500 million in debt at Michael Jackson’s death—and achieving major financial gains, including a roughly $300 million return on a previously $50,000 EMI stake. They affirm that such compensation is standard in the entertainment industry and was previously approved by the courts.

    Supporters of Paris’ position include observers who describe the situation as typical of fiduciary mismanagement. Reddit commenters, for instance, portray lawyers exploiting vulnerable beneficiaries, with one remarking, “another scheme is the trustee creating phony firms… hiding their connection… and profiting.” Though anecdotal, these comments echo widespread unease.

    Jackson’s motion will be weighed at a court hearing (scheduled for July 16 in prior filings), where a judge may decide whether the beneficiaries should be shielded from unchecked legal expenses or whether the executors’ actions merit continued trust. If confirmed, Paris’s concerns may prompt a meaningful change in estate oversight.

  • Soulja Boy arrested on weapons charge hours after celebrating 35th birthday in Los Angeles

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    Rapper DeAndre Cortez Way—better known as Soulja Boy—was arrested in the early hours of Sunday, August 3, 2025, in Los Angeles on suspicion of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. The LAPD pulled over the vehicle he was riding in around 2:30–2:50 AM near Melrose and Genesee Avenues in the Fairfax district. During the stop, officers reportedly found a gun inside the car; Way was arrested as a passenger and later booked just after 6 AM at the Wilshire Division jail on a felony weapons charge.

    The arrest came mere hours after Soulja Boy celebrated his thirty-fifth birthday at Poppy nightclub in West Hollywood, sharing party footage and videos via Instagram that showcased dancing crowds and selfies, including a post captioned, “I don’t need no security”. Earlier that same day, he premiered new tracks on Twitch, promoting his most recent album, ‘The Influence’, released in February 2025.

    This isn’t straightforward legal trouble for the rapper: In April 2025, he was ordered by a California jury to pay nearly $4 million in compensatory damages to a former assistant who alleged sexual assault and false imprisonment. Way publicly denied the allegations and his legal team pledged to appeal the verdict, citing cultural bias in the trial. Soulja Boy is no stranger to weapons-related incidents. The LAPD previously arrested him on a firearm charge in 2014 and again in 2016, whilst on probation, when a weapon was found at his Hollywood Hills residence.

    At the time of reporting, the LAPD and Way’s representatives had not released further details or public statements about whether he has since been released or retained legal counsel. In summary, Soulja Boy’s arrest on Sunday, August 3 follows a night of birthday festivities in Los Angeles and adds to a history of legal controversies, especially concerning firearm possession and civil litigation. At this time, no official comment has been made by law enforcement or his team.

  • Listen to Yeat’s new EP ‘Dangerous Summer’

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    After a whirlwind July that saw surprise festival cameos, a viral Drake co-sign, and a Lyrical Lemonade stage takeover, Yeat is keeping the momentum blazing with his new EP ‘DANGEROUS SUMMER’. Featuring collaborators like FKA twigs, Don Toliver, and SahBabii, the project is a cinematic, genre-bending evolution of his sound—teasing the sonic direction of his highly-anticipated LP ‘ADL (A Dangerous Lyfe)’.

    The Cole Bennett-directed video for lead single ‘Put It Ong’ plays like a twisted fever dream. In it, Yeat moves through a chaotic carnival flanked by ballerinas in clown makeup—visual metaphor meets avant-garde horror. Shot with real alligators by Harmony Korine in Florida and designed by the experimental collective EDGLRD, the project’s cover art pushes creative boundaries, matching the intensity of the music.

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    Yeat’s rollout included cryptic nuclear-fallout-style signage across cities, foreshadowing a new chapter in the twenty-five-year-old’s career. Coming off a string of global performances—including a 120,000 plus crowd in Romania and a Clout Festival finale in Poland—Yeat continues to solidify himself as a genre-defiant visionary.

    This drop follows the chart-smashing success of ‘Lyfestyle’, his first #1 on the Billboard 200, which sold over 89,000 units its first week. Since then, Yeat’s been unstoppable—remixing Drake’s ‘Feel No Ways’ at Coachella, releasing ‘The Bell’, and collaborating with Anyma on ‘Work’. His recent European tour, including his first headlining London show, earned high praise from The Guardian for its visceral energy.

    If ‘Dangerous Summer’ is any indication, Yeat isn’t just riding the wave—he’s designing the current.

  • Chance the Rapper’s upcoming album ‘Star Line’ is a sonic vessel of diasporic liberation, technological evolution, and Chicago grit

    His longtime collaborator, Brandon Breaux, made the cover art.

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    Six years. That’s how long Chance the Rapper has been away from full-length storytelling. But time away hasn’t dulled his edge. With ‘Star Line’, he returns sharper, bolder, and more dialled into purpose than ever—an evolution painted in soul, wrapped in diaspora, and embedded with revolutionary tech.

    Created with longtime sonic chemist DexLvL, Star Line doesn’t just reflect where Chance has been—it defines who he’s become. Travelling through Ghanaian coastlines, Jamaican hills, and global art fairs, Chance’s journey echoes Marcus Garvey’s Pan-African vision: building community, commerce, and culture for Black people everywhere. Still, this isn’t escapism. It’s grounded in the unshakable soil of Chicago and his unique relationship with Black identity—something Chance has never commodified but rather cultivated with care.

    Visually, that cultivation extends through Brandon Breaux, who once again links arms with Chance to design the album’s artwork. The collaboration—spanning over a decade—has birthed an iconic visual canon. Together, they’ve never needed industry approval. They’ve always been too busy building their language—unapologetically Black, imaginatively free.
    Then there’s the innovation. ‘Star Line’ is the first album with an NFC-enabled CD that taps into Bluetooth speakers. Yes, you tap the CD and it plays. That’s the kind of Black futurism Chance is investing in—albums as living artefacts, merch with embedded meaning. The merch drop via starlinegallery.co includes these NFC-enabled CDs and more—each item infused with unlockable content.

    The album’s lead single, ‘Tree’ featuring Lil Wayne and Smino, flips India.Arie’s ‘Video’ into a new-age anthem of liberation. Cannabis, here, isn’t stigmatised. It’s power. The self-directed video, set in a Black women-owned dispensary, imagines a future where cultivation equals sovereignty—where Black women run the farm and the fortune.

    This isn’t just music. It’s movement. And ‘Star Line’ is the vessel. ‘Star Line’ will hit all digital retailers on August 15.

  • Hear Ghostface Killah’s new single ‘Rap Kingpin’ from his forthcoming Mass Appeal Records album: Supreme Clientele 2

    “88 shit.”

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    Yesterday, Ghostface Killah released a new record called ‘Rap Kingpin’. Boasting about having old money, lying up with snow bunnies in the Swiss Alps, and his global status linked to being a member of the legendary Wu-Tang Clan, the Staten Island-bred gifted storyteller raps about his glory days and shows his classic flow stands the test of time. Check out the track produced by Ghostface Killah and Scram Jones, which samples both Eric B & Rakim’s ‘My Melody’ (co-produced by Marley Marl) and fan-favourite ‘Mighty Healthy’ from his 2000 album ‘Supreme Clientele’. It’s out now through Mass Appeal Records under exclusive license from Ghostface Killah.

    According to the press release, the rapping legend’s next project, ‘Supreme Clientele 2’, crafted over the last decade, is both a homecoming and a new chapter for Tony Starks, as he picks up the legacy with a new but familiar lens. The project features guest appearances from Nas, Raekwon, Method Man, GZA, Redman, Conway the Machine, Styles P, MOP (Mash Out Posse) and Dave Chappelle. It will be released on August 22.

    About the next serving, Ghostface Killah shared, “Supreme Clientele was a frame of mind and era in time. You could never duplicate that feeling, but you can tap back in. We dug in the files from years ago and pulled together a Clientele that is Supreme! Get ready, Supreme Clientele 2 is now.”

    ‘Supreme Clientele 2’ is a part of Mass Appeal Records’ ‘Legend Has It’ campaign, celebrating seven iconic artists all releasing new music, including: Slick Rick, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Mobb Deep, Big L, De La Soul and Nas/DJ Premier.

  • Punk Rock legend Jock McDonald passes away in a “freak swimming accident”

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    Punk Rock legend Jock McDonald—whose birth name was Patrick O’Donnell—has tragically died at age sixty-nine in what his bandmates are calling a “freak swimming accident” off Bundoran Beach in County Donegal, Ireland, on Saturday, July 26, 2025. McDonald had returned to Donegal in advance of a forthcoming tour when the incident occurred.

    Local RNLI volunteers responded to an emergency call and pulled McDonald from the water around 5:20 PM, after which he was rushed to Sligo University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.

    A founding member of the British–Irish Punk band The Bollock Brothers (formed in 1979), McDonald had built a reputation for bold, subversive creativity—famously covering Serge Gainsbourg’s ‘Harley David (Son of a B**h)’ and Alex Harvey’s ‘Faith Healer’, among other nonconformist favourites. His band released nine studio albums, four live albums, and twenty-eight singles, gaining cult status in Punk circles throughout Belgium, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

    Tributes poured in from fans, fellow musicians, and family. Drummer Pat Pattyn shared via social media that the news came at the request of McDonald’s children, and asked for privacy during a deeply painful time:

    “His family and all the Bollock Brothers are in shock… Rest in peace, my friend… I will miss you.”

    Longtime bandmate Keith Bradshaw remembered McDonald as his best friend of forty-five years and a “true legend”. Meanwhile, McDonald’s brother Gerry O’Donnell mourned his passing, saying, “He was more than a brother to me” and reflected on the irony of his return to Donegal, the place of his earliest roots, just as his life was cut short.

    The Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival, which had welcomed McDonald in previous years, issued a statement affirming that “the music world will not be the same without him”, calling him “one of the great characters” in Punk’s global story.

    McDonald’s sudden death marks the end of a singular career defined by iconoclastic energy and international velocity. He had been working on a new single and album at the time of his passing, plans now left unfinished.

  • Busta Rhymes to receive Hollywood Walk of Fame star

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    Busta Rhymes will be honoured with the 2,818th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday, August 1, at 11:30 AM PT at 6201 Hollywood Boulevard in front of East Town. Rhymes will receive his star in the category of Recording. Joining emcee Big Boy as speakers will be Chris Rock, LL Cool J and Chuck D.

    The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce administers the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame for the City of Los Angeles and has proudly hosted the globally iconic star ceremonies for decades. Millions of people from the United States and worldwide have visited the cultural landmark since 1960.

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  • Hip-Hop star K Camp teams up with Arkansas-born rising singer Qiuntellii for ‘Your Type’

    How often do we hear young, successful men this honest in their music?

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    On Friday, America’s Hip-Hop star K Camp, known for his monster hits in 2014 like ‘Cut Her Off’ and ‘Comfortable’, shared the lead track from his forthcoming album ‘Kiss 6’. On the catchy melodic tune, the creator and his collaborator Qiuntellii—an artist with an album executive produced by Rodney “Darkchild” Jenkins—showcase vulnerability by singing some of the realest lyrics I’ve ever heard. The truth of the matter is, some people, whom we end up with, are merely placeholders, around for fun, or we don’t know what we want. Whatever may be the case, if you can relate to the words of the music, check out the first single from his forthcoming album ‘Kiss 6’. His tour of the same name begins next month in August.