With his Memphis-bred hustler mentality and a flow that never fumbles, the world is Kenny Muney’s. Taking inspiration from Al Pacino’s iconic role as Tony Montana in Scarface, Kenny shares his new video single, “King Pin.” The track opens with Montana’s famous quote about the spoils of fame and fortune, before the track’s urgently booming production takes hold and Kenny kicks off his verse. Echoing the hard-learned lessons of the tragic hero he emulates, Kenny stresses the importance of diligence in this high-stakes lifestyle: “I watch how I move, I watch what I do, cause a lot of these n****s be singing.”
The video for “King Pin” arrives in the wake of recent clips from his Time Is Muney project, including the Dreezy-assisted “Nobody” and “No Days Off,” both of which will appear on the upcoming Time Is Muney (Deluxe). In “King Pin,” Kenny appears as Montana in his own version of the film’s iconic climax, as Tony loads up to make his last stand while hordes of enemies invade his home. Yet, the video closes with Kenny still fighting, knowing that his movie’s ending is still unwritten.
Released in February, Time Is Muney is a project suited for headphones–the better to be mesmerized by Kenny’s hypnotic flows. The tape is home to recent singles like “Backend Freestyle,” a flex heavy track that allowed Muney to reintroduce himself to fans, both new and old, and “Worthless,” which received a tequila-fueled music video. Featuring guest appearances from Kenny’s PRE associates Big Moochie Grape and Key Glock, Time Is Muney is available everywhere.
In the run up to Time Is Muney, the Paper Route Empire signee kept himself busy by releasing multiple singles, including “Lowkey,” “For Kenny,” “Long Time Coming,” and “Poppin It.” To kick off 2022, Kenny memorialized Dolph with “Role Model,” a touching tribute to Dolph which racked up over 1.9 million views on YouTube in its first two weeks, and appears on Time Is Muney, as well as the recent Paper Route Empire Presents: Long Live Dolph mixtape.
With Time Is Muney, Kenny Muney showed that he has the talent and determination to succeed in the Empire-building business. Stay tuned for more from Kenny Muney and Paper Route Empire.
Lost Kids/Brent Faiyaz affiliate and budding melodic superstar Joony announced his debut solo Pretty In Black Tour kicking off December 4 at Baby’s All Right in New York City, NY. The U.S. tour will make stops in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and will wrap up near his hometown in Washington, D.C., on December 18th.
Full dates are listed below, and tickets are on sale now here.
The Pretty In Black Tour arrives on the heels of Joony’s explosive run on the Life In Hell Tour with Lancey Fouxx presented by Rolling Loud, and the release of his AOTY-contending project, Pretty In Black (Deluxe).
Pretty In Black Tour
December 4 – New York City – Baby’s All Right
December 8 – Atlanta, GA – Aisle 5
December 15 – Los Angeles – Echo
December 18 – Washington D.C. – Songbyrd
Born in Silver Spring, MD, Joony—melodic rapper, songwriter, and burgeoning star, exemplifies a multi-dimensional artist whose music runs the gamut of human expression, delving deep into feelings of love, success, and everything in between his ever-evolving life. For the recording artist, music serves as a vehicle to express his stories and life, unadulterated for the world to experience. Listening to his music, it should come as no surprise that Joony cites Lil Wayne & Kanye West as some of his primary influences as he continuously carves his own lane within the genre himself.
Establishing himself through a series of EPs and full-length albums, Joony amassed a substantial audience before his placement on Brent Faiyaz’s chart-topping album, Wasteland. Joony’s verse on “FYTB” was a standout moment on the project and marked Joony’s first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 list. The poignant record came on the heels of his critically acclaimed album, Pretty In Black. After the release of Pretty In Black (Deluxe), the 22-year-old rapper asserted himself in 2022’s album of the year consideration.
Joony’s creative range and undeniable charisma reaffirm his confident but calm demeanor. Joony’s work has received acclaim from top outlets like The Source, Popsugar, Billboard, and many more. There’s no limit to where the budding superstar can take his talents.
Def Jam Recordings and 4th & Broadway Records have teamed up to release a new holiday compilation album, Def the Halls. It follows the 2019 seasonal effort A Def Jam Christmas.
Featuring established and emerging artists, the 16-song album includes Josey’s naughty list single “A Ho’s Christmas”
“I hope “A hoe’s Christmas” brings a laugh to everyone who needs one this holiday. This one is definitely dedicated to a girl’s night out in the snow & for those who just want to have fun!” Jai’Len Josey
Jai’Len Josey is a 23-year old singer-songwriter and actress. Growing up in the Atlanta R&B and hip hop music scene, Josey was heavily influenced by smooth pop tunes rooted in live soulful R&B music. At the age of 16, she made her professional debut on Broadway in Spongebob Squarepants the Musical. In 2019, she created the score for Oil of Olay’s “Rhythm of Olay” ALS musical commercial campaign, which garnered more than 1.4 million views on YouTube.
Jai’Len released her debut EP in 2020 titled Illustrations. Since then her songs have been featured on The Terrell Show, SHOWTIME’s visual album for The Chi, and most recently, Sephora’s Hall of Black Beauty Campaign. She also won BET’s first AmpliFIND competition in April 2021. In February 2021, Jai’Len signed with Sony Music Publishing as a songwriter and has since worked with Ari Lennox and SiR. Josey is currently signed with Hillman Grad Records – the new home of hip-hop and R&B, founded by Lena Waithe, in partnership with Def Jam Records, where she is working on her upcoming album set to release in early 2022. Under Hillman Grad Records, Jai’Len performed at this year’s Essence Fest which was a “bucket-list moment” for the young singer-songwriter.
When rap titans collide, it’s always interesting to see how they intertwine. Clashing into each other’s universe to produce fresh pollen of music can go either way. Well, when Drake & 21 Savage released one of the most unexpected and anticipated bodies of work earlier this morning, the result was two Scorpion King’s (they are both born in the Scorpio constellation) renaissance of Rap would shake things up, and that they did. From a faux rollout, to the content in the music, the album has stirred different reactions and conversations. Remixd Mag had to comb through some of the most evolutionary (pushing what was already existent) and revolutionary (innovative and inventive) opuses Rap & Hip Hop has been able to etch out since the 10’s. We’ve tried to be fair and include every bone of rap from gangster(street) bellows, mafioso, rage rap, emo, backpack and all branches of Rap. Enjoy.
Bandana – Freddie Gibbs & Madlib
When it comes to five-star in every metric, this project is exactly that. Gibbs flexes his love for foreigns and f*cking platinum R&B stars on “Massage Seats”, intoxicates us in cocaine raps on “Half Manne Half Cocaine”, assembles some of the most potent samples on “Palmolive”, “Crime Pays”, and shows his cinematic edge with instrumentation from Madlib on cuts such as “Fake Names” to name some of the countless highlights on the flawless record. Easily one of the magnum opus offerings Hip Hop has to offer in its history, this project arraigned Gibbs as one of the most surgical emcees and lyricists in the Hip Hop lineage if you hand you considered him yet.
What A Time To Be Alive – Drake & Future
On the heels of Drake releasing arguably his best ever project to date, If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late & on the other hand, Future with one of the most gritty and polished trap offerings in Dirty Sprite 2, for the first time the two villainy artists linked up on a full-length project. Previously the two gladiators had a somewhat rocky relationship after Drake failed to feature on the pair’s collaboration “Tony Montana” music video, but more than made up for it through this cultural master stroke. Both being touted among the greats if not the greatest at the time, at a particular pivot when Trap music was at its freshest to many’s ears, Aubrey and Pluto pounced with some of the hardest-hitting, braggadocio, and arrogant-eccentric rap ballads to this date. From getting texts from icon and mogul Michel Jordan on “Jumpman”, to their exorbitant lifestyle decisions on “Plastic Bag”, “Change Locations”, to their painful come-ups on “Live From The Gutter” the fitting glass diamonds on the cover paid maximum homage to what was perhaps the most grandeur project by two artists since what we are about to mention next.
Watch The Throne – Jay-Z & Ye
Practically the best pairing of a producer and a rapper combination we will ever see on the Hip Hop corner, their joint album was pure grandiose and flair of no match from anything at the time or till date. Hov who was coming off the back of his crescendo and record-breaking Blueprint 3 album paired with its world tour stadium-ready anthems, to Ye who was brimming with confidence from his contender for greatest album of all time in My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy & Good Music Presents Cruel Summer compilation, no two rappers had the culture in their palm than these two heavyweights. The two would go on a crushing tour off an album that spawned major hit records that still ring in todays culture including “Niggas In Paris”, “Otis”, “HAM”, “No Church In The Wild” just to offboard the mainstream hits, but the album boasted some of the most pertinent themes in black music from decadence, class, black excellence and more. Today, rappers such as Drake, Rick Ross, Big Sean, Pusha T, Travis Scott, Future who are known for their creative ways of flexing their wealth and rewards of their labor can tip this record for paving the way of such tasteful bragging, especially by black successful rappers who used verticals such as fashion, architecture, fine art to show Hip Hop was well cognizant of the finer tastings life has to offer.
Distant Relatives – Nas & Damian Marley
Coincidentally enough, Harlem phenomenon Nasir Jones would go off to Jamaica in a hiatus stint after a string of sub-par albums (in his standards). His connection with Reggae legend Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley was the making of legends as the two hit it off and became a musical alliance that many had aspired for. Each track carried wells of substance, message, hope, knowledge and still redeemed some of the highest listenability and replay value. An ode to blackness, royalty, purpose, gratitude, this is a project that will be chiseled into the epochs as one of the greatest by two great statesmen in not only Hip Hop but Black Music in totality. From the insightful “Patience”, to the call to action riddim “Africa Must Wake Up”, to the acrobatic “As We Enter”, music gods must have been in alignment for this body of work.
Her Loss – Drake & 21 Savage
When it comes to hard-hitting, aggressive, visceral, and baleful music – a few names can sit on the same fence as UK born Glenwood-bred emcee, 21 Savage. The rapper known for his hilarious punchlines, laidback flow, crackling tone and emotionless delivery is at the apex of his powers having delivered platinum-selling songs & albums, a few number one records, and is now trading bar for bar with one of the greatest most commercially appealing artists of all time in Drake at the time of the projects’ release, the two brood intensely over sinister instrumentals. Her Loss finds Drake and 21 Savage bonding on producers that have equally grown to now dominate the Hip Hop soundscape in names like OZ, F1lthy, Vinylz, Tay Keith, 40, Earl On The Beat, Boi 1Da, Metro Boomin and a cast of names including Lil Yachty that have their fingerprints inky from the work they left all over this juggernaut project. Although a really reticent project without many highlights or standout moments, Drake and 21 choose to hide these enormous moments on the album with different slights to Megan Thee Stallion on CircoLoco, D.R.A.M, Kanye West, Ice Spice & many others. It’s still a hot topic of discussion today.
Kids See Ghosts – Ye & Kid Cudi
Since Ye discovered Cudi, the latter has been a cornerstone to the musical choices made by Ye ever since. The hum and melodic maestro Cudder has a unique tone and style that has influenced rappers such as A$AP Rocky & Travis Scott. On Kids See Ghosts, Ye confronts his demons face-forward with Cudi giving him the much needed backing he would need to get vulnerable. Tapping Yasin Bey and Pusha T for assistance on tracks such as “Reborn”, the project is among one of Hip Hop’s most riveting and mental health sensitized records because it normalizes mental health in a light Hip Hop is not necessarily adorned for. The combination of psychedelic, rock and hip hop comes to life on this jaunt and allows both emcees to delve deep into emotive states that are relatable to many. This will also go down as a classic based on the fact that Cudi & Ye have fallen out and vowed publicly to never work together again.
Honorary Mention:
Ferrari Boyz – Gucci Mane & Waka Flocka Flame
“If it ain’t no paper, there’s no convo, See I ride scrapers y’all ride Volvos, But that’s my M.O., I go where you won’t go, I smoke what you can’t smoke, I’m rich and you flat broke” if this isn’t classic Gucci Mane, what is? On Ferrari Boyz, two Hip Hop icons trade bars over a slew of legendary Atlanta producers 808 Mafia. The record went on to pave the way for numerous Atlanta acts such as Future, 2 Chainz, Southside, and a galaxy of stars that laid their imprint on the culture in the 10’s.
