Fabolous is currently traveling across the country with Pusha T on “The Life Is So Exciting” tour, which wraps next month. Fresh off the stage at Club Nokia in L.A. last Friday, Loso caught up backstage with Rap-Up TV.
Surrounded by ladies and his friend Trey Songz (who he brought out to perform with Cassie), the Brooklyn MC told us what to expect from his upcoming album Loso’s Way 2: Rise to Power.
“Just a little bit of growth. I’ma give you what I do and some collaborations here and there, but definitely some evolution as an artist, as a man, as a father, as a friend,” he said of the sequel to 2009’s Loso’s Way. “Just talking about some real shit and still doing what I do, giving you some witty lines, giving you some catchy stuff for the ladies. Just good music overall.”
The album will feature collaborations with Future, Young Jeezy, Rick Ross, Ne-Yo, 2 Chainz, and Trey Songz, who was in the room during the interview.
Previously due June 18, Loso’s Way 2 will now arrive in late July (either the 23rd or 30th). “We actually pushed back a little bit. We needed to handle some technicalities.”
Twelve years after releasing his debut, Fab feels confident about his status in the game. “I’m cool, I’m blessed, and God has blessed me to be here,” he said. “This is a young man’s game, so it’s a blessing just to be here still now.”
He plans to do some acting, but music remains his focus. “I definitely want to get more present in the game.”
Iggy Azalea has a few collaborations in the works for her upcoming debut The New Classic including one with a global pop superstar. During her interview with Rap-Up TV, the “Work” rapper hinted that she has a track with Rihanna’s name written all over it.
“Hopefully I would be able to make that stick ’cause I would love to have her sing on my album. Who wouldn’t?” she said of RiRi, who is also signed to Island Def Jam.
She shared more details about the seductive song called “Designer Drugs.” “I actually sung the hook and then I thought, ‘I can think of someone who would sing this better,’” said Iggy. “It sounds like if someone was playing an acoustic guitar, but then you went out into a tepee in the middle of the desert and got really drunk and started hallucinating. It’s a bit warped, but strangely acoustic. I sound like a bit of a phone sex operator on it.”
While Rihanna may not be 100% confirmed, T.I. is. The Hustle Gang chief is set to appear on Iggy’s third single “Change Your Life.”
Toni Braxton dropped a bombshell when she said that she was done with music. In the weeks following her announcement, the R&B icon has received an outpouring of support from her peers. While hosting her sister Tamar’s Backyard Boogie Baby Shower at the Hotel Bel-Air, the oldest Braxton spoke out about her leave of absence from the industry.
“I’m kinda still on the done with music side, but we’ll see,” she told Rap-Up TV. “I haven’t done any recording, nothing in the studio.”
Some of her famous friends including Anita Baker, Babyface, and Missy Elliott have tried to encourage her to get back in the studio. “Missy called me. [She said], ‘I’ll be in town, come by, just come say hi,’” she shared. “They’re kinda tryna push me to do something. But I love them for that and it makes me feel so much better ’cause I don’t feel so alone.”
She’s not the only superstar who fell out of love with music. “Someone told me Barbra Streisand, who is like the queen bee, felt the same way, but she didn’t do it for 10 years,” said Toni.
Even if it takes that long, she sees the silver lining. “Maybe I’ll be a better singer ’cause I feel like Barbra got even better, so we’ll see.”
Tamar Braxton was surrounded by friends and family at her Backyard Boogie Baby Shower at Hotel Bel-Air on Sunday. Rap-Up TV was on the scene as the glowing mom-to-be arrived to the carnival-themed party in a white DVF dress.
Her husband Vincent and sister Toni hosted the lavish event, which will air on an upcoming episode of her WE tv reality show.
Tamar’s mother Evelyn and sisters Towanda, Traci, and Trina showed up fashionably late. Trina sported a pink onesie in honor of the occasion, which prompted Tamar to ask, “What the hell are you wearing?”
T.I. and his wife Tiny sent their love to the parents-to-be, while Toni was the last sister to arrive. She shared her advice for Tamar, who’s been telling her to buy yellow items.
“She’s having a boy… She says yellow, but I think it’s a boy,” said the oldest Braxton.
Before she gives birth to her baby, Tamar will deliver her new Biggie-sampled single “The One” on Tuesday. The video was shot last month on the beach in Santa Monica. “I saw the video for the first time last night. It’s amazing. The whole movement behind ‘The One’ is throwback and it’s so, so great. I can’t wait for everybody to see it,” she said.
With all the rumors surrounding her affiliation with T.I. and Hustle Gang, Iggy Azalea set the record straight during her visit to our Hollywood studio.
“It’s confusing for even me,” laughs the “Work” rapper. “It seems like everybody always wants me to not be friends with T.I. T.I.’s like my family, he’s like an older brother to me. I love everybody at Grand Hustle.”
While she is signed to Island Def Jam, Iggy maintains a close relationship with Grand Hustle. “As far as a record deal, no, I don’t have a record deal with Grand Hustle, but we do have contractual ties together. I’m a part of Hustle Gang and I’m a supporter of Grand Hustle and they’re a supporter of me.”
The blonde bombshell can be heard on Hustle Gang’s upcoming mixtape G.D.O.D., due May 7. She has a collaboration with T.I. (“Chasing Me”) and there is also a remix to her album single “Work” featuring some of Grand Hustle’s own.
Tip also appears on “Change Your Life,” the third worldwide single off her upcoming debut The New Classic. The melodic song finds the 22-year-old singing for the first time.
“It’s a big record,” says Iggy, who’s already planning an epic video. “I think it will be good to have T.I. on that single and just show that we’re together, we’re still family. It’s definitely not me trying to make my silent exit from Hustle Gang.”
With the ink still drying on her new deal with Island Def Jam, Iggy Azalea stopped by our Hollywood studio to discuss all the buzz surrounding her career and why she decided to sign with Def Jam over Interscope.
“Def Jam’s just always been my favorite team, and I love everybody over there,” the Aussie rap sensation tells Rap-Up TV. “They’re really young and energetic and you can tell when they’re passionate about the project.”
While she continues to promote “Work” as her first U.S. single, she recently traveled to Mumbai, India, to shoot a Bollywood-themed video for her next U.K. single, “Bounce,” calling the experience one of the highlights of her career.
“Shooting ‘Bounce’ in India was surreal,” recalls Iggy. “It’s just so crazy to dream something so big and actually see it happen.”
She imagined putting an elephant in the video, and she was able to make it happen. But it wasn’t an easy task.
“It took us a month to find it and we got it, and it was such a shit fight,” says the 22-year-old, who had to get the Indian mafia to shut down the street. “We just took this elephant and thugged it down the street, and it was insane.”
See Iggy’s dreams come to life when the big-budget video premieres next week.
JoJo brought her powerful pipes to the Sunset Strip to perform an acoustic set exclusively for Rap-Up Sessions. Joined by JinJoo the Guitar Girl, the 22-year-old singer heat up our Hollywood studio with “Andre” off her mixtape Agápē (as her dog Agápē looked on).
As the sun set over the hills, she sizzled with a mashup of Drake hits including “Houstatlantavegas” and her own remix to “Marvin’s Room,” which has become a viral sensation.
Watch both performances below and check back for more from JoJo’s Sessions.
“Funners, funners, funners, in the summer, summer, summer,” says Tamar Braxton of her second single “The One.” Rap-Up TV was on the Santa Monica set as the very pregnant singer shot the video for the follow-up to “Love and War.”
“It has so much energy, it’s so fun, it’s a summertime anthem record,” explains the “Braxton Family Values” star of the feel-good song, which samples the Notorious B.I.G.’s “Juicy” and was produced by Yung Berg and LaShawn Daniels.
Although she is well into her pregnancy, she was having a blast eating junk food and enjoying the rides at the Santa Monica Pier.
“The concept of the video is just a summer throwback,” she says of the Gil Green-directed clip, which was shot on the beach. “It kinda gives you that feeling when you was in high school and you was with your boyfriend or your girlfriend and you go to the park and you hang out and you get all cutie, and it’s just funners.”
The mom-to-be recently inked a deal with L.A. Reid at Epic Records, where she will release her album Love and War later this year. “It’s really a blessed situation,” says Tamar.
In the meantime, the self-described “ratchet queen” has been listening to 2 Chainz, Rick Ross, T.I., and Fantasia’s new album Side Effects of You. “My baby is ratchet just like its mama,” she laughs.
“The One” is slated for release on Tuesday, May 7.
