Image via Complex Original
Is Yeezy season approaching? It's certainly as close as it's ever been. While in Paris for Paris Fashion Week, Kanye West played his upcoming as-yet-titled album for a small group of people. This news comes straight from rapper Theophilus London, who worked closely with Kanye on his own upcoming album, VIBES, and was also present for the listening session.
Earlier in the week, Kanye made a surprise appearance at AAHH! Fest in Chicago, joining former G.O.O.D. Music member and close friend Common on stage to perform a number of classics from his catalog. With Kanye West steadily creeping back into the forefront of music, it's only a matter of time before he delivers what is likely the most anticipated project since, well, Yeezus.
Plus, Amber Rose files for divorce from Wiz Khalifa, Bow Wow gets engaged, and Kendrick Lamar drops his new record "i." Check out all that and more in What The Hell Just Happened In Music This Week?
Bow Wow surprised everyone by getting engaged to model Erica Mena.
Date: September 21
Bow Wow has been having a great year. First, he tried to get rid of his nickname (Bow Wow) which has proved relatively unsuccessful because no one calls him anything besides Bow Wow, and now, he got engaged to Erica Mena, and no one even really knew they were dating. Back in February, Mena showed up to 106 & Park (which Bow Wow hosts) and the two kissed on camera but besides that, and a few club appearances, the two have been pretty under the radar with their relationship. —Lauren Nostro
Related: Bow Wow and Erica Mena Are Engaged
Kanye West showed out with a performance at AAHH! Fest in Chicago.
Date: September 21
Kanye West made a surprise appearance at Chicago's AAHH! Fest. 'Ye performed "Jesus Walks," "Power," "I Don't Like," "Mercy," "Gold Digger," "Homecoming," and more.
The inaugural Chicago AAHH! Fest presented by Common and Donda's House went down at Union Park. The festival was hosted by Dave Chappelle and included performances from Common, Lupe Fiasco, De La Soul, MC Lyte, Jay Electronica, Lil Herb, and Jennifer Hudson, plus a community showcase curated by Rhymefest.
Proceeds from the festival support the Common Ground Foundation, Donda’s House, Inc., Arts Education in Chicago Public Schools, and Year-Round Youth Jobs initiatives. As reported earlier this year, the Chicago Youth Jobs Collaborative—comprised of the Chicago Urban League, Common and Donda's House (run by Che "RhymeFest" Smith and his wife)—hopes to launch 1000 year-round jobs for the youth by this fall, with AAHH! Fest raising money for the jobs effort and other programs through Common's Common Ground Foundation. —Lauren Nostro
Related: Kanye West Made a Surprise Appearance at AAHH! Fest in Chicago
The fate of Beats Music is in the air after a report suggested Apple would shut the service down.
Date: September 22
According to TechCrunch, Apple will move ahead with closing up shop on Beats Music. In May, Apple paid $3 billion for Beats Audio—a deal that included the famous headphone and earbud hardware as well as Beats Music, the upstart online subscription-based music streaming service.
Since then, Apple has been mum on Beats Music, and hasn't announced any plans to incorporate the service into their products. The Beats Music app didn't come pre-installed on any of the new iPhones that just launched, and it's not native to iOS8. With a fresh batch of hardware and tech released by Apple and no sign of Beats Music incorporated into any of it, the brand's demise seemed like a possibility even before this latest report surfaced.
Follow the report from TechCrunch, Apple's PR rep Tom Neumayr spoke with Re/code and called the TechCrunch report "not true." He refused to expand on the denial, or what specific parts of the report aren't true. Re/code, however, has had Apple confirm that while the Beats Music brand may be phased out, their desire to expand their streaming music services remains. —Justin Block
Related: Apple Plans to Shut Down Beats Music
Kendrick Lamar dropped his new record “i."
Date: September 23
After much wait, Kendrick Lamar's first single, titled "i," from his upcoming, and highly-anticipated sophomore album is finally here. In his first release of solo music since his critically-acclaimed album, good kid, m.A.A.d city, Kendrick turns to Los Angeles based musician Rahki for the mind-altering production on the track. Kendrick focuses in on the positives in life on this release, as he uses a number of different flows and styles while rapping about loving oneself.
Though nothing is yet confirmed, it does now appear that Kendrick's long-awaited sophomore album will be arriving this year as TDE had originally planned. Kendrick talked about the album and much more in his recent cover story feature with Complex for the August and September issue. —Zach Frydenlund
Related: Listen to Kendrick Lamar's “i”
Amber Rose filed for divorce with Wiz Khalifa, claiming the rapper was unfaithful.
Date: September 24
TMZ is reporting that Amber Rose is filing for divorce from Wiz Khalifa, and is seeking full custody of their one-year-old son, Sebastian. The report states that the couple split due to irreconcilable differences in the relationship. Though Amber is seeking full custody of their son, she is willing to give Wiz visitation rights, according to TMZ. The couple officially married last July, and celebrated with a ceremony later in the fall.
Following the report, Amber took to her Twitter to speak out on the news. In her tweets, Amber says she never cheated in the relationship, but she can't say the same for Wiz. According to TMZ, Wiz filed his response to Amber's divorce petition and will be seeking joint custody in the case. The report also states that the couple has come to terms with a prenup agreement and that Amber will be receiving around $1 million plus spousal support, which will equal out to around $5,000 per month. —Zach Frydenlund
Related: Amber Rose Reportedly Files For Divorce From Wiz Khalifa
Kanye West played his new album in Paris…three times.
Date: September 25
If you didn't know, Paris Fashion Week is in full swing. Not only is North West absolutely slaying shit and sitting front row at shows in her Yeezus tee, but her dad is apparently playing his new album multiple times a day. That's right, according to Theophilus London, Kanye West played his new album, which nobody really knows anything about, a total of three times during an intimate setting of about 20 people. Of course, there's no video footage of the session, and until the actual album roll-out begins, we will just have to sit and weep while we wait for #YEEZYSEASON to officially get underway. —Zach Frydenlund
Related: Kanye West Apparently Played His Next Album Three Times In Paris Last Night
André 3000 revealed he and Big Boi have no plans to release another OutKast album.
Date: September 26
André 3000 has broken his media silence for his promo run of the upcoming Jimi Hendrix biopic, Jimi: All Is By My Side. Following an appearance on Ellen, André graced the cover of Billboard, where he talked in detail about the film and shined light on his seven-year hiatus. He also opened up about the possibility of new music from OutKast and revealed that as of right now there are no plans for a new project from him and Big Boi, and that they don't even have one new song together.
He’s got no plans for another movie or a solo album — never mind new Outkast music. And just to be clear, here’s how he explains that last one: “There are no plans to do [an Outkast album]. It’s not like some people think: ‘They’re about to drop this album!’ We don’t have, like, one song. There’s no trickery or nothing like that.”
The good news though? André didn't shut out the possibility of new solo music from him in the near future, and said that Big Boi is currently working on his own new solo music.
“I know Big Boi’s [working on his]; I haven’t even started on [mine],” says Benjamin, then adds, sounding his common refrain: “I’ve got to find something I’m excited about.” For the record, he’s not done with rapping: “To be clear, there’s no retirement.” And he’s not in conflict with Big Boi: “It’s kind of like growing up in a house with your brother, people expecting y’all to live in the same room and have bunk beds forever,” says Benjamin. “And people try to read into it and say people are beefing. But it’s nothing like that, man. Big Boi will always be my brother and a really important part of my life.”
