Santa Monica Times

Santa Monica Times March 8, 2020

Article By: Akul Balyan, Keven Almontes, Chris Rogel, Geary Aubert, Lily McKay, Paola Islas

Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott Are Officially Back Together, Source Says

By Jennifer Drysdale​ 12:05 PM PDT, March 8, 2020

Kylie Jenner​ and​ Travis Scott ​are officially a couple again.

A source tells ET that the two are back together following their ​October 2019 split ​-- and "have been for about a month."

"The couple has always had love and respect for one another but took a break last year because they both had so much going on. They couldn’t fully focus on what it took to make the relationship work," the source explains. "Kylie exploded in the makeup world and was busy making a billion dollar business and Travis was on tour and working on music."

"Although things haven't slowed down much for the duo, they're better able to handle it," the source continues, adding, "at the end of the day, the couple is happy to have their family back together."

Fans started speculating about Jenner and Scott's relationship status after the ​Keeping Up With the Kardashians​ star posted throwback ​photos of herself cozying up to Scott​ on her Instagram Story last month.

Jenner and Scott -- who share ​2-year-old daughter Stormi​ -- have been spotted together multiple times since their October breakup. After an Oscars party in Los Angeles last month, a source told ET ​the two were "in love."

"Kylie and Travis truly enjoy one another and are in love, but it can often be hard navigating their lives at such a young age," the source said. "The couple needed to take a step back to reevaluate many things, but in doing so they are better now than ever."

Scott recently confessed during an interview with​ XXL Magazine t​ hat ​he would "always" love Jenner.

"I love [Stormi's] mommy and I always will," he declared. "The hard part about relationships is just trying to be in one without a million outside voices interfering."

See more on Jenner and Scott in the video below.

Juice WRLD: Rising rap star whose heartfelt lyrics conquered the US charts Renowned for his freestyle raps, he brought an emotional intensity to contemporary hip-hop

He was named a top new artist at the Billboard Music Awards in May ​( Getty )

Juice WRLD ​was a budding ​rap ​star whose lush songs about heartbreak, drug use and teenage angst propelled him from SoundCloud ​obscurity to crossover success at the top of the pop charts .

The rapper, who has died aged 21 after suffering a medical emergency at Chicago Midway international airport, was part of a generation of emerging ​hip-hop ​artists who were discovered on the streaming service SoundCloud before achieving mainstream renown. He was still a teenager when tracks such as “All Girls Are the Same” and “Lucid Dreams”, which sampled Sting​’s “Shape of My Heart”, began racking up tens of millions of

listens.

“I’m a jealous boy, really feel like John Lennon,” he sang in “All Girls Are the Same”, in a mopey voice that could veer from downcast mumble to braggadocios rap. “I just want real love, guess it’s been a minute.” In another track, “Legends”, he reflected on the early passing of two other rising hip-hop artists: Lil Peep, who died of a drug overdose in 2017 at 21, and XXXTentacion, who died after a shooting in 2018 at 20.

“What’s the 27 Club?” he sang. “We ain’t making it past 21.”

A confident lyricist known for freestyle raps that could last more than an hour, Juice WRLD partnered with teenage producer Nick Mira, using melancholy synthesiser lines and

thudding bass for his 2018 studio debut album, ​Goodbye & Good Riddance​. The album’s standout track, “Lucid Dreams”, peaked at No 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was listed as the most-played SoundCloud song of 2018; at the Grammy Awards in February, it was covered by Alicia Keys.

Watch more

● ● ​Juice Wrld predicted his own untimely death in track ‘Legends’ “There’s an emotional immediacy to the music and Higgins

is doing more than just spinning his wheels,” wrote ​Pitchfork​.

“He sings often in weepy groans and emo snarls that match the blunt rawness of his lyrics ... What he lacks in narrative, he makes up for in moody hooks, to the point that the nursery-rhyme simplicity of his singsong couplets can wash away the groaning melodrama of a line like, ‘I’m on the drugs way too much’ and needle it into your skull.”

In March, Juice WRLD’s follow-up album, ​Death Race for Love,​ topped the Billboard 200. In a cover story for Billboard magazine that month, he was singled out as “the primary

ambassador” for emo rap, a moody stew of hip-hop and emo-rock influenced by groups such as Taking Back Sunday and Fall Out Boy. “Any rap that’s talking about what you’re going through is emo rap,” he told the magazine.

He was named a top new artist at the Billboard Music Awards in May, soon after concluding a European tour with Nicki Minaj.

Amid the acclaim, some critics accused him of misogyny, pointing to his descriptions of women (“All girls are the same/ They’re rotting my brain, love”).

Many of his songs also referenced his own relationship to heavy drinking and drug use. He began mixing codeine with soda and hard candy in sixth grade, followed by Xanax in high school,

but said he had started to cut back; the music video for “Lean Wit Me”, released in August, showed him in a 12-step recovery meeting and closed with the number for a substance-abuse helpline.

Born Jarad Anthony Higgins in Chicago in 1998, he was raised in the south suburb of Homewood, Illinois. He said his parents divorced when he was three, and he was raised mainly by his mainly by his mother, a student teacher who steered him towards gospel instead of hip-hop. Cousins introduced him to rappers including ​Lil Wayne ​and Meek Mill, and he soon learned piano, guitar and drums. By 16, he was putting songs on SoundCloud under the name JuiceTheKidd, inspired by the Tupac Shakur movie Juice. He later added World to his name, dropping the o to make himself

more noticeable.

After graduating from Homewood-Flossmoor High School in 2017, he worked briefly at a car-parts factory and released several EPs. In 2018 he signed a reported $3m deal with Interscope Records, despite having performed in public just once, for $100 at a party in front of classmates.

Juice WRLD collaborated with artists including Lil Uzi Vert and Ellie Goulding, and partnered with Future to record the hit “Fine China”, part of their 2018 mix tape ​Wrld on Drugs.​ He also joined YoungBoy Never Broke Again to release “Bandit”, which reached No 10 on the Hot 100 in October.

In recent months he had settled into a mansion in Beverly Hills, California, where he rode dirt bikes, watched anime, played chess and recorded in his billiard room by night.

“I speak from the standpoint of the true definition of an imperfect person,” he said in March. “I want to be that person that leads people out of the place

they’re at. And in the process, maybe I’ll find the key to get out of the place that I’m at. The low places I may wander into or get trapped in.”

10 Best Pop Songs of 2020 That Will Take Over Your Playlists A new decade means tons of new jams!

By ​Tamara Fuentes

Jan 17, 2020

A new decade means tons of new jams! Some of our favorite singers are making big comebacks, like Justin Bieber and Demi Lovato, while others are continuing to drop some new bops to go with the ones we already love. Plus, there will definitely be some brand new artists that are heating up the charts this year thanks to TikTok and other fun apps that are changing the music game. So get ready to listen to some new songs, find a couple that will definitely be stuck on repeat all year, and start to prep for all those fun concerts that you'll definitely be going to. Here are the best pop songs of 2020...

"You Should Be Sad" - Halsey Manic ​might be Halsey's most personal album yet and her latest single, "You Should Be Sad" absolutely proves that. Bringing to light

her pain and heartache from her breakup with ex-BF G-Eazy, Halsey created the ultimate country revenge track that will soon be our go-to karaoke song from now on.

"Black Swan" - BTS BTS's ​Map of the Soul Persona: 7 ​is one of the most anticipated albums of the year and the band finally dropped their first look into it with the track "Black Swan". The song's lyrics talk about losing your passion and fighting to get it back. It's clear that BTS aren't holding anything back when it comes to their lyrics and this might be one of their darkest projects yet.

ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW "What a Man Gotta Do" - Jonas Brothers Not only is this video super adorable, but the song is complete bop.

While the JoBros haven't officially announced a new album for 2020, we sure hope there's more than this came from.

"Good News" - Mac Miller Mac Miller's posthumous album, ​Circles​, will be one last chance for fans to listen to anything new from the rapper who left too soon.

"Good News", the first track that was released, is classic Mac and

serves as a reminder that his talents will never be forgotten.

"Life Is Good" - Future (ft. Drake) Future and Drake continue to prove themselves as one of the greatest duos in rap right now with another bop that calls out their enemies and reminds them who really is on top.

"Don't Start Now" - Dua Lipa Dua Lipa has slowly proven herself as a future pop icon thanks to her infectious dance tracks that have been heating up the charts and "Don't Start Now" is no exception. Fun and catchy, this song will get even the most unlikely fan up and ready to dance the night away.

"All Me" - Kehlani (ft. Keyshia Cole) "All Me" is the song that should've never have existed, but thanks to the power of TikTok and Triller, came to life. After posting a small sample on her Triller of a then never-to-be released demo, Kehlani fans started to get #DropTheSongKehlani trending. It's all thanks to them that we have a fun R&B track featuring two of Oakland's biggest queens who are no doubt having more fun with this than the fans.

Maldad - Steve Aoki & Maluma

Steve Aoki has no plans on stopping his current takeover of the music world. In this new track with Maluma, the two superstars bring together another Latin banger that proves that this is a match made in music heaven.

ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW "Adore You" - Harry Styles The boybander turned solo phenomenon continues his upward trajectory with his latest self-titled album that has turned even the most unlikely of listeners into big fans. "Adore You" contains the perfect balance of the rock sound Harry started out with in his first album and his pop roots from One Direction in a song that will no doubt top the charts.

"She" - Hayley Kiyoko Lesbian Jesus is back and better than ever. Hayley Kiyoko dropped another EP to kick off the new year and while it might only be a few songs, it'll definitely make fans happy to hear the pop starlet continue to take out hits like this one.

Kid Cudi Reveals His Struggle With Drugs and Depression: 'I Was Living

a Nightmare' 4/22/2016 by ​Brad Wete

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Kid Cudi’s new single, “Frequency,” is a return to rap.

Scott “​Kid Cudi​” Mescudi is beaming from behind a Los Angeles studio console as his new single, “Frequency,” blasts through the speakers. Both the song’s sound (progressive, melodic rap) and the smile are surprising, coming from the 32-year-old.

Cudi has come a long way since his late-2000s come-up, when he hit No. 3 on the Billboard​ Hot 100 with “Day ‘N’ Nite.” In the years following, he split with mentor ​Kanye West​; openly struggled with drugs and depression; released a critically panned alt-rock album, 2015’s ​Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven​ (Republic), his first to debut below the ​Billboard 200’s top 10; and often seemed to prioritize his acting career (his latest role is in Unified Pictures’ ​Vincent-N-Roxxy​, which debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 18) over rapping. But now, fresh off a feature on West’s No. 1 album ​The Life of Pablo​ and with new music on the way, Cudi is ready to pick up where he left off.

Here, Cudi talks about getting past depression, working on West’s ​Pablo​, and why ​Man on the Moon 3 -- t​ he last of his beloved trilogy -- isn’t happening.

So you just put out “Frequency” and “All In” on SoundCloud. It feels like a fresh take on your ​Man on the Moon​ stuff, which is way different than your ​Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven​ album you just dropped.

Anytime you do an album like [​Bullet]​ and you’re exploring, it’s stressful. I wanted to get back to having a little bit more fun. I always had the most fun when I was just rapping, because it’s easy. But I’ve come to find that people think I’m completely terrible, since I haven’t rapped in years. They’re so naive. It never really bothered me. But when I came back from my quest, I looked around like, “These are the new hot ni--as. This is what y’all think is the best shit? This shit is not that dope.” But where I ruffled some feathers

was when I’d have an outspoken opinion about hip-hop, but I‘d have a guitar in my hand. I wasn’t even a part of the genre at that moment. I can’t talk shit while doing rock music. That pisses people off. So if I’m going to say shit is fucked up, I have to have a solution, which is the music. And I have a lot of solutions to fix the inauthentic nature of the business right now. Without me in it, Gotham City suffers.

So no more indie rock Kid Cudi?

Speedin’ Bullet​ was my last outing as the dark, depressing character that people place me as. I needed to get that out of me and that was the only way I could do it. I didn’t want to come back to hip-hop making that type of music. We did that already.

People say, “Do ​Man on the Moon 3​!” Yeah, I could’ve done that. But it wouldn’t have been anything anyone liked. It would’ve been forced. I’m not in a rush. I have six major-label albums. Artists don’t get that anymore, especially with the weird shit that I do. We have been blessed to be in the game eight years later.

You haven’t done much press lately.

I haven’t talked about music. People think I’ve been quiet because ​Speedin’ Bullet​was a shitshow. But to me that was the best thing to happen last year. People are still talking about it. Some people hated it, but they kept talking about it [laughs].

Kid Cudi Paid for Fans to See 'Star Wars' With Him in Los Angeles: See the Photos Andre 3000​ recently said he loved it.

I’ve known Andre for a while now, and I’ve had the honor of just being able to hang back with him and talk music. I respect him so much. Nobody supports me. The newer guys like ​A$AP Rocky​ and ​Travi$ Scott​ show love. But none of the people in my bracket

open their mouth about Kid Cudi. I don’t know why and I don’t give a f---. It’s kind of disheartening sometimes.

You seem much happier -- and you’re back to rapping. What happened?

I really came out of that drug shit. People don’t know how real it was. I used drugs to try to fix my depression. It’s funny. When I got arrested [in 2010 with cocaine], people said I was an addict. But I was never an addict; I was just on a ride for a little bit. Playing rock was my way of saying, “F--- everyone.” It wasn’t well-received … The last thing I was catering to was the world.

How did you get through it?

I thought about how much of a struggle it has been the past eight years, to be in the news and pretend to be happy when, really, I was living a nightmare. But I can go anywhere, whenever I want. My daughter is in one of the best private schools in the nation. I have everything I ever dreamed of in terms of stability. But I hadn’t been living that reality, because depression was f---ing me up. So this year I chose to be happy. I just woke up.

From an outsider’s perspective you have and had it all. Why did it take you four albums to figure that out?

In the business, everybody is a f------ cartoon. And every once in a while, someone comes in that’s really f------ human. I like to think of myself as one of those artists. I didn’t feel any rush to fix myself for anyone. If I felt like I needed to write four albums of my madness to feel alright, then so be it. And I knew that whatever I wrote would help somebody somewhere. So it was better getting it out than to keep it bottled up.

[Someone dealing with or getting through depression] is a message kids need to hear.

Some people deal with things and it takes them a little longer. Being in the public eye is

tough.

Speedin’ Bullet​ wasn’t a commercial success. Making it helped you through a tough time, but does it hurt that even your “true fans” didn’t buy it?

I’m thinking, “Man, I’ve done all these albums. Where are the people who bought Indicud​ or the others before? Who have I been making music for?” [When an album doesn’t sell well] it makes you question yourself. As an artist, I’m always questioning myself. But this was the first time that I questioned my fan base and if I even have one at all. Who are these people?

That’s why whatever I do next will be free. And I don’t even feel obligated to do ​Man on the Moon 3​ anymore. As of right now, people should just get that off their mind. That’s not ever going to happen. It’d be different if the first two were platinum. They’re not even platinum! ​Man on the Moon 1​ is like 860,000 sold. It’s hanging on by a thread.

That’s going to be a hard pill to swallow for ​MOTM​ fans. But “Frequency” sounds like you’re getting back to that vibe, especially with the rapping.

But I’m coming back to do what I love, which is rap. But I’m also doing it for the motherf--rs that slept on ​Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven.​ That was a project. A director isn’t going to do the same movie every time. A novelist isn’t going to write the same type of book. But you guys are used to shit being a certain way and people staying the same.

Kids don’t know what a true artist is nowadays until they see a picture of Warhol or Basquiat. Then they’re like, “Oh, cool. That’s Basquiat!” But you’re over here shitting on artists of the now. That confuses me. But it’s not my job to understand. It’s my job to create.

The Chosen One ✔ @KidCudi

Some of you are so easily amused and impressed by mediocrity.

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On Twitter, you’ve made it clear you’re not impressed by much of today’s hip-hop. Why not?

I look around like, “This is what y’all think is the best? This shit is not that dope.” But I’m pretty quiet on my Twitter nowadays. I made a comment about mediocrity in music on Twitter, around the time ​Drake​ and ​Future​ put out [2015’s ​What a Time to Be Alive​].

People were like, “Cudi’s talking shit!” I’m appalled any of y’all think I even sat down and listened to that shit. (Laughs.) I wasn’t talking about that at all! But if the shoe fits... N---s

are so guilty that they know it’s them. I didn’t even know they had a project. I tweeted that, put my phone down and walked away. Next time I pick it up, I’m in the news! They say I’m ranting; a rant means you care. I don’t care like that.

Three years after leaving G.O.O.D. Music, you’ve been back working with West.

How has it been?

Me and Kanye are brothers. With family, there’s always going to be issues and shit.

That was the first time I had been around him and his team in a while. In order to get back into the creative process, we had to talk. I’m not one of those people who’s just going to come around after a while, jump in and make music. We needed to have a big bro, lil bro convo. As soon as we had that, we were good. Whatever we were dealing with, it was a beautiful thing to clear the air about. I’m really happy to be back working with my friends.

I’ve been working alone and people don’t understand the magic that happens when me and Kanye are in the room. ​Lil Wayne​ and Drake have 1000 songs with each other. ‘Ye and I have speckles. Maybe we’ll both be in the same place at the same time and be like, “Let’s do this” and have 30 songs with each other. But for now, I’m just happy to lend a hook. The last thing I want to do is write a rap for someone else’s song. I’d much rather have a hook and fall back. And that’s what Kanye wants from me. I sing and Kanye ensures me that it’s dope.

Kanye West Begins Work on 'Turbo Grafx 16' Album With Kid Cudi, Mike Dean & Plain Pat

Did you enjoy that process? You’re on “Father Stretch My Hands” and “Waves.”

I enjoy creating. The first song Kanye sent me is “Waves.” He sent me that in December. It was different than it is now. I remember one night we were all just sitting there and I was hoarse from a show the night before where I lost my voice. I was in New York listening to the latest edit. ​Chris Brown​ was already on it and we were thinking about how we could make it better. Chris really has this amazing voice. But there were all these ad-libs around it. So I cleared out all the extra so we could just hear him. That’s ultimately what you hear now. We all bounced ideas around and came up with this minimal version. Once we got that, I hummed on it a little. Kanye had been working on that album for a while. And as you can see, it’s still changing. That song wasn’t even going to make it. But I was like, “We have to do something.” And then ​Chance the Rapper​ pushed. And Mike Dean and Plain Pat were key players, too.

Just to be clear, ​Man on the Moon 3​ is not coming, ever?

Guys, you have to realize: I came up with ​Man on the Moon​ when I was a young man.

People change their vibe! We can follow the same template and do the five-act split.

Sonically, I’m still going to be where I’m at. Honestly, I was ready to live up to the obligation and do ​Man on the Moon 3​. I haven’t been dicking around. I was planning on doing it after ​Speedin’ Bullet.​ But the ​Speedin’ Bullet​ response tore me up. It made me realize what’s most important. I’m getting back on the bike again and doing what I do best: me.

So there’s no date or timeline for your next project? You’ll just be shooting new

cuts off on SoundCloud?

I’ve never been a guy to flood the market with music. And I’m not saying I’m going to start doing that now. But I will be a lot more generous. I’m not saying I’m doing an album right now either. People’s expectations go crazy. That’s why I'm just throwing songs out there. There’s no pressure from me. Just wait for it. I’m not in any rush. That’s why I’m doing the shit for free. And for it to be the best shit of the year, it’s just a checkmate.

Questlove to Score Crime Drama 'Vincent N Roxxy' Starring Zoe Kravitz & Kid Cudi

How are you enjoying acting? You’re in ​Vincent-N-Roxxy​ with Zoe Kravitz.

It's awesome, man. We did that a couple years ago. I haven't seen it yet. The director Gary [Michael Schultz], Zoe [Kravitz] and Emile [Hirsch], they're all really f---in' cool people. Talented individuals and I've been blessed. We were all on the same frequency.

Even Emory Cohen. He's a phenomenal young actor and such a cool dude. I'm grateful, man. Since 2012, I've been in a movie here and there every year. Who knew?

And you’re working on your own scripts, too.

I’ve been writing my own shit. I’m really happy with the draft, but I’m still fine-tuning it. It took a while to get down to a draft, because I didn’t know how to write. But I f--in’ learned. That’s what I tell kids. Just because you don’t have the information doesn’t mean you can’t find it. I got Final Draft 9 and started typing. There aren’t any roles out

there for people of color. And if there are, they’re not cool stories. Something's compelling me to write. That’s a sign from God. So I'm following that.

What’s in store musically for the rest of your 2016?

We’re trying to dominate the year. I’m really fed up about the questioning of my talent and musical abilities. I’m about to show motherf---rs what time it is. I’m not even at my peak. People think that I’ve peaked. I haven’t even gotten a f---ing nut off yet. I’ve been pre-cumming for the last eight years. I haven’t even ejaculated a full spew yet. So motherf---rs better get prepared.

Everybody that’s out here that thinks they’re dope, your crew’s got you gassed.

Instagram and Twitter got you gassed. Your likes and favorites got you gassed. I’m about to show n---s what’s nice. And then I’m retiring. I’ll go off into the woods and chop trees for fire on some lumberjack shit. I’ll write poems and kick it with my daughter. We’ll ride horses. F--- these n---s. I’ll have no more energy for them. This is it.

A version of this article originally appeared in ​the April 30 issue of Billboard.​