NEWS
Machine Gun Kelly and Travis Barker
Getty Images for dcpMachine Gun Kelly added to his already impressive collection of tats Monday when he announced his next album’s title via matching ink with frequent collaborator Travis Barker. The duo showed off their new tattoos — reading Born With Horns — on Instagram, sneering and flexing all the while.
Barker is the record’s executive producer; Born With Horns marks Kelly’s sixth studio album and follows 2020’s Tickets to My Downfall, also produced by Barker.
The Blink-182 drummer has found new life over the past few years by collaborating with younger artists, including Willow Smith, Trippie Redd, and Rae Sremmurd’s Swae Lee.
“Travis showed me the art of not overthinking,” MGK previously told Rolling Stone. “There were times I’d walk in, we would plug in instruments, and whatever came out while we were playing would be the song. But then he also showed me that you can completely scrap a whole song, right when you think it’s done, and do it over until it becomes everything it should be. He would answer the phone at 5 a.m. if I called. The studio sessions became cathartic. There was no censorship. He encouraged the raw emotion to come out.”
Busta Rhymes is honoring his late friend D’Angelo in a truly moving way. The rapper released a heartfelt tribute track titled “Magic,” marking one of his most emotional releases in years. The song celebrates the neo-soul legend D’Angelo, who sadly passed away earlier this month after a private battle with cancer. Over the smooth, soulful backdrop of D’Angelo’s “One Mo’ Gin” from his 2000 classic Voodoo, Busta reflects deeply, sharing raw and powerful emotions through his storytelling.
Throughout the seven-minute piece, Busta takes listeners on a journey through his 34-year friendship with D’Angelo. He recalls their early sessions with A Tribe Called Quest and describes the lasting connection they built over the decades. Instead of simply celebrating the music, Busta pays homage to the person behind it. He describes D’Angelo as a rare, once-in-a-generation artist who “never needed a co-sign” and “touched the souls of the people and everything between.”
During an interview with Okayplayer, Busta called D’Angelo “a godsend,” reflecting on his influence across R&B and hip-hop. “The Earth shifted when D came to do music,” he said, a statement that perfectly sums up D’Angelo’s impact. Anyone familiar with Brown Sugar, Voodoo, or Black Messiah knows his legacy speaks volumes.
“Magic” feels like a conversation between two lifelong friends. Busta Rhymes gives fans an intimate look at a bond that helped shape decades of soul-infused hip-hop. The tributes pouring in since D’Angelo’s passing highlight not only his extraordinary artistry but also the love and respect he inspired among peers. Lauryn Hill expressed it beautifully, writing, “Thank you for being a beacon of light to a generation and beyond who had no remembrance of the legacy that preceded us.”
