The Weeknd is teaming up with Jim Carrey, Quincy Jones, Tyler, the Creator, Lil Wayne, and Oneohtrix Point Never for what he’s calling “a new sonic universe” — is next album, Dawn FM, out this Friday.
In an appropriately moody teaser clip on Instagram, the newest iteration of Abel Tesfaye — gone are the bandages of the After Hours era — pulls up in a black ride, only to be hauled away by a bunch of figures in cloaks. Tesfaye then blinks into a bright light, a woman undulates, a spooky figure in red appears, and what sounds to be Jim Carrey’s voice announces: “You are now listening to 103.5 Dawn FM. You’ve been in the dark for way too long. It’s time to walk into the light and accept your fate with open arms.”
The announcement comes after a few days of teasing on Instagram, with cheeky references to “dawn” and a screencap of a text message hinting at new music. In recent weeks, the musician has also dropped new music with FKA Twigs and a posthumous song with Aaliyah. He’s also recently teamed up with Post Malone and Rosalía.
A$AP Rocky has been quiet during his legal battle. The rapper has not said a word entering the court or a word during his trial. Barring some brief praise for his friend and blog rap peer Kendrick Lamar. A$AP has made sure to be careful when it comes to what he says. His facade dropped, however, during a shocking exchange on Friday. The rapper told a witness not to answer a question during an interrogation. It was a shocking moment on several front, and is generally considered a bad sign during a criminal trial.
The awkward moment was captured on film. A$AP Twelvy, a member of Rocky's A$AP Mob, was being asked what the meaning of a specific photo was. The rapper made it clear he wasn't sure what it meant, but in the midst of his answer, Rocky spoke out. Prosecution interrupted the line of questioning and then redirected the focus to A$AP Rocky's question. "Did you hear the defendant when asked question loudly say," he asked. "Do not answer it." Twelvy admits he heard something but claimed he wasn't sure what was said from Rocky's side of the courtroom.
The prosecution suggested that A$AP Twelvy was being coy about his knowledge due to the fact that A$AP Rocky told him not give an answer. The rapper attempted to downplay Rocky's comment, saying he didn't even hear what was said. Prosecution doubled down, and attempted to get an answer out of the A$AP Mob member. The video account of the exchange is cut off when the judge decides to take a break from the interrogation.
Twelvy's controversial exchange is an unexpected development. The rapper appears to be on A$AP Rocky's side, and even testified that he did not open fire on A$AP Relli the way that Relli is claiming. Twelvy told the court that Rocky actually fired a starter pistol that he kept on him during the alleged encounter with Relli. "He walked around with a prop, like a starter pistol," Twelvy stated. "I seen it on several occasions." The rapper then claimed that the gun was clearly identified as fake before said confrontation went down. "He told him to shoot that fake-ass gun," Twelvy added.