NEWS
French Montana is feeling robbed. The rapper recently revisited his 2014 collaboration with Fabolous, "Ball Drop," expressing a sentiment that he believes they were unjustly denied a Grammy for the track. The New Year's-themed song, featured on Fabolous's sixth studio album, The Young OG Project, made waves when it dropped in December 2014, with an official video released in March the following year. Taking to Instagram on New Year's Day (January 1), French Montana shared his belief that "Ball Drop" deserved Grammy recognition. He accompanied the statement with a screenshot of the video and a caption that read, "This record deserves a Grammy @myfabolouslife. Happy new years to all the hustlers worldwide. Haaannnnn."
Fabolous, however, responded to French's Grammy aspirations with a perspective grounded in the enduring impact of their collaboration. In the comments section the blog @thehiphopwolf on IG, he asserted, "We don’t need their validation @frenchmontana.!! We got a NYE classic forever.. The culture gon play it or hear it every year & that’s enough reward for me," adding prayer hands and a black heart emoji.
However, Fabolous's response highlights a different perspective on success and validation within the music industry. While Grammy recognition is often considered a pinnacle achievement, Fabolous emphasizes the lasting impact and cultural significance of "Ball Drop." His contentment with the song becoming a New Year's Eve classic, played and heard annually, speaks to a different form of acknowledgment and validation within the hip-hop culture. After all, French does have a record for dropping hit after hit. And "Ball Drop" was definitely a certified banger during the time it came out.
Moreover, this exchange between French Montana and Fabolous sheds light on the artists' perspectives on industry accolades. Furthermore, it sparks conversations among fans and within the hip-hop community about the various measures of success and the enduring power of timeless music. However, the Instagram post and subsequent response become a snapshot of the complexities and nuances surrounding recognition in the music industry. What are your thoughts? Does "Ball Drop" deserve a Grammy?
Perry Farrell has released another public apology following an on-stage confrontation involving his bandmate Dave Navarro.
The Jane's Addiction frontman was involved in a physical altercation with guitarist Dave Navarro last year during a live performance, an incident that prompted the band to cancel their reunion tour and eventually led to their split.
“I'd like to address what happened on stage last year,” Perry, 66, said in a statement shared across both his personal Instagram account and Jane's Addiction’s official page. “I've reflected on it and know I didn't handle myself the way I should have. I apologize to our patrons and my bandmates for losing my temper and for disrupting the show.”
He went on to admit that he did not meet fan expectations and described himself as deeply remorseful toward everyone impacted by the incident.
“Jane's Addiction has been at the center of my life for decades. The band, the songs, the patrons, and the impact that we've had on music and culture mean more to me than any words I could ever possibly write down,” he shared.
“My aim has always been to give our audience the best possible show, something real, honest and positive. In Boston, we fell short of that, and I'm truly sorry to everyone who was impacted.”
Jane's Addiction also issued its own statement regarding the altercation, which ultimately led to the group’s remaining members filing a lawsuit against Perry alleging assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of contract.
“Today we are here to announce that we have come together one last time to resolve our differences, so that the legacy of Jane's Addiction will remain the work the four of us created together,” the band wrote, signaling that the group would not move forward with Perry. “We now look forward to the future as we embark on our separate musical and creative endeavors.”
