NEWS
On The Radar freestyles have increasingly become the place for rappers to show off their raw talent. Most notably, Drake and Central Cee teamed up for a collaborative freestyle that made waves last year. But tons of rappers from major names down to the newest up and comers have taken the chance to show off their lyrics and flow on the platform. The most recent is Baby Tate, who has already been impressing fans for years with her versatility.
In her new freestyle, she chose to pay tribute to many of the female rappers and singers who have influenced her. She weaves together a pretty tight series of bard shouting out one great woman in music after another. Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Missy Elliott, Lil Kim, and more all come up through the course of her freestyle. In the comments, fans loved the approach she took. "’m loving it. The homage she’s paying to the greats #Respect" one comment agrees. Others focus on Tate's own abilities with comments like "She’s so fire!! talented with the music, singing, dancing, etc.. Let’s focus on the talent going forward." Check out the freestyle below.
Baby Tate plays a small but pretty important role in a song that went massively viral across the past 6 months. She teamed up with JID and 21 Savage for the track "Surround Sound" which landed on JID's 2022 album The Forever Story. While the song was a fan-favorite right out of the gate it didn't really catch fire until it became the soundtrack to a TikTok challenge last year. That led the song to eventually go platinum and it currently sits at nearly 500 million streams on Spotify.
What do you think of Baby Tate shouting out pioneering women in rap and music at large in her On The Radar freestyle? What's your favorite On The Radar freestyle so far? Let us know in the comment section below.
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.”
