According to a familiar cliché, a picture is worth a thousand words. Your favorite celebrities—including rappers—are doing less and less press, but luckily their thumbs and smartphones still work. Instagram has provided a way for them to document their lives and/or thoroughly embarrass themselves for our collective enjoyment. The beauty of it all is that you don’t even need to join Instagram, as most rappers are perfectly fine leaving their feeds open for public viewing. And if you’d rather avoid the IG life altogether, we’ve filtered through the top rapper’s pictures and videos and consolidated all the week’s events into one convenient feed.
This week, Drake continues in trying to get Skylar Diggins’ attention, Andre 3000 and his son Seven pose for a picture, and Nas performs for Dave Chappelle’s comedy show in NYC. Check the rest of the week’s top Instagram posts below.
Andre 3000 & Seven
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Andre 3000 and his son Seven Sirius Benjamin were spotted the 2014 Governors Ball in NYC before Outkast hit the stage. On-air personality Q Deezy reshared a picture of the father-son duo and wrote, “Seven isn’t 6 anymore (outkast heads got that) 3 stacks and his clone.” Clone is correct. Seven, the son of Andre 3000 and Erykah Bady, is 16 and almost the height of his father. You might remember past pictures (like this one) of Andre’s son but in one Instagram, we were reminded that time continues ticking.
North West Turns One For First Annual Kidchella
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When you have the type of parents that will shuttle 200 wedding guests in a private plane from France to Italy for their extravagant dream wedding, fear not, you’ll be getting more than a cake and a dancing clown for your first birthday. Instead of a birthday party, Kim and Kanye West went ahead and threw their princess, North, a Kidchella – yes, a Coachella for kids. The mini music festival was complete with a ferris wheel, face painting, hair braiding, tie-dyed wristbands and music stages. Not that anyone remembers their first birthday, but if it airs in an episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, North will have first celebration immortalized on the small screen. Did I mention kids received customized Yeezus shirts? Kanye is for the children.
Bonnie & Clyde On The Run Tour Rehearsals
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Isn’t it adorable when power couples get together for a tour and end up creating the second most successful tour in music history? Based on gross revenue per show, Forbes has declared Jay Z and Beyonce’s On The Run tour, which kicked off June 25th in Miami, to be the second most successful tour next to U2’s 360° tour. Bey shares a behind-the-scenes picture taken in a bare stadium from one of the many rehearsals, but we all know come show time every seat will be warm with a body. Click here to see epic professionally-made On The Run rehearsal footage.
Bun B Shares #TBT Photo For June 27th
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June 27th is an important day in Houston, Texas rap. DJ Screw’s famous 35-minute track titled “June 27th Freestyle” went down in history 18 years ago when Screw brought the slurry sound forward in a recording made by Screwed Up Click members Big Moe, Big Pokey, Bird, Haircut Joe, Key-C, K-Luv and Yungstar for D-Mo’s birthday. In honor of beloved date, Bun B shared a throwback picture of him, Pimp C and DJ Screw. “Happy June 27! Little known fact: the record on the wall next to my left hand is the test-press of Tell Me Something Good. In January of ’92 when we got the test vinyl in I brought it straight to Screw at Club New Jack on Griggs. He was the first DJ to ever play a UGK record. He hadn’t even started making screwed up mixtapes yet. Who knew we would become legends? #RIPSCREW #SUC4LIFE,” wrote the trill OG in his caption. A little history lesson for your weekend.
It’s Champagne Papi aka Mr. Steal Yo Girl
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It may look like Drake is physically quenching his thirst in the photograph posted above, but in reality, the name on the back of his shirt proves that the red cup in hand is liquid-less and the thirst continues. Drake’s on-going infatuation with WNBA player Skylar Diggins is publicly cataloged in his Instagram profile (click here, here and here), but there’s one person who doesn’t think find Drake’s innocent crush funny at all. Diggins’ longtime boyfriend Daniel Smith posted a picture a few weeks back of him and Skylar and tagged Aubs to crush his lust with the truth. Drake doesn’t care. He’ll continue posting pictures of Skylar and wearing shirts with her name on the back, all while sitting back, sipping from a red cup and occasionally smoking hookah.
Meet Dreamville Records’ Newest Signee Cozz
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Appropriately on the same day as the NBA Draft Day, J. Cole announced that he recruited a new member to the Dreamville team. Cole, who’s Dreamville record label has a partnership Interscope Records, introduced Cozz to the family and to show that the love is real, labelmate Bas (and Dreamville’s first signed artist) congratulated the West Coast rapper on the big move. The emcee, hailing from South Central, Los Angeles, has also shared a picture of himself singing the official paperwork while wearing a Dreamville hat. Cole is slowly but surely building his dream team with his mantra, “Work hard, stay hungry, make classics.” Check out a track from Cozz titled “Dreams,” here.
Jay Z’s Reasonable Doubt Cover Shoot
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In honor of Reasonable Doubt‘s 18th anniversary, Jonathan Mannion, photographer extraordinaire, released a snapshot of the proof sheet from Jay Z’s debut album cover shoot. “TODAY we celebrate properly with an EXCLUSIVE contact sheet shot from #REASONABLEDOUBT. Released 18 years ago yesterday!! The album was photographed on 72nd & Riverside on the roof of my building where I lived after moving to NYC in 93. I’m honored to have a credit on one of the most important albums in history!! Conceptualized & executed. My FIRST album cover EVER, but not my last!!! #8HOValbums,” wrote Mannion in his caption. Since the album’s release on June 25, 1996, Jay Z has gone on to become on of the world’s best selling artists with 12 solo albums under his belt. No big deal.
Nas with Dave Chappelle At Radio City Music Hall
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Back after a decade off, Dave Chappelle kicked off the first night of his comedy show series with musical guests with Nas as the performer. Kanye West crashed the stage last week, but that was just a special treat for the fans. It was not in the schedule. After Chappelle put on a stellar stand-up performance Monday night, Nas in a red fitted blazer took the stage with a 45-piece orchestra and performed nostalgic tracks, perfect for the occasion, off Illmatic, as well as other classic cuts. Watch his performance of “NY State Of Mind,” here.
In Case You Missed It, Rick Ross Does Crossfit
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Crossfit, or Rossfit as he likes to call it, is Rick Ross’ preferred method of training. If you think the Bawse has been looking slimmer in his recent pictures, the screen on your phone isn’t fooling you. Ross has lost at least 100 pounds from switching up his diet (“I forgot what fruit had tasted like,” he said) and training on a steady schedule. Back in 2011, Ross was provided a few wake up calls and suffered two seizures in the same day. In a recent interview with Tim Westwood, he revealed that he was training at the gym and how the most exercise he used to get was when he would stand up to “count the money.” Now, he’s doing deadlifts. Go Rozay! Thumbs up for the healthy life switch. Maybe he can get to Action Bronson’s level.
T.I. Celebrates 13th Anniversary Since First Single
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Back in the day when fuzzy bucket hats were in style, T.I. released a song, produced by The Neptunes, titled “I’m Serious,” featuring a verse from Beanie Man. The track was the title track for T.I.’s debut studio album which was released in October of 2001 through Arista Records. Needless to say (judging from the artwork), the first and only single from the album didn’t do so well and failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. T.I. has come a long way from the days of “I’m Serious,” but this week, T.I. recognized that it’s the single’s 13th anniversary and shared a picture of the artwork in homage. “13 yrs ago today a lil arrogant nobody from Bankhead released his 1st single titled #ImSerious prod. By @pharrell & #DaNeptunes feat #BeanieMan….. Who knew we’d be here 13 yrs later,still standing,still solid,still rollin…even stronger!!!! Thx,Love&Respect to each & all who made dis & everything that followed possible. @kawanprather #GhettoVision @Pharrell @jasongeter S/O @therealrapstagram #hustlegangovererrthang.”
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