By Trey Alessio

CREDIT: XXL

Spring is just around the corner, which means it’s almost that time of year to start debating about who deserves a spot on the XXL Freshman List. We here at R | U | NTRTND like to stay ahead of the curve, so here are the artists who I believe deserve a spot. On this list, I did my best to balance who I really enjoy with who I really believe will make the list. 

CREDIT: Mass Appeal

Remember when Sylvan LaCue (formerly QuESt) dropped “Searching Sylvan” back in 2014? Before that he toured with Logic in the first half of 2013 on the “Welcome To Forever Tour,” signed with Visionary Music Group and was poised to emerge as one of hip-hop’s top up-and-coming storytellers. In my opinion, if “Searching Sylvan” was released today, it’d be GRAMMY-worthy now that the Recording Academy is recognizing free, stream-only projects. “Searching Sylvan” is on that level. LaCue’s follow-up 2016 project, “Far From Familiar” has the same type of vibes. The man is a lyricist through and through. He utilizes skits to tell a relatable, honest, cohesive story, which seems to only come from the elite of the elite in hip-hop. I honestly thought LaCue was going to make the XXL list last year, but with the momentum of an array of self-produced singles, a tour with Saba and new music on the way, I think Sylvan LaCue may have enough of a force behind him to put on the Freshman List this year. 

CREDIT: Village Voice

​If I had to pick one shoe-in for this year’s XXL Freshman List, Saba would probably be my pick. His real buzz began when Chance the Rapper put Saba on his “Coloring Book”-single, “Angels.” After that monstrous guest spot, Saba released his album/mixtape, “Bucket List Project,” in October of 2016. This project was an honorable mention on my top-10 list of best rap albums from 2016. “Bucket List Project” was a cohesive project about chasing your dreams and crossing things off your bucket list, again showcasing his lyricism and storytelling. To follow up the album/mixtape rollout, Saba will be headlining the “Bucket List Tour” with Sylvan LaCue. Saba has all the tools to be a top-tier rapper moving forward in the industry. He has the big-time co-sign and a lot of momentum behind him to go along with his actual rap abilities. I would be shocked if Saba didn’t make the list this year.

CREDIT: Saint Heron

​Jazz Cartier was another artist I thought deserved a spot on last year’s XXL list. My first encounter with his music came when he dropped “Hotel Paranoia,” which I thought was a very well-done project top-to-bottom from the production to the variation of sounds to the lyricism. Jacuzzi isn’t brand new to the rap game, but I think he’s very talented and deserves a spot on the Freshman List. He has the ability to be the face of the “New Toronto” movement.

CREDIT: Made In Toronto

I was put on to Nav when I heard him on Travis Scott’s song, “Biebs In the Trap,” from the album, “Birds In the Trap Sing McKnight.” I know he has been doing his thing for some time now on the production side, but that Travis Scott feature put him on my radar. Nav has one of those hybrid R&B/hip-hop flows, which I think gives him the potential to be a breakout star in 2017. Back in December 2016, it was reported that Nav and Metro Boomin’ have a joint album on the way plus Nav dropped a fire new song entitled, “Some Way,” with The Weeknd, which will be on his upcoming self-titled debut mixtape set to drop on February 24. So, the momentum is there, the new music seems to be on the way and the talent is apparent. Nav could be this year's Desiigner, in terms of making the list off a feature and a single. Don’t sleep on Nav. 

CREDIT: Vulture

Noname isn’t brand new to the hip-hop community, but with the release of her amazing debut project, “Telefone,” I think she has enough popularity behind her to put her on this year’s XXL Freshman List. The quality of “Telefone” alone should propel her onto the XXL List this year. She’s lyricist and a beautiful storyteller plus she has the co-sign of the GRAMMY-award winning Chance the Rapper. It’s just easy to listen to Noname. I think it’d be fair to say she’s the new version of Rapsody. She doesn’t seem to be craving the fame, but I think it’d be cool if XXL showed her some love. I don’t believe she has announced any new music coming any time soon, but her outstanding 2016 has definitely trickled into 2017, so XXL should give her the nod.

CREDIT: The A&R Report

I just recently gave “Free 6lack” a listen and thought it was outstanding. I get a Bryson Tiller vibe from 6lack’s music. He’s another R&B/rap hybrid, which seems to springboard a lot of these artists into the spotlight simply because they can sing and rap. I think this dude has the potential to be in the same conversation as Anderson .Paak, Bryson Tiller and BJ the Chicago Kid—all of whom have cemented their name into the hip-hop and R&B culture. Other than 6lack’s album, “Free 6lack,” I don’t know much about him, but based on the quality of that project, I think he has earned his spot on this year’s upcoming XXL Freshman List. 

CREDIT: The Chicago Tribune

Chicago, stand up! If Joey Purp makes the list, that would mean three artists from Chicago (Saba, Noname and Joey Purp) would be on the cover, which would be really cool especially after the year Chance the Rapper had. But Joey Purp’s music by itself has the quality to put him on the XXL list. I don’t know much of his music outside of “iiiDrops,” but that project alone was incredible. It had the standout “Girls @”single with Chance the Rapper as well as the songs where he shines on his own such as “Godbody” and “Morning Sex.” Joey Purp can spit. He has the ability to go hard and then switch it up and show a softer side. The man needs some recognition. Show some love, XXL.

CREDIT: Pitchfork

​Kamaiyah is a breath of fresh, west coast gangsta rap. Her debut mixtape, “A Good Night in the Ghetto” was awesome. The quality of that project should propel her onto the XXL Freshman List this year, in my opinion. Kamaiyah also snagged a gigantic feature on YG’s single, “Why You Always Hatin?” alongside Drake. The buzz is definitely there, and this could be the year she steps out from the underground to the mainstream spotlight.

CREDIT: New Times Broward-Palm Beach

​This is my sleeper pick. I was put onto Wifisfuneral’s music after seeing some buzz about him on Twitter and SoundCloud. “When Hell Falls” is the only project I’ve heard from Wifisfuneral, but I could feel the emotion on every track from the project. He has the versatility to be a trap rapper/singer or a conscious lyricist, which goes to show you how talent this dude is. I think Wifisfuneral has enough buzz to push him onto this year’s cover. Don’t sleep.

CREDIT: DJBooth

​I’m not going to lie, I haven’t really gotten into a ton of PnB Rock’s music, but my sister—who’s in high school—raves about it day in and day out. So, he has the buzz going with the young hip-hop fans. I know just from my sister showing me his music that PnB Rock has more of a R&B vibe, which could make him a potential star for the radio charts. He recently released a project called “Goin’ Thru the Motions” with notable features from Wiz Khalifa, Ty Dolla $ign and Quavo, so he has already cracked into the likes of a mainstream audience with those collaborative efforts. I wouldn’t be surprised if PnB Rock was on this year’s cover. 

Here are some other artists to look out for. 

Who do you think will make this year's XXL Freshman List? Let us know!

By Trey Alessio

I just finished the third episode of “The Young Pope,” and Lenny Belardo has to be one of the deepest, darkest, most complex, corrupt and manipulative TV characters I’ve ever seen. I don’t know if it’s the corrupt mafioso in me, but I just love a good puppet-master when it comes to TV, and this “Young Pope” got me thinking: “Who is the most corrupt, manipulative TV character out there?” 

(This contains spoilers from each show)

CREDIT: HBO

First off, when this trailer initially came out, I was instantly intrigued. It’s duly noted that my family and I are Catholic, so when I showed my mom this trailer, she called it sac-religious. Well, I guess I’m a sinner because this show is amazing so far. So what does Lenny have going for him in this contest of corruption? Well, Pope Pius XIII is a leader of the Catholic Church who doesn’t believe in God. What?! Could you even imagine? But does his lack of faith really make him worthy enough of our beloved crown of corruption title? While Lenny has brought up his lack of faith twice in the first three episodes, he really hasn’t shown any true signs of corruption. Yes, his homily was very brash and assertive, but I think Lenny truly believes in his mysterious methods—not showing his face to the crowd or media. Only time will tell, but I don’t really believe Lenny is trying to take down the Catholic Church…yet. Honestly, Cardinal Voiello might be even more corrupt than Lenny. We won’t know for sure until this HBO limited series has ended, but for now, we’re just going to chalk Lenny Belardo a.k.a. Pope Pius XIII up to a glorified dick. 

CREDIT: Starz

Ghost is the swaggiest character on our list. By day, he’s a popular club owner, and by night, he’s a drug kingpin. This man has to be a master manipulator as he dates a high school sweetheart who happens to be a FBI agent while continuing his run as New York’s biggest drug dealer. Ghost has multiple internal plans to save himself and his business as he starts to feel the heat from law enforcement that are revealed throughout the show in the perfect of ways. For example, Ghost plots to get his partner Tommy pinched and keeps the faith that Tommy won’t rat on him in order to keep himself safe. When Tommy doesn’t rat, Ghost schemes a way to free Tommy—a master move. However, Ghost does not take home our crown of corruption simply because in the most recent season he drops his Ghost persona and attempts to go fully legit for his girlfriend. 

CREDIT: HBO

The true head of the modern-day New Jersey mob was one of the best puppet-masters in TV history. Tony always looked 10 steps ahead and plotted his every move with such precision. For example, Tony suggests that his mafia friends put their elderly family members in a certain nursing home in order to hide their dirty money and weapons. The nursing home also served as a safe spot for mob meetings without the threat of the Feds listening. It stems from Tony. He’s the leader and the most manipulative of the mobsters on “The Soprano’s.” The man even had his friend’s restaurant burnt down because of an unwanted hit. Tony avoided the unwanted hit and his friend Artie picked up the insurance money. The list of corrupt, manipulative schemes goes on and on, but he doesn’t take home our corruption crown—which kind of pains me because Tony Soprano is one of my favorite overall characters of all-time.

CREDIT: Netflix

Drum roll… This leaves the one and only President Frank Underwood. Francis is our winner because every move he makes his diabolical; every move he makes is a behind-the-scenes scheme to further his role. He starts as the whip and plots his way to the Oval Office. The man has the first season’s president Garrett Walker impeached. He pushes his fling-of-a-girlfriend/reporter Zoey Barnes in front of a train. Could you imagine? A president who has a body count? Frank Underwood is the ultimate master manipulator. I think the best part about Frank Underwood and “House of Cards” is the fact that it has made me believe a lot of this corruption really goes on in real-life politics. (See tweet below from the most reliable source EVER.) I hope we never see the fall of Frank Underwood. The new season of “House of Cards” comes out on May 30. 

Do you agree with our list? Did we crown the right character? Let us know!

Frank Ocean recently released the follow-up to his stunning debut with the long-awaited album, “Blonde.” It was weird and just the right amount of outside-the-box to be a beautiful album. But “Blonde” made me realize something. It allowed me to look back and ponder how many great R&B projects we have received in the past couple of years.

After this epiphany, I attempted to find an origin for this soulful greatness and break down of how the culture has taken it all in.

My opening thesis statement goes like this: The quality of R&B has gotten better as the quality and popularity of hip-hop has gotten better. As I looked back and did some digging, I landed on an unlikely moment for the R&B genre and a more obvious event for hip-hop. 

On August 14, 2013, Big Sean released a promotional song entitled, “Control.” The song featured Kendrick Lamar and Jay Electronica. Whether you like to admit or not, this song changed the rap game and its sub-genres for the better. On “Control,” Big Sean and Jay Electronica spit bars but Kendrick Lamar’s verse was the key factor and may even be the greatest verse of all-time. Kendrick name-dropped J. Cole, Big K.R.I.T., Wale, Pusha T, Meek Mill, A$AP Rocky, Drake, Big Sean, Jay Electronica, Tyler the Creator and Mac Miller and challenged all of them to set up their game. Kendrick said, “What is competition? I’m tryna raise the bar high. Who tryna jump and get it?” It was a healthy dose of bravado and showmanship. Kendrick was asking all of his fellow rappers to push each other to be better, and I think it’s safe to say it worked.

Ever since Kendrick set the Internet on fire with his “Control” verse, hip-hop, as a genre, has improved, and with the improvement of hip-hop has come the improvement in one of its sub-genres, R&B.

 Since Kendrick’s “Control” verse, we’ve been blessed with my personal favorite album of all-time, Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp a Butterfly,” The Weeknd topped the charts and snagged a GRAMMY for “Beauty Behind the Madness,” Logic took us to outer space with “The Incredible True Story,” Bryson Tiller burst onto the scene with “TRAPSOUL,” Dr. Dre came out of the shadows and released “Compton,” J. Cole went double platinum with no features and became a popular Twitter phrase with “2014 Forest Hills Drive,” Pharrell made everyone happy with his single, “Happy,” gangsta rap had its rebirth with great albums from Pusha T, Schoolboy Q, YG and others and Justin Timberlake stole our hearts with “The 20/20 Experience.” I’m out of breath just typing everything and that’s just naming a few moments.

There were a lot of amazing pieces of work from both hip-hop and R&B from 2013-2015, but 2016 has been amazing. We’ve already been blessed with Anderson .Paak’s “Malibu,” Chance the Rapper’s “Coloring Book,” Frank Ocean’s “Blonde,” Kanye West’s “The Life of Pablo,” Beyoncé’s “LEMONADE,” Drake’s “VIEWS” and Rihanna’s “ANTI.” And again, that’s only naming a few out of the massive amount of great projects that have dropped in 2016. Plus we still have the fall and the winter to look forward to.

But to reaffirm my previous thesis statement, I believe R&B has gotten better as hip-hop has gotten better. It started with “Control.” It peaked with  “To Pimp a Butterfly.” I truly think Kendrick Lamar proved he’s one of the greatest with his album, “To Pimp a Butterfly.” It was a message of hope amongst the dark days of police brutality on black males in America, and I felt the same way I did when I first watched “The Shawshank Redemption” when I listened to “To Pimp a Butterfly.” Rap’s greatness was followed by some R&B greatness. Beyonce’s “LEMONDADE” blew up the Internet and made all men scared to do any wrong to their female companion. I think Beyoncé’s “LEMONADE” album and the HBO short film to coincide was the female equivalent to Kendrick’s “To Pimp a Butterfly.” So, I think it’s safe to say the quality has only gotten better in both genres. As of right now, I’d argue that Anderson .Paak’s album, “Malibu,” is standing atop the list for best albums of 2016 so far. Chance the Rapper’s “Coloring Book” is up there as well. We have just been bombarded with great music, and it’s been awesome.

I think the reason why the quality of the music we love has gotten better and better is because artists aren’t afraid to express themselves and tell their story in different ways. Beyoncé premiered her album within a short film on HBO, and Frank Ocean put out the illusion of a live stream for a visual album and turned around a dropped a traditional album the next day. Artists are using the element of surprise when dropping albums. They’re also using the stream wars to their advantage. It’s really a free-for-all out there. 

In 2016, the possibilities are endless, and it’s great to be a fan of music, in general. I’ll be interested to see what kind of mediums and other methods artists will use to give fans their music. I guess there’s only one phrase that sums up the music world right now: What a time to be alive!

By Trey Alessio

CREDIT: HotNewHipHop

When Mac Miller released his breakout mixtape, “K.I.D.S.” back on August 13, 2010, I was a sophomore in high school—probably grinding, trying to keep my GPA up, hanging out with friends or training for football or baseball. I didn’t really party at all in high school—I was too busy focusing on school and sports—but I think I wanted my music to give me that illusion. My favorite kind of rap music during that part of my life was either feel-good turn up music or jaw-dropping bars.

Back then, Lil Wayne was still in his prime, Drake had just put out his debut album, “Thank Me Later,” Eminem and Rihanna’s single, “Love the Way You Lie” was dominating the charts and Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller were just starting to make it onto the rap scene.

I was a little late to the Mac Miller party. “K.I.D.S.” dropped and he was starting to get a little buzz in rap game. I think a friend of mine showed me the song, “Knock Knock.” I remember hearing the first “Dum, da dum,” and being hooked. Mac’s first words on the song were, “This is gonna feel real good, alright?” And that’s exactly how the song felt. It was such a fun, feel-good song, and I remember immediately putting a thumb in the air and jamming out. Hardcore hip-hop heads had been vibing to his music for a few months before I hopped on the bandwagon—but I’m glad I did.

Mac Miller’s career trajectory sort of mirrors my rap intellect and musical preferences as a hip-hop fan. 

“K.I.D.S.” came out in 2010, and I was in the mood for feel-good music. “Best Day Ever” came out on March 11, 2011. At that point, I was still in high school, looking for any piece of music that would put a smile on my face. I remember watching Mac premiere “Best Day Ever” on Ustream—the live-streaming service that was practically brand new at the time. I remember being enthralled with the opening song on “Best Day Ever.” The words, “No matter where life takes me, find me with a smile. / Pursuit to be happy, only laughing like a child. / I never thought life would be this sweet. It got me cheesing from cheek to cheek,” resonated with me and literally put a smile on my face every time I listened to the song. 

In November of 2011, Mac Miller released his debut album, “Blue Slide Park.” While it was met with mixed reviews—Metacritic gave it a 58 out of 100 and Pitchfork gave it 1 out of 10 rating—the album made it to No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 chart and No. 1 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop chart. According to MTV, that’s something an independent artist’s debut hadn’t done since Tha Dogg Pound’s “Dogg Food” in 1995. “Blue Slide Park” was still very much a “turn up,” “feel good” project as it was accompanied by its lead singles “Frick Park Market,” “Smile Back” and “Party on Fifth Ave.”

In 2012, Mac Miller switched up his sound quite a bit. On “Macadelic,” Mac used a trippy, drug-infested, sexually charged sound. It was a very dark mixtape compared to Mac’s previous efforts, and with the different tone, came more lyricism. On XXL’s review of “Blue Slide Park,” it said, “Mac Miller left room to evolve.” That’s exactly what he started to do with “Macadelic.” It was apparent on songs like “Fight the Feeling” and “The Question,” which featured Kendrick Lamar and Lil Wayne, respectively. At this point in my life, I was starting to get into a more conscious style of rap. I started to enjoy less turn up and more lyricism and storytelling. I enjoyed the variety of sounds from the lead single, “Loud,” to the thought-provoking song, “Clarity.”

Mac Miller didn’t stop after “Macadelic.” He came right back with his “Watching Movies With the Sound Off” album. Again, this was a very dark, moody album with a lot of the same sounds that were used on “Macadelic.” It was very much another “conscious rap” project. He even says on “O.K.”—one of the few upbeat, fun songs—“album filled with all sad songs, but this the one that I can laugh on.” At this point, I started college and I really started veering away from strictly club bangers. I enjoyed songs and albums that told stories. I liked music and lyrics that made me think. As Mac became a seasoned rapper in the industry, I became more of a seasoned rap fan, and “Watching Movies With the Sound Off” was definitely an album that made you take the time to realize what the lyrics were saying. Mac touched on a lot of deep topics, and by this time in my life, I really enjoyed that kind of music. “Watching Movies With the Sound Off” reached No. 3 on the US Billboard 200 chart. Metacritic gave the album a 73 out of 100, Pitchfork gave it a 7 out of 10 and XXL gave it a 4 out of 5 rating—still with room to grow.

Well, Mac Miller stuck with the saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” On May 11, 2014, Mac dropped a mixtape entitled, “Faces.” This mixtape included a star-studded cast of features and producers and stuck to Mac’s trippy vibes—maybe even more so than any of his previous projects. The mixtape consisted of 24 songs with dark, trippy lyricism. It seemed like Mac Miller had found a lane and was staying the course. As a rap fan, I enjoyed the lyricism and I liked how Mac pushed the boundaries. There were some songs like “Inside Outside” and “Colors and Shapes” that were totally off the wall, but just made for beautiful music. I think that’s what drew me into it—the difference in sound. 

CREDIT: HotNewHipHop

And then September 18, 2015 rolled around and Mac Miller dropped his album, “GO:OD AM.” In my opinion, this album was Mac Miller’s best because of the versatility shown throughout the project. The production was great. The cohesiveness was great. The music was great. It just seemed like Mac had finally honed his sound perfectly. There were songs like “100 Grandkids” where it was a hybrid between a conscious and a turn up record and then there were songs like “Perfect Circle/God Speed” that were completely honest and told a great story. I thought it was Mac Miller’s perfect project.

On July 28, 2016, Mac Miller released a brand new single in “Dang!” featuring the über-talented Anderson .Paak via Beats 1 Radio. It had a definite summer vibe to it, but I loved it. It’s one of those songs that makes you want to get up and dance. Along with the new single, he announced that he will be dropping a new album called “The Divine Feminine” on September 16. Based on the single with Anderson .Paak and the title of the album, I suspect that the project will delve into the realm of how women have effected his life—something he may have borrowed from Drake. 

Back in 2014, Mac Miller explained how his approach to the rap game was summed up in four letters—D.A.D.D. or “Do As Drake Does.” And don’t forget, on the song, “Here We Go” from the “Faces” mixtape, Mac said, “I did it all without a Drake feature.” However, on a Twitter Q&A from awhile back, Mac did say he might have something up his sleeve with Drake. Could “The Divine Feminine” land the first ever Mac Miller-Drake collaboration? Only time will tell.

Time has been good to Mac Miller. Whether he set himself up for the perfect career trajectory on purpose by starting out in the frat-rap category and working his way to a solidified lyricist or if it just worked out that way, Mac Miller has truly gotten better with each song, each album. I’m willing to go out on a limb and say he’s a top-five rapper in the game right now. He listened to XXL and evolved like the Pokemon he’s been catching in Pokemon Go. The man just makes good music, and I still have my thumb in the air. 

By Trey Alessio

CREDIT: Sporting News

On July 3, Kevin Durant announced he will join forces with the Splash Brothers and sign with the Golden State Warriors, creating the ultimate super team. When Durant made his announcement, it seemed like  the script set up perfectly for the Warriors to take the 2016-2017 NBA season by storm. Well, I wrote a script for what I think will happen in the NBA next year. 

(Parts of this are obviously fictional.)

INT. Oracle Arena. Oakland, Cali. May 30, 2016. Night.
It’s Game 7 of the NBA Western Conference Finals. The arena is packed with screaming fans. The camera focuses in on the scoreboard. It’s the fourth quarter and the GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS are beating the OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER, 93-86, with about 48 seconds left in the fourth quarter. KEVIN DURANT takes the ball up the court for the Thunder. He reads the defense and goes right with the ball after one of his teammates sets a pick for him at the top of the three-point arc. DRAYMOND GREEN steps up for the Warriors’ defense and contests Durant’s shot. The ball hangs in the air and bounces off the rim and into the hands of the Warriors. It’s a crucial moment in the game. 

CUT TO:

The clock strikes zero on the Thunder’s season. Confetti falls as the Golden State Warriors win the game, 96-88, and the series to head to the NBA Finals to face off against the CLEVELAND CAVALIERS. The crowd erupts with war whoops and applause. The players and coaches all meet at mid-court to shake hands after the game. Kevin Durant shakes up with STEPHEN CURRY, KLAY THOMPSON, Draymond Green and the rest of the Golden State Warriors. He looks very disappointed. 

CUT TO:

ON SCREEN: 3 DAYS LATER
  
INT. KD’s House. Oklahoma City, Okla. June 2, 2016. Night.
Close up, full screen. We see the Golden State Warriors playing the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The camera zooms out and we see Kevin Durant sitting on his couch in his living room with some family and friends. 

KD’s FRIEND
(to Kevin)
Man, does this suck to sit here and watch this?
  
KEVIN DURANT
Yeah, but we’ll be back. Don’t even worry about it.

CUT TO:

ON SCREEN: JUNE 19, 2016: NBA FINALS GAME 7
 
INT. Oracle Arena. Oakland, Cali. June 19, 2016. Night.
The camera focuses on the scoreboard. It’s a tied game, 89-89. The Warriors are on fast break with ANDRE IGUODALA leading the way. He cuts through the Cavs defense and passes the ball to Stephen Curry at the shoulder of the key. Curry immediately dishes the ball back to Iguodala in transition. Iguodala drives through the lane and attempts to put up a layup, but LEBRON JAMES comes out of nowhere for the Cavs to pin the ball up against the backboard for a clutch block. 

QUICK FADE:

On the other end of the floor, KYRIE IRVING isolates Stephen Curry at the top right of the three-point arc. Irving quickly reads the defense, does a quickstep and pulls up for a three-pointer. Curry jumps to try and contest the shot, but the ball goes in. The packed crowd goes ballistic. 

QUICK FADE:

Lebron James settles in at the free throw line. The rest of the players on the court line up along the key for the free throw attempts. Lebron takes a deep breath before the first shot. He dribbles, bends at the knees and shoots the ball. It hits the back of the rim and banks out. Lebron turns around in frustration but quickly settles back in for the second free throw attempt. He goes through his routine and fires up another shot. The ball touches every side of the rim before it finally goes in. The camera focuses on the scoreboard. The Cavaliers lead the Warriors, 93-89, with about 10 seconds left. 

QUICK FADE:

On the other end, the Warriors in-bound the ball from the sideline. Stephen Curry gets the ball just beyond the three-point line. IMAN SHUMPERT puts his hand up to contest Curry. Curry half-pump fakes and throws up a three. The ball trickles out and MO SPEIGHTS hurries out to get a shot off before the clock strikes zero and fails to capitalize on the shot. The Cavaliers bench runs on the court to celebrate the win. The team shares a big hug on the floor. Lebron James falls to his knees and sheds tears of joy as the Cavs win 93-89.

CUT TO:

INT. KD’s House. Oklahoma City, Okla. June 19, 2016. Night.
Kevin Durant and his family and friends watch as the Cavaliers celebrate becoming the first team in NBA Finals history to come back from a 3-1 deficit and win a championship. Durant takes the remote and shuts the TV off. 

KD’S FRIEND
(to Kevin)
That’ll be you next year, man. Believe that.
  
KEVIN DURANT
Yeah, I’ve got a lot of thinking to do.
  
KD’S FRIEND
Well, we all will support you in whatever you decide to do. 

CUT TO:

FULL SCREEN ON TV:
 
An ESPN anchor stands in front the camera and talks about NBA free agency. 

ESPN ANCHOR
Lots of storylines regarding this year’s NBA free agency with the new salary cap. The main question: what team will Kevin Durant sign with?

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. KD’s House. Oklahoma City, Okla. July 3, 2016.
Kevin Durant stands in his bathroom and looks at himself in the mirror. It seems like he’s doing some deep thinking about something very important. He seems somewhat conflicted. 

CUT TO:

Kevin Durant sits at a desk in an office-like room. He has a laptop open in front of him on the desk. He begins typing.

KEVIN DURANT (V.O.)
(via The Players Tribune)
This has been by far the most challenging few weeks in my professional life. I understood cognitively that I was facing a crossroads in my evolution as a player and as a man, and that it came with exceptionally difficult choices. What I didn’t truly understand, however, was the range of emotions I would feel during this process. The primary mandate I had for myself in making this decision was to have it based on the potential for my growth as a player — as that has always steered me in the right direction. But I am also at a point in my life where it is of equal importance to find an opportunity that encourages my evolution as a man: moving out of my comfort zone to a new city and community which offers the greatest potential for my contribution and personal growth. 

DISSOVLE TO:

INT. Chesapeake Energy Arena. Oklahoma City, Okla. 2016.
Kevin Durant stands alone in an empty arena. The lights are on but very dim. He walks over and stands on the Thunder logo at mid-court. He seems to be reminiscing. 

KEVIN DURANT (V.O.)
With this in mind, I have decided that I am going to join the Golden State Warriors. 

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. Warriors Front Office. Oakland, Cali. 2016.
BOB MYERS—the General Manager of the Golden State Warriors—sits with Kevin Durant and his AGENT.

BOB MYERS
Look Kevin, I’ll get straight to it. We want you. Without you, we can win another title or two. Without us, you might win some too. But together, we’ll win a bunch.
  
KEVIN DURANT
You’re a straight shooter, Mr. Myers. I like that. 

Kevin Durant and Bob Myers shake hands. 

KEVIN DURANT (V.O.)
I’m from Washington, D.C. originally, but Oklahoma City truly raised me. It taught me so much about family as well as what it means to be a man. There are no words to express what the organization and the community mean to me, and what they will represent in my life and in my heart forever. The memories and friendships are something that go far beyond the game. Those invaluable relationships are what made this deliberation so challenging. It really pains me to know that I will disappoint so many people with this choice, but I believe I am doing what I feel is the right thing at this point in my life and my playing career. I will miss Oklahoma City, and the role I have had in building this remarkable team. 

CUT TO:

EXT. Park. Oklahoma City, Okla. 2016. Day.
Thunder fans set fire to their Kevin Durant Thunder jerseys.

KEVIN DURANT (V.O.)
I will forever cherish the relationships within the organization — the friends and teammates that I went to war with on the court for nine years, and all the fans and people of the community. They have always had my back unconditionally, and I cannot be more grateful for what they have meant to my family and to me.

CUT TO:

FULL SCREEN ON TV:
 
An ESPN anchor stands in front of the camera and talks about the state of the NBA.

ESPN ANCHOR
We’re in the era of the super team. KD, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green all on one team. Is this real life? After setting the record for most regular season wins in 2016, the Warriors—arguably one of the greatest teams in NBA history—go out and make their team even better. Will this team even lose next year? 

FADE TO:

We see an avalanche of visuals and sound bites of Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and the rest of the Golden State Warriors winning game after game in 2016-2017. Radio hosts talk about the dominance, writers come up with story after story about the super team and sports TV provides wall-to-wall coverage on the Warriors.

DISSOLVE TO:

ON SCREEN:
 
2017 NBA FINALS GAME 7 – Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
 
INT. Oracle Arena. Oakland, Cali. 2017. Night.
The camera focuses on the scoreboard. The Golden State Warriors are beating the Cleveland Cavaliers, 88-85, with two minutes left in the fourth quarter. Both teams huddle up on the sidelines after a timeout. STEVE KERR—the Warriors head coach—draws up the next play.

STEVE KERR
Alright, guys, stay focused. Two more minutes and we’re world champions. Here’s what we’re gonna do: Kevin’s gonna take it up. Draymond, you’re gonna set a screen. Kev, you’re gonna roll out and find Steph open for a three. Steph, you sink it and let’s put the nail in the coffin. Take your time and milk some clock. Let’s go, guys!
  
KEVIN DURANT
If I see an opening, I’m gonna take it.
 
STEPHEN CURRY
C’mon, Kev. Coach knows what he’s talkin’ ‘bout. Stick to the plan.
 
DRAYMOND GREEN
Yeah, let’s go with Coach.

The Warriors put their hands together to break out of the huddle. Kevin Durant shakes his head in frustration and reluctantly puts his hand up with the rest of the players.

ALL
One… Two… Three… Warriors!

Everybody runs back on the court. 

QUICK CUT TO:

 Kevin Durant takes the ball up the court. He scans the Cavs defense. Lebron James is right in his face. Draymond Green runs up from behind Lebron James and sets a pick. Durant sees Stephen Curry wide open in the corner for a three but decides to drive through the lane. Lebron is all over him on defense, so Durant dishes the ball out to Curry. The Cavs smother Curry as soon as he gets the ball. Durant runs back up to the top of the arc. Curry gets the ball to Durant. He takes a quick shot as the shot clock ticks down. The ball flies through the air but banks in and out of the basket. 

QUICK FADE TO:

The camera focuses on the scoreboard. There’s about 25 seconds left and the Warriors lead the Cavs, 95-94. The Cavaliers have the ball. Lebron James takes the ball up the court. He gets to the top of the key and dribbles the ball, wasting some time off the clock. Lebron takes a quickstep and drives through the lane. Draymond Green meets him in the paint. Lebron attempts to back down Draymond. He scans the Warriors defense and notices along the top of the key, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry get caught up in a pick, leaving Kyrie Irving open. Lebron quickly passes the ball to Kyrie. He sinks the shot as time expires. The fans in Oracle Arena become silent. Kevin Durant looks devastated. Stephen Curry drops to his knees in disappointment as the Cleveland Cavaliers bring home back-to-back titles. 

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. Cavaliers Media Room. Oakland, Cali. 2017. Night.
Lebron James and Kyrie Irving sit in front of microphones as the media fire questions at the champagne-soaked champions. 

REPORTER
At the beginning of the year, everybody thought when Kevin Durant signed with the Warriors they would stroll through the playoffs and eventually win a championship. How does it feel knowing you put a stop to that?
  
LEBRON JAMES
We didn’t pay any attention to that. We knew we had the pieces to win another championship. Kevin did what he had to do to try to win a championship. I’m just glad my team all stuck together to build on what we started last year.
  
REPORTER
Kyrie, what would you say to someone who says only super teams win championships these days?
 
KYRIE IRVING
I’d tell them it’s not about making a super team. It takes all the right pieces to fall into place. I mean the Heat lost to the Mavs back in 2011, and the Warriors lost to the Cavs in 2017. (looks to Lebron and laughs)

Lebron lightly shoves Kyrie as the entire room bursts into laughter. 

FADE OUT. 

CREDIT: Bleacher Report

By Trey Alessio

Earlier today on Beats 1 Radio, Logic unleashed his brand new, dope single (no pun intended), “Wrist” featuring the ultimate drug dealing rapper, Pusha T. Just a week earlier, he dropped the highly anticipated “Flexicution,” which leaves us asking the question: where will these singles end up?
Well, I’m going to try to cast my line and see if I can reel anything in. Let’s start with this interview.

Logic said he’s currently working on two albums at the same time. One is fun and the other is “from the perspective of all types of people.” He said, “On the first album I told my story of little Bobby growing up. On the second album, I told the story of where I am right now and how the listener can go out and do whatever they want. On one of those albums coming up, I’m going to be [talking about] this much from my perspective and more so from other people’s.”

“Flexicution” and “Wrist” both seem to fit the bid for the “fun album.”  Both songs make you want to get up and jam out. This hunch of mine was further established when Logic coined this summer to be the “turn up season” when he was being interviewed by Zane Lowe on Beats 1 Radio.

Next, I’d like to tell you about an experience of mine that may give some insight to Logic’s future plans. As I have publically stated, I am an avid member of the Ratt Pack. I’ve been a huge Logic fan ever since his “Undeniable” mixtape.

In February, I had the pleasure of meeting Logic in Minneapolis on “The Incredible World Tour.” Before the meet-and-greet, Logic did his sound check and gave the VIPs an opportunity to ask questions. During this session, Logic revealed some very interesting tidbits of information. Someone asked the obvious question, “What’s next?” Logic reaffirmed what he said during the Rolling Stone interview. He said he had plans to do a fun, turn up album and another introspective album about “God, the world and life.” (Remember, this was in February, so I knew all of this before the Rolling Stone interview was released.)

Logic also revealed something during the big Q&A that I don’t believe has been publicly reported yet, so I’ll let you guys in on a little inside information. I raised my hand and was lucky enough to get called on by Young Sinatra, himself. Knowing that one of Logic’s main influences is film and being an aspiring screenwriter myself, I asked him if he’d ever consider scoring any kind of film. After saying that he’d love to do the music for movies in the future, Logic announced that he will be starring and directing in an upcoming film, but that’s all the further he’d go into that topic.

Another endeavor Logic dove into was his very own gaming channel on YouTube. On these videos, Logic shares his own video game experience with the 360,000+ subscribers. It’s a cool deal because it seems to bridge the gap between rap music and gaming—something that, in the past, seemed to not really go hand-in-hand. It also reaffirms that Logic wears his influences on his sleeve and truly does what he loves—rap, video games, space, anime, film, etc.

So, if Logic is currently working on two rap albums, filming a movie and sharing his gaming experiences on his YouTube channel, when will these albums see the light of day? Or better yet, will “Flexicution” and “Wrist” have a home on one of these albums or will they just be two loosies? On Beats 1 Radio, Zane Lowe tried to pull some information out of Logic, but he wouldn't give up anything. He said he's just trying to have fun right now. 

Logic jokingly (or maybe not jokingly) said these albums probably wouldn’t come out for two years. Well, a two-year wait might seem feasible with how many things Logic is juggling right now.
Whether “Flexicution” and “Wrist” find homes on the upcoming fun album, the introspective album or if they become strong loosies, it’s safe to say Logic is doing his thing and truly coming into his own right now.

Logic will hit the road with G-Eazy, YG and Yo Gotti on “The Endless Summer Tour,” which kicks off in Dallas, Texas on June 28. Until then, we have been blessed with two epic bangers in “Flexicution” and “Wrist” featuring Pusha T.