Today, Memphis artist, established entrepreneur, and Bread Gang Entertainment CEO, Moneybagg Yo unveils his highly anticipated heartfelt new mixtape Hard To Love. After setting off a firestorm of excitement and speculation when he announced its release date—and two years after his most recent full-length project—Bagg is back and more focused than ever. From the tape’s beginning to end, he reminds the listener just how propulsive his music can be. Listen HERE via CMG/N-Less/Interscope Records.

To accompany the release, today he also shares the imaginative video for “Where Ya Bih @.” In the visual directed by whipalo, Bagg pays great homage to the 2005 Oscar-winning film, “Hustle & Flow.” The parallels between Bagg the main character are uncanny as the iconic movie follows the dramatic life of a hustler turned rapper named DJay (originally played by Terrence Howard), who’s also a native Memphian. Like Bagg, Djay’s an overachiever with a stop-at-nothing approach and a crystal-clear vision for his success, and in the video Bagg seamlessly taps into that role as he playfully paints the picture of his comparable drive and passion. The captivating video is set to release today.

The mixtape, Bagg’s first since 2021’s A Gangsta’s Pain, was preceded by a lengthy letter posted to his Instagram account. “I gained and lost more than I ever thought I would,” Bagg wrote, “and had no other safe outlet for all the emotions and dark thoughts that came wit that other than making music.” That sort of to-the-bone honesty is the defining feature of Hard To Love. The Certified Speaker shared various singles including “Quickie,” “Motion God,” “On Wat U On,” his acclaimed collaboration with label mate, GloRilla, and most recently “Ocean Spray.” The mixtape also features “Keep It Low,” his breakneck collaboration with Future, which sounds as if it’s going to leap out of your speakers and rattle around the inside of your car; as well as additional collaborations with Fridayy, Bagg’s signee, YTB FATT, Shott Off, and Lil Durk.

Prior to Hard To Love, Moneybagg Yo shared his chart-topping album, A Gangsta’s Pain, which was the fourth highest selling rap album of 2021.  The RIAA certified Platinum album was listed “Best Albums of 2021” by The New York Times, Billboard, Complex, XXL, Uproxx, and more. In addition to his album going No. 1 he also topped the radio charts four times consecutively with “Said Sum,” “Time Today,” “Wockesha,” and “Scorpio.” Soon after he shared a collaboration with Yo Gotti, Mozzy, and Lil Poppa titled, “Big League,” which was chosen as the official song of the 2022 NBA Finals and can be found on the CMG compilation Gangsta Art.

In just a few short years, Moneybagg Yo has cemented himself as one of the most irresistible voices in the club and on the streets. He developed his label, Bread Gang Entertainment, his artist BIG30 (NLess Entertainment) was tapped as part of XXL’s latest Freshman Class, and his business endeavors extend to the restaurant industry in 2023, recently opening Cache 42 Kitchen and Cocktails in his hometown. The rapper has also been nominated for GRAMMY Awards,  Billboard Music Awards and iHeartRadio Award and collaborated with A-list stars like Kanye West, 2 Chainz, and YG. With Hard to Love, he adds another riveting chapter to his stellar discography.

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HARD TO LOVE TRACKLIST:
1. They Say
2. Keep It Low ft. Future
3.F My BM
4. Ocean Spray
5. Lies ft. Fridayy
6. Sholl Is
7. Still
8. Free Lil A (Interlude)
9. Hurt Man
10. Shot Off Gumbo ft. YTB FATT x Shott Off
11. No Show
12. Where Ya Bih @
13. Goin Thru It
14. Rock Out ft. Lil Durk & YTB FATT
15. Super Wet
16. Motion God
17. Nun Like Me
18. Quickie
19. On Wat U On ft. GloRilla
20. More Sick

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igerian musician and entrepreneur Oluwatosin Ajibade, popularly known as Mr Eazi, has just returned from Estonia, where he attended and spoke at the country’s Latitude59 tech conference. 

Billed as “the flagship startup and tech event of the world’s first digital society,” Latitude59 brought together over 400 investors and 800 startup reps in the Estonian capital of Tallinn, from 24-26 May.

As part of the conference’s speakers program, Mr Eazi discussed his tech and creative journey — and the prospects of the African orange economy via smart governance — in a roundtable with former Estonian president Toomas Hendrik Ilves. 

While in Estonia, he also met with industry leaders and tech entrepreneurs, including Ahti Heinla, a founding developer of Skype and the founder and CTO of robotics company Starship Technologies; and Markus Villig, the founder and CEO of mobility company Bolt. 

Mr Eazi with Ahti Heinla, founding developer of Skype and founder of Starship Technologies

“My last-minute trip to Estonia ended up being one of my favorite 24 hours this year,” said Mr Eazi. “At the conference, I spoke about my career and journey from founder to musician toan investor, with my own VC fund, Zagadat Capital, investing in tech businesses.”

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That journey appears to be of great interest, as Latitude59 is not the only international business conference to host Mr Eazi recently. Earlier in May, he was a speaker at the 2023 Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles, where he shared his views on African music’s role in developing and stimulating the continent’s creative economy. 

Paramount on Eazi’s mind in Estonia was the potential for business alliances in tech. Estonia presently has the most start-ups per capita of any European nation. It is ranked first in the region for its business environment by the Emerging Europe IT Competitiveness Index. 

“[Former president] Ilves shared how Estonia has been positioning itself to be friendly for tech founders and entrepreneurs through its digital e-residency program,” Eazi said. “You can set up your company digitally in Estonia, and become an e-resident.” Eazi, who via Zagadat Capital recently invested in Decagon, a company that trains engineers in Nigeria and pairs them with jobs worldwide, sees a major opportunity for African tech talent to gain a foothold in overseas markets such as Estonia. 

“You have over 10 million smart, young people getting out of university each year in need of jobs. Now, Africa — not just Nigeria, but Kenya, Ghana, Benin, Rwanda, etc  — our continent has the prospect to become the highest net exporter of technology talent.”

While this was Eazi’s first visit to Estonia, he is not a stranger to the country’s business environment. His VC fund Zagadat Capital has already invested in the mobile payment service PawaPay, which employs a number of engineers in Estonia.

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“I believe this is my first of many trips to Estonia, and I am excited at the fun stuff and ideas we will execute together,” he stated.

https://www.zagadatcapital.com