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How bad is the cryptocurrency world doing these days? So bad that Sam Bankman-Fried isn’t the only one aching. While the FTX bro is duking it out in the courtroom, another fallen crypto star has told him to hold his beer.

Per Protos, in a thread posted to the joint formerly known as Twitter Tuesday night, Ben Armstrong — a crypto guy formerly known as “BitBoy” — had a few big announcements. One, he was leaving his longtime wife. Two, he was leaving her for his sidepiece, who is also now the CEO of his tanking crypto token $BEN. Three, he wants his personal life to “be less in public” now. That ought to be news to those who had no idea who Armstrong was until his posts went viral.

“Sometimes in life you make mistakes you can’t undo. Sad to tell you all that @Bethanyliterary and I are getting a divorce,” Armstrong tweeted. “She filed divorce papers to me today. To get it out of the way so there are no questions, yes, I am with @DuchessOfDeFi,” aka one Cassandra Wolfe.

Armstrong called Bethany “incredible” and a “great mother” who had “helped me build my business and supported me.” Alas, they “grew apart as people and we were heading in opposite directions for a while.” He said that marriage is “hard very hard because people change over time and after 15 years neither one of us is the same person we were when we met.”

People on social media sure had thoughts about Armstrong’s TMI thread, including how he had tagged both his wife and mistress.

Others argued that social media isn’t the best place for divorce news.

Some wondered if this thread was a smart thing to do from a legal standpoint.

Others wondered if Armstrong didn’t have friends or a therapist to confide in with private business like this.

And some pointed out that Armstrong’s story is even bleaker than his thread suggests.

https://twitter.com/BenArmstrongsX/status/1716835531265606069/quotes

For Armstrong, getting dragged on social media over divorce news continued a bad streak. Not only is his crypto token a dismal failure, but he spent a night in the slammer last month after livestreaming outside of a former associate’s house, leading him to be charged with “loitering/prowling” and “simple assault by placing another in fear.”

(Via Protos)

Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

Since the last update of this weekly R&B and afrobeats column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.

Kali Uchis announced her Spanish-language album Orquídeas, shared its features, and released its latest single, “Te Mata.” Daniel Caesar held a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden for his Superpowers Tour and announced plans to celebrate the fifth anniversary of “Girls Needs Love.” Elsewhere, Ty Dolla Sign appears to be linking up with Kanye West for a joint album and Rema joined Ice Spice for a performance on SNL.

Here are some more releases on the new music front that you should check out:

Sampha — Lahai

Six years have gone by since Sampha’s stellar debut album Process, and finally, prayers for a new body of work have been answered. The singer returned with his sophomore album Lahai complete with 14 songs and a feature from Léa Sen. With his latest output, Sampha explores the ways that humans connect to each other as well as the life cycle and what exists beyond.

Summer Walker — “Girls Need Love (Girls Mix)”

Five years ago, Summer Walker received her big break with the success of “Girls Need Love.” The record was latest remixed by Drake, but it put Walker in the driver’s seat to eventually have a pair of top-two albums with Over It and Still Over It. To celebrate the anniversary, Walker returns to “Girls Need Love” to release remixes with Tink, Tyla, and Victoria Monét.

Arin Ray — Phases III

A little over a year after releasing Hello Poison, Cincinnati-born and LA-bred singer Arin Ray is back with Phases III. The third installment in his trademark series finds Ray letting loose and finding the fun in music again thanks to records like “Tequila” and “Psychic. ” Still, he finds moments to dive into true love on “Wait So Long” and “Cold” for what arrives as a well-balanced project.

Naomi Sharon — Obisidian

OVO Sound’s newly-signed First Lady has arrived with her debut project. Naomi Shoaron’s Obisidian arrives with 13 tracks and a sole feature from Omah Lay for an album that Sharon says is about “rebirth, confrontation, and healing.” She adds, “Obisidianis just me being very vulnerable and that’s something that I’m missing in the industry right now.”

Felix Ames — Jena

Milwaukee native Felix Ames makes his mark with his debut album Jena. The 12-track body of work combines soul, jazz, alternative, and R&B for an impressive display of his artistry. Look no further than the lovelorn “Liquor Locker,” the dynamic “Always, I’ll Stay,” and the introspective “Half A Man.”

Elmiene — Marking My Time

British singer Elmiene arrives with one of the best R&B EPs 2023 has to offer with Marking My Time. His captivating voice and impressive voice lead the way through the project’s six songs. “The general theme of this project is trying to mark my time not in terms of history but just for me personally, so I don’t get lost,” Elmiene says of the project.

Terrace Martin & Alex Isley — I Left My Heart In Ladera

Terrace Martin and Alex Isley join forces as two of the best in their respective spaces for their joint project I Left My Heart In Ladera. Aside from the pristine production from Martin and the soothing vocals from Isley, I Left My Heart In Ladera is also a heartful tribute to the neighborhoods of Ladera and Crenshaw in Los Angeles as well as an undeniable example of the culture, art, and influence that lives there.

Jesse Boykins III — New Growth

On his latest album New Growth, Jesse Boykins III has one goal in mind: to create a sanctuary for the soul. “This album is the rawness of emotions presented in a space that has every intention to become a sanctuary,” he says about the album. “It’s an album about being semi-vulnerable, the waves that come with life as a black man who wants progress more than he wants power.” Boykins III does it without any additional vocal help as collaboration is seen with help from producers that include DJ Dahi, Los Hendrix, BJ The Chicago Kid, and more.

Kyle Dion — “Let’s Get It On”

It’s been a little over a year since Kyle Dion delivered his standout Sassy album, and he’s back to gear up for another project to arrive in the near future. He returns with “Let’s Get It On,” the latest single from his upcoming EP. The new track honors Marvin Gaye’s single of the same name as a smooth and sexy record dedicated to heading out into the city and having a great time with your partner.

NSG — Area Boyz

Ten years into their career, the six-piece East London afro-fusion collect NSG (short for Nigeria Slash Ghana) is here with their debut album Area Boyz. With help from Libianca, JAE5, Seyi Vibez, Tion Wayne, Aitch, Odumodublvck, and others, NSG delivers 19 tracks that are packed with bangers from top to bottom making for a project that is meant to be blasted on speakers near and far.

ReleastK — Real World

At just 19 years old, Toronto native RealestK is already on his second project with the newly released Real World mixtape. The follow-up to last year’s Dreams 2 Reality presents eight songs and a more vulnerable side of the singer. RealestK touches on the highs and lows of love and the other life-changing moments that had an undeniable effect on him.

Shae Universe — “LOML”

Fresh off her appearance on A COLORS Show, Shae Universe keeps the show going with her new single “LOML (Love Of My Life).” On it, she takes a trip to the past with nostalgic 2000s R&B production as she confesses to the vulnerabilities that lie within. “This is definitely one of, if not THE most heartfelt song I have ever written as it was birthed from pure vulnerability & honeymoon love,” she says about the new song.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The Yellowstone-verse may be one of the TV’s most popular empires, but for the last half year it’s been in a bit of a mess. Kevin Costner, star of the flagship show, has been trying to ditch it, which has proven difficult given that the now-resolved WGA strike and the still going SAG-AFTRA strike have put the kibosh on finishing the fifth and final season. There are still spin-offs, but even those are up in the air — again, thanks to the lone strike. Indeed, what’s the deal with 6666, the curiously named spin-off that’s been teased for a while now? Does it even have a release date?

The answer is: not yet. Right now the closest thing to a release date is “2024.” Over the summer, production on the spinoff was put on hold as the two strikes raged. In fact, there’s very little known about it beyond the official synopsis:

Founded when Comanches still ruled West Texas, no ranch in America is more steeped in the history of the West than the 6666. Still operating as it did two centuries before, and encompassing an entire county, the 6666 has inspired a new scripted series where the rule of law and the laws of nature merge in a place where the most dangerous thing one does is the next thing. The 6666 is synonymous with the merciless endeavor to raise the finest horses and livestock in the world, and ultimately where world-class cowboys are born and made.

Yellowstone heads should know what 6666 is. It’s the gigantic, real-life ranch known as the “Four Sixes,” which was founded in 1879 and which Yellowstone honcho Taylor Sheridan paid a fortune to own last year. Sheridan has used 6666 to shoot some scenes for the Yellowstone prequel 1883. It’s also been speculated that it’s where he holds his cowboy camps to prep his team before shooting.

With the SAG-AFTRA strike still afoot, it’s unclear when Yellowstone fans will get to see 6666. Hopefully, people will know soon.

If it feels like there are too many celebrity memoirs coming out these days, then you can probably thank the Hollywood strikes because these authors are able to promote their wares whereas actors cannot currently promote struck work. However one of the more juicy-sounding titles happens to be Down The Drain by Julia Fox. She discussed her previous drug addictions and unusual relationship with Kanye West. Some of that information was not flattering at all to Kanye, but he hasn’t publicly pushed back much.

As well, Julia discussed her past work as a dominatrix, and that included details on how to best wear latex and so on. While speaking to Vanity Fair, Fox has elaborated more, and that includes suggesting that a certain SNL would benefit from visiting such a… performer:

“I think he probably needs to see a dominatrix. I could see him really liking the deprecation, like, ‘you’re a little b*tch,’ things like that. I could see him getting off to that. Just a hunch.”

Well! It’ll be entertaining to see if Pete responds, and surely, he would do so with good humor, but Julia made this statement during the Vanity Fair lie-detector test. In doing so, she discussed how she used to engage in “ball-busting.” She admitted that she would do so again for “free.” Your move, Pete Davidson.

(Via Vanity Fair)

Have you ever heard of the anglerfish? It’s one of those profoundly unusual looking deep water fish that live towards the bottom of the ocean. You know the kind of fish that’s almost translucent with a squished head that nightmares are made of? Well, it turns out the unique look is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the anglerfish.

There’s been a viral post going around social media explaining all about this fish’s mating habits and It’s giving people the willies. Well, while it’s giving some people the creeps, there are a select few that wouldn’t mind if humans had similar mating rituals. Though, with this fish’s habits, mating only happens once and then the male ceases to exist.

This isn’t some sort of black widow or preying mantis situation, no one’s heads are being eaten. But according to the infographic, and science, the anglerfish male attaches to the female and fuses with her body unable to survive without her.

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Yep. That’s a thing. The male fish is a lot smaller than the female fish so she can have multiple males fuse onto her at the same time. After the male fuses to the female, the female essentially begins to absorb them, sharing their skin and circulatory system.

This level of intimacy seems to be a bit on the excessive side and likely not what was meant by becoming “one with your partner,” which is why people finding out this information for the first time are having some uncomfortable feelings. But aside from all of the “ewws” were hilarious jokes from commenters trying to work out the relationship mechanics.”That’s way more than I want to do,” one person jokes.

“This is the kind of love that humans describe when they say when you get married, your bodies become one. But, we didn’t mean it literally,” someone says.

“So glad humans don’t do this. It would really complicate divorce proceedings,” another added.

‘“Hey I know we just met and all, but I’m really feeling a connection here. How bout I merge into your body, and share your bloodstream. Whaddya say?”,’ someone writes.

The nonscientific fish experts may just now be finding out this information, but this isn’t new and the reason behind them even being able to fuse together is interesting. There are multiple species of anglerfish and while most mate without fusing, some species are quite literally stuck together once they’ve picked a mate.

This is because there’s something missing in their immune system that tells the female there’s something foreign in her body to fight it off. Since her immune system doesn’t recognize the invader as an invader, the male anglerfish becomes parasitic in a more literal way than the ex that won’t get off of your couch.

It doesn’t sound like either fish has much of a say so in what happens to their bodies when they mate. And since there’s no fish interpreters, there’s really no way to tell if the male anglerfish understand that once they mate they can never let go. What a wild ride through science that sadly for the male anglerfish, they can never get off. No pun intended.

Therapy speak (notice how everyone talks like a therapist these days?) has entered the chat and unfortunately it’s here to stay whether therapists like it or not.

With the rise of social media and content creators trying to break the stigma of mental health, therapy speak has become a part of people’s daily lexicon, even if it’s not always used properly. “Dissociation” is a term used frequently online whether it’s someone saying they dissociate or diagnosing themselves with dissociative identity disorder, previously known as multiple personality disorder.

It’s clear from comments and videos that there’s confusion around what truly constitutes dissociation and when to be concerned. Kati Morton, a licensed marriage and family therapist, breaks down what she calls a spectrum of dissociation, helping to clarify the phenomenon.

Morton begins the video by explaining what causes dissociation and what it is.

“When we become overwhelmed, meaning what’s happening to us is too much for us to manage, our brain, oftentimes, pulls the ripcord on reality.”

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This doesn’t mean that you have to be overwhelmed to get to this depersonalized state but it does mean it’s fairly common for people to experience this when trauma happens. When experiencing trauma our brains are self-protecting by design, that’s where this break from reality can come from in the moment, but dissociation can be experienced without trauma or a history of it.

Morton explains that on the spectrum of dissociation, that spacing out is on the lower end, giving the example of driving home on autopilot after a stressful day. You’re not quite sure how you got home but you’re getting out of the car and walking to your door. While on the other more severe end of the spectrum is dissociative identity disorder. The video gives a very clear easy to understand guide to what dissociation is.

You can watch the entire video below:

A 29-year-old man is dealing with serious tensions within his family after they confronted him about his girlfriend’s weight and how she chooses to dress. To find out if he was in the wrong for how he handled the situation, he took to Reddit to get some clarity.

The situation started at a recent family gathering.

“While attending my (26 M) brother’s girlfriend’s birthday party at their house, my mother and my brother brought me to the kitchen and confronted me, and told me that my girlfriend needs to dress more modestly and that they have a problem with her not wearing a bra,” the man recalled.

The discussion came out of the blue for the man who had no idea his girlfriend’s style or weight was an issue for anyone. It certainly wasn’t one for him. His girlfriend had previously told him that she doesn’t like wearing a bra because it makes her chest feel “tight” and “uncomfortable.”

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“I’m not sure if it’s because she’s my long-time girlfriend, but even though she weighs around 160 pounds, her not wearing a bra has never stuck out to me before, and I hadn’t even really noticed until they had pointed it out to me,” he admitted.

His family members then began to talk about his girlfriend in a sexualized way.

His mother said her breasts were “too big” for her not to wear a bra, and her boyfriend added that when she’s in the room, it’s the “only thing you can look at.” His brother then confessed that he had had multiple fights with his girlfriend over the woman’s body and choice of attire. “She’s afraid my brother’s eyes will wander, and she secretly is afraid he likes overweight girls,” he said.

After the confrontation, the man and his girlfriend left the party.

After the family realized they left, his brother called him, and he said that his girlfriend’s “body shape or the way she dresses is anyone’s business and that if people wanted to be creepy and stare at her, that wasn’t her fault.”

His mother then got on the phone and, once again, said the girlfriend needs to show “respect” for herself and the family by wearing a bra. “I then told them how important I think it is for my girlfriend to be comfortable in the clothes she’s wearing, and if she can’t be comfortable around my family, then we don’t need to see them anymore,” he said.

Sadly, the phone call devolved into a loud argument between all 3 parties. The man asked for a “second opinion” from folks on Reddit whether he in fact was being “too brash.” The commenters overwhelmingly supported him and said he handled the situation gracefully.

“Leaving the situation was the best thing to do. I’d like to think I would have this grace too but your family is REALLY weird,” the most popular commenter, ARandomWalkInSpace, wrote.

“The way you talk about your girlfriend tells us a lot about the kind of person and partner you are, and your perspective and actions in this situation are admirable. Your family is trying to pin the blame for their own problems on your girlfriend,” Amandahip wrote. “As someone with a relatively large chest, it’s almost easier to dress “modestly” while bra-less or wearing low-support garments. Your family is creating a battle that your girlfriend can’t win, and the two of you leaving the situation was a graceful response.”

Another noted that the family blamed the girlfriend for everyone else’s inappropriate reactions to her.

“You hit all the marks,” houskeepinghoney wrote. “Those women are afraid their men can’t control their eyes, which they should absolutely be able to. “So tired of people blaming women for men’s actions.”

In the end, the entire experience was an excellent way for the man and his girlfriend to break out of negative family cycles.

“My girlfriend is okay. We both come from families that thrive on drama,” he wrote. “This was just a breaking point for me personally. Thank you all for your support, kind words, and confirming what I already knew.”

A 29-year-old man is dealing with serious tensions within his family after they confronted him about his girlfriend’s weight and how she chooses to dress. To find out if he was in the wrong for how he handled the situation, he took to Reddit to get some clarity.

The situation started at a recent family gathering.

“While attending my (26 M) brother’s girlfriend’s birthday party at their house, my mother and my brother brought me to the kitchen and confronted me, and told me that my girlfriend needs to dress more modestly and that they have a problem with her not wearing a bra,” the man recalled.

The discussion came out of the blue for the man who had no idea his girlfriend’s style or weight was an issue for anyone. It certainly wasn’t one for him. His girlfriend had previously told him that she doesn’t like wearing a bra because it makes her chest feel “tight” and “uncomfortable.”

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“I’m not sure if it’s because she’s my long-time girlfriend, but even though she weighs around 160 pounds, her not wearing a bra has never stuck out to me before, and I hadn’t even really noticed until they had pointed it out to me,” he admitted.

His family members then began to talk about his girlfriend in a sexualized way.

His mother said her breasts were “too big” for her not to wear a bra, and her boyfriend added that when she’s in the room, it’s the “only thing you can look at.” His brother then confessed that he had had multiple fights with his girlfriend over the woman’s body and choice of attire. “She’s afraid my brother’s eyes will wander, and she secretly is afraid he likes overweight girls,” he said.

After the confrontation, the man and his girlfriend left the party.

After the family realized they left, his brother called him, and he said that his girlfriend’s “body shape or the way she dresses is anyone’s business and that if people wanted to be creepy and stare at her, that wasn’t her fault.”

His mother then got on the phone and, once again, said the girlfriend needs to show “respect” for herself and the family by wearing a bra. “I then told them how important I think it is for my girlfriend to be comfortable in the clothes she’s wearing, and if she can’t be comfortable around my family, then we don’t need to see them anymore,” he said.

Sadly, the phone call devolved into a loud argument between all 3 parties. The man asked for a “second opinion” from folks on Reddit whether he in fact was being “too brash.” The commenters overwhelmingly supported him and said he handled the situation gracefully.

“Leaving the situation was the best thing to do. I’d like to think I would have this grace too but your family is REALLY weird,” the most popular commenter, ARandomWalkInSpace, wrote.

“The way you talk about your girlfriend tells us a lot about the kind of person and partner you are, and your perspective and actions in this situation are admirable. Your family is trying to pin the blame for their own problems on your girlfriend,” Amandahip wrote. “As someone with a relatively large chest, it’s almost easier to dress “modestly” while bra-less or wearing low-support garments. Your family is creating a battle that your girlfriend can’t win, and the two of you leaving the situation was a graceful response.”

Another noted that the family blamed the girlfriend for everyone else’s inappropriate reactions to her.

“You hit all the marks,” houskeepinghoney wrote. “Those women are afraid their men can’t control their eyes, which they should absolutely be able to. “So tired of people blaming women for men’s actions.”

In the end, the entire experience was an excellent way for the man and his girlfriend to break out of negative family cycles.

“My girlfriend is okay. We both come from families that thrive on drama,” he wrote. “This was just a breaking point for me personally. Thank you all for your support, kind words, and confirming what I already knew.”

There are few dishes in this world so universally loved as tacos. And what’s not to like? There’s so much flavor packed into such a small hand held morsel. Hence why it’s close to impossible to eat less than seven in one sitting.

Americans, land of Taco Tuesdays, certainly holds a special place in its heart for Mexico’s most famous food staple. 76% of the country eats them every week, and over 4.5 billion tacos are eaten each year.

But as it turns out, Americans aren’t the only ones who are taco obsessed. Nor are they the only ones to make some alterations to the original recipe.

In a now viral TikTok clip, Krysta Alexa, an American mom living in Norway, reveals the country’s passionate love affair with tacos, even dubbing them the nation’s “unofficial dish.”

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“You might think it would be the US, but after Mexico, Norway is the highest consumer of tacos in the entire world,” Krysta says in the video—a sentiment, while not confirmed, is shared by several online sources.

She continues “and they are often consumed on ‘Tacofredag,’ or ‘Taco Friday,’” which makes this comment left by a viewer so funny:

“I’m learning Norwegian on Duolingo and was wonder why it made Tacofredag seem so important 😂”

Krysta gives the caveat that if you were expecting authentic Mexican cuisine or even Tex Mex, “you’re in for a rude awakening.”

Here’s how the Norwegians do it: ground beef seasoned with generic taco spice mix, plus the essentials consisting of canned corn, sour cream, Norvegia cheese, salsa, guacamole and cucumbers, which are apparently quite the popular topping. Then wrap it all in a large tortilla and enjoy.

@krystaalexa Did you know, after Mexico, Norway 🇳🇴 is the second largest consumer of tacos IN THE WORLD?! 🤯 #norway #tacos #mexicanfood #livingabroad #tacofredag #lifeinnorway ♬ original sound – Krysta Alexa | Life in Norway

Is this sounding more like a burrito to you? You’re not alone. Several viewers chimed in to note how Norwegian tacos seem to give big burrito energy. Others couldn’t help but joke about how strikingly similar these tacos were to what they’ve eaten in the Midwest.

But several commenters who identified as Mexican or Mexican-American still approved of the recipe, even graciously giving bonus points for heating up the tortillas.

“As a Mexican, just enjoy and Cheers up,” one person wrote.

Krysta also points out that in addition to the standard toppings and condiments list, she had also seen pineapples used (which isn’t totally uncommon in traditional Mexican tacos) as well as ketchup, which she is “not a fan of.”

Still, though she at first viewed Norwegian tacos as “an abomination,” she concludes her video by admitting that now she finds herself craving them.

Tacos might be dinner time favorites around the globe now, and the culinary concept itself has probably been around for millennia, but the name “taco” isn’t as immemorial as one might think.

History professor, author and taco connoisseur Jeffrey M. Pilcher, writer “Planet Taco: A Global History of Mexican Food,” explained that the word “taco” referred to charges made of small, round pieces of paper wrapped around gunpowder that miners would use to excavate silver in the 18th century.

Later in the 19th century, one of the first types of tacos ever described in any found archive were called tacos de minero, or “miner’s tacos,” suggesting that the food was named after these detonation tools. Similarly, taquitos resemble a stick of dynamite, further adding to this theory.

And while authentic Mexican tacos have their own characteristics, the general consensus seems to be to work with what ingredients are available, hence why Mexican-Americans began to incorporate yellow cheese, bell peppers and hamburger meat. And why Norwegians can celebrate Fridays with giant taco-burrito-hybrids. With tacos, the possibilities are endless. That’s what makes them a perfect food everywhere.

With the release of Drake’s long-awaited album For All The Dogs, he helped his friend and infrequent collaborator J. Cole reach a new career milestone. Their song from the album, “First Person Shooter,” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart earlier this month, giving Drake a history-making 13 chart-topping hits.

However, it may surprise some longtime listeners of the two blog rap icons that it’s only J. Cole’s first No. 1 on the Hot 100. Despite entering the public consciousness around the same time as Drake, J. Cole had yet to reach the pinnacle of the hot singles chart. The closest he’d ever come to date was No. 2, twice: once in 2021 with his The Off Season single “My Life” featuring Morray, and again earlier this year as a feature on Lil Durk’s “All My Life.” Prior to those peaks, his Revenge Of The Dreamers III single “Middle Child” topped out at No. 4.

Meanwhile, Cole has fared better on the hip-hop-centric charts. All of the above-mentioned songs reached No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, with the exception of “Middle Child,” which peaked at No. 2.

Regardless of how long it took Cole to reach this high watermark, it’s an accomplishment that no one can take away — and that may make it easier to return, if prior chart histories of acts like Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Cardi B, and Doja Cat are anything to judge by. He should be getting the chance to do so soon; he’s been teasing his album The Fall-Off for some time, and many fans believe it’s due sometime next year.