Blood Orange’s recently released Cupid Deluxe LP boasts an impressive guest list and multiple contributions from Samantha Urbani, Friends vocalist and real-life girlfriend to the man born Devonté Hynes. Now, he teams with his boo once again, jumping onto a remix of Friends’ summer single “The Way,” which Blood Orange helped record. As heard below, the new “Way” finds the power-ballad guitar toned down, but the funk licks and misty synths intact. Hynes’ added vocals amplify the original’s sultry atmosphere, making the dreamy duet a worthy companion to the duo’s union on Cupid Deluxe highlight “You’re Not Good Enough.”
While Hynes’ relationship with Urbani bears fruit, his connection to former collaborator Solange sours. The two outré-R&B stars got into a heated exchange on Twitter on November 25, after Hynes accused his “Losing You” partner of talking about him behind his back. According to the 405, Hynes’ deleted tweets read, “If you wanna take shots at me text me call me talk to me in person but don’t ever drop a subliminal, talk behind my back, or send a flunky. I have beef with no one. I won’t even mention your name again. Any of you. I’ve said my bit. I’ve reached out. I’ve praised you… But now it’s done. It’s over. We’re done. Bye.”
Solange responded with her own stream of tweets (via Fader): “When you do tumblr post, speak about things in interviews, tweet, issues then belong to the public. I have been minding my biz. I have only ever praised you and spoken about you positively, even when our perspectives were totally different. I still support your artistry & am extremely happy for your success. I just wished you were honest about the making of my album. That’s all I’m going to say on this. You know more than anyone niggas love drama. Also u know very well I have reached out. Bless. Ps: Your phone has been going straight to VM for long time.”
Hynes famously produced and co-wrote Solange’s True EP, and his name was conspicuously absent when Knowles launched her Saint Records label. Though seemingly unrelated, he had words for her brother-in-law Jay Z as well, regarding the Magna Carta MC’s collaboration with Barneys New York.
Also on Monday, Hynes wrote that, like many others, he’d hoped Hova would’ve called off the project after the retailer’s racial profiling scandal. “The biggest ‘Fuck You’ in history could have been Jay-Z saying NO to Barneys,” Hynes wrote on Twitter. “I’m a big fan [of Jay Z], of course, who isn’t? But just looking at it from the perspective of someone that has had racial abuse in my life. It’s cool that all proceeds are going to charity, that’s great! But now Barneys, an already rich company that could be charitable anyway… get a cosign and an easy route to redeeming their name. None of the parties involved need more money. They NEED less.”
Those more interested in Hynes’ sweet-talking side should stream his remix of “The Way” below.
