It’s been nearly two years since Miley Cyrus released the free album Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz on Soundcloud and three and a half years since her last major release Bangerz in 2013, and now it appears Miley is set to make her grand return. With a new single “Malibu” waiting to be unleashed next week, Miley opened up to Billboard for the cover story of their May 13 issue and her revealing interview may open some eyes, but it’s likely to cause some to roll as well.
Miley discussed her engagement with Liam Hemsworth, her reaction to Donald Trump, her quitting weed cold turkey, and her new “political album.” Miley seems enlightened, and every bit the 24-year-old woman growing into herself that she is, as her opinions are wide ranging and the political climate of the country clearly weighs on her.
It’s her discussion of hip-hop, however, that’s sure to make some eyes roll as Miley declares herself “out of the hip-hop scene,” though she admits she’s enjoying Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble.”
“But I also love that new Kendrick [Lamar] song [“Humble”]: “Show me somethin’ natural like ass with some stretch marks.” I love that because it’s not “Come sit on my d*ck, suck on my c*ck.” I can’t listen to that anymore. That’s what pushed me out of the hip-hop scene a little. It was too much “Lamborghini, got my Rolex, got a girl on my c*ck” — I am so not that.
I was torn on whether I was going to work with certain producers that I really like. But I feel if we’re not on the same page politically.”
Now, it should be mentioned that Miley is right: boastful jackassery and materialism is rampant in hip-hop. What will rankle some is that she has seemed to dip into the hip-hop world as it suits her in the past, especially on Bangerz when hip-hop producer Mike Will Made-It produced seven of the album’s 13 tracks. Miley has also been accused of exploiting black culture with her choice of all black dancers for her videos and tour. Miley tackled those allegations head on as well:
It’s mind-boggling to me that there was even a controversy around me having black dancers. That became a thing, where people said I was taking advantage of black culture, and with Mike [WiLL Made-It] — what the f**k? That wasn’t true. Those were the dancers I liked!
Check out the entire interview at Billboard, where Miley discusses her new album, transphobia, her Happy Hippie youth-activism nonprofit and much more.
