Kid Ink's new single “Body Language” featuring Usher and Tinashe just entered mainstream rotation, so give it a listen and learn the five things you should know about the rapper and his collaboration with the R&B superstar, and a rising talent.
1. Kid Ink released his album “My Own Lane” — his second album and his first full-length for RCA — in January this year, and it was propelled by it's R&B/Hip-hop radio single “Show Me” featuring Chris Brown and produced by DJ Mustard. Another big one off that set: “Main Chick” featuring and produced by — you guessed it — Chris Brown and DJ Mustard, respectively.
2. “Body Language” is the first single off of Kid Ink's as-yet-untitled third album, due in the first half of 2015. It's produced by Stargate and Cashmere Cat. Kid Ink also showed up on another growing smash recently, on Steve Aoki's dance jam “Delirious (Boneless)” (we interviewed Aoki here.)
3. The video for the song has been shot and will be out later this month: it was directed by Darren Craig (Rihanna, Kesha) in Atlanta, and features all three artists: Usher, Tinashe and Kid Ink.
4. Usher — who just turned 36 this week, happy birthday! — had originally planned a new album release “UR” this year but now it looks like nothing will drop until 2015. He's been busy as a guest on “The Voice” and is launching the UR Experience tour on Nov. 1 with August Alsina.
5. Tinashe is rising in her own right: her track “2 On” featuring Schoolboy Q (below) was a summer smash and her “Aquarius” album just debuted in the top 20 on the Billboard 200.