Tekashi 6ix9ine and Akon teased a new collaborative single on Sunday (June 7) called “Locked Up 2,” which is intended to be a sequel to the 2004 original. Unsurprisingly, even the mere idea the song got promptly got roasted on Twitter.
Styles P, who contributed to the OG remix, also weighed in and insinuated he wasn’t cool with snitching but doesn’t hold people to the same standard.
“My job is 2 remind you 2 boost the immune system n not get distracted by minor things,” he wrote. “i will always consider Akon a brother but we have not spoke or seen each other In years. I don’t know 6’9, meaning all 3 our paths are different. I live by my code n don’t hold others 2 my code.”
My job is 2 remind you 2 boost the immune system n not get distracted by minor things i will always consider Akon a brother but we have not spoke or seen each other In years I don’t know 6’9 meaning all 3 our paths are different.I live by my code n don’t hold others 2 my code
— phantom. (@therealstylesp) June 7, 2020
In a follow-up tweet, the LOX MC reminded Twitter there are more important issues at hand.
“To make this even simpler 4 u wondering how I feel about the song — I honestly don’t give a fux,” he added. “the fact that this is even a topic 2 discuss with all the racial tension n plandemic/ pandemic makes me want to focus in harder on reminding y’all 2 stay golden n boost the immune!”
To make this even simpler 4 u wondering how I feel about the song.I honestly don’t give a fux the fact that this is even a topic 2 discuss with all the racial tension n plandemic/ pandemic makes me want to focus in harder on reminding y’all 2 stay golden n boost the immune!
— phantom. (@therealstylesp) June 7, 2020
“Locked Up” arrived on April 13, 2004 and peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. More recently, Akon founded the Akonik Label Group and is pumping out albums in a variety genres, including Afrobeat, Caribbean and Latin. Akon discussed the imprint during an interview with implurnt last September.
“It actually started back in 2010,” he said. “I had a concept to release four different albums, four different genres. Unfortunately, when I was at Universal, I think the platform just wasn’t mature enough to see that kind idea. They just felt like it was too much music at one time, too much going on, too many different genres. How do we categorize it? Where do we start playing it on the radio? — things that nature.
“There were just too many questions that they couldn’t answer. My thing was, ‘Just put it out and it will find its own audience.’ That’s how simple it was to me, but to them it was a lot more complicated so we weren’t able to accomplish that.
Tekashi 6ix9ine Mocks Meek Mill & YG While Akon Gets Butchered On Twitter For ‘Locked Up’ Remix
The Senegalese artist ultimately figured out a way around that.
“As time went on, I noticed that the platforms digitally started maturing a lot more, and it started maturing more for the benefit music and distribution,” he continued. “Then it went from a terrestrial radio industry to now streaming and making playlists.
“That’s when I thought it was now set up for the digital platforms and they have completely matured to release a record like this. Because if it’s four different genres, I don’t have to worry about four different genre style radio stations that’s gonna pick and choose what they’re going to play.”
Earlier this year, Akon predicted 6ix9ine was going to have the hottest record the year — and he wasn’t entirely wrong.
The “GOOBA” video was released last month and broke a YouTube record for the most views in a 24-hour period. It currently sits at over 305 million views.