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One of the most legendary figures in rap is ready to strike with a brand new album. A few weeks ago, we were lucky enough to receive a fresh body of work from Eminem but tonight, another GOAT contender readies his own entry into eventual Album of the Year conversations. Lil Wayne has been teasing the arrival of his upcoming album Funeral for years and in a number of hours, we’ll be hearing it in its entirety. Without much information about the project other than its cover artwork and a release date, Funeral’s content will be a surprise to most of us. He didn’t need to do this but, as if to hold us over for the next little bit, Lil Wayne just released a snippet for one of the album’s tracks, grabbing our attention and causing us to wait with even more impatience for tonight.

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“Bitch I’m a baller, dunk on whoever/I feel just like Russell Westbrook,” raps Weezy F repeatedly in the preview for “Wild Dogs.” “Bitch I’m a dog, I turn to a werewolf,” he continues. Without a tracklist in place, we don’t know whether or not this will be a solo record or if it contains a featured guest. Still, it sounds like an absolute smash.

Who’s excited for Funeral to hit streaming services tonight?

The mad carnival that is Big Sean, Kendrick Lamar and Jay Electronica’s “Control” continues to have ramifications to this day. Or maybe it doesn’t. Who really knows. Can we fairly attribute Kendrick’s notorious call-out, easily the song’s most iconic moment, as the fire that sparked beneath the collective asses of eleven honored emcees? And thus, is it fair to attribute their respective bodies of work, many of which are considered if not classic, damn fine efforts, to be a direct response to that fateful challenge?

Consider those who caught Kendrick’s eye that day. J. Cole. Wale. Krit. Tyler. Mac Miller. Drake. Jay Electronica. Sean. Meek. Rocky. Pusha T. Circa 2013, those eleven emcees served as the elite voices of an era. The ones that, by Kendrick’s own estimation, were both inspiring to his creativity and threatening to his reign. Rather than smothering them in the crib, he issued a warning and allowed them room to prepare a return volley. And prepare they did. Cole’s next album was 2014 Forest Hills Drive. Mac Miller’s was Faces. Jay Electronica came through with…Rocky had At. Long. Last. ASAP. Drake’s pulled a stylistic about-face and channeled his inner miscreant on Nothing Was The Same. Appropriately, following Kendrick’s verse, nothing really was the same. 

Can one verse really have so much power it alters the career trajectory of a fully grown man? Kendrick’s DAMN. proved his understanding of pride as a concept, a powerful if ultimately sinful motivator. It stands to reason that his own pride drove him to write the verse in the first place. Coming off the release of Good Kid, m.A.A.d City, critics and fans alike were singing his praises; with one major-label debut under his belt, many were already touting him as the best rapper alive. The only reason the “Control” name dropping had such an impact is the fact it came from Kendrick Lamar in the first place. For one, it dulled the sting of the blow, the most painful sting reserved for those who went unnamed. Second, it established him as a competitor, one who still enjoyed the pure sportsmanship of a streetside cipher. A quality that feels by and large absent from modern-day hip-hop, save for a few signs of life.

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That’s not a slight on today’s musical climate by any means. But muse on this — could a verse akin to Kendrick’s “Control” have the same effect if delivered in 2020? Specifically, a verse that mirrored the same process of name-dropping eleven elite emcees and challenging them to a duel for dominance. If so, two questions arise: who would deliver the verse, and more importantly, who would make up the eleven?

Unfortunately, it’s hard to imagine somebody dropping a “Control” style verse without coming off as a fiend for the clout. Shades were teased during Tory Lanez’s spirited verbal tilt with Joyner Lucas; perhaps, for the sake of this what-if, our challenge might come from one of them — though neither party having a Good Kid under their belt might serve to lessen the blow. J. Cole has previously teased that “nobody likes rapping with him” anymore, following a particularly elite spree of feature verses — might that confidence not be better suited as arrogance? He’d certainly turn heads if he chose to take such a road, but given his newfound position as Dreamville’s unofficial father-figure, it’s unlikely. In truth, I’m not concerned with who does the name-dropping, but rather which names are dropped. It’s 2020, and everyone listed in “Control” has ascended into O.G. status. Provided those named actually took up the challenge (in lieu of penning responses on social media) think of all the glorious music us fans would receive. Receive from… receive from….

Denzel Curry. He’d get named for sure. The Carol City artist has proven himself to be one of the game’s most confident lyricists. Not only can he bring high volumes of intensity to the mix, but he’s supremely talented when it comes to penning verses. Songs like “Speedboat” and “Sirens” reveal the depth of his cleverness, and the Flordia-centric Zuu prove he’s creative enough to explore more thematic bodies of work. Whoever would dare put the game on watch would be wise to bring Curry into the fold. If only to boost their own credibility by way of real recognize real. On that note, it feels appropriate to throw New York’s own, and Denzel’s former sparring partner, Joey Bada$$, into the mix. Strictly on the basis of lyricism, few can match the Badmon’s intensity; having spoken of competitive ciphers, who better to rep that energy than the man who helped revive Big Tigger’s Tha Basement, if only for one day. 

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images – Denzel Curry

Curiously enough, when older rappers reflect on their favorite “younger” artists, there are two names that come up with more frequency: Gunna and Lil Baby. Having earned co-signs from the likes of Nas and Westside Gunn, the melodic stylings of the Drip Harder duo have earned them the right to be deemed elite in today’s climate. Omitting them from a “Control” redux would feel particularly biased, and arguably salty given the impact they both continue to have. Speaking of the Baby moniker, DaBabywould be an easy contender. At once lyrical, charismatic, and competitive, DaBaby would likely benefit from having a fire lit under him, especially if it allowed his early-millennium influences to emerge. Newly-minted number-one spot holder Roddy Ricch, still benefiting from the house that eee-err built, feels destined for greatness. Perhaps it would be wise to name-drop him, if only to keep the young Compton star on his toes. As some of the game’s best current straight-up lyricists, the Griselda trifecta would have to be challenged — especially given the sweet three-for-one value. 

Would it be realistic to challenge Lil Uzi Vert? I suppose he’d be the stand-in for Jay Electronica in this context, elusive bastard that he is. When he does eventually drop, it’s entirely possible that Eternal Atake ushers in a whole plethora of new styles, making him one of the game’s chief influencers. It only makes sense to pay respects accordingly. On that note, it’s tempting to namedrop Playboi Carti in the same breath, though it’s unlikely he’d be moved by his own inclusion to begin with. Still…it would almost be worth it if only for the inevitable uproar it would cause. Likewise for more established artists like Future, Young Thug, or the Migos, who would likely balk at the prospect of healthy competition at this juncture of their career. Cardi Bmight have been an interesting contender, were the full extent of her pen game ever revealed. Still, her presence on a beat cannot be denied and sleeping on her popularity would be unwise. Megan Thee Stallion is another contender for inclusion, cutting a domineering cloth and capable of trading bars with every collaborator she’s liked with thus far. And bar for bar, it’s unwise to count out Young M.A, who recently killed it on her first collaboration with Eminem.  

In actuality, all of the eleven Kendrick originally named shared one defining attribute. All of them were lyrically proficient. A hypothesis might then suggest that Kendrick draws inspiration from strong lyricists, as would anyone penning a fictitious successor to “Control.” As some of the game’s best writers, it’s likely that Mick Jenkins, Rapsody, YBN Cordae,  Maxo Kream, and J.I.D would be positioned within the crosshairs. Hell, J.I.D. might be one of the only current rappers capable of penning a verse of “Control’s” game-changing pedigree to begin with. Consider how he was absolutely salivating at the prospect of trading competitive bars with Tory Lanez, only for those dreams to be swiftly quashed without so much as a punchline. Mick himself almost inadvertently set it off on 2018 single “Bruce Banner,” rapping “can’t nobody come for me except Kendrick, and I hope you’re offended.” If he were to commit a little bit further to the dubious art of provocation, who knows what matter of beast he might have unleashed. On the opposite end of the beast spectrum, loveable everyman Boogie might be worth a mention, though he’s a little too relaxed to muster up a convincing retort; when it comes to artistic vision, however, he’s arguably among the game’s most focused album sequencers. As for Vince Staples, he’d likely write off the whole process as corny — honored though he may be on the inside. 

It's not even February yet and 2020 has already brought new albums from Eminem and Lil Wayne (Funeral this Friday) into the mix. Perhaps it's the willingness to make an impression on the new decade and define some of the early sonic trends. Either way, fans have all the reason to believe that it's going to be a fruitful musical harvest. And judging from his latest tweet, Gunna is gearing up to do his part.

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Though keeping things relatively close to the chest, the beloved melodist has officially unveiled stage one of his master plan. Which is to say, release "something" in February. Though it's possible he'd be teasing a new single this far in advance, the more likely choice is that Gunna is gearing up to drop his Drip Or Drown 2 follow-up. He has been extra prolific lately, and it will be interesting to see what he's cooked up since his debut album hit last February. 

Are you looking forward to new music from Young Gunna? And what does this mean for Young Thug's Punk, another YSL project that's allegedly slated for a February release?

On Eminem’s Music To Be Murdered By track “Godzilla,”  he closes the track by spitting two-hundred-and-twenty-nine words in thirty seconds. Making short work of his own preexisting world record, Em’s dexterity raised the bar for speed rap to lofty technical heights. Given that he’s currently the fastest rapper in the world, it seems a fitting time to reflect on the evolution of double-time rap, otherwise known as chopping. 

In the early eighties, while rappers like Kool Moe Dee and JJ Fad pushed the boundaries of expected tempo with “New Rap Language” and “Supersonic” respectively, Rakim was evolving the art of flow to new heights. Though the legendary emcee attacked instrumentals with more fluidity than ever before, New York rapper Jaz-O, also known as The Originator, stands as a key pioneer behind the “triplet flow.” A student of music theory, Jaz explained that his dexterous approach was the product of necessity. “I had to stuff those words, those extra syllables in the sixteen so it would transform those syllables into twenty-fourths, which became a triplet of an eighth,” he explained. “That’s why I called it the triplet style.”

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That style was on full display on 1990 single “The Originator,” which featured his young protege Jay-Z long before Reasonable Doubt. In his opening bars Jaz is spitting straight up tongue-twisters: “My rhyming and singing technique is applaudable, living in luxury, and it’s affordable /  no other brother is better than me, the J, the A, the Z.” That’s twenty-six words and forty-one syllables in five seconds. A groundbreaking development, one Jaz picked up from studying blues and jazz. Even the Jigga Man gets in on the action, following the leader with the most dexterous and alliterative verse of his career; he even riffs the oft-memed “lyrical miracle” scheme.  

LISTEN: Jaz-O & Jay-Z – The Originator

Meanwhile in Chicago, a young emcee by the name of Tung Twista was on the verge of making history. On April 7th, 1992, Twista dropped his debut album Runnin’ Off At Da Mouth. The titular track ultimately earned him the Guinness World Record for fastest rap, a title he held for a decade. Over some breakbeat production from DJ Rhythm, Twista let fly syllables at an insane rate, notably quicker than The Originators and other aspiring double-time spitters. “Flowing the lyrical magic of mine I be mopping and sweeping, and breakin’ ’em up and then makin’ ’em break in a sweat,” he spits, after pledging to take a deep breath. “I be makin’ ’em jump and then sit up and lift the style, I be kicking and popping the rhythm I’m rocking and pumping.” Though the substance is somewhat surface-level, the sheer defiance of physiology is enough to astound even today. Unlike Jay-Z, who moved way from speed-rap, Twista embraced it as an integral component of his sound — even to this day. 

LISTEN: Twista – Runnin Off At Da Mouth

It’s impossible to discuss the art of chopping without mentioning Cleveland’s Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Arguably one of the most influential groups in hip-hop history, Bizzy, Krayzie, Layzie, Wish, & Flesh-N-Bone developed a new take on double-time flow, deting away from the breakbeat influences and implementing melodic elements. Their first recorded album Faces Of Death (1993) skewed closer to traditional hip-hop of the time, the double-time flows similar in approach to Jaz and Tung Twista. After linking up with Eazy E and signing to ruthless records, Bone Thugs brought a new style to Creepin On Ah Come Up. Alternating between singsong sections and machine-gun bursts, the group’s flow on breakout single “Thuggish Ruggish Bone” earned immediate acclaim. Though their fastest flows would come later on, with 1997’s Art Of War standing out as an absolute clinic, Bone endure among most commercially successful double-time spitters in the game. In hindsight, 1997 was one of the greatest years in speed-rap history, with Bone’s double album and Twista’s classic Adrenaline Rush hitting shelves. The similarities in style were enough to spark a beef over alleged biting, though it was quickly resolved before any escalation.

LISTEN: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Handle The Vibe

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While Jay-Z was revisiting his “Originators” origins on the Jaz-O assisted “N***a What, N***a Who,” Kansas City’s own Tech N9ne was in the process of building the Strange Music Empire. His first recorded album The Calm Before The Storm clearly drew influence from Bone Thugs’ gothic brand of G-Funk, and while Tech wasn’t speedy as a general rule, he was more than capable of kicking up the acceleration. As his style progressed, Tech began implementing more fast flows into his arsenal, with 2002 Anghellic: Reparation track “Breathe” solidifying his prowess. Absolute Power tracks like “The Industry Is Punks” showcased his ability once more, but Tech wasn’t always associated with chopping like Twista or Bone; that came later, when he sparked the movement on 2006’s “Welcome to the Midwest” and once more on the spiritual successor “Midwest Choppers.” By the time he arranged his piece-de-resistance in “Worldwide Choppers,” a song many consider to be a crowning achievement in double-time spitting, Tech had all but incorporated double-time into his recurring repertoire of flows. 

LISTEN: Tech N9ne – Breathe

Speaking of “Worldwide Choppers,” Busta Rhymes is another integral piece of the puzzle. It began with his scene-stealing introduction on A Tribe Called Quest’s “Scenario,” a classic that instantly slammed Bus-a-Bus into stardom. Though some current-day listeners may have become conditioned to the idea of Busta as a fast-rapper, his early music skewed closer to Ol Dirty Bastard than Twista. Flirting with quick-tempos as his career progressed, Busta’s emergence as not only a speed-rapper but potentially the speed-rapper was the Dr. Dre-produced “Break Ya Neck.” One of the greatest singles of the early millennium, “Break Ya Neck” received such acclaim that Busta doubled down on the chopping. For a while, his verse on Chris Brown’s “Look At Me Now” became the pinnacle of modern-day speedom, a Titianesque display of virtuosity. From that point, Busta often brought that high-octane intensity to every guest verse he blessed, the point where many forget he was once the “Dungeon Dragon.” It wouldn’t be surprising for many younger emcees eager to try their hand at chopping to name Busta Rhymes as one of their primary influences. 

LISTEN: Busta Rhymes – Break Ya Neck

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It’s impossible to shine a light on everyone. Since its creation in 1973, hip-hop has brought many slept-on fast rappers into the mix. Ruff Ryders rapper Drag-On set fires on the Swizz-Beatz produced “Down Bottom.” Independent QN5 leader Tonedeff set his sights on the syllable record on Extended Famm’s “Velocity.” Twisted Insane brought chopping and horrorcore together to diabolical results. Given the scope of the competition, it’s almost surreal that Eminem has officially claimed the title as the fastest rapper in the world — again. Especially given his double-time style came, like Busta Rhymes, relatively late in his career. Arguably sparking on “Forever,” Em’s fascination with chopping served as a means of asserting his technical dominance. “Rap God” and Tech N9ne collaboration “Speedom” found him pushing the boundaries even further, with the former’s “supersonic” section securing him the Guinness World Record for speed. Forever in competition with himself, Slim shattered his own record on “Godzilla,” delivering the fastest piece of recorded music ever put on wax. Clocking in at 7.6 words and 11.3 syllables per second, the dazzling conclusion marks the final evolutionary stage of “Chopper Em,” the product of all those pioneers who paved the way. 

LISTEN: Eminem ft Juice WRLD – Godzilla

The great 21st-century theologian and visionary, Tyler the Creator, once said:“Fuck what they want, give them what YOU want.”Tyler was explaining hisavant-garde approach to creativity with Funk Flex during a Hot 107 interview last year.  

The 28-year old do-it-all artist is a spearheading renaissance man of rap’s newest periodization – a bridge between, what some consider, this genre’s middle ages to stylistically modernized and diversified MCs of the now. A polymath of sorts or a person whose expertise spans a significant number of various subject areas, Tyler thrives on going against the grain. Defying convention at all costs. Not only is he one of the most creative, but he’s also one of the most versatile. The success of his latest album, IGOR, is proof of that fact. The project soared to the top of the charts. It was the first time ever an artist has self-produced and self-arranged an album that flew to no. 1. It just won a Grammy. In addition to his musical success, Tyler has two successful clothing lines and has had his own television show.  

The original renaissance era during Europe’s 15th and 16th centuries are best known for progressions in artistic development. Michelangelo,  Leonardo Da Vinci: these men inspired the term “renaissance man.” For the 21st century, Tyler represents a peculiar artistic revival. Innovatively flowering an alternative hip-hop movement. Pushing the boundaries of normality for a millennial generation. Just as was the case during the original period of renaissance, we’re experiencing social and political upheaval. Even though he’s become known most widely for his controversial statements about homosexuality and atheism, awkward get-ups and just general weirdness – if you look closely enough, Tyler’s art has given commentary on society as few have. Projecting a fun-house mirror on hip-hop culture’s perception of “normal.” Artists willing to push these boundaries are usually the same ones we eventually be remember as revolutionary. Prince. George Clinton. KISS. Kanye West.   

If you don’t believe me, take the word of some hip-hop greats. During the filming of a documentary for Cherry Bomb, Tyler’s fourth studio album, titled Death Camp – West said this about The Creator: “Thank you for putting that battery in my back. That’s one of your jobs in hip-hop. I don’t think there would’ve been a Yeezus if it wasn’t for you.” He later ended the statement by saying, “It’s certain niggas that push you different.” During the same filming, Wayne said, “Tyler changed the game. Maybe, I probably had a line that I knew I wouldn’t say because people would think it was too gross to put into rap or it didn’t go with the whole vibe of the song but I’ll think about something and say Tyler will say this shit.”

According to the rapper, since day one, he’s produced every song for all his albums except track no. 5 on Goblin.Tyler told Funk Flex “All the art. All the videos. All the clothes. I’m on photoshop, sending the labels, my … Here this is the cover. I’m at every edit for every video. I’m at coloring. I do everything.”  And Tyler doesn’t just do everything, he does everything extremely well.As Lil Wayne went on to explain: “He’s a perfectionist. So he’s one of those guys that knows exactly what he wants from you. He might fuck around a write your verse for you.” 

While appearing on the Larry King Show, Tyler said he wanted to one day do films and have his name mentioned with Quentin Tarantino and Wes Anderson. Lofty aspirations for the 28-year old, but well within his ability. Later Tyler would say “I don’t want my name mentioned next to other rappers.” After King questioned if Tyler was annoyed when being referred to as just a rapper, he said “I’m so much more than that, I just like making stuff. Rhyming words together in a rhythm is just one of those things.”

Rap may have propelled him into stardom but to use his words, he’s so much more than just another rapper. He produces, directs, designs and acts among other things. He’s the rare combination of natural gifts, high functionality, and an inventive mind. On the Odd Future song, “Rella,” Tyler rapped some words that give you a peek at his revolutionary mindset. Highlighting his loyalty to the subsets of society often forgotten by popular music. 

This is for the n***ers in the suburbs

And the white kids with n***a friends who say the n-word

And the ones that got called weird, fag, bitch, nerd

‘Cause you was into jazz, kitty cats and Steven Spielberg

They say we ain’t actin’ right

Always try to turn our fuckin’ color into black and white

But they’ll never change ’em, never understand ’em

Radical’s my anthem, turn my fuckin’ amps up

So instead of critiquing and bitchin’, bein’ mad as fuck

Just admit, not only are we talented, we’re rad as fuck, bitches

Stage 1 – Darkly Transgressive

Bastard, Goblin, Wolf (2009-2013)

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The early stages of Tyler’s career were salted by darkly transgressive imagery and lyrical content. Occult. Horrorcore. Music that pushed themes of violence and sexuality beyond the parameters of realism (which art often must do to make a broader point) Through these sometimes disturbing means of creativity, he built a ravenous fan base who embraced him for his alternative views and musical artistry. Tyler did this along with Odd Future, a group of friends and creative minds who were influential to the culture. Together, their words fell both gruesome and unsettling to some but seductive to others. Eminem’s influence is profoundly evident through his early catalog. Songs that define this phase are both “Yonkers” along with “Goblin.”

Stage 2 – Socially Conscious

Cherry Bomb (2014-2016)

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Five years into his career Tyler renders sublime verbal offerings of social critique on Cherry Bomb. Here we saw him attacking several issues ranging from race to rap consumerism and gang culture. Tyler also began taking his already impressive production to the next level, expansions included working with Hanz Zimmer on elements for the track “2Seater” and overseeing a live orchestra for the first time in his musical arrangements. Defining this stage of his career is firstly the single “Smuckers” featuring both Lil Wayne and Kanye West. When queried about the work, Tyler said, “10 years down the line, n***as is gone be like ‘Smuckers’ is legendary. That one’s for the books for sure.”The project showed a great deal of range – going from the cloudy, melodic sound of “Find Your Wings” which featured a smooth jazz feel to the abrasion and drill-bit sound of the title track “Cherry Bomb.”

Stage 3 – Introspective 

Flower Boy (2016-2019)

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Now, seemingly much deeper in touch with his artistic self with years under his belt, Tyler got personal on Flower Boy. The outpouring of what sounded like genuine feelings was not quite like anything in his catalog up that point. He told KultureHub“For Cherry Bomb, I purposely was like, I don’t want to get personal at all. Like, I’m just going to make songs. And in this one, I was like alright, let me write down every feeling.” The song, “See You Again” is a great example of this. When discussing the lack of rap on the album, Tyler told HipHopDX that he wanted to keep verses short and to the point so that he could give guest artists and instrumentation more of a focal point. As the time ticks on Tyler’s career, we find a trend of him letting his voice take a back seat to the arrangements and composition. He has begun more and more to speak through the instruments instead of the microphone.

Stage 4 – Symphonic

IGOR (2019-Present)

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The vocals. The transitions. The bridges. The samples. IGOR is an unpredictable, nearly flawless architecture of sonic mastery. An eloquent expression of alternative music from the perspective of hip hop – an urban symphony of sorts. IGORis the culmination of Tyler’s augmentation as an artist. Way back in 2014 the creative said he no longer wanted to rap and that he really wanted to sing and compose music. Moving forward it looks like Tyler is primarily focused on musicality rather than proving his stripes any further as an MC. Rap, the traditional sense, is probably drifting farther and farther in his rearview. 

When he’s in the mood, Tyler the Creator can be one of the best MCs on earth. His penmanship coupled with the ambidexterity in his flow set him apart – shown in his verse on “Potato Salad” which also featured ASAP Rocky. It’s not a question of talent or creative bandwidth – he’s so skillful, the only boundaries are the ones he sets for himself. The ceiling for him is limitless, not just in music but anything he pursues beyond. Whichever way chooses to go, one thing you can count on is that Tyler will continue to do things his way, going against the status quo and uniformity in the face of all his critics. This sentiment is expressed in a verse from his popular song “Yonkers.”

Cause I’m not one 

When it come to a vision, they ain’t got one

Rolling Stone never gave me a cover, so…

Um… (god) So I shot one! 

I ain’t do college, I said fuck them lessons 

I ain’t join no gang, I said fuck them weapons 

Grabbed the keyboard, Clancy crossed my path 

Cashed my first check and said Fuck depression, n***a!

Tyler’s way is working well. His album IGOR was nominated and ultimately won a Grammy award crowning it the best rap album of the year (EVEN THOUGH IT BELONGS IN THE ALBUM OF THE YEAR CATEGORY). This is his second consecutive album to receive such recognition. But these things aren’t likely to feed Tyler’s insatiable hunger.  

As Tyler told Funk Flex, it is the passion that drives him, not the fame or accolades.“For me. What I want, I can’t grasp it. I want to make good stuff and art that gets me off. And I want to show my friends and their like aww man this is sick. You can’t grab that. And that void is never going to be filled. So, I’ll still be doing this when I’m fucking eighty.”

Mariah Carey is the queen of many things, one of them being social media. Therefore, she had to participate in the latest viral trend - "The Dolly Parton Challenge." The challenge entails posting four photos of yourself that capture the varying online personas you project on social networking platforms. Carey (or her marketing team) realized that her romantic relationships over the years could be spun into a funny collage for this occasion. 

A photo of Carey with her former husband, Tommy Mottola, was chosen for the LinkedIn box. Considering Mottola is a big-shot music executive, he could be seen as accurately reflecting the corporate culture of LinkedIn. Good choice, Mariah. Facebook is the more wholesome platform of the bunch, so Carey decided on a photo of herself, other ex-husband Nick Cannon and their twins. Instagram is an app you use to show a more playful side of yourself, while also proving to others that you have your life together. For this reason, Mariah's IG snapshot is a cute picture of her and her current 36-year-old boyfriend, Bryan Tanaka. Last but not least, we have Tinder, which is obviously reserved for the most untamed photo of yourself you could find. Mariah selected a flirty throwback that shows off her toned physique in a leopard-print bikini.

His posthumously released collaboration with Eminem has helped the late Juice WRLD climb the charts once again. Music To Be Murdered By‘s “Godzilla” reached the No. 1 spot in U.K. charts, making it the first for the late rapper. Last week, it was shared by Juice’s family and team that there were plans in place to continue his legacy by sharing his unreleased music with the world in the coming months.

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“From the bottom of our hearts we want to thank each and every one of you for your undivided adoration and love for Juice,” they stated. “You guys meant the entire world to Juice and by listening to his music, watching his videos and sharing your stories about him, you are keeping his memory alive forever. We plan to honor Juice’s talents, his spirit, and the love he felt for his fans by sharing unreleased music and other projects that he was passionately in the process of developing. There will be a public tribute in Chicago, details will be shared soon.”

TMZ reports that last week 26 of Juice WRLD’s tracks were leaked online but were swiftly removed. The outlet also shares that while the artist was diligent about keeping his music safely stored and hidden, there were times when he would download to hard drives at the studio. It’s reported that Juice was constantly writing new music and that he has approximately 2,000 unreleased tracks. Recent posthumous albums have arrived from XXXTentacion and Mac Miller, so Juice WRLD’s team is planning to follow suit. What that project looks like, exactly, is still speculative.

XXXTentacion’s Bad Vibes Forever included a number of features including Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Trippie Redd, and Joyner Lucas. However, Mac Miller stood alone on Circles. It will be interesting to see what Juice WRLD’s team comes up with in the end.

If there’s one newcomer that’s positioned for longevity, it’s Roddy Ricch. Since the release of Feed The Streets II, Roddy Ricch has made a strong case as to why he’s the next up. The release of Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial only solidified that with the single, “The Box” becoming his biggest song to date.

After shooting to the top of the charts two weeks ago, the rapper has now secured the #1 spot with “The Box” on the Billboard Hot 100 for a third week in a row. The song garnered 75M US streams, according to Billboard, in the week ending on Jan. 23rd. The rapper has yet to unleash a music video for the song, although reports claim that the visuals for the single have been completed.

The strength of “The Box” is clearly enough to block out three of the biggest rappers from hitting the top spot on the chart. Future and Drake‘s “Life Is Good” maintains the #2 spot for a second week in a row. Meanwhile, Eminem and Juice WRLD’S “Godzilla” debuted at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Godzilla” previously topped the UK charts.

In related news, Roddy Ricch recently earned himself his first Grammy for Nipsey Hussle‘s “Racks In The Middle” alongside Hit-Boy. Additionally, he touched the stage with Meek Mill to perform their then-unreleased single, “Letter To Nipsey.”

The entirety of hip-hop is pretty much obsessed with Zodiac signs. We can go as far as back as OutKast’s 1998 album Aquemini, the title for which combined Big Boi’s astrological sign with that of Andre 3000’s. Nicki throws out Sag vibes on her 2018 single “Barbie Tingz” with the line, “Sagittarius so you know I’m an optimist.” Last week Newlyweds Safaree and Erica Mena had an insightful 20 minute astrology reading that went in depth about their personalities and past relationships.

Drake loves to highlight the fact that he’s a Scorpio even naming a summer 2018 double album Scorpion after one of the symbols of the sign, beyond the October’s Very Own collective alluding to it. Beyoncé has also weighed in on her zodiac sign; Virgo. In an interview with Dazed & Confused she said “she’s a Virgo to a tee..a control freak…and pays attention to details.” In fact, on her 2003 album Dangerously in Love, she had two songs about astrology: “Gifts from a Virgo” and “Signs.”

The examples are endless, so we decided to make it easy and round up the rappers that reflect the best and not-so-best characteristics of their sign.  

Aquarius: Gucci Mane 

Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Progressive, original, emotional, uncompromising

Gucci Mane is the OG Aquarius. His progressive side has been showing throughout his 10+ year career. When Guwop debuted in 2005 with his mixtape Trap House, he definitely set the Atlanta streets and later, the nation on fire. Gucci was one of the early pioneers of trap music, helping catapult it into the genre it is today, and co-signing some of Atlanta’s biggest stars to follow, including Young Thug and Migos before his 3-year incarceration in 2014. Today 1017 is an Alamo imprint, he’s married the love of his life Keyshia Ka’oir in a lavish wedding in 2017, and he signed rising star Asian Doll as the first female signee in 2018; although she left the label this year. Like a true Aquarius he’s also original and unique, tattooing an Ice Cream Cone on his face and making the ad lib Brrr a trademark of his music. While some veteran rappers have a lot to say about the direction trap music has taken, Gucci’s remained a supporter of the new generation signing acts like Hoodrich Pablo Juan and Lil’ Wop as well. He’s made his mark as a CEO, actor in Harmony Korine’s 2012 hit Springbreakers and continues to be an artist loved by all.  

Aquariuses

Megan thee Stallion

Logic

J. Cole

Kevin Gates

Lil Mosey

Dr. Dre 

Pisces: Tyler the Creator

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Compassionate, artistic, gentle, sad, musical

Tyler the Creator really made waves this year with the release of his acclaimed album IGOR which was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 2020 Grammys. Tyler is a multi-disciplinary artist at this point with his fashion designs, Camp Flognaw, elaborate stage sets and costumes. He’s transcended just being a recording artist and moved into performance art with his lush videos as well as aesthetic. The emotion in his latest album IGOR, which describes a love triangle between him, a guy he’s seeing and the guy’s girlfriend are relatable while remaining very Pisces-like. 

Pisces

Lil Bow Wow

Lil Dicky

Molly Brazy

YG 

Earl Sweatshirt

Aries: Quavo

Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Confident, enthusiastic, impatient

April 21, 1991 Quavious “Quavo” Marshall was born and he’s kept exhibiting Aries’ traits ever sense. Part of rap trio, Migos, they’re some of Atlanta’s most successful exports with 2 Grammy nominations in addition to having the most simultaneous hits on the Billboard Charts. He’s confident enough to land a baddie like Saweetie, enthusiastic with the ad-libs, and all these traits can come together to create the perfect storm if anyone is not taking him or his music seriously as was demonstrated the Joe Budden beef. 

Aries

Lil Nas X

Big Sean

Chance the Rapper

Young MA

Ty Dolla Sign

Juicy J

Taurus: Travis Scott

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Patient, reliable, devoted, responsible, uncompromising, hard working

Travis Scott’s sound has gone from Platinum Verb to Space Designer right before our eyes and introduced us to Astroworld; an album + festival bigger than music in the past two years. In his first mainstream breakthrough, Days Before Rodeo which was released in 2014, Scott talks about moving to LA and living in an apartment with a bunch of other guys just to get a shot at this music thing. Well it worked out for him in a major way, and now he has Stormi, his adorable daughter, Kylie Jenner as a baby moms, plus much more career success on the way. 

Tauruses

YNW Melly

6ix9ine

Meek Mill

Lizzo

Smokepurpp

Gemini: Kanye West

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Curious, adaptable, ability to learn quick, intelligent, impulsive

Who could be more of a Gemini than ‘Ye? He has never waited for any one to help him achieve any of his numerous dreams, from being a designer, to starting his own church (of sorts). Kanye is clearly an intelligent guy, despite any impulsiveness that may find him interjecting in a harsh manner  (think: VMAs) or popping up with some controversial opinions. 

Geminis

Tupac

Trippie Redd

Kendrick Lamar

Takeoff

Cancer: 50 Cent

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Highly imaginative, emotional, moody, persuasive

Honestly, 50 Cent being a Cancer makes the most sense. He burst onto the scene with Get Rich or Die Tryin’ in 2003. After a long career as a musician, he turned into an entrepreneur and co-producer of hit show Power in addition to keeping us laughing online all the time with his memorable/petty IG beefs. He definitely seems to have his moods. Whether or not you agree with his methods, the man is truly an entertainer and keeps reinventing while simultaneously reimagining ways to stay on top.  

Additional rap Cancers:

Post Malone

Lil Kim

Saweetie

Rich the Kid

Leo: Lil Uzi Vert 

 Steven Ferdman/Getty Images

Creative, passionate, warm-hearted, cheerful, humorous

Lil Uzi is the most Leo Leo there is. Leos love the spotlight and are natural entertainers. Uzi has displayed a natural stage presence full of energy and endless creativity. He’s also a viral trendsetter with the latest hype surrounding his single and dance, “Futsal Shuffle 2020.” His first mixtape Luv is Rage (2015), threw a wrench into the mainstream sound and garnered positive reviews from both the underground and commercial worlds. It also showed his loyalty, including his then-girlfriend Brittany on the album art. His success didn’t stop there and he continued to flaunt his boisterous yet charismatic flow on hits like “Bad & Boujee” as well as his top 10 single “XO Llif3 Tour.” A lot is still in store for Uzi as his fans await the release of his second studio album Eternal Atake.

Leos:

Soulja Boy

Chief Keef

Young Thug

Lil Pump

Lil B

Sagittarius: Jay-Z 

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Straight-forward, optimistic, restless, progressive and adventurous

For Sagittarius, Hov is representing the sign well. According to Jay-Z’s mom, Shawn Carter was born December 4th weighing in at 10 pounds 8 ounces and was the only one who didn’t give her any pain during birth. During his life, he’s shown off his progressive Sag trait by becoming one of the greatest rappers of all time as well as a songwriter, entrepreneur and more. His accomplishments are far too numerous to even begin to list here, but the optimism and restlessness of his sign have led him into a power coupledom with Beyoncé, ownership of Tidal, ownership of Armand de Brignac, as well as huge success with his management agency Roc Nation. From the beginning with his debut 1996 album Reasonable Doubt, he’s had the music industry on lock. 

Sagittariuses

Nicki Minaj

Juice Wrld

Offset

A Boogie wit Da Hoodie

Asian Doll

Scorpio: Drake 

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Secretive, passionate, calculating, brooding, ambitious, sexual

Drizzy Drake will be a Scorpio legend for a long time with over a decade of steady hits. He’s managed to become the voice of at least two generations from his time acting on Degrassi as a teenager, to his transition to rap in the late 2000s/2010s. Not only has Drake put Canada on the map and opened the door for the talent coming out of Toronto like The Weeknd, PartyNextDoor, Nav, Rochelle Jordan, Majiid Jordan etc. he’s taken the country across the world on multiple excessive tours. His Scorpio nature is all over his songs from the moody production, to the trust issues displayed in his lyrics.

Scorpios:

Tyga

Future

NLE Choppa

Lil  Peep

Lil Boosie

Virgo: Beyoncé 

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Loyal, analytical, kind, hardworking, practical, shy

We had to veer from the rapper-led course because Queen Bey has proved to us that she can flow with the best of them on tracks like “APESHIT,” from her 2018 collaborative album Everything is Love. A true performer in every sense, Beyoncé is also a hardworking and a perfectionist just like a Virgo. Her stage sets are legendary and her dance skills have been popping since she was little in one of her first groups Girls Tyme. Her Virgo loyalty is on full display with longtime bae Jay-Z (they’ve been dating publicly since 2004 and married since 2008). Just like Jay, she has too many accomplishments to list including headlining an unforgettable Coachella two weeks in a row after giving birth to twins and making a documentary about it in 2018. Her release Lemonade, an hour long video album and special that debuted at #1 on Billboard in 2016 with no promo was also a milestone. All in all, Beyoncé is Queen of the Virgos and we’re here to pay homage. 

Virgos:

Lil Yachty

Wiz Khalifa

Eazy-E

Playboi Carti

Nas

Libra: 21 Savage

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Diplomatic, artistic, intelligent, fair, understanding

21 Savage was rapping for approximately 1 year before the release of his 2015 breakthrough, Slaughtertape. Savage Mode with Metro Boomin’ was the primary put on, but he’s kept the balance like a true Libra ever since. Libras are known for their intelligence and 21 is no different. After a few years in the spotlight, he stopped buying jewelry to “save money… and increase his own wealth.” As far as diplomacy goes, 21 is a great example. Any minor beef that has arisen he actively takes steps to diffuse, like with Layzie Bone. He reached out and apologized before it went to far. In love, like a true Libra, he likes to spoil and be spoiled. His long and well-documented affair with Amber Rose was full of gifts including matching iced out watches. Clearly this was before the jewelry fast. Love can make you do crazy things. Currently, 21 is back in the US after an ordeal with immigration and made the Forbes 30 under 30 list in December. 2020 seems to have a lot in store for him. 

Additional rap Libras:

Lil’ Wayne

Cardi B

Eminem

NBA Youngboy

Snoop Dogg

Capricorn: DaBaby 

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Ambitious, persistent, sensitive, practical, disciplined, DIY

DaBaby has had enough of a year to be the Capricorn Rap Representative. He went viral when he brought the Jabbawockees back, has been touring persistently and talks openly about how he engineered his come-up with DIY marketing methods like wearing a diaper at SXSW and using a street team. Capricorns don’t put their sensitivity on display but after a well-received interview came out with his baby mama where she had only great things to say about his role as a father, we know he’s got a soft side like any true Cap.

Capricorns:

Mac Miller

Miss Mulatto

Polo G

Joey Badass

Blueface

If you're planning a trip to Europe this summer, you may want to consider booking around these dates. From July 10-12, one of the world's hottest hip-hop centric music festivals will be taking place in The Netherlands. On an annual basis, the organizers of WOO HAH! Festival manage to grab most of the hottest artists in the genre, promising a show for the ages every year. Already, the line-up was looking pretty ace for the 2020 edition with Kendrick Lamar, EARTHGANG, Ski Mask the Slump God, and more announced in the first wave. The next batch of performers has just been revealed and, oh boy, attendees are in for a good show.

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If you're a hip-hop fan in The Netherlands, or if you've been meaning to plan a trip out to Amsterdam with a weekend layover elsewhere in the country, you will want to check out the details for WOO HAH! Festival this year. While it's not quite as world-renowned as Rolling Loud, WOO HAH! consistently brings some of the top rap acts to the stage with the last few years impressing festivalgoers massively. This week, more names were added to the card, which will entice y'all all the more to cop some tickets.

Young Thug, the buzzing Pop Smoke, artist of the moment Roddy Ricch, NAV, slowthai, Polo G, and the Eminem-featured Young M.A are all new additions to the line-up and there are even more surprises to come. At this point, we're just gonna buy our passes and figure out how to get there later.

The Game has always represented Compton since getting into the game. The rapper became the new face of West Coast’s gangster rap at the time when G-Unit was the biggest thing in the game. However, even when The Documentary dropped and he saw an extreme amount of success, he was still in Compton, his old stomping grounds.

In a recent interview with NME, the rapper explained why he moved out of Compton. At the very moment he decided to leave, he was on top of the rap game but troubles from his past just came back to haunt him at every step.

“I was fuckin’ five times Platinum and still getting in shoot-outs in my neighbourhood,” he said. “The thing that changed my life was when a bullet went through my son’s car seat and I was just about to go into the house and get him and put him in the car. A bullet hole was in the car seat where his head would have been. And on that day, I moved out of Compton and got me a condo in Beverly Hills.”

Last Saturday marked the fifteen-year anniversary of the release of The Game’s The Documentary, an album that brought hits like “Hate It Or Love It” ft. 50 Cent and “How We Do” also featuring Fif. 

Peep the entire interview with The Game here.

Now more than ever, a rapper's "technical ability" has become the subject of hip-hop discourse. Especially after Eminem dropped Music To Be Murdered By, an album that featured the fastest verse ever laid down by mortal man. Around the same time he asked for Joe Budden's Slaughterhouse spot, Lupe Fiasco engaged with a fan about who he considers to be the best current-day rappers. And given that Lupe is himself a masterful technician when it comes to the words, it's fair to name him an authority on the topic.

"No such thing as best," he begins, keeping a level playing field. But at the high top tier levels it's Aesop Rock, Homeboy Sandman, Black Thought, and King Los." For the most part, his followers chimed in with approval; many singled out Rock and Sandman as two of the game's more underrated and thought-provoking writers. 

 Mainstream bility be damned, these are the four Lupe considers pioneers with the pen. Would you say his assessment is accurate, or did somebody get the notable snub? Given his own interest in joining Slaughterhouse, you'd think he'd send some love to Royce, Joell, and Crooked; perhaps Lupe's top tier is a lofty pedestal reserved for four and four alone.

The first posthumous feature from Juice WRLD was rightfully allotted to Eminem, the late Chicago rapper's idol, on his brand new album Music To Be Murdered By. Even better -- it was revealed this week that the song in question, "Godzilla," earned a new world record for Eminem, placing Juice WRLD in the Guinness books as well. While his contributions to the song didn't net him the "fastest rapper ever" title, it's still bittersweet for such an accomplishment to even be attached to the late star. After his cause of death was revealed yesterday, marking an accidental drug overdose from codeine and oxycodone, Juice WRLD's family has issued a statement where they detail the plans for his future posthumous releases, as well as a tribute planned in his hometown.

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"From the bottom of our hearts we want to thank each and every one of you for your undivided adoration and love for Juice," wrote the rapper's family and his team at Grade A. "You guys meant the entire world to Juice and by listening to his music, watching his videos and sharing your stories about him, you are keeping his memory alive forever. We plan to honor Juice's talents, his spirit, and the love he felt for his fans by sharing unreleased music and other projects that he was passionately in the process of developing. There will be a public tribute in Chicago, details will be shared soon."

A number of Juice WRLD's unreleased songs leaked onto the internet this weekend. The man was known for his incredible work ethic in the studio, often freestyling handfuls of songs on a nightly basis. He certainly has a vast catalog stashed away in the vault for his closest collaborators and family to sift through and determine what would fit his vision best for any posthumous work.

Rest in power, Juice WRLD.

Rap’s legends are killing us off one by one. Last week, Eminem surprised the world by dropping his latest album, Music To Be Murdered By, out of absolutely nowhere. He enlisted stars like the late Juice WRLD, Don Toliver, Royce Da 5’9″, Skylar Grey, and many others to help him live out his current vision. For months, another iconic figure in the game has been hinting at his next impactful musical appearance with Lil Wayne beginning to mention his hotly-anticipated Funeral project. Originally announced years ago, it would appear as though the New Orleans star is prepping the body of work for our ears and, today, he came through with an official teaser for the album.

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Posting a looped clip that, let’s face it, doesn’t reveal much, Lil Wayne hinted that his next album Funeral could be coming “soon.” In the caption for his post, Tunechi included a coffin emoji, which he has been using for the last little while to subtly promote the upcoming project. 

A couple of Tune’s famous friends are excited about this quasi-announcement, including YFN Lucci and 2 Chainz who both commented on the upload. Do you think they could be featured guests? While this doesn’t offer much insight into the album plan, it’s pretty exciting to see that Weezy is working on some new heat, filling out his legacy with even more vibes and potentially topping himself another time. Are you excited?

Young M.A. has already begun the new decade with some serious momentum. As the first listed guest appearance on Eminem’s Music To Be Murdered By, the New York rapper kicks off “Unaccomodating” with some swagged out bars. Now Young M.A. is back on the grind, taking to Instagram to preview an upcoming banger by the name of “2020 Vision,” seemingly produced by Mike Zombie. 

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“Straight off the rip I get to the bag,” she raps in the opening bars, taking to hypnotic banger. “The plan is to triple my cash and shit on my past / had to put a lock on my heart cause the love don’t last.” Before long she’s picking up the pace with some crazy new schemes, charisma on high. “New money but I’m getting back to my old ways,” she spits, all but snapping. “Still a hood n***a, still gotta get the chicken wings with the lo mein.” 

Vowing to drop the full version after one hundred thousand comments, M.A. seems positioned for a monumental run. Even though she only recently dropped off an album in HerStory In The Making, one must always strike while the iron is hot. Are you looking forward for some new bars from Young M.A?

Slaughterhouse reunited, kind of, on Eminem's Music To Be Murdered By. Royce Da 5'9", Joell Ortiz, and Kxng Crooked all made appearances or have production credits on Em's acclaimed surprise release, but Joe Budden was noticeably missing from the project. Gossip regarding tensions between Budden and Eminem have slithered through the rumor mill for years, and Em even took a verbal jab at the podcast host with his "Traitor Joe" line on his track "Lock It Up."

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We recently reported that Budden stated he wouldn't reunite with his Slaughterhouse "brothers" until they released themselves from Shady Records and "own our own sh*t," but it looks like someone is coming for his spot in the hip hop group. "Yo @joebudden Lemme get yo slaughterhouse spot," Lupe tweeted days ago.

The joke was treated as a serious statement from those that may not be aware of the history between Lupe, Budden, and Eminem. Back in 2018, Lupe shared a video of a comedian mocking Eminem's style, and later he explained why, mentioned that he would lyrically "destroy" Budden and Em.

"I posted up that video of the comedian mimicking Eminem rap style because I thought it was funny and actually most rappers actually rap like that when they are writing to catch a flow and get a melody," Lupe wrote. "I like Em & most other rappers & I want no smoke but if I did I would destroy them all. Especially Joe Budden & Em too."

Months prior to that statement in July 2018, Lupe challenged Budden to a "Street fighter" battle. "Stop the ducking Joe! Streets is calling you!" Lupe commented to one of Joe's photos. "STREET FIGHTER THAT IS! You can bo back to gazing into the heart of clarity once you catch these multiple L's." Could Lupe slide into Budden's Slaughterhouse space?

At the young age of 21, Chicago rapper Juice WRLD passed away after suffering a seizure at the Midway Airport in his hometown. Several reports have claimed that, prior to landing, the recording artist was informed that the feds would be searching his plane for drugs and guns after receiving a tip from the pilot. Juice WRLD reportedly swallowed a number of pills in an attempt to hide the evidence but it looks like that may have been a deadly mistake because, as reported by XXL, the young man’s death has officially been ruled an accidental drug overdose.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office reportedly confirmed to the publication that Juice WRLD’s death on December 8, 2019 was the cause of “oxycodone and codeine toxicity.” The report also notes that his death was not intentional.

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The rapper’s record label, Geffen A&M Records, previously issued a statement on his passing. “Juice made a profound impact on the world in such a short period of time,” they wrote. “He was a gentle soul, whose creativity knew no bounds, an exceptional human being and artist who loved and cared for his fans above everything else. To lose someone so kind and so close to our hearts is devastating. Our thoughts are with Juice’s family and friends, everyone at his label Grade A, and his millions of fans around the world.”

Juice WRLD recently appeared on his idol Eminem’s surprise album, featuring on the standout track “Godzilla.” Rest in power, Juice WRLD. We miss you.

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The art of fast rap goes by many names, be it "double-time flow" or the more condescending "rappity-rap." A far cry from the formative flows of hip-hop's birth in 1973. In the years that followed, artists like Jaz-O, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Busta Rhymes, and Twista began experimenting with their tempo, developing a style built on speed and stamina. In recent years, Tech N9ne and Eminem have implemented double-time into their arsenal, likewise have Tory Lanez and Joyner Lucas, who recently reached hyperspeed on a remix of DaBaby's "Suge." In truth, many technicians have tried their hand but only one has left The Game awestruck. 

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Sometimes, things simply snowball beyond control. It's unclear whether Royce Da 5'9" expected this upon the release of "Over Comer," a new single that found him issuing a stern warning to his former collaborator Yelawolf. Yelawolf this is your first and your last pass, I ain't gon' put it on blast, your punk ass know what this about," he rapped, calling the Slumerican artist out by name. "You think it's about being loud or trying to be hostile, till you get found face down on the ground outside of Kid Rock house/ Though you a vulture pundit I hope you get sober from this, Men like, women lie, so do numbers." 

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It didn't take long for Yelawolf to clap back, dubbing Royce "Eminem's hype man" and threatening death-by-a-thousand-wolves. Naturally, Royce met Yela's increasing hostility with smoke of his own, comparing Yela to David Duke and seemingly let it lie. Yet in Detroit, disrespect is rarely taken lightly. As caught by HipHopDX, the notorious Trick Trick made sure to establish his presence, letting Yelawolf know that he doesn't take kindly to any Royce Da 5'9" disrespect.

"Sell out another one...ASAP," warns Trick Trick, in a since-deleted Instagram comment. "And PLEASE bring all your wolves." For those unfamiliar, Trick Trick is a close associate of Eminem, a former collaborator on songs like "Welcome 2 Detroit City" and "Crazy." Not to mention, Trick is currently employed at Shade 45, where he hosts his own radio show Fly Zone Radio. It's unclear whether Yela and Trick, or Royce for that matter, have moved to talk it out - we can only hope so, as this one doesn't need to escalate any further. 

He once dubbed himself “the well-known asshole.” Back when he was an emerging lyricist in Detroit, whose rugged authenticity and impressive vocabulary ultimately captured the attention of one Marshall Mathers. Before long, Obie found himself joining the rapidly-expanding Shady Records movement, moving alongside D12, 50 Cent, and Aftermath ally Dr. Dre. In September of 2003, Obie Trice delivered his debut album Cheers, a project many fans still praise as classic.

Since then, the man who famously created “real name, no gimmicks” has delivered five studio albums, including his most recent: the aptly titled The Fifth. With an upcoming tour planned alongside Snoop Dogg, Warren G, Tha Dogg Pound, and several D12 members, I had the chance to have a conversation with Obie, covering his experiences on the come-up, riding with Eminem and 50 Cent at the height of their beef with Murda Inc, and lessons learned from West Coast legends like Nate Dogg and Dr. Dre

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Hey Obie, how you doing? Thanks so much for taking the time. Much appreciated. First off, congrats on The Fifth. How does it feel to look back on another chapter of your discography?

I’ma continue to make music, man. I’m glad I got another album out. It’s a dope album, it sounds dope to me. I’m working on my sixth album as well. I like to put out music and continue my catalog. 

You strike me as an artist who really thinks about the arrangement of a project when you’re putting it together. When you go to the studio, do you have a vision of what you want to do, or do you let the process take control?

I kinda do both. I try to put together a project that’s pertaining to a particular style of music. Different sounds coinciding together. Something like The Fifth, I wanted to do a record that moved. The sequence was right. The way the album flows. At times I go in there just making records and picking out which ones feel the best. Scrapping the ones that aren’t too eyebrow-raising. I do both. 

You’ve got one of the most unique flows. Your vocabulary, the way you structure your verse with multisyllabic schemes. How did you start developing that style?

You know, I’ve always been in the dictionary since I was little. My father used to have me in the dictionary, reading words and learning words when I was a kid. I’m big on words. I like new words. I get a word a day emailed to me every day. I’m into finessing words and matching them together. It’s always been the way I approach a project. 

I was just listening to “Go To Sleep” with you, Em, and DMX — your verse on that is crazy. You’re laying down threats in an articulate, eloquent fashion. Super dope. 

Thanks man.

You came up in the Detroit scene. How did you carry yourself when you first decided to take music seriously? When did you realize you were making waves in your local scene? 

I had put out some independent music a long time ago, some vinyl records. “Mr. Trice.” “Dope, Job, Homeless,” “Gimmie My DAT Back,” “Well Known Asshole.” All these songs I put out back then kinda gave me a push in Detroit. I was known here in the city. During that time, Marshall was getting on with his career. He got a whiff of me and he got it popping from there. I’ve always been going to the Cyphers, the Hip-Hop Shops, the Lush, St. Andrews. All the spots in Detroit back in the day. That was my thing.

Did you ever do any battle rap? 

Not really man. I used to go to the Hip-Hop Shop, and I’d just flow up there. I wasn’t into the whole battle rap thing until later on. When my career was going off, when we was getting into it and had issues with certain cats in the industry. It was later on in life I started getting into the battling. As far as in the Cyphers, in a circle battling other dudes, I never did that. 

It all comes back to me, man. I was a really big Shady Records fan, so when you were on the radar I did my best to dive into your catalog back in the day. The first song I ever heard you on was “1×1” with Proof and J. Hill. What was your relationship with Proof like before Shady? 

When word was getting around that I might sign with Marshall, me and Proof got real tight. I would be in the studio with Proof all the time. We used to run around with each other a lot. Funny you mention that song “1×1” with J. Hill. We was at a studio at this guy’s house making that. MC Breed was there. The owner of the house, he’s dead now. Proof is dead. Breed is dead. J. Hill, he’s a coach now for a football team I believe. That’s some history right there — there was a lot of shit going on at that time. 

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To me, and I think many people, Cheers is a classic. That just turned fifteen. When you first joined the Shady team and you were piecing the album together, what was the energy at the label like? Like you mentioned before, you guys were all in the middle of some major feuds. Was that reflected in the energy at the label? 

The energy from the shit with Marshall was going through, and it definitely had an impact. You gotta remember, when I was making that record, we still was doing shows and getting into situations where shit could have got real bad out there. Getting in fights, traveling everywhere. Getting into situations with different individuals in the industry. There was a lot going on when I was making Cheers.

On top of that, I had lost a lot of people I ran the streets with to gun violence. Muthafuckas was going to prison. It was a whole lotta shit going on. At the same time, I’m trying to maintain. I got a daughter, a little girl. That energy from that album reflected all of that stuff. Definitely a lot was dealing with Shady and what we all was going through. D12, Proof getting in a fight in Miami with the Terror Squad. We rolled to New York and we gotta be super strapped up everywhere we go. It was a mess. 

I was on the D12 album before that. 50 was moving with Get Rich Or Die Tryin. That whole [Invasion] mixtape run, you know, it was all of us. We was all on these tours, we was all going through shit. It definitely came as a reflection of what’s going on with Cheers. 

On that note, one of the best songs from Shady’s dominant run was “We All Die One Day.” What was the studio session like for that track? 

Oh yeah! That track, we had Tony Yayo in the studio. Lloyd Banks was there. 50. Bunch of D12 cats was there. We was all getting to know each other. We was vibing off each other’s energy. Like, my n***a Lloyd Banks! Yayo hyping shit up there, 50 talking that shit. It was one of those things, we all had to get to know each other real fast. They was from New York. We were from Detroit. They would fly into Michigan and we’d all be in the studio, learning different things from each other.

The vibe was tough, man. It was like, we was all in there vibing. 50 would lay a verse, Banks laid a verse, I laid my verse. We played it all fuckin’ night, over and over again, tweaking it with Marshall. It was one of those things. Let’s wrap this shit up. Cause I came late. Cheers was supposed to come out before 50, but he had so much momentum with the whole mixtape run, he put Get Rich Or Die Tryin together so fast, we had so many songs done. He kinda jumped before me and came out. 

When we were making those records on my album, the posse cuts, we was just ready to go. Let’s get Obie out. It’s time to drop that shit now. I was on the label at least two and a half years at that point.

Word, I remember seeing “Rap Name” on BET. 

Right. And the D12 album as well, I did the “Obie Trice” skit. It was a long time coming.

How long did you work on Cheers altogether?

Shit, I still got songs from Cheers I didn’t use. Unreleased music I didn’t even use. It was a lot of songs we did, man. I really got a budget open, probably about six months before I had a release date — maybe a year before I had an actual date. We probably worked on that shit about a good year strong.

Any particular stories that stand out from the making of? Any particular sessions or advice that stuck with you?

One time, with Nate Dogg. I was supposed to go to California and fuck with Nate Dogg. I went out, went to the club. I was always hearing that back in the day, 2Pac used to go to the club and then go to the studio for the rest of the night. That’s what I was on. I went to go party for a minute, then I’ma be in the studio all night. But Nate Dogg called me like, ‘Yo Obie, this is a business man! Fuck the club, we got a session, let’s do it!’ [Laughs] 

I end up staying at the club anyway, went up to the studio later and we worked it out. But I wish I never would have done that. I wish I would have went straight to the studio off the plane. Handled my business and did what I’m supposed to do. Even though we knocked the records out. It was just the point that he said ‘this is a business.’ I was just in L.A. trying to party at the clubs, and go to the studio after. That stuck with me. Rest in peace Nate Dogg. 

Rest in peace Nate Dogg.  Looking back, you can say you have a Nate Dogg collaboration produced by Dr. Dre. That’s incredible.

Oh yeah. 

What was it like working with Dre? 

Dre is a cool dude, man. He’s a laid back, chill, to his business type of guy. Get in there, make song bangin’ ass shit, play a bunch of records, see what you feeling. Tell you ‘I was working on one for you’ and give you that special feeling inside. Like damn, Dr. Dre actually made one for me specifically! Not just a bunch of beats on a CD. He was making beats specifically for my sound. Dre was cool man, I had the best time working with Dre. I’m definitely going to do that again before I’m up out of here. Before the music stops. 

As far as I’m concerned, you got one of Dre’s best beats of all time with “Oh.” There’s a new element every verse. The second has the harpsichord, the third has the strings. Crazy.

[Hums “Oh” melody] Yeah that’s crazy. Exactly. 

What would you say is the biggest difference between Cheers and The Fifth? 

It’s a different day in music. Different styles, the kids like different shit. Music I tend to like to make is old school, basically. I came out in 2003. It’s 2020 now. I’m an OG in the game. It’s a different genre of music. I kinda stick to my guns and I don’t try and be doing shit I ain’t necessarily used to. I might have a sound particular to today, but I’ma definitely keep my swag on it. I definitely want the kids to listen to some of the music Idrop, so I do use some of the newer style beats sometimes. Just to play around with it and see how I feel. My core fans like me to stick to what I’m used to, but I don’t mind switching it sometimes. Playing with the new wave. 

Looking at your catalog now, five albums in. Which one do you hold the closest to your heart? 

Definitely Cheers is my favorite. I had the best time, and it’s my favorite album. I like Bottoms Up as well. The one I like the least would probably be The Hangover. I was going through a lot at that time. If I want to say the best one is definitely Cheers, I’ma say TheFifth is maybe second. Second Round’s On Me is third. Bottom’s Up would be the fourth.

Nice. Are you looking forward to the upcoming tour with Snoop Dogg? 

Oh yeah, man. We going to Canada soon, I got a Canadian tour coming up. Australia, the U.K. We gon’ tear that down with Snoop. I’m looking forward to getting out there man, and doing this album. The guy I had doing the majority of the beats, Magnedo7, he worked with Marshall a lot in the past. I can’t wait to get on stage and see how these sounds resonate through these speakers on these stages. 

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It’s safe to say 2020 is shaping up to be an incredible year for music. Artists are coming into the “Year of Vision” with a strong arm as they’ve announced that they have new music on the way, and of course, there will be surprises from those like Eminem who step onto the scene without warning. Alicia Keys is returning with a new project this year and she’s officially announced the cover art and release date.

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Judging by the artwork and title, the singer will be getting even more personal and showing all sides of herself with A.L.I.C.I.A. The album will hit the streets on March 20, and while that seems a far way off, these weeks will fly by before we know it. Weeks ago, Alicia shared her latest single “Underdog,” the third in a trifecta of releases that include “Show Me Love” featuring Miguel (along with a 21 Savage-assisted remix) and “Time Machine.”

“The Best of the Best hands down‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️” an excited Swizz Beatz wrote about his wife’s forthcoming record. “Let’s go this Album is crazyyyyyyyyyy‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️” A.L.I.C.I.A. will make for the singer’s seventh studio album that will be added to a list of multi-platinum releases by the award-winning artist. There has been much chatter through the rumor mill lately about Alicia and her relationship with Swizz baby mama Jahna Sebastian, so it’ll be good to see her refocus and set her sights on rolling out this project. Are you looking forward to new music by Ms. Keys?

 It was back in Spring 2018 when the official announcement came that Slaughterhouse was officially over, but fans are still hoping that the quartet rap group will link up just one more time. Joe Budden, Royce Da 5’9″, Joell Ortiz, and Kxng Crooked don’t have any ill-will toward one another, but there are some clear-cut reasons as to why they refuse to reunite. Over the years there have been rumors of feuds with Shady Records or tensions with Eminem, and many of those whispers centered around Budden.

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While visiting the My Expert Opinion show, Budden was in the hot seat and asked about Slaughterhouse. “Those are my brothers and I love them,” Budden said of his relationship with his former collaborators. He did admit, however, that he doesn’t speak to them regularly. “Royce just did the podcast, I spoke to him,” Budden added. “I haven’t spoke to Joell, but he just like a picture a few days ago and I liked one back, so I know me and him are fly. The same with Crook, man. Those are my guys forever.”

“I’m not a worker, anymore,” he said of how his mentality has shifted over the years. “I’m not going to work for something that didn’t exist before I got here. And that’s how I feel about wordsmiths. We can put this together, y’all can’t monetize it until we do, and that’s how I act. So, nah, I’m not putting nothing out with Slaughterhouse unless Slaughterhouse is away from Shady and we own our own sh*t.”

When questioned about Eminem, Budden shut down that line of conversation. The podcast host was the only member of Slaughterhouse to not be featured on Eminem’s recently released Music To Be Murdered By. “That has nothing to do with me. Don’t ask me about Em. Has zero to do with what I just said. He is not a factor in what I am saying. What I am saying is solely related to my brothers. Now, how it gets wherever it gotta go is not on me. It’s lawyers and things for that to happen but that’s a me thing.” Watch the conversation below.

There’s been an influx of biopics surrounding some of the most influential rappers that have been made in recent times. We’ve seen movies based on the lives of 2Pac, Biggie, NWA, as well as Eminem, 50 Cent and more. Those might be the biggest rappers who’ve come into the game but there are many others who’ve helped shape the culture and the genre to what it is now and perhaps in the 2020s, we’ll see more of their stories being told on a bigger platform.

DJ Screw, the pioneer of chopped-and-screwed, is the focal point of an upcoming biopic series titled, All Screwed Up. Directed by Isaac “Chill” Yowman, All Screwed Up is based on the life of DJ Screw and the Screwed Up Click label, showcasing the trials and tribulations he faced on his way up in the game.

The film stars Rosha Washington as DJ Screw and the cast also includes Paigion Walker, Kyle Mosely, Marqus Clae, Phill Wade, Dean Will, Omete Anassi, Diamond Lyons, LaShae Boone, and Rodrick Randall. Sidney Walker, Miriam Heads, Michelle Williams, Lil’ Keke & Derrick Dixon serve as the film’s producers. 

At this point, very little details surrounding the project have emerged including a release date or the network that plans on carrying the series. Hopefully, it lands a date soon. We’re excited to see the series in its entirety. 

Saturday (January 18th), Mac Miller would have been 28-years-old. In commemoration of the late rapper's legacy, fans and celebrity peers alike took to social media to remember Miller on his birthday. Among them was Ariana Grande, who has since deleted a simple tweet that read, "miss u."

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“Malcolm’s family wishes that he could be at home celebrating his birthday with them and being the center of attention like he always was, but they know he is still there in spirit with his big ol’ smile,” an reportedly told US Magazine. “It’s going to be a hard day for the family. They miss Malcolm more than words can describe, but they are grieving together and surrounding one another with love. It’s all they can do.”

Others on the list remembering Mac a day after the arrival of his first posthumous album Circles included Juicy J, Thundercat, and rapper Hi-Tek. The project is slated to move a projected 175,000-200,000 units. While it has the potential to signal a No. 1 entry on the Billboard 200 for Mac, the effort is also contending with Eminem's suprise Music To Be Murdered By and Halsey's Manic arrival.

Juice WRLD’s tragic death last month hit the world hard, and his musical genius and impressive freestyling skills continue to be remembered. The young Chicago rapper released his last body of work in March of 2019 with Death Race For Love, so it’s no surprise that he would have already had tons of music in the vault prior to his passing. It looks like one Internet nuisance assumed as much, since, per HipHopNMore, a hacker has managed to get their hands on Juice’s inventory of unreleased tracks. HHNM shared that dozens of Juice’s songs have been posted on SoundCloud under the name “999 WRLD.” While an exact number has not yet been determined, at least 26 tracks from the young talent have surfaced online.

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The tracks in the leaked collection bear titles like “Boss Of Me,” “Codependent,” “Dome,” “Facetious,” “F*ck About Your Feelings,” “Hypnotic,” “KKK/999,” “Runaway,” “Work Out,” though it is not known whether Juice gave these names to these songs himself. Among the mix is a collab with Lil Yachty called “Confused.” Though Juice’s estate and family have not announced any plans to release a posthumous album of any kind, these tracks just might end up on there if such a thing occurs. Juice was posthumously featured on “Godzilla” off of Eminem‘s latest album, Music To Be Murdered By, which dropped without warning on Friday. A photo of Juice from the night he recorded his verse on the track was shared following the surprise drop.

Royce Da 5’9″ has been having a ridiculous start to the year. Not only has the esteemed lyricist gracefully slid into the production game, landing two production credits alongside three verses on Eminem’s surprise drop Music To Get Murdered By, he also came through and produced the entirety of his upcoming album The Allegory. With Bad Meets Evil on the brain and tensions between former Shady 2.0 Boys at an all-time high, Royce has officially unveiled the complete tracklist to his upcoming studio album.

Image artist’s management

Clocking in at a staggering twenty-two tracks, though Royce previously told Joe Budden that some would be shorter in length, The Allegory features guest appearances from Grafh, Westside Gunn, Kid Vishis, Conway The Machine, Benny The Butcher, KXNG Crooked, CyHi The Prynce, T.I., Vince Staples, and more. As of now, we’ve already heard “Black Savage” and  “Overcomer,” both of which featured Royce showing off his newfound skillset behind the boards.

Look for The Allegory to arrive on February 21st, and check out the tracklist below. In the meantime, check out the brand new video for “Overcomer,” and sound off – are you excited to hear the official follow-up to Book Of Ryan?

1. Mr. Grace (Intro)
2. Dope Man feat. Emanny & Cedric The Entertainer
3. I Don’t Age
4. Pendulum feat. Ashley Sorrell
5. I Play Forever feat. Grafh
6. Ice Cream (Interlude)
7. On The Block feat. Oswin Benjamin & DJ Premier
8. Generation Is Broken
9. Overcomer feat. Westside Gunn
10. Mrs. Grace (Interlude)
11. Thou Shall feat. Kid Vishis
12. FUBU feat. Conway The Machine
13. A Black Man Favorite Shoe (Skit)
14. Upside Down feat. Ashley Sorrell & Benny The Butcher
15. Perspective (Skit)
16. Tricked feat. KXNG Crooked
17. Black People In America
18. Black Savage feat. Sy Ari Da Kid, White Gold, CyHi The Prynce & T.I.
19. Rhinestone Doo Rag
20. Young World feat. Vince Staples & G Perico
21. My People Free feat. Ashley Sorrell
22. Hero feat. White Gold

Royce Da 5'9" has positioned himself for quite the year. For one, his entirely self-produced album The Allegory is slated for release on February 21st, marking a new milestone for the storied Detroit lyricist. And while the full project is still weeks away, the lead single "Overcomer" has already been eliciting plenty of strong reactions -- especially from those who still have love for the "2.0" iteration of Shady Records. Those who have heard the track likely remember a string of brutally honest bars aimed at Yelawolf, bars that some might even call "fightin' words." And from Royce, those are the types of words nobody wants to be on the receiving end of. 

Yelawolf this is your first and your last pass
I ain't gon' put it on blast, your punk ass know what this about
You think it's about being loud or trying to be hostile
Till you get found face down on the ground outside of Kid Rock house
Though you a vulture pundit I hope you get sober from this
Men like, women lie, so do numbers

While the origin of the feud has yet to be fully revealed, Royce actually discussed his frustrations on The Joe Budden podcast. "It's a situation going on, especially in hip-hop. We have all kinds of different people, but we have white people who come into the business and they use the culture," explained Royce. "We got a very open culture, it's here for everybody to thrive. Some white people use that, and then go and do very evil things behind closed doors. Racist things. They make comments. It got to a point in life where if I see it, hear it, or am involved in it in any type of way, I have to start holding these people accountable." 

An album is more than the sum of its parts. Although it may begin as an assortment of tracks, what makes an album into something beyond one self-contained artistic statement is when it supersedes its runtime to set a new genre-wide precedent. Released 15 years ago this week, what The Game’s major-label debut The Documentary represents is the moment a gravelly-voiced 26-year-old arose from the ashes of a flailing west coast and transformed into its leading light for a new generation.

Growing up in the Crip-governed “Santana Blocc” district of Compton, Cedar Block Piru Jayceon Taylor never had it easy. Entrenched in the treacherous gang-bangin’ lifestyle that countless LA-based artists had chronicled in excruciating detail, his time in the drug trade would come to an abrupt end when he was shot five times in 2001 at his own “dope spot.” An ambush that’d leave him in a coma for three days, Taylor awoke with a newfound drive to evade a lifestyle that claimed so many of his nearest and dearest.

Although he’d scarcely picked up the pen before this epiphany, Game—who allegedly got the moniker from his grandmother’s love of the Michael Douglas film of the same name—  soon had industry tastemakers in hot pursuit. Initially aligned with Diddy in an unofficial capacity, the rapper otherwise identifiable as “Chuck Taylor” would soon heed the call of his musical ancestor, Compton’s own Dr Dre. Armed with a hardened demeanour and mythos that mirrored that of Dre and Eminem’s other student 50 Cent, it was Aftermath A&R Mike Lynn that first caught wind of this unpolished gem and pledged to mould him into the finished product. “When I saw Game, I saw a star,” he told Complex. “Game was always an incredible MC, but we had to turn him into a song maker— show him how to write songs that are bigger than your block.”

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Talented enough to transition from “drug dealer to protégé of Dr. Dre in five months,” early reports suggested that Jayceon Taylor had not only been handed the Compton baton, but the unenble task of shepherding the entire west coast out of the doldrums. As outlined in a November 2004 interview with The Guardian, Game spoke of the sterling example that he had to follow: “They were everything we knew around here. We didn’t even know our A-B-C but we knew N-W-A. Eazy-E was like Robin Hood, taking from the rich and giving to the poor.”

Signing under Dre’s umbrella in 2003, the road to The Documentary wasn’t a case of putting him in the booth and letting magic manifest itself. After delivering a year’s worth of tracks that weren’t seen as anything other than mixtape fodder, the turning point would come in the shape of a now-iconic, Kanye West-helmed offering. “The version of the album that came out in stores; the only song that was on that album that existed when Game said he was ready to put an album out was ‘Dreams,'” recalled Lynn. “Every song [on The Documentary was recorded] after ‘Dreams.'”

All curated under the watchful eye of Dr. Dre, the album— which Game initially aimed to release under the “N***a Wit An Attitude Volume 1” title that’s referenced on “Dreams”— bristled with a boisterous swagger that’d set the world alight. Aside from the sonic sorcery of Dre himself, underpublicized driving forces behind the record such as A&R Angelo Sanders and G-Unit Records’ Sha Money XL assembled a murderer’s row of producers to help craft the record’s sound. Bolstered by illustrious names as Scott Storch, Timbaland, Cool & Dre, Buckwild, Just Blaze and Mobb Deep’s Havoc, what made The Documentary so immediately gripping is that rather than resting on the laurels of the west coast’s pedigreed sound, Game’s debut surveyed the genre in its entirety and took choice cuts from every region. 

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Filled with menacing provocations to would-be enemies and the patented name-dropping style that he’s now synonymous with, the slain and scarred soldiers of LA’s territorial war hovered over The Documentary. Across 18 tracks, Game memorializes brothers-in-arms such as Tear, his “homeboy Charles,” Rob that “got killed for his Barkley’s” & even the Williams’ late half-sister Yutende Price before delivering his own assurance that he’s “willin to do two life sentences back to back” if tested on “Where I’m From.” On the record’s harpsichord-tinged title track, he attested to both his credentials as a reputed student of the craft and potential for greatness on one reference-loaded chorus, spitting:

“I’m Ready To Die without a Reasonable Doubt
Smoke Chronic and hit it Doggystyle before I go out
Until they sign my Death Certificate, All Eyez On Me
I’m still at it, Illmatic, and that’s The Documentary”

Marked by The Game himself as “the realest shit I ever wrote,” “Start From Scratch” is a heartfelt confessional that sees the tough persona melt away; in its place, an audibly inebriated Jayceon Taylor that’s grappling with demons and the ghosts of the past. However, where these tracks would endear him to the hip-hop faithful, the record’s debut at number one and first week sales figures of 587,000 wouldn’t have been possible without a slew of smash singles. And it’s in this area that 50 Cent’s presence and melodic expertise proved indispensable.

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In an interview that rehashed the road to his 2005 sophomore project, The Massacre, 50 discussed how he came to play an integral role on iconic tracks such as “Westside Story,” “How We Do” and the celebratory, rags-to-riches anthem that is “Hate It Or Love It.” “They wanted to see if I would work with this other artist that Dre was working with,” Fif told XXL. They said, ‘The kid can rap, but he’s not a great songwriter. When Jimmy [Iovine] called for me to do it, I was like, ‘Alright, cool, I’ll fix it.  I only worked with him for about four days… [Dre] was in love with “How We Do” and I was like, “Yo, I’ll give him that if you put it out right now.” And we just put it out… Sold about five million records for Game’s album [The Documentary] and then I came back.”

On the other side of the coin, Game has always been eager to downplay 50’s role in the project’s big hits, claiming that “Wasn’t none of them shits 50’s records. 50 came in after all of the records were already damn near done and he put his 50 Cent on them. I wasn’t [a part of G-Unit yet].” Slyly signified by 50 sitting in the backseat of the lowrider during the “Hate It Or Love It” video, the uneasy truce between the two and the volatile beef that would follow makes the album’s numerous references to his allegiance to G-Unit—“my unit is gorilla, fuck with my la familia, I will kill ya”–  all the more jarring in hindsight. Conversely, Game was far more complimentary about working with 50’s mentor Eminem on the sinister Shady-produced “We Ain’t.” On top of quipping that “Em just killed me on my own shit,” the Compton artist recalled witnessing Shady’s writing process first-hand to Complex: “He goes off in the corner and starts spitting like he’s in a cypher. If you look at him, you’d think there’s five other dudes spitting with him like he’s in a real cypher, but it’s just him.”

Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic/Getty Images 

Ending the year with Soundscan sales of 2,275,646, The Documentary became the tenth highest-selling album of 2005, landing directly below Kanye’s sophomore effort Late Registration. But above numbers, this opening statement scorched the earth to such an extent that the Compton rapper was instantly counted among 00’s hip-hop’s ruling class. Game’s coronation was so rapid that no-one questioned his role as a spokesperson for the red side of the crip-blood conflict during Snoop’s “Protect The West” summit that took place only 3 months after the album hit shelves. “We need some education out here with the artists that are touring and flying around the world like Snoop and Game are,” proclaimed Pomona’s pimp-rap forerunner Suga Free, all but formally crowning Game as the coast’s new torchbearer.

Cast out from Dre’s label amid the ongoing 50 drama in mid-2006, Aftermath served as the incubator that allowed The Game to hone the skills he’d need to become a West Coast stalwart. But no matter how much bad blood was spilled between him and 50, Game has remained eternally grateful to his former mentor, frequently reflecting on the effect that his spell under Dre’s tutelage had on the coast. “That dude really gave me an opportunity to be something,” he informed Jonathan Mannion. “What he did for me is major. It really helped mould me. It really helped the legacy from my city going. It helped YG and Kendrick to get on.” Now, with his career allegedly at its end, The Documentary deserves its distinction as a classic that not only holds up on its own merits, but gave the Compton MC enough of an initial burst of momentum to stay at hip-hop’s forefront for 14 thrilling years.

There’s something to be said about an impeccable flow. The ability to navigate uncharted pockets and become one with an instrumental. For many of the most technically proficient rappers, flow serves as a defining characteristic. A means of establishing individuality, even if one rapper covers similar thematic territory as another. Though some recognizable flows have become commonplace, the true artisans have developed their own through years of experimentation. And yet, what about that old adage: is two really better than one?

There’s something special about a well-structured Back and Forth. Everyone has likely heard one song in which two artists share the load, trading bars as if driven by a singular mind. Think of all the timeless classics, from Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg’s “Dre Day” to Big Pun and Fat Joe‘s “Twinz.” Only the most well-established duos can pull it off; not unlike a barber offering a straight razor shave, trust must first be built. Of course, there are exceptions. We recently saw Anderson .Paak and YBN Cordae employ the practice with cavalier swagger on “RNP,” a lead single off Cordae’s 2019 debut The Lost Boy. Despite having never worked with one another prior, “RNP” was instantly fueled by a “big brother/little brother” vibe, its back-and-forth structure enhancing the song’s playful nature. For the most part, however, only the tried and true camarades opt to go back and forth. And while uninhibited technical prowess tends to take a backseat, the sheer spectacle of two artists trading bars ultimately makes up for it. 

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For many, the benchmark back and forth duo has to be Jadakiss and Styles P. Their seminal work and magnum opus is the Alchemist-produced “We Gon Make It,” a classic single off 2001’s Kiss Tha Game Goodbye. It’s unclear how the pair pieced this one together, but it’s evident that the writing of these verses was highly collaborative. Lines flow into one another masterfully, each emcee’s personality shining through. “Real n*** say that they be wilding, we on the Cayman Islands on a yacht with our favorite albums,” raps Styles, setting up the scheme. “A bad ho and a plate of salmon, smoking and drinking, n*** is you thinking that our fate is violent?” tags in Jada, closing the rhyme out both internally and externally. The pair would soon make the back-and-forth a habit, setting the pace for Fabolous’ “Keepin It Gangsta Remix,” and carrying on the tradition with Kiss Of Death’s anthemic “Shoot Outs.” 

In keeping with New York tradition, another legendary duo who engaged in the practice were none other than Ghostface Killah and Raekwon The Chef. Though the Wu-Tang lyricists had established themselves as kindred spirits and harmonious collaborators on Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… & Ironman, they seldom arranged verses in such an intimate fashion. On Mobb Deep’s grimy classic The Infamous, Ghost and Rae shared a sixteen, delivering lines as a well-oiled machine. “You know what’s out there, thousands of grams wrapped in Saran / sealed tight, keep the freshness,” sets up Rae, only to be concluded by Ghost’s “that’s how we expand.” The beauty of this hard, albeit brief verse, is that you know it was crafted in the studio; how they decided who spits which line remains a mystery, but there’s something refreshing about such a blue-collar creative process.

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Unlike the former two New York classics, The Firm’s “Phone Tap” employs back and forth bar trading to accomplish a different goal. Over brooding Dr. Dre production, Nas and AZ’s cult classic find them operating two distinct roles having a real-time discussion with one another. The simulation of a conversation makes a back and forth structure necessary, creating an immersive and cinematic experience befitting of the song’s criminology themes. They’re not merely adding emphasis to punchlines or segueing in new flow-schemes, but propelling a narrative forward complete with individual character arcs. For that reason, they’re allotted more space to move, spitting miniature verses and responding to one another with fleshed out answers. Though not quite as prolific as some hip-hop duos, Nas and AZ have amassed one hell of a joint catalog; perhaps that’s why “Phone Tap” stands as a crowning achievement in mafioso rap. 

A back and forth can also be the perfect means of celebrating your favorite wingman. Look no further than Busta Rhymes and P. Diddy’s lavish and obnoxiously opulent “Pass The Courvoisier” series, a pair of Neptunes-produced bangers circa 2001. The first part was far more frantic, with Busta’s signature “dungeon dragon” energy juxtaposing nicely with Diddy’s dangerously cool swagger. In keeping with tradition, Busta and Diddy weave in and out as the scheme demands, particularly in the song’s second verse. “They call me Mr. Diddy, the boss, you know me, the only G to willy a Porsche,” boasts Diddy, as Busta closes out declaring “we get dough in all land the size of Philly, of course.” On their second go-around, Busta relaxes a bit to meet Puff’s energy, culminating in a sequel that’s at once seductive and classy, an arguable triumph over the first. Despite any potential differences in net worth or technical prowess, in the context of “Pass The Courvoisier Part 2,” Busta and Diddy stand on equal footing.

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images 

In a modern-day setting, the TDE camp is no stranger to the back and forth. ScHoolboy Q and A$AP Rocky have traded lines on “Brand New Guy,” and the entirety of “Vice City” seems to be an exercise in collaborative penmanship. Reason even brought a bit of that sauce to the Dreamville camp with his triumphant turn on the darkly comedic Cozz duet “Lambo Truck.” Yet perhaps the hardest-hitting Top Dawg back and forth banger arrived on Jay Rock’s 90059 by way of “Easy Bake.” Given the superstar that Kendrick Lamar has become, it’s hard to imagine him as anything other than a larger than life leader. But once upon a time young Kenny occupied the position of Jay Rock’s symbolic little brother, a protege of sorts to the buzzing Watts rapper. It’s only made sense to honor the dynamic on “Easy Bake,” as Rock and Dot trade verses a la Jada and Styles, setting each other up with line after line; Rock busts them, Kenny punishes em’. The fact this two-headed verse feels like such a far cry from Kendrick’s solo material makes this one all the more special, a time-honored tradition stemming from a deep-rooted pre-fame dynamic. 

It would be foolish to ignore the work of Royce Da 5’9” and Eminem, known collectively as Bad Meets Evil. No more is their madcap chemistry more evidence than on the outlandishly depraved lullaby “A Kiss” off 2011’s Bad Meets Evil: Hell The Sequel. Speaking with Royce, he explained how he and Em approach each song with a competitive spirit: “We challenge each other with the back and forth shit,” he told me. “He’ll go in, do a certain amount of bars, and stop. We try to finish connecting each other’s syllables to continue the scheme.” Deep though their catalog may be, “A Kiss” exemplifies that character on a variety of levels. Not only is it a constant spree of hilarious one-upmanship, but a testament to their similarly structured minds; well-matched in gallows humor and better matched in technical prowess. Their chemistry is best revealed on the song’s latter half, with both parties effortlessly baton-passing over a Bangladesh banger. “What a demon, a behemoth evil just seems to be seething through him,” spits Em, only for Royce to continue the scheme with “I like the little strip tease you doing.”

To comb through all of hip-hop’s classic back and forth bangers would be a Herculean, albeit highly enjoyable task. In essence, the art of bar-trading best serves as a validator of chemistry, a tangible expression of camaraderie on wax. It’s no surprise that only trusted collaborators tend to attempt the practice, as the writing process likely requires the presence of both body and mind. In other words, what might be a highly introverted process becomes a collaborative one. And yet the results tend to speak for themselves, with back and forth verses proving to be crowd-pleasers damn near every time. Which one is your favorite? 

If you liked this, check out:

The Art Of The Dark Banger

The Top 50 Best Flows Of All Time

Album Number Seven: Examining The Lucky Number

Masters Of Cadence: The Art Of Voice In Hip-Hop

Skip Bolen/WireImage/Getty Images

The discourse surrounding the greatest of all time has been one rife with adamance, hot takes, and hyperbole. And yet, it remains one of the most fun talking points, be it in a barbershop setting or merely among friends. Names like 2Pac, Biggie, Jay-Z, Nas, Eminem, Andre 3000, and Snoop Dogg are often hailed; newer voices like Kendrick Lamar and Drake have recently gained credibility as contenders. Yet one name who often goes uncelebrated, despite boasting a massive influence on lyricism and flow, is LL Cool J.

Bennett Raglin/Getty Images

Currently bringing classic hip-hop to the masses as the host of Rock The Bells radio, LL has amassed a sizable discography of hits, collaborations, and memorable verses to his name. For Snoop Dogg, birthday boy LL served as a dominant inspiration during his come-up, a fact he openly shared in a celebratory Instagram post this morning. 

“Happy c day to my. O. G,” pens Uncle Snoop, alongside a picture of LL in his heydey. “One of the rappers I studied and learned line for line bar for bar style attitude and class on the mic. Goat is why I still here. L. L. Cool. J. Is hard. As hell.” He’s certainly not alone in that assessment; his former mentor Dr. Drerecently sat down for an extensive conversation with LL, a rare sighting indeed. Likewise did Eminem, equally selective in who he reaches out to. Perhaps it’s time to start including LL in the greater GOAT discourse — who is vouching for him? 

Everybody predicted Machine Gun Kelly would dive deep into the depths of irrelevance last year after Eminem took care of business, issuing his “Killshot” and attempting to end the young man’s career. Fortunately for MGK though, his own contributions to the highly-publicized rap beef were enough to net him a bunch of newfound attention from fans and he ended up experiencing the best year in his professional life. With movies, shows, tours, and an album all adding to his tremendous display of talent in 2019, the Ohio native is looking to extend his take-over into the new decade. As of late, Kellz’ music has been laced with rock elements, edging on pop-punk at time. Days ago, he announced that he would officially by diving into the world of pop-punk with a new album and now, we’ve got a title for it.

During an interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music, Machine Gun Kelly sat next to Travis Barker and unveiled the name of his next musical body of work. Titled Tickets To My Downfall, it sure sounds like MGK will be addressing the issues that have affected him in the last couple of years, possibly even referencing how people wished for him to fail after battling Eminem. His “downfall” never ended up taking place but, if it had, maybe it would be tinged in pop-punk flavor.

Are you looking forward to the next project from him? Let us know in the comments.

Twitter account, Culture Central, shared a tweet on Sunday that features photos of "36 of your favorite rappers as kids." It appears as though nearly all of the photos are from yearbooks or school photoshoots, and the ages of the artists range from as young as toddlers to as old as high school seniors. Though it got a few details wrong—the photo claiming to be T-Pain is actually a young Lil Jon, A$AP Rocky's dollar sign is missing from his name, 50 Cent has a dollar sign in his name, for some reason—that were pointed out by Twitter users in the replies, the post is mostly accurate. Photos of plenty of the best (and some of the most mid) of the rap game are included, from OGs to newcomers, and some who are no longer with us. 

There have been very few rap feuds involving two worthy opponents. Meek and Drake. Drake and Pusha T. I suppose Eminem and MGK, for the sake of this discussion. For the most part, rap beef has devolved into social media back-and-forths. As we entered the new year, Stormzy, a few weeks removed from the release of his sophomore album Heavy Is The Head, found himself on the receiving end of some scathing remarks made by Wiley, an artist that he’s previously referred to as his “big bro.” A back-and-forth ensued on Twitter, including Stormzy calling Wiley “old” and “weird” as well as alleging that the Godfather of Grime was abusing crack.

Now, as much as I’d like to say this was unexpected, Wiley, especially in the past year, hasn’t kept his mouth shut. Taking aim at internationally renowned stars like Drake and Ed Sheeran, there’s a part of this entire feud that one could argue is rooted in preserving grime culture amidst its influence on modern pop music and the rise of UK drill. Even though Stormzy became one of the biggest rappers in the UK, it appears as though his pop sensibilities are what rubbed Wiley the wrong way in the first place.

As things heated up on the Interwebs, Wiley kept to the tradition of clashing in grime and made their beef official on wax. Releasing “Eediyat Skengman,” a jab at Stormzy’s “Wicked Skengman,” Wiley fueled their beef with a barrage of bars claiming Stormzy not only sold out but used grime as a way to come up in the industry. This later resulted in Stormzy’s “Disappointed” and “Still Disappointed,” the latter serving as a response to “Eediyat Skengman 2.” Following the release of the third and final installment of Wiley’s “Eediyat Skengman” trilogy, there might be a few of you who aren’t entirely aware of how this all came about. Below, we’ve briefly broken down Wiley and Stormzy’s respective diss tracks and origins of their feud.

From The Jump

This week might have found the two grime heavyweights sparring on wax but this beef has been boiling up since summer 2019. Wiley’s fight to preserve the culture as he knows it, given he is a grime pioneer, has made him an unofficial cultural gatekeeper of sorts. But as its evolved, and UK rap subgenres emerged, Wiley’s made a concerted effort to keep his voice heard. Despite previously having a tight-knit relationship, Wiley’s made it abundantly clear that he’s not a fan of outsiders stepping into grime music or taking elements of it. This is what provoked Wiley to send off a salvo of insults towards Ed Sheeran, calling the pop singer a “culture vulture,” among other things. 

Then Ed Sheeran and Stormzy linked up on “Take Me Back To London,” a grime infused banger, and again on “Own It” alongside Burna Boy, prompting Wiley to put a ban on Ed Sheeran’s access to grime culture. “Ed your banned and I don’t wanna hear you on another grime beat ever again you don’t deserve it,” he tweeted, adding, “Ed, I love this shit. You know that already.” Stormzy was placed in an awkward position, caught between having to defend his innocent guitar-strumming ginger friend and an OG who helped pave the way for him. Being strategically political, Stormzy responded, “no Wiley you know Ed been doing this from early, been a real one from early, can’t question that, you know I love you and respect you brother but nah don’t do that.”

Ed Sheeran later issued a statement explaining that he’s had mad love for Wiley, even expressing his excitement on previous work they’ve done together. “You know I have a deep love and respect for the scene, and for you. I look forward to Godfather 3, excited to hear it,” Ed wrote. On a mission to do further damage control, Stormzy paid homage to Wiley on Heavy Is The Head single, “Wiley Flow.” Unfortunately, Wiley didn’t seem to actually take the song as a form of homage as he stated that sometimes people who pay homage aren’t actually doing so before signing off with a maniacal laugh.

Fast forward a few months, and in the midst of a clash between Wiley and Dot Rotten, the allegations of culture vulture-isms emerged once again. After another grime artist, JayKae, released a send for Wiley, a fan asked the Godfather MC whether he’d respond. “He is with Stormzy and Ed,” he said, taking a swipe at Stormzy’s credibility as a grime MC.  “I love you so much but you are so annoying fucking hell,” Stormzy wrote in response, which resulted in another back-and-forth. Stormzy continued to clap back, calling Wiley a crackhead and old, among other things. A few days later the first diss track dropped.

Eediyat Skengman

The first of three diss tracks on Wiley’s end. Things were yet to get too disrespectful but the grime MC successfully stirred the pot. Wiley threw shots at Stormzy accusing him of abandoning grime and going pop. In addition, he made it clear that he did not appreciate “Wiley Flow” at all. “These bumbaclat flows I’m hearing are all my ones / It’s not homage, looking like a sly one,” he raps on the grime infused track. While the track didn’t get personal — yet– Wiley made a concerted effort to name drop Stormzy’s ex, Maya Jama. “I ain’t gonna chat any shit about Maya, she’s cool/ So we ain’t gonna do the whole Maya ting.”

Disappointed 

As the song began to trend on Twitter and YouTube, Stormzy came out of the blue with “Disappointed,” a dub over Headie One & RV’s “Know Better.” Stormzy didn’t hold back on this one and reminded everyone of their history together, especially when it pertained to Cadell, another grime MC and Wiley’s half-brother. “I came to your show, and moved to your brother in front of your dad / Your old man just stood there pissed / I said pops, why you look so sad?” He raps viciously. “Go back your bro before you suck my dick.” 

This is in reference to an old feud Stormzy had with Cadell back in the day which apparently resulted in a confrontation at Wiley’s show. Apparently, things between Wiley and Cadell weren’t great; on top of confronting Cadell, Wiley brought Stormzy up on stage shortly after. Stormzy also addressed the negative comments Wiley made toward “Take Me Back To London,” as well as the supposed Jay-Z feature that didn’t end up making the song. While he continued to issue insults at Wiley’s family, he also continued to fuel allegations about his drug use. Signing off by claiming the title of “King Of Grime,” the public sided with Stormzy in round one, but Wiley still brought it back to his initial point: it’s not actually grime.

Eediyat Skengman 2

The lines had already been crossed and given Wiley’s volatile behavior, all gloves were off. In the second installment of the “Eediyat Skengman” series, Wiley had much more to say regarding Stormzy’s family including his absentee father. Serving as grime’s Godfather, he tied together Stormzy’s past with the current state of affairs. “I’ve done more for you than you dad has/ You didn’t chief my dad so don’t backtrack,” Wiley raps.  

Although Wiley kept Stormzy’s mom’s name out of his mouth in the first track (opting to tell Stormzy, “suck ya mudda” on Twitter), “Disappointed” clearly opened up the floodgates for more mom jokes. “If I see your mom down Croydon market/ I’m gonna rip that weave off of her head.” Unfortunately, Skepta, who’s removed himself from any sort of grime feud in recent times, was name-dropped as Wiley insists that Stormzy owed Skeppy credit for bringing him onto the stage during Kanye’s performance at the 2015 BRIT Awards.

Still Disappointed 

Wiley kicked off round 2 with “Eediyat Skengman 2” but like the general rule of thumb of most wars, there’s a 24-hour timer ticking for a response. Wasting barely any time, Stormzy came through with “Still Disappointed,” a dub over Kano’s “Mic Check.” That being said, Stormzy’s here to show-and-prove that his roots are in grime. Over a 140 bpm grime beat, Stormzy lets off a whole clip on Wiley’s entire family — father, brother, and sister included — but this one also plays out like one long “Yo Momma” joke: 

“Let’s talk about why you moved your mum to Cyprus / That poor little woman was scared of the house ‘cah you put her life in danger you prick / Bricks and shots just fly through the window,” he raps.  

Referencing his previous altercation with Cadell where Wiley’s father watched as it happened, Stormzy declares that Wiley’s mom “is the only real man in the house.” Signing off by blowing a raspberry, Stormzy gave Wiley his twenty-four hours. 

World War III 

In a shocking turn of events, Cadell, Wiley’s half-brother Stormzy claims he confronted on “Disappointed,” came in swinging in an attempt to defend his name. On “World War III,” Cadell issues his own side of the story. He kicks things off by setting the record straight on the confrontation with Stormzy, claiming that chart-topping rapper never tried to beef in the first place and even admitted it to his face. Although he spends time defending his family, he also takes aim at Stormzy’s personal life, alleging that he cheated on Maya Jama with Jorja Smith.  

Eediyat Skengman III  

The war might very continue but Wiley seemingly took it down a notch on his third and final diss track in the “Eediyar Skengman” series. Hopping over Ghetts and Rude Kid’s “One Take,” a song Stormzy actually dubbed in a diss towards Cadell in 2016, Wiley gets a bit more juvenile on this one. Calling Stormzy “Chewbacca” and “BFG,” he doubles down on his opinion on Ed Sheeran, “Take Me Back To London,” and Stormzy going pop and asserting himself in the UK Drill space. More than anything, Wiley seemingly used the moment to clear the air on the allegations of using crack and his mother hiding out in Cypress.

Nick Cannon recently emerged from an admittedly one-sided battle with Eminem, and it seems as if the threat of conflict proved inspiring. So much so that Cannon has officially announced a full-fledged Wild 'N Out tour, spanning fifteen dates across various American cities. As per the official Wild 'N Out Twitter page, the presale for the event is set to take place tomorrow morning; interested parties can check back here to cop tickets. 

Things haven’t been entirely great for Obie Trice in recent times. The former signee to Eminem‘s Shady Records was arrested in December 2019 following an alleged dispute with the family member. At the time information was scarce but it was later reported Obie Trice got into an altercation with his girlfriend’s 18-year-old son and a gun went off in the middle of their argument, striking the teen in the groin. The teen drove himself to the hospital, suffering a fractured pelvis but was in stable condition. The rapper was held on $16,900 and was released shortly after. 

 Scott Gries/Getty Images

He’s in stable condition but according to XXL, the teen was successfully granted a protective order against Obie Trice. The court approved of the Personal Order of Protection on Dec 10th — five days after the altercation — and will last until December 10th, 2020. Following the assault, he was arrested for aggravated felony assault of a family member with a gun and contempt of court for violating a protective order, though he wasn’t actually charged for those crimes. The publication revealed that their prosecutors’ office has yet to provide an explanation of why.

Despite the legal troubles, he did get off a few bars in recent times. In the midst of Nick Cannon and Eminem’s feud sparking up once again, Obie Trice snapped on the Wild N Out within a week on “SpankyHayes” and it’s sequel. 

Just like that, we’ve entered a new decade. It came all too suddenly, and it’s going to pass by even quicker. Before we get too caught up in 2020, though, there is still one last piece of reflection we need to do for 2019. Our annual review of our feisty comment section.

Every year, we take a look at who said what, who engaged the most in the c-section, and we shout out some of our most loyal commenters. This year, much like years’ past, we’re looking at the users who we *suspect* have multiple accounts, the ones who made us laugh the most, and our favorite comments of the year.

We want to see more POSITIVITY in the HNHH space in 2020. Life’s too short for negative and cruel comments. 

MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS ALERT 

Deathstroke 

Are you surprised? Deathstroke is infamous in the comment section of HNHH. Either, he’s got a lot of copycats out there or he’s got a lot of time on his hands. We found a whopping 24 accounts with varying degrees of the “Deathstroke” name, while only 12 of those accounts remain active at this time.

PND Durag goat aka stimulation theory

What is it about the biggest artist stans on the site and multiple accounts? The trend continues, with everyone’s favorite PartyNextDoor ambassador, PND Durag, or, more formally known as PND Durag goat aka stimulation theory. There are a total of 7 accounts with his exact username, 5 of them are currently active.

Future the Trashman

Where are our other two users stan for a particular, Future the Trashman is more about trashing (surprise) the artist at hand — or really, any artist in his line of vision. We’ve found a total of 9 accounts with his name, and again, only 6 are active at the moment.

OUR VALUED MAINSTAYS 

We always want to show love to our most dedicated commenters. That’s not to say that these are the dudes who commented the most or who were belligerent in their comments–  although two of the users here do make a repeat appearance in our grand tally of the users with the most comments in 2019– it’s simply to say that these users are important, and they help drive the conversation and debate in the comment section. Of course, sometimes it can be a purposefully incendiary comment that does this, but other times, they’re simply providing their own insight, feedback or (hot) take at the matter at hand. We love to see it.

Made_To_Post (2015)

Lageon (2013)

Spirit Sword  (2015)

K129 -TW:@kp129music-Beatmaker (2013)

ISIS? (2014)

All-Amerikkkan Bada$$ (2015)

KeepTheSameEnergy (2015)

Only Real HipHop Can Last (2016)

?LORD PIŁŁS THE MIGHTY? (2016)

Jar Jar Binks (2015)

Master Roshi (2015)

THE STANS

You know the drill. Two of our (least?) favorite stans from last year make a rather inevitable return on this year’s list, and we also welcome a newcomer, who took up the mantle for Nicki Minaj this year. 

princeeee – NICKI MINAJ 

Let’s kick it off with our New Stan of 2019, princeeee, who made sure to hold it down for Nicki Minaj where ever and whenever possible. 

Deathstroke | INDIGO ????? – CHRIS BROWN

We all know Deathstroke at this point in the HNHH lifespan. If you don’t know him, you’re clearly not visiting the comment section enough (and if that’s the case, wtf are you doing???). It seems his account was recently banned or reported, as the latest Deathstroke account was a recent creation. Nonetheless, we have to give him props for staying on course. Deathstroke doesn’t let anything hinder his mission to sing the praises of Chris Brown. 

Pnd durag goat Aka Simulation Theory  – PARTYNEXTDOOR / OVO CAMP

Another familiar face for the HNHH community. Perhaps 2020 will finally be the year where PND really returns to the fold too? He’s teased as much with his two song drops at the tail end of 2019. Whatever the case, Pnd durag refuses to let a post on HNHH pass him by without hopping in the c-section and rattling off some weird banter about PND or the OVO camp at large.

RESPECT YOUR OGS 

We want to shout out these loyal users. Their loyalty is highlighted by the fact that they’ve managed to keep an account intact for over the course of at least seven years — which is quite the feat, considering the volatile nature of our comment section. We’re hoping to see these commenters and their Day One accounts for many years to come. In no particular order, these are our HNHH vets. Beginning with the HNHH Vet (at least, so says the name).

2010 HNHH Veteran. – 2012

Phamous – 2012

Manganime – 2012

Based Jesus – 2013

Kidfromusa – 2012

LightSkinGod – 2012

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? 

Every year we see trolls and dedicated users alike come and go. At this time of year, we like to remember the ones we’ve lost in the past year, whether it be due to a simple account name change, a lack of motivation when it comes to all the time and effort that trolling takes, or another reason entirely. If you’ve seen any of these accounts in action, let us know. 

Avril 

Last year, we crowned Avril among our favorite Rookie Trolls. Unfortunately, she hasn’t been able to maintain her presence this year. Still, we did receive a few gems from her in 2019, including the below comment. Avril is done with men, who need ’em anyways??? 

Fuck T.I.’s snitching ass

Despite an active account, we haven’t heard a peep out of Fuck T.I.’s snitching ass since 2017.

Giovannie Hernandez 

Good ol’ Giovannie. He recalls a simpler time, for those of our loyal HNHH users who remember his consistent presence on EVERY. SINGLE. POST. While we’ve seen his profile pop up intermittently in 2019, it’s nowhere near as consistent as he once was, and the flavour has changed a bit – sure, he’s dropped a few ‘title’ comments, but he’s also veered away from his signature comment style on a couple of comments too. 

Debbie 

Debbie, in a similar vein as Avril, was on HNHH in hopes of finding some fire hip-hop music for her sons, apparently. While we saw her in the c-section briefly at the beginning of 2019, including on last year’s Trolls & Users round-up (find that comment below), she’s since gone MIA. Do you miss Debbie? 

IcognitoT 

IcognitoT is among our OG, valued commenters and we miss him. Have you seen him lately?

Living in a Full-Time Era 

Ditto for Living in a Full-Time Era. If you don’t remember him, he’s had his profile since 2014, but he’s clearly fallen off since 2018. He often stayed on topic when it came to his comments, simply providing his opinion, thoughts, or additional information on the subject matter at hand, and we appreciated it.

THE COMMENT POLICE 

Every year, we have a new set of instigators on the site. These are the trolls on a mission– to bug the fuck out of you and create a reaction, or at the very least, elicit a reply. Ideally, it’s a pissed-off reply too. Now, to be clear, we don’t condone this behaviour, and we will not be highlighting the biggest instigators this year. This year, we want to instead, give a special shout-out to CalliouOffTheGlue, who for whatever reason has taken it upon himself to review how old any given account is, and put the user in their place if the creation date of their account is suspicious. 

We’ve noticed this happening through out the past year, but here’s a sampling:

CalliouOffTheGlue was particularly present and having NONE of it on this Fat Joe story.

However, it wasn’t his first time calling out the Eminem Stans on HNHH. He tried to bring this issue to light at the beginning of the year as well:

COMMENTS OF THE YEAR 

There was one comment, or rather, a set of two comments, in 2019 which really stood the test of the time. Meaning, we’re still laughing at it. This comment arrived in a rather unsuspecting post, and thus the surprise nature of the comment adds to its hilarity. Our favorite comments of the year (because, without one, we would not have the other) belong to Yelitza J (who only has one comment to her name, and clearly created her account in response to the story at hand), and Pat Johr who issued a swift, succinct reply to Yelitza that sums everything up nicely: “FUCC A ANIMAL.”

There are two other comments in particular that we would like to highlight in our yearly review. 

TruthTalk is a user who is attempting to do just that– or at least, whatever he perceives as the truth (and let’s take it all with a grain of salt)– he’s on HNHH spreading awareness about some issues which may or may not verge on conspiracy theories. When Tory Lanez called out Interscope, TruthTalk was there, giving us the scoop on what REALLY goes down in Hollywood. “That was interesting” definitely sums it up nicely, quabbity ashwitz.

One of the biggest news topics of 2019 was, of course, R. Kelly. The once-acclaimed r’n’b singer saw his personal and professional life spiral out of control ever since Lifetime aired their Surviving R. Kelly documentary. Among the fall-out, apparently R. Kelly squandered a lot of his cash. When it was revealed just how little R. Kelly had in his bank account, one of our astute users, RealHipHop1991, had something else to say about it. RealHipHop1991 claimed, without hesitation, that R. Kelly has $20 million hidden overseas. We cannot confirm if this is true. And, what’s a good comment without a hilarious reply, anyways? This is another two-for-one.

TOP 10 USERS WITH THE MOST COMMENTS IN 2019 

As we near the end of this year’s User Awards, we need to unearth (expose?) these users who shelled out the most comments through out 2019. You’ve definitely seen them. 

10. Marcy Son – 1,412 comments

9. Keem’s Dream Shall Be Redeemed – 1,454 comments

8. Bizarre N “Creepy” Rugged – 1,542 comments

7. ISIS? – 1,701 comments

6. Spirit Sword – 1,850 comments

5. Tired of the bs – 1,851 comments

4. marcrobinson457 – 1,936 comments

3. Hip-hop L Delivery Guy – 2,079 comments

2. 6Shit – 2,706 comments

1. ?❄ ĐⱤł₱ God X ❄?(f.k.a. PlayboyX) – 2,781 comments

TOP 3 MOST LIKED COMMENTS OF 2019

Finally, we’d like to give you a quick overview of the most-well received comments on the site this year. Among the top 3 Most Liked Comments, one is a simple reminder about the brevity of life, in response to the shocking and tragic death of Nipsey Hussle; one centers around 50 Cent and Floyd Mayweather and T.I., a trio for controversy; and finally, we have a comment pertaining to Eminem (duh).

3. Nipsey Hussle Pronounced Dead After Shooting In Los Angeles (REST IN PEACE)

2. Floyd Mayweather Claps Back At T.I & 50 Cent, Calls Out Gucci Boycott Hypocrisy 

1. Sada Baby Says Eminem Isn’t A Top 5 Rapper From Detroit – The Most Liked Comment of the Year

From the entire HNHH team, we want to thank every single user for their support and comments over the years. We appreciate every one of you, and we’re wishing everyone a prosperous, happy, and healthy 2020!!

Upon its release, we deemed Griselda’s 50 Cent collaboration “City On The Map” to mark a major milestone in gangsta rap. A few days back, the trifecta of Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, and Conway hit the Shade 45 studios to field some questions, including a few about landing a feature from the Get Rich legend. Around the 16:40 mark, the host thanks Westside, Conway, and Benny for bringing “mixtape” 50 Cent back into the fold, busy man that he is and all.

Conway reveals that “City On The Map” was originally intended for his upcoming solo album. “I went to Detroit and I was sitting in the studio with Eminem and Paul,” he explains. “We were listening to it, just hype, you know? I was like I need 50 on that! Call 50! 50 got on that. We all thought it made sense for that to be on What Would Chinegun Do. It fit the rest of the album so perfect. That grimy, street, that feel. When we got the joint back and I heard it, I’m like yeaaah nah, 50 in his bag,” continues Conway. “Shout out to 50 for even doing that cause he ain’t have to do it. He got a whole bunch of other shit going on. I ain’t really hear him working with too many artists out there…That shit was big for us, just to have him getting on it and then bodying it.”

Westside Gunn issues a reminder, maintaining that “if you don’t bring your A-Game, you gon’ look real bad” on a Griselda record. “We did songs with a lot of legends,” he explains. “We bring the best out of everybody. If you not coming with it, if you on a song with Benny, you know how bad you going to sound? You don’t want them problems.” And let’s be honest — Westside hasn’t told a lie yet. 50 Cent’s verse was definitely a callback to simpler times, a reminder that he was once a murderous presence on the mic. 

This 50 Cent–French Montana beef pretty much appeared out of nowhere, but it’s continuing to burn hot. It all started a few days ago when Fifty started trolling French for leasing a 2008 Bugatti, as he got a good laugh out of the fact that he’d be interested in a 12-year-old car with a CD player. French retaliated with an edited photo of Fifty kissing Eminem and some receipts that suggest Fifty fooled around with Celina Powell. Fifty, never being one to back down from a slander battle (especially one he started), alleged that French tampered with the streaming numbers for his single, “Writing On The Wall”.

But wait, there’s more. Fifty was up bright and early this morning sharpening his sword. His latest attempt to defame French involves a video of Pistol Pete saying some humiliating stuff about the “No Stylist” rapper. Pistol Pete is a Bronx legend who belonged to Fat Joe‘s Terror Squad. The video that Fifty shared comes from Pete’s appearance on The Premium Pete Show in July, during which he detailed his beef with French. He recalled how French used to turn to him in times of worry, such as when he got caught in the middle of Fat Joe and 50 Cent’s beef. “He used to be scared for years,” Pete said. “‘I’m scared Macho Joe is gonna smack me cause I kinda fuck with 50.’ He’s a paranoid, scared guy, for years.” 

Pete then exposed how French used to turn to him for assistance after having one too many. “He’s calling me – he’s got tons of fake jewelry on – ‘Yo Pete, I’m drunk. Can you please take me to the hotel?'” Pete would concede. “‘Yo, let’s go get this fucking guy, make sure he’s okay. Bring him to the hotel, tuck him in. ‘Ok, have a great night, buddy.'”

Fifty highlighted how this clip proves French’s flakiness. “He switch sides a lot he a sucker,that’s why the Dream Chasers beat his ass,” he wrote in the caption. In a comment below the caption, Fifty tried to make sure that the fake jewelry part doesn’t go overlooked. 

50 Cent was at one point the biggest rapper in the game but these days, he’s more of a professional troll. I mean, he still gets in rap feuds without actually rapping and using these Internet back-and-forths to promote whatever he has going on such as Power or his champagne brand. In recent times, he’s found himself going at it with French Montana.

It all began earlier this week when 50 Cent roasted French for purchasing an old Bugatti. Since then, French Montana has been relentlessly going in on Fif, calling the G-Unit head honcho a dinosaur, among other things. French also shared a photoshopped pic of 50 Cent and Eminem kissing which seems like a poor PR decision in 2020. Anyways, in the midst of all of this, French found himself in some hot water after he was accused of faking streams for his single, “Writing On The Wall” ft. Cardi B and Post Malone. Faking streams isn’t necessarily the most scandalous thing in the world but if these allegations are true, it reflects incredibly poorly on French since he has two of the biggest artists on earth.

This obviously proved too good of a situation for 50 Cent to not pry into. Taking to Instagram, he simple demanded French provide some sort of explanation regarding the alleged fake streams before plugging the return of Power. 

Adam Sandler's Twitter account boasts 2.4 million followers so when his account sent out a number of racist and bizzarre tweets, it was of course seen by many. However, the series of tweets that read "hate dem n—" and "i just had phone sex with @MariahCarey." The tweets happened just days after Mariah Carey's account was hacked meaning the hackers took control of yet another celebrity account. 

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The Hollywood Reporter details how the tweets began at 5:34 PM with some that referenced former president Barack Obama, "@BarackObama ur a arangatang monkey u ruined my life when u messed with food stamp rates i hate u forever retart." Others referenced current president Donald Trump, "@realDonaldTrump you're a racist cracker. RT if you agree. #2020 #fucktrump." 

French Montana played a pretty strong hand by exposing an edited photo of 50 Cent and Eminem kissing but when it comes down to the winner of most troll battles, Fif generally has people beat from the get-go. If it’s true that French Montana’s Bugatti is a decade-old and has a CD player on the inside, the Coke Boys rapper may be fighting a losing battle. Fiddy has already posted some receipts online that attempt to prove Montana is on a sixty-month loan of the vehicle. The star has been striking back but Fif just keeps on bringing up the CD issue, this time posting a stock photo of some disks and extending a message to his new rival.

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“Somebody send this to wrench,” joked the executive producer of Power on a photo of re-usable CD-Rs that Montana can use to make car playlists. “Damn he gonna need the old apple to burn the new music though.”

The battle between French Montana and 50 Cent has been heating up for approximately one week. Today, Montana found himself wrapped up in some fresh allegations about fake streams for his single “Writing On The Wall.” Apparently, people have been noticing their Spotify accounts getting hacked into, playing the record without the user’s knowledge. French Montana and his label have yet to comment on those claims.

It’s said that every living person has a Doppelgänger roaming about. Snoop Dogg recently found “Offset‘s little brother” flipping and tumbling pizza pies. Quavo ultimately crossed paths with himself, a living enaction of the pointing Spider-Man meme. Even a late-game Eminem lookalike recently entered the party. The list goes on, and there are always laughs to be had when the Dopples come into play. Ask Tory Lanez, who found himself stumbling into the lair of Nav‘s very own twin during an otherwise routine trip to the valet.

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“I didn’t know Nav worked in my valet, this is crazy,” marvels Tory, while the valet employee in question smiles. In truth, the resemblance is debatable to be sure, but the signature bowl-cut is enough for Lanez to commit to the gag. Curiously, his instinctual response was to break into song, belting out choice Nav lyrics while documenting the encounter for his IG followers. It’s unclear whether the man in question was honored by the comparison — either way, Tory was not to be silenced. 

On the same voyage back home, the Canadian rapper also came face to face with a Young M.A. Doppelgänger (letting out a passionate “OUUUUU” for emphasis), whom he affectionately dubbed “Young Young M.A.” You can check that encounter out Tory’s IG story, while it’s still up. Shout out to everyone bearing a resemblance to a famous person — a unique burden to bear, but a burden all the same. 

Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma brought in the new year with a brand new, bleached blond look straight from 2000. Naturally, it wasn't long before fans were roasting him all over twitter. In fact, Kuzma even heard some taunts from the Staples Center crowd during L.A.'s New Year's Day victory over the Phoenix Suns.

When Kuz stepped to the free throw line in the third quarter, one fan shouted "Will the real Slim Shady please stand up!" which brought a smile to his face as the Lakers bench rolled with laughter.

There’s an inherent sense of intimidation that arises when a producer of Dr. Dre’s caliber sits behind the boards.  his reputation as a perfectionist is well documented. Known for honing in on everything from frequencies to cadential delivery, there’s nothing that eludes the Good Doctor’s storied ear. Not only is he a master in the art of arrangement, but he’s also one of the game’s most capable recording engineers. Drums hit harder. Haunting pianos sit comfortably in a mix. Space can be truly felt. 

Painstaking it may be for the underprepared, Dre’s borderline alchemical formula has worked wonders time and again. His name has been attached to countless hit singles, many of which stand as enduring classics. You’d be hard-pressed to find a hip-hop fan, casual or otherwise, who doesn’t hold at least one Dr. Dre production close to heart. And yet, despite ushering in several of the game’s biggest names — be it Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent, or The Game– there’s a certain aura of elusiveness surrounding him. 

In reality, Dre has been prolific for over thirty years. Since first arriving on the scene in the late eighties, he has assembled a truly massive discography, working with no shortage of artists from the West Coast and a few notable East Coast emcees. With such a vast repertoire of tracks to his name, many of the more obscure cuts might remain under the radar to the younger fan. Now, on the first day of a brand new decade, it’s time to celebrate the lesser-known bangers. We’ve previously examined Dr. Dre’s most haunting beats. We’ve done his Death Row-era classics. It’s time for the deep dive. 

The following is in no particular order.

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Hittman ft. Dr. Dre & Knoc-Turn’al – Bloww

When Dr. Dre first connected with Bronson rapper Hittman, the objective was to groom a rapper called “Lil Homie,” who was meant to act as the Doc’s sidekick on wax; Hitt confirmed as much when we spoke for our retrospective on 2001. The creative partnership proved fruitful beyond expectation, and Hitt ultimately landed on ten of the project’s tracks. Sadly, the dynamic ultimately faded, and Hittman’s anticipated Aftermath debut found itself shelved; the only officially released relics were a sample of “Last Dayz,” as seen in the “Forgot About Dre” video. Years later, Hitt would go on to release the project independently, with Dre handling four of the instrumentals. One of the highlights arrives courtesy of “Bloww,” a track that sounds like a holdover from the 2001 sessions. Patient basslines and somber pianos suggest the involvement of Elizondo and Storch, a spiritual successor to the elite 2001 duet “Big Egos.” 

LISTEN: Hittman ft. Dr. Dre & Knoc-Turn’al – Bloww

King T – Da’Kron

Though King T’s Thy Kingdom Come album ultimately fell victim to Dr. Dre’s fabled perfectionism, the 1998 album was eventually released in a staggered fashion. Laying seven of the project’s eighteen tracks, Dre’s fingerprints can be felt throughout, his musical instincts sitting somewhere between Dr. Dre Presents…Aftermath, The Firm, and 2001. An east-coast-inspired guitar lick pairs nicely with Dre’s crisp drum and bass, the perfect backdrop for the effortless T to administer flow on. In truth, it was hard to decide between “Da’Kron” and fellow album cut “Where’s T,” with the former gaining the edge through its subversion of Dre’s expected sound. Either way, it’s a shame the project was never given an official release, as a full-scale partnership between two West Coast legends would have been one for the books.

LISTEN: King T – Da’Kron

Royce Da 5’9″ – The Throne Is Mine

Airtight though his sound may be, there’s something refreshing about Dre on his underground tip. Evidently, one of his rawest cuts arrives courtesy of a young Royce Da 5’9″, who found himself invited to the 2001 recording sessions at Eminem’s behest. Though he ultimately secured a writing placement on “The Message,” one of Royce’s most interesting contributions to the cause was “The Throne Is Mine,” an unreleased song that found Dre exploring some unexpected sounds. “We got you surrounded, the Chronic 2000” raps Royce, over Dre’s deftly-plucked guitar arpeggio and ominous choirs. While the unmixed variant is all we’ve got, the low-fi vibe gives the track a welcome backpacker aesthetic, leaving us wondering his this one might have been worked into Dre’s sophomore classic.

LISTEN: Royce Da 5’9″ – The Throne Is Mine

Knoc-Turn’al – Str8 West Coast 

In the early millennium, Dre seemed ready and willing to set his sights on both Eminem and Knoc-Turn’al, two chief contributors to the 2001 recording sessions. Unfortunately, Knoc’s debut album Knoc’s Landing found itself plagued by piracy and shelved as a result; in response, the Long Beach rapper released an EP of the same name, which included a pair of Dr. Dre produced album leftovers (as well as a strange rock-inspired beat from a young Kanye West): “The Knoc” and “Str8 West Coast Remix.” And while the remix is badass in its own right, there’s something special about the Knoc-centric original, as he floats ghostlike over an elite Dre banger. Picking up where hard-hitting piano beats like “Ackrite” left off, Dre slowly introduces new instrumental elements into the fold; by the chorus hits, his signature ear for darkness is revealed through a subtle minor-key progression. 

LISTEN: Knoc-Turn’al – Str8 West Coast

Eve ft. Styles P – That’s What It Is

Though Eve would never release a full album on Aftermath, the Ruff Ryders first lady and the Doc laid down their fair share of excellent collaborations. And while Scorpion’s “Let Me Blow Ya Mind” is far from a deep cut, the album’s second Dre collaboration “That’s What It Is” marks an uncelebrated milestone in hip-hop history. Which is to say, one of two unions between The Lox, herein represented by Styles P, and Dr. Dre. Off the rip, “That’s What It Is” gains momentum through its no-nonsense opening bars, which finds Eve taking to Dre’s demented orchestra with head-nodding precision. Picking up where she left off is the unapologetically G’d up Styles, who opts for a drawn-out rhyme scheme lined with violent bars. Simple in a sense, yet effective, clinically mixed, and immediate in true Dre fashion.

LISTEN:Eve ft Styles P – That’s What It Is

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Warren G – Lookin’ At You

There’s no denying that Dr. Dre loves his smut. Aside from delivering hyper-sexualized solo material, Dre has always been a wingman to those within his circle. In 2001, Warren G dropped off The Return Of The Regulator, featuring a single beat from his stepbrother Dre. Naturally, “Lookin’ At You” was released as the lead single, driven by an instrumental that’s simultaneously dark and seductive at the same time. With an ever-so-menacing piano progression dominating the backdrop, Warren’s tale of courtship, seduction, and a sealed-deal is premium gentleman’s club material. Warren G cruises over the beat with confidence, spitting game in an understated fashion — especially compared to his bro’s more rambunctious approach to one-night-courtship. On that note…

LISTEN: Warren G – Lookin’ At You

Dr. Dre & DJ Quik – Put It On Me

Cut from the same cloth as the equally X-rated “Bad Intentions,” Dr. Dre’s first and only collaboration with DJ Quik arrived heavy on lyrical pornography. The musical equivalent to a late-night jaunt at a neon-drenched no-tell motel, “Put It On Me” once again found Dre laying down a dark piano-driven banger, enhanced by a melodic guitar arpeggio and slinking bassline. Speaking about the track’s creation, Knoc-Turn’al explained that he helped bring Dre and Quik together in the first place, revealing that Dre employed the songwriting responsibilities to him. “Dre was like don’t let this n***a rip me,” laughed Knoc. “Quik’s style is cold. It was a challenge for me to try and match his style. Try to match the same intensity and same cleverness that Quik has.” Luckily, everyone involved in the creation of “Put It On Me” delivered — it sounds exactly what a link-up between two West Coast legends should.

LISTEN: Dr. Dre & DJ Quik – Put It On Me

Raekwon ft. Lyfe Jennings – Catalina 

Is it fair to deem Raekwon’s masterpiece “Catalina,” drawn from 2009’s classic Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2, a deep cut? In the sense that it often remains omitted from discourse surrounding Dre’s best work, it seems fair to highlight this cocaine-fuelled gem. For the first time since linking with The Firm in 1997, Dre found himself exploring motifs closer to Scarface than Boyz N The Hood, soundtracking full-blown mafioso rap in luxurious fashion. While previous classics like “Phone Tap” have long surpassed the Deep Cut status (many name it among Dre’s finest instrumentals), “Catalina” found Dre testing himself in an exciting fashion, lacing distinctive instrumentals for one of the best lyricists of all time in Raekwon. The end result is one of the most surprising beats in Dre’s career, a breath of fresh air, the equivalent to Tony Montana on a leather chair.

LISTEN: Raekwon – Catalina ft. “Lyff Jennings”

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Mack 10 – Hate In Yo Eyes

Who would have guessed that a flip on the disco classic “Stayin’ Alive” would go so hard? That’s Dre’s vision at work, drawing inspiration from the most unexpected sources. Linking up with the Westside Connection OG Mack 10 for one of their rare collaborations (the other being Ras Kass’ “Ghetto Fabolous“), Dre laid the foundation with a twanging guitar loop, effective bass work, and eerie atmospheric transitions. Unsurprisingly, “Hate In Yo Eyes” served as the lead single for Bang Or Ball, because if you have a Dre beat, you release it to the public as quickly as possible. Arriving during an era in which Dre was in the midst of perfecting a new musical formula, this strange and hypnotizing instrumental marked a cool departure for the legendary producer. The Bee Gees would be proud.

LISTEN: Mack 10 – Hate In Yo Eyes

Busta Rhymes – Truck Volume

“Truck Volume” is the sonic equivalent to a haunted video game cartridge. Arriving in tandem with “Break Ya Neck” and the spooky “Holla,” Dre’s trilogy of beats for Busta Rhyme’s Genesis stand among his most intriguing work of the early millennium. There’s something medieval in essence about the eighth track on Busta’s low-key classic, a meticulous blend of synthesizers, organs, descending basslines. In other words, madness befitting of New York’s self-declared Goliath. More than anything, “Truck Volume” reveals the brilliance of Dre’s engineering; lesser hands might have fumbled such a layered and dynamic instrumental, yet the final result hits hard enough to earn its name. 

LISTEN: Busta Rhymes – Truck Volume

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Much of the time, the loyal and wonderful readers of HotNewHipHop ponder aloud why we post so much Kardashian-related content. Perhaps you’re unsure about why there’s another article about Iggy Azalea wearing a bikini going up in the afternoon of a relatively busy hip-hop news day. Or maybe you’ve been asking yourself why each time 50 Cent trolls one of his rivals, an article is published almost immediately on our pages. Well, your questions are about to be answered.

Each year, we tally our most relevant based findings to determine the most popular artists on HotNewHipHop in the last twelve months. Some names will be obvious. Others, however, require more of a guess on your part. This year, the top earner in clicks and total views shouldn’t be a surprise and, if you’re still paying attention to the feud between Cardi B and Nicki Minaj, a winner may just have been crowned as a direct result of this list.  

Scroll through the information below to find out who the most popular artists of the year were on HNHH and, if you’re unsure about why some of these stars are mentioned, you only have yourself to blame. After all, these findings are all based, meaning that they made the list if you were searching for and clicking on articles about them. Whatever you guys are checking for the most on the site, those artists make up our Top Artists of the year.

15. Kodak Black

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Whether people were interested in his countless run-ins with the law, his beef with T.I., or his comments about Nipsey Hussle’s widow Lauren London, Kodak Black found his name in the news all year and his fans, AKA y’all, were keeping an eye out for him. With nearly 8 million total views, the Big Stepper was successful on news articles, song posts, and more.

14. Lil Wayne 

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Last year, Lil Wayne ranked much higher, rounding out the Top Five on this list. That likely had to do with the release of his long-awaited Tha Carter V. Without much of a musical imprint in 2019, Weezy F Baby maintains his spot for another campaign, earning the third-highest song views on the site from our fifteen top spots. When it comes to mixtape and video views, Lil Wayne was the GOAT in those categories, clocking in the largest numbers.

13. R. Kelly

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What can we say about R. Kelly… At the start of the year, he was being exposed in the Surviving R. Kelly docuseries on Lifetime. That was only the start of his trouble in 2019. The disgraced singer made headlines all throughout the year when he briefly went missing from prison, got arrested about a dozen times, and more. His inclusion on this list should be pretty straightforward.

12. Jay-Z

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This comes as somewhat of a surprise. The majority of our fifteen top artists made it onto this list because of their messy, dramatic undertakings in 2019. Jay-Z spent the year fairly unbothered, not actively sharing his life on social media, yet he still managed to nab the twelfth spot here. With almost ten million article views for the entire year, Hov is still in high demand.

11. Chris Brown

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Chris Brown is a mainstay on our driven lists. With fans as devoted as Deathstroke continuously cruising the HotNewHipHop pages in search of the latest updates regarding CB, the superstar singer will likely always be on this year-end list. The release of Indigo and his countless features helped make Brown the artist with the most views on song posts, beating absolutely everybody in that regard. The only person that came close was Drake.

10. T.I.

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The recent scandal involving Tip’s comments on his daughter’s virginity helped solidify the Atlanta legend’s placement in the Top Ten of our Top Artists list. Making remarks on most controversial incidents taking place within the hip-hop landscape, T.I. made sure his opinion was always clear on some of the hottest issues today.

9. Offset

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Easily the most popular of his fellow group-members, Offset’s closest Migos competition was at No. 35 this year in Quavo. With numerous cheating scandals, a short-lived breakup with Cardi B, an album release, and much more, it was a busy year for Offset. The star enjoyed a healthy mix of mixtape, news, song and video views to earn the ninth position.

8. Kanye West 

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Clocking in at just over eleven-million total views, Kanye West dominated the news circuit hard in 2019. Between the growth of his Yeezy brand, his business expansion to Wyoming, his Jesus Is King release (and non-releases) and more, you guys wanted to read about all about Ye.

7. Nicki Minaj 

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In possibly the most interesting development from this year’s data findings, Nicki Minaj ends up right below Cardi B for HNHH views in 2019. Last year, the Queen ended up with the highest overall page views. Twelve months later, she’s slipped to the seventh-top spot. Her retirement, marriage, and numerous beefs have helped keep her name on top of things, but her twelve million views weren’t enough to keep up with Cardi B.

6. Cardi B

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Taking over from her arch-nemesis as the most popular female on the site this year, Cardi B logged 1.5 million more page views than Nicki Minaj. Without much new music dropping in the last year, the Bronx native depended solely on antics, thirst traps, drama, and teases to keep the fans interested. She’s bound to experience another strong year in 2020 though with the release of her second studio LP.

5. Drake

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Another year with Drake missing from the top spot… Likely the most influential artist in the world today, Drake gathered page clicks on all ends: songs, videos, news articles, you name it! Still, it wasn’t enough for the 6ix God to come through on top. Drake was one of the three most-listened-to artists when it comes to single releases, and his video views were also pretty strong. Unfortunately, there was no dramatic beef with Pusha-T or a secret baby to bolster his throne at the pole position this year though.

4. Tekashi 6ix9ine

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Last year, 6ix9ine was a new entry on our Top Artists list. In 2019, even though he was in jail for the entire campaign, he was still one of the most-searched and clicked artists on HotNewHipHop. Of course, the majority of his action came from updates on his legal status, including his recent sentencing trial and all the snitching that led up to it. Hip-hop’s biggest disruptor had another big year on the site, thanks solely to you guys.

3. Eminem

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After sitting pretty at No. 8 for the last two years, Eminem actually moved up a handful of spots in 2019. His beef against Nick Cannon likely did the trick for him because, as you all know, the Rap God hasn’t released much new music at all this year. Still, his name remains in the headlines and there’s a good chance it will for years to come.

2. Nipsey Hussle

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The death of Nipsey Hussle impacted the rap community strongly, shaking us to the core and forcing us to re-evaluate how we appreciate artistry as a whole. Hussle didn’t get his roses while he could still smell them. In the days/weeks/months following the 33-year-old’s passing, information continued to pour in about the fatal shooting and Hussle’s final moments. His inclusion on 2019’s Top Artists tally should be obvious.

1. 50 Cent

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50 Cent basically had no competition this year. If you’re wondering why you always find articles on HNHH about the man’s online trollery, it’s because you guys want to read them so desperately. By a margin of almost ten million total views (!!!), 50 Cent was the most sought-after artist on the website this year. Always entertaining, you can be sure to have a good laugh when he posts, well, anything to social media. That’s why he earned the top spot of 2019.