Lil Uzi Vert has been teasing Eternal Atake for over two years now yet here we are in 2020 with no album in sight. Uzi has given us some singles here and there but nothing to make us think the album is truly on the way. In August, it will be three years since the release of his last project, Luv Is Rage 2. At this point, fans are getting restless and all they want is a sign that it could be on the way, sooner than later.

Recently, Uzi took to his Twitter where he made some bold proclamations about the new album. One of those proclamations was that Eternal Atake is his "best body of work" so far. This is a bold proclamation when you realize how many dope mixtapes Uzi has in his discography.

As many throughout the Hip-Hop community are still feeling the loss of burgeoning rapper XXXTentacion, those who knew him best have understandably been taking his death the hardest. Of course, they’re also the ones who can enlighten us on lesser known facts and behind-the-scenes moments in the late emcee’s life & career, which his ex-Members Only crewmate and longtime homie Wifisfuneral was able to do in a recent interview with VLAD TV. 

 As you can see from his Instagram tribute to X seen above, Wifisfuneral had a very close friendship with the “Look At Me!” rapper for years before the two even really blew up. Speaking with Vlad, he says, “I knew [XXXTentacion] since he was like 14,” continuing by detailing a pretty hilarious tale of how they initially met. “We knew each other because we were fucking with the same girl, little did we know,” says Wifi, jokingly referring to the love triangle as “Florida shit.” Another thing he mentions in reference to his relationship with X includes the two of them, along with Ski Mask the Slump God and DJ Skeme, living together at the house of his former manger, Table, who X reportedly was arrested for stabbing back in 2016. He also speaks on X’s incessant promo for the now-viral hit “Look At Me!” and ending the interview by calling him “on of the best” artist to ever do it.

Watch the full clip below, and let us know if you agree with Wifisfuneral that XXXTentacion is in fact one of the greatest artists ever:

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

In light of Mac Miller‘s new posthumous album Circles, a good friend of the fallen rapper Thundercat has opened up to Zane Lowe more than he ever has before on his close bond with Mac and how his death changed his life forever. During his visit to Beats 1 show on Apple Music ,that heard Thundercat (born Stephen Lee Bruner) discuss his upcoming album, the “Show You The Way” musician called last year a “traumatic” one.

Rich Fury/Getty Images

“It was a very difficult thing to process. I didn’t share this with anybody, even to this degree, but it’s just like I said goodnight to him on the phone. … I could hear it as it was coming,” he explained. “[Miller] was excited, we were talking about tour. What it was going to be, making jokes, as we would, and saying good night to him, and not knowing what was coming next. It traumatized me, and it almost haunts me a bit, because I told him I loved him. That doesn’t specifically haunt me, but it was literally like I never missed the chance to tell the guy I loved him, and I’m thankful I did.”

Thundercat said Mac’s sudden passing changed his life forever. “Even if I didn’t want to, it just changed me, and that’s just one example of the thing of it is what it is.”

Cardi B and her husband Offset flew over to Paris to celebrate the city’s annual Fashion Week and Offset’s collaboration with Chaz A Jordan. The “Be Careful” rapper expressed on Twitter how she plans to celebrate the major success by her husband and by no surprise, it was in a raunchy way. While Cardi attended the fashion show with her man, she stepped out in a bedazzled mask that accompanied her mesh bodysuit and floor-length coat. 

According to TMZ, the rare piece took a total of 36 hours to complete by CoutureMask designer Bradley Jordan. While Bradley did have creative control of the mask Cardi did have one request and it was to ensure that her eyes could be on full display. By the images that have been shared to the rapper’s feed, it’s clear that he succeeded. Rihanna, French Montanna and Future have all rocked the CoutureMask before and prices range from $5,000 to $7,000. Speaking of Rihanna, Cardi recently listed the “Needed Me” singer as one of her fashion inspirations along with Lady Gaga, Missy Elliott and Jennifer Lopez.

In other Cardi news, she’s been co-signed by Omarosa to dabble even more in politics. 

Without accounting for the new releases from today, the HotNewHipHop staff was busy mulling over each of the fresh vibes introduced to us to decide what deserves placement on our TIDAL-exclusive, staff-curated playlist. TIDAL Wave has been a constant in our office for months, offering the readers a chance to get to know our editorial staff a little bit better, while also providing you with some of the hottest drops from the last two-to-three weeks. To start off the year, we were gifted new projects from Moneybagg Yo, Quando Rondo, and a few others before things were shaken up today. Next week's playlist will certainly be fun to put together but for now, let's focus on last week's come-ups. 

It wouldn't be right if things didn't start off with Future's new single "Life Is Good," which features Drake. The song is arguably still the biggest hip-hop collaboration to release this month and it will surely earn a high placement on the Billboard Hot 100 next week. Following up that record is Lil Baby's new single and the pre-Circles single posthumously dropped by Mac Miller's estate. We've also got two Stormzy joints on deck from his Wiley beef, as well as some select Dreamville cuts, new Mick Jenkins, and the Khalid single.

Let us know whose list is the best this week and, if you're not already on game, sign up for a free 30-day trial with TIDAL right here.

Alex Zidel (Editorial)

Future - Life Is Good (feat. Drake)
Moneybagg Yo - Bitch
Khalid - Eleven
Quando Rondo - Just Keep Going
Quando Rondo - Letter To My Daughter

Chantilly Post (Editorial)

Khalid - Eleven 
Mac Miller - Good News
Moneybagg Yo - Protect Da Brand (feat. DaBaby)
Moneybagg Yo - Real Luv (feat. Summer Walker)
070 Shake - Guilty Conscience

Noah C (Editorial)

Mac Miller - Good News
Pink Siifu & yungmorpheus - Mantle Wit The Fit
Mick Jenkins - The Fit
Akai Solo & iblss - Kingdom Koi
Knxwledge - Do You

Alex Cole (Editorial)

Future - Life Is Good (feat. Drake)
Lil Baby - Sum 2 Prove
Lil B - Pour A Cup
Stormzy - Disappointed
Stormzy - Still Disappointed

Mitch Findlay (Editorial)

Future - Life Is Good (feat. Drake)
Stormzy - Disappointed
Stormzy - Still Disappointed
Mick Jenkins - The Light (feat. EARTHGANG)
Mick Jenkins - Carefree

Aron A (Editorial)

Stormzy - Disappointed 
Stormzy - Still Disappointed
Vybz Kartel - World Government
Future - Life Is Good (feat. Drake)
Pa Salieu - Frontline

Lynn Sharpe (Editorial)

Future - Life Is Good (feat. Drake)
Mac Miller - Good News
070 Shake - Guilty Conscience
Megan Thee Stallion & Normani - Diamonds
Mick Jenkins - I’m Convinced

Cole Blake (Editorial)

Future - Life Is Good (feat. Drake)
Mac Miller - Good News
Stormzy - Disappointed  
070 Shake - Guilty Conscience
Knxwledge - Do You

Keenan Higgins (Editorial)

Dreamville & Ari Lennox - BUSSIT
The Alchemist - Try My Hand (feat. Mobb Deep)
JACKBOYS - OUT WEST (feat. Young Thug)
Mac Miller - Good News

Rose Lilah (Editorial)

Mac Miller - Good News
Dreamville & Ari Lennox - BUSSIT

At the wee hours of the morning, Eminem swung in with a brand new album titled, Music To Be Murdered By. The project came at a surprise with no forewarning but as expected, the middle-aged rapper took to wax to air out his grievances. Among his targets was Lord Jamar who’s been having back and forths with Eminem indirectly over the years. 

On “I Will,” Eminem takes direct aim at Lord Jamar once again. Em’s previously done this on his album Kamikaze while Lord Jamar has continued to egg on the Detroit native during Vlad TV interviews.

I’m more than you bargained for and I am far more worse than a fourty-some bar Lord Jamar verse / Nothing means more than respect, so when I curse / You could say I swore to protect / My image I have zero time or regard for/ I never was, been claiming rap when it’s not yours/ If it was anyone’s house G Rap and Rakim would be havin’ you mop floors / Run-DMC would be havin’ you cleanin’ sinks / Yeah, your group was off the chain, but you were the weakest link

This is clearly in reference to Jamar’s claim that Em is a guest in the house of hip-hop. Clearly, it’s been weighing on Eminem’s mind for a hot minute. Will 2020 be the year they put their differences aside? Probably not. 

The day has finally arrived. Mac Miller‘s posthumous album Circles is here in all of its glory after previously dropping the lead single “Good News.” The album was released with the blessing of Mac’s family and they detailed how the missed rapper was working on the project at the time of his passing. “We simply know that it was important to Malcolm for the world to hear it,” Mac’s family wrote. “We are left to imagine where Malcolm was going and to appreciate where he was. We hope you take the time to listen.”

Christopher Polk/Getty Images

Before the project arrived, fans had a chance to be invited to exclusive pop-ups that would give them early streaming of the tape if they submitted a short write up on what Mac’s music meant to them. While those took place yesterday, today pop-ups in New York and Mac’s hometown of Pittsburgh are rammed packed as those who love Mac the most are checking in on the exhibits that showcase more on the fallen artist. 

The limited installations are free for entry and sell merchandise, collectibles, and art all surrounded on Mac and his discography. All proceeds for the event go towards the Mac Miller Fund that supports young and inspiring musicians. 

2019 was an eventful year for A$AP Rocky, and the same can be said for Donald Trump. The rapper found himself jailed in Sweden last year after getting into an altercation in the street. Although he claimed it was self-defense, he did get convicted but as it turns out, Trump apparently tried to persuade Sweden to free the rapper.

Rocky hit the Breakfast Club up earlier today where he revealed that he spoke on Trump’s involvement. The rapper explained that he was left in the dark in Sweden about when he’d actually be released and just to have some sort of support meant the world to him.

“I don’t feel no way about that,” he said about Trump speaking on his case in the White House. “I was very thankful for everybody that supported me. Even him. You know, being in that situation ’cause when you just in there, the support is what lifts you up.”

The rapper was later released and brought back to America but a few members of Trump’s team expressed that they were pissed Rocky never thanked them personally. Well, it appears as though that was “cap,” as the kids say.

“I spoke to [Trump] to thank them,” he said. “I don’t agree with all the political shit that he does at all but I’m just thankful for everybody that supported me in there.”

Confirming that he spoke to Trump on the phone personally, he added that Trump will forever be known to him as the guy who yells “you’re fired!” “So when I’m really in Sweden and thinkin’ about all this political shit, I kind of thought that it was going to make my situation worse but I was still thankful. I’m just keeping it a hundred,” he added. Although he didn’t get into details about the conversation itself, when Charlamagne brought up Melania’s involvement, Rocky simply stated, “I think she thinks I’m handsome.”

Mac Miller's posthumous album, Circles, arrived on Friday, and the companion album to 2018's Swimming is a beautiful devastating bounty of self-reflection. According to a statement in which the album was announced by his family, Mac had been working on Circles with Jon Brion, who completed the album following Mac's untimely death in September of 2018, "based on his time and conversations" with the late artist. The project has garnered plenty of attention already, and some close listeners have already begun speculating who else might have contributed to the album. After a particularly familiar voice could be heard harmonizing with Mac's on the track, "I Can See," some became convinced that Mac's ex-girlfriend, Ariana Grande, was featured on the song.