Beyonce just wrapped up the European leg of her Renaissance tour and she’s celebrating in Paris. In a new Instagram post the “Break My Soul” singer and husband Jay-Z are adorably taking some time off in the city. In most of the photos she’s sporting a light denim jacket accessorized with crystals and matching jeans. She also makes sure to show off her casual side later on in the post where she can be seen relaxing with Hova in some much comfier looking clothes.
The European portion of the Renaissance tour started back in May. Since then Beyonce has played 14 shows across Europe. She’s taking a break on shows until July 8th. That’s when the North American portion of the tour kicks off with back to back shows in Toronto. She’ll go on to play 38 shows in a number of American and Canadian cities. The tour is set to end off on September 27th in New Orleans at the Caesars Superdome. The tour has already received rave reviews from fans and broken records at nearly every spot played so far.
One part of the Renaissance tour that hasn’t been overlooked by fans in attendance is how many other celebs show up. At the most recent show in Warsaw, Zendaya and Tom Holland were photographed in attendance. Similarly, at the same show video of Lizzo living her best life circulated. The “About Damn Time” singer is a notorious Beyonce fan and claimed it was her 11th time seeing Queen B in concert.
Many Beyonce fans in North America have been jealous watching her tour overseas. Recently they got somewhat of a relief. Beyonce teamed up with Amazon to drop a new exclusive line of Renaissance merch. Earlier this week, the surprise announcement left fans scrambling to get pieces before it all sold out. While it was a relatively small merch drop compared to the original Renaissance merch, the fact that it was called “Vol. 1” led many fans to believe there will be more coming in the future. What do you think of Beyonce and Jay-Z’s new Paris photo dump? Let us know in the comment section below.
Plies took to social media yesterday to share an odd interaction he recently had with a fan. He revealed that he was out for a meal when the interaction took place. In the clip, the fan appears to flirt with the rapper, telling him that he has “Scooby-Doo” teeth.” Plies awkwardly laughs and plays along, as the fan continues to dote on him.
“Y’all Wouldn’t Believe Half Of The Sh*t Be Going On In My Life,” he captioned the clip alongside laughing emojis. “Don’t Feel Sorry For Me Doe,” he adds, “I’m Just Out To Eat By Myself Then BOOM. This Happen! She Seem Like A Nice Lady Doe!!!” Plies’ fans then rushed to the comments section to share their thoughts on the clip.
Last week, Plies hopped on social media again to weigh in on the missing Titan submersible. “Dear America,” he began a Tweet, “After Y’all Get Done Looking For The Submarine. Can Y’all Spend The Same Money & Time Looking For Some Of These Missing Kids Around America. That Would Be Great!! Thanks In Advance,” he wrote. Fans in his comments section were in agreement with the rapper, believing that more resources should be dedicated to missing children. Sadly, the submersible has since been said to have imploded and all passengers were declared dead.
Plies also shared his thoughts on Donald Trump’s arraignment in April. Trump pleaded not guilty to falsifying business records. The charges surrounded him allegedly paying Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal “hush money.” Plies shared a photo of Trump in court on social media, writing, “I Know The Feeling My Boy!!!” He later complained that the former president won’t have a mugshot taken taken for his arrest. “Is There Anybody U Know Ever Been Charged With 34 Felonies & The System Said: “When U Turn Yourself In We Good On The Mugshot U Ain’t Gotta Take It”???” he asked on Twitter.
Angie Martinez is one of the key voices in radio today. Known as “The Voice of New York,” she has been in radio for over 20 years. Her latest endeavor has been her podcast titled IRL, which has seen guests from the music and media world of all kinds and generations. However, she was at Hot 97, a prominent rap station in New York, before this. She later left for another New York outlet, Power 105. These tenures resulted in her induction into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2020. Angie also spent some time behind the mic as a rapper too. She built her reputation by working with prominent figures in both fields in the late ’90s and early 2000s. With a résumé so expansive, it comes as no surprise she’ll be receiving her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2024.
Angie Martinez’s Time At Hot 97
Angie Martinez during Sizzla at Hot 97.1 FM – July 19, 2005 at Hot 97.1 FM in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
Angie Martinez’s place in the radio world began in Miami at Power 96. While living in New York, her mom sent her to Miami for the summer to give her something to do that aligned with her love of music. While she only had an internship, the hustle and bustle of live radio excited her. When Angie returned to New York, she got a job at Hot 97. In an interview with Complex, she spoke of how the station played dance music and later crossover artists that blended dance and hip-hop. The true hip-hop songs were only played at night with fewer listeners. The station brought in Funkmaster Flex, who was an integral part of its transformation into a hip-hop station. Angie worked with him directly.
Working with Funkmaster Flex was how Angie Martinez first got her foot in the door as an on-air personality. In the same Complex interview, she spoke about how Flex was more comfortable talking to her than talking to the radio listeners. He would address her while she was in the room, and she would chime in so the people listening could hear her, too. This led to her being on air alone in the very late hours of the station, 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. The station liked how she handled the calls during that time, her genuine knowledge of the culture, and her technical knowledge of playing the music. They moved her to 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. That’s when she started doing interviews that began with local artists and soon progressed to chart-topping artists.
Angie’s Time At Power 105 & Beyond
Angie Martinez spent over ten years at the radio station Hot 97. In short, she said it was time to leave because she didn’t feel at home anymore. Upon arriving at Power 105, she was given a show named after her. With her years of experience, she was able to start her own podcast, IRL. Guests on this platform have ranged from Janelle Monáe to Derek Jeter to Taraji P. Henson. Martinez has also written a book about her life titled My Voice, released in 2016. She’s also done some acting, appearing in Paper Soldiers (2002), Brown Sugar (2002), and Paid in Full (2002). Most recently, she appeared on ABC’s special Hip Hop at 50: Rhythms, Rhymes and Reflections, where she hosted panels for figures in rap from the past and present.
Angie Martinez’s Rap Background
Angie Martinez spent her career regularly speaking with artists on the radio, but she also jumped into the rap world for a time. Her start in music came from legendary co-signs. KRS-One put her on his song “Heartbeat” in 1997, and she appeared on the platinum-selling “Ladies Night Remix” of “Not Tonight” by Lil Kim. This one also featured Missy Elliott, Left Eye, and Da Brat. Her debut album, Up Close and Personal, dropped in 2001 and was filled with features from titans in rap. These included Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z, and more. The album’s lead single, “Dem Thangz” was produced by The Neptunes. The album peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop. She dropped her next album, Animal House, the following year.
Angie Martinez’s Legacy
Angie Martinez is an integral part of the culture of hip-hop. She’s been around long enough to see how it has transformed. She was a part of that change herself. As a woman in the industry, she was a trailblazer for those who came after her. She also saw how women have gone from being looked down on in the rap game to often outselling the men. Her love of the culture that started as a teenager ensured her interviewing skills were always top-tier. And her interviewees are legendary, ranging from Tupac to Drake and beyond. Her connections in the music world helped her build long-standing relationships and respect among industry professionals. Her getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is earned and well-deserved.
Boss Top, born Tyree Davis, has reportedly been sentenced for gun charges. According to legal documents posted by No Jumper, the Chicago-born artist has been sentenced to serve five years in prison. He’s reportedly charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The circumstances surrounding his arrest are currently unclear. The legal documents suggest that he was admitted on Tuesday (June 27), of this week.
The rapper is known to have come from O-Block. O-Block is a block in Chicago widely accepted as the place drill rap originated. Others notable artists who come from O-Block include Lil Durk, Chief Keef, Fredo Santana, and more. King Von was also famously from O-Block. Boss Top is also known to have been affiliated with the late King Von, who died in 2020 following a shooting in Atlanta.
This is far from Boss Top’s first run-in with the law. Back in 2016, the rapper was accused of being involved in a home robbery. At the time, he was looking at home invasion and gun charges. He was also reportedly facing up to 45 years behind bars. In May of 2018, he was sentenced to six years in prison. In a 2021 interview with VladTV, the artist shared that he was held on a $1.5 million bond at the time. He also revealed that he had refused to cooperate with law enforcement throughout the case, explaining the hefty sentence he was facing.
Boss Top has also famously had beef with Chief Keef. Last year, he sent a message to NBA YoungBoy and DaBaby on social media for dropping music on the same day of King Von’s first posthumous release, What It Means To Be King. What It Means To Be King, along with Better Than You, were both set to drop on March 4, 2022. “King Von Better Than Both Of You Friday,” he wrote on Instagram, hinting at the title of NBA YoungBoy and DaBaby’s project. Later in 2022, Boss Top released At Yo Neck II, a 14-song mixtape featuring King Von, Lil Gotit, Doodie Lo, Fredo Bang, and more.
The history of Hip Hop would be incomplete without the mention of Russell Simmons and Def Jam Recordings. The illustrious music label began with Rick Rubin in his dormitory at New York University. A little while later, Rubin and Simmons joined forces to establish the powerhouse as a fully formed label. After housing now-legacy acts like LL Cool J, The Beastie Boys and Public Enemy in its early days, Def Jam quickly gained notoriety.
Russell Simmons enjoyed a very successful time as the co-founder of Def Jam. The Hip Hop genre was quickly proven to be in safe hands under the leadership of both Simmons and Rubin in the 80s. However, both co-founders have parted ways with the label for different reasons. Regardless, Russell Simmons is forever etched into the Def Jam history books.
Russell Simmons’ Early Days
Hip hop mogul Russell Simmons attends the Run DMC Tougher Than Leather album release party at the Palladium night club on September 15, 1988 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
A New York native, Russell Simmons was introduced to the rising wave of Hip Hop early on. He crossed paths with Kurt Walker and DJ/Bboy at the City College of New York. This encounter further delivered a greater dose of the genre to Simmons. By the late 70s, after hearing Eddie Cheeba perform in Harlem, Simmons surrendered himself to a life of Hip Hop.
In the 80s, Simmons was a rising Hip Hop promoter. This inspired his younger brother Joseph Simmons, also known as Rev Run to make music. Rev Run began to perform with Darryl McDaniels and Jason Mizell as Run-DMC. Run-DMC went on to achieve many groundbreaking feats as a new-school Hip Hop act. The group is also widely considered as one of the greatest Hip Hop acts of all time.
Formation Of Def Jam Recordings
Rick Rubin.” class=”wp-image-691805″ srcset=”https://wp.hnhh.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1271604920.jpg 1024w, https://wp.hnhh.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1271604920-300×198.jpg 300w, https://wp.hnhh.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1271604920-768×508.jpg 768w” sizes=”(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px” />LOS ANGELES, CA – 1997: (L-R) Record producer Rick Rubin and music mogul Russell Simmons pose for a portrait in Los Angeles, California in 1997. (Photo by Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Russell Simmons was 27 years old when he co-founded Def Jam alongside then-21-year-old Rick Rubin. Both of them were rising producers, while Simmons doubled as a manager. He was working with multiple acts alongside Run-DMC. These were: Whodini, Kurtis Blow, and the Fearless Four. In addition to this, Simmons swiftly became one of Hip Hop’s go-to personalities. He was at the center of the genre in the early 80s in New York, forging connections with several clubs and record companies.
After linking up with Rubin, Simmons joined the effort to create an independent record company. The pair signed on some underground acts, and the rest was history. In the year of its inception, Def Jam released the singles “I Need a Beat” by LL Cool J, and “Rock Hard” by the Beastie Boys. Both songs achieved mainstream success, making the acts one of the first to do so within the genre.
Def Jam’s first full-length release was Radio, the debut studio album by LL Cool J. After scoring a distribution deal with CBS through Columbia Records, Def Jam became a significant player in the music business. Radio was a monumental success, not just commercially, but critically too. Thus, Russell Simmons, Rick Rubin, and Def Jam became household names.
Russell Simmons’ Controversies
While Rubin parted ways with Def Jam in 1988 after a fallout with Lyon Cohen, Russell Simmons’ exit was a lot more controversial. Due to the Harvey Weinstein scandal and the MeToo movement, a series of allegations were aimed at Simmons beginning in 2017. Numerous women came out to accuse Simmons of multiple instances of sexual misconduct. These include physical and sexual harassment, assault, and rape.
Consequently, Simmons stepped down from his position in Def Jam, along with his positions in other companies. HBO also removed his name from All Def Comedy, the series he launched in 1992. Furthermore, a documentary, On the Record, was released in 2020 on HBO Max and covered many of the allegations against Simmons.
Personal Relationships
Russell Simmons and wife Kimora Lee Simmons during MTV Life Beat in Los Angeles, CA, United States. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc)
Russell Simmons and model Kimora Lee Simmons married in 1998. They share two daughters, Ming Lee, and Aoki Lee. The couple separated in 2006 and divorced in 2008. While his relationship with his ex-wife and daughters was great even after the divorce, things have taken a rocky turn in recent times.
Earlier in June, after the Father’s Day celebration, Simmons was called out by Kimora and their daughter Aoki for emotional abuse. Aoki Lee further took to Instagram Live sharing her concerns over her father’s mental well-being. She detailed instances of his behavior, sharing that she has refused to speak up due to her father’s influence.
6ix9ine is undergoing a bit of a career second wind, this time making numbers in the Latine market rather than stateside hip-hop. As he’s found a lot of success and struck much conversation, much of that revolves around his new girlfriend, Yailin “La Más Viral” (The Most Viral). For those unaware and out of tune with reggaetón gossip, she is Puerto Rican star Anuel AA’s ex, and he actually collaborated with the New York rapper often. However, they since fell out, and now Yailin and Tekashi are enjoying newfound success in the Spanish-speaking scene. In addition to all of that, they often have some fun on Instagram Live, and this time that involved a clip of her shaving and cleaning his face.
Playfully, 6ix9ine covered his eyebrows as his boo got close to him with the mechanic razor, avoiding what would’ve been a viral moment. Overall, they tease each other a little bit as she makes sure that the 27-year-old looks as well-groomed as possible. Regardless of whether you enjoy the music, you can’t deny that the Leyenda Viva artist did not fall off as hard as many people thought a couple of years ago. Rather, it seems he’s bounced back in a new arena, and the numbers prove (for better or worse) that the switch was good for him.
Still, that’s not to say that he doesn’t still have bridges in the rap game, or that he isn’t trying to mend previously broken ones. Recently, he apologized to Cardi B over their past beef, explaining that it was because of his ex-girlfriend. Also, 6ix9ine and Yailin said that they rock with Cardi now and want to put that bad blood behind them. He had dissed the Invasion Of Privacy MC for the claims that she drugged men during her time as a stripper.
Meanwhile, only time will tell whether the “BORI” provocateur crosses over into hip-hop again. While it’s not out of the question, his moves are quite unpredictable as he focuses a lot on trends and what works for him in the moment. As such, nobody knows when to count him out, especially if he sees dollar signs ahead on his new path. With that in mind, stay logged into HNHH for the lates news and updates on 6ix9ine.
The estate of Kobe Bryant parted ways with Nike in April 2021. It was fairly shocking news, with Nike having worked with the NBA legend since 2003. However, the relationship had been strained since Kobe’s retirement in 2016. Sales had stagnated, and Nike’s marketing team had shifted focus to the signature brands of active NBA players.
Things had gotten bad enough that in December 2020, venture capitalist Shervin Pishevar revealed that he had been in talks with Bryant to launch a player-owned brand called Mamba. Reportedly, things had progressed to the point where Pishevar had seen mockups for a potential debut shoe in the Mamba line. After the contract expired, Nike has released a handful of lines. Namely, these were the Gigi Bryant-inspired retros of the Kobe 4 and Kobe 6. A release of a new Kobe 8 all-white variant was expected later in 2023. However, it appears that it is the start of something much bigger for the relationship.
Speaking on a Q4 earning call, Nike CEO John Donahue confirmed that the Kobe 8 release was just the start. In fact, Nike was looking at the launch of a new era of Kobe shoes. “It’s going to be an exciting summer as we set the stage to relaunch the Kobe brand in advance of Kobe Day on 8.24,” Donahue said. While further details about what the “relaunch” entails in the long run, it is likely that Nike will be investing more in the Kobe brand going forward.
Releases of the Nike Kobe 6 Protro ‘Reverse Grinch’ and Nike Kobe 4 Protro “Black/Metallic Gold” are both expected to be released during the 2023 holiday season. However, the news could suggest that there will be on the way in 2023 and beyond. This comes after news in 2022 that suggested that Vanessa Bryant reached some sort of deal with Nike. However, this is a developing story and we’ll have any updates here at HotNewHipHop. What’s your favorite Kobe shoe? Let us know in the comments. Furthermore, be sure to follow all the latest sneaker news here on the site.
Latto thanked one of her recent collaborators with an attention-grabbing new gift. Earlier this month Latto released “Put It On Da Floor Again” a remix of her song “Put It On Da Floor” featuring Cardi B. The song found success immediately flying up the charts for a #13 debut on the Hot 100. Now two weeks later the song has over 9 million streams on Spotify and is still in the Top 40 of the Hot 100.
Seemingly as a thank you for her feature on the song and its resulting success, Latto got Cardi an eye-catching present. In a tweet made yesterday, Cardi showed off the gift. It was a$10k turquoise Chanel bag that has already sold out. “This purse tho….. Thanks @Latto” the caption of her tweet reads. As you would expect fans rushed to the comments to express jealously. Many fans also took to the comments to do exactly what fans always do, ask for new music. A new single that Cardi reportedly teased was coming out today never materialized, and her fans didn’t let her forget it.
Over the past weekend, Latto showed up at the BET Awards to play the song live. She followed it up the next day with a pretty stunning photo dump posted to her Instagram. The big story following Latto in recent months has been her connection to a mystery man. She’s repeatedly teased fans that she has a celebrity bf, but won’t tell who it is. Despite her silence fans certainly have some strong guesses based on evidence they dug up.
Many have linked Latto to rapper and collaborator 21 Savage. The rapper appeared on her album 777 last year. Fans also took note when the pair both posted Instagram stories from the same vacation destination a few months ago. Neither have officially confirmed anything but plenty of fans are convinced that they’re an item. What do you think of Latto’s pricey gift for Cardi B? Let us know in the comment section below.
Lil Xan’s career as a rapper has been filled with many ups and downs. His struggles with addiction and other mental health concerns have been publicly documented over the years. Yet Lil Xan has persevered, feels healthy, and most importantly, is ready to return to music.
This comeback is solidified with the drop of “NODA,” Xan’s first single in over a year. This may come as a surprise to many fans, as Xan’s whereabouts musically have been in question, especially due to the many false rumors circulating around his name. However, in this exclusive interview with Hot New Hip Hop, Lil Xan speaks on his mental health today, his journey to sobriety, and many other details surrounding his absence and decision to return to music now that he is in a better place. Check it out below.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Lil Xan Interview
Hot New Hip Hop: Throughout 2018 and 2019, you had a number of announced projects that were ultimately never released. Can you speak to the events surrounding those scrapped projects and where you were mentally during that time?
Lil Xan: I always say to people, the cr*ziest year of my life was probably 2018. Just because of how much was going on and just where I was at in my career. It was kind of like, just a wild, cr*zy time. During that time, my mental state was horrible. I’m sure a lot of people could tell that were following on social media and all that, but I had planned a few projects that I really — you know?
I wanted to give the fans something and I think that’s where it stemmed from. But I was just so mentally unstable. I was physically unhealthy. That ultimately resulted in a lot of scrapped projects, which some things are reworked to be. I don’t know, just some things are just reworked and might see the light of day one day if fans want it possibly. But we have a new project coming in the next few months that’s consistent and it’s what I always wanted to give the fans. Just a consistent, good project that I feel shows off the evolution of sound. The fans, I just want to give them something new, something dope, something more mature. I hope that answers your question, I guess.
So really, is anything from now that came from any of the stuff that you scrapped during that time, or did you leave that in the past, and now you’re moving on to new things?
Maybe I’ll put it out there to the fans if they want to hear some music, but obviously, I’d let them know that it was recorded years before obviously. If they want it, yeah, I’ll end up maybe dropping it on Soundcloud, something more lowkey. But, right now, this next single and this next project was done in like the last year, and it was done when I was in a good place. The best place I’ve ever been mentally I feel. The best place I’ve ever been in my sobriety as well. That’s why I wanted to take some time off, be sober, and make a project sober. That just speaks true to me.
You’ve mentioned before that Mac Miller played a huge role in your life as both a person and an artist. In what ways did Mac have the most influence on you, and how did his death influence your journey to sobriety?
The cr*zy thing about Mac is he unknowingly — millions of kids he’s affected. I mean millions of people he’s affected, obviously, in a positive way with his music. But, from 2009, man, his music has just helped me in every situation that I’ve been in in life.
Every time I would bump the newest Mac Miller project whether it was a mixtape like Macadelic, or a new album like Watching Movies, I felt like it described exactly what kind of hardships I was going through, even if I wasn’t on drugs at the time. I might’ve been younger. But, every time I found myself in a dark place, I felt like there was a Mac Miller lyric that just spoke to me. I’m sure millions of other kids had that same experience with him, his music is just so good. He was unknowingly that. He had a big part of my life before I would even meet him later in life. And obviously meeting him, I never expected that.
That was a far-fetched idea at the time, but my good friend Cole Bennett ended up directing a music video for Mac, Carnage, and I believe MadeinTYO, another good friend of mine. Cole was another big fan of his if you ask him. But Cole had asked me if I wanted to meet up at the shoot because he knew that I was a big f**king Mac Miller fan too. So, I was like, “Thank you so much bro, this is dope bro.” So, I took an Uber over there, I got to meet Mac for a little while.
I got to talk to him. I walked in kind of on a conversation that they were already having, but I still felt the knowledge, and he was talking about some real hard sh*t that I would later in life go through. And then, I wouldn’t say we ever became good friends or anything, but we were definitely friends.
He had invited me and my girlfriend at the time to his show, which would end up being his last show, at I believe, Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles. It was a great show, man. John Mayer was there. Cee-Lo Green, Jason Sedakis, Olivia Wilde — everyone from A-list movie stars to the biggest names in music were there, which really spoke to how loved he was in the music industry, and all types of industries. He was just a nice guy.
After the show was over — it was a great show, very small, intimate, only like a hundred people let in — I got to talk to him a little bit backstage. I don’t even remember what we talked about, but as I was saying goodbye to him, a lot of people know this, he had approached me and just told me two words. He said, “Be safe.” I was taken aback at the time because I had already said bye to him, so I was like, “Be safe,” oh, I get it. Maybe I looked that f*cked up that night, but that’s probably what it was, he was looking out. But those two words really spoke to me because a month later, he would pass away. Unfortunately, like the day after my birthday, as well.
It really put that thought in my head that I need to be safe. I need to be more careful. I wish I would’ve took his advice a little sooner because I would still go through some of my worst hardships past that. But I always kept that in the back of my mind. That, just, be safe, things are going to be okay, and it really is a powerful thing to me.
And especially to hear that from someone that played such a big role in your life and was so inspiring, I’m sure those words meant even more because of that.
You played a huge role in the development of the emo rap scene, a subgenre that I feel has greatly influenced much of mainstream Hip-Hop today. Do you feel you get the credit you deserve for your influence?
It’s funny when you search up, you can search up any artist, it’ll be, like, Lil Pump, Trippie Redd, you’ll get the “people also search for,” and I always pop up too and it’s like “emo rappers,” and I’m like, “oh sh*t, emo rappers.” Damn, that’s what I am. I never knew that, but obviously, I understand where that comes from. It’s like depressing, a lot of that music, a lot of that early Soundcloud stuff. Like me, Lil Peep, yeah, I definitely see that being the genre.
Do I feel like I get enough credit? Yeah, I do. I’m not going to sit here and be like, “I’m not getting enough credit, people don’t understand my genius.” No. I’m not like that. I think I was just part of a great thing. I think Soundcloud was just at its height back then and it was just such a unique and cool platform to showcase original talent. It reminded me a lot of punk rock, which inspired the whole XANARCHY kind of brand, like that whole punk rock stuff.
Yeah, I think it was a great, great time. I think I’m given my credit in certain places, but we’re still going, this is just the beginning, like that was the Soundcloud era, and we’re still going to keep pushing past that. It was good for its time, and as far as do I think it has influenced music? Yeah, I mean, people have been rapping about, I mean singing about, heartbreak since music was invented. It’s a very, very popular topic and for me, I spoke a lot of true experiences with bad break-ups, and so it was very authentic, and so that’s where I kind of leave it at that.
That was definitely an intense era and you were really at the heart of it at that time.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the birth of Hip-Hop. Does this anniversary hold any significance to you?
I didn’t even know that until you brought that up. I love music, man, it’s going to be around forever, I think music is one of the most powerful, important things, and maybe that’s just me speaking as an artist. Music is just beautiful, man. You got all these different flavors, all these different genres, and new things to discover. Happy 50th birthday Hip-Hop, we’re going to be celebrating the 500th birthday one day. I’m happy for music, man.
Can you speak to your mental state at the time of your psychiatric hospitalization, as well as the online reaction to it, and how you overcame that?
There’s a lot of things in my past that I wish I could go back and maybe — obviously, not post a lot of stuff that’s private information. It was all part of the falling out. I wish I would’ve handled that a little bit differently. I wish I wouldn’t have taken to the internet to display raw emotion so quickly, but that’s just what I was used to. It was kind of a cry for help. I really did spend three days in the hospital on a 5150, that’s what they call it.
I’m not going to lie, I was on drugs at the time. Obviously, I was spiraling down. I had relapsed and I was watching all these terrible videos that had come out about me. I just didn’t know how to feel and I got in another dark, dark spot and I was like “Yo, I got to get help,” so I called the 5150 on myself in hopes that it would help in some way. And thank God I did because, after those three days, they only would let me out of the 5150 if I agreed to go straight into a detox, rehab program, or else they could keep me there for like 21 days. So I agreed. And that’s when I got sober. That’s when I went to the detox and I think it was like the fourth time being in detox, but yeah, that was the time.
I spent about thirty days in detox and then I went to the rehab program, but I only lasted like a week or two. And obviously, everybody expected me to relapse and fail because of leaving rehab, but I didn’t. I kept strong, and now we are like a year and six months I believe later, and I feel really good now. I wouldn’t even be attempting to drop a new single or even progress if I didn’t feel mentally in a good spot. I’m in the best place I’ve ever been in my life right now, but obviously there’s still a lot of room for growth.
Did you feel that that moment was really a turning point for you?
Yeah, there’s been a few turning points, but that one was definitely like the nail in the coffin. I was in the hospital. When you’re on that 5150 sh*t, someone is watching you constantly, but it was just so awkward. I was just sitting there with the dude just staring at me all night, I’m like “bro, I’m not going to hurt myself, I promise.” He’s like “I’ve heard that before.” It was a turning point. It was like, “aw man, look at me in the hospital for the hundredth f*cking time” due to some d*mb drug stuff, but that one was the final nail in the coffin.
But I commend you for that because that takes a lot of strength to do that, and to do that for yourself, to call it in on yourself. So, I really commend you for that.
Thank you, I appreciate that. Like I always tell people, if anybody is ever struggling, in a dark spot, whether it is mentally or with drugs, you have to want to change yourself. You are your own best friend and your own worst enemy. You have to want to get sober before you can get sober. Like, yeah, your friends can be like, “yo, we’re sending you to rehab,” or your parents can be like, “we’re sending you here and you’re going to get sober,” but if you don’t want to get sober, you’re just going to come back and start doing the same shenanigans that you were up to.
MADRID, SPAIN – MARCH 27: Lil Xan performs on stage at La Riviera on March 27, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Manzano/Redferns)
Do you feel that it was a mistake to go on tour in 2022 with the Dropout Kings so soon after you reached sobriety in rehab? Also, how did you feel about their public comments directed towards you after you left the tour?
The thing about that was, I don’t know if I had just gotten sober, yeah I had. I had just gotten sober. It was a business issue. That’s what that stemmed from. There were no contracts and stuff like that. That was something that I didn’t even really see what was going on because I was trying to stay off social media. I was trying to stay off social media because at that time I was early on trying to get my mind better and it was the early days of my sobriety.
So, I know that they had some rude comments and some mean comments but I just want everyone to know, that didn’t stem from anything on my part, that was the new management. That was just a business issue. But, I wish them nothing but the best, honestly. I hold no ill will toward any of those guys, but it did come across as just a really f*cked up thing and people speculated it was low ticket sales, nah, it was literally just from a business incident. That’s what it stemmed from. And then the Dropout Kings, obviously had their own idea of what went wrong. But it’s all good, man. That’s just a little blip in the past at this point.
That was right after you went to Scott Storch’s rehab facility right? Was that around the same time?
Yeah, shoutout to Scott Storch. Shoutout to Steve Lobel. The Heavenly Center, THC. I don’t know if they invented that, the Cali Sober, I don’t know if they invented that, but you could smoke weed in their detox and rehab facilities. I thought that was very, very interesting, I was smoking weed before, but I’m a big pothead now. And I think it helped out a lot. I know a lot of people who practice medicine and stuff will say that’s literally the f*cking stupidest thing ever, and to a lot of that I agree too. That’s dope. But it works for certain people and it worked for me. Shoutout to them, man.
How do you respond to fans and critics that claim you are not dedicated enough to music? Do you feel this invalidates how much work you have put in to yourself over the last few years?
I’ve always had it with the critics. I think everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I would say that every artist contributes to the greater music broadness. What would I say to that? You know, obviously, I used to have it out for Anthony Fantano. But honestly, if I could tell Anthony Fantano, I’m a fan of him, bro. I might have said some d*mb sh*t in the past, but I like dude. I was just young and d*mb, I respect everybody’s critique and opinion.
Everybody is not supposed to like my stuff. I feel like we should all be building each other up rather than breaking each other down. It is what it is, man. People are going to always say I suck. Some people are always going to say I’m great. You’re never going to win them all, so as I get older, I’m almost 27, I’m finally reaching this level of, I feel like maturity, maybe not, I don’t know. I just feel more comfortable in my own skin. Maybe it’s just from all the harshness of the critics and the haters and stuff, but it’s built a lot of character and it’s made me a stronger person. I respect everybody. Everybody has their own opinion.
What’s next for Lil Xan musically?
We have NODA dropping this month, I believe June 30th. NODA, Not On Drugs Anymore, man. That’s a special song, man. Obviously a lot of people know I haven’t dropped a song in over a year, maybe even longer. The last one I believe was “Life Sucks”, I love that record too. This kind of follows in that same pattern of “Life Sucks”, the previous record. It just sounds more mature. You’ll definitely hear remnants of, “obviously, this is a Lil Xan song,” but ultimately, I wish I could’ve gave people this next project as my first project. Not saying I don’t like my first project, I love it, it’s a classic. I just wish I was where I am now back then. Obviously, that’s in the past, you can only go forward. I’m just excited to show people, let’s call it, a new level of maturity in my music.
I like that, too, because obviously, you can’t change the past, but to be able to show that you’ve grown from it, and do that through your music is really cool.
Yeah, exactly. I like that word, like “grown from it.” That’s exactly what this single, and not only this single but the project, it’s growth. I finally feel like I’ve grown into myself and I’m comfortable and that’s the best thing, man.
You have worked hard to promote anti-drug use on social media and have publicly documented your struggles with addiction and mental health, something many people are not brave enough to do. Do you want that to be the legacy you leave behind?
Yeah, I’m a very open person. I used to just let it all f*cking out there on the table, man. I still am that same person, but with better intentions. If something bad happens, I’m not going to freak out and go to Instagram, trust me. I’ve learned my lesson on posting sensitive stuff there. I don’t even know how to start thinking about my legacy when I feel still kind of so young. I feel like there is still so much to do.
What do I want to leave behind, man? My wild antics, or good music, or what people consider bad music, I don’t know, man. I think time will tell. I definitely want to leave this Earth feeling like I’ve helped enough people in their own personal battles. That’s just the most important thing to me. I just want to help people. Love me, hate me, whatever, like the music, don’t like the music, that’s fine, man. That is fine. I just want to place myself in places where I can help out. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do and I know that’s probably not what people know me as because it was misconstrued because I was all high on live.
And you know, it’s funny, I laugh at a lot of that stuff, it’s pretty hilarious. That’s just not the person I am anymore and I want to show people that. I plan on showing people that through my music and most importantly through my actions.
(@nojumper)
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….. Thanks 
