california

4L JAVI Kicks Off 2023 With New Song, “Models”

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4L JAVI is fresh off of the most successful year of his career thus far in 2022. The California native effortlessly blends rapping and singing styles to create his own unique sound.

He is evidently looking to carry this momentum into 2023 with the release of his brand new single, “Models.” The track’s runtime is less than two minutes. However, JAVI really doesn’t need much time to demand your attention.

Throughout the song, the California native flexes the perks of his lifestyle, while simultaneously acknowledging his player ways. “This a close friends party, b*tches look like Barbies / I’m comin’ tardy off the ropes, Jeff Hardy / I’ve never been the same since the first time I heard you scream my name / Since the first time, I had to take the blame,” he sings in his first verse.

Just two weeks ago, he also made an appearance on UPROXX Sessions to perform his hit song, “Playboy.” Over the twinkling piano melody, he effortlessly flows with melodies and drops some fun references. “Making plays in this b*tch like Ricky Rubio / I was boxin’ the garage, just like Julio / Retail therapy, I don’t need a therapist / I guess it’s probably time, I’m actin’ arrogant,” he exclaims.

Last year, he dropped the 13-track Letters 2 U. With its arrival in June, it served as the perfect soundtrack for 2022’s summer vibes. The up-and-comer‘s debut mixtape, 4 L, is only three years old, officially arriving in July of 2019.

Make sure to stream 4L JAVI’s “Models” on either Spotify or SoundCloud down below. Comment your thoughts afterwards. Finally, stay tuned to HNHH for all of the latest releases and updates.

Quotable Lyrics:

Bring your ID and lip gloss, get your ass on some TikTok
Cruisin’ down the back street, on the phone with Ashley
Models walkin’ past me, models in the backseat
Tilt my head while we leavin’, TLC vibes how we creepin’

EBK Young Joc & Big Sad 1900 Link Up For New Single, “Prada Steppin”

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EBK Young Joc is quickly becoming one of the hottest rappers out of California. Hailing from Stockton, he’s undeniably the face of his hometown’s newly-emerging rap scene.

In August 2022, however, one of his closest collaborators, Young Slo-Be was tragically shot and killed at just 29. The pair were actively working together to put Stockton on the map. Slo-Be’s viral single, “I Love You” and the duo’s countless music videos with each other were allowing them to do just that.

Now, Young Joc is proudly carrying the torch. Last year, he dropped several singles, including “Need Love,” as well as his fifth mixtape, City Of God. He’s kicking off 2023 with “Prada Steppin,” a new collaboration with Big Sad 1900.

On the fiery new track, the pair of California natives exchange verses addressing their realities, vices and designer clothes. Young Joc kicks off the track, rapping “You know I’m in my bag, that is not a question / Bro be Louis kickin’, b*tch, I’m Prada steppin’ / Boss spent twenty on that chain, now he ain’t got a necklace.”

Big Sad follows suit accordingly. “Told the b*tch, give me money, I don’t need love / Told my family, y’all can let it be, I’m dyin’ with the thugs / Need to spend more time with my son, I’m out here doin’ drugs,” he spits explicitly.

Stream EBK Young Joc and Big Sad 1900’s “Prada Steppin” on either Spotify or SoundCloud below. Comment your thoughts on the track afterwards. Finally, make sure to stay tuned to HNHH for all of the latest releases.

Quotable Lyrics:

Think I’m addicted, can’t stop sippin’, fell in love with mud
Wockhardt, not no Tris, ’cause I’m a boss, n*gga
Bro gon’ up it, everytime he gettin’ off with it
Broke b*tch with no dough, but her thoughts bigger, now ain’t that some sh*t

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California Becomes First U.S. State To Ban Using Rap Lyrics In Court

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California has become the first state in the U.S. to ban lyrics from being used against rappers as evidence in court proceedings. The landmark law came into effect on Friday, when Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill to limit “creative content” from being held against artist or musicians in the state. It’s been a long and arduous fight for advocates against this practice, but recent legislation in New York points towards a brighter future along with this bill. Amid the YSL indictment that put Young Thug and Gunna behind bars in large part due to their lyrics, fans are probably grateful to see their outrage result in action from authorities.

Gavin Newsom, Governor of California – Monica Schipper/Getty Images

That New York bill did not completely ban the use of lyrics, though, and there’s a similar loophole in California’s bill: lyrics can be used but only if reviewed and deemed necessary for the verdict by the judge. Even with this caveat, AB 2799 (the Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act) is a one-of-a-kind piece of legislation that takes unprecedented steps to protect rappers’ creative works. Governor Newsom signed the bill on a Zoom call with rappers E-40, Meek Mill, Killer Mike, YG, and more in attendance.

Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer, who introduced the bill, expressed his belief that the DAE Act “will give judges needed guidance for evaluating whether a creative expression is admissible during a criminal trial and provides a framework which will ensure creative expression will not be used to trigger or reinforce stereotypes or activate racial bias.” Entertainment attorney Dina Polt was one of many to celebrate the achievement.

“This legislation sets up important guardrails that will help courts hold prosecutors accountable and prevent them from criminalizing Black and Brown artistic expression,” she stated. “Thank you, Gov. Newsom, for setting the standard. We hope Congress will pass similar legislation, as this is a nationwide problem.”

A similar bill was introduced in Congress last July, so rap lyrics might still have a chance for salvation at the federal level. For now, state laws are what stands between a rapper’s artistic expression and jail time, and California is setting an important precedent for the rest of the union.

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California Governor Gavin Newsom To Sign Bill Protecting Creative Expression Of Rappers

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Governor Gavin Newsom

California Governor Gavin Newsom will be signing a bill into law restricting the usage of rap lyrics as evidence by prosecutors. The law will also protect the creative expression of rappers. Protecting Creative Expression In Court California Governor Gavin Newsom will be signing a law bill that plans to restrict the usage of rap lyrics […]

The post California Governor Gavin Newsom To Sign Bill Protecting Creative Expression Of Rappers appeared first on SOHH.com.

California’s State Congress Passes A Bill Limiting Rap Lyrics From Trial

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rap on trial california congress
Getty Image/Ralph Ordaz

Rap lyrics have been on trial for decades, almost since the genre’s inception. But in more recent years, that characterization has been more literal than ever as criminal prosecutors aim to use artists’ lyrics against them in court. Rather than viewing their songs as artistic representations of the violence they often encounter, prosecutors have chosen to interpret them as literal admissions of guilt, even though rap’s “keep it real” ethos has been disproven time and time again — just look at Young Thug and Gunna’s current RICO case in Georgia.

However, that may soon be changing with the advent of “Rap On Trial” laws that have begun receiving support from state and federal legislators and other critics looking to protect artists’ freedom of speech and creative expression. Contending that the practice of using lyrics stems from racial bias, lawmakers in New York and California have introduced new bills to limit using rap lyrics in criminal cases and today, one of those bills has advanced further than any others.

California’s AB2799 has passed the State Assembly, days after clearing the State Senate, and now only needs Governor Gavin Newsome’s signature to become law, according to Billboard. He’s expected to do so, making California the first state in which lyrics are banned from court trials unless prosecutors can show that they are directly relevant to the case. That means that the lyrics in question would have to have been written around the time of the crime and/or include factual details that wouldn’t be publicly available (naturally, any prosecutor would have to prove these criteria with other evidence).

Meanwhile, New York’s S7257 was able to pass the Senate but was unable to get a vote in the Assembly. Legislators hope to reintroduce the bill next session. A similar federal bill was introduced in the US House Of Representatives in July but has yet to see progress and is not a guaranteed win, considering the current structure of Congress.