Drake, with all things considered, is still having a pretty good year. Sure, some people may be looking at him differently following the Kendrick Lamar battle, but the numbers seem to be a little conflicting. According to Akademiks TV (shocking…), he has recorded another insane streaming statistic in 2024. Just this past month, Drizzy’s numbers on Spotify eclipsed nine digits yet again. To be more exact, he clocked in around 1.1 billion. Obviously, the number of hits that he has in his possession is almost unmatched. However, despite a stacked catalog, this is still an impressive feat.
We say that because he has not really dropped anything of merit. Sure, there are the “100 GIGS” releases of “Circadian Rhythm,” “It’s Up,” “Housekeeping Knows,” as well as “No Face.” But these, along with some his features for artists like Camila Cabello, GORDO, and 4batz sort of came and went. Of course, the loss to Kendrick factors in too to some degree, making this all the more eye-popping.
With him achieving this, this also keeps another mind-bending stat alive. Over these first nine months, he’s been the most streamed rapper. Of course, with Akademiks posting this, you know there are going to be opposing fans looking to diminish this. “U need a license to ride ak,” one user on IG jokes. “Numbers don’t matter Kendrick still ended his career,” another boldly claims. Regardless, congratulations are in order for The Boy.
What are your thoughts on Drake becoming the most streamed rapper for September? Will he keep his streak alive for the rest of 2024? Does this prove anything to his haters? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Drake. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Streaming numbers fluctuate all the time. Very rarely do they go up during a controversial time for an artist, though. Sure, there’s a few outliers, but it happens once in a blue moon. Diddy happens to be one of those cases, as his streaming numbers are seeing a nice bump, according to Luminate (via TMZ). The in-demand data and analytics company says that since his arrest/indictment, there’s been a 18.3% increase. At the time of writing, he’s at just over 9.7 million monthly listeners on Spotify. There could be a handful of explanations for this, so let’s briefly analyze them.
One could be that the internet is trying to uncover any sort of incriminating/revealing lyrics or themes in his music. With how many old clips from interviews, TV shows, and more that hip-hop sleuths are rediscovering, we could certainly those same people checking out his large discography. The other potential is that he’s just got a lot of loyal listeners out there who like to “separate the artist from the person”.
Kanye West may not be the most ideal comparison. But given how constantly he’s ruffling feathers it does warrant some consideration. He’s so massive that no matter what he does, fans are going to come back for more. Diddy may not be as talented or have as many individual hits as Ye, but he’s got tons of influence overall. Outside of his Michigan inmate lawsuit win, this could be the last small W for Diddy.
What are your thoughts on Diddy’s streaming numbers increasing amid his arrest? Do you think people are revisiting his catalog to find incriminating lyrics? Or do you think there are just supporters out there just bumping his stuff out of pure love? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Diddy and his arrest. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the world of music.
DJ Akademiks is getting clowned in the comments section of his latest Instagram post for going after Kendrick Lamar as his streams die down on Spotify. He shared an image of the most streamed rappers from June that shows Drake above him. In the caption, he wrote: “The biggest moment of Kendrick’s career is now fading away. Looks like he needs to diss Drake again to save his career.”
The top comments mostly see fans complaining about Akademiks’ passionate bias. “It’s funny how this whole entire time Kendrick never said NOTHING [laughing emoji] the n***a did his thing then skated, nor did anybody from his team say anything [laughing emoji] but drake fans just won’t let it go, this is called proof of a loss,” one user wrote. Another added: “He did what he wanted them songs was a moment, he’s gone now till he’s back. What they was supposed to be #1 for the rest of the year come on.. we kno how it gonna go. But it’s running down yall chins B dammit.” One more follower wrote: “Remember 1 month ago AK was salty and saying that Kendrick fans need to ‘Let It Go’ …. now look, AK is STILL using this battle for views and engagement … without this Topic AK page will drop down in views and engagement.”
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 19: Kendrick Lamar performs onstage during The Pop Out – Ken & Friends Presented by pgLang and Free Lunch at The Kia Forum on June 19, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Timothy Norris/Getty Images for pgLang, Amazon Music, & Free Lunch)
While many hip-hop fans declared Kendrick Lamar the winner of the beef with Drake following the success of his diss track, “Not Like Us,” the Toronto rapper did recently promise to win “Game 2.” He made the proclamation on his Instagram Story but eventually deleted the post. Regardless, Akademiks took the narrative and ran with it during a recent livestream. “But Game 2, we will win,” he argued. “Game 2, we will win. That’s a fact. If you think Drake finna abandon and forsake all them fans, you got to realize, this for the fans right here. You think he gon’ let some p***y a** nas have something over him, his legacy, and his fans? No! Aye, chat, f**k that. This the new thing: Drake in five. Drake in five, people, Drake in five. Remember I told you that.”
DJ Akademiks Goes After Kendrick Lamar
Check out Akademiks’ latest post regarding the viral feud below. Be on the lookout for further updates on DJ Akademiks as well as Drake and Kendrick Lamar on HotNewHipHop.
The second wave of “100 GIGS” content is following its predecessor’s lead: drop some songs on IG and bring them to DSPs little by little. However, Drake’s new tracks have also fallen victim to some big changes and plan shifts during this process, and streaming didn’t even have to be a factor for this to happen. For example, when we heard a CDQ version of “Supersoak (SOD)” via the @plottttwistttttt IG burner account, we realized that it no longer featuredLil Yachty as that track’s original leak did. Now, we have another example of this. The Boy dropped the well-received “No Face” on streaming services on Saturday (August 31), but Playboi Carti is no longer on it.
Furthermore, this is pretty disappointing and mysterious, as there’s no identifiable reason as to why the Atlanta rage exponent isn’t on the track anymore. But it’s not like he washed Drake on the track. Playboi Carti’s contributions were already just a minimal hook, and his collaborator definitely steals the show with his verses an energy. Still, we can’t help but think back on those Atlanta bars on Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” and how they have aged somewhat poorly. Some name-dropped artists like Quavo support Drizzy to this day, but even though Carti escaped K.Dot’s mention this time around, this is objectively a failed attempt to get a few dollars, even if the reasoning behind the collaboration falling through probably has nothing to do with the beef or with the “colonizer” argument. At least he dropped “Circadian Rhythm” on DSPs…
In other Drake news, KAYTRANADA recently revisited the topic of why the OVO camp never reached out to him again to produce for Honestly, Nevermind. “[KAYTRANADA] was approached at a Coachella after-party in L.A. to make beats for Honestly, Nevermind,” a Vulture interview with the producer read. “Though he says it would have been ‘an honor,’ he later overheard that it fell through because his casual response — ‘Sure, hit me up’ — lacked fawning enthusiasm.” “Was I supposed to be like, ‘Oh my God, for real? Drake?’ I’m not like that,” he added.
Even though Drake hinted at this Playboi Carti collab landing on streaming in its full form, it seems like that didn’t work out. Or at least, not yet. It’s still possible that he will update more of these releases in the near future. After all, part of the strategy right now is hitting DSPs once the Internet takes these tracks for a test run and builds hype to influence its release methods and circumstances.
Drake sent the internet into a frenzy (as he usually does) about a week ago by dropping off three new songs. Like he did with “Blue Green Red”, “It’s Up”, and “Housekeeping Knows”, he put on them on his recently created Instagram burner account plottttwistttttt. For this round Drizzy put out “Supersoak (SOD)”, minus Lil Yachty, “No Face”, featuring Playboi Carti, and “Circadian Rhythm”. Eventually, The Boy would go onto release the OG three-pack onto streaming services about four days after. This time, though, Drake waited about a week to place more 100 GIGS content on DSPs.
However, you may be disappointed to learn that only one of the new tracks got a wider release. According to RapTV, the hitmaker only sent through “Circadian Rhythm”. When you go onto any of his DSP accounts, there are now two 100 GIGS EPs. You have the original and then the aforementioned cut slots in place of “Blue Green Red” and is flanked by “It’s Up” and “Housekeeping Knows”.
It’s sort of an interesting move to not just release “No Face” and “Supersoak” along with “Circadian Rhythm”. However, it’s worth noting that Lil Yachty said that “Supersoak” would never get an official release due to sample clearance issues. As for “No Face”, there really isn’t a reason as to why it’s not on streaming. Hopefully, that comes to fruition, but it seems that most Drake stans are happy with arguably the most memorable track from this new crop of three out everywhere.
What are your thoughts on Drake putting “Circadian Rhythm” on the 100 GIGS three-pack? Do you think he should have put out “Supersoak (SOD)” and “No Face” onto streaming, why or why not? Is he winning you over with any of these new releases? Do you approve or disapprove of his strategy post beef? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Drake. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Earlier this week, Benny The Butcher fans were greeted by a welcome surprise, the Griselda rapper’s new EP Buffalo Butch, Vol. 1. The project boasts various high-profile features from the likes of Fabolous, 38 Spesh, and of course, Drake. Their long-awaited collab “Buffalo Freestyle” was a fan favorite, but sadly, it along with the rest of the EP was quickly removed from streaming services.
For obvious reasons, fans are disappointed, and wondering what happened. Reportedly, it disappeared from Spotify yesterday (August 23), and other streaming services followed shortly after. For now, it remains unclear exactly what prompted its removal, but as expected, social media users have some theories.
Two tracks from the EP, the ones that do not feature Drake, are still live on Benny’s YouTube channel. “Buffalo Freestyle” says it’s been removed due to a copyright claim by Universal Music Group. Benny The Butcher has yet to address the debacle. This is far from the first time there have been issues with the release of the song, however. Benny first announced that he recorded a track with Drake in 2020. In 2021, he shared that they traded songs to appear on each others’ projects, adding that it may not ever come out. He noted that he was frustrated by the situation, but didn’t blame Drake.
“I was pissed, I’m not gon’ lie. It’s a f*cking Drake record,” he said at the time of the track not getting an official release. “It was my biggest record…It’s a record just sitting in my pocket but I understand the mechanics of the business… No way did I take it like ‘Damn he f*cked me over.’ I swear to God I didn’t take it like that because this is Drake; the biggest artist in the world.” What do you think of Benny The Butcher’s new EP, Buffalo Butch, Vol. 1, disappearing from streaming services? Are you disappointed? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Method Man has got classics on deck. He’s got solo hits, collab hits with Redman, and dozens of iconic songs with the Wu-Tang Clan. According to Spotify, he has over three million monthly listeners. And yet, he hasn’t been paid a dime in streaming royalties. The rapper dropped a bombshell during his recent appearance on Hot 97. Method Man admitted that he was unsure of how the streaming infrastructure works, before noting that he’s still waiting on money from platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.
Method Man was asked about the prevalence of AI, and the rapper admitted he was hesitant to co-sign. He cited Drake’s usage of AI to recreate Tupac’s voice on “Taylor Made Freestyle.” The rapper chose to shift the conversation to other aspects of the music industry, though. Aspects that have impacted huge names from the 1990s, in particular. “Honestly, I’ve never gotten a streaming check for any of my music,” he told the host. “I’m still trying to figure it all out.” This is not the first time Method Man has gone on the record to discuss his financial issues with the industry.
In 2018, the rapper addressed the long-standing financial situation in Wu-Tang Clan. The iconic group does not split things evenly between members. Instead, pay is broken down on a tier-basis, with some members earning more than others when it comes to albums and tours. Method Man talked about this system during an appearance on Howard Stern. “You can look at it as you have some individuals who make a certain amount as an individual,” he explained. “But when they’re with the group they’re makin’ three, four times the amount that they would make.”
Method Man has also attempted to rectify royalty situations on his own. In 2022, the rapper teamed up with Intercept Music to launch a platform that would protect independent artists. “Forging a powerful partnership with Method Man,” wrote Intercept chairman Ralph Tashjian. “Intercept underscores the value and promise of artistic emancipation in today’s creator economy.” The goal of Intercept was to provide independent artists with monthly revenue payments, and Meth became the face of the whole operation. The company is still active today.
Newer Travis Scott fans are in for a treat from earlier in his discography this Friday (August 23), but for the rest of us… this isn’t our first rodeo. La Flame will drop his 2014 mixtape Days Before Rodeo on digital streaming platforms for the first time this week, celebrating its tenth anniversary and teasing the inclusion of more tracks from that era’s vault. All this excitement around this re-release led many die-hards to look back at the DBR days quite fondly. The project has some of this catalog’s most beloved tracks to this day, and as its title suggests, it proved crucial to the development and massive success of its successor, the 2015 studio album Rodeo.
As such, we’re taking a look today at just five of Travis Scott’s songs on Days Before Rodeo that paved the way for what he achieved on Rodeo, although you could say that about the whole mixtape. Of course, there’s a very specific and connected lineage to highlight: DBR owes much of its identity to the Houston superstar’s first tape, 2013’s Owl Pharaoh. Thus, Rodeo is an even more extended development of many of those original ideas. But when it comes to rapping performances, production styles, and the psychedelic aesthetics that Travis is so renowned for today, DBR is what really started to nurture these key elements of his discography and artistry. His 2015 album sent these elements into the stratosphere of mainstream hip-hop. But these five tracks, in no particular order, are what made them compelling in the first place.
“The Prayer”
Ever since this intro track kicked off Days Before Rodeo, Travis Scott has had an undeniable penchant for amazing opening cuts. “The Prayer” sets up this precedent instrumentally with cinematic organs, string arrangements, regal keys, sharp percussion, and a disorienting but intoxicating outro. His performance, unencumbered by Owl Pharoah‘s pitched-down vocal doubling, also points to more clear and cold-blooded verses on his 2015 studio album. Perhaps most importantly, this record also parallels many of the thematic and structural opening motifs of Rodeo‘s opener, “Pornography.” “The Prayer” opens with the following line: “Midnight awaking, hyper ventilating / Drunk laps running around the globe, wild goose chasing / After three number one albums, would’ve thought I’d feel amazing.” It previews the hedonistic but ambitious concept behind Rodeo before refining his vivid picture-painting even more on that LP.
However, one of the best things about Rodeo isn’t just its loosely assembled but nevertheless compelling subject matter. It’s also full of absolute ragers, and before “Antidote” took over the rap world, “Mamacita” proved for the first time how far Travis Scott could go. It’s by no means his first big commercial and cultural “banger,” as the star-studded “Upper Echelon” landed on Owl Pharaoh. But where that 2013 track chose to be bombastic and overblown, this Rich Homie Quan and Young Thug collab meld that moshpit mentality with the darker, woozier, and more nocturnal vibes that Rodeo would fully embody a year later. This is thanks to Metro Boomin’s striking sample flip of an electric guitar line, atmospheric synth pads, and tough-as-nails drums and bass. If that isn’t enough for you, then look at how Cactus Jack continues to electrify crowds with this anthem to this day.
Speaking of collabs, this Days Before Rodeo cut is actually not one of the best on the mixtape, but it’s most certainly one of its most important. For starters, this kickstarts Travis Scott’s crucial collaborative history with Quavo and the Migos. More broadly, it’s a lofty and audacious attempt to meld vintage soul samples, cavernous synth bass, eerie keys, and grand strings together into a cohesive and progressive song that evolves and molds as it goes along. This would prove to be a key songwriting formula for Rodeo tracks like “3500,” “Nightcrawler,” and many more. It’s something that Travis eventually perfected in 2015 and beyond, but better execution down the line doesn’t diminish the weight of “Sloppy Toppy.” Fortunately, he also got much better at picking song titles.
While Rodeo‘s more summery and light moments don’t always see the same retrospective appreciation as its shadowy trap highlights, Travis Scott has always tried to balance out his sonic directions. “Backyard” represents this warmer side on Days Before Rodeo (along with cuts like “Grey”) thanks to a simple but tender sample flip, paired explosively with a crisp snare, live-sounding hi-hats, and a carefree chorus. It would fit well in a playlist with Rodeo‘s “Flying High,” but it’s more directly related to the impressive flow switches, involved verses, and stark drum patterns on a song like “Apple Pie.” That’s another thing: this was one of Travis’ best verses and rapping performances to date back in the day, and Rodeo pushed these lyrical heights even further. Thanks to songs like “Backyard,” people fell in love with him as an MC, not just as an artist.
“Drugs You Should Try It”
Finally, we’d be remiss not to mention Travis Scott’s most iconic song from Days Before Rodeo in many fans’ eyes. When he dropped DBR, this was easily his most personal, intimate, and beautiful song yet, and he’s scarcely replicated its magic since. Rodeo‘s “90210” is the key example of the musical legacy that this classic left behind, as well as that album’s more soft and emotive displays like “Impossible…” Plus electric guitar worship. The simplicity of the instrumental paired with the track’s melodic dominance – and especially its unique vocal delivery – built a new lane for Travis to express himself. In fact, it arguably cemented his auto-crooning style for good, an approach that he’s yet to let go of. While Owl Pharaoh had pretty moments, “Drugs You Should Try It” is the first stroke of genius in Scott’s discography, and it defined his idiosyncrasy and innovation as an artist.
Travis Scott fans just realized that their dreams came true, as a recent promise he made at Fanatics Fest in New York City over the weekend will actually manifest. Moreover, if you didn’t hear already, his fan-favorite 2014 mixtape Days Before Rodeo will hit streaming services for the first time very, very soon for its tenth anniversary (today, Sunday, August 18). We finally have the release date for the project’s availability on DSPs thanks to a new promo video and social media announcement from La Flame.
“DAYS BEFORE RODEO 10yr ANNIVERSARY BEING CELEBRATED BY FINALLLY RE-RELEASING EVERYWHERE AUGUST 23RD,” Travis Scott shared. “AND MAYBE COUPLE DBR SONGS FROM THAT ERA FROM THE VAULT. Travisscott.com more info and shizzzz shsbsbsbsb IM FCKING JUMPING THRU WALLS AHHHH.” As such, fans can expect some new Days Before Rodeo material with this rerelease, and can head to his website to purchase CDs, vinyls, and merch boxes. The promo clip shows old footage from the making of DBR and its era, showing the Nike collaborator working with the likes of Metro Boomin, Young Thug, and more. In addition, it shows that Travis shows have been incredibly rowdy for over a decade straight, in case anyone had any doubts about that.
Elsewhere, Travis Scott was also announced as Rey Mysterio’s new tag team partner in the WWE. “Are you guys ready for me to introduce my latest tag team partner?” the wrestler asked the Fanatics Fest crowd. “Are you ready? Alright. This man has shaped the landscape for hip-hop. He is an icon. He is also on ‘SICKO MODE.’ He is a rapper, producer, songwriter, and Grammy-nominated. Let’s give it up for the highest in the room, my newest tag team partner, Travis Scott!”
With all this in mind, Cactus Jack fans must feel ecstatic right now. If you want to catch Travis Scott live, he’s got some South American dates coming up if you’re in the area or can travel. Also, if you see Future and Metro Boomin on tour, there’s a good chance that the Houston superstar will show up as a special guest. Nevertheless, join us in our nostalgic indulgences and revisit Days Before Rodeo when it drops in a few days.
Travis Scott is having a great time at Michael Rubin’s Fanatics Fest this weekend, and he had a very special announcement for fans. He revealed that his fan-favorite mixtape Days Before Rodeo will hit streaming services soon. This is particularly exciting because the project’s ten-year anniversary is this Sunday (August 18), so it would line up perfectly. It also adds to all the exciting fun that La Flame has had over the past few days, including a foot race with IShowSpeed.
Furthermore, this re-release would surely put a lot of newer Travis Scott fans onto his old material… That is, if they weren’t bumping “Drugs You Should Try It” and “Skyfall” already. A lot of these newer fans probably saw him join Future and Metro Boomin for a surprise performance during the duo’s Brooklyn tour stop. It seems like the “Cinderella” collaborators had a blast onstage, and the fans in attendance certainly reciprocated that energy in the pit and in the stands. If Days Before Rodeo does come out on streaming services, it would be great to see if more cuts from it make his setlists.
But other Travis Scott fans are more concerned with how the music industry receives his newer music today, and you probably know who and what we’re talking about. Cactus Jack Stans expressed outrage at the Grammys giving Killer Mike the Best Rap Album award this year over Travis, a conversation that continues to this day. Nowadays, it has more to do with commercial performance, as Scott’s fanbase clowned Mike’s recent sales for his new project. It’s a tiresome convo, but we can all agree that both MCs deserve this love and much more.
Meanwhile, Travis Scott probably feels quite grateful and lucky these days, especially after recent concerning events. Following his Paris arrest, authorities released him and didn’t charge him with anything, which was likely a relief for him and for fans. With Days Before Rodeo seemingly on the horizon and South American tour dates coming up, there will be a lot more to enjoy from the Houston creative in 2024. Let’s just hope that this isn’t an unfulfilled promise.
come on.. we kno how it gonna go. But it’s running down yall chins B dammit.” One more follower wrote: “Remember 1 month ago AK was salty and saying that Kendrick fans need to ‘Let It Go’ …. now look, AK is STILL using this battle for views and engagement … without this Topic AK page will drop down in views and engagement.”
