For years, SoundCloud has been one of the primary platforms that hundreds of thousands of rap fans use to stream and share music. The freeform streaming platform provides almost anyone the opportunity to upload their music and let other fans online find it. While the platform doesn’t seem like it’s going anywhere any time soon, it could have some new owners soon. Rumors circulating around music industry trade sites speculate that it could sell for a hefty price tag soon.
The story originated with Sky News which reported that two of SoundCloud’s shareholders are getting the ball rolling on a potential sale. They’re reportedly talking to investment banks about a “prospective auction of the company.” Fans of the platform don’t have to worry about any immediate changes though. The report specifically mentions that the sale isn’t expected to get underway for at least a few months. A majority stake in the company was purchased by Raine Group and Temasek Holdings in 2017. They’re the same two who have reportedly begun asking about a potential sale.
One of the most eye-popping elements of the story is the potential price tag the streaming platform could fetch. While a specific amount hasn’t been settled on yet there’s speculation that it could fetch more than $1 billion. That’s a substantial increase from the when the pair took over as majority owners in 2017. At that time the company was valued at $300 million.
SoundCloud continues to be a unique outlet for sharing rap and electronic music in particular. Just last week, 03 Greedo shared his new EP exclusively to the platform. Last year, Bryson Tiller shared an entire new mixtape exclusively to SoundCloud. He followed it up with a single exclusive to the platform earlier this week. What do you think of SoundCloud potentially being sold later this year? Do you use the platform to stream music? Does a price tag of over $1 billion seem like the right amount for the platform? Let us know in the comment section below.
The 2024 Golden Globes aired last night and fans are looking forward to all the new shows in 2024 that are soon to be released. Some of these shows center around fictional characters while others depict historical figures. These days, television’s earned movie-level quality which is why they are so highly regarded. As we enter 2024, we begin to anticipate several television shows that have been on our minds throughout the past year. Below, we’ve aimed to cover shows of all kinds and hope you learn about a new one you’ll now be tuning in for or see one you were already eagerly anticipating.
This is one of the new shows in 2024 that already has gone through some major changes. Viewers may remember the 2005 movie of the same name which starred Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. This series was originally announced in 2021 and was helmed by Donald Glover, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Francesca Sloane. Glover and Waller-Bridge also starred in the title roles. At one point, however, Waller-Bridge left and Glover continued to work on the show with Sloane. Moreover, Maya Erskine replaced Waller-Bridge. The show centers on two spies who are strangers that must portray a married couple The series is billed as a spy comedy and premieres on Amazon Prime Video with eight episodes on February 2, 2024.
Avatar: The Last Airbender (Live Action)
This is another new show in 2024 that viewers have known about for quite a while. The original Avatar: The Last Airbender animated series aired on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008. Viewers have held it in high regard since it ended with many of them still circulating clips and quotes from it on social media today. The characters originally appeared in a live-action movie in 2010 which was directed by M. Night Shyamalan. However, a large majority of viewers and critics did not enjoy that adaptation. Fortunately, they have expressed much more interest in this upcoming series based on the costumes, casting, and cinematography alone. The series stars Aang, a boy who must learn to master and “bend” the four elements to save the four nations from destruction. The show premieres with eight episodes on Netflix on February 22.
The Penguin
The title character of this series originally appeared in the 2022 film The Batman. He remains one of the most popular villains in the universe of Batman characters. Colin Firth plays this version of the character specifically, with many people praising the makeup team for making him unrecognizable. The series serves as a spinoff from the movie and starts a week after the events of its ending. While serving as a standalone series, executive producer and director Matt Reeves has stated it still will help connect the first and second movies, which he both directed. Moreover, the series follows Penguin’s rise to power in the criminal underworld of Gotham City. The show will begin streaming on Max in late 2024.
Griselda
This title of this new 2024 show may have caught the ears of fans of the Buffalo rap group but this is not a docuseries about them. However, it is a miniseries about the person their group is named after – Griselda Blanco. She was one of the most successful Columbian cocaine dealers in history and this series chronicles her life. Sofia Vergara stars as the title character and her long-time supporters are very eager to see her in a dramatic role like this. The show comes from the same team behind the Netflix series Narcos, which was about the life of Pablo Escobar and his cocaine empire. Griselda will premiere with six episodes on Netflix on January 25th.
Shōgun is a new show in 2024 that has some history behind it in more ways than one. It’s a remake of a 1980s mini-series, which itself was an adaptation of a 1975 novel of the same name. The original mini-series won several awards and the novel became a bestseller. Fans of both are looking forward to seeing this new series depicted on screen with modern technology of all kinds. The show follows an Englishman named John Blackthorne who ends up shipwrecked in feudal Japan in the 17th century and must navigate their culture. All the characters on the show are based on real figures in history, making the show a historical drama. Considering samurai are involved, the action sequences may pull in some viewers while the political depictions will pull in others. The series premieres on Hulu with two episodes on February 27.
Echo
Echo is a new show in 2024 that continues to expand the ever-growing world of Marvel. However, this one looks to have a much darker tone than most of their recent work. Maya Lopez first appeared in the series Hawkeye. Alaqua Cox will reprise her role as the title character in this spin-off series. Echo is deaf and a Native American of the Choctaw Nation and her heritage will be prominent throughout the series. She is also being perused by Wilson Fisk, a character viewers know from the Daredevil series.
All five episodes of the show will be released on Disney+ and Hulu on January 9. This is a first for a Disney+ Marvel series, which originally released episodes weekly. A Choctaw language dub of the show will also be released at the same time.
Agatha: Darkhold Diaries
This new 2024 show is a spinoff from the first MCU series, WandaVision. The character Agatha Harkness, played by Kathryn Hahn, turned out to be the true villain of the series the whole time. She even got a theme song within an episode where she boasted about it. Moments like this caused fans to want a show dedicated to the character and now they’ve gotten it. By the end of WandaVision, Agatha loses her magic abilities and the series follows her as she tries to get them back.
The title of the series was originally Agatha: House of Harkness then changed to Agatha: Coven Of Chaos before being changed to what it is now. Sources have claimed these changes were all a part of the fun for Disney since the title character can change things within WandaVision and this show. The series is billed as a dark comedy so viewers can expect Agatha and her allies to get into many creatively entertaining situations. Sources say the show will premiere on Disney+ in the fall.
What show are you looking forward to most? Let us know in the comments section.
NBA YoungBoy is an artist who has been able to capture the youth. Overall, this is no easy task. However, with a plethora of huge viral hits and some great albums, YoungBoy has been able to make it happen. He is still very young and has lots of time to continue developing his sound. That said, it seems like his formula is most definitely working. He dropped a ton of albums this year, and his fans were ready to hear all of them. In 2024, he is gearing up for another big year, and fans are excited for what he has in store.
If you know anything about YoungBoy, you are aware of the fact that he has consistently been at the forefront of YouTube streaming. He is one of the best-performing artists on the YouTube platform. In fact, in 2023, he was the highest-streamed hip-hop artist on the video-sharing platform. This is pretty impressive when you consider how Drake and Bad Bunny were behind him. Peso Pluma was number one on the list, while Taylor Swift found herself in the fifth spot.
YoungBoy has been hitting numerous milestones as of late. For instance, he is officially the youngest artist with 100 Hot 100 entries. Of course, this is a product of the fact that he has dropped so much music over the years. Regardless, it also shows that there is a massive appetite out there for his music. The youth continues to be obsessed with YoungBoy, and that probably won’t be changing, anytime soon. Hopefully, we get some new music from the artist in the not-so-distant future.
With YoungBoy hitting another new milestone, let us know what you think of his music, in the comments section below. Tell us what direction you would like to see him go in, next. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will always keep you informed on your favorite artists and their upcoming releases.
Doja Cat’s “Paint The Town Red” finished 2023 as Spotify’s most-streamed rap song for the year. According to Chart Data, the single has earned over 730 million streams on the platform since its August release. Doja dropped it as the lead single from her fourth studio album, Scarlet.
In addition to its success on Spotify, “Paint The Town Red” also became Doja Cat’s second single to top the Billboard Hot 100. It was her first as a solo artist. It is nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 31: Doja Cat kicks off The Scarlet Tour on October 31, 2023 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Dana Jacobs/Getty Images for Live Nation)
Despite the song’s popularity, Doja recently admitted that she wasn’t a fan of “Paint The Town Red” initially. Speaking with Ebro Darden for Apple Music in December, she explained: “I thought ‘Paint The Town Red’ reminded me of like, Target or like Macy’s. It reminded me of like, GAP. I don’t why. It just kind of is that. And I know it starts with a curse word and it’s like a little bit edgy in that sense and I say, ‘I’m a demon, Lord!’ Like yeah, I get that, but that song just had a very pants-up-high vibe. And you know I think strategically because I can be strategic. I think it was a good addition to the album and a strong addition to the album. I know that it’s a strong song. And I did [expect it to be as popular as it is] and I was kind of running that from a little bit. I didn’t really want to have that pants-up-high song, the goofy, kind of palatable…”
Doja Cat’s “Paint The Town Red” Finishes As Most-Streamed Rap Song Of 2023
While Doja had the most popular rap song of 2023 on Spotify, she didn’t have the most popular rap album. That honor went to Metro Boomin and his project, Heroes & Villians. Be on the lookout for further updates on Doja Cat on HotNewHipHop.
When you think of the best hip-hop songs of 2023, there’s a lot of variety to pick from when it comes to styles and appeals. Of course, people want their hits, and many massive albums this year like Drake’s For All The Dogs and Travis Scott’s UTOPIA amassed staggering numbers. With all these highlights in mind from these huge names, you’d expect something like a “MELTDOWN” or a “First Person Shooter” to be the biggest streaming hits, right? Well, instead, Gunna’s “fukumean” off of his album a Gift & a Curse ended up being the most streamed rap song of 2023 in the United States.
Furthermore, this isn’t so much surprising as it is just a curious and emblematic development when you look at the state of 2020s hip-hop. New sounds are replacing old ones as they bubble up to the top, and artist like Gunna who’ve built their career in the mainstream for years are now entering its highest echelons. We also can’t say this isn’t a deserved accolade. “fukumean” is hands-down the catchiest and most structurally engaging song on his project, even if you don’t care for the persistent “ee-yah!” vocal sample.
With over 400 million streams across all digital streaming platforms in 2023, this track can now officially call itself the biggest rap hit of the year. What’s more is that, through recent live performances and surely more to come, Gunna has ample opportunities to celebrate this feat and his career trajectory as a whole. Not only that, but he’s also making sure to stay grounded in the collective that, although strained now due to their RICO case and his plea deal, gave him this shot at stardom. For example, during the College Park native’s recent Dubai show, he shouted out Young Thug and advocated for his freedom during his rendition of their track “Hot.”
Meanwhile, that conversation dominated a good chunk of the year, but now took more of a backseat. With Thugger’s father defending Wunna against his new opps in the game, people are split on how to interpret the state of their relationship. All we can say for sure is that there’s a chance he’ll come through with the biggest rap song of 2024, too. On that note, stick around on HNHH for more news and the latest updates on Gunna.
It seems like Fortnite wasn’t all that The Weeknd had to unveil these past few weeks… or is this just a ruse? Moreover, fans expressed joy on social media when his 12-year-old fan-favorite track “Trust Issues,” a remix of the Drake song of the same name, appeared on his profile on Spotify. However, given that it didn’t appear on Apple Music or his other release pages, the simple cover art, and the label being listed as just “weeknd,” we’d bet that this is one of those hacked releases that sometimes pop up for popular artists. Also, the record starts abruptly on Spotify, so all signs lead to an unofficial release.
Still, we’ll celebrate it while it lasts, so go add “Trust Issues” to your playlist and enjoy the moment like the rest of us. Just take it with that extra grain of salt as you indulge in The Weeknd’s drowsy, dramatic, and slow-burning re-imagining of Drizzy’s original. The stark trap drums present here pair up with some cavernous kicks and claps to give the percussion a little more percussion. Also, we can’t talk about this cut without mentioning the sultry guitars that edge it out throughout various points of its runtime. Even if this isn’t an official release, Abel Tesfaye’s shoutout of Playboi Carti’s next album means that there might be new music on the way.
Meanwhile, the Canadian superstar is busy these days funding the provision of millions of meals to Gaza and dealing with some tour date postponements in Australia and New Zealand. Even as The Weeknd is one of the most dominant artists right now, his early work is a treat to revisit. If you want to catch “Trust Issues” on Spotify before it presumably gets taken down, you’d better act fast. You can still discover or revisit the track on YouTube above and check out some notable lines down below. As always, check back in with HNHH for the latest great music releases around the clock… and hopefully the next one is for real.
Quotable Lyrics All she cares about is money and the city where she’s from, Her intention is the paper, she don’t need no f***ing love She spilling all this liquor, trying to pass me all these cups Well, babygirl, I’m zoning, somebody should’ve told her
Drake and Metro Boomin are two artists up for a Grammy in the rap album of the year category. Overall, this is thanks to the albums Her Loss and Heroes & Villains. Interestingly enough, these are two albums that contain a healthy dose of 21 Savage. That said, there is no telling who is going to win the award this year. It could very well go to Travis Scott for Utopia. However, it could also go to someone like Nas. No matter what, it is crystal clear that there is going to be a big reaction to whoever wins.
Interestingly enough, Metro Boomin had a lot to say over the weekend as it pertains to the race against Drake. After a hip-hop Twitter account revealed how Heroes & Villains is outstreaming Drake, Metro said “Yet Her Loss keeps winning rap album of the year over H&V.” He went on to say that he isn’t a fan of awards shows and that he maintains his love for his album. “Proof that award shows are just politics and not for me,” Metro said. “Idc about awards honestly, the true award and REWARD is knowing that the music I spend so much time on brings joy to people’s everyday lives.”
Eventually, Metro deleted his tweet. However, Drake still managed to seemingly get a reply in. In the Instagram story screenshot above, you can see that he quoted “Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love) by Jay-Z. Damn. little mans, I’m just tryin’ to do me/ If the record’s two mil, I’m just tryin’ to move three,” his caption reads. It is not clear if this is actually a shot at Metro. However, the timing of it is definitely a bit suspicious. Either way, it is interesting to see Metro be so openly against Her Loss considering his previous work with Drizzy.
What do you think of this situation? Let us know, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will always be sure to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists.
Lil Durk’s distinct sound isn’t for everyone, but those who love the Chicago native consistently go hard for him. Unfortunately, amid Spotify Wrapped season, the 7220 artist is facing accusations of using streaming farms to boost his numbers after an angry content creator revealed that he completely took over her annual round-up despite her never personally listening to his music from her account. “I am literally so mad right now,” the young woman ranted while sitting in her car.
“Whoever hacked into my Spotify account and listened to Lil Durk for 21,000 f**king hours this year, I hope you rot,” she continued, moving closer to the camera as her rage builds. “You have ruined my entire life!” According to her story, she woke up earlier this week eager to reflect on her year in music but was sadly disappointed when the results didn’t match her expectations. “All I listen to is like, Noah Kahn, and like, Taylor Swift, Just some cute granola stuff with a little bit of SZA sprinkled in there,” the OP explained her usual taste.
Through tears, she continues, “I wake up this morning to all my top songs, and my only artist being Lil f**king Durk!” At the top of the list is “All My Life” featuring J. Cole, followed by more new titles from the 31-year-old’s Almost Healed album. “I thought I logged into the wrong account like I don’t know. This is not me!” Now that the clip is circulating on social media, others are sharing their similar experiences after allegedly having “some dude in Ukraine” taking over their profile.
Lil Durk may have made several non-consensual appearances on the playlists of Spotify users in 2023, but he still couldn’t top the numbers done by Drake. Thanks to the release of his For All The Dogs album, not to mention his It’s All A Blur Tour, the 6ix God racked up over 11 billion streams on the streaming platform alone. Read more about that at the link below, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
Spotify Wrapped season has already given fans a peak at some of the biggest artists in the world and how they performed on Spotify this year. Superstars like Drake and Bad Bunny have shared their extremely impressive streaming numbers already. Spotify itself announced with a series of Billboards all over the world that Taylor Swift was the most-streamed artist on the entire platform this year. Unsurprisingly, the artist who spent much of the first half of the year as the most listened to also has some incredibly impressive numbers.
The Weeknd raked in 12.8 billion streams on Spotify in 2023. Those impressive totals came from 285.2 million different users and added up to 721.7 million hours of listening. Even among impressive numbers from other artists, those are staggering totals. What makes the accomplishment even crazier is that he didn’t even release a new album this year. Compared to all three of his biggest contemporaries Drake, Bad Bunny, and Taylor Swift who did drop new projects. Check out the full report on The Weeknd’s streaming numbers below.
Earlier this month, it was officially announced that The Weeknd broke an impressive touring record. Across 30 shows he sold 1.639 million tickets which amounted to a staggering total of $158.1 million. Consequently, that’s the highest total ever achieved by a black artist for a European tour.
Fans expecting to catch the tour at stops in Australia and New Zealand may have to wait longer than anticipated. He was originally scheduled to play 11 shows across the two countries in late November and into December. But in a statement shared recently he explained that due to unforeseen circumstances, the tour dates had to be delayed. The dates haven’t been canceled entirely, just rescheduled into next year, though specific dates are yet to be announced. What do you think of The Weeknd reaching such impressive streaming totals despite not dropping a new album this year? Let us know in the comment section below.
Ice Spice is set to finish 2023 as Billboard’s #1 Year-End Top New R&B/Hip-Hop Artist, as caught by Chart Data. The feat comes after the outlet named her its R&B/hip-hop Rookie of the Year, back in August. Her charting success comes primarily from the release of her debut EP, Like..?, in July as well as several popular collaborations. In 2023, Spice’s “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2” (with PinkPantheress), “Princess Diana” (with Nicki Minaj), “Karma” (with Taylor Swift), and “Barbie World” (with Minaj and Aqua), all reached the top 10 of the Hot 100.
As for her Rookie of the Year honors, she told Billboard: “I have put in so much hard work, and it means a lot to be recognized for it and have more than just plaques to show for it.” Despite her chart success and rookie honors, Ice Spice lost Top New Artist at the Billboard Music Awards, last weekend, to Zach Bryan. She also lost Top Rap Female Artist to Nicki Minaj.
Ice Spice performs at the Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival – Day 1 at Dodger Stadium on November 11, 2023, in L.A. California (Photo by Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images)
Speaking with Billboard, Spice reflected on her rise coming during the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and revealed that she hopes to push the genre forward. “Fifty years of hip-hop is monumental,” Spice said. “I hope to push the genre forward in whatever ways I can, but I know I’ll have a huge impact on the youngins coming up now.” Check out the announcement about her chart success below.
Ice Spice Dominates “Billboard” Charts For 2023
Ice Spice is ranked as Billboard’s #1 Year End Top New R&B/Hip-Hop Artist for 2023. pic.twitter.com/gucgC80p6g
Spice’s dominance likely won’t end with 2023. She recently teased that she has another project titled Y2K! in store for next year. Be on the lookout for further updates on that upcoming project as well as Ice Spice in general on HotNewHipHop.
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