Hip Hop News

It’s that time of the year again. After hosting a virtual show last year, the 2021 BET Awards will be held in front of a live audience. As we celebrate Black excellence in the music and entertainment industries, the network has officially revealed their nominations for this year.

Next month’s ceremony will mark a huge night in the careers of so many of our favorite established and up-and-coming artists careers. This year, two of the industry’s hottest stars, Megan Thee Stallion and DaBaby, have the highest number of chances to walk away with a trophy, each getting seven nominations. Drake and Cardi B aren’t too far behind, earning five nominations at this year’s celebration.

Anderson .Paak, Bruno Mars, Chloe x Halle, and Chris Brown will also have big nights, being nominated in four categories.

Take a look through the nominations below and let us know who you think will head home with the most trophies.

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Album of the Year

After Hours – The Weeknd
Blame It On Baby – DaBaby
Good News – Megan Thee Stallion
Heaux Tales – Jazmine Sullivan
King’s Disease – Nas
Ungodly Hour – Chloe X Halle

Best Collaboration

Cardi B f/ Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”
DaBaby f/ Roddy Ricch – “Rockstar”
DJ Khaled f/ Drake – “Popstar”
Jack Harlow f/ DaBaby, Tory Lanez & Lil Wayne – “What’s Poppin” (Remix)
Megan Thee Stallion f/ DaBaby – “Cry Baby”
Pop Smoke f/ Lil Baby & DaBaby – “For the Night”

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist

Beyoncé
H.E.R.
Jazmine Sullivan
Jhené Aiko
Summer Walker
SZA

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist

6lack
Anderson .Paak
Chris Brown
Giveon
Tank
The Weeknd

Best New Artist

Coi Leray
Flo Milli
Giveon
Jack Harlow
Latto
Pooh Shiesty

Best Group

21 Savage & Metro Boomin
Chloe X Halle
Chris Brown & Young Thug
City Girls
Migos
Silk Sonic

Best Female Hip Hop Artist

Cardi B
Coi Leray
Doja Cat
Megan Thee Stallion
Latto
Saweetie

Best Male Hip Hop Artist

DaBaby
Drake
J. Cole
Jack Harlow
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke

Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award

Bebe Winans – “In Jesus Name”
Cece Winans – “Never Lost”
H.E.R. – “Hold Us Together”
Kirk Franklin – “Strong God”
Marvin Sapp – “Thank You For It All”
Tamela Mann – “Touch From You”

BET Her Award

Alicia Keys f/ Khalid – “So Done”
Brandy f/ Chance The Rapper – “Baby Mama”
Bri Steves – “Anti Queen”
Chloe X Halle – “Baby Girl”
Ciara f/ Ester Dean – “Rooted”
SZA – “Good Days”

Best International Act

Aya Nakamura (France)
Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Emicida (Brazil)
Headie One (Uk)
Wizkid (Nigeria)
Young T & Bugsey (Uk)
Youssoupha (France)

Viewer’s Choice Award

Cardi B f/ Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”
Chris Brown & Young Thug – “Go Crazy”
DaBaby f/ Roddy Ricch – “Rockstar”
DJ Khaled f/ Drake – “Popstar”
Drake f/ Lil Durk – “Laugh Now Cry Later”
Lil Baby – “The Bigger Picture”
Megan Thee Stallion f/ Beyoncé – “Savage” (Remix)
Silk Sonic – “Leave the Door Open”

Video of the Year

Cardi B – “Up”
Cardi B f/ Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”
Chloe X Halle – “Do It”
Chris Brown & Young Thug – “Go Crazy”
Drake f/ Lil Durk – “Laugh Now Cry Later”
Silk Sonic – “Leave the Door Open”

Video Director of the Year

Benny Boom
Bruno Mars And Florent Déchard
Cole Bennett
Colin Tilley
Dave Meyers
Hype Williams

Best Movie

Coming 2 America
Judas And The Black Messiah
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
One Night In Miami
Soul
The United States Vs. Billie Holiday

Best Actress

Andra Day
Angela Bassett
Issa Rae
Jurnee Smollett
Viola Davis
Zendaya

Best Actor

Aldis Hodge
Chadwick Boseman
Damson Idris
Daniel Kaluuya
Eddie Murphy
Lakeith Stanfield

Youngstars Award

Alex R. Hibbert
Ethan Hutchison
Lonnie Chavis
Marsai Martin
Michael Epps
Storm Reid

Sportswoman of the Year Award

A’ja Wilson
Candace Parker
Claressa Shields
Naomi Osaka
Serena Williams
Skylar Diggins-Smith

Sportsman of the Year Award

Kyrie Irving
Lebron James
Patrick Mahomes
Russell Westbrook
Russell Wilson
Stephen Curry

With the release of their infectious new single “Straightenin,” it’s officially Migos season. Their first official single of 2021 marked an impressive return for the Atlanta rap trio, and years after Culture II and the group members’ polarizing solo albums, excitement for a new Migos project is once again at an all-time high.

Leading up to Culture III, Quavo appears to be celebrating the success of “Straightenin” in one of his latest social media flexes. In a recent post to Instagram, the QUAVO HUNCHO artist is seen standing poolside behind an ironing board as he goes through his a stack of money and irons hundred-dollar bills one by one. The already odd flex is hilariously accentuated with Quavo’s use of a custom spray can that reads “MIGOS STRAIGHTENIN SRAY.”

“Ya Bankroll Out Of Order? Are U Losing Ya Fold Cuz The Money Got Swole,” Quavo writes in the caption for his latest Instagram flex. “Try STRAIGHTENIN Spray Today! #Culture3 6/11 @migos”

Whether or not Migos actually have plans on selling the “Straightenin” Spray is yet to be seen, but it would definitely be a highly sought-after merchandise item for collectors of Hip-Hop memorabilia.

Culture III is set to finally arrive on Friday, June 11, so stay tuned for more Migos-related news.

Russell Westbrook has been one of the best players in the Eastern Conference this season although he is still wildly disrespected by opposing fans. Perhaps the most obvious instance of this was last night as he was playing in Philadelphia in the first round of the NBA playoffs. While coming out of the game due to an injury, Westbrook had popcorn poured on him by a fan. 

This ultimately enraged Westbrook and rightfully so. After all, no one wants to have popcorn poured all over their head, especially when they are in a vulnerable position. Since the incident, many have been trying to figure who the fan was, and now, even LeBron James is getting involved.

“By the way WE AS THE PLAYERS wanna see who threw that popcorn on Russ while he was leaving the game tonight with a injury!! There’s cameras all over arenas so there’s no excuse! Cause if the shoe was on the other foot…” LeBron wrote. Even Westbrook was livid about the whole thing as he said “The amount of disrespect, the amount of fans just doing whatever the f*ck they want to do. It’s just out of pocket.

Both players certainly have a point here as some NBA fans take one too many liberties while in the stands. At the end of the day, the players are human too, and treating them in this way should be grounds for a substantial ban from the arena in question.

Will Newton/Getty Images

“We Paid” rapper, 42 Dugg, is currently riding a wave of success after the release of his album Free Dem Boyz last week. The 19-track project is full of highly anticipated star-studded features including the likes of Future, Lil Durk, and Roddy Rich.

His big moves continued into this week, with signing to the global music publishing arm of Warner Music group. On Wednesday, he posed in black-tie with Yo Gotti and Ryan Press, the president of US Warner Chappell Music Publishing.

As we reported, 42 Dugg was signed onto both Yo Gotti’s CMG and Lil Baby’s 4PF record labels in a unique joint deal in 2019. Backed by these two giants in the rap game, 42 Dugg has been able to land this new opportunity. 

Warner Chappell Music is one of the largest music publishers of the biggest artists today including the late Pop Smoke, Kendrick Lamar, and Bruno Mars.

42 Dugg shared his excitement for the partnership stating, “Ryan and the whole Warner Chappell crew are connected to some of the best artists and producers in the game and I have a lot of respect for their work. I look forward to collaborating with their team and taking my music to the next level.”

Yo Gotti commented, “It’s great to be locked in with Ryan and the Warner Chappell team and partner on this new endeavor together. Dugg is a superstar and we’re all committed to putting him in the right position to succeed and elevate his music career.”

If you missed our On the Come Up profile of 42 Dugg, you should catch up here.

 

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If you’re in the rap game and you’ve ever considered yourself a trendsetter, it’s time to get off of your high horse because, in all actuality, Soulja Boy probably started your wave. The 30-year-old rapper has been on a rampage as of late, reminding folks about all he’s accomplished as such a decorated artist in the business. Among his claims, Big Draco has claimed to have been the first rapper on YouTube, the first rapper to go viral, the first rapper to eat Fanta Jello, and more. Now, he’s asserting himself as the first rapper to ever ice out his G-Shock watch after Kid Cudi showed off his own bedazzled timepiece.

This week, Kid Cudi found his old G-Shock watch and decided to spice it up, taking a trip to the jeweler and getting pink diamonds all over it. The hip-hop icon didn’t claim to be the first to have iced out his G-Shock, but Soulja Boy took the opportunity to claim credit for the trend, sharing receipts that he may have been the initiator of this one too.

“I was the first rapper with the iced out g-shock,” wrote Draco on Twitter shortly after Kid Cudi’s video went viral. If there’s one thing about Soulja Boy, you know he’s been keeping receipts for the last decade and he’s ready to pull them out.

What do you think he’ll take credit for next? Make sure to read our latest interview with Soulja Boy: “Soulja Boy Everything: The ‘She Make It Clap’ Rapper Dives Into Getting His Credit, Drake, Bow Wow & Elon Musk.”

Over the last year, Jordan Brand athletes have been sporting the Air Jordan 35 during NBA games. Perhaps the two most popular athletes to do so are Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks and Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics. Tatum has come through with some great colorways of the Jordan 35 over the past year and Jumpman has entrusted him with helping to grow the shoe and make it a top-tier option for aspiring ballplayers.

Every single year, Jumpman drops a brand new silhouette and 2021 is poised to be no different. In fact, during Game Two against the Brooklyn Nets, Tatum got to wear the Air Jordan 36, making him the first NBA player to wear the shoe during a game. As you can see in the photos below, the shoe is a mid-top and the initial colorway is black, purple, and orange.

Overall, it is a pretty unique model and just like most new Jumpman silhouettes, we’re sure it will be polarizing for a few months prior to its release. For now, however, no release information has been given, so keep it locked to HNHH for all of the latest updates.

In the meantime, let us know what you think of this new model, in the comments below.

Sarah Stier/Getty Images