NLE Choppa has faced a lot of backlash in the past for his support of the LGBTQIA+ community and his decision to perform at Pride events. This criticism comes from both sides of the aisle, with bigots trashing his solidarity and community members accusing him of just pandering and co-opting their identity. However, when you hear the Memphis MC talk about the situation, it’s clear that he’s trying to come from a place of support and unity above all else. He recently reflected on this matter during a new episode of the Caresha Please podcast with former City Girls member Yung Miami.
“Yeah, I’m appreciative of it,” NLE Choppa told Yung Miami about having a big queer following. “I’m appreciative of it because, at the end of the day, I feel like we are taught to not show love to people because they walk a different life. Who taught that s**t? Who taught that people are supposed to show hate in any instance? God don’t do that. God is love. What the hell is we showing hate for? He would never, He would never. What would God do?”
Of course, this new era for NLE Choppa has not only resulted in some of his biggest hits and moments of attention, but also a lot of opportunities for collaboration and media expansions. For example, he recently unveiled the trailer for a wild comedy film with him, Lil Wayne, Ray Vaughn, Sophie Rain, and many others. Whether or not you like what Choppa engages with, he continues to build his extracurricular achievements within and outside of his music career. Even if some are clearly bigger than others, it doesn’t change the consistent advocacy and norm-challenging behavior which does open the door for deeper discussion to people outside of the loop.
Meanwhile, NLE Choppa still engages in some of the typical Internet antics here and there, even if only tangentially. His baby mama recently tasked her Instagram Live viewers with watching her child, which sent social media for a loop earlier this year. But we’ll see what other reflections on identity and solidarity emerge from this perspective.
50 Cent may not drop a ton of new material anymore, but his older hits are still being bumped heavily to this day. From clubs to sports arenas, as well as parties or just in the car, his classics do remain hard to avoid. The timeless aspect of songs like “In Da Club,” “Many Men,” “P.I.M.P.,” and more are why people still want him to perform as well. Don’t believe us? Well, 50 Cent has just earned his first-ever Las Vegas residency, according to TMZ. Fif made the exciting announcement on his social media platforms, and he’s making a big promise already.
“My first Vegas residency is going to be an experience, you don’t wanna miss this! I’ll be doing 6 Exclusive shows December 27 – January 4 at PH Live at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Tickets on sale Saturday ” Sources tell TMZ that there will be a special New Year’s Eve celebration that’s being presented by 50’s Sire Spirits. 50 Cent: In Da Club, which is the name of his residency, will see him perform some of those instant hits we mentioned earlier.
While this is a tremendous opportunity for the multi-business owner on its face, it’s also coming with some generous incentives. The outlet is reporting that 50 Cent will become $15,000,000 richer for these six performances. Given how monumental this is, we think a congratulations is in order. So, congrats to the G-Unit head honcho for this high honor! He’s continuing to etch his name into hip-hop lore and creating a more indelible legacy by the day.
What are your thoughts on 50 Cent having his own Las Vegas residency? Does this bolster his legacy at all in your eyes? How well it be received in your opinion? 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 50 Cent. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival 2023 is exactly as its father, Tyler, The Creator, explained during his set over this past weekend: the spirit of Los Angeles in two days. Dodger Stadium became a playground of approximately 56,000 music nerds’ on November 11 and 12, and was the Odd Future creative’s first edition of the concert and ride extravaganza since 2019, following a couple of years off due to COVID.
Now that it’s over, in all of its sun-drenched, expensive, passionate, grueling, talented, chaotic, diverse, and above all, fun glory, what was the best from CFG? And, is it worth attending next year? Tyler’s brainchild is up there with the best in the world when it comes to its hits and misses. The lines were eternal (especially for merch), pricing was quite steep, and there could’ve been fewer “fake fans” in attendance. Still, these definitely weren’t as bad as every other major fest. These issues haunt everything from the biggest of stages to the most humble multi-artist lineup. However, if you’re like me and you wouldn’t rather do anything else on a weekend, then you’re in luck.
I obviously didn’t get to see even close to the amount of acts I would’ve wanted. Some I caught the whole way, and others I saw from afar, making a line for some pork buns or on my way from one stage to another. I’m sure that Balming Tiger, d4vd, Liv.e, Domo Genesis, beabadoobee, Fuerza Regida, SPINALL, Khamari, DAISY WORLD, Toro y Moi, and many, many others put on amazing shows which I, unfortunately, couldn’t make it to. Below, we’ve ranked the top five sets we got to see, along with some honorable mentions.
Might as well start with the big dogs, right? There were plenty of huge names on the lineup this year in addition to those already mentioned. Lil Yachty brought out Offset, WILLOW performed with her brother Jaden Smith during her excellent sunset show, and The Hillbillies tapped Tyler, The Creator to join them onstage for their self-titled track’s performance. It’s fitting that we start here because the music video for Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem’s 2023 single launched this year’s Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival back in June. Now that we finally made it, it’s no surprise that they closed off Saturday expertly across 24 tracks and alternating sets with spoken-word interludes. It was another masterclass in crowd control, mood shifts, lyrical performance, and dedication. As such, The Hillbillies is this year’s standout experience from CFG’s top-tier mainstream performers. Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem showed everyone how it’s done.
For every few bangers, like their opener “family ties,” there was a cool-down moment like Kendrick’s “A.D.H.D.” and Keem’s “HONEST.” Their chemistry was evident, too, as they hyped each other up for their collaborative cuts and knew exactly how to play off of each other’s energy when they switched out onstage. Furthermore, this is what separated this performance from The Big Steppers tour, and showed another dimension to their already legendary reputation.
Next up is Kevin Abstract, the former BROCKHAMPTON main brain who was one of many genre blenders this weekend. The ARIZONA BABY artist was also one of a few with brand-new projects to unveil in a concert setting. Sure, it wasn’t the sharpest or most fine-tuned, but it crystallized something more important beneath those fluorescent lights.
Kevin Abstract clearly cared a lot about his first solo performance in about six years. His performance, vocally and demeanor-wise, was very raw, grateful, unfiltered, and fully sunken into the vibes that he and his band created onstage. He played killer tracks like “Madonna” and “What Should I Do?” off of his new album Blanket and revisited fan favorites like “Baby Boy” and “Empty.” The cherry on top was that he revamped these tracks to fit his new, shoegaze-like style. While many artists played their hits or stuck to their most popular sounds, the 27-year-old fearlessly dove into a new era, and crafted a gear-shifting and deeply personal moment in his career for old and new listeners.
Kali Uchis is one of many artists on Camp Flog Gnaw’s lineup whose work with Tyler, The Creator is very beloved. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone on the bill who isn’t at least good friends with the Hawthorne native, and the Colombian-Virginian singer goes way back with T. With a great backing band, dancers, and impeccable stage design, she crafted one of the most visually stimulating sets of the weekend. Her blends of soul, R&B, and other genres were just as wavy as those from PinkPantheress, Syd, and of course, SZA.
Moreover, she performed many old and new hits: the dembow anthem “Muñekita,” “See You Again,” “telepatía,” “Blue,” etc. What’s more, is that the 29-year-old even brought out Omar Apollo for their collab “Worth The Wait,” and they seemed to really enjoy their time onstage, especially Omar. If there’s one thing that this set represents from this festival, it’s the confident and fitting stage presence that many of these artists embodied. No one did a better job of creating that illusion and grandeur than Kali Uchis. As you’ve probably already noticed, Camp Flog Gnaw is full of superstars with underground sensibilities and sounds. Part of their charm is how they stay down-to-earth within their styles, but Kali knows that she’s larger than life. Among massive fame and acclaimed artistry, she’s right at home.
Don’t let that name fool you: if you live under a dozen rocks and have never heard of this jazz group, they are anything but. Among a cavalcade of indie, R&B, hip-hop, and rock-adjacent artists, plus some Afrobeat and Latine representation, BBNG still stands as the most unique set of the weekend. Not many artists can pull off opening their set with “War Pigs” by Black Sabbath, going into ambient saxophone passages, and then coming through with a killer remix of their KAYTRANADA collab “Lavender” while still sounding cohesive as a unit. But BADBADNOTGOOD has been doing this for too long. They had perfect crowd control and a varied collection of jazz improvisation, psychedelic rock, Latin percussion, spacey soundscapes, amped and groovy drum solos, and some of their best compositions across their impeccable discography.
For day one fans, we didn’t get to hear their famous rap covers from back then, but we did get a gorgeous rendition of “Confessions.” On the other hand, we’d be remiss not to mention their incredible performance of “The Chocolate Conquistadors,” their MF DOOM collab. Drummer Alexander Sowinski and the rest of the band dedicated that cut to the late masked villain, and they also made sure that the crowd was having the best time of their lives. There were moments to gaze in awe at a solo, dance the night away, sing along to a melody, or take a moment to appreciate your place in the world right then and there. Music festivals can be overwhelming, especially CFG, but artists like BADBADNOTGOOD remind you of why it’s all worth it. No other set this weekend had me as completely immersed in the present as theirs.
Finally, we have the leader from Prince George’s County: redveil. He represents the amazing hip-hop on Camp Flog Gnaw’s bill: from Yachty to Earl, Domo to Ice Spice, Maxo to Maxo (Kream), The Hillbillies to Clipse to Paris Texas to AG Club… easily making up the most vocal and numerous fanbase here (although every other group felt just as welcome). Regardless of subgenre and labels, this festival had a lot of verses and moshpits, incredible crowd dynamics, and hungry MCs learning from the previous generation’s greatest. So why write this whole reflective and nostalgic intro for a 19-year-old, the freshest and youngest face here? Well, it’s because he’s the best proof that this weekend is not just Odd Future or Tyler’s festival: it’s thefuture’s festival.
Vibrant energy and fun moshpits from the crowd? Check. Unbridled hype, control, and stage presence from the learn 2 swim artist? Check. Sing-alongs, hardcore fans’ satisfaction, and new listeners falling in love with each song? Check, check, check. He ripped through all of his verses like “2daside,” thanked everyone who helped him along the way, kept his will, determination, and performance ethic at 100%, and put a spotlight on the world outside of CFG. He called for Palestinian freedom, powerfully closing out his set by speaking on their decades-long fight for justice. To put it bluntly, it was the most important moment of the whole endeavor. It’s that passion, awareness, talent, and love that redveil and every other artist on the bill will surely bring to Camp Flog Gnaw in 2024. After an incredible festival like this, all that’s left to say is, “We’ll see you again.”
Ice Spice performs at the Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival – Day 1 at Dodger Stadium on November 11, 2023 in Los Angeles, California (Photo by Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images)
Ice Spice continued to prove why she’s one of the most beloved artists right now despite a short set time, and Pusha T and No Malice reunited as the Clipse in the most legendary and triumphant set of the weekend… that I only got to see footage of. At the end of the day, everyone on the lineup deserves a mention. This festival really focused on consistency, quality, and a no-frills attitude throughout its 48 hours. It’s all a matter of your personal taste. SPINALL and Fuerza Regida gave global spotlights, while new names joined a lineup of veterans. Baby Keem even took some time to unveil the trailer for his Amazon Prime short film, The Melodic Blue, which will be released on December 5!
Alas, there’s still so much to say, and such little time. For example, Earl Sweatshirt’s discography-spanning set, plus some new unreleased gems, could warrant a breakdown of its own for how he hypnotized the crowd alongside special guests The Alchemist, Domo, and Zelooperz. No other festival has this level of intangible closeness between fan and performer, and its atmosphere invigorated the Dodger Stadium grounds in ways hard to explain.
If you have been paying attention to the hip-hop landscape you would know that Sexxy Red is becoming a viral sensation. Her rapid growth in her fan base has been something incredible to see. It will continue to expand from here, especially after last night. The 2023 BET Hip-Hop Awards went down in the heart of trap rap, Atlanta, Georgia. Sexyy Red was one of the many performers at the award show and she might have had the crowd at its rowdiest. But, before we get to that, let us quickly recap how she got to this point. It really all started with her catchy ratchet hit song, “SkeeYee.”
The chorus is truly infectious in its own way. It set up the foundation for Red’s sound going forward and it continues to carry throughout the rest of her music. Of course, you cannot forget about “Pound Town 2” and “Hellcats SRTs” either. Now, she hopping on bigger artists’ songs like the “Peaches & Eggplants” remix. All of these tracks and more put her up for the Best Breakthrough Hip-Hop Artist. Unfortunately, that went to Ice Spice, but there is no shame in that. Red is here to stay.
She proved that onstage as she played the songs that started it all. “Pound Town” was up first and “SkeeYee” wrapped things up. Sexyy Red also gave the crowd a taste of what one of her more recent songs sounds like live. The high-octane “Shake Yo Dreads” saw her joined by men shaking their dreads. What was also a great moment for the Missouri rapper was having the opening performance. According to XXL, she joined DaBaby for their remix of “Shake Sumn.” Continue to keep your ears and eyes on Sexyy Red, she is the “Female Gucci Mane.”
What are your initial thoughts on Sexyy Red’s performances at the 2023 BET Hip-Hop Awards? Which song did she play the best live? Do you think she should have won Best Breakthrough Hip-Hop Artist? We would like to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest breaking news around Sexyy Red, as well as the rest of the music world.
” Sources tell TMZ that there will be a special New Year’s 
(@ancomspike) 
