Drake is Mr. OVO. Halloween Gang. October’s Very Own. He’s repped the season since day one, and has made it a defining part of his persona. Unfortunately, the fallout from his battle with Kendrick Lamar has yet to die down. The rapper may be trying to move forward, but companies are still looking to go viral by capitalizing on the battle. Case in point: Fashion Nova. The popular retail company is selling Halloween costumes on their website, and one in particular is a direct dig at the Champagne Papi.
The costume is billed as a “BBL Booty Butt Pad Costume Accessory.” Nondescript enough, right? Well, the photos the accompany the costume tell a different story. They feature a man wearing a black hoodie and sporting a hairstyle eerily similar to the one Drake currently rocks. If that wasn’t enough, the man is wearing multi-color hair clips. You know, the same exact ones Drake wore in the music video for “8AM In Charlotte.” Did we mention that the hoodie says “Papi” on the front, effectively riffing on one of 6 God’s oldest nicknames? There’s plausible deniability, but this is about as blatant as one can be without saying the person’s name outright.
Drake’s alleged “BBL” procedure was a constant point of mockery during the first half of the year. It was something that Kendrick Lamar and Rick Ross hammered home on their respective diss tracks. Ross was actually the first one to level cosmetic surgery allegations at Drizzy on “Champagne Moments.” “I know you got your Dockers on with no underwear, white boy,” he said during the song’s outro. “Yeah, you had that surgery, that six-pack gone. That’s why you wearin’ that funny sh*t at your show, you can’t hide it.”
Kendrick Lamar, meanwhile, had a more clever bar on “Euphoria.” “Yeah, my first one like my last one, it’s a classic, you don’t have one,” he spit. “Let your core audience stomach that, then tell ’em where you get your abs from.” The notion that Drake doesn’t have a classic is silly, but the punchline still landed. Metro Boomin crystalized the “BBL Drizzy” meme, though, when he made a beat under the same name and urged aspiring artists to hop on it and diss Drake. The beat was extremely catchy, and the “BBL Drizzy” challenge went viral. We can’t imagine a ton of people are going to purchase the accompanying Fashion Nova costume, though.
Drake decided to clean house on October 1. The OVO co-founder was following lots of notable rappers and celebrities on Instagram, despite their seeming willingness to clown him. LeBron James was at the Kendrick Lamar “Pop Out” show on Juneteenth. He was also caught on camera talking about how much he liked Lamar’s “Not Like Us” diss. It seemed like Drake finally pulled the trigger on axing King James from his circle. He unfollowed the NBA superstar on Tuesday, along with a host of other big names.
Eagle-eyed fans noticed that Drake was unfollowing people left and right. He unfollowed Kendrick Lamar, which makes sense to an extent. If anything, it was strange that the 6 God was still following K. Dot after their battle. Drake also unfollowed Metro Boomin, Joe Budden, DeMar DeRozan and Playboi Carti. These all line up with the events of the battle. Metro Boomin started the whole thing with “Like That.” DeRozan danced on stage at the “Pop Out” and made a cameo in the “Not Like Us” video. Joe Budden has always been a vocal critic of the 6 God. The only real head scratcher in the bunch is Playboi Carti. The cult icon has worked with Drake on multiple occasions, including the recent song “No Face.”
Drake and Carti appeared to have a solid relationship. The latter was, however, removed from the “No Face” version that landed on streaming. The 6 God’s decision may also stem from the people that Carti is affiliated with. Playboi Carti recently clowned streamer Adin Ross, who appears to have a good bond with Drizzy. He also dropped a massive collab single with The Weeknd, who has been one of Drake’s enemies for over a decade. DJ Akademiks documented these unfollowings on his own Instagram.
Interestingly, one artist involved in the battle was exempt. Despite being on the song that started the beef, “Like That,” Future is still being followed by Drake. Those who have been keeping up with the saga between these two artists know that Drake was particularly hurt by the falling out he had with Pluto. He said as much in the song “Family Matters.” “Pluto sh*t make me sick to my stomach, we ain’t never really been through it,” he raps. “Leland Wayne, he a f*ckin’ lame, so I know he had to be an influence.” Maybe there’s hope for a reconciliation down the line.
Today (September 27), Metro Boomin shared the second issue of his The Metroverse series, “Metro Boomin: The Rise #2.” The visual team behind the edition (which includes artists by Vasilis Lolos, Fred Stresing, and Micah Meyers, as well as writer Ryan Cady) continues the high-stakes adventure.
Without giving too much away, the issue’s synopsis is surely enough to spark your interest. The issue is described:
“Metro is at the front of danger when he gains an unlikely alliance with the Nightshade Trio – three mysterious and powerful femme fatales. The Nightshade Trio arrives on the scene changing the entire Metroverse world. The foursome work together to fight against some of the city’s largest threats.
Though, not everything is as it seems. Secrets are lingering in the shadows while a threatening romance sparks. Metro must make the tough decision if the Nightshade Trio are his greatest partners or a menacing force he could have never anticipated. This action-packed second issue is filled with relationships being tested, love growing, and Metro’s beliefs being tested more than ever before.”
The second issue of Metro Boomin’s The Metroverse comic book is out now. But if you want to get your hands on a physical copy, you are going to want to beeline for his website, as only 4,000 copies are available. Find more information here.
HBCU institutions have a rich music culture. Over the last few decades, its various schools across the country have helped boost the careers of numerous artists by providing a space for their music to thrive. The shortlist of artists who have seen this effect include Jeezy, Lil Boosie, Rich Homie Quan, Migos, Young Thug, Young Dolph, and more. Additionally, the importance of music can be seen through HBCU bands that are extremely important to the fabric of school life. It comes to life through big displays like the annual Battle Of The Bands competitions and smaller instances like the infamous Grambling vs. Southern rivalry football games.
With all this being said, it’s no surprise that HBCUs have also produced some of the music’s most famous artists. From legends like Lionel Richie and Common and present day stars like Megan Thee Stallion, SZA, and Metro Boomin, the spirit of HBCUs runs through a number of artists — even if their tenure at the institution was short.
Ahead of homecoming season, we decided to spotlight ten artists who have connections to an HBCU. Scroll down for the list of artists and the institutions they attended.
Megan The Stallion (Texas Southern University)
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In 2021, the same year that she went No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for her “Savage” remix with Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion graduated from Texas Southern University with a Bachelor’s degree in Health Administration. During an interview with Rolling Stone in 2021, Megan spoke about being in school “for so long” and how she balanced her rap career after deciding to ramp up her semester load to finish sooner. “Every time I had an assignment or something due, one of my managers would just pull me to the side and be like, ‘Hey Megan, you know you got to do this presentation today.’ Or ‘Hey Megan, you know you got to turn this assignment in today,’” she said. “I would have not been successful this semester without my team.”
SZA (Delaware State University)
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SZA attended Delaware Statue University after graduating from high school in 2008. The singer majored in marine biology and earned straight As for her first two semesters before losing interest. In a 2023 interview with Elle, SZA opened up about her experience in college. “I’m like, ‘I told you I was smart and I proved my point. I have to leave now,’” SZA said, recalling a conversation with her mother. A few years later, the singer met TDE president Terrence “Punch” Henderson Jr., signed to the label, and the rest is history.
Metro Boomin (Morehouse College)
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Multi-platinum producer Metro Boomin spent just one semester at Atlanta’s Morehouse College before dropping out to pursue music. He spoke about the decisions that led to him leaving the school during a 2017 interview with GQ. “As grateful as I was to be there, I didn’t want to be there,” he said. “It was bittersweet, because I knew for a fact that I need to put all of my time into music. School is the same as producing: If you want to make it far, there are a million, trillion people trying to do the same thing. If you’re not in over-grind mode, it’s probably not going to work the way that you want it to.”
Rick Ross (Albany State University)
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Grammy-nominated rapper Rick Ross attended Albany State University on a football scholarship, but dropped out of school soon after. Ross’ pursuit of a music career kicked into gear at the turn of the century, and in the decades after, Ross’ ties to Albany State University have remained strong. In 2022, he spoke to students at the school for the homecoming convocation ceremony, where he told students that “the greatest job you will ever have is being CEO of your life.”
2 Chainz (Alabama State University)
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Just like Rick Ross, 2 Chainz also attended an HBCU off an athletic scholarship. His, however, was a basketball scholarship to Alabama State University. In a 2017 interview with The Daily Beast, 2 Chainz said that he left ASU after his freshman year after he “got into some trouble.” He later returned to the school to complete his degree. In another conversation, this time with Rolling Stone, 2 Chainz addressed rumors that he graduated with a 4.0 GPA. “Don’t believe anything on Wack-ipedia,” he said. “There’s a lot of false stuff on there, to the point that every time I try to fix one thing, something else comes out.”
Wale (Virginia State University & Bowie State University)
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Our collection of HBCU scholarship athletes continues with Wale. The DMV rapper initially attended Robert Morris University on a football scholarship before transferring to Virginia State University. His football career would come to an end when he transferred to another HBCU, Bowie State University, but Wale would later drop out to pursue a music career. It was at VSU that Wale discovered his musical talents. In a 2021 conversation with The Ringer, Wale recalled spitting freestyles art the school’s Foster Hall. “The guy that was across the hall from me in my dorm was like, ‘Keep going, keep going. You tight,’” he said. “People really started f*cking with me at Virginia State.”
Killer Mike (Morehouse College)
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Earlier this year, Killer Mike won his first Grammys as a lead artist for Best Rap Album with Michael and Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song with “Scientists.” Those awards came more than 20 years after Mike won his first Grammy thanks to a feature on Outkast’s “The Whole World.” That song was the result of Mike and Big Boi’s friendship which came about through Mike’s attendance of Morehouse College in the 1990s. “The deciding factor for me getting into Morehouse was probably my homeroom teacher,” Killer Mike told the Seattle Times. “He was a Morehouse man. His name was Mister Lee-Roy Arnold.”
He added, “I think [Mr. Arnold] saw something in me, because he pushed me and messed with me for five years, to the point where he bet me all my book money for the first year that I would not get into Morehouse.”
Common (Florida A&M University)
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Before Common achieved his dreams of being a successful rapper, the Chicago native was enrolled at Florida A&M University under an academic scholarship as a business administration major. Common would only stay at the school for two years before dropping out to pursue rap. In 2019, nearly 30 years after he attended, Common would be honored with a doctorate degree in fine arts and invited him to speak at that year’s commencement ceremony. In his speech, Common said that his activism, which went on to be ever-present in his music, began right at FAMU where he says his experience was unlike anything he went through in hometown of Chicago.
Erykah Badu (Grambling State University)
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Erykah Badu nearly graduated from Grambling State University with a major in theater, but she left the school in 1993 to focus on her music career. Four years later, she delivered her debut album Baduizm, a masterclass in neo-soul that’s still heralded as a classic today. In an interview with the school’s newspaper The Gramblinite, Badu recalled her time at the university. “I auditioned for several plays while at GSU at the Floyd L. Sandle Theatre,” she said. “I danced with the Orchesis and was involved in a rap group called ‘CP Posse,’ which stands for Cultural Production.”
Lionel Richie (Tuskegee Institute)
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While all the artists on this list did not experience the HBCU life until their adult years, Lionel Richie’s time at an HBCU dates back to his childhood. The legendary singer grew up on Tuskegee Institute’s campus before attending the school and earning a Bachelor’s degree in economics with a minor in accounting. “In my world growing up on campus, we were surrounded by gospel music because of the choir,” Richie said of his experience to The Austin Chronicle. “R&B music was the music they played on the college campus.”
Metro Boomin was on hand at Forbes Under 30 Summit, and of course, he was asked about the Kendrick Lamar and Drake feud. The beef caught fire after the former shunned the idea of a “Big Three” on Metro’s “Like That” collaboration with Future.
While on stage, Metro stated he felt “competition is great for the game” and cited Hip-Hop as always being a “competitive genre.”
But how does he specifically feel?
“As far as me being diplomatic, it’s just entertainment,” he added. “I have love and respect for all my collaborators. I just want to see everyone do the best and help push this forward. We’re all here to deposit in and uplift this genre.”
You can hear it below.
Metro Boomin when asked about the Drake Vs. Kendrick Lamar beef
“As far as being diplomatic, it’s just entertainment, at the end of the day.”
“I have love & respect for all my collaborators. And I just want to see everybody do they best & help push [Rap] forward.” pic.twitter.com/o8qLNg3yuV
Metro Boomin and Future’s “Like That” could easily be considered the launch point. Despite gaining the support of Kendrick Lamar’s massive fan base, Metro Boomin isn’t exactly a fan of stan culture. Yesterday (September 23), during a Forbes 30 Under 30 Summit panel, Metro Boomin seemingly cited stan culture as the root cause for today’s “weird” rap beefs.
“I feel like the competition is great for the game,” he said. “Hip-hop has always been more of a competitive genre even if just keeping it on music, and it’s not serious how everybody tries to make it. Because also with Hip Hop, there’s a lot of ego involved. You’re supposed to feel like you’re the best. Everybody from the highest to the lowest guy is supposed to at least feel like you’re the best. So when two of the top dogs in the game and you both feel like you’re the best, it’s like okay, now we gotta have a showdown.”
Metro Boomin then referred to Jay-Z and Nas’ infamous diss tracks before turning his attention to stan culture, saying: “But I just feel like more today with stan culture, it makes it kind of weird. Because back in the day, JAY-Z and Nas went at it. But I was a fan of both of them. And most people were! And it was like, it’s okay. It was like not I hate this side [or] I hate that side. The internet just makes it a little too wild now.”
I’m not sure those he were alive to witness Jay-Z and Nas’ clash remember it quite this way (myself, included).
Metro Boomin was the architect of 2024’s biggest hip hop story. He was the one who got Kendrick Lamar to appear on his joint single with Future, “Like That.” The reverberations of that diss track will be felt for years to come. Metro Boomin effectively kicked off the war against Drake. He even dropped his own diss instrumental with “BBL Drizzy.” Things have cooled off since Kendrick Lamar went scorched Earth with “Not Like Us,” and the producer has been given some time to reflect on the feud. He talked about his feelings on the matter during the Forbes 30 Under 30 Summit.
Metro Boomin was asked about the Drake and Kendrick Lamar situation by the moderator. He clarified that he does not have any ill will towards the artists involved. Drake included. “I have love and respect for all my collaborators,” he asserted. “I just want to see everybody do their best and continue to help push this forward.” The “this” he referred to is the genre of hip hop. Metro Boomin noted that competition is good for the genre, and that the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar battle brought out the best in both artists.
“You’re supposed to feel like you’re the best,” the producer noted. “With two of the top dogs in the game and you both feel like you’re the best… we gotta have a showdown.” The competition was something the producer likened to the JAY-Z and Nas battle from 2001. The way the fans consumed the battle, though, was another story. Metro Boomin felt like the fans took things too seriously, and resorted to picking sides instead of enjoying the talent displayed on both sides. “It’s more like Stan culture,” he noted. “It makes it kind of weird.”
Both Metro Boomin and Drake did his fair share of trolling on social media, to be fair. Metro produced the aforementioned “BBL Drizzy” beat and dropped it on SoundCloud. He also started a challenge in which he encouraged independent artists to diss Drake over the beat. One could argue the producer is being hypocritcal, but his point stands. “The internet just makes it a little too wild,” he added. It’s nice to know Metro Boomin still appreciates Drake as an artist, even if the chances of them linking up for a collab are slim to none.
Future is currently the most hard-working artist in hip-hop. After releasing two albums produced by Metro Boomin this year, We Don’t Trust You and We Still Don’t Trust You, he’s returning to the well one more time with Mixtape Pluto.
For some fans, it’s the best of the three, for the same reason that the paired projects marked a return to form for Future in the minds of many longtime fans. Mixtape Pluto calls back to one of the most productive and fan-revered eras of the veteran trap rapper’s career.
Of course, I am referring to the Future era in which he released no fewer than five standout projects from 2014 to 2016. Beginning with the DJ Esco-hosted mixtape Monster and including Beast Mode with Zaytoven, 56 Nights with DJ Esco, What A Time To Be Alive with Drake, and, of course, DS2, and ending arguably with 2016’s Purple Reign and Evol, Future’s 2015 run was rivaled only by a few in hip-hop, and all of them are titans of the culture.
During this time, he released 10 platinum-selling singles, including some of his most beloved festival hype DJ playlist favorites, like “March Madness” “Jumpman” with Drake, and “Low Life” with The Weeknd. These time may not have produced his highest-charting, but it began Future’s string of multi-platinum hits (beginning with “F*ck Up Some Commas” from DS2 at No. 55) and it contains the densest concentration thereof (peaking with “Low Life” with eight certifications).
Unlike prior albums Pluto and Honest, and latter albums like Hndrxx, High Off Life, or even his Metro Boomin collabs, this success was driven by Future’s gritty solo charisma, with much less of the focus on melodizing his heartbreak. Instead, he growled dismissive dispatches from the depths of his hedonistic excesses, going out of his way to shoot down any suggestion of soulful introspection or simping.
He also needed little in the way of featured artistry to fuel his ascent. While Future himself was a hotly demanded guest star on works from other artists, including DJ Khaled, Mike Will Made It, Travis Scott, Ty Dolla Sign, and 21 Savage, the only collaborations of his from 2015 to chart were those from What A Time, a collaborative album, while “Low Life” with The Weeknd was the biggest hit he had to feature another artist in 2016.
He was at the height of his powers — which you could argue he most strongly taps into on his other mixtapes. Mixtape Pluto might not only apply to 2015 and 2016; it might also refer to his street-bred beginnings with tapes like the original Dirty Sprite or collaborative efforts like Super Slimey with Young Thug or Beast Mode 2 with Zaytoven.
The new tape indeed does find Future going solo for its 17 tracks. There’s a mixture of producers, but all of them provide vintage 808 and skittering snares — exactly the sort of backdrop over which the Atlanta native thrives. The hypnotic, chant-like choruses? They’re represented here on tracks like “Lil Demon” and “Aye Say Gang.” The rapping is as crisp as it’s ever been. And for those fans who love wounded Future, there are a few standouts like “Too Fast” and “Lost My Dog.”
Which is why Mixtape Pluto is hitting all the right notes with those fans who’ve been following him all this time. Future — an artist with roots that reach back to Atlanta’s initial epoch in the rap mainstream with Outkast and Dungeon Family — has transformed dozens of times over the course of his career, but the form he always seems to return to is the one that has the most potential to go anywhere and everywhere else. Mixtape Future is the best Future, because like the future, the possibilities are endless.
This weekend, GRAMMY® Award-nominated, diamond-certified producer and global superstar Metro Boomin delivered an electrifying performance with Future at the sold-out Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. The show marked the 22nd stop on their ‘We Trust You Tour,’ captivating a massive crowd with an unforgettable night of music and culture.
One of the night’s standout moments was Metro Boomin’s homage to André 3000. He took the stage wearing a unique archive jumpsuit from OutKast’s historic 2014 Reunion Tour, designed by André 3000. The jumpsuit is part of a rare 47-piece collection that debuted at Art Basel Miami in 2014, featuring different iconic phrases on each piece.
André 3000’s jumpsuits have become a hallmark of the OutKast 20th-anniversary Reunion Tour, where each garment delivered a powerful, thought-provoking message. Known for making bold fashion statements that have continued influencing style and culture, these jumpsuits revolutionized the fusion of music and fashion, becoming a cultural symbol that resonates today.
Metro Boomin’s tribute to André 3000 honored one of hip-hop’s most influential icons and underscored the ongoing impact of OutKast’s legacy. The performance at Intuit Dome added yet another layer to the rich history of hip-hop, celebrating both past and present.
The ‘We Trust You Tour’ continues to deliver memorable experiences across the country, with Metro Boomin and Future leading the charge in incorporating music, fashion, and cultural homage into their shows.
Metro Boomin and Future are in the final stretch of their We Trust You Tour, as there are just four shows remaining. Both Atlanta superstars hit the road back in the end of July and this had the chance to be a high grossing trek. However, there have been some bumps in the road. Even with them being such big names, dropping two major projects in a span of a month with heavy-hitting bangers, it wasn’t enough. The longtime duo nixed some shows due to a potential lack of ticket sales. Thankfully, Metro Boomin and Future are ending on a bit of a high note thanks to Andre 3000.
According to HipHopDX, the OutKast MC was kind enough to lend the hitmaking trap producer an “iconic” piece of clothing to rock. Last night, Metro and Pluto were at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, and the HEROES & VILLAINS creator shared a few photos from their performance. In them, you can see a familiar “which type of strereo are you?” jumpsuit that Three Stacks wore back in 2014 for OutKast’s reunion tour. Obviously, Andre and Metro don’t have any work together, but it’s clear there’s a mutual respect for one another’s craft.
In fact, in his X post, the soon-to-be 31-year-old multi-hyphenate wrote, “I grew up watching wrestling and listening to Outkast”. Additionally, Metro made sure to thank Andre and did so via Instagram. “Big thanks to the @andre3000 for letting me hold 1 of his original and iconic tour jumpsuits ”. With this happening, we can only hope and pray that they collaborate someday.
What are your thoughts on Metro Boomin wearing Andre 3000’s jumpsuit from the 2014 OutKast reunion tour? Do you think we will get a collaboration between these two at some point? Is Metro the best producer in the game right now? 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 Metro Boomin, Future, and Andre 3000. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
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@andre3000 for letting me hold 1 of his original and iconic tour jumpsuits 
