Outside of music, Tyler put plenty of attention into his fashion lines, Golf Wang and Golf Le Fleur. With Golf launching pop-up shops around the world for the holidays, The Creator has also announced the impending launch of Gof Le Fleur Season 2. Sharing a short film showcasing the new collection, Tyler once again displayed his talent as a director and a designer, highlighting the details of the new line with some help from friends like Lil Yachty and a rare Brazilian record from 1975.
le FLEUR* season 2: directed and designed by TYLER OKONMA
You can get ahold of your favorite pieces begining on December 9 if you live in one of the cities that already has a Golf store. If not, the collection goes live online on December 13. There’s no word yet on if pieces will make their way to the holiday shops, but you have to imagine there’s no way Tyler leaves out loyal fans who are undoubtedly already lining up looking to throw down some cash on Golf Essentials.
Just a few days after Spotify announced their year-end lists as part of their Wrapped feature, it seems TikTok is revealing theirs as well. The app revealed today who the most popular musicians were on the platform in 2023, and the answers might surprise you.
Here’s what to know.
Who Were The Most Popular Musicians On TikTok In 2023?
In the United States, Selena Gomez was the most popular musician on TikTok this year. She was followed by Natalie Jane, Ice Spice, Meghan Trainor, and Ariana Grande to round out the top five.
As for worldwide, Gomez came in second place on TikTok’s list. The most popular artist around the globe was actually Kim Loaiza, a Mexican musician who is the seventh-most followed person on the app. The rest of the global popular musicians included several major K-pop groups, including BTS, BLACKPINK, and many more.
Continue scrolling to view who was in the top ten for TikTok’s Most Popular Musicians in 2023, both in the United States and worldwide.
Top TikTok Artists Of 2023 In The United States
1. Selena Gomez
2. Natalie Jane
3. Ice Spice
4. Meghan Trainor
5. Ariana Grande
6. Miley Cyrus
7. Cardi B
8. NLE Choppa
9. Lil Mabu
10. Lizzo
Top TikTok Artists Of 2023 Worldwide
1. Kim Loaiza
2. Selena Gomez
3. BLACKPINK
4. BTS
5. Feid
6. ENHYPEN
7. Karol G
8. LE SSERAFIM
9. NewJeans
10. Shakira
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
It is nearly impossible to discuss hip hop’s all-time greatest producers without mentioning Pete Rock. The New York-based beatmaker has crafted some of the most iconic hip-hop instrumentals of the 1990s and beyond. He has produced tracks for legendary acts like JAY-Z, Kanye West, Wu-Tang Clan, Run-DMC, and many of the underground’s finest MCs. Of course, he also is one half of Pete Rock & CL Smooth. Known for his traditional boom-bap instrumentals with knocking drum breaks and jazzy sample flips, Pete Rock has stuck to his New York roots. As a result, he continues to push hip hop’s foundational sound. Today, we are ranking Pete Rock’s 7 greatest productions from least to greatest. These selections draw from his extensive catalog of collaborative works, compilations, and instrumental albums. Take a look at the list below.
Considering Griselda’s impact on the resurgence of boom-bap production, a Pete Rock-produced Westside Gunn song is a perfect combination. On top of that, “The Steiners” features Elzhi, who starts the song with his impressive rhyme schemes. While Westside Gunn’s signature ad-libs never fail to stand out, it is the Pete Rock production that assists in making “The Steiners” its very own moment. A brilliant flip of Jerry Butler’s “Are You Happy,” the sample unexpectedly drops on the third beat of the simple percussion. Pete Rock gave swing to the downbeat soul record, transforming it into Griselda classic.
Pete Rock is known for his work for other rappers, but he also lets his beats shine on their own. Among his lengthy discography is a host of quality instrumental albums, the first of which is a classic. Released in 2001, the tracks on PeteStrumentals were recorded throughout the 1990’s. A PeteStrumentals standout and one of Rock’s all-time greatest beats is “Pete’s Jazz.” The track is quintessential Pete Rock, with its groovy bassline, jazzy melodies, and lively percussion. It progresses throughout its 5-minute runtime, adding and taking away instruments. “Pete’s Jazz” is not only the best instrumental song among the 4-album PeteStrumentals series, but out of his entire catalog.
Pete Rock’s production style sits comfortably within the tracklist of Rakim’s debut solo album, 1997’s The 18th Letter. The album saw Rakim rhyming over prototypical East Coast production from DJ Premier, DJ Clark Kent, and more. One of two Pete Rock beats on The 18th Letter, “When I’m Flowin’” contains some of Rakim’s best rapping and Rock’s best production. The piano-based boom-bap loop is simple yet effective as it creates the perfect backdrop for Rakim to spit bars with his effortlessly smooth flow. The beat embodies the New York sound of the ‘90s and is easily one of Pete Rock’s best instrumentals from that era.
Pete Rock has consistently created quality full-length albums with an assortment of rappers. One of his most recent and significant albums is 2019’s Retropolitan with Skyzoo. The album’s lead single delivers Rock’s timeless style of production as it sounds both fresh and nostalgic. The gorgeous piano melody cascades over the hard-hitting drum break, giving rap purists a taste of the golden era. The instrumentation highlights Skyzoo’s tough delivery and descriptive lyrics. While more modern than other classic Pete Rock production choices, “It’s All Good” is certainly deserving of a ranking among his best beats.
3. “Limitless” – Smoke DZA & Pete Rock Ft. Dave East (2016)
Arguably Pete Rock’s greatest full-length collaboration is his album with Smoke DZA, 2016’s Don’t Smoke Rock. Easily DZA’s magnum opus, the Pete Rock production brings the best out of him and his many collaborators. Don’t Smoke Rock includes many highlights, but “Limitless” stands out as one of Pete Rock’s most memorable beats. The Dave East-assisted track contains a prominent sample of Trio Mocotó’s “Não Adianta,” which Rock flips into an epic instrumental that drives the album’s blaxploitation-inspired aesthetic. “Limitless” illustrates how Pete Rock’s style of production may be synonymous with the 1990s, but has been able to transcend generations.
2. “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)” – Pete Rock & CL Smooth (1992)
Perhaps Pete Rock’s most iconic production and most notable track to come out of his work with CL Smooth is “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.).” An all-time hip hop classic, the song’s instrumental contains some of the genre’s most iconic horns, over which CL Smooth displays his storytelling abilities. A significant song for jazz rap as a subgenre, the instantly recognizable instrumental on “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)” is one of Pete Rock’s most important contributions to hip hop and is one of his greatest productions. One could argue that Lupe Fiasco’s controversial repurposing of the song on “Around My Way” is better, but “T.R.O.Y.” has a legacy of its own.
Nas’s “The World Is Yours” is untouchable when it comes to Pete Rock’s production. The Illmatic classic is a hip-hop staple with stunning boom-bap production. The piano-based melody and thumping drum break are not just enjoyable but are especially significant in the context of the boom-bap sound of the East Coast. An iconic moment on one of hip hop’s most celebrated albums, “The World Is Yours” remains fresh almost 30 years after its release. Nas and Pete Rock’s current relationship with each other and this song is a contentious one, but their 1994 collaboration is easily Rock’s best and most impactful production.
In a new interview with Citizen Magazine, Andre 3000 got to talk about his new album. During this conversation, he explained his vision and how the album actually had a different name at first. Everything Is Too Loud was the original title. In the end, however, the artist felt like it didn’t suit his vision properly. Overall, he saw it as more of a negative title than a positive one.
LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 28: Rapper Andre 3000 of Outkast performs onstage during the BET Experience at L.A. Live on June 28, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Paul R. Giunta/FilmMagic)
“We’re the loudest that we’ve ever been,” André explained in the interview. “At one point, the album was called Everything Is Too Loud. But then I just felt like that’s a negative title. You know? I didn’t want to put negative energy out. So I was like, ‘What’s a positive way to say the same thing?’ So New Blue Sun is introducing a new kind of volume, you know? It’s looking past the complaint and trying to figure out, well, what can we do about it?”
This new album has gotten quite a bit of critical acclaim. Furthermore, it has created a debate on longevity in hip-hop and whether older artists still have things to talk about. Needless to say, the album is stirring up conversation. Let us know your thoughts on the album, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for updates from around the music world. We will always keep you informed on your favorite artists.
The ongoing NBA YoungBoy and Lil Durkbeef may not be what most people have made it out to be. Recently, Gillie Da Kidwent on his podcast, Million Dollaz Worth of Game, and talked about how he wanted to see both rappers become civil. How he wants to go about it, is seeing them perform at Gillie Fest. According to the clip from his show, provided by HipHopDX, Gillie said this. He goes, “If both of them could hit the stage in the same night, it could show the young’uns that that s*** ain’t that serious. The beef ain’t that serious. None of this drama is that serious.”
NBA said he was more than down to do it, even with his house arrest going on. “Get them to let me out this house and I hit that stage for ya.” However, somehow, some people seemed to think the beef was reinstated after Lil Durk said he was lying about his house address in an Instagram Story. But, due to NBA’s rules regarding his arrest, he is not able to give out his information. He explained this in an IG Story.
“Bro, my [probation officer] gotta approve you, it don’t work like that. You gon’ send my a** to jail.” Additionally, NBA captioned the video, saying, “I love tf out you help me bih @lildurk.” So, it seems all is well between them, but who knows at this point. Hopefully, all of this is true, as rap would be better with these two peaceful with one another.
What are your initial thoughts on NBA YoungBoy and Lil Durk’s recent back and forth on social media? Do you buy that this is all a ruse and it is just to get people talking? Would you want to see both of them perform at Gillie’s music festival? 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 hottest takes in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest breaking news around NBA YoungBoy and Lil Durk. Furthermore, stay with us for everything else going on around the music world.
Vanilla Ice says 2Pac once labeled him “one of the great ones” and that he knows “too much” about his killing. Speaking with VladTV for a new interview, the “Ice Ice Baby” rapper reflected on his friendship with 2Pac.
“He goes, ‘I want you to know, you’re one of the great ones, you’re dope, you’re going to leave your mark, your legacy,’ and this is before it happened,” Ice said. “He knew it, this guy had a crystal ball he saw things bro, and it makes me get goosebumps.”
Keefe D Appears In Court For Arraignment In 2Pac’s Murder
Duane “Keefe D” Davis, 60, arrives in a Las. Vegas court on October 19, 2023, for his arraignment on murder charges in the death of rapper Tupac Shakur. Shakur, 25, died on September 7, 1996, six days after being shot while in a car near the Las Vegas Strip. (Photo by John Locher / POOL / AFP) (Photo by JOHN LOCHER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
From there, Ice discussed other shootings that 2Pac was involved in prior to the fatal Las Vegas drive-by in 1996. “How can a guy have all these bullets flying at him and still, you know what I’m saying? It’s a cr*zy story, and I got to really watch what I say on all this because I do know too much,” Ice said. “I’m not going to elaborate fair enough, so I let that unfold, and I’m glad it’s unfolding, and I’m glad that some justice may be getting done, but it ain’t going to bring him back, bro, and we lost a great person because of greed, money, power. We lost a great poet.” Check out Vanilla Ice’s full comments on 2Pac below.
Vanilla Ice Discusses 2Pac
While it took over two decades, police finally arrested Keefe D in the killing of 2Pac, earlier this year. His trial is set to begin on June 3, 2024. Be on the lookout for further updates on Vanilla Ice as well as Keefe D’s upcoming trial on HotNewHipHop.
Kid Cudi is returning to acting with a new animated vehicle, Slime. The Cleveland musician is set to star in and produce the film about two individuals who set off on a quest to find a cure for the side effects of a medical trial. The film will serve as the directorial debut of Jeron Braxton, an animator best known for Baby Demon. The script is the work of Brian Ash, best known for The Boondocks.
Cudi is set to play Glenn, a lab worker kidnapped by protagonist Muna as she searches for a cure for the trial that she underwent and that Glenn was involved in. It has not been revealed at this time who will be voicing Muna. This year, Cudi won an Emmy for his work in the trippy Netflix special, Entergalatic. He also had a supporting role in the Disney+ series Crater. However, the series was controversially pulled by the streaming platform after just a few weeks.
EXCLUSIVE: Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi will star in and produce the new animated feature ‘Slime’ which will serve as animator Jeron Braxton’s feature directorial debut. Brian Ash penned the script and will executive produce (click photo below for story) https://t.co/CAXWp4cVb0
Elsewhere, Cudi took aim at Rich Paul in a recent tweet Paul had previously gone after Cudi for “not being embraced by the city of Cleveland“. “Ok so I just saw this and heres my thoughts: Rich Paul doesn’t know me. He doesn’t know my life. My mom lives in Cleveland and Ive been goin there on holidays and summer breaks for years. Mostly when im in Cleveland, its family time. I’m not throwin events in the city cuz its already too hot for me in the city. When im there I like the chill. Im not hangin at Cleveland clubs or in the streets or whatever the f-ck else u expect me to do. Oh I get it, was I suppose to catch a couple Browns or Cavs games? Im the most lowkey guy around. You aint suppose to see me brother. Thats number 1,” Cudi began.
However, Cudi wasn’t finished. “Number 2: I will say the city of Cleveland has embraced me over the years. So I disagree. Radio in Cleveland might not play my sh-t, but I had 20k people at Moon Man’s Landing in Cleveland last year. A success. And were doin it again too. Not only does the city embrace me, I make most people in that city and the state of Ohio proud. Everytime I record a record I mention the city. Thats all day. Everybody that listens to my music knows Im proud of where im from,” he concluded.
Azealia Banks is notoriously outspoken, and has been so for years. Her dislike for the record producer Diplo has been public knowledge for a while now. Over the years, she has called him “a real f***ing snake,” claimed he owes her $20,000, and accused him of sexual misconduct, among other things. Even though they once worked together, Azealia Banks is not the producer’s biggest fan. While she has a long history of beef with him, it seems she’s not yet done with calling the DJ out on his alleged crimes. On November 15, 2023, Banks went on a long rant on her Instagram story. In the videos, she made some truly disturbing allegations against Diplo. Here’s a breakdown of her most recent accusations against the DJ.
Beginning her rant, Banks fired at the media for always painting her in a bad light. “The media has purposefully been dodging past all of the intelligent things I say,” she claimed. She went on to insist that the media does that to fingerpick words, truncate them together, and make her look like “an illiterate imbecile.” Soon after, she segued into the topic of Diplo, wasting no time in firing shots at the producer. She accused him of doing “racist and demeaning” things to her when she was “a little a** f***ing girl.”
Coercion Allegations
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 26: Diplo attends the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards at STAPLES Center on January 26, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Continuing her talk, Azealia Banks alleged that Diplo “would coerce me and make me feel like I had to have sex with him to get beats from him.” According to the rapper, all of this happened when she was seventeen before she had her big break. She claimed that after sleeping with Diplo, he would promise to send her beats and claimed he had a flight to catch. Afterward, she would allegedly ask to order something from room service, and she claimed Diplo would say “No.”
Azealia Banks Says Diplo’s A Sex Addict & Targets Young Black Girls
Azealia Banks describes being abused by Diplo when she was 17, via Instagram Stories pic.twitter.com/vSy0HYmhMf
In addition to the allegation of coercion, Azealia Banks also accused Diplo of pedophilic tendencies. Besides her claim of his sexual misconduct towards her when she was 17, Banks stated that “he specifically targets young women of color.” Furthermore, she alleged that when Diplo “went through Brazil,” he embarked on a sex tour. “He was paying 14-year-old Black girls in beer to twerk on stage and f*** him after the show,” she claimed. She also called him a sex addict, and said he’s “someone who needs to be canceled from the industry.”
Azealia Banks Claims Diplo Is Spreading HIV
Further into her rant, Azealia Banks alleged that some young women had accused Diplo of giving them HIV. “There are two little girls now saying that they contracted HIV from Diplo. He’s doing everything in his power to scrub it from the internet,” she claimed. Soon after, she accused Diplo of ruining the lives of young women. “He’s destroyed women,” she said. “I’ve watched him with his d*** like squander hopes, dreams, and so many f***ing plans of so many brilliant female artists. M.I.A. is number one.”
After saying that Diplo “can’t produce to save his f***ing life,” Banks shared a story from her past. According to the rapper, Diplo once sent her a beat he did not produce. However, he allegedly did not inform her that he didn’t produce it. Azealia Banks went on to record and release a song on said beat, and was subsequently sued for $160,000 by the original producer. She claimed that when she confronted Diplo about it, he abandoned her, saying he hadn’t told her to release a song with the beat.
In a 2016 phone call heard ’round the world, Taylor Swift seemingly permitted Kanye West to use her name in his song “Famous” from his album The Life Of Pablo. When the song was officially released, Swift noted that she had not permitted West to refer to her as “that b*tch,” a lyric that also was not mentioned in the phone call.
When Kim Kardashian first leaked footage of the 2016 phone call via her Snapchat Story, Swift and West fans were left divided, with some saying that West was transparent and Swift was purposely trying to play the victim in the situation. Others deemed West a misogynist and called Kardashian out for bullying Swift.
Following the leak of the phone call in 2016, Swift went into hiding for the remainder of the year, and for much of 2017, until the rollout for her sixth studio album Reputation began. In her interview for her Time Person Of The Year 2023 profile, Swift revealed what she was doing during that time. But in Swift nature, she remained fairly secretive about her exact whereabouts.
“You have a fully manufactured frame job, in an illegally recorded phone call, which Kim Kardashian edited and then put out to say to everyone that I was a liar,” Swift said. “That took me down psychologically to a place I’ve never been before. I moved to a foreign country. I didn’t leave a rental house for a year. I was afraid to get on phone calls. I pushed away most people in my life because I didn’t trust anyone anymore. I went down really, really hard.”
Elsewhere in the interview she teased Reputation (Taylor’s Version) — specifically its vault tracks, which she said will be “fire.” She also described her album re-recording process as a mythic quest, similar to that in fantasy and superhero franchises.
“I’m collecting horcruxes,” Swift said. “I’m collecting infinity stones. Gandalf’s voice is in my head every time I put out a new one. For me, it is a movie now.”
You can learn how to buy Swift’s Time Person Of The Year 2023 issue here.
Tyler The Creator’s latest Golf Le Fleur collection is “for the sun seekers.” The collection is due to release in Tyler’s Golf stores on December 9, while it’ll be available to purchase online beginning December 13. You can find more info here.
In a new short film showing off the “season 2” collection, a bus accident prompts a police offers to compel the passengers to form a parade of fashionable witnesses to give their statements. The bus was occupied (of course) by Tyler and his friends, including Anwar Carrots, Lil Yachty, and more.
A split screen highlights the details of each elegant, retro-inspired piece, which includes suits, outerwear, shoes, and even umbrellas and a deerstalker cap. The backing track is called “Duplo Sentido” by Gilberto Gil and Tetê Da Bahia. The whole thing is shot like a Wes Anderson movie, and now I can’t wait for Tyler to start directing feature-length films.
le FLEUR* season 2: directed and designed by TYLER OKONMA
If the high-end collection is too rich for your blood (or just not your style), Tyler has also announced Golf Holiday shops at his permanent Golf locations, as well as pop-up shops around the world. They’ll be offering both exclusive items from the brand’s Fall/Winter collection and Golf Essentials, so you can get fitted for the remainder of the cold season.
Check out Tyler’s “le FLEUR*: season 2” short above.
