Tyler The Creator really cooked when he came up with the alternative moniker “Wolf Gang” for Odd Future back in the last decade. From that collection of eight letters, he’s derived many of his most famous imprints, including Camp Flog Gnaw and Golf (short for Golf Wang), his fan-favorite clothing brand/store on Fairfax in LA. With the former in the rearview for the year, it looks like Tyler’s turning his attention to the latter for the holidays and going big in the process.
On December 2, Golf will launch 12 holiday gift shops with new, temporary locations in cities around the globe offering pieces from the brand’s Fall/Winter collection, as well as another collaboration between Tyler and Converse. Of course, the stores will also carry Tyler’s music catalog on vinyl along with mainstays from the essentials collection (puffer coats, hoodies, crew neck sweatshirts and sweat pants, T-shirts, shorts, caps, beanies, socks, shopping bags, and slide sandals).
The stores will run from December 2 to December 24 in Atlanta, Austin, the Bay Area, Chicago, Phoenix, Washington DC, Amsterdam, Berlin, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul, and Melbourne, along with the permanent locations in LA, New York, and London. Check out the flyer below, and hit up golfwang.com for more information.
There are very few artists in the world who’ve produced as much art as Westside Gunn. Though the output slowed down in recent years, there was a time when Griselda fans were really eating out here. Numerous projects per year, including albums, mixtapes, and EPs, stellar guest appearances, and a slew of singles kept the growing fanbase fed. However, in the wake of his recent album, And Then You Pray For Me, he revealed that it would be his final studio album. Of course, this led to the assumption that he was retiring completely.
The rumors picked up instantaneously, leading to dismay among the die-hard Griselda fans who’ve been rallying behind the Buffalo-based collective for over 10 years. Fortunately, Gunn quickly dispelled the rumors surrounding retirement during an interview with Rolling Stone. In fact, he stated that fans could expect even more music now that he isn’t tethered to the idea of traditional studio albums. Still, there’s one particular album that fans hope to see surface, Michelle Records.
If there’s ever an instance where Westside Gunn loses everything to his name, he plans on banking on Michelle Records to lift him out of financial hardships. During our latest cover story with Westside Gunn, he explains that he has the album tucked away with no immediate plans to release it. However, in the vein of Wu-Tang Clan’s Once Upon A Time In Shaolin, the infamous body of work that has yet to be heard by the public, Gunn plans to turn it into an art piece “Whenever I get broke, I’m saying, lookin’ like Franklin [Saint] in the last episode [of Snowfall], I know I can cash in that Michelle Records,” he says.
“I might be sittin’ in the f*ckin’ MoMA with a tuxedo on,” he continues. Start the highest bidder at… let me start it at… we’ll start it at $5 million,” Gunn says. Interestingly enough, Westside Gunn isn’t rapping on the album at all. He teased snippets of the production from the album on social media but he confirmed that he leans into his role as a curator even more so on Michelle Records. “I could play that shit right now,” he adds, revealing that the album is complete. “I was already curating ahead of its time. I’m not on one song, but it already [has] your favorites on it.”
Earlier this week, GQ Germany unveiled its latest cover star, which is none other than Erykah Badu. The publication declared the Grammy winning performer the “Music Icon Of The Year” for their “Men Of The Year” issue, and she certainly brought all the intensity one would expect for her shoot. On the cover, Badu is seen striking a dramatic pose with her arms raised above her head, as her long braids obscure her otherwise bare chest.
She reflected on pioneering Neo-Soul in her interview with GQ Germany, describing how she paved the way for other artists with her debut album. “I helped introduce them,” she began. “I was the first in my genre. There was no genre until the name Neo-Soul was created for the album Baduizm because no one could categorize what I was doing. I drilled a hole in the dam, so to speak, and all the like-minded frequencies flowed through it. It’s a formula that others can use.”
Badu also opened up about what’s it’s been like for her being a woman in a male-dominated industry, claiming that she only began to recognize her gender once she delved into music. “I didn’t know I was a woman,” she explained. “I grew up in a community of people and went to art school to dance. In the art school, everyone is non-binary. We are simply human beings. We are creators.”
“I learned that I am a woman after I came into the music industry,” she continued. “There are a few unspoken rules regarding producers and production. If you do not know all the terms from the field of technology and production, you will not be taken into account when you present your ideas. This applies not only to women, but to everyone. I made my way through the door. Even without speaking their language. I was able to communicate with colors, sounds and hints. That’s my vision. That’s what I hear. I didn’t accept a no as an answer. I didn’t really have a hard time as a woman in the industry because I didn’t let myself be put in a drawer.” What do you think of Erykah Badu’s GQ Germany cover? How about her takes on pioneering Neo-Soul and being a woman in the music industry? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Happy Spotify Wrapped day! The streaming service dropped its annual recap, providing users with their year-end stats about their most-played songs, artists, podcasts, and many more tidbits of info. However, those who don’t use Spotify, or are new to using Apple Music, might be wondering if the latter gives a Wrapped-like feature to their users, too.
Here’s what to know.
Is There A Spotify Wrapped For Apple Music Users?
While Apple Music does not specifically provide users with a Spotify Wrapped, as they are two competing streaming platforms, the music company does give listeners a year-end stats list titled Apple Music Replay. These were rolled out to their users earlier this week.
These contain the same key points of information, including your Top Artists, Top Songs, and more. While the Apple Music one isn’t quite as colorful as Spotify’s, or features extra details like your listening personality and… which city you would be in this year based on your habits (Burlington or Cambridge?), it does still get the job done.
It also provides you with a similar playlist of all the songs you listened to the most this year, just like Spotify.
For more information about how Apple Music users can access their 2023 Replay, visit here.
Young Thug’s RICO trial is underway. Hearings for Thug and the YSL crew began earlier this week, and since then, some quotes and quips have gotten much attention online. During the second day of the trial, many have begun debating the meaning of a collaboration between Thug, Gunna, and Future, which was released shortly prior to their arrests in 2022.
What does Young Thug, Gunna, and Future’s “Pushin’ P” mean?
Thug, Gunna, and Future’s “Pushin’ P” appeared on Gunna’s DS4Ever album, and proved to be one of the album’s buzziest tracks. Upon its release, the “P” in “Pushin’ P” was the subject of confusion. In an interview with The Breakfast Club, Gunna said “P” is short for “playa,” however, “P” can be used flexibly, as long as it reflects something positive.
“F*cking your partner’s main b*tch ain’t P,” said Gunna. “If you hold the door for a lady, that’s P. Arguing with your partner about money ain’t P. We ain’t doing that. We’re pushing P.”
Yesterday (November 28) in court, a mirror selfie was shown of Thug, which (per Complex) allegedly saw him holding up a Bloods sign. Thug’s lawyer, Brian Steel, claimed this wasn’t a Bloods sign, but rather a P sign. He also shared the supposed meaning of “Pushin’ P.”
“There’s nothing wrong with holding up a Bloods sign, but that’s not a Bloods sign. […] That is a P,” Steel said. “Jeffery’s fingers are down. And what you’ll learn is that Jeffery just released with Sergio Kitchens, a performer known as Gunna, a song that is wildly popular around the globe. It’s called ‘Pushin P’ and it’s positivity. It means any circumstance you’re in, if you think positively about something, you can make it through. You’re pushing positivity.”
Young Thug lawyer Brian Steel told jury that Gunna and Thug song “Pushin P” means pushing positivity..pic.twitter.com/MoPuVcDiBb
Polo G is suing the European tour booking firm J. Noah B.V. for violating his intellectual property rights. He says the company “lied to the public” by continuing to promote shows “they knew would not occur.” In the lawsuit, his lawyers describe the behavior as “a shocking and outrageous fraud.” They filed the complaint in New York federal court on Monday.
“Bartlett’s counsel demanded that defendants immediately remove all uses of Bartlett’s client’s name and image from the website, from Instagram, and from all other social media channels,” Polo G’s lawyers wrote. “Inexcusably, defendants failed to do so, and ignored this demand entirely.” They added: “Even more egregiously, J Noah’s Instagram account continued to contain advertisements for alleged performances by Bartlett … that defendants are fully aware would not be occurring.”
SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 12: Rapper Polo G performs onstage during day 3 of Rolling Loud Los Angeles at NOS Events Center on December 12, 2021 in San Bernardino, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
In addition to those complaints, Polo G is also in the midst of a contract dispute with the company for canceling the shows. He says he had “no obligation to perform” at the concerts because he sustained an “injury that prevents him from performing.” His lawyers say the contract covered this potential scenario and that the company still owes him $495,000 in fees. Taking matters even further, the rapper’s legal team accuses J. Noah B.V. of the wrongful use of his “name, likeness and trademark” with their promotion of the shows.
“Through these knowingly false advertisements of fictitious concert performances using the Polo G Mark and Plaintiff’s image, Defendants have engaged in knowingly false advertising—thereby committing a fraud on the public and causing irreparable harm to the Polo G Mark and Plaintiff’s reputation,” Polo G’s lawyers wrote. J. Noah B.V. has not addressed the lawsuit publically. Be on the lookout for further updates on the lawsuit on HotNewHipHop.
Spotify takes the headlines every year when users receive their annual Wrapped stats. However, considering Apple Music dropped their “Replay” lists for users a few days ago that display essentially the exact same stats, it has created a divide between those who swear allegiance to their chosen streaming path. On social media, users have been not holding back on the memes either.
One user, who was on Apple Music’s side it seems, compared the platform to HBO. And Spotify, well, was Netflix.
Another stepped in to support Spotify, using the Real Housewives Of Atlanta video reaction, where Kandi notoriously accuses Porsha of making things up. “People are really on here trying to say Apple Music is better than Spotify,” they captioned.
Spotify users also felt that the Apple Music crowd, since they already got their Replays earlier this week, shouldn’t be posting their recaps today. This is the Wrapped’s to shine.
apple music users trying to join in on the fun with their ramshackle ass Replay screenshots… begone outsider!!!
And then there are those who, for some reason, don’t have Apple Music or Spotify — but they do have YouTube Music or another streaming service in 2023. They feel even more left in the dust of the conversation.
Me, being the only who, solely, uses Tidal for music, as my Timeline is full of Spotify and Apple Music wrap ups pic.twitter.com/uCIGazguXs
Beyoncé should be celebrating the impending release of her new Renaissance film, which hits theaters on December 1, but instead, she’s once again dealing with malicious rumors about her being propagated by gossip blogs. The rumor in this case is that the “Break My Soul” singer has been lightening her skin in photos, with some sources even going so far as accusing her of bleaching her skin.
Is nobody going to discuss how this woman has bleached herself raw? It’s disgusting. https://t.co/ACLWrou7bU
Caught her ass in 4K now. Yall got Beyonce out here bleaching. Look at that foot. You cant bleach the knuckles and knees as good as you can the rest of the body. She bleaching. pic.twitter.com/XV17drw9Tw
The rumors got so bad that Beyoncé’s mother Tina Knowles addressed them on Instagram, calling the people who believe or promote them “losers” and “bozos.” So, why do people think that Beyoncé bleaches her skin? Although the rumor goes back quite a bit (since at least 2011, when this South African site posted the question), the latest round began when Beyoncé posted a photo of herself from the Renaissance movie premiere in LA on her “silver carpet,” wearing an appropriately shiny gown and a platinum wig.
Now, anyone who knows anything about photography (which should be all of us, considering we’re all walking around with $1,000-dollar digital cameras in our pockets… and yet) knows that lighting (including flashes), camera settings (such as exposure timing), backgrounds, and even wardrobe can affect the way photos turn out. In this case, you’ve got a powerful flash to capture a wide variety of skin tones, including the very dark ones of the biggest Beyoncé fans expected to be in attendance, with a reflective surrounding (the sliver carpet and background), and even reflective clothing all throwing a lot of light around.
This combined, with Beyoncé’s naturally lighter skin shade (something this writer can relate to) means that the final product accented the highlights already present, making the superstar look ghostly and ethereal — an effect she might well have been going for, considering the “Alien Superstar” theme of her wardrobe. For what it’s worth, Uproxx’s editor Phil shared one of his photos from the event with the team on Slack and he could have passed for a mustached Casper the Friendly Ghost, so logically, the same would happen to Beyoncé.
As for why this rumor has persisted for so long, similar instances have seen a lot of variation in images of Beyoncé online, from advertisers retouching her image to the differences between photographers and settings for magazine shoots (which prompted Beyoncé to begin using her own team in a lot of cases). She’s also a global superstar whose music touches cultures where skin-lightening products are tragically still considered a beauty standard. Unfortunately, some folks on the internet are always going to look for the most dramatic (or meanest) explanation, rather than the one that makes the most sense, so there are some rather ungenerous interpretations out there. As always, consider the source before sharing.
The year may be coming to a close, but Travis Scott fans still have plenty of opportunities to attend one of the most critically acclaimed tours of the year. The Utopia: Circus Maximus Tour has several dates throughout the remainder of 2023, and a second leg beginning early next year.
For those that haven’t had a chance to attend the tour, or those trying to get last-minute tickets, we’ve put together a nifty guide for your trip to Utopia.
What Are The Remaining Dates For Travis Scott’s Utopia Tour?
You can see the remaining tour dates below.
12/01/2023 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena *
12/04/2023 — Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
12/06/2023 — Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena
12/08/2023 — Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena
12/10/2023 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
12/12/2023 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
12/15/2023 — Chicago, IL @ United Center
12/18/2023 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
12/19/2023 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center *
12/21/2023 — New York City, NY @ Madison Square Garden
12/22/2023 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden *
12/23/2023 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden
12/26/2023 — Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
12/28/2023 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena *
12/29/2023 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
01/03/2024 — Louisville, KY @ KFC Yum! Center
01/06/2024 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
01/09/2024 — Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
01/12/2024 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden
01/14/2024 — University Park, PA @ Bryce Jordan Center
01/17/2024 — Milwaukee, WI @ Fiserv Forum
01/20/2024 — St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
01/22/2024 — Chicago, IL @ United Center
01/23/2024 — Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center
01/28/2024 — Miami, FL @ Kaseya Center
01/31/2024 — Orlando, FL @ Amway Center
What Is Travis Scott’s Utopia Tour Setlist?
According to setlist.fm, these are the songs Scott has performed throughout the Utopia: Circus Maximus Tour.
Is There An Opener For Travis Scott’s Utopia Tour?
Teezo Touchdown has served at Scott’s opener over the course of the Utopia: Circus Maximus Tour.
Does Travis Scott’s Utopia Tour Have Merch?
Since the beginning of the tour, fans have taken to Instagram, Twitter, and Reddit to share merch from the Utopia: Circus Maximus Tour. Evidently, fans can choose from an assortment of graphic tees, hoodies, and sweatpants, ranging from $25 to $150. Much of the merch features images of creatures, as well as tour logos and a listing of tour dates.
J. Cole’s run in 2023 has been nothing short of incredible this year. While he has not dropped an album this year, the North Carolina talent has been spazzing on every feature verse. There are so many standout performances to name, but we can name a few that you have to check out if you have not heard them already. Of course, we have to mention his recent efforts with Drake. The two linked up for the first time in over a decade on “First Person Shooter.”
Many feel Cole really carried the song and we can see their point. From the flow switch-ups to the witty bars, it was a moment in 2023. In fact, it was so good, it went number one on the Billboard Hot 100. He also appears on the deluxe version of For All The Dogs, where he and Drizzy go back and forth on “Evil Ways.” J. Cole has also worked with Lil Yachty on the jazz and boom bap-inspired cut “The Secret Recipe.” The Atlanta rapper did his best to match his counterpart and succeeded.
Now, there is another rapper who feels he has the same chance to match him. Houston rapper, Sauce Walka, recently tweeted out that he wants to go bar for bar with the lyrical wizard. A lot of fans in the comments really feel he can and we do too. He has plenty of quality tracks in his seven-year-long discography. sauce tweeted, “I said what I said… ILL GO BAR 4 BAR WIT ANY GOAT @JColeNC let’s dance. I’m what the STREETS MISSING.” One person commented, “No cap he really can. Very interesting.” Another adds, “Sauce can rap, he ain’t saying he’s better he’s saying he can go bar 4 bar … I think he can ” It is always fun to see some friendly competition. Hopefully, this does happen.
What are your initial thoughts on Sauce Walka saying he wants to go bar for bar with J. Cole? Do you think he could match him on a track or in a rap battle? Is Cole the best lyricist in the game right now? 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 Sauce Walka and J. Cole. Furthermore, stay with us for everything else going on around the music world.
(@kirawontmiss) 
(@bajanbadness_) 
The Black Patriarch
(@nojumper)
” It is always fun to see some friendly competition. Hopefully, this does happen.