Ice Spice is set to finish 2023 as Billboard’s #1 Year-End Top New R&B/Hip-Hop Artist, as caught by Chart Data. The feat comes after the outlet named her its R&B/hip-hop Rookie of the Year, back in August. Her charting success comes primarily from the release of her debut EP, Like..?, in July as well as several popular collaborations. In 2023, Spice’s “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2” (with PinkPantheress), “Princess Diana” (with Nicki Minaj), “Karma” (with Taylor Swift), and “Barbie World” (with Minaj and Aqua), all reached the top 10 of the Hot 100.
As for her Rookie of the Year honors, she told Billboard: “I have put in so much hard work, and it means a lot to be recognized for it and have more than just plaques to show for it.” Despite her chart success and rookie honors, Ice Spice lost Top New Artist at the Billboard Music Awards, last weekend, to Zach Bryan. She also lost Top Rap Female Artist to Nicki Minaj.
Ice Spice performs at the Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival – Day 1 at Dodger Stadium on November 11, 2023, in L.A. California (Photo by Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images)
Speaking with Billboard, Spice reflected on her rise coming during the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and revealed that she hopes to push the genre forward. “Fifty years of hip-hop is monumental,” Spice said. “I hope to push the genre forward in whatever ways I can, but I know I’ll have a huge impact on the youngins coming up now.” Check out the announcement about her chart success below.
Ice Spice Dominates “Billboard” Charts For 2023
Ice Spice is ranked as Billboard’s #1 Year End Top New R&B/Hip-Hop Artist for 2023. pic.twitter.com/gucgC80p6g
Spice’s dominance likely won’t end with 2023. She recently teased that she has another project titled Y2K! in store for next year. Be on the lookout for further updates on that upcoming project as well as Ice Spice in general on HotNewHipHop.
If you asked me to name two rappers who were very likely to beef, Meek Mill and Trippie Redd would be very low on the list. They just run in such disparate circles — only ever crossing over occasionally — that before today, I’d have been willing to bet that Meek didn’t even know who Trippie is, let alone have beef with him.
And yet… here we are.
Apparently, Trippie did something very irksome to Meek — which hasn’t proven to be extremely difficult in recent years — resulting in the Philly rapper going all the way off the handle on Trippie via Instagram. In a series of since-deleted posts, Meek threatened the Ohio rapper, demeaned his street credibility, and told him he “look like you repping the devil” (which is in my top-ten rap fan tropes that need to die by New Year’s Eve).
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod (@big_business_) November 21, 2023
Is Meek Mill an activist or gangsta this week?
He has sent a warning to Trippie Redd:
“This guy no good.!! I ain’t even know you said my name…. If you f—k with me f-k this guy right here…. I wanna stand on n—s freely saying my name make it tight outside! I ain’t even know… pic.twitter.com/QO9CE5M1tx
Rap fans on the whole seem pretty confused by the whole thing, wondering what exactly sparked the tirade from Meek, to which Trippie has yet to respond. Was Meek’s (often hilarious) account hacked? Did Trippie say something about him behind-the-scenes? Are they hyping up some sort of collaboration (unlikely, but entirely possible this week)? No one seems to know, but if things continue or escalate, we may have a chance to learn more.
Q-Tip and the remaining surviving members of A Tribe Called Quest recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of their classic third album, 1993’s Midnight Marauders. The album is widely considered the group’s greatest album, featuring some of Q-Tip’s best verses. As rap fans look back at Tribe’s prolific history, they also hope for new music from The Abstract.
While Q-Tip has been relatively quiet on the music front, he teased three entire albums worth of material back in 2020. While none of those releases have seen the light of day, that has not stopped him from collaborating with others. Q-Tip often brings the best out of the artists he works with, so we are highlighting some of his best collaborations. Here are 7 of Q-Tip’s hottest hip hop collabs. Take a look at the list below.
Busta Rhymes – “Ill Vibe” (1996)
Busta Rhymes is one of Q-Tip’s closest and most frequent collaborators. The two have worked together throughout their careers in different capacities. Early on, they appeared on posse cuts with A Tribe Called Quest and Leaders of the New School together and later featured on each other’s solo albums. One of Busta Rhymes and Q-Tip’s earliest and hottest collabs is “Ill Vibe” from Busta’s debut solo album, The Coming. The laidback boom bap classic was produced by The Ummah, Tip’s production collective with Ali Shaheed Muhammad and J Dilla. “Ill Vibe” contains Q-Tip’s smooth flow and Busta’s animated delivery, making for one of their most iconic collabs.
This highlight from The Roots’ classic Illadelph Halflife album sees Black Thought and Q-Tip trading bars back and forth. The funky instrumental lends itself to both of their rap styles, as well as their musical chemistry. The two each take their own unique approach to rapping, but they blend their styles together on “Ital.” Black Thought is known for outshining other rappers on most tracks, but he and Q-Tip work together for a skillful exchange of bars.
One of Q-Tip’s hottest collabs is the remix of Missy Elliott’s 1999 single, “Hot Boyz.” The remix features an all-star lineup, including Missy, Tip, Nas, Eve, and Lil Mo. An eclectic mix of hip hop artists, each rapper gets their moment to shine over the Timbaland-produced beat. The “Hot Boyz” remix was massively successful, spending 18 weeks atop the Hot Rap Singles chart and breaking the record for most weeks at No. 1 on the R&B chart at the time. While “Hot Boyz” stands out as one of Missy’s greatest works, its remix is a standout collaboration between various artists, including Q-Tip.
Q-Tip and Slum Village were a perfect match on “Hold Tight.” He kicks off the relaxed song with a smooth verse, commenting on the state of the rap game. Tip raps, “N****s in the game is getting too slimy / Liable to make this peace turn grimy,” passing the torch to Slum Village. In his verse, Q-Tip voices his frustrations with greedy industry executives and places his faith in his musical peers. He shouts out each member of Slum Village, along with D’Angelo, Busta Rhymes, and his fellow members of A Tribe Called Quest. He sets the tone for J Dilla, T3, and Baatin to spit their verses, resulting in a standout track from Fantastic, Vol. 2.
Busta Rhymes feat. Q-Tip, Lil Wayne, & Kanye West – “Thank You” (2013)
Q-Tip and Busta Rhymes have remained close throughout their careers, eventually teaming up for a collaborative mixtape, 2013’s The Abstract & The Dragon. The project compiled old classics from their group and solo careers, as well as new material like “Thank You.” The song samples Alicia Myers’s “I Wanna Thank You.” Lil Wayne and Kanye West briefly make appearances, symbolizing a truce between the Young Money and G.O.O.D. Music labels, to which Busta and Tip were respectively signed. Over the groovy instrumental, Busta Rhymes and Q-Tip display their longtime chemistry, effortlessly flowing to match the fast guitar sample. The two match each other’s skills, standing out as one of both Busta Rhymes and Q-Tip’s best songs. It is also one of Q-Tip’s biggest hip hop collabs, going silver in the UK.
James BKS, Q-Tip, Idris Elba, & Little Simz – “New Breed” (2019)
In 2019, French musician James BKS recruited Q-Tip, Little Simz, and Idris Elba for “New Breed,” a standalone single that captured elements of hip hop and dance music worldwide. Over a festive and joyous instrumental, Q-Tip slides across the beat, Idris Elba excites, and Simz dazzles with her verse. The French, American, and British artists each rap about their African heritage and what it means to them. Each rapper provides their own unique style to the celebratory song, embracing Africa through the lens of their different nationalities.
Eminem, Royce Da 5’9”, Black Thought, Q-Tip, & Denaun – “Yah Yah” (2020)
“Yah Yah” is one of Q-Tip’s hottest collabs as his catchy hook serves as the centerpiece for an explosive banger. The song sees Eminem, Black Thought, and Royce Da 5’9” spit rapid flows with complex rhyme schemes at a high energy. The song serves as an ode to the golden era of hip hop that inspired each artist, as emphasized by each verse and the hook from Q-Tip. The collaboration between Eminem, Royce, Black Thought, Q-Tip, and Denaun is a prime example of top-tier lyricists spitting a high caliber, paying homage to their hip hop idols. “Yah Yah” is one of Q-Tip’s most memorable collabs in recent memory, leaving fans yearning for more music.
Tyga and Lil Wayne have been friends for years now. When Tyga signed with Cash Money back in 2008 the two rappers became closer and closer as the years went by. They have given us a ton of classic records over the past decade and change. Who can forget the 2009 bop that is “BedRock.” Or, what about on Tyga’s first solo project, Careless World: Rise Of The Last King? Both gave us catchy hits like “Faded” and “Lay You Down.” Even into the present, Tyga and Weezy still know how to bring the club-ready bangers.
“Brand New” has become a massive hit for a lot of listeners. The song appears on the California rapper’s collaboration record with YG which dropped back in late September.Hit Me When U Leave The Klub: The Playlistfeatured the hottest cut, “Brand New,” in which Wayne just went off on his verse. Tyga also did his thing on the hook as well.
These long-time buddies decided to head out for a late night together on November 19. Both went to a strip club, and you can see in the video they are blowing tons of cash and having a blast. However, this evening out was for a little extra special occasion. In fact, it was for Tyga, who turned 34 that day. Happy belated to him and we wish him continued success.
What are your initial thoughts on Lil Wayne and Tyga going to the strip club to celebrate the California rapper’s 34th birthday? Have you ever been to a “gentleman’s club?” Do you see the appeal of going one for any occasion? 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 Tyga and Lil Wayne. Furthermore, stay with us for everything else going on around the music world.
Diddy pressured Cassie into getting breast implants and had her reverse the operation despite warnings from doctors against doing so, according to an anonymous source for the Daily Mail. They claimed that Diddy met with celebrity surgeon Dr. Frank Ryan in 2009 to discuss work that could be done on Cassie’s body. The story comes following the singer’s recent bombshell lawsuit against Diddy, accusing him of sexual, mental, and physical abuse.
The source recalled: “It was him talking about what he wanted. [Cassie] was like his doll, like a dress up doll. She had a flat chest. He said he wanted a full shape, sexy but not too big.” They added: “To me, watching this, it was just so cruel, so horrible. She was treated like a rat. It was literally like her voice was snatched and there was nothing she could do, that if she started standing up for herself, she’d be in trouble.“
NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 27: Actor Cassie Ventura (L) and recording artist-producer Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs attend the Clive Davis and Recording Academy Pre-GRAMMY Gala and GRAMMY Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Jay-Z on January 27, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images)
Less than a week after getting the implants, Diddy returned to Dr. Ryan with Cassie demanding that they be taken out, despite the singer still recovering from the initial operation. The source continued: “He felt bad for her. Cassie was not talking at all. She was crying, visibly traumatized, but she wasn’t saying anything at all and just going along with whatever he said. Privately, Dr. Ryan told me this was mutilation, that I can’t even believe this. He was saying poor Cassie, this is awful.”
While that story wasn’t mentioned in Cassie’s lawsuit, she made reference to numerous other instances of abuse. She and Diddy reached a settlement just one day after the lawsuit was filed. Be on the lookout for further updates and Diddy and Cassie on HotNewHipHop.
Spotify officially announced some changes to their royalty system today that will be affecting artists: The streaming service will adjust the goalpost for the number of streams needed to start earning royalties.
Starting in early 2024, a song would need to reach at least 1,000 streams within the past 12 months before it can start to earn money. For comparison, the current royalty system finds Spotify paying $.03 a month to any song that earns between 1 and 1,000 plays.
As the company pointed out in a statement, this money reportedly doesn’t even typically reach the artist between the fact that “labels and distributors require a minimum amount to withdraw” and “banks charge a fee for the transaction.” In total, these small royalty payments add up to about $40 million per year.
However, Spotify brings up that “99.5% of all streams are of tracks that have at least 1,000 annual streams, and each of those tracks will earn more under this policy.” The post also notes, “We also believe the policy will eliminate one strategy used to attempt to game the system or hide artificial streaming, as uploaders will no longer be able to generate pennies from an extremely high volume of tracks.”
Spotify is also adding other changes, like devaluing noise tracks: Tracks with just “whale sounds” or “static” will need to be at least two minutes to be eligible for royalties.
More information on the changes can be found here.
Since Pitbull emerged in the early 2000s, he has released twelve albums, with his latest project, Trackhouse in October 2023. His early exposure to an eclectic mix of musical genres laid the foundation for what would later become his distinctive sound. Subsequently, his breakthrough came with the 2009 smash hit single, “I Know You Want Me.” The chart-topping song contributed to establishing Pitbull as a global force. As a matter of fact, Pitbull was ranked by Billboard among the 50 Top Artists of the 2010s.
Admittedly, his domination can be said to have started in the late 2000s. However, he had an even more impressive commercial performance in the 2010s. After all, his best-selling albums were released within the decade. While Global Warming (2012) and Globalization (2014) sold impressive numbers, however, Planet Pit (2011) remains in the topmost position.
Planet Pit is a monumental work in Pitbull’s discography, and the numbers display its impact. Since its release, the album has sold over 2 million units in the US, according to RIAA. Therefore, it is a 2x Platinum album, which ranks it above all other albums Pitbull has released. Certainly, each of these albums sees Pitbull tapping into his immense well of talent. However, Planet Pit is the rapper at his most commercially appealing. While Global Warming achieved similar numbers, Planet Pit slightly edges it out, claiming that top spot. Despite never reaching the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 Chart, Planet Pit was a very successful album.
The Wonderful World Of Planet Pit
Released on June 17, 2011, Planet Pit is Pitbull’s sixth studio album. It stands as a pivotal chapter in his musical journey, marking a dynamic convergence of genres and cultures. In fact, the title itself serves as a metaphor for a global soundscape where diverse musical influences conjoin under Pitbull’s command. Over the years, Pitbull has come to be known for his genre-blending albums. Likewise, throughout Planet Pit, he showcased his adeptness at genre fusion. He seamlessly blended Hip Hop, dance-pop, and Latin rhythms. As a result, an electrifying collection of tracks that transcended traditional genre boundaries was created. This, in turn, created an immersive experience that resonated with a broad audience. With this in mind, it’s not very surprising that Planet Pit performed as well as it did commercially. It was an album that was made to take Pitbull’s sound around the world, and it did exactly that.
One of the defining features of Planet Pit is its roster of guest features. Without a doubt, the album would not be the same without these appearances complementing Pitbull’s verses. These successful collaborations subsequently resulted in a number of hit singles. Evidently, these singles contributed to the eventual success of the album as a whole.
“Hey Baby (Drop It To The Floor)” feat. T-Pain was the lead single from Planet Pit. The high-octane dance-pop anthem set the tone for the album’s infectious energy and enjoyed moderate commercial success. However, the single that followed it became a global sensation and earned the rapper his first Hot 100 chart-topper. “Give Me Everything,” feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack, and Nayer, emphatically underscored Pitbull’s crossover appeal. Additionally, it was one of the biggest songs of 2011. In fact, it appeared at #5 on Billboard Hot 100’s year-end chart.
The Latin-infused dance track “Rain Over Me,” feat. Marc Anthony followed and became a huge commercial success, as well. Finally, the Chris Brown-assisted final single “International Love,” rounded off the album’s singles. In addition to the aforementioned artists, Enrique Iglesias, Sean Paul, Kelly Rowland, and Jamie Foxx, among others, also appear on Planet Pit. With a dozen albums to his name, Pitbull is certainly a veteran and an icon. In summary, Planet Pit is a testament to his star power.
Earlier this week, XXL dropped their new interview with one of the biggest hitmakers in all of rap, Latto. In the interview, they discussed a variety of subjects. They covered her career up to this point and also where she plans to go next. In one particular segment, she discusses what she’s learned about the industry behind the scenes. She specifically shares a piece of advice she gave fellow rapper Lola Brooke. She advised Brooke to stay neutral even when things get cliquey because you never know when your actions will be interpreted as taking sides.
From there the discussion expanded into a greater analysis of how Latto has learned to carry herself professionally. She discusses learning to carry herself differently after her actions were interpreted by fans as “clout chasing.” “I think it really don’t be a problem until we let fans, Stans, whatever you want to call them, like the outsiders once they get in the mix. I think that’s what stirs the pot. Because it’s like, we will all be fans of each other and commenting and following each other, whatever, but then once they get to comparing, they will turn us against each other, which is very weak-minded of us as female rappers,” she explains. Check out what else she had to say about her past beefs below.
Now that Latto realized she was coerced into drama by fans, she’s ready to move on from past beefs in her career. “I regret any beef I’ve ever been in because I don’t want to be known for anything but my music. I’m too talented for that sh*t. It’s a distraction and a waste of my time and energy,” the rapper explained.
During the interview, she also discussed one of her dream collaborators. She’s got a pretty strong desire to work with Andre 3000. The rapper is an incredibly hot commodity following his legendary run as one-half of Outkast. After a long absence from releasing much of his own material, Andre recently returned with a new album called New Blue Sun. But the catch for fans who have been waiting a while to hear new material from him is that the album contains not rapping at all. What do you think of Latto’s perspective on previous beefs she’s had in her career? Let us know in the comment section below.
Boosie Badazz is growing more and more tired by the day with rappers and other artists biting from his catalog. It seems Rod Wave is the straw that is breaking this camel’s back. Apparently, he is the latest to do so and the Louisiana rapper is gearing up to drop a track that is consequently taking shots at the Florida native for borrowing from him without compensation. The news broke about Boosie looking to sue the soulful singer and rapper a couple of days ago, on November 19. The song that was being contested was “Long Journey” which also appeared on Boosie’s 2010 record, Incarcerated.
His first outburst included this commentary. “Can’t let you just take my sh*t and I’m not getting nothing. I just want my split, you know, my cut… I ain’t mad, I love when they do that sh*t.” Rod came across the wrath of Boosie and responded. “On my momma Boosie. Big bra I fw ya tell me a real number. Yeen even gotta do all dat tell me a number ima pull [up] and bring it to you!!” However, it might be too little too late.
Boosie drop diss song to #rodwave for using his song Boosie said” you woulda did that back in the g, you woulda been a ghost writer”pic.twitter.com/uwz2BmbqZk
According to XXL, Boosie is cooking up something in the studio for him and everyone else for that matter. There are no namedrops in the lyrics, but they are pretty telling. “For years I let you n****s slide, hoping that I get that phone call like n**** you can’t get 25%, but I never got it / Not keeping it real so let’s keep it real.” There is no word on when it will drop, but there is a good chance it could be within the next couple of days.
What are your initial thoughts on Boosie Badazz’s new song that is assumedly a diss toward Rod Wave? How does the track sound to you so far? Will Boosie accept Rod’s latest peace offering? 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 Boosie Badazz and Rod Wave. Furthermore, stay with us for everything else going on around the music world.
Treach says that the Las Vegas Police Department has known the identity of 2Pac’s killer for years, despite only arresting Duane “Keefe D” Davis back in September, 25 years after the rapper’s infamous death. The Naughty By Nature artist discussed the case during a recent interview on Drink Champs.
“I think it’s a testament to if you’re a rapper they’re not gonna investigate it. Anything that was said was said by the perpetrator,” Treach said. “Whatever went on the system first knew a lot of this way before. Me, I’m just one, there’s two families on either side of life that’s destroyed. When anyone dies or the shooter, it’s n****s against n****s… Look at the f*cking world, everyone stands with each other.”
NEWARK, NJ – MAY 13: Rappers Vin Rock and Treach perform during the 2016 Newark celebration 350 Founders Weekend Festival on May 13, 2016 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Jim Spellman/WireImage)
Treach continued: “Suge [Knight] said they wanted him to get on stand. We cut from different cloths. Nobody is ever going on the stand for shit. That ain’t supposed to stop police from doing their motherf*ckin’ job.” From there, he explained that police had all the evidence they needed. “Nah they been knowing. I’ve seen documentaries for decades. Many laying down, many details. If you got on tape in Vegas in a casino of an altercation between different gang factions, that’s a No. 1 suspect. It’s on camera for the cops and then the documentaries come out and say it and we over there like, ‘Duh.’ 20 years ago he would’ve got locked up and he’d be out now. And now you going in, so you never coming out. It’s our people that does it to our people.” Check out his full interview below.
Authorities arrested Keefe D back in September and he is currently being held without bail. His trial will begin on June 3, 2024. Be on the lookout for further updates on his case on HotNewHipHop.
(@big_business_) 
Boosie said” you woulda did that back in the g, you woulda been a ghost writer”
