For years, Stephen A. Smith has been going on television and begging people to STAY OFF THE WEED.
What started as one of his rants became a patented catchphrase for the ESPN personality every time an athlete found himself in trouble for using marijuana, which has happened less and less now that it’s legal in most states and most of the major sports leagues have removed it from their banned substance list. Even so, Smith still campaigns for folks to get off the weed and on Thursday, one of the most shocking news items of 2023 dropped when one of the most legendary weed smokers in history, Snoop Dogg, said he’s “giving up smoke” with a social media post reminiscent of a high school recruit making his college choice, asking for privacy at this time.
A few hours after the news of Snoop’s retirement from smoking hit, Stephen A. posted his response, photoshopping his face onto the Wario “I’ve won, but at what cost” meme.
It’s some top-tier posting from Smith and, I assume, whoever helps Smith run his social media — although, I do prefer pretending Stephen A. was opening up photoshop and making this all on his own. Stephen A. has been trying for years to get someone to listen and maybe, just maybe, Snoop watched one too many First Take episodes and was moved.
One of the breakout hit songs of the last month came from breakout R&B star Tyla. Her song “Water” first dropped earlier this year and after she joined Chris Brown for a European tour the song began to rise up the Hot 100. With many of the songs from Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) slipping down the chart this week, “Water” soared to a new high. The song hit number 18 on the Hot 100 this week and could climb even higher with a new remix.
After teasing that a major artist would be joining her on the song, earlier today Tyla confirmed who that is. Travis Scott, fresh off the release of his highly-anticipated new album UTOPIA will contribute a verse to a remix version of the song. Fans don’t have to wait long to see what he has to offer as it’s due to drop at midnight tonight. Two songs from UTOPIA are still on the Hot 100, “I KNOW ?” and “MELTDOWN” with Drake. Check out the cover for the forthcoming remix below.
Earlier this week, Travis Scott revealed a bunch of interesting information in an interview with GQ. One of the things he revealed to fans is that UTOPIA was originally planned to be a musical. Scott said he even studied Broadway and began formulating a plan to create a show that could be taken on the road and performed. Lingering ideas from that era of the album’s development may have made it into the accompanying film Circus Maximus.
Scott also revealed some plans he has going forward. He said that after he finishes touring next year he plans to attend Harvard. The rapper is seeking a degree in Architectural Design from the distinguished Ivy League school and could start as early as next year. What do you think of Travis Scott being the artist to appear on Tyla’s “Water” remix? Let us know in the comment section below.
The long-awaited YSL RICO trial is scheduled to begin on November 27, and so far, it looks like prosecutors plan to call on quite a few witnesses. Young Thug’s attorney Brian Steel appeared in court today (November 16), requesting that Judge Ural Glanville exclude more than 300 of them at the upcoming trial. Prosecutors then confirmed that there are a whopping 737 of them in total.
Fulton County prosecutor Adriane Love defended the long list of potential witnesses. She claimed that they’re necessary in depicting the “pattern” of alleged racketeering. “It would be different if it were just one murder or just one aggravated assault or just one burglary on the indictment, your honor,” she explained. “But there is—there are lists of acts that we seek to show, to introduce as evidence to show the pattern of racketeering activity that they conspired to commit.”
Hip-hop artist Young Thug arrives at a release party for his new album “PUNK” at Delilah on October 12, 2021 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Michael Tullberg/Getty Images)
The news also follows the judge’s decision to allow lyrics to be used against members of YSL in court. Steel pushed for them not to be permitted to no avail. “Your honor, someone can look at that indictment and say one thing’s for sure: that’s not fantasy,” prosecutor Mike Carlson said in court. “People are dead and murdered and a gang exists.” Soon after the judge made his decision, prosecutors called attention to lyrics from Young Thug’s Juice WRLD collab, “Bad Boy.” They accused him of bragging about shooting at YFN Lucci’s mother in the track. “I shot at his mommy, now he no longer mention me,” the lyrics read.
While it’s been speculated that the lyrics reference YFN Lucci, there hasn’t been any official confirmation. Young Thug has remained behind bars since May of 2022. He is also now one of only six remaining defendants awaiting trial. What do you think of prosecutors’ long list of witnesses in Young Thug’s RICO case? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Lil Uzi Vert has made a lasting impact with their distinct style and innovative soundscapes. However, it’s Luv Is Rage 2 that stands out as a monumental success. Achieving double platinum status and selling over 2 million copies in the US alone, Uzi’s debut album made a statement. We’re diving into its sales, hit singles, and enduring cultural influence within the realm of Lil Uzi Vert albums.
NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 24: Recording artist Lil Uzi Vert backstage at S.O.B.’s on February 24, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
Luv Is Rage 2 emerged as Lil Uzi Vert’s best-selling album. Since its release, it obtained double platinum certification as a result of moving over 2 million copies in the US. Its commercial success speaks volumes about its reception among fans and the wider music community. The album’s fusion of catchy beats, poignant lyrics, and Uzi’s signature delivery contributed significantly to its chart-topping performance. Naturally, it cemented itself as a memorable outing in Uzi’s career.
Lil Uzi Vert: Chart-Topping Singles
This album’s triumph was propelled by a series of standout singles that resonated deeply with listeners. Tracks like “XO Tour Llif3,” a hauntingly melodic anthem, garnered immense popularity and critical acclaim. Not only did it soar up the charts, but it also became a cultural phenomenon, with its infectious chorus and emotionally charged lyrics becoming anthemic for a generation. Additionally, tracks such as “The Way Life Goes” and “Neon Guts” featuring Pharrell Williams added diversity to the album’s sonic landscape, showcasing Lil Uzi Vert’s versatility as an artist.
Beyond its commercial success, Luv Is Rage 2 left an indelible mark on the cultural fabric of modern hip-hop. Its songs became omnipresent, permeating social media platforms, memes, and pop culture references. The raw emotion and relatability embedded within the tracks spoke directly to the experiences and emotions of a wide audience, solidifying Lil Uzi Vert’s position as a voice for the younger generation. Furthermore, the album’s sonic experimentation and boundary-pushing elements influenced subsequent artists, shaping the evolution of rap and hip-hop music.
In conclusion, Luv Is Rage 2 stands tall as a cornerstone in Lil Uzi Vert’s repertoire, showcasing their ability to create music that resonates with audiences on a profound level. With its chart-topping singles, remarkable sales figures, and lasting cultural impact, this album remains a testament to Lil Uzi Vert’s artistic prowess and enduring relevance within the realm of contemporary music.
By breaking records, capturing hearts, and etching its place in the annals of rap history, Luv Is Rage 2 unequivocally cements its status as not just an album, but a cultural phenomenon within the realm of Lil Uzi Vert albums.
Stephen A. Smith responded to Snoop’s announcement that he was no longer smoking with a perfect meme. Smith, who has long been known as the “STAY OFF THE DAMN WEED” guy retweeted Snoop’s announcement post with a meme. It should a picture of Smith staring off into the middle distance next to text that read, “I’ve won, but at what cost?” While it’s clear that someone in Smith’s media department threw the image together, it’s hilarious all the same.
The post came a few hours after Snoop himself announced that he was quitting smoking in the same way that college players announce they’re entering the transfer portal. “After much consideration & conversation with my family, I’ve decided to give up smoke. Please respect my privacy at this time,” Snoop’s social media post read.
Stephen A. has, as always, been on something of a tear lately. This most recent outburst came last week after Giannis received a questionable ejection against the Pistons. “I’m gonna call the league office today. Who the hell is paying to see the referee? That is not a reason to eject Giannis Antetokounmpo from a game, that is ridiculous. That is a disservice to the fans, to the paying customer coming to see them play, that is ridiculous. It is not a reason to eject a superstar basketball player who clearly the paying customer is coming to see. I know you get him 41 nights a year in the locale that is Milwaukee, I get all of that. Thank God it wasn’t a road game where you only get to see him once or twice a year. But for Giannis Antetokounmpo to get ejected for that reason is ridiculous,” Smith declared.
Giannis picked up his second technical after staring down the Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart after throwing down a dunk over him. Furthermore, Giannis threw up the “too small” taunt. The refs didn’t like this and whistled Giannis for his second tech of the game. A disbelieving Giannis tried to reason with the refs but the whistle had already been blown and the officiating team wanted Giannis out of the game.
The nominations for the 2024 Grammys have been announced, and we’re looking at the choices for Best Melodic Rap Performance. The category was created to recognize artists who creatively blended rapping and singing in their music. It has seen several name changes throughout the years, most notably in 2018 and once again in 2020. This resulted from the constantly evolving genre of rap and how many elements have blended with it across the years. This year’s nominees, like Drake and Burna Boy, often use sung vocals, whereas people like J.Cole and 21 Savage have a rap-centric approach to this category. 21 Savage has two nominations in this one, giving him a greater chance of winning.
“Sittin’ On Top Of The World” – Burna Boy Feat. 21 Savage
This is the first of two 2024 Grammy nominations in this category for 21 Savage. Both of his nominations come from collaborations, and they are quite different. This shows how much range he’s gained as an artist and continues expanding his audience through collaborations like this. “Sittin’ On Top Of The World” is the lead single for Burna Boy’s critically and commercially successful album I Told Them… It shows 21 rapping about a relationship while Burna Boy takes on the melodic sung elements of the track. The production is not the type typically associated with either artist since it’s not trap or afrobeats. Instead, it’s a more boom-bap-based sound, but both artists sound comfortable on it. The song went No. 1 on the UK Afrobeats Singles chart and No. 1 on the US Rhythmic chart.
Doja Cat has blended rapping and singing in her music throughout her career. Her chart-topping multi-platinum-selling single “Say So” introduced many listeners to how she could combine both. The second verse on the song is rapped and contrasts the singing of the first verse. However, that song was more pop-centric, and “Attention” leans much more heavily into a rap-based atmosphere.
“Attention” has two rapped verses from Doja, and she sings the hook. Her rapping on the song is calculated and intricate, which pairs well with the song’s production. In 2019, Doja released a song called “Tia Tamera” that featured Rico Nasty. This was a rap song, too; however, Doja’s verse, while lyrical, was still lighthearted. “Attention” has a direct approach and finds her addressing people’s criticisms of her life and music.
“Spin Bout U” – Drake & 21 Savage
This Grammy 2024 nominee is the second track from Drake & 21 Savage’s collab album, Her Loss. The song is one of their most popular, reaching the top 10 on several Billboard charts and accumulating over 266 million streams. Drake built his career around balancing rapping and singing, finding success when he does either. Meanwhile, 21 is fairly new to including melodic elements in his music. “Mr. Right Now,” from his 2020 album Savage Mode II, was one of his most popular attempts, and interestingly enough, that track featured Drake. “Spin Bout U” showcases 21 using a rap flow while Drake sings the hook. The song is one of the slower-paced ones from their collaborative album and gives concert attendees at their joint tour a moment to rest from the higher-energy tracks.
This is one of the most recently released Grammy 2024 nominees. The Grammys are known for their creative, collaborative performances the night the awards air, and this song is right on par with them. Over the past few years, J. Cole has worked with some surprising artists ranging from Young Thug to Korean rapper j-hope of BTS fame. His collaboration with Lil Durk was completely unexpected and then welcomed by fans of both artists.
On the track, Lil Durk handles the melodic singing while Cole delivers a heartfelt verse. Listeners praised the track for the comforting feeling it had, a large departure from the type of music they would associate with Lil Durk. The track hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and US Rhythmic charts, the latter a testament to its nomination in this category.
“Low” – SZA
SZA’s “Low” comes from her critically acclaimed album SOS, which is also nominated for Album of the Year at the 2024 Grammys. It’s one of the most popular songs from the album, accumulating over 343 million plays on Spotify and was certified platinum by the RIAA.
This song is a standout from the album due to the trap-like production and how SZA displayed a variety of vocal delivery techniques. SZA uses more straightforward rapping on other tracks on SOS, but on this one, she prioritizes singing and uses a rap-sung flow at moments, too. The track also features ad-libs from Travis Scott but no verses from him. “Low” is the type of song this category was created for because it could be classified as rap and R&B.
It’s been a strange day for some of the biggest and most notorious stoners in music. Earlier today, Snoop Dogg took to Instagram with some news that shocked fans. In the post he claimed that he was quitting smoking. Many felt that it had to be a joke or some kind of marketing trick, given that the rapper is one of the first celebrities most people think of when weed is brought up.
Now, another stoner is making the rounds online for basically the exact opposite reasons. Fans don’t have to worry about Wiz Khalifa being done smoking any time soon, at least not after seeing a new video of the rapper making the rounds online. “Wiz Khalifa stays with that [gas emoji] on him,” the caption of the video reads. In the clip itself, Wiz pulls out a backpack with a box inside of it that is absolutely stacked to the brim with pre rolls. Check out the entire short video below.
— Shannonnn sharpes Burner (PARODY Account) (@shannonsharpeee) November 16, 2023
In the comments, fans unsurprisingly have jokes. “bro handin out pre rolls as if it’s candy,” and “Me at the family thanksgiving functions,” two of the top comments read. Others compare his situation to the breaking Snoop Dogg news with funny results. “Snoop: “I quit smoking” Meanwhile wiz:” and “don’t show snoop this he gon relapse,” two more top comments read.
Last month, Wiz dropped his second new mixtape of 2023. The project is called Khali Sober and features 12 new tracks. The breakout song of the bunch has been the opening track “Uptown Bound.” The tape follows his much longer See Ya project which dropped back in June. That album featured one of WIz’s biggest songs of the past few years, the party song “Too Many Shots.” What do you think of the video of Wiz Khalifa traveling with a ton of pre rolls? Let us know in the comment section below.
Akon’s a hit-making machine whose impact on music goes well beyond his own discography. However, within his catalog, he has proven to have a track record in crafting commercially viable projects. But, which one of Akon’s albums has sold the most? Among his repertoire of hit albums, Konvicted stands tall as one of his most successful and culturally impactful creations. Garnering critical acclaim and commercial triumph, this album propelled Akon’s career to new heights. If not for Konvicted, Akon might not be the commercial juggernaut that he’s known as.
Konvicted emerged in 2006, swiftly gaining immense traction and earning the coveted 6x platinum certification in the United States alone, denoting over 6 million copies sold. The album’s widespread popularity can be attributed to its fusion of R&B, hip-hop, and pop. His ability to intertwine these sounds was a breath of fresh air in pop music. Notably, its chart-topping success included hit singles such as “Smack That” featuring Eminem, “I Wanna Love You” featuring Snoop Dogg, and “Don’t Matter.” Altogether, they collectively dominated music charts, amplifying the album’s acclaim.
Cultural Impact And Legacy
Beyond its commercial triumph, Konvicted holds a significant cultural impact, cementing Akon’s influence on the music scene. The infectious beats and Akon’s soulful vocals turned songs into anthems that transcended borders and connected with listeners on a profound level. Its songs’ relatable themes of love, relationships, and resilience resonated widely, making Konvicted not just an album, but a cultural phenomenon that continues to echo through time.
Konvicted further showcased Akon’s prowess as a singer and songwriter. However, it also highlighted his versatility in blending various musical styles. His ability to infuse raw emotions into his music, coupled with captivating melodies, contributed significantly to the album’s enduring appeal. Furthermore, this album marked a pivotal moment in Akon’s career, solidifying his status as a boundary-breaking artist capable of crafting hits that transcended genres and captivated audiences globally.
In conclusion, Konvicted remains a cornerstone of Akon’s musical legacy, a testament to his artistry, and a defining moment in contemporary music. Its remarkable sales figures, hit singles, and cultural resonance solidifies its place as Akon’s best-selling album. The fusion of diverse musical elements, coupled with the album’s impact, cements Konvicted as an enduring masterpiece that continues to captivate listeners, firmly placing it among the most iconic albums in the realm of Akon’s discography.
Drake’s upcoming EP Scary Hours 3, which drops tomorrow (Friday, November 17), has fans pretty excited. Even though he said that he’s taking a break from music after the release of For All The Dogs and his It’s All A Blur tour with 21 S*vage this year, it seems like this is potentially the last gas left in the tank for him in 2023. Of course, Drizzy could prove us wrong with some more drops or activity in the future, just as he did with his announcement of the Big As The What? tour with J. Cole. However, some fans believe that there’s a thorn in his side that is what actually compelled him to drop Scary Hours 3, and that’s Joe Budden.
Moreover, a lot of fans took to social media to “thank” the rapper for supposedly prompting Drake to put out more material. This is because Joe Budden’s criticism of For All The Dogs and its artist in general really rubbed the Toronto native the wrong way. Most likely, this idea centers around the OVO mogul wanting to prove the Slaughterhouse MC wrong with more solid bar-writing, straight-up hip-hop tracks, and probably a few subliminal or direct disses here and there. Other fans who subscribe to this theory, though, are just excited to see whether the former Everyday Struggle host rips into this project, too.
Of course, this is all purely speculative and probably just a meme or head-canon moment for most people. However, since Drake said that he wrote this material in a very raw way directly after For All The Dogs dropped, it’s clear that Joe Budden is a big story and moment in his recent life that will likely inform this collection of tracks. Even if this is just a joke or doesn’t turn out to be as obvious on Scary Hours 3, it’s going to be hard not to keep Budden in the back of your head while listening. Nevertheless, check out more hilarious reactions to this announcement and its proximity to the media personality down below.
— future stepdad of the year candidate (@BleakSuperior) November 16, 2023
Meanwhile, the podcaster isn’t really looking forward to Scary Hours 3, and probably won’t be talking about it at all. Maybe some disses his way will have to change that, but it’s clear that he’s taking the high road on this one. So, are the fans right or is there going to be completely new or unrelated subject matter on this EP? Let us know your predictions in the comments and stick around on HNHH for more news and updates on Drake and Joe Budden.
Tyla is having a big moment right now. The South African singer currently has the most successful song of her career thanks to her latest release “Water.” The track has grown to be a favorite on social media platforms like TikTok where it has its own challenge. The song has also brought Tyla to the late-night TV spotlight as she recently performed “Water” on The Tonight Show and it earned her a Grammy nomination at the 2024 award show. As expected, Tyla recently announced a remix to “Water” with a surprise guest, and hours before it gets released, we now know who that artist is.
Who Is On Tyla’s “Water” Remix?
In what will be her biggest collaboration yet, Tyla will get an assist from Travis Scott for the remix of “Water.” Truthfully, it’s not the name many expected as the production behind “Water,” which is amapiano-inspired, is one that is outside Travis’ expected sound. With that said, it remains to be seen how the remix will sound, but it will surely be a boost for Tyla as the song currently sits at No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100.
When Does Tyla’s “Water” Remix With Travis Scott Come Out?
Tyla and Travis Scott’s “Water” remix will be released on November 17 at 12am EST/9pm PST. The song will be available on streaming platforms like Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal, YouTube, and more.
on him 
(@wtfmob) 