Did everyone choose violence in 2024 (except J. Cole regretting his initial decision) or is this just the most coincidentally hostile time in rap’s history? Moreover, the latest info brewing in hip-hop’s butcher shop is the beef between Chris Brown and Quavo, which just escalated in a nasty and absolutely ruthless way with the former’s “Weakest Link” diss against the latter. On it, he includes the following lines alluding to the former Migo’s ex, Saweetie. “You f***ed my ex-h*e, that’s cool, I don’t give no f**k, lil’ n***a,” Breezy raps. “‘Cause I f***ed your ex when you were still with her, b***h, I’m up, lil’ n***a.”
“They say revenge is sweet, now think about that s**t,” Chris Brown continued against Quavo. “Don’t let that line go over your head, I might just sing about that s**t / I had her fiending about that d**k, there’s something sweet about that s**t / I got some tea about that b***h, but I ain’t gon’ speak about that s**t.” Well, it looks like Saweetie herself has something to say about this whole debacle about these MCs’ exes, as she took to Twitter early Saturday morning (April 20) to seemingly react to this diss. “let me go rewrite these nani verses,” she wrote, and a couple of hours prior late Friday night (April 19), she had tweeted “WHEW ! CHILE.” seemingly before the song came out, indicating that she perhaps knew of its existence before the public. That’s entirely speculative, though, and just a theory with no real proof or backing.
Regardless, the “nani verses” the Los Angeles MC’s referring to is a new song she’s coming out with very soon, which had and still has die-hards very excited. In fact, they’re probably more excited now than they were then considering this Chris Brown and Quavo beef. However, it’s hard to call whether Saweetie will really respond to any of this. After all, she’s not usually one to get into explicit or speculated beef despite some past examples, and this would be one of the more direct callouts she’s ever been involved in.
Meanwhile, the Icy Girl seems to still be with YG and having a great time as a couple right now following break-up rumors. Will he have to step into the booth to defend his girl? Only time will tell. For more news and the latest updates on Saweetie, Chris Brown, and Quavo, check back in with HNHH.
Yesterday, Nicki Minaj teamed up with Sexyy Red, Travis Scott, and Chris Brown to deliver a new remix of her track “FTCU.” So far, most fans are enjoying her latest collab, with some even arguing that it’s better than the original. Unfortunately but unsurprisingly, Azealia Banks disagrees, and didn’t hesitate to share her own take online.
She took to her Instagram Story to put Nicki on blast, arguing that she shouldn’t have collaborated with Sexyy Red. Instead, Banks think she should have put her longtime rivalCardi B on the remix. She also called Nicki out for some of her past drama, suggesting that she’s hypocritical for collaborating with the St. Louis-born performer, considering previous disses she’s thrown Cardi’s way.
“Nicki u ain’t fooling nobody with those weak females ur trying to make urself look like a nice person with,” she said in part. “U looked so st*pid on that stage with all those uniconic rap girls. And sexy red look like she stink in this photo. I can’t even tell if it’s her. U really accused cardi of having herpes but are posing with a chick who admitted to have [gonorrhea].” In her post, Banks also called out Nicki for “laughing at” Asian Doll, and accused her of not truly liking Foxy Brown.
Clearly, Banks isn’t a fan of Nicki’s latest collab, and isn’t afraid to show it. Nicki’s yet to respond to the criticism. What do you think of Azealia Banks’ reaction to Nicki Minaj’s “FTCU (Remix)” with Sexyy Red, Travis Scott, and Chris Brown? Do you agree that Cardi B would have been a better fit than Sexyy? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Drake went “Back To Back” on the rap game again, dropping yet another diss towards Kendrick Lamar on social media last night (Friday, April 19). Of course, probably the most notable aspect of this song is the fact that he used A.I. technology to replicate Tupac and Snoop Dogg’s voices in order to rap from their perspectives and goad K.Dot into responding ASAP. A lot of folks are debating the points that Drizzy made here, the use of this tech, when we’ll get a response (if at all), and other factors. However, one question had fans particularly interested, predicting whether it would be a positive or negative moment for the Toronto superstar: what does Tha Doggfather think of this?
Well, even though Snoop Dogg published a video in the wee hours of Saturday, April 20 (and thus, ironically enough, seemingly reacted to a lot of smoke on 4/20), it didn’t really get us any closer to knowing what he thinks of it. “They did what?” he said in the clip below with a skeptical face. “When? How? Are you sure?” Then, the West Coast legend sighed and pointed to the “Death Row” stitching on his jacket. “Y’all have a good night. And to all… *laughs* Everybody calling my phone blowing me up. What the f**k, what happened? What’s going on? I’m going back to bed, good night.”
As such, this doesn’t really clarify whether Snoop Dogg knew of “Taylor Made Freestyle” before its IG release, whether he co-signed the track, or whether he’s supporting his fellow L.A. native in Kendrick Lamar. There are a few conflicting elements: shouting out Death Row (a sign of respect to himself and ‘Pac), laughing (seemingly enjoying the ruckus it’s caused), not really wanting to engage just yet (which could mean anything), and Aubrey Graham himself liking the post (a salute or a jab?). We also know that the Long Beach MC is good friends with Drake and that he’s on the fence about A.I. technology, sometimes co-signing it and sometimes being more critical, particularly about Tupac A.I. But he likely also has some deep appreciation for the Compton creative, so the disrespectful nature of this usage might not just be a point on the rap beef board for him.
Drizzy With The Like
Screenshot via Instagram @snoopdogg
Meanwhile, with the former TDE MC rumored to respond to this along with an album release in May, it seems like both artists are trying to set up goalposts that the other can’t even play in. How do you think the rest of this will pan out? Let us know your takes on all these aspects down in the comments section below. Also, come back to HNHH for more on Snoop Dogg and all the latest updates on the Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef.
South Central Los Angeles rapper G Perico has been feeding the streets with multiple underrated projects in the last decade. After landing some significant feature placements with the likes of Nipsey Hussle, Royce da 5’9″, and J. Cole’s Dreamville, G Perico has continued to increase his base of listeners. His latest project, G Slim’s Revenge, sees the Roc Nation signee dropping some of his toughest gems yet, with numerous highlights across the project. G Slim’s Revenge runs 10 tracks over 22 minutes, with absolutely no skips. Without any further preamble, let’s dissect G Perico’s latest full-length effort, and review the material therein.
The intro track to G Slim’s Revenge is “Any Means,” an ultra-hard lyric-packed opener that perfectly sets the tone for the project. The lyrics explore G Perico’s neighborhood, reference iconic rap refrains, and describe the state of the Black American experience by invoking such significant figures as Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and Barack Obama. G Perico’s trademark blend of high-pitched vocal twang glides perfectly over the rough and rugged West Coast instrumental, even if he does, at times, sound like he’s doing an impression of Nipsey Hussle.
“Troll Patrol” continues this trend, with a swinging instrumental that allows G Perico to flow like a hot knife through butter. His cadence on this track is completely infectious, and may cause you to swerve side to side across a few lanes of traffic if you bump this record in your whip. Perico seems to have really found his groove on this album, as the flows and vocal melodies he presents are as smooth and effortless as they’ve ever sounded.
“How Will” Is A Microcosm Of The Whole Album
G Perico opens the third track “How Will” with a brief spoken intro, stating, “I ain’t gon’ lie man, I just wanna talk sh** on this beat right now.” Not only is that exactly what he delivers on the rest of the track, this statement could serve as the tagline for the entire project. G Slim’s Revenge may not have much of a high concept or a strong thematic through-line, but G Perico’s ability to completely turn out a beat with smooth, gang-heavy raps is all but unparalleled. The pitched-up R&B samples that break up his verses on “How Will” offer a melodic angle to the track. Perico leaps from topic to topic, offering his take on shallow women, his opps, the police, and the impoverished state of his home neighborhood.
Subsequent tracks on G Slim’s Revenge hone in on these topics singularly, with tracks like “She Sexy” offering a look into a particular woman who caught his eye. On the track, G Perico fixates on a woman with independent wealth, excellent taste in clothes and fragrances, and a bossed-up attitude that keeps her in her business. “Luxury” continues as a pop your sh** anthem, full of references to designer brands, expensive cars, and first-class flights. Wallie The Sensei appears as a vocal guest on the latter, with a laid-back melodic hook that perfectly clashes with G’s high-pitched twang.
While G Slim’s Revenge does only run 10 tracks, it is still impressive just how consistent the project is overall. G Perico never hits a lull or a dip in the tracklist and continues to close out the back half of the record as powerfully as the front half. “Throw It Up” offers the best guest verse, with Tiny Doo offering brash, raspy vocal textures that clash perfectly with G Perico’s higher-pitched rhymes.
“Identification” is undoubtedly the climax of the record featuring G Perico’s strongest writing abilities on the entire album. The track centers on snitches, and every single bar could be its own tattoo. The songwriting on this track is exceptional, with every word carefully chosen to further the record’s “stop snitching” message. G Slim’s Revenge closes out with “Outtie,” a brief outro that ruminates on the themes of the album and teases further projects and developments to come in the near future.
While this may not necessarily be a 10/10 album, G Perico has proven on G Slim’s Revenge that he is in rare form, and simply does not miss. The record is bound to be criminally slept on, as Perico currently touts just over half a million monthly Spotify listeners at this time. Still, the record genuinely deserves to be celebrated, and arguably has a place in the top 10 rap records of 2024 so far.
Hip-hop’s history books contain millions of enduring statements, infinite ideas, and indelible expressions penned by hundreds of thousands of students of the game. Thousands of them got their brilliance delivered to mass audiences, hundreds reached the peak highs of their time and style, and dozens have transcended the genre into a status of cultural ubiquity. But out of all of these writers who shaped the philosophies, language, and communication of rap music, there is a strong case that, along with The God MC Rakim, none have been more influential or definitive than Nas. We took it upon ourselves to accept that challenge and see just how pivotal Esco’s pen has been to the community.
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of his classic album Illmatic yesterday (Friday, April 19), we listed out seven of the most quoted lyrics, motifs, or refrains from this magnum opus across hip-hop’s history, along with just a few of many examples. As arguably the greatest LP the genre has to offer, a status that only a handful of rap records can claim, there is obviously so much more to say, and many more lines that you’ll hear in songs released since ’94. But these are among the bars on the project that most closely evoke its narratives in your head when you hear them in another song or everyday conversation. We’d love to know your picks, as we certainly missed a lot, so join us in celebrating this masterpiece and thanking Nas for his craft and creations down in the comments section below.
I Never Sleep, ‘Cause Sleep Is The Cousin Of Death (“N.Y. State Of Mind”)
While this phrase obviously existed before Illmatic‘s release, no rapper spits it today without evoking Nas’ “N.Y. State Of Mind.” It’s a phrase that perfectly fits within the vivid description of Queens’ street life and placed the album into a special era; a coming-of-age tale that inspired countless others put their unique spin on. Over the years, we’ve heard the greats reference this specific bar including J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Denzel Curry, and The Game.
Furthermore, the most famous of these is likely Lil Wayne’s “6 Foot 7 Foot,” which actually references another Illmatic bar we’ll get into later. “Life is a b***h, and death is her sister / Sleep is the cousin, what a f***ing family picture,” Weezy raps on the cut. Another notable modern example is $UICIDEBOY$’ 2016 cut “AM/PM,” on which Ruby raps: “If sleep is the cousin of death, I guess me and $lick counting sheep ’til we out of breath.” From ’90s East Coast hardcore to 2010s New Orleans horrorcore-adjacent trap; who would’ve thought?
The World Is Yours / I’m Out For Dead Presidents To Represent Me (“The World Is Yours”)
Here’s a two-parter, mainly because the mere title of “The World Is Yours” and the “It’s mine, it’s mine, it’s mine, whose world is this?” refrain lives on in a lot of rap media: bars, interviews, promo material, movies… you name it. J. Cole has an early song titled “Who’s World Is This?” and there’s also Blu’s classic album with Exile, Below The Heavens, with the track “The World Is.” Out of the many enduring Nas bars on this song, one of them is the money-focused, “I’m out for dead presidents to represent me.” Joey Bada$$, a student of Nasir Jones who references him very often, spits this bar on 1999‘s “Hardknock,” and 2016’s “AMERIKKKAN IDOL.” Logic does the same on 2012’s “All Sinatra Everything,” and of course, there’s Jay-Z’s use of it for his “Dead Presidents” series. That definitely didn’t backfire at all…
Life’s A B***h And Then You Die… (“Life’s A B***h”)
Next is AZ’s iconic hook on “Life’s A B***h”: “Life’s a b***h and then you die, that’s why we get high / ‘Cause you never know when you’re gonna go.” Other than being one of the most cutting and reality-affirming moments on Illmatic, Nas’ words here transcended even the hip-hop genre. One of the most curious homages we found in our research was a live version of metal band Deftones’ “Teething” from 2001, in which they added this chorus to the track to a pretty hype effect. Just goes to show that these lyrics have etched themselves in musical and cultural history, not just within hip-hop. Back to that, though, some quick examples: Kendrick Lamar’s “FEAR.,” A$AP Rocky’s “Phoenix,” Tyler, The Creator’s “Lone,” and “Headstone” by Flatbush Zombies, which actually references dozens of rap classic throughout its runtime.
Somehow, The Rap Game Reminds Me Of The Crack Game (“Represent”)
Here’s what Nas had to say about this bar from “Represent”: “It’s all about getting a dollar, don’t trust nobody, keep your eyes open, don’t play with nobody, focus on what you’re supposed to get out of it. This s**t is dangerous, it’ll take you down… What’s the difference?” Once again, Jay-Z echoed this sentiment in his 1997 track “Rap Game / Crack Game,” and Biggie Smalls references the rhyme scheme on Ready To Die‘s “Things Done Changed” that same year. “If I wasn’t in the rap game, I’d probably have a ki, knee-deep in the crack game.” Cam’ron also echoes the bar on “Sports, Drugs & Entertainment,” and Benny The Butcher, 38 Spesh, and Elcamino develop the metaphor on 2021’s “Blue Money.” “Crack game like the rap game but ain’t as safe / If we got the same plug we like label-mates,” Spesh spits.
Also, we wanted to shout out Nas’ reference to the Five-Percent Nation on this “Human Nature”-sampling cut, “It Ain’t Hard To Tell”: “Nas is like the Afrocentric Asian, half man, half amazing.” The second half of that bar is the namesake of the third track (featuring Method Man) on Pete Rock’s 1998 album Soul Survivor, and also that of cuts from Blocboy JB and more. As for lyrical mentions, Mac Miller does so on the Faces cut “Friends” featuring ScHoolboy Q, Joe Budden gives a nod on “NBA,” and 50 Cent used it to belittle Ja Rule on the diss track “Your Life’s On The Line.” Safe to say, this last example proves that these aren’t always very favorable references, at least when it comes to who the bars might be intended for, if it’s not just an homage to the Queens legend.
Finally, we have a repeated phrase throughout Illmatic that is the title of one of its songs, and also appears on the outro of “Represent.” “One time for your mind” comes from Grand Wizard, who provides the aloof hook on the first example before Nas gets into the chill cut. This is such a versatile phrase that can be used as an ad-lib, a filler bar, a historical reference, as part of a complex rhyme scheme, or as a reminder to keep the mental focus up and live for the singular moment. It appears in pop hits like “Pon De Replay” by Rihanna, lyrical onslaughts like Lil Wayne’s “Dreams & Nightmares,” Lupe Fiasco’s “Paris, Tokyo,” Ab-Soul’s “Double Standards,” Das EFX’s “Real Hip-Hop,” The Roots’ “No Alibi,” and so many more. Despite the variety of uses for this bar and many others, every hip-hop head knows its origins well.
Drake made Kendrick Lamar’s life difficult on April 19. Firstly, the rapper uploaded his diss record, “Push Ups,” to streaming with artwork clowning Lamar’s height. Secondly, he dropped a second diss at night, “Taylor Made Freestyle,” in which he used AI to have Lamar’s idols, 2Pac and Snoop Dogg, urge him to respond. Lastly, he texted DJ Akademiks, who took time out from his live stream reaction to the second diss to share a message with the world. The message? Drake wants smoke with Lamar, and he wants it now.
DJ Akademiks, who was sampled on “Push Ups,” has often shared Drake’s sentiments with his fans. His adoration of the Toronto superstar can be a little much for causal fans, but he does have a solid history of relaying accurate information about him. Case in point: the text message Akademiks received from Drake right after “Taylor Made Freestyle” dropped. The internet personality read the message aloud for viewers to hear, and it reinforced everything we’ve seen about Drake’s current approach. He didn’t start the feud with Lamar, but he wants to end it.
“Ak, you know I was trying to come off tour and relax,” the text reportedly read. “N***as done f**ked up my whole feng shui. Now I gotta eat until this debate is done.” Confident words, to say the least, but that should come as no surprise from the rapper who just dropped two disses on Kung Fu Kenny. He claimed Lamar is taking so long to respond because he doesn’t want to get buried by Taylor Swift’s album rollout. “You know she ’bout to milli’ run through ’em, milly rock on your head top,” he raps on the song. “Well she got the whole pgLang on mute like that Beyoncé challenge, y’all boys quiet for the weekend.”
It’s telling that Drake has mocked the likes of Rick Ross and Metro Boomin on Instagram. They got a few lines in “Push Ups,” but Kendrick Lamar is clearly the one he wants to challenge. He dropped two songs bagging on the Compton superstar, and he’s still baiting him to respond. Mal from New Rory And Mal podcast claimed that Lamar is dropping an album (with a Drake diss) in May. It’s going to be a long couple of weeks, however, if Drake continues to go at him.
Nobody saw this one coming. It was theorized by industry insiders that Drake would drop a second diss on Kendrick Lamar, much like he did with Meek Mill in 2015, but the hip-hop world has never heard a diss quite like “Taylor Made Freestyle.” Drake writes three verses, packed with insults and not-so-subtle jabs, but he only raps one of them in his regular voice. The other two are modified, using AI technology, to sound like Snoop Dogg and the late, great 2Pac! The same 2Pac that has been Lamar’s idol since childhood.
Drake unleashed “Taylor Made Freestyle” via Instagram on April 19. He doesn’t waste anytime using Lamar’s favorite rapper against him, as “2Pac” gets the first verse. The AI generated voice (with bars from Drake) sees “2Pac” consult Lamar on how to best defeat, well, Drake himself. “If you deal with this viciously, you see a little nervous about all the publicity,” the AI voice raps. “F**k this Canadian light skin guy, we need to know the west coast victory, man.” It’s a fascinating bit of reverse psychology, and it effectively allows Drake to sabotage the easy talking points that Lamar had at his disposal.
The second verse goes to the AI generated voice of Snoop Dogg. The voice continues the disappointed tone set by AI 2Pac by urging Lamar to put together a response track ASAP. “Still you gotta show this f**king owl who’s boss on the west, now’s a time to really make a power move,” he raps. “‘Cause right now it’s looking like you writing out the gameplan with how to lose.” Another withering line from the Doggfather’s doppleganger is: “World is watching this chess game, but oh, you out of moves.”
After using Kendrick Lamar’s own heroes against him, Drake raps the third verse in his own voice. He relentlessly mocks the Compton rapper for taking so long to respond after starting the feud in the first place. “Since your tone changed a little, you not as enthused,” Drake asserts. “How are you not in the booth? It feel like you kinda removed.” The 6 God gets even more specific towards the end of the song, claiming that K. Dot needs “another week” to get himself together.
Kendrick Lamar has been saddled with AI disses in recent weeks, with fans being unsure of what’s real and what isn’t. Drake using AI tech to then diss him further is a chess move that Lamar will not be able to ignore.
Tomorrow, April 20, record stores across the globe will be opening their doors to customers with exclusive offerings in honor of Record Store Day. Whether it’s first-time pressings or new vinyl variants you’re looking for, this year has selections from a ton of artists, including Olivia Rodrigo, Blur, Young Thug, Wilco, Chappell Roan, Lil Uzi Vert, and more.
With so much to choose from, the popularity for certain releases is high. Like most years, fans will be waiting outside for hours at some locations, just hoping their future prized possesion isn’t sold out by the time they can reach it.
If you’re new to Record Store Day or just hoping to check it out this year where you are, here’s what to know about what record stores will be part of the experience this year.
What Record Stores Are Participating In Record Store Day?
Most record stores across the US will be participating in 2024’s Record Store Day, depending on your location. Those in major cities will have (at least) one spot open tomorrow. For international fans, they also have official sites in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the UK, and more countries.
The official Record Store Day website offers a complete list of locations, along with more information. Ahead of the event, Uproxx also put together a list of some key releases not to miss, which you can check out here.
DJ Quik and Problem are West Coast titans from different time periods. Quik represents the G-funk heyday of the 1990s, while Problem rose to fame during the 2010s with scene-stealing guest verses. They bring different strengths to the table as rappers (and Quik as producer), but also they compliment each other in a lot of ways. It’s not surprising that Quik and Problem have announced plans for a brand new album called Chupacabra. They already linked up for the 2017 release Rosecrans, after all. A new album is exciting because it will allow them to build on their established chemistry and hone in on what they do best.
Quik and Problem announced the album on Friday, April 19. They have yet to share a release date, but they did treat fans to a brand new single called “Workout.” The single features guest verses from West Coast luminary Rodney-O, and sees the duo spit bars about self-improvement and style. “Do ya thing in the mirror and express yourself,” Problem asserts. “We all make mistakes, correct yourself/ If ya don’t like their style then dress yourself.” Lil Jon is also featured on the track, adding to its throwback energy.
Problem discussed his working relationship with Quik during an interview with Red Bull Academy. He said he was shocked to realize that Quik felt over the hill when they made Rosecrans. “[Quik] thought nobody was f**king with him, which is crazy to me,” Problem revealed. “People just want to go with the new, and they don’t understand there’s no new without that. We need to do this a whole lot more. We really need to show the world how this s**t really go.”
DJ Quik and Problem had busy years planned before they announced Chupacabra. The former is going to be an opener on Snoop Dogg’s Cali to Canada tour, which runs throughout the summer and will see him share a bill with Warren G. Quik has been extremely quiet on the music front this decade, as his last joint album was Rosecrans and his last solo album was The Midnight Life in 2014.
Between the tour and Chupacabra, 2024 is shaping up to be a comeback year for Quik. Problem has been much busier in the years since Rosecrans dropped. He released two studio albums, I Owe Myself and A Compton Story, in 2023 alone.
In what seems like a random assortment of names and places, rapper Gunna and comedian Will Ferrell linked up during a recent L.A. Kings game. The NHL’s regular season just wrapped up but last week. But before it concluded the pair attended a contest against the Calgary Flames. Videos of the duo at the hockey game finally made the rounds online earlier today. In them, the “fukumean” rapper can be seen cracking up at something the comedian said. They’ll have the chance to go to more Kings games as the team made the playoffs this year and will face Edmonton in the first round. Check out a video of the two during the game below.
Gunna has already been busy in 2024. Though he just released a new album last year that included one of the biggest rap hits of the year on it, he’s already shifted his focus toward a new project. So far this year he’s already released a pair of singles. The first is called “Bittersweet” and it dropped back in February. The song has clicked with fans to the tune of 11 million Spotify streams in the two months since it was released. His second single of the year “Prada Dem” dropped a month later in March. It features a guest verse from Offset and immediately shot onto the Hot 100 where it made its debut at number 54. The track already has an incredibly impressive 25 million Spotify streams.
Recently Gunna gave fans a major update on the state of his new album. He revealed that the album will be called ONE OF WUN in a recent Instagram post. It came attached to a picture that many feel could be a potential album cover for the record.
Though the album doesn’t have a release date yet, that hasn’t stopped fans from speculating that it could be arriving soon. What do you think of Gunna and Will Ferrell randomly crossing paths at a hockey game last week? Are you looking forward to his upcoming new album? Let us know in the comment section below.
