Rapsody has announced the tour dates in promotion of her new album, Please Don’t Cry. She’ll be traveling across North America and Europe to promote the album and says she’s currently working on adding stops in South Africa as well. She made the announcement on Instagram, on Monday.
“A trail of happy tears. Worldwide. I’m so excited to bring this album to you live in North America and Europe, (South Africa we’re working on dates so stay tuned). @nikobrim will also be joining us! I can’t wait to see you! Link in the bio for tickets, VIP packages, and more.” Fans in the comments section were stoked by the news. “IM THERE!!!!!! Maybe twice. Give me a reason to use my passport ma’am! New album is crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!” one user wrote. Others called on her to journey to even more cities.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 16: Rapsody attends “Please Don’t Cry” New York Album Last Session on May 16, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
The new album features collaborations with Erykah Badu, Lil Wayne, and several other artists. Of working with Wayne, Rapsody labeled him one of the “GOATs” during a conversation with HipHopDX, last week. “I just wanna say what I say and make it fun,” she said. “But then, he sent his verse, and I was like, ‘I gotta match the level of artistry.’ Like, it’s Wayne! And I ain’t scared to say it, because he’s one of the GOATs. It is what it is. A lot of artists won’t say it. But I’ll say it: I probably wrote my verse like 27 times.” Check out her tour announcement below.
Rapsody previously made headlines, earlier this month, for discussing the feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake. Be on the lookout for further updates on Rapsody and her upcoming tour on HotNewHipHop.
Vince Staples has announced that he will be releasing his final album with Def Jam, later this week. He shared that the project’s title is Dark Times while reflecting on his experiences with the label in a post on Instagram, on Sunday.
“Eleven years ago, a young, uncertain version of myself was given an opportunity with Def Jam Recordings,” he began. “I released my first project under their banner, Shyne Coldchain Vol 2, a year later. I was unsure of what to expect from the world of music but deeply aware of what I needed: a change in my surroundings and a clear understanding of self. Ten years and seven projects later, I’ve found that clarity. Now, I share with you my final Def Jam release, Dark Times.” He concluded by revealing the project will be dropping on Friday, May 24th.
Vince Staples Attends Premiere Of His Netflix Show
Staples arrives for Netflix’s “The Vince Staples Show” special screening at the Tudum theatre in Los Angeles, February 12, 2024. (Photo by Michael Tran / AFP) (Photo by MICHAEL TRAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Dark Times will be Staples’ first album since 2022’s Ramona Park Broke My Heart. In the time since that release, he’s been focused on his new Netflix series, The Vince Staples Show, which premiered on the streaming service back in February. In the comments section of the new announcement, several fans asked him not to forget about the series as he shifts focus back to music. “N***a we need more episodes of the Vince Staples Show,” one top reply reads.
When you conjure up a list of some of the best rappers when it comes to writing, you have to include Blu in those conversations. The underground California MC always delivers quality, and it is hard to find any flaws in the things this man does. However, he is no one-trick pony, as he is also a fantastic producer. Over this weekend, Blu is here to prove any possible doubters by coming through with a full tape of beats on a project called abc.
This is not just any regular instrumental hip-hop record either though. For this abc project, Blu partnered with affiliated record label EveryDejaVu to work on a poetry book. According to their Instagram, this project has been in the making for about eight years now. “After many years and many versions, LETTER, a poetry book finally gets to see the light!” LETTER was so highly anticipated that all of the first edition copies were scooped up in the first two hours.
Luckily though, the label announced that a second wave of the title will be coming with some extra goodies as well. For now, the album can be streamed or purchased digitally on Bandcamp. The accompanying abc album spans just under a half an hour, which in this culminates into 15 tracks. The instrumentals seem to fit a poetry book. The beats are colorful and include creative sample flips, as well as a glitchy and carefree presentation.
What are your thoughts on this brand-new album abc by Blu? Which songs are you gravitating toward the most right now? Where do you rank this project amongst the rest in his discography? What instrumental do you think is the best and why? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Blu. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Fans have long been requesting a Hot Boys reunion, and it looks like their prayers have finally been answered. During a recent chat with fans on Instagram Live, founding member Juvenile announced that their first album in over two decades is currently in the works. Their last effort, Let ‘Em Burn, was released in March of 2003.
He shared the news in response to fans’ reunion demands, as seen in a clip from the Live. “The Hot Boys Is back together, man,” he said, explaining that he’ll be working alongside his fellow members in the coming weeks. “Any other f*cking questions?” He’s yet to confirm an official release date, but for obvious reasons, fans can’t wait.
The exciting announcement follows B.G.’s release from prison after a 12-year stay, as well as a bit of tension between him and another Hot Boys member. The rapper teamed up with Finesse2tymes for their track “Gangstafied” in January, taking shots at none other than Lil Wayne. “My n***a Weezy steady tourin’, but he’s a b*tch and it’s showin’,” he rhymed, prompting big reactions from fans. He later clarified that he didn’t mean any harm. “I tell a n***a I love him and call him a b***h all in the same sentence, man,” he told fans on Live.
Nonetheless, they’ve been teasing the idea of a reunion for some time. In February, only a few weeks after being dissed, Lil Wayne told YG on the 4HUNNID podcast that the only thing holding them back was B.G.’s travel restrictions. “Juvie ready and Turk ready, but really we gotta see if Geezy can move around,” he said. What do you think of Juvenile announcing that the first Hot Boys album is over 20 years in on the way? Are you looking forward to hearing it? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Memphis, Tennesee might be one of the hardest cities for a rapper to stand out in. Just think about all og the powerhouse names that originate from there. You have Key Glock, GloRilla, Yo Gotti, Juicy J, Moneybagg Yo, and so many others. One quality that all of these artists share would be the trademark Memphis accent and the resonant cadence. Sometimes, that similarity can really make it hard for listeners to discern who they are listening to. Unfortunately, for BIG30, he is one of the MCs that are having a harder go of things.
While he certainly has the connections in the industry like Pooh Shiesty and Yo Gotti, and a handful of popular tracks, it seems that he gets lost in the mix. By no means does BIG30 put out bad music. However, in that same breath, he does not stick out amongst his neighboring contemporaries. To us there really is not anything that makes him unique enough to garner more that replay ability factor.
His latest album, Still King, is proof of that in some respects. At 17 tracks and minimal features, the tracks feel like they are repeating themselves. It also does not help that his “brrrr” adlibs sound exactly like Pooh Shiesty’s either. At the end of the day, this is not a bad album, but it just does not move the needle.
What are your thoughts on this brand-new album Still King by BIG30? Which songs are you gravitating toward the most right now? Where do you rank this project amongst the rest in his discography? Do you think more features were needed for this tape, why or why not? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding BIG30. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Gunna’s first week sales for One Of Wun are officially here, and given previous projections, it exceeded commercial performance expectations this time around. To rewind the clock for a second, 2023’s A Gift & A Curse debuted with around 85,000 album equivalent units. This 2024 release, on the other hand, just barely missed out on surpassing it, as One Of Wun‘s first week sales comprised of just under 83,000 units. According to HITS Daily Double, it will debut at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 behind Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department, and thus will be the highest-charting debut for new albums this week.
Furthermore, this is pretty much a big win for Gunna all things considered, especially as he’s spoken about focusing more on his craft and his substance than his hit-making or commercial potential. In fact, he even told TMZ that the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef that raged on while his album dropped didn’t faze him in the slightest. The College Park rapper said that he prioritized focus during this whole process, which rendered him unbothered by whatever else was going on in the rap space. Clearly, that focus pays off, and hopefully inspires other artists to just stick to themselves and to not let outside forces deter them.
Meanwhile, this is a massive year for Gunna in many other areas, not least of which is his ongoing tour. There have been many great moments throughout, despite some other issues like rowdy and disrespectful fans and what seemed like faulty venue upkeep. But for the most part, it’s been a big hit, and a nice run that captures his momentum from the past few years. The comeback has been intriguing and sharp to say the least, especially considering all the snitching claims that loom much farther in the background than they did before.
In addition, Gunna also has his new clothing line to look forward to, which might be the most exciting new venture of them all. No matter what he’s got on his plate, it seems like he’s able to stay afloat and concentrated throughout it all. Wunna has stuck around more than some folks gave him credit for, and there are plenty of other ways in which he plans to stay. Let’s hope that they result in some great art and fulfilling moves as we continue to spin One Of Wun.
Staten Island, New York rapper and singer wolffacejoeyy has been creating a lot of buzz over the last few years, especially in 2024. The 21-year-old classifies himself as a sexy drill artist, and we can see why. He has an incredible knack for gliding over moody and sensual sped-up instrumentals with a buttery smooth cadence. People have been looking forward toward Valentino, his debut album after tiding fans over with mixtape titles all your fault (2022) and 22joeyy (2023). According to Genius, the origins for this project began back in late 2021.
Over the last three years, wolffacejoeyy has been steadily tweaking and restructuring every fine detail of Valentino. Now, all of that hard work and perseverance to push through and create his longest project to date has paid off. Originally, this was going to be an EP, but in an interview with The FADER, joeyy was destined to go all out for his fans and himself. “So, this one I wanted to really challenge myself, and my team really pushed me — they were like, ‘Yo, let’s try and make this feel like a full-blown project.’ So, the idea just slowly evolved into a whole album and building the world behind it.”
That perfectionist mentality is evident right from the opening cut to the closer. The “wya” artist mentioned how a handful of projects he considers flawless, led him to feel there was no room for error. “I’ve always wanted to make my own Days Before Rodeo… Rodeo or ASTROWORLD or Igor or A Love Letter To You 3 or Blonde… I always try my best to really go into [recording a project] trying my best to make it as seamless as possible, so everyone can listen to it from top to bottom.” We feel that wolffacejoeyy has a winner with Valentino, as the melodies and instrumentals are stellar and sticky. Cash Cobain would be a proud dad, being a pioneer of sexy drill himself.
What are your thoughts on this brand-new album Valentino by wolffacejoeyy? Which songs are you gravitating toward the most right now? Where do you rank this project amongst the rest in his discography? What song do you think is the best and why? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding wolffacejoeyy. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Mach-Hommy has always proudly repped his Haitian roots. Across his decorated and prolific catalog, he has look to shed light on the country in multiple ways. Today, Mach-Hommy is doing more of the same on his 14th studio album #RICHAXXHAITIAN. Tomorrow, May 18, happens to be Haitian Flag Day, a national holiday in Haiti to celebrate the country’s independence from the French. The flag was raised for the first time on the 18th in 1803, as this day serves to remember the journey to their freedom.
According to an interview with Clash, Mach-Hommy’s goal for this album was to shed light on how influential Haiti is, as well as how far the country has come. “I’ve always wanted to rep for Haiti and the cultural and intellectual richness we’ve provided the world. From our musical styles like kontradans that have influenced world music, our natural resources which provide so much raw material for so many important advancements in technology, our thinkers that pioneered philosophical movements and Black pride…”
Mach-Hommy released the self-titled lead single on May 6, but the album was supposedly first announced back in the spring of 2023. It featured just a couple of the project’s many features, which includes Conductor Williams, Roc Marciano, Your Old Droog, Black Thought, Quelle Chris and more. Like always, Mach is bringing top-tier rapping and ever-changing instrumentals. This project really does not have many misses, if any, and it is easily worth multiple listens.
What are your thoughts on this brand-new album #RICHAXXHAITIAN by Mach-Hommy? What tracks have you been gravitating toward so far? Where do you rank this project amongst the rest of his discography and why? Who had the strongest guest appearance on the record? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Mach-Hommy. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
#RICHAXXHAITIAN Tracklist:
(…) with Kinski
ANTONOMASIA with Roc Marciano, Calico Wall
POLTickle with Drea D’Nur
SONJE with Hephzibah
PADON with The God Fahim
EMPTY SPACES with Your Old Droog
SUR LE PONT d’AVIGNON (Reparation #1) with Conductor Williams
One thing that A Boogie Wit da Hoodie has always excelled at being able to swerve in out of rapping and singing. On every project, he has given you a mixture of these talents in some capacity. Now, A Boogie is continuing that trend with his latest LP, Better Off Alone. This fifth studio album has been in the works for nearly a year, and believe it or not, it actually started with the B4 BOA (Before Better Off Alone) EP.
The trio of “Her Birthday,” “Booby Trap,” and “Did Me Wrong,” turned out to be first of the promotional singles. We then would receive another five offerings with the lone track “Steppas,” and the sampler ALONE. So, instead of getting at least 80% new music, that figure dropped to 62%, with nearly half of the 21 tracks being older releases. That is a big reason why most of this listening experience feels like old meshing with new.
So, going into this album, know that almost half is being marketed as new material. On the bright side of the new with old aspect, Better Off Alone mixes fresh beats with some throwback samples. Two of the prime examples that we caught were on “Dark King” and “One Shot.” The former seems to slow down A Boogie’s 2017 hit with PnB Rock and NBA YoungBoy, “Beast Mode.” On the latter, the New York native loosely samples Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” at the start of the track. As for the album at large though, it is solid, but with 21 tracks it feels a little bloated.
What are your thoughts on this brand-new album Better Off Alone by A Boogie Wit da Hoodie? What tracks have you been gravitating toward so far? Where do you rank this project amongst the rest of his discography and why? Who had the strongest guest appearance on the record? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding A Boogie Wit da Hoodie. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
What happens when great isn’t good enough anymore? That’s what every Griselda affiliate has asked themself for the past few years, as the collective’s consistent releases and knack for lyricism and gritty production resulted in lots of acclaim and some mild reception. Conway The Machine might be the most salient example of this right now, who followed up the excellent God Don’t Make Mistakes in 2022 with the expectedly solid WON’T HE DO IT in 2023. With Slant Face Killah, he continues to suffer a similar fate.
Conway The Machine is combating his own prime: even meeting half of that quality would still overshadow many pens, production aesthetics, and artistic approaches in the rap game today. On this album, the Buffalo MC retreads old territory to the point of exhaustion, and also, backtracks on the skill that we expect across the board. It puts pressure on the next move to show a bit of evolution or quality control.
After a dramatic, short intro (“Despertar”), “Mutty” kicks things off with a dusty Conductor Williams beat, of which there are two more on Slant Face Killah. Other production mainstays include Daringer, Camoflauge Monk, Beat Butcha, and legends like Cool & Dre and Swizz Beatz, along with more potentially surprising names like Cardo, Don Cannon, and Cubeatz. In the record’s first half, Conway The Machine showcases grimy and piano-heavy boom-bap that he murders with such conviction. “Give & Give” brings more luxury with a complex rhyme scheme and soulful vocal samples, whereas “Karimi” shifts the album’s closing moments to a woozy and chunky place with mechanical percussion and synth pads.
Still, Slant Face Killah often stays in the same place production-wise for any given track’s entire runtime. Other times, the instrumental rewinds the clock in less flattering ways, such as the trite keys, lyrics, refrains, and trap hi-hats on “Dasani” that not even a solid Conway The Machine flow could save. The very next track, “Raw!,” ironically tributes Big Daddy Kane while almost venturing into rage territory. While La Máquina flows well on it, it feels like a translation of a boom-bap beat to a trap one rather than fully embracing some of the latter style’s more distinct qualities.
“Griselda Records, I should be the logo,” Conway The Machine raps on “Kin Xpress” with Larry June. On Slant Face Killah, the 42-year-old’s pen remains sharp, vivid, confident, boisterous, murderous, self-aware, and focused. “Milano Nights, Pt. 1” easily has the best quotable on the LP with “I’ll do a drive-by to André 3000’s flute album,” a distilled duality that oddly speaks to the appeal of his music. Much of the rest, such as, “You writing sixteens, I’m like JK Rowling’s four-hundred eighty-eight page novel” on “Surf & Turf,” is as hard as it is indicative of his talents.
Alas, Conway The Machine can’t escape some cringe bars here and there: Twitch and Adin Ross on “Ninja Man” and how his girl’s fancy whip makes her feel like Khloe “Car-That-She-In.” Actually, there’s a specific inflection point that makes this more obvious. By the time we hit “Ten” with Key Glock, not only does Conway’s flow get washed by Glizock on a trap instrumental, but his wordplay and topical focuses just either recycle or become less captivating on impact. It’s hard to keep up a high level across the board here, especially when featured guests break up the pattern.
Unsurprisingly great features from Method Man on “Meth Back!,” Joey Bada$$ on “Vertino,” and others like Ab-Soul, Jay Worthy, and Stove God Cooks really match him on the passion, the hunger, and the effort. Regardless, it would’ve been nice to see some more overt chemistry between them and Conway The Machine. For example, Tech N9ne underwhelms on Slant Face Killah beyond intricate rhymes, and Rya Maxwell’s bizarre cadence and boring beat selection make it feel like you put on a completely different album.
Some tracks overstay their welcome, such as the overlong intro to the “Rya Interlude” and extended outros on multiple cuts across Slant Face Killah‘s tracklist. The attempts to switch styles or stretch out some beats weren’t polished or intent-driven like previous albums in his discography. That being said, since the verses and instrumentals are mostly impressive, this is more of a retrospective issue, not something that incessantly interrupts the album experience.
For the most part, Slant Face Killah is still a very worthy album in Conway’s catalog; it’s just in some small but important Griselda details that it falters. When there’s so much quality to go through, it makes these crevices look like caverns. Whereas other Griselda affiliates or “type artists” like Boldy James benefit from knowing their lane and quality standard, Conway The Machine’s capable of doing everything under the sun from lyrical onslaughts to commercial crossovers and topical depth, so why wouldn’t he want to push himself beyond this lane?
Fortunately, the closing track on here stuns. While “The Red Moon In Osaka” is not necessarily a perfect pen performance, The Alchemist’s evolutionary and layered sample flip, plus Raekwon’s monologued advice to “stay on the come-up,” provides the most emotionally distinct, compelling, and unique track on Slant Face Killah. You don’t read the bars: you feel them. That’s the secret sauce that this album didn’t spread evenly, and one that’s hard to impress fans with at this point. So shock us on the next LP, Conway: you earned our undivided attention long ago.
