Tems has become a household name in a head-spinning amount of time. The Nigerian songstress went from critically acclaimed artist to pop star thanks to collabs with the likes of Future, Wizkid, and Drake. She even appeared on the soundtrack for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in 2022. Tems is officially a big time name, and she hasn’t even dropped an album. At least, so far. She hopped on social media on May 10 to unveil the cover AND release date for her long-awaited debut.
The artwork for her debut album, Born In the Wild, is absolutely striking. The singer is barely illuminated against a black backdrop. All you can see is her eyes, her jewelry, and loose outline of her body. It fits her soulful, ethereal aesthetic to a T. The bigger revelation, though, was the album’s release date. Fans have been waiting for a Tems album for close to five years, so to call a proper release date a huge deal is an understatement. The singer confirmed that Born In the Wild will be dropping on June 7th.
This is my most special moment. Everything I have I put into this. Thank you all so much for believing in me. BORN IN THE WILD. JUNE 7th pic.twitter.com/ZCBXYDn4M9
Born In the Wild is a long time coming. Tems first teased the album’s existence in 2022 via X (formerly Twitter), and it was originally supposed to drop in May 2024. She didn’t reveal the reason for the delay, but she did reflect on feeling the pressure to deliver during a Billboard profile. The singer claimed she wanted to push the boundaries of what Nigerian performers could get away with. “Is it possible to make this type of music even though I’m Nigerian,” she asked the outlet. “Is there a limit to what I can make? I wanted to find out.”
Tems has released three singles ahead of the album’s release. “Me & U,” “Not An Angel,” and “Love Me JeJe” have all been warmly received by fans and critics.”Me & U” has done particularly well, earning an Outstanding International Song at the 55th NAACP Image Awards. Tems described each of these songs as being powerful because they came from an honest place. “I feed myself with truth and I pray a lot,” she told Apple Music. “I think attaining knowledge and gaining understanding is how you stay grounded.” Now that a proper release date has been dropped, the prayers of Tems’ fans have also been answered.
You can’t have a conversation about West Coast Hip-Hop without mentioning Snoop Dogg and Tha Dogg Pound. In fact, they serve as the pioneers who paved the way for gangsta rap, especially on this side of the country. Back in the day, if you saw Snoop Dogg, you saw Kurupt and Daz Dillinger with him. The Hip-Hop duo was first featured on Snoop’s debut solo album, Doggystyle, in the song “For All My N****z & Bitchez”… and it’s been up ever since. And with Doggystyle being released over three decades ago, fans have been wondering: will we ever see another Dogg Pound album?
With Snoop being the marketing genius he is, he had to capitalize on the moment. The trio recently shook up the rap game by dropping their single and visual to “Smoke Up,” with a montage of celebrity cameos asking: “what’s up with Tha Dogg Pound? I heard they broke up.” Everyone including Ray J, Xzibit, Tyrese Gibson, Flavor Flav, NLE Choppa, and Druski joined in on the festivities. “Smoke Up” serves as the first single off Tha Dogg Pound’s forthcoming album titled We All We Got. The project is executive produced by Snoop Dogg, dropping on May 31st.
HotNewHipHop had the opportunity to chat with Daz Dillinger and Kurupt at their private album listening session at Snoop’s compound in Inglewood, California.
“Smoke Up” is going crazy. What’re you most excited for and why?
Daz Dillinger: Everybody to share their weed and smoke up. [laughs]
Kurupt: I’m excited to see what people’s reaction is to this great music that we’re finna to give to them. To get on our page, and it’s bonafide West Coast shit.
Why We All We Got? Explain that title.
Kurupt: Because that’s real. We all we got.
Daz Dillinger: We all we got. Look at your family. You got your mother, father. They’re still here, right? See, we don’t have our moms. And Del Mar doesn’t have his father. Me and Snoopy still have ours, so we all we got. What else do we get? Besides us. Through our 30 semi venture year venture in this game, Delmar and Snoop — shit, since they were kids. We All We Got is self-explanatory.
What was the best memory from creating this album?
Kurupt: When I came in the studio, I didn’t know Daz was gonna be there. I talked to Daz, trying to get his mind right. I talked to Snoop, trying to get his mind right. They both was doing their family shit, so ain’t too much I can do. The next thing you know, I walked in the studio in and Delmar’s there. I walk in with Snoop and Daz is there. I’m like oh shit, you motherfuckers think y’all slick? Good job. That was the greatest thing ever.
Daz Dillinger: He’s been smiling ever since. [laughs]
Kurupt: Ever since.
What about you Daz?
Daz Dillinger: Digging in Snoop’s weed bag again. Half ounce. Sack got bigger.
Kurupt: Did you just tell on yourself?
Daz Dillinger: He don’t give a damn. He’s happy I’m back. Have it all.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 23: American hip hop duo Tha Dogg Pound, Kurupt and Daz Dillinger perform at 93.5 KDAY’s Hip Hop Harvestat Microsoft Theater on November 23, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Unique Nicole/Getty Images)
Snoop executive produced the album, how smoked out were those sessions?
Daz Dillinger: It was pretty smoke-aful.
Kurupt: Oh yeah, it was smoke-aful.
How do y’all feel about the Kendrick versus Drake beef?
Daz Dillinger: That’s Kurupt, that’s his little kid right there.
Kurupt: He’s grown, but that is my killer.
Daz Dillinger: He’s a grown kid.
Who, Kendrick?
Kurupt: Hell yeah.
Daz Dillinger: He said the KDot stands for Kurupt. [laughs]
Kurupt: I just found out about the situation a couple of days ago. I listened to one of Kendrick’s records that they played for me, then my nephew MarMar Oso that night played me Drake’s. I heard that one like damn, they both bussin’ though. See, ‘cause they both my friends. Except, Drake’s my favorite artist.
Damn, for real?
Kurupt: Hell yeah, I tell everybody in every interview. They say “who ya favorite artist?” Drake, because his style man. He’s all over the place with his shit. He could give you melodies to your heart ass, he can give you this mic. He’s everywhere. And when he gives you the mic, he’s Trump tight on it. He’s got rhymes. But Kendrick is my killer, see? So it’s awkward. It’s like ah.
I don’t know how they got into it, but I hope people didn’t forget about KDot. The Kendrick thing, maybe they got it confused. Kendrick Lamar. That’s like me calling myself Ricardo Brown, but they forget about Kurupt Young Gotti. See, they forget about Kurupt. Well, I got three spectrums. Ricardo Brown, I could make that work. Then there’s Kurupt, then there’s Gotti.
Daz Dillinger: Kurupt the Kingpin.
Kurupt: People must have forgotten about KDot or something, because why would you want to feud with this guy? This guy is a beast. This kid, he got the key to the city. From murder though. Not because he’s a great artist, he got it from the mic. War. I’m just like ah. I don’t know enough to really give up an opinion.
What about you Daz?
Daz Dillinger: I love it all, ain’t nobody got killed.
Are things going too far?
Daz Dillinger: Ummm, if they never see each other. They can keep it on wax. LL Cool J and Ice T did.
STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 30: Kurupt (L) and Daz Dillinger of Tha Dogg Pound perform during “Today Was a Good Day!” at Stockton Arena on September 30, 2023 in Stockton, California. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)
Who do you believe is winning?
Daz Dillinger: KDot. Because every n*gga in the hood banging and dancing. Drake’s shit in the club, but Kendrick’s shit in the street. A lot of n*ggas in the streets can’t get to the club, so we in the street.
Do you believe it will continue?
Daz Dillinger: I thought Drake pulled out the white flag. It’s wearing him out.
Best song from the battle overall?
Daz Dillinger: Kendrick rapped about what, eight minutes or something? [laughs]
Kurupt: Was that Kendrick or was that Drake?
Daz Dillinger: Both of them, shit. They did about nine minutes a piece.
Kurupt: I’m such an old man. I’m so out of touch.
How does this beef today compared to when you guys were coming up?
Daz Dillinger: It don’t. It don’t compare. Ain’t no ambulance being called.
Both: [laughs]
Anything we should know about We All We Got?
Daz Dillinger: May 31st, Daz and Kurupt. Kurupt and Daz. Snoop Dogg, Death Row Records. We here.
So many big-ticket artists have come through with some fire releases today. Chief Keef, Ghostface Killah, and Gunna are just a handful, but Conway the Machine deserves to be in that conversation. The prolific and gritty Buffalo, New Yorker has been on a torrent streak of releases over the last year and today he is back with a new studio album. In fact, SFK(Slant Face Killah), is the fourth one in the discography of Conway The Machine.
Right from the true opening cut “Mutty” with the ever-so-consistent Stove God Cooks, you know that Conway is not playing around on this project. However, that point was clear when the promotional singles were rolling out. Additionally, SFK was bound to be great based on the stacked set of guest performers. With names like Joey Bada$$, Method Man, Swizz Beatz, Key Glock, Tech N9ne, and Raekwon in the fold, fire collaborations are bountiful.
Listen To SFK (Slant Face Killah) By Conway The Machine
On this tape, Conway is delivering his usual dingy boom-bap formula on cuts like “Meth Back!” and “Mutty.” But he is also showing that he enjoys bodying trap beats on “Ten/Rya Interlude” and “Raw!” That is especially true on the latter, as Conway is like a hot knife through butter on the speedier drum pattern. Overall, Conway really brings it on the concise 14-song tracklist, and rarely feels like an afterthought at any point.
What are your thoughts on this brand-new album SFK(Slant Face Killah) by Conway The Machine? What tracks have you been gravitating toward? Who had the strongest guest performance? Where do you rank this project amongst his studio albums? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Conway The Machine. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
SFK(Slant Face Killah) Tracklist:
Despertar
Mutty (feat. Stove God Cooks)
Give & Give with Cool & Dre
Milano Nights, Pt. 1
Kin Xpress (feat. Larry June)
Meth Back! (feat. Method Man, Sk Da King & Flee Lord)
Ninja Man with Swizz Beatz
Vertino with Joey Bada$$
Ten/Rya Interlude with Key Glock (feat. Rya Maxwell)
Dasani
Raw! with Tech N9ne
Surf & Turf with Jay Worthy (feat. T.F, 2 Eleven & Ab-Soul)
Ghostface Killah managed to stand out in a group full of legends when he was with the Wu-Tang Clan. Now, the Staten Island native is making his presence felt in a similar way, even in today’s landscape. After four years of not dropping a new album, Ghostface Killah has just ended the dry spell with Set The Tone (Guns & Roses). This marks his 12th solo effort and excitingly, this is the East Coast spitter’s first release underneath Nas’ label, Mass Appeal.
Leading up to this moment, Killah put out two singles; “YUPP!” with Remy Ma and “Scar Tissue” featuring Nas. Additionally, over the last week, he had been getting fans hyped for Set The Tone on his social media platforms. “HOLD TIGHT THIS ALBUM HAS FIRE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE…. GUNS & ROSES, Ghostface said while promoting “Scar Tissue on IG.” Those words from the now 54-year-old (as of May 9), are quite true, as he brings different genres, like dancehall, to the table.
Listen To Set The Tone (Guns & Roses) By Ghostface Killah
Outside of this being a new album from an all-timer like Ghostface, another big draw for this album was the feature list. A lot of people, including were thrilled when we saw who was enlisted. From one of Kanye West’s better verses on “No Face,” to Beniton’s contagious energy on “Champion Sound,” there a lot of great variety. Ghostface shows why he still commands respect to this day on Set The Tone.
What are your thoughts on this brand-new album Set The Tone (Guns & Roses) by Ghostface Killah? What tracks have you been gravitating toward? Who had the strongest guest performance? Where do you have Ghostface ranked amongst the greatest rappers of all time? 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 Ghostface Killah. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Less than a year after Gunna’s comeback album a Gift & a Curse following a prison stint, he wasted no time in giving fans the one-two punch with his brand-new LP, One Of Wun. Moreover, with features from Offset, Normani, Roddy Ricch, and Leon Bridges across 20 songs, there’s a lot of room for bangers… as well as disappointment. However, from what the general social media reception to the project has looked like in its first hours on the market, it seems like fans are quite satisfied with this record. Of course, we’ll have to see how it ages and what more scrutinized critical reception looks like, but right now, it seems like he took a W here.
Moreover, Gunna also raised eyebrows with some particular bars here and there that many fans interpreted as subliminal shots at other rappers. For example, some bars on here relate to paying for abs and having writers, which some people think might’ve been aimed at Drake and Lil Baby. Still, that’s just speculation at the moment, just like a lot of rumors surrounding him and his rap allegiances right now. The College Park MC entered a tough situation when he made his plea deal in the YSL RICO case, although it’s been heartening to see his return.
Elsewhere, people also thought that Gunna and Future had some issues to work out, as fans theorized that they would go head-to-head with new projects this week based on some alleged social media shots. Fewtch ended up dropping a single, not a mixtape, so we’ll see whether this narrative persists throughout One Of Wun‘s hype cycle. Apart from those narrative caveats, this is a Wunna album through and through, so we’d highly recommend you give it a shot if you’ve ever liked his material in the past. Check out some more reactions to the album down below.
Meanwhile, what did you think about One Of Wun? Did the “Whatsapp” spitter hit another LP out of the park or did this still leave you with little to latch onto? However you may feel, drop your thoughts down in the comments section below. Also, stick around on HNHH for more news and the latest updates on Gunna.
Drake and Lil Baby are two artists who have collaborated quite a bit over the years. Moreover, they both used to work with Gunna. Of course, Lil Baby and Gunna were seen as a dynamic duo of sorts. They dropped a collaborative album together back in 2018, and they were both Young Thug disciples. However, both Drake and Lil Baby choose not to associate with Gunna anymore. This is due to the fact that Gunna is perceived as a snitch by his peers. After being arrested alongside Thugger in 2022, he was eventually released. While there is no concrete proof that he snitched, many within the industry have already made up their mind.
On Friday, Gunna dropped off his new album One Of Wun. Given all that he has been through, fans were expecting some bars about the YSL case. Furthermore, it was expected that he would have subliminal bars for those who have been distancing themselves from him. Well, below, you can see some lines from the song “Still Prevail” that appear to be directed at Drake, or at least that’s what the fans believe. Gunna essentially accuses some men of paying for their abs. While Akademiks jokes that this is about Bandman KEVO, others are thinking of Drizzy, especially after the recent disses from Rick Ross and Kendrick Lamar.
Meanwhile, on the song “collage,” Gunna speaks about not needing a writer. Fans are theorizing that this is about Lil Baby. Overall, this is because the rumor for years has been that Gunna was writing for Lil Baby. Some fans even think that Lil Baby fell off due to the fact that Gunna stopped writing for him. This is only an allegation and hasn’t been fully proven. However, fans are convinced that Drake and Baby are the victims of some strays on this project.
Lil Baby May Have Caught One Too
Let us know what you think of these bars, in the comments section down below. Do you believe that Gunna is actually taking shots at Drake and Lil Baby here? How are you feeling the new Gunna album so far? Is it living up to your expectations? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
Gunna has spent the last few years doing damage control. He was arrested in relation to the YSL Rico indictment, and his decision to cop a plea deal led to debate over whether he was “snitch.” It’s a tough label to tear off once it’s been applied, but the Georgia rapper has done a good job of redirecting fans back to his music. Gunna’s 2023 album, A Gift & a Curse, spawned his second top 10 hit, and his latest album, One of Wun, is an attempt to bolster his credibility as an artist.
One of Wun has some Gunna’s slickest album cuts to date. “whatsapp (wassam)” remains a standout, but it’s a credit to the uniformly excellent production that it sounds right at home. “collage” and “neck on a yacht” are braggadocios cuts that further the opulent, unhurried tone of the album as a whole. Gunna has more confidence than ever when it comes to finding catchy, unique rhyming pockets, and it shows. “On one tonight” and “still prevail” are low on substance but high on style. Frankly, that’s where Gunna excels.
One of Wun is surprisingly light on features, though it actually plays to the album’s benefit. It’s a breath of fresh air when Normami and Leon Bridges show up on “$$$” and “clear my rain,” respectively. Gunna does surprisingly well on these more soulful cuts. Offset and Roddy Ricch provide the only guest verses, and the former absolutely steals the show on “prada dem.” It’s probably still the best song on the album. The biggest knock against One of Wun is that it’s too long. It’s 20 songs, and even on first listen, you can pick out tracks that could’ve been cut. There’s a better album within the finished product we got.
What are your thoughts on this brand-new album One of Wun by Gunna? Is this the rapper’s best album yet? Which song is your favorite and why? Do you think the rapper is throwing subs at Future? 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 Gunna. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on around the music world.
Conway The Machine is always cooking up something for his fans. He has a new album called SFK dropping tonight and he’s spent all week building up hype for it. That hype hit its peak with a new video he shared to social media assisted by a pretty surprising guest. Unsurprisingly the upcoming album sports an absolutely packed feature list and continues a years prolific streak for the Griselda crew. Just a few months ago Benny The Butcher finally dropped his often-teased album Everybody Can’t Go.
The video Conway shared features numerous clips of him performing, working on new music, and hanging out behind the scenes. One notable moment sees him meeting pop hitmaker Dua Lipa. The singer just released her new album Radical Optimism, her first since 2020’s Future Nostalgia. Last year she had a smash hit with the song “Dance The Night” from the Barbie film soundtrack. It’s unclear how she ended up in the video or if her presence will hype up many Conway fans, but its an interesting crossover regardless. “I really did it this time!!! I f*cking did it!! . I’m iller than all these n*ggas! I can’t wait for y’all to hear this new sh*t!! SFK FRIDAY” Conway’s caption reads. Check out the full video he shared below.
Conway has already released a few songs from the record. Earlier this month he dropped “Ten/Rya Interlude” which features Key Glock and Rya Maxwell. The trio assembled a full 6-minute song, long by rap standards and even longer by single standards. That was preceded by the Joey Badass-assisted “Vertino” which became an instant fan favorite. The track has since racked up more than 1.5 million streams on Spotify alone.
What do you think of Conway The Machine recruiting a guest appearance from Dua Lipa to hype up his new album? Are you looking forward to hearing SFK when it drops later tonight? Let us know in the comment section below.
Ever since 4batz popped up out of nowhere earlier this year, the 20-year-old phenom has become quite the controversial figure. He has been quickly labeled as an industry plant ever since his “act ii: date @ 8” was pushed on social media. Ever since music listeners thrust this designation at him, he has embraced it with open arms. He told GQ,” “I think it’s kind of cool, It’s like I’m the boogeyman. People are going to meet me and be like, Oh, this is a regular hood n****.”
Kanye West, who hopped on a remix of “act iii,” even told him that more and more people are going to pile on him going forward. “‘Get used to it, because you here now. People are going to look at you like a walking ATM, but you’re going to see through that. You know what I’m saying? Because you a star.’” We feel 4batz is well on his way to that new title, especially with tracks like “act vi: mad man.”
On this cut, the Dallas, Texas vocalist is showing us his freakier and freer side, he asks his woman to be as much of an intimate lover as he is. “My baby like to play around for hours / F*** that, turn around, girl, let’s get nasty,” he says on the first verse. We have really been enjoying his debut tape u made me a st4r, and fans are seemingly sharing the same opinion. You can check out “act vi,” as well as a brand-new short film for the project above.
What are your thoughts on this brand-new song “act vi: mad man” by 4batz? Where does this track rank amongst the rest of the records on the project? Has he won you over with u made me a st4r, why or why not? Who would you like to hear him work with in the future 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 4batz. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Quotable Lyrics:
Never thought ’bout babies till I met you The way you ridin’ me, we might just have some Touch you up and eat you down for breakfast The way we movin’ now, might need a napkin My baby so damn pretty like a flower I can’t wait to see your fine a** blossom
Gunna is dropping a new project on Friday called One Of Wun. If you have been paying attention to Gunna and his career, you know that it has been hard from him ever since coming home from jail. Overall, a lot of his former collaborators see him as a snitch. Young Thug remains on trial, while Gunna is home free. This has consequently led to a narrative that has mostly been disproven, at least for now. On his last album a gift & a curse, Wunna was not able to secure a feature. However, it seems like some have come around on him.
For instance, today, Gunna revealed a 20-song tracklist for his new album. Carrying a 20-song album all by yourself would be a Herculean task. While the artist is going to be carrying the heaviest load here, there are some features throughout the project. For instance, we will be getting Normani, Leon Bridges, Offset, and Roddy Ricch. This is an interesting crop of artists as there is a mixture of R&B and rap here. We have already heard the song with Offset, but it will be interesting to see what the other features bring to the table here.
Meanwhile, fans are eager to see whether or not Gunna will be able to compete with Future here. As we reported, Future is dropping a mixtape on the same day. The two even threw some subs at each other on Twitter during the early hours of the morning. If one thing is for certain here, it is that we are in for a very interesting weekend of music.
Let us know your expectations for this new project, in the comments section down below. Do you believe that this project is going to be able to live up to the hype? What are your thoughts on the features that have been revealed for this project? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
pic.twitter.com/ZCBXYDn4M9
FIRE 
(@ascinhiding) 
(@realrxAFC) 
(@vinhlegacy) 
(@scubaryan_) 
. I’m iller than all these n*ggas! I can’t wait for y’all to hear this new sh*t!! SFK FRIDAY” Conway’s caption reads. Check out the full video he shared below. 