Over the past few months, NLE Choppa has been dropping heater after heater ahead of his much-anticipated album, Cottonwood 2. On his latest, “Ain’t Gonna Answer,” Choppa collaborates with his favorite rapper, Lil Wayne, as generations collide and cook up an anthem for the ages.
Over a New Orleans bounce-inspired beat, the Memphis rapper masters the Cash Money flows. On the chorus, he interpolates Birdman and and Lil Wayne’s “Stuntin’ Like My Daddy,” rapping, “Don’t be worried ’bout what we be doing / What we doing making money / What they doing hating on us.”
This transitions smoothly into the post-chorus, where he matches the flow of Juvenile’s “Back That Azz Up,” declaring, “Big booty b*tch, made her back her ass up / Shots out the switch made him bag this man up / Say that she yo b*tch, she my private dancer / You can call her phone, but she ain’t gon’ answer.”
In the video, Choppa and Weezy are seen delivering their verses while surrounded by twerking women. Toward the end, an aspiring rapper hops out of a car to show Choppa — well — some surprising bars.
You can check out the video for “Ain’t Gonna Answer” above.
Cottonwood 2 is out 4/14 via Warner Records. Find more information here.
NLE Choppa is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
His infatuation with Ice Spice is already out there, but NLE Choppa explains his feelings for the Bronx rapper. Ice Spice is widely accepted as Rap’s new “it” girl who is proving to be more than a one-hit-wonder. “Munch” may have helped her climb into celebrity circles, but Ice Spice continues to build on her growing fanbase with each release. Choppa revealed that Spice made his heart pitter-patter, and Jason Lee questioned him about the potential romance. The Memphis rapper sat down for The Jason Lee Show, and he seemed coy while discussing the “In Ha Mood” hitmaker.
“Do you love Ice Spice from a distance?” Lee asked in our exclusive clip from NLE Choppa’s episode. It’s a valid question, considering he even released a song named after her. The rapper laughed before saying, “Ice Spice [is] beautiful.” Lee wanted Choppa’s thoughts on why the Like…? artist is “so poppin’ right now.” He suggested he wasn’t as tapped into this generation’s fandom but said he sees she’s making waves. “I mean…you just gotta be marketable nowadays,” answered Choppa. Then, Lee put on a little pressure and continued to ask about NLE and Ice exchanging flirtations.
NLE Choppa Is Impressed With Ice Spice
Choppa further shared that he didn’t have to slide in Spice’s DMs because he got her number. “We talked about music,” he revealed. Lee was curious if there were any other topics discussed. “Nah, just music.” The rapper was noticeably restrained with his answers, and it wasn’t missed by the host. “He was boisterous on every other question,” Lee joked. However, he wasn’t letting it go and asked Choppa about his texts with Spice.
“I don’t text her no more,” Choppa said with a smile. “She changed her number. So, I watch from a distance. I see she’s doing a lot of big things. The matchmaking attempts continued, but Choppa wasn’t pressing it. He seems content with where things are but said he would make the time if she were interested in a vegan date. Lee added, “I think y’all would make a good couple.”
Ice Spice Has The Boys’ Attention
Meanwhile, NLE Choppa isn’t the only person with a thing for Ms. Spice. Comedian Druski has been shooting his shot, as well. He told Shannon Sharpe, “Yeah, she’s somethin’. She got a little something on her.” Druski added, “I really would—I like shawty. I ain’t—that’s why I told her, it ain’t even about the music and all that. To me, you gon’ get me.” Watch our exclusive The Jason Lee Show clip with NLE Choppa above.
According to TMZ, Choppa’s latest single, “Mo Up Front,” was supposed to play in a commercial accompanying Powerade’s “What 50% More Means” campaign, which heavily featured Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies. The commercials was reportedly set to air during the NCAA March Madness.
However, the commercial was reportedly pulled after Morant shared a video of him waving a gun on Instagram live.
Despite the whole ordeal, TMZ is reporting that he and Morant still maintain a close relationship. Today (March 18), Choppa took to his Instagram story to address previous reports that he had lost the deal with Powerade.
According to the Memphis rapper, the commercial was, in fact, not pulled, but actually redone.
“Ja ain’t block a blessing,” Choppa said, “what’s meant to shine will shine. The commercial was recreated and is live now.”
He continued, offering words of support for Morant.
“He’s all good and is still learning,” he said, “he’ll come back better than before.”
Via Instagram
Next month, Choppa will release his much-anticipated album, Cottonwood 2, which will feature “Mo Up Front,” “Champions,” and the Rose Royce-sampling “Do It Again.”
Cottonwood 2 is out 4/14 via Warner Records. Find more information here.
NLE Choppa is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Ja Morant’s suspension bled over into many aspects of the entertainment world, including a Powerade ad with NLE Choppa. Not only was the ad featuring Morant itself pulled, but Choppa’s new track “Mo Up Front” was meant to be used as its soundtrack. Following the Grizzlies player’s gun-flashing incident, though, it seems like both lost their chance at the bag. Of course, it’s beyond NLE’s control, which is unfortunate considering that he’s not a massive commercial star when compared to other ad-frequenting artists. This could’ve really boosted his profile and brand, although he’ll likely have more opportunities like this in the future.
Moreover, TMZ reported the news and heard from sources close to their camps that the ad was part of Ja and Powerade’s “What 50% More Means” campaign. In addition, the ad highlighted March Madness in the NCAA. After the basketball star’s suspension and subsequent investigations, such plans fell through. However, TMZ‘s sources reported that the two are still good friends, have a good rapport, and maintain a relationship. After all, the Memphis rapper walked the Grizzlies out for their opening home game, so his fandom runs deep.
NLE Choppa Loses Powerade Spot With Ja Morant
In fact, the “Shotta Flow” MC will participate in the team’s celebrity basketball game on Monday (March 20). Not only should it be a fun and celebratory occasion, but it will also benefit St. Jude’s Hospital. On the musical end of things, the artist will give fans a lot of heat very soon. Apparently, his upcoming track with Lil Wayne drops next week, titled “Ain’t Gonna Answer.” What’s more is that it’ll be the last (or one of the last) singles before the April release of his next album Cottonwood 2.
Meanwhile, Morant’s situation also prompted the Memphis NBA team to change their travel protocols for the sake of the players. It seems like the team at large often got into trouble at the road. Furthermore, its players will not be allowed to stay overnight at cities they travel to. Instead, they must hit the road immediately after a game to their next destination. Let us know your thoughts on this in the comments below and return to HNHH for the latest on NLE Choppa and Ja Morant.
NLE Choppa‘s much-anticipated album, Cottonwood 2 is on the way. Ahead of the album, which is set to arrive this spring, Choppa has dropped a braggadocious new single, “Mo Up Front.”
Over a rattling percussion beat, he is fully aware of his rap superstardom, making it known that if he plans to make any sort of appearance, he’s going to need people to pay up.
“Tell ‘em that I know money / used to getting dope money / Now I’m getting show money / I need some mo up front,” raps Choppa on the song’s chorus.
In the song’s accompanying visual, he is seen on an opulent jewelry shopping spree, then later, throwing around cash.
Rap music is constantly undergoing a sonic evolution as each generation of talent pulls inspiration for what’s happening around them musically. For this edition of React Like You Know, we sat down with Gen Z rappers to quiz them on Panic! At The Disco’s hit single, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies.”
The emo pop-punk song, originally released in 2005, propelled the band into the mainstream and is now five times platinum in the United States alone. Although the song is continuing to pick up stream with the new generation of music lovers, the band’s frontman Brendon Urie announced that Panic! At The Disco was coming to an end after 19 years of creating together.
On a panel of reactors, Day Sulan immediately exclaims, “This was my sh*t when I was going through my emo phase!” When Uproxx’s Cherise Johnson follows up, Sulan admits, “Nah, I was really emo at one point, I even had pink hair.”
Similarly, Tia Corine gushes about her love of the track stating, “I used to get dressed in the morning to this [song] with my little white TV. What!”
Despite his hardened exterior, rapper King Most Wanted proudly proclaims, “N****s don’t know I f*ck with this sh*t.”
Other the other hand, rappers like Kalan.FrFr confessed that they weren’t familiar with the band but certainly heard the song in passing. “Madden [the video game]! I know this song, but I’ve never seen the video ever before in my life,” he says. Rapper Lil Zay Osama, on the other hand, has a different story: “I started listening to music like this in jail, though.”
4L Javi chimes in to add, “I don’t know the lyrics, but I know how the [instrumental] starts.”
Others like Rich Homie Quan and NLE Choppa join to share that although the video threw them off in the beginning, the same was actually cool.
You can watch our panel react to the “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” video above.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
So far, 2023 seems to be bringing out big comebacks from artists previously taking lengthy hiatuses from releasing music. Last month we saw Rihanna take over the Super Bowl Halftime show with her iconic performance, and now, we have the first album from Macklemore since 2017. On Friday (March 3), the Washington-born artist shared his long-awaited BEN project, boasting plenty of interesting collaborations for your consideration.
His first single came in 2022, “CHANT” featuring Tones And I. Since then, he’s also shared the upbeat “MANIAC” with Windset, “FAITHFUL” alongside NLE Choppa, and finally, “HEROES” in tandem with DJ Premier. The singles and their visuals were all well-received among audiences, and along with BEN, Macklemore had one more video in store for fans this weekend.
Macklemore’s BEN Arrives Alongside “NO BAD DAYS” Visual
In “NO BAD DAYS,” we see the “Thrift Shop” hitmaker in full dad mode, hanging out with his young daughter Collett who actually earned an official feature on the track. Other guest appearances Macklemore was able to nab on his third studio album include Morray on the closing title, “TAIL LIGHTS,” and Livingston on “SORRY.”
Additionally, Sarah Barthel of Phantogram, Jackson Lee Morgan, Vic Daggs II, and charlieonnafriday all did their part to aid the father of three with his triumphant return. Die-hard Macklemore fans will be happy to know that the rapper plans to head out on tour later this year, taking tracks from BEN to stages in 19 different cities starting in mid-September.
Stream Macklemore’s BEN album on Spotify or Apple Music below. Afterward, tell us which songs from the tracklist you’ll be adding to your playlist in the comments. Make sure to check back later this weekend for more release recommendations on our Fire Emoji and R&B Season updates.
“Shotta Flow” rapper NLE Choppa has recently turned to a healthier lifestyle using healthy practices like meditation and homemade tea regiments to get him feeling right for his day. NLE, 20, born Bryson Lashun Potts, arrived on the music scene in 2019 with his 10 song EP, Cottonwood. Cottonwood introduces NLE with hard beats, blunt lyrics and a Memphis twist. His 2019 single “Shotta Flow” featuring Blueface, was so successful, that it became 3X platinum and charted top 40 on Billboard Hot 100,. This demonstrated that NLE was someone not to be taken lightly.
NLE Choppa Is CEO of His Label, No Love Entertainment
NLE Choppa performs during BIG3 – Week Four at the American Airlines Center. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images for BIG3)
Taking control of his career, Memphis rapper NLE Choppa became the CEO of his personal label, No Love Entertainment. Turning down deals with Republic Records, Interscope Records, and Caroline, the rapper has proved that he is more than adequate at being able to handle his business in the industry. However, NLE did sign an independent distribution deal with UnitedMasters with the rights to his masters and publishing. His continued success with hits like “Walk Em Down” featuring Roddy Rich, made so many waves that it guaranteed him a spot on XXL’s 2020 Freshman Class alongside Fivio Foreign, Baby Keem, and Polo G.
From Music to Meditation
Mozzy and NLE Choppa attend 2021 Revolt Summit at 787 Windsor. (Photo by Prince Williams/FilmMagic)
Lately, NLE has been up to more than just making aggressive lyrical flows. Implementing a new healthy routine into his life, NLE says, “To Be A Champion You Have To Start Your Day Like One.” Recently making videos of his healing remedies on TikTok and Instagram, fans get to see inside how he stays his spirited self.
Starting his day off with morning meditation, NLE spends time in the sun to resonate with his surroundings and ground his aura. He uses an amethyst crystal, used for serenity and manifesting calm emotions, to clear his space. Being that NLE is a water sign in the astrological world, as he’s a Scorpio, NLE says he keeps his crystal in a seashell to bring it closer to its abilities.
NLE Stays Dedicated to His Healthy Lifestyle
Next, NLE uses sage to remove any negative energy around him and his surroundings. Sage is used to enhance cognitivity and protect the body against unwanted energies. He lights it, pointing up, of course, to keep its positivity, and proceeds to let its aroma and smoke envelope his body to release its tension and balance his mind.
After NLE clears his energy, he makes a homemade pot of lemon and ginger tea. Filling the pot up halfway with water, he infuses it over the stove with lemon and ginger slices. This type of tea reduces the intake of toxins in the body, protects the body from inflammation, helps digestion, congestion and serves as a very tasty ritual to include in his healthy lifestyle. For reference, the tea should come to a full boil, then reduce the heat to let the lemons and ginger infuse their flavor for at least 15 minutes. This also allows the organic qualities of the tea to take root when you drink it.
NLE also makes sure to keep a strict vegan diet, only eating fruits and vegetables. For breakfast, he makes a hearty smoothie with strawberries and blueberries. Eating fruits like grapefruit and plant-based products to increase physical energy, he is then able to work out by lifting weights and running.
He also takes good care of his appearance by keeping his skin hydrated with facial products and clay masks. NLE says he may hate the struggle, but it’s essentially made him “harder.” This is no surprise, as the healthy routine he uses includes rigorous practices that take patience, time, and dedication to not only begin, but keep them as an everyday habit to increase the quality of your health.
NLE Choppa Suffers Loss of Son with Ex-Girlfriend
Mozzy, NLE Choppa and Royce Da 5’9 attend 2021 Revolt Summit at 787 Windsor. (Photo by Prince Williams/FilmMagic)
Though NLE has changed his lifestyle, the journey to this new road wasn’t easy. In2022 he and ex-girlfriend, Marissa Da’Nae, announced that their son, Seven had passed away due a miscarriage. This could very well have influenced his decision to become more balanced and spiritual.
After the passing of their son, NLE took to the studio to transform his pain into devotion by writing song, “The Gender Reveal Song,” where he raps about how he would have cared for his son or daughter. Singing, “Love her or love him, every decision is made for them. God should be the only one you put above them. When you hold them in your hand, I swear you can’t unlove them.” Though he and the mother of Seven are no longer together, NLE has shown Marissa his support through their grieving process.
As for his latest release, “Do It Again” featuring 2Rare, his hard delivery is embodied impeccably. As he continues to stay healthy with his meditative practices, fans should anticipate a stronger, focused, and leveled up NLE, as the benefits of his new lifestyle are very powerful and positive.
NLE Choppa is giving out flowers to everyone that inspires him, including himself. The Memphis rapper is looking for a fresh start in all areas of his life. Whether it is his physical health thanks to herbology, spiritual well-being, or community involvement seen in him organizing a peaceful protest in his hometown, NLE Choppa is taking take ownership of himself.
His latest Tay Keith-produced single, “23,” off his upcoming project Cottonwood 2 is the result of this work. The rapper stopped by our studios to share the behind-the-scenes of the song’s accompanying video.
“I named the song ’23’ because I felt the year of 2023 was a [Michael] Jordan year. This year might make the goats. This year might make people that are not the goats,” said Choppa.
The video, co-directed by the rapper and Water Wippin Evan, as Choppa shares, was filmed over the course of two days, starting in Los Angeles and then ending in Memphis on the same block where it all began for him.
When asked by Uproxx’s Cherise Johnson what it was like to return to his hometown in the same place he filmed his breakout hit, “Shotta Flow,” Choppa said, “Man, it was beautiful. I got a lot of love too. There were a lot of kids running up to me,” before adding, “it’s really memory lane.”
That’s not the only reason the video holds an emotional significance to him. Parts of the video were filmed around the memorial services for the late rapper Big Scarr, who was a dear friend of his.
Watch NLE Choppa’s full behind-the-scenes breakdown of the “23” video above.
Outside of his behind-the-scenes video breakdown, be sure to catch NLE Choppa’s UPROXX Sessions performance of “23.” Click here to watch it now.
NLE Choppa is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
