Original Content

LEC Summer 2023: G2 And Fnatic Face Off In Grand Final

by

After the monumental change to move the LEC to three splits per year, we have finally reached the Summer Split. Here, champions will be forged, and the final attendees of the LEC Finals chosen. G2 and MAD Lions have already qualified. They will be joined by the winner of this split, plus the three-highest-scoring teams in Championship Points. From there, those six teams will battle it out for four places at Worlds. However, we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

HotNewHipHop is here to give you the perfect tool to follow along with all the action. In this article, you will find every roster move and an easy-to-understand breakdown of all ten teams’ rosters. Furthermore, you will be able to find the result of every game, as well as regularly-updated standings.

Rosters And Transactions

Top Jungle Mid ADC Support
Astralis Finn 113 LIDER Kobbe JeongHoon
Excel Esports Odoamme Peach Abbedagge Patrik LIMIT
Fnatic Oscarinin Razork Humanoid Noah Trymbi
G2 BrokenBlade Yike Caps Hans Sama Mikyx
KOI Szygenda Malrang Larssen Comp Advienne
MAD Lions Chasy Elyoya Nisqy Carzzy Hylissang
SK Gaming Irrelevant Markoon Sertuss Exakick Doss
Team BDS Adam Sheo nuc Crownie Labrov
Team Heretics Evi Jankos Vetheo Flakked Mersa
Team Vitality Photon Bo
Daglas		 Perkz Upset Kaiser
Names that appear in this table only reflect confirmed roster moves.

April 2023

  • 8th: Team Vitality release coach Mephisto.
  • 10th: Team Heretics mid laner Ruby is listed as inactive.
  • 28th: Fnatic ADC Rekkles role-swaps to support and is listed as inactive.

May 2023

  • 12th: Fnatic release inactive top laner Wunder.
  • 16th: Jungler Xerxe leaves Excel Esports to join Spanish ERL team Giants.
  • 19th: Team Heretics release inactive mid laner Ruby.
  • 23rd: Inactive Excel support Targamas joins Karmine Corp. Meanwhile, inactive Team Vitality ADC Neon joins Vitality.Bee. Elsewhere, Team Heretics ADC Jackspektra joins Team Heretics Academy.
  • 26th: Unicorns of Love jungler Peach signs with Excel Esports.
  • 28th: Team Heretics send ADC Jackspektra to Los Heretics.
  • 31st: Team Heretics promote ADC Flakked from Los Heretics.

June 2023

  • 6th: Fnatic release support Advienne.
  • 7th: Inactive mid laner Vetheo joins Team Heretics from Excel Esports.
  • 8th: KOI release support Trymbi.
  • 9th: KOI sign free agent support Advienne
  • 10th: Fnatic sign ADC Noah from Polish team Zero Tenacity and free agent support Trymbi.
  • 23rd: Inactive Astralis mid laner Dajor joins Spanish team Rebels Gaming
  • 30th: Team Vitality bench jungler Bo and promote academy jungler Daglas

July 2023

  • 4th: Team Vitality jungler Daglas returns to Vitality.Bee

August 2023

  • 21st: Team Vitality release inactive jungler Selfmade

LEC Finals

The LEC Finals will take place in Montpellier, France between August 19 and September 10. The top-three teams will qualify for the Swiss Stage of Worlds 2023. The fourth-place finisher will qualify for a best-of-five qualifier against the fourth-place team from the LCS. The winner of that best-of-five will qualify for the Worlds Play-In Stage.

Qualified:

G2 (Winter split champions)
MAD Lions (Spring split champions)
Excel Esports (Summer split berth)*
Team BDS (Highest championship points)
Fnatic (Second-highest championship points)
SK Gaming (Third-highest championship points)
*Excel Esports finished 2nd in the Summer split but earned the split’s berth as G2 had already qualified for Finals.

Upper Bracket Round 1

G2 3 – 1 Team BDS
MAD Lions 3 – 0 Excel

Lower Bracket Round 1

Fnatic 3 – 2 Excel
SK Gaming 0 – 3 Team BDS

Upper Bracket Final

G2 3 – 1 MAD Lions

Lower Bracket Round 2

  • Wunder replaces Oscarinin for Fnatic after Oscarinin undergoes hand surgery
Team BDS 2 – 3 Fnatic

Lower Bracket Final

MAD Lions 1 – 3 Fnatic

Grand Final

G2 v Fnatic

Regular Season Match Results

Per the new league format, the split’s regular season will comprise of three weeks of three matchdays each. The top eight teams qualify for the GSL round of the playoffs.

Team Record
G2 [Q] 8 – 1
Fnatic [Q] 7 – 2
Excel Esports [Q] 5 – 4
Team Heretics [Q] 5 – 4
Team BDS [Q] 4 – 5
SK Gaming [Q] 4 – 5
MAD Lions [Q] 4 – 5
KOI [Q] 4 – 5
Astralis [E] 3 – 6
Team Vitality [E] 1 – 7

Week 1

June 17

MAD Lions 1 – 0 Team Vitality
Team Heretics 1 – 0 SK Gaming
KOI 1 – 0 Excel Esports
G2 1 – 0 Team BDS
Fnatic 1 – 0 Astralis

June 18

Team Vitality 1 – 0 SK Gaming
Excel Esports 0 – 1 Fnatic
MAD Lions 1 – 0 G2
KOI 0 – 1 Team BDS
Team Heretics 1 – 0 Astralis

June 19

Excel Esports 0 – 1 SK Gaming
Team BDS 0 – 1 Astralis
KOI 0 – 1 MAD Lions
Fnatic 0 – 1 G2
Team Vitality 0 – 1 Team Heretics

Week 2

June 24

SK Gaming 0 – 1 Team BDS
Excel Esports 1 – 0 Team Heretics
KOI 0 – 1 Fnatic
Team Vitality 0 – 1 G2
Astralis 0 – 1 MAD Lions

June 25

Excel Esports 1 – 0 Team BDS
Astralis 1 – 0 Team Vitality
Team Heretics 0 – 1 KOI
G2 1 – 0 SK Gaming
Fnatic 1 – 0 MAD Lions

June 26

Team BDS 0 – 1 Team Heretics
MAD Lions 0 – 1 Excel Esports
G2 1 – 0 Astralis
KOI 0 – 1 SK Gaming
Fnatic 1 – 0 Team Vitality

Week 3

July 1

Astralis 1 – 0 SK Gaming
MAD Lions 0 – 1 Team Heretics
Team Vitality 0 – 1 KOI
Excel Esports 0 – 1 G2
Fnatic 1 – 0 Team BDS

July 2

Excel Esports 1 – 0 Astralis
Team BDS 1 – 0 Team Vitality
G2 1 – 0 KOI
Team Heretics 0 – 1 Fnatic
SK Gaming 1 – 0 MAD Lions
  • Team Vitality’s loss officially eliminated them from playoff contention. Furthermore, SK Gaming’s win confirmed Team Vitality’s 10th-place finish.

July 3

Team BDS 1 – 0 MAD Lions
Team Vitality 0 – 1 Excel Esports
KOI 1 – 0 Astralis
Team Heretics 0 – 1 G2
SK Gaming 1 – 0 Fnatic

Group Stage

Group A

G2
Team Heretics
Team BDS
KOI

Results

G2 2 – 0 KOI
Team Heretics 1 – 2 Team BDS
G2 2 – 0 Team BDS
KOI 0 – 2 Team Heretics
Team BDS 0 – 2 Team Heretics

Group B

Excel Esports
SK Gaming
Fnatic
MAD Lions

Results

Fnatic 0 – 2 SK Gaming
Excel Esports 2 – 0 MAD Lions
SK Gaming 1 – 2 Excel Esports
Fnatic 2 – 0 MAD Lions
SK Gaming 0 – 2 Fnatic

Knockout Stage

Lower Bracket Eliminator: Team Heretics 1 – 3 Fnatic
Upper Bracket Final: G2 3 – 2 Excel
Lower Bracket Final: Excel 3 – 1 Fnatic
Grand Final: G2 3 – 0 Excel

The post LEC Summer 2023: G2 And Fnatic Face Off In Grand Final appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

LEC Summer 2023: Fnatic And Team BDS Fight For Final Guaranteed Spot

by

After the monumental change to move the LEC to three splits per year, we have finally reached the Summer Split. Here, champions will be forged, and the final attendees of the LEC Finals chosen. G2 and MAD Lions have already qualified. They will be joined by the winner of this split, plus the three-highest-scoring teams in Championship Points. From there, those six teams will battle it out for four places at Worlds. However, we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

HotNewHipHop is here to give you the perfect tool to follow along with all the action. In this article, you will find every roster move and an easy-to-understand breakdown of all ten teams’ rosters. Furthermore, you will be able to find the result of every game, as well as regularly-updated standings.

Rosters And Transactions

Top Jungle Mid ADC Support
Astralis Finn 113 LIDER Kobbe JeongHoon
Excel Esports Odoamme Peach Abbedagge Patrik LIMIT
Fnatic Oscarinin Razork Humanoid Noah Trymbi
G2 BrokenBlade Yike Caps Hans Sama Mikyx
KOI Szygenda Malrang Larssen Comp Advienne
MAD Lions Chasy Elyoya Nisqy Carzzy Hylissang
SK Gaming Irrelevant Markoon Sertuss Exakick Doss
Team BDS Adam Sheo nuc Crownie Labrov
Team Heretics Evi Jankos Vetheo Flakked Mersa
Team Vitality Photon Bo
Daglas		 Perkz Upset Kaiser
Names that appear in this table only reflect confirmed roster moves.

April 2023

  • 8th: Team Vitality release coach Mephisto.
  • 10th: Team Heretics mid laner Ruby is listed as inactive.
  • 28th: Fnatic ADC Rekkles role-swaps to support and is listed as inactive.

May 2023

  • 12th: Fnatic release inactive top laner Wunder.
  • 16th: Jungler Xerxe leaves Excel Esports to join Spanish ERL team Giants.
  • 19th: Team Heretics release inactive mid laner Ruby.
  • 23rd: Inactive Excel support Targamas joins Karmine Corp. Meanwhile, inactive Team Vitality ADC Neon joins Vitality.Bee. Elsewhere, Team Heretics ADC Jackspektra joins Team Heretics Academy.
  • 26th: Unicorns of Love jungler Peach signs with Excel Esports.
  • 28th: Team Heretics send ADC Jackspektra to Los Heretics.
  • 31st: Team Heretics promote ADC Flakked from Los Heretics.

June 2023

  • 6th: Fnatic release support Advienne.
  • 7th: Inactive mid laner Vetheo joins Team Heretics from Excel Esports.
  • 8th: KOI release support Trymbi.
  • 9th: KOI sign free agent support Advienne
  • 10th: Fnatic sign ADC Noah from Polish team Zero Tenacity and free agent support Trymbi.
  • 23rd: Inactive Astralis mid laner Dajor joins Spanish team Rebels Gaming
  • 30th: Team Vitality bench jungler Bo and promote academy jungler Daglas

July 2023

  • 4th: Team Vitality jungler Daglas returns to Vitality.Bee

August 2023

  • 21st: Team Vitality release inactive jungler Selfmade

LEC Finals

The LEC Finals will take place in Montpellier, France between August 19 and September 10. The top-three teams will qualify for the Swiss Stage of Worlds 2023. The fourth-place finisher will qualify for a best-of-five qualifier against the fourth-place team from the LCS. The winner of that best-of-five will qualify for the Worlds Play-In Stage.

Qualified:

G2 (Winter split champions)
MAD Lions (Spring split champions)
Excel Esports (Summer split berth)*
Team BDS (Highest championship points)
Fnatic (Second-highest championship points)
SK Gaming (Third-highest championship points)
*Excel Esports finished 2nd in the Summer split but earned the split’s berth as G2 had already qualified for Finals.

Upper Bracket Round 1

G2 3 – 1 Team BDS
MAD Lions 3 – 0 Excel

Lower Bracket Round 1

Fnatic 3 – 2 Excel
SK Gaming 0 – 3 Team BDS

Upper Bracket Final

G2 v MAD Lions

Lower Bracket Round 2

  • Wunder replaces Oscarinin for Fnatic after Oscarinin undergoes hand surgery
Team BDS v Fnatic

Regular Season Match Results

Per the new league format, the split’s regular season will comprise of three weeks of three matchdays each. The top eight teams qualify for the GSL round of the playoffs.

Team Record
G2 [Q] 8 – 1
Fnatic [Q] 7 – 2
Excel Esports [Q] 5 – 4
Team Heretics [Q] 5 – 4
Team BDS [Q] 4 – 5
SK Gaming [Q] 4 – 5
MAD Lions [Q] 4 – 5
KOI [Q] 4 – 5
Astralis [E] 3 – 6
Team Vitality [E] 1 – 7

Week 1

June 17

MAD Lions 1 – 0 Team Vitality
Team Heretics 1 – 0 SK Gaming
KOI 1 – 0 Excel Esports
G2 1 – 0 Team BDS
Fnatic 1 – 0 Astralis

June 18

Team Vitality 1 – 0 SK Gaming
Excel Esports 0 – 1 Fnatic
MAD Lions 1 – 0 G2
KOI 0 – 1 Team BDS
Team Heretics 1 – 0 Astralis

June 19

Excel Esports 0 – 1 SK Gaming
Team BDS 0 – 1 Astralis
KOI 0 – 1 MAD Lions
Fnatic 0 – 1 G2
Team Vitality 0 – 1 Team Heretics

Week 2

June 24

SK Gaming 0 – 1 Team BDS
Excel Esports 1 – 0 Team Heretics
KOI 0 – 1 Fnatic
Team Vitality 0 – 1 G2
Astralis 0 – 1 MAD Lions

June 25

Excel Esports 1 – 0 Team BDS
Astralis 1 – 0 Team Vitality
Team Heretics 0 – 1 KOI
G2 1 – 0 SK Gaming
Fnatic 1 – 0 MAD Lions

June 26

Team BDS 0 – 1 Team Heretics
MAD Lions 0 – 1 Excel Esports
G2 1 – 0 Astralis
KOI 0 – 1 SK Gaming
Fnatic 1 – 0 Team Vitality

Week 3

July 1

Astralis 1 – 0 SK Gaming
MAD Lions 0 – 1 Team Heretics
Team Vitality 0 – 1 KOI
Excel Esports 0 – 1 G2
Fnatic 1 – 0 Team BDS

July 2

Excel Esports 1 – 0 Astralis
Team BDS 1 – 0 Team Vitality
G2 1 – 0 KOI
Team Heretics 0 – 1 Fnatic
SK Gaming 1 – 0 MAD Lions
  • Team Vitality’s loss officially eliminated them from playoff contention. Furthermore, SK Gaming’s win confirmed Team Vitality’s 10th-place finish.

July 3

Team BDS 1 – 0 MAD Lions
Team Vitality 0 – 1 Excel Esports
KOI 1 – 0 Astralis
Team Heretics 0 – 1 G2
SK Gaming 1 – 0 Fnatic

Group Stage

Group A

G2
Team Heretics
Team BDS
KOI

Results

G2 2 – 0 KOI
Team Heretics 1 – 2 Team BDS
G2 2 – 0 Team BDS
KOI 0 – 2 Team Heretics
Team BDS 0 – 2 Team Heretics

Group B

Excel Esports
SK Gaming
Fnatic
MAD Lions

Results

Fnatic 0 – 2 SK Gaming
Excel Esports 2 – 0 MAD Lions
SK Gaming 1 – 2 Excel Esports
Fnatic 2 – 0 MAD Lions
SK Gaming 0 – 2 Fnatic

Knockout Stage

Lower Bracket Eliminator: Team Heretics 1 – 3 Fnatic
Upper Bracket Final: G2 3 – 2 Excel
Lower Bracket Final: Excel 3 – 1 Fnatic
Grand Final: G2 3 – 0 Excel

The post LEC Summer 2023: Fnatic And Team BDS Fight For Final Guaranteed Spot appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

LEC Summer 2023: Fnatic Snag Final Worlds Spot

by

After the monumental change to move the LEC to three splits per year, we have finally reached the Summer Split. Here, champions will be forged, and the final attendees of the LEC Finals chosen. G2 and MAD Lions have already qualified. They will be joined by the winner of this split, plus the three-highest-scoring teams in Championship Points. From there, those six teams will battle it out for four places at Worlds. However, we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

HotNewHipHop is here to give you the perfect tool to follow along with all the action. In this article, you will find every roster move and an easy-to-understand breakdown of all ten teams’ rosters. Furthermore, you will be able to find the result of every game, as well as regularly-updated standings.

Rosters And Transactions

Top Jungle Mid ADC Support
Astralis Finn 113 LIDER Kobbe JeongHoon
Excel Esports Odoamme Peach Abbedagge Patrik LIMIT
Fnatic Oscarinin Razork Humanoid Noah Trymbi
G2 BrokenBlade Yike Caps Hans Sama Mikyx
KOI Szygenda Malrang Larssen Comp Advienne
MAD Lions Chasy Elyoya Nisqy Carzzy Hylissang
SK Gaming Irrelevant Markoon Sertuss Exakick Doss
Team BDS Adam Sheo nuc Crownie Labrov
Team Heretics Evi Jankos Vetheo Flakked Mersa
Team Vitality Photon Bo
Daglas		 Perkz Upset Kaiser
Names that appear in this table only reflect confirmed roster moves.

April 2023

  • 8th: Team Vitality release coach Mephisto.
  • 10th: Team Heretics mid laner Ruby is listed as inactive.
  • 28th: Fnatic ADC Rekkles role-swaps to support and is listed as inactive.

May 2023

  • 12th: Fnatic release inactive top laner Wunder.
  • 16th: Jungler Xerxe leaves Excel Esports to join Spanish ERL team Giants.
  • 19th: Team Heretics release inactive mid laner Ruby.
  • 23rd: Inactive Excel support Targamas joins Karmine Corp. Meanwhile, inactive Team Vitality ADC Neon joins Vitality.Bee. Elsewhere, Team Heretics ADC Jackspektra joins Team Heretics Academy.
  • 26th: Unicorns of Love jungler Peach signs with Excel Esports.
  • 28th: Team Heretics send ADC Jackspektra to Los Heretics.
  • 31st: Team Heretics promote ADC Flakked from Los Heretics.

June 2023

  • 6th: Fnatic release support Advienne.
  • 7th: Inactive mid laner Vetheo joins Team Heretics from Excel Esports.
  • 8th: KOI release support Trymbi.
  • 9th: KOI sign free agent support Advienne
  • 10th: Fnatic sign ADC Noah from Polish team Zero Tenacity and free agent support Trymbi.
  • 23rd: Inactive Astralis mid laner Dajor joins Spanish team Rebels Gaming
  • 30th: Team Vitality bench jungler Bo and promote academy jungler Daglas

July 2023

  • 4th: Team Vitality jungler Daglas returns to Vitality.Bee

August 2023

  • 21st: Team Vitality release inactive jungler Selfmade

LEC Finals

The LEC Finals will take place in Montpellier, France between August 19 and September 10. The top-three teams will qualify for the Swiss Stage of Worlds 2023. The fourth-place finisher will qualify for a best-of-five qualifier against the fourth-place team from the LCS. The winner of that best-of-five will qualify for the Worlds Play-In Stage.

Qualified:

G2 (Winter split champions)
MAD Lions (Spring split champions)
Excel Esports (Summer split berth)*
Team BDS (Highest championship points)
Fnatic (Second-highest championship points)
SK Gaming (Third-highest championship points)
*Excel Esports finished 2nd in the Summer split but earned the split’s berth as G2 had already qualified for Finals.

Upper Bracket Round 1

G2 3 – 1 Team BDS
MAD Lions 3 – 0 Excel

Lower Bracket Round 1

Fnatic 3 – 2 Excel
SK Gaming 0 – 3 Team BDS

Upper Bracket Final

G2 v MAD Lions

Lower Bracket Round 2

Team BDS v Fnatic

Regular Season Match Results

Per the new league format, the split’s regular season will comprise of three weeks of three matchdays each. The top eight teams qualify for the GSL round of the playoffs.

Team Record
G2 [Q] 8 – 1
Fnatic [Q] 7 – 2
Excel Esports [Q] 5 – 4
Team Heretics [Q] 5 – 4
Team BDS [Q] 4 – 5
SK Gaming [Q] 4 – 5
MAD Lions [Q] 4 – 5
KOI [Q] 4 – 5
Astralis [E] 3 – 6
Team Vitality [E] 1 – 7

Week 1

June 17

MAD Lions 1 – 0 Team Vitality
Team Heretics 1 – 0 SK Gaming
KOI 1 – 0 Excel Esports
G2 1 – 0 Team BDS
Fnatic 1 – 0 Astralis

June 18

Team Vitality 1 – 0 SK Gaming
Excel Esports 0 – 1 Fnatic
MAD Lions 1 – 0 G2
KOI 0 – 1 Team BDS
Team Heretics 1 – 0 Astralis

June 19

Excel Esports 0 – 1 SK Gaming
Team BDS 0 – 1 Astralis
KOI 0 – 1 MAD Lions
Fnatic 0 – 1 G2
Team Vitality 0 – 1 Team Heretics

Week 2

June 24

SK Gaming 0 – 1 Team BDS
Excel Esports 1 – 0 Team Heretics
KOI 0 – 1 Fnatic
Team Vitality 0 – 1 G2
Astralis 0 – 1 MAD Lions

June 25

Excel Esports 1 – 0 Team BDS
Astralis 1 – 0 Team Vitality
Team Heretics 0 – 1 KOI
G2 1 – 0 SK Gaming
Fnatic 1 – 0 MAD Lions

June 26

Team BDS 0 – 1 Team Heretics
MAD Lions 0 – 1 Excel Esports
G2 1 – 0 Astralis
KOI 0 – 1 SK Gaming
Fnatic 1 – 0 Team Vitality

Week 3

July 1

Astralis 1 – 0 SK Gaming
MAD Lions 0 – 1 Team Heretics
Team Vitality 0 – 1 KOI
Excel Esports 0 – 1 G2
Fnatic 1 – 0 Team BDS

July 2

Excel Esports 1 – 0 Astralis
Team BDS 1 – 0 Team Vitality
G2 1 – 0 KOI
Team Heretics 0 – 1 Fnatic
SK Gaming 1 – 0 MAD Lions
  • Team Vitality’s loss officially eliminated them from playoff contention. Furthermore, SK Gaming’s win confirmed Team Vitality’s 10th-place finish.

July 3

Team BDS 1 – 0 MAD Lions
Team Vitality 0 – 1 Excel Esports
KOI 1 – 0 Astralis
Team Heretics 0 – 1 G2
SK Gaming 1 – 0 Fnatic

Group Stage

Group A

G2
Team Heretics
Team BDS
KOI

Results

G2 2 – 0 KOI
Team Heretics 1 – 2 Team BDS
G2 2 – 0 Team BDS
KOI 0 – 2 Team Heretics
Team BDS 0 – 2 Team Heretics

Group B

Excel Esports
SK Gaming
Fnatic
MAD Lions

Results

Fnatic 0 – 2 SK Gaming
Excel Esports 2 – 0 MAD Lions
SK Gaming 1 – 2 Excel Esports
Fnatic 2 – 0 MAD Lions
SK Gaming 0 – 2 Fnatic

Knockout Stage

Lower Bracket Eliminator: Team Heretics 1 – 3 Fnatic
Upper Bracket Final: G2 3 – 2 Excel
Lower Bracket Final: Excel 3 – 1 Fnatic
Grand Final: G2 3 – 0 Excel

The post LEC Summer 2023: Fnatic Snag Final Worlds Spot appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

LEC Summer 2023: MAD Lions And G2 Qualify For Worlds

by

After the monumental change to move the LEC to three splits per year, we have finally reached the Summer Split. Here, champions will be forged, and the final attendees of the LEC Finals chosen. G2 and MAD Lions have already qualified. They will be joined by the winner of this split, plus the three-highest-scoring teams in Championship Points. From there, those six teams will battle it out for four places at Worlds. However, we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

HotNewHipHop is here to give you the perfect tool to follow along with all the action. In this article, you will find every roster move and an easy-to-understand breakdown of all ten teams’ rosters. Furthermore, you will be able to find the result of every game, as well as regularly-updated standings.

Rosters And Transactions

Top Jungle Mid ADC Support
Astralis Finn 113 LIDER Kobbe JeongHoon
Excel Esports Odoamme Peach Abbedagge Patrik LIMIT
Fnatic Oscarinin Razork Humanoid Noah Trymbi
G2 BrokenBlade Yike Caps Hans Sama Mikyx
KOI Szygenda Malrang Larssen Comp Advienne
MAD Lions Chasy Elyoya Nisqy Carzzy Hylissang
SK Gaming Irrelevant Markoon Sertuss Exakick Doss
Team BDS Adam Sheo nuc Crownie Labrov
Team Heretics Evi Jankos Vetheo Flakked Mersa
Team Vitality Photon Bo
Daglas		 Perkz Upset Kaiser
Names that appear in this table only reflect confirmed roster moves.

April 2023

  • 8th: Team Vitality release coach Mephisto.
  • 10th: Team Heretics mid laner Ruby is listed as inactive.
  • 28th: Fnatic ADC Rekkles role-swaps to support and is listed as inactive.

May 2023

  • 12th: Fnatic release inactive top laner Wunder.
  • 16th: Jungler Xerxe leaves Excel Esports to join Spanish ERL team Giants.
  • 19th: Team Heretics release inactive mid laner Ruby.
  • 23rd: Inactive Excel support Targamas joins Karmine Corp. Meanwhile, inactive Team Vitality ADC Neon joins Vitality.Bee. Elsewhere, Team Heretics ADC Jackspektra joins Team Heretics Academy.
  • 26th: Unicorns of Love jungler Peach signs with Excel Esports.
  • 28th: Team Heretics send ADC Jackspektra to Los Heretics.
  • 31st: Team Heretics promote ADC Flakked from Los Heretics.

June 2023

  • 6th: Fnatic release support Advienne.
  • 7th: Inactive mid laner Vetheo joins Team Heretics from Excel Esports.
  • 8th: KOI release support Trymbi.
  • 9th: KOI sign free agent support Advienne
  • 10th: Fnatic sign ADC Noah from Polish team Zero Tenacity and free agent support Trymbi.
  • 23rd: Inactive Astralis mid laner Dajor joins Spanish team Rebels Gaming
  • 30th: Team Vitality bench jungler Bo and promote academy jungler Daglas

July 2023

  • 4th: Team Vitality jungler Daglas returns to Vitality.Bee

LEC Finals

The LEC Finals will take place in Montpellier, France between August 19 and September 10. The top-three teams will qualify for the Swiss Stage of Worlds 2023. The fourth-place finisher will qualify for a best-of-five qualifier against the fourth-place team from the LCS. The winner of that best-of-five will qualify for the Worlds Play-In Stage.

Qualified:

G2 (Winter split champions)
MAD Lions (Spring split champions)
Excel Esports (Summer split berth)*
Team BDS (Highest championship points)
Fnatic (Second-highest championship points)
SK Gaming (Third-highest championship points)
*Excel Esports finished 2nd in the Summer split but earned the split’s berth as G2 had already qualified for Finals.

Upper Bracket Round 1

G2 3 – 1 Team BDS
MAD Lions 3 – 0 Excel

Lower Bracket Round 1

Fnatic v Excel
SK Gaming v Team BDS

Regular Season Match Results

Per the new league format, the split’s regular season will comprise of three weeks of three matchdays each. The top eight teams qualify for the GSL round of the playoffs.

Team Record
G2 [Q] 8 – 1
Fnatic [Q] 7 – 2
Excel Esports [Q] 5 – 4
Team Heretics [Q] 5 – 4
Team BDS [Q] 4 – 5
SK Gaming [Q] 4 – 5
MAD Lions [Q] 4 – 5
KOI [Q] 4 – 5
Astralis [E] 3 – 6
Team Vitality [E] 1 – 7

Week 1

June 17

MAD Lions 1 – 0 Team Vitality
Team Heretics 1 – 0 SK Gaming
KOI 1 – 0 Excel Esports
G2 1 – 0 Team BDS
Fnatic 1 – 0 Astralis

June 18

Team Vitality 1 – 0 SK Gaming
Excel Esports 0 – 1 Fnatic
MAD Lions 1 – 0 G2
KOI 0 – 1 Team BDS
Team Heretics 1 – 0 Astralis

June 19

Excel Esports 0 – 1 SK Gaming
Team BDS 0 – 1 Astralis
KOI 0 – 1 MAD Lions
Fnatic 0 – 1 G2
Team Vitality 0 – 1 Team Heretics

Week 2

June 24

SK Gaming 0 – 1 Team BDS
Excel Esports 1 – 0 Team Heretics
KOI 0 – 1 Fnatic
Team Vitality 0 – 1 G2
Astralis 0 – 1 MAD Lions

June 25

Excel Esports 1 – 0 Team BDS
Astralis 1 – 0 Team Vitality
Team Heretics 0 – 1 KOI
G2 1 – 0 SK Gaming
Fnatic 1 – 0 MAD Lions

June 26

Team BDS 0 – 1 Team Heretics
MAD Lions 0 – 1 Excel Esports
G2 1 – 0 Astralis
KOI 0 – 1 SK Gaming
Fnatic 1 – 0 Team Vitality

Week 3

July 1

Astralis 1 – 0 SK Gaming
MAD Lions 0 – 1 Team Heretics
Team Vitality 0 – 1 KOI
Excel Esports 0 – 1 G2
Fnatic 1 – 0 Team BDS

July 2

Excel Esports 1 – 0 Astralis
Team BDS 1 – 0 Team Vitality
G2 1 – 0 KOI
Team Heretics 0 – 1 Fnatic
SK Gaming 1 – 0 MAD Lions
  • Team Vitality’s loss officially eliminated them from playoff contention. Furthermore, SK Gaming’s win confirmed Team Vitality’s 10th-place finish.

July 3

Team BDS 1 – 0 MAD Lions
Team Vitality 0 – 1 Excel Esports
KOI 1 – 0 Astralis
Team Heretics 0 – 1 G2
SK Gaming 1 – 0 Fnatic

Group Stage

Group A

G2
Team Heretics
Team BDS
KOI

Results

G2 2 – 0 KOI
Team Heretics 1 – 2 Team BDS
G2 2 – 0 Team BDS
KOI 0 – 2 Team Heretics
Team BDS 0 – 2 Team Heretics

Group B

Excel Esports
SK Gaming
Fnatic
MAD Lions

Results

Fnatic 0 – 2 SK Gaming
Excel Esports 2 – 0 MAD Lions
SK Gaming 1 – 2 Excel Esports
Fnatic 2 – 0 MAD Lions
SK Gaming 0 – 2 Fnatic

Knockout Stage

Lower Bracket Eliminator: Team Heretics 1 – 3 Fnatic
Upper Bracket Final: G2 3 – 2 Excel
Lower Bracket Final: Excel 3 – 1 Fnatic
Grand Final: G2 3 – 0 Excel

The post LEC Summer 2023: MAD Lions And G2 Qualify For Worlds appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

LEC Summer 2023: Finals Begin This Week

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After the monumental change to move the LEC to three splits per year, we have finally reached the Summer Split. Here, champions will be forged, and the final attendees of the LEC Finals chosen. G2 and MAD Lions have already qualified. They will be joined by the winner of this split, plus the three-highest-scoring teams in Championship Points. From there, those six teams will battle it out for four places at Worlds. However, we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

HotNewHipHop is here to give you the perfect tool to follow along with all the action. In this article, you will find every roster move and an easy-to-understand breakdown of all ten teams’ rosters. Furthermore, you will be able to find the result of every game, as well as regularly-updated standings.

Rosters And Transactions

Top Jungle Mid ADC Support
Astralis Finn 113 LIDER Kobbe JeongHoon
Excel Esports Odoamme Peach Abbedagge Patrik LIMIT
Fnatic Oscarinin Razork Humanoid Noah Trymbi
G2 BrokenBlade Yike Caps Hans Sama Mikyx
KOI Szygenda Malrang Larssen Comp Advienne
MAD Lions Chasy Elyoya Nisqy Carzzy Hylissang
SK Gaming Irrelevant Markoon Sertuss Exakick Doss
Team BDS Adam Sheo nuc Crownie Labrov
Team Heretics Evi Jankos Vetheo Flakked Mersa
Team Vitality Photon Bo
Daglas		 Perkz Upset Kaiser
Names that appear in this table only reflect confirmed roster moves.

April 2023

  • 8th: Team Vitality release coach Mephisto.
  • 10th: Team Heretics mid laner Ruby is listed as inactive.
  • 28th: Fnatic ADC Rekkles role-swaps to support and is listed as inactive.

May 2023

  • 12th: Fnatic release inactive top laner Wunder.
  • 16th: Jungler Xerxe leaves Excel Esports to join Spanish ERL team Giants.
  • 19th: Team Heretics release inactive mid laner Ruby.
  • 23rd: Inactive Excel support Targamas joins Karmine Corp. Meanwhile, inactive Team Vitality ADC Neon joins Vitality.Bee. Elsewhere, Team Heretics ADC Jackspektra joins Team Heretics Academy.
  • 26th: Unicorns of Love jungler Peach signs with Excel Esports.
  • 28th: Team Heretics send ADC Jackspektra to Los Heretics.
  • 31st: Team Heretics promote ADC Flakked from Los Heretics.

June 2023

  • 6th: Fnatic release support Advienne.
  • 7th: Inactive mid laner Vetheo joins Team Heretics from Excel Esports.
  • 8th: KOI release support Trymbi.
  • 9th: KOI sign free agent support Advienne
  • 10th: Fnatic sign ADC Noah from Polish team Zero Tenacity and free agent support Trymbi.
  • 23rd: Inactive Astralis mid laner Dajor joins Spanish team Rebels Gaming
  • 30th: Team Vitality bench jungler Bo and promote academy jungler Daglas

July 2023

  • 4th: Team Vitality jungler Daglas returns to Vitality.Bee

LEC Finals

The LEC Finals will take place in Montpellier, France between August 19 and September 10. The top-three teams will qualify for the Swiss Stage of Worlds 2023. The fourth-place finisher will qualify for a best-of-five qualifier against the fourth-place team from the LCS. The winner of that best-of-five will qualify for the Worlds Play-In Stage.

Qualified:

G2 (Winter split champions)
MAD Lions (Spring split champions)
Excel Esports (Summer split berth)*
Team BDS (Highest championship points)
Fnatic (Second-highest championship points)
SK Gaming (Third-highest championship points)
*Excel Esports finished 2nd in the Summer split but earned the split’s berth as G2 had already qualified for Finals.

Upper Bracket Round 1

G2 v Team BDS
MAD Lions 3 – 0 Excel

Lower Bracket Round 1

Fnatic v Excel
SK Gaming v TBD

Regular Season Match Results

Per the new league format, the split’s regular season will comprise of three weeks of three matchdays each. The top eight teams qualify for the GSL round of the playoffs.

Team Record
G2 [Q] 8 – 1
Fnatic [Q] 7 – 2
Excel Esports [Q] 5 – 4
Team Heretics [Q] 5 – 4
Team BDS [Q] 4 – 5
SK Gaming [Q] 4 – 5
MAD Lions [Q] 4 – 5
KOI [Q] 4 – 5
Astralis [E] 3 – 6
Team Vitality [E] 1 – 7

Week 1

June 17

MAD Lions 1 – 0 Team Vitality
Team Heretics 1 – 0 SK Gaming
KOI 1 – 0 Excel Esports
G2 1 – 0 Team BDS
Fnatic 1 – 0 Astralis

June 18

Team Vitality 1 – 0 SK Gaming
Excel Esports 0 – 1 Fnatic
MAD Lions 1 – 0 G2
KOI 0 – 1 Team BDS
Team Heretics 1 – 0 Astralis

June 19

Excel Esports 0 – 1 SK Gaming
Team BDS 0 – 1 Astralis
KOI 0 – 1 MAD Lions
Fnatic 0 – 1 G2
Team Vitality 0 – 1 Team Heretics

Week 2

June 24

SK Gaming 0 – 1 Team BDS
Excel Esports 1 – 0 Team Heretics
KOI 0 – 1 Fnatic
Team Vitality 0 – 1 G2
Astralis 0 – 1 MAD Lions

June 25

Excel Esports 1 – 0 Team BDS
Astralis 1 – 0 Team Vitality
Team Heretics 0 – 1 KOI
G2 1 – 0 SK Gaming
Fnatic 1 – 0 MAD Lions

June 26

Team BDS 0 – 1 Team Heretics
MAD Lions 0 – 1 Excel Esports
G2 1 – 0 Astralis
KOI 0 – 1 SK Gaming
Fnatic 1 – 0 Team Vitality

Week 3

July 1

Astralis 1 – 0 SK Gaming
MAD Lions 0 – 1 Team Heretics
Team Vitality 0 – 1 KOI
Excel Esports 0 – 1 G2
Fnatic 1 – 0 Team BDS

July 2

Excel Esports 1 – 0 Astralis
Team BDS 1 – 0 Team Vitality
G2 1 – 0 KOI
Team Heretics 0 – 1 Fnatic
SK Gaming 1 – 0 MAD Lions
  • Team Vitality’s loss officially eliminated them from playoff contention. Furthermore, SK Gaming’s win confirmed Team Vitality’s 10th-place finish.

July 3

Team BDS 1 – 0 MAD Lions
Team Vitality 0 – 1 Excel Esports
KOI 1 – 0 Astralis
Team Heretics 0 – 1 G2
SK Gaming 1 – 0 Fnatic

Group Stage

Group A

G2
Team Heretics
Team BDS
KOI

Results

G2 2 – 0 KOI
Team Heretics 1 – 2 Team BDS
G2 2 – 0 Team BDS
KOI 0 – 2 Team Heretics
Team BDS 0 – 2 Team Heretics

Group B

Excel Esports
SK Gaming
Fnatic
MAD Lions

Results

Fnatic 0 – 2 SK Gaming
Excel Esports 2 – 0 MAD Lions
SK Gaming 1 – 2 Excel Esports
Fnatic 2 – 0 MAD Lions
SK Gaming 0 – 2 Fnatic

Knockout Stage

Lower Bracket Eliminator: Team Heretics 1 – 3 Fnatic
Upper Bracket Final: G2 3 – 2 Excel
Lower Bracket Final: Excel 3 – 1 Fnatic
Grand Final: G2 3 – 0 Excel

The post LEC Summer 2023: Finals Begin This Week appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

LCS Summer 2023: TSM Seemingly Ends LCS Tenure

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The race to Worlds is finally here. By the time September rolls around, just four LCS teams will be moving onto Worlds. Riot Games revealed that Worlds 2023 will feature a brand new format, meaning that three LCS teams will qualify for the tournament’s Swiss Stage. Meanwhile, one team will qualify for the Wildcard Qualifier, which will send one team to the Worlds Play-In stage.

HotNewHipHop is here to give you the perfect tool to follow along with all the action. In this article, you will find every roster move and an easy-to-understand breakdown of all ten teams’ rosters. Furthermore, you will be able to find the result of every game, as well as regularly-updated standings.

LCS Rosters And Transactions

Top Jungle Mid ADC Support
100 Thieves Ssumday Closer Quid Doublelift Busio
Cloud9 Fudge Blaber ENEMES Berserker Zven
Dignitas Rich Santorin Jensen Tomo Diamond
poome
Evil Geniuses Revenge Armao
Sheiden		 Jojopyun UNF0RGIVEN Eyla
FlyQuest Impact Spica VicLa
Spriax		 Prince Vulcan
Golden Guardians Licorice River Gori Stixxay Huhi
Immortals Solo Bolulu Tactical Treatz
NRG Dhokla Contractz Palafox FBI IgNar
Team Liquid Summit Pyosik Haeri
APA		 Yeon CoreJJ
TSM Hauntzer Bugi Ruby WildTurtle Chime
Names that appear in this table only reflect confirmed roster moves.

April 2023

  • 7th: Team Liquid release head coach MaRin. Meanwhile, FlyQuest promote Winsome from FlyQuest Challengers to the LCS roster. Furthermore, 100 Thieves mid laner Bjergsen announced his retirement.
  • 11th: Cloud9 release positional coach Selfie.
  • 17th: Immortals demote support Fleshy to Immortals Challengers and sign free agent support Treatz. Elsewhere, Dignitas support Biofrost leaves the active roster to become a team content creator.
  • 18th: Immortals release top laner Revenge.
  • 26th. Evil Geniuses release head coach Freeze and assistant head coach H4xDefender. Meanwhile, Immortals sign free agent top laner Solo.
  • 28th: Team Liquid promote assistant head coach Reignover to head coach and team manager Dodo to assistant head coach.
  • 29th: Evil Geniuses release top laner Ssumday, jungler Inspired, ADC FBI, and support Vulcan.

May 2023

  • 2nd: Dignitas sign free agent top laner Rich. Elsewhere, TSM part ways with head coach Chawy.
  • 3rd: Cloud9 release positional coach Armao and sign free agent positional coach Duffman. Meanwhile, TSM release mid laner Maple.
  • 9th: 100 Thieves demote head coach Nukeduck to assistant head coach and hire free agent head coach Cain.
  • 10th: Top laner Armut leaves Dignitas to join Turkish team SuperMassive.
  • 11th: Mid laner Quid joins 100 Thieves from Gen.G Academy.
  • 12th: Top laner Ssumday joins 100 Thieves. Ssumday previously played for 100 Thieves between Spring 2018 and Summer 2022.
  • 13th: 100 Thieves top laner Tenacity leaves the active roster to become a team content creator.
  • May 17th: Dignitas promote academy support Diamond to the LCS roster.
  • 18th: TSM sign free agent head coach Reven. Elsewhere, free agent Armao role-swaps from positional coach to jungler and signs with Evil Geniuses.
  • 19th: FlyQuest release substitute support Eyla and sign free agent support Vulcan.
  • 23rd: TSM announce their Summer roster, adding free agent top laner Hauntzer and free agent mid laner Ruby.
  • 25th: Evil Geniuses head of player development Razvan moves to the role of head coach.
  • 27th: NRG release ADC Luger. Furthermore, support IgNar signs from Dignitas.

June 2023

  • 2nd: Golden Guardians sign free agent ADC Array as their team substitute.
  • 9th: Free agent Svenskeren role-swaps from jungler to strategic coach and joins Dignitas.
  • 10th: FlyQuest sends support Winsome to their academy team.
  • 12th: Evil Geniuses sign top laner Revenge, jungler Armao, ADC UNF0RGIVEN, and support Eyla. Furthermore, Evil Geniuses promotes jungler Sheiden from their academy roster. Elsewhere, Dignitas sign free agent support Diamond.

July 2023

  • 6th: Team Liquid promote academy mid laner APA to the LCS roster.
  • 11th: Dignitas sign free agent support poome.
  • 12th: FlyQuest promote academy mid laner Spirax to the LCS roster.
  • 29th: Immortals release jungler Kenvi

NACL Roster Moves

June 2023

  • 1st: Disguised sign top laner FakeGod, jungler Tomio, mid laner Young, ADC Meech, support Zeyzal, and head coach Goldenglue.
  • 6th: Supernova releases top laner Dragoon, jungler Kisno, mid laner Onat, ADC Azog, support Chookies, and substitute Avril. Meanwhile, the team signs top laner Qwacker, jungler Music, midlaner RobbyBob, ADC Sketchdreams, support Trevor, head coach Mesmerism, and assistants Pookar and Shiazuri. Elsewhere, FlyQuest Challengers sign top laner Faisal.
  • 9th: Cinncinati FEAR signs top laner Phillip, support JayJ, head coach Kiao and assistant coach Xav. Meanwhile, AOE Gold releases jungler Winnie, support SkyTec, and positional coach Fawn. Furthermore, AOE Gold signs top laner Concept, jungler Will, and support breezyyy. Additionally, AOE Gold, promotes Akaadian from assistant coach to head coach and Zaga from analyst to assistant coach. Meanwhile, Team Fish Taco announces their NCAL summer roster of top laner lunacia, jungler RoseThorn, mid laner Onat, ADC Spawn, and support Nxi, who role-swaps from jungler.
  • 12th: Supernova part ways with head coach Mesmerism and promote assistant coach Shiazuri to head coach.

The NACL runs between June 10 and July 17.

LCS Match Results

Following a two-week delay due to the LCS Players’ Strike, a deal has been reached between the LCS and LCSPA. The LCS Summer Split will adopt a three-a-week format starting on June 14.

The top eight teams qualify for the LCS Summer playoffs. First and second place begin in the Upper Bracket Semifinals. Third through sixth place begin in the Upper Bracket Quarterfinals. Meanwhile, seventh and eighth place begin in the Lower Bracket.

Team Record
Cloud9 [Q] 13 – 5
Golden Guardians [Q] 13 – 5
Evil Geniuses [Q] 12 – 6
Team Liquid [Q] 10 – 8
NRG [Q] 9 – 9
TSM [Q] 8 – 10
Dignitas [Q] 7 – 11
100 Thieves [Q] 7 – 11
FlyQuest [E] 6 – 12
Immortals [E] 5 – 13

LCS Week 1

  • Nukeduck played as 100 Thieves’ mid laner due to visa issues for Quid.

June 14

Cloud9 1 – 0 Golden Guardians
Team Liquid 1 – 0 TSM
Immortals 1 – 0 Dignitas
Evil Geniuses 1 – 0 NRG
FlyQuest 0 – 1 100 Thieves

June 15

Dignitas 0 – 1 Cloud9
TSM 1 – 0 FlyQuest
100 Thieves 0 – 1 Team Liquid
NRG 0 – 1 Immortals
Golden Guardians 0 – 1 Evil Geniuses

June 16

Immortals 0 – 1 Team Liquid
Golden Guardians 1 – 0 FlyQuest
Evil Geniuses 0 – 1 Dignitas
NRG 1 – 0 100 Thieves
Cloud9 1 – 0 TSM

LCS Week 2

June 21

Dignitas 0 – 1 Golden Guardians
Team Liquid 1 – 0 NRG
FlyQuest 0 – 1 Cloud9
TSM 1 – 0 Immortals
100 Thieves 0 – 1 Evil Geniuses

June 22

NRG 0 – 1 TSM
Golden Guardians 1 – 0 Immortals
100 Thieves 0 – 1 Cloud9
Dignitas 1 – 0 Team Liquid
Evil Geniuses 1 – 0 FlyQuest

June 23

TSM 0 – 1 Golden Guardians
Immortals 0 – 1 100 Thieves
Team Liquid 0 – 1 Evil Geniuses
FlyQuest 0 – 1 Dignitas
Cloud9 0 – 1 NRG

Week 3

June 28

TSM 0 – 1 Evil Geniuses
FlyQuest 1 – 0 Team Liquid
NRG 1 – 0 Golden Guardians
100 Thieves 1 – 0 Dignitas
Cloud9 1 – 0 Immortals

June 29

NRG 0 – 1 FlyQuest
Team Liquid 1 – 0 Cloud9
Dignitas 1 – 0 TSM
Evil Geniuses 1 – 0 Immortals
Golden Guardians 1 – 0 100 Thieves

June 30

Cloud9 1 – 0 Evil Geniuses
Team Liquid 0 – 1 Golden Guardians
Dignitas 1 – 0 NRG
TSM 0 – 1 100 Thieves
Immortals 0 – 1 FlyQuest

Week 4

July 5

NRG 1 – 0 Team Liquid
100 Thieves 1 – 0 FlyQuest
Golden Guardians 1 – 0 Cloud9
Dignitas 0 – 1 Evil Geniuses
Immortals 0 – 1 TSM

July 6

  • APA will start for Team Liquid
Evil Geniuses 1 – 0 100 Thieves
TSM 1 – 0 NRG
Cloud9 1 – 0 Dignitas
FlyQuest 0 – 1 Golden Guardians
Team Liquid 1 – 0 Immortals

June 7

Dignitas 1 – 0 FlyQuest
NRG 1 – 0 Evil Geniuses
Team Liquid 1 – 0 100 Thieves
Immortals 0 – 1 Cloud9
Golden Guardians 0 – 1 TSM

Week 5

July 12

  • Spirax will start for FlyQuest
TSM 1 – 0 Dignitas
Evil Geniuses 0 – 1 Golden Guardians
FlyQuest 0 – 1 NRG
Cloud9 0 – 1 Team Liquid
100 Thieves 0 – 1 Immortals

July 13

  • VicLa will start for FlyQuest
NRG 1 – 0 Dignitas
FlyQuest 1 – 0 Evil Geniuses
TSM 1 – 0 Team Liquid
Cloud9 1 – 0 100 Thieves
Immortals 0 – 1 Golden Guardians

July 14

Team Liquid 1 – 0 FlyQuest
100 Thieves 1 – 0 TSM
Golden Guardians 0 – 1 NRG
Evil Geniuses 0 – 1 Cloud9
Dignitas 0 – 1 Immortals

Week 6

July 19

Dignitas 1 – 0 100 Thieves
Golden Guardians 1 – 0 Team Liquid
NRG 1 – 0 Cloud9
FlyQuest 1 – 0 TSM
Immortals 0 – 1 Evil Geniuses

July 20

Golden Guardians 1 – 0 Dignitas
FlyQuest 1 – 0 Immortals
100 Thieves 1 – 0 NRG
Evil Geniuses 1 – 0 Team Liquid
TSM 0 – 1 Cloud9

July 21

Immortals 1 – 0 NRG
Evil Geniuses 1 – 0 TSM
Cloud9 1- 0 FlyQuest
Team Liquid 1 – 0 Dignitas
100 Thieves 0 – 1 Golden Guardians
Cloud9 1 – 0 Golden Guardians [1st Place tiebreaker]
100 Thieves 0 – 1 Dignitas [7th Place tiebreaker]

Playoffs

Upper Bracket Round 1

Team Liquid 1 – 3 NRG
Evil Geniuses 3 – 2 TSM

Lower Bracket Round 1

TSM 2 – 3 Dignitas
Team Liquid v 100 Thieves

Upper Bracket Round 2

NRG v Golden Guardians
Evil Geniuses v Cloud9

Lower Bracket Round 2

TBD v Dignitas
TBD v TBD

The post LCS Summer 2023: TSM Seemingly Ends LCS Tenure appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

LEC Summer 2023: Team Vitality Elimated From LEC Finals

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After the monumental change to move the LEC to three splits per year, we have finally reached the Summer Split. Here, champions will be forged, and the final attendees of the LEC Finals chosen. G2 and MAD Lions have already qualified. They will be joined by the winner of this split, plus the three-highest-scoring teams in Championship Points. From there, those six teams will battle it out for four places at Worlds. However, we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

HotNewHipHop is here to give you the perfect tool to follow along with all the action. In this article, you will find every roster move and an easy-to-understand breakdown of all ten teams’ rosters. Furthermore, you will be able to find the result of every game, as well as regularly-updated standings.

Rosters And Transactions

Top Jungle Mid ADC Support
Astralis Finn 113 LIDER Kobbe JeongHoon
Excel Esports Odoamme Peach Abbedagge Patrik LIMIT
Fnatic Oscarinin Razork Humanoid Noah Trymbi
G2 BrokenBlade Yike Caps Hans Sama Mikyx
KOI Szygenda Malrang Larssen Comp Advienne
MAD Lions Chasy Elyoya Nisqy Carzzy Hylissang
SK Gaming Irrelevant Markoon Sertuss Exakick Doss
Team BDS Adam Sheo nuc Crownie Labrov
Team Heretics Evi Jankos Vetheo Flakked Mersa
Team Vitality Photon Bo
Daglas		 Perkz Upset Kaiser
Names that appear in this table only reflect confirmed roster moves.

April 2023

  • 8th: Team Vitality release coach Mephisto.
  • 10th: Team Heretics mid laner Ruby is listed as inactive.
  • 28th: Fnatic ADC Rekkles role-swaps to support and is listed as inactive.

May 2023

  • 12th: Fnatic release inactive top laner Wunder.
  • 16th: Jungler Xerxe leaves Excel Esports to join Spanish ERL team Giants.
  • 19th: Team Heretics release inactive mid laner Ruby.
  • 23rd: Inactive Excel support Targamas joins Karmine Corp. Meanwhile, inactive Team Vitality ADC Neon joins Vitality.Bee. Elsewhere, Team Heretics ADC Jackspektra joins Team Heretics Academy.
  • 26th: Unicorns of Love jungler Peach signs with Excel Esports.
  • 28th: Team Heretics send ADC Jackspektra to Los Heretics.
  • 31st: Team Heretics promote ADC Flakked from Los Heretics.

June 2023

  • 6th: Fnatic release support Advienne.
  • 7th: Inactive mid laner Vetheo joins Team Heretics from Excel Esports.
  • 8th: KOI release support Trymbi.
  • 9th: KOI sign free agent support Advienne
  • 10th: Fnatic sign ADC Noah from Polish team Zero Tenacity and free agent support Trymbi.
  • 23rd: Inactive Astralis mid laner Dajor joins Spanish team Rebels Gaming
  • 30th: Team Vitality bench jungler Bo and promote academy jungler Daglas

July 2023

  • 4th: Team Vitality jungler Daglas returns to Vitality.Bee

Match Results

Per the new league format, the split’s regular season will comprise of three weeks of three matchdays each. The top eight teams qualify for the GSL round of the playoffs.

Team Record
G2 [Q] 8 – 1
Fnatic [Q] 7 – 2
Excel Esports [Q] 5 – 4
Team Heretics [Q] 5 – 4
Team BDS [Q] 4 – 5
SK Gaming [Q] 4 – 5
MAD Lions [Q] 4 – 5
KOI [Q] 4 – 5
Astralis [E] 3 – 6
Team Vitality [E] 1 – 7

Week 1

June 17

MAD Lions 1 – 0 Team Vitality
Team Heretics 1 – 0 SK Gaming
KOI 1 – 0 Excel Esports
G2 1 – 0 Team BDS
Fnatic 1 – 0 Astralis

June 18

Team Vitality 1 – 0 SK Gaming
Excel Esports 0 – 1 Fnatic
MAD Lions 1 – 0 G2
KOI 0 – 1 Team BDS
Team Heretics 1 – 0 Astralis

June 19

Excel Esports 0 – 1 SK Gaming
Team BDS 0 – 1 Astralis
KOI 0 – 1 MAD Lions
Fnatic 0 – 1 G2
Team Vitality 0 – 1 Team Heretics

Week 2

June 24

SK Gaming 0 – 1 Team BDS
Excel Esports 1 – 0 Team Heretics
KOI 0 – 1 Fnatic
Team Vitality 0 – 1 G2
Astralis 0 – 1 MAD Lions

June 25

Excel Esports 1 – 0 Team BDS
Astralis 1 – 0 Team Vitality
Team Heretics 0 – 1 KOI
G2 1 – 0 SK Gaming
Fnatic 1 – 0 MAD Lions

June 26

Team BDS 0 – 1 Team Heretics
MAD Lions 0 – 1 Excel Esports
G2 1 – 0 Astralis
KOI 0 – 1 SK Gaming
Fnatic 1 – 0 Team Vitality

Week 3

July 1

Astralis 1 – 0 SK Gaming
MAD Lions 0 – 1 Team Heretics
Team Vitality 0 – 1 KOI
Excel Esports 0 – 1 G2
Fnatic 1 – 0 Team BDS

July 2

Excel Esports 1 – 0 Astralis
Team BDS 1 – 0 Team Vitality
G2 1 – 0 KOI
Team Heretics 0 – 1 Fnatic
SK Gaming 1 – 0 MAD Lions
  • Team Vitality’s loss officially eliminated them from playoff contention. Furthermore, SK Gaming’s win confirmed Team Vitality’s 10th-place finish.

July 3

Team BDS 1 – 0 MAD Lions
Team Vitality 0 – 1 Excel Esports
KOI 1 – 0 Astralis
Team Heretics 0 – 1 G2
SK Gaming 1 – 0 Fnatic

Group Stage

Group A

G2
Team Heretics
Team BDS
KOI

Results

G2 2 – 0 KOI
Team Heretics 1 – 2 Team BDS
G2 2 – 0 Team BDS
KOI 0 – 2 Team Heretics
Team BDS 0 – 2 Team Heretics

Group B

Excel Esports
SK Gaming
Fnatic
MAD Lions

Results

Fnatic 0 – 2 SK Gaming
Excel Esports 2 – 0 MAD Lions
SK Gaming 1 – 2 Excel Esports
Fnatic 2 – 0 MAD Lions
SK Gaming 0 – 2 Fnatic

Knockout Stage

Lower Bracket Eliminator: Team Heretics v Fnatic
Upper Bracket Final: G2 v Excel
Lower Bracket Final: Loser of G2/Excel v Winner of Team Heretics/Fnatic
Grand Final: Winner of Upper Bracket Final v Winner of Lower Bracket Final

LEC Finals

The LEC Finals will take place in Montpellier, France between August 19 and September 10. The six teams competing will be a combination of split winners and highest championship points earners.

Qualified:

G2 (Winter split champions)
MAD Lions (Spring split champions)
Summer split champions (or best finisher if G2 wins)
Highest championship points (excluding G2, MAD Lions, and Summer split champion) [Currently – Team BDS]
Second-highest championship points (excluding G2, MAD Lions, and Summer split champion) [Currently – SK Gaming]
Third-highest championship points (excluding G2, MAD Lions, and Summer split champion) [Currently – KOI]

Current Championship Points Standings

Team Points
G2 300
MAD Lions 265
Team BDS 190
SK Gaming 150
KOI 150
Team Vitality [E] 137
Excel 130
Fnatic 120
Team Heretics 120
Astralis [E] 105
Bold indicates that a team is no longer competing in the Summer split and has finalized their championship points
  • Totals include the minimum points a team can earn during the Summer split.
  • Astralis and Team Vitality have finalized their points for the year. Astralis are officially eliminated as their total of 105 is not enough to qualify for the LEC Finals. Team Vitality can still qualify for the LEC Finals, depending on the performances of other teams.
  • KOI have finalized their points for the year. They can still qualify for the LEC Finals, but their qualification depends on the results of Excel, Fnatic, and Team Heretics.
  • Team Vitality have been eliminated from LEC Finals contention. While there are teams with less CP than them, at least one team currently behind Vitality will finish the split with more CP than them.

The post LEC Summer 2023: Team Vitality Elimated From LEC Finals appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

LEC Summer Playoffs: How Do They Affect The LEC Finals?

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July 15 marks the first day of the LEC Summer split playoffs. The remaining eight teams will face off in a GSL-style group stage to determine which four teams move on to the knockout bracket. Furthermore, the group stage runs until July 23.

This is the first year of the LEC’s new three-split format, which culminates in the LEC Finals. That event is set to begin in Montpellier, France on August 19. It will feature six teams – the three split winners and the three teams with the highest championship points. If a team wins a split but has already qualified for the LEC Finals, the automatic berth is passed down to the best-placed team who is yet to qualify.

But who’s left in the competition? Who can still qualify for the LEC Finals? And how can they still qualify? Well, dear reader, we have the answer to all those questions and more.

When Are The LEC Playoffs?

The LEC playoffs begin on July 15. The group stage runs from July 15 to July 23, with matches played on July 15, 16, 17, 22, and 23. The knockout bracket begins on July 28 and continues until July 30.

How Can I Watch The LEC Playoffs?

The LEC playoffs will be streamed on the LEC’s official Twitch page. Additionally, the LEC playoffs are 100% free to watch on Twitch. You can also buy tickets to watch the matches live at the LEC Studio in Berlin, Germany.

Who Is Taking Part In The LEC Playoffs?

There are eight teams in the LEC playoffs. In Group A, we have G2, Koi, Team BDS, and Team Heretics. Meanwhile, in Group B, we have Excel Esports, Fnatic, MAD Lions, and SK Gaming.

Who Has Qualified For The LEC Finals?

Currently, G2 and MAD Lions are the only teams to have qualified for the LEC Finals. They did this by winning the Winter and Spring splits respectively. The winner of the Summer split, or the best-placed team who isn’t G2 or MAD, will also automatically qualify.

Who Can Still Qualify For The LEC Finals?

Excel Esports, Fnatic, KOI, SK Gaming, Team BDS, Team Heretics, and Team Vitality can all still qualify. However, this is where it gets complicated, given that Team Vitality is not participating in the Summer playoffs. Furthermore, Astralis is the only LEC team who cannot qualify for the LEC Finals. They did not make the playoffs and ended the season with 105 Championship Points. This is not enough to qualify as one of the highest Championship Point-earning teams.

Okay Then, How Can Teams Qualify For The LEC Finals?

Let’s do this team-by-team and break down their scenarios. However, as things stand, this is the Championship Points [CP] table. I’ve excluded MAD Lions (250) and G2 (225) because they have already qualified. Furthermore, these points totals reflect the minimum amount of points each team can earn based on the standings at the time of writing. To make things simpler, these totals include the 30 points all teams except Team Vitality can earn for finishing a minimum of 8th.

Team CP
Team BDS 160
KOI 150
Team Vitality 137
SK Gaming 120
Astralis [E] 105
Fnatic 60
Team Heretics 60
Excel Esports 40

For the sake of simplicity, we’ll say that the minimum total for qualification is Team Vitality’s 137, meaning you need at least 138 points to qualify for the LEC Finals. However, it’s sadly not that simple because we also have to acknowledge that one of the teams in contention will earn an automatic berth.

Excel Esports

Odoamne of the LEC team Excel
BERLIN, GERMANY – MARCH 11: Andrei Pascu “Odoamne” competes at the League of Legends EMEA Championship “LEC” at LEC Studio on March 11, 2023 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Gerald Matzka/Getty Images)

Current Total: 10

Excel Esports qualified for the playoffs after a wild final two weeks of the Summer regular season. However, they face the most difficult path to the LEC Finals. Having finished 10th in both the Winter and Spring splits, they bring just 10 CP into the playoffs with them.

The “easiest” route for Excel to qualify for the LEC Finals is to continue their Cinderella run all the way to the Summer split title. However, due to only having 10 CP, the lowest that Excel can finish and still have more points than Team Vitality is second. Even a third-place finish, which earns 120 CP, would still see them finish below Vitality.

However, if SK Gaming finishes eighth, Excel could potentially reach the playoffs as the six-seed if they finish third. Despite this slim shot, it would hinge on how the rest of the table lined up.

Fnatic

Razork of the LEC team Fnatic
BERLIN, GERMANY – MARCH 11: Iván Martín Díaz “Razork” competes at the League of Legends EMEA Championship “LEC” at LEC Studio on March 11, 2023 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Gerald Matzka/Getty Images)

Current Total: 30

Fnatic became one of the best teams during the Summer regular season, thanks in large part to their rookie ADC, Noah. However, it has been a tough year for Fnatic, who finished 9th and 8th in the first two splits.

This will be the last time I say as it is true for all teams besides Vitality, but Fnatic’s best way to the LEC Finals is to win the split. Beyond that, Fnatic must finish at least third to surpass the points total of Team Vitality. However, in the scenario in which Excel finishes third and SK Gaming finishes eighth, a fourth-place finish could be enough to finish sixth. However, it would depend on the rest of the table.

KOI

Szygenda of the LEC team KOI
BERLIN, GERMANY – MARCH 11: Mathias Jensen “Szygenda” competes at the League of Legends EMEA Championship “LEC” at LEC Studio on March 11, 2023 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Gerald Matzka/Getty Images)

Current Total: 120

KOI slipped a little in the Summer split but benefit from two strong runs in the previous splits. This means that an eighth-place finish in the Summer playoffs still sees them end the year on 150 CP. While dependent on the rest of the table, this should be more than enough to see KOI finish as a LEC Finals participant.

SK Gaming

Markoon of the LEC team SK Gaming
BERLIN, GERMANY – MARCH 11: Mark van Woensel “Markoon” competes at the League of Legends EMEA Championship “LEC” at LEC Studio on March 11, 2023 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Gerald Matzka/Getty Images)

Current Total: 90

It’s been an up-and-down season for SK Gaming but they still have a shot at the LEC Finals. The worst thing that they could do is lose their momentum and finish eighth. That would see them finish the season on 120 CP, below Team Vitality, and as the worst-placed team who could potentially finish on 120 CP. To surpass Team Vitality (137 CP), SK will need to finish at least 6th (a 7th-place finish would see them finish 2 points behind Vitality). However, SK does not really control their own fate as their finish, aside from a top-four, really depends on how the rest of the table shakes out.

Team BDS

Adam of the LEC team Team BDS
BERLIN, GERMANY – MARCH 11: Adam Maanane “Adam” competes at the League of Legends EMEA Championship “LEC” at LEC Studio on March 11, 2023 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Gerald Matzka/Getty Images)

Current Total: 130

Like KOI, Team BDS slipped during the summer but are buoyed by their previous performances. They currently hold the highest CP total outside of a split winner. This means that even an eighth-place finish sees them close out with far more points than Vitality (160). It’s hard to see a scenario in which BDS does not make the LEC Finals. It would have to involve the likes of Excel, Fnatic, Heretics, and SK Gaming running the top of the table.

Team Heretics

Jankos of the LEC team Team Heretics
BERLIN, GERMANY – MARCH 11: Marcin Jankowsk “Jankos” competes at the League of Legends EMEA Championship “LEC” at LEC Studio on March 11, 2023 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Gerald Matzka/Getty Images)

Current Total: 30

Like Fnatic, Heretics went from bottom three finishes to one of the best teams in the Summer. Unfortunately, that makes their journey to the LEC Finals incredibly difficult. Heretics must finish at least third to surpass the points total of Team Vitality. However, in the scenario in which Excel finishes third and SK Gaming finishes eighth, a fourth-place finish could be enough to finish sixth. However, it would depend on the rest of the table. In short, Heretics have the exact same win condition as Fnatic does.

Team Vitality

Bo of the LEC team Team Vitality
BERLIN, GERMANY – MARCH 12: Zhou Yang-Bo “Bo” at a backstage portrait session at the second game day at the spring split at the League of Legends EMEA Championship “LEC” at the LEC Studio on March 12, 2023 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Gerald Matzka/Getty Images)

Current Total: 137

Team Vitality may be in the most interesting position of all LEC teams. They are still in contention for a LEC Finals slot, despite finishing 10th in the Summer split. They have concluded their season with 137 points. As you know from this article, that is the baseline I have been using to mark all other teams. In short, Vitality needs as many teams currently below them to have early exits from the playoffs. However, we will once again remind ourselves of essentially what Vitality needs from each team currently trailing them:

  • SK Gaming needs to finish 7th or lower
  • Fnatic needs to finish 4th or lower
  • Team Heretics needs to finish 4th or lower
  • Excel Esports needs to finish 3rd or lower

Now, it is worth mentioning, because we are not painstakingly charting out all 64 (?) possible playoff permutations, there is likely a scenario I have not covered. However, this is the most straightforward way to explain what’s at stake over the next few weeks in the LEC.

The post LEC Summer Playoffs: How Do They Affect The LEC Finals? appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

5 Must-Hear R&B Albums From 2023 So Far

by

While hip-hop has only just now produced a No. 1 album over halfway through the year thanks to Lil Uzi Vert, R&B started out on a strong note thanks to SZA’s SOS. The TDE artist’s sophomore effort has spent a total of eight weeks championing the Billboard 200, only being beaten out by country star Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time. Aside from the “Kill Bill” singer’s major success, other favorites in the genre have given us noteworthy new releases over the past months too.

Our annual round-up of the year’s best rap albums so far is primarily male-dominated, with Sexyy Red’s Hood Hottest Princess earning her the only woman on the list. R&B, however, has heard incredible new arrivals from our favorite female vocalists, including Kiana Lede’s highly anticipated follow-up to 2020’s KIKI. Of course, we didn’t totally forget about the guys – two of Canada and Jamaica’s finest also left us impressed with their R&B LPs earlier in 2023. Keep scrolling to see which artists made the cut, and let us know who your personal favorites are in the comments.

Read More: PARTYNEXTDOOR & Mahalia Set The “R&B Season” Mood With Their New Releases

Kali Uchis – Red Moon In Venus

Not only did Kali Uchis captivate the world with her sensual Red Moon In Venus LP, but she also passed some major career milestones. The songbird’s third studio album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 with over 55K, marking her first Top 10 entry on the list. Across 15 titles, Uchis connects with Summer Walker as well as frequent collaborators Omar Apollo, and her boyfriend, Don Toliver.

Red Moon In Venus arrived at the beginning of March, and weeks later the bilingual artist went on to perform several tracks from it at Coachella. Both weekends Uchis had arguably one of the best sets, bringing out guests like Tyler, The Creator, and Toliver. Speaking of the Cactus Jack artist, his girlfriend appeared on his Love Sick album’s “4 Me” single prior to dropping her own project.

“‘Red Moon in Venus’ is a timeless, burning expression of desire, heartbreak, faith, and honesty, reflecting the divine femininity of the moon and Venus,” Uchis previously told Consequence of her work. Aside from her vision and vocal talent, the ethereal starlet also produced the opening song, “In My Garden…” on her own.

Janelle Monae – The Age of Pleasure

For Janelle Monae, The Age of Pleasure is more than just an album – it’s a sexual revolution. As we saw throughout her long-awaited LP’s rollout, the Kansas native is feeling more confident and carefree than ever before. Her breasts have been a focal point of the genre-bending work, appearing on the digital cover art, vinyl, and in front of thousands of fans at various live performances over the past few months.

The 37-year-old shared “Float” with Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 as her first single, later following it with “Lipstick Lover.” The latter came along with a salacious teaser video that left the internet lusting after Monae like never before, also confirming her first studio album in over five years. Our personal favorite collaboration on the tracklist is “Phenomenal” featuring TDE’s Doechii, though Grace Jones, Nia Long, Amaarae, Sister Nancy, and CKay make appearances as well.

Daniel Caesar – NEVER ENOUGH

Daniel Caesar’s debut album, Freudian, remains a staple in the rotation of many R&B lovers. Unfortunately for the Canadian, his fame was short-lived after he made controversial comments about race during a live stream that ultimately found him facing widespread cancellation. His sophomore effort, CASE STUDY 01, was largely skipped over as a result, even though it features stunning vocal work from Caesar.

By the time he shared his third LP, NEVER ENOUGH earlier in 2023, the embattled artist had thankfully moved back into the public’s good graces. Caesar teased us with singles like “Please Do Not Lean” featuring BADBADNOTGOOD, “Always,” and “Do You Like Me?” all of which only made fans fall more in love with his dreamy voice. Aside from vocals, the 28-year-old also flexed his producer skills alongside little brother Zachary Simmonds, Sir Dylan, Sevn Thomas, Rami, and Raphael Saadiq.

Kiana Lede – Grudges

The most recently released alum to land on our must-listen list of R&B releases so far this year comes from sultry songbird Kiana Lede. Her follow-up to 2020’s KIKI came in the form of Grudges, an undeniably toxic project that’s perfect for anyone who might be struggling with any pent-up resentment toward an old friend. The 26-year-old immediately catches our attention with “Bitter B**ch – INTROlude” and laces in collaborations with Bryson Tiller, Ella Mai, and Khalid throughout the 18-song tracklist.

During an interview with Vibe, Lede gave some insight into the inspiration behind her sophomore album. “‘Grudges’ actually has multiple meanings in this album. Obviously, there’s the [literal one]. I’m a bitter b**ch [who] definitely [has] grudges. I hold them very well. I’m working on it. I’m in therapy,” she admitted.

“So grudges towards relationships, also grudges just in my life. It’s something that I feel like we all constantly have to work on, whether it’s relationships or within ourselves, within the world,” Lede also told the outlet.

Masego – Masego

R&B music is typically most appreciated in the chilly winter months of cuffing season, but when a Masego song comes on, it’s hard not to fantasize about a romantic trip to the tropics at any time of year. It had been nearly two and a half years since his Studying Abroad project arrived when the Jamaican singer delivered his 14-track, self-titled LP. The former saw him teaming up with a handful of friends including Shenseea and Don Toliver, but on the latter, he operated solo.

Fan favorites on Masego include “What You Wanna Try,” “Black Anime,” and “Sax Fifth Avenue.” Whether you’re seeking to pretend you’re on the beach while tanning in your backyard this summer or need a soundtrack for an evening of dancing with friends, the 30-year-old has you covered with his long-awaited, must-listen record. He’s got a few live performances lined up over the coming months, including one at AfroBeats Festival in August, so fans will even have a chance to enjoy Masego’s new music in person before fall hits.

Read More: Masego’s Self-Titled 14-Track Album Has Arrived: Listen

[Via]

The post 5 Must-Hear R&B Albums From 2023 So Far appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

5 Must-Hear R&B Albums From 2023 So Far

by

While hip-hop has only just now produced a No. 1 album over halfway through the year thanks to Lil Uzi Vert, R&B started out on a strong note thanks to SZA’s SOS. The TDE artist’s sophomore effort has spent a total of eight weeks championing the Billboard 200, only being beaten out by country star Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time. Aside from the “Kill Bill” singer’s major success, other favorites in the genre have given us noteworthy new releases over the past months too.

Our annual round-up of the year’s best rap albums so far is primarily male-dominated, with Sexyy Red’s Hood Hottest Princess earning her the only woman on the list. R&B, however, has heard incredible new arrivals from our favorite female vocalists, including Kiana Lede’s highly anticipated follow-up to 2020’s KIKI. Of course, we didn’t totally forget about the guys – two of Canada and Jamaica’s finest also left us impressed with their R&B LPs earlier in 2023. Keep scrolling to see which artists made the cut, and let us know who your personal favorites are in the comments.

Read More: PARTYNEXTDOOR & Mahalia Set The “R&B Season” Mood With Their New Releases

Kali Uchis – Red Moon In Venus

Not only did Kali Uchis captivate the world with her sensual Red Moon In Venus LP, but she also passed some major career milestones. The songbird’s third studio album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 with over 55K, marking her first Top 10 entry on the list. Across 15 titles, Uchis connects with Summer Walker as well as frequent collaborators Omar Apollo, and her boyfriend, Don Toliver.

Red Moon In Venus arrived at the beginning of March, and weeks later the bilingual artist went on to perform several tracks from it at Coachella. Both weekends Uchis had arguably one of the best sets, bringing out guests like Tyler, The Creator, and Toliver. Speaking of the Cactus Jack artist, his girlfriend appeared on his Love Sick album’s “4 Me” single prior to dropping her own project.

“‘Red Moon in Venus’ is a timeless, burning expression of desire, heartbreak, faith, and honesty, reflecting the divine femininity of the moon and Venus,” Uchis previously told Consequence of her work. Aside from her vision and vocal talent, the ethereal starlet also produced the opening song, “In My Garden…” on her own.

Janelle Monae – The Age of Pleasure

For Janelle Monae, The Age of Pleasure is more than just an album – it’s a sexual revolution. As we saw throughout her long-awaited LP’s rollout, the Kansas native is feeling more confident and carefree than ever before. Her breasts have been a focal point of the genre-bending work, appearing on the digital cover art, vinyl, and in front of thousands of fans at various live performances over the past few months.

The 37-year-old shared “Float” with Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 as her first single, later following it with “Lipstick Lover.” The latter came along with a salacious teaser video that left the internet lusting after Monae like never before, also confirming her first studio album in over five years. Our personal favorite collaboration on the tracklist is “Phenomenal” featuring TDE’s Doechii, though Grace Jones, Nia Long, Amaarae, Sister Nancy, and CKay make appearances as well.

Daniel Caesar – NEVER ENOUGH

Daniel Caesar’s debut album, Freudian, remains a staple in the rotation of many R&B lovers. Unfortunately for the Canadian, his fame was short-lived after he made controversial comments about race during a live stream that ultimately found him facing widespread cancellation. His sophomore effort, CASE STUDY 01, was largely skipped over as a result, even though it features stunning vocal work from Caesar.

By the time he shared his third LP, NEVER ENOUGH earlier in 2023, the embattled artist had thankfully moved back into the public’s good graces. Caesar teased us with singles like “Please Do Not Lean” featuring BADBADNOTGOOD, “Always,” and “Do You Like Me?” all of which only made fans fall more in love with his dreamy voice. Aside from vocals, the 28-year-old also flexed his producer skills alongside little brother Zachary Simmonds, Sir Dylan, Sevn Thomas, Rami, and Raphael Saadiq.

Kiana Lede – Grudges

The most recently released alum to land on our must-listen list of R&B releases so far this year comes from sultry songbird Kiana Lede. Her follow-up to 2020’s KIKI came in the form of Grudges, an undeniably toxic project that’s perfect for anyone who might be struggling with any pent-up resentment toward an old friend. The 26-year-old immediately catches our attention with “Bitter B**ch – INTROlude” and laces in collaborations with Bryson Tiller, Ella Mai, and Khalid throughout the 18-song tracklist.

During an interview with Vibe, Lede gave some insight into the inspiration behind her sophomore album. “‘Grudges’ actually has multiple meanings in this album. Obviously, there’s the [literal one]. I’m a bitter b**ch [who] definitely [has] grudges. I hold them very well. I’m working on it. I’m in therapy,” she admitted.

“So grudges towards relationships, also grudges just in my life. It’s something that I feel like we all constantly have to work on, whether it’s relationships or within ourselves, within the world,” Lede also told the outlet.

Masego – Masego

R&B music is typically most appreciated in the chilly winter months of cuffing season, but when a Masego song comes on, it’s hard not to fantasize about a romantic trip to the tropics at any time of year. It had been nearly two and a half years since his Studying Abroad project arrived when the Jamaican singer delivered his 14-track, self-titled LP. The former saw him teaming up with a handful of friends including Shenseea and Don Toliver, but on the latter, he operated solo.

Fan favorites on Masego include “What You Wanna Try,” “Black Anime,” and “Sax Fifth Avenue.” Whether you’re seeking to pretend you’re on the beach while tanning in your backyard this summer or need a soundtrack for an evening of dancing with friends, the 30-year-old has you covered with his long-awaited, must-listen record. He’s got a few live performances lined up over the coming months, including one at AfroBeats Festival in August, so fans will even have a chance to enjoy Masego’s new music in person before fall hits.

Read More: Masego’s Self-Titled 14-Track Album Has Arrived: Listen

[Via]

The post 5 Must-Hear R&B Albums From 2023 So Far appeared first on HotNewHipHop.