50 Cent is one of the most prolific, accomplished, and versatile hip-hop moguls we have today. Sure, much of that infamy these days attributes itself to his scathing takedowns of another rap mogul, Diddy, but don’t let that distract you from his film and television empire. Moreover, Fif recently caught flack from fans who accused him of opening a G-Unit production studio in Shreveport, Louisiana only for it being a “cheap deal.” While speaking to KMJJ’s Anthony “Big Ant” Simmons, he laughed off this idea and explained not only why he made the decision, but why the logic behind this argument is a deeply flawed one. No matter what side you stand on, it seems like G-Unit is staying in Louisiana. Nevertheless, they did consider Houston, as well.
“[Houston] embraced me. When I got out there, they showed me a lot of love,” 50 Cent shared. “But Shreveport had the infrastructure already here. Even the tax incentive. I’m spending $20 million this year anyway in the same building that they saying was the cheap building. So find somebody else to spend the $20 million…They don’t have anyone who has enough production going on for them to just offset that.”
Also, Simmons praised 50 Cent’s commitment to filming 80 percent of all his productions in Shreveport as part of this deal. As they both noted, this would “eject a lot more money” into the city on top of the hype concerning pretty much any 50 project. However, this isn’t all that was criticized when it comes to G-Unit’s Louisiana presence. The Queens superstar actually went back and forth with Hurricane Chris over critiques of his Humor & Harmony Weekend Festival in the city.
Meanwhile, 50 Cent does have some defenders out there when it comes to these criticisms, including Fredo Bang. These are just the consequences of having such a wide media reach. But we’ll see if any future moves inspire a similar gut reaction or if people appreciate these moves more. After all, we have to see what this Shreveport studio produces in order to fully speak on it, and we’re excited to see what’s coming next.
ASAP Rocky fans have been anxiously awaiting his new album Don’t Be Dumb for a long time now, but luckily, they won’t have to wait too much longer to hear it. Back in June, the performer announced that it’d be dropping on August 30, which is only a few weeks away. Of course, listeners are looking forward to it, particularly considering all of the hints that have been dropped in recent months.
According to a new Tweet from the NFR Podcast, fans can expect appearances from J Cole, Tyler, The Creator, Busta Rhymes, and more. His other half Rihanna is even believed to be on the project, which will surely make for a fan-favorite. Don’t Be Dumb will also feature production from Metro Boomin, Pharrell, The Alchemist, and more. Check out the full list below.
Rihanna, J Cole, Tyler, The Creator & More Expected To Appear On ASAP Rocky’s New Album
A$AP ROCKY DON’T BE DUMB
FEATURES & PRODUCERS
AUGUST 30TH
J. Cole Tyler, The Creator Rihanna* (hinted by Rocky) Metro Boomin Pharrell Williams Jon Batiste Madlib The Alchemist Clams Casino Busta Rhymes Swedish House Mafia Slick Rick MORE pic.twitter.com/h5PVIfcwWr
As the release date grows closer, ASAP Rocky gave fans a peek at what’s to come with a new single today, “HIGHJACK” featuring Jessica Pratt. Already, the song has made major waves, as it’s speculated that Rocky dissed Drake several times. This is unconfirmed, though last week, DJ Kast One appeared on Hot 97 to discuss the album. During his appearance, he claimed he already heard it and said that Rocky plans to respond to Drake. “I heard ASAP Rocky definitely addressing a lot of the main topics that are happening out here right now,” he told the outlet. “Let’s just say, the list keeps going on strong… He’s gonna be cemented on the list after this.”
Are you looking forward to hearing ASAP Rocky’s new album Don’t Be Dumb when it finally drops on August 30? Which feature are you most excited about? What do you think of his new song “HIGHJACK” with Jessica Pratt? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
DJ Mustard may very well be having one of the best years of any producer in the game. Sure, Metro Boomin has two albums out with Future. However, Mustard gave us the beat to “Not Like Us” which is arguably the song of the summer. Overall, it is a song that has served as a major rallying cry for fans, and it also helped Kendrick Lamar win his beef against Drake. Moreover, Mustard will be dropping Faith Of A Mustard Seed on June 28th and the album will feature some huge names.
Recently, Mustard sat down with Billboard where he discussed the new album and his hit song “Not Like Us.” It was here where he revealed five things about the beat that no one knows yet. Firstly, he maintained that he did not sample “Ether.” Secondly, he noted how he only heard the song along with everyone else, and had no idea what Kendrick would do with the beat. From there, he noted that his mindset was to embody how Dr. Dre would move if Lil Jon was in the studio looking to collab on production.
Subsequently, Mustard explained how it only took him a total of 30 minutes to make the beat for the record. Lastly, he was pretty stunned by just how well Kendrick performed on top of it. When you think about the bars and the cadences, it could very well have been the greatest verses ever laid on a Mustard beat. So there you have it. Sometimes, genius doesn’t need to take years to create.
Let us know what you thought of the beat to “Not Like Us,” in the comments section down below. Do you believe that this is the best beat of the year so far? How do you feel like this song stacks up to the other iconic diss songs of all time? 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.
The Alchemist is one of the best producers in the history of hip-hop. Overall, he has delivered some classic songs, and there are fans out there who believe his catalog can not be beaten. While The Alchemist has remained extremely active this year, fans mostly have his “Meet The Grahams” beat on their minds. Although it is unknown when he cooked up this beat, it is very well known that this is the track that helped Kendrick defeat Drake.
It’s a skeletal beat that contains some dark piano keys and some drums that help divide up each verse. The loop is haunting and when you combine it with the lyrical content of “Meet The Grahams,” you end up with one of the scariest tracks to ever grace a rap beef. Well, while out in LA, The Alchemist was doing a set, and he opted to play the now-infamous beat. Of course, this isn’t exactly the perfect club song. Consequently, The Alchemist played the beat without any vocals on top of it.
Ultimately, the crowd seemed to enjoy the display, and for good reason. At the end of the day, this is a beat that is always going to evoke some sort of reaction or emotion. Furthermore, it is already iconic, and it hasn’t even been out for more than a month and a half. If anything, this has proven that the Kendrick and Drake beef is one of those once-in-a-lifetime events that fans will forever remember fondly.
Let us know what you think of The Alchemist and his beat for “Meet The Grahams,” in the comments section down below. Do you believe that this is one of the most haunting beats in the history of rap beef? How did you feel about the beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar as a whole? 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.
RealYungPhil teamed up with Earl Sweatshirt and Harrison for the production behind his newest single, “You Know.” He dropped the track on all streaming platforms on Friday, June 7th. Across its two-minute runtime, Phil raps about betting on himself to achieve his dreams while reflecting on some of the people he’s lost along the way. “I wish heaven had visiting hours, want my dog back,” he remarks, before concluding the song with, “what you bout to leave behind you when it all ends.”
When the song made its way to YouTube, fans in the comments section were loving it. “Phil getting some recognition now BIG W,” one user wrote. Another added: “Prod by earl sweatshirt?! Never seen this coming!” One more fan praised Phil’s consistency: “Haven’t heard a bad someone from Phil since I found his music g.” The Connecticut rapper has been on a meteoric rise over the last year. Back in February, he made a list of HNHH’s “Artists You Need To Listen To Right Now,” alongside Erika De Casier and THERAVADA. Phil’s collaboration with Earl Sweatshirt and Harrison comes after he teamed up with MIKE for “No Amends” earlier this year as well. Check out the newest song down below and be on the lookout for further updates on the rapper on HotNewHipHop.
They said it’s love, but then they all left He think I’m broke, I think lil bro took the wrong meds Step it up, it’s like you n****s took the wrong step And what you bout to leave behind you when it all ends, b*tch
Overnight, Beyonce released her highly anticipated new country album COWBOY CARTER. She’s been generating hype for the project for months after first announcing it with a commercial during the Super Bowl. The album is technically a sequel to her 2022 effort RENAISSANCE but shift’s its sonic ambition to take on influences from the world of country music.
Fans have been breaking the album down all day, including identifying all of the collaborators heard throughout the record. On the feature side of things Beyonce secured headliners like Post Malone and Miley Cyrus. Elsewhere country music legends like Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson are also involved. They’ve also realized that the album contains covers of songs from Dolly as well as The Beatles and Chuck Berry.
Another thing fans are interested in is the albums production credits. While the full list of behind-the-scenes collaborators isn’t known yet it’s been trickling out all day. Check out all of the known producers who worked on the album below. What do you think of Beyonce’s new album “COWBOY CARTER?” What’s you favorite song on the record so far? Let us know in the comment section below.
Tracklist: 1. AMERICAN REQUIEM Production: DIXON 2. BLACKBIIRD (The Beatles Cover) (with Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts, Tanner Adell and Tiera Kennedy) 3. 16 CARRIAGES Production: Beyonce, Ink, Dave Hamelin, Raphael Saadiq, Stuart White 4. PROTECTOR (with Rumi Carter) 5. MY ROSE Production: Mamii 6. SMOKE HOUR WILLIE NELSON (with Willie Nelson) 7. TEXAS HOLD’ EM Production: Beyonce, Killah B, Nate Ferarro, Saadiq, White, Hit-Boy, Mariel Gomerez 8. BODYGUARD 9. DOLLY P (with Dolly Parton) 10. JOLENE (Dolly Parton Cover) 11. DAUGHTER 12. SPAGHETTI (with Linda Martell and Shaboozey) 13. ALLIGATOR TEARS 14. SMOKE HOUR II (with Willie Nelson) 15. JUST FOR FUN (with Willie Jones) 16. II MOST WANTED (with Miley Cyrus) Production: Ryan Tedder 17. LEVII’S JEANS (with Post Malone) 18. FLAMENCO Production: Mamii 19. THE LINDA MARTELL SHOW (with Linda Martell) 20. YA YA 21. OH LOUISIANA (Chuck Berry Cover) 22. DESERT EAGLE 23. RIVERDANCE 24. II HANDS II HEAVEN 25. TYRANT Production: D.A Got That Dope 26. SWEET HONEY BUCKLIN’ (with Shaboozey) Production: Pharrell Williams 27. AMEN
Erick Sermon says working with Dr. Dre changed his approach to making music. Speaking with HipHopDX for a new interview, Sermon recalled getting in the studio with the legendary producer and learning that his writing process is entirely different than he was expecting.
“We go to Malibu. As soon as I press play, we do one record. I press play again, we do two records. I press play again, we do three records — in one night. The guys said, ‘Erick, we’ve been here for eight years, we ain’t never seen that before. Nobody has done what you did today.’ I put another beat on and he calls Snoop over. Snoop been working on the records that I did. Then I come back and Dre is working on the record that he rapped on. So I said, ‘Yo, let me rap on that. Let me do your style how you rhyme and how you put your records together.’”
Erick Sermon Performs At The Essence Festival Of Culture
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JUNE 30: Erick Sermon performs on day 1 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture at Caesars Superdome on June 30, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images)
From there, Sermon says he pulled out a pen and paper to begin constructing rhymes, but someone told him they “don’t do that here.” He then recalled Smitty telling him: “Dre would say the cadence and then we would all say a rhyme, and then if the rhyme sounds good, then we put that down. So there’s no writing; it’s just 16 bars of whatever your freestyle may be.” Sermon added: “The process was something I had never seen before in my life and had never experienced in my life getting produced by somebody. It makes you not want to [write rhymes] no more. That method is undeniable. You can’t go wrong because you got a room of people that is agreeing with the line and if the line is not right then it doesn’t go. So everything is right… and my verse was spectacular.”
Erick Sermon Speaks On Working With Dr. Dre
Sermon is best known for his work in the hip-hop group EPMD. He’s also produced music for many renowned artists over the years. Be on the lookout for further updates on Erick Sermon on HotNewHipHop.
Juicy J reacted with praise to a beat from Metro Boomin on Twitter, last week, suggesting that the producer get Project Pat to perform on it. “Project Pat would kill that,” he wrote with a fire emoji. Metro had been fielding ideas as to who would sound best over the beat. “Who do y’all hear on this?” he captioned the snippet.
Juicy’s post got followers of both artists excited at the idea. One user replied: “Yall gotta please Make it happen.” Another suggested: “We need a Project Pat x Metro Boomin tape asap.”
NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 12: (L-R) Project Pat and Juicy J attend Noisey Presents Juicy-J: The Never Sober Tour at Irving Plaza on March 12, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
While Metro might not have a collaborative project with Pat in the cards, he recently confirmed that he and Zaytoven have been in the studio together. He wrote on Twitter, last month: “Me and @zaytovenbeatz probably got 100 [fire emoji] beats by now. I got on here to ask you guys what artist should we do a tape with first but now I’m thinking maybe it should be a compilation tape of various artists over these masterpieces!” In another post, he added: “The sound of these beats me and @zaytovenbeatz make together are so unique like nothing my ears have ever heard before. I think we need a name as a production duo.. any ideas?” Check out Juicy J’s recent response to Metro below.
In addition to working with Zaytoven, Metro will also likely be dropping his long-awaited collaborative album with Future in 2024. The rapper remarked that their project is “on the way” in a post on social media on December 23. Be on the lookout for further updates on Juicy J as well as Metro Boomin and his upcoming projects on HotNewHipHop.
Kai Cenat recently reacted to Lil Baby’s new song “350” while streaming, and he wasn’t the most forgiving of critics. However, his main issue with the single doesn’t stem so much from a performance, lyrical, melody, or production standpoint. Rather, the Twitch giant noted that his beat sounded way louder than his actual vocals, leading to a muddy and unclear mix. He had to take a second to really make sure that he wasn’t just hearing nonsense in the Atlanta MC’s newest track. But the New York social media star didn’t hold back in his critique, although he probably didn’t hate the cut for what it was.
“I’m not even joking, the beat sounds louder than him,” Kai Cenat told his chat while reacting to Lil Baby’s “350.” “…What?! No, no, no, no, no, fire the producer, fire the producer. Bro, why is the beat louder? Oh, my fault, engineer, engineer.” Some fans agreed, others didn’t, but everybody could see eye to eye on their wariness for whether this will become an issue in his future material. After all, the “California Breeze” hitmaker recently told his followers that he’s “finishing up” his next album, so hopefully that holds more heat.
Unfortunately for Lil Baby, this isn’t the first time that Kai Cenat negatively reviewed some of his new work while on stream. Previously, Kai had a hilarious reaction to his verse on Trippie Redd’s “FULLY LOADED” off of MANSION MUSIK, which also features Future. That time around, he had more issues to name with Baby’s performance and lyrical content. “What the f**k, bro?” the 22-year-old expressed after pausing the track. “You know my expectations is here,” he continued while holding his hand high above his head. “Did you just moan in the mic?”
Meanwhile, given that the two have linked up in the past, these are just opinions and not really meant to go in any malicious direction. Still, the 29-year-old also has other media endeavors on the way, including a guest spot on BMF‘s third season. Hopefully all these avenues and future artistry leads to some more amazing moments. With that in mind, stay logged into HNHH for the latest news and updates on Lil Baby and Kai Cenat.
Metro Boomin’s production has defined a generation. In an era where producer tags have been memorized by listeners, Metro’s is one of the most recognizable. Most recently, clips from Metro’s appearance at the Red Bull Symphonic performance have gone viral. The orchestra accompanied him to perform multiple songs from his illustrious catalog. John Legend, Swae Lee, NAV, and Roisee also made appearances during the performance. His dedicated fans have always praised his cinematic and sonically layered production, so this performance felt long overdue.
Metro Boomin has done production for chart-topping artists like Travis Scott, The Weeknd, Migos and many more. He has also continued to make music with his day-one collaborators, like Future, Young Thug and 21 Savage. So far, he’s dropped two solo albums and several collab albums with a wide array of hip-hop’s finest. As Metro’s career has progressed, his sound has expanded. Originally known for creating catchy trap anthems, he has since elevated to a new level while maintaining the essence of trap music. His ability to bring eerie or grandiose-sounding melodies is one of his signature techniques. Sometimes, he even weaves in gospel samples to paint his soundscapes. In this list, we’ve gathered some of the best examples of his production style.
This was the first song with Metro’s signature “If young Metro don’t trust you, I’m gone shoot you” tag. Metro Boom’s production is all over Drake and Future’s collaborative project What A Time To Be Alive. This is the most popular song from that album and it received quadruple platinum certification by the RIAA. The song’s energetic hook and flows from both artists are a key reason for its success but Metro’s production plays a vital role too.
“Mask Off” – Future (2017)
Metro Boomin’s production of this song became a source of humor and praise at the same time. The track comes from Future’s 2017 self-titled album. It was the second single from the album and significantly more successful than the first single, “Draco.” The track reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has been certified nine times platinum by the RIAA. The song’s lead flute melody quickly became an earworm and was just as popular as the song’s simplistic yet catchy hook.
Surrounded by trap drums, the song’s solemnly melancholic production creates an atmosphere that simultaneously combines feelings of hype, relaxation and reflectiveness. Amongst these emotions, Metro’s creativity remains at the center. He got the flute sample from “Prison Song” by Tommy Butler, a track from the soundtrack for the stage play Selma. The flute melody inspired other producers to do their take on the sound with tracks like Drake’s “Portland” and A$AP Rocky’s “Praise The Lord (Da Shine),” both released after “Mask Off.”
“Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1” – Kanye West Ft. Kid Cudi & Kelly Price (2016)
Metro Boomin’s production joins forces with several other heavy hitter collaborators like Mike Dean, Rick Rubin and Kanye himself on this track. Noah Goldstein, Allen Ritter and DJ Dodger Stadium, legends in their own right, also contributed. The track comes from the “living, breathing changing creative expression” that was Kanye’s The Life Of Pablo. The song’s gospel sample intro precedes Metro’s iconic beat tag, providing a complete tonal shift. The gospel sample continues throughout the song and its blending with the other sounds of the production make it a truly special listen for many fans.
Metro Boomin’s production undoubtedly helped transform this record into one of the most popular rap songs of modern times. His production on “Bad and Boujee” combines with production from G Koop and leans more into a glitzy sound as opposed to an eerie one. This lines up well with the lyrics which find Migos and feature Lil Uzi Vert speaking on their extravagant lifestyles. One surprising aspect of this song is how long it is, clocking in at almost six minutes long — a rarity for a radio single. Still, it reached the ears of people who previously did not listen to rap at all which only helped expand the fanbase of all the contributors to the track.
“Ric Flair Drip” – Offset & 21 Savage & Metro Boomin (2017)
This song captures core elements of Metro Boomin’s production. Like “Jumpman,” the eeriness of the production is present on the track but there’s still a certain accessibility to it. This song comes from his collab project with Offset and 21 Savage, Without Warning. The snappy bounce that Metro provided makes the song easy to dance to which the artists and Flair himself do in the music video. This sound may remind some listeners of the work of DJ Mustard, who was known for his snap and clap based club anthems. It also made some listeners think of the subgenre of snap music, which was popularized by Atlanta in the early 2000s.
“Superhero (Heroes and Villains)” – Metro Boomin Ft. Future & Chris Brown (2022)
The Metro Boomin production on this song is a testament to the cinematic and grandiose sound he has developed as his career has progressed. This is the second track from his second solo album, HEROES & VILLAINS. The entire album is full of seamless transitions like this, a testament to the intentional cinematic presentation Metro was going for with it. This track highlights Metro Boomin’s production by showcasing two beats in one song. The portion with Future features blaring trumpets that make Future sound like an ominous villain. Meanwhile, Chris Brown’s portion features no trumpets but a solemn yet still cinematic piano, practically making him sound like a hero. Metro’s ability to bring these two sounds into one track and paint a contrasting auditory picture of a hero and villain highlights his skill as a curator, composer, and producer.
“Runnin” – 21 Savage & Metro Boomin (2020)
Metro Boomin’s production has been a large part of 21 Savage’s career since it began. This song comes from their collaborative album Savage Mode II and is the epitome of their collaborative sound. Metro Boomin’s production on this song features a dark piano melody and an eerie vocal loop. These aspects are commonplace in his work with 21 Savage and pair well with his dark lyrics. Multiple other trap artists have used this type of sound in their work but Metro’s techniques have taken it to a different level due to the way he layers his sounds together. He’s made the sound accessible to larger audiences without comprising key aspects of it.
AUGUST 30TH
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at Caesars Superdome on June 30, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images)
