RapCaviar Archives - New Hip Hop News

DJ Akademiks Questions Drake’s Position On Third All-RapCaviar Team

November 20, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Earlier this week, the new All-RapCaviar teams were finally unveiled, and they’ve since sparked a major debate. The first team features Kendrick Lamar, Future, Metro Boomin, Playboi Carti, and Tyler The Creator. The second team features Kanye West, Gunna, GloRilla, Don Toliver, and 21 Savage. The third team features Rod Wave, Drake, Sexyy Red, BigXthaPlug, and Megan Thee Stallion.

According to the official RapCaviar X account, these teams were determined based on “streaming performance and cultural impact in 2024.” Unfortunately, however, not everyone agrees with their choices. Several social media users have taken issue with Drake’s position in particular, arguing that he should have made the first team. This includes DJ Akademiks, who weighed in on the teams during a recent livestream. According to him, he doesn’t understand why Drake didn’t make the first team, considering the amount of successful work he’s released over the past year.

DJ Akademiks Reacts To All-RapCaviar Teams

Akademiks discusses why it was weird for RapCaviar to put Drake on the third team with Meg the stallion and Sexyy Red despite being the most streamed artist of 2024 and putting out more albums than Kendrick or Carti pic.twitter.com/wEvntLRWUI

— Akademiks TV (@AkademiksTV) November 20, 2024

Moreover, he noted how Playboi Carti and Kendrick Lamar haven’t dropped albums in a while, and how Tyler The Creator’s Chromakopia just came out. He also pointed out how Drake was on an extremely successful tour for part of the year, questioning whether or not that would earn him any points. Drake’s position on the third team isn’t the only thing that has social media users up in arms, however. Many are also arguing that artists like Travis Scott, Ty Dolla Sign, Doechii, J Cole, and Eminem should have landed on one of the teams. Some even think that Metro Boomin doesn’t belong on a team at all since he’s not a rapper.

“Spotify y’all holding a grudge! Why is Drake not on the first team when he’s been the most streamed artist every month?” one X user wonders. “Drake has gotten 1B streams every month this year which no other rapper can say… Nicki is always the most streamed female rapper this year… Eminem just hit 50B streams this year. Why are they not all on the first team?” another asks.

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The post DJ Akademiks Questions Drake’s Position On Third All-RapCaviar Team appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Spotify’s All-RapCaviar Teams with Kevin Durant to Reveal Hip-Hop’s 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Teams

July 19, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Spotify’s All-RapCaviar campaign is returning, announcing the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd team lineups featuring the top Hip Hop artists that dominated the RapCaviar playlist. Teaming up with NBA superstar Kevin Durant and Boardroom, Spotify shows fans their three-episode social series, Inside RapCaviar.

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A post shared by RapCaviar (@rapcaviar)

The convergence of the basketball and Hip Hop worlds takes center stage in All-RapCaviar, where every rapper dreams of being a baller and every baller wants to be a rapper. Like the end-of-season honors for the best players in the league, All-RapCaviar brings together the elite rappers in the game. Starting today, Tuesday, July 18, Spotify unveils the All-RapCaviar teams, allowing fans to vote for the MVP and Rookie of the Year on July 19, with winners set to be announced on July 28.

The campaign celebrates the connection between basketball and Hip Hop, highlighting the best talents. With the support of Kevin Durant and Boardroom, Spotify’s All-RapCaviar promises to be an exciting event for fans of music and basketball. Stay tuned to see which artists make the cut and who takes home the titles of the prestigious MVP and Rookie of the Year.

To generate buzz and engage fans, the All-RapCaviar campaign kicked off with the announcement of the All-RapCaviar teams, carefully chosen by Spotify editors. The teams were divided into three groups, each featuring five notable artists from the world of Hip Hop:

1st Team: Metro Boomin, Drake, 21 Savage, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Baby
2nd Team: Tyler, The Creator, Coi Leray, Lil Durk, Ice Spice, Youngboy Never Broke Again
3rd Team: GloRilla, Central Cee, Nicki Minaj, Don Toliver, NLE Choppa

On July 19, the @RapCaviar Twitter account and Kevin Durant’s Boardroom will reveal the nominees for the highly anticipated MVP and Rookie of the Year awards. Spotify will then invite fans to participate in the voting process through a dedicated microsite. This interactive platform will allow users to vote, engage in online discussions, and debate with other fans about their picks for the prestigious titles.

With the All-RapCaviar campaign in full swing, fans now have the opportunity to support their favorite artists and be a part of the conversation surrounding Hip Hop’s biggest talents. Stay tuned for updates and cast your votes to make your voice heard in the All-RapCaviar MVP and Rookie of the Year selections.

The post Spotify’s All-RapCaviar Teams with Kevin Durant to Reveal Hip-Hop’s 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Teams first appeared on The Source.

The post Spotify’s All-RapCaviar Teams with Kevin Durant to Reveal Hip-Hop’s 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Teams appeared first on The Source.

Spotify’s RapCaviar Releases List Of The 50 Best Hip-Hop Beats

May 11, 2023 by newhiphopnews

After a few other controversial hip-hop lists dropped this year, yet another debatable list is here for fans to discuss in celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary. Moreover, Spotify’s RapCaviar just unveiled its list of the 50 greatest beats of all time in the genre. While it does lean towards more classic fare from the 1980s, 1990s, and the 2000s, there are still some modern names that made the cut. As such, at first glance, the list seems quite fair to all eras and genres. Even though it probably missed the mark in a few areas for many out there, isn’t that conversation what makes a great list?

Regardless, here are the top ten beats of all time according to Spotify’s RapCaviar, from number ten to number one. First up are “Get Ur Freak On” by Missy Elliott, “SICKO MODE” by Travis Scott, and “Still Trippin’” by Mike Jones. Furthermore, spots seven through five are held by “It’s All About The Benjamins (Remix)” by Puff Daddy & The Family, “POWER” by Kanye West, and “A Milli” by Lil Wayne. Following that are “Who Shot Ya?” by Biggie Smalls, “Grindin’” by Clipse, and “Shook Ones, Pt. II” by Mobb Deep.

Spotify & RapCaviar’s List Of Hip-Hop’s Best Beats Of All Time

Finally, the greatest hip-hop beat of all time (according to Spotify’s RapCaviar) is “Still D.R.E.” by Dr. Dre. What’s more is that the legendary producer also got the top spot on Rolling Stone‘s list of the best West Coast rap songs. In both cases, it’s quite understandable, although Rolling Stone picked “Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang” over “Still D.R.E.” That key line alone is one of the most iconic melodies and intros in the whole genre, but we’re sure that you have a better number one pick in the comments.

Meanwhile, other names included in this list are Kendrick Lamar, Wu-Tang Clan, Future, Shawty Lo, Chief Keef, and many more. Some of the standout beats that missed out on the top ten are “Paid In Full” by Eric B. and Rakim, “Cell Therapy” by Goodie Mob, and “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” by DMX. You can check out the full list by Spotify’s RapCaviar in the tweet above or in the via link below. After you take a peep, let us know in the comments what beats deserve higher placement or missed out altogether. As always, keep checking in with HNHH for the latest news, updates, and conversations in hip-hop culture.

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RapCaviar’s Docuseries Digs Deep Into Some of Rap’s Biggest Issues

April 11, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Jim Jones Defends Saying Drake Is Greatest Rapper of All Time

April 6, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Polo G Said That Juice WRLD’s Death Pushed Him To Stop Taking Percocets: ‘He Wouldn’t Want Me On That Sh*t’

March 30, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Juice WRLD‘s death wasn’t just a loss for his family, fans, and friends, but it was also a huge loss for hip-hop as a whole. It was also a warning about the dangers of drug abuse since it was revealed he’d died of an accidental overdose on Oxycodone in late 2019.

Just like Juice WRLD said he was influenced to try drugs by one of his predecessors, his death has become a beacon to his successors. Among them is Juice’s fellow Chicagoan Polo G. In his episode of RapCaviar Presents, which began streaming on Hulu today, Polo recalls his friendship with Juice and how Juice encouraged him to give up taking pills recreationally.

“It made me look at a lot of sh*t differently,” he says. “That made me stop popping Percocets altogether, though. ‘Cause I know he wouldn’t want me on that sh*t.” Even more impactful, though, is that his father followed his example. “Being able to see that and say, ‘Damn, my son can get it together — I need to [as well],” he muses.

Now Polo G spends his spare cash on other distractions, like the iced-out iPhone holder he had turned into a pendant to keep his where everybody else can see it.

RapCaviar Presents is now streaming on Hulu.

Roddy Ricch On Social Media Pressure From Fans: ‘Jesus Only Had 12 Disciples, And I Ain’t No Where Near Jesus’

March 30, 2023 by newhiphopnews

When Roddy Ricch dropped “The Box” at the end of 2019, he couldn’t have had a clue how the next year would play out. The single, which was dropped after the album’s release, upended the social order of the Billboard charts and held onto the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100 for 11 weeks in 2020. It’s already diamond-certified and its success seemingly signaled the birth of a new superstar who would reign over hip-hop for the foreseeable future.

By the same time the next year, those same fans are social media had declared his new album, Live Life Fast, DOA, and Roddy himself washed up. (Even worse, he’s currently facing a copyright infringement lawsuit over the song that supercharged his ascent, filed at the end of 2022.) Roddy suddenly saw himself dealing with both the gift and the curse of social media.

Incidentally, that’s the title of the Roddy-focused episode of RapCaviar Presents, which started streaming on Hulu today. The episode (which features yours truly as a talking head) addresses Roddy’s love-hate relationship with social media — something we touched on in Uproxx’s cover story about him — with Roddy commenting on how unnatural it all seems to him.

At the 21-minute mark of the episode, Roddy says, “A lot of people don’t have to deal with more than 10 people. So just imagine seven million that see your posts every day… Jesus only had 12 disciples, and I ain’t nowhere near Jesus… Let me be great, man.”

Check out the full Roddy Ricch episode and the rest of the RapCaviar Presents series on Hulu.

Roddy Ricch is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Pharrell Recalled Tyler The Creator’s Grammy Loss For ‘Flower Boy’: ‘It Expedited His Growth’

March 30, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Losing out on one of the biggest awards in your field can be a disappointing, humbling experience. But for the right person, it can be the motivation that inspires them to perfect their craft, becoming even more proficient and overcoming the faults that held them back in the first place.

According to Pharrell Williams, that’s what happened to Tyler The Creator when he came up short of the Best Rap Album award at the 2018 Grammy Awards. His 2017 album Flower Boy was lightyears away from his prior work and took inspiration from the work of Pharrell, Justin Timberlake, and Max Martin, maturing Tyler’s sound and expanding listeners’ understanding of the rap rebel’s musicianship and worldview.

But that wasn’t enough to impress Grammy voters… not yet. The first episode of Hulu’s newly released docuseries RapCaviar Presents, based on Spotify’s RapCaviar playlists, focuses on Tyler The Creator and finds Pharrell (one of Tyler’s greatest mentors) sharing his thoughts on Tyler’s growth — which he says was prompted in part by that 2018 Grammys loss.

In fact, he says at the 29-minute mark of the episode, the loss was “one of the greatest things that ever happened to [Tyler], ’cause it motivated him in a different kind of way. Doing that to him just expedited his growth. He realized he needed to go harder — and he did.” The result was, of course, the 2019 album Igor, which totally revamped Tyler’s approach.

That album won the Best Rap Album Grammy in 2020… but it also prompted Tyler to directly confront how an album of mostly singing still got classified as a rap album, calling the win a “backhanded compliment.” That didn’t stop Pharrell from sharing his heartfelt congrats at the time

RapCaviar Presents is now streaming on Hulu.

Megan Thee Stallion Says The First Female Rapper She Heard Besides Her Mom Was Lil Kim: “Damn!”

March 23, 2023 by newhiphopnews

She’s a leading force for women in the Rap game, and Megan Thee Stallion is sharing how she was first introduced to ladies in Hip Hop. The Traumazine hitmaker has spoken about her mother, Holly Thomas, being an artist. Watching her mother work on her craft and beast out bars in the studio inspired Megan to walk a similar path. Sadly, Thomas passed away in 2019 after a bout with cancer, and her death arrived when Megan entered the mainstream scene. The “WAP” collaborator caught up with Hulu’s RapCaviar Presents to speak about her introduction to women in Rap.

“My mom was a rapper, right? She was a female rapper, but I had never heard of women being rappers ever because my mom was listening to UGK, Three 6 Mafia,” she said in a teaser. “My daddy [listened to] Lil Wayne, like, we only listening to men in the house. But one day, my mom put on Lil Kim. Damn! She raps harder than a lot of these guys!” Meanwhile, City Girls had a different outlook, as they were surrounded by influences with ladies on the mic.

Megan Thee Stallion & City Girls Have Different Introductions To Femcees

“It was a lot of women in music when I was growing up. It was f*ckin’ Foxy Brown, Missy Elliott, Left Eye, Eve,” said JT. Simone Mitchell, the President of Quality Control Music, also noted that in past generations of Hip Hop, femcees have dominated with “raunchy” Rap. We’re seeing a resurgence in this current culture. The teaser ended by stating that Nicki Minaj “kind of brought it back to the forefront.” That should make for an episode that sparks several social media conversations.

We previously reported on RapCaviar Presents, a new docuseries premiering on Hulu March 30. RapCaviar began as a Spotify playlist and has become a phenomenon, and we will see several artists sit down to share insight into their perspectives on the genre. Tyler, The Creator and Pharrell also detailed career-changing advice the “Happy” hitmaker gave to the Igor star. Roddy Ricch and Coi Leray will tackle the topic of negativity and backlash on social media during a time when platforms help artists gain fame. It’s a six-part series that fans and artists should tune into. We’ll keep you updated on highlights as they unfold. Check out the “Impact Of Women in Rap” teaser above.