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Kanye West Receives Four New Platinum Certifications From The RIAA

January 12, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Kanye West is allegedly going to drop Vultures with Ty Dolla $ign this year, as unlikely and controversial as it seems. Although it’s been a hectic, often scrutinized, rightfully criticized, but still engaging few years for him, his older catalog and even recent hits still get so much love from the community. If you want evidence of that, look no further than Ye’s four new platinum certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America. They recently confirmed some new plaques, all of which represent his songs– and one album– that sold over one million units again, as they continue to rake in numbers after reaching this milestone at least once before.

Furthermore, these new accolades include Kanye West’s album Graduation, which was just certified seven times platinum. As far as songs, these are “All Of The Lights” from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), also seven times platinum, “Runaway” off of the same project, and “Follow God” off of Jesus Is King (2019). Respectively, these songs went five and two times platinum. In fact, this isn’t the only commercial resurgence that the 46-year-old experienced as of late, as his 2016 LP The Life Of Pablo recently re-entered the Billboard 200 chart.

Kanye West’s New Platinum Certifications

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Despite everything he does to put his career and reputation in a grave, the weight of his talents and astonishments is too heavy to lessen. While there is still plenty of potential for Kanye West to come back with more amazing material, fans are also very grateful with what we’ve gotten so far. Some would rather that he stop at this point, especially as his inner circle and key artistic tenants seem so far away from him. For example, Pusha T allegedly blasted his former G.O.O.D. Music partner in reportedly leaked text messages.

Meanwhile, with his Hebrew apology to the Jewish community for his antisemitism in mind, there is hope that he will revert his regressions into bigotry. But we never quite know with Kanye, do we? All we can hope for right now is that he focuses on his career, craft, and artistry rather than his public perception or feuds. On that note, stay posted on HNHH for the latest news and updates on Kanye West.

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Today In Hip Hop History: Ghostface Killah’s Debut Album ‘Ironman’ Was Certified Gold 27 Years Ago

January 9, 2024 by newhiphopnews

On this day in 1996, Ghostface Killah’s released highly anticipated debut album Ironman was certified gold by the RIAA. With exclusive in-house Wu production from True Master and the RZA coupled with Raekwon The Chef appearing on almost every song on the album, making this album one of the best concept albums completed by the nine man conglomerate to date.

The 16-track album featured several hits that bolstered the Wu Tang Clan’s status as the best rap collective in the game, including the haunting street saga “Motherless Child”, “All That I Got Is You” featuring Mary J. Blige and the late Popa Wu and “WInter Warz”, which appeared on the Don’t Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice In The Hood soundtrack.

This album proceeded Ghost’s abstract lyrical content as witnessed on 2000’s Supreme Clientele LP, but it’s story telling premise keeps listeners glued to the cadence and rhyme style of Mr. Coles equally as much as they are attracted to RZA’s production.

Ironman finally reached platinum status in 2004, which still proves to be Ghost’s most successful album of his career. The WTC would follow up with albums that attempt to mirror the conceptual preciseness of Ironman, however, none of the Clan’s solo projects can be compared in its totality to that of Tony Starks.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Ghostface Killah’s Debut Album ‘Ironman’ Was Certified Gold 27 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

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ScHoolboy Q Gets New Platinum & Gold Certifications Before Return

January 5, 2024 by newhiphopnews

It’s (hopefully) going to be a huge year for ScHoolboy Q, who is set to drop his highly anticipated sixth studio album in 2024. However, he at least has a great foot to start off on if plans don’t work out as expected, for which fans have been very patient for. Moreover, the TDE lyricist received nine new plaques from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) with new gold and platinum certifications on Wednesday (January 3). Eight of these are for singles, whereas his 2019 project CrasH Talk went gold. So let’s break down which songs went gold, which ones went platinum, and which ones added another point on the multi-platinum board.

First, for the “Fork In The Pot” MC’s first-time gold certifications. These are “Dope Dealer” with E-40, “CHopstix” with Travis Scott, and “What They Want” with 2 Chainz. As for first-time platinum plaques, these are for ScHoolboy Q’s “Numb Numb Juice” and “Floating” with 21 S*vage. Meanwhile, “Man Of The Year” and “Studio” went three times platinum. Finally, the iconic track “Collard Greens” with former label mate Kendrick Lamar went four times platinum.

Read More: ScHoolboy Q Stands With Kanye West

ScHoolboy Q Performing In February 2020

ScHoolboy Q Certifications Platinum Gold 2024 Hip Hop News — BERLIN, GERMANY – FEBRUARY 13: American rapper Quincy Matthew Hanley aka Schoolboy Q performs live on stage during a concert at the Astra on February 13, 2020 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Frank Hoensch/Redferns/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, ScHoolboy Q recently explained why his next LP took quite a while to materialize. “This is our life, like me talking about our situations,” he said on the BACKONFIGG podcast. “You know, the s**t we done been through, homies we done lost to the system or to the streets. Like, me talkin’ about my mama’s trauma from her own brothers. You can’t compare that to somebody that won an NBA championship.

“When it comes to music, I don’t look at it as like, ‘Oh, you have to drop every year,’” he went on. “I’m like, no, your favorite rapper has to drop every year because he needs chili. I do what I want because I move off peace, I move off my experiences. As a[n] artist, if I bring nothing to the table that comes from my life, I don’t feel I should put it out.” For more news and the latest updates on ScHoolboy Q, log back into HNHH.

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J. Cole Racks Up A Massive Amount Of RIAA Certifications

November 22, 2023 by newhiphopnews

J. Cole’s discography is stacked with hits. However, what is a little more impressive is that a great deal of them are more on the lyrical side. He certainly has some of the more thought-provoking tracks over the past 10 years or so. All of this hard work and talented craftsmanship has led to an ultra-successful career. What has really solidified Cole’s stature within hip-hop lore has been his incredible run over the past couple of years. 2021 saw him return after a three-year solo album hiatus. The Off-Season provided so many memorable tracks.

“9 5 . s o u t h,” “a m a r i,” “m y . l i f e,” and so many others all provide something unique to the table. Then, after that, his feature run was absolutely incredible. He teamed up with Travis Scott, BIA, Young Thug, Drake, the list goes on and on. What is criminal about all of this, is that he has not grabbed a number-one hit until this year with “First Person Shooter.” While he was appreciative of the moment, it was not solely his song. However, you can argue he made the track what it is.

Is J. Cole The Best Rapper In 2023?

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But, Cole can ignore all of the debating and just revel in his successes. Some social media posts, as well as information from the RIAA, confirm over 20 certifications. HipHopDX also mentioned that “All My Life” with Lil Durk has just gone two times platinum. Other certifications include The Off-Season going platinum, and his massive triumphant anthem “MIDDLE CHILD” nearing diamond status. Congratulations to J. Cole on all of these plaques!

What are your initial thoughts on these new RIAA certifications that J. Cole just earned? Does this solidify him as the best modern-day rapper? Has he been the best artist in the hip-hop genre for the past three years? We would like to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your hottest takes in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest breaking news around J. Cole, as well as everything else going on in the music world.

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Drake Racks Up His Most Impressive RIAA Record Yet

October 26, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Even before a new bunch of RIAA certifications dropped, Drake was already well ahead of his contemporaries. Late last year he passed Eminem to take the record for most certified song units as a solo artist. Now after a new wave of certifications hit to celebrate the rapper’s birthday that resulted in an even more impressive achievement. He’s now the first and only artist to ever hit 200 million certified single units as a lead artist.

Drake took to his Instagram story to share a text he received with the information. Among the new certifications are some particularly impressive album sales. Take Care was officially certified 8x platinum while Nothing Was The Same is now 6x platinum. His more recent albums are also starting to rack up certifications with Certified Lover Boy hitting 3x platinum and Her Loss right behind it with 2x. He also had numerous singles from throughout his career hitting new certification highs spanning from 2x platinum all the way to 9x. Check out the full list from Drake’s story below.

Drake’s New Batch Of RIAA Certifications

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The new set of RIAA certifications dropped because Drake celebrated his birthday earlier this week. His festivities included a party bartended by Breaking Bad stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul. He also received some well wishes online from Nicki Minaj. Lil Yachty took the opportunity to troll Drizzy, asking fans online if they wanted to see a video of the rapper “eating a glizzy.”

In fact, Lil Yachty and Drake may be in the very early stages of cooking something up. While Drizzy is taking a break from music following his new album For All The Dogs, the break isn’t expected to be permanent. In a recent interview, Lil Yachty entertained the idea that a collab album between him and Drake was possible once the rapper returned. What do you think of Drake becoming the first artist to hit 200 million RIAA certified single units? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Drake Racks Up His Most Impressive RIAA Record Yet

October 26, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Drake’s New Batch Of RIAA Certifications

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DJ Akademiks Trolls The City Girls, Says RIAA Told Him They Went 15x Plastic

October 24, 2023 by newhiphopnews

DJ Akademiks is someone who is known for being a huge troll. Overall, he has one of the biggest online empires in hip-hop media. Although he has pissed a lot of people off on his way to the top, he has been able to continue his ascent. A lot of his work these days is done over on Rumble, where he is a streamer. He used to be on Twitch, and although he still streams over there, Rumble is giving him the bag. In fact, while on Rumble, he is a lot more free to say whatever he wants.

Akademiks has been a staunch critic of the City Girls in the past. More specifically, he has gone after the likes of Yung Miami. Consequently, it should come as absolutely no surprise that he had something to say about their poor showing as it pertains to the first week sales for their new album, RAW. The project is estimated to do 6K units in the first week, which is not great. On his stream, Akademiks decided to troll them in a truly brutal way.

DJ Akademiks Never Holds Back

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Above, you can see that Akademiks begins to explain how he had a conversation with someone at the RIAA. Subsequently, he says the inside source called the new City Girls album “15x Plastic.” Of course, this conversation never happened and Plastic is not an actual certification. However, Akademiks has made similar jokes in the past. If you have ever watched him, you knew exactly where his spiel was going. While his audience may have appreciated the joke, we’re sure the City Girls weren’t so amused by all of this.

Needless to say, Ak is loving this right now. Let us know what you think about the City Girls’ first-week sales situation, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will always be sure to keep you informed.

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Gunna’s “fukumean” Goes Platinum

October 5, 2023 by newhiphopnews

One of the biggest rap hits of the year can now officially claim that tile, as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) recently issued a platinum certification to Gunna’s “fukumean.” Moreover, the song is a standout on his 2023 album a Gift & a Curse, which was his comeback to the rap game after his plea deal in the YSL RICO case. That being said, it’s not like this was the only successful track on the album; far from it, in fact. For example, the project itself recently received a gold certification from the RIAA, marking it as one of the year’s most commercially significant. The cultural significance of it for 2023 can’t be understated, either, as this song and LP represent a lot.

Furthermore, many thought that the College Park MC would fall off after his brief prison stint. Some just didn’t think he had a career after this, while others pointed towards his alleged “snitching” in the case as a prime reason to shun him. Regardless of where you fall on that spectrum, it’s clear that Gunna’s not going anywhere anytime soon. “fukumean” still gets spins like wildfire, and amid a lot of other tracks that address his situation, this one proved he still makes bangers.

Gunna’s “fukumean” Certified Platinum By The RIAA

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However, maybe this phase of Wunna’s career won’t be what truly defines his post-RICO renaissance; it could just be the beginning. For example, an upcoming remix of Victor Thompson’s “This Year” has fans very excited for what he’ll do next. Gunna debuted the Afrobeats remix during his most recent live show in Los Angeles, and fans absolutely love this new direction for him. While he’s very well-known for his woozy, laid-back, and flow-heavy brand of trap, it looks like we’ll be getting more versatile material from him very soon.

Meanwhile, it’s safe to say that “fukumean” will remain relevant in the year’s last few months. We have a lot of big releases to look forward to, but that guitar loop and flute-assisted atmosphere is too infectious to ignore. Let’s just hope that there are more heaters like this in store in the future, regardless of what genre it occupies. On that note, stay posted on HNHH for the latest news and updates on Gunna.

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Gunna’s Album “a Gift & a Curse” Certified Gold

October 2, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Many doubted his return, and while that conversation isn’t over, it definitely diminished a lot. Gunna just received a Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for his newest album, 2023’s a Gift & a Curse. Moreover, the album’s now officially sold over 500K album-equivalent units, marking a big milestone for the comeback record. Of course, this is off of the strength of massive hits like “fukumean,” plus thanks to his die-hard fanbase that continued to support him through it all. The College Park MC also just returned to the live performance space, so this is definitely an exciting time for his career.

For those unaware, the aforementioned narrative around his career concerns his “snitching” in the YSL RICO case. This had Gunna laying low for months, and a Gift & a Curse was his big comeback to the hip-hop release sphere. His relationship with other rappers is still up in the air, but with all this commercial success and fan loyalty, that aversion might shift very soon. Still, the 30-year-old also has a lot bigger things to worry about right now, and might be thinking more as a lone wolf within the industry.

Gunna’s a Gift & a Curse Goes Gold

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That being said, a lot of that bias and backlash diminished after the release of a Gift & a Curse. Maybe the conversation just died down, but various sources (including Gunna himself, Young Thug’s father, and more) shut down beliefs that there was beef as a result of Wunna’s plea deal. It’s not the red flag it once was, and that came as a timely development as he builds skills in other areas. For example, his upcoming remix of Victor Thompson’s Afrobeats hit “This Year” stunned fans at its live debut, with many surprised by his excellent foray into the genre.

Meanwhile, there’s a lot of bars to digest on the Drip or Drown MC’s latest full-length. Now, though, it seems like people just enjoy the music without feeding into the debate. We’ll see what else the year holds for him, and we wouldn’t be surprised if he ends it off even stronger. Come back to HNHH for more news and updates on Gunna.

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Recording Industry in the U.S. Achieves Record-Breaking Mid-Year Revenue of $8.4 Billion

September 18, 2023 by newhiphopnews

The Recording Industry Association of America® (RIAA) has announced that the music industry in the United States has achieved significant revenue milestones, revealing data for mid-year 2023 that marks the ninth consecutive year of growth. Total revenues surged by 9.3% at estimated retail value, reaching an unprecedented first-half high of $8.4 billion.

The driving force behind this remarkable growth continues to be paid subscriptions, which accounted for a substantial 78% of streaming revenues. Streaming continues to reign supreme in music consumption, representing 84% of total recorded music revenues in the U.S. and increasing by 10.3% to reach a staggering $7 billion.

RIAA Chairman & CEO Mitch Glazier says, “this report describes a thriving, growing music ecosystem that continues to reach new heights and shape our culture. And it reflects the creative human genius and hard work of all the artists, songwriters, labels, publishers, and services who make the music happen and meet fans and audiences where they are in today’s forward looking and innovative music community.”

Notably, paid subscriptions have experienced explosive growth, surpassing 11% in the first half of this year alone, with the number of music subscription users more than doubling over the past five years.

Physical formats have also made a notable resurgence, achieving their highest revenue levels since the first half of 2013, with a 5% increase over 2022, amounting to $882 million. Vinyl records, in particular, maintain their enduring popularity, accounting for an impressive 72% of all physical music sales and generating $632 million in the first half of 2023.

These milestones underscore the music industry’s resilience and adaptability as it continues to evolve and thrive in the digital age. You can read the full report here.

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