spotify

Blu Shares 5 Of His Old Albums On Streaming For The First Time

by

Fans of Blu were in for quite the treat today when the rapper unexpectedly dropped much of their back catalog on digital streaming services for the first time. While many of his more recent releases have been on streaming for years he shared some fan favorite deep cuts for fans to enjoy on their favorite platforms. Included among them are his 2002 debut album California Soul as well as Open, The GODlee Barnes, GOD Is Good, and Good GOD. The material spans years of his career from 2002 to his extremely prolific era in 2010.

Blu has continued to release music quite prolifically jumping on a number of other artists songs this year. Most notably, he teamed up with one of 2023’s critical darlings McKinley Dixon. The collaborated on a new version of Dixon’s acclaimed single “Run, Run, Run” from his new album Beloved! Paradise! Jazz?!. He also teamed up with Real Bad Man for a collaborative album called Bad News. The collection of underground and lyrically focused songs marked the first full length collaboration between the two prolific rap contributors.

Read More: Shady Blu & Babyface Ray Are The “Topic Of Discussion” In New Song

Blu Shares New Albums To Streaming

This wasn’t even the only collaborative album Blu released this year. He also teamed up Nottz for a collaborative album called Afrika last month. The project is short but packed full of high-profile features including fellow acclaimed underground rappers like Quelle Chris.

His last solo project dropped back in 2021 with The Color Blu(e). The project was entirely handled by Blu himself with no features and each song featured it’s own interpolation of the word “blue.” A year before that he teamed up with produced Exile for the massively acclaimed Miles. The 90-minute album was packed full of features and netted praise from almost every critic that covered it. What do you think of 5 Blu albums from early in his career making their way to streaming for the very first time? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: Real Bad Man Brings On Blu And C.L. Smooth For “The Golden Rule”

[Via]

The post Blu Shares 5 Of His Old Albums On Streaming For The First Time appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Doja Cat Had Spotify’s Most Popular Rap Song Of 2023

by

Doja Cat’s “Paint The Town Red” finished 2023 as Spotify’s most-streamed rap song for the year. According to Chart Data, the single has earned over 730 million streams on the platform since its August release. Doja dropped it as the lead single from her fourth studio album, Scarlet.

In addition to its success on Spotify, “Paint The Town Red” also became Doja Cat’s second single to top the Billboard Hot 100. It was her first as a solo artist. It is nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.

Read More: Doja Cat Returns With Intriguing New Single “Paint The Town Red”

Doja Cat Performs On The “Scarlet Tour”

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 31: Doja Cat kicks off The Scarlet Tour on October 31, 2023 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Dana Jacobs/Getty Images for Live Nation)

Despite the song’s popularity, Doja recently admitted that she wasn’t a fan of “Paint The Town Red” initially. Speaking with Ebro Darden for Apple Music in December, she explained: “I thought ‘Paint The Town Red’ reminded me of like, Target or like Macy’s. It reminded me of like, GAP. I don’t why. It just kind of is that. And I know it starts with a curse word and it’s like a little bit edgy in that sense and I say, ‘I’m a demon, Lord!’ Like yeah, I get that, but that song just had a very pants-up-high vibe. And you know I think strategically because I can be strategic. I think it was a good addition to the album and a strong addition to the album. I know that it’s a strong song. And I did [expect it to be as popular as it is] and I was kind of running that from a little bit. I didn’t really want to have that pants-up-high song, the goofy, kind of palatable…”

Doja Cat’s “Paint The Town Red” Finishes As Most-Streamed Rap Song Of 2023

While Doja had the most popular rap song of 2023 on Spotify, she didn’t have the most popular rap album. That honor went to Metro Boomin and his project, Heroes & Villians. Be on the lookout for further updates on Doja Cat on HotNewHipHop.

Read More: Doja Cat Originally Wasn’t A Fan Of “Paint The Town Red”: “It Reminded Me Of Like, GAP”

[Via]

The post Doja Cat Had Spotify’s Most Popular Rap Song Of 2023 appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Mariah Carey’s Ex Breaks Silence On Their Breakup

by

Earlier this month, it was People who first broke the news that Mariah Carey’s relationship with her long-time boyfriend could be on the rocks. They reported that fans had taken notice of his reported absence from Carey’s Christmas tour. He’s been along for the ride with her for years, so much so that his absence was noticed immediately. That turned out to be the first clue on the road to a full-on public announcement of their breakup last week.

The pair had been together for 7 years leading up to their recent split. Carey is still yet to comment on the matter in any official statement. But her ex Bryan Tanaka has now shared a statement to social media addressing the split. The first part of the statement sees him acknowledging the breakup officially and reflecting on his enjoyment of the time the pair spent together. He also points out how good Mariah was to her children and family and describes her as being warm and kind. The statement ends with a request for privacy regarding the matter. Check out Tanaka’s full statement below.

Read More: Mariah Carey Sued Over “All I Want For Christmas Is You”

Mariah Carey’s Ex Makes A Statement

In the comments fans praise Tanaka for the way he handled the situation. “Whatever happens, I know you guys really loved and respected each other. Wishing you all the best for 2024,” one of the top comments on the post reads. “I have alot of love & respect for you Tanaka ! You’ve always shown Mariah the utmost respect. All love,” another comment agrees.

December is typically a pretty good time to be Mariah Carey. She released one of the definitive Christmas songs of all time which soars back to the top of the Hot 100 around this time every year. Yesterday on Christmas Day she once again broke Spotify’s record for most streams in a single day, the 4th consecutive year she’s done so. What do you think of Bryan Tanaka’s comments about his recent breaup with Mariah Carey? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: What Is Mariah Carey’s Best-Selling Album?

[Via]

The post Mariah Carey’s Ex Breaks Silence On Their Breakup appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

XXXTENTACION’s Mother Shows Off A Mug With Painting Of Them Together

by

It’s been more than 5 years since XXXTENTACION was tragically murdered at the age of 20 in June of 2018. Despite that, the influence of and love for his music persists. His song “SAD!” became a posthumous number-one hit following his death and his music continues to be incredibly popular. Earlier this year, Spotify published lists of the most streamed rap songs and rap albums ever on the platform. X’s music appeared on both lists with two of his albums, ? and 17 among the top 10 most-streamed rap albums of all time. His 2018 album ? came in at number one as the most streamed rap album in the platform’s history.

Fans are also keeping an eye on X’s mother Cleo, who often shares updates on the rapper’s legacy and any news surrounding his life and work. This time, seemingly in line with the holiday season, she shared a wholesome post to her Instagram story. She posted a picture of a coffee mug sporting a painting of her and X together. It’s unclear if she was given the mug as a present or was just thinking about the late-rapper during the holidays. Check out the mug she showed off below.

Read More: XXXTentacion’s Four-Track “ItWasntEnough” EP Hits Streaming Services

XXXTENTACION’s Mother Posts Painted Mug

XXXTENTACION also continues to reach new major milestones. Though ? was already the most-streamed rap album on Spotify, it hit an even more impressive milestone recently. Back in October, the album became the first ever hip-hop project to reach a combined 10 billion streams on Spotify.

The project isled by a stunning 4 songs with over 1 billion streams each. “hope,” “changes,” and “moonlight have all reached well over 1 billion streams individually. While the album’s #1 hit “SAD!” has more than 2 billion streams placing it among the most streamed rap songs of all time on Spotify. What do you think of XXXTENTATION’s mother’s mug sporting a painting of the two together? Are you still listening to X’s music in 2023? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: XXXTENTACION’s Mother Reveals The Kinds Of Books He Was Reading: Watch

[Via]

The post XXXTENTACION’s Mother Shows Off A Mug With Painting Of Them Together appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Nicki Minaj Mocks Haters While Discussing “Pink Friday 2’s” Record-Breaking Spotify Performance

by

Nicki Minaj used a mocking voice to mimic her haters while discussing her record-breaking new album, Pink Friday 2, with Joe Budden. The album achieved the biggest debut for a female hip-hop album in Spotify history. Additionally, it earned 228,000 album-equivalent units in its first week and debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200.

“Spotify 24-hour streams… Someone’s only popping ’cause there wasn’t nobody else out,” she said, in an over-the-top mocking voice. Budden responded: “So, you remember people saying this stuff?” to which she answered: “People did say this stuff.”

Read More: Joe Budden Shares A Teaser For New Nicki Minaj Interview

Nicki Minaj Performs At Jingle Ball 2023

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 14: Nicki Minaj performs onstage during iHeartRadio Power 96.1’s Jingle Ball 2023 at State Farm Arena on December 14, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for iHeartRadio)

Later in the interview, Budden brings up the lyric, “Stay in your Tory lane, b*tch, I’m not Iggy,” off of Minaj’s “FTCU.” He says it “could be shade to a few people,” but Minaj responds: “Well, without thinking about it being shade to a few people, what do you think the line itself means?” Budden answers: “‘I’m not one of them,’ and I think it was a clever way to say that.” Elsewhere, Budden and Minaj discuss the significance of “Are You Gone Already,” The Notorious B.I.G. and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, as well as the current state of hip-hop. Check out Minaj’s comments with Joe Budden below.

Nicki Minaj Mocks Her Haters

Minaj released Pink Friday 2 as her fifth studio album, earlier this month with features from J. Cole, Lil Wayne, Drake, Lil Uzi Vert, Future, 50 Cent, and Monica, among several others. It is a sequel to her debut album, Pink Friday. The single, “Super Freaky Girl,” marked Minaj’s first solo number-one on the US Billboard Hot 100. Be on the lookout for further updates on Nicki Minaj on HotNewHipHop.

Read More: Nicki Minaj Expresses Love For Female Rappers As Artists & People, Blasts Spotify

[Via] 

The post Nicki Minaj Mocks Haters While Discussing “Pink Friday 2’s” Record-Breaking Spotify Performance appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Kanye West’s “Graduation” Reaches 5 Billion Total Spotify Streams

by

By almost any metric, Kanye West is one of the biggest artists in the history of rap music. He has an extensive list of accolades both critically and commercially that speak to his massive popularity and influence. His last album to hit streaming platforms was 2021’s Donda and the project performed quite well. The album currently sits with 6 different tracks sporting over 100 million streams. It’s led by smash hits “Praise God” and “Hurricane” which have surpassed 400 and 300 million streams respectively.

But even the rapper’s older material does massive numbers on streaming. His 2007 sophomore album Graduation is one of his highest-selling projects. Despite coming out before most Spotify users were even on the platform, the project now sports over 5 billion total streams. Four different songs on the record have surpassed 500 million streams including “I Wonder” and “Homecoming” with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. His anthem about the trappings of fame “Flashing Lights” has surpassed 800 million streams. While the album’s biggest hit, the Daft Punk-sampling “Stronger” has racked up more than 1.3 billion plays all on its own.

Read More: Freddie Gibbs Needs Kanye West As Much As Kanye West Needs Freddie Gibbs

Kanye West’s Newest Spotify Milestone

Kanye West is currently gearing up to release a new collaborative album with Ty Dolla $ign called Vultures. The project was originally supposed to drop earlier this month, but was never released. The actual release date was then moved to New Year’s Day, before being moved again to January 12th. Despite the project not being released officially yet, a version of the album has already leaked and many fans are digesting it already.

West recently returned to the US after an extended stay in various European countries. But shortly after coming back he announced plans to take to an entirely different part of the world. He revealed his intentions to build an entire city of his own in the Middle East and asked for various builders, contractors, and designers to join his team. What do you think of Kanye West’s Graduation surpassing 5 billion total streams across all of its songs? Is it your favorite of West’s albums? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: What Is Kanye West’s Best-Selling Album?

[Via]

The post Kanye West’s “Graduation” Reaches 5 Billion Total Spotify Streams appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Mariah Carey Shatters Spotify’s Single-Day Streaming Record

by

Mariah Carey has once again broken Spotify’s single-day streaming record. Users streamed “All I Want For Christmas” more than 23.7 million times on Christmas Eve, shattering the record Carey herself set last year by more than 2.6 million. This has become a regular occurrence, with Carey topping her own record year-on-year since 2020. The song continues to be one of the holiday’s defining singles, despite turning 30 next year.

However, Carey did lose a different battle. While she has traditionally dominated the pre-Christmas charts, this year saw Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time in the song’s history. Despite losing her top spot, Carey was humble enough to send Lee flowers and a congratulatory note for the accomplishment. “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” originally came out in 1958.

Read More: Mariah Carey & Nick Cannon’s Son Moroccan Makes Rap Debut At Kansas City Tour Stop

Nick Cannon, Ex Of Mariah Carey, Visits Children’s Hospital

Meanwhile, Carey’s ex has been spreading some Christmas cheer of his own. Nick Cannon swung by a California children’s hospital to bring some Christmas cheer to the kids spending the holidays away from home. The multi-hyphenate performer dressed as Santa and distributed presents across the wards. Furthermore, he dedicated the visit to his late son Zen, who passed away from cancer two years ago. “Zens’s Light shinning bright for the holidays!! Thank you to the Children’s Hospital of Orange County and everyone who made the day so loving, warm and memorable.🙏🏾❤,” Cannon wrote on Instagram.

Of course, it’s not been a wholly joyful Christmas for Cannon. Cannon was seemingly absent from Brittany Bell’s Christmas card photos. All of her children with Cannon were present, but not Cannon himself. However, on Cannon’s Instagram, it’s clear that he was present at the photo shoot. It’s unclear why Bell excluded Cannon from the shoot. However, it sparked rumors that the pair are currently beefing. However, many people were supportive of Bell’s decision. “I love how it’s always just her and the kids,” one commenter wrote on social media.

Read More: Nick Cannon & Bre Tiesi Pose With Son Legendary For Sweet Holiday Photos

[via]

The post Mariah Carey Shatters Spotify’s Single-Day Streaming Record appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Spotify Users Clap Back At Megan Thee Stallion For Comments About Platform

by

Spotify users have gone after Megan Thee Stallion after she referred to those who prefer the streaming platform as teenagers. “She saying that because her new song didn’t debut on global? Spotify is the biggest platform btw,” one person noted. “Spotify literally has artists that have great music that aren’t on iTunes. The playlists you can compile on Spotify are better than ITunes,” argued another as they defended the platform. Furthermore, some people wondered if there was an alternate motive. “Nicki breaking records and making history on Both Apple Music and Spotify. So I hope she not tryna be shady,” one user theorized.

However, not everyone was against Megan. “She spoke nothing but the truth. Apple music is superior!” one user bragged. It was a common defense as the Apple users came out in force to back Megan’s claims.

Read More: Poster For Megan Thee Stallion & Tory Lanez Parody Film Goes Viral Online

Spotify To Debut New Royalty Rules

Spotify has come under a lot of pressure this year for some upcoming policy changes. According to a report from Music Business Worldwide, Spotify is raising the threshold that needs to be reached before artists can earn royalties on their music. Songs will now have to reach 1000 annual streams before the site will pay the artist. If that threshold isn’t reached, any money the artist would have earned will be diverted back into Spotify’s general revenue pool. Essentially, bigger artists would earn the money created by smaller indie artists. Furthermore, while 200 streams a year doesn’t sound like a lot, MBW explained that the figure is a lofty goal for many small, independent artists. Furthermore, when multiplied across the low-play songs on the platform, Spotify is saving tens of millions dollars a year.

The platform argues that the change will be negligible. The company argued small creators often don’t see the revenue regardless. However, it is a widely hated change. Some have gone as far as to call it a reverse Robin Hood scenario. In essence, Spotify is taking from smaller artists to pay bigger ones. “Right now, streams and revenue are effectively synonymous, but by this time next year, they will mean very different things. [Smaller artists] will be othered, their revenue becoming a new black box for the biggest artists to share between themselves,” theorized industry analyst Mark Mulligan. Spotify said in a statement that nothing had been finalized yet.

Read More: Megan Thee Stallion’s 2024 Olympics Pitch Includes Winged Horses And Some Creative Rebranding: Watch

Best Reactions From Spotify Users

[via]

The post Spotify Users Clap Back At Megan Thee Stallion For Comments About Platform appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Megan Thee Stallion Jokingly Slammed Spotify Users Online, And They Went Full-On Savage With Their Clap Backs

by
megan thee stallion 2022
Getty Image

Megan Thee Stallion has built a tougher-than-nails musical persona. But the “Cobra” rapper’s Hottie fans seem to be the true savages. As Megan enjoys some downtime for the holidays and between her next big gig (2023 New Year’s Rockin’ Eve), she’s been filling her non-working moments with casual chat with her followers via her Instagram Live.

During Megan’s latest broadcast on Saturday, December 24, she seemed to asserted that Spotify is her least favorite streaming platform. She jokingly turned that disdain toward users of the service. As her friend off-camera asked Megan about the provider, she replied, “B*tch, Spotify?… I feel like if you’re 15, you have Spotify.”

Her fans, who are Spotify users, didn’t take too kindly to the humorous shade, clapping back. Check out a few of their responses below.

“Girl, Spotify is much better than Apple Music other than the music quality,” wrote one user.

“Spotify literally has artists that have great music that aren’t on iTunes. The playlists you can compile on Spotify are better than iTunes,” penned another.

“She’s never getting a Spotify playlist cover again,” added another.

“I’m literally listening to her song on Spotify, LMAO,” wrote one fan.

However, some folks did join in to side with Megan, declaring their allegiance to other apps such as Apple Music.

Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

J. Cole’s “No Role Modelz” Hits Massive Spotify Accomplishment

by

J. Cole hasn’t dropped that much new solo material as of late, although his feature run has been absolutely legendary. Still, that doesn’t mean that his beloved work fell off people’s rotation at all; if anything, you could say it’s stronger than ever. Moreover, arguably the rapper’s biggest hit, “No Role Modelz,” just accomplished something stunning and garnered over two billion streams on Spotify recently. Few rap hits can claim this title, and fewer still are such balanced offerings of style, substance, and singularity. The Dreamville boss should feel very proud of this, even if he’s always found inspiration in artistic growth rather than commercial metrics.

Furthermore, if you want proof of J. Cole’s skills, look no further than another titan of the game: Nicki Minaj. Her praise for his contribution to Pink Friday 2 was quite wholesome and indicative of his status. “This man J. Cole had a 2 hour talk with me,” she wrote. “2. Two!!!! Didn’t realize I was sitting on a therapist couch but ummm 2 days later I heard this verse & couldn’t stop crying. The end. In a world where we know EXACTLY how & WHEN to tear each other apart, there are still Kings & Queens who know how to put ppl back together. Patch them up. Heal them. Empower them. Understand them. Listen to them. Make them do the most beautiful thing a human being can do. Smile.”

Read More: NBA YoungBoy Blasts Reporter For J. Cole Collab Question During Interview

J. Cole’s “No Role Modelz” Enters The Two-Billion Streams Club

In other news, the North Carolina MC also recently received 23 new certifications from the RIAA, so this milestone is contributing to a wild streak of success in many different lanes in 2023. What’s more is that these new plaques ranged across his entire discography. That’s proof that J. Cole is still atop the game, whether it’s about the weight of his catalog or his current success. We can’t wait to see what he’ll do next, even if it might be his last full-length project for some time.

Meanwhile, do you think that “No Role Modelz” is one of Cole’s best-ever songs? Are you going to see him and Drake on tour later in 2024? However you may feel, let us know in the comments section down below. Also, stay posted on HNHH for the latest news and more updates on J. Cole.

Read More: Busta Rhymes Struggles To Decide Between Kendrick Lamar & J. Cole For Greatest Ever List

The post J. Cole’s “No Role Modelz” Hits Massive Spotify Accomplishment appeared first on HotNewHipHop.