Uproxx Studios

NLE Choppa’s ‘Bar Stories’ For His Single ’23’ Wittily Shows That In Some Cases Less Is More

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The day has finally arrived. NLE Choppa’s new album Cottonwood 2 is finally available across streaming platforms. After releasing a string of singles, including “Ain’t Gonna Answer” featuring Lil Wayne and “Do It Again” featuring 2Rare, which both made the final project, the rapper can now sit back and fawn over fans’ reaction to his latest bodywork. But he does, NLE is taking a moment to flex is brag about his lyrical abilities.

Stopping by the UPROXX Studios for a new Bar Stories episode, NLE Choppa gave our very own Cherise Johnson a breakdown behind his Tay Keith-produced track, “23,” off new project Cottonwood 2 out now.

The bar up for dissection, “Call me, ‘Booty’/ I’ll shake something.” As the rapper adds in a sturdy hand clap to emphasize the line, he boldly declares that this was in fact “the most iconic line in 2023,” because it could take on several meanings as an under-appreciated double entendre.

The Memphis native doubles down on his point saying when it comes to witty rap lyrics, “Less is more.” Although there isn’t one specific moment that inspired the line per se, NLE made it clear that his entire career thus far could be summarized by that one line.

Watch the full video below.

Outside of his Bar Stories episode, be sure to check out NLE Choppa’s UPROXX Sessions performance of his single, “23,” here. You can also watch his Behind The Video episode for the track here.

NLE Choppa is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Cottonwood 2 is out now via Warner Records. For more information, click here.

NLE Choppa Finishes Building His NBA Team Roster Full Of Musicians

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Before his music was racking up millions of streams, NLE Choppa, real name Bryson Lashun Potts was winning in another way. The “Mo Up Front” rapper was racking up points on the leaderboard as a rising basketball star. The Memphis native has shown his love for the sport throughout his music, including on his track “23.”

Reminiscing on his time on the court, the rapper stopped by Uproxx studios to play a modified game of fantasy basketball with our very own Cherise Johnson. Instead of drafting active players in the National Basketball Association, NLE had to build his five-person roster of a single point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, and center from his fellow musicians.

Up for his imaginary draft include rappers Rico Nasty, Polo G, G Herbo, Roddy Ricch, Lil Baby, Young Thug, 2Rare, Chief Keef, Ice Spice, DDG, and himself. Also on the board is singer SZA.

In part one, he selected “Shirt” singer SZA as his team’s official shooting guard and himself as the point guard.

Watch part two below to see who rounds out NLE Choppa’s NBA roster.

Outside of his NBA team roster with musicians, be sure to check out NLE Choppa’s UPROXX Sessions performance of his single, “23,” here. You can also watch his Behind The Video episode for the track here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

NLE Choppa Builds His NBA Team Roster With Musicians

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Come November, rapper NLE Choppa will celebrate his 21st birthday, but that isn’t stopping him from celebrating his “Jordan year” early. On his Tay Keith-produced single, “23,” from his upcoming project Cottonwood 2, due out April 14, he raps about how special this year will be for him.

A special moment that has happened thus far includes having his song, “Mo Up Front” featured in Powerade’s “What 50% More Means” campaign during the NCAA March Madness. As a former student-athlete himself, the moment meant a lot to him.

Diving into his past as a hooper, NLE stopped by the Uproxx studios to give us his dream NBA team foster but featuring musicians only. Following the rules of the game, NLE has to choose a total of five players to fill the position of point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, and center.

Up for his imaginary draft include rappers Rico Nasty, Polo G, G Herbo, Roddy Ricch, Lil Baby, Young Thug, 2Rare, Chief Keef, Ice Spice, DDG, and himself. Also on the board is singer SZA.

Watch the full video below.

Outside of his NBA team roster with musicians, be sure to check out NLE Choppa’s UPROXX Sessions performance of his single, “23,” here. You can also watch his Behind The Video episode for the track here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Panic! At The Disco’s ‘I Write Sins Not Tragedies’ Video Gets Some ‘React Like You Know’ Love From Gen Z Rappers

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Rap music is constantly undergoing a sonic evolution as each generation of talent pulls inspiration for what’s happening around them musically. For this edition of React Like You Know, we sat down with Gen Z rappers to quiz them on Panic! At The Disco’s hit single, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies.”

The emo pop-punk song, originally released in 2005, propelled the band into the mainstream and is now five times platinum in the United States alone. Although the song is continuing to pick up stream with the new generation of music lovers, the band’s frontman Brendon Urie announced that Panic! At The Disco was coming to an end after 19 years of creating together.

On a panel of reactors, Day Sulan immediately exclaims, “This was my sh*t when I was going through my emo phase!” When Uproxx’s Cherise Johnson follows up, Sulan admits, “Nah, I was really emo at one point, I even had pink hair.”

Similarly, Tia Corine gushes about her love of the track stating, “I used to get dressed in the morning to this [song] with my little white TV. What!”

Despite his hardened exterior, rapper King Most Wanted proudly proclaims, “N****s don’t know I f*ck with this sh*t.”

Other the other hand, rappers like Kalan.FrFr confessed that they weren’t familiar with the band but certainly heard the song in passing. “Madden [the video game]! I know this song, but I’ve never seen the video ever before in my life,” he says. Rapper Lil Zay Osama, on the other hand, has a different story: “I started listening to music like this in jail, though.”

4L Javi chimes in to add, “I don’t know the lyrics, but I know how the [instrumental] starts.”

Others like Rich Homie Quan and NLE Choppa join to share that although the video threw them off in the beginning, the same was actually cool.

You can watch our panel react to the “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” video above.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

NLE Choppa Takes Uproxx Behind His ’23’ Music Video

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NLE Choppa is giving out flowers to everyone that inspires him, including himself. The Memphis rapper is looking for a fresh start in all areas of his life. Whether it is his physical health thanks to herbology, spiritual well-being, or community involvement seen in him organizing a peaceful protest in his hometown, NLE Choppa is taking take ownership of himself.

His latest Tay Keith-produced single, “23,” off his upcoming project Cottonwood 2 is the result of this work. The rapper stopped by our studios to share the behind-the-scenes of the song’s accompanying video.

“I named the song ’23’ because I felt the year of 2023 was a [Michael] Jordan year. This year might make the goats. This year might make people that are not the goats,” said Choppa.

The video, co-directed by the rapper and Water Wippin Evan, as Choppa shares, was filmed over the course of two days, starting in Los Angeles and then ending in Memphis on the same block where it all began for him.

When asked by Uproxx’s Cherise Johnson what it was like to return to his hometown in the same place he filmed his breakout hit, “Shotta Flow,” Choppa said, “Man, it was beautiful. I got a lot of love too. There were a lot of kids running up to me,” before adding, “it’s really memory lane.”

That’s not the only reason the video holds an emotional significance to him. Parts of the video were filmed around the memorial services for the late rapper Big Scarr, who was a dear friend of his.

Watch NLE Choppa’s full behind-the-scenes breakdown of the “23” video above.

Outside of his behind-the-scenes video breakdown, be sure to catch NLE Choppa’s UPROXX Sessions performance of “23.” Click here to watch it now.

NLE Choppa is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

DreamDoll Is Often ‘Misunderstood,’ But She Wants To Ensure That Her Catchy Rap Lyrics Aren’t

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DreamDoll has come a long way since bursting onto the scene via reality tv.

Whether you got to know Tabatha Robinson on season 16 of Bad Girls Club or as her musical persona on season eight of Love & Hip Hop: New York, there’s no denying her passion for music has been the driving force behind her on-screen appearance. However, along the way, the Bronx native’s unruly behavior has, at times, overshadowed her music career.

On her single, “Misunderstood,” DreamDoll clears the air about the public’s opinion of her as well as a few lingering rumors floating around. The “Wiggle” rapper stopped by Uproxx to clarify one bar on the tracks that the public seems to be confused by.

The line in question, “I ain’t never asked for a favor or beg for your pardon / Been the motherfucking star since you seen me at Starlet’s / Once you sell out, it’s the Barclay or Garden / And if you want it, I got it / Lil engine that could / Is she a misfit / Or just misunderstood?”

Watch DreamDoll’s bar breakdown and explanation for the stanza below.

Outside of her bar breakdown be sure to catch DreamDoll’s UPROXX Sessions performance of “Misunderstood.” Click here to watch it now.

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

Ye Ali’s Rules Of The Private Lovers’ Suite For Uproxx

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If you haven’t checked your calendar, today (February 14) is the annual day of lovers all around the world (unless you are Lana Del Rey). Many musicians have made being a certified lover boy a part of their artistic shtick (hi, Drake), or at least the idea of this imaginary persona has flooded their discography. However, melodic rapper and producer Ye Ali has embodied it on and off the track.

Previously released songs, “Oceans” and “Ring,” were just a peek behind his sensual curtain. Now, the recording artist is ready to give those looking to master the art of romance a few pointers from his own personal player bag or, as he refers to them, the teachings, Rules Of The Private Lovers’ Suite, just before the holiday’s nightfall.

By following Ali’s four simple rules, your Valentine’s Day evening would be one for the record books. Some of the rules require a bit of financial planning in advance. However, the most important of Ali’s rules is the last one, “the private suite is a judge-free zone.”

You can watch Ye Ali’s Rules Of The Private Suite for Uproxx Music above.

Outside of Rules of The Private Suit, catch Ali performing his song “Autumn’s Here” for UPROXX Sessions.

Day Sulan Is Dropping Gems On How To Play A Man For Uproxx

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4Hunnid Records’ first lady isn’t here for the romantic games played in today’s dating field. The “Bailar” rapper refuses to let her love be mishandled. In her single, “Teach U How To Play,” she holds nothing back as she lets potential prospects know that if they think they have one up on her, they are sadly mistaken.

Sulan stopped by our studios to share her top five gems when it comes to modern dating for those playing the field. With these tips, the musician is gifting hopeless romantics with a step-by-step guide on winning at love.

Some of the most intriguing tips included being emotionless. While every great R&B song has chronicled just how phenomenal being emotionally loved on can be, for Sulan, those feelings cloud your judgment when in the wrong relationship. During her appearance, Sulan says, “The first way to play somebody or just to stay on top of your sh*t is to keep your emotions out of it.”

Outside of Dropping Gems, catch Day Sulan and her player rule book on full display in her recent UPROXX Sessions performance of “Teach U How To Play.”

You can watch Day Sulan’s Dropping Gems video for Uproxx Music above.

Finesse2Tymes Explains When He Knew ‘Back End’ Was A Hit On ‘Uproxx Bar Stories’

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Uproxx Bar Stories is back! This time, Finesse2Tymes stops by to break down his viral hit “Back End,” which he previously performed on UPROXX Sessions.

“I knew this song was gonna be what it was gonna be when a number-one sensation on TikTok reposted it,” he explains. “It felt like success. I knew I was going to the top and it felt like I accomplished what I set out to accomplish in 90 days.” He also leaves with the promise that his “album is coming soon.”

Finesse2tymes hails from Memphis, Tennessee, where he was closely associated with fellow Memphis breakouts Blac Youngsta and Moneybagg Yo. However, despite gaining traction before the pandemic with his mixtape Hustle & Flow, his career was nearly derailed by a five-year prison sentence in 2018 for possession of a firearm by a felon.

With his release in July of 2022, though, he hit the ground running, dropping “Back End,” which became a TikTok hit, and releasing his mixtape 90 Days in December. The project peaked at No. 57 on the Billboard 200, and clearly, he’s just getting started. 2023 is looking bright for him.

Check out Finesse2tymes’ Uproxx Bar Story above.

Finesse2tymes is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Smiley’s Buy Or Bye Sneakers Investment Rules For Uproxx

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OVO Sound’s rising rapper Smiley is affectionately known for his charismatic grill. But with a tattoo of high fashion brand Louis Vuitton’s signature monogram textile on his hand, his passion for fashion can’t be ignored. While both Beyoncé and Rihanna have made their marks in the fashion industry due to the success of their brands Ivy Park and Fenty, maybe Smiley would like to take notes in hopes of expanding his business portfolio.

The “Over The Top” rapper sat down with his to give his fashion opinion and financial investment tips for building their sneaker collection. While musicians such as Wale and DJ Khaled have gained notoriety for having rare items in their clothes, the Canadian native wants to let everyone know not every shoe is worth copping.

Of the hundreds of sneakers to discuss, Smiley gave his opinion on Nike’s SB Ben & Jerry’s low-top dunks, Travis Scott’s Air Jordan 1 collaboration, the Dior and Air Jordan 1 high-top, Golden Goose’s deluxe brand hi-star sneaker and the Nike MAGs from Back To The Future.

Outside of Buy or Bye, catch Smiley and his shoe game in his recent UPROXX Sessions performances of “Grammy” and “In My Zone.”

You can watch Smiley’s Buy or Bye for Uproxx Music above.