HotNewHipHop is coming through with livestreams to talk about hip-hop's most buzzing topics of the moment, and Aron A. and I had a lot to discuss yesterday (Friday, July 10). We reacted to The Real Me, the latest album from Future, as well as the "Spend Dat" controversy following Yung Miami around these days and this weekend's run of shows at Yankee Stadium from JAŸ-Z. Also, we recapped our best albums of the mid-year list and talked about some of the most significant records of 2026 so far.
Starting with Future's The Real Me, his first solo studio effort in four years, Aron and I were sadly disappointed by the tracklist. We pointed out some highlights like "No Misery" and "Feeling I Give" that show off more experimentation and dynamism. But we discussed the album's lack of direction and innovation for the most part, as well as the debates surrounding the Atlanta artist's lovelorn persona.
As for Yung Miami's "Spend Dat" controversy, we looked back at the history of lyrical controversy in hip-hop. The response to the former City Girl's new track is as much a reflection of cultural disconnect as it is a reaction to her involvement in the Diddy scandal. But we highlighted double standards that make some criticisms unfair, as well as the undue backlash people receive for pointing out promotion of societal ills. These days, it's more about the discourse surrounding the art rather than the art itself.
Read More: Future’s Not Quite Done Being Our Toxic King
HNHH Live
Then, Aron and I highlighted our picks from HNHH's best of the mid-year list, including a rift over Drake's ICEMAN and a debate about the mainstream's leader right now. We specifically highlighted Isaiah Rashad's IT'S BEEN AWFUL and the new By Storm album, My Ghosts Go Ghost as our favorites of 2026 so far.
Finally, we discussed JAŸ-Z's Yankee Stadium shows this weekend, going over predictions and expectations. Aron was right on the money with Beyoncé, Nas, and Jaz-O emerging as special guests. We'll see if our other predictions of Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, or Mary J. Blige come to fruition. There's a lot to look forward to this weekend with Hov's run, and we discussed whether or not he should diss more foes or focus on the music.
Check out HotNewHipHop's full livestream panel on all these topics above.
