HotNewHipHop returned with another livestream on Friday (October 9) to discuss the Grammys' relationship with hip-hop, the Soul Train Awards' new categories, and all the chaos that went down at ComplexCon regarding streamer culture and overall drama. Our features editor Aron and I also talked about Ice Cube and Dejon Paul's Twitter feud, the evolution of horrorcore, our favorite new music releases of the week, and our picks for artists "On The Come-Up."
First, we talked about hip-hop Grammy submissions in 2026, reacting to a Billboard article that questioned the genre's presence this year due to the absence of Kendrick Lamar and Drake. Aron and I found this to be a reductive view, one that tries to absolve the Recording Academy of missing huge rap moments like Playboi Carti's MUSIC. Although we acknowledged that breaking into superstardom is tougher than ever, the Grammys should be focused on the quality we continue to get in new hip-hop, not its "narratives" for the general public.
Speaking of awards shows, Aron and I discussed the new fan-voted Soul Train Music Awards categories, specifically the R&B/Soul Song of the Year. We talked about how the category features a few tracks many wouldn't categorize as R&B or soul, commenting on how much R&B has changed and the difficulty of balancing innovation, tradition, and authenticity when it comes to genre categorizations.
Later, Aron and I lamented how ComplexCon was filled with conflict, referencing the LUCKI situation and Kai Cenat's Reggie drama as two very serious situations that became public spectacles for one reason or another. Whether it was a fight between BigLoaaf and Madi2Hotty or the overall tense nature of some interactions, we talked about streamer culture rewarding controversy.
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Elsewhere, Aron was quick to point out how the Ice Cube beef with Dejon Paul online devolved way quicker and more seriously than it probably should've. Their clash online opened up renewed debates about what it means to be a hip-hop journalist today, Los Angeles' torch-carrying hip-hop traditions, and the expectations of aging artists.
To celebrate the spooky season, Aron and I looked back on the term "horrorcore" and its varied, vast rap history, from Geto Boys to billy woods' 2025 album. As you can see with those examples, it's a broad spectrum. We discussed how the sub-genre's content traditions and aesthetics have evolved, arguing it can be more of a catch-all term these days rather than a firm sound of its own.
As for new music this week, Aron was a fan of Offset and Don Toliver's "Every Night" single. On the other hand, I shouted out Ovrkast. for his new album STRIKING. We also mentioned new drops from Cardi B, Tobe Nwigwe, Gunna, Vince Staples, Che Noir, and more.
Finally, for our "On The Come-Up" segment, we shouted out Shavone and Fergie Baby's latest releases. You should check those out along with the new "Bingo" single from PaxSlim and the new Dulbi EP from Sid Spada.
Let us know what you think of all these topics, and stay posted on HNHH to rate new songs and albums and enjoy our news and feature coverage.
