“Dead Fresh” is a giant success, for the most part. It was everywhere this Summer. Unfortunately, the song has reached meme status. While songs like “Spend Dat” and “Janice STFU” became ubiquitous thanks to their superior displays of songwriting, Baby’s hit single was seen as a joke. “This beat came from Pharrell” was a rallying cry for the Instagram meme makers, and Baby’s image suffered as a result.

Now that Fresh has proven to be a middling release, the fall-off narrative has only accelerated. Despite this, Lil Baby is not giving up hope. While speaking to Nessa on Hot 97, he revealed what he really thinks about people saying he fell off.

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Lil Baby Talks “Falling Off”

“You’re going to get the most engagement if you say Lil Baby album thrash, so once people see that they on engagement thing so the hottest thing to do is say Lil Baby album or Lil Baby fell off,” the artist explained. “The content people who never heard my songs they going whatever the content is so I get the play, I see the play. It’s hard for me to fall into it when I see it.”

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What Are The First-Week Sales Projections For Fresh

Fresh is projected to sell 60K units in its opening week, and it will also challenge for the number one spot on the Billboard 200. Sure, it’s not the six-figure units that Baby would probably hope for. However, a number one album is a number one album, regardless of which way you swing it.

This is a solid showing for Lil Baby, especially when you consider everything that has been said about him as of late. Whether or not he can keep his place as one of rap’s best-selling young stars, remains to be seen.

The post Lil Baby Refuses To Accept He’s Fallen Off appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Joey, aka @gothamhiphop on X, asked his followers whether or not there was “Pharrell fatigue.” He referenced the song “Dead Fresh” by Lil Baby, which is considered to be more of a meme than anything else. Meanwhile, he also talked about QROMELIFE by Quavo, which was critically panned. Muse with John Legend was, indeed, a good project, but again, it didn’t get the commercial success it was looking for. All of this leads to the main question: are fans tired of Pharrell right now?

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Hip-Hop Twitter User Asks About Pharrell Fatigue

It is an interesting question, albeit one that might come across as blasphemous. After all, Pharrell is one of the culture’s biggest legends. To even suggest people are getting tired of him is going to lead to some emotional responses in either direction.

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What Did Fans Have To Say About Pharrell In 2026?

In the replies below, you will see that most fans seemingly have an issue with the fact that Pharrell isn’t giving Atlanta artists his best beats. They keep asking him for beats, but the production he gives them just doesn’t fit the style.

Others believe there are only select artists who actually know what to do with Pharrell’s production. That Clipse is the best example of a group that actually puts together the best music when they link up with Williams.

Simply put, there is no consensus on this debate. The fans are going to support, and the haters are going to do what they do best. As is typically the case with social media, everyone is polarized.

The post Are Fans Sick Of Pharrell Williams’ Production? Social Media Debates appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Over on X, Akademiks celebrated Lil Baby’s poor performance. He said that it is a good thing for the music world, and even invoked Gunna. From there, he stated that he is going to be keeping tabs on Spotify and Apple Music to make sure there aren’t any fraudulent streams behind the scenes.

“Lil Baby flopping this week is actually good for the game. Time to slow down wit all that bs music! Give gunna back his style and lane!” Akademiks wrote. “I’m on Spotify and Apple ass this week. No botted streams will get past me. Trust me. Let that boy receive that flop in peace.”

Akademiks continued his rant, saying he wants to tally up all the streams like election-day ballots. It is a humorous analogy, though Lil Baby probably won’t appreciate it much.

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What Are Lil Baby’s First-Week Sales For “Fresh”?

Outlets like Talk of the Charts have Lil Baby’s first-week sales at around 60K units. Akademiks commented on this, stating that he does not want to see Baby sell more than this. In his view, it would be suspicious.

“Remember if yall see the final numbers like 80k. his label bought 20k copies. Love yall capitol / QC but yall can’t save dis one! A Fresh Flop. His streams tanking … no way his final numbers should differ more than +- 10k copies,” Akademiks wrote. “I’ve hit up billboard and luminate too… no fraudulent sales will be tolerated with Lil Baby – FRESH album. Every organization is warned. Spotify, Apple, luminate and billboard. No bundle finesse…no 5 credit cards 20k sales bought sales.”

Ultimately, the first-week sales are the first-week sales. There is nothing Akademiks can do to change that. Unfortunately, for Lil Baby, YouTube’s partnership with Billboard only kicks in next year. In that regard, the album was released two months too early.

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The post DJ Akademiks Calls Out Spotify & Apple Music As Lil Baby’s First Week Sales Roll In appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Throughout the livestream, Kodak Black could be heard making incoherent comments. He was also making some erratic movements with his head and his hands, which elicited further concern. It was behavior that was consistent with someone who could be intoxicated. It’s not the first time Kodak has appeared this way on a livestream, so it is easy to see why this particular clip went viral.

Not to mention, just last week, we reported that Kodak collapsed during a performance on Halloween. He was eventually attended to and was able to walk off under his own power. Regardless, it was a harrowing scene that left fans in complete shock.

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Kodak Black Goes Live

This comes just days before Kodak Black’s upcoming appearance in GTA VI. As we reported previously, the artist has his very own character model, which was shown off by Rockstar in recent images. Furthermore, it was revealed on Monday that Kodak Black would be part of the Grand Theft Auto VI: The Festival lineup with Travis Scott, Cardi B, Don Toliver, and others.

What Did Fans Say About Kodak?

Over on social media, there were some strong reactions to the clip. As you will see from the X posts below, most people’s immediate reactions were to feign concern. Many asked Kodak to seek help before it is too late. Others simply noted that this is a sad situation and they hate to see Kodak go through it in such a devastatingly public fashion.

Let us know your thoughts on the situation, in the comments below.

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The post Kodak Black’s Latest Concerning Livestream Has Fans Asking Him To Get Help appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

When Dre began his career in 1984, he hit the ground running and became a workhorse. Over the last 40 years, he has refused to take a break. Even when he’s not physically in the studio, he is somewhere thinking about his next move. However, he appears ready to take a prolonged absence and just disconnect for a little while.

“For the first time in my entire adult career, I’m going to take a break from that,” Dre explained. “I’m going to go away, and I’m going to get off the grid for a year or two and come back.”

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Dr. Dre On “Listen & Laugh”

Dr. Dre explained just how busy his mind stays in between projects. Everything he sees reminds him of music in some way, shape, or form. This has kept him more active than he likes to be sometimes. Ultimately, a creative mind never sleeps, and at this stage in his career, he just wants to get away for a bit.

“You never leave it,” he explained. “Even when you’re outside of the studio, you’re looking at storefronts or bumper stickers or some s–t like that, that could give you an idea for the next time that you go in the studio. So, you’re never away from it. You’re always tethered to this thing and for the first time in my life, I won’t be. What if there’s something else waiting for me that could give me the same exact feeling when I discovered music?”

His comments about wanting to discover something outside of music are eye-opening. It’s a testament to the human experience and wanting to fall in love. Whether that be with a person or an art form.

There is no telling where this journey will take Dr. Dre. That said, don’t expect new music from the legend, anytime soon.

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The post Dr. Dre Reveals He’s Finally Going “Off The Grid” appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

YouTube’s reasoning behind the decision was simple. Album consumption units on the Billboard 200 equalled 2,500 ad-supported streams and 1,000 paid-subscription streams. YouTube felt as though their ad-supported model was being weighted in a biased fashion that created a raw deal for artists.

Today, Lyor Cohen revealed in a blog post for YouTube that as of January 16, 2027, YouTube will be partnering with Billboard again. This time around, album consumption units will total 1,500 ad-supported streams.

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Billboard Comes To An Agreement With YouTube

“We are returning to the Billboard charts starting in 2027,” Cohen explained. “Billboard’s new methodology better reflects how fans engage with music today across both subscription and ad-supported services.”

What Does This Mean For Artists?

For artists who tend to do better on YouTube, like NBA YoungBoy, this is a good thing. Instead of needing 2,500 plays to reach one album sale, they only need to reach 1,500 plays. The YouTube to Spotify/Apple Music ratio used to be 2.5/1. Now, it is at 1.5/1. This is a net benefit for all artists, as it means their album sales will immediately see an increase.

Billboard has seen just how popular ad-supported streaming is these days. Younger folks listen to albums on YouTube, and as a result, their listenership needs to be weighted properly. Artists who have thrived on the platform can now continue to do so, without the pressure of building their audiences on other services.

Over the next few months, we will get to see firsthand how this decision impacts sales figures. Artists who have built their fanbases on YouTube could very well see themselves a top the Billboard charts in short order.

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The post YouTube Streams To Count Towards The Billboard Hot 100 & 200 Again appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Along with EQT, his management company, the rapper will bring the program from November 17th to 20th, with some impressive panels, clinics, and workshops scheduled. On November 18th, the Gifted Week Program will host the Sports, Media, Culture & Film with Howard University workshop that brings six panelists from music and sports. “Bring your vision, meet your peers, and get direct access to the people making it happen,” the event description reads.

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Wale’s Gifted Program Week

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On the 19th, they will host the Beyond the Field and Court with Diverse Representation x Washington Nationals panel at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. This event will bring “Black executives, agents, and leaders shaping the business of sports” who will share their experiences of “how they broke in and built lasting careers.” That same day, there will be the Flag Football Clinic with the Commanders.

Then, on November 20th, there will be the Sneaker and Jersey Design workshop–a hands-on experience that allows participants to materialize their visions. There are two different sessions; all that needs to be done is to RSVP on their website. 

Wale and EQT’s efforts with the Gifted Week Program give back to the community that raised him and provide new opportunities for the youth, whether in the arts or in sports, to connect with professionals and gain access to opportunities to elevate their careers. 

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The post Wale Celebrates Third Annual Gifted Week Program With Black Sports Leader Panel appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

In the clip below, James and the fan trade insults with one another. At one point, Bronny asks the woman if she can run a mile. Subsequently, he asks her what she makes in a year. The fans sitting around the woman actually appeared to be on Bronny’s side. At the end of the video, it was revealed that the woman was kicked out of her seat.

Over the last few years, the NBA has attempted to crack down on fans getting into verbal arguments with players. When these kinds of incidents happen, more often than not, the fan is, in fact, kicked out of the game.

There was even a situation between Austin Reaves and a Pistons fan, although that didn’t seem to escalate in the same fashion. Instead, Reaves got in the man’s face, and they hashed it out. Needless to say, Detroit is a tough crowd to play against.

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Did The Lakers Beat The Pistons?

In the end, the Los Angeles Lakers came out on top against the Detroit Pistons by a score of 121-116. Despite missing Luka Doncic, the Lakers got a 43-point showing from Austin Reaves, which catapulted them to the victory.

Head coach JJ Redick did not play Bronny James during the game. Bronny has been a bench player for the Lakers this season, and while he is now on a one-way deal, his playing time is still minimal. At 22 years old, the player still has room to grow, and this doesn’t mean he can’t be a bigger contributor later on.

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The post Bronny James Gets Into Hilarious Verbal Sparring Match With Detroit Pistons Fan appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

There was another headline from this concert involving Adrien Broner. On Sunday, we reported that Broner had been transported out of the venue by paramedics after appearing unresponsive. According to TMZ, Broner’s bag worth between $50,000 and $100,000 was stolen. Rumors and accusations circulated online that Blueface’s crew had something to do with it.

On his Kick stream on Sunday, Blueface looked to set the record straight. In the clip below, he is adamant that his crew had nothing to do with the alleged theft. He says none of his crew members have the bag, and that the accusations don’t have merit.

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Blueface Responds To The Rumors

Blueface was supposed to be on stage with Broner on Saturday night, although due to the boxer’s condition, it never materialized. Blue was one of the people who found Broner in an unresponsive state. The rapper says it was a scary scene, and that he had never seen Broner in that kind of condition before.

Many have expressed concern for Broner and his well-being in the aftermath of all this. Some feel as though streaming has taken a toll on the former boxer, and that he needs help before it is too late. Others simply feel as though streaming might not be the best place for Broner right now.

Whatever the case may be, Blueface remains steadfast in his defense of his crew members. He remains unsure of what happened to the bag, but is certain that his team is innocent.

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The post Blueface Vehemently Denies Rumor His Crew Stole Adrien Broner’s Bag While Unresponsive appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

What might fan the flames of this theory is the fact that Chris Brown just brought up a woman on stage who previously rejected Usher during his set earlier in the year. This time, Gabrielle Cheyenne stood on stage with her back to a pole as Chris Brown seductively serenaded her with his 2007 song “Take You Down.”

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Chris Brown Brings Fan On Stage Who Previously Curved Usher

There probably isn’t much drama surrounding this particular decision between the two stars. However, it probably made Cheyenne’s year. After her icy interaction with Usher during an earlier date on the R&B tour, she told TMZ that she actually wanted to meet Chris Brown, though she never wanted to disrespect Usher. By her reaction on stage this time around, it’s quite clear that she got exactly what she had hoped for from that reaction. But she also got a bit more than she bargained for since Chris Brown actually shared a photo of them on stage together in his latest photo dump on Instagram.

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Ultimately, the latest performances in Atlanta have been much smoother than Thursday’s opener. Apparently, the issues that bled into the actual quality of the show was rooted in whether they should delay their concert because of traffic. Tomorrow will mark the fourth night of their performances in Atlanta before closing out the run on Wednesday. 

We’ll keep you posted on any further updates on the shows.

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The post Chris Brown Invites Woman On Stage Who Previously Rejected Usher appeared first on HotNewHipHop.