Throughout the past few years, his current ability to write a hit has been put into question. While “Nokia” was certainly a massive song, he has not been able to sustain a number one in quite some time.

With ICEMAN, Drake will be looking to change that narrative. The album is set to drop on May 15, and it could very well end up being the most important album of his entire career. Fans want big hits, and they also want him to change up his sound and innovate. These are tough expectations to live up to, but his supporters are keeping the faith.

In fact, despite the recent criticism against Drake, his support has never wavered. The fans are still streaming his catalog en masse. Spotify’s numbers back this up. According to Kurrco, Drake has been the most-streamed rapper on Spotify throughout every single month of the year so far.

Read More: Trap Dickey Talks Upcoming Album “The Ville,” Teases TDE Compilation Project & Lil Wayne Vs. Jay-Z

Drake Dominates The Streaming Charts

Every single week, it feels as though we are reporting on some new streaming milestone from Drake. At this point in his career, the longevity is impressive. Following the beef with Kendrick Lamar, there were some who felt like the rapper’s career was over. That it was now Lamar’s turn to be the biggest artist in hip-hop. When it comes to streaming, Drake has been able to weather the storm.

With the new album dropping in 11 days, all eyes will be on Drake. Whether or not we get a lead single still remains to be seen. No matter what, it is clear that this project is going to be hip-hop’s biggest release of the entire year.

2026 has been solid for hip-hop so far, and the year only promises to get better.

Read More: “Views” Was The Moment Drake Stopped Trying To Be The Greatest Rapper Alive

The post Drake’s Spotify Dominance Reaches New Heights Ahead Of “ICEMAN” appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Back in December, Jacquees accused Sanders of keeping him from seeing his son. Over the weekend, Deiondra Sanders took to her Instagram, where she addressed the narratives surrounding her relationship with Jacquees. In The Shade Room’s post below, you can find a screenshot of this Instagram story, in which Sanders notes that Jacquees is always welcome to see his on.

Sanders claims the only time she refused was due to a situation in which Jacquees’ family wanted him all alone. At the time, they were allegedly friendly with someone who threatened Snow’s life. Snow was also much younger, and Sanders did not feel comfortable with the situation.

This subsequently sparked a response from Jacquees, who called Sanders a liar. “Oh no this girl decided to get on the net and we’ve been good? She’s lying this is terrible smh can somebody please help her? I’m tired,” he wrote.

Read More: “Views” Was The Moment Drake Stopped Trying To Be The Greatest Rapper Alive

Jacquees Calls Out Deiondra Sanders

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom)

This sparked a response from Sanders, who would eventually get into it with various users in The Shade Room’s comments section. As you will see below, Sanders attempts to set the record straight, alleging that she had just gotten off FaceTime with Jacquees.

She also reasserts that she has been a good mother to Snow and that she has never been bitter throughout the situation. When commenters told her to stop airing out personal business online, Sanders explained that she wants to set the record straight, especially when Jacquees is calling her a liar.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom)

Jacquees has yet to comment on Sanders’ most recent replies.

Read More: Trap Dickey Talks Upcoming Album “The Ville,” Teases TDE Compilation Project & Lil Wayne Vs. Jay-Z

The post Deiondra Sanders Responds To Jacquees Calling Her A Liar Amid Co-Parenting Dispute appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

However, after a 15-year run, the show is officially coming to an end. In a press release, Paramount revealed that a six-part finale series called Love & Hip-Hop: The Final Chapter will be released in the Fall. There is no official release date at this time.

“The ‘Love & Hip Hop’ franchise has always been about the people. The incredible talent who trusted us with their real lives, the exceptional producers who poured themselves into every storyline…” Love & Hip Hop: The Final Chapter executive producer Lashan Browning explained. “Their dedication is why this franchise resonated for so many years. As we step into this final chapter, we’re making sure our ending hits like it should, for our talent in front of and behind the camera, and for every fan who’s been rocking with us from day one. Once more for the culture.”

Read More: Trap Dickey Talks Upcoming Album “The Ville,” Teases TDE Compilation Project & Lil Wayne Vs. Jay-Z

Love & Hip-Hop Comes To An End

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom)

Love & Hip-Hop was a show that featured numerous rap superstars. Cardi B, Joe Budden, Safaree, Remy Ma, and many others are considered alumni of the program.

“Love & Hip Hop has been a part of the fabric of VH1 and of the culture for over 15 years. This limited series is our love letter to the cast, fans, producers, and everyone who made the franchise a success and forever changed reality television,” said MTVE Executive Vice President, Sitarah Pendelton.

This marks the end of an era for reality TV. Love & Hip-Hop set a high standard, and over the years, the show has been replicated by various other properties to varying degrees of success.

The finale series promises to be a unique retrospective on the series and the influence it had on culture as a whole.

Read More: “Views” Was The Moment Drake Stopped Trying To Be The Greatest Rapper Alive

The post “Love & Hip-Hop” Announces Six-Part “Final Chapter” appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

May 15 is the big day, and it is only 11 days away. It’s hard to believe the album is coming that soon, especially when you consider how Drake hasn’t released an official lead single. A song could be coming this week, although there is no guarantee this will be the case.

With that being said, Akademiks has been on stream giving his hot takes on the upcoming album. This includes which artists he would like to see make it onto ICEMAN’s tracklist. Last night, he focused on those who should be banished from Drake’s studio.

In a passionate rant below, Ak explained how DJ Khaled, J. Cole, and Lil Baby need to be kept off the record. Khaled and Cole make sense, given how they were wishy-washy during the Kendrick Lamar beef. However, the Lil Baby inclusion is simply due to Ak’s personal beef with the artist.

Read More: Trap Dickey Talks Upcoming Album “The Ville,” Teases TDE Compilation Project & Lil Wayne Vs. Jay-Z

DJ Akademiks Puts His Foot Down

In fact, after Baby pledged his allegiance to Drake last night, Ak went off on the Atlanta rapper, stating that he needs to be kept far away from ICEMAN.

“F*** what side this n***** is picking, keep this bum ass n***** away from ICEMAN,” Akademiks said.

At the end of the day, Drake’s features are completely up to him. If he wants Lil Baby on the album, Lil Baby will be on the album. This extends to the likes of PartyNextDoor, Sexyy Red, and even Yeat.

Going into this project, fans are hoping for Drizzy to introduce some new blood into the equation. After all, this album is an important moment for him. He has not released a solo album since 2023’s For All The Dogs. This also marks his first solo album since the Kendrick Lamar beef.

Quite simply, this album will determine whether or not Drake can still be the hitmaker everyone knows him to be.

Read More: “Views” Was The Moment Drake Stopped Trying To Be The Greatest Rapper Alive

The post DJ Akademiks Bans Lil Baby, J. Cole, & DJ Khaled From Drake’s “ICEMAN” appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are now going to play against the Detroit Pistons in the second round. It should be an interesting matchup, especially when you consider how the Boston Celtics are now out of the picture.

That said, the Cavaliers took every opportunity to troll Drake and the entire city of Toronto on Sunday. For instance, as the clock ticked down, “Not Like Us” was played over the arena’s speaker system. Ironically enough, today marks the second anniversary of the song.

Read More: Trap Dickey Talks Upcoming Album “The Ville,” Teases TDE Compilation Project & Lil Wayne Vs. Jay-Z

Drake Ruthlessly Trolls By The Cleveland Cavaliers

Subsequently, the Cavaliers took to social media, where they posted a mock ICEMAN sculpture. A “W” was photoshopped on top of it as a means of adding insult to injury. Clearly, the Cavaliers are extremely proud of themselves for making it out of the first round.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by No Jumper (@nojumper)

With Donovan Mitchell on the roster, the Cavaliers have been serious contenders throughout the regular season. However, they have been known to choke away games in the playoffs. The Raptors taking the Cavs to seven games is a prime example of this.

Now, they have James Harden, another notorious playoff dropper. Thankfully, for the Cavs, their second-round opponents are not particularly strong. While the Pistons did win the Eastern Conference, their first-round performance against the Orlando Magic was abysmal.

The Cavs and Pistons matchup could very well be a case of two teams trying not to lose as opposed to trying to win. Whoever wins will have to play either the New York Knicks or the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Read More: “Views” Was The Moment Drake Stopped Trying To Be The Greatest Rapper Alive

The post Cleveland Cavaliers Troll Drake With “Not Like Us” & An “ICEMAN” Statue Following Game 7 Win appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

The official Nike images confirm that the early mock-ups were nearly accurate. The real thing lives up to what people were hoping for and maybe even more so. The materials look exceptional in the official shots.

Jordan Brand combined leather and suede across the upper, adding metallic gold hardware and vintage pre-yellowed midsoles. Then they went further. The leather liners, waxed shoelaces, and suede treatment on the Nike Air heel tab push this well past standard retro territory.

The shoe comes in a woodgrain-printed box alongside dust bags and wooden shoe trees. The whole package feels like it belongs in a display case, not just a closet.

Only 2,300 individually numbered pairs will be made. Retail is $355 which just goes to show the premium efforts put into this sneaker.

After the Air Jordan 3, an Air Jordan 8 BIN 23 drops in July, followed by an Air Jordan 4 BIN 23 to close out the year in December. The Bin 23 revival seems to be just getting started.

Read More: Tatum Brought His Car To The Court In His Playoff Jordan Tatum 4 PE

Air Jordan 3 PRM “BIN 23”

The Air Jordan 3 “BIN 23” blends Team Red, Burgundy Crush, Coconut Milk, and Metallic Gold across a premium material mix of leather, suede, and nubuck. The elephant print appears on the toe and heel in a matching burgundy tone instead of the classic grey which is a subtle but significant change.

Also gold eyelets and a gold-painted heel clip add the luxury accents. A wax seal stamp sits on the tongue, the Bin 23 signature detail. The coconnut milk midsole gives it a vintage feel straight out the box.

The red wax seal, the woodgrain box, the shoe trees… every layer of this package communicates the same thing: overall this one is built different.

Read More: Steve Stoute Sits Down With Boardroom And Doesn’t Hold Back On Nike’s Problems

The post The Air Jordan 3 “BIN 23” Just Got Official Images And A New Release Date appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

However, you may feel about his music, it remains clear that Baby is one of the biggest artists in rap right now. A Lil Baby feature still goes a long way for up-and-coming artists. Furthermore, his past work is proof that he can still drop a fire verse if he really hunkers down and puts his mind to it.

With Drake’s ICEMAN on the way, there has been speculation about who would be featured on the album. After all, Drizzy lost a lot of friends during the beef with Kendrick Lamar. Former friends who likely won’t make it onto his new album.

Lil Baby, on the other hand, has stayed loyal throughout the process. In fact, over the weekend, the artist took to Instagram with a photo of himself standing in front of a door adorned with Drake’s face. Baby captioned the image: “I Already Picked My Side.”

Read More: Trap Dickey Talks Upcoming Album “The Ville,” Teases TDE Compilation Project & Lil Wayne Vs. Jay-Z

Lil Baby Takes Drake’s Side

This declaration immediately went viral on social media, and for good reason. After all, the idea of Lil Baby owning a door covered with Drake’s face is pretty funny. Fans agreed with this assessment and subsequently began to clown the artist for his audaciousness.

Additionally, there was a sense that Baby might be positioning himself for some sort of collaboration or feature on ICEMAN. Drake is wrapping up the album, and there is always room for some last-minute features.

Social Media Weighs In

Below, you can find some of the funniest reactions to the post. There are quite a few Drake fans who are warning the Canadian mega star to keep Baby off the album. Clearly, they want something other than the usual cast of features.

On May 15, we will have a better idea of whether or not Baby’s declaration led to an appearance on ICEMAN.

Read More: “Views” Was The Moment Drake Stopped Trying To Be The Greatest Rapper Alive

The post Lil Baby Pledges His Allegiance To Drake And Gets Clowned In The Process appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

His core argument is simple: Nike lost an entire generation. Not because they made bad shoes but because they made decisions that caused younger consumers to skip them entirely. A 19-year-old today never built the same emotional bond with Nike that older generations did. That window closed and once it closes, it’s hard to reopen.

Stoute pointed to the old landscape when it was basically Nike, Adidas, and Reebok, and that was it. Kids grew up with those three brands as the only real options. That built loyalty by default but today it’s different.

Adidas has dominated the top spot among young people with the Samba and Campus becoming status sneakers among teens. New brands keep entering. Options are everywhere and Nike hasn’t done enough to stay at the center of what’s cool to theyounger buyers.

Nike has been facing a perceived disconnect with younger consumers for a while now. Stoute is just saying out loud what a lot of people in the industry already know.

The bigger question now is whether Nike’s new leadership can actually solve a cultural problem not just a product one. Stoute doesn’t seem convinced they have yet.

Read More: Tatum Brought His Car To The Court In His Playoff Jordan Tatum 4 PE

Steve Stoute On What Happened To Nike

Steve Stoute isn’t some outside observer guessing at what went wrong. He’s one of the sharpest brand minds in the business.

He founded Translation in 2004, a marketing agency built specifically around connecting brands with culture and he’s been doing exactly that for over two decades. He also co-founded Ill Will Records with Nas in 1999 and later built UnitedMasters in 2017, a music distribution platform that put artist independence at the center of the model.

Stoute has spent his entire career at the exact intersection where culture, music, and consumer behavior meet. So when Stoute says Nike missed a generation, it’s a statment from someone who has watched how culture moves and how brands catch it.

Read More: Aaron Judge’s New Air Jordan 1 Low PE Is Dedicated To His Two Dogs

The post Steve Stoute Sits Down With Boardroom And Doesn’t Hold Back On Nike’s Problems appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Release Date: May 1, 2026

Genre: Hip-Hop

Album: N/A

The post Heavy Burden – Song by 38 Spesh featuring Dave East appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Release Date: May 4, 2026

Genre: Hip-Hop

Album: N/A

The post For The Gig – Song by DJ Premier & The Alchemist appeared first on HotNewHipHop.