As we have already reported, the artist came through with a speech during the evening. He even shared a toast with the likes of DJ Akademiks. Others like BenDaDonnn, Lena The Plug, and even Adam22 rolled through. It was a night to remember, and an iconic boy band even put on a special performance.

Drake was surprised by a performance on stage from the Backstreet Boys. This late 90s and early 2000s group has a plethora of hits, and as you can imagine, those hits were performed on Friday night. At one point, Drake got up on stage with the group and helped them perform “I Want It That Way.”

Read More: A Jay-Z Halftime Show At The Super Bowl Is The NFL’s Easy Way Out

Drake Performs With The Backstreet Boys

The party looked like a ton of fun. Drake has every reason to celebrate right now. On Friday, it was revealed that he has 350 million certified RIAA units. Moreover, he now has 18 Diamond songs and two Diamond albums. He continues to break records, and he is showing no signs of slowing down.

After a difficult year in 2024 and 2025, Drake has come back with vengeance in 2026. He is firmly back on top, and it appears as though he is looking to keep that ball rolling in 2027 with a World Tour.

If you are a fan of the rapper, you can’t help but be excited for what his 40th year will bring.

Read More: Dionne Warwick Samples You Didn’t Know Were In Hip Hop Classics

The post Backstreet Boys Surprise Drake With Epic Performance At 40th Birthday Party appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Among the attendees was DJ Akademiks. The hip-hop commentator has come a long way since being told to “dip from my live.” Over the years, he has built a rapport with Drake, and the rapper even gave Ak an OVO chain during the ICEMAN rollout.

Ultimately, these two can be classified as friends. Ak’s attendance at the party proves this to be the case. Moreover, the two ended up sharing a toast with one another as the night went on. In the video below, you can see the moment captured by phone cameras.

Read More: Dionne Warwick Samples You Didn’t Know Were In Hip Hop Classics

DJ Akademiks x Drake

Akademiks was also spotted at the party with people like Adam22 and Lena The Plug. Of course, the couple are separated, but have been trying to work through things. Adam seems hellbent on making sure the two get back together, as evidenced by his interview with Jason Lee.

As for Drake’s birthday party, it seemed to be a pretty good time for everyone involved. In fact, the Backstreet Boys performed, which was a bit of a surprise, even to Drake himself.

Turning 40 years old is something you only do once. Overall, it appears as though Drake is doing it in style. His actual birthday is today, and we’re sure the celebrations are going to continue.

Read More: A Jay-Z Halftime Show At The Super Bowl Is The NFL’s Easy Way Out

The post DJ Akademiks & Drake Share A Toast In New York City During 40th Birthday Bash appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Why wouldn’t he? 40 is a big year in anyone’s life. It signifies middle age. Moreover, it signifies a moment in life where one becomes more mature. Perhaps not by choice, but by circumstance.

Either way, Drake was in New York City, where he brought out a whole bunch of his famous friends. It was a birthday bash for the ages, and at one point during the evening, Drizzy gave a heartfelt speech.

“Tonight is not about a tour, or album release or a bunch of videos we shot, or a fragrance or a Nike shoe. Tonight is just about being alive, staying alive,” Drake told the crowd.

Read More: Dionne Warwick Samples You Didn’t Know Were In Hip Hop Classics

Drake Gives A Speech

This has been one of the best years of Drake’s career. As we reported, he hit some major RIAA milestones on Friday. One of these includes hitting over 350 million certified units. From there, he was also able to go Diamond with VIEWS, “Marvin’s Room,” and “In My Feelings.”

Additionally, Drake dropped three albums this year, with ICEMAN proving to be among the biggest rap releases of the 2020s so far. Given everything that has happened to him over the past two years, it’s clear that his comeback season has been a success.

His birthday party was yet another excuse for him to celebrate this success. As he says in his speech, the party was really about celebrating life. A message that must have resonated with the attendees.

Read More: A Jay-Z Halftime Show At The Super Bowl Is The NFL’s Easy Way Out

The post Drake Delivers Inspiring Speech At His 40th Birthday Party appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Release Date: October 23, 2026

Genre: Hip-Hop

Album: N/A

Quotable Lyrics From NO CAP

He say he love me, I know that he cap
From the South, so I like to talk back
They tryna put me in media training
They say I don’t know how to act

The post NO CAP – Song by KARRAHBOO appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Release Date: October 23, 2026

Genre: Hip-Hop

Album: The Fork & Knife

Quotable Lyrics from Pandora’s Box

Yeah, I got a friend that gets high on his own supply
When I look at him now, I don’t know the guy
His coke never came in a can
Nah, there’s no saving a man, it’s no surprise

The post Pandora’s Box – Song by Skepta appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Release Date: October 23, 2026

Genre: UK Rap

Album: CANINE

Quotable Lyrics from Bandit

I run up in and out, no hiding
Don’t jump out the whip, don’t time it
No sleep, don’t speak, just silence
I can’t see no peace, just violence

The post Bandit – Song by EsDeeKid appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Last night’s performance was certainly a lot of fun. The legendary artist performed a total of 33 tracks. Furthermore, he brought about Blue Ivy, Scarface, John Legend, and DJ Khaled. Furthermore, he paid homage to the likes of Nipsey Hussle.

Overall, the crowd was loving the performance as Hov dug deep into his library of classics. It feels as though Night Two could be even better. Below, you will find the entire setlist for last night’s show.

Read More: Dionne Warwick Samples You Didn’t Know Were In Hip Hop Classics

Jay-Z’s SoFi Stadium Setlist

Below you can find every track and guest from last night’s show:

1. Hovi Baby
2. Izzo (H.O.V.A.)
3. Beach Is Better
4. FuckWithMeYouKnowIGotIt
5. N—a What, N—a Who (Originator 99)
6. Run This Town
7. The Story of O.J. (with Blue Ivy Carter)
8. Dead Presidents (with Blue Ivy Carter)
9. Where I’m From
10. Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)
11. Lucifer
12. No Church In the Wild
13. Can I Live
14. Family Feud
15. U Don’t Know
16. On to the Next One
17. Clique
18. Dirt Off Your Shoulder
19. I Know
20. Never Change
21. This Can’t Be Life (with Scarface)
22. Mind Playing Tricks on Me (with Scarface)
23. Song Cry
24. 99 Problems
25. Girls, Girls, Girls
26. Excuse Me Miss / La-La-La (Excuse Me Miss Again)
27. Change the Game
28. Give It to Me / Money, Cash, Hoes
29. Jigga My N—a
30. Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love)
31. Empire State of Mind
32. N—s in Paris / Big Pimpin’
33. God Did (with DJ Khaled and John Legend)

Let us know what you think of this tracklist, as well as the guests, in the comments below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for coverage of Night Two.

Read More: A Jay-Z Halftime Show At The Super Bowl Is The NFL’s Easy Way Out

The post Jay-Z SoFi Stadium Night One: Full Setlist And Guests appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Starting with the Jay-Z Super Bowl halftime show rumors, Aron and I think it’s an underwhelming pick for a few reasons. It’s not like Hov can’t put on a great show, as he proved at least a few times in 2026. But not only have his potential big-name guests like Beyoncé or Alicia Keys graced Super Bowl stages before, undercutting their novelty, but everything about this alleged decision seems predictable.

Of course, it could be that Roc Nation and the NFL will get someone else for the performance. Still, if it is Jay-Z, only a new album would make this a truly special moment. Otherwise, as Aron and I put it, the safe pick might not translate to the Super Bowl’s huge audience all the way, especially amid all the controversy and drama he and the league have been facing over the years.

Elsewhere, we also talked about the new Gucci Mane album Against All Odds, and its arrival amid Pooh Shiesty and others’ federal case for allegedly robbing and kidnapping Guwop to get Shiesty out of his 1017 Records deal. The new LP is what you’d expect from the twilight years of Gucci’s artistry, with a few possible sneak disses along the way leading up to the “Crash Dummy” diss track against Pooh.

Read More: Halle Berry’s Love Life Through The Decades

HNHH Live

But it also represents a crossroads for the Alabama native, as this controversy has made his past street image clash with his business-minded and family-oriented growth as an individual.

Aron and I debated over what this means for Gucci Mane and whether or not the snitching conversations around the Shiesty situation are warranted or relevant. It’s become a potentially important element in defining his legacy, but one thing we agreed on is that the music will outlast it all.

Finally, Aron and I highlighted and discussed many music industry shake-ups and legal battles that continue to cause debate online. These include the Hot 97 layoffs, UMG’s legal action with Summer Walker, Cordae, DistroKid, Drake, and others, plus TDE’s Punch’s comments about Black female executives facing most of the consequences of industry restructuring and layoffs. Also, recent posts from folks like Nas and Rapsody called for a stronger defense of Black art and creativity.

Amid industry professionals losing jobs and experiencing massive overhauls, Aron and I spoke about the conspiracies that surge as a result. We tried to emphasize the human element behind these headlines rather than just their big-picture implications. Overall, Aron and I lamented these impactful conflicts and posited that they reflect the dismissal of hip-hop and other Black genres we’ve seen at an executive and industry-based level for a few years. But hopefully there’s a brighter era ahead.

Let us know what you think of all these topics in the comments below. Stick around on HNHH for the next panel discussion and check out our news and feature coverage, as well as to rate the new songs and albums we cover every day.

Read More: Eminem’s Kid Rock Collaboration Is A Betrayal Of Who He Used To Be

The post A Jay-Z Halftime Show At The Super Bowl Is The NFL’s Easy Way Out appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

The 85-year-old singer’s recent health concerns have offered another reason to revisit her contributions to music. After canceling an October 2026 Carnegie Hall appearance because of leg and foot pain, Warwick’s representative confirmed she was feeling better. Her influence on Hip Hop is particularly worth examining, considering how many familiar Rap tracks have borrowed from songs she recorded decades earlier. Some feature her actual performances, while others sample reinterpretations by fellow Soul artists. Moving from Slick Rick’s “Mona Lisa” to Doja Cat’s “Paint The Town Red,” Warwick’s music has found its way into records that sound remarkably different from the originals.

“Walk On By” (1964): One Soul Classic, Two Hip Hop Legacies

A broken heart gave Hip Hop one of its most enduring samples. Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, “Walk On By” became a defining hit for Warwick in 1964, with its restrained delivery of romantic disappointment offering plenty for later musicians to reinterpret. The song found an early home in Rap through Slick Rick’s 1988 classic “Mona Lisa,” which sampled Warwick’s recording for a far less sentimental tale about a woman he meets at a pizza shop. Rick has never hidden his admiration for the singer. Speaking with NME, he acknowledged using “Walk On By” and compared Warwick to a female Frank Sinatra.

Her original recording would continue finding its way into Hip Hop, including Logic’s 2013 track “Walk On By.” A decade later, Doja Cat brought Warwick’s voice to an entirely different audience with “Paint The Town Red,” the Grammy-nominated single from her 2023 album Scarlet. Producer Earl on the Beat told REVOLT that he first heard Warwick when he sampled her on Usher’s “Throwback.” That discovery led him to explore her catalog and eventually produce the instrumental that became Doja’s hit. Warwick welcomed the sample, praising younger musicians for listening to the music of earlier generations. She later admitted to Entertainment Tonight that she hadn’t known who Doja was until her granddaughter told her about the record.

Read More: Dionne Warwick Reveals Why She Didn’t Enjoy Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us”

However, another version of “Walk On By” had already established its own remarkable history in Hip Hop. Isaac Hayes transformed the composition into a sprawling, nearly 12-minute soul arrangement for his 1969 album Hot Buttered Soul. His interpretation replaced much of Warwick’s understated elegance with dramatic orchestration and a heavier groove, giving producers an entirely different recording to work with. Compton’s Most Wanted sampled Hayes’ version on “Hood Took Me Under” in 1992, followed by The Notorious B.I.G. on “Warning” in 1994 and 2Pac featuring Dramacydal on “Me Against The World” in 1995. The connection continued through Foxy Brown’s “Chyna Whyte” and MF DOOM’s “Dead Bent” in 1999, before Wu-Tang Clan enlisted Hayes himself for “I Can’t Go To Sleep” in 2000. These recordings sampled Hayes’ performance rather than Warwick’s original, illustrating how one composition developed separate musical histories through two distinctive interpretations.

“Anyone Who Had A Heart” (1963): From Heartbreak To Black Star

The emotional weight of Warwick’s music didn’t escape the producers shaping underground Hip Hop. Her 1963 recording of “Anyone Who Had A Heart,” another Burt Bacharach and Hal David composition, became the foundation for “Know That,” featuring Mos Def and Talib Kweli. Produced by Ayatollah, the track appeared on Mos Def’s acclaimed 1999 debut, Black On Both Sides. Rather than borrowing the song’s romantic subject matter, Ayatollah reworked Warwick’s recording into a backdrop for the two Brooklyn emcees to trade verses about their lyrical abilities and standing in Hip Hop. The contrast between Warwick’s pleading original and the rappers’ self-assured delivery gave the sample an entirely different purpose.

The song resurfaced in CyHi The Prynce’s “Napoleon,” another recording built around Warwick’s original. Its appearance in CyHi’s catalog reinforced the enduring appeal of her early material among lyric-focused rappers. Both recordings drew on a song Warwick helped turn into a major 1960s hit, showing how producers could repurpose a familiar vocal performance without carrying over the story it originally told.

“Make It Easy On Yourself” (1963): A Different Kind Of Love Story

The complicated history of “Make It Easy On Yourself” began well before it reached Hip Hop. Warwick originally recorded the Burt Bacharach and Hal David composition as a demo, expecting it to become her debut single. Instead, Jerry Butler released the song in 1962, while Warwick’s version appeared on her 1963 debut album, Presenting Dionne Warwick. Nearly four decades later, producer Ayatollah sampled her recording for Masta Ace’s 2001 album Disposable Arts, “Hold U,” featuring Jean Grae.

The sample becomes part of a playful exchange about romantic commitment. Ace describes falling for a woman he initially thought was out of his league, only to discover that maintaining the relationship comes with its own complications. Warwick’s familiar plea to make a breakup easier briefly enters the conversation, but Ace ultimately decides he’d rather stay. Jean Grae adds the woman’s perspective, turning what could have been a straightforward love song into a conversation between two people who aren’t always seeing eye to eye. Warwick’s recording also resurfaced on Stack Bundles’ “Breaking Up,” cataloged as a 2019 release, though the late rapper’s death in 2007 means the recording predates that listing.

“Do You Know The Way To San Jose” (1968): From Pop Classic To Bay Area Rap

The search for success in California gave Warwick another unlikely connection. Her 1968 hit “Do You Know The Way To San Jose,” written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, tells the story of someone reconsidering the pursuit of Hollywood fame. Two decades later, San Jose rapper MC Twist found a different use for the song, incorporating Warwick’s recording into “I Like It Loud” from his group’s 1989 album Comin’ Thru Like Warriors. The connection was especially fitting given Twist’s hometown, although the finished track sounded considerably different from Warwick’s breezy original.

Released through Luke Skyywalker Records, “I Like It Loud” became part of the Bay Area’s lesser-known early Rap history. KQED highlighted the record in its retrospective on San Jose’s underground scene, noting how Twist and his collaborators incorporated Warwick’s familiar recording into their production. He returned to the sample on 1990’s “Cold Chillin’ In San Jo,” once again borrowing from a song that had put his hometown into the national musical conversation.

“We Can Work It Out” (1969): From The Beatles To Wu-Tang

The Beatles probably weren’t anticipating a Wu-Tang Clan connection when they released “We Can Work It Out” in 1965. John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote the song, and it became one of the group’s most recognizable hits before Warwick recorded her own interpretation for her 1969 album Soulful Dionne. Her version brought a distinctly soulful approach to the British pop composition, which would eventually surface in a considerably harder-edged setting.

Thirty years later, U-God incorporated Warwick’s recording into “Rumble,” featuring Method Man, Inspectah Deck, and Leatha Face, from his 1999 solo debut, Golden Arms Redemption. The track samples Warwick’s “We Can Work It Out” alongside Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust,” bringing together two unlikely sources within the same production. It’s a fitting example of how far Warwick’s recordings traveled beyond their original audience, especially when a Beatles composition could find its way into Wu-Tang’s catalog through her interpretation.

“You’re Gonna Need Me” (1973): From J Dilla To A New Generation Of R&B

There’s something particularly satisfying about hearing Warwick tell someone they’ll regret losing her, especially when a producer knows exactly what to do with that warning. Her 1973 recording of “You’re Gonna Need Me” from Just Being Myself became a favorite among musicians. Just Blaze brought the song into the 2000s with “Throwback,” from Usher’s 2004 blockbuster Confessions. The production paired Warwick’s original performance with Usher’s account of a relationship he wanted back, creating a memorable contrast between regret and romantic confidence.

J Dilla took a different approach on “Stop!” from his 2006 instrumental album Donuts. He chopped Warwick’s vocals into a hypnotic loop, repeatedly returning to her warning that someone would eventually need her again. The song also incorporates fragments of Jadakiss and other Rap recordings, giving Warwick’s voice an unexpected setting. Released just three days before Dilla’s death, Donuts has since become one of Hip Hop’s most celebrated instrumental albums.

Warwick’s influence returned to contemporary R&B in 2023 when Chlöe Bailey and Chris Brown released “How Does It Feel”. Produced by Hitmaka and Cardiak, the duet revisited “You’re Gonna Need Me” while drawing on the musical approach established by Usher’s “Throwback.” The recording also had an unexpected connection to Doja Cat’s “Paint The Town Red.” Producer Earl on the Beat told REVOLT that hearing Usher’s record inspired him to investigate Warwick’s catalog. “I was thinking, ‘This is a good a** voice. Who is this?'” he recalled. His search eventually led him to “Walk On By,” which, as we already know, he sampled for Doja’s hit nearly two decades after “Throwback” was released.

“Move Me No Mountain” (1975): A Soulful Connection To Southern Rap

Southern Rap found another piece of Warwick’s catalog worth revisiting with “Move Me No Mountain,” a soulful declaration of devotion from her 1975 album Then Came You. Barry White’s vocal group Love Unlimited originally recorded the song in 1974, but Warwick, under producer Jerry Ragovoy, gave it a different treatment. Her version eventually appeared in Big K.R.I.T.’s “Egypt Cotton” from his 2014 mixtape King Remembered In Time. The Mississippi rapper and producer sampled Warwick’s recording, drawing on the warmth of her vocals for a track rooted in his soulful production style.

Warwick’s rendition also appeared in Premo Rice’s 2019 track “Silk Sh*t,” another recording that borrowed from “Move Me No Mountain”. Although the two artists approached the sample differently, both reached beyond Warwick’s best-known hits to find material in her 1970s catalog. The connection also stretches to CyHi The Prynce, whose 2012 track “James Harden” sampled the same track.

Read More: Dionne Warwick Asks Saweetie About Her Name: “Why Is It Not Sweetie?”

Warwick’s relationship with Hip Hop has always involved more than lending her voice to the occasional sample. She’s never hesitated to challenge artists when she disagreed with their message, as Snoop Dogg learned during their famous meeting in the 1990s. Reflecting on the encounter decades later, Warwick explained that the rappers’ willingness to hear her out wasn’t about intimidation. “No, that is the power of respect,” she said, emphasizing their openness to learning from her perspective.

The exchange speaks to something Warwick herself has come to appreciate about sampling. Younger artists are finding new possibilities in recordings that were already classics before many of them were born, and their audiences are discovering the originals in return. As she explained while celebrating Doja’s single, “I’m thrilled that you’re discovering us, that you’re keeping us alive.” Her enthusiasm reflects a relationship with Hip Hop that has endured for decades, with each new sample introducing Warwick’s music to listeners who might otherwise never have encountered her original recordings.

Read More: Billie Eilish Called “William Eyelash” By Dionne Warwick & Twitter Can’t Handle It

The post Dionne Warwick Samples You Didn’t Know Were In Hip Hop Classics appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

The detailed photos show a white leather upper with the model’s quilted-style panels. A black suede mudguard wraps around the lower half of the shoe, which gives it a strong two-tone look.

Purple adds the final layer. It fills the heel section of the midsole, the outsole, and the mesh lining on the tongue. Black laces tie everything together.

A “Twenty3” ribbon sits on top of the tongue, which is a direct nod to Randy Moss’ original Super Freak. On the back, a white 23 stands out against the black heel.

Underneath, a purple outsole shows the Air Jordan 9’s world map and multiple languages. White Jumpman logos sit on the heel and sole.

The pair is expected to retail for $225 and use men’s sizing. The style code is JK1415-100. Look for it on SNKRS and at select Jordan Brand retailers. Overall, the colors point to the Minnesota Vikings, where Moss spent much of his career.

Read More: Travis Scott Next Air Jordan 1 Low Is The “Chicago”

Air Jordan 9 “Super Freak”

Randy Moss has a special place in Jordan Brand history. In 1999, he became the first football player to sign with the brand.

His first signature shoe, the Super Freak, arrived in 2000. Jordan Brand later reissued it as the Cover 3 in 2010.

Now the Super Freak legacy is getting two moments. This Air Jordan 9 is the first, and the original Super Freak is also reportedly returning in spring 2027.

We covered the Air Jordan 9 “Super Freak” first look earlier this month, when the design looked different from earlier reports. These new photos show much more detail.

The release date is perfect. Super Bowl LXI takes place in Los Angeles on February 14th, and Jordan Brand is timing the drop for the weekend.

Sizing and pricing are still a little fluid, since some outlets list $215 and others list $225. Expect that to settle as the date gets closer.

Read More: Pusha T Explains Why Clipse’s New Album Tops Their Classic

The post The Air Jordan 9 “Super Freak” Looks Even Better In-Hand appeared first on HotNewHipHop.