As caught by The Shade Room on Instagram, the singer employed multiple social media platforms to make her points. It started with some Threads messages responding to calls for boycotts of “Spend Dat.” In them, she spoke about how folks easily become influenced by other media and how the wider acceptance of the track is a “bigger problem” indicating “not everybody wants to get free.”

“FOR CLARITY!!” I did not say that I think anyone needs to boycott this song,” India wrote on her Instagram Story. “I said it is a sign of where we are as a culture that this song has been accepted so widely. And … THATS FACTS. I THINK – people should do whatever they WANT TO DO. you do what you wanna do. I’ll do what I wanna do. And that’s that. MEANWHILE I also said, that the way we are embracing the song says a lot about where we are as a culture. which … IS JUST FACTS.”

She also shared a response to an IG user in her DMs calling her selective amid many other debates with folks online.

Read More: The 25 Best Rap Albums Of 2026 So Far

Yung Miami’s “Spend Dat”

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Elsewhere, Yung Miami’s “Spend Dat” is still going viral. In fact, a woman who participated in the track’s viral Internet challenge actually got a rude awakening when police used the video to track her down for retail theft.

There are still a lot of debates about the song, but it continues to do well. In any case, this goes to show how negative discussions of media are just as important to their proliferation as positive ones. All in all, Miami is probably happy with the attention, despite the critics.

India.Arie’s made similar comments before about artists like Megan Thee Stallion and Janelle Monáe. In the past, she has also defended them against social media scrutiny.

Read More: Clive Davis Was Behind The Legendary Careers Of These 10 Music Icons

The post India.Arie Clears The Air After Yung Miami “Spend Dat” Controversy appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

They have created an anniversary landing page for their ninth annual Freshman issue powered by Rémy Martin. At press time, they have all the artist bios, freestyles, and cyphers available, as well as a lengthy write-up speaking to the class’ history and impact. For example, it included statistics on their numbers, chart placements, and other commercial metrics.

Also, they announced they will do much more to celebrate this class via new anniversary content over the next two months. These will include videos of DJ Drama interviewing class members about the cover’s impact and where their careers have gone since. In addition, they will release a documentary about these artists’ cultural influence, the cover shoot, all the stories from recording sessions, and more.

Read More: The 25 Best Rap Albums Of 2026 So Far

XXL‘s 2016 Freshman Class Turns 10

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This news comes as fans already reminisced on XXL’s 2016 Freshman Class when 2026 rolled around. Even the artists themselves have chimed in on the class with some strong admiration and competitive drive. For example, back in 2022, 21 Savage proclaimed he could beat any of his peers from that class in a Verzuz today.

As for XXL’s 2026 Freshman Class, they recently unveiled the list just last week. The artists on the roster this time around are La Reezy, Slayr, Sosocamo, Trap Dickey, Belly Gang Kushington, Chris Patrick, Babyfxce E, YKNIECE, Skrilla, Trim, Miles Minnick, and Hurricane Wisdom.

Will this group have the same impact as the 2016 Freshman Class? Hopefully so.

Regardless, we’ll see what XXL has in store for these ten-year anniversary celebrations and how they cross it over with the next generation on the rise. If nothing else, it’s a good excuse to revisit those iconic 2016 cyphers once again.

Read More: Clive Davis Was Behind The Legendary Careers Of These 10 Music Icons

The post XXL Launches Ten-Year Anniversary Project For 2016 Freshman Class appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

The “Hip-Hop: Past, Present & Future” class is titled “Drake: Media, Myth & Manhood.” It will explore the Toronto superstar’s discography and themes, the ascent of the OVO brand and its history, the relationship between art and capitalism, and the industry systems that artists have to deal with.

This all lines up well with Drake’s ICEMAN narratives, and with the status and success he continues to enjoy in the music world. Narcy, a rapper and professor, has taught classes on Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar before. He also has a long history of talking to OVO members, such as interviewing 40 on multiple occasions. The reading list of this course reportedly includes bell hooks and Guy Debord.

Read More: The 25 Best Rap Albums Of 2026 So Far

Concordia’s Drake Class

Narcy also reposted a clip of Twitter of a TikTok user explaining the course in more depth. All throughout the fall semester, OVO fans not studying at Concordia will likely want to look out for any nuggets of discussion and debate that emerge.

This follows a series of other college classes dedicated to hip-hop, whose lineage stretches back farther than some may believe, but likely not far enough. As such, any academic engagement with the art form is always interesting and heartening to see, even if it risks separating the space from its original sociocultural origins.

Regardless, Professor Alsalman is very excited to dive in, and it should make for an amazing dissection of this legendary career. It’s also nice to see things like this motivate people in many stages of life to get back into a classroom and learn.

Elsewhere, Drake is busy celebrating Kawhi Leonard’s Raptors return, and just recently showed love to Janice’s via his exclusive parties. With how much he taps into his fanbase, we wouldn’t be surprised if he guest lectures at Concordia for this new course.

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The post Montreal’s Concordia University Is Offering A Drake Course Next Fall appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

In the clip caught by Livebitez on Instagram, Shiesty and an alleged affiliate allegedly appear alongside a man with a yellow ensemble with a blurred-out face. Many assume this person is Guwop, and you can his alleged voice is audible in the alleged clip. “I dropped you, Pooh Shiesty’s dropped from 1017… Bro we just did that, that’s done. You dropped. You said you wanted to be dropped, you dropped,” Gucci allegedly says in the alleged clip.

“Let them know you dropping me,” the Memphis rapper allegedly said in the alleged video. “Real n***a, ain’t never did no police s**t or none of that. Tell them what’s going on.” Neither party has publicly responded to this video at press time.

Read More: The 25 Best Rap Albums Of 2026 So Far

Gucci Mane & Pooh Shiesty Video

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The emergence of this alleged video is unclear, with no one yet claiming responsibility or identifying the source. But it does match prosecutors’ alleged screenshots of the alleged Pooh Shiesty and Gucci Mane video, which they recently shared in court. They argued against Shiesty’s efforts to secure bond in the case.

He also has eight other codefendants, including his father Lontrell Williams Sr. and fellow Memphis MC Big30. They deny the allegations against them, and we will see how this new development affects the future of the trial.

Speaking of which, the trial will reportedly begin on February 22, 2027, if everything goes according to the current schedule. Folks within hip-hop and beyond continue to debate their expected outcomes as snitching debates and other discussions gain momentum and trade places in the discourse.

We will see if there are explanations for this alleged video. Folks criticized the alleged recording in the first place, whereas others believe something more nefarious may be afoot.

Read More: Clive Davis Was Behind The Legendary Careers Of These 10 Music Icons

The post Alleged Video Of Pooh Shiesty’s Alleged Gucci Mane Robbery Hits The Internet appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Keefe D’s lawyers tried to prevent this, as well as the admittance of Los Angeles Police Department interviews as evidence in the trial. He claims he had an agreement with the LAPD to keep police interviews off legal records, and he and his legal team claimed the book is pure fiction that a jury should not examine.

But prosecutors reportedly argue the book voided that agreement. Compton Street Legend reportedly details Keefe’s alleged role in orchestrating the murder of the Death Row rapper.

Read More: The 25 Best Rap Albums Of 2026 So Far

Keefe D’s Trial

However, the door is reportedly still open when it comes to the police interviews and sequestering the jury. The jury trial will reportedly begin later this summer, specifically on August 10. We will see what evidence enters the courtroom by the time proceedings begin.

Elsewhere, other claims about Keefe D’s alleged Tupac confessions have surfaced. For example, a report emerged claiming audio tapes of Keefe’s jail calls feature him allegedly bragging about orchestrating the murder. No official reports on whether or not prosecutors will use that as evidence have emerged at press time.

Also, Keefe D received a wrongful death lawsuit from ‘Pac’s stepbrother, Maurice “Mopreme” Shakur, on behalf of his father’s estate. The suit references multiple anonymous alleged co-conspirators and seeks damages for the 1996 incident.

For years, Duane Davis has toed the line between standing by his side of the story and backtracking it as fabrication. Where the truth really lies is up for the jury to decide with whatever evidence they have in front of them.

As for next steps, the police interviews and other alleged confessions from Keefe D are next to decide on concerning admissible evidence. But Keefe’s lawyer believes the state is scrambling if they resort to these statements to prove culpability beyond reasonable doubt.

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The post Judge Allows Keefe D’s Book To Be Used As Evidence In Tupac Murder Trial appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

The outlet cited a local report that claimed the venue informed the crowd Weezy wasn’t going to perform just a few minutes after Wayne’s allegedly scheduled appearance time of 10:45PM local time. But the show began hours before, so the timeline of the specific parts of the concert is longer.

At press time, there hasn’t been an official explanation from his team, and fans are figuring out refund opportunities via ticket sellers and providers. Per WABI 5, Waterfront Concerts President Alex Gray apologized to the crowd and suggested they canceled the show because they asked the city for a curfew extension they were not able to secure.

Lil Wayne fans expressed anger at this online, whether just pure disappointment or accusing the hip-hop legend of neglect. His next concert of this tour will reportedly take place tomorrow night (Thursday, June 2) at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in New York. We will see if Wayne or his camp address this absence before then.

Read More: It’s About Time Lil Wayne Retires “Tha Carter” Series

Lil Wayne’s No-Show Concert

Amid fan reactions on Twitter, many fans responded to Tunechi being on Twitter the morning after the canceled show without responding to the backlash. “Nobody told Lil Wayne he had a concert in Maine last night,” one user wrote.

It’s the New Orleans MC’s latest concert cancelation controversy following a history of no-shows, walk-offs, and more. However, all of these have different reasons and contexts, and many of them don’t have exact explanations for what went down.

Fans React

Elsewhere, Lil Wayne is sparking Verzuz debates thanks to a recently published 2023 interview with DJ Drama. Now, he has even more discussion to address, and we’ll see if he does so on the rest of this tour. Elsewhere, fans are hoping for another chance, or at least a refund.

Read More: Lil Wayne Is The Most Influential Rapper Alive – LaRussell Just Outlined Why It’s Complicated

The post Lil Wayne Angers Fans After Failing To Show Up For Maine Concert appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Law enforcement says they found Campbell in her Atlanta home on Tuesday following a request for a welfare check. A man “appeared to have barricaded himself inside the home” when the police arrived, which led to Ciarre Campbell’s arrest.

“We look forward to his day in court. I’m honored to defend him and, most importantly, the Campbell family. I’m asking on their behalf that the public respect their privacy at this time.” Campbell’s attorney, Jay Abt, explained.

Read More: The 25 Best Rap Albums Of 2026 So Far

Calais Campbell Faces Family Tragedy

Following the news of Nateal Campbell’s passing, her family released a statement on the matter. They noted that they are allowing law enforcement to complete their investigation. However, they are still finding comfort in the news, and are allowing for their faith to guide them during this time.

“While the details of her passing are still being investigated, we take comfort in knowing she is reunited with our father, her beloved Chuck, and in the arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We ask for privacy at this time so that we may honor her and share in our overwhelming grief privately and as a family,” the statement read.

This is just a horrible tragedy, and out heart goes out to the Campbell family as they go through this. This remains a developing story, and we will be sure to keep you informed.

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The post Calais Campbell’s Brother Charged With Murder In Connection With Mom’s Death appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

In a clip caught by XXL on Twitter, you can see him behind a DJ booth at the Nike TOMA National Final in New York City on Saturday (June 27). The street soccer match held an Amazon Music Night, at which the Houston rapper was one of various special performers.

But Travis’ view towards the crowd from the booth was blocked by a cameraman onstage, and he wanted him to move out of the way. He took various bottles of water and threw them at the cameraman’s back, who eventually looked back and got out of the way after the third hit. Scott talked to the cameraman as he walked away, seemingly explaining himself before taking his phone out and recording the crowd as he vibed along to the music.

Read More: The 25 Best Rap Albums Of 2026 So Far

Travis Scott’s Nike TOMA Performance

This is one of many Travis Scott and soccer crossovers in recent weeks, as the 2026 FIFA World Cup is captivating audiences around the globe. He’s been a big fan as well, popping out for various games, meeting Erling Haaland, and launching various merch and brand collaborations to celebrate the occasion.

Also, this performance marked another Cactus Jack and Nike link-up, whose history shoe collabs and merch drops continue to dominate. These days, these live pop-outs are an equally important part of the brand, as in-person events and celebrations will only get bigger from here on out.

Elsewhere, Travis Scott recently performed with some close friends. At his Los Angeles tour stop, Don Toliver brought out his Cactus Jack boss and collaborator Kanye West to perform their BULLY collab “FATHER.”

We’ll see what other moves Trav has up his sleeve in the future. Hopefully whoever’s working as a cameraperson at them gets the memo and avoids more water bottles at their expense.

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The post Travis Scott Pelts Cameraman With Water Bottles During Live Show appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Akademiks is on the side of Drake, while Charlamagne appears to be on the side of Jay-Z and Roc Nation. This has somehow led to a rap media beef that appears to be accelerating at a rapid pace. The interesting thing about it is that Akademiks and Charlamagne are a case of mentee and mentor. Even Ak will tell you that if it weren’t for Charlamagne, he wouldn’t exist.

That said, Wack 100 has officially decided to join the battle. During DJ Akademiks’ most recent live stream, Wack stated that he has a bomb that could end Charlamagne right here, right now. As you will see, Akademiks isn’t so interested in that strategy right now.

Read More: The 25 Best Rap Albums Of 2026 So Far

Wack 100 Goes to Bat For DJ Akademiks

Wack 100 then went on to say that he knows the individuals who infamously jumped Charlamagne outside of the radio station. This is a clip that gets replayed on the internet every so often. Akademiks couldn’t help but laugh and shake his head at Wack 100, who is known to embellish his stories at times.

Based on Akademiks’ interaction with Wack 100, it seems clear that he wishes this Charlamagne situation would go away. He has too much love for Charlamagne to really keep this going.

In the past, we’ve seen Akademiks keep up his feuds with Shy Glizzy, Vic Mensa, and Rory & Mal. However, with Charlamagne, the seething hatred just isn’t there. In due time, we imagine these two will make up, and get back on friendly terms.

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The post Wack 100 Is Ready To Go To War Against Charlamagne Tha God On Akademiks’ Behalf appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Here’s the logline: “In the dark underworld of New Orleans, the Winters family builds an empire around a powerful new drug—crafted from the ashes of the dead—that grants users vivid, haunting visions of the past. But as demand surges, rival factions, deadly secrets, and supernatural forces close in, pulling them deeper into a violent and inescapable nightmare of crime, horror, and family legacy.”

“I’ve always been drawn to stories that break the mold, and Bone Parish does exactly that,” the G-Unit mogul reportedly shared. “It takes crime, family, and power, and mixes it with something dark and supernatural, in a way that feels fresh. Exploring what happens when the world of the living gets mixed up with the world of the dead, this story has incredible depth, and we’re building a series that’s going to keep audiences locked in from the first episode.”

Read More: The 25 Best Rap Albums Of 2026 So Far

50 Cent’s Bone Parish

Dune: Prophecy‘s Diane Ademu-John and The Witcher: Blood Origins‘ Declan de Barra will serve as co-show-runners and executive producers. Executive producers also include Stephen Christy and Mette Norkjaer from the graphic novel’s publishers, BOOM! Studios.

One question mark around this is 50 Cent’s past complaints about Starz over late renewals, business disagreements, spin-off handlings, and more. But it seems like it’s all good now.

“We love going on new journeys with Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson, and this one is unlike anything we’ve done before,” Starz’s President of Original Programming, Kathryn Busby, reportedly stated. “A world steeped in horror and the supernatural, but still grounded in the family and crime storytelling our audience can’t get enough of. It’s a wild, bold swing, and exactly the kind of risk we want to be taking.”

50 Cent already expanded his Power universe with Starz as he continues to rack up hip-hop extracurriculars.

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The post 50 Cent Announces “Bone Parish” TV Show With Starz Despite Past Issues appeared first on HotNewHipHop.