The Big Three era is coming to a close. Drake, J. Cole, and Kendrick Lamar have been at the top of the game for over a decade now. Despite this, no one has come for the throne. Artists like Travis Scott and Playboi Carti simply do not seem ready for the mantle. Unfortunately, this has caused some problems for the genre, which appears to be in desperate need of new blood on the mainstream stage.

With all of that being said, Spotify made its big reveal on Tuesday. They named eight artists as part of hip-hop’s next crop of leaders. Those artists are Baby Keem, BigXThaPlug, Sexyy Red, GloRilla, Doechii, Central Cee, Rod Wave, and Lil Tecca. It is an interesting crop of artists, and a controversial one at that.

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Hip-Hop’s Next Leaders

Fans immediately took to social media to describe just how unamused they are with what Spotify is claiming here. There seems to be this sense that the fans don’t want these eight artists to be hip-hop’s next leaders. Instead, they would prefer a different crop of artists.

Of course, there are some talented figures being left out here. Among them are Yeat and Don Toliver, who are arguably the two best hitmakers in hip-hop right now, at least amongst the new school of artists.

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Fans Give Spotify A Talking To

Below, you can see some of the reactions to the Spotify reveal. Fans were particularly critical of the Sexyy Red and Rod Wave selections. Some felt as though Lil Tecca was an inspired choice, but there is still some work to be done on that front.

Whether or not these eight artists can live up to Spotify’s hype is something that the jury is still very much out on. A lot has to happen before any of them can be considered leaders of the new school. Either way, this is just going to be a waiting game.

The post Spotify Unveils “Hip-Hop’s Next Leaders” And Fans Are Less Than Impressed appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

It begins with Scott explaining her side of the story, claiming there was a third car that swerved into her lane and forced her to hit the neighbor’s vehicle. When she denies having been drinking, the officer replies, “Well, I just had to ask because you parked your car in your garage door.” She denies having done so, instead suggesting that the car is just very close to the door. The officers then show her the damage to the garage door. “My kids were screaming and yelling because they thought this guy was following us,” she remarks. Eventually, she admits to having consumed alcohol “two or three hours ago.”

In another video, one of the police officers searches through Scott’s car and discovers a soda bottle allegedly containing alcohol. “Empty Fireball shooter there. That’s not A&W,” one officer remarks, before handing it over to another cop to test it. Finally, the officers perform a breathalyzer test on Scott and put her in handcuffs.

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Kim Scott’s Charges

Overall, police ended up charging Kim Scott with operating a vehicle while intoxicated and failure to stop or identify after causing property damage. Both are misdemeanor offenses. Her attorney, Michael Smith, told TMZ that she is “a good person, a beautiful human being.”

Kim Scott is best known for her on-and-off relationship with Eminem from the late 1990s through the 2000s. They were married from 1999 to 2001 and then again from 2006 to 2007. They share a daughter, Hailie Jade. Eminem referenced both Scott and Hailie in his music numerous times, early in his career, such as on the songs “Kim” and “’97 Bonnie & Clyde,” among others.

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The post Eminem’s Ex-Wife Kim Scott’s DUI Arrest Caught In New Bodycam Video appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Per HipHopDX, Grant was born in Jamaica and raised in New York City. He was a founding business architect of the Wu-Tang Clan and the mind behind its Wu Wear clothing line. Grant helped the group secure financial backing, get them into the studio, and helped expand the Wu-Tang brand into touring, merchandising, and film. He also managed and executive-produced various projects related to the group.

In response to the news, countless supporters, loved ones, and peers have taken to social media to share heartfelt messages about Grant’s life and legacy. Method Man, for example, shared an old photo of the two of them on Instagram. He confirmed Grant’s death in his caption. “Paradise my Brother safe Travels!! [broken heart emojis] [angry face emoji] #pookie #power Bruh I am not ok .. [raincloud emoji],” it reads.

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Oliver “Power” Grant’s Cause Of Death

He wasn’t the only founding member of Wu-Tang Clan to comment on Grant’s passing, however. RZA also shared an emotional post on Instagram about the loss. He posted a simple black square, accompanied by the Boyz II Men track “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday.” His caption consisted of a simple “5,” a reference to what inspired Grant’s nickname, the Five-Percent Nation’s Supreme mathematics.

Raekwon paid his respects on Instagram, too, sharing a photo of Grant surrounded by a group of friends and making it clear that his late collaborator will be missed. “POWER we been everywhere,” he wrote in the caption. “Now you everywhere ! [crying face emoji] [prayer emoji] the most high is merciful love you.”

At the time of writing, Grant’s cause of death has not yet been revealed.

Read More: Tupac’s “All Eyez On Me” Was His Post-Prison Reckoning

The post Oliver “Power” Grant Of Wu-Tang Clan Dead At 52 appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Adam22 is very much aware of that. While Crip Mac was locked up, the internet host was adamant about getting his content partner some help. Now, he is out of prison, and the two have already appeared on a podcast together.

While some might find this to be exploitative, others find it to be quite wholesome. After all that time, Crip Mac was remembered by those closest to him. Having said that, Adam was quick to get to the BS in their most recent interview.

For instance, Adam22 brought up his most recent fight with Jason Luv, in which he was famously knocked out in just under a minute of fighting. Adam made Crip Mac watch some of the footage, and it led to some truly hilarious results.

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Crip Mac Tells Adam22 How To Box

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As you can see in the video above, the internet personality was screaming for Adam to wing on Jason. Of course, that never actually happened. Instead, Adam continued to let himself get beaten up in the most outlandish and humiliating way possible.

Perhaps Crip Mac can become Adam’s boxing trainer going forward. If you have heard Crip Mac’s stories, you know that he talks a lot about running fades. That seems like the experience Adam needs in order to get over the hump and truly become a solid fighter.

Whether or not Adam ever gets into the ring again is something that remains to be seen. If we had to guess, his boxing career is over. If he loses like that ever again, the embarrassment might just be a bit too much to overcome.

Read More: Jesse Jackson Never Underestimated Hip-Hop’s Power

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His song “Gucci Gang” was a huge hit, but as many know, it was completely devoid of bars and elite songwriting. His glorification of drugs was also alarming, and artists like J. Cole tried to get through to him.

These days, Pump isn’t exactly an A-list rapper. While he still tours and makes videos on social media, it’s hard to imagine a world in which fans are seriously checking for his music. He remains a nostalgia act of sorts. If you want to restore the feeling you had nine years ago, then perhaps Pump remains a compelling figure. Otherwise, he’s just a guy who had some big hits a decade ago.

With that being said, Pump doesn’t seem to be enthusiastic about the discourse around his name. In fact, he recently took to social media, where he noted that guys like himself, Lil Uzi Vert, Playboi Carti, Trippie Redd, and even 6ix9ine are still touring.

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Lil Pump Rants About Touring

During this rant, Pump made sure to go off on Lil Tracy. It is here where Pump claims that Lil Tracy had to move across the United States because he simply could not afford to live in Los Angeles anymore.

It was a low blow to an artist who has been through a lot over the years, especially with his proximity to Lil Peep. Regardless, this type of rhetoric should not be a surprise from Pump. After all, he is a big Donald Trump guy, and even shared the stage with him back in 2020.

Quite frankly, it is a bit comical to see Pump put himself in such high esteem with Playboi Carti, Lil Uzi Vert, and Trippie Redd. By every metric, those artists have lapped Pump a million times over. Delusions of grandeur certainly seem to be the theme of this latest rant.

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The post Lil Pump Trashes Lil Tracy As The SoundCloud Era Debate Rages On appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

However, things did not work out in that way. Instead, Kendrick denied the invitation, and months later, he would use his feature on “Like That” to proclaim himself as above the “Big Three.” This subsequently led to a fiery showdown with Drake.

Now, it is 2026, and folks have moved on. Having said that, there is some real curiosity surrounding Cole’s relationship with Drake. Some feel as though Cole threw Drake under the bus by apologizing. Others simply feel as though these two have nothing to talk about anymore.

The Fall-Off is almost a month old, while Drake’s ICEMAN is on the horizon. There was this hope that Drake would feature on the former. In the end, he was not on the album. Now, there is speculation about Cole being on ICEMAN. Based on his latest comments, fans should probably forget about that fantasy.

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J. Cole On Drake’s ICEMAN

While being approached by a reporter, Cole was asked about Drake’s ICEMAN and whether or not he had any thoughts about the album. This led to a very honest answer from Cole, who had virtually nothing to say.

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” he remarked. Even the look on his face was a bit dismissive. Perhaps he was just caught off guard. Or, he simply just doesn’t have much to say about Drake right about now.

At this juncture, there is no telling when Drake will drop ICEMAN, once and for all. There are some who believe the rollout is in its final days, and we could get the album as soon as March 6th. If that is the case, then fans will be eating well very soon. Until then, however, this is all just speculation.

If you were hoping for Cole and Drake to link back up with one another, we are sorry for the disappointing update. We’re sure you were hoping for more.

Read More: Drake Confirms One Key Detail About “ICEMAN’s” Official Release Date

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Sneaker Bar Detroit reports that the Free The Youth x Air Jordan 3 is going to be released on December 4th via Free The Youth, and on December 11th via NBHD.

Bright pink dominates the toe box and mudguard areas creating an eye-catching foundation. The color gradually shifts to rich purple covering the midfoot and ankle collar. Black accents hit the laces, tongue, collar lining, and midsole grounding the design.

That signature purple elephant print appears on the toe and heel as expected. Purple elephant print on the mudguard adds another layer of color complexity. Turquoise green hits the eyelets and collar lining providing unexpected contrast pops.

“FTY” branding appears prominently on the heel in white and turquoise lettering. The collaboration celebrates Free The Youth’s mission of youth empowerment through sports. Black midsoles and outsoles complete the bold colorway with classic Jordan 3 tooling.

Free The Youth focuses on providing opportunities for underserved youth through basketball programs. This collaboration amplifies their message through one of sneaker culture’s most iconic silhouettes. The Air Jordan 3 serves as perfect shoe for this.

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Free The Youth x Air Jordan 3

That pink to purple gradient is absolutely stunning and unlike anything we’ve seen on Jordan 3s. The color transition flows so smoothly from the toe through the ankle creating beautiful visual movement.

Having both purple and pink elephant print adds unexpected texture and depth throughout. Those turquoise green accents on the eyelets and collar lining provide perfect contrast pops. The “FTY” heel branding ties everything together while representing the collaboration’s purpose.

Black midsoles keep the bold upper from being too overwhelming visually. This feels like a collaboration with actual meaning beyond just slapping logos on sneakers.

Overall the colors and design choices all work together to create something genuinely special and unique. Also the retail price of the sneaker will be announced closer to when they release.

Read More: Lil Yachty Wears CPFM x Nike ACG Balaclava Hoodie Ahead Of Release

The post Free The Youth Is Teaming Up With The Air Jordan 3 appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

The hoodie features a stunning gradient flowing from blue to red across the body. Bright yellow, orange, and green create a sunset-like transition effect throughout. Three metallic rainbow Swooshes go down the chest in varying sizes.

Black sleeves provide contrast against the colorful gradient body creating visual balance. A blue balaclava hood extends from the neck covering the entire head. The ski-mask style hood features eye cutouts maintaining CPFM’s eccentric design approach.

Cactus Plant Flea Market’s logo is embroidered on the chest area. ACG branding connects Nike’s outdoor performance line with CPFM’s creative direction. The collaboration merges technical outdoor gear with high-fashion streetwear perfectly.

Lil Yachty has consistently worn bold, experimental fashion throughout his career. He frequently debuts unreleased pieces from major brands before official launches. This CPFM x Nike ACG preview follows that pattern of early access.

The $250 retail price positions this as a premium collaborative piece. CPFM collaborations typically sell out immediately regardless of pricing or availability. This balaclava hoodie should be no different when it officially releases.

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Lil Yachty Wears CPFM x Nike

That rainbow gradient is absolutely stunning and way more vibrant than typical outdoor gear. The flow from blue through yellow, orange, and red creates such a satisfying visual effect.

Those three metallic Swooshes stacked down the chest add just enough branding without overdoing it. The balaclava hood is wild but very on-brand for CPFM’s design philosophy. Black sleeves ground the piece and keep it from being too overwhelming visually.

At $250 it’s definitely premium pricing but CPFM collabs always command those numbers. The whole thing screams technical outdoor performance meets high-fashion streetwear perfectly. Lil Yachty wearing it early just confirms this will be one of spring’s hottest drops.

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“Congratulations to J. Cole, really big number,” he said, as seen in a clip shared by @gothamhiphop. “I’m really not shocked by it. He’s still big three. I know the narrative… but he is. He’s Him, he’s in the Civic, he’s driving around, he’s meeting with his fans. Big turnouts at a lot of colleges. I saw Ak say that it was performative. What’s wrong with performers being performers? […] There’s a billion ways to be performative, look at the way that he chose and what it represents.”

Budden’s co-hosts went on to praise Cole for getting out there and interacting with his fans, which many other artists avoid.

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J. Cole’s “Trunk Sale” Tour

J. Cole is currently making his way around the United States on his “Trunk Sale” tour, during which he’s selling CDs out of his car. He’s made stops in Houston, Alabama, and North Carolina, among other cities. Throughout the tour, he’s had several meaningful interactions with his supporters, inviting them into his car to listen to his new album, listening to their music, and more.

While on his way to Los Angeles yesterday, his old Honda Civic broke down, forcing him to stop in Phoenix to get it fixed. “Tried to make it to LA before we go back home, the Civic said it had enough and broke on us! Phoenix, we here now while the car is getting fixed [fingers crossed emoji],” he wrote on Twitter/X. “Gonna mob around the city in the sprinter selling CD’s in the meantime.”

Unsurprisingly, a massive crowd of fans showed up at the auto shop where his car was to show him love.

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The post Joe Budden Says J. Cole’s “The Fall-Off” First-Week Sales End Big Three Debate appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

“Y’all keep showing up to these racist ass places and expecting racism not to happen,” she began. “Stop supporting this sh*t. Let them crackas be amongst themselves. I don’t know why we keep showing up to these places expecting respect. “

She continued: “Ryan Coogler, whose work I love and respect, is gonna go to the Oscars… Why would you make that movie and then show up in the places and spaces of assimilation?”

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“Sinners” Oscars Nominations

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At the Academy Awards, Coogler and Sinners will be competing for a record-breaking 16 Oscar nominations. They include Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, and more.

Discussing the feat with Deadline in January, Coogler admitted he wasn’t expecting such recognition. “I did not have any expectations when it came to the recognition of what they [the team] did,” he said. “For me, people just showing up to the movies and having a good time, that would’ve been enough. That is worth all the effort. But that people would consider the craft and the achievements that went into it individually. It’s so rewarding.”

At the Academy Awards, Sinners will be competing against numerous other popular films to release in 2025. These include One Battle After Another, Sentimental Value, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, and more. Michael B. Jordan is competing for Best Actor for his role in the film, while Delroy Lindo is up for Best Supporting Actor.

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The post Amanda Seales Blasts Ryan Coogler For Attending The Oscars appeared first on HotNewHipHop.