It is practically a wrap on 2023, a 12 months in hip-hop that featured some dope albums, fireplace manufacturing and a few standout moments that hip-hop followers will always remember.
Juvenile had individuals placing respek on his identify over the summer time with what has been tabbed a one in all greatest Tiny Desk hip-hop performances in years, perhaps solely eclipsed by Scarface’s look on the platform in December. Hilariously, Juvie had no thought what Tiny Desk was when the thought was first proposed to him on X, previously generally known as Twitter. His stay set wound up being one of the viral rap performances of 2023.
5 years after releasing Astroworld, and practically two years after the Astroworld Competition tragedy, Travis Scott made a triumphant return along with his new album Utopia. The discharge proved to be simply what followers had been lacking as La Flame moved practically 500,000 models of the album in its first week, the biggest first-week gross sales numbers for a hip-hop album this 12 months.
The seemingly unthinkable happend in November, when lyricist savant Andre 3000 FINALLY launched his debut solo album, New Blue Solar. It wasn’t precisely what followers had been hoping for, being sans lyrics and filled with instrumentals, however it was a spotlight second all the identical. Will we ever get a solo rap album from 3 Stacks?
“There’s this false impression that I simply will not do it,” André stated of releasing a rap album, in a press launch for New Blue Solar. “I believe individuals really feel like I am sitting round on rap albums, or sitting round and I am simply not placing them out in that approach. And no it is not like that.”
He continued: “In my thoughts, I actually want to make a rap album. So perhaps that occurs someday, however I received to discover a option to say what I need to say in an attention-grabbing approach that is interesting to me at this age.”
See 10 of one of the best moments from 2023 beneath.
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Travis Scott Returns to the High of the Rap Recreation
After a five-year hiatus from releasing a full-length undertaking, Travis Scott returned to the very prime of the rap recreation when he dropped Utopia in July. Accompanied by the visually beautiful movie, Circus Maximus, Cactus Jack delivered an opus that moved 496,000 models in its first week and spent 4 straight weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Travis has been celebrating his triumphant comeback by blessing followers throughout the globe with sold-out performances full of vitality. Now, Utopia finds Travis Scott with a nomination for Finest Rap Album on the upcoming Grammy Awards in 2024.
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Nicki Minaj Reclaims the Throne With Pink Friday 2 Album
In a 12 months that finds the ladies of hip-hop dominating the area greater than ever earlier than, Nicki Minaj proved in 2023 that she nonetheless reigns supreme. Acclaimed collabs with Ice Spice on tracks like “Princess Diana” and the Grammy-nominated “Barbie World” confirmed any naysayers that she has a lot left within the tank. Coming via along with her Pink Friday 2 album on the tail finish of the 12 months, Nicki’s chart-topping LP bought 228,000 album-equivalent models within the first week. That quantity finds the Barbie Queen reaching the biggest gross sales week for any feminine rapper to this point within the 2020s. With all of that, the previous 12 months noticed new followers and lifelong Barbz alike reserving first-class tickets to Gag Metropolis.
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Andre 3000 Drops First-Ever Solo Album
Andre 3000’s unprecedented hip-hop profession has had followers clamoring for a 3-Stacks solo album for many years. With the discharge of New Blue Solar in November, that lastly occurred in 2023 and snatched headlines accordingly. With out rapping a single bar on the long-awaited solo album, Andre 3000 satisfied a complete legion of hip-hop heads to chill and soak in 90 minutes of classical instrumentation along with his flute enjoying because the star of the present. Regardless of any dismay that will have come from followers longing to listen to one of many greats rock the mic on New Blue Solar, Andre nonetheless contributed rhymes to among the best hip-hop initiatives of the 12 months within the type of Killer Mike’s Michael. The album’s lead single “Scientists & Engineers,” which additionally options Future, is within the operating for Finest Rap Track on the 2024 Grammy Awards.
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Gucci Mane and T.I. Publicly Squash Their Beef
After spending greater than a decade at odds, Gucci Mane and T.I. publicly squashed their long-running beef in October of 2023. On the huge 1017 Day celebration in help of Gucci’s newest album, Breath of Recent Air, GuWop launched Tip to the roaring crowd on the well-known Tabernacle in Atlanta. As T.I. shared a sentiment of “love” and “respect” towards Gucci Mane, the 2 shook fingers stay on stage, ending the storied smoke that dates again to 2012. Gucci solidified the second by sharing a video clip of him and T.I. on stage collectively to his Instagram story together with the caption, “A lot respect @tip.”
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50 Cent Solidifies His Legacy With 100-Date Remaining Lap Tour
As 2023 marked the twentieth anniversary of fifty Cent’s iconic 2003 album, Get Wealthy or Die Tryin’, the Queens rap legend celebrated the event on a worldwide degree. With Busta Rhymes serving because the opening act on all dates, 50 launched into his 100-date Remaining Lap Tour in July. The high-production worth intercontinental trek spanned six months and wrapped up on Dec. 19 in Nonthaburi, Thailand. Alongside the best way, Fif chronicled his worldwide impression on hip-hop followers via cinematic video clips shared on social media. The G-Unit boss additionally took the chance to ask a few of the rap recreation’s heaviest hitters to carry out alongside him on stage in choose cities. The Remaining Lap Tour included visitor appearances from the likes of Eminem, J. Cole and Nas, amongst many others.
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De La Soul’s Total Catalog Lastly Turns into Accessible for Streaming
In a monumental second for the music business, the legendary De La Soul’s total music catalog was made accessible on all main streaming platforms for the primary time in 2023. Following a years-long battle with their former label, Tommy Boy Information, Reservoir Media acquired De La’s rights, cleared any excellent samples and all six of the long-lasting trio’s albums formally hit DSPs again in March. Regardless of the tragic lack of member Dave “Trugoy” Jolicoeur earlier within the 12 months, De La Soul followers discovered themselves rejoicing all all through 2023.
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The Nasty Tory Lanez and Megan Thee Stallion Saga Concludes
Tory Lanez and Megan Thee Stallion drama dragged on for 3 entire years earlier than lastly coming to a conclusion in 2023 when the Canadian crooner was sentenced to 10 years for the 2020 capturing of Megan Thee Stallion, and later had his attraction denied. The state of affairs has been one of the divisive incidents within the hip-hop neighborhood, and at instances introduced out the worst in individuals, with flat-out lies, mudslinging and pretend information reaching a fever pitch throughout the December of 2022 trial. Nevertheless you are feeling concerning the consequence, the top of the Tory Lanez and Megan Thee Stallion saga was a lot wanted.
Araya Doheny/Leon Bennett/Getty Photos (2)
Araya Doheny/Leon Bennett/Getty Photos (2) -
Scarface’s Tiny Desk Efficiency Goes Viral
Legends getting their flowers was a operating theme of 2023, which marked the fiftieth anniversary of hip-hop. Scarface’s Tiny Desk efficiency in December confirmed why the long-lasting rapper is revered by many because the King of the South. With legendary producer Mike Dean by his facet, ‘Face performed devices and delivered his greatest hits with the vigor of a person who could not maintain a mic once more. It was a complete second that will not be quickly forgotten.
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Juvenile’s Unbelievable Tiny Desk Efficiency Occurs Virtually by Accident
Juvenile went viral in April on X, previously generally known as Twitter, with one easy reply to a fan that reads, “Wtf is a tiny desk and no.” The tweet was in response to X person @theylovemike requesting a efficiency from the New Orleans legend on NPR’s Tiny Desk. After Juvie was bombarded by tweets, he defined that if the request obtained 10,000 retweets, he would rethink. Quick ahead to June, each the hip-hop neighborhood and NPR made it occur with the outcome being an unimaginable efficiency from Juvie the Nice that included Mannie Recent main a myriad of proficient musicians via 10 of Juvenile’s biggest hits.
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Hip-Hop Turns 50
On Aug. 11, 2023, hip-hop turned 50 years outdated. 50! Commemorating the day DJ Kool Herc DJed a back-to-school occasion at 1520 Sedgwick Ave. within the Bronx, N.Y, the anniversary was tributed all year long within the type of varied rapper-involved observations, award-show celebrations and extra.
