It’s practically a wrap on 2023, a yr in hip-hop that featured some dope albums, hearth manufacturing and a few standout moments that hip-hop followers will always remember.
Juvenile had individuals placing respek on his identify over the summer season with what has been tabbed a one of greatest Tiny Desk hip-hop performances in years, possibly 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 often known as Twitter. His reside set wound up being one of the most viral rap performances of 2023.
Five years after releasing Astroworld, and practically two years after the Astroworld Festival tragedy, Travis Scott made a triumphant return together with his new album Utopia. The launch proved to be simply what followers have been lacking as La Flame moved practically 500,000 items of the album in its first week, the largest first-week gross sales numbers for a hip-hop album this yr.
The seemingly unthinkable happend in November, when lyricist savant Andre 3000 FINALLY launched his debut solo album, New Blue Sun. It wasn’t precisely what followers have been hoping for, being sans lyrics and full of instrumentals, however it was a spotlight second all the identical. Will we ever get a solo rap album from 3 Stacks?
“There’s this misconception that I just won’t do it,” André stated of releasing a rap album, in a press launch for New Blue Sun. “I think people feel like I’m sitting around on rap albums, or sitting around and I’m just not putting them out in that way. And no it’s not like that.”
He continued: “In my mind, I really would like to make a rap album. So maybe that happens one day, but I got to find a way to say what I want to say in an interesting way that’s appealing to me at this age.”
See 10 of the greatest moments from 2023 under.
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Travis Scott Returns to the Top of the Rap Game
After a five-year hiatus from releasing a full-length mission, Travis Scott returned to the very high of the rap sport when he dropped Utopia in July. Accompanied by the visually gorgeous movie, Circus Maximus, Cactus Jack delivered an opus that moved 496,000 items 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 filled with vitality. Now, Utopia finds Travis Scott with a nomination for Best Rap Album at the upcoming Grammy Awards in 2024.
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Nicki Minaj Reclaims the Throne With Pink Friday 2 Album
In a yr that finds the girls of hip-hop dominating the house 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 loads left in the tank. Coming by along with her Pink Friday 2 album at the tail finish of the yr, Nicki’s chart-topping LP offered 228,000 album-equivalent items in the first week. That quantity finds the Barbie Queen attaining the largest gross sales week for any feminine rapper thus far in the 2020s. With all of that, the previous yr noticed new followers and lifelong Barbz alike reserving first-class tickets to Gag City.
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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 launch of New Blue Sun in November, that lastly occurred in 2023 and snatched headlines accordingly. Without rapping a single bar on the long-awaited solo album, Andre 3000 satisfied a complete legion of hip-hop heads to sit back and soak in 90 minutes of classical instrumentation together with his flute taking part in as the star of the present. Despite any dismay that will have come from followers longing to listen to one of the greats rock the mic on New Blue Sun, Andre nonetheless contributed rhymes to 1 of the greatest hip-hop initiatives of the yr in the type of Killer Mike’s Michael. The album’s lead single “Scientists & Engineers,” which additionally options Future, is in the working for Best Rap Song at 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. At the huge 1017 Day celebration in assist of Gucci’s newest album, Breath of Fresh Air, GuWop launched Tip to the roaring crowd at the well-known Tabernacle in Atlanta. As T.I. shared a sentiment of “love” and “respect” towards Gucci Mane, the two shook fingers reside 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, “Much respect @tip.”
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50 Cent Solidifies His Legacy With 100-Date Final Lap Tour
As 2023 marked the twentieth anniversary of 50 Cent’s iconic 2003 album, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, the Queens rap legend celebrated the event on a worldwide stage. With Busta Rhymes serving as the opening act on all dates, 50 launched into his 100-date Final Lap Tour in July. The high-production worth intercontinental trek spanned six months and wrapped up on Dec. 19 in Nonthaburi, Thailand. Along the method, Fif chronicled his worldwide affect on hip-hop followers by cinematic video clips shared on social media. The G-Unit boss additionally took the alternative to ask some of the rap sport’s heaviest hitters to carry out alongside him on stage in choose cities. The Final 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 Entire Catalog Finally Becomes Available for Streaming
In a monumental second for the music business, the legendary De La Soul’s complete music catalog was made accessible on all main streaming platforms for the first time in 2023. Following a years-long battle with their former label, Tommy Boy Records, Reservoir Media acquired De La’s rights, cleared any excellent samples and all six of the iconic trio’s albums formally hit DSPs again in March. Despite the tragic loss of member Dave “Trugoy” Jolicoeur earlier in the yr, 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 scenario has been one of the most divisive incidents in the hip-hop neighborhood, and at occasions introduced out the worst in individuals, with flat-out lies, mudslinging and pretend information reaching a fever pitch throughout the December of 2022 trial. However you’re feeling about the end result, the finish of the Tory Lanez and Megan Thee Stallion saga was a lot wanted.
Araya Doheny/Leon Bennett/Getty Images (2)
Araya Doheny/Leon Bennett/Getty Images (2) -
Scarface’s Tiny Desk Performance Goes Viral
Legends getting their flowers was a working theme of 2023, which marked the fiftieth anniversary of hip-hop. Scarface’s Tiny Desk efficiency in December confirmed why the iconic rapper is revered by many as the King of the South. With legendary producer Mike Dean by his facet, ‘Face performed devices and delivered his largest hits with the vigor of a person who might not maintain a mic once more. It was a complete second that will not be quickly forgotten.
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Juvenile’s Fantastic Tiny Desk Performance Happens Almost by Accident
Juvenile went viral in April on X, previously often 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 consumer @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. Fast ahead to June, each the hip-hop neighborhood and NPR made it occur with the outcome being an unimaginable efficiency from Juvie the Great that included Mannie Fresh main a myriad of gifted musicians by 10 of Juvenile’s best hits.
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Hip-Hop Turns 50
On Aug. 11, 2023, hip-hop turned 50 years previous. 50! Commemorating the day DJ Kool Herc DJed a back-to-school get together at 1520 Sedgwick Ave. in the Bronx, N.Y, the anniversary was tributed all through the yr in the type of numerous rapper-involved observations, award-show celebrations and extra.
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