Music

Kanye West has fired influencer YesJulz from his team and is reportedly suing her for allegedly violating her NDA.Who Is YezJulz and Why Was She Fired?YesJulz is a popular social media personality and talent manager who has been working closely with Ye on the rollout for his new album Vultures 1. The confusing debacle began to unfold on Tuesday (March 12) on Ye’s Instagram Stories, where he unexpectedly wrote, “We have decided to no longer have YesJulz involved in the roll out of Vultures. All the activity on her page and with our fans in the past few days has been unauthorized.”The firing was surprising considering how closely the influencer documented Ye’s lengthy rollout of Vultures 1, capturing the entirety of his notorious Las Vegas listening party on Instagram Live, where Ye went on a lengthy rant targeting Jay-Z, Drake and numerous others.Shortly after Ye’s announcement on his Instagram, an e-mail presumably written by Yeezy chief of staff Milo Yiannopoulos leaked on X, formerly known as Twitter. The e-mail appeared to be sent to YesJulz, whose real name is Julieanna Goddard.”Dear Ms. Goddard, enclosed please find a letter and statement of account from your time with Yeezy. Fines incurred to date as a result of your NDA violations come to $7.7m,” it read. “While you were a contractor, I suspended enforcement of this debt. It now falls due. Hassan from the compliance team will reach out with information about payment. Please note that any further violations will accrue more fine. Because you are being terminated for cause but also because you forgot to sign your contract your termination is effective immediately.”A follow-up e-mail from Yiannopoulos said, “Obviously, you are fired.”Read More: Kanye West, Drake’s Feud Continues to Get More ConfusingHow Did YesJulz Allegedly Violate Her NDA?YesJulz’s NDA violation appears to have occurred during a Twitter Spaces conversation Julz had with numerous Ye’s fan accounts. The influencer attempted to get fans interested in working with her in developing a “Yeezy Universe” app for free, saying she’d reward them with virtual money. Julz then admitted none of these ideas had been approved by Ye, but said the Vultures 1 creator, “sees and hears everything. He knows how active you’ve been. I know sometimes it might feel like you might be working all day, every day, and you’re work is not being seen or recognized.”While Julz wrote on X after the broadcast that she felt “inspired,” the reaction among Ye’s fan base was divided, with some claiming the influencer was trying to convince Kanye’s supporters to work as part of a “pyramid scheme.”YesJulz then pushed back on her firing on X writing, “F**k an NDA. Sue Me,” before sharing an alleged text conversation between her and Milo Yiannopoulos that showed the far-right commentator referring to Ye’s biggest fans as having “developmental disorders” such as Down syndrome.YesJulzYesJulz/Xloading…However, some of Ye’s fans have appeared to be in support of the influencer’s exile, with some trolls apparently sending her a fake e-mail posing as Yiannopoulos. The e-mail read, “Ye and I have been listening to your current twitter spaces. We are willing to meet and reconsider next steps and with your future with YZY and as a contractor.””Call me Ye,” Julz wrote on X alongside a screenshot of the fake e-mail. “Always here for YOU.”XXL has reached out to YesJulz and Milo Yiannopoulos for further comment.Goodassjobsub tweet.goodassjobsub/Xloading…Read More: Meek Mill Gives Honest Opinion About Meek Mill’s Polarizing MindSee 43 Photos of Impressively Unique Mansions Rappers Own

Cop Your XXL Merch NowLast September, TikTok announced it had collaborated with Billboard to launch its first-ever Top 50 Chart, and Sexyy Red had debuted at No. 1. The announcement confirmed what many saw as inevitable: TikTok was taking over the music industry. Prior to the Billboard TikTok 50 chart, songs from rappers were blowing up on the app, leading to chart domination. Now, as the U.S. House of Representatives gives the Chinese-based app six months to find a U.S. buyer or face stateside exile, it remains to be seen what impact this will have on the music industry as a whole. The conversation around whether or not it will affect hip-hop is ongoing, especially rappers who rely on the platform to share their music. Will hip-hop survive without TikTok if it gets banned? Of course it will.When Billboard debuted its TikTok Billboard Top 50 in 2023, rap was having far from a stellar year on the more traditional Billboard charts. The first rap-related entry on the Billboard 200 was Lil Uzi Vert’s Pink Tape last July, followed by Jungkook’s song “Seven” featuring Latto that hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 in the same month. Doja Cat’s “Paint The Town Red” emerged as the first solo No. 1 rap track of the year, but didn’t hit that spot until September. Meanwhile, on the app, the genre was actually thriving.Rappers Take Over Billboard TikTok ChartSexyy Redd claimed the first-ever No. 1 spot on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart with her smash hit “SkeeYee.” Doja followed close behind at No. 2 with “Paint The Town Red.” Sexyy also appeared two more times in the top 50, with her songs “Looking For The H*es (Ain’t My Fault)” and “Mad At Me” debuting at No. 19 and No. 50, respectively.Elsewhere, Ice Spice’s “Deli” and NLE Choppa’s “It’s Getting Hot” also debuted in the chart’s top 10 and No. 6 and No. 8. While Charlie Wilson’s “I’m Blessed” featuring T.I. additionally debuted at No. 9, Young Thug and Drake’s “Oh U Went” debuted at No. 14 and Young Nudy’s “Peaches & Eggplant” featuring 21 Savage debuted at No. 16. Gunna, Tee Grizzley, Kaliiii, Toosii, Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj and J. Cole also debuted within the top 50.That trend has so far continued into March of 2024. Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s “Carnival” comfortably sits at No. 1, 21 Savage’s “Redrum” is at No. 8, Bossman Dlow’s “Get In With Me” is at No. 10. Elsewhere, Jack Harlow, Flo Milli, Rich Amiri, Dej Loaf, G-Eazy and 4Batz are just a few of the rappers scattered throughout the top 50.Read More: Sexyy Red Admits She’s Shocked By Her SuccessTikTok’s Relationship With Hip-HopIt’s impossible to ignore TikTok’s star-making power, as the app has kickstarted the careers of dozens of rappers such as Sexyy Red, Lil Nas X and Armani White. There are a few reasons for this, one of which is that a 2021 study by MRC Data showed 64 percent of the reported app’s user base were teenagers, who historically have always been more hungry for new trendy music than adults. Additionally, a behavioral poll conducted by Midia Research in 2021 showed that 40 percent of active TikTok users had a monthly paid subscription service for music, compared to just 25 percent of the general population. This means it was much more likely for a TikTok fan to switch to their streaming platform of choice and stream a new track discovered on the app.But as time has gone on, artists have criticized major labels for funneling TikTok’s star power to their clients and choking off indie success.”If a song is going viral on TikTok, and the artist is unsigned, and as a result, it’s getting a million streams on Spotify, the labels are scrambling to sign that song or that artist,” Tatiana Cirisano, a music industry analyst and consultant at Midia Research, told CNBC in 2022. “They’re obsessed with expanding their market share and making sure they don’t lose any market share to independent artists.”TikTok is also showing that it may not know how to compensate artists reliant on their platform. Universal Music Group pulled the plug on TikTok in January, and said it would remove its signees’ music from the app entirely in part because of “how little TikTok compensates artists and songwriters.” The label’s roster includes Drake, Nicki Minaj, The Weeknd and many other of the biggest artists in the world. In an open letter, UMG said, “Ultimately TikTok is trying to build a music-based business, without paying fair value for the music.”Would a TikTok Ban Hurt Hip-Hop?So, would a TikTok cancelation be detrimental to rap? Considering the messy stumbles mentioned above, all signs at this moment point to no. Not to mention the correlation between rap’s dominance on TikTok versus its tepid presence on the Billboard charts is in line with the genre’s history. Trendsetting is in hip-hop’s blood, dating back to when New York’s word-of-mouth “block parties” of the 1970s kickstarted the genre. So, it makes sense that in 2024, the place to find the hottest hip-hop records isn’t always on the charts or TikTok. It’s on streaming platforms, many other apps, internet message boards, YouTube, in the streets, on the radio and by good old word of mouth.While sifting through TikTok can’t remotely be compared to crate-digging through a pile of records, the point is that rap will always be whereever the kids are. Regardless of where that is, even without TikTok, wherever the kids go next, rap will be sure to follow.Not to mention, the artists don’t appear to be stressing that much, since there are so many avenues for them to get their music out. Coi Leray, whose song “No More Parties” earned a big surge in popularity in 2022 thanks to TikTok, knows the benefits of the platform. It’s benefitted her career significantly. However, it doesn’t make or break her as a artist.”Tiktok is not a streaming platform,” Coi tweeted on March 13. “And I never looked at it as one. I’m not worried. As long as you don’t take away Apple Music, Spotify, Soundcloud, Tidal, Audio Mac, YouTube music, Amazon music, I’m good. Music and the love I have for it, is forever.”Can’t argue with that.Read More: Drake’s Serious Devotion to Sexyy Red Is Costing Him Big BucksCop Your XXL Merch NowSee How Much It Costs for a Verse From Your Favorite RapperAny guesses on dollar amounts before you look?

Cop Your XXL Merch NowBenzino is making a wild accusation that Eminem got plastic surgery after seeing Shady’s new video for “Doomsday Pt. 2.”Benzino Reacts to New Eminem VideoOn Wednesday (March 13), Benzino shared a post on Instagram where he reacted to Em finally dropping the visual for his latest Benzino diss, which originally came out in January. ’Zino shared a clip of the cameo-heavy visual, which can be seen below, along with the caption: “He finally responded.can someone tell me what in the plastic surgery happened to his face?? He looks like a waking corpse. Nah…this ain’t it. RAP ELVIS DESTROYED @eminem.”Read More: Benzino Takes Aim at Eminem Again by Making Fun of Em Dressed Like Britney SpearsEminem and Benzino Beef ContinuesEminem rehashed his seemingly dormant two-decade long beef with Benzino back in January with the release of “Doomsday Pt. 2,” which appeared on Lyrical Lemonade’s All Is Yellow compilation. Benzino fired back with two response tracks and claimed victory when Slim Shady didn’t respond.”I ate his a*s up. I cooked him,” Benzino said in a video shared on social media. “Back in the day, he cooked me. It’s all good. But what you Stans is not gonna do, what you Saltines ain’t gonna do, is try to come in here and be like I didn’t affect him. Stop it. Because that shows that y’all ain’t real hip-hop fans. That shows that y’all are biased and probably halfway racists.”Benzino would later cry while talking about the beef in a viral interview on the Drink Champs podcast. However, he’s continued to take shots at Em.Read More: Eminem Gives 11 Surprising Facts About the Making of “My Name Is” VideoCop Your XXL Merch NowPeep Benzino claiming Eminem got plastic surgery and check out Eminem’s “Doomsday Pt. 2” video below.See Benzino’s Post Dissing EminemWatch Eminem’s “Doomsday Pt. 2” VideoSee Wild Rap Beefs That’ll Probably Never Be ResolvedPusha-T and Drake, YG and 6ix9ine, and more.

Cop Your XXL Merch NowSexyy Red appears to respond to streamer Adin Ross recently claiming they had sex together by bringing up virginity.Sexyy Red Reacts to Adin Ross Claims?On Wednesday night (March 13), Sexyy Red seemed to react on X, formerly known as Twitter, to video of popular Kick streamer Adin Ross telling DJ Akademiks during a livestream that he had sex with the St. Louis rapper.”You paid me to take yo virginity & I did just that… next,” Sexyy Red wrote on X, along with a yawning emoji.In a follow-up post she added, “SIKE you couldn’t touch me wit ah stick.”Read More: 20 Rappers’ Most NSFW Internet Moments Over the YearsAdin Ross Tells DJ Akademiks He Slept With Sexyy RedSexyy Red’s apparent response comes after video surfaced of Adin making the claim during a livestream with DJ Ak on Wednesday.”I wan to announce something but I don’t know if I should say it,” Adin said in the clip, which can be seen below. “I did f**k Sexyy Red. It was good. It was really good. She was kinda being the dominant one.”Adin later claimed he “jerked off” to Sexyy Red’s leaked sex tape, which is what made him hit her up.Read More: Sexyy Red Explains Exactly How Her Sex Tape Got Put on Social MediaCop Your XXL Merch NowSee video of Adin Ross claiming he slept with Sexyy Red and see her apparent response below.Watch Adin Ross Insist He Had Sex With Sexyy RedSee Sexyy Red’s Response to Adin Ross Claiming They Slept TogetherSee 40 of the Raunchiest Hip-Hop Lyrics of All Time

Cop Your XXL Merch NowSome rappers own posh homes fit for the likes of MTV Cribs. But other rappers have palatial estates that would have been given prime placement on The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. There’s levels. While being a successful hip-hop artist can afford one to live in the lap of luxury, some rappers have gone the extra mile when it comes to picking the unique mega-mansion where they lay their heads.Pharrell’s massive Beverly Hills, Calif. estate has been jokingly dubbed a “community college” online, due to the front of the $16 million home’s mostly glass facade. The 17,000 square-foot residence also features a picturesque statue in front and long interior stairways, lending to jokes about it being a place for higher learning.Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys’s Cali compound is a marvel of modern architecture. Called “Dreamland” by Swizz but originally named The Razor House, the Bronx, N.Y. beat maker’s eye-popping chateau is positioned on a mountainside in La Jolla, Calif. Built in 2007, Swizz’s pad, which he moved into in 2019, is rumored to be the inspiration for Tony Stark’s house in the Iron Man movies.Drake’s $100 million Toronto mansion in Bridal Path is another sight to behold. According to Architectural Digest, the design for Drizzy’s swank Toronto digs takes “cues from traditional Beaux Arts architecture, distilled and slightly abstracted to imbue the classic idiom with a more contemporary spirit.” In other words, the thing is massive. Featured is Drake’s “Toosie Slide” video, “The Embassy,” as Drake calls it, was designed by Canadian architectural and interior designer Ferris Rafauli and clocks in at a massive 50,000 square feet, which is about the same size as The White House.Cop Your XXL Merch NowCheck out photos of some impressively unique homes owned by rappers Drake, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Pharrell, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Swizz Beatz, Travis Scott and Dr. Dre below.See 43 Photos of Impressively Unique Mansions Rappers Own

Kanye West and Drake are undoubtedly two of the biggest acts in hip-hop history. But their relationship and beef is complicated and confusing, to say the least. The former friends, now frienemies, have seemingly been at odds for the last few years, but there have also been signs that they’ve made amends. It’s become a strange cycle. With Ye recently saying “F**k Drake” in a vitriolic Instagram caption, the question remains: Is this really beef or more along the lines of Impossible Whopper?In the beginning it was all love. Drake was rapping over several Ye beats on projects early in his career. In 2009, Drake told MTV News that Ye was his biggest musical influence. “Kanye West shaped a lot of what I do, as far as music goes,” young Aubrey revealed. “Before I met him, I had the utmost respect for Kanye West. I’d even go as far as to say he’s the most influential person as far as a musician that I’d ever had in my life.”They would grow closer in the coming months. Ye directed Drake’s “Best I Ever Had” video that same year, and they both appeared on Jamie Foxx’s “Digital Girl” single that summer. Ye would also appear on Drake’s single “Forever” along with Eminem and Lil Wayne, and coproduced Drake’s 2009 single “Find Your Love,” which appeared on Drizzy’s debut album, Thank Me Later, in 2010.Watch Drake’s “Best I Ever Had” Video”What Was the First Sign Kanye West and Drake Had Beef?The first sign there were issues between the two happened in January of 2011, when Drake appeared on British DJ Tim Westwood’s radio show for an interview and seemed to take a jab at Ye and Jay-Z’s then-upcoming joint album, Watch the Throne, while talking about his own potential collab project with Lil Wayne.”I heard some other guys are coming out with an album, too,” he said. “There’s two other rappers that are coming out with an album together. I don’t know where they got that idea.”That December, Drake appeared to take another swipe at Kanye on DJ Khaled’s “I’m on One” on which he raps, “I’m just feeling like the throne is for the taking/Watch me take it.”Read More: Jay-Z and Kanye West Drop ‘Watch the Throne’ Album: Today in Hip-HopWatch Drake’s Interview With Tim WestwoodThings Between Drake and Ye Looked Good to the PublicHowever, things appeared to be kosher at least in the public eye. In the summer of 2013, Ye was a surprise guest at Drake’s OVO Festival. During his performance, he gave Drake props for putting pressure on himself and Hov. Drake later talked about the competition respect he has for Ye.But it wasn’t long before the cycle of praise and shade would rear its head again. In February of 2014, Drake called out Ye for lackluster bars on the Yeezus album during an interview with Rolling Stone. Drizzy concluded by saying he loved “everything about that guy.” Ye didn’t take the negative bait and told the crowd during a concert in New Jersey, “Tonight, it ain’t none of that. We love Drake.”The following year, Ye teased a joint album with Drake during an interview on The Breakfast Club and again performed at OVO Fest. Besides Drake boasting about having a bigger pool than Ye did on “Summer Sixteen” in 2016, there was no sign of friction. 2018, however, would be a different story.Watch Kanye West’s Interview on The Breakfast ClubKanye Tells Pusha T Drake Was Hiding a SonIn May of 2018, Pusha T released his Daytona album that contained the track “Infrared,” which finds Push calling out Drizzy for previous ghostwriting allegations. Drake returned fire on “Duppy Freestyle” before Pusha dropped the bombshell “The Story of Adidon,” on whixh Push revealed Drake was hiding a son. Drake later admitted he believes Ye told Pusha the secret info after confiding in Ye about the news he had a son. The dynamics of Ye and Drake’s relationship would forever change.Listen to Pusha T’s “The Story of Adidon”From there, the curious cycle of beef and making up would continue in a series of events. Drake took a shot at Ye on French Montana’s “No Stylist” in 2018. Ye denied he leaked the information about Drake having a son to Pusha T and apologized to Drake on Twitter. A few weeks later, the Chicago rapper-producer changed course and started dissing Drake on Instagram after speculation began circulating about if Drake was referencing Ye’s then wife Kim Kardashian as “KiKi” on the hit song “In My Feelings.”The rumor that Drake slept with Kim Kardashian was growing, and Kanye wasn’t happy about it. “People making rumors or thinking you f**king my wife and you’re not saying nothing… that don’t sit well with my spirit,” Ye wrote on Instagram.Drake would later go on LeBron James’s YouTube talk show The Shop and admit he felt betrayed by Kanye. In December of 2018, Ye shared a screenshot of a message from an alleged Drake associate asking to clear a Ye sample for “Say What’s Real.””This proves s**t faker than wrestling,” Ye captioned the post. He later shared that he had talked to Drake and things appeared to be settled. Not so fast. The following day, Ye announced that if anything happened to him, Drake should be the No. 1 suspect. Like we said, it’s complicated.Read More: Drake Appears to Diss Pusha-T on New Headie One Song “Only You Freestyle”: ListenKanye and Drake Squash Their Beef for Larry Hoover EventFast-forward to 2021. J Prince Jr. convinced Drake and Ye to squash their beef to perform together for a Free Larry Hoover Benefit concert in Chicago. The duo agreed to put their differences aside and performed at a sold-out show. Drake was even seen getting emotional while watching Ye perform “Runaway.” So, all good, right? Right?!Not so fast. The following November, Drake dropped the 21 Savage collab album Her Loss. On the track “Circo Loco,” Drizzy appeared to address how he temporarily mended his beef with Ye to perform at the Free Larry Hoover Benefit Concert. “Linking with the opps, b***h, I did that s**t for J. Prince/B***h, I did it for the Mob Ties,” Drake raps in reference to the Rap-A-Lot founder.2023 featured Drake using Kim Kardashian’s voice on his “Search and Rescue” track and also calling Ye’s apologies fake on the For All the Dogs: Scary Hours Edition track “Red Button.”Ye and Drake’s Beef ContinuesUnfortunately, this repetitive revolution continues. Ye recently said “F**k Drake” in an Instagram post that was meant to celebrate Ye and Ty Dolla $ign’s song “Carnival” going No. 1. In the writing, Ye dissed Adidas, Hailey Beiber and Drake. Ye blamed Drizzy for strategically taking Lil Durk on tour to allegedly spite Ye’s Vultures 1 rollout. Durk is featured on Ye’s lead single “Vultures.” Drake appeared to respond by using a hilarious 50 Cent viral video to address Ye.While Drake and Ye’s issues aren’t of the variety that The Notorious B.I.G. spoke of on “What’s Beef,” there has definitely been plenty of static. There’s also been a lot of love, shared associates, apologies, collaborations and general good will along the way. It’s confusing to say the least. Is there beef between the two or not? Don’t count on the zany back-and-forth between Ye and Drake to stop anytime soon.Watch the Video Drake Used to Respond to Kanye and See Ye’s Drake DissSee Unnecessary Hip-Hop Beefs That Never Should’ve Happened50 Cent vs. Fat, Meek Mill vs. Drake and more.

Cop Your XXL Merch NowOJ Da Juiceman has been arrested on various charges including cocaine trafficking and firearm possession.OJ Da Juiceman Arrested in GeorgiaAtlanta rapper OJ Da Juiceman has found himself in a legal bind after being arrested earlier this month in Coweta County, Ga., according to police records obtained by XXL on Wednesday (March 13). OJ, born Otis Williams Jr., was taken into custody on March 4 and charged with several crimes including cocaine trafficking, possession with the intent to distribute, possession of a firearm, obstruction of justice, evidence tampering and eluding police. He remains behind bars with no bond. His next court date is listed as Dec. 25.According to TMZ, the arrest came after police pulled the rapper over for speeding. He reportedly led police on a brief chase before eventually pulling over. Authorities allegedly found cocaine and a 9 mm handgun in the rapper’s 2024 Ford Expedition.XXL has reached out to OJ Da Juiceman’s team and the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office for comment.Read More: Here’s Why These 25 Rappers Are in Jail or Prison Right NowOJ Arrested in 2022The latest arrest comes almost two years after OJ was arrested in May of 2022 in Hardin County, Ky. In that incident, he was charged with possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was released after posting bond the same day.Read More: Here Are the Longest Prison Bids in Hip-Hop HistoryCop Your XXL Merch NowSee Rappers Who Beat Major Legal Cases and Walked Away With a VictoryHip-hop came out with a win in some way in these cases.

Cop Your XXL Merch NowNearly a full decade into its historic run, the 50 Cent-produced Power series is among the most popular television shows in the hip-hop space. On Wednesday, (March 13), Starz announced that the network is now developing Origins, the fourth Power spinoff following Power Book II: Ghost, Power Book III: Raising Kanan and Power Book IV: Force. The next iteration will dive into the upbringing and backstory of characters Ghost and Tommy, originally portrayed by actors Omari Hardwick and Joseph Sikora, respectively.Not only is the award-winning Starz franchise a favorite among fans who love rap music, but rappers themselves love all iterations of the show and have the song lyrics to prove it. Eminem is one MC who showed love to the Power series in rhyme form. Being 50 Cent’s closest hip-hop confidant, Slim appeared on Conway The Machine’s 2019 track “Bang” with a hard-hitting verse that refers to Kanan Stark, the lead protagonist in the Power universe. “In the trailer park,” Eminem raps. “Told her I’d play the part like Kanan Stark’s/Ate her t**t like a Tater Tot.”As for Nicki Minaj, she shouted out both the series and its executive producer in true hip-hop fashion on 2018’s “Barbie Dreams.” With her take on The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Just Playing (Dreams),” Nicki used her masterful wordplay to acknowledge her Queens-bred brethren 50 Cent and his massively successful TV product with the line, “I tried to f**k 50 for a powerful hour/But all that n***a wanna do is talk Power for hours.”Other rappers who’ve been quick to compare their lives in the fast lane to those of Power staples like Tommy, Ghost and Kanan include Babyface Ray, Joyner Lucas and the late Young Dolph.With Origins now in production and the other four shows in the Power universe being so widely lauded, XXL breaks down some of the best Power-related bars hip-hop has to offer. Take a look at rappers showing love to Power below.Cop Your XXL Merch NowSee Rappers Showing Love to the Power TV Series Through Their Lyrics

In hip-hop, the term “industry plant” is thrown around by fans more frequently than ever. When a new rapper begins to rapidly blow up within the space, they are often accused of having been strategically positioned into the mainstream by music business insiders. The most recent examples being labeled with no proof are artists like Ice Spice and 4Batz. In most cases, detractors let those accusations fly without any concrete proof. In fact, it can be argued that one is hard-pressed to find what exactly defines an industry plant or if such a thing exists at all.Typically, an industry plant is a negative term used to describe artists who become popular through their connections in the music industry rather than on their own merits, whether that be nepotism, wealth or inheritance.There’s no doubt that being referred to as an industry plant carries a negative connotation for any artist. However, when put into perspective, it almost seems counterintuitive to scrutinize a creative in any way regardless of whether or not nepotism, media training or being discovered by a proven professional has anything to do with their success. Talent is talent, is it not?Who Are Hip-Hop’s First Industry Plants?The rap game’s first instance of what many perceive to be the definition of an industry plant can be traced back to the late 1970s with the origin story of The Sugarhill Gang. When the founders of Sugar Hill Records, Sylvia and Joseph Robinson, came up with the concept for “Rapper’s Delight” in 1979, the husband and wife duo hand-picked Wonder Mike, Big Bank Hank and Master Gee to form the group and had them recite the song’s previously written lyrics.The result was hip-hop’s first commercially successful record. Even though the authenticity of The Sugarhill Gang remains in question, how else would rap music and what it represents have grown beyond New York City’s five boroughs into the global phenomenon it is today without their contribution? So, it can be argued they’re not industry plants at all.The Term “Industry Plant” Comes to Prominence in the 2010sAs hip-hop progressed through the years, the word industry plant wasn’t being thrown around to describe rappers until the 2010s. The term got more popular when the blossoming careers of rhymers such as Chance The Rapper and Travis $cott took off. Then the “industry plant” label became part of hip-hop’s common vernacular in the internet age. Despite both artists being considered creative masterminds in their respective ways, many naysayers believed, at the time, that their come ups were forced upon the culture rather than finding success on their own merit. They are plenty of conversations online that date back to articles and message boards that discuss the industry plant claims.Cardi B is another example of a rising star whose legitimacy was brought into question during her rise to the top of not only hip-hop but pop culture as a whole in the late 2010s. Following her days as a popular exotic dancer in New York City and a run on VH1’s Love & Hip Hop, Bardi decided to lean into her increasingly growing social media following by pursuing a career in rap music. In 2017, Cardi B reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Bodak Yellow,” which was met with claims that Atlantic Records actually paid for the Bronx rhymer’s success. In response, Cardi hit up social media to dispute the industry plant accusations.”I’m thankful for Bodak yellow cause it had people and even the label believe in me,” Cardi B wrote in a 2018 Instagram post. “YOU CANT NOT BUY THE GENERAL PUBLIC NOMACHINE NO MONEY CAN’T BUY THAT! Having stadiums sing out your s**t YOU CANT BUY THAT!”She continued: “Having artist listening to your music and supporting you can’t buy that! A NUMBER ONE YOU CANT BUY THAT! If it was that easy why can’t they buy everybody on the label one? YOU CANT BUY THE PEOPLE.”Is the Music Industry a Game of Who You Know?Whether or not major record labels can use influence and finances to sway mainstream audiences remains a heavy debate. Many hip-hop fans have accused artists of finding their way into the spotlight through those within the industry they are related to. In 2020, Staten Island, N.Y. native CJ landed a top 10 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 “Whoopty,” the most commercially successful New York drill song that wasn’t released by the late Pop Smoke. During that time, CJ was the subject of rampant industry plant rumors given the fact that his uncle is longtime record executive James Cruz.Similarly, Baby Keem’s position in hip-hop has been widely ridiculed simply for being the cousin of A-list MC Kendrick Lamar. Even if nepotism did play some sort of role in the careers of artists such as CJ and Baby Keem, it hardly seems fair to diminish their creative output based on the families they were born into.Artists Who’ve Embraced Being Called an Industry PlantSome artists have embraced being called an industry plant regardless of the negative undertones the label carries. Georgia-bred rapper Raury made a tremendous splash with his 2014 hit “God’s Whisper” and was immediately lambasted for what was deemed as inorganic success. Rather than deny the jeers, he boldly sported an “Industry Plant” T-shirt on the cover of XXL Magazine as a member of the 2015 Freshman Class. After his rapid ascent in 2019, Iann Dior coyly titled his debut album Industry Plant as an apparent nod to the internet’s keyboard warriors.Rising Rappers Are Being Accused of Being Industry Plants More Than EverIn 2024, industry plant accusations have all but ramped up. Platforms like Reddit have found rappers like Ice Spice being referred to as “the biggest industry plant of our lifetime,” all due to a meteoric rise that includes chart-topping songs and brand deals in a relatively short time.Most recently, some hip-hop fans have had an incredibly difficult time embracing Dallas rap newcomer 4Batz as anything short of an artist being planted into the spotlight. Primarily off the strength of his viral track “Act II: Date @ 8,” which has amassed a staggering 85 million Spotify streams since its release in December of 2023, the rap crooner’s come up has become a daily conversation in the hip-hop space. He’s only dropped through songs so far and a remix with Drake, but 4Batz’s minimal output and current success doesn’t make him an industry plant.With only four songs to date, the bit of mystery behind 4Batz has seen a social media following that increases by the thousands with each passing day. Along with major cosigns from the rap game’s top acts such as Drake and Kanye West, 4Batz is just the latest in a seemingly never-ending barrage of industry plant accusations without any concrete evidence. Videos of 4Batz went viral early last year for the simple fact that he’s catching attention by wearing a ski mask and beater while singing his heart out. Attention shouldn’t equal accusations.In all, as the music industry continues to evolve in the ever-changing way fans consume music, the existence of so-called industry plants continues to dominate the conversation. Is the record business purposefully injecting artists into the game in hopes of people gravitating toward their catchy music and magnetic personalities? Or is it nothing more than a conspiracy theory designed by those who live by hitting up the social media comments sections? That’s for you to decide.See Quickest Come Ups in Hip-Hop

Cop Your XXL Merch NowJackboy has been arrested in South Florida for gun and drug possession.Jackboy Arrested Following Traffic StopOn Tuesday (March 12), Jackboy, born Pierre Delince, was taken into custody by the Port St. Lucie Police Department, following a traffic stop in Port St. Lucie, Fla., according to a press release put out by the PSLPD on Wednesday (March 13).”On March 12th, 2024 at about 10:57 pm, PSLPD Special Investigations Division Gang Intelligence Unit Detectives conducted a traffic stop on a black Chevrolet Suburban in the Tradition area,” the press release reads. “The driver was identified as 26-year-old Pierre Delince, AKA Jackboy, who is a known rap artist. He is also a known convicted felon and documented gang member.”It continues: “Detectives developed probable cause to search the vehicle and uncovered a loaded Glock handgun with an extended magazine along with several items containing THC, cannabis and drug paraphernalia. Delince was arrested on several felony charges for both the narcotics and firearm and is currently housed in the St. Lucie County Jail with no bond.”XXL has reached out to Jackboy’s team for comment.Read More: Here’s Why These 25 Rappers Are in Jail or Prison Right NowJackboy Denies Rumor of ShootingThe arrest comes three months after Jackboy made headlines after rumors surfaced that he’d been shot in front of his house in December of 2023. In response to the news, Jackboy posted a message taunting the alleged assailants.This is Jackboy’s second arrest in less than a year. In September of 2023, he was arrested for burglary and cyberstalking.Read More: Bandman Kevo Accuses Jackboy of Taking Testosterone Shots to Gain Muscle After Jackboy Claims Kevo Has a BBL – WatchCop Your XXL Merch NowSee Rappers Who Beat Major Legal Cases and Walked Away With a VictoryHip-hop came out with a win in some way in these cases.