Music

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.

People are reacting to the U.S. House passing a bill that wants to ban popular social media app TikTok. And they are not happy.The infamous bill passed in the House on Wednesday (March 13) despite pushback from the public, civil liberties organizations, and TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance.The bill now heads to the Senate.READ MORE: The U.S. House Just Passed the Bill to Ban TikTok – What It MeansAfter news of the bill’s passing, people expressed their frustration on X, formerly known as Twitter.Many people pointed out that it seems like the government has an extensive list of other major problems to contend with that should be more urgent than banning a social media app.”Teachers underpaid, 0 gun laws to keep people safer, womens rights are being questioned, the LGBTQ+ community is constantly under attack…..but they got time to vote to ban TikTok,” one person tweeted.Another X user echoed the same sentiment by using a GIF of Adele looking confused.Someone else noted that many people use TikTok to discuss important issues, such as affordable housing.Others wondered how the potential ban could affect influencers who use TikTok as their main source of income and outreach.That also includes small businesses, which actively use TikTok to gain audiences and customers via live streams, TikTok Shop and more.And many people pointed out that the ban of TikTok seems a lot like censorship.”TikTok has become incredibly effective in educating the public on topics main news outlets won’t even cover. It’s an accessible way for people to share crucial information in a digestible format. They want to censor that,” one person wrote in a tweet.See more reactions to the TikTok ban, below:See Rappers’ Most NSFW Moments Over the Years

Cop Your XXL Merch NowKanye West and Ty Dolla $ign appear to be leaning towards no longer putting their upcoming Vultures 2 album on streaming services. Ye announced they were instead considering selling it directly on his Yeezy.com website for $20 a copy. In their reasoning, the duo noted how DSPs often financially exploit artists, but it’s unclear if it’ll actually work.The conversation kicked off on Sunday (March 10), with Ye saying in a DM conversation with the Kanye West fansite YeFanatics that he may not put his Vultures 1 sequel on DSPs such as Spotify or Apple Music.”We sell albums on Yeezy.com. I got 20 million instagram followers,” Ye wrote. “When 5% of my followers buy an album [t]hat’s 1 million albums sold[.] That’s 300k more than the biggest album last year.”West then went on to ask his YeFanatics supporters whether they’d buy a million copies of the album if he merely made physical copies available.“When we do that we won’t have the streaming companies in control of the artist anymore,” Ye added.Ty Dolla $ign also argued this point after a fan sent the rapper a direct message. Ty said merely selling physical copies of the project would just lead to “piracy.””That’s what these streaming services want u to believe so they can stay on top,” Ty replied, arguing that he and Ye are merely making a “fraction” of a profit off Vultures 1.”It’s time to figure out the unlock on how to bring the music straight to our audience and cut the middle man out,” Ty added. “Artists are getting raped and that has to stop.”Ye and Ty are correct in saying they’d make a significantly larger amount of money if they sold the album right on their website. The $20 price tag in particular harkens back to the days of physical CD sales, which Forbes noted in 2019 still makes artists significantly more money than streaming. The publication claimed streaming merely accounted for 38.4 percent of the industry’s total revenue that year, with physical product sales declining by a mere 5.4 percent. This shows that physical music still sells quite well even when up against the convenience of DSP’s.This is why artists often still rely on—and sometimes exploit—merch bundles and physical vinyl sales. When Travis Scott released his Utopia album in July of 2023, the highly anticipated release still sold 185,000 album-equivalent units in its third week—93,000 of which were from vinyl sales.Read More: Kanye West Disses Drake While Celebrating No. 1 SongHow Much Do Artists Make From Streaming?Artists have advocated for a change in streaming policies for years. Artists often makes $0.003 per stream, according to Spotify. The DSP then announced in November of 2023 that it’d be updating its streaming policy in the new year to allegedly support emerging artists “most dependent on streaming revenues as part of their livelihood.”As part of this change, tracks must now reach at least 1,000 streams before they can generate recorded royalties. The hope is that this change will move $40 million that would have previously been given to songs with less than 1,000 streams to those with more than 1,000 streams.While Spotify in particular notes this change is meant to combat AI-created music, a lot of rookie musicians don’t see this new change paying off in their favor. Across social media, musicians noted the difficulty of achieving 1,000 streams in general and said this policy would further hurt emerging artists.Kanye has also remained one of the most vocal critics of streaming services, but other rappers like Snoop Dogg, Russ, French Montana and Jay-Z also previously condemned streaming practices.Back in 2022, Ye had taken another stab at trying to direct all the profits to him by releasing Donda 2 strictly on his STEM Player. The move was controversial, in turn because a single STEM Player cost around $200, and led to mass pirating of the album instead.“Today artists get just 12% of the money the industry makes,” Ye said of the move on Instagram at the time. “It’s time to free music from the oppressive system. It’s time to take control and build our own.”Donda 2 also didn’t see the Billboard success Vultures 1 or Donda did. Despite Kanye claiming he made $2.2 million off Stem Player purchases alone, Billboard announced Donda 2 wouldn’t be eligible for Billboard placement because the player “can be used for other means besides the playing of the album.” This ruling qualified the STEM Player as merch, and Billboard said the album would never be considered for chart placement. Back in 2016, Ye also said he’d “never” release his album The Life of Pablo on Apple, instead initially opting to just put it on Tidal—Jay-Z’s streaming service that advocates for better artist royalties. However, Ye soon after backtracked and released the project everywhere, with rumors that he lost money by limiting its release.So, while Ty and Ye’s attempt to change the way artists profit off music is admirable, there remain a lot of potholes to navigate. As they plan to sell the upcoming Vultures 2 album on Yeezy.com, Vultures 1 remains one of the top-selling albums in the country, sitting comfortably at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart this week after debuting at No. 1 in February.The single “Carnival” also just debuted at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on Monday (March 11), making it even harder to unsee the benefits of streaming success as a major artist. With that being said, every revolution comes with sacrifices, but as Ye struggles to put together a world tour to promote Vultures due to his anti-Semitic tirades last year, it will be interesting to see how much he’s willing to sacrifice.Read More: North West Announces New Album Elementary School Dropout Cop Your XXL Merch NowSee Rappers’ Other Streams of Income

Cop Your XXL Merch NowCardi B shows off the aftermath of one of her veneers falling out as the result of eating a hard bagel.Cardi B Shows Off Missing ToothOn Tuesday (March 12), Bardi shared a post on TikTok that shows her standing poolside showing off her outfit while her new single plays in the background. “Wait til the end for a surprise…” is written over the clip. The video then switches scenes to show Cardi getting her hair done. She smiles to reveal one of her canine veneers is missing.”How y’all doing muthaf**kas,” she says in a cartoonishly country accent.Cardi later admitted the reason for the missing veneer posting, “Why one of my veneers came out chewing on a hard a*s bagel?”Read More: Rappers Who Are Part of the Illuminati, According to FansCardi B Preps New AlbumIt appears as though Cardi B is finally ready to drop her new sophomore album, six years after the release of her Grammy winning debut Invasion of Privacy. Two weeks ago, she released the “Like What (Freestyle).” She will be dropping the new track “Enough (Miami)” on Friday (March 15). Cardi has insisted she won’t let anything stop her from putting out her album in 2024.Read More: Cardi B Tries Balut, a Fertilized Duck Egg Embryo and Spits It OutCop Your XXL Merch NowSee video of Cardi B showing that one of her veneers fell out after eating a hard bagel below.Watch Cardi B Showing Off Her Smile With a Missing ToothSee the Definitive List of Bizarre Tweets From Rappers

Cop Your XXL Merch NowDrake uses a hilarious 50 Cent viral clip to seemingly respond to recently being dissed by Kanye West.Drake Responds to Ye Diss?On Wednesday morning (March 13), Drizzy shared a post on his Instagram Story that appears to be a direct response to Ye saying “F**k Drake” in a vitriolic IG caption on Monday night (March 11). In the clip, which can be seen below, a confused 50 Cent responds to being dissed by Floyd Mayweahter back in 2014. “I woke up and I look at the computer and the computer said Floyd said f**k T.I., f**k Nelly, f**k 50. I’m like, what he say f**k me for?” Fif hilariously questions in the video.Read More: Here Are 20 Unnecessary Hip-Hop Beefs That Never Should’ve HappenedYe Goes Off on Drake, Adidas and OthersDrake’s response comes after Ye called out Drizzy, Adidas, Hailey Bieber and others in a lengthy caption on Instagram. He has since-deleted the caption, but the video is still up.”F**k Adidas and everybody who works there,” Ye wrote in the lengthy missive, which celebrated his “Carnival” single reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “F**k everybody at the fashion houses that sided with Gabby and Hailey Bieber.””And it’s f**k Drake for taking Durk right at the beginning of the Vultures [rollout],” he added.Read More: The Most NSFW Moments of Kanye West and His Wife Bianca CensoriCop Your XXL Merch NowCheck out Drake appearing to respond to Kanye West dissing him with a hilarious 50 Cent viral clip below.See Drake’s Apparent Response and Ye Calling Out DrakeSee Wild Rap Beefs That’ll Probably Never Be ResolvedPusha-T and Drake, YG and 6ix9ine, and more.

Cop Your XXL Merch NowRapper Bo$$ has passed away at the reported age of 54 following a lengthy health battle.Bo$$ Dies Following Health BattleOn Monday (March 11), reports surfaced in the hip-hop community that 1990’s rapper Bo$$ had passed away. Her former record label, Def Jam Recordings, confirmed the passing in an Instagram post on Tuesday (March 12).”We are deeply saddened by the passing of Lichelle Marie Laws (Bo$$),” the label’s account captioned a photo of the late rapper. “Bo$$ will be remembered as a pioneer in hip hop, being one of the first female rappers signed to Def Jam in the early 1990’s. We extend our prayers and condolences to her family and loved ones during this difficult time.”Bo$$ was one of the first female rap artists signed to Def Jam—Nikki D was the first. She released her debut album, Born Gangstaz, in 1993. The album features her breakout single “Deeper,” which peaked at No. 65 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. That would be her only album. She released the mixtapes The Six Million Dollar Mixtape and Doin Everythang in 2004 and 2008, respectively.Bo$$ was going through major health issues in recent years. In 2021, she set up a GoFundMe page to help pay her medical bills. She was seeking a new kidney after suffering from renal disease in 2011. In 2017, she suffered from a stroke.Read More: 20 Veteran Female Rappers You Need to RecognizeRappers Pay Homage to Bo$$Multiple rappers have paid homage to Bo$$ on social media in the wake of news of her passing.Bun B posted a photo of Bo$$ on Instagram and captioned the pic, “Rest in peace to my big sis Lichelle Laws AKA Boss. One of the best female MCs and a dear friend. Give Rick Royal a hug for me. Long Live The Org!”DJ Premier also acknowledged the Detroit rapper’s death in a heartfelt IG post.”Damn! R.I.P. BO$$. Condolences to your family…SALUTE DETROIT! We did a dope ‘Deeper Rmx’ @defjamnever released. Back in 1993 she came to D & D and recut her vocals to my beat. It was so RAW. We had a good session drinking 40’s, puffin Lah and vibing. Can someone at Def Jam find that in the Vaults? I want a copy of that Remix.Sleep Peacefully Queen. S**t was mad real.”Read More: Here Are 15 Women Rappers Who Made Hip-Hop HistoryCop Your XXL Merch NowSee Def Jam’s statement about Bo$$’s death and watch her “Deeper” video below.See Def Jam’s Statement About Bo$$’s PassingWatch Bo$$’s “Deeper” VideoSee Hip-Hop Artists We Lost in 2023

Cop Your XXL Merch Now50 Cent has revealed a scheming letter that was allegedly used to embezzle money from his liquor brand.50 Reveals Details of New LawsuitOn Monday night (March 11), 50 shared a post on Instagram, in response to an embezzlement lawsuit he filed against spirits company Beam Suntory, which accuses the spirits maker of costing him millions of dollars. The rapper’s post features a letter purportedly sent out by the company’s CSO Steve Fechheimer. In the letter, which can be seen below, Fechhemier is notifying a third party they are acting on behalf of 50 Cent’s liquor brand Le Chemin Du Roi.50 Cent captioned the post, “This is the letter @beamsuntory sent without my knowledge to the people involved in the scheme that cost me millions.  Do I really need to hold a press conference to walk everyone through exactly what happened with convicted felon Mitchel E. Green, Julious Grant, Arnaud Fabre and the guy Beam paid millions of dollars to help sell my brands, ‘Lord Michael’ Caruso. This will make a great unscripted project.”50 Cent sued Beam Suntory in New York Supreme Court back in January, accusing them of embezzling millions of dollars from his Sire Spirits company by hiking up prices of the champagne they were selling him and then splitting the difference. The losses are estimated to be in the $6 million range.In a related case, 50 Cent sued coconspirator Mitchell Green in September of 2021. A judge found Green liable to Sire Spirits for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud and unjust enrichment. 50 Cent was awarded a judgment of $6,194,293.Read More: 117 Hip-Hop Songs With Over 1 Billion Spotify Streams50 Cent’s Attorney Releases Statement50 Cent attorney has released the following statement to XXL about the new lawsuit.”Sire Spirits seeks to recoup millions of dollars embezzled in a fraudulent scheme,” Fif’s attorney Craig Weiner writes. “The first co-conspirator, Mitchell Green, has already been found civilly and criminally liable in connection with this embezzlement scheme and is believed to be cooperating with federal prosecutors. Sire alleges claims against Beam Suntory, its Chief Commercial Officer Julious Grant, and his business partner “Lord” Michael Caruso. As alleged in the complaint, Beam Suntory could and should have prevented this fraud from happening. Shame on the lack of compliance by Beam.”Read More: Rappers Calling Out Names in Beef and Diss Tracks Is Dead – Or Is it?Beam Suntory Responds to 50 Cent LawsuitBeam Suntory has released a statement responding to 50 Cent’s lawsuit.”Beam Suntory vehemently denies all allegation of wrongdoing,” the statement reads. “It had no involvement in or knowledge of fraudulent activity alleged in the complaint, and any allegation to to the contrary has no basis in fact. It is undisputed that we honored all obligations to Mr. Jackson and Sire Spirits.”Cop Your XXL Merch NowCheck out the news report on 50 Cent’s new lawsuit and his reaction below.Watch Fox 5 News’ Report on 50 Cent’s New LawsuitSee 50 Cent Revealing Scheming Letter Created to Embezzle Money From His CompanySee Rappers Who Beat Major Legal Cases and Walked Away With a VictoryHip-hop came out with a win in some way in these cases.