R&B/Hip-Hop
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It’s a rainy December afternoon in NYC as rush hour approaches. With traffic mounting, Paul Wall opts to walk from Times Square to 5th Ave. to make it to his Billboard interview on time.
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While the Houston legend has traded his fade for a platinum slicked-over haircut, lost 100-plus pounds thanks to gastric sleeve surgery (he wishes Ozempic was around in 2010) and let the salt and pepper fill his beard, it’s still Paul Wall, baby. His signature grills shine bright peering through his infectious grin lighting up any room he enters.
Two decades after the release of his debut album, the 43-year-old’s love for hip-hop hasn’t waned an inch. Whenever he’s home in Texas, he’s recording every day. These days, PW’s even keeping a Notes app filled with sayings and random words he hears like Incandescent or impermanence that he’s just waiting to turn into a bar.
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“I love making music,” he tells Billboard. “I 100 percent intend on doing this until I’m 80 years old. God willing. Especially in hip-hop, our elders a lot of it is they don’t have the opportunity to make music. I don’t take it for granted. I’m 43, so for the next 37 years, there’s going to be albums all over the place.”
It’s not the era of running around with Swishahouse, but Paul Wall’s enjoyed a bit of a renaissance since debuting his viral silver fox look last year while also being championed as the Hotties’ favorite video vixen with his cameo in Megan Thee Stallion’s “Bigger in Texas” video earlier in 2024.
Multiple Billboard staffers even voiced their frustration of missing out on seeing The People’s Champ during his visit to the office last week. Wall’s also brought a new album with him as the slab music savant’s 12-track Once Upon a Grind hit streaming services last Friday (Dec. 13).
“This is really about the journey,” he adds. “A lot of people see the success or finished product, but they don’t realize what it took to get there.”
Check out our interview below finding Paul Wall looking back at Kanye West’s “Drive Slow,” “Grillz” topping the Billboard Hot 100, Megan Thee Stallion and more.
What are some of your early memories of NYC?
My first time performing [in NYC] I remember performing with Dipset. They took me under their wing. The label I was signed to at that time, a lot of people at Asylum and Atlantic were cool with Cam’ron when they were at Def Jam. They were kinda looking out for me. My boy [Joie Manda] was the main one. He was like, “Ay, I’m gonna link you with Dipset. You f–k with them?” Of course, hell yeah. They gave me that New York love. Me and Juelz would be in the studio non-stop. Go out to the club sometimes, perform with them sometimes. We were just enjoying the moment. We had a hell of a co-sign from Dipset. We got a lot of crossover love.
Take me to the new album, Once Upon a Grind, what do you feel you have left to prove?
I put out an album last year called Great Wall and we kinda kicked off with that one and kept it going. When I’m at home, I’m recording every day. It definitely adds up this way I stay sharp and explore different ideas and avenues I want to go if I want to try something. If I got 500 songs, I got a lot of opportunities. I’m at no loss for bars, I got bars for days. That ain’t it. It’s more how are we gonna deliver the subject matter. P
eople say, “I’ma do this or change this about my life, but I’m gonna start Monday.” Whether it’s saving up for something, working out, starting a diet, I’m not waiting until Monday, I’m starting today. That’s what it’s all about. Set goals and strive to get them. For me, it’s the nonstop grind of working and consistency. I never won a lottery or nothing like that. All I know is the hard work aspect of that.
One thing I heard you say that I do as a writer as well is when you hear a word you don’t know, you’ll write it down.
What, I got a whole list right here. Let me see your list. I got a hell of a list. Some of it’s simple. Incandescent, convoluted, ancillary, cerebral, confound, calamity. Some of these are not too much out there… Impermanence. It will be something I’ll hear on a TV show and be like, “What the hell they say?” Then I’ll say it to Siri. I’ll hit look up the definition and be like, “I gotta find a way to put this in [a bar].” The kiss of ice — I heard of the kiss of death, but I want the kiss of ice. Some of these are just ideas. “Bewildered,” you heard that but you never heard that in a rap. It’s words and random half-bars. “Save the best for first.”
What do you think about how the rap game stands today and how you fit into it compared to when you broke in?
I still feel exactly the same. I’m a fan of it. There’s a lot of it I’m not a fan of, but I’m not mad at it. I just choose no to listen to it. It’s not my cup of tea, but I’m eternally grateful I had a place here. I love that there’s so many different avenues for artists to not just be one monolithic style. When I was coming up, if you were a region or city and you didn’t sound like you were supposed to sound like, it didn’t work. You were wack. Now you can be from anywhere and sound like anybody. The possibilities are really endless.
I’m a fan of that, even though some of the music I’m not [rocking with]. Some of the production style has changed. Some of it I love. I love the musical aspect of it when people incorporate live instruments or the sampling something musical. Some of my favorite beats are just drums, but I like a variety of it. I’m just happy to be representing for my style. Why complain about what someone else is doing? Make the music I want to make.
What do you feel you have left to achieve?
So much of it is the longevity. I’ve seen so many people tap out. Some of the greatest tap out. Some people are a perfectionist and if they’re not meeting that standard, it’s a failure for them. I don’t look at it like that. It’s art. I’ve put so many albums and I’ll work on an album with a set of producers and a group of people will love it while another group of people hate it. Then I’ll do an album that’s another style and the group that hated it will love it now. It lets me know I gotta stop overthinking things and you can’t please everyone with every song. Let me give them a variety. I love making music. Let me be the first person to use this in a rap. I 100 percent intend on doing this until I’m 80 years old. God willing. Especially in hip-hop, our elders a lot of it is they don’t have the opportunity to make music. Being that I self-fund my own music, I own my own studio, all my producers are usually my dogs, we’re in this for the same cause. I don’t take it for granted. I’m 43, so for the next 37 years there’s going to be albums all over the place.
Are you mentoring anyone at all? Do people come up to you and want some game?
Some people I’ll see and I have a lot I want to share with them. I gotta be cautious because everyone might not want my advice. Sometimes people think I got an ulterior motive. That Mexican OT, he’s someone who’s open with what I have to share with him. He listens. I don’t know it all and what worked for me might not work for him. One of the biggest things I learned it is okay to be wrong. I been right about what song’s gonna work — it worked, but it didn’t be work. It’s okay for the label to be right. Even though they wrong, it’s okay for them to be right.
What do you think about the evolution of white rappers? Do white rappers come to you asking about how they can move in this culture tastefully?
A lot of white rappers come to me. Obviously, Eminem is the big dog, as big as it gets. But he’s out of reach. I’m more accessible. You might bump into me at Starbucks. I would get a lot of people who might be fans of me or my grind not even music. I tell people to be themselves. What worked for me might not work for them. For anybody to be inspired by me means a lot. I also know the sensitivity it takes.
Especially when it comes to saying the n-word. You say it in a rap, and it lives forever. It don’t matter if it’s okay in your hood for you to talk like that. When you get outside of your hood, it’s not okay. That lasts forever and some people don’t really get that until it’s too late. I’m somebody who never said the n-word. There are definitely non-Black people who say the n-word and it’s acceptable in their neighborhood. I strongly tell them it’s not worth losing future things over something you’re saying now. You might stop saying it and you blow up and they go back and it could be a huge deal.
What do you remember about the week that “Grillz” went No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100?
I remember we were selling a lot of grills. That was a good week for us. The only time I had did something like that. To be a part of that history moment with Nelly, Jermaine Dupri and Big Gipp. It was huge for me — a huge accolade. One week it was Beyoncé’s “Check On It” with Bun B and Slim Thug, and the next week it’s Nelly with Paul Wall. It’s a proud moment for us to keep representing. I remember Nelly telling me, “It’s gonna be bigger than ‘Air Force Ones.’” I’m like, “Yeah right, he’s just gassing me up.”
[Nelly] did not have to put me on the song. He’s Nelly, he could’ve gave me a shout-out on the song. He didn’t have to mention me at all. The song is still a hit without me. For him to give me that opportunity, he for sure getting free grills for life.
How has the grills industry changed?
The evolution has been one path. The grills are monolithic, and people want something different. I got grills a certain way and you’re like, “Hey, why don’t we do it this way?” Me and Johnny are like, “Why not?” Let’s try that. Also with the machines and technology improving, and a lot of the diamond setters having decades of experience, there’s a lot of things they could do now that they couldn’t back in the days. Some of that is your imagination. Now it’s whatever you want. We can do basically anything now.
The week The People’s Champ went No. 1 [on the Billboard 200] it dethroned Kanye’s Late Registration. You even got “Drive Slow” on your album.
Jay-Z is the president of Def Jam, [I’m thinking] there’s no way he’s gonna let me put that on my album. We’re talking about Kanye West, even though he wasn’t what he is now, he was still a top dog. There’s no way he’s gonna let me put it on my album so it was extremely unbelievable. People made a big deal about me dethroning Kanye, but I didn’t dethrone him — his album just came out before mine. He’s still Kanye. If you look at his album, it sold more than mine. I didn’t dethrone s–t. He really gave me the leg up letting me put that song on my album.
What do you think about “Drive Slow” turning 20 next year?
That’s definitely the song that people ask me most about. Hip-hop fans — not necessarily Paul Wall diehards, but the general public — that’s the No. 1 thing people ask me about. Plain Pat putting it together. He actually tried to sign me to Def Jam but it didn’t work out. He mentored me for a long time. He taught me it’s okay to be wrong.
First I made Kanye some grills and Plain Pat said, “I seen you made Kanye some grills. He say he f–k with your music and he like your music.” He let me know [my verse not make the album] but this was an opportunity and if it works out this is a hell of a look. I’m not gonna tell the whole world I got a song with Kanye West and it never came out. I didn’t think it was gonna make his album. There’s no way he wants a verse from me. He sent me the beat. The “Drive Slow” verse was the first verse I wrote for “Sittin’ Sidewayz.”
I always knew this is gonna be something if Jay-Z want me on a song. This is one of them situations. I do it to the beat and this worked. I sent it into him and Plain Pat said Ye liked it and he wants you to come to L.A. and lay it again with him in person. He’s gonna want you to try some new things. Just work with him, he’s a perfectionist. He’s gonna take what you give him and make something out of it.
We flew out to L.A. and we’re coming down the escalators and two sheriffs come up and I’m immediately thinking I’m being Punk’d because Mike Jones just got Punk’d. When you got Punk’d, you’d pass it on. I told everyone, “If y’all set me up, lose my number. You’re not gonna embarrass me.” Next think you know I’m cussing out these L.A. sheriffs. If they reading this, I apologize. I thought they were actors. I’m going hard in the paint talking crazy to them. They have a notorious reputation… We weren’t doing nothing wrong… They left, so I’m like, where Ashton Kutcher at? I’m also thinking Kanye’s in on this.
We go to the hotel and I got to the studio. This is when you had to Mapquest. The driver says it’s right here and we’re in the far left hand lane. There’s four lanes and we’re at a light and the studio’s right there. So you really had to turn right. The driver broke ’em off. He cuts in front of the traffic to turn right and it just so happened there’s a cop in the far right lane. They couldn’t get me plan A at the airport, and now I know I’m getting Punk’d. I’m like, “Get me to the studio.” I’m like, “Can I go?”
He didn’t care what I was doing, and the driver stayed there and got a ticket. I’m upstairs doing my part with GLC and Nas is downstairs doing his verse for the album. I remember leaving, “I don’t know if I’ma make the album.” I’ll never forget DJ Drama called me, “You on the Kanye West album? I’m here at the listening party. You’re on the album!”
How was your cameo in the “Bigger in Texas” video for Megan Thee Stallion? They’re saying you were their favorite vixen out there.
I’m the Zaddy for sure. Megan is a true visionary. T Farris is her manager, and there’s that connection. She’s somebody we’ve rooted for from the beginning. [I’m] so happy for her success. She definitely deserves all of that, she’s so talented. They reached out and told me they wanted to put a few people in the video. I said, “Of course, I want to be in the Megan video.” She was there in the store with Johnny twerking with her grill. It was a hell of a shout-out to Johnny. She showed us major love for that.
2024 is coming to an end. Billboard Unfiltered has returned with a final installment and 26th episode of the year to put a bow on the year in music.
Co-hosts Carl Lamarre, Kyle Denis, Damien Scott and Trevor Anderson reunited to highlight some of their favorite rap and R&B projects of the year while breaking down some of the misses on Billboard‘s year-end lists in both respective genres.
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The crew also discussed the top storylines from hip-hop culture this year and made some bold predictions for who they see having a massive 2025.
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While Future is well-represented with We Don’t Trust You (No. 2) and Mixtape Pluto (No. 9), Scott actually enjoyed the second installment We Still Don’t Trust You the most of any of Future’s output in 2024.
“That one reminded me more of HNDRXX,” he said for his snub. “That was the bag I liked him most in, so when that came in I was like, ‘He’s back in his pop-adjacent bag.’”
Denis would have liked to see LL Cool J’s The Force and BigXThaPlug’s Take Care get some love. He sang the praises of Leon Thomas’ Mutt once again, which came in at No. 1 on the best R&B albums list. “It’s really such a fantastic album,” he said. “He just sounds phenomenal on the album and he also had one of my favorite live shows of the year … I really hope next year is the year he gets a breakthrough single of his own.”
Anderson spotlighted Bryson Tiller’s self-titled album, while Lamarre saluted what Chris Brown’s been able to do on his dynamic two-decade run and his 11:11 deluxe. “Chris is entering his 20th year and the 11:11 deluxe, him being able to have ‘Residuals’ take off. That brother stays with a hit,” he added.
There was plenty of juicy storylines to choose from in what was a messy yet jam-packed 2024 in the rap world, but Anderson believes Drake’s legal action against Universal Music Group will have the biggest impact in the years to come.
“The longtail from the Drake-UMG will be the most impactful,” he declared. “I mean that just from an industry-shaking sense. It’s been a long time — if almost never — that we’ve had a star of this magnitude going against a label of that magnitude.”
Denis is anticipating Doja Cat’s return, while Anderson thinks there’s a big year on the horizon for Cardi B with the arrival of her long-awaited sophomore album. But the crew seems to agree that the stars have aligned for Doechii to make a quantum leap.
Watch the full episode below.
In this episode Billboard Unfiltered, Billboard staffers Trevor Anderson, Kyle Denis, Damien Scott and Carl Lamarre rank the best rap and R&B albums of 2024, go through the biggest scandals of the year, share their predictions for 2025 and more!
Damien Scott:You’re out here talking, you know, making the 2024 song about dating and getting into arguments and s–t.
Kyle Denis:In 2024 specifically.
Damien Scott:This is all Kat Williams’ fault.
Trevor Anderson:That’s really where it started.
Carl Lamarre:In case y’all missed last week’s episode, there were talks about y’all potentially being gone because Amber and Regina killed it.
Trevor Anderson:Oh, was that the conversations in the back?
Carl Lamarre:Yeah, but the OG squad is here!
Trevor Anderson:I see those conversations got squashed quickly.
Carl Lamarre:We got Charles and Kenny back, you know what I’m saying?
Damien Scott:We’re what’s best for the show.
Trevor Anderson:Shout-out to Kenny, man.
Carl Lamarre:No, I was happy to have the gang back especially for this last episode of 2024. We unveiled two fire lists this week, which include the Best Rap Albums of 2024 and the Best R&B Albums of 2024, so what we’ll do, I’m going to give a quick breakdown of the top 10. The full list is on billboard.com, so here’s the top 10.
For the Best Rap Album of 2024: No. 10 Freddie Gibbs’ You Only Die 1nce; nine: Future, Mixtape Pluto; eight: Latto, Sugar Honey Iced Tea; seven: Megan Thee Stallion, Megan: Act I and Megan: Act II; six: Schoolboy Q, Blue Lips; five: GloRilla, Glorious; four: Tyler, the Creator, Chromakopia; three: Doechii, Alligator Bites Never Heal; three: Future and Metro, We Don’t Trust You …
Keep watching for more!
Ben Stiller would drive all night for SZA. In fact, in the new visual for the singer’s track “Drive,” which dropped on Friday morning (Dec. 20), the Nutcrackers star looks entranced as he lip-synchs along to the song while barreling down a dark road in his SUV.
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In the Bradley J. Calder-directed clip, Stiller enthusiastically sings the moody ballad’s lyrics about hitting the road to clear your head while trying to not get too in your head about everything that’s going on. “I been up ’til up midnight, drivin’ to nowhere/ Bumpin’ a slow song, can’t get my head clear/ I been up ’til sunrise, headed to nowhere/ Hopin’ that someone’s missin’ me somewhere,” SZA sings over gently plucked acoustic guitar.
After worrying that she’s balled so hard she’s hit her peak, SZA brags about all the exes who still want to hit her up and how she has no time to waste on haters. And while he’s hitting those lines, Stiller closes his eyes and begins to drift to sleep before waking up with a renewed energy that inspires him to lean out of the window and rip doughnuts in the middle of the street. Eagle-eyed viewers noticed that the midnight ghost ride is similar to a lip-synching cameo Stiller had in Jack Johnson’s “Taylor” video in 2003 — only this time around, the actor’s hands are wrapped around a steering wheel instead of a guitar.
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Things then get super weird as Stiller drives off and SZA pops up in the woods dressed as a sexy alien insect as the second half of the song turns into a slow-grind R&B jam and the singer crawls her way across the marsh. The costume is similar to one in the teased artwork for SZA’s long-awaited deluxe edition of her blockbuster SOS album, Lana, which is due out on Friday, as well as her Hot Ones look from September.
SZA first revealed the Lana title during a show in New York in September 2023, during which she told the audience that the deluxe version of SOS would be like “a whole ‘nother album … It’s seven to 10 songs, and it’ll be out this fall.” Then in a November British Vogue interview, she described Lana and the SOS deluxe as two entirely different albums.
But then earlier this month, SZA confirmed that Lana is the title of the SOS deluxe album, and teased the tracklist. SOS debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums charts following its 2022 release, shattering the record for the biggest streaming week for an R&B album by a woman at the time with 404.6 million official on-demand streams for the album’s songs, according to Luminate.
SZA will embark on the Grand National stadium tour with Kendrick Lamar beginning in April.
Watch the “Drive” video above.
There’s been a bunch of Lil Baby headlines on Thursday (Dec. 19) as he rolls out his upcoming album WHAM: Who Hard As Me. He recently sat down with Charlamagne Tha God, where he talked about his relationship with Gunna and getting name-dropped in Kendrick Lamar‘s Drake diss track “Not Like Us,” in which the […]
It was a lit scene inside the Grammy Museum’s Clive Davis Theater in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday evening thanks to an electrifying dynamo by the name of Doechii.
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As Doechii walked onstage to an ear-deafening chorus of cheers and shout-outs, she was just as psyched as the packed theater as she immediately launched into a rocking and riveting 11-song set. Accompanied by DJ Miss Milan, Doechii powered and danced her way through a mini-concert that opened with “Persuasive” and included “Boiled Peanuts,” “Denial Is a River,” “Spookie Coochee,” “Nissan Altima,” “Boom Bap” and the moving yet affirmative “Black Girl Memoir,” a key audience favorite.
Before segueing into “Death Roll,” an excited yet humble Doechi took time out to directly address the audience, thanking her mom (who was in the audience) and her family, label home Top Dawg Entertainment/Capitol Records, the Grammy Museum and the fervent fans in the room. “I’m so excited to be celebrating such an incredible year and a new era of hip-hop,” said the current four-time Grammy nominee.
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The Tampa-born, Los Angeles-based artist was the perfect guest to close out the last edition of the museum’s American Express-sponsored Spotlight program for 2024. The rapper is coming off a banner year, capped by four Grammy nominations: best new artist, best rap performance (“Nissan Altima”), best remixed recording (the Kaytranada remix of “Ego”) and best rap album (Alligator Bites Never Heal) — the first female rapper to appear in that category since Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy in 2020.
Prior to that, the self-anointed Swamp Princess spent the last 18 months cementing the foundation for her career breakthrough, including a performance on the main stage at Coachella; opening for Beyoncé’s Renaissance world tour; touring with Doja Cat; and collaborating with JT on the popular Eurodance/hip-hop-fused “Alter Ego. In the wake of releasing her critically acclaimed mixtape Alligator in August, she guested on Tyler, the Creator’s latest album Chromakopia and performed at his recent music fest Camp Flog Gnaw.
Taking a brief pause after wrapping her set, Doechii returned for an illuminating and humorous conversation with four-time Grammy-winning rapper Killer Mike. During his initial pre-performance introduction, Killer Mike said in part, “She is an amazing representation of that swamp called Florida that’s given us talent in the artistic world from sculptor Augusta Savage to writer Zora Neale Hurston. She is a performer; a rapper rapping her ass off at a time where rap needs some rappers … an artist who I feel is the present, the future — and who’s going to change music forever.”
Killer Mike speaks with Doechii at Spotlight: Doechii at GRAMMY Museum L.A. Live on December 18, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
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Here are five sound bites from the pair’s freewheeling conversation as well as insightful audience questions that touched on Doechii’s childhood, creative process, hard-won confidence and career advice, among other talking points:
What made her put her pure soul into a record: My confidence is truly built and nurtured. I wasn’t always this confident. I wasn’t always in environments that made me feel proud to be a dark-skinned, outspoken girl. So this confidence is truly built behind closed doors. My mother is a single mother of three girls, and she always told me I was the most beautiful girl in the world every single day. I’d leave that home environment with so much confidence, and then I would go to school and get bullied a lot. Eventually, I made a choice that I refuse to be anything but happy. I made a choice that I was going to be myself no matter what it took, no matter what anybody said about me. And that confidence I bring with me on this couch right now is the same confidence that I decided to pour into this project. I wanted to give people an audiovisual experience of what it’s like living in my skin, being in my life, what my brain moves like, what I think about, what I’m afraid of, what I love. And that’s also why I am extremely honored to be representing female rap in the hip-hop album category.
Her ultimate goal: The end goal, beyond the accolades, the money and everything, is I want the world’s next icon to be inspired by me. I feel like they’re out there. They’re watching my interviews, studying me and listening to my music. They’re watching me. So I have to be free. I have to try my best. I have to show up, because I just feel it. She’s out there watching me. And I don’t know if it’s me that’s watching me or if it’s literally somebody, but that’s what is driving me: somebody needs this.
Staying determined while navigating her career pathway: Well, one, it’s in you. It’s not on you. When I said that I want to be the best, it comes from a place of truly healthy competition. My family is very competitive so I’m extremely competitive in a healthy way. I talk about this often, but I miss that competitive sportsmanship in hip-hop where everybody wanted to be the best lyricist. They wanted to tell tstories in the dopest way. And they would battle each other through rap, because it makes you stronger. It makes all of you stronger. Like oh, he just did a double entendre. I’m gonna do a triple. I’m gonna do a quadruple. I like that. I want to be the best at my craft. I love this genre. I love music. I like making it.
Breaking down her writing process: A lot of my writing process, at least for my brain, is I have to move quickly. If I don’t move fast enough, doubt will come in and it’ll slow me down. If I don’t move on to the next line, I’ll be like, ‘Oh dang, that line wasn’t cool. Let me redo that again.’ So I like to literally time myself. I’ll set a timer for one hour and whatever you get that hour, that’s what you get, baby girl. Then you’ve got to move on. It forces you to be in the moment. It forces you to trust yourself. And I also tell myself this all the time: I have the right to suck right now. I have the right to not say something that’s cool, the right to be vulnerable, to be corny, whatever. I have the right to be whoever I am in this hour. Then I must move on.
Advice to creators crafting their careers while dealing with real life: Every creative reaches this point: you have to eventually choose your art. You have to choose your art over whatever thing there is. If it’s a relationship that’s distracting you, you need to choose your art. I choose to record today. I choose to post today. I choose to keep going. I choose to instead of invest my money in that, I’ll invest my money in singing lessons. It’s all about your decisions at the end of the day. And I know it sounds cliche, but seriously, as a creative, you have to choose yourself over and over. Don’t allow yourself to come up with excuses that will stop you. You do whatever it takes, and you continue to work on yourself. Then when you get the thing (you’ve been working toward} there’s a whole other battle. And you have to choose yourself again.
Lil Baby and Gunna may never make music together again.
While sitting down with Charlamagne tha God and his Out of Context interview series, the media personality asked Baby about his relationship with Gunna and if they’ll ever make music again. However, the Atlanta rapper isn’t optimistic about giving fans a follow up to their critically acclaimed mixtape Drip Harder from 2018. “We ain’t got no relationship,” he said before Charlamagne asked about fans on the Internet claiming Lil Baby “can’t make hits without Gunna.”
“The internet will say anything,” he then answered. “You know how many hits I got? So, that don’t even make sense.” Charlamagne then followed up by asking, “I know Thug says what Wham! says goes, but Thug says, ‘Hey, I’mma get in the studio, I’m gonna make some music with Gunna, Baby I want you to participate.’ Would you?”
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“I don’t see that happening,” Baby replied before elaborating that he meant he doesn’t expect Young Thug to ever make that kind of request. “Nah, I’m just saying, like, ‘I want you to participate.’ I don’t know what nobody else will do. But as far as me, know what I’m saying?”
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Charlamagne then brought up his “350” record from 2023 where Baby rapped, “Ain’t never say nothin’ ’bout it, nigga, you know you a rat” on the song’s first verse, but he brushed the controversy surrounding that line off. “That’s just the Internet, what they gonna create,” he answered. “I talk about rats in every song I had since I started rappin’.” Adding, “They just be creating a narrative and I don’t even be talkin’ about a nigga. It’s whoever’s a rat.”
The drama surrounding the former duo dates back to December of 2023 when Lil Baby told his DJ to turn off “Drip Too Hard” during a performance, saying, “F—k the rats, turn this sh—t off.” Since then there’s been conflicting feelings coming out of Thug’s YSL camp such as Thug tweeting, “whateva wham say goes,” in June and his father coming to Gunna’s defense publicly on multiple occasions.
The interesting tidbit in all this is that Thug had to get permission from the judge to be able to record songs with Gunna as a condition of his release.
Lil Baby’s fourth solo album WHAM (Who Hard as Me) is due out Jan. 3, 2025.
Lil Baby loves gambling. Whether that be on betting on himself in his career, cards or rolling dice, the Atlanta rapper is always down to play the odds.
Baby hopped on Lil Yachty’s A Safe Place podcast where he admitted that losing a fortune in less than two days forced him to get his gambling habit under control.
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“$8 million,” he said when asked what’s the most he’s lost. “Like one day, probably like 40 hours straight, I lost like $8 million, $9 million. I made myself stop gambling.”
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Baby continued: “I had Mike Rubin write a letter to every casino and ban me from the casino. I just do s–t. I don’t gamble no more.”
Don’t expect to see Lil Baby in the casinos anymore, but he’s still making it rain in other ways. The 4PF rapper and Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin have become close friends over the years as they’ve aligned on REFORM Alliance ventures and business dealings such as Mitchell & Ness and Fanatics.
Rubin and Lil Baby have been the subject of plenty of memes and social media fodder with photos from his famed “white parties” on July 4. Elsewhere talking to Yachty, Baby revealed the memes actually bother him.
“I don’t play with n—-s, period on no funny, weird s–t. I’m dapping Kuzma up and Mike’s happy to see me he run up on me. I got 10 other pictures,” Baby said. “We play like that. They white so they don’t really understand how I understand. Even when the picture came out before it went viral I told Mike, ‘I can’t have pictures like that.’”
He continued: “When that picture came out, I literally made Mike Rubin go to the security camera in his house and go to the footage the whole time. I ain’t even gonna post that s–t… Certain s–t, all that type s–t like that really bother me. How I grew up, certain s–t can’t be on your name.”
The 30-year-old called Michael Rubin a “super great influence” on his life. “We have the best conversations ever,” Baby added. “He damn near fascinated with the way I live, and I’m fascinated with the way he lives so we live in the middle.”
Lil Baby is looking to kick off 2025 on a high note as he readies a pair of albums, the first of which is set to arrive on Jan. 3 with WHAM (Who Hard As Me).
Tres Generaciones Tequila, a 50 year old brand introduced by the family that elevated tequila to a symbol of Mexican pride, and Billboard are partnering together for a year-long celebration of music’s transformative power to unveil the top songs that have energized, uplifted and excited six select cities, known as the ‘Get Up Anthems.’ These playlists are curated through a mix of editorial insight and data analytics, and honor the songs that define each city’s history and culture.
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We’re at the last stop of the six city Get Up Anthem’s tour: Los Angeles—quintessential for the city of dreams. Inside a Glendale studio, adorned with moodiness and odes to the city’s star quality, hip-hop heavyweights The Game and D Smoke sat alongside Billboard editor Carl Lamarre. Hosted by Rocsi Diaz, the roundtable celebrated LA’s storied musical legacy, with “It Was a Good Day” serving as the focal point. Over glasses of Tres Generaciones Tequila, the group delved into the song’s enduring impact, debating its place within the pantheon of West Coast classics and its role in shaping the cultural identity of Los Angeles.
Ice Cube’s “It Was a Good Day” distills the essence of West Coast hip-hop into a singularly iconic track. Released in 1993 on The Predator, its smooth production, vivid storytelling, and cultural resonance immortalize it as a cornerstone of Los Angeles’ musical legacy. Over a soulful, nostalgic beat, Ice Cube captures a rare day of peace and joy amidst the turbulence of South Central LA, embodying the broader West Coast aesthetic of the era.
The track’s production, helmed by DJ Pooh, achieves emotional depth through masterful simplicity. Built around a sample from The Isley Brothers’ “Footsteps in the Dark, Pts. 1 & 2,” the beat reimagines its dreamy guitar riffs in a hip-hop framework, exuding nostalgia and serenity. Understated elements—a mellow bassline, restrained drum programming, and sparse melodic keys—amplify Cube’s narrative, letting his words drive the track. The relaxed tempo and sunlit vibe epitomize G-funk’s laid-back yet resonant sound, placing it firmly in the lineage of West Coast greats like Dr. Dre while maintaining Ice Cube’s unique identity.
More than a song, “It Was a Good Day” offers a snapshot of early ’90s Los Angeles, blending realism and escapism. Ice Cube’s lyrics chronicle a dreamlike day—basketball games, favorite fast food, cruising the streets—untainted by violence or adversity. The specificity of his imagery, from local radio shoutouts to South Central landmarks, grounds the track in LA’s cultural fabric, rendering it both personal and universal. This fusion of optimistic storytelling and authentic detail makes the song a heartfelt ode to the city.
The cruising imagery and relaxed beat capture LA’s sun-soaked, car-driven ethos, cementing the track as a sonic emblem of West Coast life. It contrasts sharply with gangsta rap’s grittier portrayals, providing a moment of respite that resonated deeply with audiences and expanded the emotional scope of hip-hop.
Decades later, “It Was a Good Day” remains a benchmark for storytelling and production in hip-hop, inspiring countless artists. Its iconic status has led to numerous samples and references, from Beyoncé’s “Partition” to Kendrick Lamar’s “DUCKWORTH.,” which mirrors its narrative focus on transformative moments. Beyond direct interpolations, the track’s introspective yet celebratory tone continues to influence music across genres, solidifying its place as a timeless masterpiece.
The song’s genius lies in its balance of realism and aspiration. Ice Cube’s vivid storytelling invites listeners into a world where, for one day, everything aligns perfectly. Its production—a perfect marriage of G-funk’s smoothness and hip-hop’s grit—encapsulates Los Angeles’ essence. As both a personal narrative and cultural artifact, “It Was a Good Day” stands as a testament to hip-hop’s power to encapsulate time, place, and emotion, securing its legacy as a cornerstone of West Coast music and one of the most beloved tracks in Ice Cube’s storied career.
Some songs have the rare ability to define eras, celebrated for their infectious beats, groundbreaking production, vivid storytelling, and timeless appeal, earning them the status of true classics. In partnership with Tres Generaciones Tequila, a brand that champions the journey and not just the destination, we continue our exploration to round up the top Get Up Anthems over this next year from six iconic cities: Houston, Atlanta, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami. Guided by curated panels, we dive deep into each city’s vibrant sonic history, highlighting tracks that embody resilience, authenticity, and innovation while celebrating the power of music to inspire listeners to rise and chase their passions.
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Los Angeles’ music scene is the heartbeat of West Coast hip-hop, defined by G-funk grooves, cinematic storytelling, and a celebration of street culture, freedom, and pride. From the smooth funk-infused beats of “It Was a Good Day” and “Nuthin’ But a G Thang” to the anthemic energy of “California Love” and “Still D.R.E.,” these songs capture the soul of LA—a city where ambition meets artistry, and struggle gives rise to triumph. LA’s playlist reflects a rich legacy of innovation and influence, blending the grit of South Central with the sunny vibes of the West Coast.
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The Top 10 Get Up Anthems from Los Angeles were crafted through a blend of editorial expertise, data-driven analytics, social impact, and personal sentiment to create a ranked list of songs that have inspired, captivated, and energized the City of Angels. Spanning decades from 1992 to the present day, LA’s playlist [click HERE to play] features tracks that represent the city’s vibrant cultural history and unmistakable sound, hand-selected by local icons The Game and D Smoke, Billboard editors Carl Lamarre, and moderated by Rocsi Diaz.
Did they get it right? Or were they off the mark?
Check out the Top 10 Get Up Anthems from Los Angeles:
10. “BPT” – YG (2014)
“BPT” from YG’s debut album My Krazy Life is a raw, unapologetic tribute to his roots in Bompton (a nickname for Compton). Produced by DJ Mustard, the track features a minimalist, hard-hitting beat driven by claps and menacing synths. YG’s aggressive delivery and vivid storytelling capture the reality of gang life and his rise in the rap game. The song’s unfiltered depiction of LA street culture resonated deeply within Compton and other parts of Los Angeles, while commercially, it helped establish YG as one of the leading voices of West Coast hip-hop’s new generation.
9. “Regulate” – Warren G feat. Nate Dogg (1994)
“Regulate” is a storytelling masterpiece that combines Warren G’s vivid narrative with Nate Dogg’s melodic hooks. Produced by Warren G, the track samples Michael McDonald’s “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near),” giving it a smooth, soulful feel. The lyrics recount a night of danger and triumph on the streets of Long Beach, showcasing the duo’s chemistry. Released on the Above the Rim soundtrack, the song became a massive commercial hit and a defining moment for G-funk. Locally, it solidified Warren G and Nate Dogg as pillars of the West Coast sound, while globally, it introduced a broader audience to the genre’s laid-back yet gritty appeal.
8. “We Can Freak It” – Kurupt (1998)
Kurupt’s “We Can Freak It” is a smooth West Coast anthem that blends G-funk with soulful production by Battlecat. The track features atmospheric synths, a hypnotic bassline, and Kurupt’s laid-back delivery, creating a vibe-perfect for cruising through LA. Lyrically, it explores themes of nightlife, relationships, and escapism, capturing the essence of West Coast living. Though not as commercially successful as other G-funk hits, it resonated deeply within LA, becoming a staple in local hip-hop circles. Its mellow yet infectious sound remains a favorite among fans of ’90s West Coast rap.
7. “Nuthin’ But a G Thang” – Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg (1992)
“Nuthin’ But a G Thang” is a definitive G-funk anthem that introduced the world to the chemistry between Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. Built around a sample of Leon Haywood’s “I Want’a Do Something Freaky to You,” the production features lush synths, a funky bassline, and a laid-back groove. Snoop’s effortless flow and Dre’s polished delivery made the track an instant classic. Released as the lead single from The Chronic, it became a commercial juggernaut, bringing West Coast hip-hop to mainstream audiences. Locally, it encapsulated the essence of LA’s party culture and street life, while globally, it redefined the sound of hip-hop in the early ’90s.
6. “Last Time That I Checc’d” – Nipsey Hussle feat. YG (2018)
“Last Time That I Checc’d,” from Nipsey Hussle’s Grammy-nominated album Victory Lap, is a celebration of independence and success. Produced by Mike & Keys, the track features an infectious, hard-hitting beat that complements Nipsey’s assertive delivery and YG’s fiery guest verse. The lyrics emphasize self-made success and maintaining authenticity, a recurring theme in Nipsey’s music. The song resonated deeply within Los Angeles, highlighting the city’s entrepreneurial spirit and gang unity, as Nipsey and YG represented rival factions coming together. Commercially, it solidified Nipsey’s rise as a major force in hip-hop, while locally, it became an anthem of empowerment and pride for the streets of LA.
5. “Not Like Us” – Nipsey Hussle feat. YG (2018)
“Not Like Us,” one of Nipsey Hussle’s reflective tracks, exemplifies his dedication to empowerment and authenticity. Produced by Mike & Keys, the beat features soulful undertones and crisp percussion, allowing Nipsey’s motivational lyrics to take center stage. Released during a pivotal moment in his career, the track underscores his focus on self-reliance, entrepreneurship, and community upliftment. While it didn’t achieve widespread commercial acclaim, its message resonated deeply within Los Angeles, particularly in South Central, where Nipsey was a hometown hero. The song’s themes reflect Nipsey’s broader cultural impact, inspiring a generation of artists and entrepreneurs to prioritize legacy over fame.
4. “Still D.R.E.” – Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg (1999)
“Still D.R.E.” marked Dr. Dre’s triumphant return to the forefront of hip-hop after a brief hiatus. Produced by Dre and Scott Storch, the track’s minimalist piano riff and crisp drum pattern became instantly recognizable. Snoop Dogg’s laid-back hook complements Dre’s confident verses, reasserting his dominance in the rap game. Released as the lead single from 2001, the song was both a critical and commercial success, signaling the resurgence of West Coast hip-hop at the turn of the millennium. Locally, it reinforced Dre’s status as an LA legend and pioneer of G-funk, while its sleek production and enduring appeal cemented it as a global hip-hop classic.
3. “California Love” – 2Pac feat. Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman (1995)
“California Love” is an iconic West Coast anthem that captured the grandeur and diversity of California’s culture. Produced by Dr. Dre, the track samples Joe Cocker’s “Woman to Woman” and features Zapp frontman Roger Troutman on the talkbox, adding a funk-driven, futuristic flair. Lyrically, the song celebrates the vibrant lifestyle of California, from the streets of LA to the Bay Area, with 2Pac’s fiery verses contrasting Dre’s cool, confident delivery. Released as 2Pac’s comeback single after his release from prison, it became an instant commercial hit and an enduring cultural staple. Locally, it was a rallying cry for West Coast pride during the height of the East Coast-West Coast rivalry, while globally, it solidified California’s place as a central hub for hip-hop culture.
2. “Gin and Juice” – Snoop Dogg (1993)
Snoop Dogg’s “Gin and Juice,” produced by Dr. Dre, is a cornerstone of West Coast G-funk. Its funky bassline, lush synths, and signature high-pitched whines, combined with Snoop’s smooth, laid-back delivery, create a quintessential party anthem. The lyrics reflect a carefree lifestyle centered around drinking, smoking, and enjoying life with friends—a sharp contrast to the gangsta rap narratives dominating the scene at the time. Released as the second single from Doggystyle, the track was both a commercial success and a cultural phenomenon. Locally, it represented the quintessential LA party vibe, from house parties in Compton to BBQs in Long Beach, while nationally, it introduced mainstream audiences to G-funk’s irresistible groove and Snoop’s effortless charisma, marking a new chapter in hip-hop.
1. “It Was a Good Day” – Ice Cube (1992)
“It Was a Good Day” is a quintessential track that perfectly encapsulates the relaxed yet gritty essence of Los Angeles in the early ’90s. Produced by DJ Pooh, the smooth, soulful sample of The Isley Brothers’ “Footsteps in the Dark” provides a mellow, nostalgic backdrop for Ice Cube’s reflective lyrics. The track’s narrative vividly describes a rare, violence-free day in South Central LA, showcasing the stark contrast between everyday struggles and moments of peace. Its debut on the The Predator album resonated deeply with audiences, both commercially and culturally, offering a rare positive perspective amidst the turmoil of the post-Rodney King riots era. Locally, it became an anthem for LA residents, a celebration of fleeting joys in a city plagued by systemic challenges, while nationally, it solidified Ice Cube’s status as a master storyteller.