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The Notorious B.I.G. passed away on March 9, 1997 weeks before his sophomore album Life After Death was set to be released.
It was an event that stopped the ever-growing East vs West beef which was sparked by two friends, 2Pac and Biggie, and spun out of control.In the height of their careers, two mid-20-year-old Black men gunned down due to senseless violence in the midst of a growing regional rap war.
While we knew things would change, who knew that hip hop would change like this?The year was 1997. Hip hop was going through sort of a transition at the time. With the death of 2Pac, and Dr. Dre deciding to leave the label he co-owned, Death Row Records the west coast was losing the dominance it which was partially sparked by the popularity of Dr. Dre's debut album The Chronic in 1992.
Back on the East Coast, it was time where artists were beginning to stop being so gritty, and raw, and exchange their Champion sweatshirts, and into shiny suits.The death of Biggie left a gaping hole in New York City. He was the biggest artist in hip hop at the time, and was holding the torch for New York City. Who was going to carry the torch for the Big Apple in his absence?
We would not have to answer this question for another year. March 25, 1997, Notorious B.I.G.&rsquo;s anticipated sophomore album Life After Death was released. An instant classic, the new version of Biggie had songs for the radio and for the hood in a double-disc album that had little-to-no skips.
We did not know at the time, but this would be the beginning of Bad Boy&rsquo;s explosion. Biggie was there to see the beginning of that very success as Puff Daddy released his first single, &ldquo;Can&rsquo;t Nobody Hold Me Down&rdquo; after debuting at 32 on the Billboard Hot 100, the track featuring Mase reached number one.
That was later taken over by Biggie&rsquo;s hit single, &ldquo;Hypnotize&rdquo; before the tribute track &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll Be Missing You&rdquo; was released and dominated the charts in Biggie's passing.
While bittersweet, Puff Daddy continued to grow the Bad Boy Records brand following the release of No Way Out in July of that year. It has a few songs you may have heard such as &ldquo;All About The Benjamins,&rdquo; &ldquo;Been Around The World,&rdquo; &ldquo;Victory,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Mo Money, Mo Problems.&rdquo;
In case you thought he was done. Mase decided to come out with his debut album that October as well. An amazing 3-peat of success for Bad Boy Records.
<a href="https://youtu.be/gUhRKVIjJtw">https://youtu.be/gUhRKVIjJtw</a>
Following the deaths of both 2Pac and Biggie we were starting to see a trend of hip hop that was straying away from its authentic rawness, and going into a style that was more mainstream and cartoonish.
It was no longer trending towards the Mafioso style we began to see from Big, Jay Z, and even Nas in 1996. The suits were being traded in for bubble jackets and ski goggles, raise the roofs and bank head bounces.
Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes were helping to transform the art of music videos in 1997. Missy&rsquo;s exaggerated visuals in &ldquo;The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly),&rdquo; and Busta Rhymes' iconic characters in &ldquo;Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See&rdquo; helped bring the genre to a lighter place, thanks to Williams' vision.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHcyJPTTn9w">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHcyJPTTn9w</a>
Speaking of Hype Williams, nothing would showcase the new trend more than Jay-Z&rsquo;s video for his single &ldquo;(Always Be My) Sunshine.&rdquo; Following the release of Reasonable Doubt, it was his time to come up out of the shadows of BIG and show that he can be the next best Brooklyn rapper with In My Lifetime, Vol. 1.
With help of The Hitmen, the album displayed a formula similar to Biggie&rsquo;s sophomore project. It mixed some of his more personal lyrics and mixed in some sounds that were popular at the time including singles with features from Babyface, Blackstreet, Puff Daddy himself and Lil&rsquo; Kim.
But it wasn&rsquo;t all fun and games. Wu-Tang Clan left street hip hop fans excited once again as they all returned with their double album,&nbsp;Wu-Tang Forever. The project was eventually nominated for a Grammy at the <a href="http://href=">40th Annual Grammy Awards</a> for "Best Rap Album" but ended up losing to Puff Daddy &amp; The Family's album No Way Out.
This led for a moment in hip hop history as Ol' Dirty Bastard to storm the stage to express his displeasure of losing the "Song of the Year" award for "Sunny Came Home".&nbsp;
The time laid the groundwork for what was going to become a boom in hip hop in terms of music and business. It was time to have fun again.
Things got so serious and tense that it needed a new breath of fresh air. As the calendar turned to 1998 the year the business changed for better or for worse depending on who you ask.
The formula of street tracks mixed in with commercial favorites helped bring career-changing albums from DMX, Jay Z, and Ja Rule and anchored the Def Jam era.
What was your favorite single from 1997?

How The Notorious B.I.G.'s Death Changed Hip Hop Forever

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t has been 25 years since the passing of Christopher Wallace better known to the world as The Notorious B.I.G.
Nearly a quarter century following the passing of the hip hop legend, we have seen many changes to the hip hop landscape. Some of the biggest artists today were not yet born that infamous day in 1997. Throughout all of the changes in hip hop during its time, one thing has stayed consistent. Whether it is a party, a movie, a passing car, or even on the radio on HOT 97, the sounds of Biggie Smalls&rsquo; music blaring through the speakers is just as impactful now as it was when were first introduced to him in 1994.
His words, rhyme pattern, and overall legend status still relates to a new generation of artists and fans during a time lyricism is not as celebrated as it was during the golden era of the mid-to-late 1990&rsquo;s.
It was DJ Mister Cee that helped introduce the world to Biggie. Back in 1992, a demo tape was recorded, and ended up in the hands of Sean &ldquo;Puff Daddy&rdquo; Combs who at the time was looking for an artist as an A&amp;R for Uptown Records, and came across The Notorious B.I.G. The rest you can say is history.
Here is what <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230604163015/http://thesource.com/2014/08/06/unsigned-hype-revisited-the-notorious-b-i-g-march-1992/" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Source</a> had to say about that very demo tape back in 1992.
&ldquo;If you&rsquo;re an aspiring rapper and you know you have the flavor and potential to make dope records, you don&rsquo;t need to go into the studio and spend crazy cash to make a fly demo. You don&rsquo;t even need a 4-track; just two turntables and a microphone, press record on the tape deck and you&rsquo;re good to go.
B-I-G is living proof of this fact. His DJ, Hitman 50 Grand, threw a couple classic breaks and instrumentals and let B-I-G do what he had to do: he ripped shit. Straight outta Brooklyn, New York, the heavy-set brother B-I-G has mad skills. His rhymes are fatter then he is.
All four of his jams were basically a freestyle exhibition. Obviously, to come out as an MC takes a lot more than hype rhymes, but rhyme skills are the main ingredient to true success in hip-hop, and when it comes to those, B-I-G&rsquo;s got plenty.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Look up in the sky it&rsquo;s a bird it&rsquo;s a plane!&rdquo; It was the remix to Mary J. Blige&rsquo;s single &ldquo;Real Love&rdquo; that allowed mainstream fans to learn about the rapper for the first time with his catchy line. Before releasing his successful debut album, Ready To Die, he built up the hype with classic features such as &ldquo;Dolly My Baby,&rdquo; &ldquo;What&rsquo;s the 411?&rdquo; and &ldquo;Flava In Ya Ear.&rdquo;
After the success of his single &ldquo;Party &amp; Bulls***&rdquo; in 1993, it was time for fans to get a full project from the Brooklyn MC. It was released on September 13, 1994. In 19 tracks, Biggie helped bring the balance of power in hip hop back to the east coast following the dominance of the west brought by the success of Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Death Row Records.
It is Biggie&rsquo;s strength of storytelling mixed with great production, and with the help of Puff Daddy, exploded onto the scene with a unique blend of street raps with the melodic sounds of classic rhythm and blues. &ldquo;Big Poppa,&rdquo; &ldquo;One More Chance,&rdquo; and the timeless classic &ldquo;Juicy&rdquo; which sampled Mtume&rsquo;s classic hit &ldquo;Juicy Fruit,&rdquo; helped carry the album to popular success.
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At the time, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230604163015/http://www.capitalxtra.com/xplore/lists/notorious-big-ready-to-die-facts/rolling-stones-original-review/" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rolling Stone</a> wrote &ldquo;Ready to Die is the strongest solo rap debut since Ice Cube&rsquo;s Amerikkka&rsquo;s Most Wanted. From the breathtakingly visual moments of his birth to his Cobainesque end in &ldquo;Suicidal Thoughts.&rdquo;
<h4>Going Back To Cali!</h4>
Ready to Die was a huge success. He single-handedly brought the East Coast back to its dominance in hip hop. Yet he wasn&rsquo;t going to slow down. While he went three years between albums, Biggie was still busy. On August 25, 1995, he helped his childhood friends turned rappers, Junior M.A.F.I.A. release their debut album Conspiracy which held classics such as &ldquo;Players Anthem&rdquo; and &ldquo;Get Money.&rdquo; It was soon after that he began work on his sophomore album. Little did we know the controversy that would surround him.
It was during that time, Biggie got caught up in the infamous beef with himself and his former friend 2Pac. At one time Pac was a mentor to the Brooklyn native, allowing him to stay in his apartment while he began his journey through hip hop. By 1996, following 2Pac&rsquo;s signing to Death Row Records, the two had become bitter enemies entrenched in a growing media narrative that became the East vs West beef.
On the way of recording his sophomore album, Life After Death,&nbsp;Biggie was involved in a car accident which shattered his left leg, where he was forced to stay in a hospital for three months. He wasn&rsquo;t going to let the injuries keep him down though. It was time to finish the album.&nbsp;
After recovering, The Notorious B.I.G. left to go to Los Angeles where he began promotion of his sophomore album. Big and Puff had released their first single &ldquo;Hypnotize,&rdquo; a song which sampled Herb Alpert&rsquo;s late 70&rsquo;s hit &ldquo;Rise.&rdquo; The song was gaining success quickly.
Donned in an all-black tuxedo, Biggie&rsquo;s presence dominated the stage as he performed at the 11th annual Soul Train Awards where he performed &ldquo;One More Chance&rdquo; then &ldquo;Get Money.&rdquo;
The next day he attended a Vibe Magazine party. It would end up being the last time anyone would see him alive as Biggie&rsquo;s GMC Suburban was shot up minutes after leaving the party. Much in the way of his biggest foe 2Pac. At 4:15 a.m. EST on March 9, 1997, Christopher Wallace was pronounced dead.
One can only wonder what The Notorious B.I.G. would have done if he were alive today.
Would we have ever heard The Commission with Jay Z and Charli Baltimore? How about that secret project between himself and Fat Joe? Will he still be the king of hip hop? I guess we&rsquo;ll never know.
Remember the life of The Notorious B.I.G. below.
https://youtu.be/Z5LveNSfB2Y

Life After Death: Remembering The Legacy Of The Notorious B.I.G.

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March 9 is a day the hip hop world stops and remembers the life and legacy of Christopher Wallace, known to the world as The Notorious B.I.G.
For years, Ernie Paniccioli helped document the growth of hip hop as it rose from a new genre in music, to the world&rsquo;s biggest phenomenon. His photos through the years showcase legends such as LL Cool J, Public Enemy, DMX, Foxy Brown, Lil&rsquo; Kim, Nas, Jay-Z, 2Pac, and the list goes on.
His passion was to showcase who these artists were to the world.
&ldquo;My work shows them as larger than life but also as part of life,&rdquo; he said to <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230606141237/https://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/18/public-enemys-private-photographer/">New York Times</a> back in 2013. &ldquo;My work has a pulse. It three-dimensionalized a lot of these people. And the artists themselves have always let me be up close and personal. There never been dichotomy between the photographer and the artist. It&rsquo;s a circle.&rdquo;
One of his favorite artists was The Notorious B.I.G., who he was able to document throughout the rise of his career.
&ldquo;The first time we met he was preparing to do his part in a New York Undercover TV show,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;He was standing with Eric Sermon and Ice Cube. I went up to introduce myself and shake his hand and said hi, &lsquo;I&rsquo;m Ernie.&rsquo; He loudly replied by saying I don&rsquo;t give a f***, and then said &lsquo;step off!&rsquo; I was like &lsquo;what?'&rdquo;
<img class=" wp-image-108927" src="https://images.ctfassets.net/bjeljlcmmjko/1t3f0JBlA8o5uSD5L8gp2h/0336416e409d369dff2a76abd71d77c8/Biggie-and-Big-Ernie-bbb.jpg" alt="Notorious B.I.G. &amp; Ernie Paniccioli P" width="486" height="386">
He later continued, showcasing at the tense moment at the time.
&ldquo;I started to put down my two heavy cameras and camera bag I was holding Cube, and Eric from EPMD and a few others tried to calm him down.&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;Biggie, Ernie is Cool and Ernie is family. He cursed some more as I got closer and said, &lsquo;I don&rsquo;t care who he is!&rsquo; All of the crew that were around him were shook! Then all of a sudden he broke into his biggest grin and said to all of us &ldquo;gotcha&rdquo; and shook my hand laughing like crazy.&rdquo;
&ldquo;He often said he went from &ldquo;ashy to classy,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;That night he took us all from scary to funny. He then reminded me we had met before on the set of a Mary J. Blige&rsquo;s video and had pizza together at a local store. We became friends and he shared many things with me over the next two years. He is one of the greats, I miss him and cried when he was taken from us.&rdquo;
Over the years, he was able to accompany the Notorious B.I.G. in various places, resulting in some of the most iconic photos of his life and career. Paniccioli shared a couple of his favorite photos with HOT 97 to help celebrate the life of the greatest rapper of all time.
<img class="wp-image-108925 " src="https://images.ctfassets.net/bjeljlcmmjko/5Ig8IXP8hrehyLnXgYN0NL/f49d26459a9a287d18111d6457ef382c/B.I.g.-in-Palladium-NYC.-1-1024x689.jpg" alt="Biggie Smalls In The Palladium" width="882" height="593"> Gold background Party at the Platinum Night Club, 1994 Photo Credit: Ernie Paniccioli<img id="longdesc-return-108928" class="wp-image-108928 size-large" tabindex="-1" src="https://images.ctfassets.net/bjeljlcmmjko/6QMGTlDZP3xZBVeRffthyy/f1600904e6c615a67c7fea0bddd547f5/IMG-3823-710x1024.jpg" alt="RIP The Notorious B.I.G." width="710" height="1024" longdesc="https://www.hot97.com?longdesc=108928&amp;referrer=108924"> "Freezing night in late October 1994. A man in an SUV was beeping his horn at me in Times Square. When I recognized Biggie, he said 'Get in here, motherf***er, it&rsquo;s cold as s*** out there.&rsquo;" Photo Credit: Ernie Paniccioli<img class="wp-image-108926 size-large" src="https://images.ctfassets.net/bjeljlcmmjko/5q6GxWuHRXT3SnKwDmMFjC/6d1eb20efe720cfacae244bc7e244131/Big-Hawiaan-shirt-1996-1024x661.jpg" alt="Notorious B.I.G. 1996" width="1024" height="661"> "This was the last time, I saw Biggie. It was at The Copa, in NYC on the night of a Mary J. Blige event." Photo Credit: Ernie Paniccioli

The Story Behind Some Of The Notorious B.I.G.'s Most Iconic Photos

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The year was 1997. Hip Hop was still in a state of mourning as the genre&rsquo;s biggest artist at the time was gunned down in Los Angeles.
We were all exhausted. But if there was one thing we knew was going to live on. It would be the music and his legacy.
On March 25, 1997, The Notorious B.I.G. posthumously released his long-awaited sophomore album ironically titled Life After Death. After three years of waiting, it was the album he was excited about, as he was ready to show his growth as an artist. Is he not still here? Is this even real?
Starting where Ready To Die left off three years earlier, it only took one track to raise the goosebumps on your arms. The sounds of the sirens began to ring in your ears, the heart monitor starts beeping, the intense keys begin to roar. All while Puff Daddy pleads with Biggie, &ldquo;you have too much living to do. Too much unfinished business. It ain&rsquo;t over.&rdquo; The sound of the raindrops hitting the pavement kept our emotions in check before we heard the sound of Biggie Smalls for the first time on this album. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m sittin&rsquo; in the crib dreamin&rsquo; about Leer jets and coupes, the way Salt shoops and how they sell records like Snoop. Oops! I&rsquo;m interrupted by a doorbell&hellip;&rdquo;
He was bigger than life. His storytelling skills shined throughout the project as we got to see the progression of someone who is considered the best rapper of all time by many. He gave us a range of all kinds of different tracks. Between his signature hard raps in &ldquo;Last Day,&rdquo; &ldquo;What&rsquo;s Beef, &ldquo;Ten Crack Commandments,&rdquo; to fun tracks like &ldquo;Another,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Back To Cali&rdquo; to reminencient tracks like &ldquo;Miss U.&rdquo; This album not only told an album, but had it all.
Not many artists can deliver a double album. Even less can do so without you wanting to skip a single track. He outdid himself on this one.
After having one feature on his debut project, Biggie brought out the big guns for this one. And not one of those features were wasted. The fast paced rap from Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, back-and-forth between himself and Lil&rsquo; Kim, the hard bars from the LOX, slick talk with Jay-Z, freakiness from R. Kelly, or the smooth sounds of 112. If you were featured on this album it was with good reason.
Biggie&rsquo;s right hand man Puff Daddy was ruling the charts with his hit single &ldquo;Can&rsquo;t Nobody Hold Me Down&rdquo; at the time of his death. Following his passing, the first single of the album &ldquo;Hypnotize&rdquo; which was released on the first of March began taking over as the weather began to warm up showing the dominance of Bad Boy during this time. His singles weren&rsquo;t only hits. They became classics. 20 years later, &ldquo;Mo Money, Mo Problems&rdquo; is still a favorite in the party. No matter what age you are.
His third single &ldquo;Sky&rsquo;s The Limit&rdquo; can&rsquo;t do anything but put a tear in your eye as Biggie speaks about his growth as not only an artist, but as a man, his success, and where he was headed next.
Track 11 on disc two helps close a script no one could have even think of writing only weeks earlier. The echoing sounds of Puffy saying &ldquo;baby&rdquo; repeatedly as the cold lonely wind blows in the background. First the keys come. Then the drums. The beat builds as Puff continues to speak in the background. Then Biggie comes in: &ldquo;Ni***s in my faction don&rsquo;t like asking questions. Strictly gun-testing, coke-measuring, giving pleasure in the Benz-ito, hitting fanny, spending chips at Manny&rsquo;s, hope you creeps got receipts, my peeps get dirty like cleats.&rdquo;
A fitting end to a classic album, and a legendary career. By the end of this album, Christopher Wallace became a prophet to his own life. At only 24-years-old, he was gunned down in Los Angeles effectively ending the senseless east coast vs west coast wars of the early 1990&rsquo;s. Watching television late one night gave Biggie the idea of the album&rsquo;s last track. Hearing Dean Martin sing &ldquo;you&rsquo;re nobody until somebody loves you,&rdquo; sparked motivation in the hook. A hook which became an underlying, and unfortionate fact. &ldquo;You&rsquo;re Nobody &lsquo;Til Somebody Kills You.&rdquo;
<h3 style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hot97.com/BIG20Years" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">See more about the life and legacy of The Notorious B.I.G.</a></h3>
Listen to Life After Death below.
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You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Kills You: The Legacy Of 'Life After Death'

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Bronx drill and Jersey club artists Sha EK and Bandmanrill were featured on the ninth episode of 4 Minutes of Fire, which went public on July 4. Starting in 2021, both of these artists will have received an abundance of success. With Bandman’s reputation as the pioneer of the Jersey club wave and EK’s debut album, “Face of the What," reaching a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, both rappers have been in the spotlight of the drill scene as a whole.https://open.spotify.com/episode/2XfDPEJOHAPxC8z6XjH3S6?si=OiV89sUxQfOM8PWdCjiwfg During their performance on 4 Minutes of Fire, they both performed two songs from their upcoming collabo album, “Jiggy in Jersey.” As of recently, due to the electrifying drill wave, the term “Jiggy” has been very prominent in the genre, as EK and Bandman have been credited for making it popular through their songs, which is what led to their album being titled “Jiggy in Jersey.” On this episode, their performance includes both artists rapping at an energetic level over drill and Jersey club beats, making the tracks very difficult to resist nodding your head along to the music!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seGX7BvB5dgJason Peters is the host of Hot 97’s 4 Minutes of Fire, where artists must perform for four straight minutes. This could range anywhere from a freestyle to unreleased music. Performances of 4 Minutes of Fire can be found on YouTube and the Hot 97 app, and for the podcasts, you can find them on iTunes and Spotify.If you haven't already, tune in to the latest episode of 4 Minutes of Fire with Sha EK and Bandmanrill, where they discuss plans for upcoming music, how it felt to perform at Summer Jam, and what they do for fun!

Sha EK and Bandmanrill Debut NEW Music on 4 Minutes of Fire

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Brooklyn artist <a href="https://www.hot97.com/hot-news/roc-nations-latest-signee-brooklyn-rapper-hdbeendope">HDBeenDope</a> has been making waves with underground hits for the past few years and is now breaking into the mainstream! On May 4th, 2023 - HD came to HOT 97 to prove he has <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hdbeendope-may-4th-2023/id1652525311?i=1000611697903">4 Minutes of Fire</a> in his back pocket. In this exclusive interview, HD talks about his experience traveling to Norway, the importance of confidence in hip-hop, and his unlikely interest in Jack Johnson’s music. https://open.spotify.com/episode/6hSPK7RVr2UbXdWxEOT35F?si=a112cf75b905464fOn 4 Minutes of Fire artists are asked to prove that they have 4 minutes of fire new music that is yet to be heard by the public, this means freestyles, new songs, and unreleased tracks performed in one take. Watch full 4 Minutes of Fire performances on the HOT 97 App and YouTube, or listen to the podcast to get to know the artists!Get to know HDBeenDope before he’s a household name! HDBeenDope debuts his brand new song “Can’t Get Rid Of Me” on 4 Minutes of Fire! Check it out and stay tapped in for new music every month on the 4th!

HDBeenDope Debuts \"Can't Get Rid Of Me\" on 4 Minutes of Fire!

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Brooklyn Rapper OnPointLikeOp was on March 4th, 2023’s episode of 4 Minutes of Fire. His unique style of drill rap has a smooth swagger in an often aggressive and hyper sub-genre of rap. He has a new album titled “My Brother’s Keeper” set to release on April 7th with features such as Jim Jones, Rowdy Rebel, Rah Swish and more.https://open.spotify.com/episode/4jv6o5vsVR9fYTga0blmwL?si=l3BG3ZxwQpiJnidNa_lpjgOn 4 Minutes of Fire artists are asked to prove that they have 4 minutes of fire new music that is yet to be heard by the public, this means freestyles, new songs, and unreleased tracks performed in one take. Watch full 4 Minutes of Fire performances on the HOT 97 App and YouTube, or listen to the podcast to get to know the artists!OnPointLikeOp talks on the 4 Minutes of Fire about his hobbies, gaming, and his upcoming album! Stay up to date on the hottest new artists with 4 Minutes of Fire!

OnPointLikeOp Gives 4 Minutes of Fire Leading Up to His New Album

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Iconic independent artist R.A.P. Ferreira was on April 4th, 2023’s episode of <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r-a-p-ferreira-april-4-2023/id1652525311?i=1000607316333">4 Minutes of Fire.</a> R.A.P Ferreira has been on more than 30 tours, has dropped more than a dozen projects, and has blazed his own trail with a unique flow and eccentric beat selection. You may know R.A.P Ferreira by his former rap name “milo” or for being one half of Nostrum Grocers! https://open.spotify.com/episode/22afsQHyGuPG7XjQlIEB6E?si=FQ022IHNS1-nDlty6QZr4gIf you didn’t know R.A.P. Ferreira before this, you’re welcome! He’s a trailblazer for independent artists and has more lyrical ability than the majority of artists making music. On 4 Minutes of Fire artists are asked to prove that they have 4 minutes of fire new music that is yet to be heard by the public, this means freestyles, new songs, and unreleased tracks performed in one take. Watch full 4 Minutes of Fire performances on the HOT 97 App and YouTube, or listen to the podcast to get to know the artists!On this special episode R.A.P. Ferreira gives SIX MINUTES of Fire! Stay up to date on the hottest new artists with 4 Minutes of Fire!

Independent Artist R.A.P. Ferreira Gives SIX Minutes of Fire!

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DJ Wallah is In The Streets of New York City to quiz the citizens of this city on their knowledge of Black History and the trivia from the last 50 Years Of Hip Hop.In episode 2 - Wallah asks people who what NAACP means, members of the Wu-Tang Clan, name artists that include the word "big", the highest selling artist in the world and more.

In The Streets w/ DJ Wallah - Can NYC Name 3 Members Of Wu-Tang Clan?

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DJ Wallah takes it to the streets of New York to quiz the citizens of this city on their knowledge of Black History and the trivia from the last 50 Years Of Hip Hop. In episode 1, Wallah asks people who the first Black president, five rappers which name starts with "Lil'" & Who recorded the classic album Illmatic.Where will he go next? Stay tuned to find out!

In The Streets w/ DJ Wallah: He Didn't Know Nas?

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Wiz Khalifa stopped by HOT 97 to talk to Nessa and discuss everything Wiz is working on and much more!They talked about his new Kush business and learning from Berner, what the Multiverse is to him, giving out game, who he's listening to right now. Wiz Khalifa also spoke on being an OG in the game that supported him, learning from mistakes, who his voice of reason is, his biggest lesson, parenting advice, and how it keeps him on his toes. It's great to hear the Pittsburgh rapper's son Sabastian is following his footsteps making music, whether he wants more kids, and much more. His latest project <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiverse_(album)">Multiverse</a> is out now!

Wiz Khalifa Reveals 3 Songs That Represent Him, & Explains The Best Thing He Did to Co-Parent

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Artists are constantly asking DJ's and influencers to listen to their music and give them feedback. They are in DMs and commenting under IG post “Check My Page”, they just want to be Heard. This is the show for them!Every week, Drewski will be randomly selecting people from the comment section of his Instagram asking to be heard and giving them his honest feedback.Today he reviews tracks from <a href="https://www.instagram.com/gilleysworld/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gilly World</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/capstarrr._/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cap$tarrr</a>.

Drewski Jumps In The Comments & Reviews New Artists In 'Heard U' Ep. 4

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Artists are constantly asking DJ's and influencers to listen to their music and give them feedback. They are in DMs and commenting under IG post “Check My Page”, they just want to be Heard. This is the show for them!Every week, <a href="https://www.hot97.com/talent/dj-drewski">Drewski</a> will be randomly selecting people from the comment section of his Instagram asking to be heard and giving them his honest feedback.Missed Episode One? Don't worry<a href="https://www.hot97.com/on-air/drewski-reviews-your-track-submissions-in-heard-u-ep-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> catch up! </a>

Drewski Gives Live Reviews & Advice Of New Music In Heard U

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<h2 id="h-the-category-is-bey">The category is.... Bey.</h2>The release of Beyoncé Knowles-Carter’s highly anticipated seventh <a href="https://www.hot97.com/hot-news/first-listen-beyonces-new-album-renaissance" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">solo project</a>, Renaissance, is here! After three years of working on this LP, Beyoncé is ready to show us what she’s been cooking. As we know, “BREAK MY SOUL” was the lead single delivering a dance pop and house flavor, a subtle tease to the album’s overall genre. Some of the collaborators for the lead track include The-Dream, Jay-Z, Big Freedia, and a Robin S. sample, making the widespread acclaim on-brand for the Parkwood singer. In a rare message published on her<a href="https://www.beyonce.com/"> website,</a> the singer revealed that “creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world. It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving.” https://twitter.com/BeyLegion/status/1552661971803291649While Renaissance is an ode to fun, it also showcases Beyoncé’s ascension to freedom in expression as an artist. Her 2013 self-titled album, Beyoncè, was the commencement of the singer's assertion of full creative freedom, where each song was accompanied by a visual video. The Houston native's subsequent album, Lemonade, displayed emotional rawness and powerful visuals. Her latest sixteen track project Renaissance is a blend of raw, yet playful pop and dance tracks. It is evident that this project is centered around escapism, showing love, and receiving love during a time of isolation. <h2>Beyoncé’s Renaissance</h2>Some of the first words uttered on Renaissance’s opening track, "I’M THAT GIRL" are “All these songs sound good, because I’m on that. Deadass.” This project exudes confidence and empowerment from the moment it starts. Even non-musical decisions made with Renaissance such as the album artwork of Beyoncé atop a translucent horse and the decision to write every song title in all-caps are rooted in confidence. From the jump, the album’s opener, “I’M THAT GIRL”, sets that confident tone for this album. In this track, she expresses that what makes her the ‘Queen Bey’ extends beyond diamonds, pearls, and even her marriage to mogul Jay-Z. The song seamlessly transitions into “COZY,” an explicit celebration of blackness and self-affirmation. “Comfortable in my skin. Cozy!” The third song on the album “ALIEN SUPERSTAR” is noticeably influenced by ballroom culture - "category: BAD BITCH."https://www.instagram.com/p/Cfb3ddsFe2S/?hl=en<h2>Summer of House Music</h2>It’s incredibly tempting to compare Beyoncé’s Renaissance to Drake’s recent album Honestly, Nevermind - and the titles of both albums explain it all. Drake probably heard Renaissance and said Honestly, Nevermind because Bey did a much better job of making a cohesive project utilizing funk, house, trance, and disco sounds to create a modern Summer Party album. The reason “ALIEN SUPERSTAR” is evocative of Drake is because Beyoncé, strangely enough samples the rhythm to Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy,” which was most prolifically sampled in Drake’s hit-single “Way 2 Sexy” off Certified Lover Boy. Renaissance is a far better and more cohesive album than Honestly, Nevermind. It’s more thematically and sonically cohesive, the sounds on Renaissance are fuller and the songs stand out.Renaissance has its funky, disco moments in tracks like “CUFF IT” and “BREAK MY SOUL” that are reminiscent of her 2013 self-titled album. Softer trackers like “PLASTIC OFF THE SOFA”, a sweet summer love anthem, shows off Bey’s insane riff ability in between an electric and bass guitar. “HEATED” has a “Feeling Myself”-esque flair, perfect for boosting one’s confidence. “THIQUE” oozes sexiness while “AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM” is a track-name plot twist because the song is everything but political. The album’s last track “SUMMER RENAISSANCE,” closes on a groovy note. Beyonce’s vocals melt into a dreamy soundscape while channeling the style of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love”: “It’s sooo good / It’s soo good/ It’s sooo good.” We agree.This project is filled with homages and samples to the creatures of house and bounce music. The most prolific example of this comes on the track “CHURCH GIRL” when the iconic Trigger Man beat rears its head halfway through the song. The “Trigger Man” beat comes from the song <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJyo1fjtNw4">“Drag Rap” by the Showboys</a>; it's a one-bar drum loop that served as an integral part of New Orleans bounce music. You can hear the Trigger Man beat in Drake’s “Nice For What” and “In My Feelings,” as well as “Go Crazy” by Chris Brown and a number of Lil Wayne songs. Upon first listen, we are giving this album 10’s across the board. This album is a dreamy disco escape that fuses influences from the past while still feeling current and even futuristic. The strategic song placement, meticulous sample choice, and intentional production in each track are the ingredients that makes this album an auditory 'renaissance' piece. We are impatiently waiting for the visuals and for Act II and III. This is only the beginning of her story.https://music.apple.com/us/album/renaissance/1630005298

First Listen: Beyoncé’s New Album “Renaissance”

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<a href="https://www.hot97.com/wp-admin/post-new.php">The Wrap Up</a> with <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lorealluchi/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">L’Orèal Luchi</a>, keeping you informed on everything that happened in hip hop culture this week:Chris Rock Breaks Silence On Will Smith Oscar Slap, R Kelly Sisters Claim He’s The Victim? DiddyDiddy’s mom is letting Ma$e know she’s not a fan of how he treats her son. It’s no secret Ma$e and Diddy’s business relationship <a href="https://www.xxlmag.com/diddy-mom-interrupts-instagram-live-distaste-mase/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">went astray.</a> Earlier this week, The Ciroc mogul hopped on IG Live to thank Bad Boy members for their contributions to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his 1997 debut LP, No Way Out. Check out <a href="https://www.hot97.com/hot-news/diddys-mom-warned-mae-not-to-mess-with-her-son-as-puffy-thanked-bad-boy-artists-for-their-contribution" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Janice Comb’s reaction:</a>R. KellyR. Kelly’s three sisters are standing by their brother! They claim he’s actually the victim amid his <a href="https://radaronline.com/p/r-kelly-sisters-speak-out-victims-30-year-prison-sentence-interview/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">guilty verdict</a> for sex crimes and 30 year sentence. During an interview with the UK’s Good Morning America, the sisters put blame on <a href="https://thesource.com/2022/07/27/r-kellys-sisters-claim-that-30-year-sentence-for-sex-abuse-charges-were-due-to-racism/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">racism in the justice system</a>. They also said there’s “no proof” R Kelly abused girls, even though he illegally married Aaliyah when she was only 15, and he was 27 after getting her pregnant and got an <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2021-08-24/r-kelly-trial-aaliyah-married-abortion-sexual-abuse?_amp=true" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">abortion.</a> R. Kelly has another federal trial set for August 15.JayDaYoungan<a href="https://radaronline.com/p/r-kelly-sisters-speak-out-victims-30-year-prison-sentence-interview/"></a>Tragic news..24 YO rapper <a href="https://www.xxlmag.com/tags/jaydayoungan/">JayDaYoungan</a> was shot and killed in his Louisiana hometown. His father, was also shot, he’s in the hospital in stable condition. <a href="https://www.wwltv.com/amp/article/news/crime/local-rapper-jaydayoungan-shot-killed-bogalusa-javorious-scott/289-34736e3f-4ed0-4f82-893f-5916637c15da" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Details are developing</a>, police are investigating and believe JayDaYoungin’s death was due to a retaliation.Praying for a speedy recovery for JayDaYoungan’s dad and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this time. Chris RockChris Rock <a href="https://www.aol.com/chris-rock-addresses-smith-slap-170148127.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">addressed</a> getting slapped by <a href="https://www.hot97.com/hot-news/chris-rock-reportedly-told-a-joke-about-will-smith-oscar-slap-at-a-recent-comedy-show" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Will Smith</a> during his comedy show in NYC with Kevin Hart at Madison Square Garden. Chris didn’t mention Will’s name directly, but he spoke on “<a href="https://parade.com/.amp/news/chris-rock-finally-addresses-will-smith-oscars-slap-months-later" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cancel culture</a>” and reportedly said quote, “anyone who says words hurt has never been punched in the face.” Later on, Chris said he’s not a victim. He said, “Yeah, that sh*t hurt, motherf*cker. But I shook that sh*t off and went to work the next day. I don’t go to the hospital for a paper cut.”MigosQuavo & Takeoff are gearing up to perform at the National Battle of the Bands, but without Offset. Over the last few months, rumors swirled that the group was over after Quavo and Takeoff dropped “Hotel Lobby” under the moniker Unk & Phew. They’ve been quiet about addressing the situation head on, hopefully they can work everything out and get back to the music.

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