Gorillaz are gearing up for a massive 2026, which will see the release of their album The Mountain and a big tour in support of it. To keep fans on the hook as they wait a couple more months for the album to drop, today (December 12), they shared “Damascus,” a collaboration with Omar Souleyman […]
Ranking Prince‘s dozens of studio albums from worst to best presents quite an interesting series of challenges. After all, the Minneapolis-born genius not only re-invented his own sound dramatically over the years, he helped change the course of pop music itself several times during his illustrious career. How does one compare the bracingly raw sex […]
21 Savage urged Drake not to get involved in beef with Kendrick Lamar. On Thursday night (Dec. 11), the Perspektives With Bank podcast aired a new interview with the Slaughter Gang rapper ahead of the release of his new album What Happened to the Streets? During the sit-down, 21 addressed the Drake and Kendrick Lamar […]
When a DJ Green Lantern project drops, it still feels like an event. Not because the music industry demands it, not because an algorithm forces it, but because certain names carry a weight that cuts through every era. We call him the Evil Genius for a reason. Green helped define the early 2000s — an […]
Pooh Shiesty isn’t fumbling his second chance. For 1,580 days, the 26-year-old Memphis rapper sat in prison, never really knowing if he’d be a free man again. He went in at 22 years old, the same month he was named a 2021 XXL Freshman. After pleading guilty in 2022, to conspiring to possess firearms in furtherance of violent and […]
Clipse’s Let God Sort Em Out has been one of the year’s biggest albums, not just in hip-hop, but across all genres. It’s year-end list season and Pusha T and Malice’s reunion hovers around the top of just about all of them. Perhaps as a victory lap, today (December 10), they shared a video for […]
Despite speculation that hip-hop may be in decline, several rappers have had remarkable years, with chart-topping singles and critically acclaimed projects. So, who will be crowned the MVP of 2025? XXL is inviting fans to cast their votes! We partnered with VAZA, the leading online monetized opinion market, to present the Most Valuable Rapper bracket. […]
There’s a certain confidence that comes with being early on a cultural icon, and Officially Ice of The Joe Budden Podcast has championed Max B for many years. When Ice curates a list, you respect the authority. You don’t debate it: you salute it. Forget the diss records and internet nostalgia — these are the […]
Erica Banks was arrested for possession of ecstasy with intent to distribute near Atlanta yesterday. On Monday (Dec. 8), the Dallas rapper, born Erica Breaux, was taken into custody following a traffic stop in Brookhaven, about 20 miles outside of Atlanta. Banks was charged with possession of a Schedule I or II controlled substance—Ecstasy—with intent […]
The secret’s out: 21 Savage has new music dropping this Friday, What Happened To The Streets? And it’s pretty good (Larry David voice). Trust me. But at this point, why would anyone be surprised? 21 Savage isn’t just an Atlanta rapper anymore. He’s a living, breathing blueprint for survival, consistency and evolution in real time. […]