hip hop
Common’s 2023 Music Fairness Award recognized his advocacy for performers’ pay. We revisit the honor, explain the radio royalty debate and distinguish his separate 2026 Artist Impact Award.
Freestyle cyphers aren’t just rap circles — they’re community engines. How indie artists nationwide turn raw freestyles into loyalty and algorithm wins.
Super Friday Aug 28: Rod Wave, E-40, Erykah Badu & Czarface Are Coming August 28 is a certified Super Friday — Rod Wave, E-40, Erykah Badu, Czarface, and more are all landing the same day. Here’s why Ground Up Radio is clearing the decks for August 28, 2026. Why August 28 Is Super Friday August […]
Drake will compete against five other acts for Best Hip-Hop at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards. The ballot matches Cardi B and Kehlani’s “Safe” against Drake’s “Janice STFU,” Megan Thee Stallion’s “LOVER GIRL” and Travis Scott’s “DUMBO”. The 2026 VMAs will air live from Los Angeles on Sept.
Rapsody Drops ‘God Gotta Afro & Gold Hoops’ — Her Best Album Yet? Rapsody returns August 21 with her fifth studio album ‘God Gotta Afro & Gold Hoops’ — nearly an hour of sharp lyricism, soulful perspective, and lineage featuring George Clinton and Malice. Early reaction says it might be her strongest yet. This New Music […]
Long-awaited trial begins in rapper Tupac Shakur’s 1996 killing in Las Vegas. Opening statements officially began Monday, Aug. 17, as prosecutors fight to prove Duane Keith “Keffe D” Davis provided the gun and instructed members of the South Side Compton Crips.
The Unfiltered Echoes from a Cell: Young Thug’s Jail Calls and the Battle for Narrative Control The Unraveling Narrative from Behind Bars The Context of the YSL RICO Case and the Public Record The ongoing legal saga of Jeffery Williams, known to the world as Young Thug, has captivated the […]
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Federal Trial: Latest Updates as of July 3, 2025 Introduction The high-profile federal trial of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs reached a critical turning point this week as a jury delivered a mixed verdict on July 2, 2025. The case, which has gripped the entertainment world and the public alike, centered on […]
Reason and Daylyt Respond to Joey BadA$$—Who Fires Back with “My Town” Featuring Loaded Lux Reason Takes the First Shot with “The Dead Apple” TDE’s Reason was the first to issue a lyrical counterstrike to Joey BadA$$’s “The Finals,” with the release of his response track, “The Dead Apple.” Reason’s song zeroes in on Joey’s […]
Joey BadA$$ vs Ray Vaughn: Diss Tracks, Sharp Bars & Social Media Frenzy Joey BadA$$ Sparks It Off in Red Bull Spiral The moment Joey BadA$$ dropped his now-viral verse during the Red Bull Spiral freestyle cypher, fans knew shots were fired. Among the lyrical jabs, one line stood out: “Shouldn’t give you n**as the […]
