So much can change within the area of 12 months — particularly on the planet of Hip Hop, the evolution of which has been accelerated by social media, streaming providers and bed room studios.
This 12 months, quite a few rappers have seen their inventory rise and fortunes change, both by overcoming adversity or getting back from hiatus to remind followers why they fell in love with them within the first place — or, in some circumstances, reinvent themselves completely.
Whether or not that’s Gunna and Megan Thee Stallion surviving courtroom scrutiny, Travis Scott navigating one of many worst tragedies in competition historical past or Killer Mike dropping arguably his greatest album greater than twenty years into his profession. And let’s not neglect about André 3000 making a shock return with an much more shocking album. Maybe the one factor extra surprising was Snoop Dogg “giving up” weed.
Whereas the fashionable Hip Hop information cycle is flooded with social media spats, explosive podcast segments and damaging authorized drama, these artists discovered their manner again on prime with high quality music and sensible strikes.
Evaluate all of our Hip Hop Award classes and nominees.
Listed below are the largest Hip Hop comebacks of 2023…
BIGGEST HIP HOP COMEBACK OF 2023 NOMINATIONS
André 3000
“André 3000 has launched a brand new album” is a sentence few rap followers ever anticipated to learn, however like Dr. Dre and Jay Electronica in years previous, 3 Stacks proved in 2023 that generally miracles do occur. His debut solo album and first full-length providing since OutKast’s Idlewild in 2006, New Blue Solar isn’t fairly what followers had been anticipating, although. A completely instrumental affair showcasing André’s woodwind expertise, it’s arguably probably the most polarizing album in recent times. To some, it’s a sonic non secular voyage that calms the thoughts and feeds the soul; to others, it’s an 87-minute slog that places you to sleep.
Regardless of a way of disappointment amongst some followers, New Blue Solar has acquired loftypraise from a lot of Andre’s musical friends and proved to be a modest hit on the charts. It debuted at No. 30 on the Billboard 200 and pulled in increased first-week gross sales than latest releases from Nas, Lil Wayne, Ice Spice and others. Its virtually 12-and-a-half-minute opening music additionally cracked the Scorching 100, breaking the file because the lengthiest monitor to look on the chart — a becoming achievement for a person who’s recognized to take his time.
Happily, 2023 wasn’t utterly bereft of bars from André Benjamin. Persevering with his development of show-stopping options as soon as each blue moon, he delivered an existential, extraterrestrial verse on Killer Mike’s “Scientists & Engineers” alongside Future and Eryn Allen Kane. The music is up for 2 awards on the 2024 Grammys — Finest Rap Tune and Finest Rap Efficiency — which happen precisely 20 years after OutKast grew to become the primary rap act ever to win the coveted Album of the Yr prize.
Gunna
As a rapper, there are few issues worse than being known as a “snitch.” This dreaded label plagued Gunna after he took a plea deal final December within the ongoing RICO case in opposition to his and Younger Thug’s YSL collective. He was subsequently launched from jail, whereas Thug continued to languish behind bars (the place he’s prone to stay till at the least summer season 2024).
Regardless of insisting that he hadn’t instructed on his partner-in-rhyme, the Atlanta native confronted widespread backlash from followers and friends alike, with everybody from Lil Durk and Jim Jones expressing disapproval. Even 6ix9ine, arguably Hip Hop’s most infamous snitch, piled on the distress.
For some time, many doubted that Gunna would be capable to climb his manner again to the heights he achieved simply 11 months prior when he earned his first No. 1 album with DS4Ever. Some even questioned whether or not his profession was over altogether.
With the discharge of his third album A Present & A Curse this previous summer season, although, Gunna silenced the critics and proved that not even snitching allegations can drown the Drip King. Loaded with infectious, hard-hitting anthems and a defiant edge that’s mirrored in its lack of visitor options, the venture peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart whereas its platinum-certified single “Fukumean” cracked the High 5 on the Scorching 100 chart, changing into one of many largest (and unlikeliest) rap hits of 2023.
Gunna additionally delivered two sold-out — and impressively put-together — enviornment exhibits in New York Metropolis and Los Angeles, proving the road of individuals nonetheless using with him outnumber these able to tear him down.
Killer Mike
Killer Mike’s two-decade-plus profession has lengthy been outlined by his affiliations. He emerged because the bruising mic bully of the Dungeon Household, signed to T.I.’s Grand Hustle label after OutKast went on hiatus, and ultimately reinvented himself as one-half of Run The Jewels alongside El-P. Even his seminal solo album, 2012’s R.A.P. Music, was produced completely by the Def Jux co-founder, marking the start of their critically acclaimed partnership.
However 2023 was the 12 months that Killer Mike — higher but, Michael Render — stepped out of any lingering shadows that had been casting over his giant body and basked within the highlight on his personal with Michael, his first solo album in over a decade.
Steeped within the essence of southern Black music, militancy and spirituality, the venture is by far Mike’s most private, with heartfelt odes to his first girlfriend, spouse, addict auntie and late mom and grandmother. It’s additionally his most sonically wealthy effort, boasting a star-studded supporting forged that features No ID as government producer. Even André 3000 didn’t upstage the large man, with Mike arguably out-rapping his longtime good friend on “Scientists & Engineers.”
Michael is up for 3 awards on the 2024 Grammys, together with Finest Rap Album. And whereas the Recording Academy hasn’t been form to No ID-helmed initiatives from rap veterans up to now, Killer Mike is additional proof that rappers can age gracefully, very like the 50-year-old style itself.
Megan Thee Stallion
2022 ended on a bittersweet observe for Megan Thee Stallion. That December, Tory Lanez was discovered responsible of capturing her within the toes throughout a drunken dispute in July 2020, ending a two-and-a-half-year ordeal that had turned her trauma into fodder for gossip blogs and media personalities — a lot of whom confirmed (and proceed to point out) little sympathy in the direction of her. You’d forgive the Houston rapper for not claiming the decision as a complete victory. As she tearfully admitted through the trial, the capturing and its heavily-scrutinized aftermath had left her feeling depressed and suicidal.
Within the 12 months since, Megan has been steadily therapeutic from these private wounds whereas notching a string {of professional} wins. Her “Bongos” collaboration with Cardi B — the pop-oriented successor to their 2020 smash hit “WAP” — cracked the High 20 of the Billboard Scorching 100, she made her characteristic movie debut within the A24 film Dicks: The Musical, and he or she settled one other long-running authorized battle, “amicably” parting methods along with her former label 1501 Licensed Ent. which she had accused of stopping her from releasing music and withholding cash.
Maybe Megan’s largest assertion, although, was “Cobra,” her susceptible but defiant comeback solo single. Impressed by a snake’s capability to shed its pores and skin, the monitor discovered Tina Snow laying naked her demons and sinking her fangs into those that profited off her ache — to not point out serving post-breakup physique within the accompanying music video.
With a brand new album and extra Hollywood roles on the horizon, 2024 is shaping as much as be a fair greater 12 months for the Massive Ole Freak.
Travis Scott
Travis Scott has been one of the vital scrutinized names in music since 10 folks died and a whole lot extra had been injured at his Astroworld Pageant in Houston in November 2021. The best way he dealt with the horrific crowd crush, which unfolded throughout his headlining set, has come beneath heavy criticism; so too have his makes an attempt at an apology. Whereas he’s been cleared of any prison wrongdoing, Travis continues to be named in a staggering quantity of lawsuits, nearly all of which have but to be resolved.
The reminiscence of that tragedy won’t ever be erased, not least among the many households of the victims. However for Travis Scott, 2023 has been pretty much as good a redemption arc as he might’ve hoped for.
His star-studded and sonically-exhilarating UTOPIA album topped the Billboard 200 chart in August with the largest first-week tally in Hip Hop this 12 months (496,000 items), reasserting his standing as one the style’s most bankable stars. In the meantime, his Circus Maximus Tour — which boasts amusement park-level stage design and floor-shaking performances — has seen La Flame return to the stage in full pressure, changing into the primary rapper to headline and promote out L.A.’s 70,000-seater SoFi stadium.
Return to our Hip Hop Awards nomination web page for extra classes or try the nominees for Rookie of the Yr 2023.
Take a look at our earlier Comeback of the Yr award winners.
Paintings and Graphic Design by JR Martinez.
Paragraphs written by Andy Bustard.
