Kazi Magazine
Music news, reviews, and digital covers across hip-hop, rock, pop, and electro. Independent journalism and artist spotlights from Kazi Magazine.
KAZI Heat: Top 10 Hottest Artists in New York hip-hop
Edition · Nov 9, 2026
- No. 1: JayBay, Heat 80, Up 1
- No. 2: Fergie Baby, Heat 74, Down 1
- No. 3: Sixbill, Heat 69, Steady
- No. 4: Judah Weston, Heat 68, Steady
- No. 5: KillaMoe, Heat 55, Steady
- No. 6: Dee Billz, Heat 42, Up 2
- No. 7: ksuuvi, Heat 40, Down 1
- No. 8: Kenzo Balla, Heat 36, Down 1
- No. 9: Jay Critch, Heat 36, Up 1
- No. 10: Bay Swag, Heat 36, Down 1
Bubbling under: No. 11 Sha Gz (Heat 33), No. 12 Ron Suno (Heat 25), No. 13 TaTa (Heat 22), No. 14 Chow Lee (Heat 20), No. 15 ScarLip (Heat 19).
- Kid Cudi Says He Smoked as Many as 20 Blunts a Day Before Rehab
On the Nov 11 episode of Big Bro with Kid Cudi, with guest Travis Barker, Cudi said he went to rehab after smoking maybe 15 or 20 blunts a day. The remarks come from the official episode, not a recap.
- Bruiser Wolf and Conductor Williams Release The Dealer Wins
Bruiser Wolf and Conductor Williams released The Dealer Wins on Nov 11. The official Spotify listing has 10 tracks and a runtime of 22 minutes and 3 seconds, with Marv Won appearing on The Score. The album is out on STATION and Bruiser House.
- BigXthaPlug's Better Over Time Debuts at No. 1 on Top Rap Albums
Billboard, citing Luminate, reports that BigXthaPlug's Better Over Time opens at No. 1 on the Top Rap Albums chart dated Nov 14 with 35,000 equivalent album units. The album also debuts at No. 2 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and No. 7 on the Billboard 200.
- Daddy Yankee Honored as Person of the Year at the Latin Recording Academy Gala
The Latin Recording Academy honored Daddy Yankee as its 2026 Person of the Year at a private gala in Las Vegas on Nov 11. The official awards calendar lists the gala that day. Billboard recapped the night, including remarks from Yankee.
- Dreamville Organizers File a 2027 Dix Park Permit; Raleigh Says It Is Not a Confirmation
WRAL, citing a City of Raleigh spokesperson, reported that members of Live Nation and the Dreamville Foundation filed a permit for a multi-stage event listed as Dreamville Presents, proposing April 3 and 4, 2027, at Dix Park. The city said a filing is not a confirmation.
- LVRN Countersues Summer Walker, Alleging Unpaid Commissions and Royalties
Billboard and Rolling Stone, which said they obtained a Nov 9 Fulton County filing, reported that LVRN denies Summer Walker's August claims and has countersued for breach of contract. Walker's attorney, Keith Moten, said Nov 11 that they strongly dispute the counterclaims.
- Judge Dismisses Young Thug and Birdman From the Lil Wayne Tour-Bus Shooting Lawsuit
Billboard, which said it obtained two Nov 10 Georgia court orders, reported that Judge Eric A. Brewton dismissed Young Thug, YSL, Birdman, and Cash Money from Alvin Lewis's civil suit over a 2015 shooting at a Lil Wayne tour bus. Lewis's attorney said Nov 11 they plan to appeal.
- Nevada Supreme Court Dockets Keffe D's Appeal of His Tupac Murder Conviction
FOX 5 Las Vegas, KTNV, and News3 report that the Nevada Supreme Court has docketed Duane Keith Davis's appeal of his murder conviction in the 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur. A public docket could not be opened here; dates below follow those stations.
- Knxwledge Launches His Own iOS App After Saying Distributors Removed His Albums
On Nov 10, Knxwledge said on X that distributors have taken down records of his for months, including work released years before public AI music tools, and that he has launched his own iOS app for his remastered catalog and future releases. An Android version, he said, is coming.
- Ja Rule Booked for Pregame and Halftime as the Ravens Host the Chargers on Nov 16
The official Baltimore Ravens X account said Ja Rule will play a special halftime set at M&T Bank Stadium and a pregame set at the Bud Light Talon at 6:45 p.m. when the team hosts the Chargers on Monday Night Football, Nov 16.
- Druski's SNL Episode Draws the Show's Largest Audience in Two Years
LateNighter, licensing Nielsen Live+Same Day data, reported that the Nov 7 Saturday Night Live episode hosted by Druski, with musical guest The Strokes, averaged 5.6 million total viewers and 1.5 million adults 18-49, the show's largest audience in two years.
- Chipotle Brings Back Tatted Like a Chipotle Bag BOGO With Wiz Khalifa on Nov 13
Chipotle's newsroom said the Tatted Like a Chipotle Bag buy-one-get-one offer returns Friday, Nov 13, from 3 to 4 p.m. local time at participating U.S. and Canada restaurants. Limited bags designed with Wiz Khalifa's tattoos will be sold only at a Pittsburgh location that hour.
- RZA Invests in AYO Music Group, a Copyright Administrator Tracking Unpaid Royalties
AYO Music Group announced investments from RZA, plus Chaka Zulu, Jeff Dixon, CIH Group, and David Goldberg. The invitation-only copyright administrator, founded by Deborah Mannis-Gardner and Pär Almqvist, did not disclose the size of the round.
- Drake Leaves a Crying-Face Emoji on Coachella's Official 2027 Lineup Post
Complex reported that Drake left a crying-face emoji on Coachella's official Instagram post of the 2027 lineup. The poster, which KAZI already covered, lists Dua Lipa, Tame Impala, and SZA as headliners and does not include him. Neither Drake nor Coachella has explained the comment.
- The Roots Book a Fourth Hollywood Bowl Picnic for June 25, 2027, at 8 p.m.
The Hollywood Bowl's official listing sets A Roots Picnic Experience for Friday, June 25, 2027, at 8 p.m., returning for a fourth year. The page lists a Nov 12 presale at 10 a.m. and a general on-sale Nov 13 at 10 a.m.
- Armand Hammer Surprise-Releases Snakes & Ladders
Armand Hammer released the album Snakes & Ladders on Nov 11, 2026, through Backwoodz Studioz. The official label shop and Apple Music list the 16-track album, with a ℗ line for Backwoodz Studioz LLC.
- Cardi B's Team Says Jamaica Festival Organizers Did Not Pay Her in Full
A representative for Cardi B told Billboard on Nov 11, 2026, that she was not paid in full for a canceled BZR WKND Jamaica appearance. Promoter Ryan Burke has said she received her full fee and that the organizers intend to sue.
- Drake Says "This Game So Cooked" After YouTube Data Is Set to Rejoin Billboard Charts
Complex reported that Drake posted an Instagram Story reacting to Billboard's 2027 chart-method change and YouTube's return, writing, "Wtf this game so cooked." The Story has expired, and the quote is drawn from that report.
- Travis Scott Posts What Appears to Be a Copy of GTA 6, and Tells Fans to Bring Their Own Controller
Billboard reported that Travis Scott on Nov 11, 2026, posted an Instagram carousel whose first and third slides appear to show an unopened PlayStation copy of Grand Theft Auto VI, which Rockstar has set for release on Nov 19.
- iHeartMedia Says It Has No Plan to Sell Its Podcast Business
After Bloomberg reported that iHeartMedia had discussed a possible sale of some or all of its podcast operation, a company spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter on Nov 11, 2026, that it has no plan to sell the business.
- Raekwon Releases "Game Changers" as Wu-Tang's Rock Hall Weekend Arrives
Raekwon released the single "Game Changers" on Nov 11, 2026, with an official smart link and a Spotify track page. The song arrives in the same week as Wu-Tang Clan's Rock Hall induction.
- Usher and Chris Brown's Nov 16 SoFi Date and Dec 6 Miami Date Are Marked Canceled
Ticketmaster listings for Usher and Chris Brown's Nov 16 SoFi Stadium date and Dec 6 Hard Rock Stadium date were marked canceled on Nov 11, 2026, according to the Los Angeles Times and Rolling Stone. No official reason was given.
- Netflix Sets The Tupac Tapes with Angie Martinez, a Four-Part Series, for Nov 27
Netflix, on Nov 11, 2026, announced The Tupac Tapes with Angie Martinez, a four-part video podcast event premiering Nov 27, built around previously unaired portions of her 1996 Tupac Shakur interview.
- Yella Beezy Found Guilty of Capital Murder in MO3 Killing, Sentenced to Life Without Parole
A Dallas County jury on Nov 11, 2026, found Markies Conway, known as Yella Beezy, guilty of capital murder in the 2020 killing of MO3. He was sentenced to life without parole, and his attorney said he plans to appeal.
- NACON REVO Controllers for Xbox and PC Are Out Now
NACON has put the REVO and REVO MAX controllers on sale in Europe and the U.S. for Xbox and PC, with a REVO PRO model dated for 2027. An official launch trailer is on the company's YouTube channel.
- Pooh Shiesty Parties Agree on Confinement Motion, Court Says
A November 10, 2026, public minute entry in United States v. Williams says the parties have agreed on a confinement-conditions motion, the motion was taken under advisement, and a suitable location is still being secured.
- Lids Names Lil Yachty Star of Its 2026 Holiday Campaign
A Lids press release issued through PR Newswire on November 10, 2026, at 10:00 ET, names Lil Yachty as the star of the 2026 holiday campaign It's The Gift That Counts, with merchandise in Lids stores.
- Offset Says He and Quavo 'Still Ain't Heal' on Shade 45
On an official SiriusXM blog post dated November 10, 2026, Offset tells DJ Whoo Kid on Shade 45 that he and Quavo have been talking privately and, in the blog's quote, 'We still ain't heal.'
- Coachella 2027 Poster Names Dua Lipa, Tame Impala, and SZA
The official Coachella 2027 poster bills Dua Lipa, Tame Impala, and SZA as headliners at the Empire Polo Club in Indio. The official homepage says passes go on sale November 13, 2026, at 12 p.m. PT.
- Camden Malik's 40 Acres Is Out on 10k, MIKE's Label
Camden Malik's album 40 Acres is out now on 10k, MIKE's label. Apple Music lists 11 songs and names SURF GANG's Elipropperr among the producers. The official video for the early single "What U On" is out now.