Ranking the Elite 8 by Who Received the Most Votes in Each Match-Up

Thank you for participating in RapTV’s annual Rap Madness bracket❗️If you enjoy the below content, stay subscribed and join our Today In Rap newsletter community.

In other news today:

• Vote for round 4 now

• Ranking the Elite 8 by who received the highest votes

• Billboard Hot 100

• A$AP Rocky’s reveals new music & release date for Don’t Be Dumb album

• Discover new music with the Rap Index

• Industry Insights

Round 4 Begins

There are only 8 artists left in Rap Madness, and voting for Round 4 is now live. Click the button to vote for your favorites on our IG stories, and see the updated bracket below.

Based on the previous three rounds, we ranked the artists in the Elite 8 according to who won all their match-ups with the most votes.

Kendrick and Drake will go head-to-head this round—fitting for a year defined by their beef. Atlanta natives Travis Scott and 21 Savage will also face each other.

Ranking the Elite 8 by Who Received the Most Votes in Each Round

1. Travis Scott won each of his match-ups by over 90%

2. Kendrick Lamar won each of his match-ups by over 85%

3. 21 Savage won each of his match-ups by over 84%

4. Future won each of his match-ups by over 80%

5. Ye won each of his match-ups by over 67%

6. J. Cole won each of his match-ups by over 66%

7. Playboi Carti won each of his match-ups by over 64%

8. Drake won each of his match-ups by over 61%

What’s the capital of rap?

Out of the remaining 8 artists…

• 3 are from Atlanta (Future, 21 Savage, Playboi Carti)

• 5 are from the South (Travis Scott, J. Cole, Future, 21 Savage, Playboi Carti)

• 1 is from the West Coast (Kendrick Lamar)

• 1 is from the Midwest (Ye)

• 1 is from the East Coast (Drake)

More from our Today In Rap Newsletter…

Join 50,000+ others and stay up-to-date on hip-hop and pop culture in 5 mins or less weekly.

Billboard Hot 100

The above chart shows Billboard’s Hot 100 ranking for this week. The Hot 100 ranks songs based on streaming activity, radio airplay audience impressions, and sales data—all measured by Luminate.

“Million Dollar Baby” and “Not Like Us” stay steady at #5 and #6 respectively. This week's only new entry is Moneybagg Yo’s “Whiskey Whiskey” with country artist Morgan Wallen debuting at #21.

All the Clues About A$AP Rocky’s New Album From His Paris Runway Show 

The Fashion Killa had more than just a runway debut with his creative agency AWGE at Paris Fashion Week. With Rihanna sitting in the front row (and no R9 in sight), A$AP Rocky used the opportunity to finally share the release date for his long-awaited album, Don’t Be Dumb. 

Scheduled for August 30, you’ll get A$AP’s new album before GTA 6. He gave a teaser of what to expect from the project while showcasing his first fashion collection, American Sabotage, under the moniker of his creative agency AWGE.

Inside AWGE’s American Sabotage Show

On “Family Matters,” Drake said, “I ain’t even know you rapped still ‘cause they only talkin’ ‘bout your fit again,” dissing A$AP’s lack of music in the last six years compared to his fashion output.

AWGE’s Paris Fashion Week debut was their most traditional clothing presentation yet, reminding the world that A$AP can rap and curate a collection that puts the M$’s in merch. 

The fashion show featured 30 looks that explored “political satire” and the aesthetics of what Rocky calls his “ghetto expressionism era.” “I think hip-hop is a ghetto expression. I believe urbanwear style, demeanor, swagger, pizzazz, a lot of this is derived from ghetto expressionism,” said Rocky in an interview with GQ. 

Models were decked out in AWGE Ray-Bans, new shoes from Rocky’s Puma collaboration, clothes inspired by NYPD and paramedic uniforms, and pieces featuring phrases like “POLITICAL SATIRE.” There were distinct American visual cues like bomber jackets with the American bald eagle and flag as a prominent motif. 

Taking his experiences from an urban background (he grew up in Harlem), the show satires political issues faced by many people with similar upbringings (think mass incarceration, tax laws, immigration laws, and poverty). 

The posters at the show were sarcastic takes on American propaganda and also served as teasers for the album reveal. 

What we know about DON’T BE DUMB 

At the show’s entrance at Hôtel de Maisons, a group of AWGE members stood guarding the door while holding DON’T BE DUMB flags. Three unreleased songs from the upcoming project were the soundtrack for the show, and to the delight of fans, a pre-save link was dropped as soon as the show ended. 

A trailer of what’s to come on the album was also posted on his social media, with the release date set for “AWGEST 30th.” With each album, A$AP enters a new era. Expect the album to be heavily influenced by his ghetto expressionism and political satire themes from the fashion show. 

There have been so many tidbits of information about Don’t Be Dumb collaborators since A$AP’s began teasing the album years ago. From saying Metro Boomin was heavily involved in production to Peso Pluma being featured, it’s hard to know what will make the final cut.

NFR Podcast posted a list on X of confirmed producers on the album, which appears to be from a 2023 interview with Complex.

Alleged Don’t Be Dumb producers

• Tyler, the Creator

• Metro Boomin

• Madlib

• The Alchemist

• Pharrell Williams

• Clams Casino

• Mike Dean

• Swedish House Mafia

According to A$AP Rocky, the album “feels like my best work yet … I want to leave expectations wide and open. I don’t want to tell you what to expect. I just want people to experience it how they do naturally,” he told Dazed in a 2023 interview. 

It will be interesting to see how his sound has evolved since his last release, especially since becoming a family man. Nevertheless, A$AP Rocky will always be a visionary known for pushing boundaries in spaces where hip-hop, fashion, and art co-exist. 

The Rap Index ft. Travis Scott, Mustard, Rich The Kid, Ye, Ty Dolla $ign & More

The Rap Index is a way to follow and discover new music. Divided into 4 categories describing rap subgenres, songs are placed according to their style and sound—giving you a better idea of what songs will appeal to your musical taste. Only releases from the previous New Music Friday are included to help keep you up to date.

RapTV’s Ranking of Rap Index Songs

1. “Parking Lot” by Mustard, Travis Scott (Listen on Spotify)

2. “Gimme A Second 2” by Rich The Kid, Ye, Ty Dolla $ign (Listen on Spotify)

3. “TiFFANY” by IDK, Gunna (Listen on Spotify)

4. “Wave” by Asake, Central Cee (Listen on Spotify)

5. “Phat Butt” by Ice Spice (Listen on Spotify)

6. “Big Big Money” by Key Glock (Listen on Spotify)

7. “S680” by Talibando, Veeze (Listen on Spotify)

8. “BUCUM” by Draft Day (Listen on Spotify)

• Lil Uzi Vert and Floyd Mayweather are facing legal action. A man is claiming that the two superstars and Mayweather’s entourage assaulted him last year, but Uzi is denying any connection to the alleged crime. 

• The Weeknd is making history once again. He is officially the first Canadian artist to have seven RIAA diamond-certified singles. 

• LeBron James and Lil Wayne unveil the new Beats Pill speaker. It is designed to be lighter and more portable than its predecessor and has a 24-hour battery life.