Introduction
The past few days gave us a little bit of everything: chart history from Future, a long-awaited comeback from Rick Ross, Young Thug's return to the road, movement in one of hip-hop's messiest lawsuits, and rap's fingerprints all over the biggest sporting event on the planet. Here's everything you need to know heading into the new week.
Future Scores His 12th No. 1 Album With "The Real Me"
Future Hendrix keeps stacking history. "The Real Me" debuted atop the Billboard 200 dated July 25 with 131,000 equivalent album units in its first week, the vast majority driven by streaming. It's the Atlanta legend's twelfth No. 1 album — a milestone that pushes him past Eminem (11) for the third-most chart-toppers among rap acts.
Only a short list of acts across all genres now sit ahead of him: The Beatles (19), Drake and Taylor Swift (15 apiece), and JAY-Z (14). Critics are more split on the album itself — some hear Future circling familiar territory — but commercially, nobody in rap is more automatic.
Rick Ross Ends a Five-Year Wait With "Set In Stone"
Rozay is back. On Friday, July 17, Rick Ross released "Set In Stone" via Gamma — his twelfth studio album and his first full-length in five years. The 19-track project is loaded with features, including T.I., Jeezy, French Montana, Gucci Mane, Kodak Black, Don Toliver, BigXthaPlug, Leon Thomas, and more.
The rollout leaned on the luxurious "Minks In Miami" with French Montana and Max B, plus the T.I. reunion "Mahogany Caskets." Ross also dropped a third book, "Renaissance Of A Boss," the same week — because of course the biggest boss couldn't come back with just one product.
Young Thug Announces "The New Generation Tour" — His First Headlining Run Since 2019
Young Thug is hitting the road for the first time in a long time. Last week he unveiled The New Generation Tour, a North American and European trek with NAV as special guest and a lineup of emerging YSL artists — including diamond*, Tezzus, 1300SAINT, Iyrus, Yume, Biggs, and Unky — along for the ride.
The 19-date North American leg kicks off September 1 in Rogers, Arkansas, and winds through Minneapolis, Chicago, Boston, and New York before closing in Inglewood, California — followed by four European stops. Tickets went on general sale Friday, July 17. It's Thug's first proper headlining run since 2019, and a statement that YSL's next chapter is officially underway.
Kid Cudi Says He and Ye Are Rebuilding Their Friendship
One of hip-hop's most complicated brotherhoods may be healing. On Sunday, July 19, Kid Cudi revealed on X that he and Ye (formerly Kanye West) are back in contact: "Right now were rebuilding our friendship. I hit him a week ago to check in on him; today, he hit me to check on me. No work talk. Just seeing how I was doing. It was nice."
Notably, Cudi stressed there's no music business in the mix — just two old friends checking on each other. But when asked whether they'd ever collaborate again, he didn't hesitate: "Im sure we will yea." After years of public fallouts, the Man on the Moon saga might get one more chapter.
RBX Refiles His Spotify Streaming-Fraud Lawsuit — And Drake's Numbers Are Still at the Center
The botting battle isn't over. After a federal judge dismissed his original class action in June — the one alleging Spotify allowed billions of fraudulent streams of Drake's music — Long Beach veteran RBX has filed an amended complaint accusing the platform of policing streaming fraud unevenly and protecting its biggest artists while smaller acts absorb the damage.
Drake himself is not a defendant, but his streaming numbers remain the case's centerpiece. The refiled suit also asks the court to force Spotify to add CAPTCHAs and phone verification at sign-up to make bot accounts harder to create. Whatever happens, this case keeps dragging the industry's dirtiest open secret into the daylight.
Hip-Hop Took Over the World Cup Final: Post Malone, Swae Lee, IShowSpeed & a $1.5M Drake Bet
Sunday's FIFA World Cup Final between Spain and Argentina in New Jersey doubled as a rap culture showcase. Post Malone headlined the pre-match ceremony, debuting a brand-new song called "Chrome Heartbreaker" before bringing out Swae Lee for their chart-topping "Sunflower." Streamer-turned-recording-artist IShowSpeed got the stadium jumping with his anthem "Champions."
The star wattage didn't stop there: the halftime show, curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin, featured BTS, Justin Bieber, Madonna, and Shakira, while Drake pulled up in person to sweat out a reported $1.5 million bet on Argentina to win in regulation. Between the performances, the sneaker moments, and the celebrity sightings, hip-hop culture was everywhere the cameras pointed.
That's the wrap for this cycle. Looking ahead: J. Cole's Fall-Off World Tour is rolling through arenas all summer, Tyla's "A*POP" lands July 24, and Jacquees' "Mood 2" closes the month on July 31. Check back Wednesday for the next roundup.
References
Billboard — Future Scores 12th No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 With 'The Real Me'
Billboard — Rick Ross Reveals Album Release Date for 'Set in Stone'
Complex — Young Thug Announces The New Generation Tour With NAV and YSL Signees
Billboard — Kid Cudi Reveals He and Kanye West Are Rebuilding Their Friendship
AllHipHop — RBX Hits Spotify With Fresh Bot Claims; Claims Fraud Rules Bend For Drake