Erika Marie

Las Vegas

Features Editor and Journalist at HotNewHipHop

journalist • IG: xiErikaMarie • Founder: @OurBlackGirls & REK • Features Editor: @HotNewHipHop • Views are my own • seen in VICE, NPR, TIME, ABC 7, NYT & more.

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Articles

Megan, Halle, & Cassie Spoke Up — And Got Doubted, Not Defended

3 weeks ago | hotnewhiphop.com | Erika Marie

They came with photos. Court documents. Police reports. Sworn testimony. Like hundreds of thousands of others, Megan Thee Stallion, Cassie Ventura, and Halle Bailey all stood up in public, in courtrooms, or both, against men who allegedly harmed them. Still, the response from much of the public wasn't support. It was suspicion. Dismissal. Mockery. In a culture that loves Black women's aesthetics but denies their suffering, evidence alone apparently isn't enough.
Wanda Dyer, 74: Woman With Dementia Vanishes From Kansas

1 month ago | ourblackgirls.com | Erika Marie

Search efforts continue in Kansas as authorities look for Wanda Dyer. The 74-year-old was last seen on March 21, 2025, captured in surveillance footage around Lawrence and Eudora. Her husband of 46 years, David Dyer, shared details of their final communication before she went missing. “She left a note saying she was going to go pay an AT&T bill, and the note was timed at 8:33 (a.m.),” David told KSHB 41 News. “She used to leave me notes.” He added, “It’s like a nightmare that doesn’t end.
Met Gala 2025 Honors Black Dandyism: Outkast, Janelle Monáe, & More Have Always Worn It Best

1 month ago | hotnewhiphop.com | Erika Marie

Tonight (May 5), fashion's most prestigious stage shifts its focus to something deeper than fleeting trends. The 2025 Met Gala theme, "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style," is more than a glossy celebration of couture. It is a sharp homage to Black Dandyism, a centuries-old language of self-definition and quiet defiance. For Black men, women, and non-binary visionaries, Dandyism has never been about vanity. It is armor, poetry, and rebellion stitched into sharp lapels and silk-lined cuffs.
Kanye West’s Ugly History Of Publicly Targeting Kim Kardashian

1 month ago | hotnewhiphop.com | Erika Marie

There’s no shortage of chaos when it comes to Kanye West, but in recent years, his public unraveling has taken a disturbing shape. He’s gone on social media tirades, called himself a Nazi, alienated himself from Hip Hop culture, and taken shots at nearly everyone who once stood beside him. Still, the person who has endured the worst of his verbal attacks remains his equally as famous ex-wife, Kim Kardashian. Kanye has made Kim the centerpiece of his ongoing meltdowns.
Mondaii Drops “Swet” Summer Anthem For Letting Go & Moving Free

1 month ago | hotnewhiphop.com | Erika Marie

BY Erika Marie Published 11 mins ago Link Copied to Clipboard! Link Copied to Clipboard! Mondaii returns with his new single “Swet,” bringing dance-floor energy on a track about freedom, movement, & self-love. The music hustle continues for rising artist Mondaii, who is back with a new single, "Swet." The Southern-born talent has already made waves, from collaborating with K. Michelle to earning praise from legends like Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
Lil Wayne’s History Of Not Knowing: From Black Lives Matter To “Not Like Us”

1 month ago | hotnewhiphop.com | Erika Marie

Lil Wayne is undeniably a generational talent. Hailed as a G.O.A.T. in Hip Hop, if not music as a whole, Weezy is an icon whose influence spans decades. Yet, for all the ways Wayne has shaped the culture, there’s one thing he’s consistently refused to do completely: engage with it. Or at least, that’s what he says.
Kevin Gates & Brittany Renner: A Look At How It All Began

2 months ago | hotnewhiphop.com | Erika Marie

It takes a certain kind of pairing to stop the internet mid-scroll, and Kevin Gates and Brittany Renner have always known how to do exactly that. Long before they were spotted together, both built reputations for speaking their minds, no matter how their words landed. They command attention, live loudly, and let the world watch every step. Now, they’ve teamed up in a way few saw coming. In January 2025, Renner revealed she converted to Islam back in August 2024.
LeBron & Savannah James: A Relationship Timeline From Sweethearts To Power Couple

2 months ago | hotnewhiphop.com | Erika Marie

Prior to the championships, global brand, or billion-dollar empire, there was simply Akron, a city in Ohio where LeBron and Savannah James began. Long before he became the most talked-about athlete in the world, LeBron was just a rising high school phenom with his eye on a girl from across town at a rival school. When he finally worked up the nerve to ask out the 16-year-old Savannah Brinson, she agreed.
Big U RICO Case: The Murder Allegations Involving Rayshawn Williams

2 months ago | hotnewhiphop.com | Erika Marie

There are several disturbing elements in the federal case against Eugene "Big U" Henley that have stunned both Hip Hop and the streets of Los Angeles. Once dubbed the “Godfather of Hip Hop,” Big U recently turned himself in following news of a sweeping RICO case involving more than a dozen defendants. His legacy in the culture has been well-documented—from managing Kurupt to mentoring Nipsey Hussle during the late rapper’s formative years.
Big U RICO Case: What Does It Mean To 'Check In'?

2 months ago | hotnewhiphop.com | Erika Marie

The indictment of Eugene “Big U” Henley didn’t just rattle L.A.’s underground—it reopened one of Hip Hop’s most controversial conversations: what does it really mean to “check in”? For years, the idea of “checking in” has lingered just beneath the surface of Rap culture. It's a well-known code of conduct tied to street respect, survival, and territorial politics.