[Saturday Spotlight] – J. Slim, Flex Kartel + Jalen Santoy

What’s up, HHNMers? It’s time for a new chapter of our Saturday Spotlight series where we take a short break from mainstream music and news to learn a little about the rappers who you probably haven’t heard of but definitely deserve a look. This week we feature J. Slim, Flex Kartel and Jalen Santoy. Enjoy!

Kendrick Lamar Shakes Up The Super Bowl With Bold Drake Diss And Surprise Guests

Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl 59 halftime performance was nothing short of legendary, leaving fans buzzing with surprise cameos and bold moments that took his long-running feud with Drake to new heights. Kicking off with an unreleased song snippet and followed by “Squabble Up” from his latest album GNX, Kendrick immediately set the tone for a game-changing performance. Fans eagerly waited to see if Kendrick would play his diss track Not Like Us, especially with Drake's ongoing lawsuit against him and his label for defamation and harassment. Lamar's performance included an unexpected appearance by SZA and a quirky cameo from Serena Williams, along with Samuel L. Jackson’s comedic interruptions, all building the suspense around the Drake drama. In the middle of his performance, Kendrick turned up the heat, looking straight into the camera and directly addressing Drake with his famous lyrics, “I heard you like them young," as fans held their breath. Despite the tension, Kendrick censored himself when it came time to call Drake a "certified lover boy" and avoided saying “pedophile,” which had been widely speculated. Social media lit up with mixed reactions, with some fans mocking the performance as a "mid mashup" and others noting the intense hostility toward Drake. With the hashtag #KendrickBowl trending, it’s clear that Kendrick’s performance was a cultural moment that pushed boundaries—but has he gone too far, or is this just another chapter in hip-hop history? Only time will tell, and Drake has yet to respond.

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J. Slim

First up is Virginia native J. Slim. He recently linked up with newly appointed Vice President of A&R at Def Jam, DJ Don Cannon for their first instalment of Premeditation, a mixtape series they plan to take over the summer with. The tape features production from 2Tall, Purp Dogg and Young Los, who lace up Slim with well-suited beats that are perfect for him to flow over. Check out the tape in its entirety below!

Flex Kartel

Our next pick of the week is Flex Kartel who comes correct with a song from his Just For You mixtape called ‘Bullet Has No Name’ featuring Chaz French. It’s a mellow record where Chaz takes care of the hook and kills it with a catchy, melodic piece, while Flex spits consciously and more socially aware, beginning his verse with homage to the fallen. ‘Bullet Has No Name’ is certainly worth a listen below.

Jalen Santoy

Last but not least, coming out of Charlotte, NC is Jalen Santoy and his newest release ‘Foreplay.’ Tim Stacks produced the jazz inspired instrumental where Jalen uses his refreshingly crisp style, sounding pleasantly comfortable throughout the duration of the song. The love tale and the woes that come with it is just the warmup for Jalen’s upcoming EP Ventwood expected to release within the next couple of months. Until then, let him take you on a relatable journey below with ‘Foreplay.’