NLE Choppa is relentless. With more than 5.5 billion total streams, 14 RIAA-certified plaques, 18 million combined followers, and two 2023 singles that found a comfortable home on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, the superstar 20-year-old MC from Memphis has already accomplished a lot. And yet he’s constantly working to satiate the needs of his fans and prove wrong any remaining doubters. Choppa’s recent work—culminating in his new album, Cottonwood 2 is still an ante-up on every conceivable level. Choppa’s emergence in the rap game is the stuff of legend, but for the uninitiated: His Platinum-certified single “Shotta Flow” became one of the biggest rap songs of 2019 without a premiere, co-sign, or major label push. Desiring creative control and ownership, he partnered with Warner Records to distribute his music and future releases on his label, No Love Entertainment. Fast forward to 2023 and the technical pyrotechnics remain, but Choppa has spent more time turning inward, reflecting on his devotion to family and spirituality, and sharing more of himself than he ever has. His songs about overcoming struggles and celebrating wins have won support from Billboard, The New York Times, Forbes, GQ, and Complex. Now, he just wants the rap conversation to reflect his immense talent. “When you mention the greatest artists, or when you mention the hottest artists out right now, I have to be in that conversation,” he declares.