Up Next
Latto, DJ Khaled and Ludacris serve as judges offering advice and expertise to up-and-coming rappers competing for $250,000 on the new season of Netflix’s Rhythm + Flow. Win or lose, they’re keeping it real with the competition.
Interviews: Georgette Cline and C. Vernon Coleman II
Editor’s Note: This story appears in the Winter 2024 issue of XXL Magazine, on stands in January of 2025.
Hip-hop thrives on celebrating diamonds in the rough. The Netflix reality competition series Rhythm + Flow does just that by putting ambitious, rising rappers looking for their next big break in cutthroat challenges to see who comes out on top as rap’s newest superstar. T.I., Cardi B and Chance The Rapper connected as judges in 2019 for Season 1 when rap newcomer D Smoke was crowned the winner. Now Latto, DJ Khaled and Ludacris come together as the latest panel of judges to witness 22 newbie rhymers vie for a $250,000 grand prize in Season 2 of the show.
The three seasoned hip-hop artists measure the talents of rappers from around the country—East Coast, West Coast, South and Midwest—who travel to Atlanta to compete. The contestants are tested by engaging in rap battles and writing new tracks, along with performing for Luda, Khaled and Latto. Several guest judges also bring their wisdom to the show, including Big Sean, GloRilla, Busta Rhymes and Eminem, who showed up for a battle in the same vein of 8 Mile.
Rhythm + Flow Season 2, which premiered on Nov. 20 and concluded on Dec. 4, celebrates the art of rapping and showcases what it takes to become a force not only in the genre but beyond its borders. Latto, Khaled and Luda are all looking for a full-package artist. If there’s anyone fit to find that in this series, it’s Latto, who came up as a contestant on The Rap Game in 2016 and won. Add Khaled’s motivational mantras and Luda’s accomplished aura to the mix, and the trio are up for the challenge of selecting the next generation’s rap star.
The trusted triumvirate speaks to XXL about their differing judging styles, how the contestants stood out this season and why everyone’s a winner even if they didn’t get the bag.—Georgette Cline
XXL: Why did you want to join this experience as a judge for Rhythm + Flow?
Latto: I just watched the first season and was a fan, so when they called about it, I was like, “Hell yeah.” Since I was on a rap competition show [growing up], I feel like they wanted my experience. I brought a different perspective being that I was once a contestant. I had a certain level or layer of experience.
DJ Khaled: First of all, just grateful for the opportunity to be thought of to do something special like this. And then, it’s hip-hop. It’s rap music, something that I love, and to work with Luda and Latto is a big blessing. It’s a rap competition show. Anything to keep the game going, keep inspiring, keep evolving.
Ludacris: For me, it was like, this hungry energy of these artists that’s trying to get put on. Wanting to get close to that and remind myself of what got me here and what I’m attracted to—in terms of the perseverance and the resilience that it takes to prove that you’re the best in any competition.
Ludacris photo
loading…
“Just pour into them as much as we can so we can give them as much information, as much game as we have with the wisdom that we have. That’s the type of judge I was.”—Ludacris
What does this season showcase the most with the talent of up-and-coming rappers you saw compete? What stood out to you about them?
Ludacris: The good thing is that we saw a variety of talent. It’s always interesting to see them telling their stories about their neighborhood and things that they’re going through. The dopest thing was they were bringing us into their personal lives and that’s where we felt it the most—in terms of what they were going through, how they incorporated it in their music because this is where hip-hop music comes from. It comes from the struggle. It comes from, again, perseverance and resilience. So, it’s just always dope to see.
Latto: I think it was a lot of seasoned artists, a lot of put-together [artists], down to the talent and that’s what got them on the show in the first place. But just the overall presentation of the artists, I saw potential in a lot of them. So, it was definitely a close run.
DJ Khaled: It had so many elements. That’s what I like about the show. Their story, their lifestyle, going in the studio with certain producers. A lot of them went to Detroit to rock with Eminem and had a cypher. What was their facial reaction? Did they fumble? Did they pick up the ball? Did they score the touchdown? It’s all those elements, and I’ve never seen that in one show. Usually, when you have a show, you see just a stage performance. This one broke down a lot of elements that represent hip-hop. And I love that.
What kind of judge are you? What are the critiques and feedback you’re giving?
DJ Khaled: I was just being honest, passionate and it’s not about if my opinion mattered. I wanted to be able to remind people, especially on this platform, even if you didn’t win the competition, or win the bag, or win the title, you still won because you got the opportunity. Now, you can build your fan base by everybody watching the show.
Latto: I try not to be openly nice. It’s hard for me to be mean. I was there before, I get it. I feel like I still am learning so much every day, to this day. I remember 16-year-old me in they shoes, so I was very compassionate and I tried to give realistic and relatable opinions and give them more insight. I was honest, but also compassionate.
Ludacris: Just pour into them as much as we can so we can give them as much information, as much game as we have with the wisdom that we have. That’s the type of judge I was. I know a lot of the stuff that we said got edited out just for reasons that Netflix has to abide by certain time frames. So, a lot of the best stuff we said, I’m sure, might have got cut out. But that’s what we were there for, just to give them as much game as possible without being abrasive. We wanted to make sure that they understood whether you win or lose, you do win.
Latto photo
loading…
“I remember 16-year-old me in they shoes, so I was very compassionate and I tried to just give realistic and relatable opinions and just give them more insight.”—Latto
Latto, in the trailer for the show, you said you’re looking for the total package from a rapper. Someone who can survive in this new generation. What do you feel an artist needs to have to survive like that?
Latto: Everybody has access to a studio, and everybody makes music, so you have to be able to stand out. Originality is very important. Social media is at its height, so I feel like you also got to have tough skin. I was looking for someone that can actually be an artist and withstand those things in the temperature of today.
Talent is obviously No. 1, but how willing are you to collaborate, take feedback, receive feed- back, constructive criticism, your performance ability. You got to be able to sell tickets and rock shows. You got to want to book shows. The clothes and all that, you can learn that when you get some money. That’s going to come.
Ludacris, you say you’re looking for somebody who has everything to be the next superstar in the trailer. What does an artist need to have?
Ludacris: A lot of times, it’s something you can’t put into words. You just know when you see it and you know when you hear it. We call it the intangible, or that unforeseen thing that once you notice it, the reason it’s being is because we haven’t seen it before. That’s what makes a star, is the unique individual. Stevie Wonder is Stevie Wonder. Marvin Gaye is Marvin Gaye.
Khaled, what do you think it takes to be the next rap superstar?
DJ Khaled: You gotta do something that hasn’t been done before or take every element from rap, and it just gotta come through your veins to be that superstar. I think that’s what we’re all looking for. And that’s why it was great to be on the show, to hopefully see that and hopefully after the show, that we get to see one. But shit, man, when you see it and hear it, you know it. It’s nothing to debate about.
Eminem, Big Sean, GloRilla, Remy Ma and Busta Rhymes were some of the guest judges. Who do you feel offered the best advice or inspired the contestants most and why?
Latto: I ain’t going to lie, I really say Eminem just because someone of his stature coming down and being in their presence. It was a rap battle competition. So, the one that he came to, and we was sitting in Detroit and we was at a place they used to actually rap battle at. It was inspiring for me, so I know it had to be inspiring for them. And I feel like he didn’t sugarcoat shit. It was up close and personal with a real living legend.
Ludacris: I would say all of them because they all brought something different in terms of their feedback and wisdom to the table. I’m not even trying to be political. They truly all brought something different. We needed to hear what they had to say. So, we were all inspired.
In what ways does Rhythm + Flow highlight the talent of the rappers in the competition?
Latto: They had some good challenges. They got to do their own artwork behind them, like the screen content for their performances. They directed their own photo shoots. We did cyphers. We did battle raps. The auditions were fun. They just performed their original stuff, and then as we got deeper, they were making songs and stuff on the spot. So, it gets crazy.
DJ Khaled: Besides just the rap and the skill, you also had a chance to do art direction. You work with a creative director. You know, things that you usually get when you accomplish so much and you get the opportunity to perform at an award show.
DJ Khaled photo
loading…
“I wanted to be able to remind people, especially on this platform, even if you didn’t win the competition, or win the bag, or win the title, you still won because you got the opportunity.”—DJ Khaled
What was the most memorable moment from the show?
Latto: Detroit Diamond was one of my standouts for the Season 2. She performed a song that was so touching for me. Her brother had passed away, and she wrote a song and performance dedicated to him, and damn near had me in tears. I was like fighting my tears, like I won’t cry on TV, but it made me so emotional. It was a lot of passion.
DJ Khaled: Probably the finale. Just from going backstage and hitting the chairs and the passion and how everybody cared and trying to make sure we made the right decision. But I kept telling everybody, you know, everybody won. So whatever happens, it’s a blessing.
Ludacris: Man, I had a lot of favorite moments, but I would say when they had to be on teams together and present something. It was very difficult to pick someone who was your competition and you all getting in a group, and you have to work together because the whole team work make the [dream] work.
You could see the ones that did not want to be a part of that and didn’t work together, and it wasn’t cohesive in the groups. You could see the ones that were able to adjust from being solo in order to be on a team.
