NEW YORK (AP) — There's the story everyone knows about Lil Tecca, and then there is Tyler Sharpe, the rapper-producer with big aspirations and the dedication to see it through. His fourth studio album, appropriately titled “Plan A,” out Friday, isn't a culmination of his career to date — but it does reflect the journey.
“‘Plan A’ summarizes my plan for life,” he told the Associated Press. “It’s never a plan B.”
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Lil Tecca poses for a portrait on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)
Lil Tecca poses for a portrait on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)
Lil Tecca poses for a portrait on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)
Lil Tecca poses for a portrait on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)
Lil Tecca poses for a portrait on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)
Lil Tecca poses for a portrait on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)
The popular narrative goes a little something like this: Five years ago, a then-teenage MC from New York released “Ransom,” introducing the world to his singsong-y, AutoTune-inspired flow and hook-heavy melodies. People loved it, and quickly. As of last month, the Recording Industry Association of America has accredited it eight-times platinum.
A hit at the start of a career is usually a sure-fire way to kneecap it, to burn bright and fast, but Lil Tecca managed to avoid the cliche. He has a loyal and fervent fanbase, and he never let the hype overwhelm him. The music was always first. It's why his last album, “Tec,” which arrived almost exactly a year before “Plan A,” was celebrated in hip-hop circles, with tracks like “500 lbs” and an inspired collab with Kodak Black, “Hvn on Earth.”
For this album, Tecca enlisted the producers he’s been working with since day one — like Rio Leyva, Taz Taylor and the like — to evolve the sound he's spent the last few years cultivating. “My most favorite people to collaborate with are producers,” he says. “We mainly create with no expectations."
Their process hasn't changed much from the early days: Tecca picks a beat and freestyles or writes to it. “Sometimes I might just rap on the loop. No beat, no drums, no nothing,” he says. “The only difference is just sharpening the craft.”
There's only one listed feature on the album — Don Toliver on the futuristic trap-rock, “I Can't Let Go.”
“Don Toliver is fire,” he says, simply. “When it came to having the Don song on there, it just felt like the perfect moment, honestly, for what I was trying to achieve in that first half of the project.”
Part of that goal is transparency.
“This one is definitely way more personal. I'm speaking about things I’ve never spoken (about) like my mom and stuff like that,” he says, referring to the smooth throwback, “MAMA.”
“So I kind of just wanted to let people take another step closer to me, on the personal side."
It's found in songs about relationships and miscommunication, too, like the single “Taste.”
Tecca says the many elements that make up “Plan A” manifest in a few different ways, fashion among them. He's been wearing a lot of leopard print lately; it appears on the album cover, the single artwork for “Bad Time,” and elsewhere. “Fashion, specifically, is just another way I express myself,” he says. “I kind of learned it from going to a uniform school. It’s like those Fridays where you get to wear what you want. You feel different... It's definitely another layer to who I am.”
As for future plans — he's got those mapped out. Video games, film, TV, they're all ambitions. “I honestly want to do everything that I’m into, I want to show my version of it,” he says. “So I’m into games. I want to show my version of what like, the best game is. I’m into movies. I want to show my version of what the best movie is.”
“Mentally, I'm definitely already in the next chapter,” he says.
But for now, it's all about “Plan A.” And he hopes new listeners and his dedicated fans will join him for the ride.
“My music isn’t just about me. My music is sort of just the soundtrack to the people that support me in the world that I put my music in,” he concludes. “My No. 1 priority is to inspire the people that actually believe in me.”
Lil Tecca poses for a portrait on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)
Lil Tecca poses for a portrait on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)
Lil Tecca poses for a portrait on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)
Lil Tecca poses for a portrait on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)
Lil Tecca poses for a portrait on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)
Lil Tecca poses for a portrait on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)
The Golden Globes bill themselves as Hollywood’s booziest bash. This year, is anyone ready to party?
Political tension and industrywide uncertainty are the prevailing moods heading into Sunday night's 83rd Golden Globes. Hollywood is coming off a disappointing box-office year and now anxiously awaits the fate of one of its most storied studios, Warner Bros.
A celebratory mood might be even more elusive given that the wide majority of the performers and filmmakers congregating at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, oppose the policies of President Donald Trump. Likely to be on the minds of many attendees: the recent U.S. involvement in Venezuela and the fatal shooting of 37-year-old mother Renee Good in Minneapolis by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
But through their ups and downs, the Globes have always tried to put pomp over politics. Host Nikki Glaser has vowed as much.
“You’d be surprised that half the room had no clue why I was saying ‘Venezuela,’” Glaser told The Associated Press earlier in the week, referring to her comedy-club warm-ups. “People aren’t getting the news like we all are.”
Glaser, a comic known for her roast appearances, has promised to go after A-listers in her second time hosting.
“We’re going to hit Leo,” Glaser said. “The icebergs are coming.”
Here’s what to look for at this year’s Globes:
The Golden Globes kick off at 8 p.m. EST on CBS while streaming live for Paramount+ premium subscribers. E!’s red carpet coverage begins at 6 p.m. EST.
The Associated Press will be have a livestream show beginning at 4:30 p.m. Eastern with a mix of stars' arrivals, fashion shots and celebrity interviews. It will be available on YouTube and APNews.
The overwhelming Oscar favorite “One Battle After Another” comes in with a leading nine nominations. It’s competing in the Globes’ musical or comedy category, which means the drama side might be more competitive. There, Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners,” Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet” and Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value” are all in the mix.
But thus far, “One Battle After Another” has cleaned up just about everywhere. Much of Paul Thomas Anderson’s cast is nominated, including DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn, Chase Infiniti and Benicio Del Toro.
If it and “Sinners” take home the two biggest prizes, it will be a banner night for Warner Bros. even as its future hangs in the balance. The studio has agreed to be acquired by Netflix is a deal worth $82.7 billion. Movie theaters have warned such a result would be “a direct and irreversible negative impact on movie theaters around the world.”
The merger awaits regulatory approval, while Paramount Skydance is still trying to convince Warner shareholders to accept its rival offer.
After an audacious promotional tour for “Marty Supreme,” Timothée Chalamet is poised to win his first Globe in five nominations. In best actor, comedy or musical, he’ll have to beat DiCaprio, a three-time Globe winner, and Ethan Hawke (“Blue Moon”).
In best actress, comedy or musical, Rose Byrne is the favorite for her performance in the not especially funny A24 indie “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.” One prominent nominee in the category, Cynthia Erivo (“Wicked: For Good”), won’t be attending due to her schedule in the West End production “Dracula.”
Jessie Buckley (“Hamnet”) is the clear front-runner in best actress, drama. In the star-studded best actor, drama, category, the Brazilian actor Wagner Moura (“The Secret Agent”) may win over Michael B. Jordan (“Sinners”) and Joel Edgerton (“Train Dreams”).
In the supporting categories, Teyana Taylor and Stellan Skarsgård come in the favorites.
The Globes, formerly presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, have no overlap or direct correlation with the Academy Awards. After being sold in 2023 to Todd Boehly’s Eldridge Industries and Dick Clark Productions, a part of Penske Media, the Globes are voted on by around 400 people. The Oscars are voted on by more than 10,500 professionals.
But in the fluctuating undulations of awards season, a good speech at the Globes can really boost an Oscar campaign. Last year, that seemed to be the case for Demi Moore, who won for “The Substance” and gave the night's most emotional speech. Mikey Madison (“Anora”), however, scored the upset win at the Oscars.
A few potentially good moments this year went instead in a Golden Eve ceremony earlier this week. There, the Cecil B. DeMille and Carol Burnett honorees, Helen Mirren and Sarah Jessica Parker, accepted their awards.
One to watch, if he wins, will be the Iranian director Jafar Panahi. His revenge drama “It Was Just an Accident” is up for four awards. Panahi has spent most of his career making films clandestinely, without approval of authorities, and was until recently banned from leaving the country. Last month, he was sentenced to a year in prison, which would be only his latest stint behind bars if Panahi returns home to serve it. This week, protests over Iran’s ailing economy have spread throughout the country in a new test to Iran's leaders.
For the first time, the Globes are trotting out a new podcast category. The nominees are: “Armchair Expert,” “Call Her Daddy,” “Good Hang With Amy Poehler,” “The Mel Robbins Podcast,” “SmartLess” and “Up First.”
In TV, HBO Max’s “The White Lotus” — another potential big winner for Warner Bros. — leads with six nominations. Netflix’s “Adolescence” comes in with five nods.
But the most closely watched nominee might be “The Studio.” The first season of Seth Rogen’s Hollywood satire memorably included an episode devoted to drama around a night at the Globes. (Sample line: “I remember when the red carpet of the Golden Globes actually stood for something.”) “The Studio” is up for three awards, giving three chances for life to imitate art.
For more coverage of this year’s Golden Globe Awards, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/golden-globe-awards
Timothee Chalamet arrives at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Amy Poehler, left, and Joel Lovell arrive at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Owen Cooper arrives at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Teyana Taylor arrives at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Teyana Taylor arrives at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Stellan Skarsgård, left, and Megan Everett-Skarsgard arrive at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Colman Domingo arrives at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Selena Gomez arrives at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Nikki Glaser arrives at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Maura Higgins, from ledt, Gayle King, and Mona Kosar Abdi arrive at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Derek Hough arrives at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Tessa Thompson arrives at the Golden Globes Golden Eve on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, at The Beverly Hilton Hotel, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Nikki Glaser rolls out the red carpet during the 83rd Golden Globes press preview on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
