Don’t Worry Gen-Zers, Babydoll Is Here to Explain What Freaknik in Atlanta Is

While Hulu has not released an official trailer for the upcoming "Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told" documentary, a lot of people are guessing Spring of 2024 because that will be the official 40-year anniversary of the 1994 Freaknik in Atlanta.

As with most millennials I heard the tales of Freaknik growing up, but it was shut down before I was old enough to attend. With the quiet rumblings of nervous Aunties across Beyonce's internet many Gen Zers are posing the question: what in the world is Freaknik?

Really grasshoppers you should take a social media break to ask your moms and aunties if they attended, and if so what years? Then come on back and I'll break it down for you.

Originally Freaknik started in Atlanta in the early 1980s as a picnic for HBCU students who didn't leave Atlanta during Spring Break. By the 1990s the stories, pictures, and videos grew into an urban legend of sorts... the stuff dreams are made of. Tens of thousands of young people gathered in the streets with boomin' systems in nice cars, and clothes to basically hang out and party. They even had concerts, DJs, vendors, and street food.

I'm sure all this sounds pretty innocent, but we have to remember that this was at the height of what VHI coined as Hip Hop Sexploitation. An era when Hip Hop music videos were all about scantily clad women shaking body parts while being lusted after. Let's just say life often imitates art , plus the organizers of Freaknik made a similar decision to Facebook or Meta. They decided to open things up to everyone, not just college students. I think urban radio legend Ryan Cameron said it best "Freaknik was ratchet before ratchet was a word."

So all those people who thought all their crazy behavior came before the social-media days are a little worried about what might be shown in this documentary.

You may have to wait until next year to see the 1994 Freaknik documentary but I did find a good one to explain it to many and bring back memories for some. Check it out below!

In March, a lot of hip-hop and R&B artists came out with hits that we've had on repeat ever since it dropped. Nicki Minaj dropped her first solo single of the year as well as Janelle Monáe on the R&B side. Several projects such as Tyler, The Creator's Call Me If You Get Lost: Estate Sale and Chlöe Bailey's solo debut were highlights of rap and R&B last month. Take a look at 10 of the best songs below:

Nicki Minaj dropped "Red Ruby Da Sleeze" last month which interpolates the 2003 hit "Never Leave You" by Lumidee. Nicki seemingly called out Megan Thee Stallion with the lines "700 on them horses when we fixin’ to leave/ But I don’t fuck with horses since Christopher Reeve" and "That .40 cal a make ’em dance like a go-go," which could be in reference to Tory Lanez allegedly shooting Megan in the foot while shouting, "Dance, bitch, dance!" "Red Ruby Da Sleeze" debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Rap Songs chart.

Tyler, The Creator dropped his deluxe version of Call Me If You Get Lost titled the Estate Sale last month. Prior to the release of the album, he dropped "Dogtooth." Tyler wrote on Twitter that "Dogtooth" was one of the songs that "didn't make the cut" when finalizing his Grammy-winning LP. Tyler has three guest features on the deluxe LP with a Vince Staples-assisted "Stuntman," "Boyfriend, Girlfriend" with YG, while A$AP Rocky joins the Odd Future rapper "Wharf Talk."

Kali dropped "Area Codes" last month and had the song trending all over TikTok. In the record she raps about having a different guy providing for her in various places around the world. "Area Codes" follows the Georgia rapper's "Dangerous" freestyle she dropped in January.

Following Janelle Monáe's stunning performance in Glass Onion, the Kansas City native has gone back to music with her release of "Float." She teased the song in a video using photos from her island vacation. The song catches Monáe being open about a transitional period where a newfound confidence has emerged.

NLE Choppa and Lil Wayne linked up for "Ain't Gonna Answer" last month. The song will be featured on Choppa's next project titled Cottonwood II. This was the first time the two rappers collaborated. Cottonwood II is set to be dropped on April 14.

Doechii enlisted Kodak Black for "What It Is (Block Boy)." The song samples the 2004 "Some Cut" by Trillville feat. Cutty and interlopes TLC's 1999 classic "No Scrubs." This is Doechii's first single of 2023. Kodak has been featured in quite a few songs in 2023 including "I Remember" with Roddy Ricch, "Colors" with Trippie Redd, "King Snipe" with Gucci Mane, and "Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Remix" with King Combs.

Mello Buckzz enlisted Latto for "Boom Pt. 2." The original song titled "Boom" featured Amari Blaze, Moni Da G, and Kashh Mir. For the music video, Latto used her feature to clap back at haters while she twerked in her cheetah print thong that made headlines back in January. After a fan called her out for seemingly wearing the same pair, the Atlanta native claried that she has a drawer full of them on Instagram Live.

Metro Boomin brought out Diddy to help out with the remix to "Creepin'" which also features The Weeknd and 21 Savage. The original song is found on Metro's 2022 project titled Heroes & Villains. "Creepin'" however has remained a standalone hit from the album spent over 10 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. A remix with Diddy makes sense since Metro sampled the Bad Boy Records founder's 2004 hit "I Don't Wanna Know" with Mario Winans featuring Enya and himself.

Lola Brooke took her 2021 hit and got Latto and City Girls' Yung Miami to hop on for a verse. The original "Dont Play With It" features Billy B. This is Lola's second single of 2023 as she also dropped "So Disrespectful."

Chlöe Bailey put Future on "Cheatback" which is off her debut solo album In Pieces. The song details Chlöe being fed up about having to deal with her boyfriend cheating so she decides to do the same thing. In Pieces also features contributions from Chris Brown and Missy Elliott.