There's one item that singer and rapper Nicki Nicole keeps on tour with her that she admits is a little bit of an odd favorite. 

"I'm going to say [it's] kind of weird, but I like to eat ginger," Nicole says in today's episode of Herbal Tea & White Sofas. "I got used to warming up my voice and eating ginger…Nowadays, I put it in my tea, sometimes I eat a few slices. It's kind of weird, but if you get used to it, it's really good."

Ginger isn't the only fragrant item that Nicole keeps backstage with her when she's on the road. The singer also has a soft spot for flowers, and the ones she likes to have backstage are the favorite varieties that bring back memories of her childhood in Argentina.

"The flowers that I personally like very much are roses. I also like daisies a lot," she explains. "I have them in my backyard. They are always with me, and also jasmine. These types of flowers remind me a lot [of] when I was little, the roses or those things, they remind me of my neighborhood and the things that were there."

Those familiar, grounding memories serve Nicole well when she's on tour: The urbano singer says that she's had to learn to harness the strong emotions she feels before a show. "Before I get on stage," she says, "I'm like a roller coaster of emotions.

While that's still true, Nicole says she feels a little more in control of those emotions. Whether that's because of those childhood reminders, the ginger snack or simply her growth as an artist, she channels the emotions into her performance. "I've learned to enjoy it," she adds.

Press play on the video above to hear more about Nicole's evolving approach to live performance — and the intimate bond with her fans she's built on the road — and keep checking GRAMMY.com for more episodes of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.

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Hip-hop has always been a part of Argentina's musical output, simmering in the country's underground for decades while rock and pop music dominated national charts and album sales. Yet over the past 15 years, Argentine hip-hop has begun to enter the country's mainstream — and reach a global audience.

Argentinian hip-hop began gaining traction in the 2010s,  due in part to the popularity of freestyling competitions. One of the most popular competitions, El Quinto Escalón, became a YouTube show which tens of thousands of people watched live. Also vital to the scene was the rise of the much celebrated producer Bizarrap, who took home three golden gramophones at the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs, including Song Of The Year. His five-year-old YouTube series, "BZRP Music Sessions," regularly gather millions of views as well as major names such as Peso Pluma and Shakira. 

While Biza may be the brightest light in Argentine hip-hop as of late, he is one of a galaxy of artists. In fact, the past decade has seen a growing number of Argentinian hip-hop icons such as Wos, Y$Y A and Khea. Read on for five artists who  are helping create a new path for the genre. 

Duki

Duki spent years in Argentina's competitive freestyling scene, eventually rising to prominence in  2016. After participating in battles for El Quinto Escalón, Duki gained a strong following and released his first single, "No Vendo Trap."

From there, Duki's rise was quick and dizzying. He became a member of the highly influential rap trio Modo Diablo (co-founded by fellow Argentine rappers YSY A and Neo Pistea), in which he released hits like "Trap N' Export" and "Quavo" — which is still celebrated by the Argentine trap fans to this day. He also was featured on Bad Bunny's YHLQMDLG, with the Latin GRAMMY-nominated track "Hablamos Mañana." At the 2021 Latin GRAMMYs, Duki's solo track, "Goteo," was nominated for Best Rap/Hip Hop Song. 

After Modo Diablo split up, in 2019, Duki released multiple solo albums, which would become a hallmark in Latin trap — particularly 2021's Desde el fin del mundo. 

Trueno

The son of the Uruguayan rapper MC Peligro, Trueno started rapping when he was 7 and, at the age of 13, began participating in national freestyling competitions. Less than a decade later, his  "Dance Crip" was nominated for Best Rap/Hip-Hop Song at the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs.

The artist born Mateo Palacios Corazzina effuses an old school approach to hip-hop, which translates well into his music. His 2021 sophomore album, Bien O Mal, showcases Trueno's  love for and study of hip-hop, with a particular affinity for boom bap and G-Funk. 

Trueno is also a powerful political voice in Argentina, speaking out about Latin America's history of oppression and evoking names of its cultural past within his music, such as Víctor Heredia, a famous singer-songwriter from the Greater Buenos Aires area, and Atahualpa Yupanqui, an Argentinian folk musician. 

L-Gante

Hailing from General Rodríguez, in the Greater Buenos Aires area, L-Gante began his career in 2017, but his music started making waves during the pandemic. On "L-Gante RKT," a collaboration with producer Papu DJ, the rapper described the clandestine partying and entertainment that took place in Argentine barrios during the lockdown.

Less inclined to utilize international sounds, L-Gante is a part of an Argentinian movement known as RKT. A subgenre of reggaeton, RKT is influenced by the popular barrio-centric cumbia villera. 

Although L-Gante has not yet released a debut album, his singles and collaborations gather millions of plays. In 2021, the rapper appeared on BZRP Music Sessions #38 and their collaboration topped the Argentine Billboard Hot 100 chart for several weeks. As of writing, the session has 333 million views on YouTube.

The rapper is already performing at packed venues in Buenos Aires — on November 21st, he headlined a four-hour show at the famous Luna Park, which had the participation of many artists, including cumbia villera legend Pablito Lescano.

Dillom

Twenty-two-year-old rapper Dillom is leading the way for the weirdos and eccentric rappers in Argentina. The artist was raised in the central neighborhoods of Buenos Aires and learned to play bass at age 9 before learning how  to produce rap beats. Beginning with his first single, "Drippin'", in 2018, the youngster took off.

A year later, Dillom's career skyrocketed following a participation on BZRP Music Sessions. He later formed the crew Talented Broke Boys, and released their first self-titled mixtape. Dillom made his solo debut with the album Post Mortem in 2021, in which he collaborated with fellow Argentine rappers Muerejoven and L-Gante.

Post Mortem is a showcase of Dillom's true interests: a mix of horrorcore, trap, elements of reggaeton, cumbia and dance music, with funny and ironic lyrics. The rapper once said that "art should be a little offending, or it would be boring". 

Nicki Nicole

Nicki Nicole has been nominated for several Latin GRAMMYs  — including for Best New Artist in 2020 — and, at the 2023 Latin GRAMMYs, walked the red carpet with Peso Pluma.

The rapper and singer started out doing freestyle in her hometown Rosario, Argentina, when she was 18. Her debut album came in 2019, after linking with producer Gonzalo Ferreyra, but the artist really started gathering the attention of hip-hop fans with the release of the track "Colocao" in 2020.

Nicki's catchy songwriting skills have netted significant attention: in just three years she has racked up hits such as "Mamichula" with Trueno, and "DISPARA ***" with Milo J. Her 2023 album Alma was nominated for Best Urban Music Album in this year's Latin GRAMMYs, and her Nicki Nicole Abre Su Alma tour has sold out seven shows at Buenos Aires' Movistar Arena.

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Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly. Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

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He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly.

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube. This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This is for Illmatic, this is for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

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If there is one thing That Mexican OT will do while on tour, it's stay hydrated. But not necessarily with water — he prefers an ice-cold glass of Mexican Coca-Cola.

"This bad mama jama right here is a go-to for sure," he says in the latest episode of Herbal Tea & White Sofas. "A big part of me loving this is the Mexican heritage, but it also goes down perfectly."

Compared to American Coke, he says the Mexican version has a better taste because it uses natural cane sugar and no high fructose corn syrup.

When That Mexican OT wants something healthier, he opts for cranberry juice. "It's good for your kidneys," he shares. "Those antioxidants will keep you clean and running good, baby."

In his dream world, he would love to have a giant water slide in every green room. "I'm talking about a 20 to 40-footer," he quips with a smile. "Something simple. Easy to hit those dips."

You can catch That Mexican OT live on the Lonestar Luchador Tour through the United States, which ends on Oct. 4 in Oakland, California.

Press play on the video above to learn more about That Mexican OT's two favorite drinks to have while on tour, and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.

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While many artists might ask for healthy foods and tea on their tour rider, Thai-American musician DABOYWAY unapologetically requests three specific confections: red wine, Sour Patch Kids, and a cinnamon-scented candle.

"The red wine has to be from Chile," he says in the latest episode of Herbal Tea & White Sofas. He doesn't care which brand it is, but as long as it's Chilean, he's happy, because it's never done him wrong.

The rapper loves Sour Patch Kids because they remind him of his childhood. "I've eaten so many Sour Patch Kids at one time that the whole side of my mouth hurts from eating all that sourness ... If anyone wants to win my heart, bring me a bag of Sour Patch Kids," he reveals.

DABOYWAY says cinnamon is hard to find in Thailand, but that makes it all the more special when he can get his hands on it. He says it reminds him of home and his favorite time of the year: football season. And he always appreciates that it makes "the room smell nice before I get on stage."

Press play to learn more about DABOYWAY's favorite items to have on tour, and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.

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