Father’s Day was officially celebrated last month. But daddy duties never stop. First time poppa, DDG would certainly agree. Since the birth of his son Halo at the top of the year, the “Way Too Petty” rapper and his girlfriend and fellow entertainer Halle Bailey have slowly and cautiously shared small milestones online.
On July 3, the couple revealed the adorable infant’s face in a gallery of family vacation photos. Although the images were met with overwhelmingly positive responses, a few outliers hide in the comment section.
Not only did DDG notice the snide remarks, he decided to clapback with a few of his own. In a video captured by The Shade Room, DDG let loose on the trolls.
“I read a few comments,” he said. “I know I have the best looking son in the world. There is no baby out there that is more handsome than my son. But I seen a few poor, broke, dirty, fat back b*tches on Instagram talking about my son, and it just makes me so angry and mad.”
His insults didn’t stop there. “But then I have to realize that my son is richer than them,” he said. “And he has a more successful life than [them]. And he’s in Italy at 6 months [old]. He’s been across the world. He’s been around the world already, and he has only been living for six months. And they are poor, broke, and can barely eat probably on welfare still, and they are grown probably living with they momma.”
Who is BabyTron, the Detroit rapper who joined Big Sean as a feature on Eminem’s new single, “Tobey“?
Eminem’s latest release from the upcoming album The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce), isn’t just a showcase for the self-proclaimed Rap God — it’s a multigenerational display of some of the most notable names from the Motor City. While Eminem represents, in many ways, the generation who helped make rap the global phenomenon it is today, and Big Sean is the contemporary hitmaker keeping that legacy alive, BabyTron is the future of the Detroit sound. A love for truly unhinged wordplay ties them all together.
BabyTron is the definition of a Y2K baby, born in July 2000 as James Edward Johnson IV in Ypsilanti, Michigan. He started rapping at just 13 years old, creating the trio Sh*ttyBoyz in high school with friends TrDee and StanWill. A proponent of so-called “scam rap,” BabyTron’s been putting out mixtapes commercially since 2017, garnering his first big looks from outside his hometown when Lil Yachty released his Michigan Boy Boat tape, putting on various rappers from the Great Lake State — including BabyTron, who appeared on “Hybrid.”
Since then, his star has been on the rise, with a seemingly never-ending stream of new projects released through Empire distribution, most recently, MegaTron 2. He was featured as a XXL Freshman in 2022 and some of his notable tracks have included “100 Bars” and “Emperor Of The Universe” with their Cole Bennett-directed videos, and “Prince Of The Mitten.” Check them out below.
The Nike Air Max 1 ’87 is set to release in a vibrant “Vapor Green” colorway. This edition features a bold green color scheme, showcasing various shades of green throughout the design. The vibrant green tones create a fresh and eye-catching look. The mesh and suede upper blend different shades of green, adding depth and texture to the shoe. The iconic Air Max cushioning remains visible, providing comfort and support for all-day wear. The midsole is also green, harmonizing with the overall color scheme. The outsole, designed for superior traction, features a slightly darker shade of green, enhancing its durability and performance.
The green laces and tongue further complement the cohesive design. The Nike Air Max 1 ’87 “Vapor Green” is perfect for those who love bold, colorful sneakers. Its vibrant colorway makes a statement, while the classic Air Max silhouette ensures timelessness. Keep an eye out for the release date. The Nike Air Max 1 ’87 “Vapor Green” is expected to be a standout addition to any sneaker collection. Don’t miss the chance to add this vibrant and stylish pair to your lineup.
The sneakers feature a black and greem rubber sole with a light green midsole that features a Nike air bubble. The uppers are constructed from a green mesh base, with electric green suede overlays in two shades. Also, a green Nike Swoosh is found on the sides. Nike branding is found on the tongues as well as the heels, both in vibrant green. Finally, note that this pair is a WMNS release, so only women’s sizing will be available.
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The Nike Air Max 1 ’87 “Vapor Green” was released at Nike.com on July 3rd in a WMNS exclusive. Further, the retail price of the sneakers is $140, and they are still in stock! Also, make sure to let us know your thoughts about this pair in the comments below. Additionally, make sure to stay up to date with HNHH for all the latest news and updates in the sneaker world. We provide all the important information from all the leading brands!
Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” music video is taking the world by storm right now, and there are a lot of details for fans to gush and complain about. Moreover, one of the key aspects of the video relating to Drake’s disses against K.Dot is the co-direction from Dave Free. You probably remember all of the allegations that Drizzy made about Free, Kendrick’s creative collaborator, and the Compton lyricist’s partner Whitney Alford, their kids, the abuse allegations, all of that. Well, a lot of fans think that this narrative is all but moot now, as Free’s been happy to support his friend throughout all this and even appeared in the visuals.
In addition, Whitney herself popped out during the “Not Like Us” music video alongside her two kids with Kendrick Lamar. This has all led to a lot of Drake-bashing online, and whether warranted or not, it’s combating the claims that he had in cuts like “Family Matters” and “The Heart Part 6.” Of course, this is all just optics, and we have no way to really verify whether either battling MC’s claims against the other is true at all. But there’s an Internet and culture game to play here, and fans are using these visuals’ ammo to decide on a winner.
Fans Are Loving Kendrick Lamar & Dave Free’s Direction For Drake Diss Video
I hope all videographers, whether they like kendrick lamar or not, can appreciate the mastery at play here with this music video. Genuinely some amazing staging and creative direction. So many different shots from here that I truly love!. Dave Free and Kdot, this is a 10/10 pic.twitter.com/0w35SKTd79
However, even with all the hype behind Kendrick Lamar’s music video, we can’t imagine that “Not Like Us” made Drake break much of a sweat. After all, he was partying with Michael Rubin and a whole slew of celebrities at his White Party on Fourth of July, the day that the visuals dropped. As such, we predict that the 6ix God will probably make some cheeky post trolling Kendrick or downplaying the new release. Still, it’s got to sting to see folks revel in your downfall, as you can see some folks doing in the reactions down below.
More Fans React To Dave Free’s Co-Directing Credit On “Not Like Us”
Dave Free said not only am i directing this shit imma star in it too
Drakes shit is looking weaker and weaker by the day Kendrick killed him and then danced on his grave with Whitney and the kids #TheyNotLikeUspic.twitter.com/HNB6SHenlY
Tried that Top Dawg shit, he in the video. Tried that YG shit, he in the video. Tried that Dave Free shit he directed and in the video. Tried that family shit, they in the video.
Meanwhile, this new “Not Like Us” music video also built up even more hype for more new Kendrick Lamar music on the way. The teased West Coast banger at the start of it has fans foaming at the mouth, so we’ll see whether it actually manifests into something. Perhaps this will be the final chapter in this installment of the greatest rap beef since Jay-Z and Nas. It’s changing the context of previous disses, dismantling narratives, and suggesting what could be next in the future.
10k Projects signee and Arkansas rapper YTB Fatt has been on an extremely prolific run as of late. In fact, there might not be anyone from the area that is hot as him right now. GloRilla is right there with him too, so it close. But with Fatt being more of an up-and-coming name, we might give him the nod slightly. He made his way onto the Southern rap scene just last year and with every release he manages to increase his following. This weekend, YTB Fatt is sure to gain more fans after dropping another new album, On Zai.
After leaving off Foxes Only in December, the 23-year-old is making sure he keeps his name on fans’ minds. What is so incredible about On Zai is that YTB Fatt put out so many singles ahead of it. However, only two of them, “Get Up On It” and “Score” made the cut. Although, he did put out six more within the two days before the tape’s release today. It is clear that he is sitting of piles of heat, as any one of the tracks that did not land on the album could have. Artists like Lil Baby, Rylo Rodriguez, GloRilla, Blac Youngsta, and NoCap are on the YTB train and so should you.
Joe Budden doesn’t just give out hot takes on hip-hop: he also speaks on wider societal issues, for better or worse. Moreover, he recently sat down with the BagFuel podcast to speak on his perspective on domestic violence and abusive relationships, particularly when it relates to a man suffering from them. However, many folks online pointed out that the rapper and media personality has his own history when it comes to allegations of perpetrating these crimes. Nevertheless, he spoke from his own perspective and viewpoint when it comes to his struggles with toxic partnerships, addressing the dangers of gender standards regardless of how folks will respond to his point of view.
“I was in a domestic violence relationship, but we men, so we don’t know that,” Joe Budden posited. “We don’t know that if somebody just gets up and starts [saying], ‘Hey, you got a text I didn’t like. I’m burning all your clothes.’ That’s domestic violence… I had an incident one time where me and a lady broke up, and I took the phone back that I bought and was actively paying the bill for. Charges. Charges brought up. I didn’t know that [was stealing] so that was a lesson like, ‘Oh, okay. If there’s a dispute, you can’t tough the phone, even if you bought or got it.’”
Regarding Joe Budden’s accusations, his ex-partner Esther Baxter claimed that he caused her to have a miscarriage by allegedly sitting on her stomach during an altercation. Also, his ex Tahiry Jose called him out for supposed hypocrisy when he condemned the video of Diddy assaulting Cassie. “FOH, who??? The irony. This is so triggering!!!” she expressed on social media. “I remember joey throwing me down a flight of stairs dragging me back into the house & me having to talk him into letting me go. FOR HOURS!!!!
“This whole s**t took me out,” Jose continued. “So hard to watch. So sorry for Cassie and every other woman who is currently going through it or has ever gone through it. It’s tough.” “Tahiry you are a lying, failed gold digger that has abused, targeted and manipulated many men,” Joe Budden responded. “Outside of me you lack an identity which is why you’ve tried desperately to attach yourself to me for over 15 years. The last time i saw you i purchased a mattress from you and you were happy you made the sale, you were fine then.”
On this day in Hip Hop history, one of the culture’s most influential musical masterminds was born. Wu-Tang Clan frontman Robert Fitzgerald Diggs a.k.a. RZA was born today (July 5) in Brooklyn, New York, 49 years ago. Since stepping on the scene in 1989, RZA has done more than just create an outrageously successful career for himself and his affiliates but has also forever shaped and changed the way a lot of things are handled in the music industry. From branding to merchandising to mastery of one’s craft, RZA stands as a pillar example of how someone given nothing but their own mind can rise to be a titan in the entertainment industry.
In honor of his birthday, we’ve compiled a list of five of RZA’s most important power moves that helped to build and strengthen his empire. Spanning from music to video games, RZA’s influence can be felt across culture, color lines and international borders.
-Signing With Tommy Boy Records
RZA signed with the famous Tommy Boy Records in 1991 under the moniker Prince Rakeem and released one EP, Ooh I Love You Rakeem. Although this may not have been the most eventful or productive period of RZA’s career, his tumultuous relationship with Tommy Boy is what helped RZA to formulate his own plan to monopolize Hip Hop. His time at Tommy Boy allowed him to build vital connections with artists and executives that can been seen lasting throughout the remainder of his career. Tommy Boy gave RZA a necessary first glimpse of how the music industry works as a whole, which helped him to finesse it into something that worked for him.
-The Five-Year-Plan
In his autobiography The Tao of Wu, RZA detailed a majority of the events surrounding the ridiculous success of Wu-Tang Clan, the most prominent of these being his “Five Year Plan.” This plan, enacted in 1992 following the success of the RZA-produced Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers, was RZA’s scheme for his group to become the most powerful figures in Hip Hop as a whole and individually. In an analogy, RZA explains, “I want all of y’all [Wu-Tang] to get on this bus. And be passengers. And I’m the driver. And nobody can ask me where we going. I’m taking us to No. 1. Give me five years, and I promise that I’ll get us there.”
At the end of the five year period, Wu-Tang Clan had released the Grammy Award-winning, number one Wu-Tang Forever LP (which sold four million copies in its first six months on shelves), GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, ODB and Ghostface Killah all had Top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 chart, and Wu-Tang Clan had a successful comic book, clothing line and video game under their belt.
-Wu-Tang Clan Record Deals
As Wu-Tang’s popularity continued to grow exponentially, major labels were breaking down the door to get a piece of the action. For a short while there was a question of where the group and its members would sign. In an attempt to divide and conquer the corporate music world, RZA came up with the idea to have the majority of the members sign with competing record labels. Although from the outside this plan may seem risky and convoluted, RZA was again right on the money with this decision. Having Method Man sign with Def Jam, Raekwon sign with Loud, Ghostface Killah sign with Sony, ODB sign with Elektra and GZA sign with Geffen/MCA allowed for maximum promotion of each artist. No one company had to divvy out the funds to try and support the promo of each of these rap icon’s solo work. This also allowed record labels to work together like never before when pushing Wu-Tang Clan (who remained under Razor Sharp Records) albums because of the number of companies involved with its production. Never before or since has there been a group to sign a deal of this nature.
-Wu-Wear
In 1995 Wu-Tang released their clothing line Wu Wear, which quickly became one of Hip Hop’s most coveted streetwear brands. The brand’s importance, however, doesn’t come from its popularity but its pioneering. With Wu Wear, Wu-Tang became the first rap group to be laced from head to toe in their own gear. This again gave the group another step ahead of their competition. Even today, Wu Wear is international worn and recognized as a prominent Hip Hop streetwear brand and can be found in stores across the globe and online on various outlets.
-Hollywood Takeover
RZA’s most recent and ambitious endeavor to date is his dabbling in acting and filmmaking. As an actor, RZA has appeared in 21 films and has written and directed three. His popular The Man With The Iron Fists Kung-Fu series has proven he can successfully take his love for traditional Asian martial arts films and put his own spin on them to create something of his own. His partnership with famed director Quentin Tarantino only further validates his abilities and potential as a filmmaker and opens the door to the possibility of future projects.
RZA has yet to stop shaping Hip Hop’s culture and sound over the years, although he may not be as visibly active as he once was. His prominence in this culture is known and felt by anyone with knowledge of Hip Hop, its origins and its success as a genre. From everyone here at The Source, happy born day RZA, thank you for building such a godly culture.
On Independence Day in 1986, Daryl McDaniels, his partner in rhyme Joseph Simmons and their DJ Jason Mizell, who are best known as the legendary Hip Hop group Run-D.M.C., released one of the most successful singles of their career; “Walk This Way”, which guest stars rock n’ roll vets Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith.
The rap version of the single, which appeared on Run-D.M.C.’s third album Raising Hell, was a very groundbreaking track that helped pioneer the fusion of rock n’ roll and Hip Hop. The original song of the same name appeared on Aerosmith’s 1975 Toys In The Attic album.
Some fans think a line from Eminem’s new Detroit posse cut contained a veiled slight for one of his fellow rap legends. In his verse from “Tobey” with Big Sean and BabyTron, Eminem raps, “Ain’t feelin’ your top five favorite rappers/ So I know they ’bout to be pissed at me/ But this, to me, is a mystery/ How rappers I’ve already ripped could be/ Higher up on a list than me.”
The line, which refers to a Top 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time list published by Billboard last year, has been interpreted by some fans as a shot at Jay-Z, who came in at No. 1. Eminem is notoriously … let’s say “sensitive” … about being taken seriously as the best rapper, so it’s pretty clear that he’s not happy about not being higher up on the list. The Jay-Z connection from fans likely stems from their 2001 collaboration “Renegade,” which has proven to be controversial among fans for which rapper’s performance was the best. As Nas said in his diss song “Ether,” “Eminem murdered you on your own sh*t.” (More contemporary readings have proven to be kinder to Jay’s verses from the song, but the consensus still seems to be that Eminem outrapped him, considering how “Renegade” entered the lexicon as a verb used to describe the phenomenon of being outshone by a featured artist.)
Eminem has poked fun at the idea that Jay-Z is better than him for a long time… he did it on “Seduction” in 2010 too.. he used Jay-Z’s favorite “ah” adlib from the Blueprint 3 while doing it too. Eminem always knew he was a better rapper than Jay-Z.. and so did anyone with sense
However, one of Eminem’s closest associates and frequent collaborator, Royce Da 5’9, shut down the speculation on Instagram, responding to the question directly in a comment. “Of course not,” he wrote. Not exactly straight from the horse’s mouth, but close enough to say fans still beef-hungry after the combative energy that carried 2024 through winter and spring are probably reaching, just hoping to make something shake. It doesn’t seem likely — Jay hasn’t released a new song or verse since “God Did” in 2022 — but let’s face it; we probably don’t need that in an election year.
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