It’s almost that time Mac Miller fans! Next Friday, January 17, the Pittsburgh multi-hyphenate’s estate is going to share the legend’s long lostBalloonerismalbum. Folks who attended Tyler, The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw festival in November were treated to the possibility that this could be happening. Colorful and unique visuals were played on a screen and after about two minutes, a balloon with Mac’s face in abstract art form arose. A snippet of “5 Dollar Pony Rides” accompanied the exciting trailer-like sequence and the hype became real. Thankfully, Mac Miller’s estate didn’t wait too long after that to officially announce its arrival.
Now that we are just ten days away, we are receiving some more major updates. The Instagram account that handles everything surrounding the late icon revealed the tracklist just moments ago and people are so ready. “I intentionally never found any leaks in hopes of this day… I’m so ready ” one user writes with excitement. “I CANNOT EXPRESS OR PUT INTO WORDS HOW F***ING EXCITED AND HYPED I AM FOR THIS ALBUM,” another adds, “THE TRAILER ITSELF WAS AMAZING THIS ALBUM IS GONNA BE AN ODYSSEY.”
Balloonerism is going to be 14 tracks with features from SZA and one of Mac’s many alter egos, Delusional Thomas. This era of his was started back in 2013 with Watching Movieswith the Sound Off. That makes sense considering the fact that this project falls in between that and Faces. Overall, both are his more experimental efforts.
But this isn’t the only amazing piece of news. Mac’s estate is also going to be dropping off a lead single this week. “5 Dollar Pony Rides.” January 9 at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET,” the caption reads. It’s surely going to be a treat for those who have not heard any of the LP’s many leaks. 2025 is off to a great start and we hope that Mac’s legacy will once again be honored in the coming days.
It’s 2025 and some of ya’ll are waking up and choosing violence. The long-standing feud between NBA giants Dwight Howard and Shaquille O’Neal has reignited in 2025, with Howard calling out Shaq for years of perceived disrespect, even challenging him to a physical confrontation. The drama flared up after Howard appeared on The Gaud Show podcast, where he spoke candidly about the ongoing tension between the two, particularly the animosity he’s felt since entering the league.
If you don’t recall, Howard, a former No. 1 overall pick who succeeded Shaq as the Orlando Magic’s center, expressed frustration at what he perceived as Shaq’s resentment towards him. “What I hated the most is the fact that he always thought I was trying to be him or be like him,” Howard said, referencing the comparisons the two faced due to their similar playing styles and careers. “But again, if I wanted to be you or be like you, shouldn’t you take that as a compliment and show how great you are as a player and a person?”
Still a relatively young man, the 39-year-old, who was the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year, didn’t hold back in revealing his feelings. He even shared that he’d considered confronting O’Neal in person at the NBA on TNT studios, where Shaq regularly films alongside Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson. “You keep doing it, so I’m gonna have to talk to you man to man,” Howard said. “I was finna roll up to the studio and be like, ‘Yo, what’s the deal?’ Every time I hear about you, you’re disrespecting me in some way. At this point, I’m like, do we need to throw hands? What are we doing?”
As for Shaquille O’Neal, who’s 52, he wasted no time firing back on social media after hearing Howard’s remarks. On X (formerly Twitter), O’Neal dismissed his rival, saying, “@DwightHoward the fact u think I care about u is funny. But I won’t ever bring your name up again sensitive big man, a jokester that can’t take a joke. Won’t ever say your name again ever again. Have a great day and now u have been deleted.”
Not one to back down, Howard responded swiftly, accusing Shaq of being insecure and harboring jealousy over the years. “I know you care,” Howard fired back. “Cuz yo insecure a** been hating and talking sh*t for 20 years. You [too] big to be this insecure. I hope you don’t bring my name up again. 52 years old tweeting me. And still hating. Now all this time you was joking. You always been jealous. Jealous of Kobe, Penny, Dwyane. You jealous of Charles too.”
Howard also called on O’Neal to move on from his apparent animosity, even referencing a message O’Neal had allegedly sent him years ago. “Go move around big lazy insecure a**,” Howard continued. “Still have that long 5 Paragraph direct message you sent me a couple years ago telling me that I’m not that great to hate. And you still doing it. It’s 2025 grow the hell up and move on.”
The obvious bad blood between these two has simmered for over two decades, sparked initially by Howard’s adoption of Shaq’s “Superman” persona during his time with the Orlando Magic. While O’Neal, a four-time NBA champion, has regularly taken jabs at Howard, it seems the younger star has had enough of the verbal slights. As their rivalry continues to evolve, Howard made it clear that he won’t tolerate what he sees as Shaq’s persistent bullying and disrespect.
It seems that the drama between the two NBA legends is far from over, with Howard now publicly challenging his former idol to settle things once and for all.
Whoops, T.I. and Tiny Harris saw a significant reduction in their lawsuit payout against MGA Entertainment after a judge ruled that their intellectual property case over the OMG Girlz was lacking key evidence. The initial $71 million award was cut down to just $17.8 million in damages, with $53.6 million in punitive damages now off the table.
The sprawling lawsuit, which had been underway for several years, accused MGA Entertainment of copying the likenesses of the OMG Girlz in their L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. dolls. The couple, who have been outspoken advocates for artists’ rights, alleged that the dolls were suspiciously similar to the group they helped create and promote. Despite two previous mistrials, the third trial resulted in a victory for T.I. and Tiny, though the payout was considerably reduced following the latest ruling.
Get this, on Monday, January 6, U.S. District Judge James Selna ruled that there was insufficient evidence to prove that MGA Entertainment had intentionally infringed on the OMG Girlz’s trademark. According to the Lanham Act, for punitive damages to be awarded, proof of intentional infringement is necessary. As a result, the court slashed the punitive damages, effectively reducing the couple’s win from $71 million to just over $17 million.
What’s interesting, the Lanham Act allows for plaintiffs to recover profits from trademark infringement, but it also grants the courts discretion in determining the damages. Despite this setback, Tiny, who has been at the forefront of the legal battle, expressed her gratitude to the jury after the initial ruling: “We wanted to thank the jurors for just seeing us through this and believing in what we said. They heard our story and knew we weren’t lying. It’s amazing.”
What’s more, T.I. also shared his thoughts on the outcome, emphasizing the resilience of his family and the importance of protecting intellectual property. “It’s a testament to the relentless resilience of my wife, daughter, and nieces,” he said. “We’re just happy we were able to come out on top and fight for creatives and our intellectual property.” His attorney, John Keville, added, “We appreciate the jury for standing up to MGA’s bullying and misrepresentations.”
Whelp, despite the financial setback, the OMG Girlz continue to move forward with their music career. The group reunited in 2023 and is set to open for SWV and Xscape on their Queens of R&B tour in 2024, signaling that their creative journey is far from over.
While this legal battle may not have concluded with the financial payout they hoped for, T.I. and Tiny’s continued efforts to defend their artistic legacy have not gone unnoticed.
Mac Miller highlights the early 2025 new music calendar with Balloonerism, which gets its first official release after other versions of the project have circulated online. The January 17 release date for the posthumous project was revealed previously, but now we have the tracklist.
Of particular note are features from SZA on “DJ’s Chord Organ” and Delusional Thomas on “Transformations.” Beyond that, there are no other credited features on the project.
“Many of Malcolm’s fans are aware of Balloonerism, a full-length album that Malcolm created around the time of the release of Faces in 2014. It is a project that was of great importance to Malcolm — to the extent that he commissioned artwork for it and discussions concerning when it should be released were had regularly, though ultimately GO:OD AM and subsequent albums ended up taking precedence.
We believe the project showcases both the breadth of his musical talents and fearlessness as an artist. Given that unofficial versions of the album have circulated online for years and that releasing Balloonerism was something that Malcolm frequently expressed being important to him, we felt it most appropriate to present an official version of the project to the world. With that in mind, we’re happy to announce that Balloonerism will be released on January 17th, 2025.”
Find the tracklist (and the previously revealed cover art) below.
Mac Miller’s Balloonerism Album Cover Artwork
Warner Records
Mac Miller’s Balloonerism Tracklist
1. “Tambourine Dream”
2. “DJ’s Chord Organ” Feat. SZA
3. “Do You Have A Destination?”
4. “5 Dollar Pony Rides”
5. “Friendly Hallucinations”
6. “Mrs. Deborah Downer”
7. “Stoned”
8. “Shangri-La”
9. “Funny Papers”
10. “Excelsior”
11. “Transformations” Feat. Delusional Thomas
12. “Manakins”
13. “Rick’s Piano”
14. “Tomorrow Will Never Know”
Balloonerism is out 11/17 via Warner Records. Find more information here.
It’s a new year, but some things remain as they ever were; basketball players still want to rap, and nostalgia still dominates discussion of both art forms. That’s why “Tweaker,” the new single from G3 — better known as LiAngelo Ball, the middle sibling of the athletic trio — has arrived at the perfect time to set the tone for the year ahead.
The song, which takes stylistic cues from turn-of-the-millennium Cash Money Records, has become a fan favorite over the weekend. Memesters have incorporated into cheeky music videos mimicking the aesthetics of the early aughts — ultra baggy jeans, tall white tees, and color-coordination from the fitted caps to the sneakers — and social media users have joked that the dissident sibling may have found his niche despite not joining Lonzo and LaMelo in the NBA.
It doesn’t hurt that he sounds confident and personable on the track, something a lot of his athletic peers have struggled with in their forays into the studio. Maybe he got that from his dad, who somehow charmed his way into stardom as the driving force behind his sons’ respective hustles into the NBA.
So, why has this song resonated with rap fans, NBA fans, and everyone in between — especially considering that the former two groups can’t even seem to agree on anything going on within their own cohorts? This is how I see it:
Firstly, trends come and go in cycles. It was only a matter of time until the musical trends in rap eventually circled back around to recapture the glory days of spinning rims and Motif synths. After all, as evidenced by the hype rushes for 2024 standouts like Megan Thee Stallion’s Megan, Doechii’s Alligator Bites Never Heal, and particularly, Ice Spice’s Y2K!, millennial nostalgia is very in right now — especially for those who may only have caught its tail end in the first place. Heck, there were no fewer than four major feature films about the era, one of which went extremely viral for how wrong it got all the details.
Likewise, big hits of recent years, like Latto’s “Big Energy,” Jack Harlow’s “First Class,” and The Weeknd’s “Creepin’” had made use of prominent samples from the late ’90s and 2000s, priming pop culture for a big resurgence of such sounds (I called this back in my review of Harlow’s second album That’s What They All Say back in 2020). As the samples became more prominent, so too did demands that artists get back to original sounds. What better way to recapture the magic from those singles than duplicating the production styles and flows from noughties hits like Big Tymers’ “Still Fly” or T.I.’s “Motivation?”
At the same time, hip-hop has reached a bit of an impasse; the trap sounds that have dominated the past decade don’t hit like they used to — just see the lukewarm or divided receptions of nominal chart-toppers like Lil Baby, or the way basically everybody turned on Drake last year. Folks are looking for something fresh — and in all forms of art and entertainment, inspiration is often gleaned by taking note of past trends and reinterpreting them for modern audiences (Nosferatu and Wicked, anyone?).
Heck, even basketball fans are yearning for a more “back to basics” approach to the game — which is really just a nostalgic grasp for cultural relevancy and a second childhood to appreciate youth. The main cohort of commentators with the loudest platforms complaining about the number of threes being taken in a game is made up mostly of people entering middle age — LeBron James turned 40 last month, remember — who are rapidly realizing that their best days (or at least, the least painful ones) might be behind them.
Combine that with a younger generation just entering the stage in which they finally yearn to be taken seriously by their elders — think Meg hitting 30 next month — means that the time is absolutely ripe for a cohort of artists seeing 30 on the horizon to finally start making appeals to their forebears as they realize they’re closer to us than they are the next group of kids who will break the paradigm in the decade ahead.
The fact that it’s LiAngelo Ball, a product of both hip-hop and the sports world, who cracked the code is one of those funny quirks of fate that looks inevitable in hindsight. Like a bunch of NBA players, he wants to make music as much as he wants to hoop; unlike Damian Lillard or Bones Hyland, he isn’t currently on an active roster, which means fans can perceive him as a rapper who used to hoop. Maybe that’s made them more receptive. Maybe it really was fate.
But either way, he’s given us a glimpse of the future of hip-hop, which sounds a lot like its past. So, dust off that throwback — which is now a throwback squared — and get ready for a nostalgic revival of the Y2K sound.
After much speculation and doubt, the Air Jordan 1 High OG “Black Toe Reimagined” is officially set to drop on February 15th, 2025. Official photos have finally been released, putting an end to the uncertainty surrounding this highly anticipated pair. This updated version pays homage to the original design while introducing modern updates. The “Black Toe Reimagined” colorway features a blend of white, sail, and red, delivering a fresh yet nostalgic look. Its use of premium materials and vibrant color-blocking ensures it stands out, making it a standout choice for collectors and casual wearers alike.
Excitement for this release continues to build as the confirmed date approaches. The Air Jordan 1 High OG remains celebrated for its timeless design and advanced Nike Air cushioning, ensuring both style and comfort. Its high-top structure and durable build have solidified its status in both basketball and streetwear culture. With official images now revealed, fans can eagerly count down to February 15th. The combination of nostalgic elements with contemporary features makes the “Black Toe Reimagined” a must-have addition to any sneaker collection.
The sneakers feature a crisp sail midsole paired with a bold red rubber sole, delivering a retro-inspired, worn aesthetic. Also, vibrant touches come from the black and red leather overlays that beautifully complement the clean white leather upper. Adding to the design, the sides are adorned with a smooth leather Swoosh, while the traditional Wings logo is swapped out for the angular Air Jordan emblem above.
More Photos
Sneaker Files reports that the Air Jordan 1 High OG “Black Toe Reimagined” will be released on February 15th. Also, the sneaker will have a retail price of $180 when it is released. After months of speculation, this release date finally puts an end to the uncertainty. Furthermore, the official images confirm the blend of classic and modern details fans have been waiting for. With this announcement, anticipation continues to build among sneaker enthusiasts.
Lil Baby made his return after some quiet years following the release of his third studio album, It’s Only Me. The project did very well among his core fan base, raking in over 213,000 album equivalent sales in its debut. However, most critics couldn’t give it the same praise with its bloated tracklist being its biggest downfall. Following that, the response to his features, and loosies since that project have been middling at best. Then, when he announced his fourth LP, WHAM (Who Hard As Me), a lot of folks were making it known that Lil Baby better pull through.
Well, at least in the case of his die-hard supporters, it’s looking like he’s done so again. According to HipHopDX and Hip Hop All Day, the Georgia hitmaker is projected to move around 115,000 to 125,000 units in week one. Because of this, Lil Baby has a real shot at taking the top spot on the Billboard Hot 200 chart next Tuesday. His main competition will be Puerto Rican phenom Bad Bunny and his album, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS.
It is worth mentioning that Lil Baby’s deluxe of WHAM will not count towards the final figure. If he does pull through and take the number one slot on the Hot 200, it will be his fourth consecutive project to reach that mark. The initial release was 15 tracks long and featured acts such as Travis Scott, Young Thug, Future, GloRilla, and more.
The deluxe made landfall on Motown’s website as a digital deluxe with four extra cuts. There’s “Idol,” Running This S***,” “My Shawty,” and “99” featuring another guest performance from Future. It’s available for $4.99 USD. This is also supposedly not the end of the road for Lil Baby though this year in terms of new music. He is claiming that he will be be dropping Dominique hopefully as soon as next month. Baby has said that “Dominique is more the serious me, more personal. That’s a part of the new journey I’m on. I hate the word vulnerable, but I’m gonna be more open to my fans and my audience.”
” one user writes with excitement. “I CANNOT EXPRESS OR PUT INTO WORDS HOW F***ING EXCITED AND HYPED I AM FOR THIS ALBUM,” another adds, “THE TRAILER ITSELF WAS AMAZING THIS ALBUM IS GONNA BE AN ODYSSEY.”
