Hip Hop News

Tiffany & Co., the luxury American Jewelry brand has partnered up with hip-hop royalty Jay-Z and Beyoncé to serve as the new face for their “About Love” campaign. The campaign marks a number of firsts, including the inaugural instance of Beyoncé and Jay-Z appearing alongside one another for a creative endeavor of this variety. Photographed by Mason Poole, Beyonce wears a priceless Tiffany diamond, becoming the first Black woman and 4th person to wear the legendary stone since its discovery in 1877, while the couple poses with a never-before-seen Basquiat painting. 

The painting is called “Equals Pi” and dates back to 1982. In a conversation with Women’s Wear Daily, Alexandre Arnault, the executive VP of products and communications at Tiffany said, “We don’t have any literature that says he made the painting for Tiffany, but we know a little bit about Basquiat. We know his family. We know he loved New York, and that he loved luxury and he loved jewelry. My guess is that the [Tiffany blue painting] is not by chance. The color is so specific that it has to be some kind of homage.”

Many on social media were impressed by the painting, and specifically, Jay-Z’s calculated creative investments (Basquiat styled-hair in front of a Basquiat painting) while others didn’t quite understand the hype.

The “About Love” print campaign is set to launch in early September and an accompanying video component will air on Sept. 15. As part of Tiffany’s collaboration with the Carters, the brand has also committed $2 million toward scholarships and other programs at HBCUs.

Summer Walker has been giving fans a preview of her album-making process by posting a series of photos on the gram. The new mother recently shared a photo in the studio with a host of other creatives, captioned “Almost Done”. Thus far we know that she has been in the studio with Omarion, SZA, Ari Lennox, Diddy, and Lil Durk. In July she shared a snippet of new music on Instagram to an overwhelmingly positive response. “Comment if you ready to smoke cry & sing lol,” she captioned a clip of herself in the studio with the new song playing.

After her high-profile breakup with Producer London On Da Track, fans can expect the new album to include subliminal messages and Instagram-worthy captions intended to shade men. Despite their personal differences, the former lovers proved to be a formidable musical duo. Debuting at number 2 on Billboard, Over It was met with critical acclaim upon its release and celebrated for returning to a classic R&B foundation. The album won best album at the 2020 Soul Train Music Awards and was the most streamed album by a female artist on Apple Music in 2020.

Fans have been patiently waiting and are for sure excited about her announcement:

Comment below if you’re excited about new music from Summer Walker. 

MoneyBagg Yo is having an insane year, clocking in the biggest commercial numbers in his career to date. The Memphis-based rapper has been consistent for many of the last five years, but in the pandemic, he strived to his highest level and achieved the most sales among hip-hop artists for an album released this year.

Last month, it was revealed by HitsDailyDouble that MoneyBagg Yo had the highest number of sales on a rap album released in 2021, and he’s maintained that position for the last thirty days, taking an even larger lead.

Prince Williams/Getty Images

According to the latest numbers, MoneyBagg Yo has sold 777,000 copies of his new album A Gangsta’s Pain, which is the most out of any other rapper this year. J. Cole crept up to the second place position with 723,000 sales on The Off-Season, while Pooh Shiesty goes down to third with 712,000 units. Polo G and Rod Wave rounded out the top five, with Doja Cat, Lil Baby and Lil Durk, Lil Tjay, Young Stoner Life Records, and DJ Khaled closing out the tally.

At this point, it’s looking like MoneyBagg Yo has the top spot locked down– until Drake, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar drop, that is.

Be sure to check out our latest digital cover story with MoneyBagg Yo here. Also, check out our recent interviews with YSL Records here, since they’re also on the list!

In March of 2021, rapper Jackboy was arrested and charged for gun possession after being pulled over in Atlanta, Georgia. Initial reports indicate that police pulled over a blue Lamborghini SUV that the rapper was riding in, citing the odor of marijuana as the catalyst for a search. In the process, they discovered two unregistered firearms in the passenger’s side compartment, where Jackboy was sitting.

Though another passenger claimed ownership of the guns, Jackboy’s status as a previously convicted felon prohibited him from being within reach of a weapon. As such, he was later charged with possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. Now, TMZ has reported that the gun possession charge has been officially dropped.

According to their report, Monroe County D.A. Jonathan L. Adams decided not to pursue the charge, citing “concern regarding being able to prove [Jackboy] had actual knowledge of the location of the firearms.” Evidently, the passenger who claimed ownership of the guns also proved to be a hurdle for the D.A, who ultimately decided that the charge was more trouble than it was worth. 

Jackboy’s attorney had a few words to share on the matter. “We told you early this year that [Jackboy] was innocent of these charges,” he tells TMZ. “We are very much appreciative of them making that important decision.”

Overall, it’s good news for Jackboy, who has recently been making headlines over a widely publicized falling out with his former collaborator Kodak Black. 

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Carson Wentz was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL just a few seasons ago, however, injuries ultimately took the wind out of his sails. Wentz was on a solid trajectory although things continuously went south for him as he lost his confidence and was never able to get it back while with the Philadelphia Eagles. As a result, he was benched and then traded to the Indianapolis Colts, where he hopes to reignite his career.

In training camp, it was revealed that Wentz was injured yet again and needed to have surgery on his foot. It is an injury that has been with him since his teenage years, and doctors noted that it had to be taken care of.

Justin Casterline/Getty Images

The recovery timeline for the injury was set at four to 12 weeks, which had the Colts scrambling to figure out who would start the season under center. Now, however, the Colts and Wentz are getting some promising news as according to reporter Zak Keefer, the QB can now participate in practice. 

This is a huge step towards Wentz starting games this season, and as you can see in the tweet below, he is moving around quite nicely. The QB has had his fair share of issues and the Colts maintain they do not want to rush him back. Having said that, hopefully, this is the end of Wentz’s inury problems, and we can truly get a sense of what he can do. 

 Justin Casterline/Getty Images

It looks like New York-based rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie is gearing up to release his new album, sharing a trailer for the upcoming project on social media, as well as the cover artwork.

Following his standout performance at Summer Jam this weekend, A Boogie started hyping up his next studio album release, sharing an animated trailer with butterflies swarming him and helping him fly to a new world. The cover artwork shows the rapper standing in a heart-shaped hoodie, seemingly by himself on another planet. The promo appears to be for the album A Boogie Vs. Artist, which has been teased for months. 

In the caption to his post, A Boogie suggested that he’s not in a rush to release the new music, writing, “#NODATE #FREEAVA.” 

Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images

His caption has fans wondering when the album will be released, with many commenting that they believe it will only drop next year. “Yea this not dropping until next year,” said the most popular comment. “No date wtf,” complained another. “What does no date mean,” added another fed-up fan. “you had all this time and still ain’t got no date ? smh you disappointing me & my homegirls artist.”

Do you think A Boogie will pull through and release the album this year, or are his fans correct in thinking that he’s only going to deliver in 2022? Watch the trailer below.

Kanye West is set to have a very big week as it is believed he will be dropping his new album DONDA following a listening party in Chicago. Of course, this could all be yet another bait and switch as Kanye is known to do such things frequently. As for his sneaker likes with Adidas, Yeezys always seem to come out on time, and the releases are often enough to give fans all around the world multiple chances at acquiring some new heat. 

His most popular model is the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2, and this weekend, we are set to receive the “Light” model which will have a UV-sensitive strip on the sides. As for the colorway itself, the shoe is mostly beige with some cream accents all the way throughout. The stripe on the side is meant to turn yellow, and it creates a nice contrast that will look good with whatever you choose to wear during the Fall season. 

These kicks are set to be released this Saturday, August 28th for a price of $220 USD through the Adidas Confirmed App. Let us know what you think, in the comments below. Also, stay tuned to HNHH for more updates from the sneaker world.

Image via Adidas

Image via Adidas

Image via Adidas

Image via Adidas

Image via Adidas

JAY-Z and Beyonce have come to epitomize the term “power couple,” becoming synonymous with luxurious living in the process. Unsurprising, considering the vast scope of their combined net worth. Now, the pair have joined forces for a brand new ad campaign from Tiffany & Co, marking the first time Hov and Bey have collaborated on such a project.

Not only does the campaign mark a new milestone for JAY-Z and Beyonce, but it also grants them a new outlet to further establish themselves as aesthetes. In fact, Complex reports that the couple is pictured alongside a never-before-seen painting by the legendary Jean-Michel Basquiat, titled “Equals Pi.”

On the painting, Tiffany’s executive VP of products and communications Alexandre Arnault speculated on a potential connection between Basquiat and the company. “We don’t have any literature that says he made the painting for Tiffany,” explains Arnault. “But we know a little bit about Basquiat. We know his family. We did an exhibition of his work at the Louis Vuitton Foundation a few years back. We know he loved New York, and that he loved luxury and he loved jewelry. My guess is that the [blue painting] is not by chance. The color is so specific that it has to be some kind of homage.”

According to Dazed Digital, the 1982 painting was owned by a private collector before Tiffany acquired it. Evidently, “Equals Pi” has proven to be quite the scene-stealer, sending social media into a frenzy fueled by the sight of sheer opulence. In addition to the pictures — shot by photographer Mason Poole — Tiffany has also unveiled a brief clip from the “About Love” campaign. In it, a love-struck Hov films his wife playing piano, a candid glimpse into their dynamic.

In honor of the collaboration, Tiffany & Co has pledged to offer two million dollars in scholarships for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Feast your eyes on the campaign’s video below.

Lil Durk said last year that he believes he’s the closest equivalent to JAY-Z in his hometown of Chicago, speaking to the rap legend’s hold over New York. His comments didn’t blow over well with hip-hop fans, but Chicago music lovers begged to differ, showering Smurk with praise following the statement. 

This weekend, Durk repeated a similar claim, popping up during a surprise concert in The Chi and telling the audience that with the way they received him, he felt like JAY-Z.

Prince Williams/Getty Images

“What we doing?” asked Durk to the crowd. “This is like one of those moments where you stand here like you motherfucking JAY-Z in this bitch, for real, right?”

While this year’s comparison was more subdued, people are still angry that he would reach to compare himself to such an iconic figure. “He not bad but don’t compare yourself to jay z bro,” said one fan, commenting on the video. “lil durk u aint nowhere near jay z my guy,” said another.

Prince Williams/Getty Images

What do you think about Lil Durk’s JAY-Z talk? Does he hold a similar status to Hov in Chicago?

Recently, Durk spoke about the wild crime rates in his city, saying, “I be willing to help the best way I can but some higher power act as if they don’t care. This need to change and ASAP.” Read more about that here.