Hip Hop News

LeBron James Teases Fans With Russell Westbrook Workout

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Just a few weeks ago, the Los Angeles Lakers completely shook up the NBA as they traded Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Russell Westbrook. Everyone knew the Lakers needed a third superstar in order to keep up with the Brooklyn Nets, and that is exactly what they got with Russ.

There are various fans out there who think Russ won’t fit in with the Lakers as their spacing won’t be up to the task. Others are convinced that the Lakers’ big three will play unselfishly and that things will work out just fine. At the end of the day, LeBron and Russ are professionals and they should be able to figure it out.

LeBron James & Russell Westbrook

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

In fact, the two of them got to work out together recently, and LeBron posted about it all on his Instagram page. As per typical LeBron fashion, he opted to throw some shots at his haters by sarcastically noting how he doesn’t think his partnership with Russ is going to work.

“Work with the Brodie! I agree I don’t think this will work @russwest44,” LeBron said with a smiley face emoji attached.

The two seemed locked in for next season and if these two are able to find chemistry early on, then there is no doubt that the Lakers are going to be a dangerous team from start to finish.

Stay tuned to HNHH for more updates from around the basketball world.

Boldy James Taps Earl Sweatshirt For “Photographic Memories”

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The Alchemist, though he has a long history in the hip-hop world, has quickly become one of the most sought after producters in the game over the past few years. This comes after successful collaboration albums with the likes of the Griselda crew as well as Freddie Gibbs. His latest venture comes in the form of the new Boldy James LP Bo Jackson, a dark and eerie collection of somber tracks. “Photographic Memories,” which includes an Earl Sweatshirt feature and a Roc Marciano appearance, establishes itself immediately as a favorite on the album.

The Alchemist takes the cake so quickly on “Photographic Memories” that it seems unfair- the beat is just too good! Though the production is relatively simple, it’s elegant and features a beautiful vocal sample that drives the track. That being said, Boldy James definitely impresses with his verse. He goes in and out of cold flows as he discusses the violence in his earlier years and the “photographic memories” that haunt him.

Earl Sweatshirt does a great job picking up where Boldy leaves off, taking his flow and altering it just slightly to fill up the middle of the song. Earl is all-too-comfortable on an alchemist beat and “Photographic memories” proves so, as the rapper fills his verse with metaphors and poetic language. 

Check out the track below:

Quotable Lyrics:

In any case, if I seem distanced and reserved, then give me space
Heavy pinch of herb send me on my way
Head of the herd, making’ sure everyone got a plate
Left here disturbed with the look on my face

Justin Fields Shines In Preseason Debut & Earns Praise From LeBron James

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Bears’ rookie quarterback Justin Fields put on a show in his preseason debut during Chicago’s matchup with the Miami Dolphins. The 11th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft caught the attention of LeBron James with his first game on his new team.

After a slow start for Fields, which included a fumble, he finished mistake-free for a total of 142 yards and one touchdown in the air, as well as 33 yards and one touchdown on the ground. The young quarterback connected on 14 of 20 passing attempts.

Justin Fields, LeBron James
Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images

James praised the performance on Twitter while Field was still tossing passes.

“Justin Fields is so SPECIAL man!! Keep going Young [King],” he wrote.

Immediately after, Fields threw a perfect touchdown pass to Jesse James from over 30 yards: “Sent that right before he just threw a TD off the Play Action to Jesse James.”

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently said that the Bears coaching staff are confident in Fields’ command of the offense.

“I’m told the Bears feel that Fields’ command of the offense is improving every single day,” he reported on SportsCenter. “They know he can make the athletic play, the spectacular play. They want to see tonight, him mastering the nuances of their offense.”

VanJess Recruits Lucky Daye On “Slow Down” Remix

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Nearly a year after the track first appeared, sister duo VanJess have tapped labelmate Lucky Daye to deliver on the remix to their “Slow Down” offering.

The sultry track once more sits over the Lafayette Afro Rock Band sample as the Keep Cool signees complement each other in the best of ways. The original cut was housed on the duo’s Homegrown EP. The full project arrived in February of this year with features from the likes of Phony Ppl, Garren, Jimi Tents, and Devin Morrison.

It’s the latest appearance from Daye, who has been lending vocals to a handful of his contemporaries lately after tending to fans with his Table For Two album of duets, also released in February.

Quotable Lyrics

Got me takin’ my time, pressin’ rewind
Just to make the moment longer (Oh, oh)
Can you slow down the time?
Like from nine to nine, love how you’ve been makin’ me stronger

LeBron James Shows Off Stealthy Nike LeBron 19 Colorway

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LeBron James is one of the best basketball players in the world and when all is said and done, he will be right behind Michael Jordan on the all-time list. Having said that, LeBron has also carved out quite a legacy for himself when it comes to the world of signature sneakers. Since 2003, LeBron has been putting out new models with Nike, and every single year, fans can expect new offerings.

To celebrate the release of Space Jam: A New Legacy, LeBron showed off a Tune Squad colorway of the Nike LeBron 19 which is his next signature model. Since that time, fans have been wondering what other offerings would be coming down the pipeline, and they were also asking when the shoe would officially be released to the masses.

LeBron James

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Now, LeBron is giving us some clues in regards to the Nike LeBron 19 as he recently took to Instagram with a couple of photos of himself training with his new teammate Russell Westbrook. In the Instagram post below, you can see LeBron sporting a stealthy all-black version of the Nike LeBron 19 that truly stands out on the court. The silhouette itself is pretty unorthodox although LeBron certainly wears it well.

There is no telling just yet whether or not this is a colorway that will be released, however, triple-black offerings are common so we wouldn’t be surprised to see it on store shelves sooner rather than later. 

Keep it locked to HNHH as we will continue to bring you the latest updates regarding the Nike LeBron 19.

Fredo Bang Contracts COVID-19 While Jailed In Miami

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Just weeks after his July 21 arrest in Miami, Fredo Bang has contracted COVID-19, per reports from the Miami Dade Correctional Center.

It was while preparing to perform at Rolling Loud Miami that the Louisiana rapper was arrested on an out-of-state warrant for a parole violation. While he was expected to be extradited to his home state, a positive COVID-19 test has put things on hold. Bang, along with rapper Lit Yoshi, was arrested in Miami.

Yoshi has been wanted for his alleged connection to the 2019 shooting that took place at Trump International Beach Resort in Florida. Though NBA YoungBoy was reportedly the target, bullets ended up injuring YoungBoy’s girlfriend while killing a 43-year-old bystander. No charges have been brought up against anyone yet.

Yet, his arrest was the result of a parole violation as well as the conditions of a previous release from jail “instructed [Yoshi] multiple times that he could not appear in a music video or release new music that contained his image,” per a Louisiana court filing.

Yoshi violated these terms with the release of his “War With A Millionaire” music video.

Both Yoshi and Fredo were arrested at their shared Miami Lakes home in Florida.

Fat Joe And Dre Go Old School On “Diamonds”

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Fat Joe’s return to the studio has been nothing if not long-awaited and special- thankfully, the rapper didn’t disappoint. The rapper’s 11th studio album, What Would Big Do 2021?, is an incredible blast from the past that features Fat Joe’s classic New York rapping style with production from Fat Joe collaborators Cool & Dre. Overseeing it all is DJ Drama, who brought a similar hip-hop-focused direction to Tyler, The Creator’s most recent project. “Diamonds,” which Dre raps on as well, proves to be a standout on the tracklist as Fat Joe gives one of his best performances in recent years over a soulful beat. 

“I’m the big daddy came with the raw, fool/ now what you want, huh? Dog food?” sets the tone for Fat Joe’s cutthroat verse on the =first leg of the track. It seems the New York native hasn’t lost that fire that pushed him to the top of the rap game in the 1990s. Dre brings similar energy, though making references to Biggie and his influence on the rap scene. Needless to say, there are a plethora of bars to sort through between both vocalists. 

Check out the track here:

Quotable Lyrics:

Pain don’t care about Sun, put your lights out
Know how many homies I seen died when it’s nice out?
I’m the big daddy came with the raw, fool
Now what you want, huh? Dog food?

Michael B. Jordan On Denzel Washington Comparison: “That’s My Mentor”

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Michael B. Jordan has responded to the growing belief that he is “the next Denzel Washington,” saying that he considers the legendary actor to be his “mentor.” TMZ caught up with Jordan, Friday night, while in West Hollywood.

“That’s my mentor man,” he said. “It’s all love man.”

Michael B. Jordan
David Becker / Getty Images

Jordan is next starring in A Journal for Jordan, which is being directed by Denzel Washington. The film follows a soldier serving in Iraq who keeps a journal filled with advice and love for his infant son.

“Everybody wants to work with him, and he’s a very selective guy,” Jordan recently told USA TODAY when asked about working with Washington. “So the fact that he wanted to work with me was a huge deal for me.”

He added that the movie “was a good change of pace,” after working on numerous action flicks.

“I’ve done a lot of physical roles, because that’s been my appetite. I’m 34; the last seven years has been (about) physically developing into your sweet spot,” he added. “I felt safe to be able to go into this, to explore these characters, and to be vulnerable in that type of way.”

[Via]

Live Nation Will Require Vaccinations Or Negative COVID-19 Tests For Their Concerts And Festivals

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It appears Live Nation is looking to put safety first. The nation’s largest concert promotion company has announced that vaccinations or negative COVID-19 tests will be required for its concerts and festivals. The requirement goes not only for all attendees but also all artists and workers at any future shows that are involved with the company. President and CEO Michael Rapino detailed the announcement in a statement on Friday.

“Vaccines are going to be your ticket back to shows, and as of October 4th we will be following the model we developed for Lollapalooza and requiring this for artists, fans and employees at Live Nation venues and festivals everywhere possible in the US,” Rapino said, according to Rolling Stone.

Live Nation — which is responsible for some of the biggest festivals in the world, including Lollapalooza, Music Midtown, Austin City Limits, and Bonnaroo — previously announced it would allow artists to determine vaccination requirements for its shows. The company is also requiring all employees to be vaccinated by October 4 in order to visit any of their offices, events, or venues.

The announcement comes after AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group), the country’s second-largest concert promotion company, announced it would put the same policy in place for its shows. AEG is responsible for subsidiaries like GoldenVoice, which operates festivals like Coachella, Stagecoach, and upcoming fests like Lovers & Friends and Day N Vegas.

DJ Khaled Revealed He And His Family Successfully Recovered From COVID-19

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While parts of the nation have re-opened, the pandemic isn’t over. The Delta variant is causing cases to surge, forcing many states to scale things back. Even people who’ve been vaccinated have reported getting relatively mild cases of the disease. One of them is DJ Khaled.

The producer broke the news on Instagram. “Fanluv, all our friends and family,” he wrote. “Thank you for your calls and prayers! My family and I recovered from COVID and we’re all good now! God is the greatest! God loves us and we love God!” Khaled, who is married to his wife Nicole Tuck, the mother of their two children 4-year-old Asahd and 8-month-old Aalam, did not reveal which member(s) in his family came down with the virus. In the caption, he expressed gratitude to those who helped them.

“Thank you, grateful for all the love grateful for everyone checking in on my family and I! Please be safe out there! Please take care of yourself,” he wrote. “Thank you to DOCTORS, thank you Dovi thank you to my Queen, thank you Rosa, thank you to my WE THE BEST team, my management ROCNATION, and My partners at EPIC RECORDS for holding me up while me and my family focused on recovery.” He concluded with a reminder to “be safe out there.”