Hip Hop News

Halfway through June, the NBA playoffs are heating up more and more every day. The Phoenix Suns have solidified their spot in the Western Conference Finals, but the remaining six teams — the Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz, Atlanta Hawks, Philadephia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Brooklyn Nets — are still powering through some extremely competitive series. On Tuesday night, however, Kevin Durant delivered such an incredible playoff performance that it has convinced many NBA fans that he and his Brooklyn Nets are definitely headed to the Eastern Conference Finals, with or without the help of Kyrie Irving and James Harden.

Prior to Game 5 in Brooklyn, the Nets and the Bucks’ series was tied at 2-2, and with the Bucks leading the game by 16 points at halftime, it looked like Milwaukee was going to be able to steal an away game and finally take the series lead. But then Kevin Durant gave the Barclays Center and every NBA fan across the world a show for the ages, with a historic performance that pushed his team to a hard-fought and much-needed victory.

According to CNN, Kevin Durant scored 49 points, snatched 17 boards, and facilitated 10 assists, making KD the first player in NBA history to record at least 45 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists in a playoff game. What made Durant’s performance even more impressive is that the 32-year-old star power forward played throughout all 48 minutes of the game, which CNN reports is the first time an NBA player has done that since LeBron James did it in 2018 while playing with the Clevland Cavaliers. 

Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets are currently up 3-2 in their 7 game series against the Milwaukee Bucks. Their Eastern Conference semifinals matchup continues in Milwaukee on Thursday, so while you patiently wait for the next game, check out some of the best Twitter reactions to KD’s mind-blowing performance below.

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Late last month marked the first anniversary of George Floyd’s death. After Derek Chauvin was formally convicted of Floyd’s murder in the high-profile case, the decision was a landmark one, marking one of the first times an officer has ever been convicted in a racially charged justice case.  

Floyd has been commemorated in numerous ways throughout the country. According to reports, 24 states and the District of Columbia enacted police reform legislation immediately following his passing. In New Jersey, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka is set to unveil an enormous statue of the late Minneapolis resident to be displayed outside of their City Hall for at least one year. 

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“The artwork honors the life of George Floyd, an African-American man who was brutally murdered by a white Minneapolis police officer,” the mayor’s office said in a statement.

They furthered, “Mr. Floyd’s death elevated the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement which has resulted in an international response, including protests, police reform measures, and the removal of Confederate statues from public parks and racist names from organizations.” In addition to the statue, following Floyd’s death, New Jersey also prohibited the use of force by an officer towards a civilian unless it’s the last resort. 

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The Newark event honoring the life of George Floyd with a statue coincides with Juneteenth 2021. The statue was donated to the city this week as a part of an effort to develop a “world-class public art program.” 

The event is scheduled for 2:30 pm outside City Hall. It will also be streamed via the city’s Facebook page here. 

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Chicago rapper Polo G is setting himself up to become a Hall-of-Famer, establishing himself as one of Chicago’s strongest musical talents coming up. With his third album out now, the 22-year-old recording artist is setting out to reach a new level, following up Die A Legend and The GOAT with yet another solid body of work. Clearly, legacy is important for Capalot, dealing with this theme on all three of his major-label studio albums. 

With a #1 debut on the horizon for Polo G, the rapper spoke with one of the most prolific people in the city of Chicago: Scottie Pippen. Polo had a conversation with the two-time Hall-of-Famer about what makes for a legendary career, what advice he would give to his younger self, and more during the talk, also touching on his new music. Scottie seemed appreciative of the opportunity, thanking the rapper twice for name-dropping him on his song “33.” In fact, Pippen told Polo that he’s keeping him “relevant” with the younger crowd, which he’s grateful for.

“I appreciate you, appreciate you dropping my name and keeping me relevant so more power to you,” said Scottie Pippen to Polo G as they were closing out their discussion. 

During their chat, they spoke about Pippen’s incredible career with the Chicago Bulls, his rivalry with the Detroit Pistons, and more. Watch below.

Fans of The Flash were treated to a peek at the character’s new costume in the upcoming film of the same name. It is directed by Andy Muschietti, most notably known for helming the film adaptations of the It series. The film began production in April and is slated for a late 2022 release.

Actor Ezra Miller plays the titular character and first debuted in 2017’s Justice League, before making somewhat of a rejuvenated return in the Zack Snyder cut of the film released earlier this year, which gave more screen time to the scarlet red speedster’s backstory. The character’s solo film is said to focus on his attempt to travel back in time to prevent his mother’s death, which unintentionally affects his current timeline.

Though the teaser image doesn’t offer a full look at Allen’s new suit, its new differences are immediately prominent – particularly in the circuitry design embedded in the scarlet red portions, hinting at the hero’s ability to harness electrical power to defy time and space. In contrast, the Justice League costume had more of a Batman-like aesthetic, with segmented armor plating throughout.

The DC Extended Universe received a renewed sense of interest from fans earlier this year when director Zack Snyder released his four-hour-long cut of the Justice League through HBO Max, which included cut scenes and visual cinematography that was more in line with his original vision. The Army of the Dead director exited the film during its production after having conflicting creative differences with Warner Bros. executives and the unexpected passing of his daughter.

Director Joss Whedon took over the project and the initial release was not well-received among fans and critics, which began persistent petitioning over the years from fans to release the “Snyder Cut.” The result was a film that delivered on fans’ initial hopes for a DC team-up movie, one that specifically gave The Flash one of the plot’s most critical moments.

“The Flash” is rumored to include appearances from both versions of Batman played by Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton in previous films. Muschietti teased Keaton’s appearance a couple weeks ago in an Instagram post that showed the character’s classic logo.

What do you think about The Flash’s new look? Are you excited for the speedster’s new film? Comment below.

According to reports, Phoneix Suns’ point guard Chris Paul has entered the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols. A person close to the situation said on Wednesday (June 16) that right now, it’s unclear whether he’ll be cleared and available in time for the start of the Western Conference finals next week. 

The Athletic’s Shams Charania first reported that Paul will be sidelined for “an indefinite period of time.” The anonymous source close to the situation told The Associated Press that The Suns are not exactly certain right now how long Paul will have to be away from the team. 

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Neither Paul nor the team has released an official announcement regarding the situation yet. It’s also unclear right now whether Paul is vaccinated. Depending on the results of the other West semifinal game between the LA Clippers and Utah, the earliest the West finals could begin is Sunday. 

The likely start date of Game 1 of the West series is on Tuesday, however. The NBA notably eased up some of the protocols that were in place during the NBA Bubble at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in March. At the time, the association did caution however that “if an individual has symptoms consistent with COVID-19, the previous protocols apply.”

This would mean that anyone would those symptoms “may be subject to quarantine” even if they’re vaccinated. The COVID vaccine has been known to have side effects that mimic symptoms of the virus. We’ll keep you updated on Paul’s status as new developments surface. 

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Gucci Mane has been reaping the spoils of a 1017 takeover, with new wave artists like Pooh Shiesty, Foogiano, BigWalkDog, and Big Scarr holding it down with a string of solid releases. Naturally, big Guwop decided to get in on the fun himself with his brand new album Ice Daddy, dropping on Friday, June 17th.

Today, Gucci took a moment to unveil the stacked tracklist, which features seventeen tracks and an intriguing blend of older and newer artists. Joining him on the project are BigWalkDog, Pooh Shiesty, Sir Mix-A-Lot, BIG30, Lil Baby, Lil Uzi Vert, 2 Chainz, Young Dolph, E-40, Project Pat, and Peewee Longway. In addition, Ice Daddy also features a healthy amount of Gucci Mane flying solo, which is always nice to see — and not always guaranteed in this day and age.

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Ice Daddy is set to be Gucci’s first solo album since Woptober in 2019, which ultimately capped off a prolific streak from the Atlanta legend. We look forward to hearing what he’s been cooking up for his comeback — if a lineup of Gucci Mane, Pooh Shiesty, and Sir Mix-A-Lot isn’t enough to pique your interest, we don’t know what will. Check out the full tracklist for Ice Daddy below, and sound off if you’ll be tuning in when it drops this Friday. 

1. Poppin ft BigWalkDog
2. Posse on Bouldercrest ft. Pooh Shiesty & Sir Mix-A-Lot
3. Shit Crazy ft BIG30
4. Like 34 & 8 ft Pooh Shiesty
5. Dboy Style
6. Trap Shit ft Lil Baby
7. I Got It ft. Lil Uzi Vert
8. Rich N***a Shit
9. Top of Shit ft 2 Chainz & Young Dolph
10. Never Runnin Out Of Money ft. E-40
11. Fold Dat Money Up ft. Project Pat
12. Gucci Coming For You
13. Invoices
14. Live at the Red Carpet ft Peewee Longway
15. Bust Down
16. Lately
17. How I See It

One of the most famous relationships in Hip-Hop history is Tupac Shakur’s friendship with Jada Pinkett-Smith. The actress’s loyalty to the late cultural icon was so unyielding that she reportedly turned down a role in the 1995 classic film Dead Presidents because of Pac’s beef with the movie’s directors. On many occasions, Jada has discussed how Tupac’s death continues to affect her, and in honor of what would have been his 50th birthday, Jada Pinkett-Smith has returned to social media to discuss her late friend once again.

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Taking to Instagram to celebrate Tupac’s birthday, Jada shared a video that features a never-before-seen poem written by the late All Eyez On Me rapper. “Tupac Amaru Shakur would have been 50 midnight tonight! As we prepare to celebrate his legacy … let’s remember him for that which we loved most … his way with words. Here are a few you may have never heard before…Happy “you goin’n to be 50 at midnight” Birthday Pac!… I got next.”

The poem reads, “Some say nothing gold can last forever / And 2 believe this [I] need no proof / I have witnessed all that was pure in me / And be changed by the evil men can do / The innocence possessed by children / Once lived inside my soul / But surviving years with criminal peers / Has turned my warm heart to cold.”

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A post shared by Jada Pinkett Smith (@jadapinkettsmith)

“I used 2 dream and fantasize / But now I’m scared 2 sleep,” Tupac’s poem continues. “Petrified, not to live or die / But to awaken and still be me / It is true that nothing gold can last / We will all one day see death / When the purest hearts are torn apart / LOST SOULS are all that’s left / Down on my knees I beg of God / To save me from this fate / Let me live to see what was gold in me / Before it is all too late.”

Pac concluded his letter by writing, “Yours, Tupac.”

Check out some of the Twitter reactions to Jada Pinkett-Smith’s heartfelt post below.

Rest in peace, Tupac! 

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