Hip Hop News

Jay-Z Says He Boycotted The 1999 Grammys After DMX Was Snubbed At The Award Show

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Competition in hip-hop has always been a major factor in hip-hop. It’s something Jay-Z knows all too well, having had spats with acts like Nas and Drake. But sometimes rappers need to put aside their differences for the greater good. During a recent appearance with Bad Bunny on LeBron James’ HBO show The Shop, the legendary musician spoke about once siding with the late DMX after the Grammys failed to nominate him at their 1999 show.

“The first time I boycotted the Grammys was for him,” he said. “We both came out that year. He didn’t get nominated. He dropped two No. 1 albums in the same year and they didn’t even nominate him.” The two albums Jay-Z is referring to are 1998’s It’s Dark And Hell Is Hot and Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood. The 1999 award show is also where Jay-Z earned his first Grammy, winning in the Best Rap Album category for Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life. He added, “I wasn’t even in the building because I boycotted it for him. There was a competitive thing, but it was big love.”

Jay-Z then dove into the pugilistic nature of his relationship with DMX, recalling a time when the late rapper called him out at a show. “He got on stage: ‘JAY-Z, where you at!?’ I was like, ‘This guy is nuts!’ He was just all passion,” he said. During the episode of The Shop, Jay also explained why DMX was an impossible act to follow at live shows.

Kawhi Leonard’s ‘Culture Jam’ Project Released A Video For ‘Everything Different’

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Friday was a pretty good day for Kawhi Leonard. On the court, the two-time NBA Finals MVP came up big in the Los Angeles Clippers’ Game 3 win over the Dallas Mavericks, scoring 36 points and reeling in eight rebounds to propel his side to a crucial 118-108 victory. With the win, L.A. cut its series deficit against Dallas in half, making things 2-1 ahead of a gigantic Game 4 in Dallas on Monday evening that could lead to the Clippers re-gaining home-court advantage with the win.

His big day wasn’t just limited to what he did in the world of basketball. A gigantic music fan, Leonard, along with Warner Records Senior Vice President of A&R Eesean Bolden, is the driving force behind Culture Jam, an upcoming compilation album that is slated to drop sometime this summer. While Leonard does not rap on the album, he did tease that a video was coming for the track “Everything Different” featuring NBA YoungBoy and Rod Wave.

The video, which also features top high school basketball recruit Mikey Williams, dropped on Friday, and you can watch it at the top of this post. Beyond just the album, the broader Culture Jam project will be used as a way to raise money for youth sports and arts initiatives, with a portion of Leonard’s earnings heading to the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation.

“Culture Jam will always be a platform where creators’ ideas and talents come to life and serve our families and communities,” Leonard said in a statement. “As an athlete that loves family, music, culture, and community, it was extremely important for me to build a space where all these elements thrive. Culture Jam’s significance is not only timely but it is also necessary. Equally, it is extremely important to support youth. My donation to the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation is just the beginning of that support and connection.”

Bugzy Malone Reflects On His Near-Death Experience On New Album “The Resurrection”

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Manchester actor/rapper Bugzy Malone has been through a lot over the last year. While driving his motorbike, Malone crash into the side of a car and was left bloodied. The artist almost died in the crash and just a few weeks later while lying in the hospital, he almost died of a clot in his lung. These near-death experiences served as the inspiration for his latest album, The Resurrection, which sees the artist putting all of his emotions out in the open, for the world to see.

Considering everything he has dealt with, there should be no surprise that there is plenty of storytelling to be found here. For example, songs like “M.E.N. III” offer vivid recollections of his bike crash and the bloody aftermath. On other tracks, Malone gives us production filled with dramatic strings and tension-building drums. These sounds fit the name of the album perfectly it’s clear that Malone had a lot to say.

At 52 minutes in length, this is a great listen and you can stream it, below.

Tracklist:

1. The Resurrection
2. M.E.N. III
3. Don’t Cry
4. Cold Nights In The 61
5. Welcome To The Hood
6. The Masters (Interlude)
7. Van Gogh Effect
8. Salvador
9. Ride Out
10. Bounce
11. Notorious
12. The Immortals (Interlude)
13. Gods
14. Angels
15. Skeletons

Porsha Williams Gets Fiancé Simon Guobadia’s Name Tattooed On Her Neck

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Porsha Williams has been the subject of intense scrutiny ever since she announced her engagement to Simon Guobadia, the estranged former husband of her Real Housewives of Atlanta co-star Falynn Guobadia, after only one month of dating. Falynn finally broke her silence about the incident earlier this month, sharing in a statement, “I want to thank everyone for reaching out to me and offering their love and support. At this time, I am focusing on finalizing my divorce and healing. Sending positivity to all of you.”

Since getting together, Porsha has not been shy about sharing her love for Simon with the world. In an interview on FOX’s pop culture series Dish Nation, Williams admitted to going under the gun to profess her love for her fiancé. “I got a tattoo, I think it’s a great way to show the way you love someone. I got my fiancé’s middle name tattooed on my neck, yeah,” she confessed to the hosts. 


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“You got your what?”  “You did? You got Simon’s name on your neck?” asks the co-hosts of the series. “His middle name tattooed on my neck,” she confirms again. “Yeah, I think it’s a beautiful way to show you love somebody, it’s sweet.”

“Interesting, why you ain’t put it on somewhere where it’s exciting for him to go?” asked another co-host. “Well, right here ain’t that hard and I don’t like no pain. Right here, it doesn’t hurt and you know, I think that’s cute,” Porsha explained further. 

Porsha previously spoke about her friendship with Falynn. “Simon filed for divorce from a previous marriage in January. I had nothing to do with their divorce filing. That’s between the two of them. Falynn and I are not friends, and Simon’s divorce has been settled. Our relationship is a positive, loving step forward in everybody’s lives,” said Porsha in a post. 

Guobadia defended his finacé in his own post, adding, “I asked [Porsha] to marry me because we checked ALL of each other’s boxes, and then some. We have done the individual work to sustain a healthy relationship, and I stand next to her, proud that we found each other.”

Kim Kardashian Granted Temporary Restraining Order Against Alleged Stalker

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While she endures a highly publicized divorce from Kanye West, Kim Kardashian apparently has additional troubles to worry about. Over the past several months, the mother of four has reportedly been dealing with a stalker who has been growing increasingly threatening and erratic.

According to Complex, the billionaire socialite has allegedly been harassed by 32-year-old Charles Peter Zelenoff for quite some time. It’s reported that Zelenoff’s alleged obsession with Kardashian first came to her attention when he started to constantly post on social media about his devout love for her. Things reportedly took a much darker turn, however, once Zelenoff allegedly shared videos from the edge of Kim’s property in which he expressed frustration that he couldn’t figure out how to get inside.

According to Complex, the troubling actions that Zelenoff is accused of were enough for Kim to be granted a temporary restraining order against him, and now Zelenoff — who has two prior convictions for battery — has been ordered to stay 100 yards away from Kardashian at all times. Furthermore, Complex reveals that Kim felt compelled to seek a restraining order because of Zelenoff’s ability to find her house since she has never shared her address publicly.

In more lighthearted news, Kim Kardashian was recently put on blast by her and Kanye’s daughter North West, so check that story out here and stay tuned for more updates on her alleged stalking situation.

[via]

Farruko Enlists CJ For Bilingual Banger “Love 66”

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Puerto Rican superstar singer Farruko has been a staple of Latin music for the last decade and he has collaborated with some of the biggest artists in the world. He knows how to craft a hook and for the most part, his songs sound like anthems that can fill stadiums while also getting tons of plays at parties. With his latest single, Farruko has teamed up with Brooklyn artist CJ for a song that merges drill and Latin music.

“Love 66” sees both of these artists on top of their game as they go off over a booming drill-inspired instrumental. Farruko’s vocals soar over the production and the Spanish lyrics certainly give the song a unique feel. Meanwhile, CJ offers up his signature flow on this song as he drops braggadocios bars that fit the vibe of the record.

Overall, these two work well together and perhaps we will see another collab, in the future.

Quotable Lyrics:

I’m finna ball like 23, uh (23, uh)
Two, three shots like who he? Uh (Yeah)
I fell asleep in the two seat, uh (Uh)
Fuck that shit, I’m too street, uh

Air Jordan 1 “Light Fusion Red” Release Date Confirmed: Photos

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With the summer just a few weeks away, sneakerheads are looking for some vibrant colorways to wear with their colorful summer outfits. It is a season that typically provides us with a ton of great shoes and Jordan Brand is making sure they bring the heat for all of us. The Air Jordan 1 is set to receive a ton of great models and one of them just so happens to be the “Light Fusion Red” offering.

In the official images below, you can find a vibrant model which has a white base and some reddish-pink overlays. From there, we are given some hints of yellow thanks to the Nike swoosh and even the cuff. These colors work perfectly in tandem with one another to create a scheme that works great with any sort of summer outfit.

If you are looking to get your hands on a pair, you will be able to do just that as of Saturday, June 12th when these hit the SNKRS App for $170 USD. Let us know what you think of this new shoe, in the comments below. Also, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from the sneaker world.

Image via Nike
Air Jordan 1
Image via Nike
Air Jordan 1
Image via Nike
Air Jordan 1
Image via Nike

Rick Ross Sued By Concert Promoters After He Missed A Show Earlier This Year

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Rick Ross has some new legal troubles to deal with. The rapper was sued by St. Louis concert promoters after he missed a show back in January 2021. Antoine Meeks and Orland Watson filed a lawsuit earlier this month that seeks $74,000 in damages from Ross. According to the St. Louis Business Journal, Meeks, whose company is Black Luxury Entertainment LLC, and Watson, who’s connected to Rockhouse Entertainment, claimed Ross was contracted to appear at the Pagent in St. Louis, but the show was eventually canceled after he didn’t appear for the concert.

Prior to the cancellation, Meeks, Watson, and their respective companies said Ross was set to receive $60,000 in two payments through their contract. The first $30,000 was paid on October 21, 2019, while the second half would be given at the time show. The promoters also paid $6,000 for the venue, $3,300 to accommodate Ross’ travel expenses, $4,100 on marketing and promotions, and $25,000 on “production costs.”

As he awaits further details in this lawsuit, Ross will most likely continue work on his upcoming album, Richer Than Ever. Back in September, he said the project was 95% complete. He and Drake are also reportedly working on a joint album, which former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson revealed in a tweet. “The joint album they’re doing together [will] unseat all projects they’ve done to date,” he wrote.

Donovan Mitchell Comments On Negative Rep Surrounding Jazz Fans

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This past week, three fan interactions put a damper on what should have otherwise been some great playoff games. First off, Russell Westbrook had popcorn dumped on his head, all while Trae Young was spat on. Perhaps the least reported incident of them all involved the likes of Ja Morant whose parents were reportedly harassed by Utah Jazz fans. Salt Lake City has had a bad reputation over the years, especially when it comes to racist incidents. For instance, there was a situation just a couple of years ago with Russell Westbrook, and it left a huge stain on the reputation of Jazz fans.

Recently, Jazz star Donovan Mitchell spoke about this reputation and noted that it’s truly unfortunate. However, Mitchell also stated that he doesn’t believe it’s keeping players from signing in Utah. “There is a rep that this happens solely here and as we’ve seen there’s incidents that happen everywhere … I don’t know, but I don’t think it will necessarily have an impact on guys’ decisions, whether they want to come here or not,” he said.

As for the incident involving Morant, Mitchell hates that it happened in Utah, and he wants to see widespread change all around the league.

“It happened here. Trae got spit on in New York, Russ getting popcorn thrown at him, and we obviously hear what’s going on in Boston too. Enough is enough, man. I feel like banning them is great but I don’t think they should be back,” he noted.

Moving forward, the NBA has pledged to take harsh action against fans who act in an inappropriate manner. Hopefully, these actions continue to discourage people from getting out of pocket, in the future.

Donovan Mitchell

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