Hip Hop News

Throughout the course of an NBA season, it is always common for certain players to be the victims of pieces that paint them in a bad light. For instance, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer recently came out and said that Tristan Thompson was no longer popular in the Celtics locker room and that his teammates weren’t really fans of him. This led to quite a bit of backlash on social media as numerous Celtics players came out and defended their new squad member.

Recently, Thompson was asked by reporters about O’Connor’s piece, and as you can imagine, he wasn’t a fan. Thompson was adamant that he has a great relationship with all of his teammates and that throughout his career, he has built himself a solid reputation.

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“That guy, Kevin O’Connor — I don’t know if I should mention his name or not, because he doesn’t deserve my two cents, but I remember every name because I am like an elephant,” Thompson said. “So, with him saying I’m not liked in the locker room, that was funny, because that’s not the case. Why not mention my name? Especially with our team going through and up-and-down season like everyone is trying to say. So it makes sense to point out one of the better guys. But [Jaylen Brown] and Kemba [Walker] came in and had their tweet. Kemba doesn’t ever tweet and he tweeted that, and JB came and did the same thing. That guy just wanted clickbaits. You’re welcome, Kevin O’Connor, for using my name. Got you some more hits and some retweets.”

With the Celtics struggling at times this season, it shouldn’t be surprising that this kind of reporting was done. When a team has issues, a scapegoat is usually sought out, and in this instance, it just so happened to be Thompson.

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With DMX remaining in the hospital as of this morning — his family has yet to issue a statement on his current health situation — many of his hip-hop peers have continued to celebrate the rapper’s incredible presence. Eminem, Busta Rhymes, The Ruff Ryders, and many more stepped up to offer words of encouragement, and today, TMZ caught up with Killer Mike for a few words on DMX’s legacy. 

“His greatest legacy are his fifteen children,” begins Mike, acknowledging and praising DMX’s role as a father. “Musically, he has been an amazing man. I met DMX personally myself, me and my cousin. We gambled for like, eight grand. My cousin Jimmy skipped him for about five grand, I was on the side making his manager bet me for about three.” Judging from his tone and the glimmer in his eye, it’s clear that night is one on which he looks back fondly. 

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“The last time I saw him, he was singing Christmas Carols to a table in a Waffle House making everyone very happy,” continues Mike, sparking universal thoughts about DMX’s classic rendition of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer. “He taught people that you can love through suffering. He taught people there is no shame in addiction because he was always honest about being in that place. And he taught people that there was no shame in being sensitive and vulnerable. He showed people publically that he loved God, and he has fifteen amazing beautiful people. I hope their father survives this, and travels a long journey with them.” 

 Check out Mike’s eloquent reflection on DMX’s life and legacy below. 

Los Angeles-based recording artist Doja Cat has risen from a meme lord to a pop star, becoming the latest woman in rap to capture the hearts of millions of music fans around the world. She’s been hustling for a minute, releasing smidges of her artistic vision throughout the last half-decade with her debut album Amala and her follow-up effort, the ultra-viral Hot Pink. With songs like “Say So”, “Juicy”, “Streets”, “Cyber Sex”, “Rules”, “Like That”, and “Bottom B*tch” all spending time as major trends on TikTok and other social media platforms, Doja Cat has taken over her lane, becoming one of the most in-demand artists in the music business.

As we near the release of her upcoming album Planet Her, Doja Cat appears ready to ramp up her return effort, following her feature on Saweetie’s “Best Friend” with a single of her own. The 25-year-old has officially announced her next single, titled “Kiss Me More”, which features SZA. The song is dropping tonight.

The cover art shows a beautiful landscape stylized in teal and pink tones. Female mannequins stand face-to-face in front of palm trees, speed boats, and more oceanside wonder. 

The track already has fans of both artists freaking out on social media. Anytime Doja Cat or SZA announces new music, it’s a good day for stan Twitter.

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Will you be checking out “Kiss Me More” by Doja Cat and SZA tonight? Check out what others are saying below.

Despite the drama that the two can’t seem to fully escape from, JT and Lil Uzi Vert appear to be enjoying a loving relationship ever since they made things official earlier this year. The couple recently stepped out together, and although people have been dragging JT’s fashion choices and claiming that she has changed while dating Uzi, the City Girls rapper’s latest post proves that she is perfectly satisfied with her relationship nonetheless.

In her most recent post to Instagram, JT shows off a striking Louis Vuitton bag that Uzi gifted her, and she also left a long caption that expresses her appreciation for the Eternal Atake artist.

“Thanks for spoiling me,” the City Girls rapper writes, “treating me like a queen, the consistency, the things behind the scenes! You always doing your big one for me! Making it harder for the next exclusive lurkin.”

In response to JT’s gushy post, Lil Uzi Vert left a heartfelt comment in return, writing, “Your friendship and love is worth more than ALL THIS STUFF…Thank you . just thank you.”

Yung Miami also left a comment on JT’s post, dispelling any rumors that there are any issues or disagreements threatening the City Girls’ chemistry. Although Yung Miami’s response to the post simply consisted of two fire emojis, it showed that she is still supportive of her fellow City Girl.

The sale of Lil Nas X’s “Satan Shoe” collaboration with MSCHF may have been temporarily blocked by Nike, which has gone to great lengths to disassociate itself from the Satanic-inspired sneakers. The shoes have been the talk of the town for a few weeks. They were released as a promotional tool to push Lil Nas X’s new single “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)”, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week. The song’s video features a scene where the rapper twerks on the devil’s lap, which angered the masses on Twitter. The sneakers arguably caused even more rage though.

It’s pretty difficult for the average consumer to get their hands on a pair of the highly sought-after “Satan Shoes”, which retailed for over $1,000. However, a few celebrities have been showing off their pairs, including Miley Cyrus and Trippie Redd. Miley flexed with the kicks, which feature a single drop of human blood in the air bubble and lots of Satanic imagery, sharing pictures on Instagram and making way for Trippie Redd to slide through in them.

“On my wavy sh*t, you know what I’m sayin’?” exclaimed Trippie Redd on Instagram, wearing a black hoodie with devil horns on the hood and pairing them with the much-discussed “Satan Shoes”. “Shout out gang, though,” he added, focusing on his kicks. “Shout out Nas, my n***a. #1 gang.”

Trippie Redd has previously sported inverted crosses and the number “666”, sparking rumors that he might also be a Satanist. With that said, it’s not all too surprising that the rapper has a pair of these shoes in his closet. We wouldn’t be surprised to see Playboi Carti and Lil Uzi Vert, two other rappers that have brought on similar controversies, pop up wearing these eventually.

Do you think Trippie wears them well?

Fresh off the release of his “Big Purr” collaboration with Coi Leray, Pooh Shiesty’s unstoppable year continues. A rumored XXL Freshman list leaked, and among the artists included was none other than the steadily rising Memphis rapper. Pooh Shiesty even sidestepped a beef with Kodak Black recently, proving that Gucci Mane’s prodigy is purely focused on his success.

In true shiesty fashion, however, it appears that Pooh Shiesty does have some lingering beef after all. In a recent post to his Instagram story, the 1017 Records artist sent a slew of violent shots at an unnamed adversary.

“Sh*t be a image for these h*es fr,” Pooh Shiesty writes at the start of his brief IG rant. He continues to rattle off subliminals, saying, “Yo favorite gangsta know I’ll kill him. And I think him & everybody in they gang a b*tch.”

Since whoever Pooh Shiesty is aiming these aggressive shots toward goes unnamed, there is no way to confirm who the rapper has an issue with, but it’s clear that the Memphis rapper is saying that they aren’t who they appear to be on the internet. 

Do you think that Pooh Shiesty’s street persona is all a part of his “rap image” or do you think that it’s authentic?

Like it or not, Soulja Boy is one of the most influential rappers of the late 2000s. From how he broke out onto the music industry using the internet to his style, Soulja Boy’s tendency to be a trailblazer has been well documented. However, that doesn’t stop Soulja from hitting social media and making some pretty far-fetched proclamations about his career and influence. After reloading the clip on Drake in regards to the Soulja Boy interpolation on the Thank Me Later single “Miss Me,” Soulja Boy is back with another hot take. Yet this time, Big Draco’s focus is on the iconic and beloved streetwear brand BAPE.

In a recent tweet, Soulja Boy wanted his props for making BAPE a highly sought-after brand, writing, “I made these n*ggaz wanna wear BAPE,” complete with a monkey emoji.

Several rappers have responded to Soulja Boy’s latest antics, with Juelz Santana leaving a simple “Lololol” with a face-slapping emoji and Tory Lanez writing, “The video for “hustler Muzik” when Wayne was running from the cops is what made me wanna wear Bape.”

BAPE has a storied history in Hip-Hop, as it’s not only a go-to streetwear option for several rappers but also a brand that has long been willing to work and collaborate with artists on select pieces and even entire lines. Most recently, BAPE has teamed up with artists such as Future, Kid Cudi, Gunna, The Weeknd, and Drake, so clearly, the Japanese brand has a massive reach within the Hip-Hop community.

While many Hip-Hop historians may point out Soulja Boy’s style when he first catapulted onto the music scene as well as his unforgettable “I got me some Bathin’ Ape” line from his breakout hit “Crank That (Soulja Boy),” Big Draco was simply not the first rapper to expose the masses to BAPE. At one point, the eccentric streetwear brand has even been rumored to have sparked the longstanding beef between Pusha T and Lil Wayne, years prior to Soulja’s emergence. That’s not even mentioning the impact that Pharrell Williams has had on the brand’s visibility within the United States.

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What do you think about Soulja Boy’s latest claim? Is there validity to it or is he overlooking the generations of Hip-Hop artists who rocked BAPE before him?