Hip Hop News

J. Cole Releases An ‘Off-Season’ Colorway Of His Puma RS-Dreamer 2

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J. Cole

Although J. Cole’s new album The Off-Season has now officially been out for over a week, the unusual rollout for the long-awaited album continues — and keeps to the established theme of “rap as basketball.” With a cover featuring a burning basketball hoop, a documentary detailing his “training” for the new album, a cover story in Slam magazine, and a professional basketball career in Rwanda, Cole’s been using The Off-Season to reinforce the long-held parallels between basketball and hip-hop.

Today, he and his Dreamville crew revealed the latest version of his Puma basketball sneaker, the RS-Dreamer 2, in a new colorway, fittingly titled the “Off-Season Reds.” The shoes are modeled in the campaign shots by the NBA’s Kyle Kuzma of the Los Angeles Lakers and the WNBA’s Skylar Diggins-Smith of the Phoenix Mercury.

In his debut game for the Rwanda Patriots of the Basketball Africa League against the Nigeria Rivers Hoopers, J. Cole put up a respectable rookie box score (3 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists) and played admirable defense, earning plenty of accolades from other pro hoopers who were simply impressed to see the 36-year-old pursue his hoop dreams and keep up with the best players the continent has to offer.

You can pick up the “Off-Season” red RS-Dreamer 2 here.

YG And Mozzy’s Thrilling ‘Gangsta’ Video Flexes Their Hood Credentials

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YG and Mozzy’s joint album Kommunity Service has arrived and with it, the video for “Gangsta,” the project’s intro and third single. Borrowing the loop from 50 Cent’s 2002 breakout hit “Wanksta,” the two West Coast native flash their hood passes and talk major cash, taunting phony gangbangers and reiterating their own credentials. YG steals the show with a double-time flow on the back half of his verse, showing off a newly polished flow that shows he’s been on the J. Cole rap writing workout plan.

Speaking of stealing things, the video is a tongue-in-cheek affair, as YG and Mozzy recruit a team of lingerie-clad honeypots to infiltrate a mark’s mansion, tying him down and opening the door for YG, Mozzy, and their goons to enjoy an illicit shopping spree at the rich man’s expense. It shouldn’t be funny, but with veteran actor De’Aundre Bonds (aka Stacey from The Wood and Dope and Skully from Snowfall) playing the victim, there’s plenty of humor imparted to the proceeds thanks to his portrayal as more annoyed than frightened.

“Gangsta” was preceded by videos for “Bompton To Oak Park,” which kicked off the rollout for Kommunity Service, and “Perfect Timing” with Blxst, which showed things wouldn’t be all gangbanging on the duo’s collaboration.

Watch YG & Mozzy’s “Gangsta” video above.

Kommunity Service is out now on Empire. Get it here.

Travis Scott’s Back W/ Kylie Jenner But There’s A Huge Twist

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Travis Scott's Bae Kylie Jenner Bikini Flex Is Dedicated To Fall Season

Houston rapper Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner really want to ride or die together even if there’s more people involved. The on-again, off-again couple have reportedly decided to give love a chance with some pretty big open boundaries. Travis Scott’s Back W/ Kylie Jenner According to reports, there’s a massive twist to Scott and Jenner […]

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Rudy Gobert Explains What He Plans To Do After Winning NBA Title

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Rudy Gobert is a player that typically gets a lot of hate from fans. While he remains of the best defensive players in the entire league, there are some out there who feel like Gobert isn’t what he’s cracked up to be. Not to mention, his role in the NBA shut down last year has left a bad taste in a lot of people’s mouths. Regardless, Gobert and his Utah Jazz teammates are sitting in first place in the Western Conference and they have as good of a shot as ever to make a deep run in the playoffs.

During a recent interview with Olympics.com, Gobert spoke about how he believes his team is well on its way to a championship and that he plans on repping France in the Olympics very soon after.

Rudy Gobert

Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

“Straight after the game, I’ll get on the plane with the NBA trophy in my hand,” Gobert said jokingly. “No, no, we’ll see… I may miss the Opening Ceremony but the most important thing is that I’m ready for the team. For now, my focus is on the NBA and then it will be Olympic gold.” […] I’m afraid of nobody and my team is afraid of nobody. I never feared anyone, and it won’t change today. The harder the challenge is, the more motivated I am. And I think it’s the same for my teammates. We hope they have the best team possible, but we know that other teams are strong also. It will be up to us to play our best basketball. As simple as that.”

The Olympics begin at around the same time as the final game of the NBA Finals, which means Gobert is going to have to make a very quick turnaround if his team gets that far. France is a team that typically does well at these tournaments, and Gobert is certainly among the country’s best players.

As for the Jazz, time will tell whether or not they can get the job done.

Rudy Gobert

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

[Via]

Benny The Butcher & 38 Spesh Drop Off “Trust The Sopranos”

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Benny The Butcher’s Black Soprano Family has joined forces with 38 Spesh’s Trust Gang for the aptly titled Trust The Sopranos, a new compilation project featuring talents from both lyrically sharp camps. Featuring contributions from Benny, Spesh, El Camino, Klass Murda, Ransom, Ampichino, Heem, Rick Hyde, Che Noir, and Chase Fetti, the album is yet another dose of quality hip-hop that further bolsters the narrative that the golden era is alive and well.

Though the album features plenty of inspired performances across the board, Che Noir leaves one hell of an impact on the haunting highlight “Price Of Fame.” “Look they put a black person for sale,” she spits. “Use churches and tell that the man we worship is pale / if you can read that’s why they murdered the males / now it’s ironic how these ni*gas catch a sentence fo they learn how to spell.”

Though the lack of a consistent lineup keeps Trust The Sopranos from true cohesion, there’s enough chemistry and common ground to keep things moving. It’s also a worthy showcase of the BSF and Trust Gang rosters, both of whom boast some stellar talent worthy of further spotlight. If you’ve come to value what The Butcher and Spesh have brought to the table thus far, do yourself a solid and add Trust The Sopranos to your rotation — if so, be sure to share your highlight tracks in the comments below.

Erica Mena’s Back On OnlyFans Grind Despite Baby OTW

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It’s going to take more than a baby bump to stop Erica Mena from making her OnlyFans bank. The hip-hop model has hit pause on the mommy duties to encourage followers to crack into her subscription service. Erica Mena’s Back On OnlyFans Mena hit up Instagram to share a sneak peek at herself in an […]

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Nas Celebrates Notorious B.I.G’s Birthday W/ Flashback

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New York rapper Nas knows the importance of May 21. The hip-hop icon has come forward to pay big respect and attention to the life of late friend Notorious B.I.G. Nas Celebrates Notorious B.I.G.’s Birthday Nasir Jones went to his Instagram page with a must-see flashback pic. The must-like birthday post features Biggie hanging out […]

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Steven Cannon Spits Flexes At ‘Mach 10’ In A Swaggering ‘Uproxx Sessions’ Performance

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Steven Cannon, a Lil Xan-affiliated rapper from Cincinnati, Ohio, is this week’s guest on UPROXX Sessions, delivering a breezy, breathless performance of his high-velocity single, “Mach 10.” Cannon, who’s a fixture of the SoundCloud rap scene, has been active for the past few years as the co-founder of Lil Xan’s “Xanarchy” movement after moving to Los Angeles at 18 and featuring on tracks like “The Man” and “Pills.” Xan (aka “Diego“) counts him as his number one influence after Cannon coached him on rapping after hiring him as a cameraman.

Cannon’s performance here displays all the hallmarks of the style that endeared him to followers and fans on SoundCloud and social media. He’s laid-back, confident, and fills the space around him with his outsized swagger. His flow glides along over the booming bass drum that dominates the “Mach 10” beat, filling his verses with quirky boasts about his money, status, and sex appeal.

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.

Benny The Butcher And Freddie Gibbs Lend Their Alchemy To Bobby Sessions On ‘Gold Rolex’

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Over the past year, Benny The Butcher and Freddie Gibbs have developed an indelible sort of chemistry, appearing on each other’s projects and demonstrating the smooth interplay between their unique lyrical styles, bonded together by the throughline of surviving the drug game and taking nearly ten years to blow up in rap. They lend this alchemic balance to newcomer Bobby Sessions on his new single, “Gold Rolex.”

Featuring a glittering, soulful beat with plenty of the throwback energy that flows through both the Butcher and Gibbs’ own music, “Gold Rolex” finds Sessions taking a step away from his Dallas-bred style to adopt a more traditionalist flow that fits better alongside the Buffalo, New York native Benny and Freddie’s midwestern twang. While longtime fans of Sessions’ more bookish style might be surprised to hear him fitting in alongside the more street-centric, elder rappers, they shouldn’t; Bobby’s always been quite versatile as he illustrates with each new track.

From his work on RVTLN 3: The Price Of Freedom to helping craft “I’m A King,” the theme song from Coming 2 America, with Megan Thee Stallion, Bobby’s always been able to transform to suit the needs of his tracks above all.

Listen to “Gold Rolex” above.

Freddie Gibbs is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Kwame Brown Goes Off On Famous Side Chicks With Another Scathing Rant

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Nobody could have predicted the way Kwame Brown burst back into relevance this year, calling out the people that have criticized him for the last few years with multiple heated rants in his car. The former NBA player has stepped on the necks of Charlamagne Tha God, Stephen A. Smith, Jemele Hill, Matt Barnes, and many others this week with rants that have earned reactionary comments from thousands of sports fans that were delighted to see Kwame going off after all these years.

As the 39-year-old former Laker continues to battle his critics to reclaim his legacy, Kwame Brown has officially taken aim at famous side chicks who expose the men they’re sleeping with — AKA Celina Powell, Sydney Chase, and their gaggle of girlfriends — for tearing down Black men who are trying to build something better for themselves.


Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

“You ain’t said shit about Bill Gates. Y’all don’t chase him around,” started Kwame, referring to the cheating scandal involving the multi-billionaire. “And some of you women got to stop being complicit and telling every goddamn thing. Bitch, you know you a ho and you slinging that p***y. Shut your goddamn mouth. This n***a’s a great man, you slinging that p***y, shut up! Ain’t nobody force you in the goddamn room. If he did, call the police! But if not, shut your goddamn mouth. You’re tearing down Black men that’s building. Bill Gates got to build every goddamn computer he wanted to build and have a side bitch and his white woman ain’t said a motherf*cking thing. And they got a nice little divorce that they’re gonna part ways and they’re still f*cking building. But see, when your focus ain’t on building nothing and your focus ain’t on having nothing, you’ll attach yourself to somebody and tear them down faster than anything.”

Many people seem to be lowkey agreeing with his comments on social media. What do you think about Kwame Brown’s latest rant?