Hip Hop News

This year’s NBA season is a bit different due to COVID-19. The typical campaign would start in October and would last all the way until early-mid June. With the pandemic raging on, the NBA was forced to start the season in late December, and now, the playoffs won’t be starting until May. With this in mind, the playoffs are now going to be finishing up in July, just before the Summer Games in Tokyo, Japan.

This has forced the NBA to tinker with its normal NBA Draft schedule, although today, that schedule was unveiled. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the NBA Draft Lottery will go down on June 22nd, while the actual draft will be July 29th. As for the combine, that will be a week-long event from June 21st-27th.

There are going to be some big names in the draft this year and teams with poor finishes in the regular season will be hoping for some luck in the lottery come June. Teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Pelicans have benefitted from the lottery system in the past, and only time will tell who gets the first pick in 2021. Perhaps the T-Wolves have a chance at repeating.

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

The release of Lil Nas X’s latest music video for “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” set the Internet ablaze, along with its accompanying sneaker release. The Satanic imagery sent Conservative pundits (and Joyner Lucas) on a downward spiral as they dwelled on the future of the youth and upholding traditional values.

In the midst of all of this happening, right-wing agent Candace Owens somehow managed to drag Cardi B into the mix. It was only a few weeks ago when Candace took issue with songs like “WAP” and “Up” and her concerns with what they’ll do the future of young women. This time, she used the death of George Floyd, Cardi B’s honesty, and Lil Nas X’s Satanic imagery as the real reason “that’s keeping Black America behind” — not white supremacy. Along with Owens, Twitter provocateur Matt Walsh claimed it was Cardi B and Lil Nas X that’s pushing young kids towards a life of criminality.

Cardi B has always been open about her religious beliefs in the past so she found it quite confusing why the imagery of Satan and hell was comparable to her confidence as a woman. “Don’t confuse and compare my sexual confidence with anything that has to do with religion.Ya keep putting me in these tweets and I don’t play that shit .I have very strong faith in God and I don’t play with him neither,” she wrote, adding, “Leave me then fuck alone!”

After a fan claimed that she practices Santaria, to which she replied, “Learn people religion you uncultured swine before you get them confused.”

“My issue is Every time a celebrity facing backlash or some dumb shit like the Dr Seuss & Pepe la peu shit happened people always gotta bring my fuckin name up & shit don’t be having nothing to do wit me .Like .SHIT DONT MAKE SENSE,” she added. Check her tweets below.  

Lil Nas X continues to have people talking about his latest endeavor, which is a shoe with the likes of MSCHF. In fact, MSCHF recently created their very own Nike Air Max 97 for Lil Nas X, although what’s particularly interesting about it is the fact that the midsole is filled with some red ink and even a drop of blood. With one drop of blood being added to all 666 pairs, there had to be a lot of blood drawn, to begin with. In an interview with Complex, the shoe’s creator, Daniel Greenberg, explained where the blood came from.

“Myself and some of my co-workers,” he said simply. Essentially, the blood does not come from Lil Nas X, but rather from a collection of random designers who chose to partake in the process. As for how the blood was taken, well, that wasn’t so easy.

“Not the best way, to say the least,” Greenberg said. “I could tell you; it’s just kind of graphic. But, like, not by any means a good way of doing it.” No matter how you feel about the process, it turned out to be successful as the shoe sold out in just 5 minutes.

MSCHF is also known for the Drake Holy Water shoes, and this latest model was on the complete other end of the spectrum. Regardless, MSCHF and Lil Nas X just came away with a huge win for themselves.

Image via MSCHF

Image via MSCHF

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This weekend was a busy one for numerous NBA teams as they looked to explore the buyout market and acquire some players that could help their squads as we approach the playoff portion of the season. Some teams only have about 25 games left, and having someone who can take over the workload is essential during these next few months. The Los Angeles Lakers understand this better than anyone and on Sunday, they officially signed Andre Drummond for the rest of the season.

Today on ESPN’s First Take, Stephen A. Smith made sure to applaud the Lakers for the move, noting that this is what will set the Lakers apart, moving forward. He also believes this move guarantees them the Western Conference championship, which is certainly a bold take at this stage.

“This dude has been in the league ten years. The only time he has not averaged double digits in rebounds is his rookie year,” Smith noted. He also went on to say that the Lakers already have perimeter shooting and even have the expertise of LeBron Jame and Anthony Davis, which is going to make it even easier for Drummond to go out and rebound.

While Smith makes a ton of great points, the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers have proven to be extremely deep this season, and if the Lakers struggling with injuries down the stretch, the acquisition of Drummond could prove to be meaningless.

Jason Miller/Getty Images

It’s not uncommon for artists to compare themselves to the greats. This year alone, we’ve already seen NLE Choppa pay homage to Tupac Shakur by recreating one of his photoshoots. There were also photos going around showing Youngboy Never Broke Again as the late rap legend. The latest rapper to compare themselves to Pac is Chicago’s very own Polo G, who says that he’s heard the comparison a few times.

Sharing pictures of himself with a white bandana tied around his head, an iced-out 1300 chain, and a jean jacket, Polo G made the observation. “They say im Pac rebirthed,” he wrote as his caption. “Never put out a weak verse. Homicides When we lurk imma step til my feet hurt.”

He added a “#HALLOFFAME” hashtag, believing that even at his young age, he belongs in the conversation as one of the greatest to ever do it. You can’t say that Mr. Capalot doesn’t have confidence running through his veins.

Polo G recently bounced back with his latest freestyle “For My Fans”, which took three of the hottest beats of the moment and repurposed them for the Chicago rapper to go in on. He’s also featured on Rod Wave’s new album, which is set to debut at #1 on the charts next week.

Do you think Polo G has a point or does he need to check his ego?

Today marks the beginning of Derek Chauvin’s trial in the murder of George Floyd. The murder trial began with both parties offering their opening statements. Chauvin’s defense made a bold claim in an attempt to prove his client’s innocence, claiming that George Floyd did not die from suffocation and excessive force but an overdose of drugs. Attorney Eric Nelson claimed that it can be proved entirely by the 9-minute of his death. Nelson added that a witness claimed Floyd appeared “drunk” when he tried to use a counterfeit bill to purchase cigarettes.

Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office via Getty Images

Nelson added that Floyd fell asleep in his car, attempting to suede that fact as proof that he was intoxicated. Additionally, Nelson said that Floyd “put drugs in his mouth” when he was confronted by police. Nelson said an autopsy indicated they found a “speedball” in his system. He said that Chauvin’s use of force was justified because of the weight and height difference — Floyd 6’3″ and 240 lbs and Chauvin 5’9″ and 140 lbs. Nelson said that this trial should be regarded as a trial against one man, and not a “social justice” trial.

Prosecutor Jerry Blackwell said Chauvin “betrayed his badge” during George Floyd’s death. Blackwell immediately addressed Nelson’s claim, saying that Floyd did struggle with substance abuse issues, though the video of Floyd’s death clearly indicates that he was murdered and didn’t die of an overdose. Blackwell explained that Floyd couldn’t have died from an overdose because he was clearly struggling to breathe from being suffocated. 

View the opening statement from Prosecutor Jerry Blackwell below. 

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