Hip Hop News

“AIR” Inspires This Brief History Of Air Jordan

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One of the biggest names in the sneaker world is none other than Air Jordan. Of course, this is the signature sneaker line of Michael Jordan – the greatest basketball player of all time. Overall, the Air Jordan line has 37 different signature shoes. Moreover, it has thousands of colorways that have made their way into the homes of consumers all throughout the globe. At this point, Air Jordan is a household name, and with the movie AIR receiving rave reviews, this is especially true.

This new movie stars the likes of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Damon plays Sonny Vaccaro, while Affleck plays Phil Knight. AIR recounts the true story of how Knight and Vaccaro went to great lengths to sign Michael Jordan to Nike. Although Jordan was a huge star with UNC, no one knew how good he would be in the NBA. However, Vaccaro and Knight had an inkling that he would be a transcendent superstar. Consequently, they wanted to give him his own sneaker, which was unheard of at the time. While Jordan remained reluctant about signing a contract, his mother ultimately convinced him after she said that he could sign a royalty deal. Subsequently, Jordan signed a five-year deal worth $2.5 million.

The Air Jordan Line Is Born

Air Jordan 1
Image via Nike

When MJ first signed with Nike in 1984, he wore the Nike Air Ship for his first few games. At the time, the Air Jordan 1 had yet to be developed by designer Peter Moore. However, eventually, Jordan was given his new sneaker, and it ultimately changed the sneaker industry forever. In the photo above, you can see how the sneaker has a simple yet timeless design. Moreover, this “Chicago” color scheme quickly became iconic, and the blueprint for all other OG Air Jordan colorways.

From there, Moore would team up with Bruce Kilgore on the Air Jordan 2. An underappreciated model that is starting to get a lot more shine right now. Although, it is important to note that following the release of this shoe, Michael Jordan grew frustrated with Nike and was very close to leaving the brand altogether. However, in came Tinker Hatfield with the blueprint for the Air Jordan 3. After showing Jordan his plans for an entire merch line attached to the shoe, MJ decided to stick around. From there, the rest was history as Hatfield continued to design Michael’s sneakers until 1999s Air Jordan 15. Overall, these designs helped make Air Jordan the most iconic sneaker line ever created.

The Creation Of Jordan Brand

A close-up view of an Air Jordan brand shoe with the Jumpman logo as worn by Joel Berry II #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels during a game against the Michigan Wolverines on November 29, 2017 at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 86-71. (Photo by Peyton Williams/UNC/Getty Images)

By September of 1997, Michael Jordan had sold millions of sneakers. Furthermore, he was a five-time NBA champion and Nike was sitting pretty. To reward Jordan for his efforts, they gave him his very own imprint within the company, called Jordan Brand. This started with the Air Jordan 13, as well as numerous pieces of merch. There were even other Jordan silhouettes that were created to complement the mainline. To this day, Jordan Brand remains a massive success that has expanded to various realms of sport.

For instance, Jordan Brand has its own signature athletes who have their own sneakers, just as MJ did. Luka Doncic has the Jordan Luka 1, Zion Williamson has the Jordan Zion 1, and more recently, Jayson Tatum got the Jordan Tatum 1. Needless to say, the brand is expanding throughout the NBA, and the fans could not be any happier. Additionally, the brand is also doing big things outside of basketball. One could just look at the partnership with soccer club Paris Saint-Germain. This collaboration has led to numerous Jordan sneakers and jerseys. Lastly, you can’t mention Jordan Brand without referencing their work with various NCAA schools. Colleges like Oregon, Georgetown, Michigan, UCLA, and UNC, all have their own Air Jordan PEs. It is a testament to just how much reach the Jordan Brand imprint has.

Let us know your favorite Air Jordan silhouette, in the comments section down below.

Ja Rule Responds To People Saying He Paved The Way For Drake

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When it comes to the fusion of R&B and hip-hop, Ja Rule is certainly an important part of that lineage. However, there is some debate as to the extent of his influence, and The Shade Room asked him whether he thinks he paved the way for Drake. Moreover, they discussed many aspects of his career and life, including his beef with 50 Cent and his views as a family man. At one point, the host said that “Ja Rule walked so Drake could run,” and asked the New York MC if he agreed.

Of course, he stood by the worth of his work and its impact, but he also said that musicians “borrow from each other” all the time. In addition, he noted prior ballads in hip-hop like “I Need Love” by LL Cool J, plus Method Man and Mary J. Blige’s “All I Need.” Still, Ja said he fused the genres more consistently and brought artists together more cohesively. “You didn’t really know who’s record it was [on a hip-hop duet],” he remarked of the duet format when he dabbled in it. “Like when you listen to ‘I’m Real,’ is that Ja Rule’s record or is it Jennifer’s record?”

Ja Rule TSR Interview: Drake, 50 Cent Beef, And Much More

Elsewhere in the interview, Ja Rule also discussed his long-standing feud with 50 Cent, who recently praised Drake, as well. However, Rule believes that the beef is much less serious these days and more about just posturing and social media trolling. The most recent example of this is their spat over Ja’s “Timberwolves Curse” that Fif vowed to lift. Also, there’s been a lot of trolling involving Rule’s participation in the failed Fyre Festival, although he won’t be around for its second iteration.

Also, he spoke on Nicki Minaj’s own influence and impact in the game, who shares a lot of that success with Drake. “I think Nicki gets proper praise,” Ja Rule expressed. “Her place in the game is solidified. It’s solid. There were no female MCs out and about until Nicki came back out. Before her, the last one was like Lauryn Hill. And before her was like Queen Latifah, Salt-N-Pepa, MC Lyte and before her it’s even further back. The female MC — they’re having a run like they’ve never had before. To me, in my opinion, Nicki reopened that door.” Regardless of your take on these topics, log back into HNHH for the latest on Ja Rule and Drake.

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NLE Choppa Gifts Lil Wayne An Insane Custom Chain At Boston Concert

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NLE Choppa and Lil Wayne are forming a tight bond these days. The Memphis rapper hoped that the legendary MC will mentor him in the next chapter of his career, which appears to be the case. During the Boston date of the Welcome To Tha Carter tour, Lil Wayne brought out the Cottonwood 2 rapper to the stage, where they performed their collab record, “Ain’t Gonna Answer.” Before he left, NLE Choppa gifted Weezy in an incredible custom chain as a gift to honor the legacy that he built throughout the years.

“One second, before I head out, right? I wanna show my appreciation for you,” NLE Choppa told Wayne in front of the sold-out crowd. “I remember with the flowers. There was a value with the flower but it was something I really wanted to give you instead of the flowers today, alright? So let me get you right real fast,” he continued. NLE Choppa presented Lil Wayne with a chain inspired by Mount Rushmore that included gold figures that celebrated each era of Weezy’s career, from Tha Block Is Hot to today. 

Lil Wayne & NLE Choppa Perform In Boston

NLE Choppa spurred a viral moment earlier this year when he pulled out a bouquet of flowers, a skateboard, and a personal letter for Lil Wayne. In the note, Choppa explained how much Lil Wayne meant to him as an artist with hopes that they’d develop a little brother-big brother relationship. “I simply wanted to physically gift you these flowers to symbolize my appreciation for you as an artist, an icon, and more importantly, an inspiration,” he wrote in the message. 

Besides NLE Choppa, the Welcome To Tha Carter tour included plenty of guest appearances since it launched earlier this month. In Toronto, Drake popped out as not only a surprise guest but the opening act. He later joined Weezy on stage to perform records like “The Motto.” A week later, Lil Wayne performed at Harlem’s famed Apollo Theater where he brought out Cam’ron to perform “Touch It Or Not” for the first time ever. With a few more dates left, we’re sure that Weezy has more surprises up ​​his sleeve. 

Coi Leray Poses For Fendi By Marc Jacobs

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Coi Leray is currently having a huge moment in the industry. Although the artist was clowned by fans at first, many are starting to come around. Overall, she has numerous hits that are going viral right now. Moreover, she is working with massive producers and artists like David Guetta. This come-up has been extremely fun to watch, and there is no doubt that Coi has plenty of other great tracks on the horizon. For instance, she has a new song “Body” which is slated to come out on April 28th.

With Coi Leray growing as an artist, she is certainly attracting plenty of brands. This is especially true thanks to all of the modeling she does on her own time. If you were to go to her Instagram account right now, you would see all sorts of seductive posts. Overall, Leray knows how to market herself, and it has certainly led to her recent success. That said, a major fashion house recently enlisted Leray. Below, you will see that we are talking about Fendi and their recent collaboration with Marc Jacobs.

Coi Leray Continues To Grow Her Profile

In the Instagram post above, you can see that Coi Leray was stunning in a couple of their pieces. Firstly, we see the artist is some incredible platform shoes. Fendi has been known to create these, and they certainly add height to the singer. Secondly, the first picture features a gorgeous coat with some truly wild aesthetics. In the second photo, Coi Leray strips down into something a bit more minimalist. However, the piece certainly works and we can imagine Leray actually wearing this outside of a photoshoot.

Moving forward, it will be interesting to see what other brand deals and Coi Leray is able to get for herself. After all, her profile continues to rise, and that means a bunch of companies will be calling her line. As for her music, hopefully, a new project of some sort is on the horizon. Let us know what you think of this photoshoot, in the comments below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news and updates from around the music world.

Sacramento Kings And E-40 Release Joint Statement

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Last week, Bay Area rap legend E-40 was removed from the Sacramento Kings’ 126-123 win over the Golden State Warriors. E-40, who is a prominent Warriors fan, claims that his ejection was due to “racial bias”. According to E-40, he was subjected to consistent heckling from a white fan but security only intervened when he responded. He claimed that the security at the Golden 1 Center viewed him as the instigator. The incident occurred partway through the fourth quarter.

E-40’s account was met with a wave of support, including a vocal call for an apology by Jalen Rose. E-40’s claims of racial bias stemmed from the fact that his white friend was not ejected with him. The Kings responded by opening an investigation into the incident. Now, it appears as though things have been resolved as the two parties released a joint statement.

Kings And E-40 Attribute Ejection To “Misunderstanding”

“After a series of thoughtful and transparent conversations, both parties agree that there was a miscommunication regarding the circumstances that occurred during the Kings vs. Warriors game on Saturday night.” the statement began. E-40’s addressing of the heckling behind him had been characterized as “excessive standing” but these claims were addressed as the statement continued. “Contrary to speculation, Mr. Earl “E-40″ Stevens did not stand excessively from his ticketed courtside seat; the outcome resulted from an unfortunate misunderstanding between two parties.” This claim was undercut by ESPN sources claiming E-40 was not warned about his conduct prior to being removed.

The statement concluded by reaffirming the King’s commitment to the league’s “Fan Code of Conduct” and stating the team is “looking forward to welcoming him back to our arena in the future.” E-40 is a staple of Bay Area basketball, well-known for having seats close to the Warriors bench. E-40 did not attend Game 2 in Sacramento, which was another Kings win. However, his spokesperson informed ESPN that he would be in attendance at the Chase Center-hosted Game 3. No comment was made about whether E-40 would return to Golden 1 if the series mandates it. The Kings will travel to the Chase Center on Thursday, looking to make the series 3-0.

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Blueface Claims All Men Cheat

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During a recent interview with RapTV, Blueface made some strong claims about all men cheating on their partners. On Wednesday (April 19), the “Bleed It” MC stood by every single man being unfaithful to their partners, as it’s just in their nature. However, he also made some interesting distinctions between romantic fidelity and loyalty to your partner, which for him is Chrisean Rock. According to the 26-year-old, there’s a difference between sleeping with other people and making sure your main partner is better in more important areas. If you cheat but make sure your partner’s doing well financially and mentally, it seems like Blue considers that to be much more important.

“Let me break it down for you,” Blueface remarked around the 22:36 mark of the interview. “Every man you’ve ever been with has cheated on you. Whether they are gonna tell you, whether you find out after, before whenever. They have stepped out of the relationship. Even the guy you with now. He’s cheating on you. I guarantee it. It’s just a manly thing. Men are hunters. We go hunt. We not gon’ tell you everything we knocked down, everything we hunted. Be realistic. I don’t think cheating and loyalty are in the same bracket. It’s a moment of vulnerability. I think loyalty is more of, ‘I’ma always make sure you straight.’ Mentally, financially. I could be with a b***h right now. If I make sure you straight, I consider that loyalty.”

Full Blueface Interview On RapTV

Elsewhere in the conversation, he also spoke on warming up to the idea of Chrisean actually being pregnant with his child. However, he still wants her to get a DNA test for the baby, although he said it with much less skepticism than he has before. “Hell yeah,” he replied the host asked him if about getting genetic confirmation. “It’s an eight out of 10 chance [it’s my baby]. Those are pretty good odds. It’s a 80 percent chance. I’ma be realistic with myself.”

Meanwhile, Blueface is anticipating his boxing match with TikTok star Ed Matthews later this month. Between social media promotion and talking smack to Matthews online, he seems quite excited to step into the ring. Still, many wonder whether these latest comments on cheating will get a response from Rock. Regardless, check back in with HNHH for the latest news and updates on Blueface.

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Swizz Beatz Recruits Jay Electronica For His Loaded “Hip Hop 50: Vol 2 EP”

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Swizz Beatz has just unveiled the updated tracklist for his long-awaited Hip Hop 50: Vol 2 EP with an added Jay Electronica track. The EP features some of Rap’s heavy hitters. From the likes of Nas, Lil Wayne, Jadakiss, Benny The Butcher, Lil Durk, and Fivio Foreign to name a few. However, the Jay Elect feature comes in at a last minute addition to the project.

He ties off the EP with track No.6 with a solo cut titled “Khalas.” The producing legend teased the latest rendition of the project early Wednesday (April 19) with an Instagram post. The caption reads, “Updated track list !!!! Few more updates to come. Can’t wait for y’all to hear this EP 4-21!!!!!!” Presently, the EP drops this Friday, April 21st.

Swizz Beatz Reveals Updated Tracklist

This isn’t the first time Swizz Beatz and Jay Elect have linked up. Swizz produced “The Blinding” featuring Travis Scott, a cut from Jay’s 2020 debut album A Written Testimony. Swizz fans have eagerly waited for this EP to drop, and has the stamp of approval from the likes of Hip Hop legends DJ Premier and Busta Rhymes along with many others. Additionally, the EP initially was supposed to have a Jay-Z feature alongside Lil Wayne on track No. 2 “This Shit Right Here,” a song Swizz teased prior to unveiling the tracklist. However, it seems Hov has been removed from the credits, although he will be featured as a sample.

The EP serves as part of Mass Appeal’s Hip Hop 50: The Soundtrack initiative, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop this year. Moreover, the project follows DJ Premier’s Hip Hop 50: Vol 1 from last year as part of the same initiative. Not only that, Swizz Beatz has been working tirelessly on this EP along with his other major collaborations. As a matter of fact, Weezy and Swizz cooked up earlier this year with a single off of The Carter VI titled “Kan’t Nobody,” which also features a sample from DMX’s classic “N-ggaz Done Started Somethin.” The EP arrives Friday and Swizz is confident that fans won’t be disappointed. Overall, the project is promised to be an absolute banger, that’ll have Swizz fans begging for more. Will you be listening? Let us know in the comments below!

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Woody Harrelson Wants To Take A DNA Test In Brother Mystery

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Last week, it was revealed that Matthew McCoughaney and Woody Harrelson could be related. According to McCoughaney during a podcast appearance, there is a chance that the pair share the same father. While McCoughaney’s parents were divorcing in the late 60s, his mother Mary reportedly spent time with Harrelson’s father, Charles. McCoughaney was born in November 1969.

In that podcast appearance, McCoughaney expressed reluctance to undergo a DNA test. The man he knew as his father, Jim, died in 1992 and McCoughaney did not think he was ready for the possibility that the man who he had known as his father was not in fact a blood relative. Harrelson, however, appears to have the opposite perspective. Furthermore, he recently spoke about the mystery on a recent Late Show appearance.

Harrelson Expresses Eagerness For DNA Test

Appearing on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Harrelson first confirmed that there was “veracity” to the claim after an in-depth conversation with McCoughaney’s mother. He then expressed eagerness to resolve the parental mystery. “We want to go test but for him, it’s a much more big deal,” Harrelson explained, “he feels like he’s losing a father. But I’m like, no you’re gaining a different father and a brother.” It’s clear that Harrelson sees the positives in his unusual situation. It remains to be seen if he can also convince his True Detective co-star of that as well.

Harrelson has been described as being a brotherly co-star, as referenced by Justin Theroux, who was also appearing on the show with Harrelson. However, it’s likely a much different question when you’re talking about literal blood relatives. The problem is that this is where the story ends until a DNA test is done. So will Harrelson and McCoughaney take that next leap? Or will they decide to simply interpret McCoughaney’s mother’s words as an implication of secrets best left in the dark? If we need didn’t have enough links, both stars can be found in recent projects about the 1970s. Harrelson’s next project, White House Plumbers, premieres on HBO on May 1. Meanwhile, McConaughey voiced Elvis in Netflix’s recently released Agent Elvis.

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Damson Idris Reveals He Didn’t Shower for Final Scenes of ‘Snowfall’

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Snowfall has reached its epic conclusion. Spoiler Alert on what is to follow.

Snowfall‘s sixth and final season ended with Franklin Saint walking the streets of Los Angeles, an alcoholic and now homeless, much like his father Alton.

The series’ closing moments were the final pieces of a teardown that once saw Saint flying as high as private jets and piloting his own planes. His girlfriend and mother of his son, Veronique, gone, in the wind, with the last of Franklin’s money. His Aunt Louie is on the run for life from federal authorities. Leon and Wanda are bouncing back and forth between Africa and Los Angeles. Franklin’s mom, Cissy, is presumed to spend the rest of her life in prison.

Speaking with Deadline after the series had concluded, the actor who portrayed Franklin Saint, Damson Idris, pulled back the curtain on filming those final moments of the series.

“His final moments were incredibly challenging. There was a fatherhood connection there, which I connected to personally so it was deeply emotional for me. Franklin’s connection to his father and his becoming an alcoholic was incredibly difficult,” Idris said.

He added, “Behind the scenes, I had a little flask with me that no one knew about. I would touch it with my lips just to have the taste. I’ll also admit that I didn’t shower. Luckily I wasn’t disrupting anyone with any odors.”

You can read more about the final episode of Snowfall here via Deadline.

The post Damson Idris Reveals He Didn’t Shower for Final Scenes of ‘Snowfall’ appeared first on The Source.

Netflix Forced To Turn Off Comments Because ‘Cleopatra’ Actress Is Portrayed As Black

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Earlier this year comedian Kevin Hart’s show in Egypt was canceled after he said ancient Egyptians were Black. Hart was set to perform in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday. The company said it was working with the Ticketsmarche team to refund customers “in the shortest possible time”. Hart faced a flood of criticism in the Arab world’s most populous country for promoting Afrocentrism.

This week Netflix was forced to shut off the comments on the trailer for Jada Pinkett-Smith’s new Cleopatra biopic because the Egyptian Queen is portrayed as a Black woman.

The Daily Mail reports:

Netflix has been forced to turn off comments for the official trailer of new docu-series Queen Cleopatra – after heated backlash and claims of ‘blackwashing’.

In the show, which is due to air on May 10, Cleopatra is depicted as black, despite historical records showing she was of Macedonian Greek heritage.

The four-part series is produced by Jada Pinkett-Smith and stars actress Adele James, 37, as the titular character.

Queen Cleopatra will explore the legacy, intellect and life of Cleopatra VII, the Greek Queen of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC.

The trailer notes that Cleopatra belonged to the Ptolemaic dynasty but then goes on to dispute her heritage.

‘It’s possible she was an Egyptian’ says one expert, while another adds: ‘I remember my grandmother saying to me “I don’t care what they tell you in school, Cleopatra was black.”‘

The two-minute official Trailer uploaded on April 12 has already amassed over 1.9 million views on YouTube.

Meanwhile, Netflix has been forced to turn comments off on the official trailer, after it was met with controversy.

A Change.org petition to cancel the show has amassed over 3,000 signatures. A previous petition – which was taken down – had over 62,000 signatures.
Watch the trailer below, thoughts?

The post Netflix Forced To Turn Off Comments Because ‘Cleopatra’ Actress Is Portrayed As Black appeared first on The Source.