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Women’s World Cup: Spain And Japan Dominate First Knockout Matches

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We now know the first quarterfinals at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Japan and Spain, who finished first and second in Group C respectively, dominated their Round of 16 matches to progress in the tournament. Japan conceded their first goal of the tournament as Norway neutralized a 15th-minute own goal five minutes later. However, the European side was never able to fully swing the momentum back into an offensive effort. Two second-half goals from Japan sealed the win, as well as cementing the Asian side as a surprise contender in the tournament. Furthermore, the win put 23-year-old Hinata Miyazawa atop the Golden Boot standings with five goals.

Meanwhile, Spain bounced back from their 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Japan to utterly humiliate Switerzland. Spain took the lead in the 5th minute before an own goal even the score. But after that, it was all La Roja. Spain lead 4-1 at half-time and added another after the break for good measure. It was the team’s second 5-goal game of the tournament. In the next round, Spain will take on the winner of The Netherlands versus South Africa. Meanwhile, Japan will face either Sweden or the United States.

Read More: Germany “speechless” after first-ever group-stage World Cup exit

Spain And Japan Highlight World Cup Parity

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AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – AUGUST 5: Jennifer Hermoso of Spain celebrates scoing her goal with team mates Eva Navarro, Aitana Bonmati and Salma Paralluelo during the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Round of 16 match between Switzerland and Spain at Eden Park on August 5, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)

The dominance performances coming out of Group C highlight just how far women’s soccer has come since the last World Cup. While Japan is a one-time tournament winner, the squad has been wildly inconsistent in recent years. After winning in 2011, they finished runners-up in 2015 before falling in the first knockout in 2019. Now they are one of the hottest clubs in the 2023 tournament. Similarly, this is just Spain’s third World Cup. However, you wouldn’t know it from the level of dominance they have demonstrated (outside their match against Japan). The win over Switzerland showed that Spain can hold their own against “real” opponents. Before this tournament, Spain had won just one World Cup match. Now they’ve won three and look like a legitimate deep-run contender.

However, the pair of wins means that if both sides are able to win their quarterfinals, they will once again meet in the semifinals. Spain’s arguably shocking defeat in the group stage sets up a semifinal clash that most people wouldn’t trade for anything. How will Spain adapt and respond when there’s a place in the World Cup Final on the line? Of course, this relies on Spain and Japan beating the likes of The Netherlands, Sweden, and the US. However, that is entirely possible given just how wild this tournament has been.

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Andre 3000 Spotted In Japan With His Giant Flute

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Andre 3000 is certainly one of the most legendary artists in all of hip-hop. Overall, the Outkast rapper is known for having one of the best flows ever. Moreover, he has tons of legendary verses, albums, and songs. Although he has never released a true solo project, his fans still hold out hope. At this point, however, Andre only releases a few features here and there. Moreover, it has to be a truly special artist for him to do it. For instance, we only really hear him alongside the likes of Travis Scott, Kanye West, and maybe a few others.

If you have been keeping up with Andre 3000 over the past few years, then you know how reclusive he can be. However, when he is spotted by fans, he is always seen with some kind of instrument. He brings a massive flute with him everywhere he goes, and he will just freestyle. Overall, this brings a lot of joy to those around him. Even if they have no idea who he is, they are always amused by the music he brings to his environment. Recently, Three Stacks was spotted yet again, this time in Japan.

Read More: Benzino Takes Blame For André 3000’s Speech At The 1995 Source Awards

Andre 3000 Out And About

The original clip was posted to TikTok and then reposted by the NFR Podcast, shoutout to Montreal. As you can, Andre 3000 had his patented flute with him. He seemed fairly happy to be recognized as he walked through the streets, playing his instrument. When you think about it, this feels like a very peaceful existence. Playing nice instruments and brightening up people’s days is definitely a life worth living. While he may not be dropping songs anymore, he continues to have fun and be a free spirit. You can’t help but love that.

It will be interesting to see where Andre 3000 is spotted next. There are plenty of unique places he could pop out. Furthermore, it’s probably quite the encounter whenever you see such a legendary artist just going about life so casually. Let us know your favorite Andre 3000 song, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news from around the music world.

Read More: Killer Mike Lands Features From André 3000, Lil Wayne & More On New Album

Kim Kardashian Meets Famed Artist Takashi Murakami

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Kim Kardashian is certainly enjoying her trip to Japan. The starlet has been all over social media sharing photos of her family getaway to the Asian country. Indeed, Kim has been showing off the numerous sites the family has visited. Additionally, the 42-year-old has also been flaunting her numerous wardrobe changes. However, the Kardashian-West clan recently shared one of the more memorable moments of their trip. Kim and the kids were able to hang out with a renowned Japanese artist.

Kardashian recently took to Instagram to share photos of her family’s meeting with designer Takashi Murakami. Kim went on to credit daughter North for making the trip happen. Apparently, North is a big fan of Murakami and didn’t want to leave the country without meeting him. Kim captioned the photos with “All North wanted was to meet @takashipom on our trip to Japan!” The family was clearly appreciative of the experience. “Thank you Murakami for opening up your creative bubble for us and bringing some of your magic to the kids.” she said.

Kim Kardashian Meets Artist Who Has Impacted Hip-Hop

The family clearly enjoyed themselves. However, Kim did indicate that the kids may not have been getting along the entire time. “It would have been nice if they weren’t fighting LOL.” Subsequently, the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star was able to see the bright side. “We got a decent picture but hey?!” she concluded. Having the ability to meet Murakami is certainly something special. The Japanese designer has distinguished himself as a giant in the art world. Additionally, Murakami also has a connection to hip-hop. His artwork has become renowned among both fans and artists. The artist has spoken about an unrealized anime project with the late rapper Juice Wrld. Additionally, he was linked up multiple times with Drake and his OVO Brand.

Moreover, the designer also has a connection to Kardashian’s ex-husband Kanye West. The pair have linked up multiple times over the years. Perhaps their most famous collab was on Kanye and Kid Cudi’s Kids See Ghosts project. Apparently, Kanye had handed down his respect for Murakami to his children. The Japanese artist is sure to inspire many more generations going forward.

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North Korea Fires Missile, Japan Orders “Take Cover”

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North Korea has been the subject of much debate and frustration for years on end. Kim Jong-Un frequently sees fit to threaten anyone who would dare stand against him. This has led to high tensions between not only North Korea and Japan but also North Korea and Japan. Over the last few years, Kim Jong-Un has made many mentions of nuclear weapons. Obviously, this has caused distress among many in neighboring countries. The dictator claimed late last year that North Korea would become the world’s “most powerful strategic force.” While that is unlikely, Kim has shown many signs of instability and a very short temper. Today, there was yet another reminder of this as North Korea fired a missile near Japan.

At approximately 7:23 AM, the country fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile from somewhere near Pyongyang. This comes just after Kim Jong-Un made comments about strengthening North Korea’s war deterrence. He told military leaders that they must act in a more “practical and offensive” way. The firing of the missile led to chaos. The Japanese government sent out an order for residents of Hokkaido to take cover. Luckily, the missile did not land in Japanese territory. However, the South Korean military is now on high alert. They are working closely with the United States to continue to monitor the situation.

North Korea’s History Of Threatening Behavior

North Korea has made many moves in recent years that could be considered threatening. Today’s missile launch is not the first of its kind, and it certainly won’t be the last given Kim’s history. In addition to threatening behavior, North Korea has also made extremely straightforward threats. Recently, the country enacted a new law. It states that nuclear weapons will immediately be launched in the event of an attack on their leader, Kim.

While the US has been mainly focused on denuclearization, Kim has stated clearly that he has no intention of complying. Addressing the country via the state media, Kim said, “(We will) never give up nuclear weapons and there is absolutely no denuclearization, and no negotiation and no bargaining chip to trade in the process.” With statements like these, it looks like a conflict may be inevitable. What do you think of the situation? Is there a way to avoid conflict? Let us know in the comments.

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Pharrell Celebrates 50th Birthday In Japan

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Pharrell recently celebrated his 50th birthday (April 5) in Japan, taking the time to enjoy his five decades of excellence overseas. Moreover, videos and pictures recently surfaced on social media of the Neptunes producer having fun around the country. For example, he blew out all the candles on his massive birthday cake with his hands in a video shared by No Jumper and a few other publications. In other clips, you can see Williams and his entourage going around the city on a boat, living lavishly as they take in the sights. For someone of the 50-year-old’s acumen and reputation, it’s a surprise that he didn’t throw the biggest party in the world.

Still, Pusha T did join him for the trip, so there’s at least a little bit of celebrity power added to the birthday, prompting those on social media to gush over their moves. Furthermore, Push was one of many famous friends who paid tribute to Skateboard P on his special day. “Happy. C. Day,” Snoop Dogg wrote on Instagram. “@pharrell thankful to have u as a producer friend and brother welcome to the 5th floor.” Also, Busta Rhymes shared a lengthy message congratulating the musical mogul.

Pharrell Visits Japan For The Big Five-O

“There is no amount of words that can describe what this man has done to continue to inspire me, push me forward and keep me the most positive and productive space through out the 25 plus yrs we have known each other!!” he wrote. “Happy Born Day and Happy 50th to my Brother @pharrell and one of the most incredible human beings to exist. More Life Beloved.” What’s more is that fans are still in shock at how good he looks at 50, for which he has some secrets.

“I exfoliate like a madman,” P told Dazed during a 2017 interview. “When you exfoliate and you drink a lot of water, that does good for you. To me, the key is just exfoliating, like a monster. There’s a lot of dead skin. All the time. Like a narcissistic madman.” Regardless of his skincare routine, check out more from his trip down below and return to HNHH for more Pharrell news.

Skateboard P & Friends Celebrate His 50th Birthday