Ever since being made the head menswear designer of Louis Vuitton, Pharrell Williams has made it a point to feature his famous friends and top collaborators in the company’s plans, both in front of the cameras and behind the scenes. His first Louis campaign prominently featured Rihanna, while both Clipse and Jay-Z appeared during his first Louis Vuitton fashion show. This year, he’s already collaborated on a collection with musical protégé, Tyler The Creator, and today, it was announced that Pusha T will be Louis Vuitton’s newest brand ambassador.
According to Women’s Wear Daily, a statement from the fashion house noted the two artists’ longstanding connection and praised Pusha’s “commitment to artistry” and “strong personal style.” It reads, “His ambassadorial nomination at Louis Vuitton is a testament to his commitment to artistry and a strong personal style, both echoing the maison’s own dedication to unique expression across fashion and culture.”
Clothing isn’t the only thing Push and Pharrell have been working on. Last month, Pusha told Vulture he and his brother (once again going by just Malice) have reunited as Clipse and have been recording a new album produced by Pharrell. The duo is also set to appear in Williams’ upcoming biopic, Piece By Piece which has been animated in the style of The Lego Movie.
Kendrick Lamar’s new song “Not Like Us” has upended the hip-hop landscape, and such a seismic single warrants an equally world-shaking music video. That’s what K. Dot provided with the supporting visual for “Not Like Us,” a four-minute celebration of not just his victory over one of the biggest stars on the planet, but also of his city, Compton, and LA culture in general.
Those elements often appear in Kendrick’s videography, which spans far longer than the obvious decade or so since he became a Grammy-winning, Fox News-terrifying, esoteric yet somehow ubiquitous fixture of pop culture. The following list was debated, discussed, and even outright dissed by my colleague Wongo and I (with our long-suffering editor, Phil, playing referee) until we got to his best — both in their visual representation of K Dot’s messaging and for their dynamic and memorable imagery.
Disclaimer: We left “The Heart Part 5” off this list over its use of deepfake AI — contrived and problematic technology on its own — that we believe aged poorly in hindsight.
12. “Michael Jordan”
The song that put Kendrick Lamar on the map in the city of LA. If the unofficial through-line of this list is how deeply Kendrick connects to his city through his visuals, this is where that line begins. It may not be as visually striking as other clips on this list, but it is likely one of the most thematically impactful — look no further than the fact that the then-relatively unknown Kendrick, considered something of a sidekick at the time to TDE’s “real” star, Jay Rock, shut down the 110 Freeway in Downtown Los Angeles to shoot much of this video. For non-Angelenos, this is vaguely akin to choking off the superior vena cava of the human heart. For a less heady comparison, consider this: The only other times this is done is to film major Hollywood productions like San Andreas and La La Land, or for major protests like the ones against police brutality in 2020 and advocation for a Gaza ceasefire. Basically, Kendrick was saying, “I AM LA. I am bigger than Hollywood. I am a world-changing event.” He wasn’t wrong. — Aaron Williams
11. “The Hillbillies” w/ Baby Keem
Though “Family Ties” launched it, “The Hillbillies” solidified the pgLang era of Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem’s careers. Released without much warning, the vlog-style Neal Farmer-directed video captures the true laid-back personas of both Lamar and Keem. Between time in London and Los Angeles (where Tyler The Creator joins them), Lamar and Keem do everything from dance outside a private jet, prance through a shopping mall, flex clothes and jewels, play video games, help Tyler tease news about Camp Flag Gnaw Carnival at Dodger Stadium, and more. Quirky camera tricks and numerous meme-worthy moments from Lamar and Keem add to the carefree and fun energy that the duo brings to the video, a rarity for the former when it comes to his visuals. — Wongo Okon
10. “B*tch, Don’t Kill My Vibe”
An early standout from Kendrick’s catalog, the video for “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe” lays much of the groundwork for what will become recurring motifs throughout his videography: Striking, spiritualistic imagery (a funeral in a well-appointed church, with mourners dressed in white-on-white rather than the traditional black), an unexpected cameo from a Los Angeles legend (in this case, standup comic Mike Epps, who baptizes Kendrick in a “pool full a liquor,” a callback to another Good Kid, M.A.A.D single, “Swimming Pools”), and the abiding contrast/coexistence of communal celebration and solo introspection. A bonus highlight: The very 2010s unsubtle product placement shot, which scans as one of K. Dot’s most “here, damn” concessions to commercialism in a career full of them. — A.W.
9. “Element”
Kendrick Lamar’s promise to “make it look sexy” if he ever had to “slap a p*ssy ass n****” on “Element” hits a lot differently in the wake of his beef with Drake. Prophetic foreshadowing aside, “Element” is a prime example of the persona Lamar carries today: impenetrable, undefeatable, and unconquerable. Its visual, directed by Jonas Lindstroem & The Little Homies, captures Lamar in militant form. Nearly every time Lamar appears in the video, he is either standing above us or surrounded by a crew of supporters who are all on standby for a brutal fight. For three-and-a-half minutes, Lamar, bloody white t-shirt and all, embraces the boogeyman characteristic in a fine display of kingship in the rap game that resonates more than ever today. — W.O.
8. “These Walls” Feat. Bilal, Anna Wise & Thundercat
“It was Kendrick! Yeah, Kendrick Lamar!” Corey Holcomb proclaims this in the opening scene of the “These Walls” video which is actually titled “Behind The Walls: A Black Comedy.” The video, directed by Colin Tilley and The Little Homies, lives up to that title as we’re invited into a house party complete with drinking, drugs, fights, and loud music. In this one, Lamar doesn’t even rap the Grammy-winning song’s words until the very end. Instead, he enjoys a dance with a woman against a wall before breaking through it and falling into another room, all to continue the fun in another room. He also teams up with an overzealous Terry Crews to perform the Hit The Quan dance at a talent show. The colorful visual continues with a shift back to the party where Holcomb arrives to see Lamar with his lady, something that doesn’t entirely mind as he finds two for himself. The fun is short-lived for Holcomb who gets hauled away by two cops after he crashed into a police cruiser as he parked before entering the party. Comedic angle aside, the video, true to the song’s message, is a true visual representation of what occurs within the walls of the mind and a home as men like Kendrick and Holcomb aspire to explore the walls of a woman. — W.O.
7. “Loyalty” Feat. Rihanna
“Loyalty,” Kendrick Lamar and Rihanna’s first-ever collaboration, is a standout on DAMN. for many reasons, one being the perilous visual the song received. For four minutes, Lamar and Rihanna flirt with many of life’s harmful dangers to prove that their love and loyalty to each other are unmatched. Rihanna taunts a man by spitting her gum on him, and when he angrily approaches her, Lamar is there to knock him out. He later dangles Rihanna off the roof of a building before they both lay on its edge as if they’re on ground level and not hundreds of feet in the air. The “Loyalty” visual ends with Lamar and Rihanna absorbing the blow of a tractor-trailer crashing into their car as Lamar does donuts in the middle of an intersection. — W.O.
6. “Count Me Out”
Though Kendrick Lamar’s video for “Count Me Out” isn’t as eventful as the other standout visuals in his videography, it excels by capturing the mindset that created< em>Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. The visual begins with a conversation with his therapist, played by Oscar award-winning actress Helen Mirren, where the two laugh about Lamar stealing a woman’s parking spot and delve into a more serious discussion about his self-doubts. The Dave Free and Kendrick Lamar-directed video then splits into three screens with a visual of Lamar rapping the first verse of “Count Me Out,” another of Mirren listening intently, and a third that pairs images of pain, anger, fear, joy, strife, contention, and more to Lamar’s words. — W.O.
5. “N95”
“N95” is hands-down the best video to come down from the Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers era for a multitude of reasons. It succinctly captures the erratic and chaotic atmosphere of the song and the album as a whole. Want to see and hear where Kendrick’s head was in 2022? Look no further than the “N95” video. Furthermore, from a more general standpoint, it’s just a sick visual. It juxtaposes itself over and over again in just seconds, going from Kendrick in full sprint as he evades an angry mob to watching the rapper gracefully scales down steps by a waterfall. He sits in peace and reads a pgLang magazine before a car tumbles by a clears out chairs just a few away from the one he sits in. Add in shots of Lamar doing burpees, floating over the ocean in a Christ-like position, hitting donuts in a car with Baby Keem, and more, and you have a visual worthy of a top-five slot in Lamar’s career. — W.O.
4. “Alright”
Arguably the best of Kendrick Lamar’s videos, “Alright” earns its place thanks in part to bearing the hallmarks of Kendrick’s videos — community, camaraderie, visual metaphors for resilience — and throwing in one of the best-sounding unreleased songs of Kendrick’s entire catalog. It’s still the only place to hear this song, which by itself should be enough of a recommendation for this video, but just for the sake of argument, “Alright” is also the recipient of the 2016 Grammy Awards for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and was nominated for that year’s MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year. — A.W.
3. “Not Like Us”
This is why we’re here, people. A visual representation of Los Angeles culture, of Kendrick’s rap dominance, of his hometown hero status, the video also doubles as a bit of a wake for that poor OVO owl. From smashing an owl piñata to putting a live owl inside a cage, the video reflects the song’s primary goal of burying Kendrick’s longtime foe Drake, while at the same time, uses the controversy as an opportunity to highlight K Dot’s hometown, from the Tommy The Clown and DeMar DeRozan cameos to its raucous, impromptu community gathering at Compton City Hall. — A.W.
2. “DNA”
The best videos in Kendrick Lamar’s career came from his DAMN. era. Look no further than the “DNA” visual for proof of this. Don Cheadle stars as an interrogator ready to give Lamar a lie detector test when he is shocked into the same rhythm as the rapper, rapping the lyrics of “DNA” as if they both wrote the song from the same experience of anger and struggle. The moment takes a mental toll on both men, but Lamar reigns supreme as Cheadle succumbs to Lamar and lets him go before falling to his knees in defeat. For the rest of the “DNA” video, we watch an erratic Lamar shoot dice with friends, recount past events, show off his Grammys, and more all while a group of girls drive a car recklessly through city streets – a conclusion that pairs perfectly with the song’s chaotic second half. — W.O.
1. “Humble”
“Humble” was the first single from Kendrick’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 2017 album, DAMN., and its release heralded the largest leap the Compton artist had taken in public awareness in his career. It was his first solo No. 1 on the Hot 100, and it won Grammys for Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and most relevant here, Best Music Video. The video is another Dave Free masterwork, incorporating more of the religious iconography that Kendrick has grappled with throughout his career, borrowing as much from the distinctive visual style of Hype Williams as from Leonardo da Vinci, whose “Last Supper” plays centerpiece to the point Kendrick makes lyrically on “Humble.” To this day, it is still the most-viewed video on his YouTube channel. — A.W.
Eminem is easily one of the most legendary artists across all genres. Overall, Em is considered to be one of the best hip-hop artists of all time. Although many have him as the greatest, most have him comfortably in their top 10s. At this point, his legacy in the rap game is cemented. However, that is not stopping him from delivering yet another album over 25 years into his career. In fact, on Friday, he will be dropping The Death Of Slim Shady.
This is a highly-anticipated album that has already gotten a couple of big singles. For instance, the lead single was “Houdini.” Meanwhile, we got “Tobey” just last week. These singles have been a bit polarizing, but that has always been the case with Em. Either way, his album drops in a few days regardless, and today, fans were blessed with the cover art for the album. Below, you can see Slim Shady being zipped up into a body bag.
Needless to say, Eminem is leaning heavily into The Death Of Slim Shady concept. In the music video for “Tobey,” we even saw Slim Shady chopped into pieces with a chainsaw. Em has always pushed boundaries with his visuals, and it’s clear that some things just never change. If one thing is for certain it is that this album is going to be intriguing. With the tracklist seemingly leaking online, you can just imagine how excited fans are right now. Hopefully, Em can live up to the hype with this release.
Let us know what you think of the cover art for The Death Of Slim Shady, in the comments section down below. Are you excited for the new Eminem album? What are your expectations for the legendary artist given his recent output? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
With the Young Thug case going on endlessly, his lawyer is doing whatever he can to ensure a speedier finish. With the trial extending beyond 12 months, Brian Steel has seen enough of Judge Glanville. Consequently, the lawyer for Young Thug is filing a supplement motion to recuse Glanville and Judge Rachel Krause. This news comes just a few weeks after Steel put forth his first motion. DJ Akademiks, as well as a crime and public safety writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution broke this just hours ago.
In the motion from Steel, he states, “Mr. Williams’ trial is constitutionally broken based upon the unconscionable misconduct of Judge Glanville”. He even adds in a handful of lawyers (Love and Hylton) who he feels cannot be trusted”. Additionally, the reason Steel wants Krause gone is because she helped with the reelection of Glanville. Overall, this additional motion harkens back to the time that Glanville organized a private meeting with a witness in the RICO case, YSL Woody.
New: Young Thug’s attorney Brian Steel filed a supplement motion to recuse Judge Glanville from the YSL trial.
In the motion, Steel notes that Judge Rachel Krause should also be recused from handling the case because they contributed to each other’s re-election campaigns. @ajcpic.twitter.com/OURZQyh2uD
The original recusal motion has also put the entire trial on hold, and it looks to remain that way after this second one. Steel did find out about this ex-parte meeting, however he refused to reveal how he did. However, Woody’s lawyer, Kayla Bumpus, came clean recently that she did give a rundown of what was going down in that meeting. Stick with us for more impending news surround the possible recusal of Glanville and Krause.
What are your thoughts on Young Thug’s lawyer looking to recuse two judges in the YSL RICO case? How do you see his actions playing out and why? If this goes through, how much will this help Thug going forward? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Young Thug and the YSL hearings. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the world of music.
Playboi Carti is an artist whose fanbase moves like a cult of sorts. Overall, he has proven to be one of the biggest artists in hip-hop thanks to his rabid fanbase. Although his music certainly lends to his cult of personality status. With Whole Lotta Red he completely changed the game for a lot of artists. Moreover, with his recent batch of singles, Carti has ushered in a new era that fans are excited for. He has a new album supposedly set to drop this year, and his fans are growing more anxious by the day.
On top of his musical prowess, Carti is also seen as a bit of a fashion icon amongst his fans. He loves wearing Rick Owens, specifically the Ramones boot shoe. These have become exceptionally popular and it would appear as though his fans are taking their affinity for the rapper a bit too far. In the tweet below courtesy of Kurrco, it was reported that a store that carries the Rick Owens Ramones has decided to place new restrictions on the shoe. Essentially, you have to be over 21 in order to try them on.
A store now requires customers to be 21+ to try on Rick Owens Ramones, allegedly due to too many Playboi Carti fans trying them on without buying pic.twitter.com/HTN75iWLDB
As the story explains, Carti fans were going into the store and trying the shoes on without any plans of copping them. This was exclusively happening with younger people, and the store decided to take action. It’s a funny story and Carti fans are being made out as the scapegoats here. However, it should be noted that these shoes are popular beyond just Carti wearing them. Either way, bring your ID next time you shop at that store.
Let us know what you think about all of this, in the comments section down below. Are you excited about the new Playboi Carti album that is set to drop soon? Do you believe that he will actually drop it before the end of the year? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
Lil Durk’s 10-year-old son allegedly shot his stepfather during a domestic dispute involving the child’s mother. Footage that surfaced only allegedly captured the moment when the child grabbed the weapon from his stepfather, Joshua Pippens, and fired it. The altercation shown on video displays the intense scene that unfolded. Pippens has already addressed the shooting from his hospital bed, defending his actions and providing additional context of what led up to that moment. Let’s dig into what we know so far about the shooting.
Caught on cameras, the child, dressed in a red t-shirt and shorts, allegedly took the gun from Pippens, who was dressed in orange, and then aimed and fired the weapon. In the video, Pippens attempts to retrain the child’s mother (in purple). But as the altercation continues into the streets, the child points the firearm and a single gunshot is heard. Then, Pippens falls to the ground.
Joshua Pippens has spoken out from his hospital bed, asserting that he was not the aggressor in this situation. He claimed that the young boy acted under the influence of his mother. “As y’all can see, I was not the aggressor,” Pippens stated on social media. He explained that the child grabbed the gun from his hip, following his mother’s lead. Despite the incident, Pippens expressed his continued love for the child, lamenting that the boy was only acting based on his mother’s actions.
Pippens hinted that the confrontation might have stemmed from a custody dispute over a child the couple shares. He defended his position, stating, “That’s why I got custody of my kids and she don’t.” He suggested that if there were any legal repercussions, they would have already been addressed, emphasizing that his actions were motivated by a desire to protect his rights over his children.
Rapper Lil Durk, who is the father of seven children, has not directedly issued a comment on the matter. However, on July 8th, he did share a brief post on X that may have hinted that his album is on the way. “Save that money for them kids kids kids kids kids,” he wrote.
Kendrick Lamar‘s “Not Like Us” video may have ruined Drake’s holiday, but according to TMZ, it certainly helped boost the local economy in Kendrick’s hometown. Tam’s, the greasy spoon takeout restaurant that features prominently in the video — and in Kendrick’s life and music — reported a boost in sales at its Rosecrans location in Compton (there are several other Tam’s restaurants dotted throughout LA County) picked up by 30 to 40 percent, with a large influx of tourist interest in the location.
(This is all well and good, thank you for your support, but speaking as a local… please do not get y’all selves in trouble trying to play tourist. For one thing, you’re missing the point of the song.)
The first Tam’s was opened in 1971, selling not just burgers and fries, but also Mexican staples like tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and the like. Kendrick’s Tam’s is located at the corner of Rosecrans and Central (mine was on Alameda between Rosecrans and Compton) and K Dot has mentioned it in songs like “Element,” where he raps, “I be hangin’ out at Tam’s, I be on Stockton.”
In a 2012 interview with Nardwaur, Kendrick says his order at Tam’s is chili cheese fries, although TMZ notes he also orders the bacon cheeseburger:
Kendrick also mentioned Tam’s in a 2012 interview with Complex, where he compared it to the more well-known West Coast staple In-N-Out: “Everybody loves In-N-Out, but it’s a very clean-cut burger,” he said. “Tam’s is street-sloppy, burgers and shakes. It’s a chain, but it’s still hood.”
Kendrick Lamar‘s “Not Like Us” video may have ruined Drake’s holiday, but according to TMZ, it certainly helped boost the local economy in Kendrick’s hometown. Tam’s, the greasy spoon takeout restaurant that features prominently in the video — and in Kendrick’s life and music — reported a boost in sales at its Rosecrans location in Compton (there are several other Tam’s restaurants dotted throughout LA County) picked up by 30 to 40 percent, with a large influx of tourist interest in the location.
(This is all well and good, thank you for your support, but speaking as a local… please do not get y’all selves in trouble trying to play tourist. For one thing, you’re missing the point of the song.)
The first Tam’s was opened in 1971, selling not just burgers and fries, but also Mexican staples like tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and the like. Kendrick’s Tam’s is located at the corner of Rosecrans and Central (mine was on Alameda between Rosecrans and Compton) and K Dot has mentioned it in songs like “Element,” where he raps, “I be hangin’ out at Tam’s, I be on Stockton.”
In a 2012 interview with Nardwaur, Kendrick says his order at Tam’s is chili cheese fries, although TMZ notes he also orders the bacon cheeseburger:
Kendrick also mentioned Tam’s in a 2012 interview with Complex, where he compared it to the more well-known West Coast staple In-N-Out: “Everybody loves In-N-Out, but it’s a very clean-cut burger,” he said. “Tam’s is street-sloppy, burgers and shakes. It’s a chain, but it’s still hood.”
At this point, it’s pretty firmly established that Drake took the L in his back-and-forth with Kendrick Lamar earlier this year. Only Aubrey himself (or his staunchest online supporters) could make the argument that Kendrick did NOT run roughshod over Drake’s reputation with his flurry of aggressive diss tracks, which included the presumptive song of the summer, “Not Like Us.”
Fortunately for Drake, there is a path to redemption — at least, according to former Kendrick Lamar labelmate, Ab-Soul. The Carson artist, who is still signed to Top Dawg Entertainment and appeared in the “Not Like Us” video alongside the other original members of the label, shared his theory on Twitter (back to not calling it “X”).
“If Drake is the MC I imagine he can be,” he wrote. “Redemption is not off the table.”
If Drake is the MC I imagine he can be. Redemption is not off the table.
Of course, this is pretty much the crux of the divide between the two rappers, as well as being the main case against Drake from the majority of his critics over the past decade and a half. Drake spent his first two mixtapes, Room For Improvement and Comeback Season, courting the underground before blowing up seemingly overnight after the leak of a reference track of Drake’s song, “Brand New,” which he’d written for an unnamed R&B singer.
Since then, Drake has split his time on recordings between harder-edged, tough guy-style rapping (because the backpacker thing was never all that profitable) and brokenhearted crooning. In an effort to appeal to the zeitgeist, though, both his raps and his singing have taken on a manosphere-inspired, Red Pilled outlook, which has alienated a bunch of his most dedicated fans. Ab-Soul’s comments reflect a general vibe on rap discussion forums like Twitter that there’s a version of Drake that could potentially earn back his lost respect as a rapper, but he’d have to reject some of his biggest defenders, ditch the toxic attitudes, and start writing like his old rhyme heroes Phonte and Lupe Fiasco again.
It’s a bold theory, and I’m not sure it’d hold true in practice, but therein lies the rub: If skills sold, truth be told…
Over the last 24 hours or so, the beloved and wholesome Twitch streamer Sketch has been going through it, to say the least. The Houston, Texas native’s past has come back to light and the internet has been stunned and divided since it has discovered some allegedly shocking evidence. Multiple photos circulating on X (formerly Twitter) reveal that Sketch was supposedly a same-sex OnlyFans creator. How these images became available still remains a mystery, but what is not is the fact that this was indeed his situation a couple of years ago. Sketch has been as open and honest as possible since this news has come out, even addressing it the same day.
“Yeah, that was me. I f***ed up — I won’t do it again”, he said. While OnlyFans and the adult film industry are frowned upon, it has not been easy to see Sketch feel ashamed for his decisions. A lot of people online have been ripping him apart, even though he explained that he had been struggling with addictions and his mental health. The Madden video game streamer was even considering ending it because of the possible backlash that comes with divulging in your sexuality as well. Thankfully, he the 25-year-old has a lot of the streaming community behind him.
As of recently, he can also add fellow Houston native and rapper Maxo Kream to that growing list. The veteran MC hopped on social media to support his “homie” and clap back at the people bullying him. “F*** that he came clean with whatever he did, that’s his sexual preference. I don’t judge nobody”, Kream said. “That’s my homie and I’m rockin’ behind him ya hear me? Y’all not gon’ bully my boy”. It was a very stand-up act by Maxo, and it is nice to see people rally around Sketch, who quite frankly spreads so much positive energy into the world.
What are your thoughts on Maxo Kream defending Sketch after the recent same-sex OnlyFans accusations? How do you feel about what the streamer went through a couple of years ago? Does this just go to show how solid of a person Sketch is? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Sketch and Maxo Kream. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the worlds of pop culture and music.
