Lil Baby just released his new single “Touchdown,” and while it’s pretty standard fare based on what we’ve come to expect from him, one bar in particular really stood out to many listeners. “Real gangster, I ain’t rocking no nail polish,” he raps on the cut, which is a confusing bar for a couple of reasons. First off, fans’ beef-infected minds immediately began to speculate whether or not he’s talking about one MC in particular. But others expressed more confusion over this random stray for a normal fashion trend in recent years whose typically homophobic and hyper-masculine backlash is old news at this point.
You can definitely some of that thinly-veiled discrimination in the comments section of the Instagram post below, and this reaction did not become any less corny from what it was almost a decade ago. But then again, this is probably just a random throwaway line from Lil Baby, so making a fuss about it in either direction seems like a worthless and unnecessary endeavor. He’s teased a lot of music on the way soon, so fans hope that his lyrics down the road are a little more cogent or relevant.
Still, this isn’t the most pressing question that Lil Baby had to answer as of late, as some other discussions around his name were more about speculation than reactions. When he and Offset launched seemingly random disses at unnamed opps on Instagram, some fans connected the dots and assumed that they actually dissed each other. It turns out that this couldn’t be further from the truth, or at least, that’s what DJ Akademiks reported from an allegedly close source.
It’s still interesting because Lil Baby and Migos beef rumors surfaced years ago, and some fans think that said narrative continues to exist. But they dismissed that gossip multiple times, so we don’t think there’s anything to worry about. As for this random nail polish bar, maybe the “Insecurities” spitter explains it down the line, but if he really caves into that pressure either way, it would probably inspire more questions than answers. Since when did men care so much about what other men did style-wise? Actually, we’d rather not find out…
Gabrielle Union recently held a meet and greet promoting her Larry Sims partnership with JCPenny, the SlimStyled experience. Specifically, she spoke to PEOPLE about her preferred hairstyles in order to look a little more youthful, which led to some remarks about fan gossip. Moreover, Dwyane Wade’s longtime partner spoke on folks’ rumors that she got plastic surgery. “A high pony for a lady of a certain age is like a facelift,” she remarked. “As much as what happens or doesn’t happen with my face is speculated, if you can’t be missing for six months to get a facelift — which I’ve never been missing for six months, get it right — the high pony is going to snatch you here.
“A pony here is going to snatch you here,” Gabrielle Union added, gesturing towards the middle of her head. “And a low [pony], here [points to back of neck].” So it looks like she did not have any work done at all, and even if she had, that doesn’t make her any less stunning or worthy of loving herself. Union’s been having a pretty great 2024 all things considered, even stopping by Megan Thee Stallion and GloRilla’s tour earlier this year to have an awesome time.
However, this was also a relatively spicy year for Gabrielle Union in the headlines, given what many fans assumed about her relationship with her peers. If you didn’t hear, fans saw that she liked a tweet that seemed to shade Vivica A. Fox in response to her comments about Taraji P. Henson. In particular, Henson complained about unfair play in Hollywood concerning issues of gender and race.
That whole situation never really cleared up, so we can probably assume that everyone involved resolved their issues privately or it was never an issue to begin with. Regardless, none of that probably bothered Gabrielle Union in the first place. Not even these plastic surgery rumors can inspire that much ire, as she has plenty of experience in clapping back at trolls who criticize her looks. So we’ll see whether other Internet speculation gets an answer or if it’s all just noise.
Rihanna and Angel Reese just made their admiration for one another very clear thanks to some new social media posts from the Footwear News Achievement Awards in New York City on Wednesday (December 4). The latter received the honors for the Style Influencer of the Year award, whereas the former just hung out there with her boo A$AP Rocky. When they crossed paths, Reese shared some videos of their interaction to her Instagram page, with them even remarking on how they want to collaborate on something in the future. We have no idea what this link-up could look like, but either way, we’re excited for both of them to garner more pop culture crossovers.
Beyond Rihanna, though, Angel Reese has met plenty of other celebrities and musicians amid her newfound fame as a WNBA superstar. However, not all of them have the same results. For example, fans clowned DDG for a promo video he did with the Chicago Sky player, making it clear just how much shorter he is than her. He seemed to take it all in stride, though, as it’s hard not to anticipate those types of comments flooding engagement.
Anyways, back to this collab tease. The most obvious and logical way in which Rihanna could work with Angel Reese is if they endorse or promote each others’ brands. RiRi has a pretty huge one in Savage X Fenty, so perhaps that’s the vehicle through which they can cause some pop culture mayhem. As for Reese, she has a boatload of endorsement deals, business ventures, and media spaces of her own, so she could always invite the Barbadian singer on for some of those.
Meanwhile, even if this collaboration doesn’t manifest, we’re sure that Rihanna and Angel Reese have some big plans for 2025. They often have to reckon with new music demands or creepy podcast interactions to get where they want to go, but those haven’t stopped them so far. Fans want to hear some new gems and see more great games. But it’s clear that these women have far more tools in their arsenal to build their presences and support each other.
It’s been an undoubtedly chaotic year for Kanye West and his wife, Bianca Censori. The Chicago rapper has hunkered down in Tokyo to work on his upcoming album BULLY, which fans expect to hear sometime in 2025. He’s also been hit with various lawsuits in recent months, the most recent arriving just last week. Ye even sold his Malibu mansion a couple of months back, losing a staggering $36 million in the process.
As for Censori, she frequently makes headlines for her daring fashion statements, which she usually shows off while out and about with her husband. Their latest outing was no exception, but this time around, Ye matched her energy with a similarly striking outfit. In new photos obtained by TMZ, the high-profile pair is seen standing on an escalator at a mall in the Japanese capital, both rocking all-white attire.
Kanye West & Bianca Censori Out And About In Tokyo
(L-R) Kanye West and Bianca Censori attend the Prototypes Menswear Spring/Summer 2025 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on June 19, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Lyvans Boolaky/Getty Images)
Ye wore a white hoodie and a matching pair of sweatpants. Censori, on the other hand, stunned in what looked like a snug white bodysuit. They both appeared to be in good spirits, laughing as they made their way through the mall. We’re not permitted to post the images directly on HotNewHipHop. If you’d like to see them, you can do so by clicking the Via link below.
Fans are glad to see that the two of them were all smiles, as the same can’t be said for another one of their recent outings. Earlier this month, they were spotted having dinner at a restaurant in Tokyo, but they were frowning and looked depressed. It remains unclear exactly why they were down in the dumps at the time. Fortunately, however, it seems as though things have turned around for the better.
Brat summer might be over, but Charli XCX is the gift that keeps on giving. Just this season, Charli dropped the star-studded Brat remix album,brat and it’s completely different but also still brat (see the Billie Eilish-assisted “Guess” remix, produced by indie sleaze icon The Dare), announced a link-up and starring role in director Pete Ohs Erupcja, joined the cast of Romain Gavras’ Sacrifice, snagged nine Grammy nominations (including Album of the Year), and is now starring in a new campaign from Stockholm, Sweden-based brand Acne Studios with a photoshoot shot by renowned New York photographer Talia Chetrit.
The world can’t seem to get enough. We’re psyched not just because we’re massive Charli fans, but we love collaborations that make sense and Acne Studios, with its high-fashion meets streetwear aesthetic, is oozing with brat vibes.
The new collection mostly focuses on shoulder bags and baggy-fit jeans but also dips into accessories like padlock chain necklaces, metal frame sunglasses, as other staples like skirts, heels, and iridescent mini dresses. Just about everything from the collection looks straight out of a Charli XCX video, with the exception of the scarfs, which are way more demure than anything associated with this era of Charli.
Check out the full collection here and check out some of the lookbook photos below.
Bianca Censori never fails to capture fans’ attention with her daring and oftentimes scandalous fashion statements. This week is certainly no exception, as her recent shopping spree look turned plenty of heads. The Australian model and architect was spotted out and about in Los Angeles yesterday, hitting up a Williams Sonoma store to do some shopping. She did so in a white mini-dress and a pair of sheer lace tights. She tied everything together with some simple white heels.
Censori walked out with an entire cart full of new items. While it’s unclear exactly what she bought, it appears as though it was mostly home goods. This makes sense considering her husband Kanye West just bought a new home in Beverly Hills last month. The mansion cost him a whopping $35 million, which was still far less than he paid for his recently sold Malibu property.
(L-R) Kanye West and Bianca Censori attend the Prototypes Menswear Spring/Summer 2025 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on June 19, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Lyvans Boolaky/Getty Images)
In September, he sold the Malibu abode to Belwood Investments CEO Bo Belmont for $21 million. Ye took a major loss, as he paid $57 million for it only three years ago. Allegedly, he had plans to convert the mansion into a bomb shelter, which ultimately did not pan out. Shortly after the sale, Belmont criticized Ye for the changes he made to the property, claiming he “single-handedly destroyed this architectural masterpiece.”
As for Censori, this is far from the first time she’s made headlines for her fashion statements as of late. Earlier this month, for example, she was seen with Ye at McDonald’s in Tokyo, sporting stylish all-silver attire. She also channeled Marilyn Monroe for Halloween in October, putting her own creative spin on the icon’s signature look. We’re not permitted to post the images directly on HotNewHipHop, but if you’d like to see them, you can do so by clicking the Via link below.
GloRilla stole a whole lot of rap fans’ hearts in 2024, if she hadn’t already stolen them from her breakout 2022. As such, fans are always interested to hear what she has to say about her everyday life, especially when it comes to relatable and culturally significant matters such as Black hair. Recently, the “Sticky” femcee took to Instagram to share a picture of her natural hair, along with some insightful comments that caused discussion and community among her fans. “I’m so tender headed I keep my braids up fa a whole 4 months before I get em redid [crying emoji],” she captioned the new photos. “at least my hair growing.”
However, GloRilla now has some other issues to deal with beyond her hair growth, and so do various other of her rap peers. Plies recently launched a lawsuit against her, Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, and Soulja Boy for alleged copyright infringement, claiming that they used his “Me & My Goons” instrumental without proper permission. The tracks in question include Glo, Meg, and Cardi’s “Wanna Be,” plus Soulja’s “Pretty Boy Swag.”
Elsewhere, other GloRilla connections to her fanbase didn’t land as universally as these pics of her natural hair, especially when it comes to the United States election. Following Donald Trump’s victorious campaign to be the nation’s president, she made (and then deleted) a joke about birth control reacting to this news. “I been got on birth control anyway,” the Memphis lyricist shared and then rescinded. She previously endorsed Kamala Harris for U.S. president, even performing at her Milwaukee rally recently. There are a lot of other divisive and strong reactions to this political development, but for some folks, it’s still too soon to make light of other issues or even speak on them casually.
But one division that GloRilla wants to combat is her previous and brief beef with former City Girl JT, something that she attributed solely to fanbase bickering during a recent interview. She maintained that they’re actually cool, and that the fans just went too far with their debates. There are plenty of other chances for unity, even through something as seemingly innocuous as hair.
One of the best parts of Halloween is right after it ends, funnily enough. That’s when we see all of our friends, mutuals, and favorite celebrities really show off their costumes on a night out or just to feel stunning at home. But Latto definitely belongs in the former group. She recently shared her spooky season fits via social media, and had fans hopping over themselves due to their curious connection. The Atlanta femcee showed off her curves via two costumes: one of the Who Framed Roger Rabbit favorite Jessica Rabbit and one of a Playboy Bunny. That last one was one she used to shout out her ongoing tour, which stopped in Brooklyn on Hallows’ Eve with guests Mariah The Scientist and KARRAHBOOO.
However, some eagled-eyed fans may be able to spot the similarities between these Halloween costume picks and those of other female rappers. For example, collaborator Cardi B also dressed as Jessica Rabbit, and both did a great job of emulating the look. While Cardi made her makeup a little more extravagant, Latto chose to place most of the emphasis on how pristine the red gown looks.
On the other hand, other similarities between Latto and fellow women in the rap game might be a more controversial and combative comparison. Ice Spice also dressed as a Playboy Bunny this year, and this wouldn’t be the first time that fans (or the artists themselves) drew style comparisons amid their supposed beef. We say “supposed” because they’ve both addressed not really caring too much about it in the first place, so it’s more of a social media fanbase war than anything. Still, we can’t deny that they both seemingly used this to push their careers further in one way or another.
Regardless of where you fall on that, all these femcees killed it this year, and the more important inspiration they take from each other should be on an artistic level. We’ll see what else Latto gives fans during her seemingly chaotic tour, and whether or not anyone else in the rap game also had these Halloween costume ideas.
Over the past few years, Kanye West received various lawsuits about Yeezy, with some being specifically about how he allegedly compensated employees of his brand. While they resulted in a variety of different outcomes, we have a new update on a long-running class action suit over allegedly unpaid wages. Moreover, according to Baller Alert, Ye and Yeezy settled for $625,000 with former employees. According to purported court documents reportedly obtained by In Touch, these funds will contribute to the former workers that this lawsuit represents, their legal fees, and a reserved slice of the pie should any other future accusations or legal claims emerge.
For those unaware, Taliah Leslie and Shelby Grochowski filed this lawsuit in 2021. In fact, reports had emerged last year that Leslie and Kanye West reached a settlement in a lawsuit, so it seems like this refers more to the class action involvement of more employees. The basic claims involve allegations of labor code violations, lack of overtime wages and meal breaks, lack of off-the-clock work compensation, and required travel to Paris, Wyoming, and more without proper reimbursement or payment.
The plaintiffs in this class action lawsuit against Kanye West, who faces other serious allegations such as sexual assault, reportedly joined the Yeezy team in 2019. Taliah Leslie was an assistant designer and Shelby Grochowski was an assistant pattern-maker. “Defendant [failed] to compensate all overtime hours worked when Plaintiff and Aggrieved Employees worked over eight hours in one day or forty hours in one week,” the lawsuit alleged, also claiming that employees “worked in excess of five (5) and/or ten (10) hours a day without being provided at least half-hour meal periods.” Per the suit, the Chicago artist’s personal views impacted these workplace conditions, such as a ban on eating inside the offices.
While Kanye West and Yeezy did reportedly settle for $625K here, they “deny any liability or wrongdoing” according to reported court documents. Specifically, they alleged that they acted in full compliance with the California Labor Code and other provisions. Ye’s wife Bianca Censori reportedly signed the agreement on behalf of her husband and the company. This is far from the only legal obstacle in his path, although it seems like this instance came to a close.
Here at Uproxx, we believe collaborations are the spice of life — fashion collabs, artist collabs, and everything in between, if two or more entities that we’re already fans of come together to produce something greater than the sum of their parts, we’re hyped about it.
This is why every Friday, we’re going to be running down the best collabs of the week. There are no hard and fast rules here, if it’s a collaboration that has us excited for any reason, it’s fair game. So, we’ll be wading through the muck to find the collaborations you need to care about on a weekly basis.
This week we’ve got link-ups between Rick Owens and Moncler, Supreme and Jane’s Addiction, SKIMS, Tate McCrae, and Harmony Korine, and we’re closing with Central Cee’s COLORS performance. Let’s dive in.
Rick Owens x Moncler FW24
Rick Owens
Every Gen-Z dude’s favorite brand, Rick Owens, is linking up with the Italian fashion house Moncler once again for a fall/winter 2024 outwear collection. The collection straddles the line between luxury runway fashion and winter-focused basics. Expect lots of parkas, bomber jackets, and jumpsuits in a mix of cashmere and quilt dressed up in a minimalist yet slightly edgy (or at the very least unconventional) aesthetic.
Sure, some of the pieces are comfortably conventional, but for every slightly elevated down jacket or puffer vest, you’ve got a piece that’ll make you look like a glammed-up high-fashion sith lord. But that’s what makes Rick Owens so damn fun.
The Rick Owens x Moncler FW2024 collection is available now. Shop the collection at Rick Owens or Moncler.
Supreme x Jane’s Addiction Fall 2024 Collection
Supreme
Beloved ‘90s weirdos Jane’s Addiction are back — or at least they were back. The band embarked on a tour this year but on-stage fighting led them to abruptly cancel, which is a shame for Jane’s Addiction fans, but hey, at least we’re getting a Supreme collaboration out of it!
The collection is conceptually pretty simple, it takes classic Supreme staples like Mechanics Jackets, cardigans, and hoodies, marked with graphic prints of Jane’s Addiction album and poster iconography and lyrics. The collection was supposed to serve as a victory lap for the band, but now it is a small consolation for the letdown fans. If only you could trade in those tickets for pieces from the collection!
The Supreme x Jane’s Addiction Fall 2024 collection is available now at Supreme.
Tate McCrae Stars In SKIMS Holiday Shop
SKIMS
SKIMS is always linking up with the most cutting-edge main pop girlies, from Charli XCX, Sabrina Carpenter, to Rosalia, and now the brand has tapped Tate McCrae to star in its Holiday Shop collection.
The Holiday Shop Collection features loungey staples and lingerie in SKIMS minimalist aesthetic, though if you love patterns there are plenty of snow-flake, leopard print, and mistletoe-adorned pieces that reflect the cozy season.
But we’re not here to talk about the clothes, we’re here for the collaboration, and this is a great one! The ad campaign was shot by Harmony Korine of Spring Breakers and Kids fame, and has a sheen to it that echoes the bright and loud photography of early 00s-era David LaChappelle.
Tate McRae looks great and exudes confidence. We’re fully expecting 2025 to be McRae’s year.
Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance SONNY Basketball Capsule
Aime Leon Dore
Aimé Leon Dore’s SONNY Youth Club is an NYC-based program that provides mentorship and a place to play for young athletes in the city, and recently, the Baseketball Club took their talents to an international tournament in Paris and to mark the event, ALD teamed up with New Balance for a new collection of footwear and apparel.
We love the retro vibes of this collection, which includes hoodies, jackets, tank tops, footwear and other off and on-court staples that feature SONNY branding done in a throwback ‘70s and early ‘80s aesthetic.
The Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance SONNY Basketball Capsule is set to drop on November 1st at 7:00 AM ET. Shop the collection at ALD.
100 Thieves x Adidas Drop 002
100 Thieves
The LA-based lifestyle and e-sports brand 100 Thieves is teaming up with Adidas Originals for the duo’s second drop of the year. The two brands joined forces earlier this year, but that collection played things relatively safe. We’re glad to see 100 Thieves get a bit more comfortable this time around by infusing more of its aesthetic personality into the collaboration.
The collection features everything from apparel to footwear, and accessories with a sporty-meets-utilitarian aesthetic. Considering the first drop was a success, and this one is looking even better, it’s safe to say Adidas is throwing itself into the e-sports ring (battlefield?) with full force.
The 100 Thieves x Adidas Drop 002 is set to hit the 100 Thieves website on November 2nd at 10 AM PST. Check out the full collection here.
