Kendrick Lamar Calls Taz Arnold ‘My Mount Rushmore of Style’
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Kendrick Lamar Calls Taz Arnold ‘My Mount Rushmore of Style’
Watch Jadakiss React To Custom Kicks That Honor Biggie, DMX, On ‘Fresh Pair’
Uproxx’s new sneaker show, Fresh Pair, isn’t just about dope custom sneakers. It’s a deep dive into the careers, legacy, and the ambitions of its guests, reflected in wearable pieces of art that serve as both a celebration and a gift. In the premiere episode of the series, cohosts Katty Customs and Just Blaze were joined by iconic Yonkers rapper Jadakiss who was blown away by the attention to detail and deep research that went into his custom pair of Air Jordan 1s.
“This is ill man, ya’ll something else over here,” he says. “This is a mean pair, Fresh Pair made me a mean pair! I don’t know how ya’ll are going to top these… you’re going to need to make a hall or a wall of fame, these definitely going in there. Any other mean ones you make are going to be inspired somehow by these.”
Jadakiss’ custom AJ-1s tell a story of the raspy rapper’s rise from the streets to the stratosphere, while also paying tribute to the rappers who helped shaped his career and influence his unique style. Late legends Biggie and DMX are referenced on the sneaker’s heel wing logo and Jadakiss’ life spent with Styles P and Sheek Louch in The LOX is referenced at the tongue. It’s a poetic representation of a truly storied career and watching Kiss fall deeper in love with the sneaker as he unveils the details is a must-watch — if only to hear him say “this is crazy” so many times that he’s nearly breathless.
Check out the full episode above and be sure to catch the next episode of Fresh Pair on Wednesday, October 5th.
Kanye West’s Yeezy Shades: How To Get The New ‘YZYSHDZ’
Despite all of the recent reading-related drama and setbacks with Adidas and GAP, Kanye West is pushing onward. The Chicago rapper’s latest fashion offering YZYSHDZ comes in the form of a futuristic-looking pair of shades.
Those interested in purchasing the shiny, almost aluminum-looking spectacles can do so via his website here. Interested customers are asked to enter their email addresses in order to join the waitlist.
Though the website shows the shades on a mannequin, several celebrities have already been given their pairs early. An Instagram page by the name of @yzyshdz is loaded with iMessage screenshots with photos of celebrities, such as Kaash Paige, Simran Randhawa, Ice Spice, Fivio Foreign, Foushee, Anna Wintour, Coi Leray, Karl-Anthony Towns, Jeleel and many more all sporting their pairs. Notably, there is even a photo with a pair of shades photoshopped onto the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Given the optics of the shades, it’s unclear whether those wearing them are actually able to see through them. In any event, they do have a cool look and are only the latest in West’s many unique fashion endeavors.
Join the wait list for YZYSHDZ here and check out some photos of celebrities wearing them above.
Check Out Launch Party Photos And A Trailer From Uproxx’s New Show, ‘Fresh Pair’
There is an old adage that the ‘”eyes are windows to the soul,” but in Uproxx’s new show, Fresh Pair, it’s a person’s sneakers that offer a true glimpse into who they are. Launching September 28 at 12pm PT/ 3pm ET, the show stars sneaker customizer to the stars Katty Customs and hip-hop super producer Just Blaze. Each week, the duo sits down with your favorite celebrities and presents them with iconic one-of-one sneakers inspired by their respective careers, lives, and journeys.
Throughout the debut season, Katty and Just will be joined by legends like Jadakiss, TI, The Game, El P, Jim Jones, Styles P, will.i.am and more for a set of in-depth interviews that go beyond sneakers and deep in their careers. But this isn’t your typical sneaker show. Each bespoke design — dreamed up by Just and Katty — serves as an exploration of what makes these legends truly great and inspires each guest to open up and share previously unknown anecdotes and stories.
Attendees at Monday’s Fresh Pair launch party at will.i.am’s FYI House in Hollywood got a taste of what to expect with a special screening of Will’s episode, which, in addition to a truly dope and futuristic pair of kicks that perfectly captures will.i.am’s aesthetic, included gems like how the Black Eyed Peas got their start, an explanation of Will’s early beat-making, and sage advice he received from Prince, as well as how the iconic chant from Usher’s “OMG” came to be.
Some of the celebrities in attendance included Cordae, Trinidad, apl.de.ap, Sauve, Rap Sh!t‘s Victoria Richards, multi-hyphenate talent Jarry Lee, Grammy award-nominated graphic designers Brian Roettinger and Julian Gross, streetwear icon Jeff Staple, and many more with celebrities and influencers rubbing shoulders and dancing to the sounds of Jurassic 5’s DJ Nu-Mark who kept things moving by spinning classic cuts all night long.
Sponsors for the event included Fresh Pair‘s NFT partner Wagmi Beach, key sponsors D’Ussé VSOP and Filthy, and Salt & Straw, Kettle One Botanical, Liquid Death, Heartbeat Hot Sauce, and Sabali Graphics. After you check out the trailer, be sure to dive into these photos from the premiere, shot by event co-sponsor TOSTI Photography’s David Tosti.
Kanye West Says He’s The ‘One Individual On The Planet Who Could Save The Gap’
After declaring that he wants out of his deal with Gap Inc. in a letter to the clothing retailer earlier today, Kanye West appeared on CNBC — a contrast to his prior interview with Fox News — to offer an edgy interview about the proposed split. An irascible interview subject at the best of times, this time, a standoffish Kanye appeared in mirrored sunglasses and sporting a 1970s beard — think Black Macho Man Randy Savage — and didn’t provide much illumination on the deal, taking the opportunity to take more potshots at Gap, as he’s been doing for the past few weeks.
On CNBC, Ye, formly known as Kanye West, discussed leaving Gap, $GPS.
He said: “I’m not going to argue with people that are broker than me about money.” pic.twitter.com/wFs15aoQlc
— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) September 15, 2022
As the CNBC correspondent notes, Gap and Adidas’ stocks have taken a hit due to Kanye’s grumbling. Pointing out that he was once a huge proponent of Gap, even name-checking the stores in his early songs, she asks whether he believes Gap could recover. “They only have one opportunity to be able to be a big player,” he shoots back. “What do you think it is? They have one individual on the planet who could say the Gap… Sometimes, the answer’s sitting right in front of you… Don’t bring a leader in and have him not lead. I’m not going to argue with people that are broker than me about money.”
In addition, he promises that the Macho Man-esque glasses he’s wearing in the interview will “be out soon,” although, with his current retail partnership in shambles, it’s unclear how. Kanye says that Gap violated the conditions of his contract with them, but it remains to be seen whether the deal will actually be terminated before its planned expiration in 2026. You can watch Kanye’s prickly interview above.
Kanye West Claims He’s Terminating His Deal With Gap For Violating Their Contract
Kanye West has spent the past several weeks agitating against his business partners at Gap and now accuses the company of violating their contract with him in a letter sent to the company by his lawyer. According to CNBC, Kanye now wants to terminate the deal altogether, despite having four years left to go on the original term of the partnership. The main sticking point, according to West’s lawyer Nicholas Gravante, is the distribution of Yeezy products by the second half of 2021 and the creation of dedicated Yeezy Gap stores.
Per the original deal, Yeezy would be solely owned by Kanye, who would receive royalties and equity based on the sales. Pending the sales meeting certain targets, Yeezy stood to earn up to 8.5 million shares, with some sources valuing the partnership at nearly $1 billion. Although some Yeezy products were made available in Gap’s Times Square store in New York, Ye’s lawyers claim that they don’t count toward the terms of the partnership because they were a collaboration with Balenciaga — a separate deal altogether.
When the deal was signed with Yeezy back in 2020, Gap believed that the famous rap star’s cosign would boost slumping sales, but the quarterly earnings report released this August revealed disappointing results for the first half of 2022. Earlier this month, Kanye said he planned to continue the Yeezy apparel brand without Gap once the contract expired, but now it appears he’s trying to force that to happen sooner rather than later.
Kanye West Plans To Leave Adidas And Gap Once Their Contracts Expire: ‘No More Companies Standing In Between’
Kanye West’s grievances with Adidas and Gap have been made readily apparent on social media by Kanye himself, and now he wants to “go it alone,” according to a new interview with Bloomberg. After accusing both companies of falling short in their obligations and stealing designs while making odd demands and stonewalling on product approvals, Kanye now apparently believes that he can fund his Yeezy apparel and footwear design, manufacture, and marketing himself.
Among his demands to his business partners are opening brick-and-mortar Yeezy stores (at a time when retail is moving more and more online), a 20% royalty from all the shoes bearing his name from Adidas (he already receives around $200 million in annual royalties and does not front the cost of research, development, or manufacture of the shoes), and chairs on both companies’ boards of directors.
While he acknowledges that both deals have been quite lucrative for him — his “billionaire” status is based largely on the long-term health of those deals and the royalties he receives from them — he is adamant that he can do just as well on his own. He also recognizes that these contracts both have long remaining terms; his Adidas deal expires in 2026, while his Gap one will remain in effect until 2030.
“It’s time for me to go it alone,” he told Bloomberg. “It’s fine. I made the companies money. The companies made me money. We created ideas that will change apparel forever. Like the round jacket, the foam runner, the slides that have changed the shoe industry. Now it’s time for Ye to make the new industry. No more companies standing in between me and the audience… They my new baby mamas. I guess we’re just going to have to co-parent those 350s.”
Drake Hilariously Roasts Nike, New Balance, And The Lakers While Hosting The Nike Maxim Awards Show
At this point, Drake has proven that he’s a capable and entertaining host, whether it’s during one of his multiple Saturday Night Live guest-hosting stints or that time he hosted the ESPYs in 2014. Yesterday, he took his talents to Nike. He visited the company’s Oregon campus yesterday (September 9) and it turns out part of the reason he was there was to host the Nike Maxim Awards Show.
He made it fun, too, by throwing some playful jabs at Nike while on stage. Commenting on the longevity of the brand, Drake quipped, “Nike is 50. Nike’s so old, it’s wearing New Balance.” After taking a sip of water, he continued, “Nike turning 50 means LeBron’s going to get you to try to play for the Lakers this year. This is the year where you’re going to walk into a restaurant and see Nike having red wine with Jared Dudley and Carmelo Anthony.”
Drake hosting the Nike Maxim Awards show tonight in Portland, Oregon — Part 1. pic.twitter.com/mVxM5XVOmq
— Word On Road (@WordOnRd) September 9, 2022
Of course, he also said some more sincere things about the successful company and all it has achieved over the years.
While Drake was there to honor Nike, he has his own reasons to celebrate, like the fact that he’s the most-searched artist in Shazam history.
Check out clips of Drake’s hosting gig above and below.
Drake hosting the Nike Maxim Awards show tonight in Portland, Oregon — Part 2. pic.twitter.com/1RjQq5imFm
— Word On Road (@WordOnRd) September 9, 2022
Drake hosting the Nike Maxim Awards show tonight in Portland, Oregon — Part 3. pic.twitter.com/Q0sXtylGgg
— Word On Road (@WordOnRd) September 9, 2022
Azealia Banks Goes In On ‘Crybaby’ Kanye West Over His Adidas Beef, Wealth, Teyana Taylor, And More
For various reasons, Kanye West is currently feuding with Adidas. Azealia Banks has some thoughts on this and they’re not favorable towards West.
In a series of Instagram Story posts shared last night, Banks says she’s “kind of nauseated by all this name dropping” and accused West of being a culture vulture, writing, “u dead ass stole ur whole interest in fashion from Dee & Ricky. U tried stealing death grips sound and failed miserably… U brought a stolen render of an airplane to the Oval Office. Crackheads had leather jogging pants in 1981. If everyone can just *steal* ur sh*t Maybe it’s time to realize you don’t really HAVE anything. Addidas wasn’t going to make u billionaire and not keep rights to the name of the shoe. Just be realistic and stop trying to paint the white people you traded out plenty of black investors for — for your obsession with white approval.”
She then addressed West’s wealth, continuing:
“Real rich people want no one to know they have money. They’re not interested in fame or celebrity. You’re gonna f*ck around and lose it all again. And let me guess, blame that on racism too? Everytime u wanna brag about being the richest black man in other black mens faces, remember they you will never be the richest MAN , because ur still black [crying laughing emoji]. For every Kanye billionaire west there are 30 richer white billionaires who made their fortunes designing the traps u walk right into.”
Banks also attests that Ye has treated Teyana Taylor poorly, writing, “Please Stop riding white dick and use the same power u used to get that white girl Lana an h&m campaign on Teyana and make her a wealthy black woman? Teyana was ur little boo for a second and she was 19. You made ALOT of promises to that girl but all you’ve done is think I care about ‘fade’ a beat u sent me in 2012 that I told u fierce was better than. When you can be open to urself about how u f*cked teyana over via contract just because Kim was jealous. You will realize that you’ve been so busy criticizing women and STEALING ART FROM EVERYONE, bullying your own daughter… That u deserve to be stolen from.”
In another Story shared hours later, she added, “Rap dudes will always band together in stupidity. As if anyone in the world will boycott adidas because group of men who can’t stop calling themselves ’n****s’ say so. No one boycotted RZA for letting a white dude spit on me, you all actually boycotted me for being a victim! Lol Black women should never stand in solidarity with men who go out of their ways to disrespect black women. If anything it’s great they want to boycott… adidas should replace Kanye with a black female designer. The fact this n**** whines SO much like a damn wet cat is enough to deem all Kanye west fashion projects f*cking lame. Who wants to dress like a crybaby who hasn’t had a hot song in over ten years?”
Find Banks’ posts below.
The fact that Kanye knew since 2018 that addidas took the name ‘Yeezy.’ I know this because when I designed all that sh*t I had to call it ‘yzy’ And is crying now is a beg. I have been begging him to read books since 2011. He refuses.
I’m also really kind of nauseated by all this name dropping. Big deal kanye I know that guys at Anderson Horowitz too can you Please Stop riding white dick and use the same power u used to get that white girl Lana an h&m campaign on Teyana and make her a wealthy black woman?
Teyana was ur little boo for a second and she was 19. You made ALOT of promises to that girl but all you’ve done is think I care about ‘fade’ a beat u sent me in 2012 that I told u fierce was better than.
When you can be open to urself about how u f*cked teyana over via contract just because Kim was jealous. You will realize that you’ve been so busy criticizing women and STEALING ART FROM EVERYONE, bullying your own daughter… That u deserve to be stolen from.
Like u dead ass stole ur whole interest in fashion from Dee & Ricky. U tried stealing death grips sound and failed miserably… U brought a stolen render of an airplane to the Oval Office. Crackheads had leather jogging pants in 1981. If everyone can just *steal* ur sh*t Maybe it’s time to realize you don’t really HAVE anything.
Addidas wasn’t going to make u billionaire and not keep rights to the name of the shoe. Just be realistic and stop trying to paint the white people you traded out plenty of black investors for — for your obsession with white approval.
Real rich people want no one to know they have money. They’re not interested in fame or celebrity. You’re gonna f*ck around and lose it all again. And let me guess, blame that on racism too?
Everytime u wanna brag about being the richest black man in other black mens faces, remember they you will never be the richest MAN , because ur still black [crying laughing emoji]. For every Kanye billionaire west there are 30 richer white billionaires who made their fortunes designing the traps u walk right into.
I also hope you know how insignificant your fortune is on a cultural level : a black man selling sneakers ……. None of the white n****s u dick ride think that is the fortune. It’s a stereotype beyond measure.
You must know, that EVERYTHING is Kanye’s fault.
Like u went bankrupt after watch the throne tour because Jayz had Versace towels and (quite enjoyable — I must say) spread of foods/drinks/merch decor in his green room. While u had chicken bones, empty bottles of henny and variety boxes of wise chips from Costco in ur green room.
You bought a dope fiend AND A DUDE a birkin before I’ve even seen teyana post some flowers from you on her damn birthday. Like you spent teyana’s pr/video budgets on hanging out with a white girl who literally turned around and was proud for ‘hustling you for a USED bag, a wet n wild eyeliner and a hot plate of food,’ [crying laughing emojis].”
“Rap dudes will always band together in stupidity. As if anyone in the world will boycott adidas because group of men who can’t stop calling themselves ’n****s’ say so. No one boycotted RZA for letting a white dude spit on me, you all actually boycotted me for being a victim! Lol Black women should never stand in solidarity with men who go out of their ways to disrespect black women. If anything it’s great they want to boycott… adidas should replace Kanye with a black female designer The fact this n**** whines SO much like a damn wet cat is enough to deem all Kanye west fashion projects f*cking lame. Who wants to dress like a crybaby who hasn’t had a hot song in over ten years?”