Carmelo Anthony Disappointed Following Bad Loss To The Thunder

Throughout the early going of the NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers have gone through some very obvious ups and downs. The team was supposed to be a lot better than it is, however, chemistry issues have plagued the team’s ability to get on winning streaks. Earlier in the season, the Lakers gave up a 20-point lead to the Oklahoma City Thunder and ended up losing without LeBron James in the lineup.

Last night, with LeBron out again, the Lakers had a chance to redeem themselves against the Thunder who remains one of the weaker and younger teams in the league. Once again, however, the Lakers gave up a 19-point lead and lost 107-104, much to the dismay of Carmelo Anthony.

Carmelo Anthony

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While speaking to reporters after the game, he said “We shouldn’t have lost this one,” according to Ryan Ward. Melo was very disappointed by the loss and so was the rest of the team, and rightfully so. The Lakers continue to struggle against teams that they should be beating with ease, and it has fans wondering whether or not this team has what it takes to win the title this year.

Of course, things can turn around quickly, however, with LeBron out of the lineup, they could be in tough for weeks to come. Stay tuned to HNHH for more updates from the NBA world.

TheHxliday Wants Love On New Single “Doses”

Baltimore native TheHxliday continues to rise to the top of the music industry and on Friday, he released his brand new single “Doses.” Once again attacking a new genre, Hxliday’s versatility remains one of his main draws. The rising artist is influenced by a range of different musical acts in rock, rap, R&B, and pop, and his latest single “Doses” is perhaps the greatest representation of Hxliday’s catchy songwriting style.

The new pop-infused single was premiered during the 19-year-old’s performance at Rolling Loud New York last weekend, with the crowd loudly approving of the track. “Doses” arrives as Hxliday is trying out a new look, cutting off his braids and debuting a new short-haired appearance a few weeks ago. 

Check out the fun new single below and stay tuned for more as TheHxliday continues to make a name for himself.

Quotable Lyrics:

Consciously
I’m locked deep inside you with no key
Should I wrap you in my arms or set you free?
Baby, I’m not tryna hold you down

Kanye West Violates Soulja Boy, Explains Why He Was Cut From “DONDA”

Kanye West didn’t mince words when he explained why Soulja Boy was removed from his most recent album DONDA. After the rapper revealed that he was cut from “Remote Control” without any notice, Soulja leaked his verse on the song, getting it out to the world and blowing up on Ye on social media. He was upset that he was taken off the album, much like Chris Brown, and when Ye was asked why he took the executive decision to drop Soulja from DONDA, he didn’t hold anything back.

When the topic of Soulja Boy came up during his recent appearance on Drink Champs, Ye sang the rapper’s praises before completely violating him.

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“I’m not gonna argue with you n***as about this at all,” said Ye. “Soulja Boy is top 5 most [influential] as far as what we are today.”

N.O.R.E. proceeded to ask why he took him off the album though, and Ye was clear in his response.

“You ain’t hear that verse?” asked Ye, seemingly trashing Big Draco’s bars. 

“Nope, the verse wasn’t good?” asked N.O.R.E.

“Nah, but I tell you what though…” said Ye, and that was all he needed to reveal before the audience realized exactly why Soulja Boy was removed from the album. Clearly, Ye thought his verse was garbage, so he replaced him with Young Thug.

Elsewhere during the interview, Ye spoke about his feud with Drake, his marriage to Kim Kardashian, and more. He also said that he sent a group text message to Kim, Drake, JAY-Z, Kid Cudi, Travis Scott, and others telling them that he’s richer than all of them combined. Read more about that here.

Check out Ye’s comments about Soulja Boy below, and watch the full interview underneath.

Kanye West Didn’t Hold Back During His “Drink Champs” Interview & Twitter Is Loving It

There’s no denying that Kanye West, now known as Ye, is a controversial figure. People look forward to when the rapper does interviews due to his unpredictable nature, and during a recent stint on Drink Champs, the “Famous” rapper certainly didn’t disappoint.

It’s hard to predict what will come out of his mouth when he’s sober, so N.O.R.E only upped the ante by giving his pal a blunt and some drinks to help set the vibe. During the two and a half hour episode, Ye and co. were able to cover plenty of ground, talking about everything from Soulja Boy being left off DONDA to his beef with a handful of other stars.

At one point during the interview, the father of four said that “the worst thing” he’s ever done is sign “Guap” rapper, Big Sean. “I changed this man family and both John Legend and Big Sean when I ran for office got used quick by the Democrats to combat they boy that actually changed they life. And that’s some sell-out sh*t and I don’t rock with neither of them and I need my apology,” Ye said, also addressing the current status of his relationship with his vocalist friend.

Elsewhere in the interview, the “Flashing Lights” hitmaker addressed his beef with Canadian rapper Drake. West said that he’d win “in any situation” against Drizzy in a Verzuz battle, and also cleared up the long-standing rumour that the “Over” artist slept with his estranged wife, Kim Kardashian West.

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“Drake is like, ‘You know, I never fucked Kim.’ But I was like, ‘But you acted like you did. You got bars that’s like, ‘Hidden Hills, give your wife the chills,’ it’s like somebody is throwing a marble and hiding their hand or something,” Ye told N.O.R.E and DJ EFN.

“All that’s disrespectful. [It’s] to the point that Kim is like, ‘I don’t listen to this n***a anymore. This n***a acting like he fucked,’ and we never really had that conversation. ‘Oh, I never fucked Kim.’ No, but what about, did you ever DM her? Everything else around it ’cause it ain’t about just the actual act of it.”

The interview was only uploaded yesterday, but listeners have already been having a field day reacting to Ye’s on-air antics.

Check out the full episode of Drink Champs featuring Kanye West below.

Lou Williams Is Tired Of “Two Girlfriends” Jokes

Lou Williams is in his seventeenth year in the NBA, and is currently a member of the Atlanta Hawks. Throughout his career, he has racked up many accolades, but he still cannot seem to shake a bothersome moment.

In the mid-2010s when he was a member of the Toronto Raptors, it was revealed that Lou Williams was in a polygamous relationship with two other women named Ashley Henderson and Rece Mitchell.

The internet took this story and ran with it, sparking a barrage of memes and praise for Williams.

However, in a recent interview with Taylor Rooks, Lou discussed his hatred of those memes: “People even thought they were sisters, I was like, ‘That’s ridiculous.’ I didn’t like the part where I couldn’t control what was being said and how they were viewed. Both of those women are mothers of my children, not just some random girls I’m running around with…”

Williams has had children with both Henderson and Mitchell, but he separated from Mitchell in 2018. So, while the memes persisted in his career since the revelation, he has actually been in a monogamous relationship the last three years.

Williams’ failed attempt to normalize polyamory among NBA fans is likely the only shortcoming of his otherwise fruitful career. He built his success in the NBA being a role player, and has now totaled the most bench points in NBA history, as well as collecting three 6th Man of the Year trophies. He told Rooks in the interview that he intends to retire after this 2021-22 season, and will do so as a very decorated athlete.

How do you feel about Lou Williams’ prior polyamorous relationship?

Just Blaze Keeps Things Civil In Reponse To Kanye West’s “Drink Champs” Shots

If you haven’t yet heard the news, Kanye West recently starred as the guest artist on N.O.R.E. & DJ EFN’s Drink Champs, and as with any interview that involves the Donda artist, there were countless memorable moments. Throughout the nearly two-and-a-half-hour video, the artist now known as Ye unloaded everything off his chest, speaking on topics ranging from the rumor that Kim Kardashian had an affair with Drake to his profound regret for ever signing Big Sean.

As the interview progressed, it turns out that Yeezy also had words for his “Touch The Sky” collaborator Just Blaze. Similar to the Pusha T vs. Big Sean question that provoked a petty response from the G.O.O.D. Music founder, Ye was asked to choose between Swizz Beatz and Just Blaze. Without hesitation, Kanye replied, “Well Swizz Beatz, definitely, because Just Blaze is a copycat.”

Swizz Beatz, Kanye West and Just Blaze attends Pepsi Superstar DJ Contest Hosted By DJ Enough, July 18th, 2007
Johnny Nunez/WireImage/Getty Images

“He get credit for The Blueprint, and I did the first half of The Blueprint,” Ye continues. “He just copied my half. I mean, look! Look at where I’m at today and where he’s at today. That should show you.”

On the off-chance that any readers aren’t familiar with Jay-Z’s classic 2001 album, Kanye produced Blueprint tracks like “Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love),” “Izzo (H.O.V.A.),” “Girls, Girls, Girls, Pt. II,” “Takeover,” and “Never Change,” while Just Blaze handled the production on “Song Cry,” “Lyrical Excercise,” “Girls, Girls, Girls,” and “U Don’t Know.” Considering that they both submitted timeless contributions to the record, Kanye’s comments about Just Blaze were almost more surprising than his shots at Big Sean.

But while the What You Expect artist took a more lighthearted approach in his response to Ye’s Drink Champs interview, Just Blaze doesn’t seem at all amused by Kanye West’s comments.

Keeping things civil in effort to avoid the “mudslinging” that would elicit sensational media coverage, Just Blaze responded to Ye on Instagram by writing, “Well that was unfortunate. I’m only addressing this publicly because it was stated publicly. I’m not here for the mudslinging, I’m just a bit confused and disappointed.”

“None of what was said tonight regarding me fits with any of our history or our previous interactions – particularly in light of very recent attempts to work together again,” Just Blaze continued. “Through recent years he has reached out to collaborate on various projects, including a much rumored collaborative project that he was looking for me to handle a good amount of. It unfortunately never saw the light of day due to reasons unrelated to me. Most recently, a couple of months back I woke up to a literal red alert from his people that he was looking for me for his last album in the 11th hour, We tried to pull something off but it was way too last minute.”

Reiterating that he has no bad blood with the Yeezy designer and former presidential candidateJust Blaze finished his statement by saying, “Regarding that one comment: respectfully, I’m happy for him and the fact that he has succeeded in the ways he wanted to, but not everyone wants to be where he is. Everyone’s definition of personal success is a bit different. l’m quite happy where I am creatively, with my family, and my life in general. We were a part of history together and I wish him well and continued success.”

You can watch Kanye West’s full Drink Champs interview below, and for those looking to see the full context of his remarks about Just Blaze, fast forward to the 1:43:16 time stamp.

Do you think that Ye’s statements about Just Blaze were out of line? And should Just Blaze have responded to Ye’s jabs in the way that he did? Let us know what you think about the situation in the comments.

Strick Releases New Album “Strick Land” Featuring Young Thug, Kid Cudi, A$AP Rocky, & More

YSL Records has been building one of the strongest rosters in hip-hop, and North Carolina’s Strick is one of the most decorated members of the squad. Having written for some of the biggest artists in the world, Strick put in a lot of work behind-the-scenes before focusing on his own career as an artist. For the last few weeks, he has been releasing singles with the likes of Swae Lee, Kaash Paige, and others to lead into his new album Strick Land, a play on his family name, and the project has officially dropped in full.

Building from his recent appearance on Young Thug’s new album Punk, Strick works with some heavy-hitters on Strick Land, including Kid Cudi, A$AP Rocky, Gunna, and more. Of course, Thugger makes an appearance on the tracklist, and so do Skepta, NAV, and others.

This is Strick’s official debut studio album, and the rapper couldn’t be more proud to drop this today. “Thank you to literally every single person involved,” he said on Instagram. “God. My family. My slimes. The Producers. The Engineers. Featured Artist. Video directors. Photographers. My Management. Entire 300 | YSL STAFF! My product manager(s) My assistant and every person who takes the time to give my record a chance. I appreciate you. This is Just the start.”

Listen to Strick Land below and let us know what you think.

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Tracklist:

1. House of Blues
2. Don’t Wanna Leave (feat. NAV)
3. In Love Wit A Fly Girl (feat. Young Thug)
4. Play Stupid (feat. Swae Lee)
5. Bad Girl (feat. Kaash Paige)
6. For Sale (feat. A$AP Rocky)
7. Classy N Shit
8. Galaxy Ceiling (feat. Gunna)
9. Superfuturistic
10. Ocean’s Eleven
11. No Rush (feat. Ice Prince)
12. Runway
13. Moon Man (with Young Stoner Life & Young Thug, feat. Kid Cudi)
14. Thou Wow
15. WokStar (with Young Stoner Life, feat. Skepta)
16. Hurt You
17. Yacht Club (feat. Young Thug & Ty Dolla $ign)
18. Vibez

Cleveland Browns Release Odell Beckham Jr.: Report

When the Cleveland Browns traded for Odell Beckham Jr. before the 2019 NFL season, it seemed like a match made in heaven. 

Despite the Browns’ abysmal record the year prior, they were equipped with a promising young quarterback in Baker Mayfield, and one of Beckham Jr.’s best friends, Jarvis Landry. 

During his first season in Cleveland, OBJ hauled in 74 catches for 1,035 yards (according to Football Reference) and while he only scored four times, it seemed like things were sure to pick up as his chemistry with Mayfield and the rest of the Browns evolved. Unfortunately, halfway through the 2020 season, the star wideout tore his ACL and was sidelined for the remainder of the year. 

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

That brings us to the current NFL season. 

Coming into 2021, it was known that Beckham Jr. would miss time, but after just a couple of games, #13 was back on the field. This time, however, it was clear something was wrong. Catching just 17 balls for 232 yards (according to Football Reference) in six games, Beckham’s discontent with his role in the Browns’ system became increasingly more obvious. And with the trade deadline approaching, it only made sense for Cleveland to try to move the 29-year-old. 

But they couldn’t. The November 2 trade deadline came and went, and Beckham Jr. was still on the Browns’ roster.  

However, after catching just one pass for six yards in the Browns 15-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, it was clear his time in Cleveland was over, and after being sent home from practice two days in a row this week, the team has finally cut him loose. 

According to NFL reporter Ian Rapoport, both parties came to the resolution that releasing Beckham was the best course of action, so that’s what the Browns did. The team officially released him, sending him to the waivers, where other teams will have the opportunity to claim him.

While any move involving OBJ is naturally going to be big news, it’ll be interesting to see where he ends up after this. During his stint in Cleveland, Beckham caught 114 passes for 1,586 yards and 7 touchdowns (according to Football Reference). Compared to his 2015 season in New York, when he caught 96 balls for for 1,450 yards and 13 touchdowns, his three-season tenure with the Browns looks pretty bleak. 

Whether another team will claim him off the waiver wire, or wait to sign him after he clears waivers, it’s almost certain he’ll end up on another roster before the end of the season, but expectations for Beckham will be severely tempered.

What do you think of the Browns cutting OBJ halfway through the season? Let us know in the comments.

Drake, 21 Savage, And Project Pat’s ‘Knife Talk’ Video Channels Serious Hitchcock Vibes

The spooky season might be over, but that hasn’t stopped Drake from leaning heavily into some Hitchcockian slasher vibes in the video for “Knife Talk” featuring 21 Savage and Project Pat. Leave it to October’s Very Own to hang on to the last vestiges of Halloween with his latest Certified Lover Boy single. As the trio of rappers spit menacing, razor-tipped verses, the video splices in clips from various black-and-white thrillers, using technology to get the characters to lip-sync the rhymes.

The rappers also have some fun with their Ring cameras, evoking chilling flicks like The Strangers and The Purge as they stand outside with huge kitchen knives just… staring. The effect is probably a little less unnerving than it is in the films they evoke but mostly because we’ve all seen 21 Savage singing car karaoke to R&B classics and Drake is… well… Drake. It’s still a pretty cool and creative video, even if it is five days too late.

Fortunately, Drake’s tardiness doesn’t seem to be affecting the popularity of his new album. It recently went No. 1 on Billboard‘s album chart for the fifth non-consecutive week behind singles like the tongue-in-cheek “Way 2 Sexy.”

Watch Drake’s ‘Knife Talk’ Video featuring 21 Savage and Project Pat above.

Summer Walker’s Contract Leak Has Fans Pitying The R&B Star

As fans enjoy their first listen of Summer Walker’s new album, Still Over It, the R&B vocalist has begun trending all over the internet. Unfortunately, the music isn’t the only thing that’s got people talking – documents obtained by Rolling Stone show that the singer may have signed a crappy deal back in 2017, to say the least.

Walker is signed to LVRN or Love Renaissance, and according to the music publication, she was promised an initial advance of just $110,000 and a royalty rate of 16%, meaning the “Playing Games” singer takes home only 16 cents on every dollar made after the initial advance has been recouped.

Managers told Rolling Stone that these numbers are “low by contemporary standards,” and only dropped lower in the deal that Walker actually signed. Apparently, the 25-year-old settled for 15% royalties and an $85,000 initial advance; even lower than what was discussed in early drafts of the contract.

It’s also worth nothing that Walker signed away the rights to her masters in her final deal. As one lawyer put it, the Atlanta native is “locked into a low royalty structure for what appears to be a somewhat indeterminate amount of time.”

Another interesting point brought up in the initial article is that the mother of one is not only signed to LVRN, but she’s also managed by them – typically a major industry no-no. Artists usually want their managers to advocate for them when the label’s decisions aren’t best for their career trajectory, but since Walker is managed from within her label, she doesn’t have a team looking out for her in the same way.

Since news of the “No Love” hitmakers deal has reached the internet, many have been pitying Walker for the unfortunate situation that she’s stuck in.

How do you feel about the new details emerging regarding Summer Walker’s contract with LVRN?

[Via]