About a decade ago now, Kanye West and Jay Z put out Watch The Throne in what remains to be one of the best collaborative albums of all time. At the time, LeBron James was wearing the Nike LeBron 9, and he put out a friends and family Watch The Throne model which had some gold crowns on the front all while the upper was covered in black. At the time, the shoe was highly coveted as sneakerheads wanted a shot at them. Now, it appears as though that opportunity has arrived.
Official images of the “Watch The Throne” Nike LeBron 9 have now hit the interwebs, and as you can see, the shoe lives up to the original that was released 10 years ago. All of the fine details are still here, and fans will finally be able to wear a shoe that was once reserved for LeBron’s best friends and family members.
As for the release date, nothing has been made concrete, however, they are expected to drop this year, so stay tuned to HNHH for all of the latest updates from the sneaker world. In the meantime, let us know what you think of these, in the comments below.
The latest artist to team up with NPR for a Tiny Desk Concert of their own is none other than Nigeria’s own Tems. The 26-year-old found herself quickly rising in popularity earlier this year after collaborating with Wizkid on “Essence.” Later in 2021, she would go on to work with Drake on Certified Lover Boy, and release two of her own EPs, Broken Ears and If Orange Was a Place.
For her performance, Tems and her band took over a beautiful ballroom to perform some of the vocalist’s biggest hits to date. The set list included “Found,” “Free Mind,” “Looku Looku,” “Replay,” and “Damages,” which has been considered a favourite by many since the video of the concert hit the internet earlier this week.
“The set. The colours. The way the light hit her face. The simplicity. The class. The BEAUTY. The VOICE. Tems’ tiny desk is the best I’ve ever watched,“ one viewer wrote on Twitter yesterday. “Tems tiny desk? Today is gonna be a good day,” another person added.
The visual of the show has been viewed over 100,000 of times, with thousands of people singing the African star’s praises in the comment section. “She literally sounds JUST like her tracks,” one user pointed out.
Drake may not have issued an official reaction to Kanye West’s new interview on Drink Champs, during which he gets mentioned dozens of times, but he’s letting the world know (indirectly) that he listened to all of Ye’s claims and is standing with those who he spoke poorly about.
DJ Akademiks re-posted Just Blaze’s response to Ye’s comments on his Instagram account, but he made sure to use a screenshot that shows that Drake “liked” the post, showing that he’s very much aware of the interview and what was said during it. Drake seemingly co-signs Just Blaze’s comments by double-tapping the post, but he has not said anything regarding Ye’s remarks about him.
During the interview, Ye spoke about the rumors that Drake had sex with Kim Kardashian, claiming that the rapper texted all of her friends and slid into her DM’s, also stating that he moved down the street from Ye to be petty.
As we wait for Drake to officially respond to Ye’s comments (which may or may not ever come), this is the closest thing we have to his reaction so far. What do you think?
Kamaru Usman will be going up against Colby Covington on Saturday, and fans can’t wait to see how the rematch will go down. The title is on the line, and Usman is determined to go out and prove to the world that he is still the best in his weight class. Having said that, however, Usman is still interested in other endeavors, including boxing. For instance, Usman told DAZN that he wants to go up against Canelo Alvarez, who also fights this Saturday.
“It only makes sense because we’re in an era to where people want to be entertained,” Usman said. “So, in order to entertain people, when have we in history ever seen the two pound-for-pound fighters in the world in combat sports at the top of their prime, when have we ever seen them compete? It never happened. Either man waits for the other one to get old. It’s rarely ever really happened. But it’s either that both are out of their prime, both are old … it’s never been done.”
Alex Menendez/Getty Images
Leading up to Alvarez’s fight against Caleb Plant, Canelo was asked about Usman and whether or not he would ever contemplate such a fight. Alvarez seemingly dismissed Usman right out of the gate, saying “payday” before moving on. Clearly, Alvarez sees what Usman is trying to do, and he wants no parts.
Alvarez has been a stern critic of novelty fights and it doesn’t like his outlook on the matter is going to change, anytime soon. If he were to get in the ring with Usman, he would probably win within just a few rounds.
Reportedly, Ruggs reached a top speed of 156 in his Chevrolet Corvette before colliding with the Toyota RAV4, with the airbags deploying at about 127 MPH, according to prosecutor Eric Bauman. The impact of the crash caused the Toyota to burst into flames, also leaving Ruggs’ Chevrolet severely damaged. New footage showed the aftermath of Ruggs and his girlfriend on scene, consoling and reacting to the accident after exiting their vehicle and sitting near a curb.
In the video, Ruggs sits alongside Washington while watching the still burning vehicle. A distressed Washington tells Ruggs, “Okay. Okay. Here. I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” before he replied, “F***!!! Stop yelling, I see it!!!”
Steve Marcus-Pool/Getty Images
Also in the video, Washington can be heard saying, “Can we get help? Please can we get help?”, while sound picks up a responding officer and witness’ conversation, where the witness explains, “Henry Ruggs right here. That’s Henry Ruggs right here. He plays for the Raiders.”
Ruggs has been charged with DUI resulting in death, and a second charge of reckless driving. The professional football player’s blood alcohol concentration level was reported more than two times the legal limit. A loaded gun was also found inside Ruggs’ vehicle. He now faces up to 2-20 years as DUI charges resulting in death in Nevada dictates, as well as another six years for the additional charge of reckless driving.
The Las Vegas Raiders released Henry Ruggs III, and he awaits his next November 10th court appearance after posting bail at $150,000.
We were promised a return to normal. Or, actually, we probably weren’t. But it sure felt like with the defeat of Donald Trump and the vaccine rollout and a stream of festival and tour announcements, that by the fall of 2021, we would be back to some version of normal. But that’s definitely not how it has felt. Instead, we keep redefining a new normal, adjusting our expectations to the reality that many people won’t be getting vaccinated, that indoor masks are here to stay, that safety from Covid is not a guarantee, regardless of the actions we take.
That’s all to say that the return of Outside Lands to Golden Gate Park in San Francisco wasn’t a one-for-one replica of the festival of old. After undergoing multiple postponements due to the pandemic, the fest finally returned to action more than two years after its 2019 installment, shifting from its typical mid-summer dates to Halloween weekend. Funny enough, the weather on the west side of San Francisco really isn’t that different any time of year, so aside from the costumes that grew denser as the weekend went on, the date switch had little effect on the actual feeling of the festival.
So what was different? There were vaccine/testing checks, all done efficiently using the Clear app, utilizing wristbands that made entry a breeze, even better than before the pandemic. There were mask requirements indoors, and despite general mask recommendations for the rest of the grounds, a good portion of the crowd opted to enjoy the crisp, cool air. There were also more lineup changes than usual, most notably Young Thug canceling a set Saturday evening on the main stage, which isn’t exactly uncommon in a normal year, and should only be more common as everything from supply chain issues to general health affect touring.
Philip Cosores
But mostly, Outside Lands 2021 felt like the return to normal we’ve been craving, the type of place you can go and temporarily forget about the horrid previous 18 months. Sunday closer Tame Impala exemplified that with their multisensory experience around their pre-pandemic offering, The Slow Rush. Seeing the fans in the front row absolutely lose their shit with the faux commercial for the drug Rushium — some clearly questioning whether the psychedelic video was druggy in production or just druggy because they were, in fact, on drugs — was equally hilarious and endearing. The band’s decision to announce that Tame Impala had been replaced by The Wiggles, and then showing up dressed like the kids’ entertainers for their Halloween set, only added to the joyous insanity of it all. But frills aside, Tame Impala was the act of the weekend that best bridged the fest’s dueling demographics, where OSL veterans and the next generation of Zoomers could enjoy one of contemporary rock’s best bands together.
Lizzo’s infectious personality also managed to unite the OSL audience; she’s the kind of pop star that can attract a crowd out of sheer curiosity as much as because of actual attachment to the music. And it’s a good thing, because witnessing a Lizzo concert is to become a fan, with the catchy tunes joining forces with a captivating stage presence that just screams stardom. Her rise from daytime small stages at festivals to the marquee act has been a pretty wonderful storyline over the last half-decade, and if she can continue to turn out hits, she’ll be doing the same for a long time.
Philip Cosores
In fact, of the headliners, only The Strokes that disappointed. It’s tough to say what’s going on there, but it’s easy to say that the responsibility falls solely on leader Julian Casablancas. His interest in his main band has seemed slight for literally decades, with him much more artistically and, seemingly, emotionally invested in his side work with The Voidz. On this night (and, through conversations, other nights of the current run), Casablancas seemed to hold his audience in contempt, baffled by why anyone would care about his music and giving them little reason to while on stage. It says something about the undeniability of their catalog that even with a lead singer phoning it in, they still entertained and showed flashes of greatness. Still, it was clearly the least attended headlining set of the weekend.
Philip Cosores
Outside of the headliners, the highlights were many. Vampire Weekend might as well have been a closer, as few bands that are still at their creative peak can fill a festival set with more recognizable tunes. Angel Olsen and Sharon Van Etten got together to play their great recent single “Like I Used To,” while also offering career-spanning sets that presented versions of themselves less tied to particular album cycles. More in the hip-hop lane, Rico Nasty and Nelly both showed off polar-opposite appeals, one with inviting abrasiveness, the other with a stream of tunes deeply ingrained in the public consciousness. And then there’s Khruangbin, the ideal festival band for 2021 that can tap into decades of hits from other artists as well as their own hyper-vibey psych-funk, becoming the ultimate communal band.
Outside Lands also remembers that festivals should be about music discovery. That’s why getting there early is essential, to make sure you take in people like Bartees Strange, whose anthemic indie rock is on a trajectory for bigger rooms as soon as next year. Or people like Dijon, whose silky voice is buoyed by a stage persona that’s hard to take your eyes off, his face contorting and eyebrows furrowing to exemplify the passion of his music. And then there’s my beloved Petey, who opened the Twin Peaks stage on Sunday to a small but mighty crowd, showing off his unique blend of clever songwriting and absurdist humor. He’s the absolute best.
Philip Cosores
Of course, there were all the rest of the activations and eats that make Outside Lands one of the best live events in the world. Maybe most notable is Grasslands, which thanks to California’s legalized weed laws, actually has areas now designated for consumption. Pair that with the self-explanatory Beerlands and Winelands, and well, you have yourself a nice time in the park. The cuisine was expertly curated with some of the best of the Bay, with a special shoutout needing to go to both the wonderful sticky buns from The Chairman and the delicious BBQ from Vegan Mob. But the overall sense of Outside Lands 2021 wasn’t a band or a song or a bite, it was being among tens of thousands of people and losing sight of the greater world narrative for a moment. Live music is a place to lose yourself and find it again. It felt more essential than ever this year.
Ye — aka Kanye West — caused quite a stir with his recent appearance on NORE’s podcast Drink Champs. In addition to throwing his former GOOD Music signees Big Sean and John Legend under the bus and realigning himself with Donald Trump, he also made other wild claims including accusing fellow former Roc-A-Fella Records in-house producer Just Blaze of copying his production style. While it’s true that both producers made use of pitch-shifted soul samples, there is ample evidence that their techniques were developed concurrently — that didn’t stop Kanye from doing his best to burn that particular bridge.
Now, Just Blaze himself has replied to Kanye’s claims, posting a statement on Instagram and Twitter calling the incident “unfortunate” and refuting the accusations of copying.
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. 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.
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. I’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.
Just signs off by warning, “Media: please do not clickbait this,” but like… we all have jobs to do, man. Anyway, the fallout from Kanye’s implosion on Drink Champs continues to land on the music landscape and I’m sure that there will be further responses from those folks the mercurial producer mentioned because there were a lot and he wasn’t really kind to most of them.
Lauren Jauregui has come a long way from her days of being overshadowed in a girl group. On Friday, November 5th the 25-year-old dropped off her debut EP, PRELUDE. All seven tracks on the new project were written by Jauregui herself, and two of the songs see her team up with the likes of 6LACK and Vic Mensa.
“This is truly my child,” the songstress said of PRELUDE in a press release. “I’m continuing to change. These songs mean a lot to me and speak to a very real part of myself I’ve been working on. They feel good. I’ve sat with them. I’m comfortable with them. I’d done a few features, but I’ve been sifting through different sounds and working on unlearning what my heart had been trained to hear in the past. I found out what I sonically wanted to say. It was a beautiful process to understand I have my own voice as an artist. 2021 Lauren is a whole new bitch.”
In preparation for the release of her debut, Jauregui has been steady dropping singles like “Colors,” “Scattered,” and “On Guard,” the last of which is about the singer learning to have strong boundaries regarding matters of the heart in a back-and-forth with the “Seasons” rapper.
You can watch a live performance of the emotional collaborative track below, and make sure to add PRELUDE to your weekend streaming list.
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.
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
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.
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.
