New Hip Hop News

In 2019, Westside Boogie dropped off one of the year’s most slept-on projects in Everything’s For Sale, a deep and contemplative album that cemented him as one of the game’s most thought-provoking lyricists. In its wake, fans have been eagerly anticipating his next release, which will mark his second full-length album on Shady Records. 

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As it happens, Boogie has been steadily putting in work on the upcoming project, having spent the past few months setting a tone with a steady stream of loosies and freestyles. Hell, he even found himself in a veritable reenactment of Stephen King’s Misery, during which he was “kidnapped” and forced to write new music in exchange for his freedom. Traumatic though such a harrowing experience must have been, fans were pleased to have received the Joey Bada$$-assisted “Outside” as a result.

 Now, it would appear that we’re nearing the final stretch of Westside Boogie’s rollout, as the Compton lyricist recently took to Twitter to share a promising update. “Bout to go play my album for some guy in Detroit,” he confirmed, the implication heavily suggesting an imminent reunion with “Rainy Days” collaborator (and current label boss) Eminem. Following his seal of approval, don’t be surprised to see details on Boogie’s untitled project begin to surface with increased frequency.

Keep an eye out for further updates on Westside Boogie’s new album — do you think his imminent meeting with Eminem will lead to another collaboration between the two emcees? 

Luka Doncic has quickly become one of the best players in the NBA and in the eyes of some fans, he should be in the running for the MVP trophy. There are plenty of players who deserve it this season although Luka has certainly made an incredible case for himself. Last night, the Mavericks were playing against the Memphis Grizzlies, and with just a few seconds to go, they were down by two points and only had a few seconds to either tie it or win.

That’s when Luka got the ball and fired off a bizarre shot all while being tripped up. He was able to get the shot off outside the arc and somehow and some way, the shot went in, giving his team the win at the buzzer. It was a truly incredible moment that had fans stunned.

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LeBron James immediately saw the play and took to Twitter where he offered some praise to Luka for what he had just pulled off. “WOW WOW WOW!!!!! Cmon @luka7doncic you ain’t serious man!!” he wrote.

LeBron and Luka have had their battles over the last couple of years and it’s clear James has a ton of respect for the Mavericks star. We’re sure LeBron would love to have a teammate like Luka, perhaps sometime in the future.

People are outraged at the announcement that Rusten Sheskey, the police officer who shot Jacob Blake seven times in the back in front of his children in Kenosha, Wisconsin, has returned to the police force. It was reported on Wednesday that he would not face any further discipline and has returned from administrative leave. 

In a statement to TMZ, Jacob Blake’s legal representative B’Ivory LaMarr said that his family is “incredibly disappointed” with the decision to reinstate Sheskey to his old post at the Kenosha Police Department.

Scott Olson/Getty Images — Jacob Blake Sr., the father of Jacob Blake Jr., attends a vigil near the Kenosha County Courthouse on January 04, 2021

Kenosha PD Chief Daniel Miskinis stated in a formal release that Rusten Sheskey acted “within the law” by shooting Blake seven times in the back as he was entering his car. The shooting was reportedly “consistent with training.” His reinstation was described as “the only lawful and appropriate decision.”

Jacob Blake was left paralyzed from the waist down from the shooting. He miraculously survived and has been pushing for police reform ever since. His attorney says it’s “disheartening” to see Sheskey back on the police force, telling activists that simply protesting won’t be the answer to reform. He says that, locally and nationally, there needs to be more of a focus on dismantling the police system as we know it.

Blake previously sued Sheskey in March 2021. Read more about the lawsuit here.

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Stalking never prospers. Matthew David Hughes, who was recently arrested after breaking into Eminem’s home last year, is in the midst of learning that exact lesson in court. A new report from the Detroit Free Press has provided an update on the ongoing case, indicating that prosecutors scored a massive win after a judge allowed them to use additional evidence in their case against Hughes.

The newly-allowed evidence points to Hughes’ allegedly attempting to stalk Eminem long before breaking into his home. Citing an incident on June 1, 2019, prosecutors allege that Hughes was lurking around a Rochester Hills property that Eminem used to own. Apparently, he rang the doorbell, confessed that he was seeking Eminem, and proceeded to sleep uninvited in a guest house found on the property.

In April of 2020, Hughes broke into Eminem’s house during the night, where he came face to face with the legendary rapper. According to Eminem, Hughes claimed that he intended to kill him, as validated by a detective during a court hearing in September of 2020.

Though Hughes’ attorney Richard Glanda claimed that the newly allowed evidence was irrelevant, the judge believed that Hughes’ extensive history of actively seeking Eminem painted a clearer picture of his intention and state of mind. In addition to these charges, Hughes is also facing assault charges following an incident with a Macomb County Jail deputy.

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While the case has yet to reach a conclusion, it certainly doesn’t appear to bode well for Hughes at this time. Of course, Em fans have been quick to note the way art has seemingly imitated life, as Eminem previously penned a fictional bout with a stalker named Matthew on Marshall Mathers LP 2 opener “Bad Guy.” Keep an eye out for further developments on this ongoing trial as they occur. 

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So far, Lil Uzi Vert and JT’s relationship has been one for the books. Hip-Hop fans have witnessed the two rappers’ flirty antics long before they became an official couple, and since going public, they have welcomed a decent amount of drama. Yet despite fans criticizing JT‘s seemingly new fashion sense to Southside calling out Uzi and threatening to punch his teeth out, Lil Uzi Vert and JT don’t seem pressed.

Lately, there has been plenty of gift-giving and romantic gestures in their relationship, and the two rappers seem happily in love. After receiving a striking Louis Vuitton bag from Uzi last week, JT has now gotten a new gift from her boyfriend, and longtime fans of the Eternal Atake artist will undoubtedly recognize it.

As seen in the video reposted by The Shade Room above, Lil Uzi Vert has gifted JT a gleaming new chain that boasts the iconic Scott Pilgrim-inspired art from Lil Uzi Vert’s 2016 mixtape Lil Uzi Vert vs. The World, which is actaully celebrating its five-year anniversary today. On the back of the piece, there is an engraved message that reads “Uzi first piece” and “To JT.”

According to Complex, JT’s new eye-catching jewelry is extremely similar to one of Uzi’s actual chains which has recently been debated about on Reddit, as fans of the Luv Is Rage rapper have been trying to figure out if it’s a modified version of Uzi’s 2016 piece that originally featured his ex-girlfriend, Brittany Byrd, or a new piece altogether. 

Regardless of the Lil Uzi Vert vs. The World art’s original association with Brittany, JT appears ecstatic to have been gifted the piece. On her Instagram story, she wrote, “This means so much to me thank you baby.”

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She was also seen sporting the dazzling chain in several other subsequent Instagram story posts, and Lil Uzi Ver even reposted one of the pictures to his story, in which JT is rocking a e grill in tandem with her newest neckpiece.

Are you feeling JT’s new chain or do you think it’s weird that Uzi gifted her a piece that sort of references his ex-girlfriend?

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Brooklyn Nets’ big man LaMarcus Aldridge has officially announced his retirement from the National Basketball Association, citing a heart problem that recently affected him during a game.

Aldridge made the extremely difficult decision to stop playing basketball at a professional level just weeks after signing a new deal with the Brooklyn Nets. He claims that, during one of his recent games, he felt an irregularity in his heartbeat. After the game, the team had him checked out by doctors and, although he’s feeling better now, the irregularity has forced Aldridge to focus on his health and his family.

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“Today, I write this letter with a heavy heart,” started the 35-year-old hoops star, who played much of his career with the Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs. “My last game, I played while dealing with an irregular heartbeat. Later on that night, my rhythm got even worse which really worried me even more. […] Though I’m better now, what I felt with my heart that night was still one of the scariest things I’ve experienced. With that being said, I made the difficult decision to retire from the NBA.”

LaMarcus Aldridge has been one of the most impactful big men of his generation. His shooting skills and mid-range expertise always made him a threat on the offensive end. He enjoyed a prolific career in basketball. We’re wishing him the best in retirement.

Read his full letter below. 

Bad Boy Records is easily one of hip-hop’s most legendary dynasties, having forged hip-hop immortality with the tireless Diddy at the helm. As it happens, one of their defining singles happens to be Black Rob’s “Woah,” which originally released on February 15th, 2000.

Unfortunately, during these past few years, Rob has been plagued by recurring medical issues, including several strokes. Many fans expressed concern upon seeing an alarming video update from Rob himself, in which he also claimed to be in the midst of a perilous housing situation. Producer Mike Zombie and former Bad Boy rapper Mark Curry proceeded to launch a GoFundMe campaign to assist Rob in getting back on his feet, and Curry has been providing fans with frequent updates on Rob’s health, previously revealing that his friend has been undergoing dialysis. 

Black Rob & Diddy in 2005. Theo Wargo/WireImage/Getty Images

In his most recent update, Curry implored people to reach out, directly calling on his former label boss Diddy to step up and help. “We don’t have to live on this Earth mad at each other, can’t reach out,” he begins. “Rob is here and a lot of people want to know how he’s doing. But these are the same people — they don’t reach out to me. Reach out to me! I don’t hate you, I don’t dislike you.”

“Puffy, we need your help. And you are reaching out, and you’re trying to help. We not going to say he’s not — Puffy is really trying to help. But call, reach out, have someone call,” he continues. “There’s a lot of things you need to know, brother.” It should be noted that the specifics surrounding Diddy’s intentions to help have yet to be revealed. 

As of this moment, Black Rob’s GoFundMe page has raised over twenty-four thousand dollars, with eight-hundred-and-ninety-five donors. Should you be interested in contributing to the cause, consider checking out the “Help Black Rob” campaign right here.  

Travis Scott is building quite an impressive roster of artists on his label Cactus Jack Records. The 28-year-old rapper has reached superstar heights in his career and he’s using his platform to help elevate other artists that he believes in. In recent years, we’ve seen Travis work wonders with Sheck Wes, Don Toliver, and others. It looks like Atlanta newcomer SoFaygo is the latest to get the rapper’s co-sign, reportedly signing a deal with Cactus Jack this week.

With his recent success as a rising artist in hip-hop, “Knock Knock” hitmaker SoFaygo looks to make a major impact with his reported signing to Cactus Jack Records. In addition to the artists listed above, Faygo joins Luxury Tax, WondaGurl, and Chase B on the roster. 

The youngster has been attracting all kinds of attention on his way to rap stardom, building a fanbase of over 220,000 followers on Instagram. His biggest song, “Knock Knock,” was produced by Lil Tecca and boasts over 23 million plays on Spotify. Faygo has drawn comparisons to fellow rappers Playboi Carti, Lil Keed, and others, so if you’re a fan of them, you’ll want to check out this rising artist before he blows up more.

Do you think SoFaygo is a good match for Cactus Jack Records? What do you predict for Faygo this year?