New Hip Hop News

Travis Scott’s ascent to stardom hasn’t solely been off of the strength of his music. The rapper’s aesthetic has influenced a whole generation of fashionistas and sneakerheads. His collaborations with Air Jordan have produced some of the most sought-after sneakers in recent years which was apparently leveraged for his appearance at the Super Bowl. 

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Maroon 5’s Adam Levine recently appeared on Sneaker Shopping on Complex where he discussed his array of sneakers including the pair of family-and-friends exclusive Travis Scott x Air Jordan 4 in purple. “[Travis] literally DM’ed me one day … and he was like ‘Yo, you wanna do the Super Bowl?’,” Levine said. “I was like, sure you’re going to have to get me those purple friends and family [4s] and the new 1s.”

Levine joked that it was a quick exchange between the two artists which ultimately got him the Air Jordan 4s. “I literally said, ‘Yo, if you can get me those shoes, man.’ Not only would I like to do it, anyways, but if you get me those shoes, it’s done,” Levine added. 

The Maroon 5 frontman’s sneaker collection includes some other rare artifacts that were personally gifted to him. During the interview, he was rocking the Red Octobers which he said Kanye directly gifted him. However, Levine explained that he wasn’t even a sneakerhead at that point and had no idea of the value. He’s educated himself since and wore them for the first time on the show.

Peep the episode below. 

It might not feel like it given how reserved he tends to be, but Earl Sweatshirt is somewhat of a young veteran in the game. Having risen to stardom as Tyler, The Creator’s mischievous and filthy-minded right-hand man, Earl quickly won hearts and minds through sharp lyricism and clever flows. Since emerging onto the scene with his classic mixtape Earl, Sweatshirt has gone on to deliver several acclaimed studio albums, with many citing his 2018 effort Some Rap Songs as his creative peak. 

Despite boasting an impressive discography to his name and a loyal fanbase, Earl has never quite dominated at the numbers game. Not that he really needed to, being among hip-hop’s rare numbers of unapologetic auteurs. Still, the experimental ex-Odd Future emcee has recently hit a new commercial milestone, securing the first RIAA certification of his career.

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As reported by Pigeons and Planes, Earl’s “Chum” has officially gone gold. Originally released in late 2012 as the lead single to his debut album Doris, the song arrived following a lengthy stint at a Samoa boarding school for at-risk teenagers. Lyrically, Sweatshirt opened up and brought fans into his life, speaking on his father’s absence and the impact it had on him growing up. He also spoke on his time at the boarding school, airing his frustrations at having his circumstances publicized in the media. Overall, “Chum” remains one of his essential songs, and it’s no surprise that it has withstood the test of time.

We’d like to extend our congratulations to Earl Sweatshirt for securing the first RIAA certificate of his career. Be sure to revisit “Chum” below.

WATCH: Earl Sweatshirt – Chum

During his latest interview with HNHH, Detroit rapper 42 Dugg hinted at the title of his upcoming studio album Free Dem Boyz. The project has been in the works for months and it finally looks like it’s time for the budding superstar to deliver the full-length, revealing to his followers that it arrives at the end of this week.

Dedicated to his friends that are locked up, as well as those that have tragically lost their lives, 42 Dugg seeks to make a grand impact with his next studio album. The 4PF and CMG-signed rapper has been teasing the body of work all month and on Monday, he finally announced the official release date.

“FREE DEM BOYZ OUT THIS FRIDAY 5/21,” wrote Dugg on Instagram. “I told y’all I was coming!!!!!!!!!! this Bitch so f*cking hard.”

The pre-save has hit all streaming services, revealing that the album will contain nineteen new songs, including the previously released “4 Da Gang” with Roddy Ricch, “Free Me,” and “Free Merey.” The cover artwork pays tribute to some of Dugg’s closest friends, including Woo, Skeet, Nell, Rico, and others.

Stay tuned for more coverage surrounding the album once it’s released on Friday. Let us know in the comments if you’re excited to hear new music from 42 Dugg.

When opportunities come knocking for athletes who are hoping to go pro, it’s not unheard of for them to jump at them. Last week, Juantarius Bryant reportedly jumped at the opportunity to work out with the Atlanta Falcons and immediately made his way to the team’s practice facility. Unfortunately for him, however, the invitation that he had received was fake.

According to Complex, Bryant was fooled by someone texting him pretending to be Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees, and it wasn’t until he pulled up to what he thought was check-in for the Falcons‘ “rookie minicamp” that he realized that he wasn’t actually invited.

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After news of his embarrassing situation started to spread, the former defensive back from Austin Peay State University hit Twitter to explain his side of the story.

“It’s most definitely one of the most embarrassing things that has ever happened to me and a very humbling experience,” Bryant said in his statement. “Just want to apologize to everyone and the Atlanta Falcons organization for the mix up. I honestly though tit was a legit opportunity on my end.”

“I do not know or understand why this has happened,” he continued. “But I do know that everything happens for a reason. Yes, this was heart breaking for me, but just another stepping stone that I am not afraid to admit or overcome…I’m still striving, and still in the best shape of my life. When the opportunity presents itself, I will be ready.”

Even though the invitation was fake, at least Juantarius Bryant quickly jumped at the opportunity to prove that he was ready to make a splash in the NFL. Stay tuned for more updates on the NFL hopeful‘s journey.

[via]