New Hip Hop News

When Lil Nas X and MSCHF revealed their “Satan Shoe” just a couple of weeks ago, social media exploded as many were upset that the artists involved would create a Nike Air Max 97 that has satanic imagery. Nike immediately distanced themselves from the shoe and immediately after the sneaker sold out completely, Nike got their legal eagles involved and sued MSCHF for purposely trying to trick people into thinking the shoe was an official Nike collaboration.

Nike was eventually able to halt the sale of the shoe, and now, according to Brendan Dunne of Sole Collector, the lawsuit has been settled. Essentially, MSCHF will now have a voluntary recall which means they must buy back all of the “Satan Shoes” that people don’t want anymore. They must provide full refunds, no questions asked. This also applies to their Jesus Shoes, made famous by Drake.

Based on the terms of the settlement, it seems as though people who already have the shoes in their possession will be able to keep them, which opens a whole other can of worms for Nike, thus rendering this whole ordeal useless. Regardless, this mess has been dealt with, and MSCHF and Nike will officially be going their separate ways.

Amy Sussman/Getty Images

The new Law & Order spinoff Law & Order: Organized Crime recently aired its pilot episode on April 1, and longtime fans of Dick Wolfe’s decade-spanning crime drama were treated with the highly anticipated return of Christopher Meloni’s beloved Law & Order: Special Victims Unit character NYPD Detective Elliot Stabler. The new series will feature Meloni’s character in a starring role after a personal tragedy brings him back to the force to battle organized crime.

Law & Order fans have been extremely vocal about Meloni’s return to the franchise, but it turns out that his starring role on Organized Crime isn’t the only thing that’s got them excited.

Yes, yet another photo of Christopher Meloni’s butt has gone viral, and Twitter users are having a field day joking about the Law & Order actor’s plump buttocks. As the jokes continued, one bold user decided to ask Meloni directly why the actor has such a big butt, and Meloni actually took the time to respond.

Summing it all up as a side effect of his age and his recently celebrated birthday, Meloni wrote back, “big birthday(60), big boy(200 lbs), big cake.”

His comical reply to all of the jokes surrounding his derriere has only sent Twitter users into even more of a frenzy, but it’s good to see that Christopher Meloni can take a joke, even if it’s at his expense. Law & Order fans can check out new episodes of his show Law & Order: Organized Crime on Thursdays on NBC.

[via]

Compton’s “War Baby,” 22-year-old rapper Roddy Ricch, has made quite the name for himself in the past couple of years. After initially breaking onto the scene with his debut single “Die Young,” as well as his first mixtape Feed Tha Streets, it became clear that we were witnessing the early stages of a prolific artist’s career. Roddy Ricch has gone on to prove his early supporters right, making chart history with “The Box,” contributing to one of the biggest songs of the year in “ROCKSTAR,” and angling to repeat the cycle again once his new album drops.

Roddy released his debut studio album Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial at the very end of 2019. It followed two Feed Tha Streets tapes, presenting the best opportunity for fans to learn all about the artist’s journey up til this present moment in his life. Praised for his melodic flows that are also infectiously catchy, as well as for his ability to communicate his rise from the mud with emotional and hypnotic lyrics, Roddy is being hailed as one of the greatest artists of his generation. Despite not having a large discography, fans are confident that the Compton native will continue to deliver quality projects that are both authentic in nature and long-lasting in impact.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Now, there is not very much information currently out there about when Roddy plans to release his sophomore studio album, but the rapper has been teasing it for quite some time.

Stay tuned to HNHH for more information on Roddy Ricch’s upcoming sophomore studio album and check out a list of what we know about the new album thus far, below.

---

“Love Is Barely Real Anymore”

Roddy Ricch isn’t concerned about album titles that may seemingly be “too long.” He’s more concerned about communicating the core theme of his project with his chosen title. With his mixtapes, the 21-year-old sought to feed the streets with loads of new music. On his debut album Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial, the rapper exposed a layer of his personality and told more of his story to the world.

In November, Roddy tweeted the following: “Love Is Barely Real Anymore….. OTW.” Immediately, people began to speculate that this would be the title of Roddy’s next album. While that much has not been confirmed, it’s still possible that Roddy will go this route, although time will tell. Nonetheless, if this is the title, it does have a double meaning– Roddy has created his own acronym for “L.I.B.R.A.”–  born on October 22, Roddy’s date of birth falls in line with Libra season, much like T.I. 

Without a strong social media presence, Roddy previously told Complex that he wants to bring fans more into his world on the next go-around as he seeks balance. “I’m learning the balance. Like, OK, I’m not on Instagram, so I feel like I’ve got to bring them into my life more so they can feel me a little more,” he said in March 2021. 

Twitter

---

A Conceptual Masterpiece

Are you ready for Roddy Ricch’s magnum opus? Speaking with GQ in August 2020, Roddy detailed his goals for his new album. He said that he had enough music to release a full-length project at the time but he passed on that option, explaining that he was only interested in dropping something that would further cement his legacy as a groundbreaking talent.

“It’s really not about it being ready or not ready. It’s more about the timing. I really just drop when I feel like it. The next album is going to be a full blown masterpiece. A real idea. A real body of work,” he said. 

He also explained that he’s not concerned about his low rate of output compared to other artists who drop multiple projects each year. “Maybe I make a little less music but I feel like for me right now less is more,” he explained. “Because then when I step in the booth I’ll say some crazy sh*t. I could work for two or three days and make fifty songs. And then I’ll step away for like a week. Less is more. Spending more time figuring out how I feel and figuring out different things around me.”

He’s been sitting on his new music for over a year, meaning that a lot of time and creativity has gone into the process. Could this be his best work yet?

Prince Williams/Getty Images

---

A More Vulnerable, Mature Sound

During Roddy’s interview with Future for Rolling Stone, the artist revealed that he makes music for “n***as [he] came up with.” That much is clear in songs like “War Baby,” “God’s Eyes,” and “The Box.” Becoming a first-time father in April 2020, Roddy has entered a new chapter of his life. It’s likely that his music will reflect a more grown-up and mature sound as a result. 

Debuting his latest single “Heartless” during his performance at the Grammy Awards, Roddy is clearly seeking the happy medium that will satisfy his old and new fans. “I’m going to bring fans into my world more,” he said during his March interview with Complex. “There are all the old fans I had when I first started rapping, and these new fans that I got since the big album and Grammys and everything. So I want to bridge the gap between my old fans and my new fans. That’s what I’m on a mission to do with this next situation that I’m working on.”

Nobody is expecting Roddy to spit rhymes over a boom-bap record. He will likely still be reaching for trap symphony-type beats. However, with a new outlook on life through the eyes of a first-time father, Roddy will likely feature more personal and introspective lyrics that discuss how his life has changed in the last year. During the pandemic, Roddy has had a lot of time to sit with himself and critically examine his approach to his sophomore album. He hasn’t rushed anything. That’s a great sign for fans that are hoping for another instant classic.

---

Before or After Feed Tha Streets 3?

The biggest question surrounding Roddy Ricch’s upcoming sophomore studio album is when it’s dropping. People have been asking since the release of PEMFBA, but Roddy has taken his time to perfect the body of work. More recently, the rapper has started to tease a continuation of his Feed Tha Streets mixtape series. This gives off the impression that Roddy could be coming with a full clip in 2021, dropping two full-length projects before the end of the year. 

“I feel like when the streets is hungry, you just feed them,” he said during a recent interview.

What people really want to know is whether his sophomore album, presumably titled Love Is Barely Real Anymore, is coming before or after Feed Tha Streets 3. Unfortunately, Roddy hasn’t given much of a hint with regards to that.

Instagram

---

Big-Time Collaborations

We’ve seen Roddy Ricch evolve from a rising artist to a bonafide superstar in the last two years. With his newfound status as one of the biggest rappers in the game, people are lining up for a chance to work with the 22-year-old. At the time of publication, Roddy has previewed collaborations with Travis Scott (on a song which will likely be included on Travis’ new album Utopia), DJ Khaled (for his upcoming album Khaled Khaled), go-to producer Mustard, Rich The Kid, and more. The biggest name that he has worked with is Drake, with a portion of their song together leaking a few months ago.

Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial certainly wasn’t lacking in the feature department– it included star performances from Gunna, Lil Durk, Meek Mill, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Ty Dolla $ign, and others. Roddy is officially in the upper echelon of mainstream rap artists now, and that means that his feature game is likely to elevate even further.

Stay tuned to HNHH for more information on Roddy Ricch’s upcoming sophomore studio album. What do you want to see him explore in his new music?

At this point, everyone NBA fan knows about what happened to Paul Pierce over the weekend. Essentially, he went live on Instagram with some strippers and escorts, which is fine, unless you are employed by ESPN which is owned by Disney. Not long after this Livestream went viral, Pierce was fired from his role at ESPN and now, he is being offered jobs with various other networks, publications, and even some brands. Needless to say, it isn’t all bad for “The Truth.”

Now, Nick Young wants to capitalize on the situation as he sees a very clear opportunity here. Taking to Twitter, Young basically called out ESPN and asked if they have any work for him, especially considering there is now an opening with the company. Simply put, Young wants some work right now.

For now, ESPN has not let on to the fact that they are actively looking for a replacement. Their lineup of analysts is already pretty deep so they can certainly get away with not hiring anyone else for the next little while. Despite this, Young would be an interesting fit and he would be a departure from the norm when it comes to who they typically hire.

Perhaps this public call-out will work out in his favor, which would be pretty awesome to see.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Drake’s Certified Lover Boy may have been delayed, but many expect to see the project sooner than later. In fact, we may have already seen a glimpse at the style Drizzy plans on bringing to the table, with the Scary Hours 2 three-pack serving as a welcome prelude to the main event. Other than that, however, little else is known about Drake’s sixth studio album.

Today, French Montana took to Instagram to signal a promising development. Sharing a picture of himself and The Boy, with whom he most recently collaborated on the platinum hit “No Stylist,” French alluded to another forthcoming release from the pair. “We’ll see what’s ’bout to happen next, okayyyyyyyyyyy?!” he captions, allowing the image to fill in the appropriate blanks.

John Parra/Getty Images

Naturally, French’s hype-inducing post sparked many to speculate about his involvement on Certified Lover Boy, though it should be noted that Montana has yet to appear on a Drake studio album. Perhaps we’ll see that change, as Montana seems to be strongly suggesting that they’ve got something in the works. Either way, it’s clear that the partnership between the two remains strong, and we’re admittedly curious to see where the “No Stylist” duo goes from here on a musical level. 

For those wondering where Drake and French connected, the pictures were taken last night at a celebration for Belly’s 37th birthday (check out his two brand new singles right here and here) at The Highlight Room in West Hollywood; The Weeknd and Chris Brown were also in attendance. Check out French’s post below, and sound off if you’d like to see a new single from French Montana and Drake before the end of the summer. 

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers were having a phenomenal season up until he and Anthony Davis got injured. Since that time, the Lakers have struggled to have any consistency and it has left the team fighting for the top four spots in the Western Conference. Thankfully, there is some hope on the horizon for the team as it is believed that LeBron and AD will both be back on the roster within three to four weeks from now.

LeBron seems to be well-aware of this fact and even alluded to it on Instagram recently. In his most recent post, the Lakers superstar offered a fair warning for the rest of the NBA, noting that a storm is coming. The photo he posted was one alongside AD, which just goes to show he’s ready to come back with his partner in crime.

“The weatherman says the weather is changing soon and it predicts a thunderstorm is coming,” LeBron wrote. “Folks prepare and take the proper caution measures to stay safe.”

Lakers fans have been hoping to see these two back on the floor together and they may very well get that wish soon. Hopefully, they are able to be their usual old selves after a few weeks away from the game.

Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images

Rod Wave has consistently been proving why he deserved his spot on the 2020 XXL Freshmen cover. Leading up to the release of his new album SoulFly, Rod Wave made peace with his label and shared an online video game for his “Street Runner” single. With the release of SoulFly, it looks like the Florida artist has been doing everything right, as he exceeded projections to move 133k album-equivalent units and debut atop the Billboard 200.

If you’re looking for yet another reason to stan Rod Wave, look no further than the Florida artist’s recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. In an effort to promote SoulFly, Rod Wave treated fans of a passionate and stripped-down version of the album’s second single “Tombstone.”

Filmed in the “Street Runner” artist’s home state of Florida, Rod Wave’s Tonight Show performance opens with a cinematic view of a waterfront porch, with him leaning over the rails and gazing out at the water. Once the music starts, it’s clear that Rod Wave fans are in for a special rendition of “Tombstone,” as the song’s slick drum pattern is traded out for an emotional piano accompaniment and a three-piece choir. The passionate performance further highlights Rod Wave’s ear for melody as well as his penchant for writing heartfelt lyrics.

Check out Rod Wave’s performance of “Tombstone” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon below:

[via]

Jared Dudley is a man who is well-connected considering he gets to play on the Los Angeles Lakers. He is always informed on what is happening with the team’s biggest stars, and with the Los Angeles Lakers missing Anthony Davis and LeBron James right now, it is more important than ever to know what’s happening with their health.

During a recent interview, Dudley actually divulged some crucial information. In fact, it seems as though Anthony Davis is about two weeks from returning to the Lakers, while LeBron is about three to four weeks out. This is great news for the team, especially since they have been struggling a bit ever since both players were taken out of the lineup.

“AD is coming along, he’s on the court and doing definitely his little workouts, his calves,” Dudley said. “I’m in the weight room with him. He’s gonna be getting on the floor more this week, he’s gonna do about 30 minutes non-stop. He’s gonna get to playing here shortly and so give him a couple more weeks.”

The Lakers have slid back a bit in the Western Conference standings although once LeBron and AD return, it is safe to assume they will creep back into the top three spots. If you’re a Lakers fan, that’s all you can ask for right now.

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

As any good King Of New York claimant can attest, the numbers must meet an appropriately royal standard. Luckily, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie has it covered in that department, boasting an impressive tally of gold and platinum plaques in his repertoire. In fact, he’s easily one of the most commercially consistent rappers in the game, with a grand total of forty-one RIAA certifications to his name — a tally that now includes a shiny new platinum plaque for his Artist 2.0 highlight “Me And My Guitar.” 

 Dave Simpson/WireImage/Getty Images

In case you need a quick refresher, A Boogie’s “Me And My Guitar,” along with the rest of his third studio album Artist 2.0, was released on Valentine’s Day of 2020. To this day, the appropriately guitar-fueled track has amassed over twenty million views on YouTube alone, remaining a fan-favorite standout from the twenty-track endeavor. In fact, of all A Boogie’s songs to have secured an RIAA certification, “Me And My Guitar” is among the few from Artist 2.0 to hit platinum status. At this moment, the project itself is resting at gold. 

We’d like to congratulate A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie for adding another platinum track to his resume, solidifying his reputation as one of the game’s best-selling rappers, as far as the stats are concerned. Keep an eye out for more news on the upcoming album A Boogie Vs Artist — a project all-but-guaranteed to net the rapper another batch of plaques for his collection. In the meantime, revisit the track below. 

LISTEN: A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie – Me And My Guitar