Nike has already shown that they have no plans to slow down their Kobe Bryant line even in the wake of The Black Mamba's retirement. In fact, they're beefing up the Nike Kobe collection.
Today, Nike has officially revealed a brand new Kobe sneaker dubbed the Nike Kobe A.D, which will serve as his 12th signature sneaker though it will be the first in his line of post-retirement signature shoes.
The first colorway to launch, shown in the gallery, will be hitting retailers on November 21st for the retail price of $160.
When it comes to Twitter, YG is a man of few words. But he makes his words count. Tuesday evening he announced that he will release a mixtape called Red Friday on Friday, November 25th.
"Black Friday ain't black this year. I'm painted that bitch RED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" he wrote. "RED FRIDAY MIXTAPE 11/25."
YG said he would be dropping a mixtape last week -- now it's official. His latest song, "One Time Comin," is a certified blapper of the caliber of Still Brazy and it bodes well for this tape.
While you wait for Red Friday, revisit YG's HNHH digital cover story from earlier this year.
PUSHA T is taking a break from rallying for Hillary Clinton to support another important political issue -- marijuana reform.
As part of their Artists for Yes on 64 series, the Californians for Responsible Marijuana Reformrecruited the Virginia rapper for a PSA that encourages California voters to support Proposition 64, a bill that would legalize recreational marijuana use for those 21 or older in the state.
The PSA features the G.O.O.D. Music president co-signing the benefits of Prop 64, namely improving the mass-incarceration dilemma affecting the country. "Marijuana arrests are the engine that’s driving the war on drugs," he says in the clip. "It’s one of the number one reasons people trying to re-enter their communities are sent back to prison." He adds that “good legislation” passing in California often results in other states following.
King Push has never hid his feelings about mass incarceration and criminal justice reform. He spoke with Billboard in June about police brutality, saying, "I feel like I can make a difference. I understand my power. I'm just trying to do my part." He also recently sat down with Senator Tim Kaine to discuss police reform.
Halloween candy and a plethora of elaborate costume posts on social media weren’t the only treats we got this past weekend. We also got the first full-length A$AP Mob release since the untimely death of A$AP Yams nearly two years ago, and The Cozy Tapes: Vol.1 couldn’t have come at a better time for the Harlem crew made up of A$AP Rocky, A$AP Ferg, A$AP Nast, A$AP Ant and A$AP Twelvyy.
A$AP Mob – Kimi Selfridge/AWGE
Released in early January, the compilation’s first single “Yamborghini High” featuring Juicy Jbuilt an adequate amount of anticipation with 38 million YouTube views and more than 20 million streams across major platforms. Following several months of almost total radio silence, A$AP Mob not only released a trio of bangers but also dropped The Cozy Tapes: Vol.1’s cover art paying tribute to Yams.
“This is his album,” explained A$AP Rocky to HipHopDX at a private listening session inside famed Los Angeles recording studio Record Plant just days before dropping the follow-up to 2012’s Lords Never Worry. “I wanted to show Yams in his purest form. When you see Yams and think about him, you think the tattoos, braids and stuff. Right here is his purest form. This is his happiest thoughts.”
An ambitious project, The Cozy Tapes: Vol.1features guest appearances that stretch across different realms of Hip Hop fromWiz Khalifa,Key!Lil Yachty,Skepta,Onyxto evenTyler, The Creator, who Rocky developed a close friendship with following years of rumored “beef.”
The two eventually co-headlined a tour last year.
“That’s my brother, bro,” said Rocky, who mentioned being hurt by the feud as a self-proclaimed superfan of Odd Future. “I can’t believe we ever had beef. It’s crazy. It was our crews and that was six years ago. Niggas matured and we are grown now. That nigga inspires me and I inspire him.”
According to Rocky, the root of the cold war stemmed from their crews’ similarities despite many rap fans viewing them as complete opposites.
“What fucks it up a lot too is when you’re a genius, a lot of things you manifest is already going to be done and something where you’re not allowed to bite from someone from my era,” he said. “A lot of the times, it would be too many similarities. That’s what niggas was hatin’ on. They would do a video that we would do something similar like days after. For example, if Tyler and I weren’t friends, I wouldn’t have been able to put Lil Wayne and Kanye on my album. You know why? His Cherry Bomb album came out a month before mine and I had Wayne and Kanye on my album. If we were still beefing, that would have looked like I was biting. It would have looked egotistical, but since we were friends, we put that past us.”
Simply put, Rocky’s a “master’s renaissance man” more inspired by the past than anything contemporary. Hence, an artist clearly must be special to inspire him.
“I want niggas like you and niggas like me to be able to say what I do was inspirational,” he explained. “I want Vince Staples to call me and tell me I inspire him. When he put out his Prima Donna video, that inspired me.”
Somewhere in the conversation, while cuts from The Cozy Tapes: Vol.1 play in the studio, Rocky reveals what exactly pushes him.
“Niggas want to do it for the kicks or fruits of the labor as opposed — and maybe it is narcissistic for me, but I do it for people to congratulate me if I do a good job,” he said.
Between the music and fashion world (including his new role as the face of Dior Homme), Rocky has made the right moves in Hollywood. This includes his breakout role in last year’s contemporary cult classic Dope. Rocky says he took the role after finding out director Rick Famuyiwa’s debut was The Wood while helping his ex Chanel Iman with her lines for the film.
“Watching The Wood and growing up I wanted to be Stacey,” he said. “Stacey was that nigga deadass. When I was young Bloodin’ and shit, I wanted to be like that nigga.”
Finding out the role for his character Dom was vacant, he auditioned three times. “I asked and they made me audition like three times because I didn’t want nothing handed to me bro,” he said. “I hate when niggas use their celebrity to get roles or get things. Man, fuck that. Everything I had to earn.”
Mentioning a current regimen of shooting during the day and recording new material at night, Rocky wouldn’t exactly talk about his next film. But reports have him playing an undisclosed role in Nas and John Legend‘s executive produced film Monster. Doesn’t hurt that he’s also the new creative director for MTV Labs as well.
“I wanted people to see me in a different suit,” he explains on getting to this point. “I think people don’t pace themselves. Like, you can’t do everything at once. Everybody makes it look easy once it’s done. I had to sacrifice like 18 months of my life to mastering my crafts.”
While many artists struggle juggling their various artistic endeavors, Rocky has no trouble becoming a master of all.
“If I’m going to be a video director, I’m not going to give nobody access to pull my card as a fraud,” said Rocky. “If I’m going to be a fashionisto, niggas not going to pull my card as a fraud. If I’m going to be a rapper, niggas ain’t going to pull my card as a fraud. I am what I am. I am what I say I am.”
From the chopped cheese sandwich smelling bodegas of Harlem, fashion runways of Paris, studio sets of Hollywood and random appearances at Los Angeles underground party destination Ham On Everything to getting serious credibility within Hip Hop, Flacko has molded himself into something for everyone.
“I’m in every crowd,” said Rocky. “I fuck with the hipsters. I fuck with the niggas. I fuck with everybody and I’m literally comfortable in every crowd because I’m a part of all of them. I’m a hipster, I’m a nigga, I’m everything. I’m a rapper, I’m an entrepreneur, I’m ya bitch MCM.”
Drake’s VIEWS hit its lowest position yet this past week when he landed at #5 on the most recent cycle of Billboard’s Top 200 albums chart. He might take another jab to his pride next week when the numbers for Meek Mill’s Dreamchasers 4 are in.
According to Hits Daily Double, Meek is projected to sell up to 50,000 equivalent album units with DC4, which was officially released as a mixtape. This number is more than the 38,000 units Drizzy just sold and comes after a long promo run for DC4, which was even rumored to drop the same day as VIEWS back in April.
VIEWS premiered at #1 on the chart with more than 1 million units and kept the throne for double digit weeks. The album, which features “One Dance,” “Controlla” and “Too Good,” has been a commercial juggernaut and has given the Toronto star multiple accolades, including 1 billion streams on Apple Music and the record for most American Music Award nominations.
Drizzy is now looking toward his new project though, making a big splash with three new singles from the upcoming More Life, releasing “Fake Love,” the Kid Cudi/Pusha T diss track “Two Birds, One Stone,” and the 21 Savage-featuring “Sneakin’” last week.
Meek Mill’s last album, Dreams Worth More Than Money, also debuted at #1 on the chart when it dropped last year with nearly 250,000 album units. The project was named the Top Rap Album at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards.
The beef between the two was spawned after the Philly MC called out Drake for reportedly enlisting a ghostwriter for his verse on the DWMTM cut “R.I.C.O.” and we all know sales competitions only fan more flames to the fire.
In other sales projections, Jeezy’s Trap or Die 3 is projected to outsell both artists with up to 72,000 units including streams. The LP could land just short of the top spot with projects from Kenny Chesney and Avenged Sevenfold expected to sell more. The first Trap or Die mixtape charted at #2 upon its release in 2005. The Atlanta legend has two #1 albums under his belt with The Recession and The Inspiration.
Lil wayne's social media channels should run hot after his appearance on ABC’s Nightline in the early hours.
The Grammy-winning hip-hop artist was dismissive when Nightline reporter Lindsey Davis asked his thoughts on social issues.
In a preview of the interview, Davis addressed the Black Lives Matter movement, to which Wayne responds: “What is it? What does it mean?”
And when asked if he felt drawn to the movement, he answers: "I don't feel connected to a damn thing that ain't got nothin' to do with me."
The rapper goes on to explain, “I’m a young black rich mother****er. If that don’t let you know that America understand."
Wayne has faced some backlash in recent months for his controversial opinions. In August, he led the Weezyana Festival crowd in a "Black Lives Matter" chant, but the following month told Fox Sports 1's Undisputed that there was "no such thing as racism."
President Obama and music share a storied past. Obama has expressed his passion for music and illustrated that he's hip to today's rising talent in many ways, from inviting musical guests to nearly every White House event -- his Fourth of July Barbeque, the final White House State Dinner and more -- to hosting the first ever South by South Lawn music festival.
On Friday (Oct. 28), Obama called in to share who his favorite rappers are on the radio show Sway in the Morning, which airs on Eminem's SiriusXM channel Shade 45. When host Sway Calloway asked, "Who are the top rappers in the game, in your opinion?" Obama was quick to reply.
"Kendrick and Chance are doing amazing work," he said -- two artists who frequent the White House. Obama also said, "I love Drake, and the girls love Drake, so he's commercially just doing great and [is] unbelievably talented." Obama went on to say he and Chance have been "family for a while," as he first met the now-famous artist when he was only 8 years old back in Chicago.
Nike has already shown that they have no plans to slow down their Kobe Bryant line even in the wake of The Black Mamba's retirement. In fact, they're beefing up the Nike Kobe collection.
Today, Nike has officially revealed a brand new Kobe sneaker dubbed the Nike Kobe A.D, which will serve as his 12th signature sneaker though it will be the first in his line of post-retirement signature shoes.
The first colorway to launch, shown in the gallery, will be hitting retailers on November 21st for the retail price of $160.
When it comes to Twitter, YG is a man of few words. But he makes his words count. Tuesday evening he announced that he will release a mixtape called Red Friday on Friday, November 25th.
"Black Friday ain't black this year. I'm painted that bitch RED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" he wrote. "RED FRIDAY MIXTAPE 11/25."
YG said he would be dropping a mixtape last week -- now it's official. His latest song, "One Time Comin," is a certified blapper of the caliber of Still Brazy and it bodes well for this tape.
While you wait for Red Friday, revisit YG's HNHH digital cover story from earlier this year.
PUSHA T is taking a break from rallying for Hillary Clinton to support another important political issue -- marijuana reform.
As part of their Artists for Yes on 64 series, the Californians for Responsible Marijuana Reformrecruited the Virginia rapper for a PSA that encourages California voters to support Proposition 64, a bill that would legalize recreational marijuana use for those 21 or older in the state.
The PSA features the G.O.O.D. Music president co-signing the benefits of Prop 64, namely improving the mass-incarceration dilemma affecting the country. "Marijuana arrests are the engine that’s driving the war on drugs," he says in the clip. "It’s one of the number one reasons people trying to re-enter their communities are sent back to prison." He adds that “good legislation” passing in California often results in other states following.
King Push has never hid his feelings about mass incarceration and criminal justice reform. He spoke with Billboard in June about police brutality, saying, "I feel like I can make a difference. I understand my power. I'm just trying to do my part." He also recently sat down with Senator Tim Kaine to discuss police reform.
Halloween candy and a plethora of elaborate costume posts on social media weren’t the only treats we got this past weekend. We also got the first full-length A$AP Mob release since the untimely death of A$AP Yams nearly two years ago, and The Cozy Tapes: Vol.1 couldn’t have come at a better time for the Harlem crew made up of A$AP Rocky, A$AP Ferg, A$AP Nast, A$AP Ant and A$AP Twelvyy.
A$AP Mob – Kimi Selfridge/AWGE
Released in early January, the compilation’s first single “Yamborghini High” featuring Juicy Jbuilt an adequate amount of anticipation with 38 million YouTube views and more than 20 million streams across major platforms. Following several months of almost total radio silence, A$AP Mob not only released a trio of bangers but also dropped The Cozy Tapes: Vol.1’s cover art paying tribute to Yams.
“This is his album,” explained A$AP Rocky to HipHopDX at a private listening session inside famed Los Angeles recording studio Record Plant just days before dropping the follow-up to 2012’s Lords Never Worry. “I wanted to show Yams in his purest form. When you see Yams and think about him, you think the tattoos, braids and stuff. Right here is his purest form. This is his happiest thoughts.”
An ambitious project, The Cozy Tapes: Vol.1features guest appearances that stretch across different realms of Hip Hop fromWiz Khalifa,Key!Lil Yachty,Skepta,Onyxto evenTyler, The Creator, who Rocky developed a close friendship with following years of rumored “beef.”
The two eventually co-headlined a tour last year.
“That’s my brother, bro,” said Rocky, who mentioned being hurt by the feud as a self-proclaimed superfan of Odd Future. “I can’t believe we ever had beef. It’s crazy. It was our crews and that was six years ago. Niggas matured and we are grown now. That nigga inspires me and I inspire him.”
According to Rocky, the root of the cold war stemmed from their crews’ similarities despite many rap fans viewing them as complete opposites.
“What fucks it up a lot too is when you’re a genius, a lot of things you manifest is already going to be done and something where you’re not allowed to bite from someone from my era,” he said. “A lot of the times, it would be too many similarities. That’s what niggas was hatin’ on. They would do a video that we would do something similar like days after. For example, if Tyler and I weren’t friends, I wouldn’t have been able to put Lil Wayne and Kanye on my album. You know why? His Cherry Bomb album came out a month before mine and I had Wayne and Kanye on my album. If we were still beefing, that would have looked like I was biting. It would have looked egotistical, but since we were friends, we put that past us.”
Simply put, Rocky’s a “master’s renaissance man” more inspired by the past than anything contemporary. Hence, an artist clearly must be special to inspire him.
“I want niggas like you and niggas like me to be able to say what I do was inspirational,” he explained. “I want Vince Staples to call me and tell me I inspire him. When he put out his Prima Donna video, that inspired me.”
Somewhere in the conversation, while cuts from The Cozy Tapes: Vol.1 play in the studio, Rocky reveals what exactly pushes him.
“Niggas want to do it for the kicks or fruits of the labor as opposed — and maybe it is narcissistic for me, but I do it for people to congratulate me if I do a good job,” he said.
Between the music and fashion world (including his new role as the face of Dior Homme), Rocky has made the right moves in Hollywood. This includes his breakout role in last year’s contemporary cult classic Dope. Rocky says he took the role after finding out director Rick Famuyiwa’s debut was The Wood while helping his ex Chanel Iman with her lines for the film.
“Watching The Wood and growing up I wanted to be Stacey,” he said. “Stacey was that nigga deadass. When I was young Bloodin’ and shit, I wanted to be like that nigga.”
Finding out the role for his character Dom was vacant, he auditioned three times. “I asked and they made me audition like three times because I didn’t want nothing handed to me bro,” he said. “I hate when niggas use their celebrity to get roles or get things. Man, fuck that. Everything I had to earn.”
Mentioning a current regimen of shooting during the day and recording new material at night, Rocky wouldn’t exactly talk about his next film. But reports have him playing an undisclosed role in Nas and John Legend‘s executive produced film Monster. Doesn’t hurt that he’s also the new creative director for MTV Labs as well.
“I wanted people to see me in a different suit,” he explains on getting to this point. “I think people don’t pace themselves. Like, you can’t do everything at once. Everybody makes it look easy once it’s done. I had to sacrifice like 18 months of my life to mastering my crafts.”
While many artists struggle juggling their various artistic endeavors, Rocky has no trouble becoming a master of all.
“If I’m going to be a video director, I’m not going to give nobody access to pull my card as a fraud,” said Rocky. “If I’m going to be a fashionisto, niggas not going to pull my card as a fraud. If I’m going to be a rapper, niggas ain’t going to pull my card as a fraud. I am what I am. I am what I say I am.”
From the chopped cheese sandwich smelling bodegas of Harlem, fashion runways of Paris, studio sets of Hollywood and random appearances at Los Angeles underground party destination Ham On Everything to getting serious credibility within Hip Hop, Flacko has molded himself into something for everyone.
“I’m in every crowd,” said Rocky. “I fuck with the hipsters. I fuck with the niggas. I fuck with everybody and I’m literally comfortable in every crowd because I’m a part of all of them. I’m a hipster, I’m a nigga, I’m everything. I’m a rapper, I’m an entrepreneur, I’m ya bitch MCM.”
Drake’s VIEWS hit its lowest position yet this past week when he landed at #5 on the most recent cycle of Billboard’s Top 200 albums chart. He might take another jab to his pride next week when the numbers for Meek Mill’s Dreamchasers 4 are in.
According to Hits Daily Double, Meek is projected to sell up to 50,000 equivalent album units with DC4, which was officially released as a mixtape. This number is more than the 38,000 units Drizzy just sold and comes after a long promo run for DC4, which was even rumored to drop the same day as VIEWS back in April.
VIEWS premiered at #1 on the chart with more than 1 million units and kept the throne for double digit weeks. The album, which features “One Dance,” “Controlla” and “Too Good,” has been a commercial juggernaut and has given the Toronto star multiple accolades, including 1 billion streams on Apple Music and the record for most American Music Award nominations.
Drizzy is now looking toward his new project though, making a big splash with three new singles from the upcoming More Life, releasing “Fake Love,” the Kid Cudi/Pusha T diss track “Two Birds, One Stone,” and the 21 Savage-featuring “Sneakin’” last week.
Meek Mill’s last album, Dreams Worth More Than Money, also debuted at #1 on the chart when it dropped last year with nearly 250,000 album units. The project was named the Top Rap Album at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards.
The beef between the two was spawned after the Philly MC called out Drake for reportedly enlisting a ghostwriter for his verse on the DWMTM cut “R.I.C.O.” and we all know sales competitions only fan more flames to the fire.
In other sales projections, Jeezy’s Trap or Die 3 is projected to outsell both artists with up to 72,000 units including streams. The LP could land just short of the top spot with projects from Kenny Chesney and Avenged Sevenfold expected to sell more. The first Trap or Die mixtape charted at #2 upon its release in 2005. The Atlanta legend has two #1 albums under his belt with The Recession and The Inspiration.
Lil wayne's social media channels should run hot after his appearance on ABC’s Nightline in the early hours.
The Grammy-winning hip-hop artist was dismissive when Nightline reporter Lindsey Davis asked his thoughts on social issues.
In a preview of the interview, Davis addressed the Black Lives Matter movement, to which Wayne responds: “What is it? What does it mean?”
And when asked if he felt drawn to the movement, he answers: "I don't feel connected to a damn thing that ain't got nothin' to do with me."
The rapper goes on to explain, “I’m a young black rich mother****er. If that don’t let you know that America understand."
Wayne has faced some backlash in recent months for his controversial opinions. In August, he led the Weezyana Festival crowd in a "Black Lives Matter" chant, but the following month told Fox Sports 1's Undisputed that there was "no such thing as racism."
President Obama and music share a storied past. Obama has expressed his passion for music and illustrated that he's hip to today's rising talent in many ways, from inviting musical guests to nearly every White House event -- his Fourth of July Barbeque, the final White House State Dinner and more -- to hosting the first ever South by South Lawn music festival.
On Friday (Oct. 28), Obama called in to share who his favorite rappers are on the radio show Sway in the Morning, which airs on Eminem's SiriusXM channel Shade 45. When host Sway Calloway asked, "Who are the top rappers in the game, in your opinion?" Obama was quick to reply.
"Kendrick and Chance are doing amazing work," he said -- two artists who frequent the White House. Obama also said, "I love Drake, and the girls love Drake, so he's commercially just doing great and [is] unbelievably talented." Obama went on to say he and Chance have been "family for a while," as he first met the now-famous artist when he was only 8 years old back in Chicago.
Tickets go on sale Saturday morning at 10 a.m.
Kanye West has added another concert on Nov. 3 to his string of shows at The Forum in Inglewood, California, making for six in all.
The Forum announced the news via Twitter on Friday (Oct. 28).
PUSHA T is taking a break from rallying for Hillary Clinton to support another important political issue -- marijuana reform.
Halloween candy and a plethora of elaborate costume posts on social media weren’t the only treats we got this past weekend. We also got the first full-length A$AP Mob release since the untimely death of A$AP Yams nearly two years ago, and The Cozy Tapes: Vol.1 couldn’t have come at a better time for the Harlem crew made up of A$AP Rocky, A$AP Ferg, A$AP Nast, A$AP Ant and A$AP Twelvyy.
Drake’s VIEWS hit its lowest position yet this past week when he landed at #5 on the most recent cycle of Billboard’s Top 200 albums chart. He might take another jab to his pride next week when the numbers for Meek Mill’s Dreamchasers 4 are in.
