The Royal Pop is a collection of eight Bioceramic pocket watches inspired by the Royal Oak octagonal silhouette. It is designed to be worn around the neck on a lanyard rather than on the wrist. That pocket watch format makes it a natural canvas for a jeweler. The case sits flat and visible when worn as a pendant.

The Alex Moss version on display here keeps the pink case and blue dial intact. The jeweler then set the bezel with yellow diamonds running around the octagonal frame. Larger stones sit at the corners where the AP bolts typically appear. The combination of the original colorway and the diamond setting works cleanly together.

The Royal Pop marked the first time Audemars Piguet had ever licensed the Royal Oak design language outside of its own production. Overall that made the release historically significant beyond just the hype surrounding it.

Read More: A Designer Just Built Drake A One-Of-A-Kind ICEMAN Jacket

Custom Iced Out AP x Swatch

Lines formed around city blocks outside Swatch boutiques globally on May 16. Security teams were called in at multiple locations. The crowd expected a wristwatch and got a pocket watch instead. That surprise did not slow demand at all.

The pink and blue colorway Alex Moss chose to work with is one of the more visually striking options from the 8-piece collection. Also the contrast between the hot pink case and the turquoise dial gives the jeweler’s diamond setting a vivid backdrop to work against. Yellow diamonds against that color palette is a deliberate and effective choice.

Audemars Piguet committed 100% of its proceeds from the Royal Pop collaboration to a fund supporting the preservation of watchmaking skills and the next generation of talent. Further, that commitment adds a layer of substance to a release that was already generating significant attention on its own terms.

Read More: Lil Tjay Says YNW Melly Is One Of His Closest Rapper Friends: “My Other Twin”

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Designer PDF Channel created the piece. The jacket pulls directly from the Iceman theme and runs with it completely. The entire exterior looks like it has been frozen solid. Textured ice-like sculpting covers the chest, shoulders, sleeves, and back.

The blue and grey tones give it the appearance of something pulled straight out of a freezer. A tan zipper runs down the center and provides the only warm element in the whole design.

The back panel is the most detailed section of the jacket. A full sculpted torso appears across it, complete with ribcage and muscle definition built into the fabric. The front chest pocket carries an embossed “Iceman” label pressed into the material. The whole piece looks more like a wearable art project than a standard custom garment.

PDF Channel posted the images publicly and credited Drake as the recipient. The jacket is one-of-a-kind. It was made for the album era and fits directly into the cold visual identity Drake has been building around the project.

Whether Drake actually wears it publicly remains to be seen. But the jacket has already done its job just by circulating online.

Read More: Chrisean Rock Posts Chrisean Jr.’s Walking In Physical Therapy

Custom ICEMAN Jacket For Drake

PDF Channel has built a reputation through one-of-a-kind celebrity customs. The Iceman jacket sits at the top of that catalog purely based on the concept and the execution. Building an entire frozen aesthetic into the physical structure of a jacket rather than just printing it onto fabric is a different level of craft.

The sculpted back panel is the detail that makes this piece genuinely unusual. Raised dimensional panels create the shape of a frozen torso across the rear of the jacket.

The embossed Iceman text on the chest pocket keeps the branding subtle against an otherwise dramatic piece. The tan zipper pulls the eye toward the center of the jacket and adds a color contrast that keeps the design from looking completely monochromatic. Together those choices show a clear sense of restraint within a very ambitious concept.

Read More: Lil Tjay Says YNW Melly Is One Of His Closest Rapper Friends: “My Other Twin”

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In 2023, Melly’s first murder trial ended in a mistrial after jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict. Since then, the case has remained tied up in court as both prosecutors and defense attorneys continue to battle over evidence details. A retrial has been repeatedly delayed by legal disputes, keeping Melly incarcerated for seven years without a conviction. Throughout the case, he has maintained his innocence, while his friends, like Lil Tjay, hold Melly down while incarcerated.

Read More: YNW Melly & Lil Tjay Get In Their Feelings On “Best Friend”

Lil Tjay Has Long Supported YNW Melly

The two rappers have collaborated, even as Melly was behind bars. Recently, Tjay sat down with XXL and spoke about his friendship with Melly, admitting they talk regularly. “I [speak] with Melly a great amount of time,” Tjay said. “You know our birthdays are one day apart. And out of all the rappers, that’s one the closest [friends] I ever been to a rapper. That’s my other twin.” Tjay has also taken to social media to say Free Melly.

Back in 2025, Jamie Demon-King, YNW Melly’s mother, took to Instagram to voice her frustrations with his retrial. After being locked up for seven years, the rapper and his loved ones are looking for a resolution sooner rather than later. “Please make it make sense,” she said at the time. “We still have three or four more things up on appeal with the Fourth District Court of Appeal. So, we’re still kinda like in a stay… At this point, they need to just dismiss the case.”

The post Lil Tjay Says YNW Melly Is One Of His Closest Rapper Friends: “My Other Twin” appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

It was clear from the beginning that Chrisean Rock’s journey into motherhood would unfold in full view of the public. Her son, Chrisean Jesus Porter that she shares with Blueface, arrived in September 2023. His birth came during the highly publicized ups and downs of Rock’s relationship with Blue, with questions surrounding paternity dominating headlines before DNA testing later confirmed he was the child’s father. Since then, social media users have closely followed Chrisean Jr.’s growth and development, often scrutinizing videos and photos shared online and fueling widespread discussion about his health and well-being.

That attention intensified in recent months after it was speculated that her son had not yet begun walking independently. It prompted renewed questions across social media about potential developmental delays. While many observers expressed concern, others criticized Rock’s parenting, leading to heated online debates about the child’s care.

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Read More: Chrisean Rock Calls Out Blueface For His Shady Coparenting Comments

Chrisean Rock Defends Her Motherhood

Rock has consistently defended herself against the criticism and maintained that her son is receiving the support he needs. Her latest update, showing Chrisean Jr. using what looks to be a physical therapy treadmill, surfaced as public interest in his development remains unusually high. Rock shared a video with a message to her followers about Jr.’s progression.

“Me and my son do this daily,” Rock wrote. “We’ve been staying consistent with therapy and his at-home exercises, including using his treadmill to support his journey. I’ll continue keeping everyone updated on his progress through my docu-series and streams.” She added, “We’re healing and truly thriving.”

Check it out below.

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Read More: Chrisean Rock Reveals Why She Wishes She Never Gave Birth To Chrisean Jr

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In the months that followed, Rashad addressed the situation during performances and interviews, expressing gratitude for the support he received while acknowledging the emotional toll of having intimate moments exposed without his permission. While Rashad has spoken candidly about the experience, he has largely resisted allowing the leak to define either his identity or his music career. In a recent interview, he spoke candidly about not receiving the same treatment as Frank Ocean after coming out as sexually fluid.

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Isaiah Rashad Recalls Darker Days

The rapper-singer caught up with Dominic Fike for Pigeons and Planes, where they had an honest discussion about Rashad’s acceptance in the industry. “On the last rollout, sh*t, I was acting like I was past all my demons, and sh*t,” he said of his time in 2021. “I was f*cked up the week before. I’m not proud of that sh*t.” Rashad added that he felt as if he was the “poster child for recovery” after having to go through his journey publicly.

Later, Rashad also referred to himself as the “Black bi rapper,” adding that “it doesn’t come with any of the perks I thought it would come with. There are no Frank Ocean perks.” Back in 2012, Ocean penned an open letter he published to Tumblr, revealing that his first love had been a man. The post arrived just before the release of his critically acclaimed debut album, Channel Orange, and was widely viewed as a significant moment in Hip Hop.

Check out Isaiah Rashad below.

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By the time Tha Carter III arrived, Wayne had already reshaped rap music in real time. Leaks became unofficial mixtapes, freestyles became catalog staples. He flooded the internet with music at a pace that felt impossible while somehow making his commercial appeal even stronger. With that in mind, No Ceilings felt less like a mixtape than a victory lap.

But not everything needs to continue for posterity’s sake. The Carter documented a defining moment in Wayne’s evolution as an artist. Tha Carter and Tha Carter II carried the hunger of someone trying to ascend into rap royalty. Tha Carter III confirmed he made it. Even Tha Carter IV worked as a welcome-back victory after prison. But everything afterward feels increasingly defined by lore rather than legacy. Tha Carter V became weighed down by years of anticipation while Tha Carter VI already feels like a forgotten installment in one of rap’s most important album series.

Unfortunately, it might be that time that Lil Wayne retires Tha Carter. During a recent interview with Barstool Sports, Wayne teased new music, including Tha Carter VII, but the most revealing part wasn’t the announcement itself. It was the fact that Wayne openly admitted he’s barely involved in shaping these albums at all.

“Tha Carter VII is coming soon. I’m not sure if we going to just name my next album Tha Carter VII,” he said. “What they do is, they grab a bunch of songs and they put a title on ‘em, like, ‘This is Carter VII.’”

And that’s the problem in a nutshell. What once felt like milestones in Wayne’s artistic progression now feels like branding applied to loose collections of songs. Tha Carter used to document evolution. Now it exists to preserve a legacy that already cemented itself over a decade ago.

And the disconnect becomes even more glaring when you revisit the original documentary. The Wayne captured there was obsessed with greatness. Every verse sounded like it carried stakes. He wanted to surpass his idols like Jay-Z, and by the time Hov appeared on “Mr. Carter,” Wayne had already accomplished it. That record felt like validation after years of proving he was the best rapper alive every single time he touched a beat.

That conviction no longer exists consistently in the music. If Wayne isn’t rapping with the same hunger he had on “Sky’s The Limit” or other classics–album or mixtape cuts–from that era, then what’s the point of continuing the series under the same umbrella? The technical skill is still there, but the purpose isn’t. And without purpose, Tha Carter stops feeling essential.

Still, the stagnancy surrounding Wayne’s music isn’t entirely his fault. The machine behind him changed. He’s no longer operating under Cash Money, the same system that helped turn his artistic chaos into cultural dominance and then brought his career to a halt. More importantly, he appears to have a whole new team behind him in his post-Cash Money era, one that doesn’t seem nearly as invested in the sequencing and creative structure as those who propped him up.  The difference between the first five Carter albums and the latest installment makes that painfully obvious.

That lack of direction has bled into the rest of his recent output, too. Nobody really asked for a collaborative album with Rich The Kid, and the final product confirmed why. Even Welcome 2 Collegrove felt less like inspired chemistry and more like Wayne playing mentor to 2 Chainz’s younger artist arc. These projects sound assembled rather than envisioned, consisting of random songs and verses packaged together without cohesion. Tha Carter VI suffered from the same issue, except this time there wasn’t enough anticipation left to disguise it.

What once added to Wayne’s mythology has now become part of the problem. The endless recording, the mountains of unused verses, and the nonstop output no longer feel superhuman. Unfortunately, it feels more mechanical than anything else.

His 2024 feature run sparked inevitable comparisons to the run he had throughout the 2000s, but that era can’t be recreated because the quantity lacked the hunger. Even moments that should’ve felt monumental, like his appearance on “God Did,” landed more as acknowledgements of his influence than reminders of his greatness as a rapper right now.

And yet flashes still appear. His collaborations with Tyler, The Creator feel like some of the few moments where Wayne sounds genuinely challenged again. “Hot Wind Blows” tapped directly into the spirit of Tha Carter II-era Wayne without sounding like cosplay. Tyler gave Wayne direction, structure, and a world to exist inside of. The same thing happens whenever Mannie Fresh fully locks back in with him. “Mahogany” felt alive in a way much of Wayne’s recent material doesn’t.

That’s why another Carter album only makes sense if it actually demands something new from him. Can Wayne make an album that reflects who he is now rather than endlessly recreating who he used to be? Not necessarily a 4:44-style confessional record, but something with actual intimacy and maturity behind it. Because at this stage, technical ability alone won’t save the music. Eventually, the content has to evolve, too.

But it also explains why Wayne’s constant frustrations with institutions like the Grammys, Coachella or the Super Bowl feel increasingly hollow. It’s hard to demand validation for music that often sounds creatively disengaged. There’s a reason every major televised Wayne performance still leans on “A Milli.” That record represents a vivid moment where his larger-than-life persona and artistic hunger fully aligned.

The reality is that Wayne’s next truly compelling album probably won’t fit inside the Carter universe at all. And if it somehow does, it won’t be because the old formula still works. Wayne doesn’t need TikTok gimmicks or viral challenges to stay relevant. He needs a body of work worthy of hip-hop’s favorite martian. More than anything, he needs to stop letting an institution that already immortalized his legacy slowly dilute itself in real time.

The post It’s About Time Lil Wayne Retires “Tha Carter” Series appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

According to DJ Mag, Screw’s mixtapes will go up on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music every week starting this week up through the end of June. Today (Friday, May 29), we got the DJ Screw Originals (Volume 1) tape on digital streaming platforms.

“This is for the fans who’ve always known and for those discovering him now,” Robert Earl Davis Jr.’s estate reportedly stated. “From a local legend to a global icon, his catalogue will now be accessible everywhere, keeping his legacy alive one stream at a time.”

Before this, fans of the Houston pioneer could only access most of his iconic work through YouTube rips and other unofficial uploads. Sure, we got some releases on streaming here and there, but this return of old material is very exciting. Also, not everyone has physical media from back in the day to spin again and again.

We’re sure purists will have a lot to say about this move. But at least new generations can discover Screw’s influence and his amazing work via contemporary methods. Then, they can do their homework, learn deeper, and expand their search for even more amazing material.

Read More: The Villains Of Hip Hop: Power, Chaos, Scandal, & Survival

RIP DJ Screw

DJ Screw established his “chopped-and-screwed” style as a hip-hop foundation, innovating with his slowed-down and chopped remixes and production style in the 1990s. Of course, Big Hawk, Big Moe, Lil’ Flip, and the rest of Houston’s Screwed Up Click are a part of this legacy as well.

Even if you’re not super familiar with Screw’s work, you have most likely heard of landmark releases like “3 ‘N the Mornin’ (Part Two),” the “June 27th” freestyle, and the Screw Tapes mixtape series. He tragically passed away in 2000 at the age of 29 due to a codeine overdose.

This is just the latest way in which DJ Screw’s legacy continues to live on. We can’t wait to take it slow and enjoy these mixtapes as they come out.

Read More: Who Is Lamb? The “Overkill” Artist With Co-Signs From Drake & SZA

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Via Twitter, a fan asked Cenat what his favorite song from that chart-topping tracklist was, and he gave a few answers. Per FearBuck on the social media platform, he named “Dust,” “Janice STFU,” “National Treasures,” and “B’s On The Table” with 21 Savage as his contenders. Kai also threw an “etc” in there to indicate he’s liking much more material.

Of these picks, the least surprising is “Janice STFU,” which went number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “National Treasures” was a beloved leak in the ICEMAN lead-up, whereas “Dust” is one of the more aggressive cuts on there. As for “B’s On The Table,” it’s a pretty straightforward cut, so maybe the Twitch giant is just a big fan of the Her Loss duo’s work.

Read More: The Villains Of Hip Hop: Power, Chaos, Scandal, & Survival

Drake Trolls Kai Cenat

What’s funny is that Drake and Kai Cenat recently trolled each other online over ICEMAN. It was more about the livestreams during the rollout itself than the music. But it’s still an ironic thing to look back on now that we know Kai enjoyed the final product.

For those unaware, Cenat did not like the ICEMAN “Episode Three” stream at all, which led Drizzy to troll him on social media and during the streamer’s “Mafiathon 3” event by posting his forehead on Instagram and spamming donation messages. Drake also trolled Kai Cenat’s fashion pivot with his Vivet brand, which was a little more out of the blue.

In response, Kai Cenat demanded that the 6ix God drop ICEMAN, and that was in February of this year. It came a little late, but at least he got some bangers out of it.

We’ll see if these two celebrities ever link up again in a more collaborative or casual setting. It seems like they are still fans of each other’s work despite their trolling efforts.

Read More: Who Is Lamb? The “Overkill” Artist With Co-Signs From Drake & SZA

The post Kai Cenat Reveals His Favorite Song From Drake’s “ICEMAN” appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

According to a Reggionline report, officials axed Ye’s show on July 18 and La Flame’s show on July 17 at the RCF Arena in Reggio Emilia for the Hellwatt (Pulse Of Gaia) Festival. Prefect Salvatore Angieri reportedly cited “reasons of public order and safety” as an explanation. This followed hearings and requests from the Jewish Community of Modena and Reggio, among other groups and individuals.

In addition, the Prefect reportedly came to this decision based on the back-to-back dates, capacity and crowd size concerns, Kanye West’s previous concert cancelations over his antisemitism and more, and the risk of counter-protests. We will see if either artist or their teams respond to this shut-down.

Read More: The Villains Of Hip Hop: Power, Chaos, Scandal, & Survival

Kanye West & Travis Scott In Istanbul

But Kanye West and Travis Scott have more to look forward to. Some fans believe the latter will pop out to perform at the former’s concert in Istanbul. Scott has a club appearance on the schedule the very same weekend Ye will perform, so it could make for a big splash. Sadly for fans who hoped to make the Italy shows, it will also potentially be a way to make up for these cancelations.

Kanye West and Travis Scott also performed together recently, as the latter was one of the former’s special guests at his SoFi Stadium shows in Los Angeles last month. Despite some beef rumors in recent years, it’s clear they are still tight.

But these concert cancelations will likely continue to be a problem for Ye. The Cactus Jack artist is just feeling the backlash from proximity. So we’ll see if any further actions, statements, or developments change this situation or provide a better outlook for the Yeezy mogul. For now, fans in Italy will have to wait.

Read More: Who Is Lamb? The “Overkill” Artist With Co-Signs From Drake & SZA

The post Kanye West & Travis Scott’s Italy Concerts Have Been Canceled appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, these rumors emerged due to an evidence exhibit in a court case from publicist Stephanie Jones. That lawsuit is over Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s legal battle over the film It Ends With Us and its production.

The exhibit reportedly shows Travis Scott’s manager in a redacted 2024 group chat with crisis adviser Melissa Nathan and digital fixer Jed Wallace. In the group chat, David Stromberg allegedly coordinated with these industry peers to seek out and post disparaging information about an enemy onto a “ghost platform.”

In addition, these are the same individuals who allegedly coordinated smear campaigns against opposition to Rebel Wilson, Scooter Braun, and wellness influencer Andrew Huberman. Wilson denied these accusations, whereas the other two reportedly haven’t addressed them at press time.

What’s more is that this alleged group chat exchange reportedly had redacted messages that allegedly obfuscated references to Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival, at which a crowd crush killed multiple concert-goers in 2021. The redacted messages also allegedly referred to an unspecified group dropping unspecified charges.

Read More: The Villains Of Hip Hop: Power, Chaos, Scandal, & Survival

David Stromberg’s Alleged Group Chat

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Stromberg allegedly referred to his group chat peers as “the dream team” and his “favorite” one, whereas Jed Wallace reportedly said he had an “infrastructure” plan but “needed the most absolute secure process.” The manager reportedly requested a statement of work for “him,” and it’s unclear if that “him” is the Odyssey actor. He also allegedly referenced Bryan Freedman, a Hollywood litigator who’s facing a defamation lawsuit over these alleged smear campaigns against celebrities’ enemies.

None of the folks involved here responded to THR‘s requests for comments. Freedman, however, had reportedly denied any misconduct in the past. Melissa Nathan has reportedly represented Travis Scott for years, and she allegedly detailed a “multipart strategy” for “Legal/Crisis PR/Media/Digital” to fight against alleged extortion schemes.

The plan allegedly included stipulations for forensics team to gather evidence, build an external anonymous campaign to undercut the opposition’s credibility, and “point friendly reporters towards this ghost platform we create.”

Read More: Who Is Lamb? The “Overkill” Artist With Co-Signs From Drake & SZA

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