The pushback comes down to exclusivity. Only 73 pairs of the original “Encore” ever existed, and that scarcity is a huge part of what made the shoe so valuable in the first place. Some original owners feel like Jordan Brand is watering down that history by making the colorway available to anyone with $230 and some luck in a raffle.

One sneaker reseller account, known for dealing strictly in ultra-rare pairs, shared some pointed thoughts on the situation this week. The account pointed out that Jordan Brand keeps devaluing its own rarest releases at this pace.

it sums up how a lot of longtime collectors feel right now. It’s not that they don’t want other fans to enjoy the shoe, it’s that owning something rare stops meaning as much once it’s not rare anymore.

Read More: Shareef O’Neal Reveals New SHAQ Brand Silhouettes

Eminem x Air Jordan 4 “Encore”

Some shoes earn grail status specifically because they stay out of reach. That’s the whole appeal of a pair like the “Encore,” a shoe tied directly to one of the biggest artists in music history and a 1 of only 73 pairs ever made.

At the same time, it’s easy to see why Jordan Brand wants to bring it back. Demand has stayed high for years. Also resale prices have climbed into the tens of thousands, giving more fans a real shot at owning a piece of that story isn’t a bad move.

Still, there’s something to be said for letting certain releases stay exactly as rare as they started. Not every grail needs a retro, and turning one of the rarest Jordans ever made into a general release does chip away at what made it special in the first place.

Both sides have a point here. But if collectors are frustrated watching something they paid a premium for suddenly become accessible to everyone, that frustration is fair.

Read More: Nike Kobe NXT Confirmed As The Next Nike Kobe Line

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This launch comes as Shareef officially steps into a leadership role within the brand his dad built. Shaquille O’Neal recently confirmed that Shareef now serves as creative strategist, driving the design direction. According to Shaq, Shareef approached him wanting to create something that speaks directly to a younger generation of sneaker fans.

The rollout builds on Shareef’s growing footprint within the footwear space. He previously co-designed the Reebok Engine A, the brand’s first performance basketball shoe in over a decade, before shifting his focus toward SHAQ Brand’s more casual, streetwear-driven lineup.

Complex teased the new silhouettes on social media, framing the release around Shareef’s own words that the shoes are “Shaqs” but also “Reefs,” pointing to the personal identity he’s building into the brand’s next chapter. That framing signals a shift toward Shareef’s own creative voice, separate from his father’s original signature line.

Read More: Nike Kobe NXT Confirmed As The Next Nike Kobe Line

Shareef O’Neal’s New Sneakers

SHAQ Brand has always been about affordability. It was born after Shaq walked away from a lucrative Reebok deal in the late 1990s, following a conversation with a mother who told him her kids couldn’t afford his sneakers. That approach helped the brand sell hundreds of millions of pairs over the years.

Shareef’s new direction keeps that accessible spirit intact while updating the aesthetic for today’s sneaker culture. The designs lean into skate and streetwear influences rather than strictly performance basketball styling.

Shaq has been vocal about handing over creative control, noting that many of the newer designs coming out under the brand aren’t his ideas at all. That shift reflects a move within the business, with Shareef now shaping how the next generation sees the SHAQ name.

With Reebok also expanding Shaq’s legacy through Basketball releases like the Shaqnosis Low, the O’Neal family’s footwear footprint keeps growing across multiple lanes.

Read More: NBA YoungBoy Reveals He Lives In South Korea, Won’t Return To The United States

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Two versions are planned at launch. The Nike Kobe NXT Prototype will retail for $410, while the Kobe NXT 1.0 will offer multiple colorways at $210 each. Both remain a year out, with official details still unconfirmed so things can still change.

Kobe Brand VP and GM Dan Sunwoo confirmed the project directly, saying, “Kobe started this project. We’re committed to carrying it forward to the finish. We’re working on launching the first unfinished project we started with Kobe.” That makes the NXT more than just another release, putting it as the completion of something Kobe never got to see through.

The reveal came alongside a sculpture titled “Sole Obsession,” showcasing outsoles from every numbered Kobe model plus a 13th, never-before-seen design believed to belong to the NXT. The pattern ditches Kobe’s usual herringbone traction for a sharper, more angular look built from straight lines.

Read More: NBA YoungBoy Reveals He Lives In South Korea, Won’t Return To The United States

Nike Kobe NXT

This marks the first entirely new Kobe performance silhouette released since his passing. Every Kobe release since then has stayed within the Protro lineup, reworking the existing models rather than introducing something new.

The NXT name isn’t unfamiliar to the brand though. Previous Kobe NXT concepts have used technology like 360-degree Flyknit and the FitFast lacing system. Also they’re known for pushing traditional basketball shoe construction further than standard builds.

Nike hasn’t released full images of the shoe yet, though it’s possible Mamba Invitational participants could be seen in early versions as testing continues. For now, the look and outsole details are the clearest look anyone has gotten.

With Kobe Brand growing, the NXT feels like a good next step. It’s a chance for Nike to complete something Kobe started, rather than simply reworking what already exists.

Read More: Wayno Responds To Drake And Calls Him A Hypocrite For Dissing Marvel

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YoungBoy has consistently spoken about this trauma in his music. In a recent interview with Funny Marco on Open Thoughts, he got to make those struggles just a bit more public.

At one point in the interview, YoungBoy even admitted to the fact that he will no longer be living in the United States. He revealed that he is actually living in South Korea right now. While he didn’t explain his reasoning behind South Korea, specifically, it seems clear that he no longer wants to deal with the United States of America.

Read More: Inside The Tupac Murder Trial: 11 Key Players To Know

NBA YoungBoy Is Done With America

Funny Marco asked YoungBoy if he would ever consider moving back to the States. YoungBoy said “never in life,” although he was open to the possibility of being a tourist at some point.

YoungBoy had previously been living in Utah, where he had a ranch, and neighbors who were beginning to warm up to his presence. Now, he is living in a completely culture shock over in South Korea.

It is a tough situation to adapt to, but YoungBoy is resilient, and it’s where he wants to be. Unfortunately, YoungBoy appears to have suffered too much trauma in the United States, and prefers to be far from it.

All of this is taking place as he faces health issues stemming from his heart. It is a situation he continues to deal with, and our thoughts are with the artist as he continues this very serious health battle.

Read More: Is The Game Looking For Beef With Kendrick Lamar?

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Despite this, Wayno was the one Drizzy decided to reply to. He took aim at the fact that the commentator was recently on a podcast about Marvel. He also noted how Wayno was a returning guest, which showcases just how much he likes Marvel overall.

“This you last week reviewing Marvel?????” Drake wrote. “Returning guest??? Never too late for some joy gang. Take is easeeeee.”

Wayno saw Drake’s response, and offered up a reaction on YouTube today. As Wayno explains, the Canadian megastar is a bit of a hypocrite given his history.

Read More: Inside The Tupac Murder Trial: 11 Key Players To Know

Wayno Responds To Drake

Drake’s OVO fashion brand did a collaboration recently with Marvel. It is a collaboration that took inspiration from iconic moments in the Marvel comic books and turned them into fashion pieces. You have to be a bit of a nerd yourself to co-sign on that sort of thing.

It’s just another example of Drake banking on people’s short-term memories in order to get one over on one of his peers. However, Wayno has a big platform, and he wasn’t just going to let Drizzy control the narrative like that.

Going forward, we doubt that this 20v1 debacle is going to matter for much longer. After all, the internet has a short memory these days. Give it another 24 hours, and fans will probably have moved on. Drake’s probably counting down the seconds, and we do not blame him.

Read More: Is The Game Looking For Beef With Kendrick Lamar?

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A 70-year-old photographer by the name of Steven Sands was in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, to get a glimpse of the famous artist. Sands allegedly refused to comply with instructions. For instance, he went past the police barriers, all while ignoring Cardi’s security guards.

This subsequently led to a criminal court summons for disorderly conduct. The NYPD put Sands in handcuffs, and they escorted him away from the situation. It should be noted that this was not an arrest. Just a detainment. Sands was eventually let go.

Read More: Inside The Tupac Murder Trial: 11 Key Players To Know

Cardi B Video Shoot Disruption

Sands tells a different version of events. While speaking to TMZ, he made the claim that Cardi’s team put him behind large equipment. This made sure that he could not get a clear shot.

The photographer then tried to get into an open area, only to be told by security that Cardi wouldn’t want that. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I don’t care what Cardi wants,” Sands replied.

It’s a reply that ultimately cost the man his access, and an escalation from security at the NYPD. Let this be a lesson to others who try to attempt similar stunts.

Read More: Is The Game Looking For Beef With Kendrick Lamar?

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The colorway originally released back in 2000, drawing its name from Michael Jordan’s high school. White leather covers most of the upper, paired with sharp royal blue accents across the midsole and tongue. A bright yellow “23” sits on the ankle, along with matching yellow detailing on the lace locks and outsole.

This version also brings back the Jumpman branding on the heel, staying true to the shoe’s original build. Full family sizing is expected at launch, giving fans across all age groups access on release day.

Now images have already started circulating ahead of the official announcement. The clean white base paired with bold blue and yellow accents has always made “Laney” one of the more versatile colorways in the Air Jordan 5 lineup.

Overall these early looks suggest this retro is staying true to its original design. This pair is going to be a nostalgic release for those who were around during it’s original release.

Read More: Hermès Employee Fired After Racially Profiling Savannah James

Air Jordan 5 “Laney”

“Laney” pays tribute to Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina, where Jordan famously played before becoming a household name. The colors reflect the school’s own blue and gold identity.

The personal connection has helped the colorway stay relevant well beyond its original release. Unlike some Air Jordan 5 pairs tied to specific game-worn moments, “Laney” carries meaning rooted in Jordan’s formative years instead.

Its rarity has only added to the demand. With just one retro in the past two decades, original pairs have become difficult to find in good condition, pushing resale prices steadily higher over time.

A 2027 return gives collectors a real opportunity to finally add this one to their rotation. For big fans of the model, the “Laney” has always been near the top of the wish list.

Read More: Inside The Tupac Murder Trial: 11 Key Players To Know

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In recent years, Savannah James has been taking on a new role as a podcast host. She co-hosts Question Everything with her friend, April McDaniel. Recently, the two were on their show, where they offered up a harrowing story about their treatment at a Hermès store in Milan.

As McDaniel and James describe, the two had an appointment to shop at the Hermès location in Italy. However, the employee was rude from the get-go and didn’t take them seriously as clients.

Eventually, they made their complaints known, and the employee was fired. Subsequently, they were given proper treatment from the staff, who brought all of the bags out and even offered them caviar, champagne, and macarons.

Read More: Is The Game Looking For Beef With Kendrick Lamar?

Savannah James Tells The Story

McDaniel and James also went on to say that this isn’t even the first time something like this has happened to the pair. They also experienced similar treatment at a Chanel store. It was here that an employee told James that she could not handle the pocketbooks.

These high-end fashion brands have a bad reputation when it comes to racial profiling at their stores. They also have extremely strict rules about shopping appointments and exclusivity on certain items reserved for the most dedicated customers.

Ultimately, it’s devastating to hear that these issues continue to happen. By now, you would think these brands and the employees in general would be more cognizant of this stuff. Clearly, that is just not the case right now.

Read More: Four High-Profile Hip Hop Cases Head To Trial In August

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Tupac was shot on September 7, 1996, after attending the Mike Tyson-Bruce Seldon fight at the MGM Grand with Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight. Earlier that night, surveillance cameras captured Tupac and several members of the Death Row entourage attacking Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson inside the casino. Hours later, Tupac was riding in the passenger seat of Knight’s BMW when a white Cadillac pulled alongside them near the Las Vegas Strip. Gunfire erupted from the Cadillac, striking Tupac multiple times. Knight was wounded but survived. Tupac died six days later at 25.

Read More: Keefe D Claims He Knows Who Killed Tupac Ahead Of Murder Trial

Investigators spent years examining the people in both vehicles and those surrounding the events of that night. The case also accumulated witnesses, detectives, alleged confessions, and competing accounts of who actually fired the gun. Some of the names are immediately recognizable, while others have remained largely outside the public conversation despite their importance to the prosecution now unfolding.

Understanding who is who matters because not everyone connected to Tupac’s murder played the same role. Several entered the story years later through police interviews or testimony. As Keefe D’s trial begins, these are the key players behind one of Hip Hop’s most scrutinized murder cases.

Duane “Keefe D” Davis: The Man On Trial

At the center of the prosecution is a man who spent years publicly placing himself inside the Cadillac. Keefe D is charged with murder with a deadly weapon with the intent to promote gang activity. Prosecutors say the former South Side Compton Crips leader helped organize the attack as retaliation for the beating of his nephew, Orlando Anderson, at the MGM Grand.

Davis has never claimed that he fired at Tupac. However, in previous accounts, he said he was riding in the front passenger seat and obtained the gun used in the shooting. He also described passing the weapon toward the back seat. Nevada law allows prosecutors to pursue a murder charge against someone accused of helping arrange a killing, even if another person pulled the trigger.

Read More: Four High-Profile Hip Hop Cases Head To Trial In August

Much of the case against him comes from statements he made years after Tupac’s death. Davis discussed the shooting during a 2008 law-enforcement interview and later wrote about it in his 2019 memoir, Compton Street Legend. He now disputes those accounts, arguing that portions were embellished or untrue. His defense unsuccessfully tried to keep both the interview and memoir away from jurors. Judge Carli Kierny ruled that prosecutors may use them at trial.

Davis has pleaded not guilty. He is also the only alleged occupant of the Cadillac who is still alive, making his own words unusually important to a case where the other men accused of participating can no longer testify about what happened inside the car.

Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson: The Longtime Suspect

For decades, Orlando Anderson was the name most often attached to the question of who shot Tupac. He was Keefe D’s nephew and a member of the South Side Compton Crips, placing him at the center of the confrontation prosecutors say set the murder in motion. As previously stated, hours before the shooting, Tupac and members of the Death Row entourage attacked Anderson inside the MGM Grand. Las Vegas police have since described that beating as the catalyst for the retaliation that followed. Prosecutors say Anderson later joined Keefe D, Terrence Brown, and Deandrae Smith inside the white Cadillac that pulled alongside Tupac and Suge Knight.

Suspicion eventually settled heavily on Anderson because Keefe D identified him as the gunman during a 2008 police interview. Anderson denied any involvement while he was alive and was never charged in Tupac’s murder. He died in an unrelated Compton shooting in 1998. Still, his name remains central to the case, but the identity of the shooter is no longer quite so simple. Grand jury testimony from Denvonta Lee pointed instead to Deandrae Smith, who was allegedly sitting beside Anderson in the back seat. That competing account is one reason the trial against Keefe D does not depend on proving Anderson fired the fatal shots.

Deandrae “Freaky” Smith: The Other Suspected Shooter

The question of who actually pulled the trigger becomes less certain once Deandrae “Freaky” Smith enters the story. Smith was allegedly seated in the back of the Cadillac with Orlando Anderson, placing both men in position to fire when the car pulled alongside Tupac and Suge Knight.

For years, Anderson was widely treated as the likely gunman. Grand jury testimony later introduced another version. Denvonta Lee testified that Smith told him Anderson could not get a clear shot, so Smith took the weapon and fired instead. That account directly challenges Keefe D’s earlier statements implicating his nephew.

Meanwhile, Smith was never charged in Tupac’s murder and died in 2004. His alleged confession therefore reaches the case through another witness rather than Smith himself.

Terrence “T-Brown” Brown: The Cadillac’s Alleged Driver

Terrence Brown is the least familiar member of the four-man group prosecutors say rode in the white Cadillac, but his role helps complete the picture of how the shooting unfolded. Brown was allegedly behind the wheel, with Keefe D in the front passenger seat and Anderson and Smith in the back.

In his memoir, Keefe D said the group was driving toward Las Vegas Boulevard when they spotted Tupac leaning out of Suge Knight’s BMW. According to that account, Davis told Brown to turn the Cadillac around before they pulled alongside Tupac’s convoy. Prosecutors now use those statements as part of their argument that the encounter was not random.

Brown was never charged in Tupac’s murder. He died in 2015 after being shot at a medical marijuana dispensary in Compton, leaving Keefe D as the only alleged occupant of the Cadillac still alive.

Suge Knight: The Eyewitness Sitting Beside Tupac

Only one person was sitting beside Tupac when the Cadillac opened fire. Suge Knight was driving the black BMW on Las Vegas Boulevard when the gunman pulled alongside them. Tupac was struck four times, while Knight suffered a wound to the head and managed to drive several blocks before police and emergency crews reached them.

That makes the former Death Row Records boss one of the case’s most important surviving eyewitnesses. Knight was also present for the MGM Grand fight that prosecutors say triggered the retaliation. His proximity to both events gives him firsthand knowledge of the hours surrounding the shooting, even if he could not necessarily identify who fired from the Cadillac.

Whether jurors will hear directly from him remains uncertain. Knight is serving a 28-year sentence in California for an unrelated voluntary manslaughter conviction, and he has publicly resisted becoming a witness against Keefe D. Current reporting indicates prosecutors have considered his testimony, but Knight has made clear that he does not want to participate.

E.D.I. Mean: A View From The Car Behind Tupac

One of the clearest eyewitness accounts came from Malcolm “E.D.I. Mean” Greenidge of the Outlawz, who was riding in the vehicle directly behind Tupac and Suge Knight. Greenidge said he saw four men inside the white Cadillac moments before the shooting. However, he could not identify which passenger fired, but he told the Los Angeles Times that the gun came from the back seat and extended through the driver’s-side window. Greenidge also said he caught a brief look at all four occupants as the Cadillac passed.

That account matters because it supports the basic configuration prosecutors have described for years, that four men were in the Cadillac, with the shooter positioned in the rear. It does not settle whether Orlando Anderson or Deandrae Smith pulled the trigger, but it places the gun in the part of the car where both men were allegedly sitting.

Yaki Kadafi: The Witness Police Never Got Back

Yafeu Fula may have been able to identify someone inside the white Cadillac. The Outlawz rapper was also riding in the car behind Tupac when the shooting happened and later told police he believed he could recognize at least one of the occupants. Investigators said he seemed especially confident about the driver.

Kadafi stayed in Las Vegas while Tupac was hospitalized, but detectives never completed a formal identification with him. Police later said they tried to arrange a follow-up through an attorney after obtaining photographs of possible suspects. His family pushed back on suggestions that he had been difficult to reach and criticized investigators for not questioning him more thoroughly while he was still in the city.

Kadafi was shot and killed in New Jersey in November 1996, less than two months after Tupac’s death. He was 19. Whatever he might have been able to confirm about the Cadillac was never recorded.

Frank Alexander: Tupac’s Bodyguard

Driving the vehicle directly behind Tupac and Suge Knight put Frank Alexander close enough to catch a brief glimpse of the shooter as the Cadillac opened fire. The bodyguard later said he believed he might have been able to identify the man if investigators had shown him photographs or arranged a lineup.

Moreover, Alexander became an outspoken critic of the original Las Vegas investigation. Months after Tupac’s death, he complained that detectives had never brought him back for a meaningful identification despite what he told them at the scene. Police disputed the entourage’s account and argued that several witnesses had not been fully cooperative.

Detectives eventually interviewed Alexander again in March 1997 and showed him a folder containing photographs of possible suspects. He was unable to identify the shooter. The delay became part of the criticism surrounding how authorities handled eyewitnesses during the earliest stages of the case.

Denvonta “Dirt Rock” Lee: The Man Who Changed The Shooter Narrative

A second version of who fired the fatal shots entered the case through Denvonta Lee. He was not in either vehicle when Tupac was killed, but his grand jury testimony introduced an account that directly challenged the long-held belief that Anderson was the gunman.

Lee testified that Deandrae Smith later told him Anderson could not get a clear shot from the back seat. According to Lee, Smith said he took the weapon and fired instead. That alleged confession gave prosecutors another way to explain the shooting without relying entirely on Keefe D’s earlier claim that his nephew pulled the trigger.

The account is impossible to test against Smith directly because he died in 2004. That leaves jurors to evaluate Lee’s credibility and the circumstances under which the alleged confession was made.

Read More: A Look At The Life Of Tupac Shakur

Reggie Wright Jr.: From Death Row Security To Keefe D’s Alternate Suspect

The defense has tried to redirect some of the scrutiny toward a man whose job was once protecting Death Row Records. Reggie Wright Jr., a former Compton police officer who later headed security for the label, testified before the grand jury that indicted Keefe D. Wright has said he spent much of the night Tupac was shot handling security arrangements for the club where Tupac and Knight planned to go after the Tyson fight.

Keefe D now tells a drastically different story. He has accused Wright and members of his security operation of orchestrating Tupac’s killing, calling Wright a key suspect during interviews and through his defense. No evidence made public has established Wright’s involvement, and he has never been charged in connection with the murder.

Further, Wright has repeatedly denied the accusation and points instead to Keefe D’s own history of discussing the shooting. “I was in charge of possibly protecting this young man,” he previously told ABC’s Nightline. Wright argues that Davis only began casting him as a suspect after being arrested, despite years of statements placing himself inside the Cadillac.

Sean “Diddy” Combs: The Alleged $1 Million Bounty

A claim made by Keefe D pulled Diddy into the Tupac murder story years after the shooting. During his 2008 police interview, Davis alleged that Combs offered him $1 million to kill Tupac and Suge Knight amid the escalating conflict between Bad Boy and Death Row. A police report documenting that interview says Davis claimed the offer was made more than once.

Combs has denied having any role in Tupac’s death. When former LAPD detective Greg Kading later published the allegation in Murder Rap, Combs called the story “pure fiction and completely ridiculous.” He has never been charged in connection with the 1996 shooting. Additionally, Keefe D has since backed away from the accusation himself. During an August 2026 interview with 8 News Now, he said he does not believe Combs had anything to do with Tupac’s murder. That reversal is notable because prosecutors are expected to rely heavily on Davis’ earlier statements as they challenge his current insistence that much of what he previously said about the case was untrue.

The names surrounding Tupac Shakur’s murder have been repeated for decades, but this trial is not asking jurors to solve every theory attached to the case. Prosecutors do not have to prove whether Anderson or Smith fired the fatal shots. Their burden is narrower. They must convince the jury that Keefe D knowingly helped set the retaliation in motion and supplied the weapon used in the attack. After nearly 30 years of conflicting accounts and dead witnesses, that is the question now finally being tested in court.

The post Inside The Tupac Murder Trial: 11 Key Players To Know appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

One of the contestants on the show was none other than Lena The Plug. She is the wife of Adam22, who has met with Drake behind the scenes. Lena did not win. Instead, it was Pinkchyu who got the ultimate prize. However, Lena did place in the Top Three, which is a fairly decent result considering she was up against 19 other women.

While Adam22 is usually encouraging of his wife when it comes to these kinds of dating shows, there was something about Saturday night’s stream that upset him. During an interview with TMZ, he said he felt as though Lena went over the line by throwing her wedding ring to the floor.

Read More: Is The Game Looking For Beef With Kendrick Lamar?

Adam22 On Lena The Plug x Drake

She did this as she ran up to meet Drake. It was a pretty humorous moment, albeit one that is quite humiliating for Adam22. Lena The Plug is an actress, as the end of the day, and the 20v1 was not to be taken seriously. Despite this, fans on social media were quick to send their condolences to Adam.

It’s just yet another footnote in this whole Drake stream saga. The commentary on the situation has been overwhelming, and that probably won’t change anytime soon. Drake is a polarizing guy, and his detractors are always quick to say something.

Read More: Four High-Profile Hip Hop Cases Head To Trial In August

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