Yesterday, Durk’s murder-for-hire trial entered closing arguments. During those closing arguments, the prosecution played a clip from an episode of “Off The Record” in which Akademiks interviewed Durk. At one point during the interview, Akademiks asked Lil Durk if he was bothered by the “slide for Von” comments. That’s when Durk said that he doesn’t hear those comments anymore.

Akademiks was speechless after Durk’s comments, and for a few moments, he wouldn’t look Durk in the eye. The prosecution argued that Akademiks knew exactly what Durk was talking about, and that in this clip, Durk was slyly admitting to the alleged murder-for-hire plot.

When Ak heard about this on his livestream, he made it crystal clear that he has nothing to do with Durk’s case. Furthermore, he says his reactions were for dramatic and comedic effect. He then went on to tweet, “Today felt like a out of body experience.”

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DJ Akademiks Used During Lil Durk Trial

The jury is set to begin its deliberations this morning in Los Angeles as of 8:30 AM local time. If you are on the East Coast, that is 11:30 AM. If convicted, Durk faces life in prison, although he would likely receive his sentence in a few weeks from now as opposed to on the spot.

If you are curious about the DJ Akademiks clip in question, you can watch it below. The video has been embedded at the appropriate timestamp for convenience.

This remains a developing story, so stay tuned to HNHH for all of the latest news and updates.

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Release Date: September 9, 2026

Genre: Hip-Hop

Album: N/A

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Release Date: September 9, 2026

Genre: Hip-Hop

Album: LEGACY

Quotable Lyrics from LEGACY

I was born in a large house which was hidden away
When I left the theater, I made a pedigree
I opened my eyes, which in this silence mean

The post LEGACY – Song by PIXY featuring North West appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

This colorway pulls directly from LeBron’s rookie season. He wore the Nike Air Zoom Generation “Laser” PE on Christmas Day in 2003 against Tracy McGrady and the Orlando Magic. Further, that laser-etched pair now becomes the inspiration behind his 23rd signature model.

Laser-style graphics wrap the shell on the upper of the sneakers. Most of the shoe stays white, keeping that etched detailing as the main focus point. A red satin lining sits underneath for some added contrast.

The official colorway is listed as White, Team Red, and Metallic Silver. It’s a fairly simple look considering the holiday tie-in behind it. Nike clearly chose not to lean into a full-on Christmas theme with the colors.

The timing lines up in a fitting way too. LeBron wore the original “Laser” PE during his very first NBA season. Twenty-three years later, that same idea returns on the 23rd shoe carrying his number, this time available for anyone to actually buy.

Read More: Lil Durk Verdict: Jury Set To Begin Deliberations Today As Durk Faces Life In Prison

Nike LeBron 23 “Laser”

Laser etching became a pretty big trend across Nike in the early 2000s. Designer Mark Smith helped push that technique across several sneaker lines during that stretch. It touched everything from the Air Force 1 to the Air Jordan 20.

That process also became a natural way to build player exclusives at the time. Given the production limits laser etching came with, it worked well for smaller, more personal releases. One of the most famous examples was a Jordan 3 made for Michael Jordan’s 40th birthday.

Revisiting that technique now also gives the LeBron 23 a real connection to sneaker design history. It’s not just a color swap tied to a memorable game. It’s a nod to an entire era of Nike craftsmanship that rarely gets revisited today.

With the LeBron 24 already on the horizon, this “Laser” release feels like a great way to close out one chapter. Overall for fans, it ties a rookie-year memory directly to what might be LeBron’s final signature line as an active player.

Read More: Gary Payton’s Nike Zoom Flight “The Glove” Coming Back

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Release Date: September 9, 2026

Genre: R&B, Pop

Album: Muse

Quotable Lyrics from Daylight

The poetry is here somewhere between the lines
The rhythm’s kept by a heartbeat, both yours and mine
You take everything I knew and make it feel brand new
And I wanna take my time and make you feel that too

The post Daylight – Song by John Legend, Prod. by Pharrell appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Release Date: September 9, 2026

Genre: Sexy Drill

Album: PARTY WITH SLIZZY

Quotable Lyrics from Betcha Can’t

You must got that million dollar pussy, yes, I think
Twenty thousand dollars for the singles, tip for drinks
How come we ain’t been together, baby, why you play?
You don’t gotta worry, I’ma do just what it takes

The post Betcha Can’t – Song by Cash Cobain featuring BabyChiefDoIt appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

The five charges are as follows: conspiracy to commit stalking; stalking using a dangerous weapon; stalking resulting in death; conspiracy to use interstate commerce facilities in a murder-for-hire resulting in death; and using interstate commerce facilities in a murder-for-hire resulting in death.

According to court reporter Meghann Cuniff, jury deliberations will begin this morning at 8:30 AM PST in Los Angeles. The length of these deliberations cannot be predicted. It could last hours, or it could last days. It all depends on how quickly the jurors can come to a unanimous decision on the case.

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Lil Durk Trial To Continue This Morning

Lil Durk’s trial has been going on for a couple of weeks now. Throughout the trial, the prosecution brought up OTF Jam, OTF Vonni, and Flacka as star witnesses. These three men alleged that Durk was the one who orchestrated the murder-for-hire plot against Quando Rondo. In the end, it was Lul Pab who was killed.

Jam, Vonni, and Flacka have already pleaded guilty to their charges and testified as part of their deal. Durk himself did not testify in his case. He faces life in prison if convicted of murder-for-hire.

Regardless of the outcome of this trial, Durk could be subjected to yet another trial, this time in relation to racketeering charges that were brought about during a superseding indictment. Previously, the judge made it clear that those charges could not be used in this particular trial as they were filed too late.

Stay tuned to HNHH for up-to-the-minute updates from today’s proceedings.

Read More: Tupac, D4vd & Feeding The Conspiracies That Never Die

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The style code is JA3823-463. Royal blue covers the entire zip-front upper. White leather panels break things up along the sides for some added contrast.

White Swoosh branding hits both the lateral side and forefoot. That same blue continues down through the sculpted midsole underneath. Heel script still reads “The Glove,” tying everything back to Payton’s longtime nickname.

The zippered top remains the shoe’s signature feature. It wraps around an inner bootie instead of using traditional laces. That setup gave Payton the locked-in fit he wanted on court back in the late ’90s.

Interestingly, the royal blue shade is actually inspired by the packaging of Payton’s own well-known cannabis strain. It’s a small personal detail tucked into what’s otherwise a straightforward retro release. The sneaker is known not just for teh vibrant colorway, but also for its performance features.

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Nike Zoom Flight “The Glove”

The Zoom Flight 98 platform gave The Glove its shape. Zippered basketball sneakers were rare even back then but Payton’s version stood out immediately for skipping the laces.

Also that zip-front look has picked up new momentum recently. Retro Air Max 95 Zips, the Converse Shai 001, and the Adidas Don Issue 7 have all leaned into hidden-lace designs lately. The Glove fits right into that style that’s seemingly making a comeback.

Interest in Payton’s shoe got another boost earlier this year too. Steph Curry stepped out in an original pair as a nod to teammate Gary Payton Jr.’s Hall of Fame father. That moment likely played a part in Nike’s decision to bring this colorway back now.

Overall 12 years is a long gap for any colorway to sit quietly. For longtime fans of The Glove, this Royal Blue return feels well overdue.

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Rock addressed the incident while speaking with Variety about his upcoming film Misty Green, which he wrote and directed. When asked how he feels about the Oscars now, he initially made clear that he did not want an old controversy taking attention away from the movie or its star, Rosalind Eleazar.

“I wish nothing would have happened,” Rock said. He then put the experience against problems far removed from Hollywood. “It’s a crazy world. We walk by homeless people. There’s all sorts of sh*t going on right now. Me having a bad day is not the biggest, it’s not that important.”

That answer is considerably shorter than what Rock had to say when he finally addressed Smith at length during his 2023 Netflix special, Selective Outrage. After largely avoiding public discussion of the slap for nearly a year, he used the closing portion of the stand-up special to unload on Smith and reject the idea that he viewed himself as a victim. Netflix billed the live event, its first of its kind, as including Rock’s thoughts on the confrontation.

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Chris Rock Isn’t Planning An Oscars Return Either

Rock’s reluctance to revisit the slap also extended to questions about returning to the Academy Awards. He has hosted the ceremony twice, in 2005 and 2016, but said he is not particularly eager to take the job again. Rather than campaign for another turn, Rock praised Conan O’Brien and Golden Globes host Nikki Glaser and said his time as an awards-show host may have passed.

Attending is another matter. Rock joked that he would return to the Oscars if Misty Green somehow earned him a nomination, though he quickly dismissed the likelihood. “The only way I’ll go back is if I’m nominated, and I’m not getting nominated,” he told Variety. “And that’s okay.”

Smith struck Rock during the March 2022 ceremony after Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head. Smith returned to his seat and shouted at Rock before later accepting the Best Actor Oscar for King Richard. The Academy subsequently barred Smith from its events for 10 years. Smith also apologized publicly, saying in a video months later that his behavior was “unacceptable” and that he had attempted to contact Rock.

Read More: Steve Harvey Calls Will Smith’s Slap A “Punk Move”: “I Lost A Lot Of Respect For Him”

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Gold metallic leather covers the entire build here. Concrete Boys branding gets stitched into the back of the boot. It’s a much flashier take than the Speedsweep 8 typically gets.

Yachty wore the pair during his first-ever match, taking on Baron Corbin at Sunday Night’s Main Event. The match lasted 5 minutes and helped set up a bigger moment for the night. His teammate Trick Williams went on to win the United States Championship later in the show.

There’s no confirmed release date, price, or retailer tied to this colorway. Nike hasn’t given any indication it plans on a wider release either. For now, this pair stays exclusive to Yachty and fans will only be able to watch from afar.

This isn’t Yachty’s first time working with Nike of course. He’s built out an ongoing Concrete Boys Air Force 1 series that’s dropped multiple times already.

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Lil Yachty Concrete Boys x Nike Wrestling

Yachty has been working alongside Trick Williams as a hypeman and ringside presence since earlier this year. That role has helped him build real credibility within the wrestling world.

Celebrity cameos in WWE often draw criticism from longtime fans. Yachty’s case has played out differently, with plenty of wrestling fans crediting him for engaging with the sport. His custom entrance robe and now these boots only reinforce that commitment.

The Speedsweep 8 itself is a niche model most sneakerheads rarely think about. Getting a custom, gold-leather version made specifically for a WWE debut adds some real novelty to the shoe’s usual profile. It’s a fun crossover between two worlds that don’t often intersect this directly.

Whether Nike ever brings a version of this colorway to retail remains unclear. For now, it exists purely as a personal keepsake from Yachty’s first night in the ring.

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