“Not Like Us” is a song that has haunted Drake. Even with the success of ICEMAN in plain sight, there is still that looming presence of a song that could have ruined a smaller artist. That said, Drake probably wasn’t happy when he saw that his YouTube channel with 33 million subscribers uploaded “Not Like Us” on Sunday.

Thankfully, for the Canadian megastar, the video was taken down fairly fast. As it turns out, this was part of a large hack, targeting some of the biggest artists in the world.

Read More: Timberland vs Nike Air Force 1: Which Shoe Actually Won Hip-Hop?

Drake Gets Hacked

Drake shouldn’t feel too bad about all of this. Artists like D4vd, Kanye West, Frank Ocean, Playboi Carti, and even Kendrick Lamar were also targeted by the hack. Leaked songs and demos were uploaded to these accounts, while artists like D4vd were trolled with songs related to his murder case.

Hacking is back in the public consciousness right now. Over the past few weeks, we have seen numerous iCloud leaks involving the likes of ilykimchi, Ari Fletcher, and Camryn LaVine. These situations involved sensitive photos and were a major breach of privacy.

While this YouTube hack is something else entirely, one must wonder what is going on with cybersecurity these days. It appears as though hackers are becoming more daring and sophisticated.

This is your warning to change your passwords.

Read More: Who Really Won YG Verzuz The Game?

The post Drake’s YouTube Channel Uploads “Not Like Us” During Apparent Hack appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

“She did not post this, she didn’t leak this herself,” Tbvnks responded. “Don’t send no hate her way. She wouldn’t do this… If this was revenge something, it would be a whole different route that I would go. Somebody hacked into her s**t… Somebody leaked it. It wasn’t just me or her that was affected by it, it was other people… We do know where the source is from. Anybody else trying to take credit [are] just trying to gain followers.”

On Sunday evening, Camryn LaVine, the sister of NBA star Zach LaVine, took to her stream to explain. It was here that she revealed that she still does not know who hacked her account. She also was firm in saying that none of this is okay, and that exploiting people is an awful thing to do. Furthermore, LaVine apologized to her followers and by extension, Tbvnks for everything that has happened.

Read More: Timberland vs Nike Air Force 1: Which Shoe Actually Won Hip-Hop?

Camryn LaVine Responds

“I was debating if I really want to come on here and talk. I’m a little nervous to talk, I’m not gonna lie,” LaVine said. “It’s not ok to exploit people’s personal information and their private life… We were trolling a lot & joking around in certain videos that were exploited, but it’s not okay for y’all to try to change the narrative into something it wasn’t.”

This is certainly an awful situation for both sides. These kinds of leaks are a violation of privacy and can be filed under revenge porn laws. Perhaps authorities would need to be involved to figure out who did this.

For now, this remains a developing story.

Read More: Who Really Won YG Verzuz The Game?

The post Camryn LaVine Responds To Tbvnks Sex Tape Leaks appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

The video starts with the box itself. A red laser-etched Nike logo covers the lid. Small graphics and text fill the swoosh shape. Once opened, the shoe sits on black tissue paper. The upper uses a dark grey and black colorway.

Laser-etched artwork covers most of the surface. Icons, phrases, and small details fill the design. A black swoosh sits on top of the busy pattern. White laces and a white midsole balance out the look. The outsole picks up a light grey tone to match.

This drop pairs with the Jordan 3 “Laser” releasing around the same time. Both use similar etched detailing across the upper. That shared design links the two releases together. Seeing the full unboxing gives fans more confidence before release.

Photos alone can’t always capture texture the same way. Video helps show how the etching looks in person. Reactions online have been positive so far. Fans appreciate seeing the packaging in full detail.

This kind of content builds anticipation before drop day and people can actually experience opening this pair up. August is shaping up to be a big month for etched Jordans.

Read More: Sean Wotherspoon’s Nike Air Max 1/97 Is Returning

Air Jordan 1 Low OG “Laser”

The packaging gets real attention early on. The laser-cut Nike logo on the box sets the tone. Small red details continue once the lid comes off.

Inside, the shoe reveals its full etched pattern up close. Basketball icons, text, and small symbols cover the toe box. The heel area carries similar detailing near the swoosh. White contrast pieces help break up the busy design.

Stitching around the swoosh looks clean throughout the shoe. The outsole tone stays consistent with the rest of the build. Nothing about the construction looks rushed or unfinished. This kind of detailed content matters ahead of a release. It gives buyers a clearer sense of what they’re getting.

Read More: The Air Jordan 9 “Space Jam” Just Got Pushed Back

The post This Unboxing Gives Fans Full Look At The Jordan 1 “Laser” appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

That program lets young hospital patients help design real Nike releases, raising money each year for OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. This year’s collection includes several other models alongside it. An Air Jordan 11 Low IE, ACG Rufus, Air Force 1 Mid, and Structure Plus round out the confirmed group, with one more model still unrevealed.

Still, the Air Max 1/97 stands out as the biggest surprise. Fans have wanted this hybrid design back for years, since its original release became a favorite among sneaker collectors. Bringing it back through Doernbecher adds real meaning to the comeback, because each pair reflects a personal story from a young patient designer.

That approach makes these releases feel different from typical retros. The new colorway is set to drop Spring 2027, though exact designs haven’t been shown publicly yet. Even so, confirmation alone has fans paying close attention.

This marks the first Air Max 1/97 return in nearly a decade, and that timing makes the release feel more significant.

Read More: The Air Jordan 9 “Space Jam” Just Got Pushed Back

Nike Air Max 1/97

The Air Max 97 turns 30 years old around this same release window. That connection likely shaped when Nike chose to bring the hybrid back.

Doernbecher Freestyle has built a strong reputation since starting in 2004. Patients work directly with Nike designers to bring their ideas to life. That process gives each shoe a personal story behind it. It’s part of what makes these releases stand out from normal drops.

The Air Force 1 Mid’s inclusion also ties into a milestone. That silhouette is nearing its own 45th anniversary soon. Together, these picks suggest Nike is leaning into anniversaries this cycle. Spring 2027 gives fans a specific window to watch. More details should surface as the release gets closer.

Read More: First Look At Women’s-Exclusive Air Jordan 3 “Sports Renaissance”

The post Sean Wotherspoon’s Nike Air Max 1/97 Is Returning appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

This marks another delay for a Jordan release this year. A few other pairs have faced similar pushbacks recently. That pattern has some fans feeling uneasy. Delays can happen for several different reasons. Sometimes it comes down to production timing.

Other times it ties back to quality control checks. Jordan Brand hasn’t shared an official reason yet. Fans are left guessing at this point. Some hope the delay means extra care went into this pair. Others worry it signals ongoing supply issues.

The Air Jordan 9 “Space Jam” ties into a major anniversary. This release marks 30 years since the original film debuted. That makes the timing especially important to fans. A longer wait could test their patience. Still, most collectors will likely wait it out.

The colorway carries real nostalgia for longtime Jordan fans. September 19th is now the new date to watch. Whether more shifts happen remains to be seen. For now, fans just have to sit tight a little longer.

Read More: First Look At Women’s-Exclusive Air Jordan 3 “Sports Renaissance”

Air Jordan 9 OG “Space Jam”

Of course, delays happen. But this isn’t the first time this year. A handful of other Jordan releases have shifted dates too and that’s starting to catch people’s attention.

Some fans shrug it off as normal supply chain stuff. Others read into it a bit more. Maybe it means the team is taking extra time to get things right. Or possibly it just points to bigger production headaches behind the scenes.

Either way, “Space Jam” isn’t just another colorway. It’s tied to a moment a lot of sneakerheads grew up with. So a delay on this one lands differently. People have been waiting on this pair for a while now. September 19th is the new number everyone’s circling.

Read More: DJ Akademiks Explains Why Drake Is Really Outselling J. Cole & Future

The post The Air Jordan 9 “Space Jam” Just Got Pushed Back appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

One was a construction worker’s boot that New York’s streets claimed without permission. The other was a basketball shoe that Baltimore saved from being discontinued. Both have been worn by the genre’s greatest artists and name-dropped in some of its most iconic lyrics.

Both have been handed to collaborators who made them into something even bigger. This is the story of both shoes, and an attempt to settle the debate.

Read More: LeBron James Signs With The Philadelphia 76ers

Timberlands in Hip-Hop

The Timberland 6-Inch Waterproof Boot was introduced in 1973 as practical workwear, designed for construction workers in New England who needed something durable enough for long shifts. Nobody at Timberland was thinking about hip-hop.

The brand wasn’t thinking about New York City street culture. It was thinking about keeping feet dry on job sites. What happened next was entirely out of their hands.

By the late 1980s and early 1990s, the boot had found its way onto very different feet. According to journalist Rob Walker, the first urban buyers of Timberland boots were New York drug dealers who needed tough, comfortable shoes to stay out on the streets all night. The rappers followed their lead. Once they did, the boot’s identity shifted permanently.

Boot Camp Clik emerged from Brownsville, Brooklyn in 1993 and were among the first artists to make the Timberland 6-Inch a deliberate part of their uniform. Finally, their East Coast contemporaries picked it up from there.

East Coast

Wu-Tang Clan wore them in their early videos and cemented the look in one of the most famous group photos in hip-hop history. Nas put it in writing on “The World Is Yours” in 1994 with the line “Suede Timbs on my feet makes my cipher complete,” one of the most quoted sneaker references in the genre’s catalog. Mobb Deep appeared wearing Timberlands on the cover of The Infamous in 1995, reinforcing the boot as a visual symbol of the era.

Nobody did more for the Timberland in hip-hop than Biggie. His look, built around oversized clothes, Coogi sweaters, denim, and wheat Timberland boots, created the defining image of 90s hip-hop style. He referenced them directly in “Hypnotize” with the line “Timbs for my hooligans in Brooklyn.” He wore them constantly throughout his career, making the wheat 6-inch boot synonymous with his persona.

Jay-Z picked up and carried the boot into the new millennium, reportedly buying a new pair every week at the height of his career. What started as a workwear brand with no interest in hip-hop had become one of the genre’s defining style pillars, entirely on the culture’s own terms.

Air Force 1s in Hip Hop

The Nike Air Force 1 launched in 1982 as a basketball shoe, the first Nike sneaker ever built around Air cushioning technology. It was designed by Bruce Kilgore and debuted in the NBA.

3 years later, Nike nearly discontinued it entirely. What saved the AF1 was 3 sneaker boutiques in Baltimore who convinced Nike to keep producing it for their stores. In a program dubbed the “Color of the Month Club,” Nike provided them with a selection of designs.

Collectors from around the United States made trips to Maryland just to get their hands on a pair. That decision laid the groundwork for the limited-release culture that defines sneaker collecting today.

Baltimore kept the shoe alive. New York made it mean something. Harlem adopted the AF1 early and gave it the nickname “Uptowns,” tying the shoe permanently to the neighborhood’s identity. It appeared on album covers as early as Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock’s It Takes Two, one of the earliest signs of the AF1 finding a home in hip-hop.

New York City

By the time the all-white low-top version dropped in the early 1990s, the shoe had become the default footwear of the Harlem streets. Mase wore them, Cam’ron wore them. The Dipset crew made them part of a broader Harlem aesthetic that would influence hip-hop style for decades.

Jay-Z is often credited with being the first rapper to specifically call out a pair of Triple-Whites on record. He rapped on “Can I Live II” in 1998: “For all my n****s with the all-white Air Force Ones and black guns.” That line turned a style observation into a cultural statement. It told an entire generation that the triple white AF1 wasn’t just a shoe. It was a signal of where you were from and how you moved.

Nelly took it further in 2002 with his song “Air Force Ones,” bringing the shoe to a national audience that stretched far beyond New York. Fat Joe reinforced it from the Bronx, eventually earning his own Terror Squad AF1 through his relationship with Nike. The AF1 had gone from a basketball shoe to a Harlem staple to a genre-wide institution in less than 20 years.

How Each Shoe Has Been Referenced In Hip-Hop Lyrics

The Air Force 1 is arguably the most referenced sneaker in hip-hop history, and the way rappers use it tells the whole story. On “Parking Lot Pimpin’,” Jay-Z places himself standing in the Azure nightclub in pristine white Air Forces, surrounded by luxury cars and VIP energy. The white AF1 in that context is shorthand for fresh, untouchable, and exactly where the money is.

The black AF1 carries a completely different meaning. A$AP Rocky leaned into that on “AIR FORCE (BLACK DEMARCO)” this year, using the black colorway as shorthand for a kind of aggression the internet had spent years building into the shoe’s identity. Same silhouette, same shape, completely different message depending on who’s wearing them and why.

The Timberland boot’s most famous lyrical moments tend to be grounded and specific. Biggie’s “Timbs for my hooligans in Brooklyn” isn’t a flex. It’s a flag. It places the boot in a neighborhood context and ties it to a community rather than a status symbol.

Nas referencing his suede Timbs on “The World Is Yours” does the same thing. The boot functions as location, as identity, and as a piece of the street uniform that defined New York rap in the 1990s.

Timberland’s Collabs

Timberland was slow to embrace the hip-hop audience that had adopted its boot without invitation. That wariness kept the brand from fully capitalizing on the cultural equity the genre had built for it. Over time, things changed.

The most fitting collab came from RZA himself, who personally designed a Timberland x Wu-Tang boot as part of the 2007 Burroughs Project. Limited to around 100 pairs, it featured a black denim upper, neon yellow soles, and a Wu-Tang/Timberland hologram.

Pharrell followed with his Bee Line collection, bringing a high-fashion perspective to the brand’s core silhouettes. Even Drake brought the boot to a new generation through his own OVO collaborations.

More recently, Timberland worked with Biggie’s estate on a special edition tied to the 30th anniversary of Ready to Die. It directly acknowledges the role he played in building the boot’s legacy. The collab record is meaningful but selective, and the brand has never leaned into hip-hop the way Nike did.

Air Force 1 Collabs

Nike’s AF1 collaboration catalog is one of the deepest and most diverse in sneaker history. The hip-hop chapter started early. Roc-A-Fella Records received a promo-only white-on-white AF1 with a heel logo in 1999, setting the template for what a celebrity sneaker collab could look like.

Fat Joe’s Terror Squad AF1 followed in a similar mold. From there, the collab pipeline never slowed down. Supreme, Stussy, Off-White, Tiffany & Co., Louis Vuitton, Travis Scott, Dover Street Market, and dozens of others have all put their name on the AF1. Virgil Abloh used it as the canvas for some of his most important work, from “The Ten” to the MCA edition to his final project with Louis Vuitton.

The breadth and quality of the AF1’s collab history is unmatched by almost any other shoe in existence. Hip-hop’s fingerprints are on nearly all of it.

The Verdict: Timberland Vs. Air Force 1

Both shoes are genuine cultural institutions. Both earned their place in hip-hop entirely on their own terms rather than through anything their brands engineered. But they earned it differently, and that difference is what makes the comparison interesting.

The Timberland boot represents a specific chapter of hip-hop history. The New York 1990s, the Biggie and Nas and Wu-Tang era, the street uniform of a genre finding its identity. Its cultural moment is deep and real and still felt today, but its nostalgia is rooted in a particular time and place that’s carried over.

The Air Force 1 doesn’t have that limitation. It has moved through every era of hip-hop without losing relevance. From Harlem in the late 1980s to Nelly’s 2002 national crossover to Travis Scott’s newer collabs.

It has been worn by every kind of rap artist in every kind of context. It has adapted to every aesthetic the genre has gone through. Further, it’s maintained a collab list that keeps it connected to whoever is leading the culture.

The Timberland won a generation while the Air Force 1 won the genre. Both deserve their flowers, but overall the AF1 makes the stronger case.

Read More: YG References Detainment Over Drakeo The Ruler Murder During Verzuz

The post Timberland vs Nike Air Force 1: Which Shoe Actually Won Hip-Hop? appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

This colorway is a women’s exclusive. The shoe uses navy as its base color throughout. One version pairs navy with red and pink accents. Another leans into navy and light blue tones. Both use the same overall layout and structure.

Cream laces stand out against the darker upper. A cream midsole adds contrast at the bottom. Small basketball themed details appear on the tongue tag. That includes a raised basketball icon near the eyelets.

The heel tab keeps the classic Jumpman branding. Two different heel colors show up across the pair. One shoe uses red, the other uses blue. That split design gives the release its playful edge.

Sports themed colorways aren’t new for Jordan Brand. This one leans into bold, mismatched color pairing. Women’s exclusive drops have grown more common lately. That trend gives fans more variety across releases.

Early images already show strong interest online. Sneaker fans are drawn to the split color concept. August gives buyers a clear timeline to prepare for. For now, this remains one of the season’s standout looks.

Read More: DJ Akademiks Explains Why Drake Is Really Outselling J. Cole & Future

Air Jordan 3 “Sports Renaissance”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sneaker Goods Miami (@sneakergoodsmiami)

Looking closer at the photos, the split heel design stands out most. One shoe uses a red panel near the ankle. The other swaps that for a matching blue tone. This type of contrast makes the pair feel intentionally mismatched.

Mesh paneling near the collar adds texture in both colors. Pink and light blue versions appear in that same area. Cream laces and soles keep the overall look balanced. Small details like the tongue tag basketball icon add character.

Nothing about the build looks overly complicated. The color choices do most of the visual work here. Fans of sport inspired colorways will likely respond well. It’s a playful spin on a familiar silhouette.

Read More: Clayton Howard Claims Against Diddy Survive, But Not Against Cassie

The post First Look At Women’s-Exclusive Air Jordan 3 “Sports Renaissance” appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

He reacted to ICEMAN‘s continued Billboard success during a livestream caught by CY Chels on Twitter. The commentator said The Fall-Off “came and went” and argued hip-hop is “not sticking” on the charts these days.

“What Drake did is, Drake did storytelling,” he argued. “That’s what everybody else ain’t doing… There’s no storyline from what you’ve been through in the last 18 months… I don’t even know what [Future’s The Real Me] even means. Future doesn’t do interviews, he cut his hair… There’s nothing of substance there. There’s nothing that we can follow through beyond the music. So we listen to each song on an individual level. Is it hot or is it not?”

Read More: Who Really Won YG Verzuz The Game?

DJ Akademiks Compares Drake, Future & J. Cole

Akademiks argued audiences knew what the 6ix God was doing with ICEMAN because it connected to the Kendrick Lamar battle. He said artists are missing parts of their lives in their work, even if folks stay up to date on their lives due to their celebrity. “The music should reflect an honest storyline ending or continuing or explaining what you’re going through,” Ak said. “That’s when music sticks and music works.”

He said he likes a few of the new Fewtch songs, but that a hit-based model won’t last. DJ Akademiks said J. Cole is an exception regarding the storytelling. But he still has a problem with him because he “rapped about the wrong thing.” Akademiks wanted him to go into the K.Dot apology instead of his career trajectory as a whole. “It didn’t feel like the story that we are invested in with you was what you were addressing,” he added.

These are some interesting remarks from DJ Akademiks, even if he seemed to pick and choose which stories were worth telling. In any case, all these artists had massive years, so maybe there are other factors that play larger roles in an album’s sustained success.

Read More: Inside Donald Trump’s History Of Pardons & Commutations In Hip Hop

The post DJ Akademiks Explains Why Drake Is Really Outselling J. Cole & Future appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Per the outlet and court documents, federal judge Anne Hwang issued an order ruling Howard’s civil claims against Combs can move forward to a potential trial. However, the judge reportedly tossed the claims related to Cassie with leave to amend. This is because the accuser reportedly couldn’t connect enough incidents to her with specificity within the legal timeframe of the accusations.

Clayton claims the trafficking lasted for about a decade and involved the couple drugging him, isolating him in hotels, and flying him out to city after city with funding from Puff. Those accusations, according to the judge, have strong enough evidence to move forward in federal and California courts, with the counts specifically related to human trafficking. His demand alleges physical harm, lost income, and claims that Ventura transmitted an STD to him.

Concerning the Cassie claims, Howard reportedly has 14 days to refile with stronger connections and allegations. If he fails to do so, then she could avoid this lawsuit altogether.

Read More: Who Really Won YG Verzuz The Game?

When Is Diddy Getting Out Of Prison?

Diddy has a scheduled release date of February of 2028, and he’s currently serving his sentence for transportation related to prostitution charges at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey. In addition to more civil lawsuits against him related to his misconduct scandal, Diddy has issues behind bars to address.

He allegedly got into a fight in prison with a fellow inmate that led to his placement in solitary confinement. It’s unclear if the Bad Boy mogul is still there, and not many details emerged about the alleged altercation.

It’s also unclear if this will affect the approximate release date upon the fulfillment of his prison sentence. In any case, Puff will still have to deal with Clayton Howard’s allegations. But depending on what Howard does, Cassie may not have to deal with his accusations any longer.

Read More: Inside Donald Trump’s History Of Pardons & Commutations In Hip Hop

The post Clayton Howard Claims Against Diddy Survive, But Not Against Cassie appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

The Shade Room rounded up some of the most relevant snapshots on IG, which include Cole’s post of him taking a mirror selfie with her behind him and her arms wrapped in front of his belly. “Yup,” the simple caption reads. She also posted a picture of them at a club, which the rapper also documented on his Instagram account.

He also reportedly shared a picture of Keyshia covering her mouth with her hands on a boat, with a Sade song in the background for good measure. While none of the posts feature explicit statements from either celebrity confirming or explaining the nature of their relationship, it’s easy for fans to read between the lines and come to these conclusions.

Read More: Who Really Won YG Verzuz The Game?

How Old Are Keyshia Cole & Skrilla?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom)

One aspect that folks are talking about a lot here is the age gap between these artists. Skrilla is 27, and Keyshia Cole is 44. This has also been a point of debate for Cole’s previous partners as of late, as Hunxho is also 27. Regardless of what fans have to say about it, it’s clearly not a problem for her either way.

We will see if this remains purely as just relationship gossip or if they go even more public with their romance by sharing more updates and footage together. It already surprised a lot of fans online, especially since the Z artist is partially responsible for the “6 7” meme that already wore out its welcome.

If Keyshia fans back in the day heard this would be her future (alleged) man, they wouldn’t have believed you. But we’ll see how this actually pans out. Elsewhere, both are focused on their careers. Skrilla has a lot to live up to given his virality, and is dropping new collaborations with more established names like NBA YoungBoy.

Read More: Inside Donald Trump’s History Of Pardons & Commutations In Hip Hop

The post Keyshia Cole Confirms Skrilla Romance Amid Fan Speculation appeared first on HotNewHipHop.