This marks Mowalola Ogunlesi’s first collaboration with Jordan Brand. It builds off the Air Jordan 14’s Ferrari-inspired shape, but swaps the usual suede for a weathered brown leather instead. That change gives the shoe a much rougher, aged look right out of the box.

Some Mowalola branding runs along the side. A faded plaid pattern wraps around the heel, carrying through to the inner lining in a subtle red-on-black print. Black patent detailing rounds out the midsole and heel counter.

The most notable change sits on the side panel. Mowalola swaps the model’s usual Ferrari-style window cutout for a small circular branded hit instead. It’s a subtle tweak, but one that shifts the shoe’s identity right away for anyone familiar with the original.

A matching open-back mule version releases alongside it, priced separately, giving the collection two distinct ways to wear the same design language.

Read More: Every Jhené Aiko & Kendrick Lamar Collaboration, Revisited

Mowalola x Air Jordan 14

Mowalola first unveiled this project during Paris Fashion Week earlier this summer. That runway debut leaned hard into the label’s usual rough, lived-in aesthetic. Bringing that same sensibility to the Air Jordan 14 marks a real departure from how the model usually gets reworked.

Jordan Brand has increasingly turned to fashion designers for these kinds of collaborations rather than sticking to sneaker-world names exclusively. Mowalola’s British-Nigerian design background adds yet another distinct perspective to that growing list. The worn, aged leather finish here doesn’t read like anything else currently in Jordan Brand’s lineup.

This drop also lands amid a stacked stretch for Air Jordan collaborations. CDG, APB, and Jaide are all working on their own Air Jordan 11 projects, while Free the Youth just revealed an Air Jordan 16. Between all of that activity, Mowalola’s take stands out for how far it pushes away from a typical retro.

With retailer images now out, the wait for this one is almost over.

Read More: Kim Kardashian Awarded Symbolic $1.15 In Paris Robbery Case

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The response has been much less enthusiastic than expected. Kendrick spends much of “So Good” singing instead of delivering the kind of verse fans associate with their earlier work, and that choice has become one of the most criticized parts of the song. Some listeners simply dislike the vocal approach, but it seems like fans were more disappointed that after years of waiting to hear the two together again, the record doesn’t recreate what made their older collaborations click.

That makes “So Good” a useful reason to go back. Jhené and Kendrick have been crossing paths on record since 2010, when both were still emerging from the Los Angeles music scene and years away from the careers they would eventually build. Their shared catalog is surprisingly small, but each song captures a different stage of two artists who grew up musically alongside one another without ever becoming an overused pairing.

Kendrick Lamar & Jhené Aiko Started Collaborating Before Either Broke Through

Their first released collaboration arrived on Kendrick’s 2010 mixtape Overly Dedicated. “Growing Apart (To Get Closer)” featured Jhené on the hook while Kendrick rapped through a relationship that was starting to fall apart.

At the time, neither artist had reached the level that would define the next few years of their careers. Kendrick was still building his audience ahead of Section.80 and good kid, m.A.A.d city, while Jhené was years away from Sail Out becoming her mainstream breakthrough.

Still, “Growing Apart” already showed why they worked well together. Jhené carried the refrain without overpowering the record, while Kendrick used the verses to dig into the frustration behind the title. It was simple, but the pairing made sense. Three years later, they came back together for the song that would become their best-known collaboration.

“Stay Ready” Became The Collaboration Fans Remember

“Growing Apart” may have introduced the pairing, but “Stay Ready (What a Life)” is where it became memorable. The song arrived on Jhené’s 2013 Sail Out EP, just as her career was beginning to move into a much bigger space and Kendrick was coming off the success of good kid, m.A.A.d city.

What works is that the record never feels like Kendrick was dropped in for a feature simply because his name carried weight. He enters Jhené’s world without flattening it. His verse is denser and more restless than everything around it, which gives the song a jolt without breaking its mood.

That tension is a big reason “Stay Ready” has held up so well. Jhené remains understated and intimate, while Kendrick brings a completely different energy into the record. They aren’t trying to sound alike, and the song is better for it. For a long time, that was the last proper Jhené and Kendrick collaboration fans had to return to.

Playboi Carti Brought Them Back Onto The Same Record

More than a decade passed before Jhené and Kendrick appeared on the same song again, and when they finally did, neither of them was running the show. Playboi Carti’s “BACKD00R,” from 2025’s MUSIC, put both artists in supporting roles on a record that already had its own strange, loose energy. That made the reunion feel less like a grand return and more like a surprise tucked into somebody else’s album.

It also showed how much had changed since Sail Out. Kendrick had become more willing to stretch his voice, sing, and play with cadence instead of arriving with the kind of smartly defined verse people expected from him in 2013. Jhené, meanwhile, slipped into the record without needing to pull it toward her own sound.

“BACKD00R” wasn’t really theirs, but it was the first hint that if Jhené and Kendrick ever linked again on one of her records, it probably wouldn’t sound like “Stay Ready” part two. A year later, “So Good” proved exactly that.

“So Good” Changes The Dynamic

“So Good” does not fail because Jhené and Kendrick suddenly sound incompatible. It feels different because Kendrick is no longer arriving as the disruption. On Westside Whimsy, he spends much of the song singing and leaning into melody, which puts him closer to Jhené’s lane than on their earlier collaborations. That choice has become the main point of criticism from listeners who expected the contrast of “Stay Ready” and instead got something softer and more blended.

There are people who like that approach, but the disappointment makes sense in the context of their history. Jhené has always been strongest when she can let a song breathe. Kendrick usually gave those records another texture entirely. On “So Good,” they spend more time meeting in the middle.

Read More: Kendrick Lamar Gets Trashed Over “So Good” Collab With Jhené Aiko

That may be the real reason the song is getting such a cold response. Fans weren’t just waiting for Jhené Aiko and Kendrick Lamar to work together again, but for the version of that pairing they remembered. Four songs across 16 years is not much of a collaborative catalog, but that scarcity is part of why each sonic connection has carried so much weight. Jhené and Dot never became one of those pairings that showed up on every album cycle, and fans had years to turn “Growing Apart” and “Stay Ready” into reference points for what hearing them together was supposed to sound like.

“So Good” was always going to have to compete with that memory. Maybe listeners simply preferred the friction that came from hearing two very different artists meet in the same place without sanding down what made either one distinct. That’s what made the older records stick. “So Good” asks for something else. Whether fans eventually warm to it or not, the reaction says plenty about how much history can shape expectations before a song even starts.

What’s your favorite Jhené Aiko and Kendrick Lamar collab?

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Her friend Simone Harouche, who was also inside the Hôtel de Pourtalès when the robbery happened, requested and received the same amount. Kardashian and Harouche said in a joint statement that the ruling was about having what happened to them recognized after years of legal proceedings.

Most of Kardashian’s stolen jewelry has never been recovered. The haul was worth more than $6 million and included the roughly $4 million engagement ring Ye had given her. Reuters reports that Kardashian sought the nominal award as part of the civil damages proceedings that followed last year’s criminal convictions.

Read More: See New Crime Scene Photos From Kim Kardashian’s Robbery In Paris

Kim Kardashian Returned To Paris To Face The Men Accused Of Robbing Her

The October 2016 robbery happened while Kardashian was in Paris for Fashion Week. Men posing as police officers entered the private residence where she was staying, held her at gunpoint, and restrained her with zip ties and tape before escaping with the jewelry. Later, Kardashian returned to Paris in May 2025 to testify during the trial. She told the court she believed she was going to be raped and killed during the attack, recalling that she begged the robbers to spare her because she had children.

Eight people were ultimately convicted for roles connected to the heist. Some of the defendants became known in France as the “Grandpa Robbers” because several were in their 60s and 70s by the time the case reached trial. None appealed their convictions. Meanwhile, the €1 awards for Kardashian and Harouche were considerably different from the damages granted to others affected by the robbery. A former hotel receptionist, who said he suffered lasting trauma after being confronted during the attack, was awarded €109,516. The Hôtel de Pourtalès received €50,000.

Kardashian has said the robbery permanently changed her relationship with security and expensive jewelry. After the convictions, she thanked French authorities for continuing to pursue the case and said she believed in accountability while also expressing forgiveness toward the man identified as the robbery’s mastermind.

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Provo laid out the potential award in new court documents obtained by TMZ. His lawsuit, originally filed in 2024, accuses Ye and members of his management team of treating Black employees worse than their white counterparts while Provo worked security for Donda Academy and other Yeezy operations.

One central dispute involves Provo’s hair. He alleges that employees were ordered to shave their heads and that he refused because he wore dreadlocks for religious reasons. Provo says he lost his job after declining to comply. Ye has denied firing Provo because of his dreadlocks. His attorneys have also argued that Provo technically worked for a third-party staffing company rather than directly for Ye, a distinction they contend affects his claims.

Read More: Kanye West’s Lawyers Argue Nazi Remarks Were Merely “Art”

Benjamin Provo’s Case Is Headed Toward Trial

However, the hairstyle allegation is only one part of Provo’s complaint. He claims Ye frequently yelled at Black employees while treating white workers differently and alleges that books by prominent Black figures, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., were removed from Donda Academy. Provo has also accused the workplace of fostering a racially hostile environment. Ye has denied wrongdoing.

The case has already produced testimony from former Ye chief of staff Milo Yiannopoulos. According to the latest filing, Yiannopoulos said during his deposition that someone with “really thin skin about racially charged remarks” would not have been suited to the company. He also reportedly testified that Yeezy employees during 2023 and 2024 had to accept what he described as Ye’s provocative way of discussing religion.

Both sides have spent recent weeks fighting over what jurors can hear. Ye has asked the court to keep some of his past social media posts praising Hitler and Nazism out of the trial, arguing they are unrelated to whether Provo faced discrimination at work. Provo has sought to use some of that material as evidence of the environment surrounding Ye’s businesses.

The case is currently scheduled to go before a jury in October.

The post Former Donda Academy Employee Seeks $23 Million From Ye appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

According to TMZ, Alexis Dieng filed the lawsuit in August over an alleged October 2025 encounter in Maricopa County. She claims Smith initially contacted her through Instagram to ask where he should eat, then continued communicating with her and arranged to meet in person. Dieng alleges Smith first gave her one location, then changed the meeting place to a residence she had never visited. She says she arrived alone around 10:30 p.m. the following night.

The lawsuit claims Smith initiated physical contact before having sex with Dieng without her consent. She further alleges he placed his hands around her neck and applied enough pressure to restrict her breathing. Dieng also accuses him of filming some or all of what happened without her knowledge or permission.

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Alexis Dieng Says She Reported The Alleged Assault

Court documents separately reviewed by RadarOnline state that Dieng reported the alleged encounter to Phoenix police and underwent a forensic examination the following day. Her complaint seeks damages from Smith over claims including assault and battery. The allegations have not been proven in court.

“We plan to seek justice for our client,” Dieng’s attorney Benjamin Taylor told TMZ.

No criminal charges connected to Dieng’s allegations have been publicly reported. Smith had not responded publicly to the lawsuit as of publication, and TMZ said its request for comment had not been returned.

Read More: Carmen Bryan Sues N.O.R.E. For Sexual Assault

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While walking the red carpet for the premiere of his HBO series JAŸ-Z in 8, he was asked what he hopes to hear from Hip Hop moving forward. His answer was experimentation. Jay pointed back to the culture’s beginnings, when different voices and regions developed sounds that belonged to them. Hip Hop did not grow because everyone agreed on one way to make it. New York sounded different from Los Angeles. Southern cities eventually built movements of their own, often after fighting for respect from an industry that did not immediately understand what they were doing.

For Mr. Carter, that willingness to sound different is something artists should protect. He encouraged people to develop their own voices rather than follow what is already popular and to keep testing what Rap can become.

The comments came during a particularly reflective period for him. JAŸ-Z in 8, directed by Rick Rubin, looks back on his music and creative process across three decades. The HBO series premieres Sept. 18 after a summer that also included anniversary concerts celebrating Reasonable Doubt and The Blueprint.

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Read More: JAŸ-Z Brings Out All The Stars At Premiere For “JAŸ-Z In 8”

Hip Hop Has Always Made Room For Ideas People Hated At First

There is some irony in asking Rap to experiment at a moment when experimentation can bring its own backlash. Fans say they want something new until “new” stretches too far outside what they believe belongs in Hip Hop. Artificial intelligence has made that argument especially messy.

Fenix Flexin spent much of the summer at the center of it after “Rubberz” sounded almost nothing like the music listeners knew him for. The synth-heavy record became a hit while questions mounted about whether AI played a role in creating it. Fenix eventually acknowledged that AI technology had been used, while maintaining that it was not responsible for the recording of his vocals. His response was essentially that new technology is another tool artists can choose to use.

Jay did not mention AI in his red-carpet remarks, and his comments should not be read as an endorsement. However, the debate surrounding records like “Rubberz” shows the uncomfortable side of what he is asking for. Actual experimentation does not always arrive in a form audiences immediately approve of. Moreover, Hip Hop has a long history of sounds being mocked before they became movements. Regional accents that were once dismissed eventually changed the center of Rap. Production styles that sounded strange to one generation became the foundation for another. Sometimes the experiment works. Sometimes it absolutely does not.

Read More: Tyga Accused Of Using AI On New Album “$TARFACE”

The alternative is safer, but it is also part of the frustration listeners have been voicing for years. If everyone studies the same streaming trends and reaches for the same production choices, originality becomes something fans have to dig for rather than expect.

Jay’s argument is less about prescribing what the next sound should be than making sure there is room for somebody to find it. At 30 years into his own career, he seems more interested in hearing artists risk sounding wrong than hearing another version of something the culture has already accepted.

The post Jay-Z Wants The Next Generation Of Rap To Take More Creative Risks appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Crockett joined Texas state Rep. Venton Jones onstage at AT&T Stadium on Sept. 12 as Brown and Usher were recognized for their careers. She announced that their contributions would be entered into the Congressional Record, calling the sold-out show an example of “Black joy at the highest level.” Jones also presented a State of Texas resolution recognizing the artists.

Brown initially thanked Crockett for the recognition before returning to Instagram with another message after the backlash intensified. According to Hot 97, he wrote, “I apologize for any backlash you have to deal with for awarding me,” adding that although he is “not political,” he was grateful for the gesture.

The criticism has focused almost entirely on Brown rather than Usher. Crockett called Brown “a real one” during the presentation, a comment that spread quickly as people revisited the singer’s legal history. Brown pleaded guilty in 2009 to felony assault after attacking Rihanna, who was his girlfriend at the time. More recently, he pleaded guilty in July to affray stemming from a 2023 London nightclub confrontation in which prosecutors said he struck music producer Abraham Diaw with a bottle. Brown is scheduled to be sentenced in that case in October.

Read More: Jasmine Crockett Faces Backlash After Honoring Chris Brown & Usher

Jasmine Crockett Faces Questions Over The Chris Brown Honor

Some of Crockett’s critics argued that formally celebrating Brown was difficult to square with her public work around civil rights and protections for marginalized communities. Democratic strategist Ameshia Cross called the decision “tone deaf,” pointing specifically to domestic violence affecting Black women, while other commentators questioned why a member of Congress would use an official recognition for Brown given his history.

Others also noted that the presentation was not simply Crockett attending a concert as a fan. Entering Brown and Usher into the Congressional Record gave the moment an official government component, which helped explain why the appearance drew more scrutiny than a backstage photo or casual endorsement.

Meanwhile, Crockett has not publicly responded to the criticism. Her office also did not comment to several outlets that contacted her after the concert.

Read More: Chris Brown Can’t Be Canceled, Regardless Of Your Outrage

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Macklemore was dropped from his remaining U.S. dates after using two MetLife Stadium appearances to say “Free Palestine” and perform “Hind’s Hall,” his protest record supporting Palestinians. According to The Guardian, several stadium owners apparently told Sheeran’s team and promoters they would refuse to host upcoming shows if Macklemore remained on the bill. Messina Touring Group ultimately removed him.

Read More: Macklemore Says Robert Kraft Got Him Kicked Off Ed Sheeran Tour

Sheeran addressed the uproar Tuesday (Sept. 15), saying the call belonged to the promoter and venues. “Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine,” he wrote on Instagram. He also said he tried to mediate between Macklemore, promoters, venue owners, and activists but could not reach a compromise. Sheeran also said he was “appalled” by the suffering in Israel and Palestine while explaining that he generally keeps his political views private and wants his concerts to remain welcoming to people from different backgrounds.

That explanation did little to quiet the criticism. Some fans questioned why Sheeran was now emphasizing an apolitical approach when he publicly supported Ukraine following Russia’s 2022 invasion. At the time, Sheeran participated in the televised Concert for Ukraine fundraiser and told Ukrainian band Antytila, “I love you, I stand with you.”

The old clip quickly resurfaced as critics accused him of applying different standards to the two conflicts. Others argued that an artist with Sheeran’s wealth and platform has enough independence to take a clearer public position. Sheeran rejected the idea that his refusal to publicly choose a side meant he did not care, writing, “I am not complicit.”

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Read More: Macklemore Says Robert Kraft Got Him Kicked Off Ed Sheeran Tour

Ed Sheeran’s Supporting Acts Walk Away

Meanwhile, the response from his fellow musicians became harder to ignore as Tuesday continued. All four supporting acts scheduled for upcoming dates withdrew from the tour. Irish singer Aaron Rowe, who had been booked for the remaining North American dates, said his country’s history with famine and occupation informed his decision. He criticized wealthy venue owners for having the power to silence artists speaking about Palestinian suffering.

Irish traditional band Beoga also withdrew. The group, which has worked with Sheeran for years, stressed that the decision did not end their friendship with him but said they could not continue while Macklemore was being removed over his political speech. Lukas Graham followed, arguing that wealth should not determine which voices are allowed into public conversations about war and civilian deaths.

Read More: Pink Addresses Israel-Palestine Backlash After Calling Out Macklemore

Finneas also pulled out, although his scheduled appearances were on Sheeran’s South American dates rather than the remaining U.S. leg. He said artists should not be silenced for speaking on behalf of oppressed people and declared his support for Palestinians. Moreover, Sheeran’s own band has also pulled out of the tour, standing in solidarity with Macklemore.

The pressure behind Macklemore’s removal included opposition from New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, whose company operates Gillette Stadium. Kraft said his objection was based on what he described as Macklemore’s broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery, while also saying he would be willing to meet with the rapper. Macklemore has rejected claims that his criticism of the Israeli government is antisemitic and has repeatedly said his message is about Palestinian freedom and human rights.

The post Ed Sheeran Faces Backlash As Tour Openers Quit After Macklemore’s Removal appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Release Date: September 15, 2026

Genre: Hip-Hop

Album: The Drop: A Snowfall Saga Soundtrack

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A couple of years ago, with the murder trial looming, a defense lawyer for one of the defendants tried to subpoena Drake twice. Both times, the subpoenas were shot down for being filed incorrectly. The goal was to force the megastar into a deposition. However, the ploy did not work, and the judge demanded that the defense stop wasting his time.

Amidst all of this, Drake was being represented by Bradford Cohen. Cohen recently sat down with VladTV, where he reflected on the Drake situation and just how absurd it was.

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Bradford Cohen Laughs Off Drake Situation

As Cohen reveals, he actually knows the lawyer who was filing the subpoenas and believes he is a good guy. However, he also feels as though Drake’s mention in all of this was just a last-ditch effort to protect a clearly guilty client. Mentioning a celebrity like Drake in this fashion is a desperate move, and it brings publicity to the case. Clearly, the judge saw through it all.

Elsewhere in the interview, Cohen spoke about defending Ice Spice during the McDonald’s fight incident. He even had Vlad’s jaw on the floor while talking about how he advised Ice Spice to sue the person she fought. Not because of a potential payout, but to send a message to never do it again.

Ultimately, Cohen is one of the most famous lawyers in the United States right now, and these wins are an example of why.

Read More: Are Ye & Jay-Z’s Concerts Redemptions Or Ruses?

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