However, he didn’t exactly have an amazing game. The Dreamville rapper reportedly played eight minutes and went zero for five from the three-point line. He did pick up an assist and a rebound, as well as a personal foul. Still, this isn’t just part of growing pains, but also a debut game after a long and complex album rollout.

All that’s to say it’s heartening to see J. Cole continue his hooping aspirations even this late into his career. Hopefully he has some better games from here on out, as his team lost this debut game 81 to 95. But this isn’t Cole’s first experience playing professional basketball, and the last time around also came amid an album release.

Read More: The Issue With Usher & J. Cole’s Comments About Diddy

J. Cole’s Basketball Career

J. Cole previously played professional basketball in 2022 and in 2021. The Off-Season came out in the latter year. That time, he played in the Basketball Africa League for the Rwanda Patriots and averaged 15 minutes, 1.7 points, and 1.7 rebounds across three games. In 2022, Cole played for the Scarborough Shooting Stars in the Canadian Elite Basketball League, averaging almost ten minutes, 2.4 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 0.4 assists across five games.

Elsewhere, he played high school basketball at Terry Sanford High School in North Carolina, was a walk-on candidate at St. John’s University that didn’t play, and played in the NBA Celebrity All-Star Game in 2012. It’s not a long history, but longer than most rappers for sure.

We will see how Cole shapes up in his next potential games with the Nanjing Monkey Kings. Meanwhile, J. Cole’s recent interview with his former court opponent Cam’ron is still making waves. Cam said he never intended to follow through on his lawsuit against Cole in the first place over an unfulfilled collab agreement.

Read More: LeBron James Is Perpetuating Racist Narratives About Memphis, And The NBA Couldn’t Be Happier

The post J. Cole Debuts In Chinese Basketball Association With Meager First Game appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

According to DJ Akademiks TV on Instagram, he posted an IG Story recently with a curious message. “Consistency looks like nothing is happening, until everything changes,” the message reads.

This sent many fans into a frenzy given the long wait for ICEMAN and the lack of any significant updates in recent months. It’s been a long time since the last official single “Dog House” and its accompanying livestream. As such, the silence is making many die-hards worry. But OZ’s words will keep many of them at peace, too.

Of course, it’s entirely possible this has nothing to do with the album. After all, OZ works with many other artists as well and probably has a lot on his plate as a big name in the music industry. Many fans are instead taking this with a grain of salt, and probably won’t jump from their seats until the 6ix God himself chimes in.

Read More: Did Gucci Mane Snitch? Everything We Know About Pooh Shiesty’s Arrest

When Is Drake Dropping ICEMAN?

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Drake still hasn’t confirmed an ICEMAN release date at press time, although many hardcore fans think it will come out very soon. Others are not as hopeful, though, positing that he still needs to work on it and is probably not ready for a rollout yet. But again, “consistency looks like nothing is happening, until everything changes.”

Meanwhile, Drake kept a surprising milestone that has some hip-hop fans worried. Not because of The Boy himself, but because of what followed his ICEMAN single “What Did I Miss?” It is the last hip-hop song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100’s top ten at press time, and that was nine months ago. Although it quickly fell down in the chart the following week, it still goes to show his star power.

But commercial success isn’t everything. With that in mind, fans are patiently (or desperately) waiting for the ICEMAN full-length to celebrate artistic achievement, not just a moment.

Read More: Streamer Culture Isn’t Dying, It’s Burning Through Itself

The post Drake’s Producer OZ Builds “ICEMAN” Hype With A Promising Message appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

In a video posted by Rayo on Twitter, three alleged reference tracks from Miller for Pusha are featured. The first is for the hook of the unreleased track “Real Gon’ Come,” supposedly from the DAYTONA sessions circa 2017 and 2018. The other two tracks are more unclear, but they are allegedly from a similar timeframe. However, these other two songs also seem to be for a hook. But this is just speculative interpretation.

As such, a big debate began between Pusha T and Drake fans, as well as other hip-hop listeners who don’t have a dog in this fight. Many excused these allegations due to the hook focus and the fact that these songs seemingly never came out. Others called this hypocrisy given Pusha T’s hard stances on this before, arguing that Drizzy actually credited Quentin Miller. There’s no firm conclusion here, but it goes to show the slippery slope of both hip-hop interpretations.

Read More: Streamer Culture Isn’t Dying, It’s Burning Through Itself

Quentin Miller’s Work

For those somehow unaware, Quentin Miller is a solo artist in his own right, not just a topic of ghostwriting debate. He continues to drop heat like his 2025 single “Put Me Down,” write with legends like Nas, and recently had credits on VULTURES 1 by Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign. With decades of work under Quentin’s belt, he continues to garner respect despite these controversies.

Meanwhile, the Pusha T and Drake beef will likely never end. It’s even less likely that fans will reconcile than the artists themselves burying the hatchet. But this isn’t just relevant for that angle. These conversations around ghostwriting are always a hot debate, especially regarding folks who defend honest lyricism so passionately. But the music industry doesn’t often work like that, nor as easily simple, so we’ll see if we ever get a response here.

Read More: Did Gucci Mane Snitch? Everything We Know About Pooh Shiesty’s Arrest

The post Pusha T Hit With Ghostwriting Allegations Regarding Quentin Miller appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Finesse slammed the 1017 boss for not relating to his old street ways and trying to reach some other form of understanding with his signee. He also defended Pooh Shiesty’s youth, framing this as Gucci Mane allegedly taking advantage of him and snitching when things didn’t go his way. 2tymes also claimed Gucci wasn’t there for Scarr when he needed him and didn’t contribute to his funeral expenses. He added that he might react the same way Shiesty allegedly did in this alleged situation, positing that Gucci should also relate to Pooh and refrain from putting him in worse situations like jail.

However, Big Scarr’s father previously denied these claims. A resurfaced old clip caught by Kollege Kidd on Twitter shows his father thanking Atlantic Records and Guwop for sending money for the funeral. He commented on the drama that began when other loved ones like Scarr’s mother accused Gucci and Atlantic of either not paying or using the payment to their advantage as a tax write-off. So it seems like assumptions from Finesse2tymes and many others may be more complicated.

Read More: Did Gucci Mane Snitch? Everything We Know About Pooh Shiesty’s Arrest

Is Big Scarr Related To Pooh Shiesty?

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Other hip-hop reactions to Gucci Mane’s Pooh Shiesty diss are similarly uncharitable. 6ix9ine blasted Gucci Mane as a snitch, Boosie Badazz expressed disappointment, and Freddie Gibbs mocked the new song.

These family dynamic comments from Finesse and others continue this trend of criticism over “Crash Dummy” and the overall situation. For those unaware, Pooh Shiesty and Big Scarr are cousins, so that adds a layer of alleged tension there. All in all, it seems like this debate will continue for a while. What folks want to see now are more court developments to indicate next steps.

Read More: Streamer Culture Isn’t Dying, It’s Burning Through Itself

The post Finesse2tymes Claims Gucci Mane Never Paid For Big Scarr’s Funeral Amid Pooh Shiesty Controversy appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Release Date: April 10, 2026

Genre: Hip-Hop

Album: N/A

Quotable Lyrics from SKIN CARE

I feel so good, I might just get a Bentley,
I ride it in the water like a jet ski,
I really hate these n***as, I’m a deadbeat,
I been the same n***a since you met me

The post SKIN CARE – Song by Cochise appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Release Date: April 10, 2026

Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap

Album: N/A

The post Zelle Money – Song by Fetty P Franklin appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Through controversy and the most public of hip-hop feuds, Nike has stuck by Drake, maintaining the NOCTA sub-brand since its 2020 debut. This collab marks a major new chapter. It is the first time NOCTA has landed on a basketball performance silhouette.

NOCTA has kept the sneaker’s DNA intact, but brought co-branding and bold color schemes to the table. The two colorways that have surfaced are a deep purple with yellow accents and an all-orange with yellow. Both lean hard into high-impact, flooded color blocking.

Where the collab energy sneaks in is with off-tone Swooshes on either side, and subtle sword branding on a jeweled patch anchoring the lace unit. The NOCTA tri-star emblem also appears on the tongue. It is a clean collaboration execution that does not overpower the shoe.

The NOCTA x Nike KD 19 Pack is expected to release between Summer and Fall 2026. An apparel collection is expected alongside the footwear. This one has been building for a while and it looks like the wait is almost over.

Read More: Palace x Nike Air Max 95 NYC Release Ends In Chaos After NYPD Called

NOCTA x Nike KD 19

The NOCTA x Nike KD 19 colorways show vibrant purple and orange overhauls across the molded upper, with off-tone Swooshes and subtle sword branding near the lace unit. The purple colorway goes deep with a rich, glossy violet with gold Swoosh detailing that pops immediately.

The orange version goes all in, coating every panel in a bold tangerine finish with a yellow Swoosh for contrast. The KD 19 features design cues from early 2000s Nike Basketball silhouettes like the Hyperflight and Ultraflight, with zig-zag panels and a sleek low-cut build.

The NOCTA branding adds identity without disrupting the shoe’s sharp overall profile.

Read More: The Air Jordan 9 Boot “Olive” Is Coming Back For The First Time Since 2017

The post First Look At The NOCTA x Nike KD 19 Pack Surfaces appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Per The Shade Room and Live Bitez, the 45-year-old hopped on a remix of DJ MAC and CrashDummy’s single “W.Y.F.L.” (What You Feel Like). However, this venomous version of the track is titled “Why You F*cking Lying.”

Over a thumping riddim beat, Remy Ma sounds off the rumors that Papoose has ghost written most of her songs. In fact, she does what she can to shut them down completely.

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“The nerve of n****s claiming that they wrote those hits when they whole career they ain’t never ghost wrote sh*t.” She then adds, “Not for me or anybody else / You always act like you helped a n****, go help yourself!“

But Ma also had time for the GWOAT dropping lines like, “In competition with herself, I don’t know that b****… / H*es be doing the most over so-so d*ck.”

Read More: Kanye West Posts Chinese Children Singing “Bully” Track Amid UK Ban

Remy Ma’s Beef With Papoose & Claressa Shields

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She also dubs Shields as not “bad enough,” a claim that the boxing superstar took exception to. As caught by Live Bitez, she took to her Instagram Story to clap back. “Throwing shade from the gutter has to be a crazy experience,” she says suggesting that she’s up and Remy isn’t.

Moreover, she posted again this time with a picture of herself alongside Zeus Network CEO Lemuel Plummer. Apparently, she is getting her Baddies series, which is arguably the media company’s most popular show.

Papoose has yet to respond to his ex’s shots it seems. But with Shields defending herself, we have to imagine that it won’t be long until he speaks his mind. Ma’s song with DJ MAC and CrashDummy dropped today, April 10.

Read More: FBI Claims Gucci Mane Provided Statement About Pooh Shiesty

The post Remy Ma Rips Papoose & Claressa Shields On “W.Y.F.L.” Single appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

They came out during one of the greatest individual seasons in NBA history. They appeared in one of the most culturally significant films of that decade. And they introduced a design that sneakerheads are still talking about more than 35 years later. Here they all are, ranked from worst to best.

Read More: Palace And Nike Are Back With A Full Sneaker And Apparel Lineup

The Shoe That Almost Didn’t Happen

By 1988, Nike and Michael Jordan were still finding their footing together. The Air Jordan 1 had been a commercial phenomenon. But it was a design that Jordan himself was lukewarm on.

The Air Jordan 2 had been an underwhelming follow-up that left both sides looking for a reset. Enter Tinker Hatfield, the designer who had already saved the relationship with the Air Jordan 3. He was now tasked with doing it again.

Hatfield focused on making the shoe lighter and more functional than anything Jordan had worn before. He introduced over-molded mesh side panels for breathability. He added plastic support wings on the lace cage for stability. And he carried over the visible heel Air unit from the 3.

When the shoe launched in February 1989 at the NBA All-Star Game in Houston, the public was skeptical. The shoe looked unlike anything Nike had produced before. They came around quickly.

The Season That Made The Shoe Legendary

What happened during the 1988-89 NBA season turned the Air Jordan 4 into a permanent piece of basketball history. Jordan had his best statistical season to date. He averaged 32.5 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists per game.

He won his third consecutive scoring title and his first league MVP award. Jordan wore the Air Jordan 4 throughout that season in multiple colorways. The defining moment came on May 7, 1989, in the first round of the playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers. With three seconds left, Jordan caught an inbounds pass, dribbled left, and launched a jumper over Craig Ehlo at the buzzer to win the series.

The Shot became one of the most iconic photographs in sports history. Jordan’s fist was raised in the air. Ehlo crumpled to the floor beneath him. He was wearing the “Black Cement” Air Jordan 4.

At the same time, Spike Lee’s film Do the Right Thing brought the “White Cement” colorway to a mainstream audience far beyond basketball. By the end of 1989, the Air Jordan 4 was everywhere.

4. Air Jordan 4 “Military Blue”

The “Military Blue” is the most stylistically unique of the four OG Air Jordan 4 colorways. It has always occupied its own lane because of it.

The white leather base with military blue accents and grey cement detailing on the wings and heel tab is one of the cleaner non-Bulls color combinations Hatfield ever put together. What makes this one particularly interesting is that Jordan never wore it in an NBA game. The colors simply didn’t match the Bulls’ uniform.

That lack of on-court history keeps it from ranking higher. But it has never hurt the shoe’s desirability among collectors. If anything, the fact that MJ never laced these up gives them a slightly mysterious appeal.

Every retro reminds people how well this colorway has aged. The 2024 version in particular brought back the original Nike Air heel branding and closer-to-OG shape. It was one of the best Jordan retros of that year.

3. Air Jordan 4 “Fire Red”

The “Fire Red” is the most underappreciated of the four OG Air Jordan 4 colorways. Jordan wore this colorway on court during the 1988-89 NBA season and into the start of the 1989-90 season. That gives it on-court credibility.

The white leather upper paired with fire red and black accents is bold and energetic. It communicates the same aggression as the “Black Cement” without going full blackout.

Several retro versions have dropped over the years. Some used “Varsity Red” instead of “Fire Red”. Some featured the Jumpman on the heel instead of Nike Air branding. But the versions that stay closest to the 1989 original are consistently some of the best-looking Jordan 4s ever produced.

The “Fire Red” belongs in more conversations than it typically gets. It easily holds its own against the two entries above it on this list.

2. Air Jordan 4 “White Cement”

The “White Cement” is the Air Jordan 4’s most culturally significant colorway by a considerable margin. The argument for putting it at number one is strong.

Jordan wore it throughout the 1988-89 regular season. Nike used it as the centerpiece of the Mars Blackmon advertising campaign with Spike Lee. It was also featured in Do the Right Thing in the now-legendary scene where Buggin’ Out’s pair gets scuffed.

The white leather base, cement grey speckled wings, and grey heel tab are the defining visual elements of the entire Air Jordan 4 silhouette. Every retro brings it back to the front of the conversation.

The 2016 Nike Air version in particular reminded the sneaker world why this colorway is considered one of the all-time greats. It sits at number two by the narrowest of margins.

1. Air Jordan 4 “Black Cement”

There was no other option for number one. The “Black Cement” is the Air Jordan 4 at its most iconic and most powerful. Jordan wore these during the 1989 playoffs, including Game 5 of the first round against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

That was the game where he hit The Shot over Craig Ehlo with three seconds left to win the series. One game. One all-time moment. One colorway cemented into history forever.

The black nubuck upper, cement grey wings, and red outsole detailing create one of the most visually striking color combinations in Jordan Brand history. The shoe has never looked anything less than perfect.

Every retro that restores the original Nike Air heel branding generates immediate excitement, and for good reason. The “Black Cement” is the Air Jordan 4. Everything else is competing for second place.

Read More: Steph Curry Rocked Dwyane Wade’s Li-Ning In His Return Game

The post Ranking Every Air Jordan 4 OG Colorway From Worst To Best appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

“Yall be reaching with the gucci s**t be bool and stop putting me and hate in the same sentence,” Waka Flocka wrote on his IG Story last night (Thursday, April 9). According to No Jumper on Twitter, he allegedly tweeted this about the Gucci situation last week: “Man y’all out yo f***ing mind if you think I’m a celebrate wop situation if tho we ain’t on one accord…none of my business carrying [BS].”

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Also, as caught by DJ Akademiks TV on Instagram, Flocka Flame uploaded an IG Story today (Friday, April 10) of him seemingly mockingly quoting a line from the “Crash Dummy” diss track. Guwop recently launched that against Shiesty, which led to a lot of snitching debates.

“Put that ink to the paper, I was under duress,” Waka expressed. So maybe he does feel a way about this situation, but it seems like he’s not ready to comment on it any further. We’ll see if this changes in the near future, though, especially after what seems like a comical and dismissive reaction to “Crash Dummy.”

Read More: Did Gucci Mane Snitch? Everything We Know About Pooh Shiesty’s Arrest

Gucci Mane & Waka Flocka Flame’s Beef

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For those unaware, Gucci Mane and Waka Flocka Flame had beef, but they squashed it back in 2018. Their early 2010s feud stemmed from contract and management issues, allegedly unpaid royalties, and other business-related conflicts. While they might still have some bad blood, Waka Flocka isn’t harping on it for now.

Elsewhere, Gucci Mane snitching debates are rampant. Many folks feel like he snitched on Pooh Shiesty with “Crash Dummy,” in addition to an FBI agent’s recent court testimony that Gucci allegedly gave a statement to police about the alleged kidnapping and robbery. With this discourse in mind, many took Waka’s performance and ran with negativity. But the complex nature of this artist-to-artist dynamic will not be enough to quell more critical conversations.

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The post Waka Flocka Flame Denies Dissing Gucci Mane Amid Pooh Shiesty Case appeared first on HotNewHipHop.