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?

The post Photographer Detained During Cardi B Music Video Shoot In New York City appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

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

The post The Air Jordan 5 “Laney” Is Making A Return Next Year appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

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

The post Hermès Employee Fired After Racially Profiling Savannah James appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

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

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 “Freaky” 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

The post Adam22 Admits How He Feels About Drake & Lena The Plug’s 20v1 Date appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Shiesty has pleaded with the judge for bond privileges; however, he is considered a flight risk at this time. Now, he has to wait until February of next year, which is when his trial is slated to begin.

Despite all of this, Gucci Mane is still authorizing new Shiesty albums. For instance, on Friday, we got All Eyes On Shiest. It is a project that has received critical acclaim, with fans heralding the tape for just how raw and real it is.

The project has become such a success that it recently dethroned Ariana Grande’s new album Petal on the US Apple Music album list. It currently sits at number one, which just goes to show that the demand is there for Pooh Shiesty’s music.

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

Pooh Shiesty Goes To The Top Of Apple Music

The financials of this new album are certainly up in the air. It was released through 1017 Records, which means Gucci Mane is going to be getting some kickback. As for Pooh Shiesty, he remains behind bars, and some believe the release was to help pay for his legal defense.

Given the conflict of interest involving Gucci Mane, one has to wonder how the splits are being negotiated. It’s a captivating element to a story that already has the hip-hop world locked in.

Shiesty’s pre-trial hearings continue, so stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates.

Read More: LeBron James Vs. Kobe Bryant: Whose Nike Signature Line Is Better?

The post Pooh Shiesty Goes Number One As Gucci Mane Trial Looms Large appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

The car appeared alongside Nipsey and John Legend in DJ Khaled’s 2019 video for “Higher.” The footage was shot just before Nipsey was killed outside his Marathon Clothing store that March. It gives the car a deeper layer of meaning beyond its build alone.

Mecum Auctions will bring the Impala across the block Friday as part of its Monterey sale in California. It’s listed as Lot F120, with bidding open to any collector attending or participating remotely.

Under the hood sits a 283 cubic-inch V8 paired with a Turbo Hydramatic 350 transmission, along with power steering, power brakes, and an aluminum radiator.

Also the real standout is the custom hydraulic suspension. Finally it’s powered by a trunk-mounted battery setup that lets the car lift and bounce on command, true to a classic lowrider culture.

Read More: Anthony Fantano Delivers Absurdly Harsh Review Of Lil Uzi Vert’s New EP

Nipsey Hussle’s Lowrider

Mecum Auctions “Nipsey Hussle’s “Higher” Co-Star: A Custom 1959 Chevrolet Impala – Mecum Monterey 2026″ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DftbXsuiASQ

“Higher” became one of the most emotional releases of Nipsey’s career. Khaled put the song out just weeks after Nipsey’s death. He dedicated proceeds to his children and turning the video into something closer to a tribute than a typical rollout.

The track went on to win Best Rap/Sung Performance at the 2020 Grammys. It was one of two posthumous wins Nipsey earned that night alongside his win for “Racks In The Middle.”

Further beyond the engine and hydraulics, the Impala’s details lean fully into lowrider culture. Dayton wire wheels, whitewall tires, and a Tri-Tone Blue interior round out the car, along with a Public Enemy LA Car Club plate inside the interior.

Overall, Mecum hasn’t named the car’s current owner, and the estimate is not a guarantee of the final price. Whatever it sells for, the number will say a lot about how much Nipsey’s legacy still resonates with collectors five years after that video first dropped.

Read More: The Women’s Air Jordan 4 “Linen” Is Officially Returning

The post Nipsey Hussle’s Lowrider From “Higher” Is Heading To Auction appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Overall, this led to widespread criticism online, especially as Drake barked for Pinkchyu on command. Quite simply, Drake was just having some fun as part of Stake’s ninth anniversary stream. However, others saw it as the artist being overexposed. Meanwhile, some saw it as a sign of immaturity from a man about to turn 40 years old.

Drake’s biggest defenders have been going online this week with some commentary on the situation. Unsurprisingly, Rory & Mal spoke at length about the situation on their podcast. It was here that Mal laughed off the criticism, noting just how ridiculous it all is.

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

Rory & Mal Talk Drake

“What were people expecting him to do on the stream? Give a PowerPoint presentation?” Rory & Mal joked. Rory couldn’t help but agree, noting that perhaps the worst part of Drake’s evening for Stake was his association with the NELK Boys, who had Benjamin Netanyahu on their podcast.

It is yet another example of how Drake’s actions will always get put under the microscope. He is the biggest artist in hip-hop, and the longer he goes without doing interviews with hip-hop outlets, the louder these criticisms will be.

That said, Drake doesn’t seem to really agree with what people are saying. For instance, he called Wayno a hypocrite for calling his 20v1 excursion “corny” and “Disappointing.”

In the future, we don’t expect Drake to stop doing these kinds of appearances. At this point, it is simply a part of his brand.

Read More: LeBron James Vs. Kobe Bryant: Whose Nike Signature Line Is Better?

The post Rory & Mal Defend Drake After Days Of 20v1 Backlash appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Now, the YouTube music reviewer is going viral thanks to his review of the new Lil Uzi Vert EP, Almost Forever. He gave this new project a 1 out of 10, which is exceptionally harsh. He went so far as to say it is Uzi’s worst and most pointless project yet.

“I literally think this is like one of the worst and most pointless projects Uzi has ever released into the world,” Fantano said. “Honestly, some of the worst music I’ve heard in 2026, some of the worst music of Uzi’s career.”

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

Anthony Fantano On “Almost Forever”

Fantano criticized Uzi for having homophobic bars on the project, despite identifying as non-binary. Fantano found the trivialization of Uzi’s queer identity to be in poor taste. He also took issue with the bars about sipping lean.

“How are you going to be non-binary and have an unironic no homo bar on your song?” Fantano asked. “We’re literally writing cough syrup guzzling anthems with emo trap vocal leads at the age of 31. You didn’t want to grow out of this at any point? Didn’t want to switch it up or just kind of try something else?”

Uzi’s music has been heavily criticized as of late, and this is no exception. Although there is no denying that Fantano’s review is the harshest of them all.

Read More: LeBron James Vs. Kobe Bryant: Whose Nike Signature Line Is Better?

The post Anthony Fantano Delivers Absurdly Harsh Review Of Lil Uzi Vert’s New EP appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

This colorway has a complicated release history. It originally launched exclusively in women’s sizing, becoming an instant favorite for its soft, neutral color story. The pair returned once more in 2017, but that version only came in extended grade school sizing, leaving many original fans without access.

White leather covers most of the upper, paired with light tan and grey suede across the wings and mudguard. The subtle, understated color palette is what set this pair apart from louder Air Jordan 4 releases at the time. Icy blue accents hit the Jumpman branding on the heel, adding a soft pop of color against the neutral base.

A grey midsole and matching mesh detailing round out the design, keeping the entire shoe cohesive from top to bottom. It’s a clean, wearable colorway that’s remained a favorite among collectors even without regular restocks.

With nearly a year still to go before release, more details like sizing and retailer info should surface as Jordan Brand gets closer to launch. For now, this confirmation alone is enough to have longtime fans counting down.

Read More: We Now Know Why Blueface & Chrisean Rock Were Pulled Over By Police

Women’s Air Jordan 4 “Linen”

The “Linen” colorway holds a unique spot in Air Jordan 4 history. Few releases from the model have stayed this exclusive to women’s sizing for so long without a proper adult-sized return.

That gap has made original pairs increasingly difficult to find in good condition. Resale prices have climbed steadily over the years as more collectors search for a colorway that rarely circulates.

Bringing it back in June 2027 finally gives a new generation of collectors access to the shoe in its intended sizing. It also reflects Jordan Brand’s continued push toward expanding its women’s specific lineup across multiple silhouettes.

For longtime fans who missed out the first time around, this release feels less like a retro and more like a long overdue correction.

Read More: Air Jordan 12 “Bucks” Unboxing Surfaces Ahead Of Release

The post The Women’s Air Jordan 4 “Linen” Is Officially Returning appeared first on HotNewHipHop.