He kept things casual off the court in a plain white tee. Fanatics Fest ran across several days in New York City this year. Bieber also opened a pop-up shop for SKYLRK the day before. The five-day activation gave fans a closer look at his brand.

SKYLRK is Justin Bieber’s fashion and footwear label, launched back in 2025. The brand initially built its identity around chunky slides and slippers. It has since expanded into basketball-ready sneakers and other footwear styles.

Bieber has worn SKYLRK often during pickup games with The League. That’s an invite-only basketball league based out of Los Angeles. He’s also been seen playing in shoes from other brands recently.

Those include a colorful pair of Adidas Anthony Edwards signature sneakers. Bieber’s basketball hobby has become a regular part of his public life. It often overlaps with appearances tied to his SKYLRK brand.

This Fanatics Fest moment continues the pattern of blending sports and fashion. It also adds another public sighting to SKYLRK’s growing footwear lineup. Fans got another real-world look at the brand in action.

Read More: Fragment And Timberland Rumored To Be Teaming Up On A New Boot

Justin Bieber SKYLRK Basketball

SKYLRK started as Bieber’s personal fashion project years before its official launch. The brand focuses on bright colors and casual, sport-inspired pieces. Its first footwear release sold out within 24 hours of dropping.

The early demand helped establish SKYLRK as more than just a passion project. Bieber has continued wearing the brand consistently during basketball appearances. The League has become a regular spot for those sightings over time.

His involvement blends his personal hobby with ongoing brand promotion. SKYLRK has also released other product categories beyond footwear. It includes hoodies, tanks, beanies, and accessories tied to the label.

Appearances like the one at Fanatics Fest help keep the visibility. It reinforces basketball as a consistent part of SKYLRK’s public identity.

Read More: Director Claims Dame Dash’s Refusal To Hear Jay-Z Out Killed Roc-A-Fella Doc

The post Justin Bieber Rocks SKYLRK Basketball Sneakers At Fanatics Fest appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

The boot sticks close to Timberland’s original design language. Nothing about the silhouette has been reworked or altered significantly. Two colorways were shown in the initial preview images.

One comes in Timberland’s classic wheat finish. The other uses an all-black construction instead. Fragment’s lightning bolt logo sits next to the Timberland tree icon. Both marks appear together on the boot’s lateral heel panel. A leather hangtag stamped “FRGMT” hangs from the boot’s laces.

The boot keeps its padded collar and rugged lug outsole intact. Waterproof construction remains part of the build as well. This project follows a familiar pattern in Fujiwara’s recent collaborations. He often pairs restraint with subtle, easily recognizable branding choices.

Fragment has worked with brands like Nike, Converse, and Louis Vuitton before. Timberland has also collaborated with names like Supreme in the past. This project continues that boot’s long streetwear history.

No official release date has been confirmed by either brand. For now, September remains the timeframe fans are watching closely. More details should surface as the release date approaches.

Read More: Director Claims Dame Dash’s Refusal To Hear Jay-Z Out Killed Roc-A-Fella Doc

Fragment x Timberland Boot

The collaboration keeps Timberland’s core construction almost entirely untouched. That includes the boot’s waterproof upper and durable lug sole. Fragment’s contribution comes through small, deliberate branding choices instead.

The lightning bolt logo sits laser-etched beside the Timberland tree emblem. That placement keeps the co-branding subtle rather than overpowering the design. The metal “FRGMT” hangtag adds a final collectible touch to each pair.

Both the wheat and black colorways preserve the boot’s classic profile. Neither version strays from what longtime Timberland fans already expect. This approach reflects Fujiwara’s broader design philosophy across past projects. He typically favors small tweaks over full silhouette changes.

That consistency has made his collaborations easy to spot immediately. Fans will likely see more detailed images before the boot’s release.

Read More: Rick Ross Plays Coy When Asked About Not Going To Jay-Z’s Yankee Stadium Shows

The post Fragment And Timberland Rumored To Be Teaming Up On A New Boot appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Release Date: July 17, 2026

Genre: Hip-Hop

Album: N/A

Quotable Lyrics from I Can’t Tell

I ain’t player hating, I ain’t discriminating,
I f**k with snow bunnies too, s**t, I ain’t racist,
Just like Baskin and Robbins, I got all flavors
Just like Baskin and Robbins, I got 31,
In the spot right now, we got more to come

The post I Can’t Tell – Song by Peezy & Babyfxce E appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Release Date: July 17, 2026

Genre: Hip-Hop

Album: N/A

Quotable Lyrics from Forgive Never Forget

The person that had me the one that did it, you should’ve seen how that life s**t did him,
You should’ve seen how that lifestyle did him, I’m workin’ so hard to not be that n***a,
I know the Bible say honor your parents, so shout out Dukes, she did her big one,
Already forgave him for what he did, but I know one thing, I’ll never forget it

The post Forgive Never Forget – Song by Luhh Dyl appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Release Date: July 17, 2026

Genre: Hip-Hop

Album: N/A

The post On E – Song by Thouxanbanfauni & 1900Rugrat appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

As caught by Joey on Twitter, the director took to his Substack page to react to a new piece from the wonderful Andre Gee. The journalist wrote about Dame Dash’s constantly publicized insults against Jay-Z, particularly in the wake of Hov’s Yankee Stadium shows. In response, Lough claimed Dame’s refusal to hear Jay’s side of the story killed the chances of a Roc-A-Fella doc.

“True story: Dame asked me to direct the official Rocafella documentary,” he wrote. “He’s sitting on 100s of hours of incredible footage from that era. I said I’d only do it if I got Jay-Z’s side of the story too. Dame refused. I declined. I’d still be open to it if he ever changes his mind.”

It seems like things could change in the future if Dash reconsiders his decision, or if another director is happy to exclude the Roc Nation mogul from the doc. Either way, it’s a heartbreaking revelation for fans who would love to learn more about the Roc’s rise and fall.

Read More: The Entire History Of The Roc-A-Fella x Nike Air Force 1

Jay-Z & Dame Dash’s Beef

Dame Dash and Jay-Z have clashed over Roc-A-Fella before, so them having opposing sides of the story is no surprise. The label fell apart after Jay left for Def Jam and cut Dame and Biggs out of future plans. Since then, multiple legal conflicts over copyright, ownership stakes, and more have surfaced.

These days, Dame is busy hating on Hov for many reasons, some of which are small and others of which are deeply personal. It seems highly unlikely the two will ever mend their fractured bond, but it’s not a complete impossibility. Perhaps a Roc-A-Fella documentary in which both men share their stories would be the start of a new, conciliatory chapter.

Read More: JAŸ-Z Isn’t The Hypocrite You Think He Is

The post Director Claims Dame Dash’s Refusal To Hear Jay-Z Out Killed Roc-A-Fella Doc appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

“I was at the show the other night, the Hov show,” Joe remarked, as caught by Micah Jung Un on Twitter. “‘F*ckwithmeyouknowigotit’ came on. Love that song. Absolutely love that song. That’s that s**t. There was a large amount of people in there that thought you would be coming out to perform, ’cause everybody came out to perform.”

“That feels amazing,” Ross replied simply, which led the room to burst into laughter after some silence. Budden asked if the Maybach Music Group mogul was busy or if folks asked him to pull up. He didn’t get a direct answer concerning the second half of the question, but it looks like money got in the way of a potential guest appearance.

“I most definitely was flying out of Philly to Cleveland to get some moonyon,” he responded. “I most definitely went to go pick up a little moonyon. So I’m glad y’all felt the vibrations, you know what I’m saying?”

Flip pushed back on Rick’s vague answer, but Ross emphasized he needed to get his bag. But it seems like he’s happy to hear folks missed him at the show.

Read More: The Entire History Of The Roc-A-Fella x Nike Air Force 1

Jay-Z & Rick Ross’ History

Rick Ross and Jay-Z most recently linked up on the “GOD DID” track from four years ago. Jay signed Rick to Def Jam in 2006, and Ross has praised Jay multiple times since. That’s in addition to their other collaborations like “Free Mason” and “The Devil Is A Lie.” Back in October of 2023, he weighed in on the viral “Dinner with Hov or $500K” debate, affirming the former.

“In ’08, before I turned in my second album, I had a meeting with Hov,” Ross remarked. “We went to lunch. He said ‘Rozay, versus writing to every beat you like, write to every record you can make work.’ He told me a quick story about ‘Big Pimpin.’ I said, ‘Okay, bet.’ So, I went from writing one record to every 80 beats I liked, to writing 40 records out of every 80 beats I could make work.”

As for the Roc Nation mogul’s own take, he urged fans to take the money a few years ago. After all, his guidance is already on his albums.

Read More: JAŸ-Z Isn’t The Hypocrite You Think He Is

The post Rick Ross Plays Coy When Asked About Not Going To Jay-Z’s Yankee Stadium Shows appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

What’s more is that Drizzy is still reportedly a focus of the case, but he’s not an actual defendant. As such, the accusations of botting have nothing to do with him or his alleged practices, but rather the platform’s allegedly flippant mode of policing streaming fraud.

The amended suit claims Spotify subjects smaller artists to per-track botting penalties and minimum stream thresholds while eschewing this scrutiny for larger acts. Also, the suit reportedly references how the streaming service allegedly used those rules to countersue an independent artist years ago in an unrelated case.

The lawsuit claims the platform did not subject the 6ix God to these penalties despite his streaming patterns allegedly suggesting bot activity. In an example unrelated to the Toronto superstar, the suit reportedly pointed to the Malcolm Todd track “Earrings.” Spotify allegedly pulled hundreds of the allegedly thousands of fake streams the song garnered, arguing this is proof the platform is able to identify fraud and equitably act on it regardless of an artist’s size.

Read More: JAŸ-Z Isn’t The Hypocrite You Think He Is

RBX Spotify Lawsuit

In addition, the suit alleges the OVO mogul’s average ticket sales per night on his tours are actually lower than comparable rap acts with lower streaming numbers. The new filing alleges a $600 million royalty divergence over four years, representing money lost by smaller artists as a result of alleged botting. It also claims Spotify can control bot accounts directly. The amended lawsuit wants to institute CAPTCHA and phone verification to sign up to the platform, which would make the process of creating bot accounts more difficult.

Drake has faced similar allegations in other lawsuits, although never as an outright defendant. But he has his own legal pursuit concerning alleged botting activity, as that was one of his arguments in his in-appeal “Not Like Us” lawsuit against UMG. But none of the botting claims from Drizzy or indirectly targeting him have been upheld by a court at press time, if they even avoided an outright dismissal to begin with.

As for this new filing, we will see if the court dismisses it on similar grounds or if RBX made a wider case concerning multiple artists that may push through.

Read More: Is Yung Miami’s “Spend Dat” Bad For Hip-Hop?

The post RBX Is Still Implicating Drake In Amended Botting Claims Against Spotify appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

“Im sure we will yea,” Cudi responded to the possibility of teaming up again. But he also revealed they’re talking more regularly now, although it’s not about any collaborative plans yet.

“Right now were rebuilding our friendship,” the Cleveland creative wrote of Ye. “I hit him a week ago to check in on him, today he hit me to check on me. No work talk. Just seeing how I was doing. It was nice.”

Kanye West and Kid Cudi have been at odds at multiple points throughout their careers, mostly due to questions of loyalty, friendship with other celebrities, and unrelated rap feuds. But they are also responsible for some of the best music they have ever put out across their solo catalogs. So maybe a reunion will hold even more heat.

Read More: JAŸ-Z Isn’t The Hypocrite You Think He Is

Kanye West & Kid Cudi’s History

For those unaware, Ye took Kid Cudi under his wing in the late 2000s, with Cudi becoming a crucial collaborator on albums like 808s & Heartbreak. His tenure with G.O.O.D. Music ended in 2013, and some shady remarks from both artists followed. Then, they buried the hatchet and dropped KIDS SEE GHOSTS together in 2018. But amid Kanye West’s beef with Pete Davidson in 2022, Ye cut Cudi off due to his friendship with Davidson, and Cudi scoffed him away.

Later, in 2024, Cudder revealed Ye apologized to him. But subsequent comments suggested he still had some bad blood to work out, lamenting how their relationship broke down.

Now, it seems like both artists are in a better place when it comes to settling their differences. We’ll see if this actually leads to new music soon or if that’s still a long way away.

Despite Kanye West and Kid Cudi’s fractured history, folks love a good comeback story. After all, KIDS SEE GHOSTS remains a beloved later-career highlight for both.

Read More: Is Yung Miami’s “Spend Dat” Bad For Hip-Hop?

The post Kid Cudi Is Confident He & Kanye West Will Reconcile, Reveals They’re Talking Again appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

“I don’t think he can,” J-Hood remarked via an Instagram Reel. “Don’t get me wrong. I know how big of an impact Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ had internationally. But I just don’t know if the whole New York is pulling up for three 50 Cent shows, man. I could be totally wrong, but that’s my personal opinion.”

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A post shared by J-Hood (@realjhood_)

In response, 50 Cent brought up his previous tour success in the comments. “LOL MY LAST [world] TOUR 103 shows 3rd highest grossing run for hip hop, Google me I’m 50cent,” he wrote. “I hear you champ I’m talking about 3 nights in NY tho not overseas,” J-Hood replied.

“Now, that [tour success is] amazing,” he responded to the G-Unit mogul’s retort in another Instagram Reel. “That’s f***ing incredible. But I never asked or questioned if he can sell out stadiums overseas. I’m talking about NYC, the concrete jungle, the city that never sleeps. Will they come out for you three nights in a row like they did for Hov? That’s all I want to know, big dog.”

Read More: The Entire History Of The Roc-A-Fella x Nike Air Force 1

Can 50 Cent Sell Out Yankee Stadium Three Nights In A Row?

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A post shared by J-Hood (@realjhood_)

This is an unanswerable question unless Curtis Jackson gives it a shot. But the most likely answer is that he would succeed, given his profile and his iconic status in New York hip-hop.

This debacle with J-Hood also brings up 50 Cent’s beef history. The LOX signed Hood to D-Block Records for a short time, and Jadakiss had a legendary beef with 50.

In fact, Jada was among Hov’s guests at these Yankee Stadium shows. But it seems like this was an earnest, albeit back-handed question more than an actual diss. All Fif can do is try to do this himself to shut the haters up or flex his success in other ways.

Read More: JAŸ-Z Isn’t The Hypocrite You Think He Is

The post 50 Cent Affirms He Could Replicate Jay-Z’s Yankee Stadium Shows appeared first on HotNewHipHop.