Nike LeBron 12 NSW Lifestyle Blue Suede

Foot Locker

When it’s all said and done, LeBron James’ legacy will be as much about sneakers as it is about basketball. The hungry young player launches tiers of shoes every year and one of his more under-appreciated models comes from his Nike Lifestyle line.

The Nike LeBron 12 NSW Lifestyle is rebooted here in a tonal colorway that feels supremely luxurious and definitely fit for a king. Blue suede lines the upper and gold logos are lasered in to keep things majestic. The pull-tab displays the words “Letter of Intent,” which usually refers to a student athlete’s commitment to a college, but we all know LeBron skipped that step and went straight to the NBA.

That little tidbit of information and more will hopefully be explained further upon their May 1 release. You’ll be able to pick up a pair at select retailers including Foot Locker.

Foot Locker Foot Locker

See 20 Surprising Sneaker Releases

Kendrick Lamar Covers Mass Appeal, Explains 'To Pimp a Butterfly' Album Cover

massappeal.com

There’s no question that Kendrick Lamar is a lyrical swordsman. So for the cover of Mass Appeal’s latest issue (No. 56), the Compton rhymer holds a samurai sword with his teeth. Um, isn’t that dangerous?

It’s a striking photo nonetheless and the cover tag says it all — “The Pen Is Mightier Than the Sword.” Props to photographer Chris Buck who snapped the photo, which is inspired by a Mick Jagger biography.

Veteran rap journalist Gabriel Alvarez talked to K.Dot weeks after he dropped his critically acclaimed album, To Pimp a Butterfly, which is, undoubtedly, one of the best rap albums of 2015.

Among the jewels the 27-year-old wordsmith dropped on the writer include confirming that a J.Cole collaborative project is in the works. In addition, Lamar talks about the response to TPAB.

“I love the response for it. But when you really break down the album, it’s not only for blacks. I have just as equal people outside of my culture understanding the album,” he states. “This album is more about deciding what you’re gonna do with your fame and your fortune.”

“[Is it] for negative or for positive reasons? When you look at the first half of the album, it’s really me trying to figure it out, y’know? [I’m being] flamboyant, boastin’, being vengeful in certain places,” he continues. “Then going down that line of saying, ‘OK, I can do something better with it.’ So I don’t think it only resonates with blacks, but with people all around the world, man, that can respect the idea of going through a journey or a rebellion, and figuring it out.”

Finally, Lamar explains the concept behind his bold black-and-white cover artwork for TPAB. Apparently, the men in the picture are Lamar’s friends from Compton whom he talked about on his last album, good kid, m.A.A.d. city. The white guy on the ground is a judge.

“You look at these individuals and you look at them as bad people or a menace to society, but they’re actually good people, just a product of their environment,” he says. “Only God can judge these individuals right here. Not no one with a gavel handing out football numbers of years and not giving these kids a chance at life. Every n—- is a star.”

You can cop the new Mass Appeal magazine with Kendrick Lamar on the cover at newsstands or on the publication’s official web store.

Watch Kendrick Lamar Explain His ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ Album Artwork

See Five Best Hip-Hop Albums Released in First Quarter of 2015

Lil B Claims Red Lion Hotels Staff Stole $10,000 From Him [VIDEO]

NEWS : red lion hotel staff at oakland airport stole $10,000 dollars from Lil B room and refuses to help! Lets take this to corperate! No more hotel staff thiefs! This manager at red lion refuses to help Lil B ??? She and another staff member said they went to lil b room!! Who has Lil B money???! Protect Lil B! Collect and spread around to find truth the woman on video is the hotel manager who refuses to help she has info who stole lil b money! – Lil B

A video posted by LIL B "THE BASEDGOD" OFFICIAL (@lilbisgod) on Apr 28, 2015 at 2:14pm PDT

Rapper Lil B ran into some misfortune recently at a hotel in Oakland, Calif. The Bay Area rhymer claims that two staffers at Red Lion Hotels stole $10,000 out of his room.

On Monday (April 27), the Based God went on Twitter to air out his grievance with the hotel and then put them blast with a video on Instagram.

“So people that work at hotels are stealing from rooms now?? Not cool Oakland ca and shame on the manager and staff who wronged,” he tweeted.

In the video, Lil B is asking the hotel manager about filing a claim and is getting no assistance. “This manager at red lion refuses to help Lil B???…Who has Lil B money???!” he wrote. “Protect Lil B! Collect and spread around to find truth the woman on video is the hotel manager who refuses to help she has info who stole lil b money!”

It’s unclear why Lil B left $10,000 in his hotel room. Was it in cash or a check? Either way, the hotel chain did reach out to Lil B on Twitter.

Meanwhile, fans are tweeting their prayers for the Based God to get his money back. We hope that Lil B gets his money back too, and then invest in a wallet.

The Biggest Hip-Hop News Stories in 2015 (So Far)