As hip-hop turns 50, it's amazing to see how much the genre has grown over these last few decades. Throughout the years, hip-hop has expanded with different sub-genres, including gangsta rap, drill, crunk, trap, hyphy, and many more. And we have the Bronx, New York, to thank for birthing hip-hop, which is now one of the most popular genres in music history.
New York hip-hop has become so massive that it can be pretty difficult to narrow down a list of songs that have helped define the region. To this day, New York remains a huge hip-hop hub as newcomers make a name for themselves. In honor of hip-hop turning 50, here is a short list of classic songs that help serve as the sound of New York.
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T.J. Watt is entering the final year of his contract. The face of the Steelers franchise. A defensive cornerstone. A one-helmet guy. But with every passing week, it’s becoming harder to ignore one simple fact: Pittsburgh is running out of time. On Monday, GM Omar Khan finally addressed the growing contract buzz, telling reporters he’s “hopeful” Watt will retire a Steeler. It was a nice sentiment — but hardly the commitment fans were hoping for. Meanwhile, the edge-rusher market has exploded. Myles Garrett just reset the bar. Maxx Crosby re-signed. And now, Micah Parsons looms — likely to surpass them all. Every day Pittsburgh waits, Watt’s price tag climbs. The organization’s usual extension window is August as part of their negotiation policy. Since 1994, they've refused to handle contract decisions mid-season. But for a player of Watt’s magnitude — one who’s never won a playoff game and isn’t getting younger — that strategy might be outdated; especially when whispers of a possible trade refuse to fully disappear. Yes, Watt wants to stay. Yes, Pittsburgh values him. But emotion doesn’t stop leverage, and the Steelers could’ve saved millions by moving earlier. Watt’s been loyal, productive and impactful beyond the stat sheet. But “hope” won’t keep him in Pittsburgh. Action will. And with every market-setting deal that drops, the urgency to get something done before Parsons resets the market at the position grows louder. Time’s ticking — and the Steelers know it.
It is no secret NBA Hall of Famer Larry Bird loved trash talk. It was even more important when Bird faced a rookie for the first time. Former NBA player Jayson Williams learned this his first season with Philadelphia 76ers in 1990. He told the story of his initial encounter with Bird in an interview with Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson. “I remember walking into the locker room and seeing Coach Bird there,” Jayson recalled. “When I first came into the league, he must’ve lit me up for 45 points. I wanted to get in the game, and he kept saying, ‘Put the rookie in! Put the f—-n’ rookie in!’ So when I got there to the locker room, he just looked at me and said, ‘Your minutes are on the board.’ That’s how you know when you’re going to play." Williams and Bird were reunited during the 1998 NBA All-Star Game in New York. Bird was the Eastern Conference coach when he was leading the Indiana Pacers. That was the only appearance in the event for Williams. Williams said Bird was still fond of the story. Williams said, "I looked at him and said, ‘Thanks, Coach,’ and he goes, ‘You f—-n’ rookie!’ 25 years later, he still remembered!”' It is just one of the many stories involving Bird, who is considered among the greatest trash-talkers in NBA history.
There are a lot of needs still left to add for the Miami Dolphins. On both sides of the ball, the Dolphins will be looking to make key additions for the 2025 season. Those additions may have to wait, according to a new report. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald in a post on Twitter/X gave insight into the Dolphins current stance when it comes to free agents and the NFL Draft. Jackson said that after reaching out to four of the top remaining free agents at positions of need for Miami, none said the Dolphins had called. With this report of Miami not calling about some of the top remaining free agents, the signs point toward the Dolphins waiting until the NFL Draft to reevaluate the roster. While a risky game, waiting until after the NFL Draft to make more free agent additions makes sense for Miami. The reasoning behind a patient approach being worthwhile is due to the Dolphins' compensatory pick formula for 2026. After Calais Campbell signed a deal with the Arizona Cardinals, the Dolphins were in line to receive a fourth-round pick from the loss of Jevon Holland to the New York Giants. Adding a fourth-rounder in 2026 is a significant pick, and Miami needs to ensure they don't lose it. Mike McDaniel and the Dolphins front office are playing a waiting game, hoping to get some free agents after the NFL draft to ensure their compensatory selection stays intact. On April 29th, a few days after the NFL Draft, free agent additions won't count towards the compensatory pick formula. In a follow-up post from Jackson, he brings up the defensive line, cornerback, and guard spots as positions that Chris Grier could worry about the most. With those three being the most important positions of need, along with safety, the Dolphins will likely wait until the NFL draft to make their move. Fortunately for the Dolphins, the 2025 NFL Draft class is a strong offensive and defensive line group. There are also plenty of intriguing corner back prospects in spots where the Dolphins pick. While the wait will be difficult, it's the best move in the long run to ensure success in the future. It takes patience and discipline, but it can pay off in a huge way if Miami waits until after the draft to add any more free agents.
Anthony Davis had arguably his best game for the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday as he led his team to a hard-fought 120-118 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Davis was a menace on both ends of the floor against Atlanta, swatting away a Trae Young lay-up attempt in the dying seconds before scoring a game-winning deuce on the opposite end. Davis finished the win with 34 points on 14-of-23 shooting, 15 rebounds, two assists, a steal and five blocks, while also knocking down two triples on 30 minutes of action. Unfortunately for Mavs fans, it appears that Davis may have done a little too much on Wednesday night. Dallas has now announced via the official injury report that their superstar big man is in danger of missing their next game. As of writing, Davis is considered questionable to play on Friday against the Los Angeles Clippers due to a left adductor strain, which is also the same injury that sidelined him for 18 straight games. It is currently unclear if Davis suffered some sort of setback, but he did say after the Hawks game that the team had decided to increase his minutes limit moving forward. It is important to note that the Mavs play the Clippers again on Saturday, so the fact that it's a back-to-back set may have been a factor in his status for Friday's game. Be that as it may, the Mavs are still fighting for positioning out West as the regular season winds down. They have five games left, including Friday's matchup in L.A, and they are currently ninth in the conference with a 38-39 record. As of writing, only 2.5 games separate the Mavs from the 11th-seeded Phoenix Suns, and there's no denying that Dallas will need Davis to remain healthy if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive.