Drake - Back To Back Freestyle (Another Meek Mill Diss) /  by Alex Young

I woke up to a text this morning that read, "there goes Meek's career," a clear comment regarding his feud with Drake, but I was unaware of the new developments that came this morning. Six hours ago Drizzy posted to his SoundCloud another Meek Mill diss titled "Back To Back Freestyle" where he states, "Back to back for the n*ggas that didn't get the message... I know that you gotta be a thug for her / This ain't what she meant when she told you to open up more / Trigger fingers turner to Twitter fingers / You gettin' bodied by a singing n*gga". It is hyperbole to say Meek's career is in the tank, but the statement recognizes the new respect Drake garners from his pointed retaliations. After listening to "Charged Up" and now "Back To Back Freestyle" OVO's front man seems agitated that his skill is being questioned so he has done what he must, respond. A series of Tweets from Meek, continuing his rant on stage during The Pinkprint's Brooklyn stop, and no diss track of his own makes it seem like the Philly rapper is simply whining trying to maintain relevance, all of which has moved Drake to hang his nemesis out to dry. Maybe later this week will present a true response from Meek, but until then all eyes are on Drake; enjoy "Back To Back Freestyle" below.

Note: This is not a response, Meek. This is you sticking your fingers in your ears saying "Lalalalalalala I can't hear you," not addressing the current quarrel you and Drake have (that you started). Sure, you may be toying with us ready to comeback appropriately very soon; but thanks to Drizzy's swift answers, and listener's need to consume it seems your opinion on Drake's writing is becoming irrelevant.

Sneakers Available at Shop412 /  by Alex Young

If you are a sneakerhead in the Pittsburgh area there is one destination you should travel to, Shop412. The lifestyle apparel brand and streetwear boutique curates a collection that draws on the city's proud sport history paired with active and causal-wear. In-house creations like 412's last collaboration with '47 Brand and Black Fives celebrating Pittsburgh's storied Monticello Athletic Association basketball team demonstrates the athletic influences. This characteristic of the shop is further executed in its selection of prime footwear, courtesy of SFOT's Nike Pinnacle account. Essentially this means the brand presents a unique offering of Nike Sportswear consumers are hard pressed to find in the city and across the country. While you should definitely go to 412's location to browse the collection, below speaks on some of what you will find.

First is the Nike Air Tech Challenge III, one of the many original silhouettes Andre Agassi wore during his career. The sneaker's tennis ball green accents match Agassi's past on-court flair that landed him a deal with the Swoosh in the first place. 

Next is the comfier and slimmed down version of Nike's iconic Cortez runner, the Roshe LD-1000 in black. Last week SFOT posted to Instagram a blue colorway of the shoe along with the Roshe Run "Polka Dot" NM pack, hopefully some pairs are still available.

Nike's Air Max 1 Essential "Olympic" hits the store summer appropriate with a bit of nostalgia-- built with mesh overlays and appealing red, white, blue, and gold colors reminiscent of the '92 Barcelona games.

Follow @shop412 on social media to stay attuned to new developments and visit the store to find more staple streetwear pieces like Converse Jack Purcell, tell them we sent you.

420 South 27th St

Pittsburgh, PA 15203

(412) 586-7507

InTheRough - Stay Up /  by Alex Young

This playlist is an ode to the constant developments that happen in music. New music drops daily because listeners crave tracks to consume more than they do food, artists interactions with each other sometimes cause friction then feuds start, streaming services have turned into country clubs crafting exclusive experiences unique to a particular platform, and genre bending alludes to the many categories of music. So, to provide a roundup and keep listeners current here is "Stay Up". Thanks to beef between Meek Mill and Drake, Drizzy appears quite a few times because his musical prowess is unmatched even if someone writes his raps like Meek claims. House, electronic, and R&B tones diversify the mix adding different emotions so it is appropriate throughout the entire day; credit Major Lazer, ELHAE from Atlanta, and talented Mura Masa. Things get a bit sensual as Magic Mike XXL influenced the placement of Jacquees and Jeremih. Explore the vibes below and walk away with some discoveries. Be sure to give InTheRough a follow on SoundCloud.

Drake Responds to Meek Mill with Three New Songs /  by Alex Young

Apple Music's Beats 1 radio station will be a destination for exclusive music releases, which will only draw more subscribers to the streaming service; Drake's OVO Sound used the platform to debut new tracks during its first program. July 25th marked OVO's second show and it offered a perfect opportunity for Drake to address Meek Mill's ghostwriting accusations he fired at Drizzy via Twitter this past Tuesday regarding "R.I.C.O.". A new song "Charged Up" is believed to be Drake's direct response to Meek as he raps, "Done doing favors for people. Because it ain't like I need the money I make off of features". OVO's lead man did not stop there, "You Used To"-- a remix of "Cha Cha" by D.R.A.M.-- and "Right Hand" are two more new songs to cease any doubt listeners may have had. Enjoy Drake's latest work below and read what Meek Mill had to say after the retaliation, let the beef continue.

UPDATE: Also listen to OVOSOUND Radio's second show in full and check the setlist here.

Lost Photos of Biggie Smalls Reveal The Man Who Would be King /  by Alex Young

David McIntyre, a Scotsman, moved to New York over 20 years ago as a photographer. His first big break came when Interview magazine, founded by Andy Warhol, tasked him a photoshoot with rapper Notorious B.I.G. Portraits were shot on Jay St. as McIntyre captured Biggie's grand aura the world had not yet noticed, specifically because his debut album 'Ready to Die' would release in the next few months. In September 1994 his album released and in November 1994 Interview published its article including only one of McIntyre's images from the photoshoot. The following three years up to Biggie's death in 1997 saw his music, brand, and persona reach unimagined popularity making him the King of New York, and McIntyre's prints very valuable. Unfortunately for the photographer he lost the negatives from the shoot after delivering a few to Interview's art department. 21 years later McIntyre found them in the inside pocket of a jacket destined for Goodwill.

Today scarcity of original Biggie Smalls photographs motivates David McIntyre to present a KickStarter campaign to create an exhibition for the never before seen photographs of the Brooklyn artist. 15 photos printed larger than life will match B.I.G.'s spirit he accurately describes in "Mo Money Mo Problems", "I'm bigger than the city lights down in Times Square". The intriguing quality of the project is the pictures' minimalist aesthetic, the visuals highlight Biggie before he got big-- McIntyre notes how on the day of the shoot Biggie declined a makeup artist and the two conducted the photoshoot alone, no bodyguards, no management or handlers. In an interview with DJBooth McIntyre says, "No one can deny the pictures of an extraordinary man. Even if the pictures are ordinary he is extraordinary." Learn more and support David McIntyre's Biggie Smalls: The Man Who Would be King exhibition on his KickStarter page.