G Herbo and his girlfriend Taina Williams have welcomed their first child. While it’s not known exactly when the baby made its appearance, we know it’s a boy.
The proud father posted a black and white image showing the baby’s tiny fist this morning (May 27). He captioned the photo with black and white hearts. The couple announced they were expecting a child early this year after dating for approximately two years.
G Herbo accidentally revealed the baby’s gender during an Instagram live and went on to give confirmation in a subsequent tweet. He said, “I CANT WAIT TO SEE YOU EMBRACE YOUR INNER STRENGTHS & I KNOW MY SON GONNA HELP YOU DO JUST THAT!! I LOVE YOU! I CANT WAIT TO SEE MY BABY BABY BOY IK HIS FIRST WORDS GONNA BE “DADA” YEAH I GAVE THE GENDER AWAY ON ACCIDENT THE OTHER DAY BABY BOY + SON SON = DOUBLE TROUBLE.”
The rapper already has a three-year-old son, Yosohn Santana, with ex-girlfriend and IG model Ariana Fletcher. The couple broke up after dating for four years. It was reported that the relationship ended because of the rapper’s cheating with multiple women, one of whom was alleged to be his current girlfriend and mother of his second child.
Celebrities have flocked to G Herbo’s Instagram page to congratulate him on the birth of his son. Among those who posted messages are DJ Envy, Lil Durk, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Lil Tjay, and DJ Clue.
Taina has yet to post the child, but it’s assumed that the new mother is still in recovery after giving birth.
Nicki Minaj is congratulating Drake on his achievements after the former labelmates rekindle their longtime friendship.
The relationship between Drake and Nicki Minaj started out inseparable, but along the way, the two had multiple falling outs. The Young Money artists may have never lost respect and love for each other over the years, but they certainly lost touch a few times. Back in 2015, when Drake and Nicki’s then-boyfriend Meek Mill were beefing, Nicki was forced into an uncomfortable position where she had to choose to be in Switzerland.
The Pinkprint rapper was vocal about how upset the feud made her and how badly she wanted it to end, especially since she was often in the middle of it. “They’re men, grown-ass men. It’s between them,” she told the New York Times in 2015. “It doesn’t make me feel good. You don’t ever want to choose sides between people you love. It’s ridiculous. I just want it to be over.” While the beef that spawned unforgettable diss tracks like “Back To Back” put a strain on Nicki and Drake’s relationship for quite some time, they later reconciled.
In 2017 while he was on stage at the Billboard Music Awards, Drake told Nicki Minaj how happy he was that they made up and said he couldn’t see it any other way. That was the year the powerful Young Money trio reunited on Nicki’s track “No Frauds” when she was beefing with Remy Ma. Nicki has spoken out before about how Drake is “always mad at [her] for something,” as it seems to be the dynamic between them. That statement may have prepared some fans for the next time they seemed to become estranged after a hate campaign that was perpetuated against Nicki Minaj saw Drake remain tight-lipped for years and never once defended his Young Money day one.
In December 2018, Drake and Nicki unfollowed each other on Instagram, which sparked rumors that they weren’t friends – again. This followed Drizzy going on his own campaign to make up with people he previously had beef with, which happened to include Minaj’s ex, Meek Mill. He ended up collaborating with Meek on the track “Going Bad” for the Philadelphia rapper’s Championships album in 2018. The following year, they released a music video for the song, and Nicki remixed it, calling out “old boy” and her “brother” for trying to end her.
Alas, Nicki and Drake did eventually reconcile once again, and fans only hope it’s for good this time. Nicki announced her intentions to retire from music in September 2019, but she re-emerged in 2020, earning two No. 1s on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that year in close succession. She soon went into hibernation again after giving birth to her first son, who she calls “Papa Bear.” When Nicki resurfaced with a surprise drop earlier this month, she took to Instagram Live to announce to fans and was joined by none other than Drake.
The two expressed a mutual love and respect for each other, and Nicki lauded Drake for being the G.O.A.T. and says he single-handedly got her out of her writer’s block. Drizzy also sent Nicki the track that has become the biggest off of the Beam Me Up Scotty re-release, “Seeing Green,” which features Drake himself and Lil Wayne. Drake said it didn’t feel right with Nicki not being on the song and that it’s more epic that way. “It’s just your world, nobody does this sh*t better than you,” Drake told Nicki. “When you’re gone I’m not gonna lie we really miss you and we really miss your presence, we miss the bars and we miss the excitement that you bring.”
Drake was honored with the Artist of the Decade Award at the Billboard Music Awards this year, and Nicki was quick to congratulate him on Instagram on the day of the show. “Single handedly changed music & the music business forever. Congratulations @champagnepapi,” she wrote on her Instagram Story.
Drake also took home the Billboard Award for Top Streaming Artist pushing his total number of trophies over fifty. Nicki says he is the greatest to ever do it and looks up to him not just as an artist but as a human being, who she often says is really smart.
One thing that Drake and Nicki have proved is that they will always fix their relationship no matter what goes down between them. When they say they love and support each other, they mean that. While they’ve had a rocky past at times, their future has never looked brighter.
Nicki Minaj is celebrating her fifth top two album with Beam Me Up Scotty.
Nicki returned with an old mixtape this month as a surprise for fans and much to her own surprise, the Barbz helped her recycled project reach No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. Previously released twelve years ago in 2009, Beam Me Up Scotty was Nicki Minaj‘s third mixtape and one of her most iconic early releases.
Upon re-releasing it on May 14, the rapper added three new tracks including a collaboration with her Young Money crew Drake and Lil Tunechi (Seeing Green), a solo track called “Fractions” and a remix to “Crocodile Teeth” by dancehall sensation Skillibeng. The album debuts at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart for the week ended May 29 after moving 80,000 equivalent album units in its first week.
Nicki was truly stunned by Beam Me Up Scotty‘s No. 2 debut on the chart after making the project available on streaming services for the very first time more than a decade after its initial release. She had nothing but gratitude for her devoted fans when she took to Twitter to celebrate her chart debut.
“80K wow. My 12 year ago self would be so proud,” she wrote. “No videos, lyric videos, no tik tok challenges, no radio & no heavy playlisting due to it coming as a surprise. Didn’t even drop w clean versions to the songs. Long live #BeamMeUpScotty I love you guys so much. Thank you so much.”
Of the 80,000 equivalent album units earned, album sales were 11,000 and streaming units were 63,000 which is equivalent to 85.57 million on-demand streams of the album’s tracks. Nicki has earned her fifth top two album on the Billboard 200 chart having secured two No. 1 albums and now three No. 2s over the course of her decorated career.
The rapper’s previous leaders include Pink Friday (2010) and Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012) while she previously earned the No. 2 spot on the chart with 2014’s The Pinkprint and 2018’s Queen.
“I love you guys so much. Thank you. Can’t wait to share my album with you real soon,” Nicki wrote on IG. “I have to say this. Don’t care who takes it the wrong way. #BeamMeUpScotty no singles #SeeingGreen is over 5 mins with no hook. Singles now r 2-3 mins, catchy hook, #Fractions is just rapping for over 3 mins, no hook). no videos (which is always the biggest push for females, myself included), no RADIO, very little play listing due to a surprise release (artists get over 100 playlists for big launches) no TikTok challenges (which has become EXTREMELY helpful to all artists.”
50 Cent’s girlfriend Cuban Link reacted to Vivica Fox calling him the “love of her life.”
It’s easy to conclude that 50 Cent is known for a lot of things. His music career, G-Unit brand, Vitamin Water, movie and tv show productions, and a knack for trolling have all secured 50 Cent’s legacy as being one of the most sought-after persons in the business. Hidden under his cutthroat trolling tendencies and savvy business skills is a kind and sincere lover. That is according to actress Vivica A. Fox, who still regards the rapper turn TV mogul as the love of her life nearly 20 years after the couple broke up.
In a recent interview with Vlad TV, Vivica A. Fox confessed that she still has the hots for 50 Cent, who is now dating aspiring corporate lawyer Cuban Link.
The 56-year-old actress recalled how he and the “P.I.M.P.” rapper met.
“We met after he said the thing at the Soul Train Music Awards. ‘And I want to thank Vivica Fox for wearing that dress. I was shocked… I was just kinda like, wow. And then after that, his people got in touch with my people and next thing I know, we were on the phone and my birthday was coming up and he’s such a gentleman,” she said. “He’s very generous. I know him as Curtis, always will, and the 50 Cent, those are his performing things and who he is as a man. So, I met Curtis.”
The actress recounted that the rapper made her birthday special when he “filled my entire house with my favorite flowers.”
“I was already Vivica Fox from Independence Day, this that and the third, and he now is becoming this huge mega Rap star who is crossing over with ‘In Da Club.’ I was used to fame and the main thing that killed the relationship is that we just went way too public way too fast…had way too many people in our business and if I was to have a chance to do it over it would be that we stay private a lot longer,” she explained.
“The love that I had for him, and still to this day, will always—he was the love of my life. I will admit that without any reservations. He will always have a special place in my heart,” she declared.
The two kicked off their relationship after they met in March 2003, but they had broken up by the fall of that year. At the time, their relationship had the entertainment scene buzzing with excitement. Social media users were quick to call the actress out, telling her to get over the rapper.
50 cent has not responded to Vivica’s statement, but Cuban Link decided to drop by The Shade Room’s comment section to express her thoughts.
The young fitness model seemingly sympathized with Fox when she wrote, “…Aww,” along with a violin emoji which critics have already assumed incites further gloom and sympathy on the part of the Booty Call actress. Clearly, Fif’s trolling techniques are rubbing off on his girlfriend.
Metro Marrs, one of Quality Control Music’s most recent and youngest signees decision to make make it rain at his high school graduation has been met with consternation by both his school and the police.
The 18-year-old, joined the label last year and is now in some celebrity company as it’s also the label of the Migos, Lil Yachty and The City Girls. Marrs got the deal after the label noticed the buzz he created on his own.
The rapper graduated from the Langston Hughes High School last Friday, May 21. An alma mater he now shares with some famous names like Gunna, and Playboi Carti. It seems turning 18, getting the label of his dreams and graduating got him to a very festive mood as he showered money into the crowd of his graduation. He generously gifted those present with at least $10k in cash. While the crowd were undoubtedly happy with the gesture and egged him on by clapping his school and the police have taken a very different view on the matter.
The footage of the incident has since gone viral. On it, he can be seen crossing the stage before he pulls out large wads of cash from his pants and throws the money out at the crowd. His fellow graduates react zealously as they frantically try to grab the raining cash. As school administrators get involved and try to reprimand him he follows through until about $10 000 is distributed. Police soon showed up on the scene and escorted the rapper out. According to TMZ he was arrested and held for about two days for inciting a riot and disorderly conduct. He was reportedly given a ticket for the two offences.
Someone from his management gave fans a little update about how he’s been doing and all seems fine. The person said “#freeme y’all tag @theshaderoom in the comments #classof2021 I love yallll!! (This his management team) #freemetro he will get out in a couple of hours”
Sean Kingston’s rebirth is coming as fans looks forward to his forthcoming album, Deliverance.
Sean Kingston has officially announced his re-entry into the music biz after dropping “Darkest Times,” a collaboration with Chicago rapper G Herbo. The track comes some eight years since he dropped his last album, Back 2 Life, and is reminiscent of the style that he’s become well-known for. His voice hasn’t changed that much over the years, and his strong Jamaican roots still ring through. This track is expected to be the lead one for his upcoming album Deliverance.
He’s hinted so far that fans can expect artists hailing from the US and his beloved Jamaica. In an interview with the Jamaica Star, he wanted it to be made known that the album is not a comeback per se but more of a celebration of the music that he still has to share with the world.
“So, we’re not calling this a comeback, but a rebirth; and the new music will chronicle my growth and open a whole different chapter. It’s going to be something the listeners least expect. There’s even going to be something on there for my Jamaican supporters,” he said.
The artist, who is proud of his Miami-Jamaican connection, has come quite a long way from where he started being one of the first artists trying to figure out how to make their brand stand out on the internet. He credits his start to MySpace, one of the very first social media sites to gain major popularity. He was able to maneuver into a serious career from the platform to the major airwaves. His knack for churning out hits didn’t hurt either. He’s behind some of the biggest summer songs like “Beautiful Girls,” and “Eenie Meenie” with Justin Bieber. Kingston sat down for an interview with HotNewHipHop, where he revealed more about the upcoming album and the inspiration behind it.
The biggest question that he probably had to address is why he chose this year when so many other artists have fallen off because of Covid-19 to drop new music. The lyric video has already gotten over 100,000 views last weekend and is poised to bring in more views.
“I just feel like the time is now. I’ve been writing a lot of music behind the scenes. I’ve been writing a lot of hits for a lot of artists…Chris Brown, Lil Mosey. I’ve been writing hits for a lot of people, but I just felt like, now is the time for me to come back, for me to tell my story again, for me to get—I just feel like the world is in such a…with COVID and everything that’s going on, they need feel-good music,” he explained.
The major reasoning behind the album is to reform the bond that he had with his fans and followers because he wants to share with them all the experience that he’s gained over the last eight years. He wants to share the lessons with others so that they can share the journey that he’s been on. That’s not to take away from his younger, more artistic approach, he continued. He added that his approach to music hasn’t changed that much, he’s just matured.
“It was still genuine because I have always been that type of person—but it was kind of, me rushing into things, but now, it’s very much more laid back, much more mature. My sound has matured, the way my melodies are now, everything is on a wider level,” he continued.
Anyone who’s kept up the award-winning artist knows that he’s had his fair share of controversies, including some money woes. These are some of the feelings and moments that he’s had to work through, and fans can expect to hear how he got through them on this album. That was some of the meaning behind “Darkest Times.”
“It’s basically just me explaining when I’m going through something—whenever somebody go through what they go through, trials and tribulations—[just] having somebody there as your rock and your stone. Being there for you through the darkest times,” he explained.
The veteran artist has worked with some big names in the music biz like Trippie Redd, Bow Wow, Brandy, Flo Rida, Sean Paul, and Nicki Minaj, to name a few, but his focus remains on being humble and connecting with his fans. He also shared some words of inspiration from Jay-Z that he’s held on to.
“I met Jay-Z in Dubai and me and Jay-Z was chopping it up and he told me, ‘No matter what you do, just keep going. Keep God first. Just stay at it, whether it’s music or business ideas or real estate or whatever. Just keep capitalizing and becoming a better person—and I feel like that’s always stuck with me,” he shared.
While he didn’t reveal much about who will be on the album, it’s fair to expect a lot of collaborations with his love of Jamaican culture and music strongly influencing the finished product.
The late and great rapper DMX may have left behind an estate worth as little as $50k, according to recent court documents.
Five of X’s fifteen children have now involved themselves in two separate court filings in attempts to become administrators of their father’s estate. On May 10th, sisters Sasha Simmons and Jada Oden submitted their documents together, while brothers Xavier, Tacoma, and Sean came together to submit documents on May 21st, the NY Daily News reported.
Although it is unclear at this time how each party is conducting their calculations, the brothers’ filing estimates DMX’s estate to be worth less than a million, while the sisters value their father’s estate at a startling number below $50,000.
Considering DMX’s impressive career in hip hop and film, it is hard to imagine how he could have come to a place of such financial instability. However, like many unfortunate stars who struggle with their personal demons despite the benefits of fame and money, X was known to have suffered from addiction and lingering trauma from his childhood.
Despite landing five consecutive No. 1 albums from 1998-2003, the rapper continued to abuse drugs and found himself behind bars or in court-mandated drug rehabilitation more than a few times. In 2018, he was convicted for tax evasion and sentenced to time in prison.
Addiction frequently leads to financial trouble, even for those making the insane amount of money going around at the top tier of the rap world. Additionally, X was once charged with failure to pay $400k in child support. While representatives for his children declined to comment on their court filings, it is likely that they are not only looking to secure control of his current assets but also any future earnings.
DMX hits continue to pull in money, and his posthumous album, Exodus, featuring songs recorded shortly before his death, is due to be released on May 28th.
After a 7-year wait, Etana has finally received her Billboard plaque for her 2014 album titled I Rise.
The reggae singer took to Instagram on Friday, May 21, to share the proud moment with her legion of supportive fans. The “People Talk” artiste uploaded a short video of herself tearing open the brown paper used to wrap the coveted plaque she received for holding down the number one position on the Billboard Reggae album chart. The inspirational lead single from the album titled I Rise acted as the backing track for the moment. While the singer was fixated on opening the award in the video, she expressed her gratitude in the caption.
“Grateful. Special thanks goes out to all the musicians, writers, composers, producers on this album,” she said. “Thanks to all my fans who purchased and streamed the music! Thanks to all my band members who toured with me and promoted this album.”
The album featured singles such as “Selassie Is The Chapel”, which is a cover of The Orioles’ “Crying In The Chapel,” “How Long,” “I rise,” and “Stepping Out Of Babylon.” The project released via VP records and produced by veteran reggae producer Clive Hunt combined funky reggae groves with emotional and powerful lyrics and became the soulful reggae crooner’s fourth studio album.
The August Town, Kingston native is the proud owner of two Billboard plaques. She also holds a Billboard plaque for her 2018 album “Reggae Forever,” which was independently released with minor distribution assistance from Tad’s and VP Records.
In a recent interview with The Gleaner, Etana said, “I used to see these plaques on TV and decorating the walls in the offices of major labels and wondered when I would ever get one of those. Having two of my own makes me feel good about the body of work which I have done so far. Coming from where my journey started in August Town and looking back, and realising that your hard work has paid off, it kinda hits different.”
Etana is considered to be one of the queens of reggae. She emerged on the reggae scene in 2008 with her debut album The Strong One and has not looked back since. Her debut album landed her a MOBO awards nomination for Best Reggae Artiste, and since then, she has maintained her strength and has continued to rise above expectations. She released her latest studio album, titled Gemini, in June 2020.
Fivio Foreign is still behind bars, but he is viewing it as just a little setback.
The New York rapper already let his fans know that he expects his comeback to be epic. The rapper, whose real name is Maxie Ryles III, has been in the Bergen County Jail in New Jersey since April 21 after he tried to evade police who asked him to produce his license. Cops also reportedly found a weapon they believed to be his.
Yesterday, May 19, he gave his fans the reassurance that he expects to be back soon and better than before. He used Twitter to touch base.
“The come bacc is gon b different,” he wrote. “I’m readin all fan mail, I’ll b home soon I luv y’all,” he posted.
The come bacc is gon b different … I’m readin all fan mail, I’ll b home soon I luv y’all ???
According to reports, the “Self Made” rapper left his 2018 Mercedes Benz running in a no parking zone before entering a New Jersey Citibank on April 21. Two Fort Lee police officers approached him as he was making his way back to the vehicle, and they asked him for his license. That’s when he allegedly made a dash for it.
When one of the policemen caught up with him at a nearby parking garage, the officer allegedly noticed a loaded .25-caliber handgun fall from the rapper’s waistband. The officers called for backup, and they eventually subdued Fivio, who put up a fight before being handcuffed. One officer was taken to the hospital and treated for minor injuries from the scuffle.
He was eventually transported to Bergen County Jail in Hackensack, following which he was charged with weapons possession, having a defaced firearm, which had the serial number scratched off, and resisting arrest. Days following his arrest, he dropped his last track, “Unruly.” Fivio’s popularity soared after his June 2019 single “Big Drip”, which was remixed by Lil Baby and Quavo. He is currently signed to Mase’s RichFish Records and Columbia Records.
Despite the name change, Latto is still the name on everyone’s lips.
The 22-year-old rapper announced on Twitter that she was not in good health upon the release of her newest single, “The Biggest,” on Friday, May 21. “Y’all don’t even know I been in the ER & wasn’t able to promote “The Biggest” myself but I’m feeling better & seeing all the support feels amazing. Thanks for hearing me out and accepting my apology,” she tweeted.
While the rapper sounded sincere enough and received positive words from most of her fans and followers, one social media user accused the rapper of “getting more surgery” and using the ER as an excuse.
One person on Twitter tweeted, “This always the cover up it’s never ‘I was on the table getting more surgery’ lol but go off ER.”
To this, Latto responded, “I actually was in the ER for a serious health scare. I’m open about my surgeries this had nothing to do w that.”
As she addressed in “The Biggest,” she is often on the tip of the public’s tongue, and it’s typically with negative comments.
The rapper came under huge criticism last year for her former name “Mulatto” which many deemed as offensive. ‘Mulatto’ is a derogatory term used to refer to a person of African and European ancestry. While the Atlanta rapper said she was embracing her mixed ethnicity, she said she understood why it would have offended many.
Earlier this week, she announced her official name change to ‘Latto’ on Instagram, and in the same breath, announced the release of “The Biggest.”
In the song, she addressed her name change, noting that she knows the move will not stop her from getting hate.
“Misunderstood so I made it official/Changed the name, watch them still make it an issue. / Rap b*tches ain’t talkin’ ’bout nothin’/F**k it, I’ll change my name but I bet they still gon’ find somethin’, / Y’all ain’t bully out my sh*t/Drop hits, I still ain’t miss,” she raps.
Fans seem to be fully behind the rapper and her new track and are looking forward to a promising Rap career for Latto.
Mr. Vegas shares his support for Alkaline’s new project and explains why he made a U-Turn from bashing the Manhimself in the past.
Dancehall has historically been a divisive community that sees artists competing so rigorously that it often becomes counterproductive for the genre itself. While most of the veterans in the industry have recently been making strides to change that culture, there is still a lot of work to be done to promote more unity and less feuding. Among the most controversial artists in dancehall with a history of success is Alkaline, and after the release of his latest album, veteran dancehall act Mr. Vegas is voicing his support and sending ‘big ups’ to the Vendetta Boss.
Mr. Vegas recently shared a post on Instagram congratulating Alkaline’s successful opening weekend for his new album Top Prize. The project earned the No. 1 spot on Audiomack, Amazon Music and iTunes, and was featured on several playlists from Vevo to Spotify and Pandora.
“Please support one of the biggest name in dancehall album. #oneindustry #unity #love #Alkaline #congratulations #1,” Mr. Vegas shared. He doubled down on his comments in a new interview with The Fix JA where he spoke about the divisive nature of dancehall doing more harm than good.
The deejay explained that he finds it odd that even the people who have been in the business for a long time and understand the ins and outs can’t separate the music from the person. While he admitted that he used to bash Alkaline in the past, he says he would never tell someone not to support the young deejay’s body of work. “Mi used to bun him out when mi used to be Christian and [Alkaline] used to wear a shirt with Lucifer because dem time deh mi did misinformed about a lot of things but maybe mi did more judgmental dem time deh. But outside a dem tings dere, even if me a did Christian right now, mi woulda still respect him work.”
According to Vegas, it’s quite peculiar to him that anyone would try to undermine the work that goes into the making of an album, from the songwriting to the engineering. Though he feels people are entitled to their opinion, it becomes toxic when members of a different fanbase in dancehall try to tear down the artist on that merit alone. Vegas says if he could, he’d post every artist’s work on his page and wish them well to help generate support. His holistic view of dancehall progressing entails more artists coming together locally to build upstreams.
He goes on to say that international artists often “exploit” Jamaican talents by giving credit but not an official feature. It is important to get your name on the record as an artist so that your streams go up and not just your mentions. “Me woulda love fi see the dancehall music reach to a level where we get we respect, the artist dem a stream, the artist dem a come together more and a do music and not only affi wait until Khaled come dung ya or Drake dem come dung ya fi we get together,” Vegas said. “Too much divisiveness inna dancehall and we have such a small industry. But we have a whole heap a talented youths, so if we blend dem sound ya together we aguh stream more.”
Mr. Vegas is the latest veteran to champion unity in the dancehall community and condemn the debilitating culture of “tribal wars” among various fanbases. Instead of looking out for each of our favorite artists and wanting them to do well individually, it’s important to want the dancehall genre on a whole to win. Vegas pointed out that Latino artists come together to promote their collective sound on a global platform all the time. “The Latino artist dem a do dat, five a dem deh pon one track,” he said. While some fans may think their exclusive support for their favorite artist in tandem with bringing down others is productive, Vegas says it has actually been hurting dancehall and killing the industry for years.
Alkaline has always been a controversial topic in dancehall music, and though some people never agreed with his tactics in his early career, many have grown to respect him and his work. Vegas believes it would take a mature mind to relate to his line of reasoning, but there is hope. “We need to come to a general consensus when we say we the fans dem and we the artist dem want a better industry. How we can have a better industry?”
A number of dancehall veterans have been showing a united front on social media these days. Recently Mavado shared a photo on Instagram of him and incarcerated Gaza Sparta artist Tommy Lee. Vybz Kartel and Bounty Killer have also shown love and support for each other and their works on social media. As for Sean Paul, he has been promoting the tagline “collaboration over confrontation” after determining that our clash culture is not helping the community to grow exponentially, and he even put out an album with a score of dancehall artist features.
Should Alkaline earn his second No. 1 album debut on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart, he will become the first-ever independent dancehall artist to achieve this feat. In addition to personal achievement for him, it would also be a great win for dancehall overall.
Lil Reese issued a statement dismissing rumors that he is blind in one eye after getting shot.
Reports of a shooting in a Chicago parking lot on Sunday morning stated that rapper Lil Reese and two other men had been shot in an apparent dispute. According to the Chicago Tribune, Reese suffered an eye injury but was later announced to be in stable condition.
However, a 27-year-old man also present at the scene was shot multiple times and rushed to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in critical condition. Police reportedly discovered a stolen Dodge Durango at the scene and have now revealed that Reese and his affiliates were in the vehicle at the time of the shooting.
Little is known about the exact sequence of events at this time, but it appears that a 55-year-old man tracked down his son’s stolen car Sunday morning only to find Lil Reese and his friends inside. The man may have attempted to perform a citizen’s arrest, but the confrontation eventually resulted in gunfire from both sides. A graphic video taken shortly after the shootout is now circulating online.
In the footage, Lil Reese is scene laying on his side and losing consciousness as a great deal of blood leaks from his head. A police officer is talking to Reese, likely trying to keep him alert, as he calls on his radio for backup and medical help. The woman filming seems somehow involved in the situation and continues to yell at Reese and his friend along with the Durango owner who is yelling off screen.
Had we not known that Reese is now is stable condition, the video would be even more disturbing. Thankfully, the rapper is reportedly on the mend from injuries that appeared dire. Nobody has been charged in the shooting at this time, but Chicago police say that they are still investigating the incident.
A day after the shooting, reports surfaced online claiming that he is blind in one eye after gunshot crazed him during the shooting. Reese is now calling those reports false.
“I’m good I’m not blind or shit don’t believe what you seeing on internet I don’t even kno where tf they getting all these fake ass stories from,” he said in a statement posted on SnapChat.
Lil Reese survived a near fatal shooting in November of 2019 as well, and fans are surely hoping for another full recovery.
Shenseea explains how her “Yeng Day” inspired one of her biggest songs as she dined with some of her fans.
Shenseea’s fans are getting a day of appreciation for themselves as the artiste has declared May 20 as “Yeng Day.” According to the “Blessed” artiste, the inspiration for the day coincides with the anniversary of her song “ShengYeng Anthem,” which was made for her fans.
“Happy Yeng Day ShengYengs! I love you guys so much. I’m so happy we are celebrating this day. I chose this day to be Yeng Day because this was the date that the official shengyeng anthem was released,” she said.
“I remember I was in Tobago writing this song and mi tell my team I wana do a song for my fans, mi never want to just say big up my fans , mi want when them hear it them feel empowered, them step out, go on bad and believe in who they are. I released, mi promote the song to the fullest in the industry because of how much I believed in it and it came to be the record that solidified my place in the industry.”
Shenseea says that her fans have been giving her much support, so she is giving back extra love as part of Yeng Day. Among the activities for the artiste are her plans to donate to five (5) Gofundme accounts of her fans, taking five fans to dinners, and she’s also contributing to the household bills of five male fans.
She’s also paying the school fees of five children from high school and primary school from across the world. She also asked fans to share their business pages which she will promote. “support fi support,” she said.
Shenseea also shared a clip of herself dining with some ladies on May 20th. “Today has been such a great day My ShenYengz make me so happy dawg! I’m ending the day with dinner with these beauties,” she wrote.
Fans of rapper Bobby Shmurda are voicing their displeasure after the rapper opted to start a new dance craze instead of releasing new music.
The Brooklyn rapper who was locked up for the last 6 years on charges of illegal possession of a firearm was finally released this past February after a Donald Trump pardon.
Many were looking forward to his return to music after his song “Hot N*gga” peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was labeled as the song of the summer in 2014. Sadly, fans have deciphered that Bobby Shmurda is more interested in making another popular dance similar to the Shmoney Dance.
Bobby Shmurda has earned the wrath of his fanbase, which has now taken to social media to ridicule the “Hot N**ga” splitter. This can be observed in the comments section of popular media personality DJ Akademik’s Instagram post. “I’m good on this Bobby happy you home tho,” one fan commented, followed by a laughing face emoji. “He learned this dance in jail,” another fan added, who then followed up the comment with a skull emoji. It is clear that fans are not impressed with Bobby’s current interests and are not fond of the new dance moves Bobby is showing off online.
Additionally, fans are unhappy about his new interracial relationship. “Bobby Shmurda came home with a white woman on his arm,” tweeted one fan. The fan also attached a short video to the tweet of a black man visibly upset, stating he was “embarrassed for his people.” “You tell me Bobby Shmurda finally out and the first thing he looks for is a white woman?!?” Another tweeted.
Clearly, music is not at the top of Bobby Shmurda’s priorities list at the moment. Some fans have concluded that he is just having fun and enjoying himself, making up for lost time with those closest to him.
Konshens continues to make moves, and his audience cannot deny their time love for his recent musical offerings. Still, that has not been enough to stop the dancehall sing-jay from coming under fire for his fashion choices.
The dancehall veteran recently appeared on Audiomack’s “Fine Tuned” to perform singles such as “Bubble,” “Bruk Off Yuh Back,” and his new single “Can’t Stay Sober.” While Konshens performance was expectantly impressive, social media users could not contain their comments on the artiste’s fashion choices. The deejay was rocking full black garments and shades, but more noticeable were his leggings that many commented looked rather feminine.
“A him name Miss World,” one person asked. Another jeered, “Konshens wit the tites.”
One social media user went as far as to accuse the artiste of swinging on the other side. “Why him nuh come clean, if u pierce u nose and wear tights, wah u expect people fi think.”
Notably, Konshens fathered two children, one by his wife of over three years, Latoya Wright, and a daughter from a previous relationship. While the two have been on and off over this period, they are still married and flaunting it on social media. This is not the first time that the “Pay For It” deejay is being criticized for his clothing choice.
Back in 2019, the artiste became a hot topic when he wore a top for a music video shoot that fans found rather outlandish. Konshens was trolled for wearing a “female blouse” that social media users suggested “made him look gay,” and accused him of “drifting.”
Konshens appeared to be unbothered by the criticisms as the artiste then proceeded to release behind-the-scenes footage from another music video shoot.
That year a beef was reignited between the deejay and his old foe I- Octane, who trolled him for wearing a nose ring. Octane also took the opportunity to roast Konshens for wearing a “woman blouse.”
Last year, Konshens was also criticized for wearing a suit with “Jesus Slippers.”
The artiste was seemingly unbothered by all the fashion critics in these instances and is perhaps unbothered by this new development as well.
Safaree and Erica Mena’s home was burglarized and the robbers aren’t hiding.
Love and Hip-Hop reality stars Safaree Samuels and Erica Mena offer 20K for info leading to the arrest of robbers and another 10K for info on woman seen wearing Erica’s stolen chain. The couple is offering $20,000 for information leading to the arrest of the men who broke into their house over the weekend. The couple took to social media today (May 18) to ask for help in apprehending the suspects.
In a post on his Instagram page, Safaree divulged, “My house was broken into over the weekend. Long story short…It was 4 of em armed. I have $20,000. Dm @djjahmarintl serious info only. Your on Candid camera x 10 million.”
Safaree also posted three images of the suspected robbers. In the first image, a man is seen holding up a chain belonging to the couple with a caption that reads, “This a celebrity chain don’t ask how we got it,” written across the image. The second and third images are black and white stills of two men and appear to be from surveillance footage of the Love and Hip-Hop couple’s home.
Erica Mena posted a similar message on her Instagram page as well. She expressed, “Unfortunately over the weekend my house was robbed. There is now a $20,000 cash reward to anyone who can lead us in arresting all those involved. You can remain anonymous please DM me or Safaree.”
In a subsequent post she revealed that a woman was reportedly seen wearing a piece of her jewelry. Mena posted an image of the woman alongside the caption, “So this stripper “ Christy Mahone” is now allegedly wearing my jewelry and has all my purses. She has involvement with one of the robbers, one being @charleefamous. Girl be smart and give up all my belongings. If anyone knows her please contact me. I got a cash reward on her as well. 10,000 in cash to anyone who can lead me to the arrest of this woman as well.”
It seems like the couple’s offer is already paying off as Erica later followed up with a post about one of the alleged robbers on her Instagram story. Alongside a picture of the alleged suspect who she tagged, she wrote, “so we know this is the clown who took part in robbing our home. This $20,000 reward is for the Anonymous person who helps us arrest him and the others involved.”
Erica and Safaree purchased a luxury home in July of last year. At the time, the couple celebrated with pictures of their new abode on their respective Instagram pages. Safaree captioned his post, “Doing what they said we couldn’t,” while Erica wrote, “We found our dream home and closed on it today.”
This is not the first time that Safaree has been robbed. In April 2018, he was held at gunpoint and robbed of his jewelry and other valuables. The reality tv star spoke about being traumatized by the incident several weeks later, so it is no doubt that this incident will leave some lasting effects on the couple, who are also expecting their second child together.
Thankfully, the incident took place without any harm coming to the couple and their family. We’ll keep you updated on any developments in this story.
While Romeich was partying with Diddy in Miami, Shenseea was flaunting her cakes.
Romeich Major stepped his game up significantly and he has Shenseea‘s success to thank for that. Romeich spent last night in Los Angeles rubbing shoulders with hip-hop mogul Diddy. He chronicled the special moment in a post on his Instagram page. The post features a video that shows Romeich standing just behind Diddy in what appears to be a crowded party venue.
His caption on the post reads, “Just to be in the presence of the great @diddy is such an amazing Dream to me because he is one of the musical genius and business icon that I look up to [prayer hand emojis].”
He continues, “I remember couple years ago I was making @shenseea meet so much people now this girl out here letting me meet all these international icons…See what hard work do? Let you live you Dreams #oneteamonedream.”
Romeich is obviously proud of both his and Shenseea’s accomplishments this far and is enjoying the fruits of their labor. In a series of posts on his stories last night, Romeich indicated that he was partying in LA and had to take a covid test prior to entering the venue. He then posted a video of a swab being taken for the test. The producer also shared several clips of LA from the roof of the building where we presume the party was being held.
While Romeich was obviously awed to be in the presence of Diddy, not all his followers were equally impressed, if any at all.
One Instagram account commented on Romeich’s post saying, “Am I the only one not impressed when our Jamaican celebs are star stucked by other celebs??? I think I get the bigger picture but ion like the actual picture.”
Fans were quick to come to Romeich’s defense, arguing that there was nothing wrong with the picture or his celebration of being in the presence of great people.
One fan responded to the earlier fan’s comment saying, “I don’t think it’s star struck in this case. Being recognized or having the opportunity to meet top players in your industry especially on an international level makes you feel good / like you’re climbing and you’ll honestly feel the need to show gratitude and be grateful.”
Shenseea was partying at the same club with Romeich and Diddy although she was not visible in the video. She posted a pic on her Instagram showcasing her cakes and her outfit.
Romeich, who started out as a designer, has expanded his empire to include many business ventures. He recently launched a new clothing line, Major by Romeich. He is also the Manager for several successful dancehall acts, including Shenseea, Teejay, and Ding Dong.
The name Mulatto is officially out of the game, and “Latto” is the new moniker for the Atlanta- bred rapper.
The 22-year-old’s Spotify and Apple Music accounts changed on Tuesday, May 18, from the popular name ‘Mulatto’ to ‘Latto.’ The “He Say She Say” rapper also took to Instagram to make the announcement while teasing a new single to be released on Friday, May 21.
The much-anticipated update on the name change is apparently welcomed by fans and followers who have been awaiting the disclosure of her new name since her title controversy.
Latto was criticized last year for her name “Mulatto” as many people believed that it has a negative connotation for people of mixed race. While Latto said she did not take the name to represent anything negative, she started contemplating officially changing it soon after.
The “Muwop” rapper opened up about the controversy surrounding her name back in January during an interview with Hot Freestyle. She reiterated that it was never her intention to offend anyone.
During the interview, she said, “You know, you might know your intentions, but these are strangers who don’t know you, never even met you in person. So you gotta hear each other out, and if you know those aren’t your intentions and that’s how it’s being perceived, it’s like why not make a change or alter it? For me, it was the name. So now I’m like, ‘OK, my intentions was to never glorify being mulatto.”
She added, “So if that’s how it’s being perceived and people think I’m saying, ‘Oh, I’m better because I’m mulatto’ or ‘My personality trait is mulatto’ … then I need to change the matter at hand.”
Latto, whose real name is Alyssa Michelle Stephens, had her big breakthrough in the Hip Hop industry in 2019 with her hit single, “B*tch from da Souf.” She signed with RCA records soon after and has since continued to make moves.
Friday’s upcoming release will be the first single under her new moniker.
Joe Budden has responded to claims by DJ Olivia Dope that she was sexually harassed by the former rap star.
Olivia Dope is Budden’s former co-host of See, The Thing Is. Yesterday, May 17, Dope issued a statement where she made the accusations. She alleged that Budden made several and continuous sexual remarks to her that made her feel uncomfortable.
Not surprisingly, a little while after the statement was made public, a video began making the rounds on social media, which showed Joe Budden giving Dope a hug during the recording in a somewhat provocative manner as his hips could be seen moving during the embrace.
The Rolling Stone obtained Joey’s official statement responding to Dope’s allegations. He acknowledged his role in making Dope feel uncomfortable and apologized for the incident as well. While he didn’t totally admit to sexual harassment, he said that the episode would be removed to not further escalate Dope’s trauma.
“As a podcaster, it is my job to address topics and create dialogue around them,” Budden said in his statement. “During the conversation on the See, The Thing Is podcast I didn’t handle the topics with the sensitivity they deserved. I recognize my words and power in that situation created an upsetting environment for Olivia. Upon reflection, both the network and I take accountability for this. I apologize sincerely to Olivia, her former co-hosts, our staff, and the public. In an effort to not further any trauma, the episode will be removed from all platforms.”
He added that he and the network support women’s rights to feel comfortable while doing their job and that they should be protected and feel protected in the workplace. Budden also admitted that his podcast fell short of that and pledges to make it right by first start listening.
He ended the statement by saying that it was the network’s intention to “elevate Black women’s voices and create opportunities to have constructive conversations to impact change.”
In his final interview before his death, DMX recalled a time he believes he saw an angel.
In early April, rap music icon DMX suffered a heart attack and died a week later in the hospital. The hip-hop community and world at large has been mourning this major loss ever since, and as the tributes continue to pour in on social media daily, the departed rapper’s final interview is making its television debut.
TV One spoke with DMX three weeks before his death for their Uncensored special event series, and the first of the two-part interview premiered on Sunday (May 16). In the special titled Uncensored Special: DMX The Icon, DMX spoke candidly about a time when he was 4 years old, and a traumatic experience led to him seeing what he believed was an angel.
He recalled visiting a friend of his family in his hometown of Yonkers in New York with his mother and little sister. The rapper says while he was supposed to be watching his younger sibling, he found a dime on the ground and ended up going to the store to buy a ball and a lollipop.
“As soon as I stepped off the curb coming down from the store, a car hit me (and) knocked me way over on the other side of the street up under another car,” DMX recalled. He says that’s when a figure appeared that he likened to a white woman holding a clipboard that told him to stay still. The figure disappeared as soon as emergency responders and X’s mother arrived.
“You’d think that she would’ve stuck around because she saw the whole thing,” he said. “I don’t know, I felt like it was an angel. She got no business being in the ‘hood with a f***ing clipboard.”
DMX has always been a deeply spiritual person who, despite his challenges with mental illness and drug abuse, always believed in his salvation and a higher power. Elsewhere in part one of the interview, the rapper assured that he does not fear death because he doesn’t believe it is the end.
“Whatever you’re going through will be easier to go through because you know on the other end, God is waiting with your boarding pass: ‘C’mon let’s go,’” said DMX. “Don’t let a bad memory stay a bad memory, give it to God.”
The second part of the Ruff Ryder legend’s final interview airs on TV One on Monday (May 17) at 10 p.m.
J. Cole struggles a bit to hold on to his inner child in “Amari” visual as his new album race to the top of the chart.
Riding high on the success of his sixth studio album, The Off-Season, J. Cole has dropped the first visuals for the project. The visuals accompany the song “Amari,” which chronicles Cole’s journey and subsequent rise to success. “Amari” is one of the 12 songs on the album, which is expected to debut at the top of the charts this week.
Notable lyrics throughout the song include lines in which Cole raps about his humble upbringing. He raps, “Country n-gga never seen a passport… Til I popped off and got a bag for it…Now I’m at the Garden sittin’ half court… Watchin’ Jr. catch it off the backboard.” He continues, “Made it out, it gotta mean something.”
The video for Amari opens with J. Cole rapping in front of a Dreamville helicopter. It continues with visuals of the rapper in various locations rapping to the song’s lyrics. At one point, Cole appears to have hands-on his chest, but we don’t immediately get a picture of who the hands belong to. At the end of the video, we realize that the hands belong to a younger J. Cole who is struggling to hang on to him. The video’s concept becomes clearer at the end when the words “Hold On To Your Inner Child” appear on the screen.
The video for Amari is trending on YouTube and has racked up more than 1.3 million views in just 7 hours. Meanwhile, the official audio for the song, which was released last Friday, has amassed over 3.4 million views on the same platform.
J. Cole’s album was highly anticipated and is expected to be the rapper’s sixth straight chart-topping project. Unlike his former projects, “The Off-Season” had several features, including 21 Savage, Cam’ron, and Lil Baby.
“The Off-Season” is already breaking records. The album has had the biggest streaming debut on Spotify so far this year, amassing 59 million streams as of Sunday, May 16. Experts are projecting that it will be in the running for the “overall biggest first week debut” in 2021. That accolade currently belongs to Taylor Swift, who sold 291,000 album-equivalent units. Cole is expected to sell as many as 310,000 album-equivalent units to beat Taylor Swift.
After a long wait for fans, Migos are finally rolling out Culture III. The group announced the release date for the third installment in the Culture sequel through their label Quality Control Music on social media. According to the press release, Culture III will arrive on June 11th.
“Atlanta, GA (May 17 2021) – The following statement was released today by the Migos through their label Quality Control Music…in response to questions about Culture III,” the statement reads. The group is then quoted saying, “June 11th. We’re back.” It’s been over three years since Culture II was released. The album that debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart dropped in 2018 as the follow-up to the hard-hitting opening sequel that was delivered in 2017.
The original album featured Billboard Top 40 hits like “T-Shirt” and, of course, “Bad and Boujee”, which peaked at No. 1 on the Hot 100. The following year, Culture II spawned the unforgettable “Walk It Talk It” with Drake and “MotorSport” with Nicki Minaj and Cardi B – the only track to feature both female rap stars to date.
During their hiatus as a group, the members of Migos released solo singles and albums. Upon their return, we’ve seen them drop off collaborative singles with artists like Young Thug and Travis Scott, NBA YoungBoy, and more. Culture III was delayed due to the pandemic in 2020, and then at the top of the year, a trailer arrived with the official announcement that the album would be released in 2021.
“We [have] been having time to bond with each other and time to spend [apart], because our solo careers been allowing us to do different things,” Quavo said in the video announcement in January. The rapper previously told fans that the third installment would arrive somewhere between February and March. Later he said the album that they recorded last year was finally being mixed this past April.
While it still took a couple of months to materialize, Migos have already kicked off the rollout with the first single, “Straightenin,” which was released on Friday along with an accompanying music video. “Turn a pandemic into a bandemic / You know that’s the shit that we on,” Quavo raps on the track. The group announced the new single with the hashtag #Culture3 to let fans know that the third sequel is imminent.
“The vibe on the album is more of Culture, and that’s all I should really share,” said Quavo in a previous interview with GQ. “We feel good. We feel new and refreshed.”
Are you excited about the release of the long-awaited Culture III?
6ix9ine amps up his trolling of Lil Reese following his near death experience last week.
While Lil Reese is reportedly hospitalized due to gunshot wounds he sustained to the head. His rival Tekashi 6ix9ine is having a field day at his predicament. A video of Lil Reese lying on the ground at a parking garage in Chicago bleeding from a head injury surfaced on social media on Saturday morning, May 15.
According to reports, the Chicago rapper had been involved in a car theft and was shot during a violent incident where the vehicle’s owner confronted him and his crew. Reports are that a bullet grazed the rapper’s eye and he was beaten badly.
While there has not been an official report regarding Lil Reese’s condition, 6ix9ine took to social media to tease the rapper, simultaneously instructing him to die.
The “GOOBA” rapper shared a clip of the aftermath of the incident, using a purple devil emoji to cover up the graphic image of Lil Reese’s injured head.
The two rappers have been beefing for quite some time. They had appeared on Instagram Live some time ago arguing and talking smack to each other. During this incident, Reese flashed what appeared to be a handgun across the screen for Tekashi to see.
This clip from the Live banter was reposted among Tekashi 6ix9ine’s recent series of trolling posts. He captioned the clip, “You mean to tell me you have it on Instagram live but not in REAL LIFE.” The rapper continued with a series of laughing emojis and added, “I can’t breathe right now.”
Of course, Tekashi 6ix9ine did not stop there. He also jeered the rapper by posting a picture of a GoFundMe page that was reportedly started to raise money to assist Lil Reese in buying his own car. He captioned that post, “What happen today it’s not funny let’s all chip in and help him by his own car.”
On his Instagram story, he wrote, “Pray for him. He stole the wrong person car today.”
Additionally, the rainbow rapper went to Reese’s Chicago neighborhood and poured vodka on the street as a sign of disrespect while promoting his “Tattle Tales” album. Today (May 16), the jeering continues. The rapper took to social media hours ago to promote his appearance in Texas on May 22 and 29, but not without using the platform to continue to troll Reese. The person behind the camera asks, “This sh*t not stolen right?” referring to Tekashi’s car. The rapper responded by referring to Reese “leaking from the head” and declared, “I don’t steal cars” before speeding off.
Lil Reese’s condition is still unknown to the public, but reports are that he is expected to survive.
Sean Paul kicks off his #TemperatureChallenge on TikTok as his classic hit went viral.
It’s quite understandable why TikTok challenges have grown in popularity since the arrival of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Social distancing coupled with tight curfews has seemingly resulted in a resurfacing of just about everything, from old songs to dance moves.
It was pretty hard to escape the magic of Sean Paul during the early 2000s. The Jamaica rude boy dominated Billboard charts, infiltrated the Grammys, and stole hearts whenever and wherever his music was played. Undoubtedly, one of his biggest tracks was “Temperature,” which was released in 2005. Fans from all over the world have since rallied to create a brand new #TemperatureChallenge, and Dutty Paul has finally chimed in to show how it’s done, sort of.
“Mek me show u how 2 do dis,” SP captioned a recent post shared on TikTok and Instagram. His hilarious video includes two female dancers who aren’t afraid to buss a move regardless of their surroundings. Sean Paul is somehow always there to check out what is happening, that’s until he gets into the groove towards the end of the video.
The comment section flooded with fire emojis as fans welcomed his version of the challenge to his classic dancehall tune.
The “Temperature challenge” has been around for some time, but there is no set dance to make it an official challenge. The public is speculating that the challenge will, of course, be taken up by fans who will imitate the moves shown in Sean Paul’s version.
“Temperature” reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and was Sean Paul’s third number one hit single. The song made the top 10 in Canada and France and the top 20 in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number 11. It also debuted at number 19 in Australia and rapidly moved to number five in the following weeks. The single, which became Sean Paul’s biggest hit single in the U.S, spent 17 weeks in the top 10.
Nicki Minaj took to Instagram to address rumors that she has been using drugs.
The Trinidadian rapper went Live on Instagram Thursday, May 13, to promote her Beam Me Up Scotty mixtape, which dropped moments after she ended the Live session. Her Barbz showered their queen with love, and she reciprocated with promises of new material, among other things. Nicki Minaj was full of life and optimism as she spoke about what is to come. It turns out that was not the only observation made by fans. Some Instagram users speculated that the rapper was sniffing consistently throughout her Live and concluded that she was on drugs.
The “Anaconda” rapper went Live again earlier today (May 14) to deny the rumors, reiterating that she has never used coke.
“I don’t know if it’s just me, but I wouldn’t be embarrassed about any f**king drugs I did, that’s why I talk about the motherf**kin drugs I do in my motherf**king music. Always have, always f**king will,” She said.
“If I’m off em, I’m off em child, but I want to make this clear so open everybody’s ears, clear your ears out. I have never, ever in my life with my hands on Jesus Christ, and y’all know how I feel about my Lord and savior. Never in my life, ever, not even once sniffed coke. Ever,” She clarified.
The “Moment 4 Life” rapper went on to explain that she was sniffing throughout her Live because of her allergies. She adds that her natural body temperature is lower than the average person, according to her doctor, and this causes her to feel colder than everyone else. In addition, she says she also gets sick very easily, which is why she has always refrained from using drugs like that. She explained that she actually doesn’t judge persons who snort cocaine.
“I have a lot of friends, or acquaintances in the industry who do coke. I don’t judge them for it but I’ve never tried it, never wanted to, never asked them to,” She declared.
The rapper added, “Especially in the fashion world, that’s so common and normal, but yes… That’s the thing, when people used to lie about me I never used to clear my name and there was someone who took a major step and told that lie to people and I never addressed it because I thought it was too ridiculous at the time to address but something just told me to now.”
Soulja Boy steps out with new mystery girlfriend amid a sexual assault lawsuit filed by his ex.
The SODMG rapper is being sued by an alleged ex-girlfriend who claims she suffered a miscarriage after she was badly beaten by the rapper. The lawsuit was filed under the pseudonym Jane Doe, as the woman did not wish to reveal her identity. The anonymous ex-girlfriend is reportedly claiming that she was a victim of domestic violence for years during her relationship with the “Crank That” rapper. What made her cup overflow was the alleged loss of her child in 2015 by the hands of her former lover.
The woman claims that Soulja Boy became violent and irate and began punching her in the face and chest until she could not manage to stand. She explains that after falling to the ground due to the impact of his attack, she curled her body to protect her stomach and the child she was carrying while covering her head with her hands. Soulja allegedly continued his abuse by kicking her all over her body and in her stomach, after which she suffered a miscarriage.
The unnamed woman also made reference to other violent attacks carried out by the rapper. She claims that in 2017, Soulja went into another violent rage because he thought she was leaving him. During that incident, she received blows to her face and her breasts. The incident was so severe that the rapper’s security guard had to step in to put an end to the beatdown.
Another incident in 2018 allegedly occurred while the rapper was filming a reality TV series. She says this incident, which was another conversation that turned violent, was caught on the night vision camera. The incident, which was aired on the WeTV network in early 2019, documents the rapper yelling at her during the attack.
The yearly attacks continued in 2019 when Soulja threatened her life as he “tightly gripped” her neck and choked her. This took place after she refused his efforts to revitalize the relationship following her decision to move out of the home she shared with the rapper. These incidents were amplified by the numerous threats the rapper dished out if there was any refusal to have sex.
The woman is now reportedly suing for assault, gender violence, sexual battery, and more. Soulja Boy, whose real name is DeAndre Cortez Way, has had several legal issues over the years, from firearm possession to violating his probation to assaulting a former assistant. The assistant had claimed that Soulja Boy was repeatedly abusive, which the rapper denied.
If it’s one thing that’s guaranteed with Joe Budden, it’s that he’s not going to hold back, and he’s always going to speak his truth.
The ex-rapper decided to speak directly to the fans of his The Joe Budden Podcast and delivered a 30-minute explanation of why the show imploded earlier today, May 13. It was reported yesterday, May 12, that he fired Rory on the air after some questions were raised about sponsorship and endorsement deals.
As the news spread via social media, it became a dominant topic on Twitter. Mal hasn’t made any statement as yet, but Joe Budden had a lot to say about why the show, as we know it, might be gone for good.
“I’m not skirting around my career successes because these two gentlemen may see it another way,” Joe Budden began. “That can’t continue to happen. The way that I go about conducting business cannot be affected by people that cannot affect it. That’s what’s been going on since the second year of the Spotify deal,” he shared.
He also took the time out to address the accusations that he had been somehow stealing from his co-hosts. In the snippet of conversation that was played yesterday, it seems the trio’s real argument was over money.
“There’s been a lot of nasty accusations of thievery and questions about shit from n-ggas who can’t question me about shit and I can’t say that because we’re friends. If you don’t seal it up, it can come back to bite you again. These n-ggas been beefing about accounting for three years. Nothing you say matters in the accounting,” he continued.
Even though fans knew there was some tension between the team after Rory and Mal went on strike in March, Budden admitted that the issues ran deeper than what was made public knowledge. He said it was only a matter of time before he knew that things would boil over.
“I believe at the time of the implosion, these gentlemen didn’t have any idea what was in their contract. I believe they didn’t read it. I think they negotiated it, but do I think they were all the way aware of what the contract said? No. Do I think in their accounting mission, did they find out what the contract said? Yes.”
Joe Budden added that even though he, Rory and Mal, were good friends, he did not believe that it gave them the right to know about all the financial details and bookkeeping. He said this was because he had a duty to protect the podcast and network, which at the end of the day is his multi-million dollar venture.
“I got too much going on for these two brothers come and tell me how this thing is supposed to run and all of the accounting that people provided was fraudulent,” Budden said. “Bitch, where did the check come from that you cashed?” he questioned.
He added that he believed that they felt there was a lot more money in the Spotify deal than what he told them. He also chose to clear the air on that.
“I think they think the Spotify deal was worth a lot more than whatever I reported. They might think I’m pulling something else funny with a deal from somewhere else and I made tens of millions of dollars and reported it as one million and pocketed the money,” he added.
He also confirmed that the show is not over as he intends to carry on The Joe Budden Podcast, most likely by himself or with guest speakers like he did when the rest of the team went on strike. He added that he also wanted to speak with Mal alone, but he hadn’t returned any of his numerous phone calls and texts. He also has no problem having a conversation with Rory if it comes down to that. It looks like we’ll just have to wait and see what happens with the team from this point.
Rory also broke his silence on his firing from the podcast and is rumored to be seeking legal advice. “Mannn .. what an era .. thank you to everyone that listened, supported, told their friends about us, bought a subscription, ticket, or merch .. any value starts & ends with y’all .. I’ll get to that messy shit soon but in the meantime I’m here to celebrate an amazing run!! Love,” he tweeted.
Mannn .. what an era .. thank you to everyone that listened, supported, told their friends about us, bought a subscription, ticket, or merch .. any value starts & ends with y’all .. I’ll get to that messy shit soon but in the meantime I’m here to celebrate an amazing run!! Love.
Destiny Paris James, who first appeared in Drake’s “God’s Plan” video, is graduating as she shares the joyous occasion of completing her Master’s degree journey with the financial help of the Canadian rapper.
On Wednesday, she shared photos of herself in a white dress complete with a sash draped around her neck and her cap in her hands as she looked off in the distance. James appeared in the 2018 video, which showed Drake surprising her and also further surprising her with a cheque of $50,000 to help her complete her education.
The South Carolina woman is graduating from the University of North Carolina’s Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health with a Master’s Degree in Public Health Behaviour.
At the time of her donation, she was still pursuing undergraduate education at the University of Miami. The donation by Drake covered parts of her undergraduate studies and her Master’s studies.
The now-23-year-old graduated in 2019 with her bachelor’s degree in public health and went on to pursue studies at UNC. She shared that the donation by Drake has helped her to achieve her lifelong goal of being certified in public health.
“Public Health has been a passion of mine since 2016 when my dad passed from stage 4 lung cancer,” she said in an interview to the Shade Room. “Obtaining this degree is something I will always be proud of! The obstacles I was able to overcome fueled my fire and I am so proud to say I am now a graduate of the #1 ranked public school for public health in the country.”
In a post shared on her social media announcing her graduation, she said, “Mama, I mastered it. Daddy, I did it,” in tribute to her father who died of cancer just as she completed her freshman year in Miami. “4 days until I am officially UNC Alum.”
Drake shared his pride at the announcement, responding via a comment – “LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DES,” he wrote, to which Destiny responded, “@champagnepapi [two blue heart emojis] THANK YOUUUU!!”
In a separate interview, James said she never applied for the scholarship from Drake. However, she was at the time applying for financial aid as an undergrad student. Her motivational essay eventually made the rounds to other departments, which explains why it probably reached Drake’s camp. She was eventually invited by the assistant vice president of university advancement to be featured in a video aimed at motivating the school’s alumni. Her reaction of surprise in “God’s Plan” was genuine as she had no idea what the video was about or who would be there, she said in a student newspaper interview.
“This was the surprise the whole time,” Destiny wrote in her 2018 Instagram post, which included photos of herself and the rapper after the video shoot. “Drake told me that he has read great things about me and appreciates how hard I’ve worked through so many trials and decided to give me $50K for my tuition. @champagnepapi THANK YOU SO MUCH!!’ You don’t understand what this means to me! I would’ve never imagined this happening to me. I’m just a girl from Denmark, SC that wants to MAKE IT and be somebody and for you to see my hard work means the world.”
DJ Khaled catches some heat again from the Muslim community.
A recent promotional video for one of the songs from DJ Khaled‘s 12th studio album, Khaled Khaled, has plunged him into hot water with the Muslim community. The producer’s integrity and morals are being called into question following the posting of a raunchy video of skimpily-clad women twerking on a yacht.
The video on Khaled’s Instagram was captioned, “Getting a lot calls and the fans asking where the #BODYANDMOTION video at , @josephkahn send me the video get to @samlecca . I’m thinking to let go SOON , it’s on @josephkahn thoe send that ! #KHALEDKHALED #1 album in the country! LETS GO ! Oh yeah #IDIDIT VIDEO ALMOST DONE AS WELL !!!!”
The video itself, which is reportedly from the video shoot of the song “Body In Motion,” was not the problem, but Muslim followers were quick to point out that the video was inappropriate to be posted on the last day of Ramadan. Ramadan is a holy month celebrated by followers of Islam. It’s intended to be a period of reflection, fasting, prayer, and connection with the community.
During Ramadan, Muslims are expected to dress modestly. DJ Khaled, as a practicing Muslim, is expected to follow these guidelines. This explains why the posting of the video angered many of his religious fans.
The aggrieved fans took to the comment section of the post to vent their anger. One upset user wrote, “It’s Ramadan my friend think you forgot,” while another said, “You’re not following your religion very well.”
Some users were also upset that Khaled hadn’t addressed the conflict between Israel and Palestine in a more definitive way. One female user called out the Palestinian descendant (his parents were first-generation immigrants), saying, “You do realize your country Palestine is literally being destroyed by Zionist and you’re on here posting videos of women shaking their assets on the last day of the holy month of Ramadan?”
Earlier that day, Khaled had addressed the situation, posting on his Instagram, “Sending love and light and prayers to my Palestinian brothers & sisters and Everyone around the world,” he wrote. “IM PRAYING FOR PEACE AND LOVE TO THE WORLD , PEACE AND LOVE TO EVERYONE!”
The post was not welcomed by all fans as many thought he was playing it safe and simply patronizing fans. Several users suggested they would be unfollowing the producer because of what they deemed an unsatisfactory response to the attacks on innocent people.
As of midday (May 13), DJ Khaled has not responded to the negative comments and the call for action from his fellow Muslim brothers and sisters. He continues to promote his album and the accompanying music videos. His most recent post on Instagram speaks of his latest accomplishment, his new album Khaled Khaled charting number one on Billboard.
J. Cole kicked off his return to music with a fire freestyle but it didn’t come without controversy.
The Carolina native may have been missing from the scene for a bit, but he clearly didn’t take any time off. J. Cole is the type of rapper who probably writes bars in his sleep, so it was no surprise when he dropped by The LA Leakers to deliver a couple of flawless freestyles over some throwback tracks.
When presented with the instrumentals for Souls of Mischief’s “93 Til Infinity”, Cole didn’t hesitate to pour out his honey smooth flow, quickly getting to the real point—explaining that he knows he’s the best, even if he doesn’t always get the accolades he deserves.
“This is chess better check your board/Who gave the world more fire but got less reward?” he rhymes. “No stress, my only guess is that less is more/More or less, hundred G’s in my dresser drawer.”
He goes on to reference his lavish lifestyle and womanizing tendencies, not untypical of many rap lyrics. However, what is untypical is Cole’s highly elevated wordplay and use of clever callbacks and complicated rhyme schemes.
“Walking contradiction, my description,” he spits, accurately pointing out his ability to be both stereotypical and entirely unique at the same time.
J. Cole goes on to deliver another freestyle that shows off his fast-rapping skills. Although he isn’t necessarily known as one of the quickest spitting rappers in the game, he definitely has flows in his arsenal that would get many other rappers tongue-tied. Rapping over the slow southern beat for Mike Jones’ “Still Tippin”, J. Cole expertly juxtaposes the track’s drawl with a rapid-fire verse that addresses the many ways in which he sets himself apart from other popular rappers, as well as his gratitude for how far he’s come.
For good measure, Cole also throws in a Bill Cosby reference that manages to be cringeworthy and genius at the same time.
Luckily for J. Cole fans, the rapper has much more to offer following these freestyles. His sixth studio album, The Off Season, drops Friday, May 14th.
