Irving, TX was on fire last night. Fans got an exciting sneak peek at the Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory on Tuesday (November 12), where boxing’s biggest personalities gathered for open workouts in anticipation of a mega fight.
The event featured all fighters from the main and preliminary cards, including undisputed super lightweight champ Katie Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs) and unified featherweight champ Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (47-2-1, 31 KOs). The stage is set for an epic women’s boxing rematch, perhaps the biggest ever.
Other fighters in the spotlight included Mario Barrios, Abel Ramos, Neeraj Goyat, Whindersson Nunes, Shadasia Green, Lucas Bahdi, and Shu Shu Carrington Jr.
Amir Tyson, former MMA champ Tyron Woodley, and YouTube boxing guru Wade Plemons hosted the event.
Thursday, November 14: Fans can catch the Paul vs. Tyson Public Weigh-Ins at 7:00 pm ET / 4:00 pm PT, also streaming on MVP’s and Netflix’s channels and platforms.
The highly anticipated Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight streams exclusively on Netflix on Friday, November 15, at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT, live from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The co-main event will showcase Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano in a historic rematch for women’s boxing.
Subscribers worldwide can watch Paul vs. Tyson live on Netflix, with commentary in English, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, French, and German—at no additional cost. This fight is set to deliver big punches and even bigger thrills, as fans around the globe tune in for an unforgettable night in boxing.
A Tennessee woman previously identified as Jane Doe disclosed her name in a sexual assault lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs. According to court documents obtained by AllHipHop, the alleged victim’s name is Candice McCrary.
Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil refused to allow McCrary to sue Diddy anonymously. McCrary refiled her lawsuit under her name on Tuesday (November 12).
McCrary accused Diddy of raping her after inviting her and a friend to an “exclusive party” at his hotel in 2004. The alleged victim was 19 years old at the time.
“Upon arriving at the hotel suite, Ms. McCrary noticed that there were a dozen people there having drinks and listening to music in a relaxed party environment,” her lawyers wrote. “While attempting to mingle around the party, Ms. McCrary and her friend were suddenly grabbed and taken to a separate room off from the main party. Ms. McCrary believed the man taking them to be a security guard, so she went with him. But when she asked him where they were going, he simply told her ‘You know what you are here for.’”
McCrary and her friend were allegedly left in a bedroom with Diddy. The lawsuit claimed Diddy ordered McCrary’s friend to perform oral sex on him or else he’d have both women killed. McCrary’s friend complied before he targeted the plaintiff.
“Combs soon turned his sights to Ms. McCrary and forced her to take her clothes off, again under the threat of violence,” her lawyers wrote. “Once she was undressed, Combs forced himself on her and began to sexually assault her. Combs fondled, molested and ultimately raped Ms. McCrary, all while she was begging him to stop. Soon, and likely due to Ms. McCrary’s cries, the door opened and the security guard from earlier came in to ask if everything was alright. Ms. McCrary’s friend took the opportunity to rush out of the recently locked door. Ms. McCrary however, could not move as Mr. Combs was still on top of her. Combs got off of Ms. McCrary to talk to the security guard, he left the room but told Ms. McCrary to stay otherwise she would be killed.”
McCrary sued Diddy for violating New York City’s Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act. She is one of the numerous people who’ve filed lawsuits against Diddy over the past year.
The Hip-Hop mogul remains in jail on sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution charges. His criminal trial is scheduled for May 2025.
A judge gave Sean “Diddy” Combs a sliver of hope as he desperately tries to get released from jail before his criminal trial begins in 2025. According to court documents obtained by AllHipHop, Judge Arun Subramanian scheduled a hearing for Diddy’s motion for bond for November 22.
Judge Subramanian ordered prosecutors to respond to Diddy’s motion by Friday (November 15). The disgraced Hip-Hop mogul’s reply is due on November 20.
Diddy’s lawyers filed a renewed motion for bond on November 8. They proposed a “far more robust” bail package and claimed new evidence undermined the prosecution’s arguments for keeping Diddy in custody.
“The evidence makes clear that the government’s case is thin,” Diddy’s attorneys contended. “It confirms the defense’s initial description of the events depicted in the March 2016 video recording [was incorrect]: The video is not evidence of a coerced ‘freak off’ but rather a minutes-long glimpse into a complex but decade-long consensual relationship between Mr. Combs and Victim-1 [believed to be Cassie].
“Additionally, the new evidence refutes the government’s proffer at the initial hearing regarding a potential second alleged victim. And the new evidence confirms that the government’s obstruction and witness tampering allegations at the initial bail hearings lacked a factual basis.”
Diddy’s legal team also claimed his confinement conditions infringed his rights to participate in his defense.
“Given the government’s amended estimate of the amount of discovery in this case—and its unique format including voluminous video and photographic evidence—Mr. Combs’ release on the proposed conditions is necessary so that he can review the discovery and prepare for trial,” his lawyers wrote. “Despite the MDC’s best efforts to facilitate the defense team’s needs, the current arrangement makes trial preparation impossible—as evidenced by the recent multiagency sweep of the facility and resulting lockdown. The Bail Reform Act and the Constitution demand more.”
Diddy has remained in jail since his September 2024 arrest on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution. His trial is scheduled for May 2025.
Mac Miller’s long-anticipated studio album Balloonerism will finally see the light of day. According to an Instagram post from the artist’s estate, the album— which was teased at Tyler, the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival on November 16—the project will arrive on January 17, 2025.
Accompanying the announcement is a first look at the album’s companion film, directed by Samuel Mason, offering fans a glimpse into the creative vision behind the project.
The release marks the culmination of a long-standing wish connected to the late artist, who died from an accidental drug overdose on September 7, 2018.
“Many of Malcolm’s fans are aware of Balloonerism, a full-length album that Malcolm created around the time of the release of Faces in 2014,” his family said in a statement. “It is a project that was of great importance to Malcolm — to the extent that he commissioned artwork for it and discussions concerning when it should be released were had regularly, though ultimately GO:OD AM and subsequent albums ended up taking precedence.”
The estate shared that the decision to unveil Balloonerism was deeply rooted in honoring Mac Miller’s artistic integrity.
“We believe the project showcases both the breadth of his musical talents and fearlessness as an artist,” the family added. “Given that unofficial versions of the album have circulated online for years and that releasing Balloonerism was something that Malcolm frequently expressed being important to him, we felt it most appropriate to present an official version of the project to the world. With that in mind, we’re happy to announce that Balloonerism will be released on January 17, 2025.”
The album stems from a particularly prolific era of Mac Miller’s career, one that also produced fan-favorite projects like Watching Movies with the Sound Off, Delusional Thomas and Faces.
Known for his genre-defying experimentation, the release promises to mirror the fearless creativity that defined this critical phase of his artistry.
The upcoming project will be sold in a variety of physical formats, including CD, cassette and vinyl. Fans can choose from two distinctive vinyl editions offered exclusively through balloonerism.com.
These include a one-time deluxe pressing featuring a rainbow foil-wrapped slipcase, white splatter cloud vinyl and a 32-page color booklet. A second limited pressing will feature a clear vinyl design.
50 Cent is cutting Dame Dash some slack after months of relentless trolling amid a years-long rivalry.
In an unexpected turn of events, on Thursday morning (November 21), the G-Unit boss showed Dame some love, and his compassionate side, calling on his followers to support the former Roc-A-Fella mogul’s latest venture.
50 Cent took to Instagram with a video of Dame Dash encouraging a fan to check out his America Nu Network and “give it a shot.”
“See where all the money is, see why I’m broke,” Dame says in the clip.
Although he sent a jab at Dame Dash, saying he “[runs] his mouth [too] much,” 50 Cent urged, “but check out America NU.”
He added, “I don’t like the s### he said but I don’t care to see him fvcked up !”
Dame previously challenged 50 Cent to a CEO-level battle in response to the rapper calling him broke.
“Somebody definitely sent me that cute s##t 50 said about me not having no money,” he began. “I feel like now me and 50 should have a battle, and no gangster s##t. I’m 53 years old. That would be whack and corny for the culture.”
Instead, Dame Dash proposed he and 50 Cent compete in a battle of business acumen.
“He’s in the television network business now,” Dame continued. “So if I was a rapper, I would be like, alright, I’m going to make a diss record, you make a diss record. Now let’s not do that. Let’s do CEO War, right?”
Meanwhile, his recent comments aren’t the only time Dame Dash claimed he is broke. Back in August, Dame said, “investing in my dreams” led to his financial woes.
“Somebody asked me how I got so broke. Investing in my dreams,” Dame explained. “You know, when you’re investing in your dreams and you dream big, you’re always gonna be broke…or have a lot of s###. But I don’t have no money for nobody else. That’s what you call broke. But that’s what it is.”
Boosie Badazz is yet to welcome baby number nine, but the Baton Rouge rapper is intent on having his tenth child as soon as possible and plans on getting down to business days after his fiancée gives birth.
The rapper recently announced his fiancée, Rajel Nelson, is pregnant with his ninth child. The couple are expecting a little girl, but Boosie had set his heart on another son and wants to start trying for a boy without delay.
“Yeah, I wanted a boy,” he admitted during a recent Instagram Live. “I ain’t tripping I’ma to put another one in her right after that. Other people wait six weeks, I don’t wait six days. I ain’t waiting six days. I’m gone get that boy.”
Boosie doubled down, saying, “I’m going right back in there. I’m finna load her up.”
When a fan said Boosie was “trying to stop [Nelson’s] motion,” he agreed. “Yup,” he added. “Sit your ass down.”
Speaking directly to his fiancée, Boosie joked, “You doing too much. Sit your ass down. Cook, clean and wash dishes and fold up clothes and enjoy this s###. I got this. Ya heard me. Yeah, sit your ass down and breed.”
While Boosie seemingly wants his fiancée to become a full-time baby-maker, fans previously accused of her trying to trap Boosie with a child, branding her a golddigger.
“I get up and make my coins just like everybody else,” she asserted earlier this month. “Now if you living off your n####, that’s your business but don’t try to pin my life to yours. Now clock that tea.”
While Boosie wants to extend his growing family even further, his relationship with his daughter, Poison Ivi, is far from rosy. The 22-year-old rising rapper recently broke down while calling out her father’s hypocrisy over his remarks about her sexuality.
Drake and French Montana were said to be at odds earlier this year with rumors the former collaborators had fallen out over an alleged cease and desist letter.
Rick Ross was one of multiple rappers waging at Drake earlier this year. In addition to trolling him incessantly, Rozay fired at the OVO founder in his “Champagne Moments” diss while dragging French into the feud.
He accused Drake of sending French Montana a cease and desist letter over an unreleased collab. While neither French nor Drizzy addressed the allegations directly, the rumors of bad blood persisted.
However, Drake’s latest Instagram Story post set tongues wagging, with many on social media claiming the Toronto superstar is extending an olive branch to French Montana.
On Wednesday night (November 20), Drake shared French’s post promoting his newly released documentary For Khadija.
Drake fans shared the post online, with some taking it as a sign the beef is squashed and others asking Rick Ross for his updated thoughts.
While Drake seemingly showing love to French Montana could imply they’re good, the real reason he shared the post is likely far simpler. Drake served as executive producer for the project.
French revealed Drake’s role in the project last April ahead of the premiere at the Tribeca Festival.
“For Khadija. That’s for my mother,” he explained. “You know she came out here and sacrificed for us. My father had left and she stayed, and she helped me become who I became, so I dedicated it to her. Drake is executive producing it.”
Metro Boomin played a significant part in kicking off the Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef with his song with Future and Kendrick Lamar, “Like That,” from the We Don’t Trust You album.
During an upcoming interview with GQ Magazine, the producer addressed rumors about the root of his conflict with the OVO founder and admitted he regretted stepping out of character.
“Me and [Drake], we had a personal issue, and for the record, not over no girl or nothing silly like that,” Metro explained. “It was a personal issue that really hurt me and disappointed me.
He explained that they just “fell out over something,” but their fame meant it became headline news.
“It’s just regular s###,” Metro added. “This just happens to have an audience.”
Nonetheless, Metro admitted he regrets taking their feud to social media, calling him out on Twitter.
“Now I did have my moment online, which I do regret,” he confessed. “I should have been stronger than that. That was out of character for me. But at a certain point, it’s like, I don’t rap, bro, so you’re going to just s### on me on all of these songs.”
He added, “I’m not going to get in the booth, so I’m finna tweet at you.”
While he didn’t get in the booth, Metro Boomin fired back with the viral “BBL Drizzy” instrumental. However, he adamantly denied the theory that he joined forces with Drake’s rivals solely for taking Drake down on the albums We Don’t Trust You and We Still Don’t Trust You with Future.
“People really think we sat for two years, making two albums [to be] like, Yo, f### this dude. What kind of s### is that?” he asked. “You really think we are going to spend that much time, effort, resources on just trying to get at somebody on an album? Blowing budgets on two albums—going over budget? That’s some serious hate. Neither one of us rock like that.”
Meanwhile, Future also addressed Drake in the GQ interview, downplaying any notion of “beef.”
Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett continues to shake things up on the floor of the House of Representatives, delivering a “vocabulary lesson” to the so-called oppressed white men of America.
On Wednesday (November 20), the Texas Democrat unleashed during a discussion on the GOP-sponsored anti-DEI bill, arguing that those who back the bill intend to remove Black history from school curriculums to spread the myth of white oppression.
“Let me tell you that the reason that my colleagues wanted to make sure you understood the same Black history that your side of the aisle wants to delete out of classrooms is because you can then misuse words like ‘oppression.’ There has been no oppression for the white man in this country,” Crockett argued.
“There has been no oppression for the white man in this country,” she continued. “You tell me which white men were dragged out of their homes. You tell me which one of them was dragged across an ocean and told they were going to work, have their wives stolen, and have their wives raped. That didn’t happen. That is oppression.”
Jasmine Crockett Questions: “What Does A Group Of Privileged White Male Politicians Know About Oppression?”
Sharing a clip on her Instagram feed, Crockett wrote, “Republicans are trying to advance a bill that would fire all workers that work in offices related to diversity, equity, and inclusion,” because they believe “diversity oppresses white men.”
Jasmine Crockett’s remarks followed Donald Trump’s plans to crack down on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. These include fining schools and using the funds to pay restitution for “victims” of DEI policies.
A campaign trail video of Trump laying out his plans in July recently resurfaced online, sparking furious debate.
“While academics have been obsessed with indoctrinating America’s youth, the time has come to reclaim our once-great educational institutions from the radical left, and we will do that,” he stated in part. “Our secret weapon will be the college accreditation system.”
Trump announces reparations for white people. He says he will ask the Justice Department to penalize colleges that consider diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and fine them so he can pay “restitution” to white people who he considers the real victims of racial discrimination. pic.twitter.com/69sFbAz3rF
Redman has cashed a lot of checks in his more than three decades in the rap game, but his biggest payday came from a song with pop superstar Christina Aguilera.
The New Jersey native teamed up with the singer on the lead single for her fourth studio album, Stripped, released in 2022. Over twenty years later, the song is still Redman’s most lucrative collab.
“Christina is like one of my favorite collabs,” he revealed during an interview with Red Bull Music.
Redman explained that Christina Aguilera liked his 2021 song, “Let’s Get Dirty,” featuring DJ Kool, who made a R&B pop version of the track. The resulting single “Dirrty” went on to go platinum and took the rapper around the world.
“So I got on the record and after that, that s### took off,” he recalled. “We was everywhere bro. She brought me on tour, we was overseas.”
Stripped established the alter ego “Xtina” and saw the singer shed her teen pop princess image to reveal her real and raw authentic persona. The album sold over 12 million copies worldwide and earned Christina Aguilera multiple Grammy Award nominations, including Best Pop Collaboration with Redman.
“I got to actually see how a pop artist shake and move through this industry,” Redman shared. “It’s another level than Hip-Hop.”
In addition to broadening his horizons, the collab made a major impact on his finances.
“My publishing check,” Redman exclaimed. “Oh my God! I couldn’t believe I got that much money for one verse. It was over like $250k my first check.”
Meanwhile, Redman is still proving he’s a lyrical force to be reckoned with. He recently joined forces with Method Man and Raekwon for the latest edition of Red Bull’s Spiral one-take Hip-Hop cypher.
Billy Ray Cyrus was stunned that Beyoncé failed to garner a single nomination at the CMA Awards despite breaking records with her chart-topping album.
On Wednesday (November 20), the veteran country singer, whose daughter Miley Cyrus collaborated with Beyoncé on “II Most Wanted,” shared his thoughts on the nominees just hours before the ceremony. While the snub made headlines when the nominations were announced in September, Billy Ray Cyrus brought Beyoncé’s COWBOY CARTER album back to the forefront.
Before getting to the Beyoncé snub, Billy Ray Cyrus seemingly shaded the CMA for not broadcasting his 2019 win with Lil Nas X.
“Congratulations to ALL @cma nominees! I’m so happy and proud to see country music opening their doors and format to be inclusive to all people, all styles,” he began. “@lilnasx and I won this award in 2019 for Event Of The Year… but you wouldn’t have seen it because they didn’t air it in the show.”
Billy Ray Cyrus then turned to Beyoncé. “I was surprised to see @beyonce wasn’t nominated???” he added. “Her album was brilliant… her single ruled. But she knows that. She doesn’t need a trophy from the CMA… or permission …. or approval from any of their judges.”
He concluded with a Muhammad Ali quote, noting, “When ya knock em out…. Ya don’t need no judge.”
Beyoncé made history with “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM,” one of the biggest country music hits of the year. She topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for 10 consecutive weeks, marking the second longest-running No. 1 hit of 2024 and becoming the first Black woman ever to do so.
COWBOY CARTER was equally impactful, leading Billboard’s country album chart for four weeks, another first for a Black woman.
Beyoncé’s Father Weighs In On CMA Awards Snub
Beyonce’s father, Mathew Knowles, believes the CMA Awards snub stemmed from the controversy following Beyoncé’s performance with The Chicks at the 2016 award show.
“There’s more white people in America and unfortunately they don’t vote based on ability and achievements,” Knowles said. “It’s still sometimes a white and Black thing.”
Beyoncé revealed that the intense backlash from the 2016 CMA Awards appearance served as the inspiration for COWBOY CARTER.
“It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed,” Beyonce said while announcing the album in March. “It was very clear that I wasn’t. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive.”
Future is shedding light on his stance on the epic battle between Drake and Kendrick Lamar and his frustrations over K. Dot’s “big three” line on “Like That.”
During a new GQ Magazine interview with Pluto and Metro Boomin, Future downplayed the notion of a Drake and K. Dot “beef,” implying any friction was simply competition between peers and not based on any real issues.
“There was a beef?” he asked, adding, “I didn’t even know there was a beef. I didn’t even know they had nothing going on. I ain’t never participated in rap battles, man.”
However, Future questioned why nobody considered that he might feel slighted that Kendrick Lamar excluded him from the “big three” discussion on his own song, despite Dot calling out Drake and J. Cole.
“I’m supposed to be the one who gets mad; I’m still confused about that,” he shared. “Nobody cares what I think. That’s what was so f##### up about the s###. To the point where I’m so player that I ain’t even said anything to the public about how I feel about it. Like, why is everybody mad when he was talking about me on my song? So y’all just forgot about me, I ain’t part of this Big Three, I’m nobody on my song, man.”
Nonetheless, Future believes his reaction should have set the tone for his peers.
“If I didn’t get mad, nobody should have gotten mad. If I would have been really mad about it and I made something out of it, then someone else could be like, ‘Oh, I can make something else about it.'”
Nicki Minaj apparently isn’t nearly as amused by Keke Palmer’s impression of her as Jimmy Fallon was. Following the Nope actress’ latest appearance on The Tonight Show, Minaj has seemingly made it known that she doesn’t want to see anyone, especially Palmer, attempt to mimic her likeness or share info about their shared dealings with her.
In a tweet, the Queen rapper shared on Wednesday (November 20), she appeared to react to Palmer’s endearing rendition of their meeting at the Met Gala by threatening to levy a cease and desist against her.
For context, Palmer shared a brief story with Fallon regarding how she and Minaj connected after the New York rapper had expressed her support for her pregnancy in a DM exchange that led to her prominent maternity photos.
“So we’re at the Met Gala, and I was with Marc Jacobs—and he was talking with Charlie Jacobs and Nicki Minaj over to the corner,” Palmer told Fallon. “I know Nicki, because on DM she connected me to [photographer] David LaChapelle for my baby shower photos. So I wanted to tell her in person, thank you, you know? And so I walk over there and she’s in the middle of talking to them, she’s like… ‘You, I need to talk to you, hold on.'”
Palmer morphed into a real-time caricature of Minaj by mimicking her voice and nuances.
“And I’m like, I done did something,” Palmer recalled. “Nicki about to cuss me out at the Met Gala, and I was like, ‘OK, I’m gonna sit here and wait and see what she had to say.’ Then she’s like, ‘Look, I don’t read the press. I don’t know everything that’s going on, but I just want to tell you, nobody knows what it’s like when we turn off the lights and we gotta be with ourselves. So you do whatever you need to do to be good with you.'”
While the story and impression painted Nicki Minaj in positive light, she seemingly took it as a breach of privacy.
“Oh, what a KI…KI…,” Nicki Minaj wrote in her quoted reply to the video on Twitter. “Ummmm…why would she even tell that story? doesn’t she know that could mess up the whole ‘bad guy’ thing? Let’s see if she still laughin’ when she get hit w/that cease & desist chi -the bad guy Chun-Ki…ki…”
Oh, what a KI…KI…
Ummmm…why would she even tell that story? doesn’t she know that could mess up the whole “bad guy” thing? Let’s see if she still laughin when she get hit w/that cease & desist chi 👩🏽💻
Though Nicki Minaj’s sense of humor could be misunderstood here, whether there’s any smoke between Palmer and the First Lady of Young Money has yet to be determined. Elsewhere in the interview, Palmer spoke about the sisterhood she built with SZA through only 20 days of filming for their upcoming film, One Of Them Days.
Lil Baby has shared an inside look at his recent higher education experience after attending Harvard Business School.
The Atlanta rapper gives fans an exclusive behind-the-scenes peak of his studious endeavors at the prestigious Ivy league university in newly surfaced video circulating on social media.
Lil Baby appears to have been attending a course to help provide him with professional insight on managing a corporation in which he appears to be business as Glass Window Entertainment LLC. The nearly two-minute long video concludes with Lil Baby arriving at his Atlanta home after his coursework only to be greeted by his family and an impromptu surprise party in celebration of his graduation.
While it’s unclear exactly when Lil Baby graduated, or what discipline he specialized in to get his degree, it appears to be an accomplishment he’s extremely proud of — judging by the vlog. It appears the “We Paid” rapper’s fellow Can’t Be F###ed With collective member Veeze initially made mention of his collaborator’s experience at Harvard Business School nearly eight months ago in March when he shared a photo of Lil Baby’s graduating class on his Instagram Story.
“My twin really went back to get his degree at Harvard so proud of my brother,” Veeze wrote in the story before nodding to Lil Baby adding, “Can y’all find Wham in this picture picture?”
Though the specifics of Lil Baby’s tenure at Harvard remain somewhat under wraps, our educated guess leads us to believe he followed in the footsteps of the school’s superstar artist alumni before him, such as Ciara. In 2019 the Texas-born R&B vocalist completed a four day course at Harvard Business School after launching her Beauty Marks label and delivering her seventh studio album. Her classmates included NBA players Julius Randle and Kevin Love, in addition to a host of other notable actors and celebrities alike.
Watch the video in the post above to see Lil Baby’s grad party celebration.
Keke Palmer anticipated drama when she approached Nicki Minaj at this year’s Met Gala but was instead met with a moment of unexpected wisdom from the Hip-Hop star.
The 31-year-old actress and singer, currently on a book tour for her memoir Master of Me: The Secret to Controlling Your Narrative, shared the story during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Palmer explained she was at the star-studded event rubbing shoulders with designers Marc Jacobs and Charlie Jacobs when she spotted Nicki Minaj in conversation.
Having connected with Minaj previously through direct messages, Palmer wanted to thank the rap icon personally for her help with a significant moment in her personal life.
“I know Nicki because on DM (direct message) she connected me to (photographer) David LaChapelle for my baby shower photos. So I wanted to tell her in person, thank you,” Keke Palmer explained, emphasizing her gratitude.
However, as she approached, Nicki Minaj caught sight of her, leading the former Disney star to expect a confrontation.
“She said, ‘You, I need to talk to you. Hold on,’” Palmer recalled, imitating the rapper’s distinct accent.
Palmer admitted that her mind instantly jumped to worst-case scenarios.
She recalled thinking, “I done did something! Nicki about to cuss me out at the Met Gala,” Keke continued.
Instead, Nicki Minaj surprised Palmer with a thoughtful piece of advice.
In her best impression of the rapper, Palmer relayed Minaj’s message:
“Look, I don’t read the press. I don’t know everything that’s goin’ on,” Palmer said in her Nicki voice. “But I just wanna tell you, nobody knows what it’s like when we turn off the lights and we gotta be with ourselves. So you do whatever you need to do to be good witchu.”
Visibly taken aback by the unexpected kindness, Keke Palmer told Fallon she was grateful for Minaj’s words: “I was not expecting that,” she said with a smile.
Jay-Z’s social justice organization, Team Roc, has filed a lawsuit seeking the release of police misconduct records, accusing Kansas City, Kansas, of blocking access to key documents
Team Roc believes the documents could expose decades of abuse by members of the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department (KCKPD).
The lawsuit, filed in partnership with the Midwest Innocence Project, claims the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and KCKPD have failed to comply with the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA), which mandates the production of public records.
The legal filing in Wyandotte County District Court centers on repeated requests for documents originally submitted in November 2023, including reports related to accusations against KCKPD officers dating back to 2013.
Particularly, the lawsuit seeks records tied to former KCKPD officers and investigative divisions, including former Police Chief Terry Ziegler, along with federal investigations by the FBI and Kansas Bureau of Investigation.
Team Roc and the Midwest Innocence Project argue the government entities responded by using what the lawsuit describes as “obstructionist tactics,” providing only a fraction of the requested documents.
Among these were 225 records, many of which were basic personnel logs showing officer assignments rather than misconduct reports.
These documents allegedly lacked substance, failing to address the core allegations of abuse that have haunted the department for years.
Among the gravest accusations is a case involving Roger Golubski, a former KCKPD detective charged with federal crimes, including sexual exploitation and framing individuals for crimes they did not commit.
His trial is slated to begin in December.
The complaint seeks a court order compelling the Unified Government to release the records and return funds paid for incomplete production, along with a declaration that the city’s handling of the records requests violated state law.
There’s likely no one who could have predicted Diddy and Kanye West would link up in the wild world of Hip-Hop real estate nearly two years after their infamous text message exchange.
Some 24 months after West accused the former Bad Boy music mogul of being a “fed,” Diddy is in federal custody and embroiled in legal chaos amid a shocking twist in the ongoing saga surrounding his Los Angeles mansion.
The sprawling 17,000-square-foot Holmby Hills estate—initially listed for a jaw-dropping $62 million—now faces a lowball bid from Bo Belmont and his company, Belwood Investments. According to TMZ, Belmont has audaciously offered just $30 million for the estate, nearly half of what Diddy hoped to fetch.
Belwood Investments is no stranger to celebrity real estate shakeups. The same company made headlines earlier this year after scooping up Kanye West’s infamous gutted Malibu beach mansion for $21 million, another bargain-basement buy compared to West’s original $57 million purchase in 2021.
The Kanye West connection thickens the plot, as sources reveal that Belmont’s company worked closely with West’s team during the Malibu property deal. While it remains unclear if West himself is involved in the latest deal, the parallels are too tantalizing to ignore.
Kanye West’s Malibu mansion, much like Diddy’s estate, carried its own baggage—a series of stalled renovations and negative headlines about West’s personal life. Belmont’s playbook of swooping in on tarnished properties at a steep discount has proven effective, and the Holmby Hills estate could be his next big win.
Meanwhile, Diddy’s ongoing legal troubles have cast a long shadow over his mansion’s marketability. According to PEOPLE, the once-prime property has failed to attract any serious offers in two months. The mogul’s indictment on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and prostitution transportation has undoubtedly chilled buyer interest.
“The property itself is stunning, yet it’s clear that the criminal allegations has impacted buyer interest,” a real estate source told PEOPLE. “There has been some overseas curiosity from high-profile international buyers, but no serious offers. It’s already a challenging market with buyers being more cautious in general. Coupled with the property’s high profile and recent news, it’s making it a tougher sell.”
Homeland Security raids on Diddy’s homes in Los Angeles and Miami earlier this year further added to the scandal. While Diddy remains behind bars in New York, his legal team scrambles to secure his release, proposing a $50 million bond with stringent conditions.
Despite their efforts, Diddy’s trial, set for May 2025, looms like a dark cloud. If convicted, the music mogul could face life in prison, with the sex trafficking charge alone carrying a minimum sentence of 15 years.
Diddy's son Justin Combs' mother, Misa Hylton, posted a video on Instagram of the raid on Diddy's LA mansion, she slammed Homeland Security for being overtly militarized and too aggressive with her son during the surprise raid.
Meek Mill has switched up his tune and expressed his support for Diddy following an onslaught of reports alleging the pair left behind a trail of debauchery at a mansion they rented a decade ago.
In a string of tweets, the Philadelphia-bred rapper directly called out multiple publications, including Page Six and more. Meek’s frustrations boiled over after several tabloid stories were published allegedly exposing the disturbing details of the mess left behind after Diddy threw a birthday party for Meek Mill in 2014, when he turned 27.
Meek Mill said he woke up to “major lies” being spread about him and claims there’s currently a war on Black men. He pointed out a trend of non-minority-owned media publishing negative coverage about him in a tweet with a screen recording of the news cycle surrounding the allegations.
“None of these publications are owned by black men posting things to destroy the names and brands of the culture!” Meek Mill exclaimed. “Ima stand on this I know it’s somebody behind this! Ima start a war behind it too when I find out!!!!”
In another tweet, he added, “Just think about it you are waking up to a bunch of non black owned publication posting major lies about me! Where all the pr people go that was around me! Everybody see what’s going on I’m not gonna be quiet it’s was war on black men!”
None of these publications are owned by black men posting things to destroy the names and brands of the culture! Ima stand on this I know it’s somebody behind this! Ima start a war behind it too when I find out!!!! pic.twitter.com/q3pKGYfSdN
Meek Mill went on to directly address Diddy in a subsequent tweet in which he alleges that Black men are being hauled off to jail based on the “stories” painting them in a negative light.
“They putting black men in jail off stories,” he wrote. “I wish puff well he’s a black man I hope he didn’t do most of that s### they saying he did …. Why yall so scared to talk yall must got s### In closet! My past the streets it’s nothing to hide!”
In another tweet, Meek appeared to liken his situation with 2Pac, alluding to the West Coast rapper’s death being apart of an assassination conspiracy rather than a result of his multiple beefs.
“I see how pac got like that!” he wrote in the tweet.
The reports about the rumored 2014 party allege Haight claimed to have found broken alcohol bottles, used condoms, blood on the sheets, powder, hundreds of razor blades and lubricant on the dressers and marble floors after the evet. Haight alleges that Meek Mill’s birthday party left behind a “disgusting” mess and even claims that stars such as Lil Durk and French Montana were also in attendance.
“I found panties, bras, and even two iPhones in the bushes behind the bowling alley,” Haight said.
Meek’s latest Twitter rant follows his recent viral social media moment earlier this month in which he was caught on camera by a fan shouting “no Diddy gang” during a brief encounter on the street.
Check out the post below for additional tweets Meek Mill shared on the matter along with corresponding videos.
Saafir, born Reggie Gibson on August 23, 1970, in Oakland, California, was an influential American rapper, producer and actor. He passed away on November 19 at the age of 54.
There’s a song I listen to on the regular. I listen to it so much, it will certainly be on my Spotify year in review. That song is called “3 Card Molly” and it features Xzibit, Ras Kass and the late Saafir. Casually doom-scrolling, I came across some bad news: Saafir had died.
Most people hadn’t heard the name much, but I did. Most recently, X to the Z name-checked him on his dramatic comeback song, wildly named “Play This At My Funeral.” But Saafir was much, much more than a mention in a song. He helped define an era, a swagger and the very core of Hip-Hop itself.
After Xzibit, radio and rap legend Sway Calloway was the first person that came to my mind and he provides a bird’s eye view of the late MC’s legacy.
“Saafir is the quintessential Oakland MC,” he told AllHipHop in a statement. “He represented the reality, hustle, charisma and intelligence of The Bay. He went from battling to the movie screen and never compromised his integrity. He was also my brother. King Tech and I cherish the music we did together and the celebration of life. He is a World Famous Wake Up Show staple. The Hobo Junction versus Souls of Mischief battle is etched in Hip-Hop history. “
That’s a fact. That battle reverberated all the way to the East Coast, where I’m from. It was a decidedly Hip-Hop moment that captivated the culture and streets. In fact, there’s a short, dope documentary by Shomari Smith, which can be seen below.
Before the battle, Saafir was already a hood celebrity after making his Hollywood debut in the movie Menace II Society as Harold Lawson. Before that, the budding legend began his career as a dancer for Digital Underground and shared a residence with future icon Tupac Shakur. Eventually, he made his recording debut on Digital Underground’s 1993 album, The Body-Hat Syndrome.
By the time Saafir released his debut album, Boxcar Sessions, under Quincy Jones’s Qwest Records, he was certified by Hip-Hop devotees. Sessions was a break from convention, punctuated by its jazz-influenced beats and Saafir’s distinctive lyrical style. He continued to create moments. He was in Hobo Junction and Golden State Project (formerly known as the Golden State Warriors) with the aforementioned Xzibit and Ras Kass.
Saafir almost didn’t make it to realize any of his accomplishments.
Hip-Hop historian, activist and journalist Davey D said the rapper’s existence was a miracle. “Saafir survived a plane crash and I’m honestly not sure if he ever really healed from that,” he said.
On July 30, 1992, before all of his accolades, Saafir was one of the passengers flying on TWA Flight 843, a plane that crashed and exploded. The young man, then 21-years old, suffered a terrible back injury after he jumped from the plane, an estimated three-story fall.
“I remember when he told me about the plane crash,” Davey D said. “It was the first time he had ever talked about it. He brought it up during a live interview. We were so stunned [that] we forgot we were on the air and had to go to break to compose ourselves.”
Nobody died on the plane, but Saafir continued to endure significant health issues over the years. He underwent spinal surgery to remove a cancerous tumor, which forced him into a wheelchair.
Saafir passed away on November 19 in his hometown of Oakland. The cause of death hasn’t been publicly disclosed, but he fought for a prolonged period. Realizing I had never met an artist I held in such high regard, I immediately began talking to those peers that knew his legacy better that myself.
Adisa Banjoko, known as Adisa the Bishop, came up as a one-time rapper, publicist and journalist in The Bay during Hip-Hop’s Golden Era.
“I went to Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley to visit Saafir Sunday afternoon,” Banjoko said. “I met him in 1989 through my homies in the rap crew Various Blends in a garage. He was always a cut above. His physical and lyrical intensity was arguably unmatched in his time. He spit a rhyme in the garage about not snitching called ‘I’ll Do the Time.’ I don’t think it was ever released. I knew he was a legend.”
Banjoko said they became closer as they got older and wiser.
“I converted to Islam in 1990,” he said. “He converted in the early 2000’s and we bonded deeper between our faith and our love for Hip-Hop.”
Saafir continued to release music during this time.
He recorded Trigonometry in 1998 (the same year AllHipHop was born) under the moniker Mr. No No but went back to Saafir on The Hit List the following year. The Hit List featured an assortment of legends like Bad Boy producer Stevie J, Kam, Jayo Felony and the late, great Chino XL. Good Game: The Transition would be his last album, released in 2006 on ABB Records.
Despite his death, Saafir truly lives on— in spirit, energy and even flesh.
“West Oakland lost a 5-Star general,” Banjoko said. “Saafir shifted the level of lyrical respect Oakland and the whole West Coast got. There will never be another like Shaft Yella.”
“Love to his family and kids,” Sway said. “We will keep his legacy alive for sure.”
Saafir’s son now raps under the same name. On Instagram, he uses the handle @lilsaafir. He hasn’t commented on his father’s passing at the time of this writing.
Saafir’s contributions to Hip-Hop, particularly within the West Coast scene, but not limited to, will never be forgotten. On IG, I commented the following:
“#saafir was “one of those” – a gritty, underrated, underground emcee from The Bay. It should be noted that he was reppin lyricism at the time when #gfunk was the dominant sound from the West. It should also be noted that he didn’t sound like ANY other rapper then or now. So special and unique in his bars, cadence and style. I really liked him as an artist and greatly appreciated him.”
Lil Yachty’s frequent collaborator Veeze is standing up for him following his recent clash with a sneaker critic who previously trashed his Concrete Boys collaboration with Nike.
In his latest series of Instagram Story posts, the Detroit rapper spoke out against the growing discourse surrounding Lil Boat based on his interaction with Portland content creator Bimma Williams. In the string of posts he shared, Veeze showed what appears to be unreleased colorways of Lil Yachty’s Concrete Boys Air Force One sneaker — that Williams previously clowned for resembling a “general release” from the sportswear giant.
“They love to hate on my lil brotha,” Veeze wrote in the story post. “Imma a take up for him every time dweebs don’t understand we get our swag from real taste makers and the dope boys we grew up around.”
Veez continued in a separate story, writing, “Bloggers be goofy. I know y’all talk for shock value.”
He concluded, noting the longevity his Atlanta rap counterpart has created for himself nearly a decade after his viral banger “Minnesota” catapult him into the forefront of the mainstream seemingly overnight.
“Y’all should be proud and reality most rappers that became rich while still a teenager not here today,” he wrote.
Yachty and Williams, who has previously worked for brands such as Nike and adidas, were involved in an explicit back-and-forth during a panel discussion that occured earlier this month at Complexcon. The dust-up was kicked off when Lil Boat was tipped off to William’s presence in the crowd, which prompted a curse word filled rant.
“Everyone has their own take on a sneaker,” Yachty began. “So if I want to make an Air Force and I want it to be white and blue—if you don’t like it, that’s cool, but the way he tried to make it seem as if like ‘this n###a can’t make a shoe because he doesn’t respect the culture,’ what the f##k are you talking about n###a?”
Yachty continued, “I’ve been into this sneaker s##t for 15 years, when I had five cents to my name. I can tell you about any kind of shoe. What are you talking about? You clearly don’t know my history on sneakers and how involved I am in this s##t.”
Central Cee is topping off a stellar 2024 with a GQ Men of the Year award, presented to him by none other than British grime legend Skepta.
The West London rising star has arguably had the most successful year of any British rapper. In addition to racking up seven U.K. Top. 10 hits he topped the British charts with his Dave collab “Sprinter” for a record-breaking 10 weeks.
He also had a hugely successful single with Lil Baby, “BAND4BAND,” and became the first British rap artist to surpass 2 billion streams on Spotify.
With all that in mind, it was only right that he was honored at GQ’s Men of the Year 2024 ceremony in London on Tuesday night (19 November).
While toasting Central Cee, Skepta highlighted the younger rapper’s mastery of social media, stating, “I think that’s something that we could all take from.”
He added, “For Cench, the sky’s the limit. And we all know there’s more to come – who knows what he’s going to grow to be. I’m excited to see it.”
Central Cee reflected on his hectic year during his Men of the Year cover story.
“I’m doing mad things,” he explained adding, that he hasn’t been able to take it all in. “We’re all taking a flight every three days, every two days. We’ve even been to three countries in one day.”
Nonetheless, the work continues, as Cench is gearing up to release his debut album, Can’t Rush Greatness, in January.
Tory Lanez’s claims that the gun used to shoot Megan Thee Stallion has gone missing is “demonstrably false,” according to the state’s response to the incarcerated singer’s petition.
In a petition filed last month, his attorneys argued that Lanez “cannot file any claim of innocence, as he is unable to conduct further testing since the firearm and bullet fragments are missing.”
On Tuesday (November 19), reporter Meghann Cuniff shared the state of California’s response, which stated that Lanez failed to submit “reasonably available documentary evidence” to support his assertion.
The court documents included a LAPD declaration confirming the firearm is in its custody.
The filing continued, “His failure to do so is especially troubling because his factual assertion that the firearm, casings, and bullet fragments are ‘missing’ is contradicted by the attached declaration from Martin Preciado, which avers that his query of the computer system for the Los Angeles Police Department (‘LAPD’) shows that LAPD still has custody of the firearm and the firearm’s magazine, as well as the casings and fragments that were booked into evidence.”
The state has officially debunked Tory Lanez’s lie that the gun he shot Megan Thee Stallion with is missing.
“That query showed that Evidence and Property Management Division has the firearm, the firearm magazine, and all the bullet casings and the bullet fragments…" pic.twitter.com/yhwkJs1m93
Megan Thee Stallion’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, denied Lanez’s allegations that the gun was missing during an interview with Cuniff last month, insisting that the weapon was “there and available.”
Meanwhile, a court has proposed a trial date for Megan Thee Stallion’s cyberstalking lawsuit against pro-Tory Lanez blogger Milagro Gramz. The hearing will take place on July 21, 2025, if they fail to reach a settlement beforehand. Gramz is represented by Unite the People, the legal team hired by Tory Lanez for his appeal.
Shyne claimed he once dated Brandy at the same time as Ma$e, causing chaos in the Bad Boy camp and prompting Sean “Diddy” Combs to intervene.
The former Bad Boy Records artist is opening up about his time on the label amid the release of his new Hulu documentary, The Honorable Shyne. During a recent interview, Shyne claimed Diddy called a meeting to shut down the labelmates’ love triangle.
“I started dating the girl, and that caused like a big thing,” he explained. “We had to have like a family meeting. It was like, ‘Yo, what are you doing? You know, you’re like Kobe coming to the Lakers, and, you know, you want to go after Shaq’s joint.’ Like, you can’t do that. And that’s what I was on for 98. I wasn’t focused.”
Shyne then confirmed he was referring to Brandy after revealing the mystery woman, “She’s selling millions of records. She had like the biggest record that year.”
He also admitted the “I Wanna Be Down” hitmaker humbled him during a heated row.
“We had an argument,” Shyne continued. “She said, ‘Yo, you’re nobody…You’re nobody. You ain’t sell one record. You think you styling, and you think you’re that. You’re nothing. You haven’t sold a record.’”
According to Shyne, Brandy’s words “Hit me like the hand of God just slapped me back into reality because she was telling the truth. I wasn’t there to date R&B divas and pop divas and look fly. I was there to make hit records. And I wasn’t doing that.”
