Photos by Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for AmazonMusic
Last night, family, friends, and fans celebrated The D.A.I.S.Y. Experience, a star-studded event at New York’s famed Webster Hall that honored the life and legacy of the late David “Trugoy The Dove” Jolicoeur. The power and influence of De La Soul was front and center with surviving group members Kelvin “Posdnuos” Mercer and Vincent Lamont “Maseo” Mason Jr. front and center.
While the event was quite somber at times, Pos and Maseo had plenty of support. Black Thought, Dave Chappelle, Chuck D, Talib Kweli,Queen Latifah, Monie Love, Large Professor, Common, Pharaohe Monch, Kid Capri, and many others came out. The crowd on stage ballooned to capacity until the DJ booth was unseeable from the audience. That changed with Queen Latifah and Monie Love came to the front to perform a rousing, unexpected rendition of “Ladies First.” Additionally, Common performed “The Bizness” with De La Soul.
Pos, now the lead rapper in De La Soul, eventually took command of the stage, barreling through a number of the group’s hits like “Stakes is High,” “Potholes in my Lawn,” and “Me Myself and I.” When the clock hit midnight, Dave Chappelle counted it down and the celebrations went to the next level, as flower-shaped balloons descended from the ceiling.
The event was produced in partnership with Amazon Music, and featured DJ collective The Originals (D-Nice, Stretch Armstrong, Clark Kent, and Rich Medina). They rocked Webster Hall, which was decorated colorfully in the spirit of 3 Feet High and Rising, the group’s first album (33 years old today).
Below is a small sample of the images from that night, which was truly a family reunion of the music industry.
D-Nice, DJ Clark Kent, Tony Touch and Rich Medina perform onstage at De La Soul’s The DA.I.S.Y. Experience, produced in conjunction with Amazon Music, at Webster Hall on March 02, 2023 in New York City.
Datwon Thomas, Jerry Barrow, Mecc Rashawn and Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur attend De La Soul’s The DA.I.S.Y. Experience, produced in conjunction with Amazon Music, at Webster Hall on March 02, 2023 in New York City.
DJ Clark Kent and April
DJ Kay Gee, Money Love and Vin Rock
Maseo, Queen Latifah and Posdnuos
Common
Maseo and Pos
Queen Latifah and Monie Love
Chuck D & D-Nice
Lord Sear, Paul Rosenblum, Sean C and Ari Melber
Kool DJ Red Alert and DJ Clark Kent
Maseo, Rich Medina, Posdnuos, DJ Clark Kent, D-Nice and Tony Touch
Prosecutors decided not to pursue attempted murder charges against Fetty Luciano in connection to a 2022 shooting in Long Island.
According to multiplereports, Fetty Luciano was indicted on lesser charges for his alleged role in a triple shooting. Prosecutors charged the 27-year-old rapper with second-degree assault, criminal possession of a weapon, attempted second-degree assault, misdemeanor assault and reckless endangerment.
“This defendant allegedly brought a loaded gun into a crowded private event and, during an altercation, discharged the weapon and struck three victims,” Nassau District Attorney Anne Donnelly said. “Thankfully, the defendant’s alleged reckless actions did not cause life-threatening injuries to the victims and no one else was hurt.”
Fetty Luciano, whose real name is Remy Marshall, pleaded not guilty to the charges. His bail was set at $200,000.
Last year, Fetty Luciano surrendered to police after he was accused of shooting three people in Long Island. Authorities claimed he fired a gun during a pool party held at The Mansion at Glen Cove in July 2022.
The Bobby Shmurda affiliate was arrested for attempted murder. All three victims survived the shooting.
Fetty Luciano faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. His next court date is scheduled for March 31.
Former SOB x RBE member Lul G pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter in the 2019 shooting death of a 26-year-old man.
According to the East Bay Times, Lul G entered his plea in California’s Solano County Superior Court on Thursday (March 2). He accepted the manslaughter charge instead of risking a possible life sentence for murder.
Lul G, whose real name is George Harris, faced 25 years to life in prison for first-degree murder. He will be sentenced to 21 years after pleading no contest to a lesser charge.
Judge Carlos R. Gutierrez scheduled a sentencing hearing for May 22. Lul G has remained in custody at the Stanton Correctional Facility since his arrest.
The 24-year-old rapper shot and killed a man named Rashied Flowers in July 2019. The ex-SOB x RBE artist was arrested in September 2019. He initially pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder at his 2019 arraignment.
Lul G first gained mainstream recognition as a part of SOB x RBE. The group appeared on 2018’s Black Panther: The Album, which was curated by Kendrick Lamar.
SOB x RBE’s members included DaBoii, Slimmy B and Yhung T.O. Lul G left the group and signed a solo deal with Def Jam in 2018.
Kodak Black reflected on the death of XXXTentacion on Friday (March 3).
XXXTentacion’s alleged killers are currently on trial in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Kodak Black didn’t mention the trial but shared a few thoughts about the late rapper in an Instagram post.
“Nothing Really.. Just Was Thinking Bout You Bro,” Kodak Black wrote. “DAM BROWARD COUNTY WE LOST A LEGEND. @xxxtentacion One Of The Best Things To Ever Happen To This Small Town I Call Home. NEXT POST IS THIS YOUNG KID WHO KINDA REMINDS ME OF JAH.”
Prosecutors accuse Michael Boatwright, Trayvon Newsome and Dedrick Williams of killing XXXTentacion in June 2018. All three men were charged with first-degree murder and robbery with a firearm.
A fourth man named Robert Allen pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the case. He testified against Boatwright, Newsome and Williams in their trial, which began in February.
Earlier this week, Kodak Black dealt with his own legal trouble when he appeared in court to respond to an arrest warrant. A judge ordered him to spend 30 days in rehab for violating the conditions of his pretrial release.
Kodak Black allegedly tested positive for Fentanyl in February. He will report to rehab on March 7.
Rellyski just released his major label debut, a single and visual titled “Work It Out,” via Bad Habit / Atlantic Records. The record carries that nostalgic R&B feeling, mixed with modern day hip hop elements that highlight Rellyski’s smooth and sultry vocals to the fullest–creating a unique, melodic sound.
Hailing from Opa-locka, Florida, the rising star comes from the trenches and raised by a single mother. His voice can be credited to his grandmother, who routinely took him to church for choir rehearsals. And while football was his first love, even being recruited by Heidelberg University in Ohio, soon he’d discover his innate talents on the microphone.
In describing himself, Rellyski states he’s “genuine, a genuine kid. I don’t try to do too much, I don’t try to do too little. I be me, and I’m as humble as possible. That’s really Rellyski. I come from not too much of a big background. No one in my family is famous or anything like that, so I just try to stay humble.”
It was in the year 2020 when Rellyski uploaded “FOREAL” to his SoundCloud page, eventually
gaining so much traction that he caught the attention of Bad Habit and Atlantic Records. Bad Habit is currently home to artists such as genre-bending trio Fade ‘Em All and global superstar Burna Boy.
AllHipHop spoke with Rellyski, who was posted in Miami with the vibes. Read below as we discuss his background, favorite artists, new song “Work It Out,” signing to Atlantic, studio essentials, and more!
AllHipHop: How would you describe your sound?
Rellyski: I describe my sound as melodic. I don’t do too much real real singing. I dabble here and there, I be going crazy. But yeah, real melodic.
AllHipHop: Being from Opa-Locka, what was that like growing up?
Rellyski: It’s a small town, but it’s in a big city. It’s a rugged place, it’s the hood. But being from there really molded me. It shaped me to be who I am today. Even though I’m from the hood, I still understand I don’t gotta bring that with me. That don’t gotta be with me all the time, I can still be me. It definitely saved me.
AllHipHop: When did you fall in love with music?
Rellyski: I really fell in love with music at a young age, maybe six. Because music’s been in my family for a super long time. My mom was singing, she always had music on early in the morning. Every time it’s time to clean up, she going crazy. That’s really why I fell in love with old school vibes, not even really new music. She liked a lot of Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott. I fell in love with that first, but it graduated into me trying it out. I really fell in love with it then.
AllHipHop: Do you have a Top five?
Rellyski: I gotta put Lil Wayne in there. Eminem. Kodak, just because it’s Kodak. Gotta put Kodak in there. Definitely Lil Baby, and T-Pain. I’ma put him in there, I like T-Pain a lot.
AllHipHop: How’d you get your name?
Rellyski: Alright, it was this group of girls. They used to call me Relly. My real name’s Terrell, so they used to call me Relly. My homeboy Mike added the “ski,” and it stuck from there. I be sliding on beats too fasho, so Rellyski ‘cause I slide.
AllHipHop: Love your new record “Work It Out,” did a certain female inspire this record?
Rellyski: Definitely, it’s definitely inspired by my girl. It’s that boy meet girl story, you feel me? It’s real, it’s beautiful. But the way I broke it down is real relatable. Typical dude from the hood, trying to find that one.
AllHipHop: How are y’all been together?
Rellyski: Like two years now.
AllHipHop: Does she love that the music is about her?
Rellyski: Yeah. I always try to tell her, she’s always the inspiration. She’s the muse fasho. She likes that, she be going crazy. [laughs]
AllHipHop: How does it feel for this to be a major label debut with Bad Habit and Atlantic?
Rellyski: It’s amazing man. I’m trying to take those steps. It’s really amazing for me, especially how my story starts. From where I come from, who would have thought I would get to this point? It felt like only me. I’m thinking I’m a star, but it’s paying off. It feels great.
AllHipHop: How’d you find your way to Atlantic?
Rellyski: It’s a crazy story. I never thought I was gonna take rap seriously. I just took it serious one day in 2018, dropping songs with my homeboy. We were in college using the school’s radio station studio to record demos. I’m going in there, I’m recording. It turned into alright, let’s try to do it!
I started dropping songs on SoundCloud. One day, I dropped a song called “FOREAL,” it went crazy. Somehow, it got into Atlantic’s hands. Somebody heard it. Somebody hit me up, flew me out to LA. Now I’m here talking to you. [laughs]
AllHipHop: Did you think it would happen this fast?
Rellyski: Nah man, because I know people that’s really been doing it for such a long time. When I started off, I didn’t think it was gon’ happen as fast as it did. Because I got signed in 2021, right in the middle of the pandemic to me. It was crazy! It was a lot at one time.
AllHipHop: Best memory from “Work It Out” music video shoot?
Rellyski: It was definitely funny seeing the little scene with the curtain come up. You think it’s something else, but we really in there working out. That’s my favorite scene. It’s funny.
AllHipHop: Do you work out?
Rellyski: Yeah, I be trying to stay in shape. I used to play football, that’s my first love. I’m not The Rock now, but I get down a little bit. [laughs]
AllHipHop: What is it you want fans to get from your story?
Rellyski: Authenticity, that’s the biggest thing. That’s a stressed area right now. I really want to show people that it’s really me and I’m giving people exactly that. So definitely authenticity.
AllHipHop: What’s SKI SZN?
Rellyski: SKI SZN, that’s my first tape man. That’s my baby because that was the first tape I ever dropped. I never put no body of work together and dropped it. It went crazy, crazier than I ever imagined. Hell yeah, that’s my baby.
AllHipHop: Three things you need in the studio at all times?
Rellyski: Some weed. Some green tea, get the vocals going. With some honey. What else? Love. I just need good energy, good vibes man. My girl, my dogs. That’s all I need in there.
AllHipHop: What do you like to do when you’re not working?
Rellyski: I’m always working but I like to play football. I like to play the game: Madden, Call of Duty. I like being with my family. I don’t really go out to the club, that ain’t really me. I’m more into kickbacks, and good lil vibes with my people. That’s really me, I like that.
AllHipHop: Any goals for yourself?
Rellyski: Of course, I got goals. I don’t really like to put goals because that’s how you let yourself down. We all got those things that’s special in our heart. Of course, I want to be one of them ones. I want to be huge. I’m not looking for the Grammy, but of course the Grammy would be nice. XXL Freshman, things like that. I got milestones, I don’t really want to say goals. Milestones for sure.
AllHipHop: What can we expect next from you?
Rellyski: Just more work man. I’m always working, I’m always trying to give y’all more stuff. Get good work out there. Always expect new music, new work for me. Just keep working.
AllHipHop: Anything else people need to know about you?
Rellyski: They need to know I’m coming. For real, I’m coming. I’m always working so watch out for Rellyski. I’m here, I’m knocking down the door for real. On a serious note, I need people to know just be yourself. I’ma always push that for people. No matter what, just be you. You don’t gon’t act a certain way, just be you at all times. Whatever comes with it, go with it.
Chicago-based rapper-songwriter Duce Doit is turning heads, this time, with a hot new track titled “Tweak”. Displaying his monstrous skills and visionary approach to the genre, Duce is merging hip-hop’s classic era with the most modern production and freshest sonic imagery. There seems to be an inner goal and an organic creative process for this young, upcoming star. In one track, he defies all the cliches and stereotypes and brings audiences a new, novel sound.
Overflowing with a powerful form of creativity stemming from an innate intuitive flow, he managed to create a flawless party banger. With everyone’s favorite heavy trap beat, mixed with the iconic sample from Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You.” “Tweak” is going to be one of 2023’s dance floor favorites. Building on his sexy single from 2021 “Six9” , Duce is on a path to glory.
Sophisticated, Duce combines the raw and the elaborate seamlessly, his style appears as a dominating, confident, and infectiously charismatic flow. Instantly setting himself apart from other rappers, Duce has released a DJ’s paradise that can be mixed in at any point to ignite the night.
Duce Doit’s extraordinary skills will cement his status in the music scene and propel his rise as one of tomorrow’s main hip-hop figures.
Bia Khalifa is no stranger to controversy. The self-professed first OnlyFans model in Romania has been steadily building her notoriety over the past couple of years through numerous television appearances and her online activity.
“If you know someone who works on television or the media, they’ll know about me,” she says. “I catch attention because I’m different. I share my life and what’s on my mind online without fear. Full transparency.”
Bia Khalifa — also known by Bianca Niculai — is a part of the generation that grew up online. She had her first success on social media when TikTok was still Musical.ly, before coming to Romania at 15 years old, having been raised in Italy and Spain.
Since then, a lot has changed in her life. She moved countries, found success on Instagram, and started looking to other platforms as a creative outlet and source of income.
“I saw a girl from the United States who was putting herself through university by doing OnlyFans,” she recalls. “She seemed like such a cool person, and her story inspired me to start doing OnlyFans, too.”
While working on building her online presence on OnlyFans and Instagram and being featured on Romanian television, Bia also found the time to pursue her primary passion — singing and songwriting.
“I started making music three years ago, and I’ve been doing it for fun — as a hobby,” she explains. “I cover topics that are not ordinary in Romania, maybe even a little too extreme. Think Cardi B, Nicky Minaj, Saweetie.”
Songs such as “Donda,” “Uber,” and “Lu-K at Me” demonstrate her confidence, and forward lyricism as she raps over trap and hip-hop beats. Her music has a distinctly American flavor, with an occasional Balkan spiciness.
Her road to finding recognition as an artist, however, hasn’t been easy. Throughout her career as a media personality in Romania, Bia Khalifa has never shied away from taboo topics. She’s been a sex-positive member of the LGBTQ+ community who supports sex workers, all of which seem to go against the prevalent societal mores. She even has a tattoo on her neck that reads “Sex Worker.”
“I get a lot of hate when I talk about people’s rights, women’s rights, or because I’m bisexual,” she says. “The abuse thrown at me in the comments section is something else. People will say the meanest things trying to hurt you.”
Bia Khalifa is trying to build a media career in a country where, according to data from UN Women, women have lower access to financial support. They are more likely to experience food insecurity and spend a significant amount of time doing unpaid care work or domestic chores. Like the women she looks up to, Bia Khalifa’s presence challenges that status quo.
Fans have been recognizing her efforts, too. The one consolation she’s had during her struggles has been her fan base, which she says is more accepting and understanding of her issues. Bia Khalifa had to work with them to get there, but she didn’t mind doing the work.
“I’m not an overnight viral sensation. I work at it. I’m established,” she adds.
Bia Khalifa’s hard work also continues online — despite efforts from others to take her down. Over the past couple of years, she’s been a target of a concentrated effort to interfere with her online presence through hacking and profile hijacking on Instagram.
“My income is split between Instagram and OnlyFans, but everything depends on Instagram,” she says. “Everything is connected to it — my YouTube, my television career, my music, everything. People can see me on Instagram, tag me, and use my song in their stories.”
Over the past years, she says the situation has caused her to lose listeners, affecting her motivation to continue pursuing a career as an artist. She doesn’t have a business model for her music yet, meaning everything she releases is self-financed and independent. Without Instagram, her ability to sustain quality is severely impacted.
To make matters even worse, she doesn’t have a reliable way to defend herself and protect herself against future attacks.
“We don’t have laws [In Romania] to protect against cyberbullying and hacking,” Bia Khalifa says. “And the laws we do have are inefficient. The worst thing is people doing this are doing it for pleasure.”
Bia Khalifa is not the only media personality with a prominent online following facing these issues. So far, she’s managed to keep her chin up and confront them, biding her time to get back to working on what she loves – self-expression through photos, makeup, and music.
Still, she’s thinking a change of scenery – and musical style – might be in order.
“I’m thinking about moving to Spain and switching to reggaeton or trap,” she says, confident that some of her problems won’t follow her when she leaves the country.
Rap mogul and No Limit Master P is gearing up for his 53rd birthday party celebration and wants his friends and fans to join him.
He has recently announced that he is going to have an event called the “Master P & Friends Camouflage Birthday Bash 2” which is scheduled for Friday, April 28 at the Smoothie King Center.
Last year, the surprise guests for the rapper’s birthday celebration were Nelly, Snoop Dogg, and Keith Sweat, NOLA reports.
As of Friday, Mar. 3, the day the tickets went on sale, no names have been announced for this year’s jam.
Even though he is getting ready to ring in his next rotation around the sun, the multi-hyphenate whose real name is Percy Robert Miller Sr. is still giving back.
Earlier in the week, he made time to give back to young people.
He posted on social a video of him reading to the children as a giveback for Snoop’s new cereal.
“It’s a blessing to be a blessing. We’re focusing on early childhood education with our products. Snoopcereal.com @snoopdogg the more we make the more we give,” one caption said.
He explained, “Snoop Cereal read along, it’s all about exploring, dreaming and education. We’re in the community preparing the next generation. The more we make, the more we give have a champion breakfast. We wear many hats! SnoopCereal.com @snoopdogg@post_cereals.”
Master P is one of the most successful rappers in the history of Hip-Hop with a net worth of $210 million. People celebrate him because of how he blends his entrepreneurial work with his philanthropic work.
The situation between OTF Doodie Lo and FTN Bae appears to be far more complicate than we imagined.
Earlier this week Britney Elder, the artist known as FTN Bae, lost a court case against the father of her child, Doodie Lo. Doodie, an artist signed to Lil Durk, celebrated a multi-million dollar jury win over his ex. Some reports state that the judgement was for $11 million, but more recently that number has soared to $30 million, per his claim to The Shade Room. At press time, AllHipHop had not independently verified these claims.
In a statement, Doodie – real name David Saulsberry – said emphatically that he was pleased with the result of the case and that he considered it a win for men maligned and defamed publicly by women. The rapper in Lil Durk’s Only The Family (OTF) record label was accused of sexually abusing Bae’s then-5-year-old son. He has steadfastly denied the disturbing allegations.
“My ultimate goal is to spread awareness to those innocent of false accusations, especially innocent men who have been accused of sexual assault. This issue further highlights the dark side of #MeToo: What happens when men are falsely accused?,” he said.
But, there is there another side to this story and FTN Bae has stepped up to tell it. Her side is quite jarring and a dramatic departure from the headlines that have populated most gossip sites. She maintains that she was essentially set up and prevented from testifying in her civil case in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. She talked to Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur in a telling, incendiary interview that claims Doodie Lo’s lawyer sicced the authorities on her on the day of the trial. “It was set up so I never made it in the building,” she says of a warrant she had no knowledge of previously. She was unable to testify, because she was in a cell well into the night. With no lawyer, and no way to contact her family or the judge, she lost the civil case by default.
The judge still heard the case, apparently unaware FTN Bae had been arrested. Moreover, she maintains one of the arresting officers was a witness set to testify against her. When she was apprehended, there were cameras and media recording the whole affair. Some of the footage was disseminated over social media, most notably Doodie Lo’s victory proclamation.
Now, Doodie Lo wants his money. But, FTN Bae has other ideas as she regroups – this time with an attorney and a new strategy. She answers all the questions including the big one: “Why would she lie?” Watch the whole conversation and offer your view in the comments.
If you are not watching, “Wu-Tang: An American Saga,” you don’t know what you are missing. The show, in its third and final season, chronicles the unparalleled and meteoric rise of the Wu-Tang Clan. This season, takes on several iterations of the group. We see the creative dynamics play out as the 9-members are in close proximity on the road touring. Also, Power and Divine are working the business angles and squashing out those that attempt to infringe on their ever-growing Wu-Brand.
AllHipHop’s Rose D. was on locations with the cast – TJ Atoms (ODB), Siddiq Saunderson (Ghostface Killah),Marcus Callender (Power), Shameik Moore (Raekwon), Dave East (Method Man), Johnell Young (GZA) and the show’s co-creator RZA. The Abbott, the leader of the Wu, talks about being a family man, how to deal with the “baby mamas,” the true meaning of family and along with his views on the show. Also, all parties gets quizzed on the Wu-Tang Clan and their favorite classic albums from the collective.
Chicago native, Aspect Zavi has been very consistent with dropping back to back bangers as fans beg for more. Now, Zavi is back again with another hit record to bless the ears of all who listen. Aspect Zavi was one of the first 5 users to ever utilize Instagram & TikTok. Zavi at just 23 years old is considered a viral icon. It’s no surprise everything he drops goes viral!
In 2010, Zavi had the longest running viral video on Vine before they deleted the application which Zavi again was one of the top 5 users on the platform. Since 2010, Zavi has been goong viral consistently on a yearly basis developing meaningful relationships with iconic artists of today including, Tory Lanez, Lil Uzi Vert, Paris Hilton, Soulja Boy, Brandy, Ray J , Famous Dex, Bobby Schmurda, Cary Miller & more.
Recently, Zavi released a new hit record called, “Get Away” which is available on all streaming platforms. This track depicts life’s struggles and needing to get away to collect oneself and revitalize strength only to return with all the determination and prowess needed to overcome any obstacles.
Inspired by the historical events depicted in the motion picture “Birth of a Nation,” Bishop The Overseer releases the fourth single from his upcoming album “Nation of Immigrants.”
Produced by Tone Jonez, “Battle Cry” contains a controversial lyric anomaly and exemplary music performance by Bishop The Overseer depicting past and present injustices in the United States. Consisting of over 40 individual elements in its creative development, “Battle Cry” masterfully embodies the theme of revolution that inspires the oppressed to fight for change.
Bishop’s new music video artfully captures the visualization of the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade, Middle Passage, slavery in the United States, and the American Civil War as compared to the Reconstruction Era and the new slave trade through Convict Leasing (the Industrial Prison Complex).
Almost four years in the making, Verse 1 artfully articulates Nat Turner’s slave rebellion in August 1831. Verse 2 recalls the events leading up to and during the American Civil War. Verse 3 masterfully compares the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade to Reconstruction Era (Post-American Civil War) public policies, namely Convict Leasing, citing the Industrial Prison Complex as the new slave trade as provided for under the 13th Amendment.
“Battle Cry” carefully follows a timeline of historical events pre/post-Civil War in the ongoing fight for justice, equality, and civil rights as contained within the upcoming album “Nation of Immigrants.”
The legal troubles of Pras Michele, a member of the renowned music group The Fugees, have taken a new turn.
Recently, it was revealed that his lawyers stand accused of sharing confidential information with Bloomberg, including salacious details about celebrity figures such as Kim Kardashian, violating the court’s Protective Order.
On March 2, 2023, Bloomberg published two related articles, one detailing Michel’s conduct mainly from his perspective and incorporating defense themes of innocent alternative explanations for his dealings with Low, government targeting, disproportionate punishment, and vindictive prosecution.
According to court documents, Pras Michele’s defense counsel provided government discovery, including grand jury material, to Bloomberg reporters for publication in the two defense-oriented articles a month before trial.
The Feature Article quotes or cites the defense counsel eight times and includes two photographs of Michel with Presidents Biden and Clinton, which the defense counsel provided to the government.
There was also a tale of how Low wanted to give Kim a painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat, but her then-husband Kanye West made her text Low to say “they don’t like Basquiat and instead wanted a Monet” because the rap star thought Low was lying about the priceless gift.
The Bloomberg articles refer to a cache of previously undisclosed FBI and Justice Department documents as providing much of the content for the story.
It includes a photo presented to the grand jury in this investigation depicting one of the political fundraising events at issue in the 2012 conspiracy, complete with the government’s grand jury sticker.
The feds claim the articles narrated an extrajudicial defense to the media to influence the jury pool shortly before the trial. This disclosure was willful and violated the court’s Protective Order.
The superseding indictment alleges that between May and November 2012, Michel, Low, and others agreed to use Low’s money to make illegal foreign and conduit contributions to political committees supporting a candidate for the Office of the President of the United States.
The government claims that the contributions aimed to secure access to the candidate at fundraising events.
The indictment also alleges that between March 2017 and January 2018, Michel secretly agreed with Low to lobby the Trump Administration and DOJ to drop the investigation of Low for his role in the embezzlement of billions of dollars from 1MDB.
The recent accusations against Pras Michele’s lawyers of sharing confidential information with Bloomberg have only added to his legal woes.
The alleged violation of the court’s Protective Order is a severe offense and could have far-reaching consequences for Pras Michele’s legal team.
It remains to be seen how this development will impact the trial in a case that has already garnered considerable attention.
Many rappers have been on alert after multiple prosecutors have sought to use their lyrics as a way to convict them of violent crimes. California is one state that has legislated provisions to protect rapper’s civil rights to freedom of speech and expression.
This new law was put test in the case of San Bernardino man, Travon Venable Sr., who was convicted of murder five years ago because the prosecution used his rap videos as evidence against him.
According to ABC 7 News, a court has ruled that the video should not have been admitted as evidence during the trial, adding that it was prejudicial based on the recently passed law (2022) that went into motion this year.
The appeals court suggested that racial stereotypes and bias were introduced into the criminal proceedings by allowing rap lyrics into evidence. “(A) substantial body of research shows a significant risk of unfair prejudice when rap lyrics are introduced into evidence.”
Venable was acussed of being the diver in a 2019 drive-by shooting. He told the court he was at home, but one witness said he was there.
There was no video to show that Venable was there, but the man does appear in a video where he is in the background holding a gun. He never says anything but a line in the rap lyric references the drive-by and the prosecutor tied him to that crime with that thread.
The appeals court writes, “There’s no question. the trial judge’s admission of the rap evidence, in this case, did not comply with the new requirements for admission of creative expression. There’s also substantial concern that admitting the evidence may have had the precise effects the Legislature sought to avoid.”
Adding, “Most of the people who appear in the video are young Black men. Venable appeared in the video, but he didn’t say anything. … Nothing in the song indicates the rapper or others in the video had personal knowledge or involvement in the shooting, only that they had heard about it. The prosecution nevertheless placed a lot of emphasis on the video.”
“…we conclude the admission of the rap video without the new safeguards was prejudicial to Venable. .. The prosecution’s emphasis of the rap video at various points in the trial, including in closing arguments, likely had an effect on the outcome,” the court concluded.
This does not mean Venable is free. It means the case will most likely go back to trial later in the Spring.
The District Attorney is deciding if a new trial will be sought.
As the United States government seeks to convict Malaysian financier Jho Low of mismanagement of money, several celebrities are being names in the investigation.
According to Page Six, names like Leonardo DiCaprio and Kim Kardashian have been brought in and questioned by the FBI in reference to the disgraced billionaire.
As far as the former Mrs. Kanye West, one allegation involves a story about her partying with Low in Las Vegas and receiving “trash bags of cash.”
Previously undisclosed documents noted that the law enforcement agency was trying to see if either celebrity is connected to his embezzlement case.
The source reports that in 2019, while she was married to the G.O.O.D. Music executive, the FBI was told by Kardashian that she partied with DiCaprio and Low in a private room past 5 a.m. The parties were. Playing baccarat into the early morning.
At a certain point, she said she wanted to leave but one of her friends told her to stay. The connect informed Kardashian, he’d “heard stories of Low giving people chips at the end of the night.”
The FBI records claim she “stayed and ended winning big on one game,” but when she went to “give all her chips back to Low,” he told her to keep them.
She gladly cashed $350,000 in winning and walked away (after cashing the chips in), she was given “a trash bag full of one-hundred-dollar bills,” worth $250,000.
The feds said the now billionaire “put the trash bag full of cash in her carry-on bag and boarded a Southwest Airlines flight back to Los Angeles.”
She would later receive another six-figures during a different party session with Low. This subsequent trip to Vegas, she took home $100,000. Like before, she took it home in a trash bag.
This was one of the last times she connected with him.
She met him in 2009 and in 2011, when she was married to Kris Humphries, Low gave her $305,000 as a wedding gift.
The FBI also noted that Low tried to give Kardashian some expensive gifts, not just money. In 2014, Kardashian informed Ye of Low’s desire to give her a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting.
The “Jesus Walks” chart topper did not shut it down completely, as one might have expected. Instead, he “made Kardashian text Low and say that they don’t like Basquiat and instead wanted a Monet.”
Kardashian told the FBI this was to “mess with Low because both [she] and West found Low to be very fickle when giving gifts and never expected to actually receive a painting.”
The international embezzlement scandal is still under investigation and Low maintains, he has done nothing wrong.
Jussie Smollett has filed to appeal his felony disorderly conduct conviction.
According to court documents, the “Empire” star filed an appeal on Thursday to reverse his previous conviction of felony disorderly conduct.
Smollett was convicted one year ago for five counts of felony disorderly conduct after allegedly staging a hate crime against himself in 2019. He was acquitted on one count.
“The renewed prosecution of Mr. Smollett violated his due process rights,” the actor’s attorney Heather Widell wrote in the documents. “Mr. Smollett fully performed his part of a non-prosecution agreement with the state by performing community service and forfeiting his $10,000 bail bond.”
She continued, “The state benefited from taking and keeping Mr. Smollett’s bail bond without performing its end of the bargain. Thus, the violation of due process was prejudicial and requires reversal of Mr. Smollett’s convictions and a dismissal of the charges against him.”
The documents also claimed double jeopardy protection, noting Smollett was “punished for the same offenses by his performance of community service and forfeiture of his bond.”
Last year, Smollett was sentenced to 150 days behind bars and 30 months of probation but was released after six days pending an appeal.
Fans of the East Coast-based emcees can now listen to classic albums such as 1989’s 3 Feet High and Rising and 1996’s Stakes Is High on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, Tidal, and other digital service providers.
In response to De La Soul’s music becoming streamable, Apple Music 1 released a never-before-aired conversation with the trio from February 2018. Ebro Darden sat down with Maseo, Posdnuos, and the late Trugoy the Dove. The discussion included Darden asking De La Soul if they communicate with younger Hip Hop artists.
“It’s funny you mentioned that it was a serious question that came from one artist that approached us when we were on the road and we were running into him very often, just in passing. And that was A$AP Rocky,” recalled Maseo.
The rapper also known as Plug Three continued, “And he came into the dressing room and he was like, ‘Yo, I see y’all everywhere, everywhere. Ever since I came out, I still see De La Soul. I need to know how y’all still doing it.’ He said, ‘Because I’m in a little longer now and I’m going through upsets and I’m considered to be old-school now. And I’ve only been in the game maybe about six, seven years.’ This was what, five years ago? He wanted to know.”
Trugoy the Dove also mentioned meeting Earl Sweatshirt of Odd Future. The multi-member Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All rose to prominence as an alternative Hip Hop collective in the early 2010s. Tyler, The Creator, Frank Ocean, and The Internet came from OFWGKTA.
“They are young folks too. And yet some of them aren’t aware of what we’ve done just naturally because they’re younger. I remember when we bumped into Earl Sweatshirt,” said Trugoy the Dove in the Apple Music interview before his passing.
Trugoy also added, “It was funny because I think far as far back as he goes is Stakes Is High. But it was nice to see that when we look at it, we’re like, these guys remind us of ourselves. And for him to see us and give us accolades, it was like, ‘Okay, the connection is there. We know it’s there.'”
Dreamville acts J. Cole, J.I.D, Ari Lennox, Bas, EARTHGANG, Lute, Cozz, and Omen contributed to the Creed III album. Other rappers such as Big Sean, EST Gee, Reason, Buddy, and Tierra Whack also showed up on the tracklist.
Recording artists like Blxst, Arin Ray, SiR, Morray, BJ The Chicago Kid, and Kehlani represented the R&B genre on Dreamville’s Creed III. The project contains 18 tracks, including the “Ma Boy” single by J.I.D and Lute.
Previously, Dreamville Records presented the Revenge of the Dreamers compilation series. 2019’sRevenge of the Dreamers III debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and earned Platinum certification from the RIAA. D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape dropped in May 2022.
This week saw the J. Cole-founded record label announce the lineup for the 2023 Dreamville Festival. Cole, Drake, and Usher will headline the two-day event taking place in Raleigh, North Carolina on April 1 and April 2.
The Creed: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, released in 2015 through Atlantic Records, featured new music and established songs. Interscope’s EarDrummers Entertainment oversaw 2018’s Creed II: The Album.
Creed III stars Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Jonathan Majors, Wood Harris, Florian Munteanu, and Phylicia Rashad. Candace Rodney, Adam Roy, Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson, Archie Davis, Michael B. Jordan, and Frank Brim executive produced the soundtrack.
A 52-year-old sound engineer accused Hip Hop star Travis Scott of attacking him inside Manhattan’s Club Nebula around 3:30 am on Monday. Scott (born Jacques Webster II) could face criminal charges in the case.
The engineer, identified simply as Mark, claims he suffered serious injuries to his neck and arm as a result of the purported assault. Fox 5 New York spoke to the alleged victim from a hospital bed in Jersey City, New Jersey.
“I was trying to tell [Travis Scott] to lower it so it sounded good for the performance,” Mark told the outlet. “But he just stuck his middle finger in my face, so I lowered the monitor a little bit so I could talk to him, and that’s when he ran around the speaker and attacked me.”
Travis Scott’s legal team insists the Houston-raised rapper/producer did not commit any wrongdoing. Attorney Mitchell Schuster publicly addressed the situation involving his client and suggested that Mark is overexaggerating the incident.
“While this is clearly a misunderstanding being blown out of proportion by clickbait and misinformation, we are actively working with the venue and law enforcement to resolve and set the record straight,” stated Mitchell Schuster.
According to reports, Travis Scott and his lawyer will meet with New York Police Department officials next week. A representative for Scott also told CNN the 31-year-old entertainer’s legal counsel will actively work with the authorities to resolve the issue.
Critics have accused Travis Scott of inciting violence at live shows. For example, the “Sicko Mode” hitmaker faced backlash and lawsuits following the deadly Astroworld Festival crowd crush in 2021. Some people blamed Scott for the fatalities because of his history of encouraging fans to “rage” at his concerts.
Will a remake of B.A.P.S. arrive in theaters in the future? According to the director of the original movie, Hip Hop stars Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion want to star in a modernized version of the motion picture.
Slash Films spoke to B.A.P.S. filmmaker Robert Townsend. The 66-year-old Hollywood legend discussed the mixed reaction to his 1997 female buddy comedy starring Halle Berry and Natalie Desselle.
“[There are] people that love, love, love the film and some people that didn’t get it. And those that love it — like you love it and you get it,” said the Townsend Entertainment founder.
Townsend also added, “I’ve had people go, ‘Hey, we want to do a remake.’ Everybody from Megan Thee Stallion to Cardi B is like, ‘Could we do…’ I mean, it’s like, I don’t know. So, thank you for asking.”
B.A.P.S. tells the story of two “Black American Princesses” from Decatur, Georgia who travel to Los Angeles to win a video dance girl contest. Once in California, Nisi (Berry) and Mickey (Desselle) get caught up in a scheme to deceive a wealthy, aging white man.
While professional film critics panned B.A.P.S. at the time of its release, the movie went on to earn cult classic status with many fans. The Townsend-directed production made $7,246,735 at the domestic box office.
In addition, Robert Townsend’s directorial discography includes Hollywood Shuffle, Eddie Murphy Raw, The Five Heartbeats, Holiday Heart, Carmen: A Hip Hopera, and other films. He also played a lead role in the musical drama The Five Heartbeats.
Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion joined forces for the chart-topping, global smash “WAP” collaboration in 2020. Both Grammy-winning rappers have acting experience as well. Cardi co-starred in theHustlers movie. Megan appeared on theP-Valley television show.
