Wendy Williams’ publicist announced the talk show host went to rehab on Wednesday (September 14).
A Page Six report claimed Wendy Williams entered rehab for substance abuse issues. Her publicist didn’t disclose why she was receiving treatment.
“She is taking some time to focus on her health and wellness as she prepares for a major comeback for the next level in her career with The Wendy Experience Podcast,” the publicist said in a press release. “Ms. Williams is being treated by a team of some of the best doctors in the world. We ask for your prayers and well wishes during this time.”
Wendy Williams publicly discussed her battles with substance abuse in the past. She was living in a sober house in 2019.
Earlier this year, production company Debmar-Mercury decided to end The Wendy Williams Show. Producers relied on fill-in hosts after the show’s eponymous star stepped away due to health issues in 2021.
Debmar-Mercury replaced her with Sherri Shepherd, who was one of the fill-in hosts. The final episode of The Wendy Williams Show aired in June. Sherri Shepherd’s new show Sherri debuted on Monday (September 12).
Wendy Willaims plans to return to the spotlight with her Wendy Experience Podcast. A release date for the podcast hasn’t been revealed.
A Chicago jury found R. Kelly guilty in a child pornography case on Wednesday (September 14).
According to multiplereports, R. Kelly was convicted on three counts of producing child pornography and three counts of coercing minors into criminal sexual activity. The jury acquitted him of obstruction of justice after prosecutors accused him of rigging his sex crimes trial in 2008.
R. Kelly was found guilty of six of the 13 counts in his indictment. Jurors deliberated for over two days before reaching their verdict.
Prosecutors showed the jury three clips of R. Kelly abusing a girl identified as “Jane.” One of the videos came from the infamous sex tape involved in his 2008 trial.
“Jane” didn’t testify against R. Kelly in 2008, but she took the stand in 2022. She confirmed it was her in the videotapes and detailed countless times when R. Kelly sexually abused her as a minor.
Three other women testified against R. Kelly, recalling their own experiences of sexual abuse. The disgraced singer didn’t testify.
R. Kelly, whose real name is Robert Kelly, faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison for each count of child pornography. He’s already serving 30 years in prison following his 2021 conviction for sex trafficking and racketeering.
Nicki Minaj has filed a defamation lawsuit against a blogger over a drug allegation.
Judd Burstein, an attorney for the “Super Bass” rapper, submitted documents to a New York court on Wednesday in which he claimed that the woman allegedly behind the @noseyheauxlive social media account, Marley Green, “outrageously” stated in a video posted on Monday that Minaj was a “coke head” and had been “shoving in all this cocaine up her nose.”
“In a different age, Green’s lie would have been meaningless,” he stated in the lawsuit. “While social media is an extraordinarily effective vehicle for spreading lies… it does not confer a license to do so.”
#DropATear 💧 Hmmm 💭thinking if I should dish them out daily, weekly, orrrrr maybe even monthly… this Judd-Li folder is huge. 📂😝 LETS GO!!!!! 🫵🏽 r next 😘🍦 pic.twitter.com/d3Ox7sB30H
In addition, Burstein alleged Green was “acting as a proxy” for one of Minaj’s rivals, presumably, Cardi B.
“Green has been acting as a proxy for another performer who, mistakenly believing that she and Plaintiff are stars of equal stature, has repeatedly used other social media intermediaries in a hopeless effort to advance her career at Plaintiff’s expense,” the lawyer continued.
“Now let’s hope the ppl you guys r doing all this dirty work for love you enough to hire top notch lawyers for you & to pay your bills once I own your blogs, your shows, those IG pages y’all tried to protect so bad. Couple artists in the folder too. I’ll own your publishing. Duds,” Nick Minaj said.
Nicki Minaj, 38, has denied ever using cocaine. She is seeking $75,000 in damages. Green has not yet officially responded to the lawsuit but she took to social media to claim Nicki was harassing her.
“Nicki Minaj is unhinged and harassing me on Instagram. She doxxed me and sent her barbz to threaten to kill me. She’s been commenting under my IG posts since like 24 hours ago. No one around her is smart enough to just take her phone,” Marley Green wrote.
Eminem and his longtime manager Paul Rosenberg discussed Em’s past feud with Snoop Dogg on an episode of the Paul Pod: Curtain Call 2 podcast.
Slim Shady revealed the Snoop Dogg dispute stemmed from miscommunication. He also recalled how Dr. Dre’s brain aneurysm played a role in ending the beef.
“Me and Snoop had our little issue,” Eminem said. “And then when Dre—when that thing happened with Dre, the brain aneurysm thing … and we were like, ‘Bro, this is stupid. This is stupid as hell to be feuding right now.’ So, I don’t remember if I called him or he called me. I can’t remember. But we talked it out.”
He continued, “I think that there was a miscommunication at the time in regards to him being on my album, [The Marshall] Mathers LP, ‘B#### Please II.’ And I think he had wanted to do something with me and maybe gave [Rosenberg] the idea or something. And [Rosenberg] said something to the effect of ‘Well, let’s hear what the song is first. Let’s see what the type of song is.’ He said the way that he took it was kinda like that I don’t f### with him. That I didn’t f### with him.”
Eminem noted Snoop Dogg was looking to make another collaboration happen “for a long time.” But their relationship soured after the perceived diss.
“I don’t even think I said it to him ‘cause I don’t remember talking to him, but I may have talked to somebody on his team,” Rosenberg explained. “Whatever I said was relayed back to him in a way that he didn’t like. And he thought you didn’t f### with him, which obviously wasn’t the case.”
Eminem emphasized, “I explained to him, like, bro, Doggystyle changed my life.”
Listen to more episodes of Paul Pod: Curtain Call 2here.
Fourtee is a man of many talents, and his newest release “Hustle” is an example of exactly that. Serving as his newest single and visual, the record sees Fourtee reminiscing on his come up, thankfully being able to turn a negative into a positive and make something of himself. The cheat code? Work hard, hustle, and never take no for an answer.
Born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, Fourtee is a rapper, entrepreneur, visionary, and clothing designer all in one. Originally getting his foot in the music industry from an opportunity presented to him from legendary video producer Kareem Johnson, Fourtee went from assisting a Wiz Khalifa video shoot to driving for Lil Uzi Vert to now stepping into the limelight as his own recording artist.
In describing himself, Fourtee states he’s “an executive artist that sees much further than the jewelry store, the car dealership. From Newark, New Jersey, they call it the city of Whitney Houston. Fourtee’s a serial entrepreneur that’s a very strong-minded business activist, creative sneaker designer, and future billionaire.”
His biggest song to date, “Freeze” was handpicked by Kevin Durant and Steve Stoute featured on NBA2K. He even celebrates his first plaque and ASCAP award for his contributions on Cardi B’s double-Platinum smash, “Up.”
Plus, for those wondering who the fake Kanye was running the streets… look no further than Fourtee. Ye is also the inspiration behind Fourtee’s own clothing line titled WxrldLeaders, launched in 2021.
AllHipHop spoke with Fourtee in Los Angeles to discuss how he got into the industry, his sound, new release “Hustle,” working with Cardi B, being Kanye for a day, and more!
AllHipHop: What was it like growing up in Newark, New Jersey?
Fourtee: Umm, nothing. It really was nothing. [laughs] I played New York a lot. I love New Jersey, but I had to grow more so I was in New York City working for people like Kareem Johnson at Atlantic Records, assisting him on film sets. Because I started on film sets, my whole life is really big in film.
AllHipHop: I saw your director catalog. Did you want to do a film first?
Fourtee: I wanted to understand the business behind the scenes, because I was always surrounded by artists. I knew what things were as far as being an artist, going to the studio and performing. As far as the business, the people that sign them, I didn’t really have the knowledge and I needed that. I was more hungry for the business, than just the music.
AllHipHop: When did you fall in love with music?
Fourtee: Music fell in love with me! [laughs]
AllHipHop: Do you have any favorite artists?
Fourtee: My favorite artists are of course the Biggie’s, very different. It’s a lot right now. Drake is so cliche. I like Tems. I’m really big on female artists. I love producers like WondaGurl too.
AllHipHop: I just saw you with her!
Fourtee: Yes, we just left Toronto. We went to London and Toronto. Working, I got two big producers I signed. So they’re doing some big things as well.
AllHipHop: How would you describe your sound?
Fourtee: Universal, motivational. Make you want to get up and go get some money. Depending on what frequency you’re in, make you want to stand up for yourself and go get to it. A lot of times, we beat around the bush on what’s really important and what’s not.
AllHipHop: What were you going through recording “Hustle”?
Fourtee: Recording that, it was a moment in the studio where I thought yeah, this is what I know how to do more than anything. When I first started interning, I used to live in Hawaii for two years. I was working for Norwegian Cruise Line, was in Guam and the Philippines. I was a chef. I didn’t go to college right after high school, so I decided to go to Hawaii to pursue that. I never went anywhere far like that. I’m a get up and go type of person, I don’t care what country it is. I just go.
AllHipHop: You were a driver too?
Fourtee: Yeah, I drove Lil Uzi on tour. I’m not trying to sound cocky or arrogant, but there’s not a lot of artists that have my story. That’s the reason why a lot of people are tapping in now. They’re like “wait hold on, I remember you eight years ago when you were working on a film set with A Boogie.” Or “you were assisting on a Louis Vuitton fashion show.”
The similarities where I heard a lot is Sean Combs, because of how he entered with Andre Harrell and learned so much business. I was driving Uzi on tour, Gunna, and Nipsey before he passed. Quite a few artists. I was driving Gunna, I didn’t know who he was. He was fairly new. In Jersey/New York, we didn’t know the difference at the time between Lil Baby and Gunna.
AllHipHop: Back then, did you always want to do music?
Fourtee: Yeah absolutely. It was a part of life.
AllHipHop: Was the video inspired by a real life experience?
Fourtee: Mmhmm. The video goes to me getting blessed out of real life situations, because I have no criminal record. If I was to leave a real actual trap house like these new rappers… come on. There was a situation where I was supposed to be somewhere and that place got raided, all those guys are still in jail till this day. I always look at things like if I escape these situations, I gotta go make something of it. These guys who are in jail can live through me and say “yo he did something with that. At least that s### ain’t going through vain.” That’s how I shot the video. Hustle: getting away from things, being blessed, and really escaping.
AllHipHop: You have a line that says “trapping since 10.” When did you first start hustling?
Fourtee: My trappin’ was really just finessing, understanding how to finesse things. “Yo this person paying for this, I could…” Whether it’s a Sega Genesis card, “they got this. I could sell it for this.” My trappin’ truthfully started at 15. It was just survival. You know how they say “trappin'” because it’s rap music? You can’t get a job, so it’s the only thing to do. It’s the only sense of employment. That’s what it really was.
AllHipHop: What’d it mean to work on Cardi B’s album?
Fourtee: It was all a blessing. I reached out to a few people, it was all a blessing for us getting that placement. Just knowing who you are and knowing your worth, things go through. You gotta be crazy like Kanye to see past the car dealership and the jewelry store. You gotta see way further than the palm trees in LA and the buildings in New York City to see I’m a do this for a long time, I’m going to be a high paid employee. You gotta choose. A high paid employee means hit song, reality show, then you die out. That’s the truth about this.
AllHipHop: How did you end up connecting with Cardi?
Fourtee: Hollered at my lawyer, we had the song. I wrote the song when I was in the Hilton hotel.
AllHipHop: You wrote Cardi B’s “Up” right?
Fourtee: Yeah, I helped with production as well. That came along, one of our brokers with the label helped us break that situation. We had the record for a minute. We were trying to make a decision, the label held onto the song for about a year. We found out, and it has been crazy ever since.
AllHipHop: How’d it feel to get an ASCAP award?
Fourtee: It felt great. It felt awesome. It felt powerful. Because people were putting things together, realizing that damn, this guy does a lot. Not just saying it, but actual people seeing “oh yeah, this is dope.” It was an out of body experience because I had an ASCAP meeting before I moved to Los Angeles. I didn’t get what I needed, so then they had to get me an award. People play me, they gotta be dealt with. In a good way. Yo, I gotta get what I came for.
AllHipHop: Definitely want to talk about your song “Freeze.”
Fourtee: Absolutely, yeah that record blew up. I don’t want to say it was by mistake, but it blew up. I was on my way to Miami and we put the song out, the next thing we knew it was mayhem. It was not an industry plant. It was a situation where we had a meme video that helped push it. “Lil Uzi’s driver has bars,” so we pushed it like that.
Everyone rushed to see that. They see “oh this kid dropped a song, let’s go for it.” Next thing you know, I was on NBA2K. Steve Stoute flew me out to do NBA2K commercials. For 3 years now, I’ve been doing NBA2K commercials. Independently, I’m not signed to anybody.
AllHipHop: How did they find you?
Fourtee: I was going viral, friends with good lawyers and just making them plays. I tell people: them A&Rs you trying to be signed to, they’re younger than you and a lot of them don’t know sh*t. So you can actually get things done, it just went from there. It went crazy.
AllHipHop: How did you get your name?
Fourtee: That’s my real name, Fourtee Crawford. It means strong and loud. I’m the firstborn, my mother’s from Liberia and West Africa. I didn’t like it growing up because it was forty and school and class, but it’s me.
AllHipHop: How do they react to all your music endeavors? Do they realize the superstars you work with?
Fourtee: Yeah, because I was supposed to be the first one to go to jail. Out of all my brothers and sisters, they went to college and did their thing. I didn’t want any of that. I don’t like rules. If I want to make money, I’m a go make it. That’s how I came up.
AllHipHop: So you also directed videos for artists?
Fourtee: Yeah, I directed my own video “Talk To Me Nice.” I helped a few artists. I put so much into other artists that I was coming up with and realized that they fell for the industry trick. When you get into the game: they throw you a lightskin girl, give you a little bag and that’s it. I said hold the f### on, I see way further than this s###.
Your A&R’s younger than you, you’re like wait. Not to say they can’t do anything, they bleed like you. You should be able to put the work in, do what you gotta do. I was helping directing, I was assistant directing. I started off as a PA, I’m in so much credit. I’m also featured in a few of Wiz Khalifa’s videos, from about 10 years ago playing basketball.
AllHipHop: What other videos did you work on?
Fourtee: I was featured in a Trey Songz video years ago. I’m in a whole bunch of Styles P, Jadakiss videos, because I drove Jada through the Carolinas. Before Casanova got locked up. I was his driver as well.
AllHipHop: How was that?
Fourtee: It was crazy, because it was the 6ix9ine time. I was the driver and I saw how much the people harassed him, as far as the police. Real stories in the middle of Brownsville. We’re chillin’, about to go on tour. We didn’t get pulled over, they pulled up. “Yo, hands on the steering wheel.” They harassed him.
Seeing what he’s going through, I hope he gets out. Because in our environment, people are getting locked up for sh*t that they did not do. And you also live by a code that’s a little different right now. If someone says don’t snitch on me, at least have something for me like the Italians do. Us blacks, we take a lot from the Italians. If you gon’ talk mafia: when someone comes home, give them something. Don’t just say “don’t snitch,” then they come home, and you done had a baby with their baby mother.
Nothing against Casanova, but being the fact he’s from that environment, we should want to do more for our people who hold us down. Not just say “don’t stitch.” It’s not in my DNA either to do such, but everything’s a deal. Give them something. “Yo man, I’m a hold ya peoples down.” That’s where I’m at with it.
AllHipHop: 3 things you need in the studio at all times?
Fourtee: Good vibes, because I hate that fake ass energy. I’m an East Coast dude, I don’t have time. Food, good food. Like wings, something light. And a producer/engineer who’s fast. [snaps] That’s my 3 things I need. Letting God in and make those hits.
AllHipHop: What inspired you to launch your own clothing line called WxrldLeaders?
Fourtee: World Leaders started by me driving Lil Uzi and getting random clothings from these random places, and I got tired of it. The clothing lines didn’t make any sense. It had coffins and snakes all over just to look dope, but I’m a person of meaning. I already had the idea, I just didn’t make it official yet.
Kanye West said in one of his docs, the Watch The Throne doc, “I want world leaders at my funeral.” The next day, I LLC’ed and trademarked it. I spelled it with an x, I couldn’t believe it was available. Ever since then, it’s been up!
AllHipHop: You were Kanye West for a day?
Fourtee: Yeah, I was Ye for a day. I’m the type of person that gets up and goes. Jumps, and gets s### done. I was watching a documentary thinking I need more leverage, I need to do some dope sh*t. I bought an entire Kanye outfit, everything. Yeezy Gap, even had the mask.
I had the WxrldLeaders shopping bag. That night, my s### was sold out because that whole stadium thought Kanye’s doing something with Wxrld Leaders. I’m fairly new, that clothing line is new. Went to the stadium, went crazy. So many kids chased me to the security truck we had. They weren’t trippin’ off Swae Lee, all they knew was me. They thought I was Kanye.
AllHipHop: Where?
Fourtee: It was at Donda Academy. They did not move.
AllHipHop: Did you really move and act like Kanye?
Fourtee: Yeah, I got the video and everything. They did not know. The only person that knew were a few staff members and the athlete director at Donda now. It was the day he got divorced so he couldn’t come. F### it, I had floor side seats. My cousin works with Donda too, I said sit me right here. The kids went crazy. It went crazy.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca0G5kPPmtL/
AllHipHop: How does Kanye feel about this?
Fourtee: I hope he feels good about it. I don’t give a damn. I know he likes artists that are daredevils and don’t ask for sh*t.
AllHipHop: Upcoming projects? What can we expect?
Fourtee: I got something called “Glory In The Jungle,” vlogs and a mixtape coming out. Basically talks about vengeance and escaping. Not just poverty, but achieving and having vengeance in a positive way. Yo, we got out that s###. Really selling a high self-esteem and confidence on this project.
I have two producers I signed: one called Yaboyhec and a kid called Rob2B. He produced all the s### for Rob49, the new artist. I signed his producer.
Months after losing a foundational member of their group, the borough of Staten Island finally honors the legendary group, The Force MD’s by naming a street after them.
On Saturday, Aug. 27, the street formerly known as Grandview and Brabant Street at Mariners Harbor in the fifth borough will now be called “The Force MD’s Way.”
Over 1000 community members and influencers attended the celebration of Hip-Hop’s first real Rap/ R&B group, including Ralph McDaniels, Nice & Smooth, Milk Dee from the Audio Two, Councilwoman Kamillah Hanks, Congresswoman Nicole Maliatakis, NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, State Senator Diane Savino, and State Assemblyman Charles Fall.
That day the group, whose epic career dates back to the early 80s and was actually a combination of two different squads but mostly consisting of family members, was overwhelmed by the show of love, respect, and tribute.
Stevie D, the founding member of the commercial entity of the group, said, “The street naming was so overwhelming, not just to us, but to a lot of people in Staten Island.”
“It also felt way overdue,” he said in an exclusive interview with AllHipHop.com. “I’m just happy that it finally happened. It’s great for us to have a landmark in our hometown of Staten Island. I felt we did put the work in for it to happen.”
He added his own tribute, saying, “Knowing that the members that passed T.C.D, Mercury, Trisco, and Jessie, are looking down and enjoying this accomplishment.”
His brother Khalil also commented and said the street naming was a “way overdue honor,” but also sees it as a marker of the family’s legacy.
“I left the group in 1983 and rejoined in 1990, I was inspired to put this together to secure my family legacy we’ve been through so much,” he said. “I’m so happy to see my brother Stevie D smiling from cheek to cheek, and all our family, friends, and fam so hyped up it’s so surreal to me right now.”
Like Stevie D, Khalil also gave a nod to those who had passed on, offering, “The members we lost know we’re gonna make sure their contributions to the Hip-Hop/ R&B culture never go in vain.”
Because family is so important, included in this celebration was their newest member and nephew, Zieme Capers – clearly a gift from the Lundy legacy of great singers.
Capers is a millennial and punctuates the group’s ability to tap be transgenerational, touching people of all ages. A full member of the group, he also was overwhelmed, not just by the street naming but by being included in this history-making and cultural-shifting group.
“Can I say ‘Another One’ in DJ Khaled’s voice?” he joked.
“This experience is almost like having a beautiful newborn baby. My eyes were watering, tears flooded my face. As they pulled off the plastic, all I could think about was all the members we lost and most recently my uncle Jessie D,” he explained.
The Force MDs
“I wish they were physically here in the crowd embracing all of the love they always wanted. I wish I could see the smiles and joy on their faces,” Capers continued. “Right in front of the building, they all were raised in, we literally have a family avenue.”
“I am super honored to be a part of this legacy and I hope the fans and new generations to come will see this in the history books and be inspired by the beautiful, crazy, funny, and tragic stories and journey of the Legendary Force MD’s. Even though it’s three of us left, The Force lives and continues in everyone who keeps the legacy alive, the music alive as well as the moments we shared,” he said.
And if fans don’t know, he said, “P.S. By the way, get on the belt parkway or the Staten Island ferry and take a ride over by Brabant St. … and The Force MD’s Way. Haha!”
The Innocence Project New Orleans has helped another Black man get out of jail for a rape he did not commit. The organization, committed to providing legal services to wrongfully convicted persons, assisted in getting a Louisiana man exonerated after he spent four decades in prison for a crime he was convicted of when he was a teen.
On Thursday, Aug. 25, Sullivan Walter, 53, was released from Elayn Hunt Correctional Center in St. Gabriel, LA. He had already served “36 years and two months … for a rape he did not commit,” according to an IPNO press release, making his case the “longest known wrongful incarceration of a juvenile in Louisiana history and the fifth longest in U.S. history.”
Walter spent more than two-thirds of his life in prison for a crime he did not commit and that the prosecution could not legally prove without withholding evidence.
Judge Darryl Derbigny vacated the case, and noted the fact that lawyers withheld some vital evidence that could have led to a not guilty verdict in Walter’s case, as “unconscionable.”
Despite being 17 years old when police arrested him for the sexual assault, he “was prosecuted as an adult.” He was sentenced to 39 years in prison.
The lawyers wrote, “Mr. Walter was inadvertently misidentified as the perpetrator of a home invasion and rape that occurred in May 1986. The rape occurred late at night in an unlit room with the perpetrator wearing a hat and a face covering.”
CNN reports the woman was only identified as “L.S.’ in court documents and was taking a shower when she saw a man wearing a backward baseball cap and covering the bottom of his face with a washcloth come into her home. Once he encountered her, she alleges the man took a shirt and put it over her face, before taking her to an “empty unlit bedroom” and raping her at knife point.
“The victim identified Mr. Walter as the rapist six weeks after the crime,” the press release revealed.
She saw him from photos given to her by police, who had recently arrested him on simple burglary. L.S. saw Walter wearing a blue baseball cap and had the same complexion as the man she remembered rapping her.
Walter maintains that he never touched the woman.
“Serological testing conducted in the 1980s on seminal fluids recovered from the victim showed that Mr. Walter was not the perpetrator, but the jury that convicted Mr. Walter did not learn of this and it has never before been fully presented to a court.”
Walter tried to appeal multiple times, but because he had no legal assistance between 1997 and October 2021, his petitions fell flat. However, after linking with IPNO, things swiftly picked up with them discovering outrageous evidence that eventually led to his freedom.
Attorneys were able to discover “the exculpatory result of the serological testing” during the case, noting a failure on Walter’s trial lawyer’s part to effectively “elicit this evidence from relevant witnesses,” or call for a new trial because any analyst hired by the police department misrepresented the results of seminal fluid regarding the rape – and involving the then-teen.
IPNO stated Walter was compromised from the start of his case, one that lasted only one day, including jury selection and deliberation that lasted 3 ½ hours because his lawyer had a “troubled history of disciplinary findings.”
The organization said it worked with an expert, regarded highly by both the defense and prosecution, to get a new analysis of the serological evidence. Like the first finding that was suppressed, the recent research also eliminated Mr. Walter as the source of the semen recovered from the victim’s body immediately following the rape.
Once the information was submitted and reviewed by the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Division (CRD), the agency moved to vacate Walter’s conviction.
When addressing L.S.’s testimony, Emily Maw, a lawyer with the D.A.’s office said, “There were some red flags that the eyewitness testimony could well have been unreliable.”
The agency said in its motion to vacate because she “was being asked to make a cross-racial identification of someone who at all the times that she could observe him was either masked, in an unlit room at night, and/or threatening her not to look at him.”
“Under no circumstances should the District Attorney’s agreement, in this case, be taken to infer that the victim was dishonest in her identification nor minimize her and her family’s very real trauma from her assault. Rather, it should be recognized that the tragedy of her assault is, in fact, magnified by the fact the true perpetrator was not apprehended and may have victimized others,” it further stated.
“What is unusual about this case is how little effort was made to hide the injustice being done to Mr. Walter,” Richard Davis, the IPNO Legal Director and Walter’s new attorney said. “The lawyers and law enforcement involved acted as if they believed that they could do what they chose to a Black teenager from a poor family and would never be scrutinized or held to account. This is not just about individuals and their choices, but the systems that let them happen.”
The victim in the case has since transitioned, however, her family was notified of what the new evidence revealed and the government’s decision to vacate Walter’s conviction.
District Attorney Jason Williams said in a statement, “The Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office is committed to confronting and addressing past harm inflicted by the criminal legal system as part of its mission to create a safer community for all of our citizens.”
Adding, “Reckoning with the sins of the past or past harm must include an unbiased and open-minded review of cases in which evidence that was not heard by the jury suggests that a person who was convicted was not the person who committed the crime.”
“Sullivan Walter was convicted by a prior administration of this office despite the fact the serology testing by state law enforcement at the time showed he could not have been the person who committed the rape he was convicted of in 1986. After Mr. Walter’s trial, a state official -in the face of a serology exclusion indicating the wrong man had been prosecuted -changed his prior sworn testimony to ensure the 17-year-old Mr. Walter remained behind bars,” Williams said.
“No such behavior would ever be tolerated in my administration, and we could not stand by or defend a conviction obtained or maintained with such methods,” the D.A. continued. “Mr. Walter suffered a terrible injustice and, though this office rectified it promptly when it was brought to our attention, it is a tragedy that it took the legal system so long to do so. We are working every day to prevent such avoidable tragedies from happening again.”
Walter, the 42nd innocent person freed by the IPNO, said after being released, “I can finally breathe. I could hardly breathe for 36 years but now that I’m free, I’m ready to live my life.”
Planet Her by Doja Cat became one of the most commercially successful 2020s-era albums released by an American musician. The Platinum-certified project spent over 40 weeks in the Billboard 200’s Top 10 region.
Five singles from Planet Her broke into the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In addition, Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More” featuring SZA rose to #3 on the Hot 100 and collected a 4x-Platinum plaque from the RIAA.
While Planet Her currently sits at #28 on the most recent Billboard 200 rankings, Doja is already thinking about another body of work. The 26-year-old singer/rapper spoke to CR Fashion Book about her upcoming fourth studio LP.
“We just have so many ideas and making those ideas consistent is the challenge right now. I can’t really tell much. I just know there’s a lot going on,” said Doja Cat. “I’m very into this ’90s German rave kind of vibe right now and it’s really fun.”
She also added, “I know that’s kind of the trend at the moment but I loved that stuff as a kid and now that I can express it (obviously, I couldn’t buzz my head and wear a furry bra and have a belly button piercing back then), I’m sort of embracing that. That’s kind of a hint to the album. Rave culture, not House.”
The Dance music genre has seen a mainstream resurgence in 2022 after global superstars such as Drake (Honestly, Nevermind) and Beyoncé (Renaissance) released House-inspired albums. Both of those projects spent time at No. 1 in the United States.
Doja Cat first garnered widespread online recognition for her 2018 track “Mooo!” The song became a meme that helped bring attention to Doja’s Amala album. Hot Pink followed in 2019. By 2020, the Los Angeles native reached #1 on the Hot 100 with “Say So” featuring Nicki Minaj.
California-based Hip Hop artist Roddy Ricch earned his first Gold-certified project with 2018’s Feed Tha Streets II. Ricch is now looking to recapture that mixtape magic with the third installment in the series.
Apparently, Roddy Ricch wanted to drop Feed Tha Streets III as an official studio LP. However, a recent Instagram post by the rapper suggests someone at a record label pushed back on that idea.
On Tuesday night, Ricch uploaded a screenshot of a text he supposedly sent to his management. The message read, “The label don’t wanna count Feed Tha Streets 3 as an album cuz it’s always been a mixtape series but the fans need it, so let’s drop when I get off tour.”
As of press time, it is not clear if the “label” Roddy Ricch was referring to in his text message is Atlantic Records or Bird Vision Entertainment. The first two Feed Tha Streets projects dropped via Bird Vision in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
Roddy Ricch later released his Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial andLive Life Faststudio albums under the Atlantic Records umbrella. Please Excuse Me debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart in 2019. Two years later, Live Life Fast peaked at #4.
Post Malone tapped his “Cooped Up” collaborator Roddy Ricch to open for him on the “Twelve Carat Tour” which kicked off in Omaha, Nebraska on September 10. The journey is not expected to end until November 15 in Ricch’s hometown area of Los Angeles.
Ricch’s “Ghetto Superstar” featuring G Herbo and Doe Boy hit DSPs on September 8. Both Mustard and Southside earned producer credit for the song. That single followed The Big 3 EP which came out in June.
Meanwhile, Roddy Ricch appears to be recording new music. Yesterday, the Grammy-winning performer also shared a photo of himself in the studio on his Instagram Story. The image’s caption simply read, “bet.”
The Hip Hop world is still processing the death of Rakim “PnB Rock” Allen. Fellow rap star A Boogie wit da Hoodie took to social media to express his feelings about his friend’s untimely passing.
A gunman killed PnB Rock at Roscoe’s House of Chicken ‘N Waffles in Los Angeles on September 12. Yesterday, A Boogie wit da Hoodie shared a heartfelt Instagram post about the fallen 30-year-old Philadelphia native.
“[Not gonna lie,] I don’t know how to accept this one. 😢 You was a big part of me coming into the game, s### the first n#### I met in the industry!” wrote A Boogie. “It’s not too many [m############] that rap I call my brother [for real] but Rock was one of them.”
The Bronx-bred rhymer also added, “I got nothing to say about the situation because I don’t make assumptions. I got nothing but flashbacks going thru my head witchu bro, you just got out of your deal and all smh just know [whatever] the family needs I’m here! Love you n#### smh sleep in peace.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cidu4RjuWNh/?hl=en
A Boogie wit da Hoodie and PnB Rock collaborated on numerous tracks throughout their respective music careers. The two East Coast representatives worked together on songs such as “Playa No More,”, “Horses,”“Lovin’,” and “Uptown / Bustdown.”
Prior to his death, PnB Rock released the studio albums Catch These Vibes in 2017 and TrapStar Turnt PopStar in 2019. He scored his biggest solo hit with the 3x-Platinum “Selfish” which peaked at #51 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
PnB Rock’s appearance on Ed Sheeran’s “Cross Me” secured him a #25 record on the Hot 100. The 2017 XXL Freshman Class member also contributed to the Top 40 singles “Everyday We Lit” by YFN Lucci and “Dangerous” by Meek Mill.
The Issa Rae-created Rap Sh!t comedy series will be back on HBO Max for another crop of episodes. The streaming service announced it has renewed the Hip Hop-centered program for a second season.
“We are so excited to continue this journey with Shawna and Mia and the incredibly fun world of Rap Sh!t,” states Sarah Aubrey, Head of Original Content, HBO Max.
Aubrey continues, “With the wonderfully comedic and unique perspectives of Aida Osman, KaMillion, Issa Rae, Syreeta Singleton, and the team at HOORAE, season two is sure to bring even more seducing and scheming.”
Rap Sh!t stars Aida Osman (Shawna Clark) and KaMillion (Mia Knight) as two estranged high school friends from Miami who join forces to form a rap duo. The cast also includes Jonica Booth (Chastity), Devon Terrell (Cliff Lewis), and RJ Cyler (Lamont).
“We’re so happy to play in the world of Rap Sh!t for another season with this incredibly talented team,” says creator/executive producer Issa Rae. Showrunner Syreeta Singleton adds, “This show and cast are one of a kind and I’m thrilled to get to do this again with them. We’re going bigger and harder!”
Previously, Issa Rae produced and starred in HBO’s award-winning dramedyInsecure. Rae’s Rap Sh!t officially debuted on July 21, 2022. The eight-episode first season is currently available for streaming on HBO Max.
“Bodega Hive: The illustrious @desusnice and @THEKIDMERO will be pursuing separate creative endeavors moving forward. #DESUSandMERO will not be returning to SHOWTIME. It’s been a good run, fam,” read a tweet posted by @SHODesusAndMero.
“Creative disagreements? Nah. There were people we thought could have helped us turn the show back to what it was at Vice, where it felt fresh and way more edgy — genuinely different and good,” explained The Kid Mero.
He continued, “And Showtime was not trying to do that. That was the beginning of the end. It was giving me mad anxiety, but I’m a first-generation immigrant kid, like, you never quit your job before you have a new one. But I think Desus was like, ‘F### it.’ And that was the end of the podcast, too.”
Before beginning a run on Showtime in 2019, Desus & Mero aired on Viceland for two seasons. The pair also worked together on the Desus vs. Mero web series, the Uncommon Sense with Charlamagne television show, and the Bodega Boys podcast.
When asked if he could see himself and Desus Nice being “cool” again in the future, The Kid Mero responded, “I don’t know, man. I feel like — maybe? Never say never. Right now I think we’re on different trajectories as far as what we wanna do.”
The “Thottie” video begins with the rapper walking free from prison after serving three years. He emerges from his confinement to celebrate with his supporters outside the prison, before being whisked away in a private jet. Other scenes show Albee Al enjoying life as a free man, drinking champagne, surrounded by scantily clad beautiful women gyrating for him. Check it out below.
Albee Al – Thottie
Shortly after releasing “Thottie,” Albee Al shared a video to celebrate the song’s success while thanking his loyal followers and his new fans for their support.
“I’m overwhelmed right now,” he said. “I don’t even know how to feel, I don’t even know if this s### real, this s### crazy. Anything is possible, you just gotta stay on your s###. You gotta want this s### more than anybody. Your grind can’t sleep.”
Albee Al showed love to his supporters and vowed to continue making music. “This s### ain’t gon’ never stop I promise you,” he added.
Despite his release from prison, Albee Al could end up back behind bars in a few months. The plea deal he accepted comes with a mandatory minimum of 18 months in prison. As reported by The Daily Voice, the judge gave no indication as to whether he will receive time served at his October sentencing.
Chuck D has sold a significant portion of his back catalog to his longtime publisher for an undisclosed fee.
The deal with Reach Music was confirmed on Tuesday (Sept. 13), as reported by Variety. It includes Chuck D’s full songwriting share of royalties and half of his “copyright interest” as the publisher. He will still retain half of the interest in his publishing royalties.
While the sale doesn’t include the Hip-Hop legend’s entire catalog, it does cover over 300 songs. Included are some of Public Enemy’s most loved classics. “Fight the Power,” “Bring the Noise,” “Welcome to the Terrordome,” “Shut ‘Em Down,” and “He Got Game,” are all encompassed in the sale.
The acquisition also covers the songs Chuck D wrote for Public Enemy during the 25 years from 1987 through 2012. Several classic albums are included, beginning with their 1987 debut “Yo! Bum Rush the Show.” Additionally, “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back,” “Fear of a Black Planet,” and “Apocalypse 91…The Enemy Strikes Black,” are all incorporated in the Reach Music deal.
Chuck D Says The Timing Was Right
Chuck D explained Reach administered his copyright ownership interests for over two decades. “Doing this deal was the right timing for a forward and logical evolution of our business together in an ever-changing industry. Reach has always been ahead of the curve on establishing respect for the hip-hop genre songwriting and publishing-wise,” he told Variety. “And they will continue taking care of my works.”
Reach founder-president Mike Closter added: “I’m so grateful to Chuck for our business together as his music publisher throughout these many decades. The team at Reach will continue working hard to protect these works while also introducing them to new generations to come.”
Meanwhile, As reported by AllHipHop.com, Public Enemy’s classic 1989 single “Fight The Power” is the inspiration behind a new PBS docuseries. Fight The Power: How Hip Hop Changed The World will air in four parts beginning in January 2023.
Chuck D helped develop the series, which also features appearances by Grandmaster Caz, Ice-T, Abiodun Oyewole, Roxanne Shanté, Run DMC, John Forté, will.i.am, MC Lyte, B-Real, Melle Mel, Fat Joe, Lupe Fiasco, and more.
Trippie Redd believes artists should have more protection and that their record labels should be footing the bill to prevent further tragedies following the senseless killing of PnB Rock on Monday (Sept. 12).
The Ohio native shared his grief at the loss of his “brother” and said rappers need round-the-clock security, paid for by their labels.
“I had to reschedule my whole day yesterday I was at a true loss for words,” Trippie Redd wrote the day after PnB Rock’s murder. “I keep losing my friends to gun violence I want all my friends to start having a guard or 2 it honestly should be on the label to get u protection… that’s one thing I used to tell xxx is let’s stop riding around in the i8 just me and u while ur paid security sleep at the house we in the club just us.”
“He wasn’t a selfish person either,” Trippie explained. He always praised me and my friends that aren’t famous working with n##### flying to us and we always bonded over the fact that we both got to make hits with xxx during his journey here I just want everyone to be safe and think about ur life and family before u make [decisions.]”
Trippie concluded, “I love you man until we meet again brother @pnbrock thank you for everything.” Read his post in full below.
PnB Rock was shot during a robbery while having lunch with his girlfriend at Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles in South Los Angeles. He was rushed to hospital but tragically passed away later that afternoon. He was 30 years old.
Though Diddy and Yung Miami have refused to place a label on their situationship since dating rumors began last summer, the pair continue to enjoy each other’s company with increasingly public displays of affection.
While some fans have accused the City Girls rapper of embarrassing herself over the Bad Boy Records boss, Yung Miami continues to support her man, ignoring the naysayers. Likewise, Diddy backs Caresha in her blossoming career and appreciates her being there for him.
Could it be love for the Hip-Hop couple? On Tuesday (Sept. 13), Yung Miami took to her Instagram Stories to share a recent gift from Diddy hinting it might be. She showed off a stunning baguette chain and “Love” pendant from her boo. The new piece was made by celeb jeweler Benny The Jeweler, who also made a matching chain for Diddy.
However, it could be that Diddy is merely keeping his name close to his girl’s heart. The rap mogul legally changed his middle name to “Love” last year.
Earlier this week, Diddy shared a sweet photo of himself and Yung Miami to celebrate her first-ever award nomination for Caresha Please.
“Proud of you @yungmiami305 Shawty Wop!!!! #ad On your BET Hip Hop Award nomination for Best Hip Hop Platform!” Diddy penned in the caption. “You out here F##### S### Up!!!! Love 🖤✨💫 @revolttv … I TOLD YOU! 😘 #CareshaPlease.” Yung Miami responded to Diddy in the comment section, writing, “Thank you Papi❤️🥰”
Diddy confirmed his relationship with Yung Miami in June, though he remained tight-lipped about the details. “We’re dating. We go have dates. We’re friends. We go to exotic locations. We have great times,” he said during the debut episode of Caresha Please. “You’re a great mother and a great friend. We just have a good time.”
Is there still room for human creativity in a world where AI can produce music, paint pictures, and write books? It’s hard to imagine that the idea of generating music without going through an elaborate production process was unheard of just ten years ago. However, in 2022, you no longer need instruments or expensive studios to create your own songs.
All you need is an app on your phone, and if you’re really ambitious, learn how to use GarageBand on your laptop. With the introduction of AI, there are new tools for artists to create and distribute their work more efficiently than ever before. As a result of these developments, many people fear that creativity will become obsolete and artists will lose their relevance.
As a tech enthusiast and artist, Wong Kwan Chi has a different opinion. Kwan Chi sees the recent developments in artificial intelligence as an opportunity for creatives to explore new territory. Even though these tools can simplify most of the work an artist does in their creative process, Kwan Chi admits there are some drawbacks to AI-generated art. The lack of soulfulness and depth that art created by a human has is one major differentiator between AI-generated art and what an artist creates. This can make the former less effective, which means you can’t rely on it to entertain your audience just yet.
Kwan Chi says completely AI-compiled music remains a dream for now, but the tools still have their place in the industry. In his case, they are why he embarked on his music journey because they helped him overcome some of the major challenges most newbies in the music industry experience. “In my songs, some of the music is synthesized by AI,” Kwan Chi discloses. However, the artist notes that the human element, which gives the music resonance with the audience, must come from the artists themselves until such a time when AI technology matures.
What will completely AI-compiled music look like? Kwan Chiadmits it’s hard to foresee or predict that. He maintains that the human senses are still crucial in the creation process, and AI technology is far from achieving that. Kwan Chi says that the best an artist can do for now is leverage the rapid changes in tech to simplify their work, from production to distribution.
As an entrepreneur, tech startup owner, and musician, he has witnessed the impact of tech-driven changes in different industries and has seen firsthand how they affect the players in said fields. From that, he’s learned you can integrate content from different sectors and use it to succeed.
While others see a bleak future for musicians and artists, Kwan Chi sees a world of limitless possibilities for artists who are willing to innovate. Despite AI and machine-learning advancements, Kwan Chi maintains the reality is not as grim as it may sound at the moment.
An artist who goes above and beyond to create a genuine experience for their audience will still shine, and one who collaborates with others will be even more effective. Kwan Chi’s goal is to be the latter type of musician, bringing the art of music to the extreme. As he sees it, there has never been a better time to explore new possibilities and take his career as an artist to the next level.
Funko has announced Tha Dogg House, a new collaboration with Snoop Dogg.
The company partnered with the famed MC to create a Snoop Dogg-themed store in Inglewood, California. Tha Dogg House will feature a mural of the Hip Hop legend as well as life-sized Funko Pop! figures.
“This new store stays true to who I am as an entrepreneur and rapper,” the 50-year-old rapper said in a press release. “I can’t wait for my fans to experience it, to touch it, to feel it. Once you see it, it’s like no other thing in the world. Tha Dogg House will blow your mind.”
Tha Dogg House will be located next to Snoop Dogg’s Clothing store, which is near SoFi Stadium. The retail experience will offer exclusive collectibles along with Funko products from the worlds of sports, movies, anime and more.
“Snoop Dogg is an entertainment powerhouse and remains one of the most innovative and versatile figures in the entertainment industry,” Funko’s Chief Executive Officer Andrew Perlmutter said. “We look forward to the debut of our newest retail experience and our partnership with Snoop whose expertise and impact on pop culture further elevates the brand’s opportunity to connect with fandoms within music and sports.”
Tha Dogg House launches in January 2023. Pre-order Funko’s Snoop Dogg figures here.
Tekashi 6ix9ine callously mocked the death of PnB Rock, provoking a response from Wack 100.
6ix9ine joked about PnB Rock dying over a waffle in an Instagram Stories post. Wack 100 checked the controversial rapper in a comment on Instagram.
“[You’re] wrong on this one,” he wrote to 6ix9ine. “He died not acknowledging his surroundings. Wearing Jewelry in a area in which what he had on was more than what the local homes cost. Allowing a females suggestions [to] dictate the right decisions. Moving without security.”
Wack 100 continued, “A few of these things I’ve spoken to you about. Let this situation be a eye opener to you. Life is about decisions & the wrong one can kill ya life span. Blessings to the family but let this be a example of what not to do.”
6ix9ine’s PnB Rock trolling elicited outrage on social media. The two rappers had past beef, but 6ix9ine’s crass post crossed the line in the eyes of many online observers.
PnB Rock, whose real name was Rakim Allen, was shot and killed at Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles in Los Angeles on Monday (September 12). The shooting occurred shortly after his girlfriend tagged his location in an Instagram post.
PnB Rock was shot and killed at a Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles location in Los Angeles on Monday (September 12), but the restaurant was open for business on Tuesday (September 13).
According to TMZ, the restaurant was cleaned and operating a day after the deadly incident. Employees who witnessed the shooting were reportedly given the day off in wake of the tragedy.
Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles issued a statement following PnB Rock’s death on Monday. The restaurant said the safety of employees and patrons was its “utmost priority.”
“We are deeply saddened by the death of Rakim Hasheem Allen, (also known as PnB Rock), an incredible artist in Los Angeles and everywhere,” the statement read. “His passing represents an enormous loss to each and every one of us.”
It continued, “Our most heartfelt condolences, thoughts, and prayers go to the Allen family at this difficult time. The safety of our employees and guests are our utmost priority. We have and will continue to keep our place of business as safe as possible.”
PnB Rock was dining with his girlfriend at Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles, where he was shot during a robbery. His girlfriend posted a photo of their food and location on Instagram.
A graphic video of the shooting’s aftermath surfaced on social media. PnB Rock was transported to a local hospital, but he was pronounced dead at the facility. He was 30.
