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Musician Natalie Ziadeh Releases Serenity to Rousing Success

Natalie Ziadeh was born in Houston, Texas, on February 24, 1999. She came into a world of music played and performed by members of her family. Her grandfather played several different instruments, including the piano. Classical music filled the house, and the family attended orchestral symphonies as often as possible. Ziadeh, too, began to play music as soon as she was able, playing the piano and singing for her church as a young child.

Music is Natalie’s passion. Although she started out playing the piano, she discovered the violin in middle school, and she was hooked. By the age of thirteen, she was competing at the regional level. As a freshman in high school, she tried out for and was accepted in her school’s highest orchestra, and she traveled the state with that orchestra, competing in many solo, ensemble, string, and philharmonic orchestral meets. 

Natalie Ziadeh went to attend Texas A&M University, where she graduated with a degree in psychology. She currently attends The Chicago School of Professional Psychology to acquire her master’s degree in Psychology and she hopes to pursue her Ph.D. in Psychology soon after. As a psychology student and future clinician, Ziadeh has extensively researched the power of music on the cognitive functioning of both neurotypical and neurodivergent individuals. Ziadeh recommends that all students take advantage of the benefits music can give them when they are studying or need a release from the tensions of the day.

In order to help her with her stressors and memory, Ziadeh has created her own mashup of musical styles. In her newest album titled Serenity, Natalie incorporates her tranquilizing violin abilities with the unique and mainstream sounds of lo-fi beats. Specifically, Ziadeh has taken the classical music of the violin, viola, and flute and added to it the distorted lo-fi beats of the electric piano and percussion instruments. The results are dreamy, relaxing, and powerful music that soothes and replenishes.

Her album, to no surprise, has attracted thousands of listeners on a monthly basis. Her Spotify profile currently sits at almost 20,000 listeners, with close to 30,000 on the Serenity album alone. This boost of listeners was also met with an exciting 5,000 follower jump on Spotify alone, and a boost of thousands of followers on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Stay tuned for all that she has in store, there are many onlookers waiting for her future releases.

YNW Melly Demands To Get Murder Trial Underway

YNW Melly is ready for his murder trial to begin.

According to court documents obtained by AllHipHop, YNW Melly asked for a speedy trial on Thursday (May 26). The request was filed a month after jury selection got postponed.

YNW Melly, whose real name is Jamell Demons, is accused of killing Anthony Williams and Christopher Thomas Jr. in 2018. The Florida rapper and his associate Cortlen Henry, also known as YNW Bortlen, face first-degree murder charges.

“Defendant, Jamell Demons, by and through the undersigned attorney and pursuant to Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.191 (b), hereby files this Demand for Speedy Trial, indicating that he is available for trial, has diligently investigated his case, and that he will be prepared and ready for trial within five (5) days from the date of this Demand,” YNW Melly’s lawyer wrote.

The motion noted, “Under Florida’s speedy trial statute, anyone accused of a felony is entitled to be tried within 175 days of having been taken into custody.”

YNW Melly has remained in jail since his 2019 arrest. Jury selection for his murder trial was scheduled to begin in April before a judge postponed the process. He hopes to avoid more delays by filing a motion for a speedy trial.

“No later than 5 days from the filing of a demand for speedy trial, the court shall hold a calendar call, with notice to all parties, for the express purposes of announcing in open court receipt of the demand and of setting the case for trial,” YNW Melly’s attorney wrote. “At the calendar call the court shall set the case for trial to commence at a date no less than 5 days nor more than 45 days from the date of the calendar call.”

YNW Melly could be sentenced to death if convicted.

Yella Beezy Arrested In Connection To Sexual Assault Case

Yella Beezy can’t seem to avoid legal trouble.

According to Collin County jail records, Yella Beezy was taken into custody on Thursday (May 26). Authorities issued a warrant for his arrest in connection to a sexual assault case.

Yella Beezy, whose real name is Markies Deandre Conway, was originally arrested for sexual assault in November 2021. He was released on a $57,500 bond.

But months later, his bond was held insufficient. This could mean a number of things, including him not following a judge’s orders, missing court dates or not complying with a bondsman’s requirements.

A warrant for his arrest was issued on Wednesday (May 25). He was booked in the Collin County Jail a day later. His bond is now set at $1,000,000.

Last year, Yella Beezy was hit with a felony sexual assault charge after being accused of rape. He was also charged with abandoning or endangering a child and unlawful carrying of a weapon. He denied the allegations.

“Yall gotta stop playing on my name,” he said. “I was arrested on false allegations. I was arrested before I was even questioned and I knew about anything [that] was going on.”

Yella Beezy added, “I can’t really speak on a lot of the stuff ‘cause my lawyer advised me not to, but I just had to speak out because people get stuff misconstrued. I’ll have my day in court, I ain’t worried about nothing. Evidence is going to prove itself. Like I said, a rumor spread faster than the truth. Just trust the process.”

Kool G Rap Producer Domingo Gives Insight Into Legend’s New Album

Veteran producer Domingo spoke to AllHipHop about his work on Kool G Rap’s upcoming album Last of a Dying Breed.

Kool G Rap enlisted Domingo to produce the legendary rapper’s entire LP, which will feature collaborations with AZ and the late Sean Price. Domingo didn’t need any convincing to create more music with the influential emcee.

“Working on this album with Kool G Rap, it’s like having a family gathering because we are like brothers,” he told AllHipHop. “We’ve known each other so long and always had each other’s back. So, when I was presented [with] the opportunity to produce this album, I did not hesitate to work with one of the G.O.A.T.S. of Hip Hop.”

Domingo also discussed his creative process, explaining how he tailor-made his beats for his longtime collaborator.

“I went over each beat precisely to match what G Rap is all about lyrically,” he said. “Even calling upon some talented friends to produce on some songs with me such as Dr. G, TonyRoc and Boogie The Hit Maker. They assisted in adding to the album’s direction of what I was shooting for, accomplishing a really well-put-together album for an artist who I consider the G.O.A.T: Kool G Rap … The Last of a Dying Breed.”

Kool G Rap’s new album is expected to drop in August. The project will be his first solo LP since 2017’s Return of the Don.

This opus is executive produced by The National Hip Hop Museum.

“Goodfellas” Actor Ray Liotta Dies At 67

Actor Ray Liotta has died at the age of 67.

The beloved actor starred in numerous iconic movies like Goodfellas and Sin City. According to Deadline, who broke the news of his passing, he died in his sleep while shooting a movie called dangerous waters.

The iconic actor was born in Newark New Jersey in 1954 and played numerous recognizable characters, often times in the gangster genre.

However, his body of work was not limited to that. He also played in serious drama like Corrina, Corrina, Hannibal (the sequel to Silence of the Lambs), John Q, which co-starred Denzel Washington, and other movies like the recent The Many Saints of Newark. He also played in less daunting characters in movies like operation Dumbo Drop, Muppets from Space and SpongeBob SquarePants.

He was an overall force in Hollywood and will be missed by many.

The Golden Globe winner is survived by his daughter Karen. He was also engaged to be married to his girlfriend Jacy Nittolo.

By the way, Ray Liotta has one of the most epic gifs ever.

Goodfellas - Ray Liotta | GIF | Know Your Meme

Canibus Addresses The Pete Rock Situation: “Pete, I Love You.”

Canibus is a pretty classy dude. He’s evolved a lot and he’s not really

Canibus is a pretty classy dude. He’s evolved a lot and he’s not really about beef. “When you don’t know what’s going on, you gotta be quiet,” Canibus says. For some reason, Pete Rock decided to distance himself away from the album he and Canibus presumably did. He actually denied it altogether, but M80, one of the Canibus team members, produced a lot of receipts that say he was paid for his work. On the real, we do not like getting into this stuff. Why?

We have two legends right here. We love them both. They are both dope to this day and we want the best for them. Anyway, moving on. Canibus does a great job at diffusing the matter, but also explaining in detail his point of view. He also says that he really did not get it. “Its always been respectful,” ‘Bis says, “Last time I saw Pete Rock, it was hugs.”

Canibus completely denies there is any situation between him and Pete Rock. I feel him, but we also should recognize that Pete’s tweets are Pete’s tweets. He went on and on and he and M80 had pretty extensive conversation on Twitter. Anyway, salute Canibus!! Respect and I hope and pray this all gets resolved.

“Pete, I love you man and that’s on my heart beat,” Canibus says.

Check out the interview.

Anyway, here is our latest interview with Canibus and it is a great conversation. No beef, just veggies!

Lil Pump Suffers Loss, Cousin/Rapper OhTrapstar Dies In Tragic Car Accident

Reports state Florida rapper OhTrapstar was killed in a car accident on Wednesday, May 25th, around 5:00 a.m.

WSVN reports that the 23-year-old upstart, whose real name is Ernesto Enrique Carralero, was in the car with two other people — a man and a woman— when the vehicle they were riding in crashed into a duplex in Miami and burst into flames.

The Miami Police Department has identified the other individuals who died in the car as Oklahoma native Bayle Pricilla Bucceri, 23, and fellow Floridian Candido Miguel Barroso-Nodarse, 22.

The house that the car slammed into had five people living there. Two of them were mildly injured and taken to the hospital to be treated. Now displayed, the American Red Cross is assisting with securing sustainable but temporary shelter for them.

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A post shared by ✩ohtrapstar✩ (@ohtrapstar)

Reports say the BMW, driving westbound on 82nd Street, flipped over, exploded in flames, and eventually landed on its roof.

A witness said, “It was a big hit. It was a big hit, and then, once we looked, we saw the fire, automatically, we called the cops. Me and my wife was sleeping. We looked out our window, and then we saw the car on fire, and we couldn’t tell if it hit the house.”

“We automatically called the cops. Before we even looked, we called the cops.”

OhTrapstar shared a famous connection to one of Hip-Hop’s top stars, Gucci Gang’s Lil Pump. Pump has not responded to the premature death yet.

One of OhTrapstar’s associates arrived at the accident scene and told people of his promise.

Dariens Martin said, “He was going to become something with his career because he was starting to come up.”

Some of his fans took to Twitter to send their condolences.

https://twitter.com/teosiseXOXO/status/1529818168297922560?s=20&t=b2ePVgqMBnrRPmN4y_sDZg

The friend added that the rapper was also his co-worker and “best friend. He was going to be the godfather to my kid.”

Investigators are still figuring out the details of the accident, saying it is “too early” to say what happened.

Miami Police officer Michael Vega, “It’s still too early to determine where exactly they were coming from, but it does appear that speed is a factor in this accident.”

John Legend Blasts Ted Cruz’s Call For Door Reform To Stop School Shootings

EGOT winner John Legend can be very outspoken when it comes to social and political issues. Following the deadly mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Texas, the R&B singer/songwriter slammed Texas Senator Ted Cruz’s response to the tragedy.

A gunman killed nineteen students and two teachers during the Uvalde massacre on May 24. Ted Cruz argued adding more armed personnel in schools would help prevent fatal incidents like the one at Robb Elementary.

John Legend saw footage of Ted Cruz speaking with the media. The Bigger Love album creator did not hold back in blasting the polarizing Republican politician in a series of tweets on Thursday morning.

The Singer Calls Ted Cruz A “Slimy Coward”

“Evil nonsense. The answer for the NRA and its toadies like Ted is ALWAYS that we need MORE guns. They’d rather ‘harden’ our schools than deal with the problem. We already have the most guns in the world,” tweeted John Legend.

He added, “The NRA represents gun manufacturers. They need you to buy more guns. Their answer will continue to be to ratchet up the civilian arms race. So much blood is on their hands… I can’t imagine why any Texan would want this slimy coward representing such a proud state.”

A Police Officer Was At The School During The Uvalde Shooting

John Legend also pointed out that Robb Elementary reportedly had armed security at the location. The gunman was still able to pull off the horrific act because he had an AR-15 and body armor. There have also been reports that law enforcement officers at the scene did not quickly enter the school to confront the shooter.

In addition, Ted Cruz suggested passing legislation that would ensure all doors at schools are locked as a way to hamper armed shooters. John Legend reacted to the junior Senator from Texas by tweeting, “Dear God. The idiocy. No gun reform. Just door reform from Ted Cruz.”

Tiffany Haddish & Snoop Dogg Star In Russ’s “Handsomer (Remix)” Video

Russ scored his first Top 40 hit on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart with “Handsomer.” The self-produced track peaked at #40 on the Hot 100 in March.

A remix for “Handsomer” featuring San Diego-bred rapper Ktlyn arrived that same month. Russ has now dropped a 7-minute music video for the new version of his single.

The Edgar Esteves and Logan Fields-directed visuals star Emmy-winning actress/comedian Tiffany Haddish. Hip Hop legend Snoop Dogg makes a cameo in the clip as well.

Russ wrote on Instagram:

Alright this was one of the craziest moments of my life so far lol I went in to this with 0 acting experience. I wanted to poke fun at myself and just be obnoxious so I was like “well I’ll just improv all my parts then cuz that will feel natural” 😂 so that’s what I did. Slightly nerve racking once cameras started rolling lmao. Just wanted to do something challenging for the f*** of it. I’m grateful for Tiffany Haddish just being down to do this and being such a professional all day and having the best energy you could ask for.

Shoutout to Snoop Dogg for being the legend that he is and killin this for me too. Shoutout Ktlyn for bein a natural superstar. Shoutout my boy Edgar Esteves and Blank Square Productions for makin this vision come to life. Finally in the words of Snoop Dogg most importantly “I Wanna Thank Me” for consistently betting on myself. I put up $300k of my own money out of pocket to make this happen. I am the label. Video is out now!!! Enjoy!

@russ Instagram

“Handsomer” Becomes Russ’s Biggest Hit On The Rap Charts

Since its debut on Wednesday, the “Handsomer (Remix)” amassed over 200,000 views on YouTube. The official YouTube audio already racked up 3.5 million plays. It also collected more than 25 million streams on Spotify.

“Handsomer” made it into the Top 10 of Billboard‘s Hot Rap Songs chart by reaching #9. The song is also the only single in Russ’s catalog to enter the Rap Streaming Songs rankings. Plus, Russ and Ktlyn’s “Handsomer” made it to #1 on the Rap Digital Song Sales chart.

Previously, Russ found Hot 100 success with 2015’s “What They Want” (#83), 2015’s “Losin Control” (#62), and 2019’s “Best on Earth” with Bia (#46). His also discography includes the 2x-Platinum-certified There’s Really a Wolf album. The 14-track Chomp 2 came out in December 2021.

N.O.R.E. Calls Out Rappers For Doing Interviews With Non-Hip Hop Media

Drink Champs co-host N.O.R.E. had something to say about his Hip Hop peers choosing to give interviews to non-Hip Hop outlets. The Miami-based emcee-turned-podcaster went on a mini-Twitter rant about media access.

“I have been the best to this culture I have always put Hip Hop first and I see [you] guys go to Ellen and [David Letterman] and [Zane Lowe] and treat them [with] more respect [than] the culture but [you] say [you] want Black excellence,” tweeted N.O.R.E. on Wednesday night.

The 44-year-old Queens, New York native added, “Imma be honest even going to [Oprah Winfrey] or [Gayle King] is trash at this point!!! We control our culture why go outside of it!!!”

One half of the Capone-N-Noreaga duo also posted, “David Letterman is my favorite but man why go there or Ellen before [Million Dollaz Worth of Game] or [The Joe Budden Podcast] or [Drink Champs] or even Twitter s###!!!”

Last week, Netflix premiered the latest season of the My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman. The long-form interview series featured conversations with “WAP” hitmaker Cardi B and Oscar-winning actor Will Smith.

Additionally, multi-millionaire Hip Hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs recently appeared on The Ellen Show. Apple Music 1’s presenter Zane Lowe regularly questions entertainers like Lil Nas X, Big Boi, Earl Sweatshirt, Questlove, and Jack Harlow.

N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN’s Drink Champs airs on Diddy’s Revolt network. So far in 2022, the popular podcast ran interviews with Havoc, Styles P, The Game, 2 Chainz, Remy Ma, Snoop Dogg, Pusha T, A$AP Rocky, Tank, and others.

Recent episodes of Million Dollaz Worth of Game included sit-downs with Yo Gotti, 2 Chainz, Pusha T, Kodak Black, YG, Lil Durk, Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz, and Yung Bleu. The Patreon version of The Joe Budden Podcast has behind-a-paywall discussions with Fredo Bang, Lady London, Ransom, and more.

Jussie Smollett’s ‘B-Boy Blues’ Film To Run On BET+

Former Empire star Jussie Smollett made his directorial debut with B-Boy Blues. The motion picture will stream on the BET+ streaming network.

According to Variety, Monami Entertainment’s Mona Scott-Young will serve as a producer for B-Boy Blues. After producing the Love & Hip Hop reality show franchise, Scott-Young became a television titan.

B-Boy Blues is a beautifully bold, funny, heartwarming bromance and I was thrilled to partner with Jussie to help this wonderful film gain greater exposure,” stated Mona Scott-Young.

Jussie Smollett’s film is an adaptation of James Earl Hardy’s 1994 book B-Boy Blues: A Seriously Sexy, Fiercely Funny, Black-on-Black Love Story. The movie won the Fan Favorite Narrative Feature Award at the 2021 American Black Film Festival.

B-Boy Blues tells the fictional love story of journalist Mitchell Crawford and bicycle messenger Raheim Rivers. The cast includes Timothy Richardson, Ledisi, Brandee Evans, Heather B, Marquise Vilson, Jabari Redd, Broderick Hunter, and Thomas Mackie.

Mona Scott-Young added, “Falling head over heels and fighting for love are universal emotions and experiences and we are so grateful to BET+ for shining a powerful spotlight on the still seriously underrepresented Black LGBTQ+ community and bringing this impactful love story to an even greater audience.”

B-Boy Blues serves as Jussie Smollett’s first major project since his conviction in Illinois. A jury found the actor/singer guilty of felony disorderly conduct for making false police reports. A judge sentenced him to 150 days in county jail. Smollett maintains that he was the victim of a 2019 homophobic, racist hate crime.

‘Abbott Elementary’ Creator Quinta Brunson Responds To Requests For School Shooting Episode

On May 24, an 18-year-old man armed with an AR-15-style rifle killed 22 people at Robb Elementary School. In response, some television viewers want to see the ABC series Abbott Elementary address real-life tragedies like the one in Uvalde, Texas.

Abbott Elementary creator, producer, and lead actress Quinta Brunson took to Twitter to address the fans’ request for a future show covering a school shooting. Brunson made it clear she has no interest in presenting a violence-themed episode.

“Wild how many people have asked for a school shooting episode of the show I write. People are that deeply removed from demanding more from the politicians they’ve elected and are instead demanding ‘entertainment.’ I can’t ask ‘are yall ok’ anymore because the answer is ‘no,'” tweeted Quinta Brunson on Tuesday.

https://twitter.com/quintabrunson/status/1529543520909787136?s=20&t=L8xYizHzicSGTHpSy-49ww

The 32-year-old Philadephia native continued, “Please use that energy to ask your elected official to get on Beto time and nothing less. I’m begging you. I don’t want to sound mean, but I want people to understand the flaw in asking for something like this. We’re not okay. This country is rotting our brains. I’m sad about it.”

Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke confronted Texas governor Greg Abbott and other Republican politicians at a news conference on Wednesday. O’Rourke and Abbott will face off for the governorship in the November election. Firearm policies will likely be a major issue in the race.

https://twitter.com/quintabrunson/status/1529545389036212225?s=20&t=L8xYizHzicSGTHpSy-49ww

Abbott Elementary Became Hit For ABC

Quinta Brunson’s Abbott Elementary premiered on December 7, 2021. The program’s first season received widespread critical acclaim. Time magazine recently named Brunson as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.

In addition to Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary also stars Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti, and Sheryl Lee Ralph. The mockumentary became ABC’s highest-rated new comedy since the 2018-2019 season. The network renewed Abbott Elementary for a second season.

Offset Previews New Music Amid Migos Breakup Rumors  

Offset has some new music coming following the release of a new song by his fellow Migos members. He shared a snippet of a new song amid rumors of a Migos breakup.  

The Atlanta native took to his Instagram stories to preview the new song while speculation mounts about the status of the Migos trio. Check out the snippet below. 

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A post shared by @offsetstories

The rumor mill went into overdrive recently when it was discovered that Offset stopped following Quavo and Takeoff on Instagram. Cardi B also stopped following the pair leading to further speculation. 

At the same time, Quavo and Takeoff announced their new single “Hotel Lobby,” as the duo Unc & Phew. This led to further speculation that the group has broken up though there has been no official comment.  

However, DJ Akademiks recently confirmed to TMZ that the breakup rumors are false.  

“They might be going through a small disagreement or whatever,” Ak told TMZ. “I think that they’re angling it because, you know, Takeoff and Quavo just put out a song, so they’re kind of letting it lie, letting the questions linger or something like that.” 

Akademiks added, “But at the end of the day, they’re family. Offset confirmed that to me, too. Maybe if it was the City Girls that unfollowed each other, but the Migos? Come on, I just can’t see a gangster group — like, the only sign of trouble is them hitting unfollow.” 

The Kardashians Blast Kanye West For How He Treated Their Family 

During the latest episode of The Kardashians, which premiered on Thursday (May 26), Kim Kardashian revealed her concern on learning Kanye was releasing a new song.

“It means he’s talking mad s### about me and probably saying whatever” she said.

She continued, “I think that I will never stop being me. All I can do is control how I react to something. I can’t control how he treats me or how he has always treated you guys,” she told her family. “I protected that for so long, but I said, ‘I will never let that happen to you guys again.’ For once in my life, I feel strong.” She added, “I am not going to let someone treat you guys [a certain] way or myself.” 

Kim noted how difficult it was for her to hear Kanye talking about her loved ones publicly amid their divorce. “I do recognize the impact that my relationship has had on my family. And I have never had the opportunity to just say, ‘I am sorry,” she added. 

The Kardashians React

Khloé Kardashian then chimed in: “Most men are not trashing the mother of their kids like that publicly. We don’t have to sit here and throw stones back. We take it on the chin.” Kendall added, “Karma is always gonna be on your side.” 

Meanwhile, during a confessional, The Kardashians’ matriarch noted Kim has done “nothing but be great” to Kanye. “When people are saying disparaging things about any of us, it hurts all of us because one day your kids are going to read all of it,” said Kris Jenner. “That is something everybody has to be really aware of.” 

Kim filed for divorce in February 2021 before requesting to be declared legally single and to restore her last name later that same year. The former couple was married for seven years and share kids North, 8, Saint, 6, Chicago, 4 and Psalm, 3. 

2 Chainz Praises New York City For Their Cannabis Laws  

2 Chainz compared New York to California after lighting up in front of New York cops now that the city has revamped its marijuana laws. 

In March 2021, New York City joined the increasing number of states to legalize cannabis for recreational use. Cannabis connoisseur 2 Chainz reflected on the changing times and recalled previous encounters with cops in the city who would crack down on anyone consuming the plant in public.    

“I remember being in New York, they had the Hip-Hop police they used to f### with us out the cab and jump down,” 2 Chainz said. “Man, now we in Times Square walking with the gas man. New York, I’m glad you found some other s### to be upset about and stopped f###### with n##### about none of that s### like that.” 

Demonstrating his newfound freedom, he strolled past an NYPD van. “Nah, For real in front of 12,” he said. “They not tripping, they’re not tripping. F##### me up, they done turned to Cali out in this b####.” 

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Unlike in Colorado or California, it’s legal to smoke marijuana almost everywhere it’s legal to consume tobacco. 

However, 2 Chainz isn’t just a consumer. He is among the growing number of Hop-Hop artists to enter the booming cannabis industry. His Pineapple Express cannabis company opened its first store in Los Angeles, California, during Super Bowl weekend in February.  

According to a new study, legal sales of marijuana are expected to top $33 billion by the end of 2022. Additionally, more than three-quarters (77%) of the U.S. population resides in a state with some form of legalized cannabis. 

Snoop Dogg Says He Fainted When He Saw Tupac In Hospital After Shooting

Death Row Records labelmates Snoop Dogg and Tupac had “a little tension” at the time of Pac’s murder though they were good friends. During a recent interview on Logan Paul’s “Impaulsive” podcast, the Doggfather recalled visiting the hospital after learning Tupac had been shot in a drive-by in Las Vegas

According to Snoop Dogg, the sight of his friend lying motionless in his hospital bed caused him to pass out. 

“When we drive to Vegas to see Pac, we got to Suge house first, so we haven’t even seen Pac,” Snoop Dogg explained. “We just talking to Suge, and he got the head wrapped up and he telling us what happened and [saying] ‘Pac gonna be alright, he going to pull through he got shot nine times before he going to be alright.’” 

However, he didn’t realize the severity of the situation until they arrived at the hospital. “We feeling like it’s gonna be alright until we go to the hospital and see that it ain’t alright. He got tubes in him,” Snoop Dogg recalled.  

Afeni Shakur Reassured Snoop Dogg After He Fainted

“When I walked in, I could just feel like he wasn’t even there and I fainted,” he shared. But Pac’s mother, Afeni Shakur, pulled him aside and reminded him how strong he was. “She was like, ‘My baby ain’t never seen you weak. I don’t want you to be weak in front of him. You go in the bathroom and fix yourself up and you go back in there and you talk to him and you tell him how you feel.” 

She added, “My baby loves you,’” before leaving Snoop Dogg to talk to her son alone. “She knew there was a little tension, but she knew how much we loved each other. So she gave us a moment for me to say some things to him as far as how much I love him. But I knew that that was gonna be my last time speaking with him.”  Check it out below.

President Biden Signs Police Reform Executive Order On Anniversary Of George Floyd’s Death

Two years after a cop murdered George Floyd, President Joe Biden signed an executive order on policing.

The executive order establishes a national database of police misconduct and requires federal law enforcement agencies to use it to screen personnel. It also bans federal officers from using chokeholds “unless deadly force is authorized” and enacts restrictions on no-knock entries.

“This executive order is going to deliver the most significant police reform in decades,” Biden said. “It applies directly, under law, to only 100,000 federal law enforcement officers, all the federal law enforcement officers. And through federal incentives and best practices that are attached to it, we expect the order to have significant impact on state and local law enforcement agencies as well.”

Derek Chauvin, a Minneapolis police officer, killed Floyd by kneeling on his neck for roughly nine minutes in 2020. Last year, the now-former cop was found guilty of murder.

“I know progress can be slow and frustrating and there’s a concern that the reckoning on race inspired two years ago is beginning to fade,” Biden said. “But acting today, we’re showing what our dear friend, the late John Lewis, congressman, wrote in his final words after his final march for justice in July 2020 — he said, ‘Democracy is not a state. It is an act.’”

Read the White House’s fact sheet for Biden’s executive order here.

‘Martin’ Reunion To Premiere On BET+ In June

BET+ has set a premiere date for the Martin reunion special.

According to Variety, Martin: The Reunion is scheduled to debut on the streaming service on June 16. Comedian Affion Crockett will host the special.

Surviving cast members Martin Lawrence, Tisha Campbell, Tichina Arnold and Carl Anthony Payne II will appear in the 90-minute special. The reunion will include a tribute to Tommy Ford, who passed away in 2016.

“The cast will look back on the show’s most hilarious moments, revisit the iconic characters Martin made famous and pay an emotional tribute to the late, great Tommy Ford,” BET+ said. “Complete with musical performances and drop-ins by celebrity super fans, Martin: The Reunion brings back the wazzup wazzup wazzup passion fans have been waiting for.”

Martin originally aired on FOX from 1992 to 1997. BET+ brought the cast back together to celebrate the sitcom’s 30th anniversary.

“To be able to sit here 30 years later with this amazing cast that has had such an impact on pop culture is truly a blessing,” Lawrence said. “I am always humbled that the fans still want more of the show and its characters. I am looking forward to the reunion special.”

Martin is currently available to stream on BET+ and HBO Max. Reruns air on BET and VH1.

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Montreal Mayor Calls Out Metro Music Festival After Crowd Goes Crazy

On Tuesday, May 24th, Montreal mayor Valérie Plante addressed the promoters of the 2022 Metro Music Festival and the severe injuries that people sustained last weekend during the event. 

She said they need to “take responsibility” for everything.

The festival popped off from May 20th to May 22nd on the Esplanade of the Olympic Stadium in the popular Canadian city. Fans watched their favorite artists and were treated to a surprise appearance by rapper Drake.

However, the crowd became unruly despite people having a ball, according to Montreal Gazette.

Social media showed festival attendees being knocked over, surging through the security gate, and even jumping over wall structures to see the show for free.

At a press conference, Plante said, “What happened was not acceptable. You can’t compromise people’s security inside or around the perimeter. Obviously, when I saw the images, I was troubled,” she said. “Especially when you think of the safety of people who could have been hurt because management of the barriers could have been better.”

The festival organizer Olivier Primeau said his team did take the proper security measures to make sure people were safe. 

Primeau also said his crew respected all the conditions for using the venue but promised he would implement “lots of things” to make the festival run better next year.

He said they want to bring the festival back but may change the venue next year.

Brandy Teaches Jack Harlow A Lesson On “First Class” Freestyle

Brandy jumped on Jack Harlow’s “First Class” instrumental to display her rap prowess.

The Grammy-winning singer put her spin on Jack Harlow’s single after he made headlines for not knowing she is Ray J’s sister.

“I will murk this dude in rap at 43 on his own beats and then sing [his] ass to sleep,” she responded via Twitter.

Although Brandy said she was joking, she followed through on her declaration. The Moesha star used Jack Harlow’s own beat for her new freestyle.

“Over 20 years and I am still a topic/A picture’s worth a million, now I’m feeling philanthropic/43 and feeling like a kid with millions watching/Popular but now I’m popping s### for those out of pocket/I went diamond, guess I’m still a gold mine shining/This Black excellence at its finest/Don’t call me Brandy no more, call me your highness,” she raps.

Brandy also referenced her brother Ray on the track.

“Built tougher than my brother Ray J’s glasses/This is passion/You woke up a beast, now it’s madness/Singer slash rapper, rapper slash actress/ I’m reaching for the crown, you might get a handful of thorns/Or maybe you just wanna be down,” she raps.

Listen to Brandy’s “First Class” freestyle below.

https://soundcloud.com/hot97ny/ebro-in-the-morning-exclusive-brandy-first-class-freestyle