The graphic posted shared that the music will not only “soundtrack” game telecasts, but also the promotional assets.
ESPN’s VP of Sports Marketing, Emeka Ofodile stated, “Now we are here … the kickoff of the football season and, who better to curate music for Monday Night Football than Drake, who sits firmly at the intersection of music and sports.”
“We couldn’t be more excited for this upcoming collaboration,” Ofodile added.
More details will be announced in the future.
Certified Lover Boy, his latest project and sixth studio album, made history by breaking Apple Music’s one-day streaming record in under 12 hours.
He holds a few other impressive records that can’t be sneezed at. He has the most number-one hits on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Chart, earlier this year he became the first artist to have the #1, #2, and #3 song on Billboard’s Hot 100 and in 2019 passed the Beatles as second-most Top 10s in the Billboard Hot 100’s publication’s history.
He is currently only three below Madonna with 35 Hot 100 songs. He is expected to shortly claim the number one spot.
And … somehow … this ESPN gig might be the perfect move to inch him over the mark.
And Abby has confirmed this pregnancy was totally planned.
“First pregnancy, April 2020, was definitely not planned, but Nick was such a great friend to me and just so good to me, and then our focus became to have a baby. Little did we know we would end up having twins,” she told fans during a Q&A session on Instagram live over the weekend.
“Let me just add that this planning wasn’t like us sitting down with a calendar and being like, ‘You gotta be pregnant by this date.’ It had already been a thought and it happened.
“It had already been out there, it was something we were manifesting and we were just letting it flow.”
The DJ would like to have more children, but she’s grateful for the two she already has and will accept whatever comes to pass.
“Of course, I want more kids. If God permits. And if God doesn’t permit, it’s alright. I got two-for-one, it was a beautiful journey, a wild journey.”
Abby explained she and Nick “crossed paths numerous times throughout the years” before they “officially connected” in 2019.
And the twins weren’t “The Masked Singer” presenter’s only kids born this year. Model Alyssa Scott reportedly gave birth to Cannon’s son Zen in July, while he’s also dad to Golden, four, and seven-month-old Powerful Queen with Brittany Bell
He also shares 10-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe with ex-wife Mariah Carey, and recently insisted none of his children was an accident.
“I’m having these kids on purpose. I don’t have no accident! Trust me, there’s a lot of people I could’ve gotten pregnant that I didn’t. The ones that got pregnant are the ones that were supposed to get pregnant,” he said.
In the midst of the explosive R. Kelly racketeering and alleged sexual assault trial, Hip-Hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa has been officially served legal papers in his own sex scandal.
The Bronx native and the organization he founded, the Universal Zulu Nation, has been charged with sex trafficking and prostituting a 12-year-old boy to older men for four years.
According to the Metropolis Newspaper, the case, John Doe vs. Lance Taylor, was filed in the Bronx Supreme Court on August 4, 2021, ten days before the August 14th deadline of the Child Victims Act (CVA) and a week before the celebration of Hip-Hop’s birthday — an occasion that Bam had championed for years.
It states in graphic details many of the allegations set against the DJ/ rapper.
One of the many assertions is that the Zulu Nation’s National Headquarters (and Bambaataa’s personal Bronx River apartment) on 1609 East 174th Street was where the “johns” would go to have sex with the child.
This is not the first time sex with minors has come up. Influencer and media personality Troi “Star” Torrain has posted a series of his own interviews with other alleged victims.
The alleged victim, who is anonymously referred to as John Doe in the lawsuit, has employed Tanner and Ortega to represent him.
Ortega states, “The CVA opened a historic one-year onetime window for victims and survivors of childhood sexual abuse in the State of New York to pursue lapsed claims. Prior to the passage of the CVA, each Plaintiff’s claims were time-barred the day they turned 22 years old.”
The lawsuit shares that John Doe met Bambaataa in 1991 when he was a preteen. At the age of 12, he started attending meetings, joined the organization, and became a Chaka, a member of the Zulu Nation security team.
The suit alleges that Bam invited the young man to work out at his home and complimented him on his muscular physique. He also touched his shoulders, biceps, and abdomen. Later he would also touch his genitalia. This was the start of years of the alleged abuse.
The five allegations are as follows: assault, civil battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and gross negligence.
MB3FIVE is here to prove his talents on the basketball court are just as good as his talents on the microphone.
Best known as a professional NBA player playing for the Sacramento Kings, MB3FIVE, real name Marvin Bagley III effortlessly showcases he’s way more than an athlete, inspiring the masses that they too can follow their dreams no matter what the circumstances are.
The Phoenix native is an artist who takes his music very seriously, and wants to send a positive message into the world.
He explains, “I make the best music I can make, for people to hear it and feel a certain way. Do it with swag, do it with character. To have an impact on everybody’s lives, that’s really the only reason I do this music thing. And I’ma keep doing it until I can’t anymore.”
Most recently, MB3FIVE released the official music video for “Late Nights,” a record that sees him reflecting on his alone time and how it can get lonely at the top. Following the release of his previous project Behind It All, the song unveils a side of MB3FIVE fans have yet to see, holding them over until the release of his upcoming project titled Marv vs. Marv 2.
While he’s not hooping or making music, MB3FIVE is working on his own media company called 3Five Ent.
AllHipHop: How’s Phoenix treating you?
MB3FIVE: It’s cool, I love it out here. I got a lot of friends and family out here so I’m loving it.
AllHipHop: Was music always in your life the way basketball was?
MB3FIVE: Absolutely. It’s funny, everybody always asks me that. I started rapping when I was 5 or 6 years old, and I’ve been playing basketball for as long as I can remember. So going to practice, then coming straight home rapping and writing songs, going to show everybody in my family what I wrote, it’s always been a part of my life. Now the fact I can record and put it out for the world to hear is an amazing feeling.
AllHipHop: How would you describe your music?
MB3FIVE: My music is from the heart. It tells a story, not only my story but people around me. Whether it’s things that I’m going through, things that I’m seeing, things that I’m experiencing, or things that my friends and family are experiencing, I talk to them and pick their brains. Try to create some type of story behind it and make it good for the people to hear and listen to. A lot of people can relate to a lot of different things, so that’s what I try to do when I go make songs and record. Make something that’s not only true to myself, but something that people can relate to as well.
AllHipHop: How did you get the name MB3FIVE?
MB3FIVE: People started calling that in 9th grade. It was from basketball really, I had to change my number. I was always number 27 in middle school playing basketball and AAU. When I got to high school, I couldn’t wear 27 anymore, and the number I went with was 35. After that, my dad said “MB3FIVE” and it stuck with me from then. Ever since then, I’ve been rolling with that.
AllHipHop: “Late Nights” out now! How are you feeling?
MB3FIVE: I’m feeling great man, it’s a great song. Definitely a song that’s from the heart. I’m telling the world how I’m feeling at a certain time in my life, or going through a certain period in my life and telling everybody what that time was like for me. It came out as a great song. It’s doing well on Youtube, people are listening to it. People are sending it to me still, showing that they’re supporting and listening. It’s a great feeling.
AllHipHop: What were you going through recording it? Where did you record it?
MB3FIVE: I was out here in Arizona recording this. It’s a lot of different feelings that go through my mind, that I feel when I go record. It’s crazy because this night, it was actually a lot of people in the studio. I was in a certain zone, in that zone. What you hear on the song, that’s what came out. Those are my best songs where I go in and whatever I feel, it’ll come out. I go with that and the people so far like that. I’ma keep doing that until I can’t do it any more.
AllHipHop: What was the best memory from the video shoot?
MB3FIVE: The video was shot at a studio out here in Arizona. I did some scenes at the house, in the backyard. The car scenes were in the alley right behind the studio, and a couple through the gate. It was out here around people I was hanging around, my friends and family. It was cool to shoot that video, it’s a personal one. To have people accept it the way they did was great.
AllHipHop: 3 things you need in the studio at all times?
MB3FIVE: I need my phone. When I’m jotting down ideas while I’m in the booth, I don’t have to write them down. I can just type them. I need that. I need a fire engineer that knows how to engineer my voice. I need a vibe. That’s really the biggest thing out of all of those for me: the vibe. The time I’m in the studio. That’s a big thing for me. If the vibe’s not there or the vibe’s not right, it’s definitely hard for me to record. I be moving around a lot so I need an engineer who knows how to make my voice sound good. Those are the 3 things I need the most.
MB3FIVE
AllHipHop: What can we expect from your song with Lil Durk?
MB3FIVE: Me and Durk did a song not too long ago. He got on one of my songs I sent over, it’s a great song. I’m excited for people to hear that. I’m excited for the world to hear that type of song from me. Durk did his thing on it. Whenever I drop it, I’m definitely excited for people to hear that.
AllHipHop: How did you guys get in contact?
MB3FIVE: No, it’s crazy. I never spoke to him or had a type of relationship at all. I made a song and had an open verse on it. I said “Yo Durk would sound fire on this,” and we made it happen. He came back with a fire verse, a dope verse. I can’t wait for y’all to hear it.
AllHipHop: What about your song with A Boogie?
MB3FIVE: That’s another fire one. That’s another one that’s going to be a fan favorite. Anytime I play it for somebody or anybody who’s heard it, they love it. They always request it whenever we’re out chillin’, whatever, people tell me to play that song. It’s a good vibe song, a summer vibe feeling. It’ll make the people feel good for sure, definitely can’t wait to release that one. That’s the next one coming out, stay on the lookout. It’s gon’ be a good one.
AllHipHop: What can we expect from your forthcoming project, Marv Vs Marv 2?
MB3FIVE: It’s crazy how excited I am to finally put these songs together and make this project because this is a very personal one for me. I took a lot of time to make this. I’m trying to make sure it’s the right sound, I’m really trying to perfect the whole thing. I want this one to be a great project that people can listen to and feel a certain way when they hear my story, things I go through that people don’t know.
They always see one side of me, this project was to show a whole different side that people never see. I’m telling them my life, everything you hear on this album is my life. Things that I’ve seen, things that I’ve experienced, things that I’m around. It’s very close and personal to me. I’m excited to drop this and for the world to hear another side of me as an artist and as a person. It’s definitely one of those ones for me, one of my favorite ones so far.
AllHipHop: Why did you call it Marv Vs Marv 2?
MB3FIVE: Well the first one that I did was a few songs, it was an EP. I wanted to do a second one, but do it bigger and dive deeper into the concept of Marv Vs Marv, which is my basketball side and Marv as an artist. Having to deal with balancing that and everything that comes with people saying “you can’t do this” or “you can’t do both.” People seeing one side of me as a hooper and not seeing me as a rapper, understanding I’m a person like everybody else. I go through these feelings, I go through these emotions just like every human being would. I wanted to be able to dive deeper into that. Show the world I’m here making music or I’m here playing basketball on TV, but I’m still a human being at the end of day. That’s what I really want the message of this album to be.
AllHipHop: What was Nipsey’s influence on your life?
MB3FIVE: It’s crazy. I’d hear a few Nipsey songs, but I really wasn’t put on that much until he dropped Victory Lap. Once he dropped Victory Lap, that was a great project for me. I was inspired to make music and go record. I listened to it from start to finish. After that, I went back and listened to more Nipsey. Seeing how he was getting bigger over time, from where he started from to where he was at with his last Victory Lap, it’s inspirational for sure. He was Puma gang. I was supposed to end up meeting him, but unfortunately it didn’t happen. Nipsey has a big influence on my music.
AllHipHop: What’s your favorite song off of Victory Lap?
MB3FIVE: Ooh, that’s hard. Dang, it’s hard to pick. One that I hear and really had me dancing is “Last Time That I Checc’d,” that’s definitely one I like. “Double Up,” I can go on and on. That album was great, I like that album. Those are songs I can play anytime of the day and feel good.
AllHipHop: Basketball takes up a lot of your time. What’s the reality of training and doing music?
MB3FIVE: It’s a part of my life at this point. It’s funny people don’t think you can do both, that’s what I’m trying to show people. I go train, I go play during the season. I go to practice, you got so much time after practice. I do everything I gotta do on the court, take care of my body, shoot extra shots after practice, film, then I get in the shower, go home and go to the studio. And do the same thing: record and perfect that. Make sure it’s sounding good, it’s getting better everyday with that too. I don’t see it as a challenging thing to be able to do both, which is what I’m trying to prove to the world. I can still focus on my craft, the game I fell in love with: basketball, and still focus on music which I fell in love with when I was a young kid as well. It’s something that’s a part of my life now, and I love doing both.
AllHipHop: Goals you have for yourself at this point in your career?
MB3FIVE: Absolutely. Obviously, you want it to do numbers. You want people to hear you. You want to go Platinum and do all the things the artists do. My main goal for me: every time I write or record something is to reach one person. As long as I do that, every time I drop something to reach at least one person. Make them feel a certain way, grab them in and tell a story. That’s my only goal with the music, that’s what really keeps me going. At the end of the day, people go through things. If you can make music that can inspire them or make them feel a certain way to get them through something they’re going through in their life, that’s what it’s all about for me. That’s the reason why I fell in love with music in the first place.
Taxstone, born Daryl Campbell, was involved in a deadly feud with fellow Brooklynite Troy Ave.
Their beef reached its height when they ran across each other backstage on May 25, 2016, before a performance that was supposed to be headlined by Atlanta rapper T.I.
Taxstone and Troy Ave began to brawl, while rappers like Maino, Uncle Murda, and Casanova stood nearby.
A weapon was drawn and the two men fought over the gun.
Troy Ave was shot in the leg, and three other people were wounded after being struck by gunfire. Troy Ave’s bodyguard Ronald “Banga” McPhatter was shot and killed.
Shocking surveillance footage caught Taxstone fleeing from the green room area, as Troy Ave fired off shots inside of the crowded venue as bystanders stood by in terror.
Although the murder weapon was recovered from a van Troy Ave was driving, forensic investigators were able to connect the purchase of the gun to Taxstone.
The Feds said Taxstone received the Keltec 9mm semiautomatic handgun from outside the State of New York between October 2015 and May 25, 2016.
A prior felony conviction made it a federal crime for Taxstone to possess firearms.
“As he has now admitted, Daryl Campbell illegally carried a semiautomatic handgun into the Irving Plaza music venue. That night Ronald McPhatter was shot and killed there, and three others were wounded,” said U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim.
Taxstone has already pleaded guilty to receiving a firearm in interstate commerce with the intent to commit another felony and possessing a firearm after having previously been convicted of a felony.
In July of 2017, Taxstone was also indicted by the State of New York for the murder of Ronald “Banga” McPhatter. He has pleaded not guilty.
Troy was almost killed again in Brooklyn in December of 2016.
The rapper was shot twice when a gunman approached his red Maserati and opened fire while he and his girlfriend were inside the vehicle.
According to Troy Ave himself, he is planning to take the stand to testify against Taxstone, who has been locked up without bail since 2017.
Troy Ave, who is also charged with attempted murder and criminal weapons possession charges. He is currently free on $500,000 bail.
Troy, born Roland Collins, has been very vocal about the case after he was released from jail. On his song “2 Legit 2 Quit,” Troy revealed he may testify against Taxstone during the upcoming trial.
Taxstone was a popular podcaster before his legal troubles.
His podcast “Tax Season,” was widely regarded and fans flocked to listen to his abrasive, no-nonsense interview style.
Taxstone’s state trial is now tentatively scheduled to commence on November 2, 2021.
Growing up in a small town just outside of Boston is O$hak, a developing artist who is destined to one day be a star in the hip-hop music industry. Taking time to perfect his craft over the last year, he now believes he is ready more than ever to take a shot at becoming a mainstream artist. He is well on his way to obtaining those dreams and recently dropped a collaborative album with Antiwrld titled “Lost Souls” to keep the momentum rolling into the last quarter of 2021.
As the two artists hit on the subjects of love and heartbreak while mixing in a little bit of “rage,” it becomes clear to see that O$hak has what it takes to turn his dreams into a reality. His melodic vocals shine through on every track and bring the songs to life, as well as showing off his ability to find creative pockets within the beats themselves. This album was a high-level creation for both artists and will serve them diligently moving forwards in their careers.
“Lost Souls” is the latest release from O$hak and it is one you’re not going to want to miss out on. His talents get put on full display and will leave you wanting to come back for more. Stay tuned as his career continues to unfold and watch as he grows into the artist he has always dreamt of being.
Michael K. Williams posted “don’t cry for me” on Instagram less than a week before his tragic death.
“The Wire” actor took to the social networking site just six days before he was found dead by his nephew following a suspected heroin overdose to share a clip of his friend Tracy Morgan urging fans not to pity him while talking about surviving a fatal crash in 2014.
In the clip, the 52-year-old comedian said: “Don’t cry for me. OK I had a misfortunate accident. Don’t cry for me. Cry for all the others, man. My grandmother told me when you think you doing bad, there’s always somebody out there worse. There’s people out there in the world with nobody to love and nobody to love them. How about that? … You know what true happiness is? Having something to look forward to.”
His exact cause of death is not yet known, but it has been claimed heroin was found on his kitchen table and drug paraphernalia was discovered elsewhere in the apartment.
A police source said: “No foul play is indicated. (There was) no forced entry and the apartment was in order.”
However, Staci DuPont – who is married to the nephew who found Michael’s body – doesn’t believe the star’s death is related to drugs.
She told the DailyMail.com: “That’s not factual. We don’t have anything more to say at this time.”
Hip-Hop mogul Master P has met his share of rap icons.
24 years ago to the day (September 7, 1996) , the “Brenda’s Got A Baby” rapper was shot in Las Vegas.
The New Orleans native sat with Allison Kugel on her podcast Allison Interviews to promote his upcoming film, “#Unknown,” and dropped an exclusive on the noted journalist about his relationship with Tupac Shakur.
Master P sharing a story about touring with Tupac was timely, as the world pays tribute to one of the most prolific and complicated characters in the history of music.
Master P revealed that back in the day, he opened up for Tupac and was acutely aware that the crowd was not there to see him and his No Limit movement at all.
“It was crazy, because everyone was there to see Tupac. They didn’t care about me,” he laughed. “I was happy to have just one person [in the crowd] jump up. One guy was just going crazy for me in the audience.”
P, whose real name is Percy Miller continued on with Kugel about being on the road with Tupac, and his strategy to get tons of fans and sale millions of albums from the exposure.
He noted that back then he thought, “I’m going to turn that one fan into millions.”
He wasn’t wrong. Forward-thinking like that has made Master P a household name.
He continued, “To then be able to sell 100 million records is just incredible.”
But it did not just happen overnight. The “Make ‘Em Say Ugh” rapper continued, “ Knowing that if you believe in something… and you don’t have to be the best, because I wasn’t the best at first. I had to get into the studio and work hard.”
It was that work ethic that made him eventually shoot past those who put him on.
“I was living on the West Coast and I had this Southern slur in how I talked, so I had to become better. They say the best way to do that is to stay in the gym, which was the studio. I wasn’t afraid to outwork everybody. I outworked those guys.”
“While Tupac and all those guys were partying, playing, and just having fun on the road, I was in the studio working. I said, ‘While they sleep, I’m going to be working.’”
Tragically, Tupac’s murder still has not been solved.
Master P’s new film #Unknown is slated to debut on Amazon Prime, October 1st.
To hear more of his interview where he also talks about the Kanye West and Drake beef, tune into Allison Kugel’s Allison Interviews podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.
Wendell Pierce is leading tributes to his late “The Wire” co-star Michael K. Williams, following his shocking and sudden death on Monday (September 6).
Pierce took to Twitter and wrote: “The depth of my love for this brother can only be matched by the depth of my pain learning of his loss. A immensely talented man with the ability to give voice to the human condition portraying the lives of those whose humanity is seldom elevated until he sings their truth.”
The depth of my love for this brother, can only be matched by the depth of my pain learning of his loss. A immensely talented man with the ability to give voice to the human condition portraying the lives of those whose humanity is seldom elevated until he sings their truth. pic.twitter.com/EvrESGSK8O
Meanwhile, Isiah Whitlock Jr., who played Senator Clay Davis on “The Wire,” tweeted: “Shocked and saddened by the death of Michael K Williams. One of the nicest brothers on the planet with the biggest heart. An amazing actor and soul. May you RIP. God bless.”
Shocked and saddened by the death of Michael K Williams. One of the nicest brothers on the planet with the biggest heart. An amazing actor and soul. May you RIP. God bless.
And Domenick Lombardozzi, who played Herc on the HBO series, wrote, “Michael K Williams I knew was kind. Fair. Gentle. And super f###### talented. I’ll cherish our talks and I’ll miss him tremendously. My deepest condolences to the Williams family. Rest my friend.”
Michael K Williams I knew was kind. Fair. Gentle. And super f###### talented. I’ll cherish our talks and I’ll miss him tremendously. My deepest condolences to the Williams family. Rest my friend. 🙏🏻
There were also tributes on Monday from singer Saul Williams, Piper Perabo, Orlando Jones, Aisha Tyler, and “Guardians of the Galaxy” director James Gunn, who wrote: “Michael K Williams, in addition to being one of the most talented actors around, was also one of the kindest, sweetest, most gentle souls I’ve ever met. This is heartbreaking. My thoughts are with all those who loved him,” while Jeffrey Dean Morgan added: “We lost one of our best, most talented. RIP #MichaelKWilliams. Breaks my heart.”
In a recent announcement made by ET Canada, it was revealed that the actress will co-host the first-ever live-streamed Met Gala on Monday, September 13th. Palmer will co-host the event with Ilana Glazer.
“American Independence” is listed as the official dress code and is inspired by the Costume Institute’s upcoming exhibition, “Part One — In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” reports the outlet. “It was revealed earlier this year that the Met Gala would be returning twice after it was cancelled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.”
For the first time ever, the Met Gala will be live-streamed by Vogue.
The livestream will start at 5:30 PM EST and will be hosted by Keke Palmer and Ilana Glazer. #MetGala
Keke Palmer is just the first of many celebrities that have been announced at the star-studded event.
Other celebrities that are scheduled to appear or otherwise chair the event include Timothée Chalamet, Billie Eilish, Naomi Osaka, and Amanda Gorman. Fashionistas set to co-chair the event include Tom Ford, Anna Wintour, and Adam Mosseri.
The second part of the Met Gala is set to air on May 5, 2022. It’s unclear if Keke Palmer will be a part of that event, as well.
The live stream for the first part of the Met Gala will begin at 5:30 p.m. ET, live from New York City.
What would the painter Jean-Michel Basquiat feel about Jay-Z and Beyoncé partnering with Tiffany’s & Co and using his artwork Equals Pi as a promotional backdrop?
His friends think that he would have been offended.
According to The Daily Beast, people close to the Haitian artist share that he was never impressed by people with money and the various accouterments that come with wealth.
He most certainly was not thinking about Tiffany’s, nor the color that they have trademarked as their own when he created the masterpiece.
One anonymous friend spoke to the publication and shared, “Let’s say he did reference that color on purpose—which seems out of character for him to do something that simple—I think it really flattens his artistic approach. He was a really deep thinker. His work wasn’t like, this symbolizes this. Everything references something but then it tells a story of that thing. But let’s say he did though… to use it in an ad, it wouldn’t have been the context. It wouldn’t be used to sell Tiffany’s but to say something critical, maybe about blood diamond-extraction or something. I just think it’s a reach.”
Another friend, Alexis Adler, who once lived with Basquiat in 1979 and 1980, said, “I’d seen the ad a couple days ago and I was horrified.”
Adler further noted that “the commercialization and commodification of Jean and his art at this point—it’s really not what Jean was about.”
“Unfortunately, the museums came to Jean’s art late, so most of his art is in private hands and people don’t get to see that art except for the shows. Why show it as a prop to an ad?” Adler questions. “Loan it out to a museum. In a time where there were very few Black artists represented in Western museums, that was his goal: to get to a museum.”
Another friend, Al Diaz, objects to Equals Pi being hung up in Tiffany’s celebrated flagship boutique on Fifth Avenue.
He said, “People think that his association with luxury was because he was impressed with that s###, but he couldn’t care less.”
“It’s not just about wearing an Armani suit. If he wore it, it’s because he could buy it and f### it up, it wasn’t because the stitches were fabulous or well-made,” he continued. He would know. He worked with Basquiat back in the day as a teen. The two came up with the graffiti tag line called SAMO .
He also believes the principles that Basquiat represented are not accessible for the intended audience.
It’s lost in translation,” Diaz informs. “People won’t see the depth. At this point, the only people that could afford a Basquiat are people he was targeting. Like, you’re the oppressor. They buy it out so that it becomes meaningless.”
Even Jay-Z, who has said that he owns a Basquiat and was tone-deaf to the community push back on the ad, seems not to understand the truth behind his work — appreciating it because it’s a real signature of wealth.
However, it was Basquiat’s assistant Stephen Tortan, who took to social media, that places everything in context.
“I was Jean Michel Basquiat’s assistant. I designed and built stretchers, painted backgrounds, glued drawings down on canvas, chauffeured, traveled extensively, spoke freely about many topics and worked endless hours side by side in silence. The idea that this blue background, which I mixed and applied was in any way related to Tiffany Blue is so absurd that at first I chose not to comment,” he wrote.
Tortan continued on his Instagram, “But this very perverse appropriation of the artist’s inspiration is too much. « They » tortured his legacy with condescending b####### in The LV show in Paris. Check out the incoherent, inaccurate gibberish on the audio tour if still available. That « They » speculate and monetize, commercialize and manipulate every manifestation of this rebellious genius is not to my taste but that is the game. But leave deciphering his message to those who know or leave it alone . #shameonyouLV. #righthistorybeforehistorywritesyou #tortonslist#renericard#brunobischofberger#diegocortez”
Stephen Tortan told The Daily Beast, “They wouldn’t have let Jean-Michel into a Tiffany’s if he wanted to use the bathroom, or, if he went to buy an engagement ring and pulled a wad of cash out of his pocket. We couldn’t even get a cab.”
Kat Stacks seemed to be a relic of the early 2010s. For a period of time before the existence of such things as Snapchat and TikTok, the notorious hip-hop groupie (can you even say “groupie” anymore? Is it politically correct? Whatever — even The Hollywood Reporter said as much about her) was spilling the tea on everyone from Lil Wayne to Soulja Boy.
And remember that time that even Snoop Dogg got stuck in the Kat Stacks web when he was (allegedly) cheating with Celina Powell, the Great Value version of the notorious hip-hop groupie? We certainly do.
Things got so crazy in the saga that Lil Twist’s auntie once grabbed her by the hair and forced her to apologize for all the lies she told about her baby. Yikes.
Of course, it later comes out that Kat Stacks was trafficked at the age of 14. Not only is it terrible, but it makes a lot of sense in the grand scheme of things.
Well, anyway, a recent Instagram post by Ak Da Gwala had a very special guest in it: Kat Stacks.
When questioned by fans why the notorious hip-hop groupie was up in his crib, another fan helpfully responded that the rapper was providing a place for her while she waited for his friend.
This prompted Ak Da Gwala to reply, “I never touched her! That’s why she broke my TV!”
Today on Twitter, it was announced that the award-winning actress and modern-day cultural icon has graced the October 2021 cover of British Vogue, and she almost immediately became a trending topic with the announcement.
As was revealed, Zendaya was draped in the finest Yves Saint-Laurent clothes, and exclusively wore Bulgari jewelry, for the cover shoot. She was styled by Law Roach, and photographed by Craig McDean.
And as can be expected, she dropped some interesting — and revealing — gems in the exclusive interview with the beloved style magazine. One of the most interesting revelations was that she does, indeed, go to therapy — and she’s not ashamed to admit it.
“Yeah, of course I go to therapy,” Zendaya said. “I mean, if anybody is able to possess the financial means to go to therapy, I would recommend they do that. I think it’s a beautiful thing. You know, there’s nothing wrong with working on yourself and dealing with those things with someone who can help you, someone who can talk to you, who’s not your mom or whatever. Who has no bias.”
She also revealed that while her mother is the “saver” in her family — the one who saves every penny she earns, and spends it frugally — her father takes the attitude of “you can’t take it with you when you die.”
Where does Zendaya fall? “Somewhere in between,” she said.
Apparently, someone in the city of Detroit was not happy about Eminem’s image gracing a wall in the Cass Corridor. Just hours after artist/urban planner Chris Devins finished a mural of the rapper, the artwork was vandalized.
“Only one day after [its] completion, some idiot in Detroit already defaced the new [Eminem] mural. You can’t give some people anything good. Dumb. 🤣 I can probably fix it but damn…,” wrote Chris Devins on Instagram.
According to The Detroit News, Chris Devins painted the mural on Saturday while he was in town for Labor Day weekend. The uncommissioned street art reportedly took around six hours to complete.
“I want to restore it to its original value,” the founder of the Chris Devins Creative brand told The Detroit News. “I would like to re-present it to the community in its unblemished form.”
As a Chicago native, Chris Devins also paid tribute to two deceased rappers from his hometown. Devins previously created murals of the late Chicago-bred recording artists Juice WRLD and King Von.
In addition, Chris Devins has painted outdoor murals of fellow Chicagoans Kanye West, Chance The Rapper, and Common. Devins also decorated a wall across the street from Chicago’s Bouchet School with the face of Former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama.
Once again, Drake is likely to land atop the Billboard 200. The Canadian singer/rapper’s latest effort, Certified Lover Boy, is expected to be the No.1 album in the country on next week’s chart.
According to HitsDailyDouble, Certified Lover Boy is on pace to pull in 575,000-625,000 first-week units. That total should be more than enough to secure that Drake leads the Billboard 200 rankings and give him the highest first-week numbers for 2021.
However, 625,000 units for Certified Lover Boy would be a decrease from the 732,000 units moved by the Scorpion album in 2018. Drake was able to rack up 1.04 million units for 2016’s Views album.
Drake will add his name to an impressive list if Certified Lover Boy does take the pole position on the Billboard 200. That would give the 34-year-old superstar his tenth career Number One, moving him into a tie with Eminem and Kanye West for second-most Number Ones by a rapper.
Roc Nation founder Jay-Z currently holds the Billboard 200 record for Hip Hop artists with 14 chart-toppers. Jay-Z also leads the tally for most Number Ones by a solo artist. He is only behind The Beatles for most Number Ones of all-time with 19.
Certified Lover Boy arrived on September 3. Drake’s sixth studio LP includes contributions by Jay-Z, Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Travis Scott, Future, Young Thug, 21 Savage, Project Pat, Ty Dolla Sign, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Kid Cudi, and other acts. Drake dedicated the project to Nadia Ntuli and Mercedes Morr.
It appears the multiple stadium-size listening events and feuding with Drake online helped Kanye West’s Donda secure significant first-week sales numbers. West earned his tenth #1 album.
Donda managed to bring in 309,000 equivalent album units in its first week of release. The project racked up 357 million on-demand streams which is the largest streaming week of the year for an album, so far. Donda surpassed J. Cole’s The Off-Season (325 million streams).
Kanye West’s 2019 Gospel-inspired album, Jesus Is King, opened at #1 with 264,000 album-equivalent units. 2018’s Ye also landed at #1 on the Billboard 200. Ye moved just 208,000 first-week units.
The commercial success of Donda helped Kanye West climb up the list of most #1 albums in Billboard history. With his tenth No. 1 on his résumé, West is now tied with Eminem for second-most Number Ones for a Hip Hop artist.
West’s “Jail” collaborator Jay-Z holds the all-time rap record. Fourteen Jay-Z albums reached the pinnacle of the Billboard 200 throughout his career. The Brooklyn-bred emcee only trails The Beatles (19) for most Number Ones ever.
Entertainment legends Bruce Springsteen and Barbra Streisand both have eleven Number Ones. The late Elvis Presley is leveled with Eminem and Kanye West with ten career chart-toppers.
Drake is almost certain to join Kanye West and Eminem in a tie for third among rappers and fourth all-time when Certified Lover Boy tops the Billboard 200 next week. Certified Lover Boy is presently projected to move 575,000-625,000 first-week units.
Elsewhere on the most recent Billboard 200 chart, Doja Cat’s Hip Pop album Planet Her remained at #4 for a second straight week. The Kid LAROI’s former #1, F*ck Love, jumped two spots to #5.
Rod Wave’s SoulFly fell from #3 to #8, and Trippie Redd’s Trip at Knight tumbled seven positions to #9. Lil Tecca just made it into the top 10 with We Love You Tecca 2 opening at #10 with 30,000 first-week units.
The ongoing feud between G.O.O.D. Music and OVO Sound continues to play out in different ways. In the latest round, Pusha T is still supporting his G.O.O.D. Music boss Kanye West by sending a subliminal message to OVO leader Drake.
Over the last few days, fans of both sides have argued online about the musical quality and commercial success of Kanye West’s Donda album versus Drake’s Certified Lover Boy album.
XXL pointed out that Donda went from 94.5 million streams on the first day to 102.1 million on the second day. In comparison, the outlet posted that Certified Lover Boy saw a drop from 153.4 million streams on day one to 89.9 million on day two.
Rap Dose re-posted XXL‘s tweet and added, “I predicted this. I said Drake’s day 1 is gonna be huge off the element of surprise then it’s just gonna drop. Donda everyone heard in full 3 weeks before it dropped, still did these numbers, and is only growing in streams. Crazy!”
Pusha T liked that particular tweet by Rap Dose. The Virginia-bred emcee has been beefing with Drake for years. King Push famously had a lyrical back-and-forth with the Toronto rhymer in 2018 which led to the release of the scathing diss track “The Story of Adidon.”
The trailer which was revealed on Janet’s Instagram page features various family members who appear in the documentary. Older brother Tito is shown in the clip saying, “She will always be my baby sister,” to the sound of adoring fans screaming her name.
The sneak-peek shows Missy Elliot proclaiming, “This is what a superstar looks like.” The clip also features appearances from a host of superstars including Mariah Carey, and Paula Abdul. Discussing Janet Jackson’s impact and influence Mariah states, “She’s an empowered woman,” with Abdul adding “She is a force to be reckoned with.”
According to the film’s trailer, “JANET” has been in production for over five years. The documentary was directed by Ben Hirsch, with Janet Jackson and Randy Jackson serving as executive producers.
The trailer is soundtracked to the Pop Superstar’s 1986 hit “Control” and ends with Janet saying, “This is my story, told by me. Not through someone else’s eyes.” According to the trailer, “JANET” has been five years in the making. The documentary was directed by Ben Hirsch, with Janet Jackson and Randy Jackson serving as executive producers.
The documentary was filmed around the time of Jackson family patriarch Joe Jackson’s passing in 2018. Using archival footage the documentary delves into significant moments of Janet’s life and career, including the death of brother Michael in 2009. Janet’s “Poetic Justice” co-star Tupac Shakur also features in the snippet.
The four-hour documentary also explores Jackson’s 2004 Super Bowl performance with Justin Timberlake, her process of becoming a mother, and a return to the stage following a break from music.
“JANET” premieres in January 2022 via Lifetime and A&E in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the star’s first album.
There have been rumors for years that Nicki Minaj and Rihanna were not on good terms. It seems the two stars are in a better place, or at least, they are giving that impression for social media.
Nicki Minaj tried to put the speculation of bad blood with Rihanna to bed by posting a photograph with the Barbadian singer. Rihanna’s boyfriend A$AP Rocky and Minaj’s partner Kenneth Petty were also in the Instagram picture.
“RokNRiha #QueenRih #CaribbeanGirlsRunit Love her downnnnnnn #NewYorkShit #YKTFV,” wrote Nicki Minaj in the IG caption. The rapper’s son was seated on her lap in the photo.
Nicki Minaj also posted a short video with Rihanna. The 38-year-old native New Yorker captioned that photo, “ChunRih & My baby Majesty (the barbz love u more 🙂😍😍😍😍).”
While many Nicki Minaj fans and Rihanna fans were excited to see the “Fly” collaborators back together, some social media users took issue with RiRi being in a picture with Kenneth Petty. Minaj’s spouse is a registered sex offender.
Kenneth Petty is also facing a federal case in California for not registering as a sex offender in the state. He pled guilty to one count of failing to register and could be sentenced to ten years in prison.
