Now Diddy’s taking the matter to court in a $60 million breach of contract/common law trademark infringement lawsuit.
Sean “Diddy” Combs established a non-profit called Citizen Change in 2004, and registered the trademark for the slogan “Vote Or Die” for his nationwide voter participation campaign.
Diddy has used the slogan for town hall meetings, in nationwide advertising campaigns, and on merchandise, to encourage people to register to vote.
Diddy sold his namesake brand Sean John to a company called GBG Global in 2006 and things seem to be smooth up until 2016.
In December of 2016, the “Vote Or Die” mark was administratively canceled by a technicality, for failure to file renewal documents. But Diddy never abandoned usage of the phrase, and he continued to use the trademark in commerce all the way up until 2020’s presidential election.
According to Diddy’s lawyer, GBG Sean John is attempting to capitalize on the administrative mistake.
In November of 2019, GBG Sean John applied for the trademark and started to sell merchandise, to make it appear as though the rap mogul was still associated with the brand.
Diddy claims Sean John basically lied to the USPTO and hijacked the legal rights to the “Vote Or Die” trademark.
Diddy is suing Sean John for at least $60 million in damages for breach of contract, unfair competition, common law trademark infringement, deceptive practices, and unjust enrichment.
The news comes on the heels of another blockbuster lawsuit Diddy filed against Sean John last week.
Hailing from Atlanta, Chelly Flame is ready to set the industry on fire. The zealous 20-year-old artist overflows with an infectious charisma, and imbues her music with a galvanizing swagger. This magnetism caught the attention of the New York-based independent label, Babygrande Records, which has officially announced its signing of the exciting artist. “Our commitment to empowering and working with female artists across all of our labels and imprints is well documented.
Chelly’s range as both a singer/songwriter and astute street lyricist made this an easy decision—she’s got the goods,” says Chuck Wilson, CEO and Chairman of Babygrande Global. Commemorating the record deal, Chelly Flame has released her debut Babygrande single and video, “Big Flame.”
On some songs, Chelly explores the contemporary R&B/Rap genre with her enchanting singing voice; on others, she unleashes an artillery-like rap flow. With “Big Flame,” Chelly decisively opts for the latter. From the start, producer ecg703’s chilling “Big Flame” keys and bassline set an ominous tone that rolls out the red carpet for Chelly Flame’s grand entrance.
Chelly matches the production’s dark atmosphere with a captivating presence that positions her as a force to be reckoned with. The ascending artist deploys a barrage of blunt bars that slice through the beat like a hot knife through butter; Chelly doesn’t mince words — she simply doesn’t have time for that. On “Big Flame,” Chelly makes it perfectly clear that she’s arrived, and that she isn’t here to play games.
Chelly Flame’s vivid lyricism paints a vibrant picture unto itself, but her allure truly comes to light with a visual counterpart. Introducing fans to this enthrallment, Babygrande Records enlisted Atlanta’s GT Films for the “Big Flame” music video.
Capturing the song’s menacing ethos and Chelly’s palpable star power, the “Big Flame” video is a gripping cinematic experience. GT Films uses a contrasting color palette of fiery imagery and dark tones to showcase Chelly’s scorching hot persona. Commanding the camera with her entertaining bravado, the Atlanta artist raps with a purpose that will engross viewers as she moves through the various scenes with her unwavering energy.
Chelly Flame might be a newly-signed artist with Babygrande Records, but her sound and marketability make her an immediate artist to watch. With so much talent and poise, Chelly is keen on branding the game with her signature style — and she hasn’t even begun to scratch the surface of her potential. “Everybody sounds like somebody; I’m just trying to separate myself. I’m happy to be a part of the Babygrande family. It’s up!” says the Atlanta artist. The best from Chelly Flame has yet to come.
Credits:
Artist: Chelly Flame
Song Producer: ecg703
Director: Chris “GT” Ferguson
Video Producer: Melissa Ferguson
Production Company: GT Films Productions LLC
Editor: Chris “GT” Ferguson
Photography: Fulani Jabri
Stylist: Nickie Williams
For more information on Chelly Flame, please visit:
https://linktr.ee/ChellyFlame
ABOUT BABYGRANDE RECORDS
Founded in 2001, Babygrande Records is one of the premier independent record labels operating today. With twenty years in the music business during the most volatile period in the history of recorded music, Babygrande has a unique perspective on the music industry. Babygrande has a catalog of over 3000 albums, music videos, and online content that include Hip-Hop, Indie-Rock, EDM, and everything in between. Babygrande has helped launch the careers of new artists and has nurtured the careers of seasoned veterans. As it enters into its 20th Anniversary, Babygrande continues to focus on quality music and to work with artists whose work ethic, craftsmanship, talent and sounds are superior.
For more info on Babygrande Records, please visit:
https://linktr.ee/babygrande
Demetrius Big Meech Flenory received some bad news today (February 11th).
A panel of judges for the United States Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit have upheld a lower court’s ruling, and denied Big Meech’s appeal for compassionate release.
Big Meech received a 30-year sentence, while Southwest T was hit with 25 years in prison.
In April of 2020, the Flenory brothers filed for compassionate release, fearing they were susceptible to catching the coronavirus behind bars.
In May of 2020, Southwest T was released from his 25-year-prison sentence due to his elevated risk of catching the coronavirus, but a judge denied Big Meech’s request.
Today, Circuit judge Alice M. Batchelder upheld the lower court’s decision to keep Big Meech imprisoned.
The court claimed Southwest T was released to “home confinement,” which is different than compassionate release, which is a “sentence reduction.”
The court also revealed Big Meech wasn’t much better health than his brother, who suffers from blindness from a detached retina, takes daily medication, and wears prescription compression socks.
Furthermore, the appeals court ruled that Big Meech’s role as the top leader of BMF made him too much of a risk to be put back out onto the streets.
“None of the facts about Flenory’s brother (or his similarity to Flenory) changes any of the factors the court relied on: namely, protecting the public from further crimes, upholding the seriousness of the offense, promoting respect for the law, and deterring criminal conduct,” the Appeals court ruled.
“A court does not abuse its discretion by refusing to place sentencing disparity alone above the other factors. The district court did not misapply the law or rely on clearly erroneous facts in finding that Flenory did not show extraordinary or compelling circumstances,” according to the verdict.
The news comes as a highly anticipated crime drama on BMF is being produced by 50 Cent for Starz.
Donald Trump’s second impeachment hearing started yesterday and the Democrats are laying out a heavy case against the former president. Not only did they use Trump’s own words against him, but they also used footage of last month’s insurrection, the wild and crazy MAGAmaniacs that stormed the Capitol to “stop the steal.”
FOX News’ Tucker Carlson did not appreciate what he characterized as a “misleading” narrative that villainized the patriots fighting for their nation and took aim at George Floyd.
A transcript of his commentary is as follows:
“So what does all of this mean, exactly? We’re not sure what it means and we’re not going to speculate. We do know for certain, that the known facts of what happened on January 6th deviate in very important ways from the story they are now telling us (including the story they told us today in the impeachment hearings). In many places, the known facts bear no resemblance to the story they’re telling.
They’re just flat out lying. There’s no question about that. The question is ‘why would they lie about this?’
For an answer think back to last spring, beginning of Memorial Day BLM and their sponsors in corporate America completely changed this country. They changed this country more in five months than it had changed in the previous 50 years. How they do that? They use the sad death of a man called ‘George Floyd’ to up-end our society.
Months later, we learned that the story they told us about George Floyd’s death was an utter lie. There was no physical evidence that George Floyd was murdered by a cop. The autopsy showed that George Floyd almost certainly died of a drug overdose, fentanyl. But by that point, facts didn’t matter. It was too late. Cities had been destroyed, along with the fabric of this country itself. scores of people had been killed, Democratic partisans used a carefully concocted myth to bum rush America into overturning the old order, and handing them much more power. It worked flawlessly, so why wouldn’t they do it again?”
.@SandalsResorts, as an advertiser on Tucker Carlson tonight, do you support this segment, where Tucker Carlson says that George Floyd died of a drug overdose and not police brutality? https://t.co/joNOMbTvmh
And mocking him for being associated with the racist organizations at the base of organizing the Jan 6 riot.
since tucker carlson is trending again for spreading crypto-nazi filth, here's that time a dutch historian went on his show and exposed his grift. of course he never aired the segment because he's also cowardly hackpic.twitter.com/iebJ1wQnMX
And of course, they had to gather him about the slick and very nasty George Floyd aka Big Floyd comment, highlighting how the officer wanted to plead guilty to murder, but that was blocked by AG William Barr.
The fired Minneapolis police officer who held his knee to George Floyd's neck for about nine minutes agreed to plead guilty to third-degree murder days after Floyd's death, but then-Attorney General William Barr rejected the deal.https://t.co/siyLKfHeOi w/ @PeteWilliamsNBC
Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was prepared to plead guilty to third-degree murder in George Floyd's death before then-Attorney General William Barr personally blocked the plea deal last year, officials said. https://t.co/Kx7SNfojTG
Time to get him off the air … but that will be hard.
According to TheStreet.com, he is one of the highest-rated television personalities in the U.S., with upwards of $6M a year, and has a $10 million publishing deal for his work “Ship of Fools: How a Selfish Ruling Class Is Bringing America to the Brink of Revolution.”
On Saturday, February 13, the Ultimate Rap League (URL) and the Queen of the Ring (QOTR) have joined forces again to bring back to the culture elite-level co-ed battle rap with their marquee franchise, KINGS vs. QUEENS 2 (KVQ2) event exclusively on Caffeine TV.
One of the top cards of 2020, the world’s two most dominant battle rap leagues debuted the first Kings vs. Queens card to rave reviews. With warrior-like performances, the card of top-tier battlers proved that battling is a sport of the mind where women are just as aggressive and entertaining as their male counterparts.
KVQ2 promises to exceed its predecessor. The card consists of the following: Aye Verb vs. Ms. Hustle, Viixen vs. Loso, Tay Roc vs. O’fficial, T-Top vs. Coffee, and JC vs. Fiirst Ladii Flamez.
The ladies brought a different element that the guys didn’t expect. Last year, those women of QOTR bruised a lot of egos (even though they didn’t get the win). For sure they’re coming back for blood. But with the champs that URL go on this card, that won’t be an easy feat.
Caffeine TV fan vote gave the ‘W’ to the guys (4-3), but the way the women showed up made a mark; made them stand at attention. So the question is … is this card about redemption?
This pre-Valentine’s event is about reminding the guys that this is their lane also. Battle rap is a sport of brains, not brawn.
This title, Royalty, Watch the Throne 4 and so many other events informed the AllHipHop.com’s 2020 Battle Rap Superlative list.
Top Female Battle Rappers of the Year
Viixen the Assassin
Casey Jay
O’fficial
40 BARRS
Fiirst Ladii Flamez
Yoshi G
Coffee
Lady Caution
RX
Ms. Hustle
Eight of the top ten women performed on one or more of those cards.
KINGS vs. QUEENS 2 airs live on Caffeine TV on Saturday, February 13 at 5 p.m. EST/2 p.m. PST. Battles from KVQ2 will later stream exclusively on The Ultimate Rap League’s App, within weeks of their debut. The URL App is available across multiple servers: Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, Samsung Smart TV, and XBOX on Androids, Apple Tablets, phones, and televisions.
GOD MUST REALLY LOVE THAT GUY WITH THE BEARD … cause even nature makes way for his success.
COVID-19, in the craziest and unexpected way, allowed the Ultimate Rap League to transform the battle industry like never before.
When we backtrack, no one could have predicted that the world would be locked up in their homes for the better part of the year — with nothing to do. It was in Smack and ’em’s dumb luck that they made a move at the top of the year that would make them Teflon against the knock that quarantine gave the industry … and industry that thrives on live events.
Smack White
Through an unprecedented partnership with recording artist and battle rap fan, Drake and Caffeine TV, the brand was able to provide their audience with thousands of hours of battle rap content, while everyone was hemmed up in their homes. Outstanding metrics further proved their spot as the premier platform of competitive emcee culture.
Now, they have announced that their partnership has been renewed for another year, and boom … the mega-style monopoly promises to roll-out over 100 events and programs for fans to enjoy.
CAN’T COPY RESPECT.
What did the deal look like last year?
URL owners, Troy “Smack” Mitchell, Eric Beasley, and Cheeko French premiered their league exclusively on Caffeine TV last year with main stage cards like Genesis, Ultimate Madness 1 & 2, NOME X, Summer Madness X, the Murda Mook vs. Tay Roc card, Volume 6, and more, garnishing hundreds of thousands of fans, numerous evenings where cards trended at #1 on Twitter alongside sporting brands like UFC, NBA, MLB, and NFL, over 8.7 million in total viewership and averaging in a watch time of 100 minutes per tune in.
From the beginning, the streaming world seemed to take note of the fanfare around this collaboration.
But battle rap fans weren’t happy as they mobbed and crashed the system on the first card Genesis.
Swiftly, the Caffeine TV team worked in tandem with URL team to not only “fix the glitch,” but create an interactive model that affords the artists and their supporters access to each other like never before. By the time of the next Caffeine event, fans easily tuned in to cheer, diss or clown the talent, the hosts, the judges, the owners, and each other.
The comment section proved to be sometimes just as exciting as the battles.
The strategy worked, and URL and Caffeine can boast that “one of last year’s event drew an audience of 350,000 and was one of the biggest live-stream events on any platform in 2020.”
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
2021 will be just as dynamic as URL has 163 battle rap themed events and programs scheduled, 22 are cards like Kings vs. Queens 2 and Double Impact 4, the highly anticipated 2-on-2 contest of the year.
It has been announced that super couple Remy Ma and Papoose will be the special guests on KVQ2, hosting with Babs and Smack.
The Ultimate Rap League is a privately own company committed to the expansion of urban street culture.
As the self-proclaimed “world’s most respected” battle rap platform, the league has also pioneered the industry by creating its own streaming app. The URL App is available across multiple servers such as Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, Samsung Smart TV, and XBOX on Androids, Apple Tablets, phones, and televisions for a monthly fee of $7.99.
Beginning on March 1, former Executive Committee member of Florida’s Amendment 4 campaign/former Organizing Director for California’s Prop 47 campaign Robert Rooks will begin serving as the new Chief Executive Officer of the REFORM Alliance. Founding CEO Van Jones was elevated to the Executive Board.
Influential industrialists such as Hip Hop mogul Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Vista Equity Partners CEO Robert F. Smith, and Brooklyn Nets co-owner Clara Wu Tsai are among the Founding Partners for the REFORM Alliance. Recording artist Robert “Meek Mill” Williams and Philadelphia 76ers partner Michael Rubin are the organization’s Co-Chairs.
“Robert [Rooks] is a game-changing hire for our organization,” said Meek Mill and Michael Rubin in a joint statement. “He has a proven track record of changing laws and is universally-respected by leaders on both sides of the political spectrum.”
They add, “We’re incredibly grateful for Van’s leadership in laying the groundwork for REFORM and spearheading our first round of legislative victories. We’re thrilled for Van to join the Executive Board where he will continue to help build the organization.”
Van Jones will officially shift to becoming a full-time Executive Board member after Rooks transitions into the CEO role. In addition, Jones will serve as the co-chair of REFORM’s 501c4 entity known as the REFORM Action Fund. He will also continue to work as a CNN contributor.
“With Robert Rooks as our CEO, the sky’s the limit for us at REFORM,” states Jones. “When we first launched two years ago, I set out to build a robust team, elevate REFORM from a start-up to a high-performance organization and generate major legislative wins.”
The Emmy Award winner added, “We’ve made incredible strides on all three fronts. But Rooks is going to put a rocket booster under everything we have done so far. He knows how to build, he knows how to lead and he knows how to win. I am very proud to join the REFORM board, where I will be supporting him and the whole REFORM team to take everything to the next level.”
EXCITING NEWS: After two years as the founding CEO for @REFORM, I am joining the Executive Board.
I am so proud of the team we've built & what we've accomplished so far.
Thank you @RobertRooks5 for coming on as the new CEO.
The REFORM Alliance also worked with Memphis rapper Mario “Yo Gotti” Mims to push for bipartisan prison reform in Mississippi after Roc Nation’s Team Roc exposed the inhumane conditions inside Mississippi State Penitentiary (aka Parchman Farm). REFORM continues to strive to enact criminal justice improvements in other states across the country.
Now, Songz is turning his attention back to the music. LiveXLive Media announced a special Valentine’s Day Pay-Per-View Virtual Concert Experience starring the R&B singer. Both couples and single people can live stream the event on February 14 at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT.
“As an artist-driven company, working closely with talent like Trey Songz in creating unique content provides fans with an authentic connection and experience,” states Roe Williams, LiveXLive’s recently appointed Global Head of Talent and Artist Relationships.
Williams continues, “Through this PPV virtual concert, which includes intimate interviews, real-time interactive fan engagement, virtual merch, and more, we are able to deliver a strong moment in music for this Valentine’s Day special.”
The virtual show will take place in Los Angeles. Fans will get to watch the Back Home album creator perform live via LiveXLive’s website. Ticket pricing for “Valentine’s Day Entrée – Featuring Trey Songz” begins at $19.99 at www.livexlive.com.
After launching last year, Clubhouse is now one of the most talked about new social networking applications on the market. Even billionaire technology entrepreneur Elon Musk has embraced the platform which is now valued at $1 billion.
However, Clubhouse first started gaining traction online thanks, in part, to Black users jumping on the app in 2020. African-American entertainers were some of the first people to make Clubhouse conversations go viral on Twitter and Instagram.
For example, LaKeith Stanfield became a trending topic after the Atlanta star was an active participant in a Clubhouse session dedicated to men moaning. He was asked about that experience during an interview with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay’s Higher Learning podcast.
“I had signed up on the app, and it’s a really interesting, fun, cool app. It addicts you right away because you’re able to communicate in a new way,” said Stansfield. “So, there were top rooms at the top of the queue, and as you go down, the rooms get lower. And one of the first rooms I saw was the Moan Room. So, I go into the moan room and I realize this is a bunch of guys who are moaning in a room for a cash prize.”
Apparently, the various men in the Moan Room were competing to win $300. Stansfield was actually named the winner of the contest by the women judging. The 29-year-old Californian broke down how he was able to take home the victory in that sexually-charged challenge.
Stansfield explained, “So, what I do is, I go on Google and I type in ‘male moan.’ On YouTube, a video pops up that has a guy moaning. So I listened to the moan and said, ‘Nah, that doesn’t sound right.’ So I go to another one, ‘Nah, that’s not good enough either.’ I got to another one like, ‘Maybe I can trick them with this one.'”
The Judas and the Black Messiah actor went on to say he was just playing a character in the Clubhouse Moan Room just like he does in the roles he plays in movies and on television shows. Stansfield also told Lathan and Lindsey that even though he won the contest he did not accept the $300 prize.
Judas and the Black Messiah is a biographical film about the Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya). LaKeith Stanfield appears in the drama as FBI informant William O’Neal. Director Shaka King’s award-winning biopic will be released on February 12 simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max. A star-studded album inspired by the movie is dropping that day.
Cordae and Naomi Osaka are one of the most lowkey celebrity couples of this generation. They show up on each other’s Instagram pages on occasion, but they are typically not as front-and-center as other famous pairs.
The Hip Hop recording artist and the multi-time professional tennis champion did sit down together for GQ‘s “The Couples Quiz” on YouTube. It was a light-hearted test to see how much Cordae and Osaka know about their partner after two years of dating.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CLIbN0sBw86/
Naomi Osaka asked her boyfriend questions such as: What’s my favorite meal? How old was I when I first won the U.S. Open? Who is my biggest influence? Where and when was our first kiss?
Cordae wanted to see if his girlfriend could answer questions such as: What is my favorite movie of all time? What’s my favorite fast food? What did I study in college? What is our favorite show to watch together?
Gerald Earl Gillum (aka G-Eazy) was granted a temporary restraining order for a woman who supposedly has had a “celebrity-fixation” on the recording artist for months. Monika Andrody is accused of showing up at his Hollywood Hills home multiple times.
TMZ reports Andrody would ring the doorbell at the gate to his house and would then be seen pacing in front of the residence. G-Eazy apparently called the local police but she would leave before the authorities arrived.
According to the outlet, the situation escalated when Andrody began ringing the doorbell during different hours at night beginning in November. She supposedly arrived at the house as recently as January 15 of this year.
Meanwhile, G-Eazy has been using his social media accounts to promote his new single “Provide” featuring Chris Brown and Mark Morrison. The track is expected to live on the Bay Area native’s upcoming These Things Happen Too album.
The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame announced the nominees for the 2021 class of inductees. Three of the biggest names in Hip Hop history are among the possible selections.
Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter was nominated for the first time this year. The Brooklyn-bred billionaire is one of the most successful musicians of all time. He holds the record for most #1 albums by a solo act.
The Queen of Hip Hop Soul Mary J. Blige is also up for the Rock Hall for the first time. Queens rap legend James “LL Cool J” Smith is a nominee for the sixth time. Kate Bush, Devo, Foo Fighters, Iron Maiden, Chaka Khan, Fela Kuti, New York Dolls, Rage Against the Machine, Todd Rundgren, and Dionne Warwick were nominated as well.
“This remarkable ballot reflects the diversity and depth of the artists and music the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame celebrates,” stated John Sykes, Chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. “These Nominees have left an indelible impact on the sonic landscape of the world and influenced countless artists that have followed them.”
Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five (2007), Run-D.M.C. (2009), Beastie Boys (2012), Public Enemy (2013), N.W.A (2016), 2Pac (2017), and The Notorious B.I.G. (2020) are the only rap acts to make it into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame so far. If Jay-Z and LL Cool J are both voted in this year, it would be the first time two artists from the genre were inducted in the same year.
In order to be eligible for a Rock Hall nomination, an individual artist or band must have released its first commercial recording at least 25 years prior to the year of nomination. Fans can vote for up to five nominees per day at vote.rockhall.com. The 2021 inductees will be announced in May. The 36th Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2021 Induction Ceremony is scheduled to take place in Cleveland later this fall.
Vevo just released the visual of Berna‘s ROUNDS performance for the track “Bait” Ft. Kwengface and “Da Outro.” This original performance franchise is the sister series to Vevo’s “Ctrl”, which previously released content in the US with A$AP Ferg, Rick Ross, Burna Boy, Trippie Redd and more.Born in Cape Town and raised in East London, Berna started off his career with a legendary 2016 Bl@ckbox freestyle at 16 following the tragic death of his older brother three years prior. With no prior musical experience, he went on to kill every freestyle platform in the country, quickly proving his lyrical finesse and ability on the mic. Since then, he’s been praised by a host of websites.Kwengface hails from Peckham South East London, and is also a member of the legendary Drill group Zone 2. His immediately engaging presence and effortless flows have quickly made him an untouchable presence in UK Drill, most recently on his 2021 single “Petrol Station.”
Publishing giant and pioneer in Hip-Hop media Larry Flynt has died.
Few may even know his connection to the culture, only remembering him as the founder of the pornographic “Hustler” title, but he was the publisher behind Rap Pages, the premier West Coast Hip-Hop magazine of the 90s.
Rap Pages is known for launching the career of music critics Sheena Lester, Gabe “Flaco” Alvarez, Dorothy Stefanski, Bobbito, and Nikki Duncan-Smith.
Larry Flynt launched his publishing career when he dared to hop into adult entertainment, chopping off the rabbit foot of Playboy’s bunny.
In 1974, he put out “Hustler” to extraordinary success and profit.
So wildly popular was the book, clubs, and other facets of the empire, that he was hounded by lawsuits that prodded the risqué photos in the book and cheeky content he was able to produce, which made him incredibly wealthy.
One thing that added to his fortune was how shrewd of a businessman he was: he purchased flicks of former first lady Jackie Kennedy Onassis sunbathing and published the pictures in his book in August of 1975.
Flynt purchased the images of Jackie O for $18,000 and in a matter of days sold over 1 million copies.
In 1978, serial killer Joseph Paul Franklin attempted to assassinate Larry Flynt, leaving him paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair.
The former presidential candidate (he ran in 1984) at one point had over 90 magazines under his LFP Publications banner. The majority of them were not adult content.
Located on Wilshere and La Cienega, he pushed out magazines like Darkroom Photography (Camera & Darkroom Photography), PC Laptop Computers, Maternity Fashion & Beauty, TurboPlay, VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (the early 90s), Tips & Tricks, and Rip Magazine, a heavy metal/ rock trade magazine.
Rap Pages, the Hip-Hop title that rivaled any leading magazine out at the time, was launched in the early 1990s.
Known for its extraordinary artwork, it featured iconic images that fans know today, like the Goodie M.O.B. coming out of the swamp, DJ Premier spinning, Ken Swift breaking, the Pharcyde wrapped in tape like a straitjacket (later to be used as a cover for one of their compilations) and the famous image of Biggie in a crown with the red background, shot only weeks before he was murdered.
It would be one of the last (if not the last) magazine covers B.I.G. posed for.
Popular artist Ron Suno has partnered with Empire Distribution for his unique musical journey, fortifying his independence.
Suno, a native of The Bronx, has become an infectious fixture online and off for his ability to go viral, craft skits and his enjoyable collaborations with Fivio Foreign (“Big Drip” & “Spiderman”). Suno’s new single “Band It” drops Friday on Feb 12th at the midnight hour.
Thorough the years, Suno, born Keron Foriest, has racked up millions of views on youtube and not just for his comedy skits. His dominant emergence comes at a time when Brooklyn Drill has dominated the local landscape, with him claiming to be the first to adopt the sub-genre in The Bronx.
With the new deal with Empire, he’s likely to move his career to another level.
Last year he enthralled audiences on his platform with his #weavechallenge and #ronsunodance, both of which helped him go viral early. In early 2019, Suno started to release music videos YouTube with promo coming by way of Instagram. Songs like “With My Crew”, “Party On Jump”, and an impressive EP, “New Boss” forced people to recon with this rising star. “Pinocchio”, caught ablaze on TikTok inspiring millions of dancers with a street-savvy, but fun vibe. A collaboration with Fivio, “Spider-Man,” has topped over over 5 million YouTube views since it dropped.
Kobe Bryant’s helicopter pilot is believed to have become disoriented in the clouds in the moments leading up to the tragic crash which killed everyone onboard, according to accident investigators.
The basketball icon and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, were among the nine people killed on January 26th, 2020 when the aircraft they were traveling on slammed into a hillside in Calabasas, California in foggy conditions.
On Tuesday (February 9th), officials from the National Transportation and Safety Board held a public, live-streamed hearing to determine the likely cause of the accident, which they believe was caused after pilot Ara Zobayan lost control of the Sikorsky S-76 helicopter while flying through the clouds – a violation of federal aviation standards.
“(Zobayan) was flying under visual flight rules (VFR), which legally prohibited him from penetrating clouds,” NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said. “However, he continued this VFR flight through the clouds, into instrument meteorological conditions.”
His actions likely caused the pilot to experience a condition known as spatial disorientation, in which he “doesn’t know which way is up,” explained one investigator, noting Zobayan should have recognized the dangers posed by the weather conditions beforehand and turned the aircraft around to return safely to the nearby Van Nuys Airport, instead of pressing ahead with the journey.
Engine problems had previously been ruled out as a cause of the accident, and NTSB Investigator-in-Charge Bill English insisted the failures were the result of “the in-flight decisions, the pressing on at high speed”.
They also suggested Zobayan, who worked for Island Express Helicopters and had regularly flown Bryant and his family, likely put pressure on himself to get his passengers to their destination, and therefore ignored key safety rules which could have proved vital in the final moments before the crash.
NTSB representatives notably did not place the blame on aircraft operators at Island Express, who are being sued for wrongful death by the passengers’ families, including Bryant’s widow, Vanessa Bryant. Those lawsuits were filed last year and are ongoing.
An aviation company that hosted a party featuring 50 Cent during Super Bowl Weekend has been evicted from their airport hanger at the Albert Whitted Airport.
According to reports, city officials have axed the lease of a St. Petersburg, Florida company called Sky Addict Aviation for breaking the city’s COVID-19 laws.
Sky Addict Aviation leased a 3,000 hangar from the city-owned airport. But the company’s rental agreement was terminated over a large crowd of maskless 50 Cent fans, who paid big bucks to get a glimpse of the rapper on February 5th, during Super Bowl weekend.
“This isn’t how we should be celebrating the Super Bowl,” Mayor Kriseman fumed after seeing the pictures. “It’s not safe or smart. It’s stupid. We’re going to take a very close look at this, and it may end up costing someone a lot more than 50 cent.”
And Mayor Kriseman was not issuing idle threats. He blasted Sky Addiction Aviation while doing his best to avoid a war with 50 Cent.
“My feud wasn’t necessarily with him. He’s a performer, he showed up to perform,” Mayor Kriseman told the St. Petersburg Catalyst. “It’s with the folks who put the event on and the fact that the event happened with no apparent safety precautions taken, nothing done to keep the performers or the people there to see it safe, that violated the city’s order for events.”
According to Mayor Kriseman Sky Addiction Aviation has 6 months to vacate the Albert Whitted Airport.
R. Kelly will have to wait until August to defend himself in his New York racketeering and sex trafficking trial following another delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The “Ignition (Remix)” hitmaker, real name Robert Kelly, had been gearing up to head to court this April, with jury selection expected to begin in March, but on Tuesday (February 9th), Brooklyn federal Judge Ann Donnelly decided to postpone the trial until August 9th.
“We are scheduled for an April trial date but I suspect it’s not going to come as a surprise that that is not a date that is going to work given the current conditions,” the judge told the prosecution and defense teams in a phone hearing, according to the New York Post.
Among the issues faced include testing and quarantining for those traveling to the Big Apple from out of state, the use of public transportation for potential jurors, and the fact that Kelly would have to be moved from his current jail in Illinois – where he is facing child pornography charges – to one in Brooklyn, which is currently experiencing a coronavirus outbreak.
It’s the latest delay in the musician’s case, which had already been postponed three times as a result of the COVID crisis.
Kelly, who has been behind bars since 2019, stands accused of grooming underage girls attending his concerts for sexual abuse.
He is also currently scheduled to stand trial for his child pornography charges in September.
Rick Rubin has avoided jail time for strolling on an empty beach in Hawaii and breaking strict COVID-19 laws on the Hawaiian island of Kauaʻi .
Rick, who has crafted hits for everyone from The Beastie Boys to Adele, incurred the wrath of officials on the island during a trip in September of 2020.
The Def Jam co-founder’s troubles started after he arrived on the island via the Lihu‘e Airport on September 1st.
Unfortunately for the music maestro, a member of the paparazzi was lurking somewhere nearby and took pictures of Rick’s solitary stroll.
Rick was facing a possible prison sentence of a year, but he got off easy during a court hearing yesterday (February 9th).
Rick and his attorney appeared via a Zoom conference call. The super-producer’s lawyer said Rick was confused about the rules because his doctor told him he needed to get more exercise.
According to The Garden Island, Rick Rubin pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct. He paid a $1,000 fine. Rubin, who has an estimated worth of a quarter-of-a-billion dollars, has three months to pay the fine.
The “Bodak Yellow” hitmaker has insisted she is “great and happy” with herself now as she slammed critics who blasted her on social media.
In a video on Twitter, she said: “This is me with no make-up. You can see, you know, all the little blemishes on my face. You can see my lips so chapped … I just woke up 20 minutes ago, didn’t even brush my hair. Like, I feel good. I just want to channel that I feel comfortable in my skin, that I’m great, that I’m happy, my record’s doing great.
When they see me doing good they try everything they can to bring me down .Talk about my face or talk about my marriage w.e they can.On the wake up ,no filter ,hair un brushed IDGAF .I feel great ! And I never been afraid of showing my real self . pic.twitter.com/E4CxtH99jD
Cardi’s comments come as people on social media questioned her appearance and whether or not she has had plastic surgery on her face after she posted a picture of herself without any makeup.
“Just because you got so much hatred in your heart that when I do great y’all want to put it down – you can’t. Imma stay on top, with this face, with this natural face, makeup or not, a b**ch is doing good. ”
I’m tired of people coming for me .It’s going to be a day when I explode and I really don’t want to go back to my old self .
