Hernandez Govan walked free after a jury found him not guilty in the Young Dolph murder trial, with the jury foreman later saying the case should have never reached a courtroom.
The panel reached its decision after just three hours of deliberation, concluding that prosecutors failed to meet the legal standard of proof.
The foreman, speaking to WREG, pointed to the prosecution’s reliance on Cornelius Smith—a co-defendant-turned-witness—and his girlfriend, Angela, both of whom the jury found to be unreliable.
“It’s not what you know, it’s what you can prove in court. Statement after statement, he was rebutted by his own statements. So if this is the prosecution’s star witness, that case should have never went to trial,” the jury foreman said.
Govan had faced charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy in connection with the November 2021 killing of the Memphis rapper outside Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies.
Prosecutors alleged Govan helped coordinate the shooting, acting as a middleman between the suspected mastermind and the shooters.
Smith testified that Govan recruited him and Justin Johnson to carry out the hit, allegedly offering $100,000. However, the defense attacked Smith’s credibility, arguing he was trying to reduce his own sentence and noting inconsistencies in his testimony.
Phone records showed contact between Govan, Smith, Johnson and Big Jook, who prosecutors said was tied to a feud between Young Dolph’s Paper Route Empire and Yo Gotti’s CMG.
“It is not what was there, but what wasn’t there,” the foreman added, explaining that the lack of hard evidence ultimately led to Govan’s acquittal.
Despite the emotional weight of the case, the jury focused strictly on the legal threshold.
“You have to understand, I don’t think anybody—but I will just go with myself—felt great about the verdict,” the foreman said. “There were tears afterwards. Even the judge said, ‘This is a big thing.'”
Govan hugged his attorney and thanked the judge before walking out a free man on August 21, 2025.
Offset is staring down a lukewarm Billboard 200 debut and a cold shoulder from the charts as his third solo album, KIARI is projected to move just 28,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, according to HITS Daily Double.
The Atlanta rapper’s latest release, which dropped Friday (August 22), is expected to land at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 next week. That’s a steep drop from his previous solo efforts—Set It Off debuted in the top five in 2023 with 70,000 units, while Father of 4 cracked the Top 5 in 2019 with 89,000.
Despite the numbers, Offset is standing by the project, calling it his most personal yet.
“KIARI is me.,” he told Hypebeast. “I challenged myself as an artist and really put it all into the music. I took my time putting this project together. I know who I am, and I hope the world gets to understand who KIARI is through this album.
The 18-track album features a mix of collaborators including JID, NBA YoungBoy, John Legend, Gunna, Teezo Touchdown and Key Glock. Critics have responded positively, with Rolling Stone giving it four out of five stars and Album of the Year users averaging a 75 percent rating.
Still, the commercial response hasn’t matched the critical reception. The modest sales suggest that even with a more introspective approach, Offset’s solo draw may not yet match the collective power of Migos, the group he helped lead before their split in late 2022.
Outside the studio, Offset made headlines for his blunt take on marriage during an appearance on the Full Send podcast. At 33, the rapper said he’s done with walking down the aisle—especially after his turbulent relationship with Cardi B, with whom he shares three children.
“I’m married, I did it. I’m not doing it again,” Offset said. “I feel like men should not get married.”
He didn’t stop there, telling host Kyle Forgeard that marriage flips a man’s life upside down. Forgeard, who admitted he’s hesitant to even have a girlfriend, agreed that relationships can feel like a distraction when you’re focused on building your brand.
Offset’s comments come amid ongoing tension with Cardi B, who filed for divorce in 2020 and has had an on-again, off-again relationship with the rapper since.
KIARI was released Friday (August 22) through Motown Records.
Kelley Jorgensen might have thought she was just talking to a fellow houseguest, but the cameras on CBS’ Big Brother never stop rolling. Now she’s dealing with a different type of reality. This wave of criticism about Beyoncé resurfaced online nearly a month after she made them. Here we go…
During a “casual” conversation inside the house, Kelley Jorgensen, who happens to be a white contestant, admitted she was “scared” of Beyoncé. What? Later, she doubled down by saying she didn’t like the superstar at all. OK. The statements didn’t get much attention when she first made them, but clips have since gone viral. Now, the world is slowly, but surely catching up to what die-hard fans saw.
Jorgensen made the comments in front of one of the show’s two Black female contestants, Ashley. And, she immediately realized she might have crossed a line. Cameras captured her saying she thought she “messed up” by even bringing it up. Foreshadowing, anybody?
The BeyHive hasn’t taken kindly to Jorgensen’s word, but they are not fully buzzing yet. Some critics are brushing off the controversy as reality-show drama. Fair enough. others are openly questioning Jorgensen’s motives and mindset. Is she just being careless? Is it ignorance? Or something deeper?
Inside the Big Brother house, the fallout could add another layer of strategy to the game. Contestants are already plotting against one another, and Jorgensen may find herself an easy target for elimination! They turn on each other every day so you never know. However, if Ashley or Mickey are BeyHivers…she has a major issue.
As with all Big Brother storylines, the real test comes after eviction. Jorgensen may eventually leave the house and face the…music.
For now, Jorgensen is still in the house, the cameras are still rolling, and her comments about Beyoncé continue to circulate online. We’ll be watching.
Big Daddy Kane has been busy—performing, recording, traveling and being a family man keeps him moving. But, in the midst of all that, he’s been working on a documentary called Paragraphs I Manifest, which has been in production since at least 2021. But there’s been a couple of changes since the Juice Crew alum first announced the film, including two more interviews and a new network home.
“It’s not gonna be Netflix now,” he recently told AllHipHop. “It’s gonna be Paramount+. We are in the final stages of closing the deal. Everything was up in the air with that whole Skydance and Paramount merger. But we’re pretty much there now and it’s looking good. Everybody’s excited about it.”
Paragraphs I Manifest, executive produced by Big Daddy Kane, digs deep into the art of lyricism and boasts interviews with Eminem, JAY-Z, J. Cole, Snoop Dogg, MC Lyte, Common, Doug E. Fresh and KRS-One. But Kane has since added a couple more.
“I did decide to do two more interviews,” he reveals. “Kool Moe D and Black Thought.”
With those additions, the documentary is completely finished—now it’s just the waiting game. Big Daddy Kane announced J. Cole was also participating in the doc in September 2021.
“Amazing interview today with @realcoleworld,” he wrote on Instagram at the time. “My favorite MC of this era. My son loves this Brother as well. We almost done! One more to go! #paragraphsimanifest #stuyvision @flavoru.”
Kane also included a video of himself with J. Cole and talked about Cole’s invaluable contributions to Hip-Hop.
“A lot of people out there right now are coming to people such as myself and many others, giving us our flowers and whatnot while we’re still here,” he said in the clip. “But listen – I wanna give this young brother right here his flowers like on the real.”
J. Cole replied, “Damn,” then BDK continued, “I want this brother right here to know that he is my favorite MC out here right now. This is the brother right here that makes me feel like Hip-Hop is still alive and it’s here to stay when I listen to this here brother spit and listen to his music. Love you, fam.”
There’s no official release date for the doc, but that will soon change.
Cardi B brought both style, strong language, some laughter and a variety of facial expressions to a Los Angeles courtroom on Wednesday (August 27) as her civil trial over an alleged 2018 assault continued with emotional testimony and a judge’s plea to “bring the temperature down.”
While testifying, Cardi described the tense moment she realized security guard Emani Ellis was allegedly filming her without consent.
“The camera was facing me. When I was walking and she was behind me, and then she said, ‘Oh my God, y’all, Cardi B. Cardi B, y’all.’ I looked back, and the camera was, like, right there. Like, practically on her chest type stuff. I’m like, yo, why you recording me?”
The rapper, who was secretly pregnant at the time, said she felt vulnerable and cornered.
“I said, b####, get the f### out of my face. Why are you in my face? Why are you recording me? Ain’t you supposed to be security?”
Cardi said Ellis escalated the situation by yelling, “You’re gonna get the f### out of my building. I can do whatever the f### I want,” and dismissing her celebrity status with, “I don’t give a f### who you are.”
As the questioning grew tense between Cardi and Ellis’s attorney, the judge was compelled to intervene.
“Why don’t we just take the temperature down a little bit. If you have actual questions to ask her, please do so. It’s not the time to argue with her,” the judge said.
Cardi also described how her pregnancy made her feel physically restricted during the incident.
“When you’re pregnant, you’re very disabled. You want me to tell you things I can’t do?” she said, prompting laughter throughout the courtroom.
Cardi denied the claims, stating that the confrontation never escalated into physical violence. “We’re literally screaming at each other,” she testified. “I didn’t touch her. It was like a verbal fight, but it didn’t get physical at all.”
The rapper emphasized that her nails at the time were not sharp and there was no way she could have left scars on Ellis’ face.
“The shape that I had that week, it wasn’t like a shape that is, like, harming. It was like a square coffin shape. So, it didn’t have, like, no points or, like, sharp edges and stuff like that,” Cardi B testified.
Gloria Estefan and her husband Emilio have successfully secured court-ordered sanctions against an attorney who filed what a federal judge deemed a baseless lawsuit accusing them of involvement in a bizarre alleged sex-trafficking scheme tied to Diddy.
U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks ruled that attorney Travis Walker must pay $7,500 for filing an amended complaint that included “objectively frivolous” claims without proper investigation.
The lawsuit, filed by Palm Beach resident Manzaro Joseph, alleged he was drugged and abducted in 2015, then transported through a non-existent underground tunnel from the Estefans’ former Star Island property to Diddy’s nearby home, where he claimed multiple celebrities assaulted him.
The court found the allegations “beyond implausible,” citing geographical impossibilities and public records that directly contradicted the timeline and presence of the accused.
Estefan’s legal team had warned Walker in advance. Letters sent on April 2 and April 28, 2025, outlined glaring inconsistencies in Joseph’s story, including the claim of a tunnel between the homes.
Engineers confirmed that Star Island’s man-made foundation and high water table make such a structure physically impossible. The letters also noted that LeBron James, another named defendant, was playing NBA games in Cleveland during the alleged events.
Despite those warnings, Walker filed an amended complaint on April 11. The judge dismissed it on July 24, calling it a “shotgun pleading” that lacked clarity and structure.
The next day, Estefan’s attorneys filed a motion for sanctions.
Judge Middlebrooks agreed that Walker failed to meet the legal standard for pre-filing investigation. The court said Walker relied heavily on Joseph’s account without verifying key facts.
He submitted vague surveillance stills, a redacted police report with incorrect dates and an affidavit from Guillermo Farinas—a suspended attorney previously sanctioned for filing meritless lawsuits with the same plaintiff.
Walker argued he had reviewed medical records, police documents and spoken to witnesses. But the court found these efforts insufficient, especially given the high-profile nature of the defendants and the extreme nature of the accusations.
The judge wrote that “a reasonable attorney would have done more investigation.”
The court declined to sanction Joseph, citing possible mental health concerns and emphasizing that the responsibility rested with his attorney.
The Estefans, who sold their Star Island home to Diddy in 2021, have denied any involvement in the alleged events.
“We’re going to have to put a lawsuit against them because, you know, we work hard to develop a reputation for many years,” Emilio said. “They’re gonna have to pay, you know, probably do like an apology and tell that all that was a set-up, try to make money.”
Suge Knight is in the news so much, he might as well be free. But the former Death Row Records CEO is calling foul on reports that Drake purchased one of Tupac Shakur’s original Death Row Records chains. Big Boss is saying the claim is “not true” and that only he personally handed out official pieces. I think he would know.
In a recorded interview, the incarcerated music exec explained the significance of the chains he created in the 1990s.
“When I came up with the idea to make the Death Row chains, one, it had never been done before,” Knight told The Art of Dialogue. “Two, it was like having your flag — you can’t tuck it. It means something. I’m the only one handing them out.”
Knight recalled that Snoop Dogg initially wore one but later opted for a custom “dog paw” chain due to the attention it brought. Others, like Death Row affiliates Buntry and Andre, received authentic pieces.
According to Knight, Shakur asked for a chain immediately after his release from prison in 1995. Instead of commissioning a new one, Shakur requested Knight’s personal diamond-encrusted piece.
“Pac said, ‘You my big bro, let me wear yours—that’s more important,’” Knight said. “So he got my chain right then.”
Knight insisted that contrary to resurfaced rumors, no other artists or executives possessed official Death Row chains. “Nobody had a Death Row chain. Never in life,” he said. He made it clear that no women had the chains either.
Addressing the Drake speculation directly, Knight did not blame him but condemned whoever allegedly sold him the item.
“If Drake really trying to do something to honor Tupac, he should f### with the people who really stood by him, not the weirdos who were jealous or had something to do with his downfall,” Knight said. “Whoever sold you that chain, Drake — you need to go beat his a##.”
Knight concluded by stressing the piece in question is “not a Tupac chain” and “not a Death Row chain,” dismissing the entire story as another attempt to “rewrite history.”
Drake‘s New York City OVO store was wrecked by a woman who went crazy, smashing windows with a hammer and trying to torch the place… all in broad daylight.
Cops say 34-year-old Shauna Stoner from Queens rolled into the SoHo shop around 4:35 P.M. on Tuesday (August 26), pulled out what looked like spray paint, and started tagging up the gear.
After that, she flipped over racks, yanked clothes off hangers, and then whipped out a hammer from her bag and bashed the windows of the rapper’s store.
It didn’t stop with the hammer.
According to Page Six, Stoner cops confirmed that she “attempted to ignite a fire” in Drake’s OVO store, adding even more chaos to the scene.
The store had to shut down temporarily while crews cleaned up the wreckage and tallied up the cost. NYPD says she racked up around $24,000 worth of destruction before she was cuffed and taken into custody.
No word yet on what triggered the rampage, whether she had a beef with Drake or the brand, or if she is a fan of Kendrick Lamar.
The OVO shop—known for its pricey merch and sleek layout—sits in one of Manhattan’s busiest shopping zones. It’s not every day that someone walks in and tries to turn it into a war zone.
Stoner’s charges haven’t been revealed yet, but police say the case is still active and being handled by local authorities.
Mariah Carey took a stroll down memory lane when she opened up about a moment with Tupac Shakur that left her swooning and wondering what could’ve been.
The superstar songstress revealed during a Power 106 interview that the late rapper gave her “more than butterflies” after a brief but unforgettable exchange backstage at the American Music Awards in January 1996.
“It was a pretty major moment for me to say the least,” Carey said, recalling the way Tupac greeted her that night.
“Hi Mariah,” he said, and according to Carey, it sent her into a state of internal frenzy.
The pop icon didn’t stop there. When asked if she ever wished they had dated, Carey didn’t hesitate.
“I wishhh!!!” she said with a laugh, agreeing they would have been “the power couple of all power couples.”
Carey also said she would have jumped at the chance to collaborate with him musically.
Carey first shared the story in her 2020 memoir The Meaning of Mariah Carey, where she described the surreal moment she encountered Tupac outside the venue. “I noticed a white Rolls-Royce quietly, slowly approaching,” she wrote. “It was as if time itself had slowed to a stop.”
She continued, ” ‘Hey, Mariah,’ he said softly, my name pouring out of his lips like smoke. Then that spectacular smile burst through everything. In an instant, the window went back up, and Tupac rolled away.”
That brief encounter would be one of their last. Tupac was shot in a drive-by in Las Vegas in September 1996. After undergoing emergency surgery, including the removal of a lung, he died six days later on Friday (September 13) at University Medical Center. He was 25.
Boosie Badazz pleaded guilty Tuesday (August 26) in a San Diego federal courtroom to a firearm charge stemming from a 2023 arrest that has kept the rapper entangled in legal battles for more than two years.
The Louisiana-born rapper admitted to being a felon in possession of a firearm, a federal offense that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
The plea comes after a May 2023 traffic stop where officers discovered two guns in a vehicle Boosie was riding in.
Initially facing state charges that were later dropped, the case was picked up by federal prosecutors due to laws that bar convicted felons from owning firearms.
His legal team had challenged the constitutionality of those restrictions, citing recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings related to nonviolent offenders and gun rights.
Outside the courthouse, Boosie told CBS 8 San Diego he’s ready to move forward.
“I want to put it behind me,” he said. “I want to get it behind me and get on with my life. You know, it’s a lot of things this case has stopped me from doing, traveling all across the world, so I just want to get it over with.”
His attorney pointed to his charitable work and community involvement, expressing confidence in the outcome. “I’m optimistic,” she said.
Boosie was released on a $100,000 bond while he awaits sentencing, which is set for November 2025.
In August, he addressed the plea on social media, writing in all caps, “JUST ACCEPTED A PLEA FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON MY GUN CASE. I THOUGHT THIS CASE WAS OVER N I WAS GOING TO GET ON WITH MY LIFE BUT ‘GOD DONT MAKE MISTAKES’ N IM TIRED OF FIGHTING.”
Cardi B left a Los Angeles courtroom momentarily speechless Tuesday (August 26) when her ever-changing hairstyles and extra-long nails became the unexpected focus of her civil assault trial testimony.
After arriving in court with a sleek black pixie wig on Monday, the rapper showed up Tuesday in a long blonde number, prompting confusion from the plaintiff’s attorney during cross-examination.
“On the date of the incident, did you have black hair, blonde hair, or different color hair?” the attorney asked.
Cardi said she didn’t remember, but confirmed she was wearing a hoodie.
The attorney pressed further, pointing out the contrast between her two court appearances.
“Yesterday you had black hair, short hair,” he said. “Today it’s blonde and long. Which one is your real hair? Or are they both real?”
Cardi let out a laugh before responding, “They’re wigs.”
“Okay. Sorry, I didn’t know that. It’s a good wig today then,” the attorney replied.
The questioning then shifted to Cardi’s fingernails, with the attorney asking her to show them to the court.
“How long are those fingernails?” he asked, before diving into a detailed inquiry about their shape and style. Cardi responded with a breakdown of her nail habits and maintenance routine.
The line of questioning appeared to suggest that Cardi’s acrylic nails may have played a role in the alleged 2018 altercation at a Beverly Hills OB-GYN office, where former security guard Emani Ellis claims she was physically attacked.
Ellis alleges Cardi B scratched her cheek with her nails, spat on her, used racial slurs, body-shamed her, jabbed a finger in her face and ordered another guard to restrain her. She says the incident left her with emotional distress, including PTSD, anxiety, depression and insomnia.
Cardi has denied all claims of physical violence, maintaining that Ellis was the aggressor and tried to film her without consent during a private medical visit.
On the stand, Cardi admitted to yelling at Ellis but stood firm that it was strictly a “verbal altercation.”
The trial continues this week in the Los Angeles Superior Court.
Bronx drill rapper Wowdy HBTL was charged with murder and attempted murder after a back-to-school basketball tournament in the Bronx turned deadly.
Gunfire erupted at Heaton Park on Sunday (August 24), killing one man and injuring four others, including a teenage girl shot in the face, who was left fighting for her life.
The 25-year-old rapper, whose real name is Robert Royal, was arraigned Monday (August 25) in Bronx Criminal Court alongside 20-year-old Daeven Reyes. Both were ordered held without bail.
Two teenagers, 17-year-old Messiah Hugie and 16-year-old Ny’Zay Wigfall, were also charged in the case.
Royal and Reyes face counts of murder, attempted murder, gang assault and criminal possession of a weapon. The teens were also hit with murder charges.
According to police, multiple shooters opened fire at the crowded basketball court, striking five people.
Among the victims was 32-year-old Jaceil Banks, who was shot in the chest and later died.
A 17-year-old girl, Anthonaya Campbell, was shot in the face and remains in critical condition.
A 30-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman were both shot in the back, while another individual was hit in the arm.
Law enforcement sources believe the shooting was gang-related.
Royal’s mother told the New York Post her son was wrongly identified by police.
“It’s mistaken identity because that [victim] was his friend,” she told the outlet.
She also claimed Royal had previously been charged in another case but was “ultimately exonerated” of attempted murder and gun possession charges last year. She claimed he was fleeing a shootout when officers detained him.
Cardi B flat-out denied ever laying a hand on security guard Emani Ellis during her testimony Tuesday (August 26) in a Los Angeles courtroom, pushing back against claims she assaulted Ellis during a heated moment at an OB/GYN office in 2018.
The Bronx-born rapper, who was four months pregnant at the time, told the court the confrontation never turned physical and described the situation as “extremely stressful.”
She said she was trying to keep her pregnancy private and felt her personal space was being violated.
“[It was] a verbal altercation. She didn’t hit me. I didn’t hit her. There was no touch. So to me it wasn’t no incident,” Cardi told the court.
She admitted to calling Ellis a “b####” but firmly denied spitting on her, using racial slurs or swinging at her.
“Absolutely not,” she said when asked if she spat on Ellis.
The Grammy winner said the dispute started when she noticed Ellis filming her as she entered the medical office.
She said she confronted Ellis directly, asking, “Yo, why are you recording me?” According to Cardi, Ellis responded, “Cuz I can,” and continued following her.
“Now she’s like in front of me where I can’t even really maneuver,” Cardi said. “And I’m like, ‘Ain’t you supposed to be security? Like you grouped out. You recording me. Now you following me. Like back up.’ And she’s like, ‘I could do what I want.'”
Cardi said the two ended up “chest to chest” as the argument escalated. “I’m thinking to myself like this girl is big. She’s big. She got b######## boots on,” she said, adding that they were “arguing and cursing” before a receptionist stepped in.
That’s when, according to Cardi, Ellis began loudly accusing her of hitting her.
Ellis’s lawsuit paints a much different picture. She claims Cardi B struck her in the face, scratched her cheek with long nails, and ordered another guard to restrain her.
She also accuses the rapper of spitting, hurling insults, using racial slurs, and mocking her appearance and job.
Ellis says the incident left her with emotional trauma, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, and insomnia. She is suing for assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, and false imprisonment.
The trial continues this week in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
YNW Melly lost his legal push to get out of jail after a Florida federal judge rejected his claims that he’s being unlawfully held while awaiting retrial in a double murder case.
On Tuesday (August 26), U.S. Magistrate Judge Melissa Damian dismissed the rapper’s habeas corpus petition, ruling that he must go through the state court system before seeking federal relief.
The decision keeps him incarcerated in the Broward County Jail, where he has been held since 2019.
He claimed these conditions amounted to unlawful detention.
However, Judge Damian ruled that YNW Melly failed to exhaust all available state-level remedies before seeking relief in federal court.
She also cited the Younger abstention doctrine, which prevents federal courts from interfering in active state criminal cases unless there’s clear evidence of bad faith or irreparable harm.
The ruling was issued “without prejudice,” meaning YNW Melly can refile his petition later if he follows the proper legal steps in state court.
YNW Melly is awaiting a retrial for the 2018 killings of Christopher Thomas Jr. (known as YNW Juvy) and Anthony Williams (YNW Sakchaser), both close friends and collaborators.
Prosecutors allege that Melly shot them inside a car and then staged the scene to look like a drive-by. He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder.
His first trial ended in a mistrial in July 2023 after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict.
If that timeline holds, a new trial date has been pushed back to January 2027, meaning YNW Melly will have spent over eight years in custody without a conviction.
He also faces separate charges for alleged witness tampering while in jail.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty under Florida’s new law that allows an 8-4 jury vote for capital punishment.
Key evidence in the case includes cellphone data, surveillance footage, and forensic analysis, which prosecutors say places YNW Melly at the scene.
His defense argues he was asleep during the murders and that someone else used his phone.
The court’s ruling means YNW Melly remains in jail as his legal team continues to fight both cases in state court.
His retrial is currently scheduled for January 2027.
Mary J. Blige and her company, Beautiful Life Productions, are seeking to have a $5 million lawsuit filed by Misa Hylton and Vado transferred to the New York Supreme Court’s Commercial Division, arguing that the case is rooted in business disputes and requires specialized handling.
The legal battle stems from claims that Blige’s company interfered with a recording agreement involving Harlem rapper Vado, who was signed to Hylton’s M.I.S.A. Management.
The plaintiffs accuse Blige and her label of breaching the contract, disrupting other business relationships and intentionally stalling Vado’s career to pressure him into leaving Hylton’s management.
The lawsuit, filed in April, alleges Blige withheld Vado’s completed album and blocked his ability to tour, leaving him in “economic servitude.”
Hylton also claims Blige’s head of security, reportedly her boyfriend, tried to get Vado to sign documents without legal counsel.
Her legal team is asking the court to dismiss the case and impose sanctions on Hylton and her attorney for what they describe as “meritless” litigation.
In a formal request to Judge Suzanne J. Adams, Blige’s attorneys requested that the case be reassigned to the Commercial Division, which handles complex business disputes.
They say the lawsuit meets the $500,000 threshold and centers on contract issues, including questions about whether New York or California’s law applies.
They also question whether M.I.S.A. Management is a valid legal entity and argues that Blige never signed the disputed contract in her personal capacity.
The court clerk initially categorized the case as “Commercial – Contract” but did not assign it to the Commercial Division, saying it didn’t meet the formal criteria.
Blige’s team disagrees and insists the case belongs in the Commercial Division due to its financial scope and legal complexity.
They also argue that the claim for emotional distress is not central to the case and doesn’t disqualify it from being transferred.
Judge Adams has not yet ruled on the transfer request.
Glasses Malone Pays Tribute to Hip-Hop’s Roots With New Single “Wanted”and Calls Drake a D##khead.
Glasses Malone isn’t just dropping another record. The West Coast rapper is making a few statements about the culture of Hip-Hop and condemned Drake for stifling creativity. The Los Angeles MC has released a new single titled “Wanted”, a track he describes as a salute to Hip-Hop’s foundation and the competitive spirit that has defined the genre since its earliest days.
“With this particular record, I’m really capturing the essence of Hip-Hop,” he says to AllHipHop. “During the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, Lord Jamar felt like Kendrick Lamar wasn’t a Los Angeles or Southern California street urban culture. He felt like The Game was more a street urban culture and that inspired me to come together with a gangster rap group, the L.A. Giantz and Jurassic 5, a backpack group.”
Malone stressed that the song is bigger than labels. Whether it’s gangster rap or backpack rap, he believes the culture comes from the same root.
“Jurassic 5 was considered a backpack group, but you realize they meet at street urban culture,” he explained. “The artistic expression of street urban culture is what Hip-Hop is. When you use those elements artistically to express street urban culture, that’s Hip-Hop.”
“Wanted” channels the raw energy of the cipher or the “posse cut.” All of the MCs go bar-for-bar sparring a rough-n-tumble beat full of sharp skills and lyricism.
“So again when you put a backpack group and a gangster rap group together, you can listen and you won’t be able to tell the difference because we all speak the same language,” he continued. “It’s really just an ode to Hip-Hop.”
He’s not stopping with “Wanted.”
“I got another one coming up with Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, Common – you know more dope stories,” he revealed. “But really the gem is how the record is producing uploaded and when you play it, you’ll notice it.”
As for Drake, Malone said he’s attempting to censor Hip-Hop but also trying to attack the core creative elements of the culture as well. Malone didn’t hold back.
“This is a time where Hip-Hop is really under scrutiny, maybe the most scrutiny it’s ever been,” he said. “People don’t know if we’re still creative or if we’re even worthy of leading in the musical space right now. And then you have a rapper who people regard as part of the culture—even though I’ve disputed that—suing another rapper for his creativity.
“And suing a label over that rapper’s creativity, trying to get the label to censor it or pull it down completely. So he deserved to be painted as the d##khead that he is. Because that was his goal—to censor Hip-Hop. And I want to make sure everybody knows that.”
Lil Nas X broke his silence after a chaotic weekend in Los Angeles that left him hospitalized and facing multiple felony charges, telling supporters, “Your girl is going to be OK, y’all. She’s going to be alright. That was terrifying; that was a terrifying last four days. But your girl is going to be alright.”
The 25-year-old rapper, born Montero Lamar Hill, pleaded not guilty Monday to three felony counts of battery on a police officer and one count of resisting an executive officer.
The charges stem from a strange encounter around 6 A.M. Friday on Ventura Boulevard, where police say they found the Grammy winner naked and acting erratically.
According to reports, officers attempted to intervene, but Hill allegedly charged at them.
Believing he was undergoing a possible drug-related episode, authorities transported him to a hospital for evaluation. He was later booked into jail after being medically cleared.
Initially arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor obstruction, Hill’s charges were upgraded following further investigation. He appeared in court on Monday wearing a blue jumpsuit and stood behind a glass partition during his arraignment.
As reported by TMZ, Hill posted $75,000 bail and was released under conditions that include staying away from illegal substances and enrolling in an outpatient treatment program.
Outside the courthouse, Hill’s father, Robert Stafford, addressed reporters and dismissed rumors about drug use.
“He’s focused on getting the help he needs,” Stafford said, “but he’s not on drugs.”
Hill has not publicly addressed the specifics of the incident, but reassured his supporters about his well-being in a brief message. His next court date has not been set yet.
Omar Gooding has lived many lives in entertainment. To some, he’s the kid from Nickelodeon and Smart Guy. To others, he’s the actor from Baby Boy and seemingly countless roles across TV and film. But what many don’t know is Gooding has been an MC long before Hollywood fame ever called.
Recently, his pen and pride collided with Harlem legend Cam’ron, sparking one of the most unexpected rap dust-ups of the year. What began with a slip of the tongue—Cam calling him “Omar Gooding Jr.”—spiraled into a string of diss records, a viral “prank” that left Gooding furious and a fourth response track that has the rap world taking him very seriously. In an exclusive with AllHipHop, Omar opens up about defending his brother Cuba Gooding Jr. from Nas, why he doesn’t write out of anger, the details behind the prank and why Part Four is the one.
The Q&A has been edited for clarity and flow. For the full, unedited conversation watch the video
AllHipHop: Omar, first off, how you feeling? You’ve had the internet buzzing.
Omar Gooding: I’m good, bro. Glad to talk to you. I know I got people shaking right now, some laughing, some talking, but it’s cool. I’m built for this.
Omar Gooding: That’s funny too because he was hot at me a couple days ago. He was like, “Stop pandering to ignorance.” And I was like, first of all, what the f##k does pandering mean? Second of all, make me # when you trying to preach to your little brother. Like, knock it the sh## off. I’m doing what I do.
I don’t think I’ve responded or written out of anger in a long time. Ironically, I’ma give you something I wasn’t planning on saying. The only time I ever wrote a rhyme out of anger was when I was trying to defend my big brother when Nas put his name in a song. (Editor’s Note: On “These Are Our Heroes,” Nas condemned Tiger Woods, Taye Diggs and Cuba Gooding Jr.)
AllHipHop: Tell me more.
Omar Gooding: Yeah, the only time I ever rapped out of anger was defending my big brother. When Nas said, “You sell out like Cuba Gooding Jr.,” I lost it. I was in Dr. Dre’s studio with Focus, Chino XL, a bunch of MCs. They threw on a beat, and I went last like I always do. I went straight at Nas. Everybody was like, “What are you doing?” But that’s my brother. I was heated. Focus just shook his head and said, “Nas ain’t gonna respond.” And of course, he didn’t. But that was the one time.
AllHipHop: Recently you found yourself in another situation — the so-called prank with Cam. Walk us through what happened.
Omar Gooding: Man, look. I was booked for one scene, $2,500, flown first class, easy work. The original script had me licking a sneaker. I said, “I’m not licking no f##kin’ shoe.” They revised it to push-ups and jumping jacks. I said, “No jacks, but I’ll do push-ups.” Took my shirt off, had a tank top, did like 100 push-ups in different takes. That’s it. Nothing crazy.
Next thing I know, this footage pops up online with filters and Cam’ron’s clowning. At first, I laughed, but then I was like, “Wait — this dude crossed the line.” What people don’t realize is that wasn’t some random casting. I got called by somebody I knew, who was tied to Cam. He orchestrated it. That’s why I said, you can’t fall for the favors game in Hollywood.
AllHipHop: You made some reference to some possible legalities, but don’t…
Omar Gooding: I don’t want that man’s money. I got my own path, my own legacy. But when you cross lines and play with my name, I’m gonna respond. Period.
AllHipHop: And that response came in the form of the “Fix Your Mouth” series.
Omar Gooding: Right. The first one was light — a warning shot. The second was sharper. I thought it was over. Then Cam mentioned me again on his show, slipped in jokes about me doing barbershops and bowling alleys. I laughed, gave him props because it was funny, but then I had to cook again. That’s when I dropped Part Four.
AllHipHop: Part Four feels like the one that had people really tuning in.
Omar Gooding: Yeah, that was the test. He dropped the prank, people were clowning me, my phone blowing up. I said, “Alright, chest out, stomach in. Time to respond.” We recorded Part Four in real time. No ghostwriters, no waiting two weeks, none of that. Just me and my DJ arranging it, switching beats, making it surgical. When you hear us laughing at the end, that was live in the booth. That’s Hip-Hop to me. Real pen work. Replay value.
AllHipHop: You said New Yorkers weren’t rocking with you, but the people I spoke to from New York told me to tell you keep the pressure up. They said Cam don’t really want smoke.
Omar Gooding: That bothered me. My mom and dad were born in Harlem. My father’s buried there. I did a comedy show in Harlem in the middle of this whole thing. So it ain’t East vs. West. Don’t get it twisted. I love New York.
AllHipHop: Let’s talk MC stuff. Some have questioned if Cam freestyles.
Omar Gooding: Look, freestyle means different things now. To me, it always meant off the top of your head. When I was younger, I’d hit Power 106 with Big Boy, just spitting live, no prep. I remember one time he caught me off guard and I froze. Next time, I showed up freestyling from 5 a.m. till we walked in the studio. That’s me. I come from that era where freestyling meant raw bars right then and there. Cam’s a lyricist, but let’s not act like everything is straight off the dome.
AllHipHop: Beyond this, you’re juggling comedy, acting, and music. What does all this mean for Omar Gooding right now?
Omar Gooding: Honestly, it’s exposure. Phone ringing more, bookings up 30 to 40 percent. People reaching out for all kinds of opportunities. And yeah, some are clowning, but that just means they’re watching. At the end of the day, I’m grateful. I’m doing stand-up, I’m doing music, I’m acting. I’m not boxed in. And I’ll give Cam this: without him, maybe people wouldn’t know just how serious I am with this MC thing. So in a way, I thank him.
Kneecap pulled the plug on their fully booked U.S. tour this October as Mo Chara, one-third of the Irish Hip-Hop group, prepares to face a terrorism-related court hearing in London tied to an alleged flag display.
The Belfast-based trio announced Monday (August 25) that they were forced to cancel all 15 dates of their American run, citing the timing of Chara’s legal proceedings.
“Due to the proximity of our next court hearing in London to the first date of the tour,” the group said in a statement, “we have to cancel all 15 tour dates in October.”
The group has rejected the allegation, saying the video footage was misrepresented.
They added that the clip is being “exploited and weaponised” and emphasized that Kneecap has “never supported Hamas or Hezbollah.”
The group expressed disappointment over the cancellation, saying, “With every show fully sold out, to tens of thousands of fans, this is news we are sad to deliver.”
Still, they remain confident about the outcome of the case.
“But once we win our court case, which we will, we promise to embark on an even bigger tour to all you great heads.”
A chief magistrate will determine on September 26 whether Chara will stand trial.
Williams, a former Philadelphia studio owner, claimed he and Elliott collaborated on four songs from the project and sought royalties dating back nearly three decades.
He accused Elliott of cutting him out of the credits and financial compensation. Elliott has consistently denied the accusations.
In court documents, she stated that Williams “did not write a single lyric or in any manner contribute to any of the songs.”
The dispute was resolved without a trial and Elliott’s legal team emphasized that the outcome favored their client.
“No money was paid in connection with any of Terry Williams’ claims, the last remnants of which were dismissed,” her attorney told Billboard.
