(AllHipHop News) Queens, New York rap star Nas is heading to Los Angeles as a headliner for the 6th Annual BET Experience at LA. Live.

Nas will headline the four-day event, which will include performances from Nipsey Hussle, LL Cool J, Ludacris, Chris Brown, Rae Sremmurd, Kamaiyah, Playboi Carti, SZA, A$AP Ferg and others.

In addition to the performances, the 6th Annual BET Experience will feature interactive activations, ticketed events and a Celebrity Dodgeball and Basketball game.

BET Experience at L.A. Live will take place from June 21-24 at The Staples Center.

(AllHipHop News) Bill Cosby was found guilty on sexual assault after his retrial in Norristown, Pa on Thursday.

The jury found Bill Cosby guilty of sexually assaulting and drugging a woman 14 years ago at him home. The conviction essentially the nail in the coffin for an entertainer that was once regarded as “America’s Dad.” The conviction is also the culmination of scores of accusations from women who claim Cosby assaulted them as well.

Cosby was found guilty of penetration with lack of consent, penetration while unconscious and penetration after administering an intoxicant. Andrea Constand, a one-time Temple University employee, was one of Cosby’s mentees whens she was at the school.

Cosby now faces 10 years in state prison, where the convictions will run concurrent. he had mentored.

According to The New York Times, Kevin R. Steele, the Montgomery County district attorney, has requested that Cosby’s $1 million bail be revoked, insinuating that the entertainer was a flight risk. In response, Cosby yelled, “He doesn’t have a plane, you a######.”

The judge allowed him to be released on bail, but his passport was taken.

Bill Cosby has yet to be sentenced.

(AllHipHop News) Rap veteran DMX has officially begun his one-year sentence for tax fraud.

The rapper, real name Earl Simmons, was sentenced to 12 months behind bars in March after striking a plea deal with prosecutors and pleading guilty to just one count of tax fraud, instead of the 14 federal charges he initially faced upon his arrest last summer.

The hip-hop star was expected to serve his punishment at Danbury Federal Correctional Facility in Connecticut, the same prison which inspired the hit Netflix series “Orange is the New Black,” but he was instead moved to Federal Correctional Institution Hazelton in West Virginia at the last minute from his holding cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York.

His lawyer tells said DMX is still happy with the change of location, even though it is further away from his family in New York, as the facility has a reputation for its treatment programs for addicts.

The 47-year-old, who has battled drug demons in the past, will also have the opportunity to take part in various training programs and arts and crafts classes while behind bars.

The news emerges a day after DMX’s attorney, Murray Richman, revealed his client has been inundated with offers for movie roles and publishing deals to chronicle his road to redemption.

“(DMX) looks great, is very happy, and overall, is doing remarkably well,” he said.

(AllHipHop News) Rapper J. Cole is adamant any MC offended by a diss track on his new album only feels slighted because “the shoe fits.”

The “Lights Please” hitmaker stirred controversy in the hip-hop world last week following the release of his new project K.O.D., which featured the song “1985 (Intro to the Fall-Off).”

On the tune, Cole appears to throw shots at the new wave of young hip-hop artists, spitting, “Everybody talkin’ like they know somethin’ these days/N##gas actin’ woke, but they broke, umm/I respect the struggle but you all frontin’ these days…”

Many fans speculated the pointed words were aimed at rising rappers like Lil Pump and Smokepurpp, who are known for glorifying drug use on song, with the latter even leading a concert crowd in Atlanta, Georgia to chant, “F##k J. Cole” at a recent show.

However, Cole insists the lyrics aren’t calling out any one artist – but if any star takes issue with the track, it’s likely he’s referring to them.

“It’s really a ‘shoe fits’ situation – several people can wear that shoe,” he shrugged in a rare interview.

“Why you yelling at your show?” he continued. “You must feel attacked in some kind of way, must feel offended, and if you feel offended, then that means something rings true, something struck a chord. That’s cool with me. That’s all I ever want to do.”

(AllHipHop News) Meek Mill is determined to live up to his responsibilities following his release from jail on Tuesday, insisting he’s going to shine a light on prison reform.

The rapper is out on bail after lawmakers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania overturned a judge’s decision to keep him locked up for violating his probation linked to a crime he committed over a decade ago, when he was 19, but in his first post-jail TV interview, he insists he doesn’t feel like a free man.

“I believe God is my first lawyer,” the rap star told newsman Lester Holt on Wednesday, explaining he plans to use his time as a headline grabber to help others who he feels are wrongly imprisoned.

“There’s a lot of light being shed on my situation,” he adds. “I’ve got a lot of important people depending on me… I’m talking about the men that’s depending on me (that are) going through the same think I’m going through.”

Meek will return to court in June, to find out if his probation can be dismissed after it emerged the police officer who arrested him had been named as part of a local corruption scandal – he was accused of lying under oath to put the rapper behind bars.

Judge Genece Brinkley was asked to toss the MC’s initial 2008 conviction by prosecutors, but she refused.

https://www.google.com/sorry/index?continue=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVecCNSWVPg&q=EgQ0Gqq7GKrsgvkFIhkA8aeDS5lQa1yClBHO56ng1bN8ejs-qNxQMgFy

(AllHipHop News) Rapper T.I. has urged fans not to fall for an imposter on Facebook offering up prizes of cash and cars.

T.I., born Clifford Harris, took to Instagram on to share a pair of screen shots of the fake page with his 8.3 million followers, warning them against signing up for the “free” competitions.

“A shame that I have to say this but… FAKE S##T!!!!,” he captioned the images, which showed the Facebook user’s name as “Tip Harris (Official Page).”

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh-EhtXhjeh/

In the description for the profile, the conman wrote, “I’m the CEO/Manager of Tip Giveaways. I’ll Be Contacting All The Winners On This Page. Good luck y’all.”

However, T.I., who also goes by the nickname Tip, made it clear the contests have nothing to do with him, and highlighted a section on the fraudster’s page which stipulates that winning participants have to send in cash in order to receive their prize.

“We are giving away $875.000.00 and a brand new cars to 5 person each……,” it read. “Winner’s are only required to pay 2% fee which claims has to be done at a western union or money gram (financial services companies) if you win…”

The message also included a line promising the winners they would hear from the hip-hop star himself.

“Stop letting folks finesse (easily sweet talk) y’all…,” T.I. added as he continued his warning. “here’s a tip… if it seems too good to be true… IT IS!!!! #NothingWorthHavingComesThisEasy (sic)!!!”

(AllHipHop News) Kelis has called out her former husband Nas, claiming the rap star was both mentally and physically abusive.

The “Milkshake” singer claimed that Rihanna’s infamous beatdown at the hands of Chris Brown in February of 2009 was a wake-up call for her to get out of her drug-fueled, b#### relationship with Nas.

She filed for divorce from Nas in April of the same year.

“When the Rihanna and Chris Brown pictures came out I thought about coming out because I also had bruises all over my body,” Kelis claimed in an interview. “But I didn’t say anything because I’m private. But seeing her the way she looked and then looking at myself, I felt embarrassed.”

Kelis also commented on their ongoing custody battle over their 8-year-old son, Knight. Kelis accused Nas of parenting when it was convenient for him.

“You can’t not show up for months and then show up and try to make up your own [visitation] schedule,” Kelis said.

For his part, Nas has claimed in court documents that Kelis is abusive and confrontational, citing an incident over Easter Weekend, when he encountered Kelis “fuming” in anger when he attempted to pick up his son, Knight.

(AllHipHop News) Kanye West’s bromance with President Donald Trump continues to cause shock waves in the hip+hop community.

A number of rappers have weighed in on back and forth taking place on Twitter between Donald Trump and Kanye West, who expressed his “love” for the President and even posted a picture of himself in a Make America Great Again hat.

Artists like Chance the Rapper, Joe Budden, Cyhi The Prynce and Malik Yusef have all chimed in on the rap star’s right-leaning beliefs.

Snoop Dogg, who was also once down with Trump, shared a picture of a frumpie looking Kanye holding a smoothie that is going viral.

Snoop, who once shot President Donald Trump in the head in a music video, obviously isn’t feeling Kanye’s political views.”

That’s mighty white of u Kanye. !N#### if u don’t snap out of it,” Snoop wrote adding: “Get out part 2.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BiA3QDzA7c6/

Ironically, Jordan Peele, the director of the original hit movie “Get Out” also weighed in Kanye’s tweets.

Jordan Peele’s#### movie popularized the term “A Sunken Place,” which is now become synonymous with Kanye West’s behavior.

Yesterday, Kanye posted the interior of his $60 million dollar Bel Air mansion and asked his followers “do this look like a sunken place?”

Jordan Peele was quick to respond.

(AllHipHop News) Jay-Z’s mother is to receive a major honor at New York’s GLAAD Media Awards.

Gloria Carter will be recognized with a Special Recognition Award for her coming-out story, which featured on her son’s 4:44 album track Smile.

She briefly appeared on the song, on which her son raps: “Mama had four kids, but she’s a lesbian/Had to pretend so long that she’s a thespian/Had to hide in the closet, so she medicate/Society shame and the pain was too much to take/Cried tears of joy when you fell in love/Don’t matter to me if it’s a him or her.”

She delivered a speech at the end of the track, in which she explained what it was like to be a gay black woman.

“You live in the shadows for fear of someone hurting your family or the person you love,” she said. “The world is changing and they say it’s time to be free. But you live with the fear of just being me.”

Announcing the special honor on Wednesday GLAAD’s president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said, “By sharing her truth with the world, Gloria Carter increased visibility of lesbian women of color at a critical time and sent a powerful message of empowerment to the entire LGBTQ community.

“Her story and the unconditional love that her family exhibits resonate with so many. The GLAAD Media Awards will be a critical platform to honor her work and further this important message.”

Jay-Z recently detailed his mother’s story during an appearance on David Letterman’s Netflix show “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction,” revealing he cried tears of joy when she came out to him.

“For her to sit in front of me and tell me ‘I think I love someone’… I really cried,” he said. “I cried because I was so happy for her that she was free.”

Director Ava DuVernay will also be honored at the GLAAD Media Awards – she is the recipient of the Excellence in Media Award – and actress Samira Wiley will be presented with this year’s Vito Russo Award.

The New York awards ceremony will take place on May 5.

(AllHipHop News) Embattled rap mogul Russell Simmons has had a rape lawsuit filed against him dismissed after reaching an out-of-court settlement.

Filmmaker Jennifer Jarosik launched legal action in January, claiming she was assaulted by the Def Jam Recordings co-founder in 2016 after he agreed to let her interview him at his home in Los Angeles for a documentary she was working on.

She accused Simmons of pouncing on her and raping her when she refused to have sex with him.

Jarosik also alleges he had taken advantage of her on a series of other occasions at his homes in Los Angeles and New York between 2011 and 2016.

Simmons has admitted he and Jarosik had a casual relationship that occasionally involved sex over the course of a decade but insisted all intimacy was consensual.

He subsequently hit back at Jarosik’s lawsuit, in which she was seeking $5 million in damages, by insisting she was simply making a money grab.However, the two parties have since reached a confidential agreement over the dispute and the suit was officially shut down on Wednesday.

The case was dismissed with prejudice, preventing Jarosik from refiling in future.

It’s not the only legal headache Simmons has faced in recent months – he is also fighting a lawsuit from an unnamed woman who alleges he sexually assaulted her during an encounter in a Sacramento, California hotel room.

She is seeking $10 million in punitive damages for the “severe emotional distress” the alleged incident caused her.

She became the 16th woman to go public with claims of inappropriate behavior against the music industry veteran.

Simmons has refuted her accusations and all other allegations of sexual misconduct posed against him.

(AllHipHop News) Yesterday (April 25) marked 16 years since the death of Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes. The surviving members of the platinum-selling group TLC reflected on Left Eye’s legacy.

“That’s kind of a whole TLC movement thing, because that’s why we still kept going, to keep this thing going and to keep her memory alive. We incorporate her in every show, and that’s what we do so people won’t forget,” Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins told Beats 1. “We’ve said TLC is forever and it’s still T-L-C. She hasn’t been replaced and will never be replaced, ever. TLC and Left Eye go hand in hand. We’ve got to keep this thing going until the wheels fall off, so they won’t forget.”

https://www.google.com/sorry/index?continue=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WEtxJ4-sh4&q=EgQi3HnaGOzzgvkFIhkA8aeDSwFsQ12gGHbcj_4aeiPO9kAk59BYMgFy

TLC released three multi-platinum albums before a fatal car crash in Honduras took Lopes’ life. While T-Boz and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas are working to make sure music fans never overlook Left Eye, they don’t necessarily celebrate the day of her passing.

“First of all, when you think of the word anniversary – I know that it’s a date that something took place. But when you think about that, you think of happy times,” said Chilli. “When people celebrate the anniversary of a wedding, or a marriage, or a relationship of any kind, and it seems it’s all something cheerful, and there’s nothing cheerful to me about her passing. I mean nothing. We don’t go out of our way to do anything like that. I mean, when her birthday comes around, yes, we talk about that, but not the death.”

https://www.google.com/sorry/index?continue=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WEtxJ4-sh4&q=EgQi3HnaGOzzgvkFIhkA8aeDSwFsQ12gGHbcj_4aeiPO9kAk59BYMgFy

(AllHipHop News) Kanye West is hiring 160 new employees to help turn his Yeezy brand into a billion-dollar business by the end of 2018.

The hitmaker took to Twitter to confirm reports he had parted ways with his remaining manager Scooter Braun, the man masterminding the careers of Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, and two entertainment lawyers, after they refused to ditch their other clients and work full-time for the rap superstar.

Revealing he will not be replacing Braun or his other longtime representative, Izvor ‘Izzy’ Zivkovic, who he split from in March, Kanye wrote, “I no longer have a manager. I can’t be managed.”

“I’m nobody’s ‘client’,” he added, explaining he was working on streamlining his circle of advisors, so he can bring everything in-house.

The hip-hop superstar went on to outline his vision for his business empire.

“We have 160 positions to fill by the end of the year,” he tweeted. “Yeezy will hit a billion dollars this year. It is the 2nd fastest growing company in history. It is a unicorn (firm with a billion-dollar valuation) on its way to becoming a decacorn (firm with a $10 billion valuation).”

He also boasted about becoming the “single highest paid person in footwear,” allegedly raking in more cash than basketball great Michael Jordan and his Jordan brand, before unveiling plans to expand his Yeezy firm beyond clothing and sneakers and make his pricey products more affordable.

“there’s been a lot of fake news so I just wanted to give you the facts,” he stated. “Yeezy will become the biggest apparel company in human history by working with the most genius level talents and creating product at an affordable price. I hired the head of supply chain from the Gap. We will reach the prices I’ve promised”.

“I am this generations Ford Hughes Jobs Disney,” he declared, likening himself to business magnates Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, Steve Jobs, and Walt Disney – comparisons he previously made at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards.

Shortly after Kanye’s early morning Twitter rampage, it was reported the rapper had already filed 24 trademark applications to use the Yeezus name, the title of his 2013 album, for a variety of products and services, including toys, video games, cosmetics, jewelry, music and record production, and retail stores, among other endeavors.

All the paperwork was filed with U.S. officials on April 20.

(AllHipHop News) Any Cardi B fans hoping to see the “Finesse” hitmaker live in the coming weeks will be disappointed. Cardi hopped on Instagram to let her followers know she is taking a break from performing due to her pregnancy.

“Hey guys after Broccoli fest I won’t be doing no more performances.Thank you for understanding 😘love yaaa,” posted the Bronx native.

While Cardi will miss summer tour dates following her set at DC’s Broccoli City Festival, the Atlantic Records artist promises she’ll be back on stage for Bruno Mars’ “24k Magic Tour” in September. Earlier this month, Cardi B turned the Coachella Festival into #Boachella with high profile guest features from SZA, Chance The Rapper, G-Eazy, YG, and Kehlani.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BiBKIUxBG2p/?utm_source=ig_embed

(AllHipHop News) “I’m no longer a part of Slaughterhouse,” declared KXNG Crooked on Instagram. The Hip Hop supergroup seemed to be over with that statement, and SH member Royce Da 5’9” confirmed the group’s end on Twitter.

“Done deal. Let’s all move on. It was fun,” tweeted Royce. When asked if the split was amicable, the Detroit spitter commented, “Absolutely.”

Slaughterhouse fans began seeking more information about the dissolution of the artistic union between Nickle Nine, Crooked, Joe Budden, and Joell Ortiz. In particular, Royce was asked about the unreleased Glasshouse album.

“That’s not a Nickle question,” he said in response to an inquiry about the public ever hearing the project and then admitted they never finished the effort. For clarity, he gave his side on why Slaughterhouse is no more, “Crook left the group and Joe retired.”

(AllHipHop News) The release of Meek Mill from a state prison in Pennsylvania made national news, thanks in part to the support of prominent figures like comedian Kevin Hart and Philadelphia 76ers co-owner Michael Rubin. Meek is now speaking for himself.

Lester Holt of NBC News caught up with the Philadelphia representative for his first on-camera interview since exiting the correctional facility. Meek talks about his faith in God, helping other incriminated citizens, and making the transition back to being a free man.

“No I don’t feel free,” Mill stated. “I ain’t feel free since I caught this case at the age of 19. I’m 30 now.”

Holt also spoke to Rubin about Meek Mill being a symbol of necessary change in the justice system. Philadelphia’s new District Attorney Larry Krasner also appears in the clip.

(AllHipHop News) Yesterday, Chance The Rapper felt the need to insert himself into the mess around Kanye West ~~trolling~~ tweeting about Donald Trump. Ye had the internet talking after he posted a photo of himself in a “Make America Great Again” hat and for accusing former President Barack Obama of not doing enough to help Chicago.

This led to Hot 97 personality Ebro Darden to tweet, “I wonder if [Kanye West] has caught up with [Chance The Rapper,] [G Herbo,] [Lil Durk] on his hometown of Chicago??” Chance responded by writing, “Talked to him two days ago. He’s in a great space and not affected by folk tryna question his mental or physical health. Same Ye from the Vmas, same Ye from the telethon.

The last portion of Chano’s tweet had many of his followers questioning how he could honestly say Kanye West has not changed since the infamous incidents at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards and the Hurricane Katrina relief telethon in 2005. Chance then reacted to the online noise by later tweeting, “Black people don’t have to be democrats.”

That tweet was quickly retweeted by right-wing figures, such as Donald Trump Jr and Candace Owens, which led to even more backlash directed at Chance. The Coloring Book creator finally ended his night on Twitter by posting a GIF of Jay-Z, symbolizing the need to exit the conversation.

(AllHipHop News) R&B star John Legend has been a vocal critic of Donald Trump. Back in 2016, he said about the then-presidential candidate, “I would speak out on any election but I think it is even more urgent now because we have someone running for office whose you know a major party candidate who is so dangerous I think for the world and this country.”

Legend found himself in a dicey situation after his longtime friend/collaborator Kanye West came out in full support of Trump on Twitter this week. The “Green Light” singer reacted to Ye’s internet-breaking show of love to the POTUS.

He tweeted:

I imagine there’s some comfort in imagining a future without racism and projecting that onto the present. Thinking if we just deny the truth, it doesn’t exist. If history is erased, we don’t have to deal with its consequences. However… Far too many people don’t have the luxury of closing their eyes and ears. They feel it in their lives and can’t act like what they see and know doesn’t exist. They know their family was destroyed by deportation or incarceration. They know their loved one was denied safe harbor because of their religion. They know their son or daughter was shot because their skin color evoked fear. They see the statistics about black applications for real estate or loans or employment being turned away because their name was Jamal and not James. I love that great, brilliant artists have the power to imagine a better future. But artists can’t be blind to the truth. The defining trait of Trump’s campaign and political profile was his embrace of white supremacy. He made it clear every time he spoke. Some serious cognitive dissonance to ignore that for the other x% you might find appealing. I guess I agree with >1% of anyone’s thoughts though. Anyway, y’all need to come to Montgomery and see this memorial.

Previously, Legend called West’s 2016 Trump Tower meeting with the President-Elect a “publicity stunt.” The G.O.O.D. Music affiliate also expressed he was “pretty disappointed” that Kanye said he would have voted for Trump.