Lil Poppa will be laid to rest this Saturday in his hometown of Jacksonville with an open service that is expected to draw an enormous crowd and strict security measures will be in place.
The 25-year-old rapper, who died on February 18 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, will be honored at Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church starting at 10 A.M. on March 7.
Church pastor Harry Williams confirmed the details with FirstCoastNews, noting that security will be “strictly enforced” due to the anticipated turnout.
The service remains open to the public, though attendees must follow specific guidelines.
No phones, recording devices, Meta glasses, or cameras of any kind will be permitted inside the church.
“Out of respect for the family, guests who do not comply will be respectfully escorted out,” according to the funeral announcement.
Lil Poppa, born Janarious Mykel Wheeler, built a devoted following through his raw storytelling and emotional honesty.
He signed with Yo Gotti’s Collective Music Group in 2022, a move that elevated his profile nationally. At the time of his death, he had nearly one million Instagram followers and over 600,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.
His catalog included tracks like “Love & War,” “Mind Over Matter,” and “HAPPY TEARS,” as well as the project “Almost Normal Again.”
Beyond his career, Lil Poppa was a father to a young son born in 2022. That reality added profound weight to his passing, with supporters expressing hope that his child will one day understand the impact his father had on countless lives.
In Jacksonville, the community organized memorial gatherings, candlelight vigils, and listening events to honor his memory.
Hip Hop Forever, the culture‑forward hip‑hop showcase, returns to Austin, Texas as an official SXSW 2026 music event on March 12, 2026, bringing together influential voices and rising stars for an unforgettable night celebrating lyricism, community, and legacy.
The showcase will take place at Brushy Street Commons in downtown Austin, Texas, with doors opening ahead of a 7:00 PM showtime. As part of the globally recognized South by Southwest Music Festival, Hip Hop Forever continues its mission of elevating artists who are pushing the culture forward while honoring the roots of hip‑hop.
Featured Artists
Indie Tribe
Derek Minor
DJ Trendsetter Sense
Canon
Marty
Holy Gabanna
Mission
Don Ready
Parris Chariz
The evening will be hosted by internationally respected DJ and cultural tastemaker DJ Trendsetter Sense, whose influence spans radio, live events, and major hip‑hop platforms nationwide.
About Hip Hop Forever
Hip Hop Forever is more than a showcase. It is a statement. Built on authenticity, excellence, and intentional artistry, the platform creates space for meaningful hip‑hop that resonates beyond the stage.
From high‑energy performances to culturally impactful moments, this event represents a convergence of artistry and purpose during one of the most influential music festivals in the world.
Entry
SXSW badge holders will have access in accordance with official SXSW entry policies. Capacity is limited and early arrival is strongly encouraged.
50 Cent is discovering that one slick bar can spark a whole family attack. But this time the microphones are out.
But let me walk backwards.
The Queens mogul fired the latest shot earlier today with a lyric that took aim at the household of Atlanta royalty, specifically calling out T.I., Tiny, and even hinting at the kids. It was just a single line, but apparently that was enough to wake up the entire Harris clan. Within hours, the response came flying back like rapid fire.
First there was T.I.’s new diss track “Trauma Bond,” which dropped earlier and immediately stirred the Hip-Hop rumor mill. The record itself is solid. Even people who are neutral in the feud have admitted the song knocks. But that was only the warm up.
Now, anybody who has followed T.I.’s son over the years knows Domani is not exactly known for screaming into the camera or throwing wild insults around. He is more of the reflective type. Thoughtful bars, introspective music, and a pretty calm public presence. That is why the new track “Abusive Power” has people raising their eyebrows.
Domani steps directly into the conflict and he is not being subtle about it either. The quiet lyricist sounds like someone who decided he had heard enough. In this case, the motivation appears simple. A son defending his mother.
Meanwhile King Harris is doing what King Harris does best. Trolling. Look at it below.
King has been on social media like a man running a full time meme department. Posts, videos, and jokes aimed squarely at 50 Cent have been popping up all day. One clip that caught attention featured footage of 50 Cent’s child’s mother alongside T.I., apparently from an old video shoot.
It is messy.
Truthfully, there is an uncomfortable layer running beneath all of this. Women are being dragged into the crossfire, and that rarely ends well in Hip-Hop battles. But if anyone expected this feud to stay clean, they might be watching the wrong show.
Adding another wrinkle, King Harris hinted that this entire situation might actually be part of a bigger play. According to him, the Harris camp wanted 50 Cent to start rapping again. And now, suddenly, the G-Unit boss is back on the mic.
If that was the strategy, it might be working.
Think about it. Plenty of people have tried to bait 50 Cent into releasing music in recent years. Even someone like Fabolous could not get him to jump back in the booth. Yet somehow the Harris family managed to pull it off with one beef.
Oh, by the way, 50 is lashing back too. He dropped this clip:
In today’s world, financial independence is the key to a secure existence, which is why most people are looking for alternative ways to earn money and invest. With the digitalization of many areas, this has become easier, as it is possible to find sources of additional income online and combine them with your main job. Popular online tools today include cryptocurrencies, investments, and forex trading. Forex is an accessible global financial market, and with the right approach, it gives traders the financial independence they desire.
The topic of money and financial stability is present today not only in financial blogs and courses that recommend metatrader 5 for pc, but also in culture, especially in hip-hop. It is this aspect that is described in detail in this article. Read on to find out how hip-hop promotes financial independence and changes the younger generation’s attitude towards finance.
Why Money Is Such a Big Deal in Hip-Hop
From the music of poor neighbourhoods, hip-hop has become one of the most profitable industries in the world. In the late 1970s, hip-hop emerged as the trendy, unusual music of New York parties, but in the following decade, it evolved into a form of social protest: young people wrote about life in disadvantaged American neighborhoods, which they experienced firsthand on a daily basis.
In hip-hop, money was a symbol of success, power, and escape from poverty. It served as the main measure of social status and a symbol of authenticity because it was believed that wealth confirmed that an artist was “self-made” and had reached the top.
In fact, rap has long been a platform for addressing social issues. Tracks such as “The Furious Five”, “The Message”, and “Grandmaster Flash” highlighted systemic oppression and poverty. And this tradition continues today with J.Cole and Kendrick Lamar using their music to discuss contemporary social and political issues.
The first, and probably most obvious explanation for the cult of money that prevails in hip-hop is its direct correlation with success and power. It’s no secret that most rappers come from working-class backgrounds, and the genre itself is the heritage of the African-American population of the US, which has long been marginalized socially and financially.
Hustle Culture: The Philosophy of Working for Your Own Success
Hustle culture in hip-hop is an ideology of constant, persistent work (hustle) for the sake of achieving success, wealth, and high social status. It has evolved from a means of survival into a financial philosophy that motivates performers to pursue self-development, creativity, and entrepreneurship. Hustle culture is an anthem to self-realization, where artists emphasize their independence, ambition, and ability to overcome any difficulties.
Hustle has become a symbol of the dynamism and energy of hip-hop culture, reflecting its relentless struggle for survival and success. Rappers who use this term in their lyrics emphasize that, despite all the difficulties and contradictions, it is important to move forward, strive for your dreams, and not stop at anything. Hustle is not just a word, but a whole philosophy that inspires a new generation of artists and their fans to achieve and change.
In today’s world, financial independence is an important tool for self-fulfillment, as it gives you the opportunity to choose how to spend your time, learn new things, or change your field of activity without fear of poverty. It also allows you to achieve long-term goals, from starting your own business to traveling or doing charity work. Today, financial independence is not just wealth, but a tool that gives you the right to live the life you choose.
How Hip-Hop Shapes the Younger Generation’s Interest in Finance
Expensive versions of Rolex watches, Gucci and Louis Vuitton items, expensive sports cars, and stacks of cash in the camera frames: the visual part of rap culture consists of money. Rap music videos, which garner hundreds of millions of views on YouTube, are also made up of money. Popular rappers dedicate tracks to it. Contemporary hip-hop shows the younger generation the importance of financial independence and all its advantages in the modern world.
Young people listen to songs about investments, business, and brands, and see famous rappers who combine artistry and entrepreneurship, and are inspired by them. It is becoming clear that without financial independence, this is impossible to achieve, and more and more young people are starting to learn trading. The forex market is the most popular because it offers high liquidity and a low entry threshold. In addition, its popularity is due to its round-the-clock operation, high leverage, and accessibility from anywhere in the world through platforms such as MT5. About 10-15 million traders actively participate in trading, and this number is growing.
As you can see, hip-hop has long gone beyond the realm of music. Today, it shapes a culture of financial independence, where money is not only a symbol of success but also the result of strategic thinking and the use of modern financial opportunities.
Tee Grizzley is moving beyond the booth and into Detroit’s real estate game with a $12 million mixed-income housing project set to transform Brush Park.
The rapper’s development company won the city’s request-for-proposals process for a quarter-acre site at 205 Watson Street, where a five-story building called Wallace Estates will rise by late 2027.
The project brings 37 residential units to one of Detroit’s fastest-growing neighborhoods.
Studios and one-bedroom apartments make up the majority of the building, with a handful of two-bedroom units mixed in.
About 20 percent of the units will be designated affordable housing at 80 percent of the area median income, while the rest rent at market rates.
Estimated monthly costs range from $1,800 for a 450-square-foot studio to $2,700 for an 800-square-foot two-bedroom.
“Detroit raised me. I’m a west side kid, and I’m passionate about bringing mixed-income housing to my city,” Tee Grizzley said in a statement. “The 205 Watson project is about building safe, quality housing for everybody; that respects longtime residents and welcomes new neighbors. Building opportunity without pushing people out.”
The ground floor will feature a lobby, walk-up apartment, commercial space, and tuck-under parking.
A partial fifth floor includes indoor and outdoor amenities for residents. The design showcases a masonry facade with large, offset windows that fit the historic district’s aesthetic requirements.
Nevan Shokar, principal of Shokar Group and the project’s day-to-day development lead, emphasized the site’s potential.
“It’s an infill site that’s bringing high-quality housing, both for affordable and market-rate renters,” Shokar said. “And I think it complements the neighborhood nicely with the brick aesthetic, as well as the brass inlays in the windows.”
According to The Detroit News, the project went before the Detroit Historic District Commission for architectural review. Construction could begin this summer, with completion targeted for 18 months later.
Shokar noted that studios and one-bedroom units address the highest demand across Detroit.
“The two-bedroom units sometimes have a hard time filling up within buildings, and that’s why you typically see units generally smaller in size,” he explained.
Wallace Estates joins a wave of residential development in Brush Park, following Bedrock’s completion of the City Modern project last summer.
The development team is pursuing tax incentives, including a Neighborhood Enterprise Zone abatement and housing tax increment financing, to support the project’s affordability goals.
The Historic District Commission’s approval on March 5 cleared the way for the next phase of planning and permitting.
Hip-hop has conquered TikTok through viral dance challenges, turning indie stars into chart-toppers while rewriting music’s viral rules.
Hip-hop has taken over TikTok and changed how artists blow up. Short clips of bars and beats turned unknowns into stars, outpacing radio and playlists. Now, rappers can craft short hooks with moves, and then fans copy instantly. Independent acts like Ice Spice and GloRilla skipped labels, going straight to charts via challenges. Here’s how it happened and what can be expected next in this viral phenomenon.
The Origins of Hip-Hop’s TikTok Takeover
TikTok flipped the script on music discovery, and hip-hop grabbed the wheel first. It is obvious that today, everyone from rappers to fashion brands and even online crypto casinos like those listed on Pokertube is using TikTok clips to grab attention and drive traffic to their websites. The platform’s fire algorithm pushes content based on watch time and shares, so a solid 10-second hook beats a three-minute verse every time.
Rappers started dropping 15-second bars over phone screens, turning bedroom freestyles into chart climbers. Lil Nas X kicked it off with “Old Town Road” back in 2019, a country-rap mashup that rode user dances to billions of views and a Billboard throne. That moment proved short clips could launch careers, and hip-hop heads ran with it.
Indie Explosion and Label Response
Independent artists flooded in next. Roddy Ricch’s “The Box” exploded through dance challenges featuring simple head bops and lean-backs that fans mimicked en masse. Views piled up to 1.5 billion, landing him the Grammy nominations for Record and Song of the Year.
Megan Thee Stallion then followed with “Savage,” where her challenge had users twerking in bedrooms and clubs alike. She hit number one on the Hot 100, all from TikTok momentum. These viral trends showed how raw talent plus a catchy hook could outpace radio play.
Labels caught on quick, then Drake jumped in with “Toosie Slide,” scripting a dance so basic anyone could do it: slide left, clap, repeat. The song debuted at number one on Billboard Hot 100, proving TikTok algorithms favored repeatable moves over full tracks. Even veterans like Doja Cat thrived: her “Say So” challenge, with its silly shoulder shimmy, pushed the song to the top spot after months of buildup. Hip-hop’s beat-driven style fits the app’s loop perfectly; those booming 808s demand body movement.
Dance Challenges as Launchpads
Hip-hop owns TikTok because dances stick. On this platform, users don’t just listen to music; they perform. Take Pop Smoke’s “Dior” for example. After his passing, fans kept the track alive with a shoulder-roll move that racked up millions of views. It hit streaming peaks posthumously, showing TikTok’s power to sustain heat.
Challenges also spread songs organically. Ice Spice’s “Munch (Feelin’ U)” blew up via the “munch face” – a deadpan stare and lip bite that teens everywhere copied. With this, she went from SoundCloud obscurity to sold-out tours. Central Cee’s “Doja” followed suit; UK drill’s gritty flow paired with a two-step sway crossed oceans, peaking the UK charts and cracking the US.
Rappers now design their creative production for this. They tease snippets with built-in moves, like GloRilla’s “F.N.F. (Let’s Go),” where the arm pump became a stadium staple. Success metrics shifted: a viral dance means playlist adds, sync deals, and live show buzz.
Sounds and Trends Fuel the Fire
There’s no denying that TikTok’s sound library is hip-hop central. Here, old tracks get new life – think Soulja Boy’s “Crank That” resurfacing in 2022 trends, or E-40’s “Tell Me When to Go” in hyphy revivals. Users layer fresh raps over classics, creating remixes that could climb charts. Data backs this: TikTok accounted for 40% of Billboard Hot 100 entries from 2020-2023, per industry reports, and hip-hop snagged 60% of those slots.
Trends also dictate which sounds to drop. The “Renegade” dance by Jalaiah Harmon, set to K Camp’s “Lottery,” made her a star at 14 and the song a hit years later. Rappers scout these early, jumping on sounds before they peak. Sexyy Red’s “SkeeYee” rode a siren yell trend, hitting nearly two million first-week streams off 500 million views.
What Comes Next for This Viral Trend
TikTok’s grip tightens as AI tools now auto-generate challenges, but the human spark is irreplaceable. Rappers who adapt have higher chances to stay ahead, for example, by turning AI beats into user sounds. Another way is using localization for a broader reach, which is what global acts like Indonesia’s Rich Brian are doing. He now cracks US feeds via localized dances.
However, there are still some challenges that persist. Algorithm tweaks bury overposted content, so timing matters. Besides, copyright strikes hit sampled clips, forcing rappers to go for original production.
At the end of the day, hip-hop still rules TikTok by owning participation. Fans aren’t passive; they co-create hits, and rappers who get this can quickly climb to the top. The app changed the game, and hip-hop wrote the rules.
Young Thug didn’t expect internet strangers to mock his grief, but that’s exactly what happened when he mourned Lil Keed’s memory on social media this week.
The YSL boss took to Twitter on Wednesday to express his pain over losing one of his most promising artists, only to face immediate ridicule from a troll who thought the moment was funny.
“Dam boi this n#### Keed really dead,” Young Thug wrote, his words raw and unfiltered.
The post was straightforward. It was real. But not everyone respected the sentiment.
One Twitter user fired back with a screenshot from The Simpsons featuring Mr. Burns handing Lisa a phone with the caption, “Here’s a phone. Call somebody who cares.”
Young Thug’s response was measured. He quote-tweeted the post with just two words: “Wow bro.” That’s it. No anger. No lengthy rebuttal.
He was just shocked that someone would weaponize a cartoon character to mock a man grieving the loss of his protégé.
The legal battle consumed years of his life, but he eventually secured his freedom through a no-contest plea. Still, the loss of Keed never left him.
Years later, Young Thug continues to honor his memory.
Whether it’s through tribute snippets or public acknowledgments like this week’s tweet, he refuses to let people forget who Lil Keed was or what he meant to the YSL movement.
The troll’s attempt to diminish that grief says more about the internet’s cruelty than it does about Young Thug’s pain.
50 Cent turned a Verzuz snub into a full-family war when he dropped the Power: Origins theme song with shots at T.I., his wife, and their entire household on March 5.
The track “No One Told Us What We’re Here For” featuring Leon Thomas contains bars that reference T.I.’s family and the sexual assault allegations against him and Tiny Harris, escalating a beef that started as a simple battle proposal into something far more personal.
In the theme song, 50 Cent raps, “I’m back on my dope boy grammar. Your daddy made your mama eat every box in Atlanta. Freak s###, peep st, keep s### on the low. But everybody know.”
The lyrics were unmistakable jabs at Tiny and the couple’s legal troubles.
50 also posted on Instagram (later deleted) that he was preparing a documentary about T.I. and Tiny’s allegations, writing, “Remember how quiet I got before the Diddy doc. Dame thought I wasn’t coming. I hope this doesn’t mess up your promo tour they’re gonna ask about your 20 sexual assault cases.”
T.I. recently responded to the entire situation by posting “We can go bar for bar, hit for hit, or doc for doc… either way all you gon do is show how much of a FN u is. Let’s play. Nobody fears you over here Boo Boo.”
The tension between these two Hip-Hop titans traces back to early 2026 when T.I. extended a Verzuz invitation to 50 Cent.
Tip was enthusiastic about the matchup, but 50 declined the offer. That rejection lit a fuse.
T.I. took to social media expressing frustration, and 50 responded with increasingly personal attacks when 50 started targeting Tiny Harris directly.
T.I.’s sons weren’t having it. Domani and King Harris both released diss tracks in defense of their mother.
Raz Simone faces a $2.1 million judgment after a King County jury determined he engaged in criminal profiteering against four women across multiple states.
The monthlong civil trial concluded Friday with the verdict, marking a significant legal consequence for the Seattle rapper and CHOP figure who has evaded criminal prosecution despite years of allegations.
The case represents a five-year legal battle that began when the women filed their complaint in 2021, according to the Seattle Times.
The women alleged that Simone forced them into prostitution and maintained strict control over their daily lives. Despite these serious allegations, Simone has never faced criminal charges.
An investigation by the Seattle Times and KUOW in 2022 revealed that Seattle police had been aware of allegations against Simone and his music label Black Umbrella for years, yet no criminal action materialized.
Simone’s prominence during the 2020 Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone made him a polarizing figure.
Some described him as a warlord overseeing the camp, while others dismissed him as a protest opportunist. Lawyers in a separate civil rights case maintained that Simone attempted to function as a de facto police chief at the encampment.
The verdict arrives as CHOP-related legal damages continue mounting.
In January, a jury found Seattle liable in the shooting death of teenager Antonio Mays Jr., awarding his family $30 million.
Combined with other CHOP lawsuits, total damages have reached $45 million, creating a cascading financial liability for the city.
At least these guys are striking at a more rapid rate, essentially consolidating jabs.
50 Cent just rolled out a new track tied to his television empire, but one lyric has people talking.
The song, “No One Told Us What We’re Here For,” is the official theme for the upcoming Power Origins series. The track pairs 50 with singer Leon Thomas, whose soulful delivery fits perfectly the past theme songs in the Power universe.
But leave it to 50 to slip a little ether into the Kool-Aid.
People listened and took to social media! In his verse, 50 raps, “I’m back on my dope boy grammar / Your daddy made your mama eat every box in Atlanta… But everybody know.” What would Atlanta have to do with this? I am just wondering. Anyway, that is a breadcrumb for us to believe this is a jab to T.I., King and I guess, Tiny.
People believe the line could only be a veiled jab at T.I., but it is really talking to King, his son. Considering the ongoing tension between the Harris Family, this is the verdict. It could be for Domani too, I suppose.
Still, nothing has been confirmed.
50 Cent posted this song with an image of him and Eminem. I thought they teamed up for a diss at first. T.I. has not said anything about this, but he has said something. He basically dared 50 to bust a move and included a pic of his family.
Fetty Wap walked into Eastside High School on March 3 and reminded teenagers that redemption doesn’t require a script.
Two months after his early release from federal prison, the Paterson native showed up to inspire students at the school where he dropped out in tenth grade.
According to North Jersey, the rapper performed, danced and connected with a crowd of energized kids who screamed when they recognized their hometown hero.
The visit marked a turning point for someone who’d spent years behind bars.
Fetty Wap just recently finished a federal prison sentence for his conviction involving a multi-million-dollar drug ring.
He’d been sentenced in May 2023 to six years for conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine, but received an early release on January 8, 2026, after serving roughly three years.
Now he’s channeling that second chance into an empowerment tour across New Jersey schools.
The energy at Eastside was electric. Students weren’t just seeing a rapper who made “Trap Queen” blow up. They were watching someone who’d faced serious consequences, served his time, and came back to tell them something real about choices and comebacks.
Draymond Green pulled Cardi B into the Atlanta Hawks’ Magic City controversy on his podcast.
Green is defending the NBA franchise’s decision to celebrate the legendary strip club despite mounting backlash from players across the league.
The Golden State Warriors forward invoked the rapper’s name while pushing back against critics who claim the promotion objectifies women and makes the league complicit in their mistreatment.
On “The Draymond Green Show,” Green argued that stripping constitutes a legitimate art form and that condemning dancers reveals more about society’s biases than the profession itself.
“I think to point out that they have esteem issues because that’s the line of work they chose, I actually think is less protective of women because you’re condemning something that’s actually an art,” Green said.
He then referenced Cardi B directly, stating that she sells out stadiums and comes from that background without having self-worth problems.
The Hawks announced their Magic City Night promotion slated for March 16, billing it as a tribute to a cultural institution.
The event will feature appearances from rapper T.I., special merchandise, and the venue’s signature lemon pepper chicken wings.
Magic City has operated since 1985 and holds legendary status in Atlanta’s nightlife and Hip-Hop culture, having launched numerous rap careers over the decades.
San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet led the opposition, penning an open letter demanding the Hawks cancel the event.
Kornet argued that the promotion makes the NBA complicit in potential objectification and mistreatment of women, noting that many in the industry experience abuse and harassment.
He called for the league to create environments where fans of all ages feel safe attending games.
Despite the uproar, the Hawks confirmed they’re moving forward with the celebration.
8Ball received a proclamation from the Tennessee Black Caucus last week in Nashville for his cultural contributions to Memphis and the broader Hip-Hop community.
The Memphis legend, who hails from Orange Mound, stands as one of the architects of Southern rap’s rise to dominance during the 1990s and beyond.
As half of the legendary duo 8Ball & MJG, the rapper helped define the sound that would eventually reshape Hip-Hop’s landscape.
The pair met at Ridgeway Middle School in 1984 and went on to release nine studio albums together, with their debut Comin’ Out Hard becoming a cornerstone of the genre.
Their influence extended far beyond record sales. They were inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame in 2018, cementing their legacy alongside other titans of the city’s musical heritage.
But the recognition from the Black Caucus centered on something beyond his discography.
8Ball and his son Lace Wooten founded the Gloria Smith Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving Memphis residents.
The foundation carries the name of Premro Smith’s mother, honoring her memory while advancing the family’s commitment to community uplift.
According to FOX13 Memphis,, Black Caucus Chair Jesse Chism emphasized this during the ceremony, stating “It’s so amazing to have one of Memphis’s greatest poets at the Capitol to recognize him not only for his craft, but mainly for his outstanding humanitarian work.”
The rapper’s entrepreneurial ventures extend beyond philanthropy.
His 8Ball Brand Coffee represents another layer of his business portfolio, demonstrating his ability to build enterprises that reflect his identity and values.
The city of Memphis has also honored both rappers with street dedications in Orange Mound, with Park Avenue renamed MJG Avenue and Airways becoming 8Ball Boulevard.
During the street dedication ceremony honoring both 8Ball and MJG, the duo reflected on their enduring relevance.
“We appreciate y’all we love y’all and keep on putting on for the City of Memphis,” they stated. They also noted, “The amount of time that we’ve been doing this is just unbelievable that people are still interested you know and they still love our music and they still keep us relevant.”
The Memphis hip-hop pioneers continue to demonstrate that longevity in the industry requires more than just hits. It demands a commitment to the community that birthed their art.
8Ball’s recognition from the Tennessee Black Caucus reflects this philosophy. His work through the Gloria Smith Foundation, combined with his decades-long career in Hip-Hop, positions him as a model for how artists can leverage their platforms for meaningful change.
The proclamation ceremony served as a reminder that cultural impact extends far beyond album charts and streaming numbers.
Queen Latifah released a direct video message today (March 5) addressing fabricated health claims that spread across social media platforms claiming she had been diagnosed with blood cancer.
The legendary rapper and actress recorded a brief statement to cut through the misinformation and confirm her actual health status to concerned fans worldwide.
Queen Latifah said in a video, “Good morning. It’s me, Latifah. I’m 100% a Okay. Can’t believe what you read on the internet or see. Can’t believe nothing now, right? Look.”
Starting in late February 2026, various Facebook pages and unreliable websites began spreading elaborate false narratives.
They claimed the Newark native had disclosed a blood cancer diagnosis through an emotional livestream from her home.
The fake posts included theatrical details about global prayer chains, hashtags supposedly generating billions of impressions, and midnight confessions designed to trigger emotional responses from fans.
Fact-checking organizations immediately identified these sources as dubious websites created specifically to generate clicks rather than report truthful information.
The false claims contained zero legitimate coverage from credible news outlets, no official statements from Queen Latifah’s representatives, and absolutely no verifiable evidence supporting the health crisis narrative.
The emotional language and urgent tone used classic clickbait tactics to exploit fans’ concerns and trigger rapid social media sharing before verification could occur.
Queen Latifah’s actual professional schedule contradicts the false narrative entirely.
She has maintained consistent work on entertainment projects, attended red carpet events, and remained active on social media without any disruption or medical leave.
After rumors surfaced that 50 Cent might produce a documentary about T.I. and his family, the Atlanta rapper has made it clear he is not intimidated at all. In fact, Tip seems ready for whatever comes next.
While shooting a mini-video in New York City, T.I. addressed the threat directly. His response? If 50 wants smoke, he can get it in any format. I did not expect that!
According to Tip, they can go bar for bar, hit for hit… and even documentary for documentary.
“We can go bar for bar, hit for hit, or doc for doc… either way all you gon do is show how much of a FN u is. …. Let’s play. Nobody fears you over here Boo Boo…” he said on IG.
Screenshot
That’s a bold stance considering how ruthless 50 Cent can be when he’s locked into a feud. The Queens mogul has built an entire brand around trolling rivals and producing hard-hitting content, especially with the success of his TV empire and his recent documentary work.
But T.I. clearly isn’t shaken.
In fact, the King of the South seemed completely confident that if things get messy, both sides have skeletons they could bring to the surface. That’s why some fans see this escalating situation as a potential case of mutually assured destruction. I am being dramatic, but IJS!
Interestingly enough, Tip does have some Hollywood experience himself. Beyond music, he has appeared in films like ATL, Takers, and Ant-Man, and he’s no stranger to the entertainment business outside of Hip-Hop. In our interview, he addresses some of the projects he has coming.
So if this ever turned into a doc-for-doc showdown, he might actually have the chops to respond.
Still, from the outside looking in, this whole situation feels unnecessary. Both artists are veterans with legendary careers and huge cultural impact. Watching them potentially try to tear each other down doesn’t really benefit anyone.
Maybe the smarter move would be for the two to bury the hatchet before things spiral any further.
But if history tells us anything about 50 Cent, peace usually isn’t the first option.
And right now, T.I. doesn’t look like he’s backing down either.
50 Cent’s bid to quickly squeeze a million dollars out of his ex, Shaniqua Tompkins, over a stalled G-Unit book deal just hit a wall in New York commercial court, at least for now.
In a recent ruling, a Manhattan judge refused to hand 50 Cent’s G-Unit Books an automatic default judgment, even though Tompkins missed earlier deadlines to respond to the $1 million lawsuit over her life rights agreement.
The court found G-Unit Books had not yet shown enough proof to lock in its full damages request, effectively pausing 50 Cent’s push for a quick financial knockout while the messy backstory around the contract gets sorted out.
50 Cent insists her unauthorized commentary made the exclusive rights essentially worthless and justifies at least $1 million in damages.
The agreement, signed at the height of the 50’s dominance, allegedly gave G-Unit Books broad, exclusive, and perpetual control over Tompkins’ life story, name, and likeness.
In exchange, Tompkins received an $80,000 advance and the promise of future royalties from a planned book.
According to court filings cited by AllHipHop, 50’s camp argues that Tompkins treated the contract as valid for years in other legal disputes.
She then suddenly flipped the script once she got called out for blabbing salacious details about their relationship and the alleged physical abuse she suffered at his hands.
Lawyers for G-Unit Books previously told the court they wanted a fast-tracked win, slamming Tompkins for blowing off a September response deadline.
Tompkins, however, has fought back hard in recent months, claiming in a sworn affidavit obtained by AllHipHop.
She argued that she was emotionally and financially dependent on 50 Cent when the deal was pushed on her and that the life rights contract was never a real choice.
The judge’s latest ruling neither clears Tompkins nor kills the case.
It does mean 50 Cent will have to do more than point to missed deadlines and heated affidavits if he wants to turn this contract beef into a seven-figure payday.
For someone known for parading through airports in thong bodysuits and nearly nude sheer dresses at major events, this courtroom appearance felt like a complete wardrobe overhaul.
Censori has made headlines over the years by rocking a completely see-through dress with nothing underneath at the 2025 Grammys.
So naturally, the judge overseeing the trial had issued a strict dress code warning before proceedings began, and Censori clearly got the message.
Today, Censori testified in the civil lawsuit filed by Tony Saxon, a project manager hired in 2021 to oversee renovations on the oceanfront property.
Saxon claims West failed to pay him for months of work, subjected him to hazardous conditions, and fired him after he refused to comply with orders for dangerous demolition.
Saxon said West wanted to remove all electricity, windows, and plumbing from the home, creating what he described as a “bomb shelter from the 1910s.”
“We were going to be gutting all of that out and sort of building him a Bat Cave,” Saxon explained in court documents. “He only wanted plants. He only wanted candles. He only wanted battery lights. And he just wanted to have everything open and dark.” West allegedly threatened Saxon, saying “If you don’t do what I say, you’re not going to work for me, I’m not gonna be your friend anymore and you’ll just see me on TV.”
West’s legal team denies all allegations, claiming Saxon was an unlicensed independent contractor who performed unauthorized work.
What if you want to actually generate viral animations from any of your pictures? Yes, you can do that with the power of AI.
To achieve this, we will be discussing the capabilities of SoftOrbits AI tools. This software can actually revolutionize and make your creations go viral. Specifically, there is an incredible feature called AI Motion Control. This feature specializes in controllable generation, giving this application an edge over the rest of the tools. Using that, we will be able to make any character perform complex routines. You will find this tool very amusing because the results it generates are surprisingly accurate. It allows you to produce any kind of animations that you want to from any picture. This can be a picture of your own or anybody whom you have consent to use.
There are multiple ways to transfer your photo to a hip-hop dance. The first method involves selecting a ready-made preset from different categories. SoftOrbits AI tools has some predefined animations that are already built in. The hip-hop dance is there, the trendy celebration is there, and there are plenty of things like boxing and martial arts movements. All of these are available at your fingertips. If you say, for example, “I want my character to dance like this,” you can simply copy the preferred motion. The system mixes a character image into a motion sequence seamlessly.
The second feature animates a static character with a text motion prompt instead of a predefined motion template. So what you have to do is upload an image with a clear character and describe the motion you want your character to do.
This is where you can describe your character and the actions through a prompt. For instance, to create the ultimate hip-hop performance, you might write a prompt like: “highly expressive face, smooth body movement, energetic hip-hop dance moves, studio lighting, cinematic camera, shallow depth of field, ultra realistic, detailed trending style.” Or you could try something like: “adorable character in sneakers performing advanced hip-hop dance moves like a professional dancer, strong rhythm, confident attitude, funny facial expressions, vibrant slightly dynamic camera movement.” The AI will take this text as a reference and then use your description to generate the animation. It is perfectly designed for a trending style that goes viral on social media. Another optional feature is the ability to remove clothes from a photo and then animate that image.
In order to get the best results, you need to make sure you upload high-quality images. And if you’re going to create a motion sequence with a full body, then also select the image with the full body standing straight and facing towards the camera. You also have options for the background. We have options like a white background, a green background, or a from-template background. The from-template actually gives you the original background, so it will look the same, only the character would be replaced by your photo.
We usually go with green so that we can remove or change the background later. Make sure that the green background is at the top layer in your editor, select chroma key, pick the background color, and set the intensity where you find a better result. Then you can replace this background with any background you wish to, and boom, you are done with it. You also have a fine-tune option. Setting it on will take some time, but it will give us better results, so make sure that you select this on to get better results.
What we are discussing today is something new in the market, and you will personally love this tool. The opportunities are endless. You can recreate those viral dance moves with any of your characters. AI is here to stay, and it is going to revolutionize everything.
Maliibu Miitch spent eight years trapped in a production company contract that blocked her from releasing any music or performing shows publicly.
She couldn’t post tracks on YouTube, SoundCloud, or anywhere else without the company taking them down immediately. During this period, she relied on modeling gigs and acting work to survive financially as her career stalled.
The Bronx rapper credits Nicki Minaj with keeping her name alive in the industry when she needed it most.
Nicki featured Maliibu Miitch on the “Super Freaky Girl (Queen Mix)” alongside BIA, JT, Katie Got Bandz, and Akbar V, giving her visibility during her darkest professional period.
More importantly, Nicki consistently mentioned her name over the years, ensuring people didn’t forget about her talent.
She explained the severity of her situation: “I couldn’t release nothing. They wouldn’t let me release anything. If I even if I tried to put something out on YouTube for free, they were taking it down.”
The financial impact was devastating.
Maliibu Miitch couldn’t book shows because promoters received cease-and-desist letters from her label. She couldn’t earn money from her music because the production company recouped everything.
Without Nicki’s support and opportunities for collaboration, she would have faced even greater hardship.
“Nicki put money in my pockets when at a time where I was stuck in a contract and couldn’t make no money so she constantly kept bringing up my name over the years. So like, you know, so nobody could for forget about me,” Maliibu Miitch stated.
She continued with deep gratitude: “And again, I was she was one of the people that was helping me make money. I would never have anything bad to say about Nicki, like ever.”
Rich the Kid also played a crucial role in her liberation. He negotiated her buyout down from $1 million to just $50,000, making her freedom financially possible.
She’s now signed to Monarch Records and is preparing to release her debut album, Sailoon, in April 2026, with three completed projects ready to go.
Jenn Carter is one of the most visible faces of the new Brooklyn wave, but her rise did not happen the way people think. While 41 exploded across the internet with viral records like “Notti Bop,” Carter says the group always believed they were bigger than the drill moment that first introduced them to the world. Now, as the collective prepares to release its long-awaited debut album Area 41, Carter is reflecting on the journey from neighborhood notoriety to national recognition.
In this candid sit-down with SlopsShotYa at WonWorld Studios, Carter breaks down how 41 built their chemistry long before rap, why early hits like “Deuce” and “Bent” were made almost accidentally, and how the group deliberately pivoted away from the controversy that initially surrounded their rise. The Brooklyn rapper also explains why she prefers making party records over diss tracks, why female listeners are driving modern Hip-Hop streams, and how experimenting with Jersey club rhythms helped 41 push drill into new territory.
Along the way, Carter opens up about personal loss, the grind behind viral success, and the mindset that keeps her focused as 41 enters its most important chapter yet.
AllHipHop: Best ad-lib, also the best shape-up. I got a haircut, I ain’t gonna lie. Shout your barber out.
Jenn Carter: Yo, I ain’t gonna lie. Shout out Drake. Drake be cutting up, you know, for me. That’s my current barber right now.
AllHipHop: That’s funny. How you been?
Jenn Carter: I’ve been good. Life extremely good. Album dropping soon.
AllHipHop: I’m looking forward to it.
Jenn Carter: Nah, we doing a group album. 41 finally dropping a debut album. I can’t wait. I ain’t gonna lie. Fans been waiting on it.
AllHipHop: What’s different now that y’all in album mode? What’s the difference from what you was doing before?
Jenn Carter: I feel like now I really been way more locked in in the studio, not just rapping. I realized being an artist and perfecting your craft is a lot more than just rapping on a beat. It comes with mixing and mastering, clearances of samples, and all that. We been back and forth with the label, but we getting it done. I ain’t gonna lie. We got hits for them already.
AllHipHop: I’m proud, because I’m from Brooklyn myself. But I’m older, so my first 41 joint was “Notti Bop.” Then I found out y’all had songs way before that. But “Notti Bop” hit the algorithm, and y’all didn’t just stay there. Y’all re-energized drill, then you integrated Jersey club into it. Did y’all know you could make hits outside of just Brooklyn drill?
Jenn Carter: One thing about all of us collectively, me, TaTa, Kyle Rich, Dee Billz, J Gelato, all of 41, even from the beginning, we all knew we could rap. Drill was just popping at the time. Around the time of Kay Flock went to jail, Rest in Peace Pop Smoke, those was really the two that had drill popping about to go mainstream. So we knew we could rap, but we used drill to rap about what was going on in our environment, as a way to speak our side of the story.
AllHipHop: So you knew from rip, like, we artists first.
Jenn Carter: That’s a fact. We knew from jump it wasn’t only gonna be drill. We wasn’t only drill artists. We knew we was artists from the beginning. Even TaTa, he wasn’t a drill artist. He started with autotune. He was like, “Yo bro, I’m not drill rapping. Autotune is my thing.” Then he got around us and the music is energetic. He really the energy.
AllHipHop: Now y’all got the plaques to back it up.
Jenn Carter: Now we got gold plaques, platinum plaques. I ain’t gonna lie. BET nominated. Everything worked out.
AllHipHop: Which song surprised you the most, like, “I can’t believe this one went”?
Jenn Carter: Early on, “Deuce.” Because at the time I wasn’t used to going first on songs. KR was really the one that invited me to the studio. I was really messing with instruments before stepping in the booth. I used to play piano. I used to play trumpet. I always loved music, producing music in some way, but I never thought it would be rapping.
AllHipHop: So when “Deuce” blew up?
Jenn Carter: I was like, damn. We went in the booth and made that in like 15, 30 minutes. It was really like a freestyle. I wasn’t expecting it to go as crazy as it did.
AllHipHop: Wait. That was a freestyle?
Jenn Carter: Yeah. First time I just didn’t write a verse. I went in. I was in a store with little guys up there. I had no water. That’s what was on my mind. It just went like the most New York s##t ever.
AllHipHop: That song is also when the call part went viral. That’s when everybody was like, “Okay, Jenn Carter…” Now, when did you recalibrate and say, “We gotta take the hit-making part serious”? Because you one of the few I can play in a club, I can play you at a block party, I can play “Bent,” “Deuce,” “Presidential” around the ladies. I don’t gotta get looked at crazy.
Jenn Carter: A lot of people don’t know this, but it was early. Around “Notti Bop.” “Notti Bop” dropped and we didn’t think it would go so crazy. We was just popping in the hood. When that transpired, we realized like, this s##t not worth it. That’s not something we wanted to be known for. So we started switching it up early. We wanted to show people we don’t gotta do that to go viral. That’s where “Bent,” “Deuce,” all the party records came in, because we really do just be happy in the studio. Chemistry be there. You live and you learn.
AllHipHop: That’s maturity and accountability. Now, is the dissing over?
Jenn Carter: For me, I really be saying no to it. I can’t speak for anyone else, but for me, that s##t is so wack. Throwing people names in songs, I was never comfortable with that because I know my potential. I know how far a song can go. Nobody want to hear that all day. People want to hear a bop for real. If you going to drop a diss, make it a bop. But me personally, I’d rather go the female way, the party way, make the hits. Even if it’s a happy song, a sad song, everything don’t gotta be surrounded by something negative all the time.
AllHipHop: You think your demographic feels that too?
Jenn Carter: Females period push a lot of music. A lot of females don’t want to hear s##t they don’t even understand half the time. They want to hear getting Chanel bags, being pretty, being uplifted. That really carry streams nowadays. Dissing can only go so far.
AllHipHop: Are we expecting solo projects from 41?
Jenn Carter: Definitely solo projects coming, but we 100% focused on the debut album. All for one, one for all. Bigger we are, bigger each of us will be. We might as well give the fans what they asking for. They been asking for unreleased for the longest. We about to feed them unreleased we been holding.
AllHipHop: What’s the title?
Jenn Carter:Area 41. I ain’t gonna lie. Dropping real soon. Don’t say too much.
AllHipHop: How did the group come about?
Jenn Carter: Real early, before the music. I knew KR before the music. I knew Dills before the music. I knew Gelato before the music. TaTa and Dbo knew each other. That brought KR to bring TaTa along. We was hanging during quarantine pandemic. Everybody out of school. I was in my junior year. Didn’t have a graduation. I was like, damn, what do I do? I was trying to make money. I didn’t want to work a nine-to-five. Nothing wrong with nine-to-five. But I always wanted to be my own boss. Rapping was the way. It was a hobby, then that s##t went.
AllHipHop: Did you expect it to click that quickly?
Jenn Carter: Anybody from Brooklyn, my generation know before 41 we was popular on Facebook. We didn’t rap, didn’t do nothing, we just get a thousand likes on a picture. We used that to our advantage. We transferred to Instagram, we were seen as real rappers. It was a different lifestyle on Instagram. Everything just clicked. The aesthetic of us being a group drew people in more. And I’m glad it’s all for one, one for all to this day.
AllHipHop: Ten years since I discovered Brooklyn drill. Do you think drill is dying?
Jenn Carter: I don’t think drill is a dying genre. People grow out of drill. Drill rappers get older and be like, “This s##t wack.” But unfortunately in environments, there’s still Black-on-Black crime, and drill is the way for people to express that. It may not be as big as it was, but it’s not over. New people creating different types of drill every day. And drill isn’t always dissing. Cash Cobain expanded it to the sexy drill. Another example of how drill could never die.
AllHipHop: But I’m talking about the sound. Y’all implemented the Jersey club sound and it extended the life. Whose idea was that?
Jenn Carter: Me and K was really locked in the studio early. When we hear a beat we know is a hit, we give each other that look. That’s what happened with “Deuce,” “Bent.” Once we hit a beat and we don’t stop dancing for five minutes before rapping, that’s how we know it’s made for parties. “Bent,” we probably danced around for 20 minutes. Shout out to MC Vert with the slow down. It was a new type of Jersey drill, the slow down with the Brooklyn drill.
AllHipHop: “Presidential” looked like y’all knew it was gonna go.
Jenn Carter: Shout out Black Boy Max. He pulled up that beat one day. I went in first again. I did it in like probably 30 seconds. We went back to back to back. Clips went crazy everywhere. The suits everywhere.
AllHipHop: How has life changed since it took off?
Jenn Carter: Biggest change is the money. But my journey helped me overcome so much I was dealing with in my past. It brought me closure. Made me feel like all this s##t wasn’t for no reason. Losing my pops in quarantine broke me. This was before I started rapping. I started rapping the same year and it took off. I live day by day thanking God, realizing I’m blessed. It could always be worse. A lot of people would want to be in my position. That’s what gets me through every single day.
AllHipHop: Hate come with it too.
Jenn Carter: People not gonna understand you. That’s okay. More people finding out about you. My fans resonate because they watch my streams, they understand the lore in my songs. There’s stories behind it.
AllHipHop: You got a name for your fanbase?
Jenn Carter: Not yet. They was trying to go with Turtle Tinkers, but I ain’t jacking. They trying to say my Wi-Fi was bad on stream. I ain’t jacking. But I went with it for right now though. My Twitch profile picture is a turtle with my head photoshopped on it.
AllHipHop: How serious you taking streaming?
Jenn Carter: I tried. But when you still on the grind, the hunger is elsewhere. I can’t devote two to four hours every day. Sometimes I come home tired, been out all day, come home from a show. I still get on for an hour if I got time. But consistent every day, that’s not me right now. I do love streaming though, because I be myself.
AllHipHop: Do you think artists have to stream to be successful now?
Jenn Carter: No. Streaming not for everybody. Some people got the commitment and talent, but don’t got the personality. Some got the personality, don’t got the commitment. You don’t have to stream. It’s two separate categories, two different lifestyles.
AllHipHop: The no-edit part is crazy to me. Anything can happen.
Jenn Carter: Streaming is real life. Smoke alarm beeping, I need to change the batteries, little s##t. But it’s authentic. Clippers gonna do it for you. They gonna put the worst caption and do that for you.
AllHipHop: Who next up? Because y’all not “next,” y’all here.
Jenn Carter: How can I not say Zeddy Will? He been on a run. Run hasn’t finished. When he drop the project, that’s when people gonna know what’s up. Also DTB Does. I listen to bro a lot. I like people because I understand their music better. Real s##t to me.
AllHipHop: We gotta do this. Top five dead or alive.
Jenn Carter: Pop Smoke. PnB Rock. I gotta put Drake up there. Tupac. 50 Cent.
AllHipHop: Honorable mention, female.
Jenn Carter: Nicki Minaj. Nicki is still the goat. Nothing she says gonna f##k up the fact that the work is out there.
AllHipHop:Area 41. When is it dropping?
Jenn Carter: Soon. Coming soon. This time for real. April. The fourth month. That’s the most I’m saying.
