Public Enemy frontman Chuck D celebrated his 64th birthday on Thursday (August 1) and was flooded with messages on social media, texts, shout-outs and phone calls. The outpouring of birthday wishes is a staunch reminder of Chuck D’s indelible impact on Hip-Hop culture.
The revolutionary MC, whose work with Public Enemy includes the groundbreaking albums Fear of a Black Planet and It Takes A Nation of Millions…To Hold Us Back, not only carries the torch for Hip-Hop but also soul, R&B and classic rock, among many others. Among his favorite artists are Led Zeppelin, Marvin Gaye and The Clash, evidence of his diverse taste in music.
Chuck D continually uplifts other musicians and they return the favor, often in the form of lyrics. Any causal rap fan has probably noticed his name gets mentioned in other artists’ songs—a lot.
In honor of Chuck D’s birthday, we collected a few examples of Chuck D’s name getting thrown in a lyric—from Sir Mix-A-Lot and Kendrick Lamar to Ice Cube and Redman.
A Tribe Called Quest: “Show Business” (1991)
“Aw, shucks! Look what the cat hauled in/It’s Phife Dawg from A Tribe Called Quest, let me begin/Like Chuck D, I got so much trouble on my mind/’Bout these no-talent artists getting signed, they can’t rhyme.”
Ice Cube: “Only One Me” (1991)
“I showed Biggie Smalls how to release his anger/Who came before me? Melle Mel, Ice T/King T, KRS and the homie Chuck D/P.E, DMC, n#### know your history/If Cube ain’t top 3, then you’s a b#### to me.”
“I’m more than another statistic, my n####/This courtesy of Compton (Courtesy of Compton)/Brooklyn go hard, m###########/Love me on the East like I’m Chuck D/Dominicans wish that I was born there/I’m lookin’ to be the god MC.”
Ice-T: “You Played Yourself” (1989)
“To perpetrate, you’re bait, so just wait/Till the press shove a mic in your face/Or you meet Boogie Down or Chuck D/Stetsasonic or the Big Daddy.”
Sir Mix-A-Lot: “Mack Daddy” (1992)
“N I’m callin’ out skirts like Chuck D/Sista we missed ya, get wit’ me/Comin’, runnin, your boyfriends gunnin’/The big boss is so cunnin’/Some of my home boys hate me/They get a microphone, then try to take me/But you ain’t slip, sayin’ what’s up Mix?/Boy I’m hip to your tricks.”
EPMD: “Never Seen Before” (1997)
“EPMD, what? Uh, yeah/Peace to Chuck/Chuck D/Yeah, uh/You’re not telling ’em huh? Yeah.”
RBL Posse: “Bluebird” (1994)
“And I give a f### ’cause you might catch a buck/You f###### with a n#### going crazy like Chuck D/I’m a G tryna stay sucka free.”
Kool Moe Dee: “Rise ‘N Shine” (1991)
“You have no fear/Cause three live brothers are here/We got KRS-One from Boogie Down Productions/Special shout to Melodie/We got my man Chuck D in the house from Public Enemy.”
Redman: “Redman Meets Reggie Noble” (1992)
“Get your gang ’cause I’m fightin’ with more power than Chuck D/Chuck D from Public Enemy?/Yeah, he’s a friend of me/The one that say, “Brother and sister?”
Aesop Rock: “Lazy Eye” (2016)
“Hey peace Aesop uh It’s Chuck D/Yo man, you keep doin’ what you’re doin’ man/Keep rhymin’ through those walls, alright?”
50 Cent has emerged victorious in a $1 billion lawsuit filed by an ex-drug kingpin who claimed the entertainment mogul stole his life story to create the hit series Power.
The rap star defeated three legal actions brought against him by Cory “Ghost” Holland. In 2021, Holland filed a billion-dollar lawsuit against 50 Cent, Courtney Kemp, Starz and Lionsgate, asserting that Power unlawfully reflected his life without consent.
Holland alleged that the character “Ghost” in the series closely mirrored his own experiences, which he detailed in a 2007 CD titled Blasphemy.
Holland alleged that he sent this CD to the father of series co-creator Courtney Kemp as a plea for help to exit the drug trade legitimately. Holland accused 50 Cent and the show’s creators of exploiting his story for profit without his consent.
50 Cent denied the allegations. The Honorable Judge Analisa Torres sided with 50 and dismissed the claims in each case. In the first case, it was decided that the character “Ghost” in the show Power did not directly refer to Holland, as required for a defamation claim.
Despite similarities in family structure, the court found these to be mere coincidences. In the second lawsuit, Holland accused 50 Cent of sending goons to harass and threaten him.
He said 50 Cent showed up in his neighborhood with an entourage in a fleet of vans and SUVs, who went around the area looking for a man named “Ghost.”
In another incident, people associated with the rapper played a threatening song near his house, which Holland felt was an attempt to send a clear message to him.
The legal battle took a treacherous turn when Holland threatened violence against 50 Cent and his legal team.
Drug Kingpin Threatens 50 Cent’s Life
In a letter obtained by AllHipHop, Holland warned of potentially fatal consequences if 50 Cent or anyone associated with him confronted him again.
50 Cent’s lawyers voiced grave concern over these threats, informed Judge Analisa Torres and notified local authorities. However, Judge Torres also tossed those claims against 50 Cent.
One of Holland’s claims was past the statute of limitations and the assertion that 50 Cent’s associates played a threatening song didn’t hold up in court.
“There is no indication that this conduct constituted a threat, much less an ‘imminent threat of harmful contact’ as required for an assault claim,” Judge Torres explained.
Holland’s third lawsuit claimed Lionsgate should pay $300 million for not controlling the G-Unit boss since the movie studio produces the Power franchise.
The negligent supervision claim against Lionsgate and Starz was booted as Holland failed to demonstrate a duty of care owed to him by the companies. The cases have been closed and judgment has been entered in favor of 50 Cent.
The legal battle has ended, with 50 Cent prevailing against all of the claims brought against him by Cory “Ghost” Holland.
Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign finally released Vultures 2 in the wee hours of Saturday morning (August 3). The project boasts 16 tracks with guest features from Lil Wayne, Future, Kodak Black, Playboi Carti, Don Toliver and Lil Baby, among others.
The album was initially expected to arrive on March 8 but, par for the course, was pushed back several times. On July 30, West tweeted the album would arrive on Friday (August 2) and fans were once again furious when it didn’t drop. But, fortunately for them, they didn’t have to wait much longer for it to materialize.
Vultures 2 marks the second installment in the three-part series. The original volume featured Chris Brown, Playboi Carti, YG, Quavo, Freddie Gibbs, Lil Durk and Travis Scott. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart after moving roughly 148,000 equivalent album sales in its opening week. It remained at the top of the charts for a second consecutive week after moving another 75,000 an d produced the No. 1 single, “Carnival,” featuring Rich The Kid and Playboi Carti.
Kanye West has become an extremely divisive figure over the years—from his antisemitic rhetoric to “400 years sounds like a choice” comment about slavery. But despite his soiled reputation, Ty Dolla $ign felt confident in collaborating with West.
“He is the best artist of this generation, besides me, and I don’t give a f### about what people were talking about,” Ty Dolla $ign told Billboard in June. “I know my n####. He’s one of the best people I’ve ever met. Just with my analysis of how it goes with him, he goes all the way to the top.
“And something may happen and he’ll say [something people find offensive—and then people [get] right back, you know. Because this s### is undeniable.”
50 Cent is mourning the loss of his beloved grandfather, who recently passed away.
Earlier this week, the G-Unit mogul announced the passing of the man who helped raise him after his mother died. He shared a video from his recent The Hollywood Reporterinterview alongside a caption reflecting on the true meaning of life.
“You do know none of this s### really matters,” he wrote. We can’t take it with us. I lost my grandfather last night, now he can go everywhere with me.”
50 Cent also shared a carousel of photos with his grandfather while recalling an amusing encounter with a nurse.
“My old man is tuff act to follow, he sacrificed for all of us,” 50 Cent shared. “He made me smile every time I saw him. The Last time he went to the hospital he was dehydrated so the nurse couldn’t find a vein. I came in, I said pop you alright? He said no, she stick me again and I’m a start shooting. LOL I almost fell out! South Side we out side WTF!”
While 50 Cent didn’t disclose the age of his grandfather, in one nine-year-old video, Fif notes he was 82 at the time, which would make him 91 when he died.
The rapper-turned-entrepreneur shared a close bond with his grandparents, who he went to live after his mother died.
“There were nine of us living on my grandfather’s salary,” 50 Cent told The Guardian in 2009. “You’ve got to pay the bills, so there ain’t much there for you.”
T-Pain literally had to cut his nice guy demeanor while performing down South after rowdy fans pelted him with debris during his set.
The unfortunate and dramatic turn of events occurred at a recent concert in Mississippi. T-Pain actually halted his performance to address the audience directly after repeated incidents of items being thrown on stage. The rapper and singer, who turns 40 in September, didn’t hold back his frustration and disappointment with the crowd, despite expressing his feelings that he wanted the show to go on.
“As a muthaf###a that turns 40 this year, I’m not obligated to stay up here while muthaf###as keep disrespecting me,” T-Pain began. “I don’t want to sound like an a######, but you wouldn’t stay up here and you just keep getting disrespected like that because it’s weird. I’m trying my best to ignore the s##t. I’m trying my best to just let it go, but it just, after a while, it’s like I want to keep going. I want keep having fun.”
Fans at the Mississippi Valley Fair wouldn’t stop throwing beer & objects at T-Pain tonight. He went on a 3-minute rant & threatened to leave the stage.
“As a m########### who turns 40 this year, I’m not obligated to stay up here.”
T-Pain made it clear that a few individuals were spoiling the experience for everyone even though the majority of the crowd was supportive. And as his rant continued he moved on to directly calling the few bad apples out in the crowd on their shotty behavior.
“I f##k with the most of y’all,” he said. “It’s only a few pieces of s### out there, you know what I mean?We’re all having f###ing fun. I am not saying that I want to leave. I’m not p##### or anything, but it’s only so much s##t. I’m not a f###ing clown. I’m not going to sit up here and get pies thrown in my face and s##t.”
Despite the interruptions, T-Pain expressed his gratitude to his loyal fans and his reluctance to cut the show short. “I’m f###ing with you. I f##k with you, bro. I f##k with y’all again. I appreciate y’all coming out this muthaf###a, and I don’t want to leave halfway through. I really don’t want to trust me, but I can’t stay up this muthaf###a getting disrespected. That’s all I’m saying. Do y’all want to keep going?”
Though it appears as though the show continued without issue, this incident echoes recent episodes in the music world where artists have faced disrespectful behavior from the audience.
Kid Cudi famously walked off stage after patrons threw items at him, while Nicki Minaj retaliated by throwing a cell phone back at a fan who hurled it on stage during her performance. T-Pain’s confrontation serves as another reminder of the challenges performers face and the importance of mutual respect between artists and their fans.
Suge Knight has revealed his theory for the cause of the rumors swirling that Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are getting a divorce, and it centers around disgraced Bad Boy music executive Diddy.
In a recent episode of his podcast, Collect Calls With Suge Knight, the former Death Row CEO made a series of explosive claims, suggesting a bizarre connection between the FBI, Jennifer Lopez and her estranged husband, Ben Affleck. Knight alleged that the FBI handed over tapes incriminating Lopez that were recovered from raids on Diddy’s homes in Miami and Los Angeles to Affleck. Knight says the content on the tapes is potentially causing a rift in Affleck’s marriage with Lopez.
“They go raid Puffy’s house and they get all these videos of J. Lo doing this and JLo doing that,” Knight started off.
Knight rehashed the infamous nightclub shooting incident in 1999 that involved Lopez and Diddy, using it as a reference point to illustrate the erosion of J. Lo’s credibility.
“And they know the fact that JLo lied and said that the gun was Shine’s or whatever and sent that man to prison, destroyed his life and she knew it was Puffy’s,” he said.
He further insinuated that the FBI decided to notify Affleck about the discovery of the alleged tapes due to the potential impact they could cause should they go public—much like the fallout from Diddy’s 2016 hotel assault tape on his ex-girlfriend Cassie.
“I’m quite sure they [FBI] probably called,” he said. “And the FBI gave respect and a courtesy call to Ben Affleck. It’s a white man who got respect in the white world. I’m quite sure they said, ‘We want to show you some things about your wife.’
“When he seen the s##t that her and Puff was doing and who they be doing it with, I’m quite sure that they gave his ass those tapes and I’m quite sure he can never look at her the same.”
He went on to suggest that Affleck would be unable to reconcile his feelings for Lopez based on her past actions after seeing the tapes.
“I’m quite sure they headed for divorce because that’s a man who had a good life,” he said. “Great parents don’t spend a lot of money. Ain’t tripping off paparazzi, he’s living his life. He got his own team. She done brought all tha extra s##t out and now that muthaf###a he want out.”
The raids on Diddy’s Miami and Los Angeles homes were part of an ongoing investigation into various criminal activities. Diddy is currently facing a slew of charges, including drug trafficking, money laundering and connections to organized crime. Though the specifics of what was discovered during these high-profile raids has yet to be fully declassified, many speculate the seizures yielded a treasure trove of evidence, some of which, according to Knight, allegedly implicated Lopez.
The alleged revelation comes at a time when Affleck and Lopez’s marriage has already been under intense public scrutiny. The couple, who first dated from 2002 to 2004 rekindled their romance in 2021 before getting married in 2022. However, since jumping the broom, the couple have had their fair share of ups and downs. Reports have confirmed the spouses have lived apart for quite some time, despite recent appearances out and about together.
On the flipside, both Lopez and Diddy share a deep history, which wouldn’t be extremely surprising if it were causing friction in J. Lo’s marriage. Both Diddy and Lopez were arrested following the infamous nightclub shooting in December 1999. Although Lopez was later cleared of any wrongdoing, the incident cast a long shadow over their relationship, eventually leading to their break-up.
As speculation swirls about the authenticity and implications of these tapes, one thing remains clear— Suge Knight’s latest claims continue to double down on his previous sentiments about Diddy and his ongoing legal situation. Earlier this year in March, the incarcerated music mogul issued an ominous warning, claiming Diddy knows “secrets” that could get him killed, and urged the embattled Hip-Hop mogul to hand himself in.
“I’ll tell you what Puffy,” Knight said in an audio snippet, said to be an outtake from his Collect Call podcast. “Your life’s in danger ‘cause you know the secrets, who’s involved in that little secret room you guys are participating in. So, you know they’re going to get you if they can.”
A$AP Rocky has revealed his own OG’s influenced his decision to recruit an assortment of rap’s legendary OG’s for a monumental track set for his upcoming album Don’t Be Dumb.
In a recent explosive interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, A$AP Rocky dropped the bombshell that he’s managed to bring together Busta Rhymes, Flavor Flav, Slick Rick, Fatman Scoop and Morrissey on one track. The Harlem rapper ID’d the title of the audacious new track as “Hood Happy,” while explaining how he assembled such an All-Star lineup that reads like a Hall of Fame roster.
“I literally tried to figure out how to get my parents’ favorite rappers, my favorite rappers, subsequently my favorite rappers of my parents, if I grew up on them,” Rocky said with a grin. “So I got a track with Fatman Scoop, Flavor Flav, Slick Rick, Morrissey and Busta Rhymes all on one. It’s kind of nuts. We call that one Hood Happy. That’s coming soon. Yeah. Shout-outs to the OGs too. I ain’t gonna hold you. Shout-outs to all the OGs, Zane.”
Rocky’s enthusiasm about the record was apparent as well, as he described the scene during the recording sessions.
“We was in that bag, man,” he said. “Busta and Slick was having an argument about whose chain is bigger and s##t like that. It’s fantastic.”
But “Hood Happy” is just a taste of what’s to come. Rocky also teased another new track, in which the rapper’s creative horizons extend beyond Hip-Hop. The Harlem-bred MC went on to reveal the album will also host collaborations with alternative artists Jessica Pratt and Jon Batiste.
“I just love alternative,” he confessed. “I love just different sounds and whatnot. [Jessica Pratt] kind of gave me this kind of Portishead meets Stevie Nicks vibe a little bit. Right. So I always f##### with her as an artist, and so I figured it was necessary to get her, Jon Batiste on this one and kind of make it feel soulful to bring it on home in the outro.”
Rocky went on to lay out how he has been meticulously crafting his upcoming album, which he believes marks the beginning of a “new saga.”
“I’ve been working on this stuff, this material for a while now, tweaking it and fixing it and whatnot,” he said. “So this was just one of the ones that we decided to, it was the summer and here we are. Shot a visual and yeah, this is part of the new saga.”
He added that his latest single “Hijack,” signals that bold pivot toward the new direction for his music and career.
“I feel like the real is back man, and it’s just like, this s### is for the taking,” he said. “It’s a hijack. Not only that, it’s just we coming with a whole new aesthetic on everything, especially with German expressionism and the whole ghetto futurism grim thing. So that’s just what the sound sounds like and whatnot. The sonics of it.”
Check out the clip from the interview above and watch the fill conversation below.
Fredo Bang received a notice for a videotaped deposition in a lawsuit filed by the family of YNW Juvy, one of YNW Melly’s alleged murder victims. According to court documents obtained by Bryson Paul, Fredo Bang is scheduled to testify on September 26.
YNW Melly, whose real name is Jamell Demons, is accused of killing his friends YNW Juvy and YNW Sakchaser in 2018. YNW Melly was arrested for first-degree murder in 2019.
The incarcerated rapper awaits a retrial after the first attempt to convict him ended in a mistrial. Florida prosecutors claimed YNW Melly reached out to Fredo Bang, whose real name is Fredrick Givens, after committing murder.
“What you’re also going to find out is that while Mr. Demons is out there on the side of the road at four in the morning, 4:42 a.m. specifically, he sends a drop pin, a digital homing beacon to his current location, to one of his friends, Fredrick Givens,” Broward County Assistant State Attorney Kristine Bradley said in the first trial.
Fredo Bang was not called as a witness in the 2023 trial. The Baton Rouge-bred rapper claimed he avoided a subpoena in the murder case on his song “Free Melly,” which appeared on the 2024 album Yes, I’m Sad.
“Free Melly it been love since the beginning/Talking ’bout subpoena, tell that lady I ain’t get it,” Fredo Bang rapped.
YNW Melly’s retrial was supposed to begin in late 2023, but it has been delayed for months. Judge John Murphy put the trial on hold indefinitely in January. Last month, Judge Martin Fein tentatively scheduled a September 10 start date for the retrial.
If convicted, YNW Melly faces the death penalty. He maintains his innocence.
YNW Melly’s co-defendant YNW Bortlen will be tried separately. Prosecutors say YNW Bortlen helped cover up the murders.
French Montana settled a lawsuit over his 2022 song “Blue Chills” on Wednesday (July 31). According to court documents obtained by AllHipHop, singer-songwriter Skylar Gudasz voluntarily dismissed her complaint after suing Montana for not paying for his sample of her 2020 track “Femme Fatale.” Billboard first reported the settlement.
“IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED AND AGREED by and among the undersigned attorneys for Plaintiff Skylar Gudasz (‘Plaintiff’), on the one hand, and Defendants Karim Kharbouch a/k/a ‘French Montana,’ Rory William Quigley a/k/a ‘Harry Fraud,’ Coke Boyz, LLC a/k/a ‘Coke Boys Records,’ Montana Entertainment, LLC, Fraud Beats, Inc., Sony Music Publishing (US) LLC (incorrectly sued as Sony Music Entertainment Inc.) and Vydia, Inc. (collectively, ‘Defendants’), on the other … is hereby dismissed with prejudice, with each party to bear his, her or its own costs, attorneys’ fees and expenses,” lawyers for both sides informed a North Carolina court.
Gudasz sued Montana for copyright infringement and unfair/deceptive trade practices in 2023. She claimed Montana never finalized a deal to sample “Femme Fatale” before he released “Blue Chills.”
The plaintiff said she agreed to clear the sample in exchange for a 50 percent share of the copyright for “Blue Chills.” Gudasz’s proposed compensation also included more than $7,000 in upfront fees and .08 percent of the master royalties.
“Despite repeated promises from Defendants and DMG [Clearances], no signed agreement, fees, royalties, licensing agreements or monies have ever been sent to Plaintiff or received by Plaintiff, indicating Defendants were wrongfully repudiating an agreement and wrongfully infringing on Plaintiff’s copyrights to her musical composition and sound recording,” Gudasz’s lawyer Alan Toll wrote.
Gudasz’s lawsuit sought no less than $75,000 in damages. Terms of the settlement weren’t disclosed.
“Blue Chills” appeared on Montana and producer Harry Fraud’s Montega album. The project peaked at No. 46 on the Billboard 200.
When SugarHill DDot sits down in WonWorld Studios, he eases into the chair and pulls out a brush. From there, he begins to brush his emerging mustache, which is mostly fuzz on his upper lip. At 16 years old, DDot was born the same year Barack Obama was elected president. He has grown into a prominent drill rapper and hails from Harlem. He’s got numerous hits, and almost a million followers on Instagram and has algorithms in a chokehold.
He shares his dynamic music videos with fans, but also gives intimate looks into his personal life on Instagram. In an interview with Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur and DJ Thoro, Harlem’s viral sensation discusses his new album, Two Sides of the Story, his journey in the music industry, and his plans.
Dot has lost a lot in his life, namely his close friends in rap. Nowadays, he desires to reduce violence and admits there’s difficulty conveying this message in his music. He has big ideas, big-time friends like Lil Durk, and a bright future if he can stay focused. Watch the plight of a young rapper, figuring out life as he goes along.
Check out this heavily edited Q&A with the full video interview below.
Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur: So you didn’t take rap that seriously when you started?
SugarHill DDot: Not at first. I was just dropping mad music, just mad anything and whatever will go up will go up. And then I wasn’t doing marketing. I ain’t know what marketing was at that time, but it was other people doing it, feel me. And oh, who the f### is this kid? 13-year-old rapping? He’s talking about killing ni##as, all the extra sh#t. So I was just marketing. So that helped me a little bit. So when I was nobody, I had 20K, 10K followers. I was still known, you understand, in my city. But then once I started dropping more music, I expanded labels, then I got signed to my label (Priority Records). Then it just went from there.
DJ Thoro: Where did your inspiration come from to even start rapping being that you’re so young?
SugarHill DDot: Nah, like I said before, it was just a guidance thing from my son (his friend). Everybody was rapping, so I saw everybody doing that. I felt like I could do it too…but I ain’t never seen myself here.
DJ Thoro: So it was nobody that was say popular that was big that you looked up to. Just somebody from your block.
SugarHill DDot: Of course, there’s other rappers like Drake, but they not from [Harlem]. So I was just listening to their music, but who really gave me guidance was like my son Dot a couple more rappers because I would see them shoot [videos], and I would be in every music video. If you was to see me back then, I wasn’t doing music. I was just in every music video when I was like 12, 13.
Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur: Is Drill going out. You think?
SugarHill DDot: I don’t want to say that. Nah, because that’s where I come from. So I will never leave that behind. But I feel like I could just do different type of music and that’s what my album is going to show my supporters – that I’m more than a drill artist. I would never leave it behind. I call myself an artist now.
Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur: Talk about your friend, who passed away.
SugarHill DDot: Yeah. Yeah. My son E passed away last year…and a half not that long ago for me. [Creekmur: So what happened?] Nah, it was just some s### after the show. I thought we was all good. That’s why for me, I don’t like to talk about it a lot, but it was just at a show. We was at a show and we heard about the news after. I don’t know if he would’ve been at that show though. That would’ve never happened. But he wasn’t at the show so it was just like mad s###.
But yeah, my son really gave me guidance, told me, I used to be on the phone with him all the time and I used to tell him, we used to just talk about our feelings and s### and music and all that and then we did our show. It was just mad s###, feel me? So that was one of the persons people that guided me to do this music s###. And that’s another reason why I can’t stop the music s###. I lost n##### behind this s###. So they wouldn’t want me to crash out or fall out just because of the way I’m feeling. And I got a family too. I’m becoming more of a man now. Feel me?
DJ Thoro: How do your parents feel about your success?
SugarHill DDot: I was more grown. My grandparents, my parents was good parents, but they wasn’t in the picture all the time. But it was good parents, I would never take that away from them. For me, they’ll always do their own thing. But I was really raised with my grandma. I was always living in my grandma’s houses. When I lived somewhere, the property was owned by my grandma. So I was always raised by my grandma and I would eat with my grandma and if I ever was to live with my parents, they would’ve never last.
Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur: So you’re technically still in school, right?
SugarHill DDot: Yeah, of course, homeschool. But it’s better now. I feel like that’s better. I used to hate waking up in the morning.
Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur: So, the people started treating you different?
SugarHill DDot: I didn’t really like my school, my middle school, they used to treat me like I was s###. My teachers used to always…there’s always some of the teachers that accept the bad kids. You understand? For me, there’s one teacher called Mr. Mendoza. He always used to support me, but some teachers used to downgrade me and make me feel wack for me. My school used to be mad wack bro. I’m not going to lie.
Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur: Do you plan to finish school?
SugarHill DDot: Of course. But I don’t really feel like college is for me. You understand? But I should finish high school. Everybody should.
Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur: So you got this new album coming out, but it is not pure drill. So you’re doing more singing?
SugarHill DDot: No, of course, it’s drill. In my album, I can never leave my real, real fans in the dust. So always got to give ’em what they want.
DJ Thoro: So what’s your relationship with Lil Durk? I see he brought you out on a show.
SugarHill DDot: Yeah, I got a good relationship with him. I went to the show, met him, had a good time with him, talked to him, [he] gave me a lot of guidance too. Then the second show I was in, he texted me, he was like, “Yo pop out to my show in Chicago.” So took a flight to Chicago that was with him and s###. That was the second show. I could say that’s one of good artists I have a good relationship with.
Megan Thee Stallion defended her involvement in Kamala Harris’ first campaign rally at Lollapalooza 2024 in Chicago on Thursday (August 1). Megan scoffed at her mostly conservative critics, who were outraged by her twerking at the rally.
“They was fake mad that I was popping it for Kamala,” Megan told the Lollapalooza crowd. “And I don’t think they heard what she said. Kamala said she wants a ceasefire. Kamala said she supports women’s rights. Kamala said she’s tired of these high ass gas prices … Hotties For Harris!”
Megan Thee Stallion endorses Kamala Harris on stage at Lollapalooza:
“They was fake mad that I was popping it for Kamala and I don't think they heard what she said. Kamala said she wants a ceasefire. Kamala said she supports woman's rights. Kamala said she’s tired of these high… pic.twitter.com/HnrwYY9qrt
Megan performed at the vice president’s rally in Atlanta on Tuesday (July 30). The multi-platinum-selling rapper encouraged her fans to vote for Harris, the Democratic nominee for president.
“I know my ladies in the crowd love their body,” Megan said. “And if you want to keep loving your body, you know who to vote for.”
She added, “We about to make history with the first female president. The first Black female president! Let’s get this done.”
Megan wasn’t the only rapper who appeared at the rally in Atlanta. Quavo also endorsed Harris in a speech at the event.
“One of the issues I care about is resolving the gun violence issue,” Quavo said. “And you can’t understand the struggles of gun violence if you’re not in the field or in the heart of it. So, one thing I learned about working with Vice President Harris is she always stands on business. From inviting me to the White House last year to discuss these solutions to passing the biggest gun safety laws today … So, if you never voted before, make sure you get out and vote right now ’cause it’s the real one. And in the words of my brother Takeoff, let me get a ‘Kamala.’”
Harris quickly emerged as the Democratic frontrunner to replace President Joe Biden once he dropped out of the presidential race in July. The Democratic Party announced her nomination on Friday (August 2).
Big Sean received an apology from Kendrick Lamar after getting dissed on a leaked version of K. Dot’s song “ELEMENT.” Big Sean discussed their long-rumored beef in an interview with Charlamagne Tha God.
The Detroit-bred rapper blamed Joe Budden for fueling the rumors. Big Sean recalled speaking with Kendrick’s pgLang co-founder Dave Free, who denied any beef years ago.
“I get to the point like, ‘Damn, do we got something going on?’” Big Sean said of the alleged beef. “That’s why I had something prepared, right? And then when I run into Dave Free, and he’s like, ‘Nah, bruh, it ain’t nothing. It’s all love.’ He said something like, ‘That wasn’t directly towards you. It was for anyone.’”
Big Sean also crossed paths with Top Dawg Entertainment executive Punch in 2019. Punch asked if he ever spoke with Kendrick to make sure they were on the same page. Big Sean told Punch the two hadn’t talked.
Around that same time, the original version of Kendrick’s song “ELEMENT” leaked. K. Dot dissed Big Sean on the leak, but the inflammatory lyrics were removed from the actual version that dropped in 2017. Big Sean admitted he was upset when he first heard the diss. He eventually realized it was “nothing” since Kendrick cut the diss from the album version of “ELEMENT.”
Big Sean and Kendrick finally had a conversation, settling any misunderstandings between the two. K. Dot apologized via text, which is why Big Sean never responded when the “ELEMENT” diss went public in 2023.
“He apologized, in a sense, for going that far,” Big Sean explained. “For that s### coming out. So, I wanted to show you that [text] because, in a sense, he apologized, right? So, if Kendrick apologized for that same leak that I heard prematurely that he didn’t use—then it leaks fully later. And people hear it, and we already discussed it. And he said, ‘Appreciate the shoutout on the Nipsey song.’ I already addressed it on the song with Nip … So, when that s### leaks, people are like, ‘Oh, you heard what he said about you?’ I’m like, ‘N####, I’m not a clout-chasing ass n####.’ Bro, I’m solid and I stand on mine. And I’m not ‘bout to do something because everyone thinks a certain thing. We already talked about it. I already got an apology for it.”
Big Sean told his side of the story to clear up misconceptions about how he handled the diss. He didn’t want fans to think he was scared to respond to Kendrick.
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YouTube personality-turned-professional boxer Jake Paul is walking back his previous statements about Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who’s currently participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
On Thursday (August 1), Khelif’s opponent, Italy’s Angela Carin, pulled out 46 seconds into their fight. Rumors that Khelif was actually a trans man competing in a women’s sport spread like wildfire. Conservatives including Donald Trump, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni quickly jumped on the bandwagon, expressing their outrage on social media.
Could any picture sum up our new men’s rights movement better? The smirk of a male who’s knows he’s protected by a misogynist sporting establishment enjoying the distress of a woman he’s just punched in the head, and whose life’s ambition he’s just shattered. #Paris2024pic.twitter.com/Q5SbKiksXQ
Paul also chimed in, writing, “This is the purest form of evil unfolding right before your eyes. A man was allowed to beat up a woman on a global stage, crushing her life’s dreams while fighting for her deceased father. This delusion must end.”
But shortly after childhood photos of Khelif started making the rounds, which showed she was born a girl, Paul issued another tweet.
“‼️ OOPSIES ‼️” he began. “I might be guilty of spreading misinformation along with the entirety of this app. Although she’s been previously disqualified for failing a “gender test” and has XY chromosomes, some sources say Imane Khelif was born a biological woman. I stand by my sentiment that biological men should not compete against biological women in any sport and if you disagree you’re a sick f###.”
‼️ OOPSIES ‼️
I might be guilty of spreading misinformation along with the entirety of this app
Although she’s been previously disqualified for failing a “gender test” and has XY chromosomes, some sources say Imane Khelif was born a biological woman
Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 world championships after failing unspecified and un-transparent eligibility tests for women’s competition from the now-banned International Boxing Association (IBA). She was assigned female at birth, which it says on her passport, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) threshold for eligibility for boxing.
Khelif and Carini exchanged a few brisk punches before the latter threw in the towel, an extremely rare occurrence in Olympic boxing. Carini didn’t shake Khelif’s hand after the exchange and instead cried and sunk to her knees in the ring.
Her actions sparked a discussion far beyond Paris about whether Khelif should have been allowed to compete after failing an unspecified gender eligibility test from the IBA. The IOC has repeatedly defended Khelf’s right to compete this week.
“Despite our requests to have certainties and guarantees, both for the safety of our athlete and for the regularity of the competition, they’ve confirmed that (Khelif) is within these parameters,” Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malagò said.
Carini later said she quit because of the pain from Khelif’s opening punches, adding that her nose bled afterward.
“My face and nose were hurting,” Carini said. “I couldn’t breathe anymore. I thought about my family, I looked at my brother in the stands and I went to my corner to retire. … I’ve never been hit with such a powerful punch.”
Of course, social media is still divided, with some labeling it nothing more than another example of misogyny, racism and transphobia. Others continue to believe Khelif shouldn’t have been allowed to compete due to previously detected high testosterone levels.
Lil Yachty is feeling the heat after ruffling feathers after claiming that Atlanta sets the fashion trends and New York follows.
On Thursday (August 1), Yachty took to Instagram Live with a PSA for his followers, announcing his departure from the internet.
“I’m getting the f### off the internet, I’m not doing no more talking,” Yachty insisted. “I don’t got s### else to say. I’m gone off this internet s###. I think I’m gone for the rest of the year. I swear to God.”
“But I ain’t posting no more s###,” he added. “I ain’t posting no fits. I’m deleting the apps off my phone. I swear to God…I’m not tweeting, I’m minding my f###### business.”
Pointing to the reason for his exit, Lil Yachty concluded, “I got nothing but love for New York and New York Fashion. And with that being said I am gone from the internet. So, bye.”
Lil Yachty Said New York Copies Atlanta Fashion Trends
Lil Yachty made the comments that caused a fuss earlier this week on his A Safe Place Podcast.
“I feel like New York didn’t have this — I don’t want to say identity — but everyone used to just kinda copy Atlanta,” he said.
He then doubled down in a TikTok video that had viewers clowning his fit.
“All the trends come from Atlanta,” he said. “It’s all from Atlanta. Fa’real, fa’real. I’m confused—first of all, I love New York. I got nothing but love for New York. I think a lot of the flyest people in the world were born in New York. That’s a fact, but c’mon bruh … When it comes to flyest, trendsetting people, it’s Atlanta.”
His remarks upset proud New Yorker Juelz Santana who accused Yachty of trying to “erase us from history.”
However, he did receive some support from Killer Mike. While he refused to enter the debate, he noted, “Big Boi Started the Throw Back Jersey Trend with that cold ass Houston Astro’s Jersey.”
He added: “Kanye (Atlanta Born) set the record straight on that, God Bless Him. Honorable Mention the ‘Flip Flop’s and Sox’ look was Some s### from the Dungeon Family.”
I have Zero Interest in this lame ass debate BUT, Big Boi Started the Throw Back Jersey Trend with that cold ass Houston Astro's Jersey. Kanye (Atlanta Born) set the record straight on that, God Bless Him. Honorable Mention the "Flip Flop's and Sox" look was Some s### from the… https://t.co/6VhlvS5zIOpic.twitter.com/sEaWnCoaa9
Kanye West’s wife Bianca Censori’s flesh-baring outfits have raised eyebrows, ruffled feathers and even reportedly upset her father—her latest fit is no exception.
After covering up in a poncho earlier this week on a trip to Target with West’s children, the former Yeezy architect let it all hang out at a recent dinner party.
Late Friday night (August 1), Kanye West’s business manager John Monopoly posted a video of a dinner with Ye, Bianca Censori, Ty Dolla $ign and others to celebrate his birthday. He gushed over West for gifting him another vehicle, this time a Tesla Cybertruck.
However, netizens couldn’t ignore the sight of Bianca Censori sitting at the table with her breasts hanging out. Another photo from the dinner shows Censori dressed in a completely sheer bodysuit with only a pair of panties underneath.
Monopoly shared a clip from the dinner online that soon made its way over to X (Twitter). While the dinner guests appeared unfazed by Censori’s nudity, many online were shocked.
“why is she naked in restaurant,” one user asked while another questioned, “Isn’t she f###### naked?” A third wrote, “They only came for the free t*t show… No class No couth.”
Meanwhile, other fans just wanted news of Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s elusive Vultures 2 project. The album missed two scheduled release dates and Ye promised it would drop on August 2.
Kanye West and Ty Dolla have remained silent about the release. However, Ty did share his excitement on Instagram after their South Korea concert, which reportedly sold all 69,000 tickets in five minutes.
Summer Walker called out the “weird” music industry over a Spotify exhibit highlighting women in rap who are “setting the bar.”
Earlier this week, Spotify unveiled “The Gold Standard,” an art exhibition at private viewing to celebrate the biggest women in rap.
Latto, Sexyy Red and Flo Milli had a blast at The Hole Gallery bash in New York, where they posed for photos alongside their portraits. Other honorees included Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, Ice Spice, Saweetie, GloRilla and the City Girls.
However, Summer Walker joined many others online, criticizing the exhibit for omitting some key names.
“I don’t even listen to hella Nicki cause I’m a r&b lover,” she wrote on Instagram. “But where is the Queen.. or Lil Kim at least or Missy Elliott… this mad disrespectful. This why I make my music n go home the industry weird.”
The sentiment was echoed by multiple people in the comment section.
“Kim, Nicki, Foxy, Lauryn, Eve, Trina, Missy, Da Brat, Left Eye, MC Lyte, Roxanne Shonte, Queen Latifah, YoYo,” one person replied. “I’m sure I’m missing more but the disrespect.”
“it’s no shade to any of the girls pictured , but what bar have they set,” another user added. “Please someone let me know.”
The platform also faced backlash on their Instagram post featuring clips for the exhibit.
“You can’t talk about women in hip-hop without talking about Nicki Minaj. This is disgraceful,” said one disgruntled commenter.
“Y’all wanna know who birthed a whole generation of female rap?” one Nicki Minaj fan questioned. “Just look at the comments. I don’t even gotta say her name cause we all know who The Queen is.”
A$AP Rocky is continuing to fan the flames of his simmering feud with fans believing he dissed Drake on his new single “HIGHJACK.”
The warring duo took numerous shots at each other in a beef that appears to stem from their respective relationships with Rihanna, Drake’s ex-girlfriend, and Rocky’s current partner and mother of his two sons.
A$AP Rocky fans are eagerly anticipating the follow-up to 2018’s Testing, which is set to arrive later this month on August 30. DJ Kast One recently raised the excitement level after claiming Drake will be “cemented” on his rival’s list once A$AP Rocky’s upcoming album Don’t Be Dumb drops.
On Friday Rocky dropped off a new single “HIGHJACK,” which got Drake fans heated. They honed in on a few lyrics that apparently target the Six God.
“These n##### want my wife bad, the people want my next track,” Rocky raps. “The coppers want my black ass, f##### up, but it’s like that.” He added, “N##### swear they pimpin’, Scottie sippin’, get your wife back.”
Rocky’s repeated use of “Like That” also seemingly references Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That;” the Drake diss that kicked off the recent rap beef.
Drake and Rocky have gone back and forth on tracks since at least last year. Drizzy explicitly referenced Rocky on For All the Dogs cuts “Another Late Night” and “Fear of Heights.” A$AP fired back on Future and Metro Boomin’s song “Show of Hands,” with Drake responding on “Family Matters.”
Whether Drake will respond to A$AP Rocky’s “HIGHJACK” remains to be seen. Listen to the single below.
Akon is going viral after singing his 2024 hit “Locked Up” alongside controversial streamer Vitaly during the arrest of an alleged child predator.
On Thursday evening, the singer was one of the biggest trending topics on X (Twitter). Earlier in the day, Vitaly announced Akon was joining him for his “Catching Child Predators Live” series.
A video was doing the rounds featuring Akon and the Kick streamer watching cops cuff a man during the pedophile hunter segment.
In the clip, Vitaly, bizarrely dressed up as an Indigenous American, hands a mic to Akon as his crew pushes the singer into the frame. The content creator carries a speaking blasting “Locked Up,” as Akon sings along while cops cuff and pat down the alleged offender.
The cops continue to question their suspect as Akon croons in the background.
🔥🚨BREAKING: Akon sung “locked up” while police were arresting a child predator that Kick streamer Vitaly caught. pic.twitter.com/dV5QRBsFJy
— Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) August 2, 2024
Before the alleged arrest, Akon, Vitaly and his crew confront the alleged perpetrator during a highly problematic segment. The “tribe” is seemingly dressed in costume imitating various cultures from around the world, some on horseback, while others carry spears.
Vitaly has previously come under fire for staging content, it’s unclear if the segment with Akon was genuine.
Earlier this week, Vitaly caused an uproar on social media after making racist statements about Quavo. He claimed the rapper ditched his stream after pocketing a $25,000 deposit to join him on the controversial series.
“So, Quavo is not coming,” Vitality said. “No, he’s not coming. He took our deposit, right? Yeah, of course, Black people thing. But…”
After facing racism accusations, he doubled down. “Nothing against Quavo,” he said. “I love his music. I love his work. And, I said, ‘He took the money and he never showed up,’ and I said, ‘It’s Black people stuff.’ Is that racist? It’s true! You guys knew that!”
Nonetheless, despite the backlash, The Game and Wack 100 joined him to confront an alleged child predator.
Plies is calling out Donald Trump’s Black supporters after the former President’s appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Convention in Chicago earlier this week.
Trump caused controversy during the panel, attacking the hosts and bashing the panel. He also questioned whether Vice President Kamala Harris “could be” a DEI hire and disputed her Blackness.
The Florida rapper has been vocal with his critiques of Trump over the years, and he took to social media to slam his appearance. Furthermore, Plies called out Donald Trump’s Black supporters, questioning their continued endorsement and their silence following the convention.
“I’m just trying to muthafuckin see why everybody’s so g###### quiet,” he began. “Where are all the g###### people at? The Trump for Black folks? Where the f### is y’all? ‘Cause somebody needs to kick y’all right in y’all smelly a####, right muthafuckin now. All of a sudden today, y’all are so muthafuckin quiet today.”
He continued, echoing the Harris campaign’s statement that Trump showed “exactly who he is” at the NABJ panel.
“Y’all ain’t got a f##### thing to say today,” Plies added. “All I’mma muthafuckin say is, ‘NABJ.’ That’s all I’ve got to muthafuckin say. That muthafucka got right on that muthafuckin stage and showed y’all how he feels about muthafuckas who don’t look like him. He showed you, right in your muthafuckin face.”
Plies followed up on X (Twitter), claiming, “Trump Is Feeling This Election Slipping Away From Him!! If It Gets To The Point He Feel He Cant Win He Will Ask For His Supporters To Burn It Down!!!”
Trump Is Feeling This Election Slipping Away From Him!! If It Gets To The Point He Feel He Cant Win He Will Ask For His Supporters To Burn It Down!!!
