Kash Doll’s baby daddy and former partner Tracy T had a few things to say about her going public with her new relationship with NFL player Za’Darius Smith.
On Wednesday (April 9), the Georgia native appeared in a new episode of the #Respectfully Justin Laboy Show podcast with Kanye West’s associate Justin Laboy.
Among the most pressing topics the pair discussed throughout the nearly 45-minute episode proved to be Tracy T and Laboy’s discussion about his ex-partner Kash Doll’s new relationship.
In his opening remarks, Tracy T suggested Kash Doll moved on so quickly because she has a baby.
When asked if he thinks she’s making her new relationship highly visible on social media because she’s hurt, Tracy T responded, “Of course, she got a f###### baby eight months.”
He added, “Like what you mean? You out here happily, if that what you choose to do? You know what I’m saying? More power to you. I don’t, I don’t hate you for what you’re doing. You know what I’m saying? Everybody got their opinion on how anybody feel, but come on, man.”
However, in the same breath, he also seemingly made peace with the idea that she could really be in love while remarking on his feelings about her documenting her newfound partnership with Smith.
“I be like, ‘oh s###. If you’re going that far with it, it’s real then,'” he said. “Okay. You know what I’m saying? It’s real. But me personally, I don’t do s### like that. You feel me? Yeah. I don’t try to.”
Tracy T took accountability for the current situation while also revealing his theory that his shortcomings might’ve exasperated the situation.
“People try to do s### to make somebody feel some kind of way,” he said. “You know what I’m saying? Make other people feel some kind of way. Because I did s###. You feel me? And she felt some kind of way. Of course, she probably want get back. You know what I’m saying? I might have did it first. She might have did it worse. You feel me? My s### just ain’t went public. You know what I’m saying? Okay. So I might have been a problem. You know what I’m saying? So I got to take that s### to the chin.”
Tracy T’s statements about Kash Doll and Smith’s whirlwind relationship follow her recent podcast interview, during which she confirmed his cheating was one of the reasons she left.
Hip-Hop and the Hustle for Power in St. Louis: Ten years after Ferguson, Tef Poe and T-Dubb-O borrow a bit fromi Kendrick Lamar to create a climate for political power in their city.
Ten years ago, the dead body of 18-year-old Michael Brown Jr. lay for four hours on Canfield Drive in the scorching heat of Ferguson, Missouri. The moment would forever alter the trajectory of the Midwestern city and also the nation’s racial reckoning. The Ferguson “uprising” was one of the early, significant flash points of the Black Lives Matter movement. A new generation of politically awakened organizers and artists emerged.
The distance between Ferguson and St. Louis is about 15 miles.
Tef Poe and T-Dubb-O, St. Louis natives and products of this new movement, continue to be lightning rods in the city’s latest battle. A recent mayoral race that has pulled St. Louis into a new social and political civil war.
“This has been possibly the most controversial mayoral race in the history of Saint Louis,” said Tef Poe, a rap artist that has frequented AllHipHop. “For Black St. Louis, it’s been a lesson about our power, our narrative, and where we really are 10 years after the death of Mike Brown Jr. and the Ferguson uprising.”
At the center of the 2025 maelstrom was Mayor Tishaura Jones, the city’s first Black woman to hold the office.
Her election was hailed as a symbolic and strategic victory for the city long that was divided by race, class, and power. For Poe explained how organized a closed-door meeting between Jones and 50 of “the most powerful Black men in the city.”
“I chose my heart over the politics in this scenario,” he said. “Tishaura Jones is a Black woman like my mother. She looks like one of my sisters.”
Jones’s opponent, white alderwoman Cara Spencer, was an instant opp to the St. Louis’s Black activist community. Poe cited her alliances with corporate interests and law enforcement. All of this – and more – stoked fears of regressive policies. In particular, she supported a proposed bill to ban open carry that critics viewed as racially biased.
“I was asked to speak against that bill,” said T-Dubb-O, who was the only non-elected voice on a 2023 town hall panel. “My statements made her look like the closet racist she is. In return, she sent police at me… my car was surrounded, and me and my homie were arrested.”
Though no charges were filed, the incident rippled. St. Louis’s Hip-Hop resistance once again stood tall in the face of hostility. Calls to Cara Spencer’s office were not immediately returned.
As Spencer’s campaign gained traction, Poe dropped “Ghost of Ivory Perry,” an original track invoking the spirit of the late civil rights leader. Perry fought injustice in the city for decades. The song offers the same aggressive energy Poe gave as a 106 & Park Freestyle Friday battle rap champion.
“In my city, it’s my job to always die on the cross with Black St. Louis,” Poe said. “We used Hip-Hop to attack a mayoral candidate the same way Kendrick went at Drake.”
The comparison isn’t casual. Poe openly borrowed instrumentals from Kendrick Lamar’s “tv off” and “Not Like Us” to inspire voters. Ultimately, only 18 percent of the city cast ballots in the primary, but Tef said they helped up that number.
“It was a kamikaze mission from the start,” Poe admitted. “But we fought. Despite how many millions of dollars they spent, they could never actually defeat the trenches.”
In interviews and on social media, Poe and T-Dubb-O accused Spencer of “styling” on the city’s Black population. They offered front-facing progressive optics, but partnered with the very systems that have historically marginalized Black people. When Spencer’s camp called the police in response to Poe’s song and immediately criminalized the protest.
“Now I go from raising awareness to being in direct conflict with the system over my rap lyrics,” Poe said. The investigation, eventually dropped, echoed an earlier effort by Spencer to involve law enforcement in T-Dubb-O’s protest activities. Wild behavior, but not if one considers the current political environment.
“It’s not only an attack on Black people,” said Dubb. “But specifically Black women in political positions of power.”
Jones ultimately lost her re-election bid, but the fight begins anew. Poe says there is precedence for this a battle. Both men say the mission was and continues to be about legacy.
“In the history books 100 years from now,” Poe said, “they’ll say Hip-Hop stood up when the Black woman mayor was under attack.”
The aftermath is continues to unfold. From the front lines of Ferguson the struggle for a new St. Louis persists.
“We’ll never stop resisting tyranny and oppression,” Poe said. “Hip-Hop is a weapon — and we proved it.”
____________________________________________
Here are statements from Tef Poe and T-Dubb-O in their entirety.
Tef Poe.
This has been possibly the most controversial mayoral race in the history of Saint Louis. For Black St. Louis, it’s been a lesson about our power, our narrative, and where we really are—ten years after the death of Mike Brown Jr. and the Ferguson uprising.
Tishaura Jones, our first Black woman mayor in history, was elected on the heels of the community and the backbone of the Black movement. I’ve disagreed with her on a few things, but ultimately, on a local level, Black people deserve Black leadership.
Her opponent partnered with several corporations that deeply reflect the white power infrastructure we’ve always had to fight in St. Louis. I grew up here, so I know what a public lynching looks like—and that’s exactly what they intended to happen this time around.
I organized a meeting between the mayor and 50 of the most powerful Black men in the city. We talked, we met, and we reconciled. I chose my heart over politics in this scenario. Tishaura Jones is a Black woman like my mother. She looks like one of my sisters. She’s a single mom herself, so I identified with parts of her story.
After the meeting, the brothers gave me the green light. From there, I could proceed to do whatever I needed to do for us to have a fighter’s chance in this situation. In the primary, only 18% of the city voted—and a lot of these racist white folks were basically styling on us.
Tishaura’s opponent was a white woman named Cara Spencer. Her campaign slogan might as well have been “Make St. Louis Great Again.” And after we met, in my mind I said, we have to double down on the fact that Spencer is the enemy. She was guilty, in my mind, of using propaganda to manipulate the Black community.
So I said, let’s go to war. And I was nervous to do this because I knew we would have to polarize the entire city—kinda geographically place Saint Louis into a state of civil war, socially and politically.
Either you’re with us or you’re not. Black St. Louis—they’re finally upping the ante and coming for us! If the mayor was going to fight, then we wanted to fight with her. Differences to the side, understanding that this was a straight political hit job.
The first track I released was produced by Hugo Bawse, titled “Ghost of Ivory Perry.” I personally felt like this race was symbolic—whether or not we were going into the hall of fame as organizers in our city. Ivory Perry is a legendary Saint Louis organizer who fought these same forces all his life.
It was an honor to name the song after him because it made me feel like I briefly resurrected one of our ancestors to help us join the fight. But this was the song that initially sparked a reaction from Spencer. I’m a retired 106 & Park Freestyle Friday battle rapper—so we know how to agitate.
We know how to reshape narrative. And I said to myself, what if I use this same type of momentum to raise awareness and at least vilify Cara Spencer to the Black millennial community of voters in Saint Louis as much as possible? Some people in our community considered this selling out. It was a kamikaze mission from the start… but in my city, it’s my job to always die on the cross with Black St. Louis.
So we used Hip-Hop to attack a mayoral candidate the same way Kendrick went at Drake. I picked my side, and it was Black St. Louis—for what it was worth. The community responded saying, “keep going”—so I kept going.
Sunday morning, my lawyer informed me that I was placed under an open investigation, which was shortly closed after it was determined that my constitutional rights would be in violation if law enforcement pursued anything over a couple of political rap songs. Now, I went from raising awareness to being in direct conflict with the system over my lyrics.
I used Kendrick beats because they carried the energy I felt was necessary for the moment. I doubled down, knowing I was ultimately using the moment to tell my city—no matter how this goes down, we fought. And despite how many millions of dollars they spent, they could never actually defeat the trenches. Tishaura Jones lost tonight, but we fought—and in the history books 100 years from now, they’ll say Hip-Hop stood up when the Black woman mayor was under attack.
Needless to say, I was inspired—by Tupac, K. Dot, Nipsey. And in general, I know there are unseen consequences for doing something like this. Especially since Cara Spencer got the police involved. We broke the matrix for a weekend in Saint Louis and caused complete pandemonium in the city for a second. If nothing else, that speaks to the true power of our culture. And even though Tishaura Jones lost, we did our best to give her an Honorable Discharge in the eyes of our people.
We’ll never stop resisting tyranny and oppression. Hip-Hop is a weapon—and we proved it can be used nonviolently to get our point across. People are saying nothing like this has ever happened before: a rap battle against the future mayor, being used to electrify the politics of an entire city.
T-Dubb-O.
This started in 2023.
I was asked by a few aldermen to speak at a town hall and give testimony against a bill proposed by Cara Spencer that would ban the state right to open carry in the city of St. Louis.
I was the only non-elected person given free rein to speak because of my knowledge of Second Amendment rights and my understanding that limiting those rights wouldn’t reduce crime. My statements made her look like the closet racist she is. In return, she sent the police after me. She claimed she felt threatened by me. My car was surrounded by police, and me and my homie were arrested. We were let go three hours later.
I was supposed to do a show at the art museum with DJ Trackstar and Poe that night. But after jail, I wasn’t in the mood. Cara showed up again looking for me—with police.
Fast forward, she announced her mayoral campaign. This lady had intentions of major gentrification and no real plan for Black citizens. Poe dropped a record, and she pulled the same “cry wolf” act. Called the chief on Poe, but our lawyer got on it ASAP and killed the investigation before they did him like they did me.
This wasn’t just an attack on Black people—it was specifically an attack on Black women in political positions of power. So we decided to link up and turn this s### up a notch. This is what Hip-Hop should be doing in these moments—and who better to lead the charge than the two emcees who’ve been leading it for the last decade?
Congressional lawmakers found rare common ground in Washington this week as Democrats and Republicans rallied behind the NO FAKES Act.
The bipartisan proposal aimed at shielding artists and public figures from unauthorized AI-generated replicas of their voices and likenesses.
The Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) officially threw its support behind the legislation, which was reintroduced by Senators Marsha Blackburn, Chris Coons, Thom Tillis and Amy Klobuchar, along with Representatives María Elvira Salazar, Madeleine Dean, Nathaniel Moran and Becca Balint.
“The NO FAKES Act is a significant first step towards safeguarding artists, journalists, performers, and all performers whose professional recordings and videos are maliciously exploited in AI-generated deepfakes and voice clones,” said Willie “Prophet” Stiggers, co-founder and president of BMAC.
The bill, formally titled the Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act of 2025, seeks to establish a federal right protecting individuals from digital impersonations created without consent.
Initially introduced in 2023, the NO FAKES Act is the first federal legislation designed to directly address the growing misuse of artificial intelligence in creating unauthorized digital copies of real people.
The bill creates a new intellectual property right covering a person’s voice and image, making it illegal to distribute or profit from such replicas without permission.
“Nobody—whether they’re Tom Hanks or an 8th grader just trying to be a kid—should worry about someone stealing their voice and likeness,” said Senator Coons. “Incredible technology like AI can help us push the limits of human creativity, but only if we protect Americans from those who would use it to harm our communities.”
The legislation also includes a carveout to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, allowing platforms to be held liable if they fail to remove unauthorized content quickly.
Violators could face damages of at least $5,000 per incident. Protections would extend up to 70 years after a person’s death if their likeness continues to be commercially used.
Exceptions are built in for journalism, documentaries, biographies and other forms of protected speech, ensuring that the law does not stifle creative or critical expression.
The bill has drawn broad support across industries, including from the Human Artistry Campaign, child advocacy groups, Google, OpenAI, IBM, the National Association of Broadcasters and the Motion Picture Association.
BMAC joins a growing list of advocacy organizations backing the bill, including the Recording Academy, SAG-AFTRA, and the Songwriters of North America.
The goal is to create a consistent legal standard across all states, sparing artists from having to file lawsuits in multiple jurisdictions.
For more insight, watch Dr. Grouchy Greg Watkins, founder of AllHipHop, in conversation with Senator Chris Coons as they break down the NO FAKES Act and its impact on the future of entertainment.
Yak Gotti was officially released from jail Tuesday after pleading guilty to aggravated battery and securing a deal that wiped out the rest of his charges.
The rapper had been locked up since May 2022 after becoming entangled in the sweeping YSL RICO case.
He was one of 28 individuals indicted in the high-profile 56-count case targeting alleged members of Young Slime Life, a group prosecutors claimed was a criminal street gang operating under the guise of a music label.
Though he was acquitted of racketeering and murder in December 2024, Yak Gotti remained behind bars due to separate charges stemming from a violent jailhouse altercation and contraband accusations.
The incident at the center of the plea occurred in June 2024, when Yak Gotti and several co-defendants reportedly entered another inmate’s cell and attacked him using an electrical cord, according to prosecutors.
On Wednesday (April 9), Yak Gotti appeared in Fulton County Court and entered a guilty plea to a single count of aggravated battery.
Prosecutors dropped all other charges, including allegations of riot and assault, in exchange for the plea.
Judge Paige Reese Whitaker handed down a 12-year sentence but credited Yak Gotti for time served, allowing him to walk out on probation.
Yak Gotti’s sentence includes probation terms that prohibit him from owning firearms or promoting gang activity. His release comes just ahead of a new album, though no official release date has been announced.
“I wish you good luck on your forthcoming album,” Judge Whitaker said during sentencing.
Kanye West has shared insight as to why he chose to fully self-produce his recent album BULLY, uncovering his theory that Taylor Swift and his previous album collaborators led him to make the decision.
West revealed the theory while detailing his thoughts behind producing his latest album during a recent live stream with Digital Nas.
In doing so, he admitted that his recent album Vultures 2, was a turning point. While mentioning collaborators like Quentin Miller, Don Tolliver, Ty Dolla $ign, Malik Youssef, and Billy Walsh who contributed to BULLY, West said the fact Vultures 2 notably didn’t debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, marking a first in his career, made his frustration with the creative process ran deeper.
And while most artists might take a flop in stride, Kanye seems to think external forces were at play, placing part of the blame on the “artists” associated with Taylor Swift.
“Just for Vultures 2, this is my first album that was not a number one in my entire career and who did they use to do that? Taylor Swift’s artists, and this n#### I never heard of, Monty Litman, or some,” West vented, clearly dissatisfied with the impact of those involved in the project.
He hinted at a deeper conspiracy, where the competition to secure a chart-topping spot was intentionally skewed—a move he framed as possibly being orchestrated behind the scenes while defending his own work on Vultures 2 buy pointing to key standout tracks.
“People will say they don’t like this album, ‘I don’t like this album’,” headmitted. “But the crazy thing is, there’s crazy songs… like ‘Field Trip’ is on that album, that s###, like ‘530’ is on that album.”
In the aftermath of the album’s commercial struggle, Kanye took a new approach to his creative process, one that pushed him to rely solely on his own instincts.
“I was like, ‘Man, I’m just gonna get on the ASR, I’m gonna chop up some s### myself,” he explained. “So I was really big when I did that [BULLY] album, of not allowing other producers to work on the album.”
He ended his remarks by dishing about his excitement over his upcoming WW3(World War 3) project while also emphasizing the importance of having moments of solitude to focus on his personal expression.
“I’m working with other people on World War 3, so I like that, bringing people in, [but] sometimes you gotta have, like, these quiet moments, too, to just express your exact thoughts,” he added.
Keri Hilson’s recent comments about her controversial track “Turnin Me On (Remix)” has triggered a chain reaction exposing the mastermind behind the record that has become known as a Beyoncé diss.
In case you missed it, Hilson appeared in an interview with The Breakfast Club on Wednesday (April 9), during which she broke down how the remix to her 2009 hit came to life in the first place.
Hilson ended up speaking for nearly 15-plus minutes on the matter, revealing she felt forced to record and release the remix while also expressing her remorse for the track.
“It’s a regret, but not in the way that people would think, because that’s a song that I actually didn’t write,” Hilson said when asked about the song.
She continued, “Those are not my words. I was on tour, Polow [Polow Da Don] wanted me to do a remix to ‘Turnin’ Me On’ He had produced the record, and I wasn’t, because I was on tour with Lil Wayne, I wasn’t able to, like, lay anything down. He had been on me for a couple weeks about, we need to do a remix. Okay, so I take off. It wasn’t happening quick enough for him. I take off, we fly in, and he had another writer in our camp at the time. He had her write this, so he played it for me.”
Soon after the clip of Hilson appearing to place the brunt of the blame on Polow Da Don began circulating on social media, users began digging up old clips of the Atlanta vocalist seemingly owning up to the Beyoncé diss embedded within the track.
“I love B always will and if she wanna dis record on somebody I’ll write that,” Dean wrote in a reply to a fan comment on the post.
Almost simultaneously, singer and songwriter Ester Dean released a statement admitting that she wrote the track and was also not proud of the legacy the song has left behind.
“I submitted a lot of verses for that remix—one got picked, and it was co-written with Keri,” Dean wrote in the caption of a post she shared on Instagram. “Looking back, it was childish and didn’t age well. I see how it hurt people, especially women, and I take full accountability. I’ve worked with and supported many women since, but that doesn’t erase the moment. I’m sorry for my part in it. Growth is real, and so is this apology.”
In the comments section of the post, Dean further expressed her regret over the situation while also making an appeal to Beyoncé to literally write her wrongs.
Michelle Obama dismissed ongoing rumors about a split from former President Barack Obama during a podcast appearance where she addressed her recent absence from public events and the assumptions that followed.
Speaking on Sophia Bush’s Work in Progress podcast, the former First Lady made it clear she’s not walking away from her 31-year marriage but rather choosing how she spends her time.
“I mean, so much so that this year people were, they couldn’t even fathom that I was making a choice for myself, that they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing,” she said.
The speculation began after Michelle was noticeably absent from several high-profile events with her husband, leading to whispers about a possible rift.
However, the 61-year-old lawyer and author explained that her absence had nothing to do with marital issues and everything to do with setting priorities.
“I still care about girls’ education. The library is opening in a year from now, (but there are) certain things I am and am not doing with the library,” she said, referring to the Obama Presidential Center, which is under construction in Chicago.
She also spoke about the pressure women face when they choose to say no.
“But, the interesting thing is that when I say no (to a project), for the most part, people are like, ‘I get it’ and I’m OK. That’s the thing that we as women struggle with – disappointing people.”
Michelle expressed frustration with how quickly the public jumped to conclusions about her marriage instead of recognizing her autonomy.
“This couldn’t be a grown woman just making a set of decisions for herself. But, that’s what society does to us. We start actually finally going, ‘What am I doing? Who am I doing this for?'”
Michelle and Barack Obama have been married since 1992 and have two daughters. The Obama Presidential Center is scheduled to open in 2025.
Bow Wow is opening up about Karrine “Superhead” Steffans, praising her as “one of the illest women” he’s ever met and revealing that she’s still on his mind—whenever he sees a washing machine.
During a sit-down with Cam Newton, the rapper and actor reflected on his past with the infamous former Hip-Hop vixen.
Bow Wow credited Steffans with teaching him basic life skills that stuck with him. “
She taught me how to wash clothes, bro,” he said during the interview. “Something so simple, I did not know how to wash clothes.”
Even years later, the memory lingers. “That woman is different,” he added, explaining that laundry-related moments still remind him of her.
According to Bow Wow, Steffans has a way of permanently embedding herself into people’s lives without interfering.
He added, “She knows how to stay in your life for the rest of your life without being in your life.”
Their relationship started after Moss signed with Cash Money Records. Steffans was reportedly still involved with Lil Wayne at the time, which created tension between the two rappers.
Bow Wow apparently never told Wayne about his involvement with Karrine Steffans, and the situation escalated due to Wayne’s possessive behavior.
The romance didn’t last long. Steffans claims Bow Wow eventually told her she needed to align herself with more powerful men.
Steffans later confirmed in a 2022 interview that she was romantically involved with both Bow Wow and Lil Wayne while married.
She described them as her “boyfriends” and said they would call her at all hours. Her husband, she claimed, was fully aware and even supportive—cooking for her and running baths when she returned home.
Gene Deal has pointed to a $1 million check as the potential key to uncovering whether Sean “Diddy” Combs had any role in the 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur, urging federal investigators to “follow the paperwork” during a new interview.
Speaking with The Art of Dialogue on Tuesday (April 8), the former bodyguard for Diddy didn’t mince words when asked about federal authorities reportedly investigating his ex-boss in connection to Shakur’s murder.
“The way the law enforcement been talking about it is that they believe that there was a check for a million dollars that were paid out,” Deal said. “Follow the paperwork.”
Deal also referenced a civil lawsuit filed by former Bad Boy Entertainment president Kirk Burrowes.
Burrowes accused Diddy of being tied to a deal with Duane “Keefe D” Davis, the man currently facing charges in Las Vegas for allegedly orchestrating the drive-by shooting that killed Shakur.
“Kirk Burrowes came out in his lawsuit and said that Diddy has something to do with it… follow the check,” Deal said. “The individuals that they try to say that had something to do with it or got paid for it showed us a check for $1 million.”
He continued, “Everything is already laid out there. All they have to do is, nine times out of 10, follow the paperwork.”
Deal had previously claimed he personally saw Harlem street figure Eric “Von Zip” Martin with a $1 million check, believed to be tied to the alleged murder-for-hire arrangement.
In Burrowes’ lawsuit, he alleged that Keefe D was expecting a $1 million payment in connection to Shakur’s murder, but the money was never delivered.
“Upon information and belief, Keefe D was expecting a payment of $1 million, which had not been received,” the filing stated.
Audio from 2023 surfaced of Keefe D saying he struggled to get paid after the hit, claiming Diddy promised the money but that Von Zip avoided him after the murder.
Despite Keefe D’s past admissions that he was in the Cadillac involved in the fatal shooting, he now insists he was at home in Los Angeles the night Shakur was killed.
He maintains there is no physical evidence tying him to the crime scene, the weapon or the getaway vehicle.
Deal believes Keefe D is being used as a scapegoat and predicted his release. “Keefe D gone be free pretty soon,” he said.
He also warned that unnamed people may try to get Keefe D out of jail to permanently silence him.
“If he were to be killed, the Las Vegas Police Department would say the person responsible for Shakur’s death is dead,” Deal said. “No, that’s a copout. They have no evidence to prove that Keefe D had anything to do with the death of Tupac Shakur.”
Deal accused law enforcement of feeding Keefe D a false narrative.
“He made up some lies for cops in California; that’s a proven fact,” he asserted. “FBI agents had came out and said he made up lies and he was given a script and adhered to the script that was given to him.”
Referencing a recent jailhouse interview, Deal said Keefe D knows Las Vegas police “don’t have nothing on him” and wants to return home.
He added, “Keefe D should get him a lawyer and sue the Vegas Police Department.”
Keefe D remains in custody and is awaiting trial in Nevada.
Kevin Liles has moved to dismiss a sexual assault lawsuit, arguing the claims from a former Def Jam employee are both outdated and baseless.
The longtime music executive, who currently serves as CEO of 300 Elektra Entertainment, filed a motion on Tuesday (April 8) in New York, requesting the court toss out the suit, which accuses him of sexual misconduct dating back over two decades.
The anonymous plaintiff alleges Liles harassed and assaulted her between 2000 and 2002, including claims of rape, groping and inappropriate remarks during her time at Def Jam.
Liles’ legal team contends the lawsuit should be thrown out because the statute of limitations has run out and the complaint lacks the detail required to proceed in court.
The suit was filed under the Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law, which was revised in 2022 to temporarily allow survivors to bring forward previously time-barred claims until March 1, 2025.
In addition to Kevin Liles, the complaint names Universal Music Group and Def Jam Recordings as co-defendants, accusing them of enabling the alleged misconduct.
According to the filing, the companies “not only knew or should have known” about Liles’ “propensity to commit the aforementioned crimes of violence” but also “facilitated” his behavior.
Liles has firmly rejected the accusations since the lawsuit was filed earlier this year.
“These outrageous allegations are completely untrue,” Liles said in a statement. “After nearly 40 years of service to our culture, I’ve intentionally built a reputation for doing things the right way, treating people the right way, and empowering women.”
He added, “My attorneys and I will fully clear my name, and when we are successful, this anonymous accuser and her attorney will face a defamation lawsuit and every other available legal consequence.”
The court has not yet ruled on the dismissal request.
Sada Baby flashed a wide grin in his mug shot after being arrested in Shelby Township on Tuesday (April 8) for felony drug possession stemming from a traffic stop earlier this year.
The Detroit rapper, whose real name is Casada Sorrell, was taken into custody after officers pulled him over in his black Dodge Ram in January for having illegally tinted windows.
During that stop, police discovered he had an outstanding warrant for driving without a valid license. While conducting the arrest, authorities reportedly found less than 25 grams of a substance believed to be cocaine.
That discovery led to a felony narcotics possession charge. After the arrest, the rapper claimed the cops profiled him.
“My truck got profiled because of where I was at the time of night,” he wrote shortly after his arrest.
Despite the serious nature of the charges, Sada Baby appeared unfazed in his booking photo, smiling broadly in a pose that quickly made the rounds online.
Social media users wasted no time reacting to the image, with some calling it “iconic” and others questioning the timing of the smile. Scroll through the replies for some of the wildest takes.
Donald Trump, Martial Law & TikTok Conspiracies Collide in a Storm of Paranoia and Hashtags
“Donald Trump” and “martial law” are trending again. If this isn’t enough to do away with TikTok, what is? Fear, fantasy and federal policy are all on the menu. Trump signed an executive order on Inauguration Day with a very specific ask: get the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security to hand him a report by April 20 about what’s really happening at the Southern border. He also asked…whether the Insurrection Act of 1807 might need to be dusted off. Wait a sec…what is that?
“The Insurrection Act of 1807 is a United States federal law that empowers the President of the United States to deploy the U.S. military and federalized National Guard troops within the United States in particular circumstances, such as to suppress civil disorder, insurrection or rebellion.” – Wiki
We all know Trump is what he is, but what happened next is mostly a lot of trash…at least for the 20th of April.
People are now predicting a dystopian America under martial law. The hashtag #martiallaw has popped up in ore than 21,000 posts, with some creators saying we’re days away from tanks in the streets and curfews in suburbia. One TikTok maven said, “The only way [Trump] has to do this is to declare and publish a proclamation that orders these parties to disperse.” But Trump never said that.
Again, Trump’s date marks a deadline for a report, not a declaration of martial law or military mobilization.
Also, the Insurrection Act and martial law are not the same thing. So let us get it right. The Insurrection Act is centuries old and has been used a few times. They employed it to crush the KKK (wink wink) and later George H.W. Bush used it after the Rodney King verdict. Martial law is a full constitutional override. Everything about the nation is postponed or suspended. Civil liberties, civilian courts, freedom of speech and assembly are all gone. In my opinion, this is actually on the menu. NOW.
Back in the day, Ice-T had a skit that really captured the vibes.
So these TikTokers are wrong, but they may be right in due time. Yes, the executive order explicitly addresses “operational control of the Southern border,” and nothing rolling out troops in Times Square. BUT…I would not put it past them over the next four years. I think Black folks need to stay home as we have so we can’t be targeted like we have in the past. We’ve noticed there is an ABSENCE of military since they took to the streets. I think we have a quorum here.
For a glimpse into the future, check out the movie 2073 because it will open your eyes.
Cardi B reacted with visible grief after a nightclub roof collapsed during a packed merengue concert in the Dominican Republic, killing 124 people and injuring 160 others, according to local officials.
The Bronx-born rapper, whose roots trace back to both the Dominican Republic and Trinidad, took to her BG Secret Society Instagram channel to express sorrow over the tragedy that unfolded Tuesday night at Jet Set, a well-known venue in Santo Domingo.
“I’m in literal tears scrolling down my timeline seeing my Dominican people being rescued some wit lives and some gone,” Cardi B wrote, according to a screenshot shared widely online. “l’m sad seeing families crying desperately in pain looking for love ones… I feel like every Dominican around the world is in a big Hora Santa (holy hour) praying for survivors and praying for the ones that are gone to be in Gods Glory (sic).”
Authorities said the roof gave way during a live performance, trapping concertgoers inside. Among the deceased was Rubby Pérez, a beloved merengue singer whose voice had become a staple across generations.
He was 69.
“For the people who lost a family or a friend don’t have bad memories they left this earth singing and dancing and most likely happy and enjoying themselves and that’s how the lord will receive them (sic),” Cardi B added.
The Grammy-winning artist closed her message by honoring Pérez’s legacy and urging her followers to keep the victims in their thoughts.
“Its so heartbreaking to see one of our iconic artist Pérez leave in such a tragic way. Im glad tho our final memory of him was him sharing his beautiful voice to us… Sang one last time. I want my fans to pray for those who was in that building last night (sic).”
Authorities confirmed the death toll and injury count on Wednesday as recovery efforts continued through the night.
Kanye West ripped into Frank Ocean during a recent livestream, accusing the singer of lecturing him about Donald Trump and claiming he tanked Ocean’s career with his 2021 track “Moon.”
“Frank Ocean p#### ass come over my house talking about Trump all day and how I shouldn’t support Trump,” West said during the stream with Digital Nas. “F### you know about politics and n####; I’m your m############ senior, your OG. Y’all used to come on tour with me, n####.”
The rapper didn’t stop there. He doubled down on his stance, dismissing Ocean’s political opinions and taking a swipe at his artistry.
“None of you n##### can tell me about politics n####,” West added. “F### you think? You read a book and now you can tell me some s###? None of these n##### as talented. I’m the greatest m############ artist that ever existed. They can just be slightly better at one thing because they only do that one thing.”
Frank Ocean came over to Kanye’s house in 2016 to tell him to not vote for Trump pic.twitter.com/0MvSlHwal0
During another recent interview, West also took a victory lap over Ocean’s musical output, or lack thereof, since the release of “Moon,” which featured Don Toliver and Kid Cudi.
“When I made ‘Moon,’ it basically ended Frank Ocean’s [career],” he said. “He ain’t have a song since then!.”
He continued, “I heard it; I was like, ‘Oh, this n#### never gonna be able to make another album again.’ Any genre of music that anyone has, I make a better version of it.”
West’s support of Donald Trump during his first presidential campaign drew widespread criticism, including from his peers.
Artists like John Legend and T.I. publicly condemned his alignment with MAGA, accusing him of promoting white supremacy.
The backlash wasn’t limited to words. West lost major brand partnerships and faced intense scrutiny over a series of antisemitic and inflammatory remarks on social media.
Most recently, West pointed to his MAGA hat-wearing antics as one of the reasons why he’s been “blocked” from the coveted Super Bowl halftime show.
Lil Zay Osama found himself at the center of controversy after his ex-girlfriend posted a video online that allegedly shows him physically assaulting her, claiming the footage reflects years of abuse.
The video, partially blurred, captures a tense moment where a woman—believed to be his former partner—can be heard yelling “get out my face” repeatedly as a man, allegedly the rapper, appears to confront her.
She shared the clip with the caption, “Let’s show them what went on for YEARS.”
Alongside the video, she posted images of what she says are injuries to her face and body. She also claimed she has medical records proving Lil Zay Osama broke her nose and hinted at legal action, stating she plans to take him to court.
Lil Zay Osama responded to the accusations during an Instagram Live session, where he denied hitting her and instead accused her of stealing from him.
“That video so old,” he said. “Only thing I was doing was grabbing her ass. I didn’t punch her; I should have stole on her ass. You know why? ‘Cuz she stole money out my bank.”
The Chicago-bred rapper continued, “So she lucky I ain’t beat her ass. The police came to the crib.”
He also questioned why law enforcement didn’t arrest him at the time of the alleged incident.
“Why didn’t the police take me to jail if I beat her?” Lil Zay Osama asked. “Why didn’t the police take me to jail if she had bruises and scars on her face? That don’t make sense.”
The rapper claimed the video was recorded five years ago and suggested she kept it hidden because he was financially supporting her.
Kash Doll is setting the record straight on her split from rapper Tracy T, confirming his cheating was one of the reasons she left.
The Detroit-born rapper didn’t hold back during a sit-down with Keke Palmer that aired Tuesday (April 8) when explaining why she walked away from the father of her two children. Kash credits her daughter Klarity’s birth with helping her see the light.
“As far as Klarity, she brought clarity. And that’s why my situation that I was in with their dad, I couldn’t do it no more,” she said around the 7:15 minute mark. “The negativity, the not treating me how I want to be treated, the cheating, all that s###. Goodbye.”
Kash Doll said becoming a mother gave her the strength to leave the relationship, citing repeated infidelity and emotional neglect.
She also made it clear that staying in a toxic situation for the sake of appearances wasn’t an option. “She’s not about to see that,” she said of her daughter. “She needs to see me get love correctly.”
Kash Doll On Meeting New Man: “He Came Over With That Energy”
The breakup came not long after the birth of their second child in July 2024. Kash Doll also pointed to financial tension in the relationship but emphasized that the cheating was the final straw.
Now, the “Ice Me Out” rapper has moved on with Detroit Lions player Za’Darius Smith.
Fans began speculating after they spotted the pair together in Ghana, where the two attended a traditional event.
Kash Doll later confirmed the romance and shared how they met during a night out.
“So we sitting up there and he walked through like security and everything and just like introduced himself,” she told Palmer. “You know how some guys that just come sliding your DM after they seen you or, you know, tell somebody…He came over with that energy. I said, ‘Oh, wow.'”
The couple’s trip to Ghana sparked speculation after Kash Doll posted clips from the getaway on her Instagram Stories. But this was the first time she publicly acknowledged the relationship.
Boosie Badazz wasted no time after a multi-car wreck left his six-figure BMW totaled and his body bruised—he hit a dealership Tuesday and rolled out in a brand-new white Beamer.
The Louisiana rapper, still recovering from the crash, shared footage from the dealership on April 8, where he needed help walking and told staff, “I’m injured right now. I can’t really walk..”
Despite the limp, Boosie was determined to get back behind the wheel.
After test-driving his new ride, he said, “Feeling a little better now,” and promised to return the next day to pick out a second vehicle.
The crash, which destroyed his green and black BMW, reportedly worth over $100,000, didn’t involve Boosie behind the wheel—at least according to him.
“Fresh out the hospital,” Boosie Badazz said. “No, I ain’t wreck no f###### car. I don’t never wreck no car. Stupid ass n##### wreck my cars. My fourth car in six months. I ain’t never wreck s###.”
Cops Confirm Boosie Was Not Driving BMW Before Crash
Boosie posted about heading to the dealership earlier that day, making it clear he wasn’t wasting time.
He left the lot with one car and said he’d be back to finalize his second pick on April 9.
The crash occurred on Monday (April 7), in Union City, Georgia. Boosie was a passenger in the BMW, which sustained significant damage, including deployed airbags and fluid leakage.
Initial reports suggested a driver ran a red light at high speed, leading to the multi-car collision. Police confirmed Boosie was not driving. Boosie suffered minor injuries and was seen shirtless and shaken at the scene but able to walk. Multiple other individuals were hospitalized.
Boosie previously assured fans via Facebook that he was “good” despite being “banged up,” attributing his survival to God’s protection.
Slim Thug returned to Houston to find his penthouse burgled and his jewelry gone after thieves broke into his high-rise apartment while he was in San Antonio supporting the University of Houston Cougars during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship.
“Petty thieves hit a good lick, man,” he said Tuesday on Instagram. “They got me for my jewelry. I was slipping.”
The Houston Chronicle reports the burglary happened at the Catalyst condominiums on Texas Avenue sometime between 3:30 P.M. and 11 P.M. on Monday, April 7, according to the Houston Police Department.
Investigators say the suspects made off with jewelry, cash and other valuables. No arrests have been made.
Slim Thug said he was surprised the intruders managed to get into his penthouse unit. He also shared that he has surveillance footage of the suspects, describing them as four “Black dudes.”
Though visibly frustrated, the Houston rapper kept a level tone in his video, focusing more on the security breach than the missing items.
He said he plans to stop buying jewelry altogether and instead use the insurance payout to purchase cars, though he acknowledged the money won’t fully cover his losses.
“I had insurance but not enough for all my s###,” Slim Thug explained. “I had too much s###. To cover all my s### would have been $10,000 a month on insurance. So I didn’t have all my s###. But they ain’t get all my s### either though.”
“I was slipping,” he repeated, noting how often he travels and leaves valuables behind.
The Houston Police Department is reviewing building security footage as part of its ongoing investigation.
Cam’ron has shared his theory on what could be at the root of Kanye West’s recent rants while also taking the embroiled rapper and producer to task over his racially-offensive wardrobe choices.
The Dipset lyricist didn’t hold back while addressing Kanye West dissing his peers such as JAY-Z, Kendrick Lamar and more during a recent episode of his You’re Welcome Network podcast.
Per usual, Cam opted to utilize a longwinded approach to laying out his belief that Kanye has been as brazenly outspoken as he is now throughout his entire career.
“Kanye probably got the most wildest quotables,” Cam said early in the episode, pointing to Ye’s infamous post-Hurricane Katrina moment. “From the time he said, ‘I don’t think George Bush likes black people.’ It just was on CNN, so it ain’t look crazy. He’s been wildin’ for years.”
Cam added that the madness isn’t new—it’s just more visible now.
“I think it just looks worse because of the platforms that he on,” he said. “His outlets are getting smaller and smaller… people don’t want to give him the outlet for him to be on.”
As an examle, Cam brought up Kanye’s recent move to sit down with DJ Akademiks, suggesting it was more about desperation than choice.
“If Kanye could still be on these outlets or national television, he would never reach out to Akademics… he has to go where he can be seen, and it’s getting more quiet,” he said.
However, what really rubbed Cam the wrong way was Kanye’s behavior before and after the cameras rolled. Further describing his issue with Kanye’s Akademiks interview, he painted a picture of a calculated performance.
“But Akademics film driving up to the hotel, coming in the hotel room where Kanye doesn’t have on the KKK s###,” he said. “He’s talking normally… Then when the cameras are rolling, he turns into Ye. Then when the interview’s over, he goes back to, ‘Hey man, we got to catch a flight.’”
He added, “I was disgusted by him.”
But things took an even darker turn when Cam commented on Kanye going after JAY-Z’s children in a Twitter rant last month.
“What the f### are you talking about this man’s kids for? It makes no sense,” he said in part. “He rants about having the most money and everything else. But to me, as much money as he may or may not have, he doesn’t look like a happy person in life.”
Cam also questioned Kanye’s repeated claims about being number one, especially when taking shots at Kendrick Lamar. “Now you’re dissing Kendrick Lamar, saying ‘he ain’t number one, I’m number one.’ Yeah, you got to work.”
Cam’ron says Kanye West doesn’t look like a happy person, and admits Kanye’s recent antics of wearing a Black Ku Kl*x Klan outfit don’t surprise him.
Wack 100 has come forward with some troubling allegations about Ray J while attempting to raise alarm about the state of his mental health.
On Tuesday (April 8), the Cash Money West music executive went off on a rant during a livestream and claimed Ray J had committed grand theft auto after taking off in one of his vehicles. In the process of getting viewers up to speed on the situation, Wack 100 also accused Ray J of doing the dash across state lines.
“Ray J stole my vehicle,” Wack 100 said in part. “I don’t know what’s going on. I’m getting worried about it. He stole my vehicle, bro. Two and a half days ago, I checked the tracker and he cleared on it in Florida somewhere.”
Wack 100 then issued a call-to-action to his viewers in an attempt to get Ray J’s attention.
“Tag him,” he said. “Yeah, he ain’t picking up. Willie [Ray J], come on, bro.”
Wack 100 went on to express his anxiety over the matter, seemingly appealing to Ray J and assuring him he’s not even necessarily worried about the vehicle at this point.
“Listen, man, like, listen, I don’t give a f### about the car,” he said. “I’m concerned about you. You ain’t got to steal nothing as always, bro. But what is you on?”
He further stressed the importance of securing the automobile, not because he’s particularly pressed for wheels, but due to the content that lie in the car.
“I need to like check, bro,” he said. “It’s a duffel bag in the trunk with all kind of drives and all kind of s### in it. Well, can you please secure them, please?”
Wack 100 concluded the video pleading with Ray J to reach out to him, both expressing his love for him while also alleging his belief that the “One Wish” singer could be suffering from some kind of mental break.
“Little Willie, like, bro, what did you want?” he questioned rhetorically. “You tripping, my n####, like you’ve been losing your mind. Ray J, tap in, my n####. You see me calling like this s### don’t make no sense at all. G######, my n####. I love you, little bro, but you got me hot right now on real. You got me on fire.”
Ray J and Wack 100 have been at odds for a few years now, due to his ex-manager peddling his claims that he has another version of the infamous adult tape he created with his ex-girlfriend, Kim Kardashian. In September 2021 Ray J has slammed Wack 100 for bringing up the sex tape drama over claims he has more explicit footage.
Responding to the reports via Instagram, Ray writes: “This ain’t cool – I been staying off the Raydar (sic) – Just staying focused and being humble and thankful for all the blessings I’m receiving. How can I show growth and maturity if this kinda of stuff keeps happening? I’m a father now, and my job is to be a great parent and put them (kids) first. This is not the message I want to send out – smh (shaking my head).”
