Nicki Minaj just exposed why Instagram’s losing the culture war to X, and it’s not even close.
The platform dismantled the community to chase revenue. That’s the whole problem right there, according to Nicki Minaj.
She’s been saying it for months. X wins because they understand what people actually want. Not just identifying communities, but enhancing them. Creating spaces where you can be yourself without feeling isolated from the rest of the world.
“Do you realize that’s actually what’s happening—yet you still feel very much a part of the rest of the world via trending topics, hit tweets, etc.? But that’s what ppl actually want. Ppl want to be in their ‘own’ world while feeling that they aren’t technically isolated from the ‘real’ world. Because society judges those behaviors. Labels them as cults, fanatics, reclusive,” Nicki Minaj said.
Trending topics keep you connected. Hit tweets remind you that you’re part of something bigger. Instagram did the opposite. They removed the chronological feed. Pushed influencers and clickbait instead,” according to Nicki Minaj’s analysis.
X wins b/c they understand community. Not just identifying the communities—but enhancing the actual community itself.
Enhancing the experience that allows the community to function completely outside of the overall population w/o feeling alienated from said population.
“People want to be in their own world while feeling that they aren’t technically isolated from the real world,” according to Nicki’s analysis. “But Instagram essentially dismantled the community while trying to increase revenue.”
The algorithm change wasn’t accidental. It was calculated. Meta wanted engagement metrics to spike. They wanted you to scroll longer, click more, buy more. The result?
Nicki called it a digital casino where everyone’s competing, hustling, overcompensating. A game designed for you to lose.
She wasn’t running from controversy. She was running from the platform itself. Nicki Minaj might actually be on to something, since Mark Zuckerberg’s in court defending Meta’s design choices.
“By doing so, ppl feel lost when they go on the app. They’re looking for their tribe…but all they see is the digital version of a Casino. Everyone’s hustling, competing, overcompensating & trying to figure out how to ‘win’ @ a game designed for them to lose,” Nicki said.
Unfortunately for Nicki Minaj’s theory, X isn’t perfect either. Elon Musk’s platform has its own problems. Hate speech spiked after his takeover. Racism, transphobia, and homophobic slurs.
Studies show the surge lasted at least eight months. Musk himself has been posting about race constantly in 2026.
The platform has become a different kind of toxic.
But Nicki’s point stands. Instagram killed what made social media work. Community. Belonging. The ability to find your tribe without feeling like an outsider.
We cannot stop playing this new 50 Cent song, but the streets are talking. Let us try to explain.
People are also whispering about the ghost of an older collaboration that gives the record a deep backstory. Isn’t that wild? First of all, check the song out.
The Queens mogul recently teased an unreleased track called “American Hustler,” which longtime fans quickly connected to “Business Mind,” his 2012 collaboration with the late Earl Hayes. You might have seen it in my previous post. The song is from5: Murder By Numbers, a mixtape 50 dropped on the streets. The Hayes version is on that. Now the chatter online suggests the newly surfaced song might actually be the original solo version. We do not know for sure. The Hayes record could have been a later rework of the same session. We do not know for sure. Either way, it offers a rare peek into how 50 was creating music and – possibly adding much to the vault.
Rumor has it the process was pretty straightforward. Fan investigators believe 50 first recorded the solo version before later inviting Hayes onto the same Hit-Boy production for a different interpretation. That would not be unusual. Mixtape culture especially gave artists like 50 the freedom to experiment without label pressure.
What makes this situation heavier is the presence of Earl Hayes himself. Hayes was more than just a feature artist. He had industry respect and connections to major figures like Dr. Dre, Timbaland and Floyd Mayweather’s Money Team. His life ended tragically in 2014 after he killed his wife Stephanie Moseley before taking his own life in a shocking incident that reportedly involved Mayweather being connected on FaceTime during the confrontation. CRAZY.
The situation later became even more controversial when 50 publicly suggested Hayes believed Mayweather had been involved with Moseley. CRAZIER. That claim added more tension to the already icy relationship between the rapper and the champ.
Now here comes another interesting factoid. 50 reportedly recorded around 80 unreleased songs during that same era. I am hoping we can get some of these Jammie Jams. This “American Hustler” is excellence.
And if history tells us anything, 50 rarely moves without strategy.
Some fans believe these leaks and previews could be part of a bigger rollout tied to The Algorithm. I’ll take old unheard 50 Cent songs in 2026!
Maino just turned up the heat on multiple personalities with his new diss track “The Algorithm.”
The Brooklyn rapper’s latest move targets Joe Budden, DJ Akademiks, Wack 100, Hassan Campbell, and others in a seven-minute freestyle that’s set to drop Monday on YouTube.
This isn’t just another diss record. It’s Maino taking shots at the entire media ecosystem that’s been commenting on his beef with 50 Cent. The track comes after weeks of escalating tension.
50 Cent released an AI video dissing Jim Jones’ crew, including Maino, Fabolous, and Dave East, with the phrase “I’m in the algorithm.”
Maino fired back with “Bleed Like Us” on March 11, a diss that had bars for Fif.
But now he’s expanding his scope. He’s not just addressing 50 anymore. He’s calling out the media personalities who’ve been running commentary on the whole situation.
DJ Akademiks gets particular attention. Maino’s been vocal about Akademiks’ coverage and commentary, comparing him to a jar of relish in previous interviews.
Hassan Campbell, Wack 100, and Joe Budden all catch heat on the track as well. The freestyle shows Maino’s frustration with how the narrative’s been controlled and shaped by these personalities.
He’s essentially saying they’re all part of the same machine.
Maino’s strategy here is smart. Instead of just responding to 50, he’s reframing the entire conversation. He’s saying the real issue is how media personalities amplify and profit from beefs.
Kenny Slack (@beat_does_hair), a Houston hair stylist and frequent Southwest Airlines flyer, says he was publicly humiliated at Kansas City International Airport this week when a check-in agent called a supervisor to tell him he was “too big” to fly without purchasing a second seat. The problem is that this occurred on a return flight where the issue had never been raised before.
Slack, who said he holds A-List Preferred status on Southwest, checked in his bags at the priority counter for an early flight. The counter agent left to get a supervisor. Apparently, after a brief conversation, the employees informed him that they believed he needed to pay for an extra seat, per Southwest’s controversial “Customer of Size” policy.
The Breakdown
“They felt that I was too big to get on the plane without paying for two seats, when I fly weekly and sit in my seat just fine,” Slack said.
He was particularly struck by how the agent framed the concern, and the fact that the conversation was being had in the presence of others: “The lady had the audacity to say, ‘I’m just concerned about the people sitting next to you for their comfortability.'” Slack pushed back, asking, “Well, what about my comfortability with the conversation you’re having in front of all of these people about how you think I’m too big to fly?”
Slack noted he has lost more than 60 pounds and has never been asked to purchase a second seat on any prior flight. He also pointed to what he called a glaring inconsistency—the Kansas City leg was a return trip: “This is a return flight. I obviously didn’t have to pay for an extra seat here or on any of the other flights that I’ve had all year long.”
“The fact that they are willing to do this to a customer who flies this much is insane,” Slack said. “Southwest, you need to start doing better.”
He did end up on the flight and did not pay for the extra seat because he “advocated for himself,” per a follow-up. But this only adds to the issue—does this mean, as long as you fight for yourself, you can sidestep policy, or does Southwest know the policy was ridiculous to begin with?
Let’s see what the comments section had to say.
The Peanut Gallery Weighs in on Southwest’s Weight Policy
One of the most intriguing comments related to Southwest’s stature, especially given its past preeminence. “I’ve never seen a company tank their reputation so impressively in such a small amount of time,” it read.
Another stated an obvious issue: “If this is their policy, they need to have ‘test seats’… you can’t just eyeball people.”
But the comment with the most likes nailed home the biggest point and most important question. “This is gonna end up turning into a giant class action lawsuit,” the commenter noted.
But first, let’s understand the actual policy.
Southwest’s ‘Customer of Size’ Policy
According to the Southwest website, “Customers who encroach upon the neighboring seat(s) should proactively purchase the needed number of seats prior to travel to ensure the additional seat is available. The armrest is considered to be the definitive boundary between seats; you may review information about the width of Passenger seats. In addition, Southwest may determine, in its sole discretion, that an additional seat is necessary for safety purposes.”
The critical catch-all of “safety purposes” is carrying a lot of weight in this equation. Pardon the pun.
This policy went into action on Jan. 27 and has already caused issues with numerous flights.
Grace Simpson and Erika DeBoer both had similar incidents in February. Simpson flew from Norfolk, Virginia, to Baltimore without issue on Feb. 10. Then, a gate agent flagged her as a “customer of size” in Baltimore for her connecting flight to San Diego. DeBoer’s case occurred before a flight from Omaha, Nebraska, to Las Vegas on Feb. 6. An agent told DeBoer to buy a second seat for that flight. However, no one stopped her on the return trip, highlighting the inconsistency in enforcement.
There is no measurement, no marker of indication, or any semblance of a legitimate protocol whatsoever. Gate agents are simply eyeballing customers and making calls. It doesn’t exactly seem legal, or does it?
Is This Even Legal?
Um, sort of kind of, but maybe not?
The core tension and the principal issue at the heart of Kenny Slack’s experience is that, on paper, Southwest points to the armrest as the “definitive boundary.” But in practice, the enforcement has been overwhelmingly subjective and inconsistent. It may even put the airline in legal peril down the line.
So, is it illegal? The short answer is that because body size and weight are not protected classes under federal law, at least not yet, Southwest currently enjoys significant regulatory leeway. They can discriminate because, well, technically, it’s not illegal discrimination.
Some courts found that “severe obesity,” which is defined as body weight more than 100% over the “norm” (whatever that means), may qualify as a disability. But simply being overweight or obese generally does not meet the threshold.
AllHipHop has reached out to Slack via TikTok comment and direct message and to Southwest Airlines via email. We will update this story if either party responds.
Blueface got humbled in Miami last night when Chibu took him to school at Adin Ross’s Brand Risk 13 event.
The rapper came in expecting a tune-up before his May 2 showdown with NBA legend Swaggy P, but instead, he got a reality check he won’t forget anytime soon.
Three years away from the ring will do that to you. Blueface hadn’t stepped through the ropes since 2023 when he knocked out Ed Matthews, and the time away showed.
He’d bulked up considerably while serving his prison bid for a probation violation tied to a 2021 battery case, and the extra weight didn’t translate to power in the ring.
It translated to problems. The technical skills were there early. Blueface showed the same fundamentals that impressed people when he sparred with Floyd Mayweather and worked with Keyshawn Davis.
The force was so much that Blueface literally went through the ropes. His pants fell down too. That’s the image that’s gonna stick.
From that point on, it was all Chibu. The final round had the ref almost stepping in after a corner flurry that looked like it might end things early.
Blueface survived but couldn’t recover. All three judges gave it to Chibu. The underdog pulled off the biggest win of his career on a night when the favorite was supposed to coast.
According to the post-fight footage, Blueface was visibly frustrated but composed in his interview. He acknowledged Chibu came prepared and landed the cleaner shots when it mattered most.
The rapper didn’t make excuses about the weight jump or the layoff, which says something about his character even in defeat. The real question now is what happens to that May 2 fight with Swaggy P at the James L. Knight Center in Miami.
Tickets are already on sale and the promotion’s been heavy.
Blueface showed tonight that he’s still got work to do before stepping in with an NBA champion, even one making his boxing debut.
Price Eats (@price.eats) is a notable TikToker, known for his mukbang videos. In most of the videos, he eats in his car, but he also films himself eating alone at fast-food restaurants or at ordinary sit-down quick-serve restaurants. He recently had a popular video, with over 4.2 million views, of him eating at a Houston-area H######, and he’s decided to come back.
The caption reads, “Solo Lunch at @H######. H###### food is so underrated both times I’ve been the food and service has been great.”
On this trip, he’s elected to eat a chicken sandwich.
Among the generally odd things Price does, he keeps a black latex glove on—just one on his left hand. And he keeps a photo of famous streamer Speed and soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo up in front of him, probably as inspiration to keep going on his path to web stardom. He also keeps a mini Ronaldo, which just sits on the table with him. Before each video, he quickly spits out, “Ronaldo is better than Messi, by the way.”
On this trip, Price reconnected with the same server, Abby, as in the previous video. Toward the end, he finally gets around to asking her for her socials, which might really be why he returned.
“I got a question. Um, so many people on the last video were asking about your socials,” he said. He managed to retrieve them—@.sweet_bee for those concerned.
The Peanut Gallery Weighs in on H###### Mukbang
Some people didn’t really get the latex glove deal. “The glove does NOT give [you] aura,” said one person. “Almost liked the vid but then i saw the glove,” said another commenter.
“Same, gloves is like wtf dumb as hell,” a person commented. The replies to this go from “What does it mean?” to a mention of an adult video site.
One person almost got Price to play himself, saying, “She feeling you bro.” But one person replied, “No absolutely not it’s H######.”
The comments lead to another consideration: What is this content?
Is This the Brain Rot?
A major driver of mukbang content is that viewers, in many cases, eat alone, because people are increasingly, well, alone. Watching someone else eat on-screen simulates the experience of sharing a meal.
Price Eats filming in his car or sitting solo at a H###### actually amplifies this, as he’s not performing for a crowd. He’s just a dude eating with a Ronaldo doll, which makes it feel like you’re sitting across from a friend. The awkward waitress interactions only add to the authenticity.
There’s no plot to follow, no conflict to resolve, no information to retain. It’s like ambient television; it’s just above a refrigerator hum. For a generation that’s profoundly overstimulated and anxious, content that asks absolutely nothing of you.
You’re not watching for something—you’re watching to turn off.
AllHipHop reached out to Price Eats and H###### by email. We will update this story if either party responds.
She claimed she had never lived at any of the three addresses where G-Unit tried to serve her, and she only learned about the lawsuit when reporters called to ask questions.
The core issue here is whether G-Unit actually proved they served Tompkins properly.
Judge Reed knocked them for not showing that they relied on a trustworthy source for her current address before doing the nail-and-mail thing.
Tompkins’ defense is solid, too. She’s arguing the 2007 life-rights agreement wasn’t voluntary and that she signed it under duress, with threats and intimidation from 50 Cent and his late manager Chris Lighty.
The 2007 deal supposedly gave 50 Cent and G-Unit control over her story, name, and likeness for an $80,000 advance plus royalties. Tompkins says she only got $35,000 and that the company never honored its end anyway.
G-Unit says that violated the agreement and cost them a planned book project. They’re suing for over a million dollars.
G-Unit’s appeal challenges the entire order, not just one piece. They’re arguing the judge got it wrong by denying default and giving Tompkins more time to respond.
A default judgment would’ve fast-tracked 50’s bid for a money award and an injunction that could’ve silenced Tompkins.
Instead, the trial court’s order stands, meaning she gets to answer the claims and fight back rather than get wiped out on a technicality. Now both sides are gearing up for what looks like a long legal war.
Ray J is done playing nice. The singer and producer plans to bring p### CEO Steve Hirsch into the courtroom to testify about what really went down with that 2007 sex tape, according to TMZ.
Hirsch runs Vivid Entertainment, the company that distributed the tape back in the day. Ray J says he’s got receipts and he’s ready to use them.
The tape dropped in 2007 when Kim Kardashian was basically nobody. Vivid Entertainment bought the rights and made serious money off it.
Hirsch was the one calling the shots at the company. Fast forward nearly two decades and Kim’s been saying under oath that she didn’t want the tape out there.
Kris Jenner told the court something similar. Ray J says they’re lying and he’s got proof.
Here’s what’s got Ray J heated.
Both Kim and Kris testified that they didn’t authorize the release. Ray J’s legal team believes they’re being dishonest about their involvement.
He wants Hirsch to come to court and set the record straight about who actually signed off on everything back then. This whole legal battle has been dragging on for years now.
Ray J’s mom, Sonja Norwood, stepped up to defend her son.
She said that Ray J has always been honest about what happened and that the Kardashians are trying to rewrite history.
Norwood said her son’s just trying to clear his name after years of being painted as the villain in this story.
Ray believes Hirsch’s testimony could finally prove what really went down in 2007.
50 Cent just learned that dragging an Olympic champion into his beef with Papoose may come with legal consequences.
The G-Unit founder posted an AI-generated face swap of Claressa Shields and Papoose on Instagram, claiming she cheated with singer named Maserati Bud, and now the undefeated boxer’s threatening to take him to court over it.
Shields didn’t waste time responding. She posted a screenshot of an AI-generated legal response explaining that you can absolutely sue someone for falsely claiming you slept with another person through defamation.
Her caption was direct: “@50cent you getting sued, you can’t lie and put bodies on me.”
Translation? She’s done playing around.
50 posted the manipulated image with a caption claiming he had ring camera footage of the alleged cheating.
Classic 50 move, but this time he picked the wrong person to drag into it.
Shields backed up her threat to sue by releasing a recorded phone call with a man claiming to be Maserati Bud, who denied any involvement with her.
First, this situation started New Year’s when @50cent decided to disrespect me and Papoose unprovoked, which led to rap beef & Papoose dissed him. Rather than responding through music like a true artist, he chose to make false claims about me and create a narrative suggesting…
— Claressa Gwoat Shields (@Claressashields) March 14, 2026
This beef between 50, Papoose and Claressa has been brewing for years, but it escalated when Papoose dropped “Agent Provocateur,” a full diss track with a music video that took shots at 50’s health and finances.
Instead of responding with bars, 50 went after Papoose’s relationship. That’s when Shields stepped in and made it clear she’s not the one to play with.
“Rather than responding through music like a true artist, he chose to make false claims about me and create a narrative suggesting that had a sexual relationship with someone Thave never been involved with in any capacity-no romantic or seXual contact whatsoever,” Shields wrote.
“Given his platform and influence with 38.9 million followers, nownlegal action is being pursued,” Shields vowed.
Shields and Papoose’s relationship seems to have stayed strong through all this drama and the boxer made it clear she’s not backing down from 50 or anyone else.
K’naan took the stand last week in Quebec City and flatly denied he ever sexually assaulted the woman, accusing him of raping her in a hotel room back in 2010.
The Grammy-winning rapper’s testimony marked the turning point in a trial that’s been laying bare the competing narratives of what went down that July night at the Hilton.
“That never happened. There was not a single ambiguous moment about consent with her. It never happened,” he said from the witness box.
The woman testified earlier this week that the evening started like a fairy tale. He was charming, held her hand, and brought her backstage to his Festival d’été de Québec performance.
But everything shifted when she asked about protection. She said he got “enormously angry.” He said the mood just got heavy.
Both agree they fell asleep after that conversation. Both agree they had sex the next morning. That’s where the story splits in half.
She says she woke in the middle of the night to find him inside her without permission. He says that’s a lie. He says she initiated the morning sex, and that was it.
When she sent him a YouTube video about sexual consent in 2015, years after they’d stopped talking, he dismissed it.
“Because it was absurd. I don’t see a consent issue at all to talk about,” he told the court. “She initiated the sex and that’s it.”
The woman filed a police complaint in May 2022, more than a decade after the alleged assault.
They’d stayed in touch over the years through emails and texts, with her eventually telling him: “Right. Because you have absolutely no clue of what you did.”
According to CBC News, testimony wrapped this week with closing arguments scheduled for April 1.
If convicted, K’naan faces up to 10 years in prison.
The 48-year-old built his career on socially conscious Hip-Hop, earning international recognition for his 2009 anthem “Wavin’ Flag,” which became the official song for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
North West just dropped another look that’s got the internet in a chokehold, and honestly, the haters can’t keep up with her anymore.
The 12-year-old posted aqua blue nails with metal piercings and spikes running through each one, and yeah, she’s doing it on purpose.
She credited nail technician Noehmi Saldana and Akemi Santiago for the look that’s already got people talking.
The nails have Japanese characters spelling “North-chan” on her middle fingers, referencing Kanye’s 2024 track “Bomb” with Ty Dolla $ign, in which North actually rapped a verse in Japanese.
North’s been catching heat for months now over everything from fake tattoos to grills to diamond pendants the size of a small car.
People were losing it, calling Kim Kardashian a bad parent and saying she’s letting her daughter dress too grown-up.
But Kim’s not backing down. During an October episode of “Call Her Daddy,” she explained that North’s just expressing herself like any other kid, and she’s not about to kill that creativity.
“It’s really hard and it’s really interesting because all the kids are wearing the same things,” Kim said on the podcast. “But then my daughter tries to wear it and then I’m like, ‘okay, we’re never wearing that again.’ Unfortunately, we made that mistake in front of the whole world.”
She added that she’s learning as a mom and that North’s “such a good girl and such a sweet girl.”
Now here’s where it gets interesting. Kanye’s been publicly against North being on social media, but he’s clearly not that upset about her style.
Back in January, he brought her out during his Mexico City show for her first rap performance, and she was dressed pretty much exactly like she is now.
Blue hair, edgy vibes, the whole thing. So either Ye’s changed his mind, or he’s just accepting that his daughter’s got her own lane.
Kim’s been real about it, too. She said she’s raising four kids by herself and doing the best she can, and if North wants blue hair or wild nails, that’s what she’s getting.
“I would never take that creativity away from her,” Kim explained. The backlash keeps coming, but North West’s not backing down, and neither is her mom.
Teddy Riley is not just a hitmaker. The Harlem-born icon is one of the architects of modern Black music. Credited with creating New Jack Swing, Riley fused Hip-Hop’s attitude with R&B melody and pop precision. He defined defined the sound of the late 1980s and 1990s through work with Guy, Blackstreet, Wreckx-n-Effect, Bobby Brown, Keith Sweat, Big Daddy Kane and, of course, Michael Jackson. His new memoir, Remember the Times, arrives as both a career retrospective and a correction to the record. The book traces Riley’s rise from Harlem’s St. Nicholas Houses to global superstardom. The road was not without bumps along the way, as he revisits the industry betrayals, creative battles and personal heartbreak that shaped his journey.
This is important, because Riley looms as the cornerstone of multiple cultural histories at once. He was there in Harlem’s streets and Hip-Hop collided, before heavies like Doug E. Fresh and Kool Moe Dee got on wax. He helped Big Daddy Kane turn into a commercially dominant artist and was ground zero for Pharrell Williams’ success. His talents carried deep into the mainstream with Dangerous-era Michael Jackson, but Creekmur and Riley explain why he did not make it on the Bad album. If the genre has often failed to properly document its own builders, Riley’s memoir feels like a necessary act of testimony.
Below is an edited interview of the conversation between Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur and Teddy Riley, but watch the video for the full, raw version.
Teddy Riley Talks Remember the Times, Michael Jackson, Industry Betrayal And Why Streaming Is “Not The Way To Go”
Chuck Creekmur: You told me about this book more than a year ago, and I’ll be honest, people tell me a lot of things that never happen. But here it is. Why now?
Teddy Riley: Spiritual timing. I felt like I wasn’t ready. We had the book about 12, 12 and a half years. But this is my 40th year in the business, so I said this is the time.
Chuck Creekmur: One of the things that hit me early was your beginnings in New York. A lot of people know the icon, but not the young Teddy Riley in Harlem, in that 1970s and 1980s explosion.
Teddy Riley: Oh yeah. That was around the same time of going to Harlem World. I was going there as a hustler. Being in the streets, we were big fans of all the rappers, whether they made a record or not. There were rappers who never made a record and we were still fans of theirs.
Growing up, I would see Heavy D, Doug E. Fresh, Furious Five, Disco 4 Plus One More, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Andre Harrell. Never knew I would be working with Andre years later. Never knew I’d be working with Big Daddy Kane, Kool Moe Dee. I was there when Kool Moe Dee had the battle with Busy Bee. I was in the building.
Chuck Creekmur: Hip-Hop’s first major battle.
Teddy Riley: Definitely. And I felt like it wasn’t fair. You talking about a party rapper and one of the most educated rappers in the business. It wasn’t fair.
Teddy Riley press image – used by permission
Chuck Creekmur: You also mention Rich Porter, Alpo, Doug E. Fresh, D. Ferg, a lot of Uptown names. That’s a wild intersection of music and street history.
Teddy Riley: Rich Porter and I went to Martin Luther King, along with Doug E. Fresh, D. Ferg and a lot of other street celebrities. Uptown celebrities. We all used to go to the Rooftop, which used to be just a roller skating rink until we developed it to be a record label.
We signed Kool Moe Dee, Rap’s New Generation, Classical Two. Kids at Work before Kids at Work, we were called something else. Then I was in another band called Total Climax. None of those records made it. That’s what made me quit doing R&B and stay with rap and just working with everybody in the projects.
Chuck Creekmur: That’s important, because people think of you as R&B royalty, but you saw yourself as a Hip-Hop producer first.
Teddy Riley: Oh yeah. We were Hip-Hop before we even got into the business.
Chuck Creekmur: You even said you felt overlooked during Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
Teddy Riley: We wasn’t recognized. Wreckx-n-Effect wasn’t recognized, and we sold more records than a lot of people that was on the list. We weren’t invited to any of the events, the ceremony. I guess, and I’ll put it the way the guys put it, they invite us when they see us. Out of sight, out of mind.
A lot of people felt a way about the 50th. I don’t think it was anyone’s fault. I just think the wrong people were driving the car.
Chuck Creekmur: But you did get one meaningful call.
Teddy Riley: Lyor. He was probably the only one to acknowledge that I belong, because he did call me personally. That’s one person who really acknowledged me.
Chuck Creekmur: The book gets heavy when it gets into Gene Griffin. You called him Suge Knight before Suge Knight.
Teddy Riley: That’s the truth. But if it wasn’t for Gene Griffin, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here with you. You have to have some sort of stepping stone, somebody to bring you in the business. Gene was a part of me being in the business earlier with Kids at Work and Total Climax.
But I really think I could have bypassed Gene Griffin and still got this story because I knew Andre Harrell before Gene Griffin, before everybody.
Chuck Creekmur: You also reveal how badly you were getting robbed.
Teddy Riley: When things happened with him and Andre, I felt like then I should plan my leave. I did that. I just needed more information, which I got from one of Gene’s guys. He spilled his guts to me and said, “You’re supposed to be getting paid more.”
I realized I was making like $200,000 to $250,000 a song, and from $75,000 to $100,000 on remixes, and I was only getting $10,000. It was just like, wow.
Chuck Creekmur: And yet you still write about forgiveness.
Teddy Riley: I have a chapter in my book called “Forgiveness.” It talks about my forgiveness for a lot of people. Doing that just made me a better person spiritually. I feel like that’s how I’m still here today.
Chuck Creekmur: Let’s talk Guy. You say if Timmy Gatling had never brought Gene back around, Guy might still be together.
Teddy Riley: I really feel that. Timmy was one of the forces of Guy along with Aaron and myself. I think Guy would still be together today. The way it went, dealing with two brothers, it would always be two against one. That’s why I felt outnumbered, even though I was the record company and the producer of everything.
Chuck Creekmur: It sounds like at first you were moving equally, then you realized your worth.
Teddy Riley: Exactly. At the beginning I was doing it equal until I realized my worth and people kept saying, “You don’t know who you are.” Then when that started becoming reality, I started saying, yeah, I deserve what I’m supposed to get. I got to stand on business.
Chuck Creekmur: One of my favorite parts of the interview is when we get to Michael Jackson.
Teddy Riley: I learned a lot from him. Basically how recordings go, the traditional way. Writing a song the traditional way. No drum machines, no nothing, just a piano. You’re just going at it. Then after you get all the data, now you go in the room and it’s like you’re in an amusement park.
That’s what happened with us. We wrote a lot of songs in a room with an upright piano, him singing, and us coming up with melodies and different things like that.
Chuck Creekmur: And then there’s the part where you say Gene sabotaged you being on Bad.
Teddy Riley: Yeah, that was crazy. When Michael brought that up to me, I was like, “Oh God, I could have been.” But Gene was afraid of Michael stealing me. He was intimidated. He felt like, “I can’t let him get close to this person.” That was my godfather, so I can understand how he felt. Like, “Nah, I’m going to lose my jewel, my gold, my Midas.”
But it wound up happening anyway.
Chuck Creekmur: You also addressed that viral Michael photo situation in the book in a very Teddy Riley way.
Teddy Riley: There have to be something in the book for people to talk about, and I gave people a lot to talk about. This is one of them. So I’m going to let them keep talking.
The true picture, the picture Michael asked me to take, is the only picture I took with him solo. That will give you an answer.
Chuck Creekmur: You were smooth with that one.
Teddy Riley: It keeps it on the radio.
Chuck Creekmur: You also said something big about New Jack Swing. You were clear. You created it.
Teddy Riley: I’m the creator of the music starting New Jack Swing, yes. People say it’s Keith or this person. I been doing New Jack Swing before all of everybody existed. When I did Rap’s New Generation and those records with “The Show,” I would say Doug E. Fresh is a part, but if you’re the artist and I’m the producer, who’s the creator?
Some people think being a part of it is the same thing when it’s not. I hold the title. I hold the trademark. No one can say it’s theirs. They can say, “I was a part of that.”
Chuck Creekmur: You also made news here by apologizing to Blackstreet.
Teddy Riley: I want to apologize to those guys for calling them names or things like that. I started those guys and I felt like they broke my heart. When your heart is broke, you say negative things, and that’s not me. That’s really not me at all.
Even though we’re not on good terms or great terms or even terms period, it’s never been me. Everybody knows my heart. I don’t like conflict. But when you bring it to me, I got to give it back to you.
Chuck Creekmur: Before we wrap, you went all the way left and gave one of the most interesting takes of the whole interview.
Teddy Riley: Streaming is not the way to go. Podcast is the future. Infomercials are the future. I did it with Blackstreet. Now it’s so easy to do it. Why people are not doing it? Because they’re sticking their music and their content on the freebies.
They should be going direct to consumer. Go back to tangibles. Vinyl. Books. CDs. Put an encrypted code on the vinyl if you want them to hear it digitally, but it’s only for them. The technology is here.
Turn your music into a book. The cryptic code is right on there. Go listen to the record. There’s different ways. Instead of putting it on IG and TikTok, they’re taking too much of your intellectual property.
Chuck Creekmur: And when I asked about the next generation, you didn’t blame the kids.
Teddy Riley: No. I feel like it’s getting back to it because the schoolers are schooling. The middle layers are taking their place. We’re now becoming the mentors and taking accountability. We did not step up to the plate for them like the legends before us stepped up to the plate for us.
That’s why everybody got a complaint about Gen Z. I don’t complain at all. I can’t knock the music because my music was knocked before it first came out. We have to step up. We’re not doing what we supposed to do for these young kids that are inspired by us. We’re not helping them.
If we want to see the next you and the next me, we have to birth them.
Doja Cat just put her mental health on blast and there’s no going back.
The 30-year-old opened up on TikTok about living with borderline personality disorder, describing the condition as “agonizing” and admitting she’s been struggling with it probably forever.
She’s been in therapy for years trying to work through it, and she’s not hiding anymore.
The whole thing started when she was defending Chappell Roan against critics coming at her for snapping at paparazzi in Paris. But Doja used that moment to get real about her own journey.
She talked about learning to fake it, to pretend she liked things she didn’t, to act like everything was cool when it wasn’t. That mask eventually caught up with her, as it does for everybody.
“I’ve been in therapy for years now, and I am so relieved and so proud of myself,” she said in the video. “I’ve made it so far, and I still make mistakes.”
She described the healing process as an eight-year journey of treatment and recovery. It’s not a quick fix. It’s work.
What makes this moment bigger is how she’s using it to lift up Roan. Doja praised her for being honest and protecting her boundaries without hurting people in the process.
“I had to learn how to be honest with myself. I lied to myself for years, for most of my life,” Doja explained. She’s saying that watching Roan stand up for herself shows her that she can do the same.
BPD affects how people feel about themselves and others, causing mood swings, anger, and impulsiveness.
According to the Daily Mail, the condition makes it hard to function in everyday life. But Doja’s not letting it define her. She’s been working through it, making mistakes, and getting better.
The fact that she’s talking about this publicly matters. Artists don’t usually go this deep about mental health struggles, especially not on social media, where everything gets dissected.
Doja Cat’s TikTok video has already racked up millions of views, with people thanking her for being real about something most celebrities keep locked away.
From arcade beats to animated visuals – the quiet influence of hip-hop culture on interactive entertainment
Hip-hop has always had a way of slipping into places people didn’t expect.
It started in parks and rec centers in the Bronx during the 1970s – DJs extending breakbeats, MCs working the crowd, dancers reacting to every drum hit. But over time, the culture began showing up a lot further afield than block parties and record stores. Fashion borrowed from it. Film leaned into it. Advertising adopted its rhythm and visual style.
And somewhere along the way, the gaming world picked up on it too.
If you’ve ever noticed how certain games feel almost musical – how the lights flash in rhythm, how sounds loop perfectly, how visuals seem to move with the beat – that very design philosophy owes more than a little to hip-hop culture. The same principles DJs use to keep a crowd moving have quietly influenced how developers design interactive entertainment.
Even outside traditional video games, those ideas keep popping up. Rhythm, repetition, and bold visuals have become the backbone of many digital experiences.
It’s not always obvious at first glance, but once you notice it, the connection is everywhere.
The early overlap between hip-hop and gaming
In the early days of arcade gaming, developers soon realized that sound could change how people experienced a game. The right beat made players stay longer. Repetitive rhythms created momentum. Even simple sound loops could make a game feel more alive.
Around the same time, hip-hop producers were discovering something similar in studios.
Using drum machines and samplers, they built beats that repeated, but never felt boring. A kick drum would anchor the rhythm, a snare would snap through the mix, and small details (scratches, vocal samples, basslines) kept things interesting.
That approach translated surprisingly well into gaming.
One of the most obvious early examples was PaRappa the Rapper, released in 1996. The game leaned fully into hip-hop’s structure – players had to follow rhythmic patterns and rap along with animated characters. It wasn’t just background music. The beat actually controlled how the game worked.
Then there were titles like Def Jam Vendetta, which brought real hip-hop artists into the gaming world. For many fans, those games were the first time music culture and gaming felt completely intertwined.
And even when hip-hop wasn’t the main theme, it was often there in the background. Soundtracks in games like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater introduced a generation of players to artists they might not have discovered otherwise.
By the early 2000s, the relationship between hip-hop and gaming had become impossible to ignore.
Why rhythm matters in interactive entertainment
The connection between hip-hop and gaming really comes down to rhythm.
A good DJ understands how to control energy. A steady beat keeps people locked in. A sudden drop or change creates excitement. Timing matters.
Game designers think about sound in almost the same way.
Instead of a dance floor, though, they’re managing the experience of someone holding a controller, tapping a screen, or placing a bet.
Developers use rhythm in a few clever ways:
Looping beats help maintain momentum during gameplay
Sound cues signal when something important happens
Layered music tracks build tension during key moments
Bass-heavy tones give actions more impact
If you listen closely, many modern games are essentially built around a musical structure. The soundtrack guides how the experience feels.
That’s a philosophy hip-hop producers understood decades ago.
How modern casino game designers build sound and visuals together
Today, digital entertainment goes further than simple background music.
Developers now design experiences where sound and visuals react to each other constantly. Lights pulse with audio. Animations follow rhythm patterns. Even the timing of visual effects can be linked to beats.
In some ways, it’s closer to stage production than traditional game design.
Anyone who’s watched a live hip-hop performance knows how powerful that combination can be. Lighting rigs flash with the beat, screens animate behind the artist, and every visual element amplifies the music.
Digital platforms now borrow many of those same ideas. Plenty of online entertainment platforms build their games around the same principles that power music-driven experiences. For instance, modern online slots often use layered soundtracks, colorful animations, and rhythmic motion to keep the experience lively.
Instead of static visuals, the graphics pulse with sound cues. Symbols animate with quick bursts of color. Background music adds a steady tempo to the online slots experience.
It’s not far removed from the kind of audiovisual energy you’d see in a club or live show, and it’s one of the most effective ways for designers to bring energy to their slots, making them feel fast-paced, exciting, and complete. Try playing an online slot game with the sound off, and you’ll quickly see what we mean here!
The psychology behind sound and motion
Designers know that when music and visuals move together, it captures attention in a powerful way.
A few tricks make this work particularly well:
animation that reacts to audio cues
bright visual flashes that mirror stage lighting
sound effects that reinforce movement
layered beats that maintain momentum
These techniques appear across interactive entertainment, including online slots, where the mix of sound, motion, and visual rhythm creates an environment that feels energetic rather than static.
In many ways, the experience is less about a single action and more about the overall atmosphere being created.
The producers quietly shaping digital sound
Another interesting connection between hip-hop and gaming happens behind the scenes.
Many of the people designing game audio today come from music production backgrounds. Creating sound for digital entertainment requires many of the same skills used in beat-making. Designers build soundscapes using loops, bass tones, and rhythm-driven cues. The difference is that in the world of games, the music often changes depending on what the player does.
Some developers even describe their work as “interactive beat making,” because the soundtrack evolves in real time. The sounds also often help the player understand what’s happening on the screen, which can be really useful if the individual is unfamiliar with certain features, like cascading reels. The right sounds can make these kinds of mechanics feel more intuitive.
Why hip-hop visuals translate so well into digital spaces
Beyond the music, hip-hop’s visual identity has also influenced how games look.
Graffiti art, bold lettering, neon color palettes, and high-contrast graphics all translate naturally into animated environments. The style is dynamic and expressive – perfect for screens filled with motion.
Developers often pull from that visual language when designing environments that are meant to feel energetic and modern. Even subtle design choices, like typography or color choices, can carry traces of hip-hop’s influence. It’s a reminder that the culture’s reach extends far beyond music alone.
From turntables to touchscreens
Hip-hop has always been about creativity and adaptation. DJs once transformed turntables into instruments. Producers turned drum machines into storytelling tools. Artists pushed technology to create new sounds and visuals.
Today, that same spirit continues shaping modern entertainment.
From video games to interactive platforms, the combination of rhythm, animation, and bold visual style owes a surprising amount to hip-hop’s legacy. What began with breakbeats and street performances has evolved into something much bigger.
And even in the digital age – long after the first park jams – the culture’s rhythm is still influencing how entertainment moves.
Bad Bunny’s rise from the underground has reshaped Latin trap’s trajectory, establishing it as a dominant force across the global music landscape. Through genre-blending, live shows, and mainstream collaborations, he has propelled Latin trap beyond its roots, transforming both festival lineups and popular music culture.
As the face of Latin trap, Bad Bunny has broken barriers by blending Spanish and English lyrics and attracting massive global audiences. The demand for Bad Bunny tickets now rivals that of the biggest hip-hop and pop stars, signaling Latin trap’s expanded influence at major festivals. With his rapid ascent, Bad Bunny not only brings new visibility to the genre but also reshapes perceptions about Latin music’s place in the mainstream. His impact has fundamentally changed the musical landscape, leaving a mark that is unmistakable in today’s festival scene and popular music charts.
Broadening audience reach in the streaming era
The streaming era has been instrumental in Bad Bunny’s journey from niche artist to global icon. Platforms like Spotify and YouTube transcend geographic and linguistic barriers, enabling his bilingual tracks to reach listeners worldwide. As fans include both Spanish- and English-speaking audiences, his music bridges different cultures and appeals to a generation that readily embraces global influences in their playlists.
This new accessibility means that Latin trap (once confined to specific communities) finds space alongside hip-hop and pop in mainstream listening habits. Festival organizers have adapted, recognizing strong demand for artists who can connect with diverse, multicultural audiences. Bad Bunny’s ability to attract listeners from various backgrounds has ensured his presence on the biggest stages and solidified his position as an ambassador for Latin trap’s international rise.
The democratization of music consumption through streaming platforms has fundamentally altered how Latin trap reaches its audience. Bad Bunny’s strategic release schedule, which often includes surprise drops and visual albums, keeps fans engaged and algorithms favorable. His dominance on Spotify’s year-end charts, consistently ranking as one of the most-streamed artists globally, demonstrates how streaming metrics have become the new measure of success. This digital-first approach allows him to bypass traditional gatekeepers like radio programmers who historically overlooked Spanish-language music, creating a direct pipeline between artist and listener that has proven revolutionary for Latin trap’s expansion into markets previously considered inaccessible.
Innovative sound and electrifying performances
Bad Bunny’s signature style fuses the hard-hitting production of hip-hop with the rhythmic intensity and emotive flair of Latin trap. His use of 808s, dynamic hooks, and emotionally charged vocals fits seamlessly within hip-hop events, making his transitions between genres natural and exhilarating for live audiences. This sonic blend has enabled him to connect with both long-time hip-hop fans and newcomers drawn in by his unique sound.
His live performances have become a hallmark of his global appeal. With dynamic choreography, striking visuals, and spontaneous crowd engagement, Bad Bunny elevates festival experiences for fans across language barriers. These high-energy shows have not only cemented his status as a festival headliner but also established Latin trap as a staple act in major event rosters.
Strategic collaborations and cultural influence
Key to Bad Bunny’s ascent has been his emphasis on collaboration, teaming up with international hip-hop and pop artists and sharing producers with global stars. These creative partnerships expand his reach, enabling cultural crossovers and attracting fans from diverse musical backgrounds. Major festivals have embraced this collaborative spirit, seeing it as a path to fresh, exciting lineups that appeal to broad audiences.
Beyond commercial strategy, Bad Bunny’s authenticity and willingness to address social themes have driven his deeper cultural resonance. His refusal to dilute his Puerto Rican roots, combined with a progressive approach to music and fashion, has made him a trailblazer for artists navigating the global stage. Through these choices, Bad Bunny has transformed Latin trap from an underground movement to an international phenomenon that continues to redefine music’s boundaries and shape the sounds of global pop cu
The night before the war started, I was in the studio with New York rapper Lil Tjay. It was one of those sessions where everything just felt right. The vibe in the room was good, the music was flowing, and the records we were making felt special. When he left, he was excited about what we had created. In my opinion, it was some of the best music he’s recorded in a while. He was scheduled to leave Dubai the next day and keep moving the way artists do. None of us had any idea that less than twenty-four hours later the region would be talking about war between Iran, the United States and Israel.
I’m Albert M. Carter, co-owner of Wave Sound Studio in Dubai and founder of the AudioSwim agency. My life here revolves around music. Artists travel to this city from all over the world to record, collaborate and take a break from their normal routines. Over the years we’ve worked with artists like Jason Derulo, Rick Ross, Central Cee, Offset, Mohamad Ramadan, Lil Tjay, Lacrim, Yo Yo Honey Singh and many others. Dubai has quietly become a place where global music culture meets. Global artists come here on vacation, they come here to work and they come here to create something new. But on February 28, 2026, that rhythm was suddenly interrupted.
I remember the moment clearly. I was walking into a meeting when I heard a loud boom. At first I didn’t think much of it. In a busy city you hear all kinds of noise—delivery bikes, construction, traffic echoing between buildings. I assumed it was something mechanical. Then my phone started ringing. It was my girlfriend, and her voice sounded different than usual. She said people were saying the UAE was being attacked and that I needed to get home. I stayed in the meeting a few minutes longer with my phone on silent, thinking maybe it was confusion or rumors. When the meeting ended and I finally looked at my phone, there were dozens of messages waiting—friends, family, group chats all asking the same question: “Are you okay?” People were saying the Fairmont Hotel on the Palm had been hit.
When I got home, I opened Instagram like everyone else did. My timeline was suddenly filled with videos of explosions and smoke rising in the distance. But when I stepped outside my building and looked up, the sky above me was calm. The sun was beginning to set and everything looked peaceful. It was one of the strangest feelings I’ve ever experienced, watching something serious unfold online while the street outside your home still feels quiet. Later that same night we had artists booked in the studio. They were from Sweden and had traveled to Dubai specifically to record. When they walked in, you could see they were shaken. Dubai has always had the reputation of being one of the safest places in the world, so suddenly being here while the news is talking about missiles and attacks was hard for them to process. We talked about it for a while, trying to understand what was happening and what it might mean for the city. Eventually someone said, “Let’s get back to work,” and we did.
Now it’s been almost two weeks, and everyone is still trying to figure out what happens next. One thing I’ve realized during this time is that you never get used to the sound of those booms. I grew up in Philadelphia. I’ve been in neighborhoods people call war zones. I’ve been around street beefs and tense situations where things could turn serious at any moment. I’ve been through shootouts, fights and just about anything else that anyone has been through growing up in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. But nothing prepares you for the sound of a real explosion connected to missiles or military defense systems. It’s a feeling I’ve never had before. When it happens, your body freezes for a moment, your heart jumps a bit and then you start trying to figure out the next move. Even if the sky above you still looks peaceful, something inside you knows this is different.
What makes this moment even more unusual is that it’s happening during Ramadan. Normally, Ramadan is already a slower time for many businesses because the rhythm of life changes. People fast during the day and activity shifts into the night after families break their fast and go to prayer. The city moves in a calmer, more reflective way. But this Ramadan feels heavier. Traffic seems lighter than usual, and some artists who live here are still working and recording, but international travel has slowed and many people are watching the news closely. Dubai has quietly become home to artists from all over the world. It’s a place where musicians from Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East meet and collaborate. Right now that entire community is waiting to see how things unfold.
Part of the tension comes from the alerts we receive on our phones. We’ve gotten official messages warning about possible drones, missiles and ballistic threats. The sound of the alert itself can make your heart jump before you even read the words. One message tells residents to move away from windows and open areas and seek shelter in a secure building because of potential missile threats. Later another message reassures everyone that the situation is safe again and that normal activities can resume while remaining cautious. Those alerts remind you that the situation is real, but they also show how quickly the government communicates with people here.
For businesses like mine, this moment creates uncertainty. Tourism slows down. Artists reconsider travel plans. Studios like Wave Sound depend on musicians flying in from around the world to create, collaborate and focus. When the region appears in international headlines because of conflict, it naturally affects that movement. But the truth is that life here hasn’t stopped. Stores are open, malls are open and restaurants are still filled with families breaking their fast every night. Mosques are full during Ramadan prayers. My recording studio is open. In fact, the building next to one of my business partners was hit by falling debris during one of the incidents, which was a reminder of how real these events can feel even when the city continues to function.
We hear explosions sometimes. We see videos circulating online, and some people know individuals who have been directly affected. None of this is good for business, and none of it is something anyone wants to experience. But there is also a sense of resilience here. The UAE has built its reputation on stability and preparation, and even during a tense moment like this you can see systems working to protect people and keep daily life moving forward. At Wave Sound Studio we have prepared emergency plans in case things escalate. That’s simply being responsible.
The bigger question now is what comes next. Dubai has spent years building itself into a global hub for culture, tourism and creativity. Music is part of that story. Artists from all over the world come here to live, work and create something new. From where I stand, there is still reason to be hopeful. The studio lights are still on, artists are still recording and families are still sitting together every evening breaking their fast. Even during uncertain times, life continues. The real question now isn’t whether this region can survive moments like this. The real question is what we build after it.
Ice Cube just got roasted at the Razzies for his role in “War of the Worlds,” and it’s not even close.
The 2025 sci-fi remake swept the 46th Golden Raspberry Awards with five wins, including worst picture, worst actor, worst director, worst screenplay, and worst remake.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, the film became “a cult hate-watch classic almost immediately” after its release.
Director Rich Lee took home the worst director trophy for what organizers called a “goofy gimmick” approach to H.G. Wells’ classic novel.
The screenplay by Kenny Golde and Marc Hyman also earned its own Razzie for basically destroying source material that’s been around for over a century.
Ice Cube’s performance as a Department of Homeland Security officer got singled out as “particularly hilarious” by the Razzie voters, which is definitely not the kind of attention any actor wants.
The voting took place online, with 1,223 Razzie members from all 50 states and over 2 dozen countries weighing in.
“Snow White” came in second place in the worst picture race, with the artificial dwarfs earning their own worst supporting actor nomination.
According to Variety, the live-action remake cost a fortune and lost even more, making it one of the year’s biggest theatrical disasters.
The 46th Razzie Awards ceremony will take place tonight (March 14), the day before the Oscars, giving Hollywood a chance to laugh at itself before the serious awards season kicks off.
Balen Shah just became Nepal’s next prime minister, and the country’s political establishment has been completely flipped upside down.
His Rastriya Swatantra Party crushed the election with 182 seats out of 275 in parliament, demolishing the old guard that’s been running things for decades. This isn’t just politics. This is a generational takeover.
The 35-year-old former engineer-turned-rapper defeated four-time PM Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli in his own district. Oli’s Marxist party, which used to run everything, got knocked down to just 25 seats.
The Nepali Congress limped in second with 38. Nobody expected this level of dominance.
Balen’s music became the soundtrack to revolution.
His track “Nepal Haseko” racked up over 10 million YouTube views during last year’s youth uprising that toppled Oli’s government. The song wasn’t just a banger. It was a manifesto.
While kids were protesting a social media ban that spiraled into a full-scale movement against corruption and economic collapse, Balen’s lyrics were everywhere.
His discography, including tracks like “Balidan,” “Savage,” and “Marpha Ko Madira,” had been speaking truth to power for years.
The RSP, founded in 2022 when Balen became Kathmandu’s first independent mayor, ran a machine-like campaign. Diaspora money from Nepali communities in the US fueled the operation.
According to Al Jazeera, the party won 125 seats directly and another 57 through proportional representation.
More than 40 percent of Nepal’s 30 million people are under 35. They were tired of watching septuagenarians make decisions that destroyed their future.
Balen represented something different. He came from the streets, made music about real problems, and actually did something about them as mayor.
India’s PM Narendra Modi called the results a “proud moment” for democracy in the region. Parliament hasn’t officially confirmed Balen as PM yet, but the math is undeniable.
Chihuahuas aren’t really known for being the friendliest dog breed. However, they can still be a man’s best friend. In this case, Grandma’s best friend. Viewers are cracking up at this dog’s reaction to being petted.
“My grandma has dementia and forgets my dad’s dog hates to be petted,” says the text overlay on Jackalyn Joans’ (@jackalynn.joans) video. The video shows Rico, Joans’ dad’s chihuahua, sitting next to Joans’ grandma. Grandma is petting Rico’s chest while Rico makes a strange face.
The video has 37.9 million views and 6.1 million likes.
How to Read a Dog’s Facial Expression
Rico lets Grandma pet him, but it’s clear he’s not enjoying it. His nose is scrunched up the whole time, showing his teeth in an awkward smile. His ears are flared up and out, seemingly tense.
According to Reader’s Digest, a scrunched-up nose on a dog means they are angry. Additionally, the dog blog Rover says that ears perked up means the dog is attentive and focused. Given that Rico doesn’t enjoy being petted, being angry and on high alert tracks.
Viewers React
The comments on this video are insanely funny.
“He’s mad but he has a heart,” says one comment.
“‘[Expletive] it you lucky I love you,’“ another comment says, pretending to be Rico.
“He knows her heart is kind and her intentions are pure so he allows it,” explains another.
“He hates it so good,” says another.
“Chihuahuas are considered mean but they truly are the most loving,” advocates another.
Funny enough, a different video posted by Joans shows Rico completely in love with being petted and cuddled by his owner, Joan’s dad. In this video, Rico’s tongue is slightly sticking out, which is how dogs smile, and his ears are relaxed, both signs that he’s enjoying himself.
Chihuahuas and Their Quirks
Among contested dog breeds, chihuahuas are definitely one of them. It seems like either people love them or hate them. According to the American Kennel Club, they are a “sassy yet charming” breed. They are also cited as “alert and intelligent, and respond well to positive training techniques. Chihuahuas can even excel in canine sports like obedience and agility.” Clearly, there are some solid reasons to get a chihuahua.
On the flip side, there is a narrative that chihuahuas can be an aggressive and violent breed. While there is no scientific evidence that chihuahuas are more aggressive than other breeds, they do have the stereotype of being feisty dogs, which isn’t all the way untrue. However, Greenmatters states that the breed is mostly only aggressive when the dog feels threatened.
While Rico probably feels like his personal space is being compromised in the video with Grandma, he still finds some space in his heart to be patient with her, showing us just how kind chihuahuas can be.
AllHipHop has reached out to Joans about the video via TikTok message and comment. We will update this if she responds.
The woman accused of blasting up Rihanna will be dealing with more than just the aftermath of a shooting at her crib.
A custody battle brewing around the suspect could get messy real quick. Jed Valdez Sangalang, the estranged husband of Ivanna Ortiz, just filed court documents asking for full custody of their kid.
This isn’t just about the shooting anymore. It’s about protecting a child from a parent who’s spiraling.
Sangalang’s move makes sense when you look at what went down. Ortiz allegedly sent him an email back in January that was straight-up unhinged.
“I need you to renounce Rihanna and confess that I’m better than her,” she wrote. That message alone shows how deep this obsession went.
The dude tried to keep his kid away from the news, but another student at school spilled everything. Now the child knows their mom allegedly tried to kill someone.
According to TMZ, Sangalang learned about the shooting on Monday after getting calls and emails about Ortiz.
He’s not just asking for custody. He wants sole decision-making power too. That’s the nuclear option in family court. When a parent gets charged with attempted murder, judges don’t usually side with them.
Ortiz was previously placed on a psychiatric hold in Florida, which adds another layer to this situation.
She’s facing attempted murder and assault charges after allegedly firing multiple rounds at Rihanna’s house on Sunday. Rihanna and her kids were home. A$AP Rocky wasn’t.
Ortiz faces life in prison, and she is being held on a $10.2 million bail, which basically means she’s staying locked up. Her next court date will determine if she even gets out before trial.
