Chopper, a former member of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Making the Band group Da Band, has weighed in on the allegations against the embattled Bad Boy founder, claiming he has witnessed incidents that lend credibility to the accusations.
The New Orleans native addressed his time with Diddy during a recent interview with the Art of Dialogue.
He began by speculating about Diddy’s sexuality, suggesting he’s “bisexual” and likes to “play a lot in life.”
Chopper recounted an incident when he witnessed Puffy “tonguing down” a “powerful” male figure in the music industry, although he did not name the mystery man.
He claimed, “I walked in the studio and seen two powerful men doing things that was uncomfortable to my eyes.”
Despite his initial remarks, Chopper declared, “Yes, f###### right that n#### gay!” adding, “But I don’t think someone being gay is bad. If that’s their preference, that’s their preference.”
He claims the label executives gave him special treatment following the incident, but things were never the same.
“It f##### me up…I looked at Diddy differently after that,” Chopper said. “I wasn’t feeling that Bad Boy s### no more.”
Former Bad Boy artist Chopper reveals Diddy is gay and says he caught Diddy tongue kissing another powerful man in the music industry.
Last September, Freddy P accused the rapper and producer of “literally assaulting men.” He claimed Diddy “approaches these guys going through financial situations,” stating, “he preys on you.”
Freddy P believes alleged victims felt obligated to remain silent because Diddy has provided so much for so many people.
“It’s a lot of rappers out here that have secrets because they fell into these situations with Puffy,” he said. “I know this personally.”
Ferg focused on where he’s going, and while he doesn’t want to forget from which he came, he also has no desire to go back to his humble beginnings.
On Friday (January 10), the Harlem native appeared in a new episode of the Touré show and spoke at length about a number of topics including his 2024 album DAROLD. Within the opening minutes of the nearly hour-long interview, a clip of Ferg strongly denying the active existence of ASAP as a collective immediately comes into focus.
In addition to claiming he himself represent the mob, details why ASAP is no longer a living and breathing collective as it once was. The conversation started after Ferg revealed part of his inspiration for his recent banger “Thought I Was Dead” was to make an anthem to prove haters within his crew wrong.
“You know, people came out and said I wasn’t apart of A$AP no more,” Ferg said in part.
When pressed on his view of whether or not he’s still a member of A$AP Mob, Ferg went on to provide a complicated answer. “Well I am ASAP I made ASAP me along with Rocky and you know the founders who built it, rest in peace ASAP Yams,” he said.
He provided a point-for-point explanation of why he thinks the once lively collective is now defunct. “I don’t think there is ASAP anymore,” he said. “It’s like it’s not a Cozy Tape out. It’s not a new one. It’s not an office. It’s not a record label. ASAP Worldwide is not a record label.”
As Ferg added to his sentiments he laid out his opinion of why he believes ASAP is somewhat of a nostalgic comfort item for fans. “I think it’s a thing of the past,” he said. “I think people hold onto the legacy that we created and those things.”
Driving his point home, Ferg remarked on his contribution to ASAP Mob, revealing how he feels about the blueprint he and ASAP Rocky left behind. “But when you think about ASAP, I think from the music point, you think about like me and Rocky [ASAP Rocky] who like did the music and all of that,” he said. “Of course, it was built off the backs of like Bari [ASAP Bari] and Yams and all of that but like we’re the faces. So like I feel like if we’re not making no music and putting out no new time stamps then there’s no ASAP.”
Ferg concluded with, “So right now it’s Ferg, it’s Ferg apparel, it’s the Ferg empire it’s DAROLD. It’s everything dealing with this individual right here.”
The “Work” rapper did go on to say that he still maintains contact with key A$AP Mob members such as Twelvy, Nast and of course Rocky, however he made it clear that everyone has their own separate lanes they occupy.
While Ferg may believe the dissolution of A$AP was amicable for everyone, it appears as though not all members feel that way. Last August, Bari, who created several brands such as Vlone, claimed he never made a dime off of A$AP Mob even though he created the collective.
Let’s talk about MC Shan. He’s Queensbridge royalty and a certified Hip-Hop legend. He’s one of those figures who paved the way for not just Queensbridge rap but also Hip-Hop as a whole. He gave us “The Bridge,” a track so iconic it sparked one of the greatest beefs in Hip-Hop history.
KRS-One and Boogie Down Productions took him to task, but what they did will never been forgotten. In 2024, Shan is known for being realer than real. That brings us to the drama unfolding.
The Issue: Pete Rock & Common Apparently Sampled “The Bridge”
So, Pete Rock and Common sampled “The Bridge” on “Wise Up” from their Grammy Award-nominated album THE AUDITORIUM VOL 1. MC Shan claims he didn’t see a dime from the sample usage, even though he owns his publishing. Shan hopped on Instagram with one of his classic, unfiltered rants and he put Pete Rock and Common on notice.
The caption in all caps should have us calling Shan “Captain”—because it is a lot.
“WHAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW IS I OWN THE PUBLISHING ON THE BRIDGE SO IT’S A BIGGER INFRINGEMENT THAN JUST YOU TAKING MY VOICE AND SAMPLE IN A BEAT I OWN THE PUBLISHING SON.
“I USUALLY STAY QUIET ON THINGS THAT’S NOT MY BUSINESS OR WHEN I SEE A MAN SCREAMING FOUL THAT DOES THE SAME THING AND ACT LIKE HE SHOULD BE PAID AND I SHOULDN’T YOU BETTER GO GET THAT MONEY BACK FROM HOMAGE SON CUZ HE DIDN’T KNOCK ON MY DOING CUT ME IN ON NOTHING.. AND JUST LIKE YOU WERE ABLE TO GET YOUR MONEY GUESS WHO’S GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET THEIRS…”
Now here is the weird part. Last year, Shan says he got paid and also called the duo “men of respect.
Here’s the tricky part. Shan acknowledges that Common and Pete probably cleared the sample through the “proper” channels, but the money somehow didn’t trickle down to him. Shan seems very confident that he knows his business.
The Bigger Picture
It’s wild to see OGs in the game clashing like this. Pete Rock is a legend, Common is a legend and Shan is a legend. Pete and Common Sense aren’t the types to intentionally shortchange an artist they are paying homage to, so I hope they clear it up.
Chance the Rapper and his estranged wife, Kirsten Corley, have officially dissolved their marriage, wrapping up a nine-month-long separation that began when they first announced their breakup.
Legal documents filed in Cook County, Illinois, confirmed that the Grammy-winning artist, born Chancelor Bennett, and Corley have reached an agreement to finalize their split.
The filing states their relationship is “irretrievably broken,” with Corley acknowledging in court papers that the two have been living apart for more than six months.
Corley, who reviewed and approved the settlement, described the terms as a “fair and equitable resolution.”
However, specific details of the arrangement remain private.
The couple, who tied the knot in a scenic Newport Beach, California ceremony in 2019, share two daughters: Kensli, 9, and Marli, 5.
Declaring family as their priority, the pair reaffirmed their commitment to co-parenting in a joint statement when news of their separation broke earlier this year.
“God has blessed us with two beautiful daughters who we will continue to raise together,” the statement read. “We kindly ask for privacy and respect as we navigate this transition. Thank you.”
Chance and Corley’s journey traces back to their childhoods, where they first met years before embarking on a romantic relationship.
The two reconnected as adults in 2012 during the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas, sparking a romance that would later lead to an engagement in 2018.
Despite the dissolution of their marriage, the former couple has placed their daughters’ well-being at the forefront, opting to move forward in a cooperative manner.
The court’s approval brings closure to their legal proceedings, ending their marriage but solidifying their roles as co-parents to Kensli and Marli.
Former Making Da Band star Chopper (Young City) isn’t holding back when it comes to his experiences with Sean “Diddy” Combs.
In a candid interview with The Art Of Dialogue, Chopper shared an anecdote that revealed just how deep Diddy’s disdain for 2Pac ran. He also offered his own speculative theory on why the incarcerated music mogul remains in jail as he awaits trial on a federal indictment for sex trafficking and racketeering.
To kick things off, Chopper recalled a tense moment during which Diddy seemingly attempted to erase his love for the West Coast MC. “I remember one time, he was like, ‘Who did you grow up listening to?’ I’m like, 2Pac,” Chopper said in part. “I ain’t mentioned Biggie [Biggie Smalls].”
Chopper, ex-member of Diddy’s group Da Band, reveals Diddy hated 2Pac’s guts and says he believes the feds are refusing to give Diddy bail because they’re trying to connect Diddy to 2Pac’s death.
The response apparently did not sit well with Diddy and triggered a bizarre pattern of retaliatory actions, according to Chopper.
“He didn’t even talk to me for like four days after that,” he revealed. “Everything with Pac, you couldn’t say Pac was anything better than Biggie. You can’t put them in the same realm or nothing. It was all about Biggie.”
According to Chopper, Diddy’s obsession with Biggie went so far that he ended up forcing the crew to recite the lyrics to one of Biggie’s most iconic tracks.
“I ain’t know, um, ‘It was all a dream,’ [‘Juicy’],” he said. “I ain’t know the whole song. I knew a couple of words, maybe the first verse. But he made us recite the whole thing. I don’t think Biggie would’ve even cared about that, but Diddy hated everything about 2Pac. Hated his guts.”
Choppa shared his belief that the charges the Bad Boy executive faces are part of a larger scheme when asked about Diddy’s ongoing incarceration.
“Honestly, bro, I think the real reason why they ain’t gonna let Puffy out is because they trying to connect that Keefe D situation with Puffy,” he said, referencing the former gang member tied to 2Pac’s 1996 murder.
Choppa speculated that Diddy’s legal troubles go beyond the federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges. “If it came down to some sex trafficking foolishness and all those trumped-up charges, they couldn’t prove it, I don’t think they got no evidence,” he said. “They’re trying to keep him in there to lock in the Keefe D situation with Puff. That’s the only reason why he’s still in jail right now.”
Chopper rose to fame as part of the MTV reality series Making Da Band, which aired from 2002 to 2009 under Diddy’s direction. He was featured in seasons two and three, which documented the creation of Da Band and their rise in the music industry. Those seasons were massive hits, drawing an average of 3.5 million viewers per episode and solidifying the show as one of MTV’s most-watched programs during its run.
The tension between Jim Jones and Cam’ron and Ma$e appears to be escalating amid days of shot-throwing.
A recent Capo interview ruffled the “It Is What It Is” podcast host’s feathers, sparking a flurry of responses teasing an epic upcoming episode of their show.
On Friday (January 10), the duo shared multiple clips on the podcast’s Instagram account of Jim Jones praising Ma$e for teaching him “how to rap.”
“HOOKAH, CIGARETTES, CIGARS, WE WITH ALL THE SMOKE,” the caption reads. “THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE. WE KEEP ALL RECEIPTS.”
Cam’ron and Ma$e also dismissed Jim Jones’ recent remarks about the early days of their friendship, posting a throwback photo of themselves standing on a stoop in New York.
“NO NEED TO DWELL ON THE PAST,” they wrote. “WE HERE NOW, WE GONE “PUSH IT TO THE LIMIT.”
They also posted podcast snippets showing they can laugh at their past issues, writing, “THIS WHAT HAPPINESS & GETTING A LOT OF MONEY TOGETHER LOOK LIKE.”
Jim Jones also made several posts alluding to the drama, stating, “After they laugh at th lies th Truth still hurts,” in one.
Another post featured a bombshell allegation from someone claiming Cam’ron allowed Jim Jones to be jumped in Harlem by eight men. They also alluded to an alleged scuffle between Cam and Tru Life back in the day, suggesting Jones had his fellow Dipset member’s back.
The back-and-forth stemmed from Jones’ recent remarks about his past issues with Cam, saying, “It started with Ma$e.”
During an interview with Justin Laboy Capo claimed he Ma$e would “s### on Cam… all the time,” referring to them as “so-called best friends.”
Jim Jones then explained the root of his issues with Ma$e, insisting his treatment of Cam’ron sparked the bad blood.
Elsewhere during the interview, Jones had harsh words for Cam’ron and 50 Cent.
“Get off my dick!” he said, reacting to Cam and 50 Cent discussing Fif bringing Capo onstage at a G-Unit show amid heavy internal tension at Dipset.
However, it appears Cam’ron and Ma$e will respond on their podcast, hinting at an explosive episode on Monday (January 13.)
They promised a “movie,” noting that peace is “a lesson for another day.”
Rising battle rap star Eazy The Block Captain is issuing a call to action to the Hip-Hop world to give him his flowers during a recent live stream.
On Friday (January 10), a video clip of Eazy’s livestream went viral after fans began clamoring over his remark about winning the affections of veteran rapper Remy Ma. His comments added fuel to the fire surrounding Remy’s strained relationship with her husband Papoose, who Eazy appeared to sneak diss in the rant.
Eazy began the stream in bold fashion, addressing what he believes is at the root of the criticism he has been receiving recently. “N*ggas is really mad that when they go to sleep at night and I wake up, we both wake up, it’s like we doing better than them n*ggas,” Eazy said.
Eazy went on to directly challenge his detractors to admit the real reason behind their animosity. “I just want one real n*gga to just keep it a bean and say, ‘Yo, we’re mad that you got Rem [Remy Ma] and we didn’t,’” he said. That’s what y’all n*ggas is mad at, bro.”
The live stream came to an unexpected end just as things reached a boiling point. “It’s a bunch of n*ggas who don’t like me for no reason because I got a b*tch—excuse me,” he said, pausing to restart his sentence. The live stream suddenly ended shortly after, leaving viewers buzzing with questions and theories.
Eazy’s remarks arrive at an interesting intersection of recent events which has drawn further scrutiny to his relationship with Remy Ma. Earlier this month a clip of Eazy using Papoose’s signature Alphabet slaughter flow to take shots at him and boast about winning over Remy Ma during a rap battle went viral. In the video, Remy Ma also clearly professes her love for Eazy.
However, a new AllHipHop report has uncovered details about Papoose’s alleged attack on Eazy that casts a bit of shade on his proverbial victory lap. Apparently the New York native shouted “Brooklyn” before allegedly knocking the Philadelphia lyricist out after discovering his affair with Remy Ma.
Kanye West dropped a black-and-white trailer for his newly announced film, Vultures the Movie—but most people weren’t impressed.
The controversial artist shared an Instagram posted on Friday (January 10) that was reminiscent of a 1930s horror film. Zombies, wrestlers, freaky bird creatures and weird blow up-looking dolls littered the clip. He wrote in caption simply, “VULTURES THE MOVIE.”
Nearly every comment that followed condemned West for using artificial intelligence to create it. “Bro please stop this AI b#######,” one person wrote, while another said, “Please take AI away from Unc” and yet another added, “STOP USING AI FOR GODS SAKE.”
Some made fun of what appeared to be AI versions of Kodak Black and Rich the Kid, who are armed with guns in the trailer.
But, par for the course, there was at least one person who applauded the move, writing, “I think he realized that AI is the future and instead of fighting it he’s embracing it. I personally won’t use AI for song creating but I’m not 100% against AI films. Feel bad for those in the film industry in this particular instance but every market is going to be impacted by AI eventually. It can’t be ignored. At this point I think an AI is probably behind the rollout of AI. Ye just ahead of the curve again.”
Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign released Vultures 1 in February 2024. The trailer for the project was released the month before and told a dark story of a suburban city taken over by cultists and filled with murderous clowns, ravenous crows and wolf men.
Guest appearances included West’s daughter North, India Love, Freddie Gibbs, YG, Nipsey Hussle, Quavo, Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, Bump J, Lil Durk, Rich the Kid and Chris Brown. Production was primarily handled by West and Ty Dolla $ign with assistance from Legendary Traxster, 88-Keys, Camper, JPEGMafia, Timbaland, Swizz Beatz, Ojivolta, Chrishan and Anthony Kilhoffer, among others.
Although the project debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, it was West’s second-lowest first week sales with 148,000 album-equivalent units. Vultures 2 followed in August 2024 and debuted at No. 2. A third installment is expected but has failed to materialize. He’s supposedly working on another album called Bully. But Kanye being Kanye, there’s no telling what will actually land. In the meantime, it seems his focus is on the Vultures movie and celebrating his wife’s 30th birthday.
In any event, watch the trailer above and another clip he shared earlier this week below.
Sexyy Red is showing off her new body after undergoing surgery to boost her breast size.
The “Pound Town” hitmaker revealed she was unhappy with her cup size and decided on an enhancement. She documented her progress on social media, posting multiple updates before and after the surgery.
“Didn’t want small no more,” she wrote on a photo of her before the op on Thursday (January 10). I’m going back big.”
She returned several hours later to thank her doctor, announcing, “My chest look soooo much better.”
Then on Friday morning, Sexyy Red showed off the results in several other images and photos with the bandages still on.
“I’m back double D’d up,” she wrote alongside a mirror selfie.
However, it appears not everybody was a fan of her new chest, prompting the rapper to fire back.
“Yal some hater,” Sexyy Red added, revealing she spent $30,000 on her “top” notch boob job.
This isn’t Sexyy Red’s first surgery; she previously boosted her chest last June. She shared several photos of her bandaged chest on social media following the operation.
Despite undergoing surgery, it’s business as usual for Sexyy Red, who is scheduled to appear at a Miami Beach nightclub on Friday night.
Meanwhile, after months of Chief Keef romance rumors, Sexyy Red recently announced she’s back on the market. She hopped on X (Twitter) using Trina’s#### “Single Again,” to declare her new status.
Keep all the people of California and the Los Angeles area in our prayers.
As I’m scrolling through the latest news about the wildfire infernos tearing through Los Angeles, something caught my attention: the term “incarcerated firefighters.” At first, I was confused—how are so many firefighters behind bars? Are we talking about actual firefighters who ended up incarcerated for unrelated reasons? Turns out, not exactly.
These “incarcerated firefighters” are inmates—prisoners—being sent out to battle California’s raging wildfires. More than 500 of them are risking their lives to save people and property. This isn’t a new practice, but it’s still controversial. They’re earning a measly $26 a day. They put their lives on the line, only to head back to a cell once their shift ends. It makes some sense because I’m sure some are just looking to feel “alive” or get outside.
The deeper you dig, the more problematic this becomes. Government spending on professional firefighting has been slashed, specifically in L.A., leaving these inmates to fill the gaps. They may be heroes now, but that’s not the point. This isn’t just about firefighting. This is about exploiting a vulnerable population, those we may not care about. They risk their lives because they are broke or broken. They don’t even get a decent payout from the prison, but I bet the prison gets paid nicely for donating their “relatively free labor.” If this doesn’t give off modern-day slavery vibes, I don’t know what does.
And the madness doesn’t stop there. Reports are surfacing about insurance companies potentially pulling out of these disaster-prone areas. The other result could be jacking up premiums so high that regular folks can’t afford them. It’s a one-two punch of injustice for communities already devastated by fire and smoke. By the way, this includes places like Florida that have disasters often.
To everyone out in California dealing with this chaos, stay strong. And to the incarcerated brothers and sisters fighting to save lives while locked in a broken system, keep your heads up. This system might be unjust, but your bravery speaks volumes.
Lastly…
R.I.P. Victor Shaw. The 66-year old tragically lost his life while trying to protect his family’s 55-year-old home during the Eaton Fire. He refused to evacuate, even thought he had health issues. A family friend discovered his remains the following morning. Heartbreaking. Our deepest condolences go out to his family. Please take care of yourself. We can replace financial and material goods.
Cypress Hill is among the many artists lending a hand to anyone affected by the devastating fires currently consuming Los Angeles.
On Friday (January 10), Cypress Hill, B-Real and their dispensary, Dr. Greenthumbs, collaborated on an Instagram post, encouraging people to donate items at their store on Wilshire Boulevard. The post read: “We are extremely devastated and saddened with the outcome of the fire. At this time, we’re now taking donations in effort of helping those who were affected.
“Stop by and drop off some items like blankets, clothes, toiletries, snacks, etc. Donations will be dropped off to evacuation shelters and more.” Anyone interested and who’s in the area can head to 12235 Wilshire Boulevard, where people will be on deck to collect each donation.
B-Real previously shared information for evacuation shelters, which can be found below. Per local news outlets, at least 153,000 people remain under evacuation orders. The first of five wildfires, the Palisades Fire, ignited on Tuesday (January 7) and quickly wreaked havoc on the Pacific Palisades area, just west of downtown Los Angeles.
Four other fires sprung up all over L.A., including near Hollywood, and are being identified as the Kenneth Fire, Hurst Fire, Lidia Fire and Eaton Fire. At least 10 people have died, and the death toll is expected to rise once it’s deemed safe to go inside certain neighborhoods.
The music community, which is heavily centralized in the West Coast metropolis, has stepped up in droves to support each other. The Recording Academy and MusiCares have pledged $1 million in fire relief aid for those who work in the industry, while Live Nation has agreed to cover costs for any of its employees who need to evacuate.
That’s just a small sliver of the kind of care people are offering. As of Friday, 37 percent of the Hurst Fire—located in the San Fernando Valley—has been contained. The Kenneth Fire, which broke out Thursday (January 9), is 35 percent contained and holding at 1,000 acres burned. The deadly Eaton Fire burning north of Altadena has burned 13,956 acres with containment at just 3 percent, while the largest L.A. County wildfire, the Palisades Fire, was at 20,438 acres Friday morning with containment at 8 percent.
Papoose claimed he knocked out Eazy The Block Captain because the battle rapper shook his hand, despite his affair with Pap’s wife Remy Ma, and now a witness has come forward claiming they saw the whole thing.
Funkbeezly claimed he was at Remy’s Chrome 23 event in June 2023 when the altercation went down.
“I seen that s### with my own eyes,” he said during a recent interview. “He aint get knocked out, he got popped on.”
However, he disputes Papoose’s assertion that he knocked out Eazy.
“He ain’t even fall,” Funkbeezly stated. “I don’t know if he ate it ‘cuz he curled up. I don’t know if he curled up to block the rest of the hits.”
He continued, explaining, “I ain’t even know that was Papoose that hit him,” adding that Pap ran in “out of nowhere” wearing a red mask.
“He run in, I see him pop on somebody, BOOM. [Papoose] popped on someone with a baldy,” Funkbeezly said. “Now I know it was Eazy the Block Captain, but at the time, I thought it was a regular n####.”
According to Funkbeezly, Papoose yelled, “Yeah Brooklyn,” before striking Eazy, stating, “Word to my mother. He said ‘Brooklyn son,’ and he popped him, BOOM.”
Funkbeezly claims Eazy curled up after the punch but never fell to the floor.
“I think he hit him like twice more,” he said, adding that Papoose then ran out of the building.
Both Papoose and Eazy have spoken about the incident publicly, with the battle rapper admitting he was hit but denies getting knocked out.
“Everybody saw it!” Papoose wrote on Instagram last December amid a heated public spat with Remy Ma. “When I knocked him out, @remyma woke him up and went home with him for 4 days. I went home with my daughter!”
Meanwhile, Eazy claims Papoose snuck into the event wearing a full-face mask to evade security.
“He literally sneaked me,” Eazy said during his livestream. “I never fell, never was in no fetal position, I never touched the ground ever. But when I got back to turn round to the n####, the n#### ran.”
Remy Ma recently declared her love for Eazy during his tense battle with Shotgun Suge.
While the history of hip-hop has historically emphasized low-income communities expressing themselves in a syncretic form, the current wealth of its heroes is integral to the culture’s mythos. The underdog stories and the rags-to-riches narratives are something that thrives within this culture.
Naturally, rappers are at today’s forefront of representatives when it comes to hip-hop culture. Regardless of your perspective on the viability of their influence on their community, their names and reputations have greatly expanded, reaching a global scale in many cases. This is where the money made in music has moved toward other business ventures.
There have been many rappers that have dabbled into business. However, an entrepreneurial spirit is more than attaching yourself to business. It’s also about showing that you can start and grow your own enterprise. Even if these rappers aren’t the sole owners of these business ventures, they’re still at the top of their own business empires.
Let our list show which rappers have managed to leave the biggest mark on the business world with their entrepreneurial acumen!
Jay-Z
At this point, there’s hardly a more sage personality in hip-hop culture than Jay-Z. He hasn’t released much music in the last decade and a half, with 4:44 being the last album he’s released in the last decade (aside from the collaborative albums with his wife). Nowadays, he is more visible as a figure of black excellence and a business mogul.
We consider citing net worth to be somewhat pointless due to the consistent fluctuation of these figures. However, what’s clear about Jay-Z is that he is a true billionaire and that he rules over an empire of business.
That’s not to say that all his ventures and strategies have always been on the good side. All fans know that before he was complaining about how he failed to take advantage of buying DUMBO real estate, before marrying Beyoncé, and way before owning Roc-A-Fella Records, his entrepreneurship represented dealing narcotics.
Naturally, he rose beyond that, eventually going into music and releasing a slew of classics. After his fallout with Dame Dash, he eventually createdRoc Nation. This is his crowning achievement at the moment, given its chokehold over the entertainment industry. The company branches in sports representation, event management, music distribution, and many, many more.
What’s underrated about Hov is that he’s always had the resourcefulness to learn from his mistakes. His failed ventures, such as his fractional ownership of his hometown Nets and the eventual loss after the failure of Tidal have been covered by his capacity to succeed in other business areas.
Ye (Kanye West)
Kanye West is on a trajectory that, to this day, it’s hard to assess and predict. His pathway into both the music and business world has been incredibly interesting for various reasons, but they are unpredictable, to say the least. This mercurial profile is one of the most loudly speaking aspects of this life, career, personality, and persona.
Ye’s ventures have been closely related to the things he excelled the most in: music and fashion. The self-proclaimed genius and Louis-Vuitton Don has been at the forefront of revolutionary behaviour in both, hence his influence in both fields. Despite his recent controversies, statements, and apparent instability, we cannot rewrite history.
He was the poster boy backpack rapper who had no street credentials but came from a black intellectual background. He made it cool to be a relatively nerdy but boastful personality while making good music. This is how he eventually came to create GOOD Music: his first attempt at establishing a record label around himself.
GOOD Music appears to be in a cryogenic state since most of its talent has distanced itself from the imprint. Nowadays, most of his ventures go either through his Donda or Yeezy brands. The last one is also synonymous with his name and branding, especially due to the dearly departed collaboration with Adidas that first attained him billionaire status and a force in the fashion industry.
Dr. Dre
Dre has been through some insane stuff throughout his 6 decades around the sun. He’s been around the brutal entrepreneurship of both Eazy-E and Suge Knight, both having a strong background in LA-based crime. However, Dre’s emphasis on making excellent music has helped him navigate muddy waters without going down with the raft.
Despite his controversial behaviour throughout the years and the acrimonious breakdown of Death Row Records, to which he was a key contributor, Dre had a few renaissances of sorts. The first would be his founding of Aftermath Entertainment, one of the countless subsidiaries of UMG.
However, we can say that his crowning achievement is the Beats Electronics brand, which had completely taken over the headphone discussion at some point. Down the line, both he and Jimmy Iovine, the Interscope execute who’s been his business partner for decades, made hundreds of millions after selling Beats to Apple in 2014.
P Diddy
Yes, the empire is crumbling, and his career, in music or business, appears to be as good as over. It feels like he flew too close to the sun and perpetuated too many habits from his early days. However, Diddy maintained an image of business acumen for much of his career in the public spotlight, which is a factual piece of history that is worth discussing.
Bad Boy Records, in a sense, was an exercise in a certain type of easy production and marketing. In this sense, Diddy learned how to market his brand by ensuring that he marketed himself. As a result, he was extremely visible throughout the 90s and 2000s.
In 1998, he released one of his best-known brands, Sean John, which was quite well-received in the fashion industry. Other ventures that he’s been closely associated with are theCîroc and DeLeon alcoholic beverages.
Ice Cube
Despite being yet another old head on this list, Cube deserves his praise as a businessman for a couple of very important additions. Naturally, his being around enterprising people like his former NWA colleagues has led to him starting Lench Mob Records, which didn’t gain that much traction.
Moreover, his transition to film and television as his most visible sort of media was a career-defining move. The launch of Cube Vision in 1998 was his first step in this direction, producing his Friday series, Are We There Yet? and other projects that have been visible on both the big and small screen.
However, we wanted to talk about Ice Cube, the entrepreneur, due to the wild success ofBig3. Who knew that you could bet on50 free spins no depositin the same place as where you can bet on 3-on-3 basketball played by celebrities and former ballers? The brand is exciting and is entering a new phase in the league’s continuous expansion!
Conclusion
Ultimately, business is a sly field that requires resourcefulness to ensure success. Even if it’s not a guarantee, these rappers appear to have made a mark on what a rapper can do with the money they make from music. As we can see, younger rappers dabble in their own business ventures, and such a list will definitely feature fresh names down the line!
Ray J has vowed to expose Sukihana in his latest social media rant.
For those who may have missed it, Sukihana recently posted-and-deleted a photo of a man she claimed was her “only boyfriend” following her back-and-forth with Ray J’s ex-wife Princess Love last year in December. In addition to the photo she shared, an Instagram post by the mystery man, whose username is @goodrxsnoop, is going viral.
In the carousel of images he appears to be going on trips and doing even more couples adventures with Sukihana, who he professed his love for in a sappy caption on the post — to which she reciprocated in the comments section.
Given that Ray J and Sukihana have been rumored to be involved with each other romantically, the “One Wish” hitmaker did not find the posts appeasing and proceeded to go off in a video in which he threatened to expose everything.
“Suki and her boyfriend Snoop got me f*cked up,” Ray J wrote in the caption of the video he shared to his Instagram Story. “I’m petty today 2025 was supposed to be a positive year but things have changed.”
In the video he continued, “This might be one of the most all-time rants I’ve done and I’m doing it on Twitch — and my first topic is Suki.”
As if his threats to verbally violate Sukihana weren’t enough, Ray J also ended up harassing her boyfriend via text message.
“Got dat N*ggA Mad He Say He Goin On A Rant,” Sukihana’s boyfriend wrote in a Instagram story post taunting Ray J over the exchange.
The Man also shared screenshots of the messages in addition to a photo of himself reportedly wearing a custom chain Ray J recently had designed, alluding to the idea that he finessed him out of the jewelry. While the chain could be just a tactic being used to troll Ray J, it is worth noting that the text message thread shows someone appearing to signal they got cops involved into the situation. If that’s the case, that means this whole thing could be bigger than just beef over Sukihana.
See the screenshot of the text exchange between Ray J and Sukihana’s man in the post above.
Megan Thee Stallion was granted a five-year restraining order against Tory Lanez in a pivotal court hearing marking a significant development in their ongoing legal battle.
On Thursday (January 9), the Houston rapper provided an emotional testimony via video, detailing the toll the 2020 shooting incident has taken on her mental health. “I want my restraining order because I haven’t been at peace since I [was] shot,” Megan stated, her voice heavy with emotion.
Megan Thee Stallion testified via video a few minutes ago in the restraining order hearing for Tory Lanez. She said she fears what could happen when he's released from prison.
“I feel like maybe he’ll shoot me again, and maybe this time i won’t make it.”
Megan explained that she barely leaves home due to anxiety and harassment, often facing hecklers at her shows yelling “Free Tory” and other insensitive remarks. “I’m just a nervous wreck all the time,” she confessed. Her attorney, Mari Henderson, argued Megan deserved protection as the victim of a violent crime, while the judge cited “several uncontroverted facts” including Tory’s conviction for shooting Megan, as the basis for the restraining order.
Lanez’s lawyer, Michael Hayden, countered that the restraining order was an unfair “prior restraint” on free speech, asserting that Lanez has no intention of contacting Megan and “has no desire to communicate with the petitioner ever again.” Despite these claims, the court sided with Megan, issuing a restraining order that will remain in effect until January 2030. Tory who is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence is ineligible for parole until September 2029.
This legal victory comes after a protracted battle between the two artists, marked by accusations of harassment and the spread of misinformation. Megan’s legal team has repeatedly alleged that Tory orchestrated campaigns of targeted attacks against her from behind bars. These efforts, they claim, involved bloggers, such as Milagro Gramz, with the main goal of spreading falsehoods causing “severe emotional distress” to the “Savage” rapper. Megan described these actions as “psychological warfare” adding, “Sometimes I wish Tory would have shot and killed me, if I would have known I was going to go through this torture.”
Donald Trump has been sentenced to unconditional discharge on all 34 charges in his hush money case in New York. The sentence means Trump avoids any jail time, probation, or fines.
Judge Juan Merchan told the court this has been a “truly extraordinary case,” CNN reports.
“I wish you godspeed as you assume your second term in office,” Merchan stated.
Trump and his attorney, Todd Blanche, participated virtually from Florida.
Addressing the court, Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass reeled off a list of actions Trump took to undermine the jury’s unanimous verdict.
Steinglass said, “Far from expressing any kind of remorse for his criminal conduct,” Trump “encouraged others to reject the jury verdict, condemning his conduct as a “direct attack on the rule of law.”
Trump professed his innocence in a statement to the court, saying, “this has been a very terrible experience.” He added, “It’s been a political witch hunt, it was done to damage my reputation.”
This is a historic case, as Trump will become the first person convicted of criminal wrongdoing to assume the presidency once he’s sworn into office on January 20.
Trump was convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records in May 2024. The charges stemmed from hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Daniels claimed she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, which he has denied.
On Thursday (January 9), the Supreme Court rejected the president-elect’s request to block criminal proceedings, allowing his sentencing hearing to proceed as planned.
The ruling came with a narrow 5-4 vote, with four conservative justices dissenting. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett sided with the three liberal justices in the majority.
Donald Trump Vows To Appeal: “Great Injustice Done To Me”
The ruling comes just days before Trump’s scheduled inauguration for a second term on January 20, 2025.
The court stated that Trump’s concerns “can be addressed in the ordinary course on appeal.”
Trump called the decision “fair” but vowed to take further action, criticizing the case against him.
“We’re going to appeal anyway, just psychologically,” he said at a press conference Thursday, per NBC News. “Because frankly it’s a disgrace.”
In a social media post on the eve of sentencing, Trump thanked the Supreme Court for “trying to remedy the great injustice done to me.”
He declared himself innocent of the “fake charges,” claiming the case was politically motivated.
“For the sake and sanctity of the Presidency, I will be appealing this case, and am confident that JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL,” he wrote. “The pathetic, dying remnants of the Witch Hunts against me will not distract us as we unite and, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Sean “Diddy” Combs‘ mother, Janice Combs, allegedly threw wild, sexually charged parties at her Mount Vernon home when her son was young, according to a childhood friend who believes these bashes may have inspired Diddy’s “freak offs.”
Producer Tim “Dawg” Patterson, Diddy’s childhood friend, recalled the parties in a new documentary Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy, per Rolling Stone. He describes the environment as potentially “desensitizing” for the children present.
It was reportedly not uncommon to walk into rooms where adults were engaging in sexual activities.
“That’s what we were privy to; this is what we were fed,” Patterson explains. “Was it desensitizing us? I’m sure it was. Were we aware of it? No, that was just Saturday night.”
Patterson adds, “It wouldn’t be a thing to mistakenly walk into one of the bedrooms and you got a couple in there, butt naked.”
The producer believes Diddy’s mother’s parties may have influenced the disgraced mogul’s alleged crimes.
“I’ve always been asked the question why,” Patterson says. “I don’t know the answer to why, but I truly believe it all goes back to childhood.”
Meanwhile, Janice Combs has been a vocal supporter of her son. She recently called the sex trafficking charges against Diddy a “public lynching.”
The Hip-Hop mogul is currently facing a growing list of lawsuits and accusations. He remains detained at the MDC lockup in Brooklyn on RICO and sex trafficking charges.
Diddy Facing Fresh Allegations Over “White Parties”
The latest allegations come from former go-go dancer Adria English, who claims Diddy’s renowned White Parties concealed a darker reality.
English alleges that women at these events were coerced into wearing specific white outfits, signaling their availability for exploitation. She further contends that these gatherings often led to “Freak Off” after-parties, where attendees were drugged and subjected to non-consensual acts.
Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy premieres on Peacock on Tuesday, January 14.
Authorities have arrested a man on suspicion of starting the Kenneth Fire in Los Angeles, which erupted on Thursday afternoon (January 9).
The suspect, described as a homeless man in his 30s, was spotted by locals around 4:30 PM local time. Residents in the Woodland Hills area detained the man, who was later arrested by police in connection with the Kenneth Fire.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) confirmed that the suspect is being investigated for arson.
The arrest comes as the death toll from the L.A. wildfires has risen to 10, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna compared the devastation caused by the fires to that of an “atomic bomb.”
“It looks like an atomic bomb dropped in these areas,” he stated during a press conference.
He also cautioned that the death toll is expected to climb. “I don’t expect good news,” he warned. “We’re not looking forward to those numbers.”
The Kenneth Fire quickly spread to over 960 acres, threatening the affluent suburbs of Calabasas and Hidden Hills. It is one of five active wildfires currently burning in the L.A. area.
Los Angeles has declared a state of emergency in response to the crisis.
On Thursday (January 9), President Joe Biden announced that the federal government would cover 100% of recovery costs for the next 180 days, including debris and hazardous material removal, temporary shelters, and first responder salaries.
“I told the governor, local officials, spare no expense to do what they need to do and contain these fires,” Biden said.
Multiple blazes, including the Palisades, Eaton, and Kenneth fires, have scorched over 30,000 acres, destroying thousands of structures and forcing the evacuation of more than 180,000 residents.
JAY-Z’sRoc Nation is at the center of another heated legal feud as Houston lawyer Tony Buzbee accuses the entertainment powerhouse of misconduct in a newly filed lawsuit in Harris County District Court.
Buzbee alleges that Roc Nation and its associates engaged in a calculated plot to target his law firm by paying his former client Jose Maldonado to file a lawsuit against him, sweetening the deal with financial perks.
In a complaint that reads like a drama-filled script, Buzbee accuses Roc Nation representatives of going as far as impersonating federal agents and mistakenly showing up at the doorstep of Maldonado’s father in an alleged bid to intimidate and manipulate Maldonado into compliance.
“This kind of behavior is illegal and unethical,” Buzbee said in a statement to the Houston Chronicle. “We know investigators have gone all over the United States illegally contacting our former clients to try to entice them with money to sue our firm. According to Mr. Maldonado, we now know who is behind this effort. We won’t be intimidated nor deterred in our important work.”
Roc Nation has mounted a fierce rebuttal, dismissing the claims as baseless and accusing Buzbee of deflecting scrutiny away from his own legal troubles.
In a statement shared with media outlets, a Roc Nation spokesperson criticized Buzbee, saying, “Rather than focus on suits by former clients for allegations of misconduct, Tony Buzbee is trying to distract with nonsense lawsuits — which of course Roc Nation has nothing to do with.”
This isn’t the first time Buzbee has pointed fingers at Roc Nation.
Last month, he filed a similar suit accusing the company of funding efforts that seek to intimidate him and derail litigation he’s pursuing on behalf of more than 100 plaintiffs against music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who faces allegations of sexual abuse.
Adding another layer to this tangled legal saga is Buzbee’s ongoing representation of a Jane Doe, whose lawsuit accuses JAY-Z and Diddy of sexual assault.
Roc Nation has rejected these allegations outright, framing them as yet another example of Buzbee leveraging celebrity cases to enhance his reputation.
JAY-Z has also categorically denied any wrongdoing. He retaliated by filing a countersuit against Buzbee, accusing the combative attorney of extortion and using high-profile cases as a personal publicity vehicle.
Roc Nation’s legal team has dismissed Buzbee’s tactics as theatrical attempts to sensationalize his claims, with one representative reportedly describing the lawsuits as “a desperate ploy to distract from his own credibility issues.”
Paul Wall has shared a Pimp C story, adding another layer of lore to the legend of the late rapper—and will likely get a laugh out of T-Pain if he catches wind of it.
During a recent interview with Boss Talk 101 in Houston, The People’s Champ lyricist shared a hilarious behind-the-scenes story about the beloved UGK rapper, recalling how Pimp C playfully roasted him during the video shoot for the remix of T-Pain’s#### song “I’m N Luv (Wit A Stripper).”
Using his infectious and energetic vernacular and knack for storytelling, Paul Wall set the scene, which he described as an unforgettable experience with the Atlantic Ocean as the backdrop. He started off by introducing Pimp C in the most fitting and over-the-top way possible.
“I’ll never forget the video shoot,” Paul Wall said. “We’re in Miami. It’s, you know, 120 degrees in the summer. And here comes Pimp C with this fur coat.”
"Y'all all on that square sht."
Paul Wall reveals Pimp C called him out for rapping about falling in love with a stripper on T-Pain's "I'm N Luv (Wit a Stripper)" Remix while on the video set for the song.
Paul Wall described the absurdity of the situation, explaining how he was drenched in sweat while it appeared as though Pimp C stayed cool as a cucumber.
“I got on whatever I’m wearing, you can see in the video, and I’m sweating like a hoe in church,” he said with a laugh. “But Pimp C, he don’t got one bead of sweat nowhere on his body. And he got a full fur coat. He might have a hoodie underneath too. He might have two fur coats on.”
“We like, ‘Damn, you got a window unit in the back of that or something?'” he said teasing Pimp C. “‘Because you ain’t sweating at all.’”
Wall then remarked on how he not only walked the walk, but he also talked it too. He said the UGK rapper had everyone on set cracking when he started roasting Paul Wall and the rest of the artists over the song’s romantic theme.
“Pimp C come over there, he said, ‘Yeah, man, y’all all on that square sh*t, Man’,” he said mimicking Pimp C’s larger-than-life personality rooted in his alter ego as a pimp. “Y’all over there talking about, oh, falling in love with strippers. Man, I ain’t on that. Man, I’m on that pimp s###.’”
Paul Wall concluded the hilarious story by admitting how fiercly Pimp C’s verse reflected his no-nonsense attitude. “And he sure was on his verse,” he said. “You know, we were falling in love with a stripper, and he was like, ‘Nah, y’all falling in love with my strippers.’”
Tragically, Pimp C passed away in 2007, just two years after the release of the “I’m N Luv (Wit A Stripper)” remix. However, Pimp C was able to leave behind a strong legacy of effortless cool and examples of his stature as an artist with hallmark Hip-Hop collaborations such as “Intl’ Player’s Anthem” with Outkast and “Big Pimpin'” with JAY-Z.
