An Illinois judge dismissed a model’s lawsuit against filmmakers Coodie and Chike over their Kanye West documentary Jeen-yuhs. According to court documents obtained by AllHipHop, Judge Steven Seeger rejected all counts of Cynthia Love’s complaint in a ruling on Tuesday (February 27).
Love sued Coodie and Chike for defamation, false light, unlawful publicity, intentional infliction of emotional distress and more. Love, who appeared in Kanye’s “Through the Wire” music video, accused Coodie and Chike of capturing her “darkest moments” in the Jeen-yuhs documentary. Judge Seeger determined there was nothing wrong with the filmmakers using old footage of Love.
“Plain and simple, any allegations about Love in the Jeen-yuhs docuseries are true,” Seeger wrote. “The docuseries includes real-world clips of Love, without doctoring the content or adding any false material. It shows true clips of a real event.”
He continued, “Holding up a mirror isn’t defamation. Holding up a 20-year-old picture isn’t defamation, either. They both reflect reality, like it or not. But defamation requires falsity. The Jeen-yuhs video accurately portrays Love in a moment of time several decades ago. The video does not suggest that Love remains in an intoxicated state, or anything of that sort. The video shows a past truth, without suggesting that the past is the present. The footage is historically accurate, so Love’s defamation claims cannot get off the ground. “
Judge Seeger saw no merit in Love’s false light allegations.
“Love runs into trouble with the first element of a false light claim,” he wrote. “She concedes that the depiction of her in Jeen-yuhs was true at the time of filming. So, Love was not placed in a false light. She was placed in a true light. The fact that the light might have been unflattering doesn’t mean that it was false. It’s a false light claim, not an unflattering light claim … Again, Love may prefer to leave her past in the rearview mirror (and off Netflix). But Jeen-yuhs does not contain false statements about her. Without falsity, it’s light’s out for the false light claim.”
The judge also struck down Love’s right of publicity claims. Judge Seeger agreed with Coodie and Chike, who argued they had an exemption to use Love’s identity without her consent.
“Jeen-yuhs falls under the ‘audio-visual work’ exemption, but does not fall within the ‘public affairs’ exemption, to the Illinois Right of Publicity Act,” the judge wrote. “But falling within one exemption is enough to sink the claims.”
Judge Seeger denied Love’s other claims, including civil conspiracy and unjust enrichment. He found no proof of intentional infliction of emotional distress.
“The Court concludes that the video clips in question could not give rise to a claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress,” he wrote. “The clips show Love doing a little spin, apparently in an inebriated state, inside a barbecue restaurant. That’s not the type of image that is ‘beyond the bounds of human decency and be considered intolerable in a civilized community.’”
Coodie and Chike’s Jeen-yuhs documentary dropped in 2022. The three-part film is available to stream on Netflix.
2024 continues to produce major moments for Latto. The self-described Queen of Da Souf will headline the upcoming Super Saturday Concert on April 6 in Cleveland.
The NCAA announced Latto as the main performer for the free event taking place the night before the NCAA’s Women’s Final Four Division I Championship Game.
“I am excited to bring the energy to Cleveland and perform at the NCAA Super Saturday Concert Presented by AT&T,” the Atlanta native stated.
Latto continued, “I’m looking forward to supporting the growth of women’s basketball and continue to empower the entire female community.”
This year has seen Latto release her “Sunday Service” single on February 9. The headline-generating song became The Rap Game reality show winner’s eighth career entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
NLE Choppa made a bold declaration on Tuesday (February 27). The 21-year-old recording artist told his 2.2 million X followers that his “Shotta Flow Series” cannot be touched.
“They can hate all they want, but what we can’t [discredit] is NUMBERS. They never lie! The ‘Shotta Flow Series’ is the most successful song sequence, EVER,” NLE Choppa tweeted.
The Cottonwood 2 album creator also added, “Every ‘Shotta Flow’ has a plaque accounted for! The Fast & Furious Series Of RAP. Put respect on it [goat emoji].” Universal Pictures’ Fast & Furious movie franchise grossed over $7 billion at the global box office.
They can hate all they want, but what we can’t discredits is NUMBERS. They never lie! The “Shotta Flow Series” Is the most successful song sequence, EVER. Every Shotta Flow has a plaque accounted for ! The Fast & Furious Series Of RAP. Put respect on it 🐐
NLE Choppa dropped the original “Shotta Flow” single in 2019. He followed that track with six more editions, including 2023’s “Shotta Flow 7.” A remix of the final installment in the series featured New York rapper Lil Mabu.
The Recording Industry Association of America certified Choppa’s “Shotta Flow” as 3x-platinum. He also earned platinum plaques for “Shotta Flow 2” and “Shotta Flow 3.”
In addition to “Shotta Flow” by NLE Choppa, other Hip-Hop acts have famous song series. Drake’s “AM/PM,” Rick Ross’s “Maybach Music,” Meek Mill’s “Cold Hearted” and Kendrick Lamar’s “The Heart” have received praise from rap fans.
DJ Akademiks has built a reputation for speaking his mind about celebrities, including women in Hip-Hop. Asian Da Brat decided to share her thoughts about Ak in a lengthy, all-caps message posted to social media.
“Y’ALL LETS ALL BOW OUR HEADS & PRAY FOR @Akademiks,” Asian Da Brat tweeted. “PRAY THAT GOD FORGIVES HIM FOR ALL THE FEMALES HIM & HIS FRIENDS HAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED. I PRAY YOU FORGIVE HIM FOR SPREADING SEXUAL-TRANSMITTED DISEASES & BEATING ON VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.”
She continued, “I PRAY YOU SEE THE GOOD IN ALL HIS EVILNESS HE HAS STORED IN HIS HEART. I PRAY HE COMES OUT THAT CLOSET SO HE CAN STOP ATTACKING FEMALES ON THE INTERNET WITH LIES & ACCUSING US OF THINGS WE DIDN’T DO BECAUSE HIS FANTASY IS TO GET TRAINED BY 4 DRILL RAPPERS.”
Asian Da Brat concluded her tweet by posting, “I PRAY HE LIVE IN HIS TRUTH & JUST ADMIT HE IS A LOWDOWN DIRTY PIG. I PRAY HE NEVER WALK THROUGH THEM GATES SEND HIS ASS DOWNSTAIRS… ‘amen.’”
YALL LETS ALL BOW OUR HEADS & PRAY FOR @Akademiks 🙏🏽 PRAY THAT GOD FORGIVES HIM FOR ALL THE FEMALES HIM & HIS FRIENDS HAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED I PRAY YOU FORGIVE HIM FOR SPREADING SEXUAL-TRANSMITTED DISEASES & BEATING ON VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE I PRAY YOU SEE THE GOOD IN ALL…
Columbus Short has doubled down on his claims that Diddy tried to coerce him into having sex. The Stomp the Yard cast member once again shared a personal anecdote about the embattled Bad Boy Entertainment founder.
During a recent sit-down with Boss Talk 101, Columbus Short retold a story about his alleged interactions with Diddy. The conversation included Short admitting he partied with the wealthy businessman for about a year.
“I didn’t know that there were other parties,” Short stated, suggesting Diddy hosted additional functions featuring more risqué behavior. He continued, “I wasn’t at those parties. I was at the big parties.”
Columbus Short then talked about connecting Diddy with his acting coach in preparation for a role in 2008’s A Raisin in the Sun. Apparently, that association helped establish a relationship between the two stars.
Additionally, Columbus Short implied his drink may have been drugged at a house party in Atlanta before leaving the home with his manager. He said, “That was the night that being an alcoholic saved my life and my booty hole.”
It seems Joe Budden sat down with right-wing activist Candace Owens for a taped conversation. That potential meet-up did not sit well with Hot 97’s Peter Rosenberg.
On Tuesday (February 27), Candace Owens shared a photo of herself with Joe Budden on her Instagram Story. The conservative political commentator captioned the image, “It happened.”
Candace Owens previously announced she accepted Budden’s invitation to appear on his podcast. The Blackout author stated on her own show, “I’m going to take you up on your offer, publicly.”
In addition, Rosenberg wrote, “So sick of the idea that conversations need to be had with bigots, trolls, and immoral a-holes… exchanging ideas among smart good people is useful… hearing a hateful hack babble on about hate is not worth anyone’s time.”
So sick of the idea that conversations need to be had with bigots, trolls, and immoral a-holes …exchanging ideas among smart good people is useful … hearing a hateful hack babble on about hate is not worth anyone's time
Peter Rosenberg and Joe Budden have clashed in the past. For example, Budden’s 2016 interview on Hot 97 ended when the New Jersey native walked off the Ebro in the Morning show over a disagreement with Rosenberg’s supposed role in the launch of Budden’s podcast.
British rap giant Giggs is reminding people not to play with him after social media users began gossiping about his relationship with Diddy following the allegations in the latest lawsuit against the Hip-Hop mogul.
The shockwaves from the latest filings have traveled all the way across the ocean as wild rumors spread that Diddy tasked Giggs with supplying him with men during his trips to London.
The speculation stemmed from an unsubstantiated “blind item” circulating online. However, Giggs caught wind of the gossip and seemingly took to social media to respond.
“No one cant ever bring no funny s### around BADMAN,” Giggs wrote on X Tuesday (February 27). “Let’s not forget who we are dealing with here. Lets cut da crap!!!!”
No one cant ever bring no funny s### around BADMAN,lets not forget who we are dealing with here. Lets cut da crap!!!!
He returned an hour later with a follow-up post. “Its funny, nowadays absolute nobodies chattin s### online is the new hit record,” Giggs added. “Ah well, im’a just keep it G and just stick wid da hard work. *Grabs broom and continues sweeping. *”
Back in November, Diddy joined Giggs for an electrifying show for their epic One Night Only event in London.
Giggs is a frequent visitor to the U.S., often hanging out with the likes of Maino and Dave East in New York. He’s been friends with Diddy for some time, and in 2022, he gave him a little London slang tutorial.
While Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones named several celebrities in his sexual assault lawsuit against Diddy and shared thinly veiled descriptions of others, there is no indication that Giggs is connected to the allegations..
Blueface and Chrisean Rock appear to be rebuilding their tumultuous relationship as the West Coast rapper continues his stint behind bars.
During a recent jail call, Blue asked a friend to call his “wife,” so he could “appreciate her real fast.”
When Blueface asked why Chrisean hadn’t answered an earlier call, she explained that she had a court hearing. “I had court today. I was hoping you called me yesterday so we can figure it out.”
After sharing how much they love and miss each other, the conversation turns X-rated, and the video ends.
However, the “Thotiana” rapper’s mom dismissed the conversation as “jail talk” and claimed her son was “acting” on the call.
“How you going to be calling the m######### daddy, and he don’t even let your baby call him daddy yet? Karlissa Stafford said, referring to her son denying Chrisean Rock Jr. is his child.
“It’s just giving horrible acting and that’s all I have to say about that,” she added. “Before you could tell somebody, ‘You my husband’ or ‘I’m your wife,’ you going to claim my baby. You going to get on that birth certificate, you going to help me with this baby.”
While Chrisean Rock did not say why she was in court, she is no stranger to legal issues.
Rock was charged with assault with a deadly weapon and battery following an incident backstage at a Tamar Braxton concert in November. Braxton’s friend, James Wright, accused the reality TV star and rapper of striking him several times in the face. He claims he was treated in hospital for two broken teeth and cuts on his face.
Wright is also suing Rock. “She had on rings that were pretty much equivalent to brass knuckles,” he alleged.
Meanwhile, last month, Chrisean Rock faced ridicule online after debuting a huge face tattoo of Blueface before announcing they had reunited. Rock claimed she was moving back into his home, despite Blue’s apparent proposal to Jaidyn Alexis last year.
The new Where is Wendy Williams Lifetime documentary has viewers gripped, including Rick Ross, who shared some financial advice after watching the talk show maven open up about her money issues in the four-part series.
In the trailer, Williams makes a shocking confession about the state of her finances.
“I have no money,” Williams shared. “I’m going to tell you something, If it happens to me, it could happen to you.”
https://youtu.be/OjJDhf5ll70?si=OPVgVFGjNuDBGz8e
On Tuesday (February 27) Rick Ross, a former guest on The Wendy Williams Show, revealed his takeaway from the documentary and urged his rich friends to get their affairs in order.
“I’m challenging all CEOs,” Rozay began. “You got to have a trust. If you don’t know what a trust is, I’m challenging everybody to do your homework, Google it right now. Having a will is one thing, a trust is totally different. “
He continued, “Have your will in a trust. Not having a trust allow those banks to play with that money if they know your paperwork ain’t good. They hold on to that money in that bank, loan that damn money out, make them some interest on it when your paperwork not right.”
A court-appointed legal guardian is in charge of Williams’ health and finances after Wells Fargo successfully petitioned for one, arguing the bank had “strong reason to believe that she is the victim of undue influence and financial exploitation.”
However, little is known about Williams’s guardian, who was appointed in May 2022.
Meanwhile, earlier this week Williams opened up about her recent diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia and aphasia.
Ja Rule is clapping back at 50 Cent after the G-unit founder mocked him after he was denied entry to the U.K.
Ja was scheduled to perform in Cardiff, Wales, on March 1 as one of the headlines on the Sunrise tour with Keri Hilson, Lloyd and Mya. However, on Tuesday (February 27), Ja revealed he was refused entry at the last minute, prompting long-time nemesis 50 Cent to take a dig.
However, Ja Rule fired back, tagging 50 Cent on X and saying, “N#### you p#### shut up…”
“Y’all love the goofy s###,” he wrote in a follow-up post alongside a laughing.
Earlier on Tuesday, Ja revealed he was “devastated” by the unexpected turn of events.
“I can’t believe the UK won’t let me in,” he shared. “I’ve spent a half million dollars in production of my own money to put this tour together only to be denied entry DAYS before my shows this is not fair to me or my fans these venues are 85% sold and now I can’t come.”
True to form, Fiddy reacted to the drama, and while he initially denied having anything to do with Ja’s misfortune, he later attempted to take credit for having him barred from the U.K.
“HaHaHahahaha I did not have nothing to do with this b#### not getting in. LOL,” 50 Cent wrote.
“LMAO I got juice all over the place sucker!,” 50 Cent added a few hours later, alongside a screencap of Ja Rule’s announcement.
Meek Mill found himself the topic of conversation on social media Tuesday as the alleged lawsuit recently filed against Diddy surfaced online.
The Dream Chasers Records founder was trending on X (formerly Twitter) as users reacted to the document, which includes a thinly veiled reference to Meek Mill.
Diddy made headlines earlier this week with the news that a male former employee, Lil Rod (born Rodney Jones), filed a $30 million lawsuit against the Hip-Hop mogul. The suit, filed in federal court, accuses Diddy of sexual harassment and assault.
In addition, Lil Rod claimed he was forced to watch a video of Stevie J. having sex with another man. He said Diddy did this “to ease Mr. Jones’ anxiety concerning sexuality,” and provided a screencap of the alleged video in his complaint.
However, he also alleged that Diddy said “he had engaged in sexual intercourse” with a rapper and R&B singer as well as Stevie J.
While the artists’ names were redacted the footnotes indicate that they are both male. The rapper hails from Philadelphia and used to date Nicki Minaj, while the singer “performed at the Superbowl and had a successful Vegas residency.”
People put the clues together, and by Tuesday evening (February 27) Meek Mill was Trending No. 2 on X. Users speculated he was the rapper named in the lawsuit, while Usher was suspected to be the R&B singer.
Meek Mill was making all them horrible tweets to distract n#####
Meanwhile, Stevie J. branded the lawsuit “bogus” and insisted he is not the man in the screencap in the lawsuit. Furthermore, an adult film star came forward claiming he was the man in the video and not the Stevie J.
Diddy has also vehemently denied the allegations. “We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies,” his lawyer, Shawn Holley, stated.
Dallas-born and raised artist Tago (@yung_tago), born Aaron Tago, is making waves with the release of his latest track “D.A.M.N.,” out now. Tago’s unique sound, a blend of 90’s nostalgia, Hip-Hop, and a touch of Neo Soul, sets him apart in the music scene, and “D.A.M.N.” is a powerful expression of determination and motivation.
“D.A.M.N.,” an acronym for “Determined and Motivated N**ga,” is a record born out of the struggles and challenges that Tago faced on his journey to success. The release is a raw and authentic exploration of the trials and tribulations that shaped Tago’s career, reflecting the hard work and determination that paved the way for his current position.
Tago, whose artist name is a reflection of his real last name, has deep roots in the city of Dallas, where he is currently based. Drawing inspiration from legendary figures such as Hov, Outkast, Pharrell, Ye, and Dre, Tago infuses his music with a poetic storytelling style that masks real-life stories of tragedy and suffering behind layers of sarcasm and happiness.
Expressing his passion for music, Tago says, “Music speaks to the soul and makes you want to move and dance.” He draws inspiration from everything around him, and his music is a testament to his ability to find beauty in life’s challenges. “D.A.M.N.” is not just an album; it’s a reflection of resilience, perseverance, and the indomitable spirit of an artist on the rise. Get ready to experience the raw and unfiltered storytelling of Tago as he takes you on a journey through his world.
Follow Tago on social media to stay updated on his musical journey:
The mother of NBA YoungBoy’s offspring isn’t being held against he will—despite previous claims. In case you missed it, Arcola, the mother of NBA YoungBoy’s son Kaell, led her Instagram followers on a wild goose chase over the weekend. It all started after Arcola posted a video on her Instagram Story claiming she was locked inside the trunk of a vehicle and directing her followers to call her mother in the frantic clip.
“Oh my God, you guys save me,” Arcola said in part. “I am locked inside a trunk. Help me! I just got kidnapped. It’s too hot in here. I can’t breathe. I cannot breathe! I don’t know where they’re going, I just know I woke up in this fu##ing trunk and my phone was in my fu##ing pocket.”
Despite Arcola’s convincing distress call, she went on to claim the entire situation was a hoax in an odd and unexpected twist. In fact, she called it a “prank” and compared it to the false missing persons controversy caused by Carlee Russell last year.
“That Carlee, or Carlae, whatever her name is, that type of s##t,” she said. “I never called the police, that’s the difference. I never got on Live and said ‘Call the police,’ I said ‘Call my mom.’ I seen the green latch. If I was really kidnapped, I would’ve pulled that motherf###er.”
Rap star Ja Rule took to Instagram to lament a major setback in his career – being denied entry into the UK. And, of course, his lifelong enemy, 50 Cent, immediately had something to say about it, labeling the murderer and grabber a “b####.”
Last month, Ja Rule announced he was one of the headliners on the “Sunrise” tour with Keri Hilson, Lloyd and Mya. The rapper was supposed to perform his first international date in Cardiff, UK on March 1.
However, the rapper has been denied entry into the United Kingdom after months of planning. The unexpected news “devastated” Ja Rule.
“I can’t believe the UK won’t let me in I’ve spent a half a million dollars in production of my own money to put this tour together only to be denied and treat DAYS before my shows this is not fair to me or my fans these venues are 85% sold OUT and now I can’t come,” Ja Rule wrote on Instagram.
“The UK is one of the few European countries that restricts entry to people with criminal records. In general, you will likely be denied entry if you have been convicted of a crime punishable by 23 months or more under British law or served more than 12 months in prison,” he captioned in another post.
Ja Rule did serve time in prison., in fact, he was sent to the slammer for 28 months for gun possesion and tax evasion for failing to pay on more than $3 million dollars of money he made in 2004 and 2006.
As a result of his denial of entry into the UK, shows on March 6 (New Castle Upon Tyne), March 13 (Dublin Ireland,) and Glasgow (March 17) have been postponed.
50 Cent got wind of the news and reposted Ja Rule’s original post. First Fif claimed he didn’t have anything to do with the tour being canceled after reports claimed Ja Rule’s fans were blaming him.
However, in a follow-up post 50 Cent took credit for having the shows canceled.
“LMAO I got juice all over the place sucker!,” said 50 Cent, who recently returned home from his successful tour of Europe, implying he was responsible for Ja Rule’s international drama.
Believe it or not, GloRilla has extended family outside of her hometown of Memphis, particularly in the state of Pennsylvania. During a recent interview, Big Glo revealed that she’s related to none other than Lil Uzi Vert in real life. While discussing her fellow Leo zodiac sign artists she would collaborate with, including Chief Keef, Soulja Boy and Lil Pump, GloRilla exclaimed, “That’s my real cousin,” when questioned if she would work with him.
Glo continued, remarking on their process to keep it in the family, even though they haven’t gotten the chance to kick it like cousins do in the studio yet.
“We actually working on it,” she said. “We gon’ get it together. We never started on a song, we gotta get it together. That’s my cousin, though.”
The “Yeah Glo!” lyricist went on to reveal that Cheif Keef is her favorite artist, she and Soulja share the same birthday and that she once fantasized about being his “Soulja Girl.”
Check out the full interview below, GloRilla starts talking about Uzi around the three minute mark.
Ray Daniels, a well-respected music executive who’s been in the industry for over two decades, is stepping into the podcast space. As the founder of R.A.Y.D.A.R Management LLC, Daniels has aided the careers of Beyoncé, Ciara, Rihanna, Usher, Future, Miley Cyrus, Adam Levine, Chloe Bailey, Latto, Saweetie and many more. His other titles include A&R, consultant and broker, negotiating publishing and artist deals such as YouTube sensation NLE Choppa. Now, Daniels is pushing his new podcast, The GAUDS Show.
It isn’t the average music-based show. Instead, it’s hosted by someone with years of insight and knowledge, especially when it comes to the label system in Atlanta. In a little over a year since its launch, the show has accumulated more than 10 million monthly views, with high profile guests such as Joe Budden, Dame Dash and Master P.
The GAUDS Show, which stands for “G.O.A.T.s and Underdogs,” includes Daniels’ perspective on both. While he sees himself as a G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time), he wakes up everyday feeling like an underdog, which only fuels his hustle.
AllHipHop spoke with Ray Daniels virtually to discuss his new show, the meaning behind it, juggling both careers, managing Theron Thomas and more.
AllHipHop: How’s Atlanta treating you?
Ray Daniels: It’s good.I just got back from the Grammys. I love it here. I’m a very well-known figure here, so it feels like home. I love it here. Everywhere I go, I get treated with love. So I love it. [laughs]
AllHipHop: Congrats on your new show, The GAUDS Show. What does it stand for?
Ray Daniels: GAUDS is an acronym for G.O.A.T.s and Underdogs. My thought process was a lot of people out here see themselves as G.O.A.T.s, a lot of people see themselves as underdogs. But you don’t get to G.O.A.T. status unless you have that underdog mentality. That’s how you become the G.O.A.T. It was a great way of bringing the world together.
AllHipHop: When did you first come up with that concept?
Ray Daniels: I was on the phone with a friend of mine. She said, “Man, some people out here are G.O.A.T.s. Some people are underdogs.” My podcast was originally going to be called Black Gold. Then I was like, “Nahhh.” G.O.A.T.s and Underdogs, that’s something. That could be a conversation starter.
I thought I wanted to be Stephen A. Smith, that was my goal. I’m a Sportscenter, ESPN fanatic. You end your night with sports, then you wake up the next morning, they talk about it for four hours straight and we never get tired of them finding angles. Man, maybe I could do that for the music? So the objective was to do The GAUDS show where we talked about GOATs and underdogs, Top 5’s. That was originally the plan, but it turned it into whatever it wanted to turn into. I loved it because it was organic.
AllHipHop: Would you consider yourself a G.O.A.T. or an underdog?
Ray Daniels: I think I’m a GOAT. I’d consider myself a G.O.A.T. but based on where I started and where I’m at. It has nothing to do with how the world sees me, it has everything to do with how I see myself. I consciously saw myself on a path to a world that I didn’t want to be in, and I made a decision when no one thought it was smart. And here I am. Because of that, I’m a G.O.A.T.
But I wake up every day and I hustle like an underdog. That’s why it’s Monday at 6 p.m. and I’m in the office like, “Let’s go.” There’s nobody here at the office but me. I want to be the first one here, the last one to leave. I want that to be how I see myself. I’m committed to this.
AllHipHop: The show has been getting a huge response. What would you attribute that to?
Ray Daniels: Most of the time, if a guy like me does what I do, that usually means that I’m done. I’m out the game. Why it works is because I’m the first hybrid player in music. Joe Budden is probably the closest because he was a rapper while he was a podcaster, but the podcaster was working much better for him. That’s probably why he chased that one down, obviously.
For me, the reason why the show’s working is because I’m speaking about a game that I’m currently participating in, at a very high level. It’s not like I’m like talking about something after: Hey, this is how it used to be. No, I’m saying that’s how it used to be and that’s how it is now. Because I’m on the frontline dealing with. I think that’s why it’s working.
AllHipHop: Who’s been your favorite guest?
Ray Daniels: That’s a great question. My favorite interviews is artist spotlight. All of the guests that I’ve interviewed on artist spotlight has meant something to me. I don’t really want to ask people their business. You do this, we don’t gossip in our world. It’s a very hard line to ride while speaking on something, without coming off like gossip. My goal is to come off with an authentic voice, ask me questions that regular people would asking me and I’m going to answer it. And if it’s good, I’ll put it up. That’s how I started.
I didn’t launch the podcast till the end of August 2022. I started putting content up March 2022. From March to August, everywhere I went, people said, “Congratulations on the podcast. Oh my God, I love it.” That’s how I knew people was full of s###, because there’s no podcast. It’s just me talking on the internet and on my Instagram, that’s the only place it is. It’s not on YouTube nowhere. I’m like okay, let me just start one. At least build a business, and that’s what I’ve been at.
AllHipHop: How are you liking this podcast space?
Ray Daniels: Well, I didn’t like it at first. Because my reason for doing it was to get a job. It wasn’t to make money doing podcasts; that wasn’t my goal. It was the job. But, I found people really responding to what we were sharing and then the purpose evolved. I wound up getting fans, getting people that f### with me and everyone started to take notice. I wanted to do one thing and did a whole nother thing, I’m excited it worked out that way. This is not nothing but God’s plan. Because I don’t even know how I got here. And it’s called The GAUDS Show.
AllHipHop: You speak a lot about the music industry. Where do you think the music industry is missing the mark right now?
Ray Daniels: I speak a lot about it. I was very fascinated with this business. My only goal was to give it as much as it gave me. That’s really my goal. I wasn’t supposed to be nobody. For me, this business saved me. My only goal was to make it feel like I appreciated it. God sent you a blessing. The way you acknowledged that blessing is by doing good by it, so that was my only goal. Let me do good by this music business that people are telling me I should be in, and I wanted to learn it. I didn’t want to be in it, I wanted to learn it.
You’re a journalist. You understand you want to be the guy that does it, but doesn’t understand nothing about it. How do you make it better if you don’t understand how it works? How do you make it better if you don’t understand what it is? You have to, and that’s all I did. I dived in. What I realized was no one else was diving in. Everybody else was happy making money, living. They was happy, we’re in the 12th grade now. It’s up! Man, I want to go to college. I don’t want to leave school. That’s what happened.
I’d be in the room speaking, it hit me that no one knew the answer. They’ll ask questions like, “What’s wrong with this?” I knew the answer immediately, and no one knew it. The biggest curse about this business is they don’t put the right people in position. They put the people that make them feel the rightest in position. When you start understanding that this business doesn’t help people who want to do right by it, it really is there to maintain.
I thought it was a vessel for all of us to get to our dreams, but there are some people who treat it like “s###, I like being a gatekeeper for this s### and making money off other people’s dreams.” I didn’t want to be that guy, so that’s how I got here. I learned it. I didn’t cheat it. I’m not going to b#######. I’m not going to do it dirty. I’m going to do it right by the opportunity that’s placed in front of me. I’m a testament that if you do right, good things happen.
AllHipHop: How do you balance your role as a manager and music executive and your role as a podcast host?
Ray Daniels: I only film on Wednesdays. I don’t handle no business for the podcast. None. I can’t afford it. I can’t have the podcast and run my company. It’s impossible. I only film on Wednesdays, and I film everybody at the same time. I’ll come with a change of clothes. My content team, I pay full time. So that’s another thing I did. I know the mistake most artists make. They come into this game, for lack of better words: they bust their nut all in one day, then they try to figure out how to get some more energy. They’re like “man, I busted it!”
For me, I didn’t want to be that guy. I didn’t want to bust my nut in one day. I wanted to learn what I was doing, how to do it right. How to honor the position, and that’s where I’ve been at. I wouldn’t want no one who works for me, start a new hobby and that takes up half the time. I give the podcast 20% of my time, but it’s authentically me. That’s how it works.
I didn’t want to cheat, and that’s honestly what my goal is. I didn’t want to cheat the game. You’ve been doing this, you know how this s### is. People that say “man, he only got paid because he was such and such a little person. He only got there because that guy put him in position.” I never wanted to be that guy. I wanted to be the guy that got there, and everybody around said “he deserved it.” Because if they thought I deserved it, they’d probably bring opportunities to me because they’re like “you deserve to be here, and I know you’re right for the job.”
Compared to where we are now where we’re giving opportunities to these people, and the business is suffering because all these guys are doing is hiring their friends. Who makes them comfortable, and that might not be the best person for the job. But I also understand their perspective because if I’ma hire somebody, I’ma hire someone who’s going to come in and protect me. I’m not going to hire nobody who’s going to come in here and try to take my job.
So I understand that perspective, but it has to be a give take. It has to be “well then let me find the best person for the job that I also trust.” It can’t be “I trust this person 100%, so they get the job.” And that’s the problem with the business. There’s no thought leaders. Everybody’s a crew of people that’s looking out for each other, giving each other information. F### that, I want to be a leader. I am a leader. I want to do right.
AllHipHop: I interviewed Theron Thomas recently. He just won Songwriter of the Year. How’d that feel?
Ray Daniels: I could take you to it, because it was the greatest moment of my career and his. Theron and I, we don’t really chase accolades. We didn’t really chase Grammys, we didn’t chase nothing. Because we couldn’t chase anything that we couldn’t control. Imagine going to the Grammys and losing like, “damn, maybe next year.” No, I want to know how to win. Theron is a very deserving person of the opportunity, but the reason why he’s so deserving is because he never cheated the process.
When he was a hit songwriter, instead of saying “I’m a hit songwriter, I’ma do it my way.” He said, “I want to learn this.” And he did. He became a great songwriter, and he was rewarded with the greatest reward you can give anybody that does what he does. To me, that was a testament that God is real. If you honor your part, and don’t worry about the outcome, you got a real good chance at getting everything you dreamt of.
AllHipHop: How early did you find him?
Ray Daniels: I’ve known Theron since I was an intern. We’ve been friends for 20 years. I’ve been managing him for 18. He was working at Party City, that’s when I started managing him. It was funny because when you’re broke and starting out, you don’t have time to sugarcoat things. So when we discussed a potential team up the timing way before we originally started working, it wasn’t right and Theron was very focused on his work as a performing artist (we were both dead broke) and I had to cut to the chase and said, “I ain’t gon’ lie man, you and your brother’s music sucks.” [Theron randomly calls] however, I loved him and he was beyond gifted as a writer and when he explored that avenue – we made it work and the rest was history.
I never knew a guy that deserved it more than he deserved it. I never knew anyone that worked as hard and took as much s###, and was so happy being Batman to everyone’s Robin. My only thing I wanted was for him to be his own Batman, but he said “Ray, I’ma do it the way I do it. I’m just glad that the game received me,” because they didn’t always receive him the way he deserved to be. And that’s the honest truth.
AllHipHop: What else can we expect from you? Anything you’re excited for with the show?
Ray Daniels: What you can expect is to see more content that could be edu-taining. My goal is to help people that look like me, help people that look like you, help people who are not the favorites when they walk in the room in America. That gotta prove they’re not. They gotta prove that there’s something more before they can even get anything else.
To me, that’s my goal. Expect more breaking up the system. That’s what I want to do. I want to break the system and put it back together again. I want to Humpty Dumpty this s###, put it back together again the right way. With the right people in power, doing the right job. That’s why I call myself the Culture Referee.
Casanova’s known associate and ring leader of the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation Bloods Gang (Gorilla Stone) has been sentenced in connection to a RICO case and murder.
On Thursday (February 22), Brandon Soto—also known as Stacks—was sentenced to 35 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern for charges that include racketeering, transferring a firearm to a juvenile and conspiracy to commit arson in his role leading Gorilla Stone. According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, Soto’s case is rooted in his conviction for “participation in the racketeering conspiracy” of planning a teenage Gorilla Stone member to murder a rival gang member.
In September 2020, SOTO drove the juvenile shooter to a location and provided him with the gun he used to commit the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Jalani Jones. Investigators recovered messages from Soto’s Instagram account and cellphones, which detailed his involvement in planning the murder.
In a statement on Soto’s conviction, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams described the crime as a “horrific act” committed amongst the public.
“Brandon Soto used his leadership role in the violent Gorilla Stone gang to direct a teenager to kill a 15-year-old boy, who was riding his bike down the street. This horrific act of violence was committed in broad daylight as small children looked on just feet away.
“Today’s sentence holds Soto accountable for the senseless murder of Jalani Jones, as well as for his yearslong participation in the wide range of crimes committed by the Gorilla Stone gang. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively prosecute those who engage in such violence in our communities.”
In December 2020, Soto was among the 18 individuals who were charged in in the sweeping indictment against Gorilla Stone. In June 2021, Soto was was facing the death penalty for the charges he was eventually convicted on.
Kanye West ran into more trouble for sampling an artist’s work without proper clearance. According to court documents obtained by AllHipHop, Donna Summer’s estate filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Ye and Ty Dolla $ign on Tuesday (February 27).
Ye and Ty Dolla $ign sampled Summer’s “I Feel Love” for their song “Good (Don’t Die),” which appeared on the Vultures 1album. Ye asked permission to sample Summer’s classic track, but the estate rejected his request. He used it anyway.
“Defendants Kanye Omari West a/k/a Ye [and] Tyrone William Griffin, Jr. p/k/a Ty Dolla $ign requested permission from Summer’s estate to sample, i.e., use parts of the song ‘I Feel Love’ and permission was explicitly denied,” the estate’s lawyers wrote. “Despite this denial, Defendants shamelessly used instantly recognizable portions of Summer’s song, ‘I Feel Love,’ on their recently released collaborative album Vultures 1, and in recorded live concerts.”
Like Ozzy Osbourne, Summer’s estate refused to clear the sample due to Ye’s antisemitism and other offensive remarks. The estate raised concerns over the “potential degradation to Summer’s legacy” if it approved the sample.
“Summer’s estate, however, wanted no association with West’s controversial history and specifically rejected West’s proposed use of Summer’s ‘I Feel Love,’” the estate’s attorneys explained. “In the face of this rejection, Defendants arrogantly and unilaterally decided they would simply steal ‘I Feel Love’ and use it without permission.”
They continued, “In their song ‘Good (Don’t Die),’ Defendants re-recorded almost verbatim the key, memorable portions of Summer’s iconic song, used it as the hook for their own song, and released it to the public knowing they had tried and failed to secure legal permission from its rightful owners and had no legal right to do so. Defendants’ actions constitute willful copyright infringement and entitles Summer’s estate to recover compensatory damages, maximum statutory damages, attorneys’ fees and disgorgement of any profits earned by West and his Co-Defendants.”
Summer’s estate sought at least $150,000 for each act of infringement. “Good (Don’t Die)” was removed from streaming platforms following Vultures 1’s release.
The two men accused of killing Jam Master Jay—Karl Jordan Jr. and Ronald Washington—were reportedly found guilty on all counts for the 2002 murder of the Run-DMC legend. According toABC News, both defendants are facing a minimum of 20 years to life in prison. The death penalty is also on the table per the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
Jam Master Jay was shot and killed inside of his Jamaica, Queens recording studio on October 30, 2002. The two people who were within feet of JMJ when he was shot in the head provided tearful testimonies during the hearing. A second shooting victim, Tony Rincon, testified that Jordan “walked directly to Jay, kind of gave him half a handshake and at the same time.” That’s when he said he heard a couple of shots and saw Jay fall to the ground.
It would be nearly 20 years before any arrests would be made in one of Hip-Hop’s most infamous unsolved murder cases. Although investigators have long suspected Washington and Jordan of carrying out the murder, they weren’t indicted until 2020. The trial, delayed by the pandemic, finally began on January 29. Prosecutors claimed that Jay was murdered by Jordan and Washington because he was allegedly going to cut them out of a lucrative cocaine distribution deal—approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine acquired from a narcotics supplier based in the Midwest.
The verdict comes as somewhat of a surprise considering there was a snag in the deliberations earlier this week. Juror No. 12 believed he was too connected to the Hollis, Queens neighborhood where Jam Master Jay was murdered. The juror said he frequented a barbershop referenced in testimony during the trial. The juror reportedly mentioned he “passed through Hollis many times” in a jury questionnaire, but he was still selected to serve on the jury. Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall excused the juror on Monday. One of the four alternate jurors replaced Juror No. 12.
Former Beastie Boys turntablist DJ Hurricane, who was close to Jam Master Jay and attended the trial on a couple of occasions, is relieved to finally have some closure, although he admitted it’s still a bittersweet day.
“Nobody wins in this situation,” he told AllHipHop. “My first thought when I heard the verdict was, ‘I wish his mother, brother and sister were still alive to see this.’ I know the death of Jason contributed to their health and demise. There are a lot of different emotions going through my head, and I’m still not understanding why they would kill Jason. He wasn’t a threat in any way.”
DJ Hurricane also pointed out Jam Master Jay never sold drugs as a kid and may have just been trying to help out the wrong people.
“Jay never sold drugs growing up,” he said. “Jay grew up with a big smile on his face. I was the one with the mean face. It was hard to be my friend, but it was easy to be his. From listening to the evidence, he had the connect and plugged someone else in, and the other guys were trying to get in, and he was like, ‘No.’ So they killed him. But he was never a threat to anybody. So much was taken from him for no reason at all. He didn’t get to see his grandson, he didn’t get to see his sons grow up to be men and he didn’t get to see his group get inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It’s just sad.”
Def Jam Recordings’ first publicist and longtime journalist Bill Adler, who wrote Tougher Than Leather: The Authorized Biography of Run-DMC in 1987, added, “I’m happy that this has been resolved. It’s been terribly frustrating to have had to wait 22 years for it to be resolved, but I’m glad I lived to see its resolution. As pleased as I am about it, it does not bring back Jay. Jay lived a double life when he was dealing drugs. Some folks close to him knew about it, lots of folks very close to him didn’t know anything. Jay did this on the DL.
“The most horrific part of it is the guys who committed the murder were his life-long friends. Little D [Karl Jordan] was somebody who grew up right across the street from Jay in Hollis. [The media] described him as Jay’s godson, but I don’t think that’s true. In any case, he’s a kid right in the neighborhood. The idea that these guys would conspire to kill Jay despite their lengthy friendship is just unspeakable to me.”
Fat Joe faced backlash after he obtained a pair of Donald Trump’s “Never Surrender” sneakers. The Terror Squad leader tried to justify acquiring the Trump-branded shoes on Instagram Live.
“Me as a sneaker collector, I had to get my hands on the Trumps,” Fat Joe said. “Doesn’t matter … Listen, I have thousands and thousands and thousands [of] pairs of sneakers. When everybody flipped on Kanye, I went and bought the two most exclusive Kanyes ever.”
Fat Joe insisted he was not a Trump supporter despite owning the gold sneakers. The veteran rapper claimed he only wanted the shoes because they were a collector’s item.
“Once again, I’m not a Trumper,” he said. “I dislike Trump. I’m not voting for him. Not now, not never. But I’m a sneaker collector to the art, so I had to find these [shoes]. Now the mayor’s gonna call me. Everybody’s gonna call me and say, ‘You wilding out Joe’ … I’m a sneaker collector. I don’t know what none of these guys did. I collect sneakers. The rarer, the better.”
Fat Joe denied buying the sneakers. He hinted at receiving a free pair due to his well-known status as a sneaker collector.
“No, I didn’t pay for the sneakers,” he said. “Sorry, I didn’t pay for these sneakers. They knew I had to have them ‘cause I’m the biggest in the game.”
Trump launched his “Never Surrender” sneakers at Sneaker Con in Philadelphia on February 17. The shoes quickly sold out on his new website GetTrumpSneakers.com. The gold sneakers were priced at $399.
Only 1,000 pairs of Trump’s gold sneakers were released. The shoes were limited to three pairs per customer. Two other styles of sneakers remained available for purchase on Trump’s shoe-centric website. The former president also sold Trump-branded cologne and perfume on the website.
