Drake is taking a break from music to prioritize his health.
The “Hotline Bling” rapper appeared on the “Table for One show” on Sirius XM’s Sound 42 and revealed that he is taking a step back from music following the release of his new album For All the Dogs.
“I probably won’t make music for a little bit, I’m going to be real with you,” Drake. “I need to focus on my health, first and foremost. I’ll talk about that soon enough. Nothing crazy, but I want people to be healthy in life.”
The 36-year-old didn’t divulge details about his health issues, however, he shared that he needed to address some problems with his stomach.
“I’ve been having the craziest problems, for years, with my stomach,” he continued. “So, I need to focus on my health, and I need to get right. I have a lot of other things that I would love to focus on. So, I’m going to lock the door on the studio for a little bit.”
Drake didn’t know exactly how long his break would be but estimated “maybe a year or so, maybe a little longer.”.
Drake has been on a prolific music spree of late, with him releasing four albums since 2021.
For All the Dogs, which was released on Friday after several delays, follows 2021’s Certified Lover Boy, 2022’s Honestly, Nevermind, and Her Loss, his 2022 joint album with 21 Savage.
The rappers’ joint “It’s All A Blur Tour” concludes in Columbus, Ohio on Monday night (October 9.”
Drake released his long delayed eighth studio album, For All the Dogs, on Friday morning (October 6). It’s a typical Drake record—a few tracks too long, monster features from the likes of J. Cole, 21 Savage, SZA and Bad Bunny and lots of verses about how rich he is. But despite the formulaic nature of the project, his fans are ravenously eating it up.
According to HITS Daily Double, the sales projections for the album are huge. It’s currently expected to move anywhere between 400,000 and 450,000 total album-equivalent units in its first week, another win for Republic Records and OVO Sound. Even with the late release, the number is holding steady.
“He rappin’ for the children,” Budden said on the latest episode of The Joe Budden Podcast. “Yo dog, I had to look up how old this n###a was when I finished listening to the album. You are 36 [years old]. Your birthday is in 20 days. I Googled that, too. You’re going to be 37 years old. Get the f##k away from some of these younger n###as. I want to hear adult Drake rapping for adult people. He’s rapping for the kids, the streams, the accolades. He ain’t trying to rap for me. I can accept that.”
Drake replied in part, “@joebudden you have failed at music. You left it behind to do what you are doing in this clip cause this is what actually pays your bills. For any artist watching this just remember you are watching a failure give their opinion on his idea of a recipe for success…a quitter give their opinion on how to achieve longevity.
“you switched careers cause the things that pop into your brain had you broke living cheque to cheque and the raps you write had 450 men showing up to your shows in dusty Enyce jeans to screw up their face to Mood Muzik 29 and pretend you are the goat. pls to any artist that’s doing what they feel is right don’t let these opinions affect your mindset after the fact…this guy is the poster child of frustration and surrendering.”
Budden replied by essentially telling Drake to grow up.
The tension between Drake and Joe Budden was palpable Saturday (October 7) after the two verbally sparred on social media. Drake was evidently bothered by Budden’s recent comments about the OVO Sound founder’s eighth studio album, For All the Dogs, and chose to fire back. In a lengthy Instagram comment, Drake basically called Budden a “failure” and Budden replied by telling Drake to grow up.
Of course, Birdman is team Drake all day. Taking to his Instagram Stories, the Cash Money Records founder defended Drake, telling Budden, “Calm down brother you not built 4this real gangsta s###. @champagnepapi [GOAT].” He also addressed Charlamagne Tha God—who’d been beefing with Drake for weeks leading up to the album release—saying, “I think you mean good and I respek you even though we had our difference but I respek you @cthagod but respek @champagnepapi @cashmoneyofficial.”
Akademiks, Joe budden & charlamagne have come for Nicki Minaj yet birdman only support Drake when the same folks came for him I told y’all they don’t f### w shorty pic.twitter.com/KBNDzIUhTJ
Earlier this week, a video surfaced on social media of Budden critiquing For All the Dogs album on the latest episode of The Joe Budden Podcast. As part of his diatribe, Budden took issue with Drake name-dropping young people like popular Twitch streamer Kai Cenat and suggested he should surround himself with people his own age.
“He rappin’ for the children,” he said. “Yo dog, I had to look up how old this n###a was when I finished listening to the album. You are 36 [years old]. Your birthday is in 20 days. I Googled that, too. You’re going to be 37 years old. Get the f##k away from some of these younger n###as. I want to hear adult Drake rapping for adult people. He’s rapping for the kids, the streams, the accolades. He ain’t trying to rap for me. I can accept that.”
Joe Budden GOES IN on Drake’s For All The Dogs album 😂
“I don’t give a f### about you & Kai Cenat”
“This is like Yachty rapping… I want to hear adult Drake rapping for adult people”
In response to an Instagram post containing the clip, Drake eviscerated Budden, writing, “@joebudden you have failed at music. You left it behind to do what you are doing in this clip cause this is what actually pays your bills. For any artist watching this just remember you are watching a failure give their opinion on his idea of a recipe for success…a quitter give their opinion on how to achieve longevity…you switched careers cause the things that pop into your brain had you broke living cheque to cheque and the raps you write had 450 men showing up to your shows in dusty Enyce jeans to screw up their face to Mood Muzik 29 and pretend you are the goat.
“pls to any artist that’s doing what they feel is right don’t let these opinions affect your mindset after the fact…this guy is the poster child of frustration and surrendering. You retired and we never hung up your jersey we don’t even remember your number. We know you for doing this…you withdrew from rap not cause you accomplished all you need to it’s cause it wasn’t working for you.”
He continued, “I never want anybody in the generations to think that the whole ‘everybody’s entitled to their opinion’ is a real thing…this is a man projecting his own self hate and the fact I did and continue to do everything he wanted to do for himself. If you need it put in simpler terms I own a 767…he owns a modest house in the 973 and flies first class on special occasions.”
Cardi B was “so shy” when she first met Megan Thee Stallion. During an interview with Billboard, the 28-year-old divulged details about her relationship with her friend and collaborator, Cardi B.
“Friendship-wise, she’s just so real,” Megan Thee Stallion said of Cardi. “When I first met her, she was so shy! Anybody’ll probably see her online and they think her personality gonna be one way, no, it’s so opposite.”
The “Savage” rapper continued, “But like as we got more (close as) friends – you know people start off shy and then they get like, ‘Oh, yeah, this the real you?’ – I feel like I definitely get to see the real her.”
Megan noted that what she likes most about the “Bodak Yellow” hitmaker is her kindness.
“She’s just so nice, and she’s really a kind person. That’s what I really like about her. And she just raw,” she shared. “First thing that come to that lady brain, she gon’ say it! And I like that. I respect people like that. She’s definitely a ‘take it how you wanna take it’ type of person.”
The two performers collaborated back in 2020 with their hit song “WAP.” The track received multiple award nominations, including the MTV Video Music Award for the Song of Summer.
Most recently, the pair worked together on their new song “Bongos.” They first performed the hit at this year’s MTV VMAs in September.
Drake got brutally honest about his feelings toward Joe Budden following the release of For All the Dogs. After catching wind of Budden’s criticism of the album, the OVO Sound boss went in on the former Slaughterhouse MC, essentially labeling him a loser.
“@joebudden you have failed at music,” Drake wrote under a clip of Budden’s video commentary. “You left it behind to do what you are doing in this clip cause this is what actually pays your billsFor any artist watching this just remember you are watching a failure give their opinion on his idea of a recipe for success…a quitter give their opinion on how to achieve longevity…you switched careers cause the things that pop into your brain had you broke living cheque to cheque and the raps you write had 450 men showing up to your shows in dusty Enyce jeans to screw up their face to Mood Muzik 29 and pretend you are the goat.
“pls to any artist that’s doing what they feel is right don’t let these opinions affect your mindset after the fact…this guy is the poster child of frustration and surrendering. You retired and we never hung up your jersey we don’t even remember your number. We know you for doing this…you withdrew from rap not cause you accomplished all you need to it’s cause it wasn’t working for you.”
He continued, “I never want anybody in the generations to think that the whole ‘everybody’s entitled to their opinion’ is a real thing…this is a man projecting his own self hate and the fact I did and continue to do everything he wanted to do for himself. If you need it put in simpler terms I own a 767…he owns a modest house in the 973 and flies first class on special occasions.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CyHRkjKrmN9/?hl=en
Of course, Joe Budden being Joe Budden, it didn’t take long for him to reply. He wrote, “You’ll grow up sooner than later. Father time is undefeated.”
Joe Budden has a knack for enflaming rappers and their fans with his opinions on their music. More recently, Budden laid into Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s collaboration “Bongos,” which arrived on September 8.
This record don’t seem like it has lasting power,” the podcaster said. “It’s that hard-ass beat, the hook is not hooking for me, there’s nothing in it to make it stay, one, and two, I know y’all think Sexyy Red is paying me she’s not, but this commercialized ratchet has passed. It’s ghetto ratchet time. Neither one of them are ghetto ratchet on this song. I think they both have potential to be, and Cardi normally smokes ghetto ratchet, but she’s too big.”
He added, “And neither one of them are ghetto ratchet on this song. We need a ‘Bodak Yellow’ now. This sounds like two women who can’t make a song.”
Logic also frequently finds himself in Budden’s crosshairs. Budden lambasted Logic after hearing the 33-year-old rapper’s cover of Ice Cube’s single “It Was a Good Day” in March. Budden pleaded with Logic to retire, saying, “Logic, I beg of you, I’m pleading with you – please join me in retirement. Never step near a recording device again. Throw your phone in the ocean. Be allergic to microphones. Promise your fans nothing. Don’t go to the studio ever again. You are the worst, yo. You are really, really bad. And then when we think he can’t get any worse, you have the bright idea of doing an Ice Cube flip.”
Kanye West’s ex-girlfriend Julia Fox is seemingly accusing the Grammy Award-winning artist of manipulating her in order to anger his ex-wife Kim Kardashian.
During a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times, Fox said she believes West had ulterior motives all along, but that he hid them at first because there was a time she felt she “really understood him on a visceral level.” Fox added, “Though ultimately I’d be helping a precarious situation,” in regard to her companionship with Ye while amid his split with Kim Kardashian.
“But I learned very quickly that I was being weaponized,” Fox continued. “I just felt like his little puppet.”
But why is the actress and model digging up these alleged old wounds now? Fox claims she didn’t sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) during her relationship with West and plans to detail the rise and fall of their romance in her forthcoming memoir, Down the Drain.
“I’m not signing a f–king NDA just on principle—I never have, and I never will,” she confessed before swiftly adding, “unless it’s a professional opportunity, then sure.” It’s somewhat hard to believe that West was solely in the relationship just to get back at Kim Kardashian—but then again, he did beg for her to come back to him during he and Drake’s Larry Hoover benefit concert in front of the free world. He also once bought Fox and five of her friends Birkin bags just because. Ye is truly a Gemini lover!
All in all, at least he and new wife Bianca Censori’s union has been legally recognized and verified so he can continue to move on.
Drake enlisted the help of Lil Baby on Friday night (October 6) after his tourmate, 21 Savage, was denied entry into Canada. The Her Loss collaborators were scheduled to perform at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto as part of the It’s All A Blur Tour, but Canadian officials had other plans. The concert would’ve marked the first time 21 Savage was legally permitted to leave the United States after obtaining his green card. According to TMZ, officials didn’t explain why they didn’t authorize the rapper to enter their country.
21 Savage shocked the rap community in 2019 when he was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. Evidently, Savage wasn’t from Atlanta like he originally claimed. As it turned out, he was born in London, England. ICE spokesman Brian Cox said, 21 Savage—real name Sha Yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph—was taken into custody as part of a “targeted operation.” Cox added he was an “unlawfully present United Kingdom national” who legally entered the States in July 2005 on a visa. However, his visa expired a year later and he’s remained in the U.S. illegally for the past 13 years.
“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested unlawfully present United Kingdom national Sha Yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph AKA ’21 Savage’ during a targeted operation with federal and local law enforcement partners early Sunday in metro Atlanta,” ICE said in a statement at the time. “Mr. Abraham-Joseph was taken into ICE custody as he is unlawfully present in the U.S. and also a convicted felon.
“Mr. Abraham-Joseph initially entered the U.S. legally in July 2005, but subsequently failed to depart under the terms of his nonimmigrant visa and he became unlawfully present in the U.S. when his visa expired in July 2006. In addition to being in violation of federal immigration law, Mr. Abraham-Joseph was convicted on felony drug charges in October 2014 in Fulton County, Georgia.”
Drake revealed 21 Savage has finally received his green card in the For All the Dogs single “8AM in Charlotte.” He raps, “Savage got a green card straight out of the consulate/Where I go, you go, brother, we Yugoslavian.” Savage’s lawyer, Charles Kuck, told The Associated Press in a statement that his client has officially become a permanent U.S. resident and may now go overseas. Subsequently, 21 Savage plans to tour the world. However, this latest hiccup may signal further challenges down the line.
The First Dog of the White House, President Joe Biden’s two-year-old German Shepard, apparently had to be removed from the West Wing.
The pup, Commander, was allegedly the culprit responsible for a string of biting incidents involving staff members and Secret Service agents. According to Secret Service reports, Commander has been confirmed to have bitten at least 12 people—however multiple other sources have indicated that the actual number of victims could vary and be much higher. A report from The Daily Mail alleges that one of the biting incidents was so severe that the victim was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
This is reportedly the second dog under Biden’s care to be removed from the Oval Office during active administration. Rest assured, though, as reports detail that Commander has already been successfully re-homed. Biting 12 different individuals is crazy, to be honest. Anyways, check out more on the story below.
Believe it or not, Frank Ocean is almost an honorary part of Hit-Boy and Nas’ recent Grammy Award-Winning album run.
Thanks to Hip-Hop Twitter, we have been reminded that one of the most elusive vocalists of this generation is partially responsible for Hit-Boy and Nas’ collaborative relationship. In the recent Rap Radar podcast interview the California-bred producer appeared in, he revealed he originally met Nas 10 years ago as a result of a studio session he had with Ocean.
“We met originally in like 2013, I did a demo with Frank Ocean and Frank Ocean played it for Nas,” Hit-Boy recalled. “Me and Frank had a session of our own, we were just working on music and he did a hook he was like ‘yo I’m about to go work with Nas. I wanna play this hook for him.’ He played it and Nas was rocking with it.”
Legend has it that Ocean’s vocals did appear, in part, on a Nas record released during that era, but the original demo is gone for certain—and that’s not even the end of the saga. Hit-Boy went on to reveal that when he and Nas linked again in 2019, it was almost as if they had discovered the importance of locking in with each other.
“‘Imma keep pulling up and rocking with you,’ and he was true to his word,” Hit-Boy said of Nas comments to him after their first session in over six years.
Check out the full details of the thread below.
Today I learned that Hit-Boy actually got connected to Nas through Frank Ocean 😳
Hit-Boy via Rap Radar: “We met originally in like 2013. I did a demo with Frank Ocean and Frank Ocean played it for Nas. Me and Frank had a session of our own, we were just working on music and he… pic.twitter.com/r7ruLtE9kQ
More than 25 years after Tupac Shakur was gunned down at a Las Vegas intersection, Duane “Keefe D” Davis was arrested for his connection to the murder. It was the biggest development in the case since Shakur’s 1996 death.
According to retired Las Vegas Police Department detective Cliff Mogg, who testified before the Clark County grand jury in the case last month, people associated with the murders of both The Notorious B.I.G. and Shakur were involved, noting the “theory was accurate that they were related.” He also claimed there were different assailants in each attack.
Prosecutor Marc DiGiacomo asked per TMZ, “When you say they were related, you’re not saying perpetrated by the same individuals?” Mogg replied, “That’s correct.”
Mogg testified Davis was ultimately arrested due to the myriad interviews over the years in which he talked openly about his alleged involvement in the murder. Mogg theorized he was getting good money to discuss the killing on video.
On Wednesday (October 4), a Nevada judge granted Keefe D’s request to delay his arraignment. Judge Tierra Jones rescheduled the hearing for October 19 after Keefe D said his attorney needed a two-week continuance. Keefe D was arrested for his alleged role in Tupac’s 1996 murder on September 29. Davis was charged with one count of murder with the use of a deadly weapon and with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang.
Authorities claimed Davis “ordered the death” of Shakur and the attempted murder of Suge Knight, who was in the car with him at the time of the shooting. Davis publicly admitted his involvement in the 1996 shooting in interviews and a memoir titled Compton Street Legend.
“Duane Davis was the shot caller for this group of individuals that committed this crime,” Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Jason Johansson said. “And he orchestrated the plan that was carried out.”
Davis is the uncle of Orlando Anderson, who was long considered the prime suspect in Shakur’s murder. Anderson died in a gang-related shooting in 1998. Knight insisted Anderson wasn’t the shooter, but the former Death Row Records CEO refused to identify the gunman. Knight, who’s serving a 28-year prison sentence in an unrelated case, declared he wouldn’t testify against Davis.
Tasha K reportedly took another loss in court this week. According to a tweet from Dennis Byron of the Hip-Hop Enquirer, a judge shot down the YouTube personality’s bankruptcy claims and ordered her to pay Cardi B the $4 million settlement she won in her defamation case.
As Byron wrote, “Breaking! Federal bankruptcy judge has rejected #TashaK bankruptcy claim and has ordered her to pay #CardiB her millions.”
Going live in 5 minutes on instagram via https://t.co/pe7I77eKFw to discuss the significance of this ruling with legal eagle attorney Pam Esq. #TashaK#CardiB
Tasha K filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a Florida court last June. As part of the requirement to file for bankruptcy, she was forced to list some of her assets, which included a Chevrolet Silverado worth $46,000, furniture worth $2,750, clothes totaling $2,500 and $95 in a Chase account. Tasha allegedly owes an unknown amount of debt in back taxes to the IRS and $6,000 to American Express.
Her other debts include an unknown amount of legal fees, $3,000 to Bank of America and $5,000 to Discover Bank. Tasha and her partner, who call themselves content creators, earn about $30,000 a month.
Cardi B filed a lawsuit against Tasha K in 2019 after she said she posted multiple videos making false accusations about her. The court ultimately ruled Tasha was liable for defamation, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Tasha pointed out she doesn’t have money to pay the debt, but Cardi B still wants her to cough it up.
Tasha K filed an appeal after she was ordered to pay but she lost it when the court determined she didn’t provide sufficient evidence to prove how there was an error in the trial.
“Defendant asks for a new trial, saying that there was insufficient evidence for the jury verdict against her,” the appeals court said at the time. “But as she all but admits, she didn’t make either of the required post-verdict motions in the district court. She never tells us where in the 5500-page record the district court’s alleged errors can be found. Because Kebe’s brief falls well short of what we require, she has abandoned this argument.”
Tasha K later apologized to Cardi B after losing her appeal in March, saying, “We lost the appeal against Cardi B sad day. But I’m gonna be alright. I appreciate all your love [and] support. Throughout this fight. Today we throw in the white flag. What happened will never happen again. To Cardi [and] her team, I apologize sincere[ly]. We live and learn.”
Once again, Doja Cat is at the center of controversy. The “Say So” hitmaker faced backlash online after posting an image on Instagram that left some of her followers disturbed.
Doja Cat shared a selfie on her verified Instagram account yesterday (October 6). In the picture, the rapper/singer is wearing a t-shirt with Sam Hyde’s face on it.
Sam Hyde is the co-founder of the Million Dollar Extreme sketch comedy troupe. According to reports, Hyde has openly supported far-right content creators, neo-Nazis, and white nationalists.
Additionally, Sam Hyde became a meme on alt-right-friendly websites like 4chan because internet users purposely misreport him as a suspect during mass shooting investigations.
Doja Cat’s shirt in the IG post features a picture of Sam Hyde holding a firearm. Trolls often use that photo to spread misinformation about the possible shooter following highly publicized gun violence incidents.
Doja Cat Faced Accusations Of Communicating With The Alt-Right In The Past
Back in 2020, #DojaCatIsOverParty became a trending topic on the Twitter platform (now known as X). Critics blasted the RCA Records artist for allegedly interacting with known white supremacists in Tinychat forums.
“I learned that there are racist people who come in and out of the chat. They happen, then they’re banned. The idea that this chat room is a white supremacist chat room – I don’t understand it in any way,” said Doja at the time.
She also added, “I’ve seen it and I know I’ve been targeted by it, and I know that it’s controllable. But the narrative that it’s a white supremacist chat is completely incorrect. It’s absolutely, 100% f###### incorrect.”
This year saw Doja Cat face some negative reactions for embracing demonic themes in her music. Some observers believe that move towards dark imagery in her art may have weakened the fan support for her new Scarlet studio LP.
The Pet Shop Boys and rapper Rye Rye called out Drake for not getting their permission to use their respective works on his For All the Dogs album. The Pet Shop Boys claimed the OVO star interpolated their single “West End Girls” without the duo’s approval. Rye Rye raised concerns over the sampling of her Blaqstarr collaboration “Shake It to the Ground” for the 21 Savage-assisted track “Calling for You.”
“Surprising to hear @Drake singing the chorus of ‘West End girls’ in the track ‘All the Parties’ on his new album,” the Pet Shop Boys wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter). “No credit given or permission requested.”
Rye Rye vented on social media, noting how it wasn’t the first time Drake sampled the Baltimore-bred rapper without giving her credit. He previously used “Shake It to the Ground” for his song “Currents,” which appeared on 2022’s Honestly, Nevermind album.
“REALLY @Drake MY VOCALS AGAIN? & NO CREDIT?” Rye Rye wrote. “I really wanna be flattered but I feel like it’s trolling ATP OMG …one of my fave artists doing this I don’t know how to feel anymore but thank you for reminding me that my 15 year old vocals are still legendary.”
She added, “The producers are using it but he still as the artist has to clear the samples… like they used lil Jon chair squeaking sample illegally but then have him and everybody on that song credit but not me and blaqstarr.”
Drake’s For All the Dogs album dropped on Friday (October 6). He announced plans to temporarily step back from music following the project’s release.
Singer Lexxstasy accused Jackboy of physical and sexual abuse, prompting him to deny her allegations. The Florida-bred rapper claimed his former artist was lying and suggested she was mad at him for not buying her a Birkin bag.
“M############ be faking it,” he said on Instagram Live. “You don’t buy a m########### a Birkin, m########### trying to play the Chrisean role or some s###. They’ll try to Blueface it like try to play the victim out here. You ain’t no m############ victim … Do that with a different type of n####, man.”
Jackboy added, “I try not to speak on too much s### because you know how the law work. It’s whatever. Like a b#### say something against you, you gotta prove your innocence. So, I ain’t fixing to say nothing … The s### is crazy, dog. S### be funny, fam.”
Lexxstasy, who noted she was never in a relationship with Jackboy, said he beat her with a metal broomstick and a Dior belt. She accused him of sexual assault and recalled how he allegedly forced her to have sex with him after physically abusing her.
“N#### would beat the s### out of me, spit on me, made me sit in the shower butt-ass naked with a fan on in a 60 f###### degree house,” she said on Instagram Live. “Yes, inhumane. N#### would make me suck dick or f### him after he beat my ass … Last time before I even go to the hospital, n#### made me suck his dick talking ‘bout some, ‘B#### come here and suck my dick,’ after he beat the s### out of me, almost killed me with a f###### broomstick … Sexual assault, yes. F### is y’all talking ‘bout? This s### not funny. This s### not a joke.”
According to Lexxstasy, Jackboy made her live with him while signed to his label. She said he bit her multiple times, leaving teeth marks on her body.
Last month, Jackboy was arrested for burglary and stalking in Florida. The incident involved Lexxstasy’s residence. He was released on a $5,000 bond.
Drake decided to take a step back from music following the release of his For All the Dogsalbum. The OVO star announced his hiatus on his SiriusXM radio show Table For One, telling fans he needed to address stomach problems he’s been dealing with for years.
“I probably won’t make music for a little bit, I’m gonna be honest,” Drake said. “I got some other things that I need to do for some other people that I made promises to, but I probably won’t make music for a little bit.”
He continued, “I need to focus on my health, first and foremost. And I’ll talk about that soon enough. Nothing crazy, but I want people to be healthy in life. And I’ve been having the craziest problems for years with my stomach … So, I need to focus on my health and I need to get right. And I’ma do that … I don’t even know what ‘a little bit’ is. Maybe a year or something. Maybe a little longer.”
Drake dropped his new album For All the Dogs on Friday (October 6). The 23-track project featured collaborations with J. Cole, 21 Savage, SZA, Bad Bunny, Sexyy Red and more.
Jury selection for YNW Melly’s murder retrial will not begin in Broward County, Florida on Monday (October 9). The 24-year-old rapper must continue to wait while Judge John Murphy sorts out several motions in the case.
Judge Murphy confirmed the delay at a hearing on Friday (October 6). Jury selection cannot move forward until the defense and prosecution settle a legal battle over alleged prosecutorial misconduct.
YNW Melly’s lawyers want the Broward State Attorney’s Office thrown off their client’s double murder case. The defense accused prosecutors of committing felony obstruction of justice.
Defense attorneys claimed prosecutors withheld evidence to “sanitize” the actions of Detective Mark Moretti, the lead investigator in YNW Melly’s case. The defense said prosecutors covered up Detective Moretti’s alleged misconduct to protect him as a witness in the rapper’s first trial.
The prosecution will argue its motion to quash the defense’s subpoenas of prosecutors on Tuesday (October 10). YNW Melly’s legal team planned to call Assistant State Attorney Kristine Bradley as a witness if Judge Murphy allows it.
Judge Murphy will hear arguments for the defense’s motion to dismiss YNW Melly’s murder case on October 13. If the judge does not dismiss the case, more motions will be heard the week of October 16.
YNW Melly, whose real name is Jamell Demons, is accused of killing YNW Juvy and YNW Sakchaser in 2018. The rapper was tried for the murders over the summer, but the proceedings ended in a mistrial. He remains in jail awaiting his retrial.
Six alleged members and associates of Chicago’s O Block gang—Charles Liggins, Kenneth Roberson, Tacarlos Offerd, Christopher Thomas, Marcus Smart and Ralph Turpin—are scheduled to face trial at the Dirksen Federal Building in downtown Chicago on Tuesday (October 10). According to the Chicago Sun-Times, a seventh suspect took their own life.
The trial will highlight the connection between gangs and rap music in Chicago. The prosecution will build their argument extensively on evidence documented in unofficial sources such as blogs, YouTube videos and online forums.
At the root of the case is the idea that the late King Von, the alleged leader of the O Block gang, “placed a hit” on FBG Duck. Chicago Police Department records show two informants affirm this allegation, with one saying, “Duck had a price on his head.”
Police have redacted the name of the person who allegedly placed the bounty, but the informant provided key identifying details like he was the one out buying custom necklaces for O Block members.
Prosecutors noted there’s a video online of King Von flossing as he spent about $128,000 to buy diamond-encrusted O Block pendants from an Atlanta jewelry store.
As previously reported, Chief Keef, Lil Durk and King Von were down with O Block and beefing with another rival Chicago crew, Tookaville Gangster Disciples, believing they’d fatally shot Odee Perry in August 2011.
FBG Duck was down with Tookaville and used his music to diss dead members of O Block (including Perry) in a July 2020 song called “Dead B——.”
“Said I wasn’t gonna diss the dead and OK, I did it,” FBG Duck rapped on the song. Within a month of its release, he was also killed. A year after his death, Lil Durk put out a song titled “Should’ve Ducked,” mocking FBG Duck’s death.
Years later, it seems that Lil Durk has spoken out against his old ways and gang violence, even leading to FBG Duck’s mother to reach out to him on social media to work together to save lives. But still, the prosecution is looking at the music.
“In their songs and accompanying music videos,” a court doc reads, “O-Block members assert their association with O-Block, brag about criminal activities or publicly claim responsibility for acts of violence committed by O-Block, taunt rival gang members, and mock and disparage opposing gang members.”
The first time Russell Simmons saw the “world famous” Eddie Cheba perform at the Harlem club Charles Gallery, it was 1977. That night inspired Simmons to pursue a career in Hip-Hop, and it wouldn’t be long before both Rush Communications and Def Jam Recordings became a reality. Cheba was known as one of the best DJs in the city alongside DJ Hollywood and Luv Bug Starski. He would rap along to the music and get the crowd going, something not every DJ could necessarily do.
But now, Cheba isn’t doing so well. On Thursday (October 5), Simmons shared an Instagram post indicating Eddie Cheba had been hospitalized. AllHipHop.com reached out to the Def Jam co-founder and discovered Cheba had suffered a stroke. But the following day, Cheba’s condition worsened. As Simmons tells us, “Eddie suffered his third stroke. He’s stable but having issues with memory. We are praying for his full recovery.”
He continues, “The original prince of Hip-Hop, Eddie Cheba, suffered a stroke and is in the hospital recovering. We should all pray for this man because we stand on his shoulders. As a hustler or promoter of Hip-Hop culture, getting Eddie Cheba to play your party ensured a huge turnout of people who would not only pay $6.50 to get in but would also drink away the cost of the ballroom rental, which most times was a bar guarantee). There was absolutely no one—except DJ Hollywood—who could sell more tickets and make us more money.
“The only other group who could sell that many tickets, maybe even more, was the great Grandmaster Flash, but his crowd was younger and the ticket prices mostly had to be lower. The bar guarantee was an obstacle because most of the crowd was too young to get in that kind of venue and also, you were very likely to have a shootout at the party. Let’s pray for the great Eddie Cheba.”
Eddie Cheba’s contributions to Hip-Hop culture have been somewhat understated over the years. Even as Hip-Hop celebrates its 50th anniversary, he, DJ Hollywood and Luv Bug Starski are often left out of the conversation. As Chuck D told Wax Poetics in 2020, “Eddie Cheba was as important to Hip-Hop/rap as Ike Turner was to rock and roll. Nowhere does he get his due credit for spreading it from the BX [the Bronx] to [make it more] accessible.”
Needless to say, Simmons understands just how impactful Cheba was and makes it a point to mention it every chance he gets.
“The great Eddie Cheba is in the hospital,” he wrote in his original post. “For all of you reporters, YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS. The absolute facts are as follows: if you couldn’t get DJ Hollywood, you got Cheba. If you couldn’t get Cheba, you got Love Bug Starski (RIP). Again, this is actual facts. If you got all three, the number of tickets would skyrocket and you could also pay the bar guarantee. They were the rap STARS and the biggest money makers and draws.
“As a promoter who worked all the boroughs (except Staten Island), THIS IS THE FACT THE ONLY OTHER DRAW OF THIS MAGNITUDE WAS GRANDMASTER FLASH and he had a younger crowd ALMOST EVERY TIME I BOOKED HIM IT WAS A SHOOT OUT. But he was in their league in terms of tickets sales and celebrity status. If you are writing something else go to the Bronx or Harlem and ask any 65-70 year old. The history is the history misrepresentation of it is criminal. These n###as ain’t even dead and f###ing up the history. RIP Love Bug Starski.”
Brooklyn’s BRIC Media recently hosted its first Town Hall session for the new season: “Dead Rappers Get Better Promotion: The Health Crisis in Hip Hop.”
Held on Thursday (October 5), the panel was moderated by AllHipHop.com writer, Nikki Duncan-Smith. The night jumped off with BRIC (Arts & Media in Brooklyn) President Wes Jackson and New York State Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado, who shared he used to be an MC.
Delgado said the power that he saw in Black people to make change inspired him to “pursue a career in Hip-Hop” before he ever considered running for office.
“Let’s be clear, the power we possess and Hip-Hop has long possessed is nonetheless entangled with the perils of oppressive conditions,” Delgado said. “Just because we got it from the mud doesn’t mean the mud is good.”
He added, “The life expectancy for male rappers and Hip-Hop artists is approximately 30 years old and as you celebrate 50 years of Hip-Hop the unfortunate reality is that several of our pioneering artists aren’t here to celebrate. The number of rappers who never lived to see much more than 50 years is astonishing. The list is simply too long to go through.”
While gun violence and substance abuse are leading causes of death in rap culture, he asked, “What about all the rappers dying young of heart disease, lung disease, cancer, diabetes, strokes, liver or kidney failure? All these are on the Top 10 causes of death among Black men and Hispanic men, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.”
Delgado, however, remains optimistic, “I believe we have reached the point where the culture has the capacity to turn its own power in opposition to the very structural conditions that gave birth to it in the first place and in my mind, this was always Hip-Hop’s destiny or as Nas would say, ‘It was written.’”
As dynamic as the lieutenant governor was, the panelists exceeded any expectations.
The panel included Dr. Olajide Williams (founder of Hip Hop Public Health, neurologist); Keith Nelson, Jr. (senior editor, Men’s Health); Styles P (rapper, entrepreneur); DJ Enuff (DJ, radio personality); Bob Celestin (entertainment attorney); and Ramik Williams, co-executive director of KAVI (Kings Against Violence Initiative).
Dr. Williams noted a child born in the Upper East Side of Manhattan will live 11 years longer than a child born in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Williams added to this statistic by sharing the stress that Black and Brown people endure can change our DNA in a way that opens us up for life-threatening diseases and illnesses. Additionally, 51 percent of rappers’ deaths have been by homicide.
Styles P was shocked because of the many rappers who lost their lives to COVID-19, heart disease and diabetes, among other ailments. However, so many of the deaths recently, have been as a result of gun violence.
Celestin, who was the lawyer for XXXTENTACION and Pop Smoke, explained he’s personally talked to artists about the bold violence in drill music and even their personal health. The entertainment attorney with more than 25 years of experience, also blew people away by saying the responsibility to provide wellness care, healthy life options and insurance lies on the artist and his or her management teams—not the labels. The goal is to teach artists that they are independent contractors and must handle their business—even while they are young—and possibly encourage their lawyers to get some things in their contracts early.
Styles P also dropped knowledge about healthy eating and the power of parents in changing the health culture of the community. He added that if we are to address the issue of violence, particularly in music, we have to check the people at radio stations and labels.
He said the people who are making some of the lowest vibrational music are young people—it’s older adults who put it on the radio for all to consume.
The free event had more than 400 people in attendance and was streamed live on BRIC TV’s YouTube channel.
Jaden Smith has been famous for most of his life. The son of Hollywood power couple Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith has likely had to face the world judging him since he was a child.
Not surprisingly, Jaden Smith still has to deal with other people’s negative comments directed at him. This week, the 25-year-old entertainer/entrepreneur decided to address the critics of his slim body frame.
Jaden uploaded before-and-after photos of himself on X. He captioned the tweet, “Haters Will Post The One On The Left And Ignore The One On The Right. Like 🤮, Damn Can A Man Have His Phases🤷🏾♂️.”
Haters Will Post The One On The Left And Ignore The One On The Right. Like 🤮, Damn Can A Man Have His Phases🤷🏾♂️ pic.twitter.com/kWx2NV44Qn
Moviegoers were first introduced to Jaden Smith as an actor in the 2006 biographical drama The Pursuit of Happyness. Following that Will Smith-led motion picture, Jaden appeared in other films like The Karate Kid and After Earth.
Additionally, Jaden Smith starred in television series such as All of Us, The Get Down and Neo Yokio. The Young Artist Award winner also provided voice acting work for Kid Cudi’s Entergalactic animated television special.
On the music side, Jaden has released three studio albums – Syre, Erys and CTV3: Cool Tape Vol. 3. The latter project was the third installment in a series that includes The Cool Cafe: Cool Tape Vol. 1 and CTV2 mixtapes.
