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JAY-Z’s Ocean Casino Fundraiser Nets $24 Million For Criminal Justice Reform

Jay-Z, Michael Rubin, Meek Mill and the REFORM Alliance held a James Bond-themed party at the Ocean Resort Casino in Atlantic City on September 30 with comedian Kevin Hart acting as its consummate host. The invite-only, black-tie event drew more than 250 VIPs who were interested in supporting the work of REFORM Alliance.

The organization aims to transform the nation’s supervision system for nearly four million people on probation or parole into one that creates pathways to work and wellbeing, rather than a revolving door back to prison. In total, the event raised more than $24 million to support criminal justice reform.

As part of the festivities, guests participated in a blackjack tournament, dinner program and live auction. Attendees included Travis Scott, Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Quavo, Jack Harlow, Fabolous, Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Fat Joe, French Montana, Ne-Yo and Lil Kim, among many others.

The evening’s final blackjack hand was played onstage and culminated with a $1 million amount being awarded to Andrew Goldberg, managing partner of TAO GROUP, who then announced a $750,000 donation from his winnings back to support REFORM Alliance’s work.

The dinner program also included an onstage discussion between Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast host Wallo and Hart. Guests were then able to bid on unique items donated by Tom Brady, George Condo, Rashid Johnson and Jay-Z. Items included an original George Condo painting which sparked a bidding war between Kim Kardashian and Brady, to a historic timepiece owned by Jay-Z. The auction items alone raised $7.8 million. Following the live auction, guests headed into the after-party at Ocean’s Sportsbook, The Gallery, which featured a full D’USSE bar takeover with specialty cocktails and surprise performances by Travis Scott, Meek Mill, Lil Baby, Fat Joe, Lil Durk, Quavo, French Montana, Fabolous and Romeo Santos.

Ice-T Addresses Keefe D’s Arrest For Role In Tupac Shakur’s 1996 Murder

Like countless others, Ice-T learned an arrest had been made in the 1996 murder of Tupac Shakur on Friday (September 29). Duane “Keefe D” Davis, a self-identified South Side Compton Crip, was taken into custody by Clark County Nevada authorities and charged with one count of murder with use of a deadly weapon and intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang. Although Davis didn’t pull the trigger, he’s still culpable for the killing per Nevada law. An onslaught of opinions littered social media in the wake of Davis’ arrest. Shakur’s former classmate Jada Pinkett, his sister Sakyiwa and brother Mopreme were among the many addressing the news online.

As Ice-T points out, Davis made one particular mistake over and over again—talking. During a 2018 episode of BET’s Death Row Chronicles, he not only admitted he was in the car when Shakur was shot, but he also double down in his memoir, Compton Street Legend.

“My initial thought was ‘people talk too much,'” Ice-T tells AllHipHop.com. “I think L.A. knew exactly how this thing played out, I just don’t really understand why it took law enforcement so long, because if I say that I’m in a car with somebody that does something, I’m part of the crime. If I go over to your house and ask you for a gun and you give it to me and I go do it, you aided and abetted the crime.

“So my point is that with all the interviews and all the books where dude just happened to say it 100 times on interviews he did: ‘I was in the car’—he said it. No one else said it. He said it. So why? Why? Why would you say that if you didn’t want to get caught? So you know, I got no love for dude. It was a chain of events that should not have ever happened. It’s all out of my realm of understanding.”

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Over the years, Davis also revealed the three other people in the white Cadillac with him the night of the Shakur shooting, which included his own nephew Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, another thing Ice-T found incredulous.

“He names everybody else in the car,” he adds. “And now he’s basically dead—he’s gonna spend the rest of his life in prison all by his own hand. You don’t even need anybody to testify.”

DJ Vlad, who assured Bomb1st in an interview that he refused to cooperate in the Davis investigation, has been under fire numerous times for seemingly getting his interview subjects to self-snitch.

“People right now on the internet are doing some of the dumbest s##t I’ve ever seen,” he says. “Vlad, all those guys, they will ask the most leading questions. I don’t know what the f##k but whatever. People always ask me in interviews if there’s anything I don’t want them to ask—I just won’t answer it.

“Even the crimes I’ve committed—I know I’ve never killed nobody, and there’s a statute of limitation. But I’ve even had some my friends come and be like, ‘You out here telling people what you did and we’re in here saying we didn’t do it, man. Calm down. Like, we’re still trying to get out homie. No disrespect, but bring it down a notch.’ I had to be very cautious. The last thing I wanna do is get somebody in trouble or myself in trouble. F##k that. I’ve never been to prison. I never done none of that stuff. People say it’s not checkers, it’s chess, but they can’t even play chess.”

Shakur was shot multiple times at the intersection of Flamingo and Koval in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996. He died at the University of Nevada Medical Center six days later. His murder has remained one of Hip-Hop’s most infamous unsolved crimes for nearly three decades. During a recent press conference, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson assured “justice will be served.”

Gang Feud Led To Three Deaths, 20 Injured At Rapper’s Record Release Party

A dispute between rival gangs was identified as the catalyst for a tragic mass shooting that occurred two years ago outside the El Mula Banquet Hall in Miami Gardens.

The incident resulted in the death of three individuals and left 20 others injured.

The motive behind this heinous act was unveiled during the trial of Devonte Barnes, who was charged with three counts of first-degree murder and 21 counts of attempted murder.

The prosecution shed light on a long-standing feud between two rival groups. One set hailed from an apartment complex known as “Back Blues” and their rivals came from an area know as the “Bricks.”

This animosity had been brewing for years prior to the tragic event.

Barnes, during his police interrogation, identified the other individuals allegedly involved in the crime and the motive.

The Bricks were targeting several rappers associated with the Back Blues crew to avenge the death of Antwon Streeter.

The incident took place during a Memorial Day weekend rap concert in 2021, which was further detailed in a news report by AllHipHop.

The concert was an album release party for local artist ABMG Spitta.

As attendees were leaving the venue, gunmen, waiting in a white Nissan Pathfinder, opened fire on the crowd.

The shooters, wearing hoodies and ski masks, used both handguns and semi-automatic rifles to carry out the attack.

The aftermath was devastating, with two individuals losing their lives on the spot and numerous others sustaining injuries, including another person who later died from injuries sustained during the shooting.

Desmond Owens, who was one of the targets, was killed. Two of the other men they were looking for were shot.

Johntrell “JRG Hatchett” Love was hit in the head, but survived the shooting as did the other target Antonio “FoePack” Jones.

Clayton Dillard III and Shankquia Lechelle Peterson both died from their wounds- and they are believed to has been innocent bystanders.

Another man, Warneric Buckner, was charged, but he got off Scott free, after it was revealed Detectives violated his right to an attorney during questioning.

Buckner is currently locked up on one count of second degree murder, after he was charged with shooting and killing a 6-year-old leaving a birthday party in January of 2021.

Barnes, who served as a lookout during the deadly shooting was convicted of three counts of second-degree murder and 20 counts of attempted second-degree murder.

Police are still investigating the crime.

DJ Vlad Claims He Refused To Cooperate With Police In Keefe D Investigation

DJ Vlad says he rebuffed numerous requests from law enforcement to cooperate in their investigation into Duane “Keefe D” Davis, who was arrested on Friday (September 29) in connection to 2Pac’s murder. Keefe D has appeared multiple times on VladTV in which he he spoke at length about his involvement in the 1996 slaying. In a new interview with Bomb1st, DJ Vlad fielded multiple questions about the recent development.

“They actually have tried,” he said. “I’ve gotten a bunch of phone calls and emails, but I’m not cooperating. I’ve always held this stance when it comes to people who interview on my platform. I’m not going to have you come to my platform and do an interview then only to work against you with the police. Regardless of what people think that I really do, the reality of what I do…and I had to do this before. I remember this one time they tried to seize this one interview of someone who asked me to take it down the next day because they were fighting a case. At the time, their lawyer asked me to take it down. They then wanted to get the footage from me and I said no.”

DJ Vlad went on to claim he “hasn’t responded’ to numerous requests from law enforcement.

But others would beg to differ. DJ Vlad has been accused of being an informant more than once. Many feel his interviews are more like interrogations and often lead to artists incriminating themselves on camera. In 2008, DJ Vlad sued Rick Ross for allegedly luring him to a meeting and having him viciously beaten. Ross, a so-called “gangsta” rapper, was upset Vlad had revealed he once worked as a jail guard. Vlad wanted $2 million for permanent bodily injuries, plus punitive damages, in his federal lawsuit.

Since then, he’s clashed with numerous rappers, including NLE Choppa and Juelz Santana. As for Keefe D, a grand jury in Clark County has indicted him on one count of murder with use of a deadly weapon and with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang, a prosecutor said in court. Keefe D is the uncle of 2Pac’s suspected killer, Orlando Anderson, who was fatally shot in a drive-by two years after the iconic rapper’s death.

Lizzo Says Harassment Lawsuit Is Ridiculous; Demands Dismissal

Lizzo has asked a judge to dismiss a “ridiculous” harassment lawsuit filed against her by previous employees.

Court documents revealed the “Juice” singer’s legal team has insisted the case should be dismissed “in it’s entirety.”

The new papers also revealed that Lizzo and her Big Grrrl touring company have denied “each and every allegation” made.

“This is the first step of a legal process in which Lizzo and her team will demonstrate that they have always practiced what they’ve preached,” said a spokesperson for Lizzo’s legal team.

“Whether it comes to promoting body positivity, leading a safe and supportive workplace or protecting individuals from any kind of harassment.

“Any and all claims to the contrary are ridiculous, and we look forward to proving so in a court of law.”

The new documents also insisted “there was no injury, loss or damage” to plaintiffs.
Lizzo has requested a trial by jury should the case against her still go ahead.

The 35-year-old Grammy winner was sued for sexual, religious, and racial harassment, disability discrimination, weight shaming, and creating a hostile work environment by Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez.

In the lawsuit, the dancers claimed that they were pressured to touch naked performers at a strip club in Amsterdam. Lizzo has previously branded the allegations “outrageous.”

Lil Tay Blames Her Five-Year “Disappearance” On Sexual Deviant Father

Lil Tay was the victim of an internet death hoax earlier this year. The viral star, who became famous at 9 years old, is known for her Instagram videos depicting an extravagant rapper lifestyle. She was also associated with Chief Keef and the late XXXTENTACION, who she referred to as a “father figure.” But after Lil Tay’s swift rise to notoriety, she suddenly disappeared for five years until the recent death rumor.

Now 14, Lil Tay is setting the record straight on what she says really happened to her. On Sunday (October 1), Lil Tay became a trending Twitter topic after sharing a video in which she placed the blame on her father, who she claims only came back into her life when she became internet famous.

“Five years ago, I became famous and my abusive, absentee father who had not been in my life for years up ’til that point decided to come back into my life to take control over my career and my money. That’s why I disappeared. He started a court case to silence me so I could not speak on what was happening and so he could take control of my money. His name is Chris Hope. First of all, this man…he was bringing random ass women around all the time and literally hooking up with them in front of me. I was a child.”

Lil Tay went on to accuse her dad of having sex with a woman in the same bed where Tay was sleeping. She also said her dad, who has an “Asian fetish,” would find the women on Craigslist and provided receipts.

Tay then says Hanne Hope, Chris Hope’s current wife and Tay’s stepmother, is a professional scammer. She insists “they were still doing out of pocket sexual sh##” in front of her and watching pornography whenever she was around. Hanne Hope allegedly physical abused Lil Tay as well while her father owes more than $250,000 in child support.

Lil Tay’s Instagram account announced her death on August 9. Several outlets obtained alleged statements from her camp, which claimed her brother had died, too. Roughly 24 hours later, Lil Tay surfaced online and said, “I want to make it clear that my brother and I are safe and alive, but I’m completely heartbroken, and struggling to even find the right words to say. It’s been a very traumatizing 24 hours. All day yesterday, I was bombarded with endless heartbreaking and tearful phone calls from loved ones all while trying to sort out this mess.”

Tay is currently trending on YouTube for her latest video, “Sucker 4 Green,” which has amassed more than 1.6 million views in one day. Watch it below.

Megan Thee Stallion Is Still “Ugly Crying” After Beyoncé Performance

Megan Thee Stallion has admitted that she has been “ugly crying” since her recent performance with Beyoncé.

The 28-year-old musician took to TikTok to admit that she has been emotional ever since the surprise performance with the music icon in Texas. Megan joined Beyoncé at her most recent Renaissance World Tour show in their shared hometown of Houston, Texas.

The duo performed the hit song “Savage (Remix feat. Beyoncé),” which was featured in Megan’s 2020 EP “Suga.”

“What’s up y’all? It’s your girl Megan Thee Stallion, a.k.a, the hot girl coach! And bch I will never shut the fk up, because I performed with Beyoncé!” she began in the TikTok video. “Y’all don’t know how many times I have cried this weekend. Y’all don’t understand Beyoncé is my idol. Like I really genuinely love Beyoncé with my whole heart. I got on this camo because I would go to f**king war behind Beyoncé.”

@theestallion

Yall ive been ugly crying with my lace lifting all weekend lol i will never stop screaming about this moment! I have loved BEYONCE my WHOLE LIFE this means EVERYTHING TO ME! I love you BEY 💙💙💙 thank you for everything

♬ original sound – Megan Thee Stallion

The TikTok featured clips of the performance as well as snapshots of the rapper crying. During the video, the “WAP” hitmaker dubbed herself Beyoncé’s “number one fan” and added that she and her mum have been fans of Beyoncé for her “whole life.”

She continued, “To get the opportunity to get on stage with the woman that I love, like the woman that is the woman of all the women – I was up there with Beyoncé. Bch that got me fked up.”

In a video that has been shared on social media of the pair’s performance, Beyoncé could be heard telling Megan, “I love you, queen,” to which Megan responded, “I love you, Beyoncé.”

Ice Spice Has Forgiven Matty Healy For His Racist Remarks

Ice Spice has insisted she and Matty Healy returned to good terms following remarks the 1975 frontman made during a podcast.

In an interview with Variety, Ice Spice revealed Matty had apologized to her “a bunch of times.”

“When I had heard that little podcast or whatever, I was so confused,” she told the publication. “Because I heard ‘chubby Chinese lady’ or some s**t like that, and I’m like, ‘Huh? What does that even mean?’ First of all, I’m thick. What do you mean Chinese? What? But then they apologized.”

The star, real name Isis Naija Gaston, confessed that she “didn’t really care” about Matty’s remarks.

https://youtube.com/shorts/UFbhmQWQzyo?feature=shared

“But that’s funny because I saw him at the Jean Paul Gaultier party a couple days ago, and he was like, ‘Hey, you okay?’ and I’m like, ‘Of course,'” Isis explained. “He apologized to me a bunch of times. We’re good.”

Matty faced a public backlash in February after he debated Ice Spice’s ethnicity and mocked the accents of people of Chinese and Hawaiian descent on “The Adam Friedland Show” podcast.

The “About You” singer later publicly apologized to Ice Spice during a New Zealand concert in May, telling the crowd he “never meant to hurt anybody.”

Diddy Explains Why He Loves To Go Off The Grid

Sean “Diddy” Combs regularly likes to unplug from his devices and go off the grid for the sake of his sanity.

In an interview with Extra, Diddy revealed that he has an “off-the-grid alarm” to ensure he spends time disconnected from his phone.

“It’s a ritual for me now,” he shared. “I have an off-the-grid alarm for my sanity. Just go off the grid and connect and listen to music – that don’t cost you nothing to turn the phone off.”

The 53-year-old explained that he named his new record The Love Album: Off the Grid to give a nod this practice of unplugging from the world and focusing on your loved one.

“(The) Off the Grid (part of the title) is about no WiFi, no phone, just me and you, baby, we going off the grid, we’re going to lock into each other’s vibrations,” he said.

The album marks Diddy’s first solo record in 17 years and features guests such as Justin Bieber, Mary J. Blige, French Montana, and 21 Savage.

When asked why now was the time to release his album, he replied, “It’s something that sort of hits you like boom. It is time. It is time to put on the cape back on. Time to spread the love. Time to lift up the frequency.”

The Love Album: Off the Grid was released on September 15.

Snoop Dogg Spam Call Gets Company In Lawsuit With Possibility Of Class Action

A woman accused a financial company of violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act with Snoop Dogg-voiced spam calls. According to court documents obtained by AllHipHop, Qiana Martin sued Bottom Line Concepts for making unsolicited, prerecorded telemarketing calls without consent.

The calls pitched Employee Retention Credit refunds as an easy source of money for consumers. Martin’s lawyers proposed a potential class action lawsuit, citing examples of other consumers who received the spam calls.

Martin said Bottom Line Concepts most recently called her on August 30. A Snoop Dogg-voiced message was left on her voicemail.

“You might be sitting on a refund that’s rightfully yours,” the message touted. “But check this out I got a hookup for you. It’s called ERCENROLL.COM and they got the game on lock. Now here’s the kicker. These folks at ERCENROLL.COM, they got connections like no other. They can have them funds in your hands quicker than you can roll up your favorite–well, you know what I mean. We’re talking just a couple weeks and boom, you got that cash flowing back where it belongs.”

It continued, “So, if you’re a business owner who’s been through the thick of it, don’t miss out on this golden opportunity. Slide on over to ERCENROLL.COM. Let them know Snoop Dogg sent you and watch the magic happen. It’s all about getting what’s yours, baby. ERCENROLL.COM. They’re the real deal and they got that fast-track hook up y’all. Snoop Dogg stamp of approval, baby. Peace out.”

Martin’s legal team claimed she suffered “concrete harm” dealing with the unsolicited calls. They sought damages for invasion of privacy and nuisance. Attorneys said Martin is entitled to a minimum of $500 for each call. They argued for $1,500 per call if Bottom Line Concepts’ actions were “knowing or willful.”

Lawyers said other consumers were entitled to the same amount of damages if the case became a class action lawsuit. Martin also sought an award for attorneys’ fees and costs.

Listen to a snippet of the Snoop Dogg-voiced spam call below.

Sudan Archives Links With West Coast Icon Egyptian Lover For Electro Madness

West Coast electro-Hip-Hop pioneer Egyptian Lover and Stones Throw Records’ Sudan Archives have collaborated on a new single called “Freakalizer (The Egyptian Lover Remix).” The track and accompanying video arrived earlier this week and, as the title suggests, came with a healthy dose of 808 beats and funky synths. The song has been a long time in the making. As Egyptian Lover explained to AllHipHop.com, it was initially conceived in 2020 during the pandemic.

“I am friends with Peanut Butter Wolf and he told me about his new artist when he signed her,” Egyptian Lover said. “I invited them down to one of my studio sessions and met her. I offered that I would do a song for her. After about a year she asked if I could still do it, so I created the beat and a few elements, and her and her people hooked it up. I wrote some and she wrote some and then a year later, Peanut Butter Wolf, Brian Ellis and I did the remix for it.

“People really like the mix of our two worlds. We shot part of the video at my 60th birthday party. She even did a surprise performance and rocked it. I’m always glad to work with new artists. I love their energy and creativity. M.I.A. was also a very creative person that I loved working with, and Masarima’s ‘Freak like U’ is doing well. I hope the DJs play both of these songs back to back.”

Egyptian Lover made a seismic impact on the Los Angeles dance scene when he first emerged in the early 1980s. In June, Snoop Dogg invited Egyptian Lover and Newcleus—most famous for their 1984 single “Jam On It”—to perform during a Death Row Records private party at his California compound.

“I played there before,” he told AllHipHop.com at the time. “He’s a big fan. After 40 years it really feels good to still see OGs grooving to my songs. So many older cats at the party came and was talking about the old days and hearing my first songs on the radio and hearing Uncle Jamm’s Army live on the radio. Being one of the first to do it on the West Coast, getting props still to this day is an incredible feeling.”

As he briefly mentioned, Egyptian Lover turned 60 on August 31 and is still touring the world with his timeless catalog. Sudan Archives, meanwhile, released her latest full-length album, Natural Brown Prom Queen, in 2022. She dropped four singles from the project, including “Home Maker,” “Selfish Soul,” “NBPQ (Topless)” and “OMG Britt.”

Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg Spotted At U2’s Opening Of Las Vegas Sphere

The Sphere opened in Las Vegas on Friday (September 29) with a performance by Irish rock legends U2. The show kicked off the group’s months-long “residency” at the new state-of-the-art facility. As expected, celebrities and music executives flooded the 20,000-cap dome, including Sir Paul McCartney, Jimmy Iovine, Irving and Jeffery Azoff, Diplo, Breaking Bad actor Bryan Cranston, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre.

Snoop Dogg took to Instagram to share a short clip of the immersive experience, which showed the cannabis connoisseur blazing a joint as he watched the show. He accompanied the post with a simple caption that read: “U2.”

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The Sphere boasts an enormous amount of amenities, including seats with high speed internet access, a portable stage that can be any size and can come out for movies, nine levels, including the basement, where a VIP club is located, 23 suites, a 16K resolution wraparound LED screen, measuring 160,000 square feet, the largest and highest-resolution LED screen in the world, and 4D features like scent and wind.

The spatial audio system based on Holoplot’s X1 speaker module is comprised of 1,600 X1 speakers that are installed behind the LED panels, along with 300 mobile modules, for a total of 167,000 speaker drivers. The sound system also comes through the floorboards. As for the exterior of the venue, there’s 80,000 square feet of programmable lighting, while The Sphere itself measures 366 feet high and 516 feet wide at its broadest point.

The plan is to host four to six residencies each year. The arena will primarily host awards shows and concerts, in addition to other entertainment events. Though it’s not designed to fit a traditional arena layout for sports such as basketball and hockey, it can host ring sports events such as boxing and mixed martial arts.

District Attorney Asks Court To Ban Quando Rondo From Chatham County

The Chatham County District Attorney is causing more legal headaches for Quando Rondo. As previously reported by AllHipHop.com, the Savannah rapper is currently facing charges connected to several shootings for violating Georgia’s Street Gang Terrorism Act in June.

At the time, a judge granted the recording artist a $100,000 bond so he could continue to work, touring and promoting his music. Now, the DA is working to stop the artist from being able to perform in Chatham County, at least until the trial is complete.

According to WJCL, on Friday (September 29), the prosecution presented a list of times when the “Imperfect Flower” rapper and his group were targeted in shootings.

The state mentioned a recent incident that occurred a few weeks ago on Skidaway Road in which approximately 30 shell casings were found at the scene, and nearly four firearms, including an AR-15 assault rifle, were used in an attack on the artist and a group of people.

Additionally, the state referred to a 2021 incident at a Blackshear gas station. Another incident mentioned by the state occurred in August 2022 when the 24-year-old rapper was in Los Angeles with Saviay’a Robinson, and they had to take cover from gunfire. Unfortunately, Robinson was killed. The DA contends Quando Rondo’s very presence places people in danger.

“These incidents show that there are individuals or groups of individuals that are actively seeking to harm the defendant. The assailants have time and again indicated that they have no respect for the lives of other humans, including members of the Chatham County Community,” the filing reads.

The rapper returns to court at the end of November.

Cardi B Praises Offset For Being Able To Handle Her Smart Mouth And “All This Ass”

Cardi B has celebrated her sixth wedding anniversary with her husband Offset. In a recent Instagram video, Cardi B showcased a collection of roses she received from her husband in celebration of their sixth wedding anniversary.

“Thank you sooo much baby,” Cardi captioned the clip. “Thank you for the flowers, the empowerment, the protection and for being a great father to our children.”

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Cardi B and Offset tied the knot in September 2017, however, they didn’t announce their marriage the following year.

They share two children: five-year-old Kulture Kiari Cephus Almanzar and two-year-old Wave Set Cephus Almanzar. Offset is also the father to three other children from previous relationships.

“I love so many things about you.I love the fact that I’m with a grown a** man that’s going to provide, protect and help both of us GROW and can handle my mouth, my attitude, my confidence(,) my weakness and all this A**,” the rapper continued in her caption.

“MY FAVORITE FAVORITE FAVORITE thing about you is that you study me and always pay attention to what I’m into (-) From my favorite colors, my favorite brands to MY FAVORITE foods.”

She concluded, “I love that you into details like me because it’s always the lil things that make me smile or even drive me off the wall… Happy anniversary to US.”

2Pac Murder Case: Clark County Posts Indictment That Led To Keefe D’s Arrest

Duane “Keefe D” Davis was arrested for the murder of Tupac Shakur on Friday (September 29), marking the biggest development in the case in decades. Unsurprisingly, social media blew up with reactions and reporters got to work scraping up the details that led Davis’ arrest. Meghann Cuniff, who recently provided on the ground coverage of the Tory Lanez trial, obtained a copy of the indictment from the Clark County District Attorney, Steve Wolfson.

As Cuniff noted in the caption, “It names the South Side Compton Crips and says Davis got the gun used in the murder ‘for the purpose of seeking retribution against Tupac Amaru Shakur and/or Marion Knight aka ‘Suge.'” It  went on to say Davis is “criminally liable under one or more of the following principles of criminal liability, to wit: (1) by directly committing this crime; and/or (2) by aiding or abetting in the commission of this crime, with the intent that this crime be committed, by counseling, encouraging, hiring, commanding, inducing and/or otherwise procuring the other to commit the crime.”

The fact of the matter is Davis likely didn’t pull the trigger—investigators believe that was his nephew, Orlando Anderson’s, role. But, as the indictment explains, Davis is still culpable. Wolfson and members of the Las Vegas Police Department held a press conference following Davis’ arrest in which Wolfson addressed the Nevada law.

“It has often been said ‘justice delayed is justice denied,’” Wolfson began. “It’s a quote we hear often and for many, many years when talking about our legal system, but not in this case. Today, justice will be served in the murder of Tupac Shakur. I’d like to acknowledge the relentless work of the many Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department homicide detectives. We’ve mentioned detective Cliff Mogg many times, and we can’t mention his name enough. He is the detective, along with his colleagues, that brought this case here today to you.

“A Clark County grand jury has indicted Duane Davis, with one count of open murder with use of a deadly weapon with a gang enhancement. Davis will appear in court in the next few days or so for a hearing to determine his custody status and to set a jury trial date. This grand jury has been receiving evidence for months and has determined there is sufficient evidence to justify the filing of his criminal indictment.”

He continued, “I’ve assigned two of my top prosecutors, Mark DiGiacomo and Binu Palal, to prosecute this case. I know a lot of people have been watching and waiting for this day. Tupac Shakur is a music legend and for a long time, this community and worldwide have been wanting justice for 2Pac. Today we are taking that first step. 2Pac was actually quoted as saying ‘death is not the greatest loss in life; the greatest loss is what dies inside while still alive. Never surrender.’ Well, we didn’t surrender […] I am proud to announce the return of this document. This is the indictment we’ve been waiting almost three decades for. It spells out the facts and circumstances and what justifies a Clark County grand jury in returning an indictment. Justice will be served.”

 

Read it in full above.

Tupac Shakur’s Sister On Keefe D’s Arrest: “Today Is A Victory But I Will Reserve Judgement”

Tupac Shakur quickly mentioned his sister, Sekyiwa Shakur, in the 1995 single “Dear Mama” although most people don’t know who she is. When authorities arrested Duane “Keefe D” Davis for the murder of the iconic rapper on Friday (September 29), people were evidently interested in what she had to say.

Hours after the arrest, Sekyiwa shared on Instagram, “The silence of the past 27 years surrounding this case has spoken loudly in our community. It’s important to me that the world, the country, the justice system, and our people acknowledge the gravity of the passing of this man, my brother, my mother’s son, my father’s son.”

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A post shared by set shakur (@wildseed13)

Sekyiwa continued, “His life and death matters, and should not go unsolved or unrecognized, so yes, today is a victory but I will reserve judgement until all the facts and legal proceedings are complete.”

While being moved by the notion the mystery behind her brother’s murder might be resolved, her words are also measured.

“There have been multiple hands involved and there remains so much surrounding the life and death of my brother Tupac and our Shakur family overall,” she added. “We are seeking real justice, on all fronts.”

During a press conference, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson noted, “It has often been said ‘justice delayed is justice denied.’ It’s a quote we hear often and for many, many years when talking about our legal system, but not in this case. Today, justice will be served in the murder of Tupac Shakur.”

T-Pain Recorded This Legendary Verse In The Bathroom—Now The Song Is In The Toilet

Not only is T-Pain an expert hit-maker, but he’s also dedicated and persistent in his resolve in the field of improvisation. Believe it or not, Teddy Pain was a part of arguably one of Bow Wow’s most successful career moments due to his indirect contribution to his 2007 album, The Price Of Fame.

The album peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and was notably home to the fan-favorite hit single “Ima Flirt” featuring R. Kelly. While T-Pain didn’t appear on the original version of the song, he surely made his presence known on the remix of the record. Alongside prime R. Kelly and T.I., T-Pain emerged completely unfazed on the track and in a full-fledged Auto-Tuned fit of creative cadence-driven fury.

Now, T-Pain has revealed he didn’t even get to record the verse in an actual studio with his counterpart and instead, recorded it himself in an airport bathroom. Given R. Kelly’s fall from grace into the depths of prison as a convicted sexual offender, it’s kind off ironic the origins of this record draw back to the toilet—where the Chicago vocalist’s life and career now lies.

Check out the full story below.

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Hit-Boy Proves He & LaRussell Are Ahead Of The Curve With Latest Cash Grab

Hit-Boy is giving the general public the opportunity of a lifetime by offering fans and listeners a chance to own a percentage of his publishing split from Travis Scott’s UTOPIA album.

To be more specific, the California-bred producer is auctioning off a percentage of his publishing split for the album, which became the first Hip-Hop album to lead the Billboard 200 for its first four weeks since Drake’s Scorpion in 2018, on eBay. The five percent split up for grabs from the Beyoncé-leaning record “DELRESTO (ECHOES)” is also accompanied by the AKAI 61 key MIDI keyboard Hit-Boy used to produce the record.

As far as innovation goes, this is probably the first time I’ve ever heard of a producer selling a fixed percentage of the publishing split directly to a consumer. The only other artist I know of doing something similar is none other than the Vallejo Valedictorian himself LaRussell—who’s been offering his listeners the chance to buy a percentage of the publishing from his records for at least the last year.

In a way, this concept firmly builds onto the idealogy that Nipsey Hussle pioneered over a decade ago with his “Proud 2 Pay” revenue model. Hit-Boy is lowkey carrying the torch for the West Coast with this move, right?

Check out the details of the publishing split up for sale below.

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Jada Pinkett Reacts To Arrest In 2Pac Murder Case

Las Vegas authorities arrested Duane “Keefe D” Davis on Friday (September 29) for the 1996 murder of Tupac Shakur. Davis was charged with one count of murder with a deadly weapon and with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang. Hours later, the legendary rapper’s pre-fame friend, Jada Pinkett, shared her thoughts on the development.

“Now I hope we can get some answers and have some closure. R.I.P. Pac,” she wrote on her Instagram Stories. At one point, 2Pac’s murder seemed destined to be a cold case forever as decades passed without any indictments.

Prior to his passing, 2Pac built a personal relationship with Pinkett while attending the Baltimore School for the Arts together. Earlier this month, she shared her enduring love for 2Pac, uploading a video of the then-teenagers lipsyncing to DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s “Parents Just Don’t Understand.”

Pinkett later married The Fresh Prince, better known as Hollywood actor Will Smith, in 1997 and they had two children: 25-year-old Jaden Smith and 22-year-old Willow Smith.

“Not in a million years would I have dreamed that the Fresh Prince and I would become, um, very acquainted,” Pinkett captioned her Instagram post. “Not in a million years did I imagine three lives, their fates, would be so intertwined.”

Twenty-seven years after 2Pac’s murder, there’s a sense of relief that justice will potentially be served. Although Davis didn’t pull the trigger, under Nevada law he’s still culpable for the murder. As Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Jason Johansson said, “He orchestrated the plan that was carried out.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDDKg4iQb5Q

Swaggertown Records Is Offering Single Deals

In the heart of New York, Swaggertown Records, an independent (“indie”) record label, has been making waves in the music industry since its establishment in 2015. Led by the visionary Jake Strain and his dedicated associates, this record label is not just a music label; it’s a platform for artists to thrive, find their voice, and achieve unparalleled success through resources and one one-on-one partnerships.

Swaggertown Records has embarked on a remarkable journey, by building a loyal team of new artists and producers. The scouts are on a mission to discover the next big artists and guide them on their path to stardom. It’s not just about signing contracts; it’s about nurturing raw talent and helping artists reach their full potential.

One of the distinguishing features of Swaggertown Records is its commitment to fair and artist-friendly deals. Unlike some labels that exploit artists, Swaggertown Records offers a generous 50% profit-share agreement, commonly known as a 50-50 deal. Their ethos is clear: artists are not commodities to be used as tax write-offs and then left on the shelf. At Swaggertown Records, every artist is given the opportunity to shine, and their success is a foundation to the label’s integrity.

In an era where the music industry is rapidly evolving into the digital age, Swaggertown Records has proven they can adapt the new trends, new sounds and a unique strategy that leverages the power of streaming services, making radio play and television appearances seem like relics of the past. With the right resources and connections, Swaggertown Records has mastered the art of launching artists into the digital limelight.

Central to their strategy is the meticulous curation of an artist’s catalog. Swaggertown Records breaks down an artist’s body of work and devises a comprehensive game plan for the proper release of their music. But it doesn’t stop there; each artist is assigned a dedicated manager and publicist, working one-on-one to ensure they receive the attention and media coverage they deserve. This personalized approach catapults artists into the spotlight, connecting them with major platforms and outlets to gain the exposure needed for a thriving career.

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