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.
Ozzy Osbourne reiterated his disdain for Kanye West in an interview with Rolling Stone. The rock legend discussed why it was important to distance himself from Ye after the controversial rapper/producer sampled Black Sabbath’s song “Iron Man” without permission.
“With the current state of affairs, you don’t need anybody starting people on discrimination of any kind,” Osbourne said. “It’s wrong. It’s just wrong.”
He added, “There’s enough f###### aggravation, and he shouldn’t say anything [like what he has]. It’s wrong if you don’t say anything about him. I don’t want any of my work in any shape or form to be associated with anything like that.”
Earlier this month, Ye and Ty Dolla $ign sampled “Iron Man” for their song “Carnival.” Osbourne was outraged to learn about the uncleared sample when Ye and Ty Dolla $ign played the track at a pre-release listening event for their Vultures 1 album. The Black Sabbath frontman called out Ye on social media.
“KANYE WEST ASKED PERMISSION TO SAMPLE A SECTION OF A 1983 LIVE PERFORMANCE OF ‘IRON MAN’ FROM THE US FESTIVAL WITHOUT VOCALS & WAS REFUSED PERMISSION BECAUSE HE IS AN ANTISEMITE AND HAS CAUSED UNTOLD HEARTACHE TO MANY,” Osbourne wrote. “HE WENT AHEAD AND USED THE SAMPLE ANYWAY AT HIS ALBUM LISTENING PARTY LAST NIGHT. I WANT NO ASSOCIATION WITH THIS MAN!”
Osbourne’s wife and manager Sharon also issued a statement.
“We are considering legal action,” she said. “Ozzy has not spoken to Kanye but our team have spoken with theirs.”
Ye responded by removing the sample. He replaced it with his song “Hell of a Life,” which included a legally cleared sample of Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man.”
Vultures 1 dropped on February 10. The album was originally scheduled to be released on February 9. It peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
A New York jury’s deliberations had to start over in the Jam Master Jay murder trial. The jury’s efforts to reach a verdict were disrupted when a juror requested to be replaced on Monday (February 26).
According to multiplereports, 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. Judge Hall told the jury to restart their deliberations, which began on February 22.
“As a matter of law, frankly, because we have replaced a juror, your deliberations must begin anew,” the judge said.
The jury will decide the fate of Jam Master Jay’s alleged killers Karl Jordan Jr. and Ronald Washington. Prosecutors claimed the two men killed the DJ for cutting them out of a drug deal in 2002.
Jordan and Washington were charged with Jam Master Jay’s murder in 2020. Their trial began in January.
An eyewitness said Jordan shot Jam Master Jay in the head at the Run-DMC member’s recording studio. Washington allegedly stood watch and forced another eyewitness to get on the floor at gunpoint during the shooting.
Jordan and Washington pleaded not guilty to murder charges. The defense suggested a third man named Jay Bryant was the actual killer.
Bryant was indicted for his alleged role in Jam Master Jay’s murder in 2023. Bryant will be tried separately in 2026.
Jordan and Washington face at least 20 years in prison if convicted. Prosecutors did not seek the death penalty.
Benny The Butcher announced his endorsement of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in August 2023. Fast forward six months later, the Buffalo-bred MC now says he passed on the chance to meet with the 45th President of the United States.
“Turned down a meeting with 45 last week,” Benny The Butcher tweeted on Monday (February 26). Another X user asked Benny why he declined the possible conversation with Donald Trump.
The Everybody Can’t Go album creator responded, “For 1, I’m not a politician, I’m a rapper. For 2, people [are] dumb as s### and won’t understand. For 3, it’s not that important to me.”
Another person on X mentioned that Ice Cube faced backlash in 2020 for connecting with the then-Trump Administration to discuss the rapper/actor’s Contract With Black America. Benny The Butcher reacted to someone claiming Cube got “dragged” for meeting with Trump by simply replying, “Exactly.”
Last year, Benny The Butcher posted, “I’m votin’ Trump 2024.” A fan of the Def Jam recording artist pointed out that his previous lyrics showed support for Democrats over the MAGA leader. Benny responded, “Yea, that’s old my boy.”
Benny is not the only Hip-Hop artist to advocate for the twice-impeached Donald Trump. In addition, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Kodak Black, Waka Flocka Flame, Lil Pump and Sexyy Red have all publicly championed the reality-show-star-turned-politician.
However, artists such as Jay-Z, Eminem, Common, Cardi B, Chuck D, YG and Plies have expressed their disapproval of Barack Obama’s White House successor. Donald Trump is expected to win this year’s Republican primary. Americans will likely have a 2024 general election rematch of Trump versus President Joe Biden of the Democratic party.
ScHoolboy Q and his Top Dawg Entertainment record label family are particularly excited about the West Coast rapper’s recent link up with JAY-Z.
On Monday (February 26), TDE label president Punch and ScHoolboy Q shared flicks of their recent encounter with Hov, during which the “Man Of The Year” rapper played the Roc Nation boss his new album. According to the post Punch shared on Instagram commemorating the occasion, Q has been manifesting this opportunity for weeks while in the midst of the rollout of upcoming album, Blue Lips. Along with the photo op, Punch shared a screenshot of one of Q’s tweets from earlier this month in which he remarked how badly he wanted to play the project for HOV.
“Played Q album for a couple good fellas,” Punch wrote in the caption of the post. “Blue Lips is out March 1. Ps I’m never wearing hard pants again. Hammer was in to something.”
Along with Q, TDE artists such as SZA and Isaiah Rashad also reacted to the post in the comments section shortly after the flick went live.
“This is Sexism I ain’t never played a LICK for Jigga y’all look niiiiice or whatever,” SZA wrote in a comment before Q remarked, “Bro, punted me into throwing up the Hoova—I was trying to be professional.”
West Coast rap veteran E-40 also chimed in the comments, toasting to both Hov and Q with a few champagne and top hat emojis in a comment.
In celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the release of his album Oxymoron, Q hosted an intimate listening session for his upcoming project at the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles on February 29. Additionally, Q has been releasing singles and previews of the project throughout the course of there last month, in anticipation of the March 1 release.
50 Cent’s biggest hit of his career continues to rack up numbers. The official music video for “In Da Club” crossed the 2 billion mark on YouTube.
As of press time, “In Da Club” sits at 2,000,312,159 views. The Philip Atwell-directed visuals are the most-watched content on the verified 50 Cent channel.
50 celebrated the YouTube success of his Get Rich or Die Tryin’ track. He commented on the 2 billion view accomplishment on his Instagram page.
“This is nothing after that last post, smh. I’m going to bed early. This [is] too much [sleeping face emoji]. Good night!” 50 Cent wrote on Monday (February 26).
50 Cent’s “In Da Club” ranks among the Top 90 most-viewed videos in YouTube history. Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito” featuring Daddy Yankee sits at the top of the rankings with 8,384,821,929 views.
“See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth currently holds the YouTube views record for a rap song. That Furious 7 soundtrack single has amassed 6,184,532,437 plays on the platform.
50 Cent released “In da Club” in January 2003. The RIAA diamond-certified classic became the New York-bred rapper’s first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. “In Da Club” led the Hot 100 chart for 9 weeks.
NBA YoungBoy, 24, has been living in Millcreek, Utah, as part of his court-ordered home detention. Apparently, the Baton Rouge, Louisiana native is ready to sell his mansion.
According to reports, YoungBoy Never Broke Again put his residence in the Beehive State up for sale. The “Outside Today” rapper listed the 8,800-square-foot house at $5.5 million.
A utahrealestate.com page describes the 4-bedroom, 4-bath estate as an “architectural masterpiece” designed to “blur the lines between indoor and outdoor living.”
Home for sale listed on utahrealestate.com
NBA YoungBoy’s move to Utah came as a result of a federal judge ordering him to serve house arrest while awaiting trial. In 2020, law enforcement officers arrested the entertainer born Kentrell Gaulden on drug charges in his hometown.
In March 2021, federal agents took Gaulden into custody again in Los Angeles on a warrant stemming from his 2020 arrest. As a result of that pending case, NBA YoungBoy has spent two years confined to his Grave Digger Mountain in Utah.
His Instagram caption read, “[And] that’s why I don’t pick up my phone when it ring.” Those words came from Lil Peep’s song “Star Shopping.” Lil Peep died from a suspected drug overdose in 2017.
Donald Trump recently introduced his $399 golden, high-top sneakers at Sneaker Con in Philadelphia. While some Trump backers believe the former president’s footwear will raise his popularity with Black Americans, Chuck D is not buying that notion.
“I ain’t never been a sneakerhead. I wear ‘em don’t overthink much of ‘em,” the legendary Public Enemy member posted on X on Monday afternoon (February 26).
Chuck D continued, “Dude thinks he can get the Black vote like the other guy by dangling bait. Lol 2024 we laughed at the possibility of this scenario last century.”
I ain’t never been a sneaker head . I wear em don’t overthink much of em … dude thinks he can get the black vote like the other guy by dangling bait. Lol 2024 we laughed at the possibility of this scenario last century pic.twitter.com/tzXbdor9Gj
Another X account responded to Chuck D by sharing an old photo of Donald Trump with Jesse Jackson, Don King and the late Muhammad Ali. The picture’s caption read, “Ali loved Trump.”
Chuck D replied, “Love ain’t in none of this when its a photo op, c’mon dude.” He also commented to another person, “[Donald Trump’s] a likeable New Yorker to many, doesn’t mean he can run [s###].”
In a groundbreaking development in the world of rap music, ItsJackenley, also known as Jackendel Desorme, has emerged as a trailblazing force, pioneering a revolutionary fusion of Haitian culture with cutting-edge musical innovation. Hailing from the vibrant city of Cap-Haitien, Haiti, ItsJackenley has shattered conventional boundaries with his visionary approach to artistic expression.
Since the inception of his musical journey, ItsJackenley has been on a relentless quest to redefine the rap landscape. With the establishment of jackenleyjackenley in 2018, he embarked on a mission to infuse his Haitian roots into every aspect of his music, creating a sound that is both deeply rooted in tradition and boldly futuristic.
Despite the challenges posed by recent global events, ItsJackenley has remained undeterred in his pursuit of artistic excellence. Leveraging adversity as a catalyst for creativity, he has pushed the boundaries of rap norms, captivating audiences with his unparalleled lyricism and emotive storytelling.
ItsJackenley’s influence extends far beyond the confines of traditional media. Under the alias Promethaleann, he has amassed a massive online following, captivating fans on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram with his magnetic presence and infectious energy.
As the CEO of jackenleyjackenley, ItsJackenley continues to spearhead a new era of rap music, actively seeking collaborations with industry leaders and pushing the boundaries of sonic experimentation. His latest project, “Thot,” has already garnered widespread acclaim, cementing his status as a visionary force in the rap world.
ItsJackenley’s music, available under the alias “itsjackenley” on all major platforms, transcends geographical boundaries, resonating with listeners around the globe. With each track, he invites audiences to embark on a journey through the rich tapestry of Haitian culture, offering a glimpse into a world where tradition meets innovation in perfect harmony.
As ItsJackenley continues to revolutionize the rap landscape, his impact on the industry is nothing short of monumental. Through his unwavering dedication, bold creativity, and unapologetic authenticity, ItsJackenley is not just making waves – he’s rewriting the playbook for the future of rap music.
losLAUREN718 is back with another banger called “No Excuses!” “No Excuses” is both the song title and the motto of LAUREN’s movement and company Allergic to Failure LLC. It’s short, but to the point. The Bronx native and FAMU alumni encourages the listener to “start today” and don’t wait for tomorrow to pursue your dreams.
By partnering with Anytime Fitness Parkway and Mahan located in Tallahassee, Florida, LAUREN and the Golden Fable provide both the audio as well as the visual blueprints for success. For those looking to get in shape for the summer, this is the anthem YOU NEED to get the job done right, “No Excuses! The next project “Success Is Not For the Lazy” will be out March 22nd, 2024.
Diddy faces another sexual assault lawsuit. This time the Hip-Hop mogul’s partner, Yung Miami, came up in the court documents. DJ Akademiks had a lot to say about this latest legal drama involving the celebrity couple.
Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones sued Diddy (born Sean Combs) for $30 million, claiming the Bad Boy Entertainment founder groped him. Combs’s former employee also alleged a female cousin of Yung Miami (born Caresha Brownlee) attempted to have unwanted sex with him in front of Diddy.
Akademiks has been feuding with Diddy and Yung Miami for years. The Off The Record podcast host and Rumble streamer took the opportunity to blast the City Girls member over Lil Rod’s accusations.
Diddy Sued For $30 Million By Man For Sexual Assault In Latest Sordid Lawsuit – Mogul Denies Claimhttps://t.co/99gvEpjC2l
“It’s [Yung Miami’s] fault Diddy [is] back in the news,” Ak tweeted on Monday (February 26). “I Told Her to S### and she wouldn’t stop. Now look, a n#### making claims vs Diddy. @YungMiami305 stay in a *** place [and] S###! You getting ya sugar diddy into [too] much problems!”
Ak then quote-tweeted an article about the Lil Rod lawsuit. He also added, “They even mentioned Yung Miami stupid ass in here… dat talk show fa sho cancelled now. She [has] been running her mouth like Diddy ain’t tell her ass to LAY LOW.”
In addition, Akademiks compared the Caresha Please podcaster to convicted sex offender/Jeffrey Epstein co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell. The internet personality even snitch-tagged the FBI, the DEA, ICE, PETA and Donald Trump during a multi-tweet attack on the “Act Bad” rapper.
Its Yung Miami fault Diddy back in the News.. I Told Her to S### and she wouldn't stop. now look a n#### making claims vs Diddy. @YungMiami305 stay in a *** place n S###! you getting ya sugar diddy into to much problems!
They even mentioned Yung Miami stupid ass in here… dat talk show fa sho cancelled now. She been running her mouth like Diddy aint tell her ass to LAY LOW. https://t.co/vMMQG4ZKoB
N Yall Thought I was capping when I said Yung Miami moving like she the new Ghislaine Maxwell of da Freak Offs.. Imagine 50 n##### coming thru to f*ck while playing 'ACT BAD' on blast in the background. GROSS pic.twitter.com/dR33xGhRfX
N Yall Thought I was capping when I said Yung Miami moving like she the new Ghislaine Maxwell of da Freak Offs.. Imagine 50 n##### coming thru to f*ck while playing 'ACT BAD' on blast in the background. GROSS pic.twitter.com/dR33xGhRfX
A London-based music producer has been found guilty of attempted murder after shooting at a man over a drug debt of less than $5.
31-year-old Marcus Adepoju, who goes by the stage name “Menace to Society,” was also convicted of multiple firearms and drug offenses following a trial that concluded on Friday, 23 February.
In a statement, Metropolitan Police officer DC John Nightingale said: “Adepoju is an extremely dangerous individual who had no qualms about shooting a man through a window on a busy residential street. It is only through sheer good fortune that the victim was not more seriously injured or killed.”
Courtesy of the Metropolitan Police
The victim called cops in April 2023 to report a masked man shot at him through a window. The assailant fired three shots, narrowly missing the victim. He was left with superficial wounds from the shards of glass and extensive damage to the property.
The suspect, later identified as Marcus Adepoju, was tracked via CCTV to a storage unit. Authorities subsequently searched the unit and an additional unit linked to Adepoju. The search uncovered two firearms alongside ammunition, drugs, cash and knives.
Adepoju pleaded guilty to three counts of possession of a firearm at an earlier hearing. He also admitted to money laundering, possession with intent to supply class A drugs and possession of bladed articles.
“Adepoju produced music under the stage name ‘Menace To Society,’” DC Nightingale added. “Sadly his actions reinforced this moniker and he will now pay the price for his crimes.”
He will be sentenced at Southeast London’s Woolwich Crown Court on Friday, 12 April.
Snoop Dogg is celebrating the success of his youth football league nearly two decades after founding the non-profit organization in 2005.
The Death Row Records boss opened up about the talented youngsters who joined the SYFL program and shared some of their accomplishments during a conversation on Tubi’s new show, Nick Cannon’s Big Drive. According to Snoop, a dozen kids went on to play in the NFL while others chose different career paths.
“We got 12 kids in the NFL, we have 100 in division 1, we expecting to put out three or four this year to the NFL. We have over 100 in high school about to graduate in the next two years. We’re doing our part,” Snoop explained.
He continued, “We have a Rhode scholar, some lawyers, some doctors, police officers. A lot of different kinda kids that come out of my league and with us being able to get into their lives from a different perspective.”
Snoop Dogg founded SYFL in 2005 as a non-profit to give inner-city kids the chance to play football and cheer while also emphasizing the importance of academics. The league serves children between the ages of five and 13.
C.J. Stroud Gives Snoop Dogg His Flowers
SYFL alum and Houston Texan star quarterback C.J. Stroud recently praised Snoop Dogg, calling him “one of my biggest role models and a mentor of mine since being young.” The West Coast icon coached Stroud while he was in middle school, and they still share a close bond.
“He used to invite us to his house and things like that,” Stroud explained in a January interview with PEOPLE. “That goes a long way. It just seemed like it is more than where you come from. There’s a lot more to life and he showed us that… So definitely really appreciative and grateful for Coach Snoop and everything that he’s done.”
During an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show last month, Snoop Dogg said Stroud makes him feel like a “proud father.”
“He’s so positive,” Snoop Dogg said. “That’s what I like about him is that he’s pushing a different narrative than a lot of these other guys in the league. He’s pushing a real narrative of spirit love and just being a voice of positivity.”
