Twitch allowed Soulja Boy to return to the popular streaming platform on Thursday (April 20).
Soulja Boy regained access to his Twitch account after being banned for well over a year. The 32-year-old rapper reacted to his ban ending in a Twitter post.
Twitch briefly suspended Soulja Boy before banning him in December 2021. He threatened to sue the Amazon-owned streaming service if the ban wasn’t lifted.
“If y’all don’t give me my account back I’m taking y’all to court @Twitch @TwitchSupport,” he wrote in a since-deleted tweet.
Soulja Boy suggested Twitch was racist for banning him. He encouraged other users to boycott the platform.
“I need the best lawyer money can buy dm me I got millions,” he wrote in another since-deleted tweet. “I wanna sue twitch I feel like they racist they ban me without no explanation I will not stand for this.”
A day later, Soulja Boy apologized for calling out Twitch.
“Just spoke with Twitch I would like to send an apology to the entire staff and community,” he wrote. “It’s their decision, let’s just see what happens. Thanks for your support.”
Blueface and his mother are parting ways forever. Blueface said that he has disowned his own mother because of her “odd behavior.” They have never had the best relationship and it has metastasized into something completely cancerous and destructive. But, it is only getting worse now, shockingly. In a recent interview, he is asked about his relationship with his girlfriend, who is pregnant, and how the mom fits in. And then he responds About his mother. He says that he’s no longer got a mom and he is less stressed knowing that she is nowhere near him.
“F##k that lady”, I don’t have a mom, she’s weird she’s strange, I don’t know what her motive is, her angle,” he says to the woman that gave him life. At least he called her a lady.
You might recall last year Blueface’s sister and his mother claimed that the rapper assaulted them. This was at his own house and it was a huge mess. The rapper’s mother said she would never forgive him because he put hands on her. Well, apparently she did forgive him in time even though at the time she threatened him with the court system.
Now, she is actually responding to his “disowned” claims. She kept it curt, but said she’s not even praying for him anymore. She also suggested that he needs to disown the people leeching off of him. She continued on. It must be a tough time for this family, but it appears that the mother is moving on with the other members of the family but it’s pretty sad.
“He said F his own son birthday and I’m strange. Boy I’m not even praying for you no more. Get someone else to do it,” she put in her stories.
“This ninja said F everyone but the people leaching off him. You’re the world’s biggest weirdo. When they done with you I pray you ask God for forgiveness.”
“He don’t have a dad. He don’t have a BM. He don’t have a brother. He don’t have a sister. He don’t have a granny. He don’t have a friend. He don’t have God. But I’m weird. Everyone else is the problem but you. I’m done with you. I wash my hands.”
Cardi B moved one step closer to seizing the assets of vlogger Tasha K, who owes the rapper more than $4 million.
According to documents obtained by AllHipHop, a writ of execution was filed against Tasha K and Kebe Studios LLC in Georgia on Thursday (April 20). The court order cleared the way for Cardi B to collect the judgment awarded to her in a defamation lawsuit.
The Atlantic Records rapper sued Tasha K, whose real name is Latasha Kebe, in 2019. A jury found Tasha K liable for defamation, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress in 2022.
Tasha K was ordered to pay roughly $4 million to Cardi B. The vlogger asked for a new trial, but an appeals court upheld the verdict in March.
“There are two issues here,” the appeals court explained. “One is whether the jury had sufficient evidence to hold appellants—Latasha Kebe and others—liable for defamation (and other privacy torts) against appellee Belcalis Almanzar (better known as ‘Cardi B’). The other is whether the district court erred by excluding evidence. We hold that Kebe hasn’t preserved either issue for appeal.”
Tasha K apologized to Cardi B via social media after the appeal failed.
The American Civil Liberties Union stepped up to advocate for Afroman, who was sued by the law enforcement officers who raided his Ohio home in 2022.
Last month, officers sued Afroman for using footage of the raid for music videos and merchandise. The ACLU urged an Ohio court to dismiss the lawsuit, filing an amicus brief in support of the rapper on Wednesday (April 19).
“It’s high time for police to stop suing citizens for unflattering commentary about them,” the ACLU declared on social media. “Our First Amendment rights and Afroman free to make his music — your honor, that’s all we need.”
Several officers claimed Afroman caused them emotional distress, embarrassment, ridicule, loss of reputation and humiliation. The rapper turned the raid footage into the “Will You Help Me Repair My Door” music video. His video currently racked up 5 million views on YouTube.
Afroman defended his use of the raid footage in response to the lawsuit.
“Essentially a racist judge signed a fictitious false warrant, lying on the warrant, accusing me of kidnapping and drug trafficking,” he wrote on Instagram. “The warrant put the Adams county sheriff in a position to attempt to kill me. After the Adams County Sheriff. Burglarized vandalized and destroyed my property. They became thieves and stole my money. After they stole my money they became criminals. After they became criminals they lost their right of privacy.”
He added, “My house is my property, my video camera films, everything on my property as they begin, stealing my money, disconnecting plus destroying my video camera system, they became my property! Criminals caught in the act, of vandalizing and stealing money. My video footage is my property.”
Afroman continued to promote his video and merch despite the lawsuit.
Every year, April rolls around and music-lovers from all over the world conjoin in California for one thing: Coachella. This year however, the vibes are immaculate, and it seems people are looking more forward to the activities happening outside of the festival than anything.
Insert Earry Hall, the sonic healer disguised as a DJ. Hailing from Southside Chicago, Hall always knew there was a bigger purpose for him, one he steps into proudly as he continues to naturally make long-lasting impressions and all those he crosses paths with.
In describing himself, Hall states, “I’m a friend, I’m a social scientist. Super obsessed with the mental and physical health benefits of friendship.”
Hall is also the brainchild behind SEE YOU SOON, a brand that hosts the most epic, turnt up parties all around the world, including FIND YOUR FRIENDS and THANK GOD IT’S MONDAY (which sell out in less 24 hours everytime). And while the turn up is always fun, Hall prides himself in the safe environment he creates, for others to create, connect, bond, and make long-lasting memories.
This year for Coachella, SEE YOU SOON hosted their highly-anticipated, three-day pop-up in the desert, titled See You Soon Presents: See You in the Desert. The micro DJ festival reels in the hottest collective of Black DJs, taking place at The Good House — a Black-owned hot spring on an energy vortex. The only one in the country.
AllHipHop spoke with Earry Hall to discuss his roots, how he started DJing, starting See You Soon, the epic 3-day pop-up for Coachella weekend, and more!
AllHipHop: Being from Southside Chicago, what was that like growing up?
Earry Hall: It’s interesting, because Chicago is such a beautiful place, but also very segregated. As I got older, I realized the environments were engineered for segregation. Coming into the space that I’m in now, understanding that if we’re intentional enough with the moments that we’re designing, they can really be engineered for connectivity and friendship. Chicago is the beginning of that learning, and also understanding what my calling is.
AllHipHop: What is your calling?
Earry Hall: For sure to make it easy and fun for people to find each other, In a really cool way. Living in New York, moving here. I moved here for Nike, doing sportswear packaging. I was designing for 11 years with Nike, also Beats by Dre as their global product collaboration designer. Having trouble finding community. Because I’d go out to clubs where my friends are DJing, in those spaces, bottle service at those clubs, they’re built for social segregation.
At the time, I was having trouble finding my friends. So I went to therapy, understanding that I wanted to pay closer attention to my mental health, especially during that time. My therapist suggested that I need to concentrate on my tribe, on building my tribe. She sent me a TED Talk talking about the people that live the longest on the planet. How it’s not about what they eat or how they exercise, it’s really about who’s in their lives.
AllHipHop: I realized that recently, your whole life is built off connections.
Earry Hall: Absolutely. That’s how we’re designed as humans, biologically. One of the things I study is the chemicals that our bodies generate, because of each other.For example, if you’re at a concert singing one of your favorite songs, somebody that knows that song too with a stranger. Or at a party, singing that song that you never hear out, with somebody you don’t know.
In that moment, what our bodies are doing is remarkable. We’re exercising our lungs in a way that we usually don’t. We’re putting oxygen into our bodies, which makes it difficult for disease to live. We’re strengthening our immune system, because our bodies create this chemical called immunoglobulins. When we sing together, it’s wild. It’s crazy. But I realized there’s all this medicine and all these benefits of friendship that’s triggered through community really. Figuring out how to be really intentional about spaces, so we can access all the healthy things that live inside of our community.
Credit: Ryan Malcolm-Campbell [MR.KOA]
AllHipHop: How’d you get into DJing?
Earry Hall: I started See You Soon as a mental and physical health initiative, disguised as a party. That concept even started as a case study. Coming from the design world, I love color theory. What the mind and the body does, you see certain colors. I’d strategically light the room in certain colors, changing colors, choosing to be really intentional about the aesthetics of the room. I’ll book the DJ, and the DJs usually would be more interested in what they wanted to hear. Not what would connect everybody. It was very much about them, to them.
For me, we should be using music as a tool to connect everybody in the room. To convince people that they’re with family, not strangers, by the end of the night. One of my best friends, DJ M.O.S who’s also a legendary DJ, one day him and his wife, DJ Kiss who’s also a legendary DJ, they suggested I start DJing. Because of my music taste. They were at my place, listening to music. They suggested, “hey, why don’t you start DJing?” That put the bug in my ear. One of my really good friends, my brother La’Tron, he brought up all about all this DJ equipment over. Showed me how to use it, operate it. One of my other brothers, my good friend Derrick Jones, he’d come over and help me practice. Show me things. Even in that was a community activity, I access my community to learn a new skill that’d ultimately connect more people with each other.
From there, I was really interested in making everybody sing together. For three hours, after I realized all the health benefits. That’s really how I started. The goal was never to DJ though, it was always about social science. My experience in brands, as a designer, as a marketer, as an advertiser, I know how to build a world around a brand. For the first time, I did it for something that I care about independently. For myself as a DJ, whose goal is really to help people access all these healing properties.
AllHipHop: What does it mean to be a sonic healer?
Earry Hall: It’s all about intention. It’s also about the knowledge we have around what certain soundwaves do, what frequencies do, what certain parts do. Using those things intentionally to heal, to help people.
AllHipHop: Talk about starting See You Soon, and growing it to what it is now.How has that journey been?
Earry Hall: So beautiful. We haven’t spent a dollar on advertising. It started from the intention of knowing that there weren’t many spaces that were welcoming for people of color. That felt safe, that felt cool. There has never been any incident in any of my events in five years, which is so beautiful. One of my favorite things about what we’re doing. Usually having a thousand people in one space, sometimes there’s this awareness that something could happen.
But in our spaces, there’s an ease. There’s a relaxness that gives us the opportunity to really enjoy ourselves, not really feel like we have to concentrate on being safe. There are rules we enforce for every person who attends comfort, it started in the basement of Hotel Figueroa. One of my good friends Louis Kaino, he owns a fashion PR company. At the time, he was trying to figure out how to activate his network. I had this concept. We partnered for the first one., and it took off from there.
AllHipHop: You’re known for your mashups. What‘s your favorite one?
Earry Hall: I do the mashup through songs. So “Knuck If You Buck” on top of the “Prototype” by Andre 3000 with the drums and percussion of “Some Cut,” which is the craziest combination because the drums are so crazy. Making something that doesn’t exist with something that exists is the most interesting thing about doing mashups. Also the nostalgia of those three songs being combined into a completely new experience.
Credit: Ryan Malcolm-Campbell [MR.KOA]
AllHipHop: Let’s talk about the three day pop up. What’re you most excited for?
Earry Hall: There’s so much, really all of it honestly. The space is so beautiful, very intentional. Us choosing that space, it’s a minority-owned, black-owned hot spring. In the middle of the Palm desert, on top of the energy vortex. So much of what we’re doing is shaping energies. I do believe in energy having a physical experience. If we put ourselves in environments that are conducive to our energy, feeling safe, feeling welcome, I think our bodies will follow. Choosing that place was very intentional, shout out to The Good House. The lineup is so good.
AllHipHop: What’s the lineup again?
Earry Hall: The concept is we’re bringing the best parties in LA to the desert. In a way to where Coachella is such a massive machine, they don’t necessarily really know what’s happening on the ground. It’s so close to LA. As a community member, I asked my friends that are killing it as well to do this with me and come out to the desert with us. The lineup is so crazy: B-Hen, he does a block party that’s upwards of 3K people every year. My friends at All Summa, Chicago guys. They do a party that they tour, it’s so cool. I have this amazing DJ duo, one is Honeybee and one is Honeycut.
AllHipHop: I know Honeycut!
Earry Hall: That’s my sister. We’re doing a party concept shaped around them, which is so exciting. Then my thing, Find Your Friends. We usually do around 1500 people every time. We do it twice a month, so around 96 times a year. [this math makes no sense lmao] The space is so intimate that we’re really excited about that part too, because it’s a large format party in an intimate space that we ask everyone to connect. We’ll be in an environment that’s so beautiful, in the midst of so much foliage, mineral water, all these healthy things. It’s going to be the perfect environment for people to meet each other and find each other, celebrate life together. From the energy, to the music, the security and the intentional mocktail strategy we choose, comfort and ease is everything. We partnered with a minority female owned mocktail company, Coyote Eight, who has created an absolute “Free Spirit” experience. We want people to be able to have a good time without the pressure of drinking if that’s not their bag. That’s the goal.
Credit: Ryan Malcolm-Campbell [MR.KOA]
AllHipHop: How do you prepare for something like that?
Earry Hall: Man, meditate a lot. [laughs] Find a bunch of music. Honestly, my team is so brilliant that it’s an adventure more than a challenge. My colleague and our, COO Indigo Charles, such an amazing person. My business partner, Ryan Sauter. My chosen family, just happened to be so good at what they do that we’re preparing together. When you’re building things that your friends and people you admire, it’s exciting. People leave their ego, that’s a big thing. All of us are brilliant in our own right and we respect each other so much that it’s such a beautiful exercise putting these things together.
AllHipHop: Do you guys party party?
Earry Hall: Absolutely. Our team has a team, so there’s a point in our activations where we’re allowed to let loose. Me being the creative and the DJ, I have a bit more liberty to do that. But Ryan is my business partner, he’s very buttoned up though. It takes a minute for him to feel like he can let loose, but we definitely do. Building this thing, I’m as much a part of the community as everybody else in there. It’d be a shame if we’re building this thing and these moments together, and we’re not enjoying the environment.
AllHipHop: You will be sharing your music mashups this year via SoundCloud. How and why did that come about?
Earry Hall: Realizing that in LA, you have to be here to experience what we’re doing, I wanted to create a digital footprint that was highly shareable and music is such a shareable thing. I’ll be dropping mashups every other week, sometimes every week. The priority is to consistently share, helping people reimagine the songs that we fell in love with and experienced in a new way. It’s also for the DJ community, as well. A lot of my mashups and remixes that I’ve already shared end up on DJ record pools, and I’m not sharing them with record pools. Which is such a dope stamp of approval from a community that can be like music snobs at times. It’s proof of barrier to entry, in the DJ community sometimes with the music. Looking forward to sharing more, and being a vessel for all the stuff.
An attorney for one of Young Thug’s co-defendants was arrested at the Fulton County courthouse in Georgia on Thursday (April 20).
According to multiplereports, sheriff’s deputies arrested Anastasios Manettas for allegedly carrying prescription pills into court and throwing a phone at a sheriff’s office captain. Manettas represents Miles Farley, who was scheduled to be tried alongside Young Thug in the YSL RICO trial.
Manettas was charged with possession of pills not in the original container, simple battery on a law enforcement officer, obstruction and disrupting court proceedings. The lawyer’s colleague Chadha Jimenez claimed Manettas accidentally hit an officer with a phone.
Jimenez said he told Manettas to toss the phone amid the chaos of the attorney’s arrest. Manettas allegedly tried to throw the phone to Jimenez.
Jimenez didn’t want officers to search the phone. He raised concerns about the justification for arresting Manettas for bringing pills to court.
“They’re not m############ doctors,” Jimenez told Rolling Stone. “They didn’t have a warrant. They don’t have a right to know about his m############ conditions.”
Judge Ural Glanville severed Farley’s case from the RICO trial against Young Thug and other YSL members after Manettas’ arrest. The judge’s decision left Young Thug as one of 13 defendants in the trial.
Angela Simmons, one of the princesses of Hip-Hop’s royal rap family, is passing on a legacy to her son that has nothing to do with her Rock and Roll Hall of Fame father.
Simmons took to social media to share the amazing gift her child’s father Sutton Tennyson left their Sutton Joseph Jr. before he was shot and killed in 2018.
On Instagram, she announced, “My baby is a young CEO.”
The footage shows the two of them meeting up at the Little Giants Giant Shorties clothing store with Tennyson’s partner to sign a contract making him a boss.
“His father was sure to leave him behind something he can grow with,” she wrote, adding, “My son loves making money (hustling). It’s in his blood. It’s time to finally give him what’s his!”
She then writes to Tennyson, “Your son gets the torch now. Though you are not here with us your legacy lives on ❤️ Go time baby boy 🚀.”
In a video of the presentation, she asks her son, “How does it feel that your dad left you behind this legacy of a company?”
Sutton Joseph Jr said, “It feels super great!”
The youngster is clear about his father’s transition.
Rapper Fat Joe is far more than just an emcee, a businessman, a podcaster, a fashion plate, and an influencer, he is also a healthcare advocate, fighting for the civil rights of others.
According to The Hill’s In The Know (ITK), the Terror Squad leader, whose real name is Joseph Cartagena, will appear on Capitol Hill in the upcoming week to lobby on behalf of Power to the Patients, a nonprofit that advocates for healthcare price transparency.
His plans are to meet with lawmakers in America’s bicameral legislature (The Senate and House of Representatives) and at the White House to talk about the need for medical professionals to be upfront with how much they charge people who are sick and in need of care.
“Our healthcare system needs comprehensive reform and I remain committed to using my platform to work alongside Power to the Patients and give a voice to the voiceless,” Fat Joe explained.
“We must demand accountability from hospitals and insurers, so people can get a transparent understanding of the cost of their medical bills and make more informed financial decisions on healthcare services,” the 52-year-old said.
Adding, “With prices hidden, oftentimes, the bills are not even consistent at the same hospital. It’s tearing families apart.”
In addition to his lobbying, Fat Joe will also perform at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington D.C. on Thursday, April 27.
After an investigation into why E-40 was ejected from one of the Warriors vs. Kings playoff games, the Bay Area rap staple has released a joint statement with the Sacramento Kings about his removal.
The statement, obtained by Mercury News, read: “After a series of thoughtful and transparent conversations, both parties agree that there was a miscommunication regarding the circumstances that occurred during the Kings vs. Warriors game on Saturday night.
“Contrary to speculation, Mr. Earl ‘E-40’ Stevens did not stand excessively from his ticketed courtside seat; the outcome resulted from an unfortunate misunderstanding between both parties.”
An avid supporter of the team, the Mount Westmore co-founder originally said he believed the incident was racially motivated. A bevy of support came the “Sprinkle Me” rapper’s way, with most people touting how he’s one of the most congenial and drama-less personalities in Hip-Hop culture.
As Willie D from the Geto Boys wrote on Instagram, “When I Heard E-40 Got Ejected From A Kings-Warriors Game I knew Immediately He Was The Victim because E-40 don’t mess with nobody. Turns out I was right.”
According to E-40, the Kings fans heckled him the entire game, but he held off responding until the fourth quarter. When security came, they saw him arguing with a white woman, assumed he was the aggressor, then proceeded to escort him out the arena.
“I didn’t have a dog in the fight, but now I hope GS beat the breaks off the Kings,” he wrote. “And I will be addressing this tomorrow.”
Now, that the “misunderstanding” has been rectified, E-40 is expected to return courtside on Thursday’s game at Chase Center in San Francisco.
Killer Mike has announced his first new solo album in nearly a decade, the aptly titled Michael. Ahead of its release, the Run The Jewels juggernaut has unveiled the project’s lead single, “Don’t Let The Devil” featuring El-P and Thankyougoodsir. Produced by El-P, No. I.D. and Little Shalimar, the moody track finds Mike warning his listeners, “In the name of Jesus the reefer I serve a purpose I got high as the sky/As I fly over earth surface/Flying satellite height as I’m looking at earth’s circus/Keep your eyes on the prize and don’t let the devil coerce you.”
The new album follows 2012’s R.A.P. Music, which essentially introduced the dream team of Michael Render and Jaime Meline before they officially became Run The Jewels.
“RTJ is the X-Men, this is my Logan,“ Mike said in a press release. “My favorite group (US) with my favorite producers! It’s our 10 year anniversary and MICHAEL is an origin story so I wanted to start w/ El.”
“Don’t Let The Devil” arrives shortly after RTJ announced this fall’s 10-year anniversary run and the release of their Nike sneaker collab. The single is preceded by 2022’s “RUN” featuring Young Thug and “TALK’N THAT S###!” According to an interview with High Times, Run The Jewels 5 is nearing completion and should arrive sometime later this year. Michael, on the other hand, arrives on June 16. In the meantime, bump “Don’t Let The Devil” by Killer Mike above.
The Bel Air Universe is rapidly expanding, gradually revealing the depth of the The Banks Family Tree. Season 2 of the hit reprisal of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” has done an outstanding job of giving insight into the previous season’s unanswered questions and introducing new energies into the fold in order to shake things up.
One of the latest legacy characters to be reintroduced into the show is Jackie Ames, previously played by renowned model and TV personality, Tyra Banks. The original Jackie was a childhood friend/girlfriend that was also from Philly that moved to Bel Air for better opportunities. Will and Jackie had a history that began long before Will moved to L.A.
In this latest incarnation of Jackie, played by Jazlyn Martin, Will and Jackie are just meeting and are feeling each other out with each interaction. As the season progresses we are learning more about her backstory and why she is with her uncle. This version of Jackie seems to be a very talented dancer with a lot of passion for her craft. Coincidentally (but not really), the multifaceted artist that portrays her, Jazlyn Martin, is also a dancer that has the ability to sing and act.
We had the chance to speak with Jazlyn Martin about her ability to perform at a high level in various creative spaces and what it’s like to work alongside such an incredible cast in the Bel Air world.
Following Trevor Noah’s departure from The Daily Show in December 2022, the late-night series has presented rotating guest hosts. Charlamagne Tha God and Desus Nice will front the satirical news show in the coming weeks.
Comedy Central announced Charlamagne Tha God will take over hosting duties beginning May 15. Viewers can also expect to see Desus Nice behind The Daily Show desk on June 26. Plus, Michelle Wolf (June 5), Ronny Chieng (June 12), and Lewis Black (June 20) are part of the third wave of guest hosts.
Both Charlamagne Tha God and Desus Nice have experience hosting late-night television. In addition to his longtime gig on The Breakfast Club radio show, Charlamagne hosted Uncommon Sense on MTV2. The product of South Carolina currently leads Comedy Central’s Hell of a Week (formerly Tha God’s Honest Truth).
Desus Nice began his career in the entertainment industry as an internet personality. The Bronx native spent two seasons alongside The Kid Mero for the Desus & Mero talk show on Viceland. Desus & Mero moved to the Showtime network in February 2019 before the Bodega Boys podcasters eventually parted ways. Desus and The Kid Mero also appeared on Charlamagne’s Uncommon Sense.
The Daily Show premiered in July 1996 with Craig Kilborn as the host. Jon Stewart replaced Kilborn in January 1999 until he stepped away from the job sixteen years later. Trevor Noah followed Stewart in September 2015. Comedy Central has not named a permanent successor.
Al Franken, Chelsea Handler, D.L. Hughley, Leslie Jones, Jordan Klepper, Michael Kosta, John Leguizamo, Desi Lydic, Hasan Minhaj, Kal Penn, Sarah Silverman, Dulcé Sloan, Wanda Sykes, Marlon Wayans, and Roy Wood Jr. have taken on The Daily Show guest hosting responsibilities since January.
Marvel Cinematic Universe fans know Taika Waititi as the director responsible for creating Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder. Waititi is also the husband of British singer Rita Ora.
Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe caught up with Rita Ora to talk about her new single “Praising You” featuring Fatboy Slim. Additionally, the conversation included Ora discussing tapping Taika Waititi to direct the song’s official music video.
“I tried to call Spike Jones. He wasn’t available to be in the video, man. Taika is good seconds. I mean, I’ll take Taika. I’ll take him. It’s so cool to be able to collaborate with the ones that you actually respect. I really love Taika’s brain,” Rita Ora told Zane Lowe. “That’s what I really fell in love with. He teaches me things every day.”
The 32-year-old R&B/Pop performer also added, “We were lying down and we were just hanging out watching a movie. I said, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool to do something like All That Jazz and Fame?’ And [Waititi] said, ‘Look, I would love that.'”
Rita Ora continued, “And then we came up with the whole idea and boom. We shot it all on film in one day in downtown LA. It was amazing to be able to work with him and make this mini-movie because it really is a mini-movie. Yeah. And having [Fatboy Slim] in the video too was a really good touch.”
Bob Fosse’s Oscar-winning All That Jazz musical drama hit American theaters in 1979. The teen musical Fame from 1980 led to a television spin-off version of the same name which ran for six seasons between 1982 and 1987.
The “Praising You” track will live on Rita Ora’s forthcoming third studio album You & I which will arrive on July 14 via BMG. She dropped her debut studio LP, 2012’s Ora, under Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label. 2018’s Phoenix came out through Atlantic Records UK.
Following her breakout hit “How We Do (Party)” in 2012, Rita Ora went on to release other commercially successful songs such as “R.I.P.” featuring Tinie Tempah, “I Will Never Let You Down,” and the controversial “Girls” featuring Cardi B, Bebe Rexha and Charli XCX.
In addition to his work with the MCU, Taika Waititi also directed films such as What We Do in the Shadows and Jojo Rabbit. Waititi won a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for Jojo Rabbit at the 92nd Academy Awards in 2020. The comedy-drama earned a Best Picture nomination as well.
April 20th serves as cannabis appreciation day for many marijuana enthusiasts around the world. Snoop Dogg fans can commemorate this year’s 4/20 by purchasing a limited edition of the rap superstar’s debut studio album.
Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle also celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2023. The Hip Hop classic debuted on November 23, 1993. Death Row Records and Gamma joined forces to present Doggystyle: The 4/20 Vinyl Box Set.
Released as a limited run of only 420 numbered copies, Doggystyle: The 4/20 Vinyl Box Set features a 16-page booklet with singles art from Joe Cool. Consumers will also receive exclusive Death Row rolling papers.
Death Row Signed A Licensing Agreement With Gamma
Snoop Dogg bought Death Row from MNRK Music Group in February 2022. Earlier this month, the legendary record label announced a partnership with Gamma that includes a long-term licensing agreement. Gamma now has the exclusive global rights to market and distribute the Death Row Records catalog.
“I bought my first album at 11 years old, with my allowance money. That album was Doggystyle. I was so worried about how explicit the cover was, that I hid it in my bedroom so my parents wouldn’t see it,” said Gamma Co-Founder/CEO Larry Jackson in a press release.
Jackson added, “The album’s music and its provocative cover left an indelible stamp on how I view Hip Hop. It is with profound pleasure that we are now partnering with Death Row Records, the greatest Hip Hop catalog of all time, and with my dear friend Snoop.”
Snoop Dogg Plans To Bring Death Row Back To The Forefront
Doggystyle debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with 806,000 first-week units sold. The RIAA certified Doggystyle as 4x-Platinum in May 1994. The project hosts the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 singles “Who Am I? (What’s My Name?)” and “Gin and Juice.”
“I’m a visionary and so is Larry, and it’s only right that we come together to bring The Death Row Records catalog back to the forefront with Gamma, especially given it’s the 30th anniversary of Doggystyle,” said Snoop Dogg.
The Emmy Award winner continued, “It was important for me to get the business of the music right and take care of the creative forces behind it, before making it public again. The music we created is timeless and as relevant today as it was when we released it, and now the world is gonna enjoy it for generations to come. Death Row Bacc!”
Singer/actor Marques Houston will not stop responding to news reports about his marriage and views on women.
Marques Houston faced online backlash for marrying a then-19-year-old Miya Dickey. The former member of the Immature boy band was 39 years old at the time.
“Me and my wife’s situation is a little different, how we met through mutual friends and everything like that,” said Houston in a preview clip for an episode of TV One’s Uncensored television series.
The 41-year-old entertainer continued, “When I met my wife, she was 17. So, we had no real conversation, no real connection until, you know, she was of age.”
In an Instagram Story posted overnight, Marques Houston fired back at his critics. Specifically, the Sister, Sister cast member took aim at unnamed media outlets for covering the story.
“To all my fans, supporters, and real truth seekers, I can see how the media would love to pin people against people for monetary gain,” wrote Houston.
He added, “But when [you’re] at peace, loving life, and able to still make a positive impact in the entertainment world for over 2 decades, it’s so easy to move out the way and let bottom feeders eat. #Protectyourpeace I LOVE YOU ALL!”
While many emerging artists would have been happy to sign a seven-figure record deal, Papoose admitted signing the $ 1.5 million early in his career was the “worst mistake” he ever made.
The New York native signed his first major deal with Jive Records in 2007 after a few years of putting in work as a fresh emcee on the mixtape scene. Papoose reflected on the decision during a recent appearance on Big Boy’s Neighborhood.
“It was the worst mistake I ever made in my life, taking that deal,” Papoose admitted during the candid discussion. “Because I was independent for so long. You gotta realize, I met Slay in ’04. We ain’t get a deal till ’07. We was working hard. Mixtape after mixtape after mixtape.”
According to Papoose, he received a lot of hate for working with the late DJ Kay Slay, which negatively impacted his career.
“My first single had Snoop Dogg on it, produced by Scott Storch,” Papoose added. “And they was like, ‘Okay, now we can finish him for real because if we don’t play this record he’s gonna look crazy.”
He continued, “And that’s what they did, long story short. A couple other bad situations, the deal folded. So I went back to the street.” Check out the clip below and watch the interview at the end of the page.
However, Papoose remained determined and continued to independently release music. His drive did not go unnoticed and helped snag him the role of head of Hip-Hop at TuneCore.
“When hiring executives I look for expertise and experience,” TuneCore CEO Andreea Gleeson said in a statement. “Papoose’s years of hustling and success in the industry make him uniquely qualified to advise Hip-Hop artists because he’s been in their shoes, he understands what they’re going through and he knows first-hand what works.”
The family feud involving Johnathan “Blueface” Porter and his mother continues to play out in public.
Blueface and Karlissa Saffold have clashed several times on social media. In particular, Saffold has been critical of her son’s relationship with Chrisean Rock. The latest round in their personal beef played out on Instagram last night.
Saffold shared a clip on her Instagram Story from Blueface’s recent interview with RapTV. During the sitdown, the “Thotiana” rapper made it clear he is not on good terms with his mom.
“F### that lady. I don’t have a mom. She’s weird. She’s strange. I don’t know what her motive is, her angle. I don’t know what she’s trying to accomplish with her outreaches,” said Blueface.
In addition to sharing a video of Blueface’s comments, Karlissa Saffold posted a series of messages denouncing her son. Those Instagram Stories of her essentially excommunicating the 26-year-old entertainer went viral on social media blogs.
“He said F his own son’s birthday and I’m strange, 😭,” wrote Saffold about Blueface. “Boy, I’m not even praying for you no more. Get someone else to do it.”
She then added, “[Blueface] don’t have a dad. He don’t have a BM. He don’t have a brother. He don’t have a sister. He don’t have a granny. He don’t have a friend. He don’t have a God. But I’m weird. Everyone else [is] the problem but you.”
Karlissa Saffold also posted, “This ninja said F everyone but the people who [are] leaching off him. You are the world’s biggest weirdo. When [they’re] done with you, I pray you ask God for forgiveness.”
Multiple celebrities have joined the demands for justice for 16-year-old Ralph Yarl, who was shot in the head after knocking on the wrong door by mistake.
84-year-old white man Andrew Lester Yarl pleaded not guilty during a hearing Wednesday, per Associated Press. He was freed after posting a $20,000 bond.
Yarl was shot at point-blank range in the head and once in the arm after ringing Lester’s doorbell. He was picking up his younger twin brothers but arrived at the wrong address.
The Yarl family attorney is urging the Department of Justice to charge Lester with a hate crime. Lee Merritt said Yarl “was armed only with his Black skin.”
In the criminal Complaint, Lester said he did not want to shoot the Black teen but claimed: “He was ‘scared to death’ due to the male’s size.” The homeowner stated that Ralph Yarl was a “Black male approximately 6 feet tall,” several inches off Yarl’s actual height of 5 foot 8.
Prosecutors charged Lester with first-degree felony assault and first-degree armed criminal action. He faces life in prison if convicted.
Despite his injuries, the brave teenager is recovering after being released from the hospital Saturday. His attorney says it’s a “miracle” that the bullet in his head did not cause more extensive damage.”
Ralph Yarl is home and recovering! How the bullet in his head did not cause more extensive damage is truly a miracle. To God be the glory! pic.twitter.com/y5mWpQNcY4
The shooting has caused widespread outrage across the nation, reigniting the national debate surrounding gun laws. Many Black parents around the country fear their child being perceived as older and a threat.
Talib Kweli took to Instagram to share his support for Ralph Yarl and pointed to the fears Black parents endure.
“This is what Black parents have to teach our children to watch out for and they still try to tell us we are lying about our experiences with racism. They still chastise us for saying our lives matter,” he penned in the caption of a video about the teen’s shooting a miraculous recovery.
Halle Berry and Justin Timberlake also joined the demands for action, taking to Twitter to urge the public to contact prosecutors.
“This innocent child is now fighting for his life,’ wrote the Oscar-winning actress. This could be your child. This should NOT happen. Please do something today!”
…and demand an immediate arrest and bring the appropriate charges:
Building: James S. Rooney Justice Center
Address: 11 South Water Street, Liberty, Missouri 64068
Marques Houston has come under fire over a number of interviews he gave discussing his teen wife.
Earlier this month, the Sister, Sister actor addressed the nearly 20-year age gap after marrying his wife when she was 19 and he was 38. Marques Houston says he met Miya Dickey when she was just 17 years. However, he claims the pair had “no real connection until, you know, she was of age.”
Following the interview, Marques Houston faced accusations of grooming the then-teenager. He then garnered further criticism when he attempted to address the backlash head-on.
In a follow-up interview, Marques Houston called single mothers a “red flag,” who often come with “baggage.” The 41-year-old also said he doesn’t like “women with funky attitudes,” and said most women his age are “very independent,” whereas he prefers to “provide for my wife.”
On Wednesday, Jerome Jones, aka “Romeo” of Immature fame, condemned his former bandmate’s remarks. He began by explaining he felt compelled to address the issue despite mourning the loss of his brother. Romeo apologized for the “insensitive statements,” saying, “It is never ok to degrade one group of women in order to praise another.”
He continued, declaring, “We were raised by a tribe of strong independent women,” before addressing the struggles and hardships women face. He also spoke on the specific pressures Black women encounter and pointed to “colorism in the entertainment industry.”
Romeo also highlighted the support of loyal Immature fans, “some who happen to now be hardworking single mothers.” He concluded by distancing himself from Marques Houston’s remarks: “His views do not reflect those of the group.”
Frank Ocean will not return to the Coachella stage this weekend after receiving backlash over his first show, which was plagued with mishaps.
Critics and fans alike widely panned the Grammy Award-winner’s headline set on Sunday (Apr. 16) at the 2023 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
The R&B singer’s agency shared a statement confirming his withdrawal on Wednesday.
“Frank Ocean will not be performing at weekend 2 of Coachella,” Huxley confirmed, per NME.
The announcement confirmed reports that the original stage production featured an ice rink and skaters. The plan was supposedly canceled after Frank Ocean suffered an injury. Huxley’s statement backs up the speculation and says Frank scrapped his second set on doctor’s orders.
“After suffering an injury to his leg on festival grounds in the week leading up to weekend 1. Frank Ocean was unable to perform the intended show but was still intent on performing, and in 72 hours, the show was reworked out of necessity. On doctor’s advice, Frank Ocean is not able to perform weekend 2 due to two fractures and a sprain in his left leg.
Frank Ocean also shared his own statement, acknowledging the failings of last Sunday’s Coachella set.
“It was chaotic,’ he said before adding, “There is some beauty in chaos. It isn’t what I intended to show but I did enjoy being out there and I’ll see you soon.”
Coachella is yet to announce a replacement headliner, but sources suggest Blink-182 will step in.
Meanwhile, earlier this week, Justin Bieber defended Frank Ocean, saying he was “blown away” buhs Coachella set.
