A photographer sued Cam’ron for selling merchandise featuring a memorable photo of the Dipset member.
According to Billboard, Djamilla Cochran filed a lawsuit against Cam’ron in New Jersey on Tuesday (April 11). Cochran accused the rapper of using her photo of him without licensing it.
Cochran photographed Cam’ron wearing a pink coat with a matching flip phone in 2003. The image quickly became part of Killa Cam’s brand.
Cam’ron allegedly plastered the image on t-shirts, hoodies and other items to sell on his Dipset Couture store. Cochran accused the Diplomats artist of ignoring several warnings about copyright infringement.
“Getty Images notified defendants of their infringing activities by mail and email on multiple occasions,” Cochran’s attorneys wrote, per Billboard. “Despite those notifications, defendants continued to sell merchandise and continued to display the photograph on website and accounts.”
Cam’ron was hit with the lawsuit a few days after facing backlash for his comments on a photo of Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors. Killa Cam took a shot at the Creed 3 co-stars after seeing an image of Majors embracing Jordan.
“The reason I didn’t go see Creed,” he wrote on Instagram.
Cam’ron denied he was homophobic in response to criticism of his remarks.
Megan Thee Stallion asked a judge to appoint a third party to handle her label’s finances.
According to TMZ, the 28-year-old rapper accused 1501 Certified Entertainment of running low on funds in a motion filed on Thursday (April 13). Her concerns emerged in her lawsuit against 1501 and its owner Carl Crawford.
The multi-platinum selling artist claimed 1501’s primary bank account has less than $10,000 in it despite millions in deposits. She believed Crawford, J. Prince and Gee Roberson raked in money from her music without properly paying her.
Megan Thee Stallion worried about 1501’s ability to compensate her if she wins her lawsuit. She wanted a judge to enlist a third party to manage 1501’s money.
Earlier this year, Crawford expressed regret over publicly beefing with his label’s breakout star. 1501 issued a statement pledging its support ahead of her next release.
“We look forward to continuing to support our 1501 artist, Megan Thee Stallion, in all of her future endeavors,” 1501 proclaimed. “The 1501 staff is dedicated to a successful and exciting launch of this new project!”
Megan Thee Stallion sued 1501 for royalties and sought her release from her contract. She began her legal battle against the label in 2020.
A new twist has emerged in the ongoing racketeering trial of rapper Young Thug and his alleged associates from the “Young Slime Life” gang.
Several public defenders appointed by the Georgia Public Defender Council to represent three of the 14 defendants in the case claim that they are not paid enough for their services.
The defense attorneys argue that the compensation they receive needs to be revised, given the intense workload and the high-profile nature of the case.
Angela D’Williams, an attorney representing Rodalius Ryan, submitted a motion this week requesting to withdraw from the case. She described the pay as “egregiously low for the amount of work and attention this trial requires.”
Fellow defense attorneys Justin Hill and Suri Chadha Jimenez, who represent other defendants in the case, have also expressed dissatisfaction with their compensation.
The trial, which began on January 9, 2023, is expected to last at least six months.
Initially, Hill accepted the case for $7,500, but his pay was doubled when it became clear that the trial would last nearly a year. Despite the pay increase, Hill expressed his concerns about the case’s demands on his time.
“For at least a year’s worth of full-time work, that’s essentially less than minimum wage…to be honest, I could make more money working at Chick-fil-A as a cashier,” Hill told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The defense attorneys are currently paid $15,000 each to represent their clients throughout the trial, regardless of duration.
The last straw came when the trio wrote a letter to the Georgia Public Defender Council in hopes of getting a pay raise. They request was denied. The
Hill, who represents defendant Damone Blalock, mentioned that the trial demands have required him to put other cases on hold, forcing him to work on them during nights and weekends.
The trial has seen its fair share of dramatic moments so far. In one instance, Young Thug was accused of conducting a drug deal in court, just feet away from prosecutors and bailiffs.
The incident was caught on video, further fueling the tension surrounding the case.
As the trial continues to unfold, the concerns raised by the defense attorneys about their compensation adds a new layer of complexity to an already high-stakes case.
Wiz Khalifa is one of the more underrated celebrities in the game. He makes moves and he makes music and he makes money. In the weed zone, he is the prince of it all with Uncle Snoop and Berner being the kings. But Wiz is really making some real maneuvers.
Yesterday, he revealed that he and adult entertainer Mia Khalifa are working together on something. When it was announced, people started to assume it was going to be a p-flick or something. But they are going to have to put their lotion aside and grab their lighters. This play is not in the nude. They are doing something with Wiz’s Khalifa Kush, his brand of marijuana. As you know, weed is pretty much legal these days and the culture is loving that.
I am thinking about smoking now. I do not at the moment but this might just take me over the edge. I’m kidding. This actually makes me want to smoke even less. That does not make me any less happy for the two of them.
Chicago rapper G Herbo, born Herbert Wright III, is currently negotiating with federal prosecutors over fraud and identity theft charges.
The rapper and his four co-defendants are accused of participating in a $1.5 million fraud scheme involving stolen credit cards and fake identification to fund a lavish lifestyle.
G Herbo and his associates are accused of targeting four private jet companies, two vacation rental businesses, a limousine service, hotels in Massachusetts, security companies, a limo business, and commercial airlines.
They also purchased food and even acquired two high-end puppies using the rap star’s official Instagram account. They ran the scheme from March 2016 until they were busted in December 2020.
G Herbo pled not guilty to the charges and was released on a $75,000 bond. Later, he dropped a track titled “Statement,” denying the allegations.
The feds just requested a Rule 11 hearing for G Herbo. A Rule 11 hearing, as outlined by the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, is a court proceeding during which a defendant may plead guilty to criminal charges.
This hearing aims to ensure that the defendant’s guilty plea is voluntary and that the defendant understands the charges and the consequences of pleading guilty.
The charges against G Herbo include aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
With the potential dismissal of the Section 1028A(a)(1) counts, which cover aggravated identity theft and carry a minimum mandatory term of two years of incarceration following any other form of punishment, the ongoing negotiations are particularly complex.
The plea deal, if reached, may help the rapper avoid prison time for the identity theft and fraud charges.
Both the government and defense counsel require until approximately June 1, 2023, to continue their plea negotiations, citing complex matters of fact involved in the case.
Fulton County Jail’s mission statement reads: “It is the mission of the Fulton County Detention Center to safely and humanely house incarcerated offenders in such a manner as to protect the public, protect the institution and protect the inmates, all while offering offenders the opportunity to better prepare themselves for their return to society through participation in the programs at our facility.”
But recent headlines suggest the Atlanta jail isn’t adhering to those values. On Wednesday (April 12), CBS Newsreported an inmate named LaShawn Thompson was in jail for three months when he was found dead in a dirty jail cell “after being eaten alive by bed bugs and insects.”
Then earlier this month, YFN Lucci—who’s been incarcerated at Fulton County since January 2021—was on camera appearing to throw back a bottle of lean like he’s at summer camp.
But that was only the beginning. In another particularly disturbing video from within the Fulton County Jail walls, an alleged YSL member is hogtied and gagged as he’s viciously assaulted by a purported YFN member. In the clip, the man is being hit so hard, his skull is heard bouncing off the ground. The attacker also has a knife and films himself trying to scrape off the assault victim’s tattoo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfuH–WxVd4
Fulton County Jail has been scrutinized multiple times in the past. Last December, an inmate’s family alleged their relative was forced to defecate in a garbage bag after a water line rupture. Inmates were also without heat during a winter storm brought below-freezing temperatures to metro Atlanta. Still, they were told they couldn’t walk around with blankets to stay warm.
As for the bed bug incident, jail records revealed detention officers and medical staff at the jail noticed the man’s deteriorating health but did nothing to help him, leading to his death last September.
The family is calling for a criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death, as well as the closure and replacement of the Fulton County Jail. Perhaps that’s a good idea.
Mickey Factz has done something never before, a mighty feature in a culture that now celebrates 50 years of greatness. He has graduated the first class of the Hip Hop Academy and hosted Bun B as the commencement speaking to the students earlier this month. To the Pendulum Ink Academy, the UGK legend said, “In my 31 years (rapping professionally), I have never seen something like what you guys have accomplished in the last eight months, and the reason I haven’t seen it because it didn’t exist.”
Factz, at one time, was a student a NYU, but eventually dropped out to be a full-time emcee in 2007. The skills and experience he has amassed as a song writer, ghost writer, and battle emcee have now been poured into his student. Even with this talent, Factz has assembled a proverbial posse of rap acts to support the effort. Lecturers include Phonte from Little Brother, Masta Ace, Inspectah Deck, Method Man Cory Gunz, Sa-Roc, Lady London, Che Noir, 40 B.A.R.R.S., Twista, Ras Kass, Cyhi the Prynce, MC Juice, Daylyt, Skyzoo and others.
Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur talks to the dean of lyricism about what is now and next for Pendulum Ink.
AllHipHop: Good, definitely, man. All right, so let’s just jump right into it. I know you got things to do and I got some movers moving some furniture in here, so I got to do some stuff too. But let me do the intro and we’ll just roll with it.
Mickey Factz: All right.
AllHipHop: All right. What’s good, world? It’s your man, Chuck Creekmur, aka Jigsaw, and I’m here with one of my favorite MCs, but he’s moving into the education sphere, the world of education. Mickey Factz is with AllHipHop. What’s going on?
Mickey Factz: It’s Schmickey!
AllHipHop: “It’s Schmickey.” Oh, so you still can do that now? Okay!
Mickey Factz: Yeah, man. It’s still Mickey.
AllHipHop: Right. Okay. I thought “professor,” maybe you’d change it up a little.
Mickey Factz: Oh, I’m the dean.
AllHipHop: The dean. That’s what’s up. I know a few deans, man. They all have high stature, you know what I’m saying? So you’ve transitioned into… Well, you tell me what you’ve done. That way I don’t put words in your mouth and you can actually tell us what you’ve done.
Mickey Factz: Man, I have created the first ever hip hop academy for lyricism and knowledge based around Hip-Hop.
AllHipHop: Okay, dope. And give us the name, it’s Pendulum Ink.
Mickey Factz: So pendulum was a word for one of my songs that I had with my co-founder, Chilla Jones, a popular battle rapper. So I came to him and said, “Yo, if I do this, I can only do this with you” because if something ever happened to me, I could rely on him to teach the program and keep it going. So we had one song that we did called Pendulum. Just Blaze actually produced the record for me. And when I was incorporating it, they was like, you could say Inc, I-N-C, or LLC. And I was like, why don’t we say Pendulum Inc. And I asked him, what do you think it should be I-N-C or I-N-K? And he was like, I-N-K. So that let me know I made the right choice and it just stuck, you know what I’m saying? Pendulum Ink. It just rolls pretty well.
AllHipHop: Nice. Now I’ve read up on how this all came about, but since this is your first time talking to us, tell us how this all coalesced.
Mickey Factz: Ah, man, what a word.
AllHipHop: Yeah, see I’m using the big words now, bro.
Mickey Factz: Well, listen man, all those that follow my career know that I went to NYU, I went and studied law and I dropped out to be an MC. It’ll be 16 years that I’ve been living off music. And I started thinking about retirement. What does retirement look like for an MC? I see people saying, you could rap until you 50, 60. But the reality is, I don’t know any 60-year old rappers. I’m not saying that it won’t happen. I think the oldest might be 55, 56 that’s still active, which might be Kool G Rap, potentially.
AllHipHop: Yeah, there’s a couple, and active depends on what active is. So some are still touring, say like Public Enemy or something like that, but not as active as writing. I would say KRS-One is probably the most senior level MC that’s writing, age wise.
Mickey Factz: Yeah. So I said to myself, I don’t know if personally I want to rap in my sixties. I don’t know if I want to rap in my fifties. And I started to think, what does that look like for us as a community of MCs and lyricists? And I said, you know what? What’s a great transition point? And I felt that moving into the education space would be that. And obviously we’ve had courses here and there. 9th Wonder did one, we have Lupe Fiasco at MIT right now. Obviously Mad Skillz has something at the University of Virginia, so guys are doing it. But these guys have degrees with the exception of Lupe, and I don’t have a degree. So as I was trying to get work while still being an MC, I was getting turned down left and right.
And then finally, during the pandemic, Masterclass really blew up. And I approached Masterclass and they basically told me, don’t call us, we’ll call you. And that was the greatest thing that they could have ever done because it forced me to create my own online school. And that’s where we at right now.
AllHipHop: Nice. Now you got to talk about the names of the artists that are coming through because it’s pretty impressive, man. I saw Meth, really impressive list. So you tell us, and how did you get these people?
Looking like Ab Soul teaching in May. Long Live Lyricism. We getting closer and closer to bigger things. pic.twitter.com/HbMi1ZY2MP
Mickey Factz: Okay, so let’s walk through year one. Year one in order Inspectah Deck, Phonte, Masta Ace, Cory Gunz, Skyzoo. Then we had Women’s Month, which is August, Sa-Roc, Lady London, Che Noir, 40 B.A.R.R.S. Then we had Summer School, Twista. Then we went back to the regular scheduled program, Ras Kass, Cyhi the Prynce, MC Juice, Daylyt and Method Man. And that was all online. And that’s not including the people that jumped in to watch the classes. Sway, Rockness Monsta, Kid Capri, Pete Rock, Iron Solomon, the list goes on and on.
Year two, this year, 2023, we got RJ Payne, Ransom, Pharoahe Monch, Benny the Butcher, Ab-Soul, Big Boi from Outkast, Big K.R.I.T, Twista is pulling back up, Killer Mike, DMC, Wordsworth, Lord Finesse, and King Los, Shawnna for Women’s Month. Rah Digga for Women’s Month. I’m working on Tierra Whack, I’m working on Kool G Rap. Those are the last two people to get on for each year.
AllHipHop: Kool G Rap, I regard him as my favorite MC, the goat of my personal life. And there’s other goats obviously, we can never really pin down one, but it’d be great to have him in there for his multi syllabic style of rhyming and being that pioneer.
Mickey Factz: We trying. He just needs to answer the email. We got some money for him, you know what I’m saying? Him and Elza have been pretty tough, but aside from them, it’s just me really reaching out to these guys and letting them know what we have. And I haven’t really heard no. It’s been yes, yes, yes…
AllHipHop: Now, as a person who used to really rap very heavily myself, once upon a time, you would study the greats. What makes this different in that regard?
Mickey Factz: Well, so far it’s been very receptive. It’s been a 95% positive feedback space. And obviously with anything you do, you’re going to have people that are deterred and they don’t believe in going against the grain of what is authentic with Hip-Hop and lyricism. But for me, I look at it like this, rather me than someone not of the culture.
AllHipHop: That’s a fact.
Mickey Factz: And frankly, if I didn’t do this, it was eventually going to happen. And me doing this, I think from my peers, the people that I’ve reached out to come and teach, there’s a natural progression in the people that I reach out to because I have a five-year plan of who I want to come. So there’s people saying, “Yo, can you get Eminem? Can you get Nas?” Yeah, I’m going to get them, but let’s build this together. What people are seeing is history, we’re literally living in history right now with Pendulum Ink. It’s the very first ever space. So we’re naming names that are iconic on the underground level as well as the mainstream level. And it needs to be built up as such, because you don’t want to just come out and be like, we got Jay Z coming in to teach. And then it’s like, where do you go from Jay? You got to build up to this. You know what I’m saying?
So we have these incredible MCs coming to do for one masterclass per month. They’re coming in and they’re breaking down their style. They’re breaking down their rhyme pattern, they’re breaking down their delivery style, they’re breaking down their mental health components. And the students speak to them and ask them specific questions, delegating only on their writing technique, their delivery style and mental health space when constructing specific songs. We don’t get into tabloids, we don’t get into rumors, we don’t get into anything that has nothing to do with the actual art form of lyricism and content creation within music.
AllHipHop: Why mental health space? Why is that a factor?
Mickey Factz: The mental health space is the main component, one of the main components here at Pendulum Ink. It’s very, very important that we implemented a mental health space within our lexicon. So we have Rhymecology. Rhymecology is created by my brother, professor Jeff Walker. He’s a mental health specialist who specializes in helping MCs express and discover themselves through rhyme. And he does one-on-one work with our students. He has a Wednesday class where it’s mandatory that you go.
AllHipHop: So what’s the student body look like?
Mickey Factz: Man, we have students from all over the world. Most of the students came from the South, North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia. But we have students from all over the country. We have some international students, we have three Canadian students, we have two Mexican students, we have one student from Greece, we have another from South Africa, we have another from India. And when those students from across the pond come in, it’s two, three in the morning and they’re in class, bushy-tail, wide eyed, ready to learn. And that’s what the power of Hip-Hop looks like with people’s cameras on, which doesn’t happen when you do Zoom meetings, people have their cameras off. These students have their cameras on, they’re in tune. They want to learn, they want to get better and that’s what matters.
AllHipHop: Yeah. Has anyone ever failed out?
Mickey Factz: So no, not as of yet. We haven’t had anybody fail yet. We’ve had some low scores on some tests, and when a student gets a low score, we pull them in for a one-on-one talk and be like, we got to help you step your game up. Last year we had a two course program track. Sophomore and freshman, which was Rap Theory, and then advanced techniques was the junior, senior.
Now as we go into year two, we understand as we’re expanding that we need more time to help an MC get better. So now we have Rap Theory 101, teaching you how to rhyme on beat better. Rap Theory 102, teaching you the basic foundations of writing. Then we have Advanced Rap Theory, and that’s teaching you advanced styles and different ways to run. We’re talking E-40, Bone Thugs, Twista, the Detroit Style. And then we got Advanced Techniques teaching you a higher level of writing. So through this 4-year track, if you come in not being able to rap year one, by the year four, you should be great at what it is that we do.
AllHipHop: What about the intangibles, the marketing, promo, getting a deal or not, maybe going the independent route? Do you guys, have you delved into that yet?
Mickey Factz: Yeah, so we have a business class that we had last year called Mickey Money. This year we have the behind the scenes with Law, which is Lawrence Parker, who manages Jay Electronica. He will be doing the business class for our MCs. And we also have a finance class, Hip-Hop According to Finance taught by New York Life Insurance employees. It’s very important that the MCs understand and know the business of the game as well as what can we do to assist you to go to the next level. Now listen, it’s just like the freshman cover that I was on. It was 10 of us on the cover. Everybody wanted all 10 of us to be where Drake is, and in reality, it doesn’t work like that. So we give people realistic expectations on what to expect when you leave the culture.
AllHipHop: Have you ever thought about going back and getting your degree or is that insignificant? Or will you give yourself one from Pendulum Ink?
Mickey Factz: I can definitely give myself one, but I just learned recently that there is a degree program at the University of North Carolina, UNC, Chapel Hill, and they’re giving out rap degrees. I’ve been seriously considering taking that class to get a degree in rap. That would be the only way I go back to school is if I get a degree in rap. But if I don’t go there, then I think we at the school validate Hip-Hop culture and that to me is what matters. I want our degrees to be accredited through the OGs and the people who start this thing so that I can license my curriculum, my lexicon, my syllabus to other schools and get my students hired by having this degree and scoring at a specific level to have them teach what it is that we do here.
AllHipHop: I have to bring up KRS-One because he is known as the teacher. Have you had any talks with him at all or has he come up?
Mickey Factz: As you stated – KRS-One, he’s still active. He’s still an active MC. He’s touring like a mad man. I know he just started this new nonprofit with Chuck D and Kurtis Blow. I would love to have a lecture-based class with KRS. He is the teacher and I haven’t had the chance to speak to him. It’s pretty tough these days as he is touring and a multitude of things. But I one million percent am sure that all I need from KRS is five minutes to tell him what I’m doing and he’s going to be like, absolutely. I already know.
AllHipHop: No doubt. Well man, I’m definitely impressed, man. And I find it’s slightly ironic because back in the day if you went to college or if you were educated in a formal way, it was corny. So now do you feel like it’s changing? Is this cool now, new cool?
Mickey Factz: I think you got to think about it like this, Chuck. Back then, Hip-Hop was young. It was very young. 10-years old, 20-years old. We are in the 50th year, and when you get to your 50th year, it’s maturity. And at some point we had to do something to establish ownership, establish structure, establish this space of us controlling the narrative. We do not want our history diluted over time and people forget about exactly what happened in the space of Hip-Hop. So I think that it is the perfect time for something like this to happen. I have the full support of people who have heard about it, people such as yourself who are reaching out to allow me to speak about it. And the students and the peers of mine who just champion and cosign this. It’s very important that people see that this is the future of academia.
AllHipHop: Next thing, y’all going to have frats and sororities. You know what I mean? A mascot.
Okay, sounds good. Anything else for the people?
Mickey Factz: Yeah, man. Sign up to Pendulum Ink. Year two is here. Fill out a application at pendulumink.com and have a Q & A with us, man. We are the worldwide leaders of education in Hip-Hop, man, and we are looking to expand a little bit more and grow our fan base. We have an app that’s going to be releasing very soon, so keep your eyes open and peeled for that if you’re looking to expand your knowledge from a writing standpoint, speak to some of your favorite MCs and build with a community of people that want to see you be better. Pendulum Ink is the space for you.
AllHipHop: You sound like Suge Knight right now. “Come on over to Pendulum Ink.”
Mickey Factz: That’s y’all professors and teachers out there too. If you can’t get a job teaching at your university, come over to Death Row, aka Pendulum Ink. I’ll get you a job. I pay my professors. Everything is good. Contracts, everything. Let’s go man. Pendulum, baby.
Once again Blueface has sections of the internet calling him out for his comments. This time, the “Thotiana” rapper decided to share his thoughts on people selling sex on OnlyFans.
“[I don’t know] who needs to hear this but p#### is free 😂,” tweeted Blueface on Wednesday. He followed that up by also tweeting, “[And] If it ain’t free that’s called prostitution.”
Blueface took his point even further by addressing specific content creators on OnlyFans. According to the 26-year-old West Coaster, even sex acts on the subscription service are forms of the world’s oldest profession.
“If [you’re] having sex on OnlyFans, you are a prostitute. If [you’re] just playing with yourself, [you’re] doing p###, any money for sex transaction is prostitution,” wrote the Find the Beat album creator in a tweet that collected over 11,000 likes.
In response to pushback, Blueface posted a dictionary definition for prostitution – “a person, in particular a woman, who engages in sexual activity for payment.” He captioned the screenshot, “Half [of] y’all [are] prostitutes an ain’t even know it 😂.”
Blueface Says He Has No Problem With Sex Work
Apparently, some social media users took issue with Blueface seemingly stigmatizing sex work as immoral or worthless. The internet celebrity/part-time boxer returned to Twitter to share his belief that the sex work industry is a legitimate business.
“Never said prostitution was bad or degrading or not a good way to make money. Make [your] money by any means but understand what [you’re] doing [and] stand on it. I respect all hustles but if [you’re] ashamed of it, change your line of work. The truth could never be a diss, be the best prostitute,” tweeted Blueface.
There are videos on the internet of Blueface and his on-again, off-again girlfriend Chrisean Rock having intercourse. Last year, the toxic couple talked about their leaked sex tape on an episode of the Crazy In Love reality show.
never said prostitution was bad or degrading or not a good way to make money make yo money by any means but understand what is your doing an stand on it I respect all hustles but If you ashamed of it change your line of work the truth could never be a diss be the best prostitute
Dexter Gore Jr., better known as the rapper Famous Dex, has dealt with some personal struggles in his life. The “Pick It Up” performer has admitted to having a substance abuse issue.
News broke last September that Famous Dex went from the Los Angeles County jail into a rehabilitation facility. The stint behind bars in LA stemmed from Dexter allegedly violating a protection order in 2021.
TMZ recently caught up with Famous Dex outside Los Angeles International Airport. During the interview, the 29-year-old Chicago native revealed he has been sober for nearly a year.
“I’m not doing drugs no more. I’ve been drug-clean for eleven months. I’m happy and healthy,” stated Dex. He also added, “Keep God first and never forget where you come from… Cause we might give up, but God don’t.”
Famous Dex gained widespread recognition for mixtapes such as 2015’s Dexter’s Laboratory and 2016’s Drippy. Rich The Kid eventually signed Dexter to his Rich Forever record label.
The Dex Meets Dexter studio album dropped in 2018 via 300 Entertainment and Rich Forever Music. Diana followed in 2020. Dex also contributed to several Rich Forever compilations.
Recent reports claim Famous Dex closed on a $5.6 million contract with 300 Entertainment earlier this year. The “Japan” rhymer celebrated the apparent business deal by posting on Instagram, “God is amazing 🦶🏽🦶🏽🦶🏽🦶🏽🦶🏽🦶🏽🦶🏽 #Wavebros #300ent #richforevermusic.”
Academy Award winner Mo’Nique (Precious) is unafraid to take on corporations. After engaging in a legal fight with Netflix several years ago, Mo has now turned her attention to Paramount Pictures and CBS TV Studios.
According to Deadline, Mo’Nique filed a lawsuit against the Paramount Global subsidiaries. The 55-year-old Maryland native accuses the defendants of not sharing the revenue from The Parkers sitcom with the performers.
“Today we filed a lawsuit to make sure that we are fairly paid [the] money that we are owed for The Parkers,” wrote Mo’Nique on Instagram. “Actors rely on the good faith of Hollywood companies to honor their profit participation agreements. The Parkers was a huge success and continues to be a source of revenue through syndication and streaming channels.”
The Queens of Comedy star continued, “To further make my point, the Executive Producers of The Parkers took legal action for the same concerns that I have, and they’ve already settled. Unfortunately, all too often, talent gets kept in the dark. We’re looking forward to shedding some light on the subject! I LOVE US 4REAL!!”
The Parkers ran for five seasons (1999-2004) on the now-defunct UPN network. Mo’Nique appeared on the show as Nicole “Nikki” Parker. The cast also included Countess Vaughn, Dorien Wilson, Jenna von Oÿ, Ken L, and Yvette Wilson.
Mo’Nique has her own history with giant streamers like Netflix. She sued the California-headquartered company for racial and gender discrimination in 2019. The two sides eventually “amicably” settled the dispute. Netflix later presented the My Name is Mo’Nique comedy special.
Peezus Niice claimed Fivio Foreign did not compensate him for his videography work during the Rocking The Daisies festival in South Africa. Fivio appears willing to make up for the apparent oversight.
“I’ve been quiet and chasing for mooonths, after submitting work for @FivioForeign when he came to SA for @RockingTheDaisy. They booked me to cover his weekend here. I did that, they loved the videos. [Please] help me RT until they pay my rack, this I won’t let slide,” tweeted Peezus Niice on April 12.
The founder of Niice Productions continued, “6 months later, @FivioForeign and his team ghosted and haven’t paid a cent. First frame is me getting hit up… to submitting saying they love the video, to following up… To ghost situation.”
Peezus Niice also posted screenshots of messages apparently between himself and members of Fivio Foreign’s team about compensation. Fivio got wind of Peezus’s tweet thread and responded a few hours later.
“[Damn, you] never got paid?” asked Fivio Foreign. “I [definitely wasn’t] aware [you] never got paid. [There] was a lot of things not being handled [right back] in these days but things [are] more on point now. Not even sure if I used these vids but imma make sure [you] get paid NP. I apologize.”
Peezus Niice thanked Fivio Foreign for reaching out to him about the situation. However, Peezus emphasized that the Brooklyn Drill artist still has to actually pay him for his services before he will “move on” from the situation.
Fivio Foreign released the B.I.B.L.E. studio album in 2022. That Columbia Records-backed project features Kanye West, Alicia Keys, Quavo, Queen Naija, Coi Leray, Chlöe, ASAP Rocky, Lil Yachty, Lil Tjay, and more artists.
Damnn Yu never got paid ?… I deff waznt aware yu never got paid.. was alot of things not being handled rite bacc in these days but things more on point now Not even sure if I used these vids but imma make sure yu get paid NP.. I Apologize. https://t.co/SWmUi4FTF7
Was Lil Baby scheduled for an appearance at Pride In The District? Apparently, the Atlanta-bred rap star’s name should not have been attached to the gay pride event in Washington, DC.
Pride In The District created a flyer claiming Lil Baby would headline a May 28 nightclub party. However, the organization later confirmed the advertised Bravo Bravo appearance was a mistake.
“We have an update… Unfortunately [Lil Baby] was unaware of the booking and some despicable low-life is out there scamming people claiming to be a booking agent. We will end this situation here and move forward,” read a caption on Pride In The District’s Instagram page.
The Neighborhood Talk also shared a response reportedly from a representative for Lil Baby. Apparently, the 28-year-old hitmaker never began negotiations with Pride In The District to show up in the District of Columbia.
“[Lil Baby] never even knew of this event and none of his team or agents were ever in contact with Pride In The District. A scammer must have posed as a rep of his. Lil Baby never pulled out of anything with this as he was never booked or contacted in the first place,” read the statement from Baby’s camp.
Last year, Lil Baby released his third studio LP It’s Only Me. The project became the rapper’s third No. 1 album on the Billboard 200. He also led the chart with 2020’s My Turn and 2021’s The Voice of the Heroes with Lil Durk.
Baby will hit stages across the country for his upcoming “It’s Only Us Tour.” The trek travels to Washington D.C. on August 31. GloRilla, The Kid LAROI, Rylo Rodriguez, Gloss Up, and Hunxh serve as opening acts.
After a long two years on the market, Meek Mill has finally sold his eight-bedroom Atlanta mansion to Rick Ross.
The Dream Chasers Records founder took to Instagram last month to share a video of the sprawling Sandy Springs/Buckhead mansion. He lost patience with his realtor and decided to market the property himself. He also revealed that despite owning the property for several years, he never actually lived there. Check out the video below.
— Yours in negritude, Ryan K. Smith. (@MeWeFree_) March 12, 2023
It didn’t take him long to find a buyer for the eight-bedroom, nine-bathroom compound that also features a jacuzzi, sauna, movie theater, outdoor pool, playground, tennis court, and twin garages.
“I sold that house that quick,” Meek Mill tweeted on Monday (Apr. 10). “It was forsale for like 2 years… i knew it would soon as I posted too!”
It turns out, Meek Mill didn’t have to look very far for a buyer; Maybach Music Group founder Rick Ross bought the place.
In a press release, luxury realtor Alisha Gillooly announced that Rozay bought the property. Furthermore, the Biggest Boss owns it mortgage free after stumping up $4.2 million in cash for the home.
Although Meek Mill dropped his first five labels under Rick Ross’s MMG label, there have been rumors of a rift between the pair. However, two days after listing his property on social media, the Dream Chasers founder linked with Rozay in the studio. The pair have a track coming “very soon,” which Meek called “perfect timing.”
Timbaland has given fans a tease of what to expect from Missy Elliott’s long awaited upcoming album, and as expected from one of the most creative rapper-producer pairings of all time, they are pushing the boundaries of the genre.
Earlier this year, the Virginia icon put the world on notice when she tagged the superproducer in an Instagram post, announcing “It’s go time.” Timabland then shared Missy Elliott’s post writing, Time for us to press that go button.” He also teased the duo is “[in] our bag like always.”
Timbo opened up about the project during a new interview revealing he’d like to be ready for summer.
“We’ve got a lot of songs we’re gonna start recording soon, and my dream is to have it out around her birthday in July. I want it to sound how she looks — she looks incredible right now. We both look like we 19 again,” Timbaland told Variety.
He also revealed that fans can expect some of the project to come with a Latin and Brazlian funk influences.
“I know how Missy works: It’s got to be new and fun — or maybe not so much new as kind of underground, and everything is upbeat,” he added. “Some of it has a kind of Latin feel to it, almost a Bad Bunny effect, some of it’s kinda like underground Brazilian funk. People gonna eat it up — and it might reach a just a different demographic of people. It’s like it’s her doing… not reggaeton but Missy-ton.”
As well as a Latin sound, Timabaland would like Missy link with artists from the genre. “I think Young Miko would be dope with Missy, and so would Bad Bunny,” he stated. “I think that she could show them something. She’s already global, but this takes it to a different level.”
Fans have been eagerly waiting a new Missy project. The Supa Dupa Fly creator’s last full-length album was The Cookbook released in 2005.
Last year Missy Elliott reflected on her iconic partnership with Timbaland and the creation of her first five LPs. Check out the story here at AllHipHop.com.
Nicki Minaj and 50 Cent have teamed up on an exciting new venture in the comic books and amination worlds.
The Queens, NY icons announced a new upcoming television series Amazon Freevee animation project, Lady Danger. Nicki Minaj will voice and executive produce the series alongside 50 Cent through his G-Unit Film & TV company.
The show comes from the Dark Horse comic book series written by Alex de Campi with artwork by Mulele Jarvis and John Lucas.
On Wednesday (Apr. 13), Fiddy announced the news on Instagram sharing Deadline’s report of the announcement.
“what you doing today, we working,” 50 Cent penned in the caption before tagging Nicki Minaj. He also gave a nod to their shared upbringing, writing, “South Side you already know what it is.”
Nicki also acknowledged their roots, adding Fif’s post to her IG Story with the hashtag “Queens Get The Money.”
50 Cent doubled back on Instagram to post a close-up of the artwork. He took to the caption to highlight the meaning behind the acronym of the agency Lady Danger is employed by.
“B.O.O.T.I. (bureau of organized terrorism intervention) LADY DANGER coming soon !” he added.
According to Deadline, the Lady Danger series is set in 2075 and tells the story of an “agent who is left for dead by her team after discovering a dangerous secret, only to be resurrected as Lady Danger, an Afrofuturistic ass-kicking Agent of B.O.O.T.I. (Bureau of Organized Terrorism Intervention).”
50 Cent has wanted to work with Nicki Minaj outside of music for some time, saying they would have crazy chemistry.
“I kind of understand her a little bit more than the other people,’ he said of the “Red Ruby Da Sleeze” hitmaker in 2021. “I mean … when she does s### … I’m looking.”
Lil Wayne surprised fans at his Toronto concert Wednesday (Apr. 12), bringing out hometown megastar Drake.
The Young Money founder was returning the favor after making a guest appearance during Drizzy’s Dreamville set earlier this month. After kicking off the Welcome To Tha Carter Tour in Minneapolis on Apr. 4 Lil Wayne hooked up the perfect opener for his Toronto stop, city native Drake.
The crowd was lit up with phone lights from concert-goers crooning along while Drake performed “Marvin’s Room” before getting into a set list that included “Sicko Mode,” “Rich Flex,” “Jungle,” and “Jaded.” Check out the clips below.
Lil Wayne made a surprise cameo during Drake’s co-headline set at J. Cole’s Dreamville Festival earlier this month. Weezy ran onstage in the middle of the “God’s Plan” hitmaker’s performance of their 2011 classic collaboration “The Motto.”
“I’m gonna leave you guys with the greatest rapper that ever touched a microphone tonight,” Drake declared as Lil Wayne took over.
After the show, he paid tribute to the man who first signed him and help launch him to mega-stardom.
“I want more of THIS,” he wrote in the caption of an Instagram post featuring several photos of the pair. “Years and years with the gang I’m talking plural. And to get there we’ll turn any weirdo to a mural.”
Drake branded Lil Wayne “the most selfless man on planet earth” during the “Young Money Reunion” at his hometown OVO Fest last summer. I’m your son, look at this s###,” he told Wayne. “You did this. You did this s###.”
Jamie Foxx is recovering after being taken to hospital following an undisclosed “medical emergency” Tuesday morning.
The actor’s daughter Corinne Foxx broke the news with a statement attributed to the actor’s family that she posted on her Instagram account.
Relatives revealed Jamie Foxx, who is currently shooting the upcoming Netflix film, Back in Action in Atlanta with Cameron Diaz, suffered a “medical complication.” According to the statement, the 55-year-old actor was hospitalized, but he is “already on his way to recovery.”
While the family did not disclose the medical issue, the statement read: “We wanted to share that, my father, Jamie Foxx, experienced a medical complication yesterday. Luckily, due to quick action and great care, he is already on his way to recovery.”
She continued, “We know how beloved he is and appreciate your prayers. The family asks for privacy during this time.”
A source told TMZ that the situation warranted relatives from out of town coming to visit Jamie Foxx in the hospital. They described the issue as a “medical emergency.” However, another source added an encouraging message: “He’s communicating now, and that’s good news.”
Further details are scant, and it’s unclear what led to the Oscar winner’s hospitalization. There’s no word yet on when hospital staff will discharge Jamie Foxx.
The Louis Vuitton Foundation announced a special Jay-Z concert in France.
Jay-Z will perform at a tribute to artists Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat in Paris on Friday (April 14). The event celebrates the Louis Vuitton Foundation’s “Basquiat × Warhol. Painting Four Hands” exhibition.
Hov’s concert takes place at the foundation’s Auditorium, which can host up to 1,000 spectators depending on the staging and seating configuration. Jay-Z is scheduled to perform at 9 p.m. local time in Paris.
Jay-Z returns to the stage a week after his acclaimed album The Blueprint received triple-platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. His album Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life also went six times platinum in April.
Last week, the Roc Nation boss was the only rapper to appear on Forbes’ annual list of the world’s billionaires. His liquor businesses helped him attain a reported net worth of $2.5 billion.
Earlier this year, Jay-Z struck a deal with Bacardi to end a dispute over the D’Usse brand. He sold the majority of his stake in D’Usse but maintained a partnership with Bacardi.
Hov previously accused Bacardi of mismanaging the D’Usse brand. The two sides were engaged in litigation before reaching a settlement in February.
Lil Dicky views himself as an important voice in today’s comedy scene.
The rapper-turned-TV star called himself the comedic voice of his generation in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Lil Dicky insisted he wasn’t full of himself despite the bold declaration.
“I feel like I’m the comedic voice of my generation,” he said. “You’ll read it and be like, ‘This guy’s out of his mind.’ And, really, I don’t mean it arrogantly.”
Lil Dicky grappled with his boastful opinion in the conversation with THR.
“I’m not like, ‘Oh, I’m the f###### best rapper alive,’ or ‘I’m the funniest guy in the world,’” he said. “No, I’m more like, ‘I’m a passenger of this talent,’ and it’s funny to me that I happen to be born with these skill sets, and all I can do is be relentlessly responsible with them.”
Lil Dicky largely stepped away from his rap career since his FX series Dave debuted in 2020. These days, he’s more comfortable coming up with ideas for his TV show than his music.
“It’s just been harder for me to convey my perspective via music,” he said. “It’s a lot easier to be like, ‘What am I going to make episodes about?’”
Dave’s third season premiered on April 5. New episodes air on FX’s sister channel FXX and stream on Hulu.
Tekashi 6ix9ine gave money to kids while filming a new music video in Uganda.
6ix9ine shared footage of himself handing out $100 bills in Africa on Wednesday (April 12). The controversial rapper included a clip of a child being used as a human jump rope in his Instagram video.
“UGANDA, AFRICA 🇺🇬 I LOVE YOU,” 6ix9ine wrote in the post’s caption. “I CANT WAIT TO EDIT THIS VIDEO. IM SO HAPPY I FLEW 22 HOURS JUST TO MAKE SURE YOU GUYS WERE IN THIS VIDEO. WAPAE MUSIC VIDEO HOPEFULLY THIS SATURDAY/SUNDAY.”
According to Forbes, $1 in U.S. currency equates to roughly $3,739 in Ugandan shillings. 6ix9ine gave away cash despite his alleged $120,000 credit card debt.
Last month, 6ix9ine had to be taken to a hospital after he was assaulted at a gym in Florida. His attorney said the polarizing artist suffered fractured ribs and injured his eye in the attack.
6ix9ine denied staging the beating in an attempt to promote his music.
“I don’t need to get beat up to sell a record,” he told a local NBC affiliate in Florida.
Three men were arrested for the attack. Anthony Maldonado, Octavious Medina and Rafael Medina Jr. were booked on assault and robbery charges.
