homepage

Ma$e Suggests NBA Teams Refuse To Sign Dwight Howard Because Of His Sexuality

Former NBA player Dwight Howard finds himself at the center of attention in a court of law and the court of public opinion. Howard’s sexuality became a trending topic this week, and even Ma$e shared his opinions on the subject.

According to reports, Dwight Howard admitted to “consensual sexual activity” with a man named Stephen Harper and another man just known as “Kitty” in July 2021. Harper had filed a lawsuit in Georgia against Howard, claiming the 6’10” basketball star sexually assaulted him.

Ma$e and Cam’ron talked about the Dwight Howard story on the It Is What It Is sports talk show. That conversation included Ma$e suggesting the ex-Laker was not on an NBA team because of his sexual preferences.

“We gotta stop telling people, ‘I don’t care what you do on your own time.’ Because we do care,” stated Ma$e. “We gotta stop telling n#####, ‘What you do in your own personal time has nothing to do with me.’ It does, my n####. It does matter. Those are the lies that are going on in society.”

The Harlem-bred rapper also added, “When it comes down to making money off the story, it matters. When it comes down to who’s dating you, it’s gonna matter… When it comes down to if you’re gonna be in the locker room with them, it matters. Because there are about thirty teams that did not sign Dwight Howard because it matters.”

As far as the civil case against Dwight Howard, the accuser, Stephen Harper, claims the Atlanta-born athlete also inflicted emotional distress and falsely imprisoned him. Howard’s legal team has denied those allegations.

“The truth is Mr. Howard blocked Mr. Harper on social media and then was confronted with two options — pay to protect his reputation or have a fabricated story made public,” Howard’s attorney, Justin Bailey, told ESPN.

Dwight Howard played for seven NBA teams during his professional basketball career. His most recent stint in the league took place in 2021-2022 with the Los Angeles Lakers. He won an NBA Championship as part of the Lakers franchise in 2020.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dwight Howard (@dwighthoward)

Tupac Shakur Was Worried About Security Getting Shot As He Bled Out In BMW

New revelations have emerged in the Tupac Shakur murder case following Duane “Keefe D” Davis’ arrest. A grand jury met over five times and scoured over 300 pages of transcript throughout the course of three months to indict the former gangbanger on one count of murder with a deadly weapon with a gang enhancement. Keefe D’s own testimony in various interviews and his book implicated him as the person who called for Shakur to be killed.

“Duane Davis was the shot caller for this group of individuals that committed this crime, and he orchestrated the plan that was carried out,” LVMPD Lt. Jason Johansson said.

Shakur was shot on September 7, 1996 and died six days later the University of Nevada Medical Center. The primary suspect, Orlando Anderson (who’s also Keefe D’s nephew), was killed in a drive-by two years later.

“When [Davis] passed the firearm to Orlando, Orlando didn’t have a clear shot,” a witness affiliated with Keefe D’s Crip sect told the grand jury. “Big Dre is 6’6. At this time, he’s 370, 400.  He’s big. And you’re not going to be able to lean over a big guy like that and get — I mean, my time of knowing things, doing — you’re not going to reach over like that because shells would have been popping all in Big Dre’s face and all kind of stuff. He can’t bend down or anything, he’s too big.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tupac Shakur (@2pac)

The witness said Big Dre, who’s now dead, was actually the one who shot Shakur. Another witness testified to the grand jury that Shakur was looking out for others during those last moments of his life.

The wounded Shakur was bleeding out in his BMW’s passenger’s seat and he said to the security member approaching him, “Get on the ground. They’re going to shoot you,” according to 8NewsNow.com.

It seems that ‘Pac always knew he was on borrowed time. His former manager, Leila Steinberg, sat down with Allison Kugel to talk about why she believes her friend and former mentee is no longer alive today. She blamed it on his life at Death Row and connection to Suge Knight.

“He had many lucid moments when he got it and he wanted out,” she said. “Oh, he wanted out. But some lines you cross, you can’t come back from. The deal with Suge, you can’t come back from that. He couldn’t just walk away. I don’t think he ever wanted in [with Death Row Records].

“He was in jail and desperate, and he made a move based on desperation, and he did not understand the cost or the consequence because he was dealing with real gangsters. He is not alive today because he was dealing with real gang members. That was not him. He thought he could do this deal, get out, give Suge these three records and have his freedom. It didn’t work that way. It was never going to work that way.”

While Keefe D’s indictment is “somewhat” justice to her, she also believes it’s bittersweet because he’s here and her friend isn’t.

“You know, Keefe D lived his life for the last 27 years,” she said. “There is some relief, but it’s complicated. He wasn’t the only one involved. It’s going to take some years for this to play out. Does it make me feel better? Not really. I believe in justice, so yes, I think it was important. It’s important that these next few years play out, but it didn’t make me feel any better, or whatever I thought maybe I would feel.”

Offset On The Lack Of Creativity In Current Hip-Hop: “That S###’s Getting Boring”

There has been a lot of conversation about the state of Hip-Hop culture in 2023. Earlier this month, Juicy J called for an industry meeting to address the declining sales of rap music. Offset has now weighed in on the topic as well.

Apple Music’s Ebro Darden caught up with Offset to discuss his new Set It Off studio LP. The Atlanta-raised entertainer also talked about the transition taking place in Hip-Hop from more established artists to newer artists and the criticism directed at the up-and-comers.

“I’m noticing that the no-content music ain’t catching nobody’s ear. I’m noticing that the numbers are down in our genre specifically because I feel like everything is so the same,” Offset said. “The next new n#### is another n#### that was just here. It’s nothing new being brought to the game.”

He continued, “Not just on the sound side, but just all the way around as creatively too. Most videos be like a Rolls Royce in the background, some chains on, and that s###’s getting boring, fellas. It’s like no real entertainment.”

Offset went on to say that modern-day Pop and Country musicians find commercial success because they present the “full package” as artists. For example, Country singer Morgan Wallen has dominated the Hot 100 and Billboard 200 charts this year.

Hip-Hop stars Lil Uzi Vert (Pink Tape), Travis Scott (Utopia), Rod Wave (Nostalgia) and Drake (For All the Dogs) made it to the top of the Billboard 200 chart in 2023. However, ten Hip-Hop acts scored No. 1 albums by this time last year.

Offset’s Set It Off opened at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart dated October 28, 2023. He previously had two projects peak at No. 4 – 2017’s Without Warning with 21 Savage & Metro Boomin and 2019’s Father of 4. Set also scored two Number Ones as a member of the Migos rap group.

Lil Yachty Teases Joint Project With Drake

Both Drake and Lil Yachty dropped solo albums this year. Lil Boat’s Let’s Start Here arrived in January, and Drizzy’s For All the Dogs landed earlier this month. But will the two rap stars join forces for a collaborative project soon?

Lil Yachty played a role in crafting and promoting For All the Dogs. The Georgia native co-produced several songs off the LP, including “Calling For You,” “What Would Pluto Do” and “Another Late Night.”

While appearing on Our Generation Music’s “A Field Trip w/ Lil Yachty & Concrete” vlog, Boat hinted that an official collaborative body of work with Drake may not be a far-fetched idea.

“Yeah, we talked about it before. It would be nice, right?” Lil Yachty stated. “I think he’s gonna take a little second to breathe. I’m gonna take next year and figure out my situation and we’ll look into it in the future. He’s gonna take a break, I’m gonna press the gas. And then after that, we can see what’s up.”

After For All the Dogs hit DSPs on October 6, Drake announced he would be taking a break from making music. The Toronto-bred entertainer revealed health concerns as the main reason for the upcoming hiatus.

“I want people to be healthy in life, and I’ve been having the craziest problems for years with my stomach,” Drake explained. “I was just saying what it is now. I’m saying I was gonna say it. I’ll say it. So I, I need to focus on, on my health and I need to get right.”

For All the Dogs debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart with 402,000 first-week units. Let’s Start Here launched at No. 9 on the weekly rankings. Lil Yachty’s fifth studio album brought in 36,000 units in its first week of release.

Nicki Minaj Becomes First Female Rapper To Have Two Billion-Viewed Solo Music Videos

Nicki Minaj continues to make history. The Trinidadian-born rapper once again cemented herself as a trailblazer in Hip-Hop by reaching an impressive milestone.

According to Chart Data, Nicki Minaj became the first female rapper with more than one music video as a soloist to cross the 1 billion view mark on YouTube. She recently achieved that feat with “Super Bass.”

The video for Minaj’s 2011 single now sits at around 1,000,041,006 YouTube views. “Super Bass” joined 2014’s “Anaconda” which has amassed more than 1,115,436,013 plays on the platform.

“Super Bass” lives on the deluxe version of Nicki Minaj’s debut studio LP, Pink Friday, which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. “Anaconda” is off the No. 2 debuting The Pinkprint.

The Recording Industry Association of America certified “Super Bass” as Diamond (10 million units) in November 2021. “Anaconda” reached 2x-Platinum status seven years earlier.

In addition to her two solo records topping 1 billion views, Nicki Minaj also made it into the Billion Club with collaborations like Jason Derulo’s “Swalla” (1.7B), Jessie J’s “Bang Bang” (1.9B) and Ariana Grande’s Side To Side (2.1B).

Cardi B currently holds the record for the most-viewed YouTube music video with a female rapper. Maroon 5’s Diamond-certified “Girls Like You” featuring the Bronx native has amassed more than 3.5 billion plays.

Wiz Khalifa has the most-viewed music video for any Hip-Hop act in YouTube history. “See You Again” featuring Charlie Puth has over 6 billion views. Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito” featuring Daddy Yankee holds the all-time record with 8.2 billion views.

21 Savage Addresses Breaking Up Fight At His Birthday Party

21 Savage (born Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph) celebrated his 31st birthday with a party at Underground Atlanta on October 21. Unfortunately, a fight broke out at the rapper’s event.

Footage of the incident shows 21 Savage attempted to stop the brawl. According to reports, even his cousin, Young Nudy, got involved in trying to end the violence.

Savage took to his Instagram Story to address the viral clip. The Her Loss album creator suggested social media users have been making the situation appear to be worse than it actually was.

“Why is y’all dragging a video of me stopping a fight and twisting it into what you want it to be? Who wants to fight on their birthday?😂😂😂😂😂,” wrote the Grammy-winning recording artist.

In addition to celebrating reaching 31 years old, 21 Savage has spent the last several weeks reestablishing himself as a solo performer. He appears to be turning from his Her Loss era with Drake back to dropping music on his own.

Savage recently released the “Call Me Revenge” single featuring Houston native David “d4vd” Burke. The track is part of the rollout for the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III video game.

Plus, 21 Savage will return to his birthplace of London, England for his first-ever show in the United Kingdom. He plans to run a concert inside The O2 Arena on November 30.

Cesar Pina Says DJ Envy Had “Nothing To Do” With Alleged Real Estate Scam But Denies Envy’s A “Victim”

DJ Envy’s former business partner, Cesar Pina, has spoken out in defense of The Breakfast Club host, claiming Envy had nothing to do with the alleged real estate scam and is only being targeted because he’s the “bigger name.” 

Federal authorities arrested Pina and charged him with allegedly defrauding dozens of real estate investors. Many question whether DJ Envy was involved. However, the accused fraudster took to Instagram Live to deny the claims.  

“DJ Envy was never in the room with me,” Pina told his followers. “DJ Envy has nothing to do with any of these 20 lawsuits of these people who are suing me. It f###### sucks, bro.” 

He explained his fury “that all these people are bashing DJ Envy,” stating the radio presenter “is so successful in hip-hop, as far as a DJ, that people just don’t like him.” 

Pina also said people are “being coerced to sue people affiliated with me just because they are a bigger name.” He added, “That’s the situation that breaks my heart. In all these lawsuits, these 20 lawsuits, DJ Envy was never in the room with me.” 

Pina also addressed Envy’s lawyer’s argument that the DJ is also a victim of the real estate scam.  

“I understand his attorney, his defense to DJ Envy is a victim. That’s the dumbest s### I ever heard in my life,” Pina said. “Me and him were partners in the real estate seminars. We are partners in a couple of real estate transactions. That’s it. He’s not a victim. He was my partner. He was an investor.”  Check out the clip below and watch the live at the end of the page.

Ray J Disagrees With Hov, Would Take Dinner With Jay-Z Over $500K: “Relationships Are Way More Valuable” 

Ray J has entered the viral debate over whether to get dinner with Jay-Z or accept $500,000 in cash. 

The entertainer and entrepreneur shared his thoughts on the topic in a recent video. Ray J says he would opt for dinner with Jay-Z over the cash, despite Hov advising to take the money. 

“I’m going with the meeting with Jay-Z,” he shared in an Instagram video posted Wednesday (October 25). “Relationships are way more valuable than money.” 

However, Ray J doesn’t think everybody should take the meeting, saying that a chance to link with Jay-Z could enhance career prospects for some.  

“Now, if you need the bread, take the bread like Jay said and listen to the raps,” Ray J added. “But if you need good partners and you need people that can advance you to the next level then…” 

Ultimately, Ray J said, “In my situation,” he’s taking “the meeting with Jay-Z.” Check out the video below.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cy1mJDevzyA/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Jay-Z answered the viral debate question during an interview on “CBS Mornings with Gayle King,” aired earlier this week.  

“You got to take the money,” the Roc Nation founder declared, adding that people can find his wisdom in his discography.  

“It’s all there if [you] piece it together and really listen to the music for the words, for what it is. It’s all there,” he said.  

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by AllHipHop (@allhiphopcom)

Nonetheless, many disagree. Like Ray J, Rick Ross also believes dinner with Jay-Z is more beneficial. He recalled having lunch with Hov in 2008 that “took me to another level as a writer, another level as an artist.” 

Summer Walker Responds To Backlash Over Chrisean Rock Impersonation 

Summer Walker asked fans to understand her sense of humor after being criticized over her Chrisean Rock impersonation. 

On Tuesday (October 24) the “Girls Need Love” hitmaker shared a TikTok skit mimicking Chrisean Rock using an audio clip of the “Baddies South” star discussing the rumors about her and Lil Baby with her ex, Blueface. She also uses a puppet to act as Chrisean Rock’s newborn son, mocking the recent controversy over the reality star misusing her baby carrier.  

Check out the video, which shows the original clip of Chrisean Rock alongside Summer Walker’s skit.  

Many social media users failed to see the funny side of the skit and called out Summer Walker for making fun of Chrisean Rock.  

“that video of summer walker imitating chrisean is something else,” one person wrote on X. “A study needs to be done on pots laughing at kettles.” 

https://twitter.com/BigKingC_/status/1717340133735776729?s=20

“why is summer walker mocking Chrisean and her baby for a unfunny tiktok… when her baby daddies don’t care for her kids” another person added.  

However, Walker responded to the backlash on Instagram, claiming “this generation” can’t take a joke. 

“please do not take my humor serious,” she began a post on her IG Stories. “My favorite comedians are Dave chappelle, Bernie Mac, Richard Pryor & Katt Williams, they say sh*t and don’t give af. I know this generation doesn’t understand how to actually just laugh n move on but yeah.” 

Instagram/Summer Walker

She also posted several previous skits poking fun at celebs, including a spoof of Ray J’s viral Verzuz moment.  

Offset, NLE Choppa, Chrisean Rock And More To Join Kai Cenat In “Jail” For 7 Day Livestream Event 

Twitch streamer Kai Cenat is spending seven days in a mock jail, and he’s not doing his time alone, roping in several rappers and content creators with him. 

The viral streaming star teased his live event in a recent Instagram Live with Nicki Minaj. He shocked fans and the NYC icon by revealing that he was about to spend seven days in the slammer.  

“What?” a stunned Nicki Minaj replied. “Why are you going to jail?” While he didn’t disclose the reason, Cenat confirmed that he wasn’t getting locked up for “the riot.”  

The Twitch star was recently charged with “inciting a riot” when thousands of his fans showed up at New York City’s Union Square Park for a giveaway. Cenat did not seek an official permit for the event. 

However, Kai Cenat quashed fans’ concerns on Wednesday (October 25), revealing his “jail” plans. He shared a trailer for the upcoming event “7 Days In” which will see him spend a week in jail with cameras recording his every move.  

The video, a dramatization of life behind bars, features Kai Ceant making jail calls and working out in his cell. He also unveils the inmates that will do time with him.  

Among them are Offset, NLE Choppa, Chrisean Rock and Druski, alongside several other popular content creators. Check out the trailer below.  

Offset recently bonded with Kai Cenat during a 24-hour Twitch livestream. “I had the most fun in a very longtime this weekend,” the “Jealousy” hitmaker told Cenat following the event. “Love them n##### like they my brothers.” 

Chrisean Rock Hints At Second Pregnancy, Says She Has A Kid “On The Way” 

Less than two months after giving birth to her first child, Chrisean Rock is hinting at a second pregnancy. 

The “Baby Father Drama” hitmaker welcomed Chrisean Rock Jr., her son with Blueface, on September 4. Nonetheless, she dreams of having a large brood. Rock has made no secret of the fact that she wants to have 12 children, and according to a new interview, baby No. 2 is on the way.  

Chrisean Rock recently opened up about her family expansion plans during a chat with Fashion Nova. When asked about having more children in the future the “Baddies South” star explained, “I always knew I wanted to be a mom,” of “12 kids.”  

She continued adding, “So, one down,” before revealing she also has “one on the way.”  Check out the snippet below and watch the interview at the end of the page.  

Chrisean Rock has previously revealed that she is the eleventh of 12 siblings. She grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, and for part of her childhood, lived with her mother and all her siblings in a one-bedroom apartment.  

While she had a difficult upbringing with an abusive father, Chrisean Rock grew up with love and said the “roughest times” were also the “best times.”  

Rock now lives in a home worth a reported $2.6 million but plans to get an even bigger one once she has more children.  

“I wanna fill my house up,” she said recently. “I want my backyard like this but bigger,” she added, pointing to her rear garden.  

YNW Melly’s Mom Reacts To Prosecution’s Attempt To Ban Her From His Murder Retrial

Judge John Murphy rejected prosecutor Alixandra Buckelew’s request to keep YNW Melly’s mother away from the rapper’s double murder retrial in Florida. YNW Melly’s mom Jamie King told the Miami Herald she was “bewildered” by the prosecution’s bid to ban her on Wednesday (October 25).

“I understand that the state has a job to do, but to attack me?” she said. “I’m at a loss for words.”

Buckelew asked Judge Murphy to order King to stay 1,000 feet away from the courthouse. The prosecution wanted YNW Melly’s mother barred from the building unless she was testifying in the trial.

Prosecutors claimed King tried to “manipulate or influence potential jurors” by crying in court and near a parking garage. She denied the allegations.

“It’s all frustrating,” King told the Miami Herald. “I’ve been in that courtroom for over four years. I know the rules. I’ve gone through this.”

King’s son YNW Melly awaits his retrial for the 2018 murders of YNW Juvy and YNW Sakchaser. Jury selection began on October 18.

YNW Melly, whose real name is Jamell Demons, was originally tried for the murders this past summer. Judge Murphy declared a mistrial after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict.

SIGNS: Off-Duty Pilot’s Bad Mushroom Trip Leads To 83 Counts Of Attempted Murder

More details have emerged about the purported disturbance that occurred on an Alaska Airlines flight when an off-duty pilot allegedly attempted to take control of the plane.

Multiple reports have confirmed that the flight scheduled from Washington to San Francisco diverted and landed in Portland following the off-duty captain, whose name is Joseph David Emerson, attempted to shut down the plane engines while in-flight.

Emerson allegedly attempted to trigger the fire suppression system on the plane—which consists of a T-valve handle for each engine that closes to shut off fuel to the engine if those handles are fully deployed. Audio of the alleged disturbs has surfaced on social media and appears to portray a chaotic scene unfolding onboard.

Alaska Airlines has stated that Emerson was reportedly sitting in the flight deck jump seat and scheduled to join a flight team working a 737 flight from San Francisco later that day. Witnesses allegedly heard Emerson saying something similar to “I’m not right” moments before the incident occurred. He later confessed to having taken mushrooms for the first time and being sleep deprived.

Emerson, who was escorted off the flight and taken into custody, now faces 83 counts of attempted murder and is due in court on October 24. This gives a new definition to the saying “it be ya own people” for flight service workers.

Donnell Rawlings Suggests Folks Didn’t Exit Chappelle’s Stand-Up Show Over Israel Jokes

Dave Chappelle has been the topic of conversation recently based on comments he made about the Israel and Hamas conflict during a recent stand-up show. But did he really say anything that was out of line?

Donnell Rawlings doesn’t think so and appears to have proof to back up his opinion. The entire situation unfolded as Chappelle spoke on stage about a number of topics related to Israel and Hamas. One of his main monologues was based in this satirical, tragically ironic anthology entitled “Space Jews” which he made up and used as an analogy for the unrest between Palestinians and Israelis.

Chappelle also touched on topics such as students losing job offers for supporting Palestine and war crimes he believes Israel has committed through a “disproportionate” response to Hamas’ initial attack on Israel. Chappelle also appeared to condemn Hamas and the entire conflict at large while also allegedly accusing the United States of assisting in “the slaughter of innocent civilians.” He apparently got into it with a heckler in the crowd when he attempted to explain the “two wrongs don’t make a right” fallacy in regard to the violence in Gaza and Israel.

Reports initially alleged that Chappelle’s comments were met with widespread pushback and ended up causing a mass walkout due to the clash between Palestinian and Israeli supporters. However, Rawlings shared a clip of his own, in which Chappelle announces he’s producing a stand-up special for him, and there still appears to be a full house.

“Unseen footage @tmz_tv @davechappelle parental advisory suggested! Link in bio!,” Rawlings wrote in the caption of the post.

Did Brother Dave keep it real or what? Peep the video below.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Donnell rawlings (@donnellrawlings)

EXCLUSIVE: ‘I’m A Virgo’ Star Jharrel Jerome Wants Respect As He Embarks On Rap Career

Emmy winner Jharrel Jerome strives to prove himself as a rapper. The 26-year-old actor discussed his music aspirations and high standards for rapping in a sit-down with AllHipHop’s Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur.

“As an actor, I think I do work that is pretty strong, some pretty heavy-hitting stuff,” Jerome told AllHipHop. “So, I knew when I wanted to be an artist, I had to meet that caliber somehow. And I think meeting that caliber requires really thinking about what you write and what you say. I could, right now, go in the studio and for 15 minutes, come up with four songs and say whatever the hell I want to say. And it’s going to go, I think. It’ll be a vibe. I think my voice will sound cool, and the beat was hot, and ‘Hey, this is it.’ But for me, I’ve been blessed to be in the industry in a way of, ‘Well, the work is important.’ So, for me, the music has to be important.”

He continued, “My mentality when it comes to a record, even if I want to dumb the record down a little bit, I want to make sure there’s a beginning, a middle and an end. And that there’s some sort of story or some sort of message. I think that’s so critical. And the only problem is it’s hard.”

The star of Amazon Prime Video’s I’m a Virgo traced his reverence for storytelling rap to the legendary Slick Rick. Jerome said Slick Rick’s “Mona Lisa” was the first song the actor/rapper fell in love with as a Hip-Hop fan.

Jerome hopes to create his own songs capable of leaving a lasting impression on listeners. He intends to accomplish his goal with tremendous effort and craftsmanship.

“I write, I’ll sit there for hours,” he said. “I sit there for hours trying to figure it out. I’ll record it, it don’t work, move on, try again. I care about the wordplay. I got to say something funny, I got to try to figure it out. And I’m only trying to get better. That’s why I’m excited right now. I am the best I’ve ever been and the worst I’ve ever been at the same time. I am sharp, but I still got so much left to learn.”

He added, “So, right now, I’m putting the music out, not for the streams, not for the ‘Look, I’m the next Drake. Give me the Billboard plays.’ I’m not here for that, I’m here for the respect … I’m here to implant that in people’s minds. And then I think that’ll open up doors for me to work with people who can teach me more and bring me more into this game.”

Jerome provided a taste of his musical capabilities on the Rap Pack EP, which dropped in August. He followed it up with another EP titled Trip Pack in September.

Check out AllHipHop’s conversation with Jerome below.

Richard Roundtree Dies, Samuel L. Jackson Pays Tribute

Richard Roundtree, Samuel L. Jackson, Hollywood, Shaft, hip-hop news

Samuel L. Jackson and Gabrielle Union have paid tribute to late actor Richard Roundtree.

Roundtree, who was best known for playing detective John Shaft in the 1970s film series “Shaft,” passed away on Tuesday following a battle with pancreatic cancer.

He was 81.

Jackson, who played Roundtree’s on-screen nephew in the 2000 “Shaft” revival and its 2019 follow-up, paid tribute to his co-star on Instagram.

“Richard Roundtree, The Prototype, The Best To Ever Do It!! ‘SHAFT,’ as we know it is & will always be His Creation!!” Jackson wrote alongside a still from the 2019 movie. “His passing leaves a deep hole not only in my heart, but I’m sure a lotta y’all’s, too… Love you Brother, I see you walking down the Middle of Main Street in Heaven & Issac’s Conducting your song, coat blowin’ in wind!! Angels whispering, ‘That Cat SHAFT Is A Bad M####, Shutcho Mouth!! But I’m Talkin’ Bout SHAFT!! THEN WE CAN DIGIT (sic).'”

Jackson was referring to the late Isaac Hayes’ “Theme from Shaft,” which won the Best Original Song Oscar.

Over on Twitter/X, Union described working with Roundtree on her TV show, “Being Mary Jane,” as “a dream”.

“Getting to hang with him & our Being Mary Jane family was always a good a*s time with the best stories & laughs,” she commented alongside an image from the drama. “He was ALWAYS the coolest man in the room with the BEST vibes & ppl would literally run over to come see him. He was simply the best & we all loved him (sic).”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Samuel L Jackson (@samuelljackson)

Roundtree also appeared in films such as “Se7en,” “Brick” and “Speed Racer” and TV shows including “Roots,” “Magnum P.I.,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “Alias,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Heroes,” and “The Love Boat.”

Donald Trump Fined Again For Not Being Able To Keep His Big Mouth Shut

Donald Trump reportedly received a second fine for violating the gag order in his New York fraud trial. Judge Arthur Engoron fined the former president $10,000 on Wednesday (October 25).

Trump was fined $5,000 for his first violation on October 20. Judge Engoron threatened to impose “far more severe sanctions” if Trump violated the gag order again.

The warning didn’t make Trump more mindful of his words. He took a shot at the judge and another person involved in the civil trial while speaking to reporters during a court break on Wednesday.

“This judge is a very partisan judge with a person who’s very partisan sitting alongside of him,” he said, per Reuters. “Perhaps even much more partisan than he is.”

Judge Engoron assumed the Republican politician was referring to the judge’s clerk. Trump previously attacked the clerk on social media, which is why the gag order was imposed in the trial.

“Personal attacks of any member of my court staff are unacceptable, inappropriate and I will not tolerate them,” the judge said earlier this month.

Trump claimed he was talking about his former attorney Michael Cohen when referring to someone “partisan” sitting next to the judge. Cohen testified for a second day in the fraud trial on Wednesday.

Tupac Shakur’s First Manager Claims Suge Knight Once Controlled All Of Rapper’s Money

Leila Steinberg, Tupac Shakur’s original manager, bemoaned the music industry’s financial exploitation of her friend in an interview with Allison Kugel. Steinberg specifically called out former Death Row Records boss Suge Knight, accusing him of maintaining a vise grip on the late rapper’s money in Tupac’s final years.

“I don’t think, I know Tupac was exploited financially,” Steinberg told Kugel. “I witnessed it. I witnessed the direction of his career and the power people that didn’t want to hear my voice or my resistance. I did choose to stop managing him, but I stayed close and there were people making a ton of money from the beginning of his career until the end of his career. Back then, if you were an artist in the early ‘90s, you got an eight to 12 point deal. Points are percentages (one point is equal to one percent), so if you look at a pie and you look at 100 percent, back then with CDs selling for $15, a piece and you sell a million, and he sold a lot more than that. Just look at the numbers. Let’s say he got 12 points. You pay your producer four of those 12, your manager. You really walk away with what? Four or five points of your 100. That was typical, and we’re still talking about the exploitation, primarily of people of color.”

She added, “Tupac did make some money, but he didn’t have access to it. At the end, Suge controlled all of it. Millions we made. Tupac did own some houses. He saw a million, but what’s a million? It’s crumbs. There were hundreds of millions made off of Tupac. There are people who own homes and property now off of Tupac money, and it’s not those of us that were there grinding and working.”

Steinberg believed Tupac never wanted to sign with Death Row but did so out of desperation. She said the decision ultimately cost him his life.

“The deal with Suge, you can’t come back from that,” Steinberg remarked. “He couldn’t just walk away. I don’t think he ever wanted in [Death Row]. He was in jail and desperate, and he made a move based on desperation. And he did not understand the cost or the consequence because he was dealing with real gangsters. He is not alive today because he was dealing with real gang members. That was not him. He thought he could do this deal, get out, give Suge these three records and have his freedom. It didn’t work that way. It was never going to work that way.”

Check out the entire interview with Steinberg below.

NBA All-Star Dwight Howard Allegedly Admits To Getting Freaky With Cross-Dresser Named “Kitty”

An apparent bombshell lawsuit accuses NBA All-Star Dwight Howard of the sexual assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and false imprisonment of another man.

Per reports, the basketball player denies the charges, saying he and the plaintiff, whose name is Stephen Harper, met up on social media and had consensual sex with a third man dressed in women’s clothing, “Kitty.”

Howard said the two started exchanging messages on social media in May 2021 during the pandemic. Harper made the initial outreach on Instagram and eventually shared his cell phone for the two to correspond. According to Harper’s lawsuit, the former Los Angeles Laker told him he was into “freaky” stuff and even asked him to share explicit photographs of his body.

The complaint included the alleged text messages between the two. The first text message submitted opens with Harper saying “sup sexy” before telling him that he’s about to get into the shower.

Howard responded with bugged-out eye emojis to which Harper responded “I gotchu” with a tongue hanging out.

In the second set of text messages, Harper is pushing to link with Howard, but the baller seems cautious, asking him to verify his name and also to send him pictures.

“I was waiting on you to send pics,” he allegedly texted. “I was waiting.”

The third text submitted, which is clearly an edit of their full exchange, has Howard asking for “more” of something (perhaps pictures and movies). Harper answers, “I gotchu papi. Also what are you into? You like freaky s##t?”

“Yeah, I’m into freaky s##t?” he said, adding, “Now, I want you to know I’m not like gay or anything. I’m jus a lil nast sometimes. Ion wanna offend you.”

Harper said he wasn’t offended. At that point, after liking and loving a set of pictures and videos, he sends three drooling emojis and texts, “lemme see [eggplant emoji].”

Another text thread, Harper asks Howard what he is doing and he replies, “Thinking about that meat” and on yet another thread Howard says, “I just wanna see ur [eggplant emoji and bugged-eyes emoji].”

The two allegedly text for three months via text before he actually came to his house on July 19, 2021. Howard insists Harper knew that he was in for a sexual romp with him and a man dressed in women’s clothing. Harper says, he thought it was just going to be the two of them engaging in a night of pleasure.

This discrepancy is at the center of the lawsuit.

Harper says that when he saw Kitty, he immediately was turned off and refused to participate in a threesome. However, Howard ignored Harper’s wishes and forced him to engage in several sex acts, including giving him oral sex against his will. He said he felt threatened because the athlete was so much larger than him— and, at one point, was pinned to the bed.

“Defendant stood up (towering over Mr. Harper), grabbed Mr. Harper by the thighs, forcibly removed Mr. Harper’s underwear, held Mr. Harper down, and performed nonconsensual oral sex on Mr. Harper,” the complaint read. “Mr. Harper was in fear of imminent bodily harm when he was pinned down and forced to remain in place while Defendant continued to sexually assault him.”

Howard’s version of the story is different. He admitted that the three men went to his bedroom, removed their clothing and “engaged in consensual kissing.”

Howard’s lawyers also said in a counterclaim to the accusations, the “Plaintiff was aware that [Kitty] would also be arriving at the home prior to Plaintiff even arriving at Defendant’s home.”

“The three agreed to touch one another and to engage in consensual sexual activity,” Howard’s lawyer wrote.

EXCLUSIVE: Jam Master Jay Case Gets Complicated As Feds Ask For Two Juries

Federal prosecutors are seeking a two-jury trial in the latest twist involving the 2002 murder case of Jaso “Jam Master Jay” Mizell. The motion, submitted recently by the government, aims to streamline the proceedings against the three defendants: Karl Jordan, Jr., Ronald Washington and Jay Bryant.

On the evening of October 30, 2002, Jam Master Jay was at his recording studio in Hollis, Queens, New York. At about 7:30 p.m. ET, the trio—Washington, Jordan and Bryant — allegedly made their way into the studio. 

The Feds claim a terrifying sequence followed where Washington brandished a firearm, making one of the individuals inside lay down on the floor. Mizell, caught in the grim scenario, found himself face to face with Jordan, who supposedly shot him at close range, resulting in his untimely death. 

Another individual, Uriel “Tony” Rincon, was injured in the incident. After the fatal shots, all three culprits fled the scene. A crucial piece of evidence left behind, an article of clothing, connected Bryant to the crime through DNA traces. Although Bryant later bragged about being the triggerman, feds claim contradictions arose in his claims. 

Witnesses in the studio have consistently identified Washington and Jordan as the shooters. And both Washington and Jordan allegedly spoke to other people, hinting at their involvement in Mizell’s murder.

May 30 of this year marked a pivotal point when the grand jury added Bryant as a defendant in the murder counts of Mizell in a second superseding indictment. Fast forward to October 13 and the Court granted Bryant’s motion for severance from his co-defendants, Jordan and Washington. 

The reason? A concerning revelation—Bryant had admitted to a “potential neutral third-party witness” that he was, in fact, the one who pulled the trigger. 

In both trials, the government anticipates eliciting from the Third-Party Witness Bryant’s complete statement, which acknowledges his participation in the murder but exaggerates his role. One key concern revolves around the testimony from this Third-Party Witness. They are set to testify that Bryant confessed to being a part of the murder, painting himself as the shooter during an ill-fated robbery.

“It is also likely that Jordan and Washington will seek to call the Third-Party Witness to buttress or supplement their defense strategies. Given these eventualities, a joint trial with two juries would provide the Court with maximum flexibility in dealing with any prejudice or jury confusion that could potentially arise,” argued United States Attorney Breon Peace.

Yet, the government’s proposition of a dual-jury trial has potential roadblocks. In fact, such a trial setup can pose logistical challenges. However, the government believes that a two-jury trial is worth the consideration. The implications of the severance doesn’t alter the government’s core case. Their argument remains consistent against each defendant. Jordan and Washington are set for trial on January 29, 2024, while Bryant’s trial date remains uncertain.