Willow Smith hopes to honor the “beautiful lineage” of women in rock music with her new album.
The actress/singer dropped her fifth studio album Coping Mechanism late last year, with the record including singles “Maybe It’s My Fault” and “Curious/Furious,” and exploring the rock, punk, grunge, and metal genres.
Reflecting on the inspiration behind the album during an interview with Vanity Fair, Willow acknowledged the women who have experimented with rock music before her.
“I would say that every woman of color who has picked up a guitar or picked up the drums or picked up the bass or started to sing or wanted to express herself through this genre of music is in a beautiful lineage,” she said. “We’ve been silenced for a long time, and that’s ending.”
Willow isn’t the only rockstar in her family – her mother, Jada Pinkett Smith, formed the metal band Wicked Wisdom in 2002.
Elsewhere in the conversation, the 22-year-old cautiously waded into the “nepo baby” debate and insisted that the children of celebrities have their own struggles too.
“Life is not easy for anyone. We all have our own stuff,” the star added.
OG DAYV is back at it with a new single plus a striking visual for his new track “Lazy Susan.” The Bay Area rising star teams up with The Dakota Wytefoxx for the multifaceted song, making it OG DAYV’s first release of the new year, and he’s coming in with a bang.
After basking in the success of his recent noteworthy collaboration with Future on “Limoncello” as part of the official soundtrack for BlackPanther: Wakanda Forever Marvel film, OG DAYV is stepping back into the limelight.
Produced by Ben 10K and Danes Blood, “Lazy Susan” is a track that quite literally revolves around the concept of doing things effortlessly. If you’re not familiar with what a “Lazy Susan” is, it’s a common household product that’s basically a turntable (rotating tray) placed on a table or countertop to aid in distributing food. OG Dayv took the meaning of this and turned it into a creative rendition of a song.
“To me ‘Lazy Susan’ means effortless and easy,” OG DAYV says in an interview. “Performing a task and making it look simple. The design idea behind a Lazy Susan is brilliant and I use one every day, so I said lemme take this inspiration and turn it into something clean. Dakota and I make this rap s### look exceptionally easy … lazy susan.”
Letting loose at the end of the video, the two rap stars reveal their goofy side by showcasing kooky dance moves, par for the course that ‘lazy Susan’s were once referred to as ‘dumbwaiters.’ OG DAYV emulates Thomas Jeffereson’s self-service gadget to ease his sloth of kitchen duties.
“I wanted some crazy visuals to accompany the crazy track,” OG DAYV says. “Mikey is an outstanding director and my team knew he could capture a crazy concept. We needed something visually stunning but also inspirational and in the pocket. Are you even a rapper if you don’t have the brand new Beamer with an 0 on the mileage? Kidding but only halfway, the video is crazy and it aligns with what I wanted to accomplish. Doing difficult s**t and making it look effortless.”
“…Dave delivers powerful bars,” – Variety
“Coogler is something of a renegade on the Richmond scene,” – SFWeekly
The visual and song itself is already gaining some traction and catching the attention of heavy hitters.
Pete Davidson has seemingly had his tattoos dedicated to Kim Kardashian removed.
While the comedian was dating the reality TV star between October 2021 and last August, Pete paid tribute to Kim with an Aladdin-themed tattoo on his collarbone in honor of their meeting as part of a “Saturday Night Live” spoof in which they played characters Aladdin and Jasmine.
In addition, Pete also had “KNSCP” inked underneath the body art, with fans speculating that the acronym represented Kim and her children: North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm.
Yet, eagle-eyed followers noted that the 29-year-old no longer had the inkings in photographs published online over the weekend showing him swimming in the ocean in Hawaii while on vacation along with rumored new love interest Chase Sui Wonders.
It remains unclear if “The King of Staten Island” star still has the “MY GIRL IS A LAWYER” tattoo that he got in recognition of Kim’s legal career in March 2022.
Pete has not yet commented on the decision to remove the tattoos.
Bay Area Hip-Hop artist Jahi, his company Microphone Mechanics and The African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO) have established the first Bay Area Hip Hop Archives at the AAMLO. The launch takes places on Friday (February 3) from noon to 2pm PST at 659 14th Street in Oakland.
The Bay Area Hip Hop Archives chronicles local artists, culture keepers, activists and educators who’ve made significant contributions Bay Area Hip-Hop. The collections will include previously unheard sound recordings, interviews, research notes, photographs and negatives, playbills, posters, maps, booking contracts, business records, tour routes and other memorabilia.
“This has been an idea brewing for the last few years after talking to so many Bay Area artists, activists and educators in the Bay who are often overlooked, minimized or unseen after the ‘headliners’ of the Bay are mentioned,” Jahi tells AllHipHop. “While on a Hip Hop Alliance call, Chuck D, KRS-One and Kurtis Blow posted the question: ‘What can we do for Hip Hop?’ This became my clear answer, as it speaks to community and legacy.”
Among the inaugural class are Bay Area legends Paris, Souls of Mischief’s Phesto, the late Pam The Funkstress, Digital Underground’s Mystic, DJ D Sharp, Davey D and Suga T.
“Jahi and AAMLO are doing the vital job of archiving culturally relevant Hip-Hop, work necessary to preserve our art’s history and legacy in our voices, while also giving a platform to underrepresented perspectives in the genre,” Paris says. “As a foundational Hip-Hop artist from Frisco who has consistently produced art germane to the Black condition, I’m honored to be a part of the archive’s inaugural class. I look forward to doing my part to amplify the archive’s footprint and awareness.”
The first Hip-Hop artifact is Pam The Funkstress’ original DJ set-up, which will be on display for Black History Month. Pam, who passed away in 2017 following surgery for an unknown medical condition, gained national recognition for her turntable techniques as a vital component of The Coup. But, as Jahi, explains, that’s just the beginning.
“I can tell you that many of our culture keepers in the Bay have done an excellent job preserving their artifacts,” he says. “So it will be a comprehensive and immersive experience that has never been done before at the African American Museum and Library at Oakland, the only Black museum we have in Oakland. I can also tell you that Davey D has some things that will surely blow folks minds, and we are working to acquire all the tapes to Home Turf, a Bay Area Hip-Hop show hosted by Dominique DiPrima in the last ’80s early ’90s. There’s some classic footage there.
“I’m working to archive all the great strutters, poppers, lockers and boogaloo dancers of the Bay who originated a style of dancing that’s used all over the world, I’m working with KQED and their ‘That’s My Word Series’ to archive some of the artists they feature as well. It will be a cross section of blue collar Hip-Hop practitioners with headliners, names everyone knows. And, we want to include the Hip-Hop activists who’ve helped to shape the movement of the Bay.”
The Bay Area Hip Hop Archives launch just happens to fall in the same year as the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop, something not lost on Jahi.
“We are planting our flag in the Bay Area for the 50th Anniversary as a sign of unity and activity,” Jahi adds. “We are bringing the Hip-Hop community together, and from the origins of our culture until now, that has always been important. So we are saying here in the Bay to the global Hip-Hop community, this is one of our many contributions as we recognize the 50th Anniversary and salute Cindy Campbell and DJ Kool Herc while we lift up culture keepers and heroes and she-roes right here in Northern California.”
Each artist who does a special collection at the AAMLO will share their Hip-Hop timeline, influences, important moments of their legacy and then connect artifacts to their collection.
“It will stay forever fresh because most of the world has never seen collections of this nature,” Jahi concludes. “The stories, significance of Bay Area Hip Hop is multi-layered, complex and innovative at its roots.”
Pamela Anderson knew her marriage to Kid Rock wouldn’t last shortly after they tied the knot.
The “Baywatch” star wed the musician on a yacht near Saint-Tropez, France in July 2006, but the pair split in November of that year.
Reflecting on the brief union during an appearance on “The Howard Stern Show,” Pamela recalled how she realized Kid Rock wasn’t the man for her.
“(I knew), right when I got married,” she nodded. “Just after. Obviously, not in time. I just jump into something because, you know, Tommy (Lee) and I did, and we had this incredible connection. But then you jump into something and it’s like, ‘Oh, it’s not this incredible connection, it’s just something else.’ Then I slowly try to find my way out.”
And while Pamela’s marriage to her first husband, Tommy ended in divorce in 1998, she still considers the Mötley Crüe drummer, who is the father of her two sons, to be the love of her life.
“I had two beautiful boys with him… and it was really a heightened kind of romantic beginning, and that’s every girl’s fantasy – to be worshipped like that,” the 55-year-old explained. “I always felt like romantic love might not be sustainable, so if you want to have that kind of love affair, it’s just going to have a season, you know, it’s not going to last forever.”
Pamela has since walked down the aisle on four more occasions and had a high-profile relationship with French footballer Adil Rami.
Yet, she admitted that none of her relationships has been of “any value,” and she had been “putting people in my life to kind of numb some of the pain.”
At present, the blonde bombshell is single and focused on herself.
“This last year I’ve been alone, and it’s been a really incredible year for me,” she added. “Just kind of going through, looking back, and reflecting on everything… it’s been good. I mean, like you have to be able to be alone too before you can be with somebody else, so I feel like I’m just kind of growing up right now. It’s taken a long time.”
Pamela’s memoir, titled “Love, Pamela,” is set to be released on January 31st.
Anayalovenote is a ball of energy, and she’s here to bless the music industry with her talents. Born in Puerto Rico but growing up in Austin, Texas, the singer, songwriter, rapper, and choreographer has been on the grind since she was born, forced to stand on her own two feet since she can remember.
Growing up in foster care is never easy, especially when you’ve become a product of the system since 5 years old. Thankfully, her drive and hustle for survival is what helped mold her into the woman she is today…and she’s not stopping until she becomes one of the greats.
To date, Anayalovenote has had her hands in every facet of the entertainment industry, from choreographing Soulja Boy’s “She Make it Clap” music video to making a standout appearance in Chanel West Coast’s “Eazy” record alongside Salma Sims.
With her own artistry, Anayalovenote unveiled her newest single and visual called “Preference.”
On the 47th episode of Shirley’s Temple, Anayalovenote opens up about the reality of being raised in foster care, and her time dating Soulja Boy.
AllHipHop: Your birthday is Christmas Eve. Do you get sad or is it a blessing?
Anayalovenote: To be honest with you, I turn up so I don’t be sad. My birthday is Christmas Eve, which means to others, it’s oh you get double presents. No. It’s I gotta scatter around to get the gift for Christmas, which I’m going to use for your birthday as well. So it’s a Christmas present and a birthday present.
But in my household, when you get to a certain age, you stop getting gifts, so there’s no Christmas present. In hindsight, it’s really a tradition to open one gift on Christmas Eve. People used to try that with me as a kid, it’s a no go. I already know that’s a tradition, my birthday’s separate. Run me my gifts.
AllHipHop: The worst is when someone shows up with no gifts.
Anayalovenote: You know what? I never got to have those moments because I wasn’t able to have birthday parties. I never had a summer party, never had any of that. Because it’s the holidays, everybody’s always gone. I don’t know what it feels like to have a birthday dinner or friends dinner. It’s not fun if you do it yourself, which is why I take my ass with a club.
AllHipHop: You grew up in foster care. For people that may not know, what was that like?
Anayalovenote: It’s funny because some people will find out I was in foster care and they’ll say “oh, so you were adopted?” No, that’s completely separate. I want to make sure people know being adopted and fostered are two different things. I was fostered, which means I didn’t have a family. I’d go from shelter to shelter, group home to group home, rent houses, things of that nature. The older I got, it became harder for a family to want me because they don’t want older people.
I started in foster care at 5 years old, that’s all I know. I had my siblings with me until they took that away. When you get adopted, you have a family. They can change your name, you’re a whole new person. You have a whole new identity. The parent cannot find that child without knowing the paperwork. That’s when they’re able to whoop you, because I wasn’t going for none of that. Me and my sister had a pact, we ain’t getting adopted. I wish you would put your hands on me. You didn’t birth me, ma’am I don’t even know you.
But it wasn’t all that bad, it all depends on what you take from it. At that age, I knew that I was not supposed to be there. It almost felt like man, I think this is a mistake. As a kid, you don’t know better. But I knew there’s something here. It’s a purpose. I know I’m not supposed to be here, but there’s a reason why I’m here. At that age, I always knew I’ll be okay.
AllHipHop: How old were you?
Anayalovenote: At 7 years old, that’s when I figured it out: you’re not going home. I got placed in foster care at 5. It got to sink in. Because to you, you think if I’m bad, they don’t want me. They’re going to send me back home. That’s not the case, it gets worse from there.
Me and my sisters, we tore up their house. First house we got put in, we tore up their house. I feel bad, I still remember it. Mr. And Mrs. White, we threw all of their dishes out of their cabinets. We knocked all their lamps on the floor. First, we cut up all the sofa couches, then tossed them on the floor.
AllHipHop: They were that bad?
Anayalovenote: Yeah, they were that mean. My sister ran away 4 times. I remember it as it was yesterday, it’s funny because my sister brought it up the other day. We were sitting there: me, my sister Latrice, my little sister Brianna. Latrice was about 7, I was 5. Brianna was going on 3. I remember us conjuring up this little plan: in the morning, this is what we’re going to do. If we do this, they have to send us back home.
In our mind, we’re going home. We were banking on if we’re bad enough, they won’t want us anymore. Each one of us knew we’re going to tear up everything. I’m talking about everything. These are older people, they weren’t a younger couple. But they were just so evil. I’d never been introduced to something like that. They’d leave us outside, all day.
AllHipHop: How long were you with them?
Anayalovenote: Not long, because we tore up their house. That was the point. That’s how I knew I was built for something. When they got home, they called our case manager instantly and told them to come pick us up. That case manager got to the house, everything was tore up. Lamps were broken. We were so bad. We took every food in the refrigerator and threw it on the floor, took all the food out of the cabinet. We thought of literally everything we could do possible, bad enough for you to send us away.
Not knowing that that separated us. After that, they separated us. They told us because we could not behave together, they felt it’d be better to separate all 3 of us. So Latrice went to another home, I went to a home, Brianna went to a home. [starts crying]
I’m not ashamed because I’m here.
AllHipHop: Up to 80% of children in foster care have significant mental health issues, compared to approximately 18-22% of the general population.
Anayalovenote: It’s true. I have my moments where I break down, but it comes from being alone. You always having to figure it out by yourself, always having to figure out what to do because you don’t have what the normal person is supposed to have.
I found my mom on MySpace.Me and my older sister in school, we found her on MySpace. I typed her name in and she came up, because my mom did music. She was an artist. I went to her Friends list. If you remember, if you go to their page, it’ll have their top friends that you know are people they talk to.
I was a freshman in high school, I went in and I went to all of her friends and I messaged them. I said hey, my name is so and so. I’m her daughter. I’ve been looking for her for a long time. Can you please tell her, her daughter’s looking for her? The next school day, I looked on MySpace and my mom wrote me. She said “I got your message. People were calling me saying, ‘your daughter’s looking for you’.” She couldn’t believe that we had found her.
I found my little sister on Facebook. I found my little brother on Facebook. My case manager came to me and said “you have two choices. You can find your dad or you can find your sister.”I chose my sister.
AllHipHop: Why do they only give you…?
Anayalovenote: Was no longer technically in care anymore at that time. I was in college, I just graduated high school. I called my case manager and said, I have to find my little sister. She’s my first little sister, the one we were in a group home with. I need to find my dad and my sister. Now that I’m out of care, I need to know who my family is. She said “because you’re no longer in care, I can only do so much. I can only find either or, you’re going to have to choose.“
I chose my sister, they found her. At the time, she had a son. Now, I have a niece and a nephew. I was in college, in the boys dorm room. I wasn’t supposed to be there, but I stayed the night. I got a phone call out of nowhere, 6am. She’s like, “hello?” I’m like, hello. She’s like, “Somebody gave me this number to call, they said that you’re my sister?”
I’m like, Brianna? She said “yeah.” She got quiet, she said “no it’s not.” I said yes, it is. I’m your big sister. I’ve been looking for you. Do you remember me? She said “yeah, we were in foster care. I remember you.” People kept telling her, “what if this is a kidnap? Somebody playing games on the phone,” blah, blah, blah. I said where are you? She stayed in a shelter in a group home for girls that had kids. At that time, I had my own apartment.
AllHipHop: You took her under?
Anayalovenote: I did. When I found out where she was, I said you gotta come stay with me. I don’t care what we gotta do. I’m new, I’m in college. I’m a freshman, but I don’t care. You’re my sister. Now that I have you, I’m here. I can’t consciously know my sister somewhere in a group home shelter for women with kids, and my nephew is there. Who in the right mind would do that? What would be the point of me trying to find you?
So I took her in. Did it go good? Whew, I almost wanted to fight that child. Me and my sister, we bumped heads a lot. That’s my baby. But at the same time, when you meet as adults, you’re getting to know this adult. Not this little girl no more. I done missed all those years.
AllHipHop: At the same time, she’s staying with you. She has to respect you in some type of way.
Anayalovenote: Yeah, but I’m a realistic person. You gotta earn respect to get it. We don’t know each other. I’d rather me not run her off. I don’t want her to leave. We just found each other. I don’t want her to feel like she’s back in a shelter or back in a home and she don’t have the freedom to be out here and live her life. I’d watch my nephew, I helped p#### train them. I got him when he was 2 years old.
Discipline and love is what I learned that I didn’t get, and that’s all kids need. When I was in care, they put kids on drugs. They put them on pills, they give them a therapist. That’s why they don’t make it.
AllHipHop: Prescribing them Adderalls and s###?
Anayalovenote: Yes. They make these kids feel like they got ADHD. Make them feel like they’re crazy because they’re misbehaving. You misbehave, go to another home. Misbehave, go to a shelter. Misbehave, go to a group home. Misbehave, go to a juvenile detention center. Misbehave, go to the psychic clinic. I’ve been to that. You know the psychic clinic where they put you in a robe? I was in that as a kid, for no reason.
AllHipHop: How old were you?
Anayalovenote: I was 7 years old, because I was misbehaving. To them, I was crazy, so I needed to be put in. That’s what they do, and that’s why these kids grow up the way that they do. Because realistically, at some point, I realized I don’t need a therapist. I told my foster parent, I’m not taking these pills anymore. I told my therapist, I’m not talking. They set up all my therapy sessions, I would not talk.
It got to the point where the judge said “don’t give her a therapist anymore. I don’t need that. I got put into a really good foster home. Finally at 14 years old, I got put in a really good foster home. She disciplined me. Even though she wasn’t supposed to, she did, and I needed that. Other foster parents, they give up on you. They toss you away. But she didn’t do that, she took me in.
When I found my oldest sister, who coincidentally happened to go to the foster home of her husband’s sister. My foster dad’s sister had my big sister in her home, and I didn’t know that. She was auntie to me, but she had my oldest sister staying at her house. I found out and I asked my foster mom, could she take me and my sister in? She did that. Years later when I found my little sister, she took them in too. She’s still mom to this day.
AllHipHop: Where’d you get your start? What was that first moment?
Anayalovenote: I didn’t get my start in Austin, because we don’t support each other. I left Austin to go to Atlanta, Atlanta is my second home. I’ll be there all day. I love Atlanta, they do support. When you got s### going on, your people will pull up. We pull up deep all the time. I love the support. It’s black cities, black Hollywood. You better be supporting. Atlanta gave me my start. Had I never moved to Atlanta, I probably wouldn’t be here right now.
AllHipHop: Was it scary for you to just move?
Anayalovenote: No, I just needed a reason to go. I sent a car to my foster mom. I said mom, I just know once I leave, I’m gon’ make it. I told her that: I’m going to make it, watch. I just have to leave home. She said “just always pray. I trust you, you got it.”
I was just talking to my mom about this. I used to sit my family down in the living room and perform for them. I’d go, BET would play BET Jams or the Top 100. Bobby Brown “Every Little Step” came on, you could rewind and pause the TV at the time. I learned that dance, ran into the living room like daddy, look what I learned. I did the whole dance.
I’d print out lyrics at the library. I had this big ass box, full of lyrics. It’d be lyrics of Disney songs, Alicia Keys. I was a huge fan of Alicia Keys, Tevin Campbell, Brian McKnight. I just learned songs. You do stuff like that, you take interest, it gotta be something there. Why do I take interest in printing out lyrics at the library and singing them in my bedroom? I even learned the Stars-Spangled Banner that way.
AllHipHop: It’s crazy because I met you at the Soulja Boy “She Make It Clap” video shoot.
Anayalovenote: Yeah, I was directing it. Shout out to Soulja for allowing me to do that.
AllHipHop: How did you guys first meet?
Anayalovenote: I slid in his DM. I didn’t even say much either, that’s the thing. I put an emoji and said hi. Back then, when you grow up listening to these artists, you always want to know what a conversation would be like with them or how they are in real life. Instagram has made a way for artists to connect with those people a lot better and a lot easier. It can make you either really grow to love that person more, or be like ehh, I’m over it. Instagram definitely is a kudos for that.
AllHipHop: How was it dating him?
Anayalovenote: Souja is a very chill person, realistically. He’s just chill. He stays recording. He’s always working, it doesn’t matter what he got going on. He’s on Twitch, he got his gaming thing going on. He has an engineer that’s there all the time, he’s always recording consistently. Or he’s working on something new, as far as his branding. He got his own Lemonade, he got his own Soulja game. It’s nonstop with him, so I never really got to see anything outside of that.
It was inspiring in a sense, his work ethic is ridiculously lit. He’s a genius at the computer. That’s why he likes to be the first person of everything. He stayed on a f###### computer all day. [laughs] I don’t know if he’s Googled something that somebody hasn’t done and then decided “okay, I’m going to do that.”
He needs to be in the World Book of Records. They’re tripping right now. They need to put Soulja in the World Book of Records for him being the first to do a lot of s###. He got a lot of firsts. He’d be the first rapper in the World Book of Records. [laughs]
AllHipHop: What ended up happening?
Anayalovenote: With Soulja, I always kept things cool and collected. Because I’m very protective over my own business, over my own information. I’m very private. I’m one of those you don’t ask, I won’t say nothing. But if you ask, I’m going to tell you the truth because I don’t like liars. We’re adults, we can keep it real. If you can f###, then you can be real.
I don’t mean go around telling your business and all your tea, it’s the way that you go about it. It’s the way that you say what you gotta say. In interviews, you can’t get that out of me. I like that, because I never want things to be misconstrued. Of course, people are going to think what they want to think and it’s going to go the way they want it to go. At the end of the day, regardless of what you say. I don’t have time to be sitting here convincing a million people that don’t even know me. That wasn’t there, don’t know the ins and outs.
That’s a lot of stress and unnecessary drama to take on. At the end of the day, I could have been on the Shade Room. I could’ve been out there. The amount of tea that AnayaLoveNote holds can start at a war. I’m not new. When it comes to being around people in the industry, knowing who knows who in the industry, or whatever the case may be. The thing is, I pop out when I pop out. Otherwise, I stay to myself. Mind my business and stay out the way. That’s how I live. That’s how I stay peaceful. That’s how I stay happy. I stay focused to myself. If I wanted to be out there and been famous by now, I could have.
Blueface and Chrisean Rock’s toxic relationship has been public fodder for months. Arrests, domestic violence, cheating allegations and clips of their reality show litter the Twitter timeline for all to see. So when Chrisean Rock showed up to a wedding boutique in Los Angeles earlier this week, people understandably had their concerns. But to anyone invested in the couple’s explosive union, it looks like they aren’t actually heading for the alter.
According to TMZ, Blueface and Chrisean Rock are in the midst of shooting a video—not getting hitched. Photos of the couple decked out in wedding clothes and holding a makeshift ceremony popped up on Saturday (January 28). Clips of the set include music playing in the background and cameras everywhere, suggesting a new video is on the way.
Blueface and Chrisean Rock dropped a new song called “Lit” earlier this week. The track arrived just days after Rock claimed she was pregnant, prompting Blueface to tweet they were “officially done.” In fact, Blueface demanded a DNA test to prove paternity.
“It’s strictly business,” he wrote. “I tried it and clearly it wasn’t giving before she announces. She’s pregnant with somebody else’s child not mine. Rock has had encounters with 10 different men in the last year. Until I see DNA test then it’s not mine.”
Rock denied the allegations, tweeting back: “We broke up before knowing I was pregnant. I still ain’t do nothing sexually with any dude. I’ll be a d###### if I didn’t know for certain.”
Rick Astley is suing rapper Yung Gravy for allegedly using an unauthorized imitation of his voice in his 2022 single “Betty (Get Money).”
The British singer filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles in which he claimed he gave the rapper, real name Matthew Hauri, permission to use the instrumental of his 1987 global smash “Never Gonna Give You Up” for the prominent sample in “Betty (Get Money).”
However, he allegedly did not allow his voice to be used or give authorization to Hauri to hire an impersonator to mimic him.
“A license to use the original underlying musical composition does not authorize the stealing of the artist’s voice in the original recording,” Astley’s lawyers wrote in the lawsuit, according to Billboard. “So, instead, they resorted to theft of Mr. Astley’s voice without a license and without agreement.”
They claim Hauri hired Popnick, real name Nick Seeley, to imitate Astley’s “signature voice” on the track without his permission.
“In an effort to capitalize off of the immense popularity and goodwill of Mr. Astley, defendants… conspired to include a deliberate and nearly indistinguishable imitation of Mr. Astley’s voice throughout the song,” the lawyers continued. “The public could not tell the difference. The imitation of Mr. Astley’s voice was so successful the public believed it was actually Mr. Astley singing.”
Astley’s attorneys claim the “Betty (Get Money)” creators violated their client’s right of publicity, and allege Hauri violated federal trademark law by falsely claiming that Astley endorsed the song.
Astley is suing Hauri, Seeley, the song’s producers, and Republic Records executives for millions of dollars.
Graphic videos of five Memphis police officers beating Tyre Nichols to death were released to the public on Friday (January 27). Needless to say, they garnered intense reactions from the rap community and beyond. Questlove, in particular, implored his 2.7 million Instagram followers not to watch it. He explained in the caption: “For The Love Of God. Torture P*rn Is Not Going To Serve Your Soul. #TyreNichols.”
Public Enemy member Flavor Flav, on the other hand, condemned the officers who committed the deplorable killing. While Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith may have been fired and arrested for the crime, they’re already out on bond. They are, however, facing charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault-acting in concert, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.
“These 5 f##### up royally,” Flavor Flav wrote. “A####### getting whipped. All fired and going to jail for murder. Sad sad sad situation. My blessings goes out to the Nichols family and friends.”
“I was outraged. It was incomprehensible to me. It was unconscionable… I don't think I've witnessed anything of that nature my entire career.”
— CNN This Morning with Kasie Hunt (@CNNThisMorning) January 27, 2023
Former president Barack Obama and wife Michelle Obama issued a joint statement on Twitter, calling the killing, “vicious” and “unjustified.”
Nichols was pulled over in his hometown of Memphis on the evening of January 7 for suspected reckless driving. According to CNN, Nichols fled on foot following a “confrontation” with the officers. He was apprehended and promptly arrested following what is being described as “another confrontation.” But, as the video shows, the “confrontation” was a senseless beating that resulted in the Nichols’ death on January 10.
“This young man lost his life in a particularly disgusting manner that points to the desperate need for change and reform to ensure this violence stops occurring during low-threat procedures, like in this case, a traffic stop,” the family’s attorney Ben Crump said in a statement. “This tragedy meets the absolute definition of a needless and unnecessary death.”
The Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into the matter. A funeral for Nichols is scheduled to take place on February 1. The officers involved in his death will be arraigned on February 17. Find reactions from Obama, Flavor Flav, Questlove, Rah Digga, Mia X, Open Mike Eagle and more below.
The vicious, unjustified beating of Tyre Nichols and his ultimate death at the hands of five Memphis police officers is just the latest, painful reminder of how far America still has to go in fixing how we police our streets. pic.twitter.com/ITmrNNJhiT
Tyre Nichols is any one of us if the system doesn't fundamentally change. My heart goes out to his fam & loved ones. I didn't watch the video of his murder & I won't. But I heard it's worse than anything before it. Imagine what we've already seen brutality wise in this nation.
Shemar Moore once asked out Alicia Keys, and she turned him down.
During an appearance on “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” Shemar revealed that he once tried to ask Alicia out, but she rejected him.
“I tried to get at Alicia Keys, I ain’t gonna lie. I tried!” Shemar began. “I saw her at the Soul Train Awards, I was in my dressing room. I looked at the monitor, there she was with her cornrows. And this is when her (2001) song ‘Fallin” was first blowing up, she was just getting ready to explode. So she’s playing the piano, doing her thing, and my favorite instrument is the piano.”
Shemar first became interested in Alicia at the awards show he hosted, but he didn’t approach her until four months later at a listening party in Los Angeles.
“I go over and go, ‘Hey, Alicia, you’re wonderful, and your piano (playing) is amazing, I don’t know what your man situation is like, but if you’re ever in LA, I’d love to take you for a drink,'” he recalled.
Alicia responded, “I respect your flirt game. But my man situation is handled.”
He joked, “I walked away so uncool. And my boy was like, ‘What happened?’ and I was like, ‘I don’t want to talk about it, let’s go.'”
Alicia would have been in her low-key relationship with longtime collaborator Kerry ‘Krucial’ Brothers Jr. at the time of Shemar’s proposition. She is now married to music producer Swizz Beatz.
Another celebrity couple is back in the news; this time, it is DJ Mustard and his ex-wife Chanel Thierry. Thierry is alleging her former producer husband owes her money and is not fulfilling his financial duties to her and their three children, according to court filings seen by Radar Online.
The chart-topper has countered.
His lawyers filed documents asking for joint legal and physical custody of the youngest (under the age of 18) children. This means he and Thierry would have equal rights regarding making important educational and medical decisions.
According to sources, he is already paying a whopping $18,342 a month in child support.
That is not enough for Thierry. She is asking for more than $80,000 a month to care for their children. She believes he is purposely not paying her so that she can be distressed since their divorce filing in May 2022.
Mustard scoffs at that, saying, “Chanel’s claim that I have starved her out financially since separation is a flat-out lie.”
“From the time Chanel and I separated in May 2022, I continued to uphold my obligation to support her and the children. I continued to pay all of Chanel’s living expenses, including all of her credit card bills. I also continued paying Chanel’s housing costs and the children’s expenses including private school tuition,” he said.
“Finally, I have also paid 100 percent of our agreed-upon spousal support buy-out of $315,000 in accordance with the terms of the Premarital Agreement,” he continued, adding he pays more than $2,000 a month for his ex’s Lamborghini SUV.
She claims that comment about him “starving her” has been taken out of context by something she said on social media.
In her counter, she said, “I cannot control what the media outlets pull from my social media page and what they infer from my writings.”
As a result, Thierry said that she and Mustard started mediation in January 2023 but allegedly found it “extremely difficult” to get him to agree to anything “that would benefit the children and not himself.”
They are looking for the courts to help them figure something out for the kids’ sake.
Bhad Bhabie—real name Danielle Bregoil—was involved in a serious car accident this week. It was so traumatizing, in fact, she’s vowed to stop riding in cars altogether. The viral Dr. Phil guest-turned-rapper posted a snap of the wrecked vehicle on Friday (January 27) and appeared relieved she was still breathing.
“I’m beyond devastated,” she wrote. “My first car totaled and over with. If the car wasn’t so heavy Tilan would probably b dead. This was my first car accident. I’m still shook up and don’t even wanna get in a car ever again. This experience sure showed me who really give af and who don’t! Thank god I wasn’t driving bc I wouldn’t have knew what tf to do.”
Bhad Bhabie has kept a relatively low profile since signing a deal with Atlantic Records in 2017—at least in terms of music. While the deal didn’t last, she managed to notch a couple of Billboard Hot 100 singles, including “These Heaux.” These days she’s more focused on her OnlyFans account, which she launched in April 2021 just days after turning 18.
Bhad Bhabie claimed she made a whopping $1 million on OnlyFans in the first six hours on the site. “Got tired of u asking, so fck it,” she wrote at the time. “But if imma do it, imma do it wild and crazy as fck. Give it 2 weeks and we break the internet.”
But during an interview with Sundae Conversation, Bhad Bhabie suggested even she was disgusted by the men who flocked to her page as soon as she was of legal age.
“People subscribed right away?” she was asked. She responded, “Yeah.” The interviewer follow-up with, “Should they be in jail?” to which she said, “Yeah.”
Tory Lanez seems to be in the news for everything but music.
Recently, a reality star and club promoter took to the internet streets to share that the recently convicted Canadian forced him to sign a settlement agreement in a lawsuit he filed against him for a 2019 incident at a Miami nightclub.
Tory Lanez, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, denies this is the case and says the two settled for $20,000, and Prince did not agree under duress.
Prince says he was confronted by Tory Lanez in 2021 at the Vendôme nightclub in Miami Beach with two of his boys and tried to make him drop the suit. He said Lanez and the same person met with him in June 2022 and also approached him about signing the settlement.
Prince said, “I thought that if I did not sign the agreement that my life may be in danger. I would not have signed that agreement otherwise.”
He also says Tory Lanez has no proof that the agreement he signed was regarding the 2019 incident.
“They know they have no chance of convincing a judge that this release refers to this lawsuit,” Prince said.
Blueface and Chrisean Rock reportedly got married.
That is the rumor.
Rock was reportedly shopping for dressings in Los Angeles at Anita’s Bridal Boutique and made the startling revelation. That got the rumor mill going heavy. And then, yesterday, the chatter continued as images started to circulate.
I think they need to enact a law to stop toxic and abusive people from marrying (and possibly having kids). Rock and Blueface are known to go at it. She hit him in the head with a Henny bottle and he has allegedly put hands on her numerous times. That is just the basics. She got into a fight before her pregnancy announcement and after as well. I hope the baby gets put up for adoption or something. They are too unstable.
Blueface has said that this kid isn’t hers. Then shows up in her music video. I am thinking we are all being played so they can be in constant media rotation.
She got a hit song. Maybe she’s going to take over the music side since he’s not.
“She a ten tryna rap, it’s good on mute,” says Drake on “BackOutsideBoyz” off the Her Loss album. Many fans of the OVO frontman assumed that line was about up-and-coming rapper Ice Spice.
Ice Spice addressed the speculation that Drake directed the “BackOutsideBoyz” bar at her during an interview with Hot 97. According to the Bronx native, there are no hard feelings between the two rhymers.
“He didn’t. We spoke about it. He said that was not about me,” Ice Spice told the Ebro In The Morning radio show in response to the belief Drake dissed her on Her Loss.
In addition, Spice attended Drake’s recent highly-publicized concert at the Apollo Theater in her hometown of New York City. She called the experience a good vibe.
Ice Spice is one of the most-talked-about rising rap stars over the last six months. Her “Munch (Feelin’ U)” song became a viral hit. The 23-year-old Capitol recording artist dropped her debut EP, Like..?, on January 23.
Like..? is currently expected to open with 14,500 first-week units. Ice Spice’s first official project features fellow Bronx native Lil Tjay. In addition to the “Munch” track, “Bikini Bottom” also lives on the extended play.
Canadian superstar Drake partnered with Atlanta’s 21 Savage for the collaborative project Her Loss. That studio LP debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart by amassing 404,000 album-equivalent units in its first week.
Kanye West has had many run-ins with paparazzi, and now a new incident has been added to the rapper’s ever-growing list of beef with shutterbugs.
The disgraced rapper is being investigated for Battery following an altercation with a photographer. The incident, caught on video, shows Ye accusing the woman of following him before grabbing and throwing her phone into the street.
The video shows the woman saying, “You’re a celebrity!” but cuts off abruptly as a furious Ye menacingly walks towards a second person filming the altercation.
https://youtu.be/Z-DLHpiQy-w
According to TMZ, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department was called to the scene and provided video evidence of the incident to see if Kanye should be charged with Battery.
It needs to be determined if the woman is a professional photographer or a local just taking videos of West.
Lately, Ye has expressed growing frustration with the constant attention he has received from the paparazzi after his high-profile divorce from Kim Kardashian, his controversial comments about Black and Jewish people, which led to him losing deals with Adidas, GAP, Balenciaga, and most of his $2 billion fortune.
He has a long history of altercations with the paps.
The rap star was charged with Battery and attempted grand theft, but the charges were later dropped, and he was sentenced to do 50 hours of community service.
Despite these run-ins, Kanye continues to be a popular figure in the entertainment industry and is followed closely by the media.
In general, Kanye’s relationship with the paparazzi is complicated. On the one hand, he has expressed frustration with their constant attention, but on the other hand, he is also known for seeking out publicity and media attention for his projects.
Earlier this week, Ye told a photographer that he felt like a “caged animal” and revealed he had to start taking medication because of their constant hounding.
“Do you know the first time I ever took medication, why it was? ‘Cause I got mad at paparazzi. Do you know what paparazzi it was? The same one that shot Britney [Spears]. My dad did photography for newspapers. It has to be some kind of balance, some kind of conversation. I can’t live in California in my life like I’m some type of caged animal to be judged and photographed.”
Jaypeakk, whose given name is Abideen Olajuwon Lawal, is a rising artist in the music industry with a unique sound and perspective. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, he now resides in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Jaypeakk started his musical journey at the young age of 9 and released his first official track “To Conquer” in 2020.
Jaypeakk got his start in music through the church choir, where he developed his passion for music and honed his skills. He takes inspiration from Wizkid and aims to achieve constant and massive growth in his music career. He wants to spread his message on a bigger scale and reach a larger audience.
One of the things Jaypeakk is most proud of is using his time to do what he is passionate about, sharing his perspective and experiences through his music. He wants his listeners to take away the lyrical content of his songs, where the magic truly lies. He aims for his music to inspire and impact his listeners’ lives.
Jaypeakk latest project, “Antidote” has big plans with the possibility of a sequel and even a trilogy, depending on its reception. Beyond this E.P, Jaypeakk has aspirations to collaborate with Bryson Tiller in the future to give his fans even more.
Overall, Jaypeakk is a talented and rising artist in the music industry with a unique sound and perspective. With his passion, drive, and musical skills, he is sure to make a significant impact and reach new heights in his career. You can follow Jaypeakk on Instagram at @iamjaypeakk and on Twitter at @jaypeakk. His music can be found on Spotify, where you can listen and support this rising artist.
Take this for a grain of salt. The people are saying that Megan Thee Stallion might be pregnant. Obviously, this is all just rumor and talk. But, the way the internet and social media is set up, they talking. Nevertheless, you know the deal. Basically, Meg is pregnant with Pardi’s baby. That’s the rumor.
Is Future mad at Drake? NORE recently got up and started gossiping. And he got our attention with it. He polluted the streets by saying that Drake may have p##### off Future. “I heard there’s a big rumor that Future is not too happy with this Drake and 21 Savage album, and it makes Drake and Future’s album not as important, I would say,” NORE reportedly said. “This is allegedly, this is all rumors. I’ve never heard it from Future’s mouth, never heard it from Drake, never heard it from 21. But it’s an alleged big rumor that’s going on right now,.”
What do you guys thing of that?
All of this because he did a whole project with 21 Savage? I ain’t so sure Future would be so petty. Then again, you never know.
Amber Rose wants to be single forever.
It looks like the “S### Walk” era has come to an end or backfired. I am not sure which it is. At any rate, she went off on the dating scene. “I don’t want to share my house or my life with anyone. I don’t want anyone around my kids. I don’t want to have sex … No, ew. I’m fine with being by myself too. I’m very happy to not share my bed with anyone,” she said on the “Sofia With an F” podcast.
What happened to her? She was dating Alexander “AE” Edwards, who oddly enough previously dated Cher. Whatever happened to her, she has sworn off men completely. “It’s worse than ever. They’re pretty disgusting out here. They’re f**king gross. Like, I wanna be single for the rest of my life,” she said.
She has a point. LOL!
On some real stuff, this may have happened with Wiz.
Amber married Wiz Khalifa in 2013 after dating Kanye West. According to her, Wiz cheated repeatedly. She jumped over to 21 Savage in 2017 and gussied over to AE in 2018. Anyway….her wounded heart could’ve started with Wiz.
“I married my soulmate and then all of a sudden he wasn’t there anymore. Because our mothers, the internet, there was too much pressure to be married so young and we just had a baby,” she said. “I was f###ing heartbroken.”
Horrific footage of Memphis police officers beating Tyre Nichols became available to the public on Friday (January 27).
Four videos revealed the violence that resulted in the death of Tyre Nichols. Cops punched, kicked, pepper sprayed and tased Nichols.
One video showed the initial attempt to arrest Nichols. He told the officers he didn’t do anything, but the cops were immediately hostile.
An officer pulled Nichols out of his vehicle and put him on the ground. Cops deployed pepper spray at one point, which led to Nichols fleeing.
Additional videos captured what happened when police eventually caught Nichols. Cops mercilessly beat him in an incident reminiscent of the police brutality against Rodney King.
Nichols can be heard screaming for his mother in the footage. One video provided clear shots of officers punching Nichols in the face.
Five officers were charged with second-degree murder for their roles in Nichols’ death. He passed away a few days after the violent arrest.
Memphis police fired Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith over Nichols’ arrest. The ex-cops face additional charges of aggravated assault-acting in concert, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.
The fired officers were released on bail. They will be arraigned on February 17.
Videos of the police attacking Nichols are available here. WARNING: The footage is graphic.
