Much chatter has been made about Kanye West and the massive retail brand Adidas. I have seen it over the last couple of days and decided to address it, even though I believe it to be highly unlikely. Adidas’s stock plummeted recently because of the highly publicized failed business deal with Kanye, according to a recent report by Forbes.
The company, which really came to prominence thanks to Run-DMC, told the financial publication he will likely lose “hundreds of millions of dollars this year” because of the failed partnership. They were forced to break off from the rap star and stop creation of the popular Yeezy brand. Now, they have a bunch of Yeezy stuff and they don’t seem to have a way to offload it. Right now, they are between scrapping the gear totally or selling it.
Adidas said it expects to lose around $1.3 billion in revenue and roughly $535 million in operating profit this year if it cannot sell the stock.
Adidas also forecast falling sales and one-off costs of roughly $214 million this year, which could push the firm to an operating loss of nearly $750 million for 2023.
Chief executive Bjørn Gulden said 2023 will be a “year of transition to set the base to again be a growing and profitable company.”
Adidas has “all the ingredients to be successful,” Gulden stressed, but just needs “some time” to rebuild.
Now, on to the rumors. I have no idea where this even started, but people are saying they may be getting back with Kanye because of the loss in revenue. I have seen no evidence they are actually talking or even thinking about working with Ye again. The only thing I see is that they may actually repurpose the Yeezy kicks and that’s nothing new. They have to do something with all those kicks. Or they could give them to young kids. Only fake blogs and YouTube pages are stirring up this pot.
Boosie Badazz has become the unofficial spokesperson against alleged criminals cooperating with prosecutors. The Baton Rouge native’s vitriol towards so-called “rats” even applies to Hustle Gang leader T.I.
While the snitching conversation got reignited in Hip Hop circles following reports that Gunna took a plea deal in Georgia’s RICO case against Young Thug’s YSL record label, Boosie also took issue with T.I.’s recent admission.
According to T.I., his family member posthumously co-signed using him as a fall guy so the I’m Serious album creator could avoid prison time. Boosie does not believe that explanation justified Tip snitching on his dead relative.
“With the T.I. situation, if he did that, you’re a f###### rat too,” said Boosie during an interview with VladTV. “I don’t spare no m############ body. Because if you’re doing anything wrong, you’re doing anything criminal, and you cooperate with law enforcement to get you out of trouble, that means you’re cooperating. That means you’re a rat.”
Boosie continued, “But I’ma tell you like this. When I saw that, I think, ‘T.I.’s f###### lying.’ I think he went up there and just got to f###### talking. You think something happens at 17, 18 years old, you’re gonna hold – as vocal as he is – that in all [this] damn time?! All this damn time for 20-some years, you’re gonna hold that in?! And it finally came out?!”
Apparently, Boosie Badazz and T.I. planned to release a collaborative project. But these latest revelations about Tip’s cousin Toot have soured Boosie’s interest in working with the Atlanta-raised, 3-time Grammy winner.
“No, because it ruined everything,” replied Boosie when asked if the album with T.I. will ever see the light of day. “I woke up with my m############ phone, everything full… My real fans [are] like, ‘Boosie, you’re the last one left.’ They’re like, ‘You cannot put this album out.’ My uncle/OG n#### called me like, ‘Boosie… that album ain’t coming out.’”
The toxic union of Blueface and Chrisean Rock continues to play out on the internet. Social media users, including rapper/vlogger DDG, constantly weigh in on the couple’s offbeat love story.
Previously, Blueface and Chrisean inserted themselves in the drama involving DDG and his former girlfriend Rubi Rose. Chrisean apparently pressed Rose to expose DMs from her ex as he was allegedly dealing with a split from Halle Bailey.
Blueface asked Chrisean about her involvement with the Darryl Dwayne Granberry/Rubi Rose conflict while on Instagram Live. According to The Neighborhood Talk, DDG left a comment under the couple’s stream.
“Relationship goals [for real] 💯,” read a comment from the verified @DDG Instagram account. Some of Halle Bailey’s fans have called for The Little Mermaid star to dump DDG. Around 2,000 people signed a Change.org petition calling for Bailey to get a new boyfriend.
DDG and Blueface have worked together on music in the past. The two rappers collaborated on the Platinum-certified “Moonwalking in Calabasas [Remix]” off DDG’s Die 4 Respect. They also teamed up for “Meat This” in 2022.
It is not clear if DDG and Halle Bailey are still dating at the moment. Bailey deleted a tweet that seemingly defended DDG against the rumors he tried to hook up with Rubi Rose. Plus, yesterday, DDG tweeted, “Don’t trip about someone who’s at peace with letting you go.”
Don't trip about someone who's at peace with letting you go..
Sexual misconduct accusations against stylist/model Ian Connor have resurfaced this week. In particular, musician Jean Deaux blatantly called Connor a rapist on social media.
“33 Ghosts, 33 non-existent people,” tweeted Connor on February 19. That same day, he posted, “I’ll pay someone [$10,000], wallahi, to make it make sense, I swear. However you want it, just make it make sense.”
He continued, “So no one wants $10,000, or is no one capable of getting the 10k because it just doesn’t make sense?” Connor also tweeted, “Being lied on has taught me not to lie [on] anybody about anything.”
Jean Deaux Says People Can’t Rewrite History About Ian Connor
While Ian Connor did not directly address the rape claims against him in those tweets, Jean Deaux took Connor’s recent comments as a response to the allegations. The “JD’s Revenge” rhymer openly called out the New York native.
“Ian Connor [is talking about] his reported 33 victims is 33 ghosts who lied. [I don’t give a f###] how long it’s been, I don’t condone cap. I’ll never be a ghost b####, it’s forever up with me, p####,” tweeted Jean Deaux on Monday afternoon.
Deaux added, “I exposed Ian Connor for being a rapist years ago and he addressed every b#### but me. It’s b###### in Chicago who tried to call me a liar and got [their] s### rocked. Now he thinks after an [Instagram] model and a [Love & Hip Hop] b#### he can fly under the radar, naw [you’re] still scum, B####.”
As other Twitter users reacted to her remarks, Jean Deaux also tweeted “Ian Connor is a rapist. Y’all [are] not [going to] rewrite history around me… Anyway, I be outside. If [you] feel a way get with me.” Shortly after Deaux’s last tweet, Connor posted, “N##### [are] making [a] whole lotta noize…”
Nicki Minaj surprised fans when she resurfaced in Trinidad at the weekend following a brief hiatus.
The Trinidadian-born, Jamaica Queens-bred hitmaker has kept a relatively low profile since the start of the year. She’s been absent from social media, and The Barbz were beginning to get antsy. That was until Nicki Minaj returned to Instagram to share some new music with her fans.
Nicki teamed up with fellow Trinidadians, and leading soca music stars, Machel Montano and Destra on the remix of their “Shake the Place” single. She also teased a snippet of the visuals, check out the clip below.
“Trinidad my country, the greatest carnival of all time,” she raps in the new song. “I’m reppin’ that red, that white, that black / I’m reppin’ my real flag.”
Nicki Minaj was true to her raps, arriving in Trinidad ahead of their annual world-famous carnival this week. After flying in at the weekend the “Super Freaky Girl” hitmaker was ready to hit the road. She joined fellow carnival-goers and her collaborators on board a truck working its way around the route.
Nicki Minaj Pays Tribute To Fellow Trini Legends
The NYC rapper took to Instagram to share footage from her trip, including a video that held specifical significance. In the clip, Nicki and fellow Trini legends Machel Montano, Destra, and Patrice Roberts celebrate the nation’s talent.
“She’s not just a queen a rap, she a queen period,” Destra declared in the clip. “Queen Tingz ,King Tingz,” Nicki said before adding, “That’s all that comes out of Trinidad.”
“LEGENDARY FOOTAGE WITH THE GREATS OF MY COUNTRY,” she wrote in the caption. I COULDN’T BE MORE PROUD IF I TRIED. I REPPIN DAT RED DAT WHITE DAT BLACK I REPPIN MY REAL FLAG. wish my grandmother was alive to see this. Wish daddy was alive to see this. See you tmrw, Trinidad. 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾”
Check out the video alongside a few other snaps from Nicki’s trip below. Fans gushed over the singer’s carnival fit, loving her long red tresses, and shorts and corset combo.
Fifty Cent recently revealed that he agrees with Future’s claim that the Atlanta native is bigger than Jay-Z in the streets.
The Hip-Hop mogul offered his take on the debate during his recent interview with MSNBC’s Ari Melber.
“Future said in the streets he’s bigger than Hov,” Melber said as they discussed Hip-Hop’s best artists.
“Yeah, he is, way bigger,” 50 Cent replied before referring to Future’s catalog. “There’s consistent music from him that didn’t chart that [are] huge records that people love and appreciate that.”
However, 50 Cent acknowledged Future doesn’t have the chart-topping success of Jay-Z.
“Future’s gonna have to be No. 1 internally because those records didn’t chart,” he added. “Later in his career, they’re not gonna look at the stats and say, we should pay you this kind of money because of records that were great on the street.”
Elsewhere during the interview, Melber asked his take on whether Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, and Nas are the top 3 rappers. “They’re still good artists, but not of all time,” he declared.
“To me, how do you not look at the No. 1 selling artist?” he said, suggesting that Eminem should be up there because he’s “sold like 90 million records.”
50 Cent Says Future Is “Way Bigger” Than Jay-Z
🔉 What do you guys think?
But I do think people are reading too much into this. No one is saying Future is better than Jay Z. But in the streets, you definitely hear more Future than Jay Z, so 50 Cent has a point. pic.twitter.com/kx3amt3Wt2
The episode, which celebrated the 20th anniversary of Fiddy’s classic 2003 debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin‘, was one of the most popular “The Beat” shows ever.
Ari Melber’s chat with 50 Cent ranked as the second most viewed edition ever, topping shows featuring tech mogul Bill Gates and acting legend Rober DeNiro. However, the most viewed episode featured Former Kremlin official Andrei Kozyrev.
Chief troll Fifty Cent took to Instagram to share a tweet from the Russian politician who’s been bombarded with questions about the rapper.
“@andreivkozyrev How are you feeling😏i’m happy your still alive,” he penned in the caption. “Putin didn’t like that s### you said be careful now !”
French Montana is reflecting on his journey to stardom after he was named the most streamed African-born artist in history earlier this week.
The – took to Instagram on Monday to announce the historic milestone. He shared a series of images, including a list of some of his most popular songs. The 11x platinum hit “Unforgettable,” with Sway Lee, topped the list.
During the summer of last year, the 2017 single crossed the 10 million-sold mark in the United States, earning Diamond certification from the RIAA, making him the first African-born recording artist to achieve the accolade. In addition, the “Unforgettable” music video has amassed more than 1.4 billion views on YouTube. It also racked up over 3 billion global streams.
“That lil immigrant boy had faith,” French Montana penned in the caption. He also thanked his fans before teasing his upcoming Drake-assisted documentary. The film will track his path from a “lil immigrant boy,” to world-famous artist.
“Thank you to all my fans love y’all ( DOCUMENTARY COMING SOON ),” he added. “Let’s make more history … a GOAL without a plan is a wish.” Check out his celebratory post below.
Last October, French Montana was honored for his humanitarian efforts in his home continent. He received the Innovator Award at the 2022 Pencils of Promise Gala for his mission to provide healthcare and education in Uganda. In addition to supporting the Budondo Suubi “Hope” Health Center, he raised over $226 million for healthcare in the country.
North West and Monroe Cannon joined their famous mothers for an adorable TikTok video featuring one of the singer’s#### songs.
The girls mimed along to Mariah Carey’s 2009 track “It’s A Wrap,” while dancing before their moms joined in the fun. Kim Kardashian and Mariah Carey popped into the frame to sing the chorus. However, neither kid allows their mom to steal the spotlight, bundling them out of the way before the clip ends.
In another video, presumably from the same meet-up, nine-year-old North and Monroe team up to pay tribute to Rihanna on her birthday. The 11-year-old daughter of Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon imitated the Roc Nation star’s Super Bowl Halftime Show style. She donned an all-red costume in homage to RiRi’s fit while North was clad in all white, dressed as one of the “Lift Me Up” singer’s backup dancers.
The mommy-daughter double date seems to squash the rumor that Mariah Carey has a problem with Kim Kardashian, who used to date her ex-husband, Nick Cannon.
However, it’s not the first time the SKIMS founder and her little girl have linked with the talented songstress. The mother-and-daughter duo made a cameo alongside Kris Jenner and a host of other celebs in Mariah’s star-studded “All I Want For Christmas” video in 2019.
A newly surfaced video of YSL affiliate Lil Woody allegedly snitching on Young Thug and YFN Lucci has gone viral, with social media users debating the three-hour-long video.
While YSL Woody (real name Kenneth Copeland) refused to name Thugger directly, he alluded to his involvement multiple times. He also revealed details about an alleged hit that night and offered to help authorities.
Freddie Gibbs has had his issues with the YSL camp over the years. The pair fired shots at each other online after the Gary, IN rapper labeled Gunna a snitch following his appearance in a CNN clip mistaken for an episode of Crime Stoppers.
Gunna fired back with a diss on the DS4Ever cut “poochie gown” before getting caught up in the YSL RICO case.
When Gunna was released after taking an Alford Plea, Freddie Gibbs revealed artists removed their verses on $oul $old $separately over his beef with Gunna.
“It was n##### that took they verse off my album because wunna ain’t like me. I wonder how they feel now,” he tweeted last December. “And y’all n##### said I was hatin…welp… Rap full of snitches so y’all gon welcome this n#### home with open arms.”
Freddie Gibbs Trolls YSL Woody
Social media had a field day after the Lil Woody video hit the net, with users weighing in on his confessions. Freddie Gibbs added his voice to the chatter, jumping on Twitter to troll YSL Woody. He shared a clip of YSL Woody during the interrogation, who is left alone in the room and, at one point, stands up to check his pulse.
“N#### snitched so hard he had to check his pulse 😂,” he wrote on Monday (Feb. 20).
Meanwhile, YSL Woody took to his Instagram Story to respond to the video from behind bars.
“I sat in jail days nights months years didn’t know my outcome didn’t call on god didn’t cry or cooperate,” he wrote. “I started working on understanding myself realizing who I am and what I’m worth. Jail gave me time to think grow and understand only point I have to prove is showing my people that whatever we put out mind to we can do it. Stay away from bad energy focus and believe in yourself.”
Diego Cool has just released his latest single, “Waste Yo Time,” in collaboration with Jerry White, Darrick Wayne Jr, and Camo Green. The sultry R&B and slow jam blend of the song is perfect for setting a romantic atmosphere.
At the beginning of the year, the AOS/Swaggertown Records artist announced on his Instagram page (@Realdiegocool) that he would be releasing a new song every week. “Waste Yo Time” is his fifth single of the year, and Diego Cool is showing no signs of slowing down.
Diego Cool is known for creating catchy music with a unique sound that sets him apart from other artists. He blends various genres, including rap, R&B, slow jams, and pop, to make his music stand out.
The collaboration with Jerry White, Darrick Wayne Jr, and Camo Green resulted in a chill and easy-listening hit that Diego Cool hopes will climb the charts. With its captivating melody, cool beats, and chill vibes, “Waste Yo Time” is sure to be a favorite chill night song.
As Diego Cool continues to drop hot new singles and albums, be sure to keep up with his work.
WTO Sco is VA’s newest trap star. His Luh Kiddo-assisted banger, “Real Rich” starts with a bang and stays strong throughout. There’s no limit to where WTO Sco can go after surpassing 1 Million views on his EST Gee-featured single “Fentanyl” (Remix). “Real Rich” is a dope follow-up leading into his growth as an MC in 2023.
Like his main influences, WTO Sco is focused on creating a lane for himself and others to come up in music. The CEO/rapper follows the blueprint set by acts like Gucci Mane, Future, Boosie, and more. This year he is not letting up. His birthday just passed and he is trying to ensure that he is the hottest thing smoking in Virginia and beyond. He’s not pressed to do it in a way that jeopardizes his character. His authentic nature is what makes him who he is.
Lock in with him on Instagram at @wto_sco and listen to his latest single, “Real Rich,” featuring fellow VA rapper Luh Kiddo today!
De La Soul suffered an insurmountable loss on February 12 when one-third of the group, Trugoy The Dove, died. Just a week removed from the most tragic event in De La Soul’s 35-year history, Maseo is reflecting on their journey with a series of Instagram posts.
On Monday (February 20), Maseo shared a throwback photo of himself, Prince Paul, Trugoy The Dove and Posdnuos signing their Tommy Boy contract alongside Monica Lynch and Tom Silverman. He wrote in the caption, “This is the day we signed our contract with Tommy Boy. Much Love And Respect To Monica Lynch.”
In a follow-up post, Maseo uploaded a photo of an old De La Soul medallion and wrote simply, “Since 1988.” On both posts, condolences and support poured in from the likes of DJ Premier, Dante Ross, Diamond D, Busta Rhymes and Kid Capri.
Maseo did post a video last week of a kid calling chocolate milk “good s###.” He touched on Trugoy’s death briefly, writing, “Considering everything that I’m going through with the loss of my Big Brother Dave, this clip actually brought some laughter and joy to me this morning. I hope it does the same for you.”
Similarly, the Hip-Hop community rushed to his side. Lord Finesse wrote, “Sorry for your loss. My condolences to all families feeling the pain of this tremendous loss. Can’t begin to imagine the magnitude. You already know my brother I’m here if you need me.” Public Enemy’s DJ Lord added, “Sending our most sincerest condolences brother…from me and the whole @publicenemy family.”
De La Soul was poised to have a monster year. On March 3, the group’s initial six albums—including 1989’s groundbreaking debut 3 Feet High & Rising—will be available on DSPs for the first time. The hard-won victory feels bittersweet without all three members physically here to celebrate. But, Trugoy’s legacy will undoubtedly live on in the music.
Yung Bleu has released two studio albums during his 10-year career: the gold-certified Moon Boy and last year’s Tantra. Despite giant features from the likes of Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne, Bleu seems to think he’s not as successful as he should be. On Sunday (February 19), the Alabama native shared some thoughts on his trajectory via Twitter and suggested the industry is preventing his ascension.
“I’m probably never gonna be respected as a artist but whoever been around me in the studio know ima genius when it come to music,” he wrote. “The real secret is these major labels and machines try to bury me cuz I never took they contracts. So I never get looks, the opportunities to display my talent to the world. But I’m pushing out product for all they artist in private. Maybe I’ll sign to a major one day so my fans can finally see me blow up big as I should be. I’ll do it for y’all if I ever did it.”
I’m probably never gonna be respected as a artist but whoever been around me in the studio know ima genius when it come to music , the real secret is these major labels and machines try to bury me cuz I never took they contracts . So I never get looks , the opportunities to…
Yung Bleu was previously signed to Columbia Records through Boosie Badazz’s label, Bad Azz Music Syndicate. Tantra was released by his own imprint, Moon Boy University, and distributed by Empire. The project included contributions from Fivio Foreign, Zayn, Nicki Minaj, Kelly Rowland, French Montana, Lucky Daye, Lil Wayne, Ty Dolla $ign, and Ne-Yo. Production was handled by Bleu himself, Murda Beatz, Jerry Lang II, Robby Hale, Teldrick Smith and Preme, among others.
Bleu’s most successful single, 2020’s “You’re Mines Still,” peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 after it was remixed by Drake. His latest song, “Games Women Play,” was released last week ahead of his next album, Love Scars 2, which is expected to arrive in April.
Simona Shao is a true music-lover, and she’s here to bless the world with her talents once and for all. Born in Los Angeles, Simona has been nurturing her smooth and sultry vocals since a very young age, even being crowned champion of the American Stars competition show on ICN Network.
Being a Chinese-American singer-songwriter isn’t always the isn’t task at hand, but Shao sees no boundaries. Since the young age of 4, Shao has been studying classical piano… but that didn’t take away from her academic endeavors either. Growing up in Arcadia, a suburb of Los Angeles, her upbringing includes attending an all-girls school in Pasadena called Westridge, best known for their exceptional arts program (choir, theater, pottery, dance).
Fun fact: Shao even turned down an offer to compete at The Voice of China because it would have taken away from her freshman year at Penn.
To date, Shao has accumulated over three million streams on her original tracks, with her very first release dating back to 2017. Fast forward to today, she’s excited as ever to be releasing her newest single titled “The Only Thing I’ve Known.”
AllHipHop: How would you describe your sound?
Simona Shao: Over time, it has definitely shifted. When I first started writing music, I wrote a lot of ballads that had a raw, acoustic sound (usually me playing piano accompanying myself, sometimes with the addition of drums or guitar). I was inspired by the acoustic-pop sounds of Colbie Caillet and Sara Bareilles when I was younger. When I was around 14, I began to really dive into the EDM scene, and so that ignited my desire to write vocals for electronic tracks.
While I was in college, I really loved collaborating with electronic producers. This led to my hit song “In My Head” with Seattle electronic duo, Solstis. Collaborating with producers over the internet was a natural way for me to write while in college, since I didn’t have the luxury of a piano in my dorm room. The producers would send me instrumentals via email, I’d record a voice note back (literally iPhone voice memos), and if they liked it, I would record it in my makeshift studio at home during one of the school breaks.
I also have always loved R&B, and during the pandemic, I began to finally experiment with this sound. I drew a lot of inspiration from some of my favorite artists (Summer Walker, SZA, Emotional Oranges, Jhene Aiko, Sevyn Streeter, PARTYNEXTDOOR) in building out the R&B/pop sound I was looking for. My latest release, “The Only Thing I’ve Known,” draws inspiration from all of them and adds my own unique twist to it.
AllHipHop: Biggest influences growing up?
Simona Shao: Musically, I have always drawn inspiration from the Impressionist composer Claude Debussy. While studying classical piano did have its mundane moments (playing Baroque music didn’t exactly thrill me), listening and learning to play Debussy was a life-altering experience. His music left such a strong impression on me because of the beautiful, ethereal and dreamlike melodies he created. His music was considered unorthodox, and audiences did not truly appreciate his music unlike later, because of how out-of-the-box and revolutionary it was.
To simply put it, he was a bad-ass that didn’t care what anyone else thought and wanted to make innovative and unique music that he loved. My goal is to make music that elicits an emotional response through creating nostalgic and beautiful melodies, which is inspired by what I experience when I listen to his music. In my everyday life, my older sister has always had a huge influence on me. She introduced me to the world of EDM and music festivals, which holds a very special place in my heart forever. She is also a bad-ass and creative, so I have always looked up to her as a role model and my best friend. Love you Rebecca!
AllHipHop: “The Only Thing I’ve Known” out now, who or what inspired this record?
Simona Shao: This song was inspired by a general feeling of dissatisfaction that I was experiencing at a certain point in my life. I find it sometimes difficult to stay content or celebrate accomplishments for a prolonged period of time, or just generally appreciate the little things, because I’m always looking for the next objective I’m trying to reach, or the next big win to achieve. Obviously, this can be a great motivator for life, but the ever-heightening standards can also be sometimes unhealthy mentally.
Another piece of the song is something that can be relatable to listeners: taking someone or something for granted, and the urge to mess things up when things are going too well. Sometimes people tend to devalue something wonderful because it’s been too consistently good, and you tell yourself that it’s too good to be true. This track is a reminder to myself to appreciate the good things that come my way, the bad things that taught me a lesson, and to cherish the journey that got me here.
AllHipHop: Three things you need in the studio?
Simona Shao: The first thing I need is my keyboard, because I like to play around with harmonies for my vocals by synthesizing them out. It is also crucial to have something to sip on while recording, because singing over and over can really tire out your vocal cords. I am a big tea drinker, so I like to have a bottle of brewed tea with me – my personal favorites are Hojicha (roasted green tea) and Korean barley tea. The last thing I like to have are some fun LED lights for the room – it sets the mood for the recording session and I can change the color to whatever vibe I’m feeling for the song. It gets me into a great headspace to record – the atmosphere is everything!
AllHipHop: What is it you want fans to get from your story?
Simona Shao: A lot of people think that you can’t do both school and music at the same time, or work in finance and also pursue a music career. Through hard work and dedication to both academics/work and your craft, it is totally possible to do both and also balance it in a way that makes you happy. I wouldn’t have been able to get through a lot of my life without having a creative outlet, and my creative side fed a lot of the success in my academics/work life as well.
What I find fascinating about life now is that you can do everything over the computer, communicating purely digitally to create a song, and also attend college/work full-time while doing so. Obviously, working full-time is a bit trickier because I have to be in the office on a strict schedule, but you can definitely make it work. I also love that the digital environment now allows me to reach international audiences so easily. I love connecting with my Chinese roots, and getting more established as a music presence in Asia is definitely one of my goals down the road.
If Hip-Hop fans ever wanted to get up close and personal with West Coast rapper YG, an opportunity might have presented itself for his birthday … provided you got the cash.
According to his official website, the “FDT” chart-topper is charging fans a whopping $1,000 to sit down and have dinner with him before his upcoming California shows in Santa Ana on March 10 and 12.
The package will include a special private five-star, three-course meal, complete with an open bar and “gentleman’s club waitresses,” to be had in the exclusive company of the Compton emcee.
Fans, who drop the grand, will also receive a photo with the star and reserved seating at the concert.
The whole extravaganza is to celebrate his birthday. YG captioned an Instagram post announcing the two shows, saying, “I said I would never come back to the observatory but here I am, BDAY VIBES LIVE CONCERT. Put that s#### on & come F##k with me. UPSCALE EVENT!”
https://www.instagram.com/p/Coxodjcv_BB
While the big news is about the meet-and-greet, fans were locked in on the second picture of him at a strip club doing the most. Apparently, the team posted an unedited version earlier.
“I like how they came back and edit him grabbing that 🐱. Talking bout focused haha,” one fan said.
R. Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison last June. Convicted on nine counts of sex trafficking and racketeering, the embattled R&B singer immediately vowed to appeal. But earlier this month, the government moved to add another 25 years to his Cook County sentence.
According to court docs obtained by AllHipHop, Kelly’s defense attorney Jennifer Bonjean finds the motion ludicrous. As Bonjean claims, the government falsely paints Kelly as a “serial sexual predator” with “no remorse.” But she says Kelly is painfully aware of the consequences.
As Bonjean explains in the docs, “By submitting a sentencing memorandum that dares to challenge the government’s narrative in any way, the government accuses Kelly of victim-blaming, lack of remorse and failing to ‘grasp the gravity of his criminal conduct.’
“It is the government that fails to grasp that Kelly still enjoys a few constitutional and statutory protections that allow him to challenge the government’s take on the evidence and advocate for an appropriate sentence without being labeled a monster who has no remorse. The jury that heard this case seemed to respect those basic principles of our criminal justice process […] In reality, no one grasps the seriousness of the crimes for which Kelly was convicted more than Kelly.”
She continues, “Kelly has every right to advocate for himself and argue for a fair sentence that acknowledges the seriousness of the offenses while also pushing back on the government’s embellished narrative that relies significantly on acquitted conduct.”
Bonjean goes on to accuse the government of trampling on Kelly’s Fifth Amendment rights and being “far more concerned” with press conferences instead of a reasonable disposition that “would have allowed Kelly to “take responsibility.” Bonjean also says the government claims Kelly used “fear” to induce prohibited sexual activity, which she denies.
“Kelly did not use threats or force to induce Jane, Pauline and Nia into the prohibited sexual conduct, nor did he cause them to fear bodily harm, or any type of harm to induce the prohibited sexual conduct,” Bonjean continues. “Simply put, the tactics that the government claims Kelly used were very different. The government claims Kelly groomed the minors; he showered them with affection; he bought them presents; he promised them various things; and wowed them with his superstar power.
“None of these facts let Kelly off the hook for his conduct which is why he stands convicted of three counts of inducement, but the government cannot now claim he also used fear of bodily harm with the victims when the victims made no such claims, the government advanced no such theory even in the alternative, and the record suggests that the jury rejected any notion that the sexual abuse was committed through acts of coercion.”
Bonjean concludes, “The government insists on exaggerating Kelly’s misdeeds, sounding more like a teaser for the next installation of Surviving R. Kelly than lawyers. The government declares Kelly a prolific sexual abuser of children but resorts to manufacturing evidence related to Aaliyah that has never been proven as support for this claim.
“Kelly is convicted of serious crimes as it is, yet the government is so committed to obtaining another life sentence for him that it resorts to invoking unsubstantiated Aaliyah claims, perpetuating rumors from tabloid docuseries, and attributing hyperbolic labels to Kelly rather than relying on the actual evidence to supports its ask.”
Bonjean insists “no upward variance is justified and numerous factors justify a sentence at the lower end of the guidelines range.” She also acknowledges Kelly is likely already in prison for life considering he’s 56 years old.
Kelly currently has pending charges in Minnesota and an appeal in the Eastern District of New York.
Billionaire businesswoman and reality star Kim Kardashian is under fire. On Saturday (February 18), social media was ablaze with how little she paid her surrogate to carry her children compared to how much she made for selling one of her used designer bags.
One person posted on social media, “Surrogacy is misogyny. It is exploitative & dehumanizing. Kim Kardashian sold her used Birkin bag for $104,000 but paid her surrogate $4,500 a month ($45,000 in total) to risk her life and birth her child. A used bag cost more than double the surrogate’s womb & life! F##king vile.”
In the reply, a Twitter user said she heard a different number.
Sigma Allyson wrote, “HUH!!! Kim Kardashian only paid her surrogate 45k??? I could swear back in like 2015 I was hearing 100k being thrown around as the rich person surrogate minimum what even.”
@Juhvanci agreed Kardashian should have paid more, but asked, “How is it misogyny?”
Some people just wondered, “How is it Kim’s fault?”
“I guess my legit inquiry would be…. How is this Kim’s fault?” influencer Cyrene Lovette asked. “If she has a need and there is someone who can meet that need at a set price that both agree upon… are we just coming up with reasons to be tight at that point? Cause…. Huh?”
While the debate is up in the social media air, Laurel Fertility revealed Kardashian did pay on the lowest side of the average fees.
The website states traditional surrogacy can cost people between $40,000 to $70,000. The average cost for gestational surrogacy is between $90,000 and $130,000.
The fans have been asking for it, and the Verzuz pantheon has answered the call.
According to So So Def founder and mega-star producer Jermaine Dupri, he and Sean “Diddy” Combs, Hip-Hop’s original Bad Boy, will be facing off in a Verzuz sometime this year.
He made the announcement on the I Am Athlete podcast, saying, “It’s coming next year… It’s gon be, you know, it’s gonna be like the Super Bowl.”
While Dupri didn’t give any futher details, he did say where it was going to be.
“It’s gonna be at the stadium–it’s gonna be at the Mercedes-Benz,” he shared with the hosts.
Arguably for Hip-Hop and R&B, Dupri and Diddy created a soundtrack for the ’90s and early 2000s, with hundreds of hits from artists such as The Notorious B.I.G., SWV, JAY-Z, Mariah Carey, Xscape, Total, Kriss Kross, TLC, Usher, LL COOL J, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson and more.
“We’ve been changing the infrastructure because when we started, it happened in the garage and then moved to a significant platform,” Swizz Beatz said in an interview with Revolt.
He added, “Now, we changed the whole way we’re moving but not entirely, so people won’t feel like it’s not the same. We have a fantastic lineup with people they wanted to see and even battles they think wouldn’t happen. Announcements will be coming soon.”
Welp … there’s no announcement bigger than JD and Diddy! Who you got?
Houston-transplant 50 Cent is celebrating winning at the 2023 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s 20th annual Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition.
News about his win was announced on Instagram. 50, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, dropped a video showing how proud he is of this great accomplishment.
“What they say about the rodeo is that you have to treat the janitor like you treat the senator,” 50 said in his acceptance speech. “Everybody is somebody around here. It is exciting. I am in the right circle. These are the right people for me to engage with to continue to be great.”
In addition to showing his awards, including one for being the top donor, he also received several recognitions for his service in the city from elected officials— including Mayor Sylvester Turner.
50 showed off his Grand Champion Best of Show Saddle in another post. The caption was simple, but still beaming with pride, “H Town vibes, Houston is really where it’s at you gotta keep good company. GLG🚦GreenLightGang #bransoncognac#lecheminduroi.”
In my heart, I knew this was going to happen. The Game and Wack 100 are beefing. Now, these poor dudes have been down for a very long time, but once The Game lost that default judgement, I knew this would go left. The Game is legally on the hook with for an alleged sexual assault after a woman accused him and won because Game didn’t show up for court. That was to the tune of $7 million and the rapper has vowed not to pay it. I believe he “paid” some, because she garnished monies from his last album. Why am I saying this? There were rumors The Game put everything in Wack 100’s name to avoid having his dinero, property and other things taken from him.
Now, it seems like he’s talking to Suge Knight AND The Game. I am processing this as I write this. SO, in the comments, Game says the following, “I’ll take the head up fade with both you ni99as on sight.” He basically wants to fight them both, Suge and Wack. Game is a big MF now. I think he could give prime Suge a run for his money in a one-on-one. Wack 100 is no slouch either.
Here’s some audio. Wack said he and Irv Gotti had to get hotels and things for Suge. He basically says Suge did nothing after parting ways with people like Snoop, Dre and Pac. He basically said he got shot, knocked out and lost all his money…and other things. He maintains he paid for Suge’s mom’s funeral.
So back to The Game…
What happened? Nobody seems to know. Some people, like my BX dudes, are saying Game may be joking. Others are thinking this is pre-promo for a new album since Drillmatic – Heart vs. Mind has come and gone. The Game was signed to 100 Entertainment and probably still is. If so, I don’t think beefing with the owner bodes well for him. I wish The Game well, because he is one of the better talents Hip-Hop has seen. I would hate to see him add another layer of legal woes to his situation.
Game still got it! Hoping this is just promotion so we can get new music.
