Tory, who had pleaded not guilty to multiple charges stemming from the alleged shooting of Megan Thee Stallion in the Hollywood Hills in July 2020, faces up to 22 years in prison after being convicted of all charges.
The 27-year-old hip-hop star had faced intense backlash and public scrutiny since identifying Lanez as her shooter, and the trial had been a long and emotional journey for her.
The jury’s decision was not without controversy, however. Tory’s defense team had claimed that Megan’s then-best friend Kelsey Harris was actually the shooter and had attempted to cast doubt on Megan’s testimony.
But in the end, the jurors seemed to believe Megan’s version of events, in which she insisted that she saw Tory Lanez with a gun in his hand as he shot her feet.
“To any woman, especially ones of color that has suffered an injustice, I feel for you,” Pardison wrote in a Thursday Instagram Story. “When you do find the courage to speak up… it seems you will be ridiculed… your credibility will (be) questioned… your entire past will be held under a magnifying glass… in an instant you can go from victim to defendant in the eyes of the public.”
He continued, “To anyone with a daughter, sister, mother, niece or aunt… I pray for their protection… I pray for their covering. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.”
The verdict was met with mixed reactions from the public. Some applauded the jury’s decision as a victory for justice, while others expressed disappointment and disbelief.
Pandemonium broke out in the hallway after the verdict was read as Tory was handcuffed and taken into custody. The rapper’s mother and father were kicked out of the courtroom due to outburst, where they called out the court system.
His father also blamed Jay-Z and Roc Nation for sending Tory Lanez off to jail. Tory Lanez is scheduled to be sentenced in January of 2023 after being convicted of assault with a firearm, possessing a concealed firearm, and reckless discharge of a gun.
Louisiana native rappers NBA YoungBoy and Fredo Bang shocked the rap world when they put aside their long-standing beef and teamed up TG Kommas for a toy drive for kids in Baton Rouge on Christmas Eve.
According to reports, the rapper’s settled their differences on a phone call, which took place earlier this week.
The drive-thru event, which will take place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the BREC Admin Building, will feature donations of over 1,000 toys, bikes, coats, and athletic shoes.
In addition to these generous donations, the event organizers are hosting a private dinner and providing gifts for families in Baton Rouge who have recently lost their homes in house fires.
“I know it’s hard times out here, so you know we trying to help y’all out and make sure your kids have something for Christmas. We also missing a lot of rappers in the city and rap labels. Trill Ent., Mouse On Tha Track, Webbie, Boosie, Level, we need all yall rappers to pull up and pass one toy out, you heard me Don’t be too gangster for the kids,” Fredo Bang said.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CmhSavJugs5/?hl=en
The show of unity is significant for the city of Baton Rouge.
Fredo Bang and his frequent collaborator Lit Yoshi, are allegedly members of the Top Boy Gorilla (TBG) crew. The pair were rumored to have been involved in a drive-by shooting in 2019 near the Trump International Beach Resort in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida.
The shooting left YoungBoy’s girlfriend injured and a bystander dead, with YoungBoy being the suspected target.
No one has been charged for the killing, but prosecutors in Louisiana believe that TBG may have been connected to the death of Mohamad Jradi, the Hertz rental car employee who was killed in the shooting.
The shootings were reportedly related to gang activity.
As for NBA YoungBoy, he will not be attending the event. The rapper, born Kentrell Gaulden, has been on house arrest in Utah since October of 2021.
The conditions of NBA YoungBoy’s bail include home incarceration, a location monitoring device, and pre-approved visitation. However, he will soon return to Louisiana to face a pending gun case.
It was unexpected and heartwarming to see these artists coming together and giving back to their community during the holiday season.
In related news, NBA YoungBoy, just released a new project called Lost Files, which is his eighth full-length release of 2022.
The Universal Hip Hop Museum is one step closer to opening its doors, after receiving a multiple million-dollar federal funding nod from the United States Senate.
Led by New York junior senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the Senate has voted to release $3 million in funding in the year-end omnibus package to go toward the construction of the museum, which is currently being built in the Bronx— the recognized birthplace of Hip-Hop.
“The Bronx has historically been a creative incubator for so many wonderful genres of music, ranging from doo-wop to salsa, but few genres have left a greater mark on mainstream culture than Hip-Hop music,” said Gillibrand.
“It is amazing to see that what started as a party in the basement of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue became a global phenomenon that spawned artistry and entrepreneurs like Jay-Z, Queen Latifah, and 50 Cent,” she continued.
“With the 50th anniversary of hip hop right around the corner, I am proud to have secured funds to help the Universal Hip Hop Museum celebrate everything that is beautiful about hip hop culture.”
While this is exciting, the $1.7 trillion omnibus package must go through Congress before releasing the money. That’s a technicality, the Congress plans to sign it into law by the end of this week.
Kaash Paige is on her way to becoming the biggest artist in the world. The Dallas, Texas native stands and shines in her own lane, with her own unique voice, style, swag, and sound that fans can’t get enough of. And if you’re a fan of Kaash’s mesmerizing vocals on Don Toliver’s “Euphoria,” there’s a lot more where that came from.
With 3.6 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone, Kaash Paige returns with her highly-anticipated new album titled S2ML (Soundtrack 2 My Life). The 12-track project is spearheaded by lead singles “24 Hrs” featuring Lil Tjay and “Miss My Dawgs” featuring 6LACK. This arrives on the heels of 2019’s Parked Car Convos, home to her viral smash “Love Songs.”
Beyond the fire music, it’s her down-to-earth personality and contagious energy that organically spreads love to the masses, no matter which part of the world she’s in. Most recently, she blessed London at Wireless Festival, getting the most fan love she’s ever received at a show.
On the 45th episode of Shirley’s Temple, Kaash Paige discusses why she stopped smoking, getting a crib back home in Dallas, mental health in the music industry, going through 10 managers, competing track against Sha’Carri Richardson and more.
AllHipHop: I know you haven’t been smoking, how long has it been now?
Kaash Paige: It’s only been 7 days, but I’ve been the best I’ve been honestly. Weed’s not really doing nothing for me right now. I used to smoke every single second of the day, and I wouldn’t be as productive. As far as singing, it would cloud on my lungs too.
When I went to rehearsals earlier today, because I got an hour set, I’m like damn, I can actually breathe and stay on stage. Man, I gotta keep this up, and my clarity’s been way better.
But the thing is, if I was just a producer and I didn’t sing, I think I’d be gassing all the time. Sometimes it’s super harsh on my voice. I love getting high, but I still do shrooms.
AllHipHop: How were you able to just stop? Because that takes discipline.
Kaash Paige: I’ve been saying that for a long time though, then I’ll get around somebody and I’ll start smoking. With me, I’m entering a different stage in my life right now. I’m about to move back to Dallas.
AllHipHop: Are you?
Kaash Paige: Yeah, the crib I got is f###### sick. I just got it today, it’s pretty nice.
AllHipHop: Congratulations!!
Kaash Paige: I appreciate that. If you want to come out there, let me know. I’ll show you the house.
AllHipHop: I remember you telling me you want to move back to Dallas.
Kaash Paige: I did. My life likes to repeat itself, but in different ways. Whenever I went back to Dallas that time, it was because I didn’t know nobody in LA. Whenever I got back to Dallas, then I got a call in right to LA. Now I’m living in Hollywood Hills, I’m linking up with everybody. Now, it’s draining. Everybody in LA wants to be a star. There’s so many stars amongst stars. It’s exciting, it’s so many opportunities out here, but everybody in their life has a different chapter. I’m creating this new chapter in mine.
AllHipHop: You used to run track. Do you exercise now?
Kaash Paige: I don’t really exercise now. Whenever I get back out there to Dallas, I’m a purchase a bike. I was running miles every day, then I stopped because I was gassing before my miles too. [laughs]
AllHipHop: I got high one time before a run, it was the worst run of my life. Time was going so f###### slow.
Kaash Paige: Exactly, you’re ready to go home. Damn.this is the first lap and I’m ready to go. Because you’re geeked and you’re like, why am I doing this?
I ran track, I wasn’t fast, but I was so bad they put me in the 400.
Damn, they wanted to see you fail. The 400, that’s the horrible f###### race. Because I’m a sprinter. Whenever my coach will put me in a 400, I’m like damn you a hoe. You a hoe bro. You know I can’t run this s###. You see me in track class getting dusted by everybody, and you over here trying to put me in the 400. Because I ran 4 x 100 meters relay, 110-meter hurdles, then 200-meter dash.
AllHipHop: So you’ve always been popping?
Kaash Paige: Yeah I guess. I’ve always wanted to fit in. I could always adapt to any crowd, adapt to anybody literally. Middle school, high school, can hang out with anybody.
AllHipHop: Shirley’s Temple has a focus on mental health. How are you doing?
Kaash Paige: I feel like I’ve been through a lot. What everybody has to realize is a lot of this s###’s temporary. A lot of emotions are temporary. When we’re sad and we’re happy, we’re angry, it’s temporary. You’re not going to stay in that vibe. And if you are in that vibe, you need to be around people that can get you out of that. It’s hard to even say that sometimes because depression is real. I have this one saying I always say: it’s always a rainbow after every storm, no matter how much it rains. It’s always knowing that better days are coming.
AllHipHop: Now that you don’t smoke weed, what do you do to help your mental health?
Kaash Paige: Honestly, I would say creating music. I feel as if I create more songs now. I’m going in the studio, cutting about 4 records. Because we were sitting there, cut about one, smoke and be like “that s### hard bro.” Just be chillin’ and not really get to another song. Now, I have more creativity in my mind as far as energy to do that.
I’m going through this phase right now, my house is all boxed up and empty. You come back to the house like, damn, I just sleep here. It’s not a home anymore. Trying to figure out what I want to do is weird too, but I watched the Woodstock documentary last night. It was crazy. It was fire.
AllHipHop: Musicians are 3x more likely to experience anxiety or depression than the general public.
Kaash Paige: Of course, because you don’t know who’s really for you. You’re around so many different energies, you’re around so many different team members. Everybody has an opinion, and not everybody’s opinion can be trusted. You’re always pulled in so many different directions, then you don’t know who’s really your friend or who really has your best interest. I’ve been in so many different situations where I had to fire management. I probably had about 10 managers.
AllHipHop: You were with Roc Nation for a second right?
Kaash Paige: Yeah, Roc was a great situation though. In my mind, it was just a transition. I never want to be in the same place as I was last year. I’m always like that. A lot of people don’t f### with that because they say, “aw, you can switch up.” It’s not about me switching up, it’s about me wanting to be great. It’s about me wanting to grow up. Who wants to be the same person they were yesterday? That makes zero sense.
AllHipHop: This is why I love your energy. How do you know who to trust?
Kaash Paige: You know what’s so crazy? I used to always think about, who can I trust? That’s so much f###### energy. It’s so much energy. Damn, he was acting weird the other day. I don’t know if I can trust bro. Or she did this, I don’t know if I can trust her. That’s a lot of energy. You know what? You gon’ cut yourself off. I don’t even gotta cut you off. My prior managers, they cut themselves off recently. A lot of people cut themselves off out of my life.
It’s always what’s done in the dark that comes to the light. No matter what day and what time it is, it’s gonna happen. Don’t stress yourself out trying to figure out and find a problem. I was off shrooms the other day.
You know how whenever somebody wants to tell you something, and they’re like, “aw nevermind.” You’re like, what do you mean? You want to know it so bad. He said, “why the f### do you want to know it so bad? You didn’t even think about that 5 minutes prior to when they said that.”
You’re taking so much energy out of your mind and out of your time to figure out what’s about to be said, and who knows if it was negative or positive. Obviously you’re about to get into this mood now, or you’re about to go into this little conversation that you probably didn’t even care about. He said sometimes, we gotta not care. We gotta stay in our own energy.
AllHipHop: Do you believe in any religion?
Kaash Paige: I’m into spirituality. I’m not into religion though. I wasn’t raised in religion. My mom went to Catholic school. But our whole thing is: treat people how you want to be treated. I respect that. I don’t like dark ass energy. I’m only about light energy. I don’t judge nobody based on where you come from, what you do in your life. As long as you treat people how you want to be treated and live your true self, hey I love you and I respect you. Nobody’s better than anybody. Everybody’s so judgemental.
AllHipHop: I’m just like, be a good person.
Kaash Paige: Yeah, just be a good person. That’s not hard to do. And if you’re not a good person right now, that doesn’t mean you’ll never be a good person. You just need to grow up and figure something out.
AllHipHop: How was it celebrating two years of Teenage Fever?
Kaash Paige: Man, I didn’t really celebrate it to be honest. One thing, I’ve never celebrated any drop. I haven’t been around people that celebrated with me. It’s more so when I got my plaques, they’re like “alright bet, cool. Let’s get some more.”
AllHipHop: I respect that.
Kaash Paige: Sometimes I respect it because it makes you go hard, but also it puts you in that mode where you don’t really appreciate anything. They don’t allow you to be in the moment. I’d get a plaque and m############ be like, “aw that s### fire. Let’s get another one.”
AllHipHop: How many plaques do you have now?
Kaash Paige: I have two. I’m trying to get my other plaques from RIAA, because I was a part of Moneybagg’s s###. I was the intro to his album.
AllHipHop: “Memphganistan” is hard!!
Kaash Paige: “All my n*ggas gangsta.” We performed in Columbus, Ohio. Moneybagg’s hard.
AllHipHop: I was so proud to see your name on the album. It’s hard to stand out in the music industry.
Kaash Paige: I would say that, but also it’s about timing. I’ve only put out two projects. I can’t expect everybody in the world to know about me yet because I still gotta build on my catalog. It used to bother me at first, but that’s because I soaked up the industry’s value. When you drop a song, you’re like, “damn, it ain’t going #1.” Now you think that you’re not successful or nobody f#### with you. In reality, it’s not that. Anything that you put out is a success. Anything you make is a success.
You can’t soak up other people’s values and morals. It’s more so letting it be known that it’s patience, and this s###’s a marathon. When you’re gonna be the biggest artist in the world, that shouldn’t don’t come too easy.
AllHipHop: How did the Moneybagg Yo situation happen?
Kaash Paige: It was with Skydiddy, his engineer had reached out to me. Him and Baroline reached out to me. They said “yo, we want you to be a part of Moneybagg project. Where you at?” I said s### I’m in LA. They’re like, “pull up.” Mind you, the song never sounded like that and I didn’t even know it was going to be the intro. It was a whole different beat and everything, I put the “all my n*ggas gangsta.” Alright cool. Then when they sent it to me, they said “oh s###, you the intro.” I’m like damn, that s### fire. Same thing that happened with Don [Toliver] and Travis [Scott]. Alicia Keys, everybody.
AllHipHop: Moments like “Euphoria” where Don hears the single, he wants it for his own s### and puts Travis on it.
Kaash Paige: That was such a big decision in my life too. That was supposed to be for my project, but I said it’s all good, I’ll make more songs. It was the Texas connect, it made sense. I’m from Dallas, they’re from Houston, alright cool. That put me onto the Cactus Jack fans.
AllHipHop: Even with the Moneybagg song, did you gain his fanbase? Did you see your numbers?
Kaash Paige: Honestly, I don’t even f###### know. Everybody said, “this song should have been longer. This is s### for that.” People were mad that it wasn’t longer, but they’re like, “this s###’s hard!” I was getting really great feedback from it though.
AllHipHop: How was working with Alicia Keys?
Kaash Paige: It was so crazy because I’m really goofy and I just cracked jokes. When I walked in, she was playing the piano. I said, damn, I’m walking to a wedding? She started laughing. Man, this s### is crazy. I’m thinking it’s going to be on some chill s###. But no, she really plays the keys 24/7. It was a dope ass vibe.
I already had my verse cut. S###, I’m going to pull up my s### ready. F### that, I ain’t finna pull up and cut s###. I’m pressing play. Swizz showed me hella love. I was so in my mind about what they would think sounded good, let me already go ahead and cut it. So whenever I get there, they can tell me what they like and don’t like. Alicia was like, “nah this is crazy!” We have videos I never posted, but we turnt as hell. So f###### turnt in the studio where we heard that s###.
AllHipHop: Were you nervous going in?
Kaash Paige: Nah. I’ve met a lot of people. I’ve been in the room with Marilyn Manson. I’ve been in multiple rooms with Beyonce. It’s been a lot.
AllHipHop: Anyone in the music industry that influenced you?
Kaash Paige: A lot of people. Nirvana, Flatbush Zombies, SZA. Old SoundCloud SZA fasho. Erykah Badu is one of them. Drake, The Weeknd. Who else? I’m really a huge Gorillaz fan, I love Gorillaz. You heard me listening to Linkin Park —
AllHipHop: She was listening to Linkin Park on her phone in the green room!
Kaash Paige: [laughs] I love alternative rock. It’s super vulnerable. I feel as if when you mix R&B, hip hop, with alternative rock and so many different genres, it feels euphoric. It feels like you’re expressing something that nobody’s heard before too.
AllHipHop: You dropped “Miss My Dawgs” with 6LACK. Was the “Love Songs” remix so fire, y’all had to run it back or what?
Kaash Paige: Yeah, I personally love 6LACK. He’s somebody in the industry that’s literally real. He’s super real. Whenever he’s around you, he won’t have his phone near him. He’ll leave his phone far away and just be in a conversation with you, so I really respect him a lot.
AllHipHop: And that was him hitting you to get on the remix, right?
Kaash Paige: Yeah, he added me on Twitter like, “where you at? What we doing?” I’m like, oh s###, wassup? It popped off, everybody’s like “aw, this is crazy!” I remember I was leaving Genius whenever he did that, it was a big moment for me in that era. When I was 18 and “Love Songs” dropped, I didn’t fully get to appreciate it because I was taking s### so personal. I remember telling my label, telling everybody “this is going to be a big song.” This is going to be a big song.” Everybody’s like, “eh cool. We don’t really want to drop it. We don’t want to put any money in it.” I said you’re going to regret that s###.
Then it popped off and everybody’s like, “I’ve always known this is going to be the biggest record ever.” And I’m 18, I just got out of high school. So in my mind, I’m like you fake as f###. I haven’t been in the industry, so I’m not understanding this is how the industry works. You gotta play the cards that you’re dealt with. In my mind, I was so personal with everything. I didn’t want to do nothing for the record because I’d known that people didn’t believe in it.
AllHipHop: First of all, how was it signing a major label deal at 18? What’s going through your head?
Kaash Paige: Proving a point. I didn’t take my SAT, my ACT, nothing. I remember at Thanksgiving telling my family, I’m going to be in the music industry. I’m a be huge. Not my immediate family, but my cousins said “I think you should stick to track. I don’t see that happening, you’ll be better off being a doctor in college.” I said mom, we should leave. We left. S###, they hit me up all the time now. I forgive them because I put that battery in my back to prove a point to them.
AllHipHop: How did it feel to put out “24Hrs” with Lil Tjay?
Kaash Paige: It was fire because he was the first artist to bring me on tour. We went on tour last year, it was pretty dope. It was dope because his fans really love music. They were really supportive of every artist that he was bringing out. This artist named Rosandra, other up and coming artists from different cities. He always had a great crowd, they didn’t really care if they didn’t know you or not.
Cardi B has responded to a user who mocked her for commenting on the economic recession.
The “Bodak Yellow” rapper clapped back at a user who highlighted her wealth after Cardi made a sarcastic quip about the economy on Twitter earlier this week.
One of her followers swiftly replied by writing, “Says the rapper worth 40 million,” accompanied by a GIF image of an irritated man shaking his head and rolling his eyes.
The 30-year-old responded by pointing out that the estimate of her wealth was too low, but she still needs to manage her finances to afford her lavish lifestyle.
I’m worth more then that and guess what ? If I don’t save ,work and budget I could lose it too! What makes you think that no matter how much money you got you can’t lose it all if you don’t manage your money correctly.I too have bills,responsibilities and people I have to help. https://t.co/QWIaj5Lpma
“I’m worth more (than) that and guess what ? If I don’t save ,work and budget I could lose it too!” she tweeted. “What makes you think that no matter how much money you got you can’t lose it all if you don’t manage your money correctly.I too have bills,responsibilities and people I have to help (sic).”
The hip-hop star is married to Migos rapper Offset and they share two children – four-year-old daughter Kulture and 15-month-old son Wave.
On December 17th, the City of South Fulton’s police department and Walmart canceled the 5th Annual “Great Giveaway” event hosted by Atlanta rapper Gunna.
But, they did not let that stop the “goodwill toward all,” which should fuel the season.
Jasmine Crowe-Houston, the CEO of Goodr, released a statement regarding what would have been the 5th Annual Gunna’s Great Giveaway and what the organization did for the people impacted by the recent events.
Crowe-Houston said, “As many of you have seen, stories of the 5th Annual Gunna’s Great Giveaway being canceled last Sunday, I wanted to inform you that we contacted all 1,000 families this week.
“Working with the City of South Fulton, every family received their gift cards and gifts today,” she continued. “It’s important to note this event is in its 5th year.” Since 2018, we have worked with Gunna to host his $100K Christmas Giveaway— this was not a first-time event.”
Crowe-Houston says the organization “received hundreds of emails and social media messages from families and seniors across Metro Atlanta” who depend on this holiday blessing over the last week.
“So many were in dire need of food or trying to put gifts under the tree for their children. It was essential to Gunna, his Great Giveaway Family Foundation, and Goodr to make sure that families received the assistance promised to them no matter what,” she explained.
“Every family was so grateful and appreciative of our efforts to make this right. Thank you for being patient as we worked on a solution and ensured everyone was served in time for the holidays,” Crowe-Houston said.
Looks like Akon has jumped to the defense of his buddy Nick Cannon, who recently faced some criticism for being the proud papa of twelve little ones with six different mothers.
Now, we all know that Nick’s a busy guy with hosting “The Masked Singer” and his own radio show, so it’s no surprise that he’s got a lot on his plate.
But Akon’s here to remind us that it’s not fair to judge a person based on their family size or how they prefer to live their lives.
During a recent interview for “The ZeZe Millz Show,” Akon has spoken out in approval of Nick Cannon, saying that the criticism is unnecessary and that people should not be judged for the number of kids they have.
Akon started trending today (December 23rd) on Twitter after he reasoned that women should bear the primary responsibility for raising children and that men’s role is to procreate and populate the earth.
“A man has his role. And a woman has her role. But the day the woman believes that the man is supposed to share her role with her, then that means she’s lacking,” Akon said. “I don’t go pull my wife out to the construction site to go pull nails and two-by-fours because that’s not her place.
“Just because you as a woman believe that that job is simpler in the house because that’s easier for a man, its a lot harder. A guy ain’t got time to be in the house all day with no kids!” Akon exclaimed.
Akon also pointed out that having a gigantic brood can be a positive thing and that it is necessary for people to support and encourage each other rather than rebuke and judge.
“Before there was civilization, and we were just cavemen, before the responsibilities and the holidays, and the piano recitals and the ballet recitals before any of that existed. A man would do what’s naturally comfortable to keep the earth preserved, and that’s to populate the earth. He’s going to mate, he may go from one side of the equator all the way to the other side of the equator. There was no child support, there was no man’s responsibility toward his children. It was just about life being created,” Akon said.
It’s worth mentioning that Akon is not only a talented musician and philanthropist, but he’s also a father of nine little ones. And let’s just say, he takes the whole “dad” thing pretty seriously. In fact, he’s been pretty vocal about his commitment to being a responsible and supportive parent.
Nick Cannon, the host of the television show “Wild N’ Out,” recently discussed his struggles with balancing work and family life during an appearance on Paramount+’s “The Checkup with Dr. Agus.”
Nick Cannon, who is expecting his twelfth child with Alyssa Scott, admitted that he often feels remorseful for not being capable to spend enough time with all of his children due to his hectic schedule and the demands of parenting numerous children.
He said, “Being a father of multiple kids, it’s always the biggest guilt on me is that I don’t get to spend enough time with all my children. One ’cause I’m constantly working and two because I’m just spread thin.”
Now, the Broadway League, which includes theatre owners and producers, is upping the ante.
Charlotte St. Martin, the organization’s president, said in a press release, “The proposed plan to bring a casino to Times Square would introduce widespread economic and operational disruption, unprecedented congestion, and decreased safety and security.”
The Broadway League is not alone. The Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center at the Urban Institute also thinks the casino is a bad idea.
In November, Lucy Dadayan tweeted, asking the question, “Do the benefits of casinos outweigh the societal costs? History says no.”
My latest on the proposed #casino expansion in New York City.
In a piece published by Crain’s, Dadayan wrote, “Supporters argue that casinos promote local economic development, create jobs, and provide a voluntary expansion of entertainment options. But casinos can lead to higher crime and bankruptcy rates in a local community as well as addiction among some gamblers.”
“The jobs they create may not include useful or transferable workforce skills that can be applied elsewhere,” she continued.
“Clearly some of the arguments made by proponents and opponents can be true, and gambling isn’t the only legal activity with negative externalities. Communities, however, need to figure out if the benefits outweigh the costs,” Dadayan continued.
This ain’t gonna be the slam dunk he thought it would be.
Philadelphia hometown hero Meek Mill has linked with two of the city’s sports teams to address prison reform through a day of holiday cheer.
According to Page Six, Meek Mill and his Reform Alliance worked with the Philadelphia Eagles and 76ers to brighten the day for 30 kids whose parents are incarcerated on minor probation violations.
The event was called an “Eagle for a Day” at the NovaCare Complex, where the kids were able to sign one-day contracts with the team and receive their own jerseys.
Meek and Rubin gave the children and their families merchandise and other cool stuff.
The young people also competed in a “Jr. Combine” experience at the practice facility. While there, they received wisdom from head coach Nick Sirianni. In addition to this, the children got to play quarterback with Mill, throwing and catching passes.
Another exercise they did was sprinting in a 40-yard dash alongside Rubin, Meek, and Eagles players. Afterward, the group traveled to the Wells Fargo Center for the “76ers VIP Gameday Experience.”
Once they linked with the basketball players, they sat with head coach Doc Rivers and participated in a question-and-answer session. The guests saw the 76ers play against the Kings when that was over.
Shout out to Jalen Hurts, Darius Slay, Dallas Goedert, Howie Roseman, Josh Harris, and David Adelman for sharing their time with the children.
Gunna is out out. And, boy is this ugly! I cannot believe Gunna is out and about living his best life in the free world! Shout out to HIM and the other the caught plea deals. Some of these guys may be called to testify and others will not. Are they snitches? I don’t think they can totally be that unless they testify and aid in convicting Young Thug. Thugger is going to trial. They ain’t.
When you see this, it will certainly shock you, but Gunna wasn’t doing any drugs, he was stressed out and he wasn’t able to get at the amenities of fresh. Now that he is out and about, he’s looking quite different. What’s funny is when people start talking about snitches, you always think of scenes like “The Godfather” or some movie where the snitch gets his in the end. The most I have seen Gunna do is inform that YSL was a “gang” and not a record label like advertised. That, to me, is a clear distinction and harmful to the cause of Thug’s freedom.
In the clip below, you see Gunna doing his thing. A few dudes around him, but nothing major. they could be going shopping or going to a probation officer.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CmfpC8wLBqc/
The crazy thing is, Tekashi 69 agrees on the idea that Gunna hurt Thug.
69 said, “Put it like this: A month previous, [if] we take it a month back, the whole internet was saying YSL was not a gang. It’s not a gang. Young Thug’s lawyer went in court and said ‘this is a music label,’ right?’” When it was all said and done, the plea countered that. He said it was a gang and it was committing crimes.
LaNisha Cole responded to online trolls who insulted her for her relationship with Nick Cannon.
In an Instagram post, the model and photographer addressed criticisms of her relationship with television personality Nick Cannon.
LaNisha shares three-year-old Onyx with Nick – one of twelve children he otherwise fathered with other women.
“For the people who still feel the need to be nasty towards me and send me disrespectful messages,” LaNisha told users in her post, “Yes I’ve made mistakes. Yes I’ve put myself through unnecessary pain and heartbreak (which we’ve all done in the name of love. You have too!).”
She continued, “But I’m choosing to do better. Calling me baby mama #538 every time I say the sky is blue is uncalled for and it’s getting old. I get it. My life plays out publicly but there’s a lot you don’t see.”
Continuing that “this isn’t the time” for clearing the air about what fans don’t usually get to see about her life, LaNisha shared that she’s “made peace with every decision” in her life, adding, “I pray that you make peace with whatever is causing you to be so bitter towards a person you don’t know.”
In another slide, she reiterated that “I’ll talk about my journey one day.”
Four days prior, LaNisha appeared to respond to Nick posting a holiday card with his three children from Abby De La Rosa.
At first, it seemed as if Nicki and Cardi would be a formidable one-two punch for female rap unity. Both New Yorkers appeared together on Migos’s “MotorSport” single in 2017. However, the relationship devolved from there.
One of the individuals who played a significant role in the rise of Nicki Minaj supposedly had a vision for the Queens native to work with Cardi B. At one point, Debra Antney served as Minaj’s manager. Antney recently sat down with Math Hoffa’s My Expert Opinion podcast.
Debra Antney Shouts Out Cardi B For Supporting Other Women
“For so long, I wanted to put the whole thing together with women. But everybody always got something to say about the next woman,” stated Antney. The mother of Atlanta rapper Waka Flocka Flame also took issue with established women not doing more to elevate younger women in the industry.
The My Expert Opinion panelists then mentioned Cardi B working with other female acts such as City Girls and GloRilla. Debra Antney responded, “Cardi is very good when it comes to stuff like that… She’s very, very good… That’s Cardi.”
Cardi B & Nicki Minaj’s Feud Goes Back More Than Four Years
The My Expert Opinion discussion later turned to the bad blood between Cardi B and Nicki Minaj. Over the last four years, the two hitmakers have engaged in heated back-and-forths via interview appearances, social media battles, subliminal lyrics, and infamously at a 2018 New York Fashion Week after-party.
“I don’t get into that beef s###… See, the one thing that an artist gotta understand, it costs money to go to war. You don’t wanna spend that money,” said Debra Antney.
She also added, “I really thought Nicki and Cardi were really gonna lock into each other. They’re two different people. I wanted that so bad. I wanted that bad to see them two get into each other.”
Jurors in the ongoing Daystar “Tory Lanez” Peterson felony assault case have begun deliberating. The Canadian singer/rapper is on trial for allegedly shooting fellow Hip Hop star Megan “Thee Stallion” Pete two years ago.
Megan Thee Stallion outright accused Tory Lanez of firing a gun at her on the night of July 12, 2020. Kelsey Nicole, Megan’s then-friend and eye-witness, also pointed the finger at the Sorry 4 What album creator. Lanez denies the allegations.
While the facts of the case have been murky, at best, because several people reportedly testified to different accounts of the incident in question, some of the media coverage has still been more favorable to Lanez than Megan.
Instagram and Youtube bloggers have also seen their content go viral as they shared analyses and opinions about the Tory Lanez case. However, Megan’s legal team is pushing back on some of the unfavorable, and possibly untrue, narratives about the Houston native.
One Blogger Admitted Her Coverage Of The Trial May Not Be Factual
According to NBC News, attorney Alex Spiro warns that lawsuits against media sites or individuals spreading misinformation about Pete could be coming. Spiro said his client is “exploring all legal options” against any content creators that purposely promote inaccurate reports.
The NBC News article highlighted gossip commentator Milagro Gramz who has been tweeting updates about the trial. Gramz admitted that her coverage is not intended to be taken as a “factual statement” but it “might have a comedic effect.”
Jordan Siev, another lawyer for Megan Thee Stallion, confirmed that some of Milagro Gramz’s tweets had been reported to Twitter. Apparently, the social media site did restrict Gramz’s Twitter account for eleven hours due to rule violations.
Will Megan Thee Stallion Follow In Cardi B’s Footsteps By Suing Bloggers?
There is a precedent for a recording artist to sue a blogger for intentionally publicizing false information. Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP” collaborator, Cardi B, successfully won a defamation of character lawsuit against a YouTuber. A judge ruled that Tasha K must pay Cardi B $4 million in damages.
While Megan Thee Stallion has been positioned as the villain in some people’s stories about the Tory Lanez case, she did get support from an unlikely source. Far-right, Donald Trump supporter Candace Owens put her disgust for “WAP” aside in order to call out “Black culture” for mocking Megan’s traumatic ordeal.
Megan Thee Stallion’s boyfriend also publicly backed the Traumazine rapper and other female victims of violence. New York emcee Pardison Fontaine indirectly addressed anyone questioning the validity of Megan being shot.
“To any woman, especially ones of color, that has suffered an injustice I feel for you,” posted Pardison Fontaine on Instagram. “When you do find the courage to speak up it seems you will be ridiculed. Your credibility will [be] questioned. Your entire past will be held under a magnifying glass. In an instant, you can go from victim to defendant in the eyes of the public.”
It appears Orlando Brown has more legal trouble on his hands. Someone has apparently accused the 35-year-old actor of causing them physical harm.
Authorities in Lima, Ohio took Brown into custody on Thursday. The former star of Disney Channel’s That’s So Raven faces one count of domestic violence – cause belief of imminent physical harm by threat of force.
Lima Police Department officials arrested Orlando Brown around 10:29 am local time. He was later booked at 10:52 am. The domestic violence charge against Brown is listed as a misdemeanor.
According to TMZ, the alleged incident implicating Orlando Brown may have also involved one of his family members or another person living at the residence. Further details about the situation are not available at this time.
This Is Not The First Time Orlando Brown Has Been Accused Of Domestic Violence
The four-decade veteran of the entertainment industry has had numerous run-ins with the law in recent years. A previous girlfriend also accused Orlando Brown of domestic battery in 2016. He allegedly struck the woman in the parking lot of a California police station.
In 2018, Brown appeared on an episode of the Dr. Phil talk show. The Trade It All album creator caused some concern among viewers because he seemed to struggle to remember the names and ages of his children.
Brown Insinuated He Had Sex With Bow Wow
This year saw Orlando Brown go über-viral after he made some sexual comments about fellow ex-child star Shad “Bow Wow” Moss. Those remarks arose from a conversation about BET’s106 & Park music video show which ran from 2000-2014.
“The last [time 106 & Park] was hot. When Lil Bow Wow was on there,” said Brown back in July during an interview. “I ain’t gotta problem with Lil Bow Wow. Lil Bow Wow got some bomb ass p####.”
Bow Wow responded by stating, “Tweaked out… but you know dude really need help… That’s why we ain’t trippin on em. Nobody taking him serious. It’s sad because he had potential to be great. It’s sad. Dem drugs!”
Is Ari Lennox ready to call it quits as a live performer? The Dreamville Records songstress informed her 818,000 Twitter followers of her plans to walk away from touring.
“Age Sex Location will be my last tour. ❤️ I love my genuine fans so much and can’t wait to give you my all every night!! 😘,” tweeted Ari Lennox on Thursday.
The Washington, D.C. native also added, “Europe, I love you but unfortunately there will not be a tour due to reasons out of my control. Happy holidays. 🙏🏾See you soon Vegas!”
Lennox heads to Las Vegas for a show on January 23, 2023. Other tour dates include stops in Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, Atlanta, Boston, Toronto, Chicago, Philadelphia, DC, and more cities.
TheAge/Sex/Location studio LP arrived on September 9, 2022. Ari Lennox’s sophomore album peaked at #69 on the Billboard 200 chart. Age/Sex/Location hosts the “Pressure” single which earned a Gold certification from the RIAA.
Previously, Lennox released the Shea Butter Baby album in May 2019. That project leveled off at #67 on the Billboard 200 and picked up an RIAA Gold plaque. Plus, Shea Butter Baby made the Top R&B Albums chart’s Top 10.
Ari Lennox also contributed to the Billboard 200 chart-topping Revenge of the Dreamers III. Dreamville Records presented that compilation in July 2019. Revenge of the Dreamers III is presently certified as Platinum by the RIAA.
Rick Ross went viral after his first appearance on All Elite Wrestling when a clip of his hilarious “false allegations” promo hit the net.
However, he won’t be able to use the same excuse following his return to AEW this week after the MMG honcho dropped an f-bomb while commenting on a wrestler’s size during Wednesday night’s (Dec. 21) Holiday Bash edition of Dynamite. He took the mic to mediate between superstars Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland.
“You a big muthafucka’,” he told Lee, who laughed nervously as the curse word was broadcast uncensored.
While it’s unclear if the FCC will act over the f-bomb, Rozay called into Busted Open Radio following the broadcast on Wednesday to
“I’m taking you behind the scenes,” he replied when asked if AEW advised him about his language before the show. “This is the biggest boss in the game. Ricky Rozay, so no one can tell me what to say. You see, it was a gift for me to be there. But I love AEW, but it was a huge gift.”
Rick Ross then explained his AEW outburst, saying Keith Lee really is huge.
“When Keith Lee kinda turned his back to me, and I realized the size and width of his shoulders, and his trapezoids, I just had to express my heart,” Rozay explained. “He’s a big m###########. He really is.”
The Biggest Boss then shared a photo of himself alongside AEW’s Satnam Singh. “I know some big muthafckrs,” he penned in the caption, alluding to his live slip-up.
Pardison Fontaine is speaking up for women who are victims of injustice as the Megan Thee Stallion and Tory Lanez shooting trial nears its conclusion.
The New York native has been in a relationship with the “Plan B” rapper since October 2000, months after Megan Thee Stallion accused Tory Lanez of shooting her in her feet.
On Thursday evening Pardi took to his Instagram Stories to share his support, although he did not reference Megan Thee Stallion. However, his words appeared to reference the backlash his girlfriend has been subjected to since she accused the R&B singer of shooting her.
“To any woman especially ones of color that has suffered an injustice I feel for you,” Pardison Fontaine wrote. “When you do find the courage to speak up .. it seems you will be ridiculed .. your credibility will [be] questioned. your entire past will be held under a magnifying glass .. in an instant you can go from victim to defendant in the eyes of the public.”
He continued: “To any one with a daughter Sister mother niece or aunt .. I pray for their protection .. I pray for their covering ..”
Pardi concluded, “I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.”
While one case is winding down, Megan Thee Stallion may return to court. Her lawyer Alex Spiro, said they are “exploring all legal options” to combat misinformation about the case. The Houston native has been victim-shamed and subjected to accusations of lying.
“It’s been very clear, as I’ve seen entertainment and gossip spaces commenting on the case, that she has been set up as someone who is out for herself, lying, and problematic in all these ways,” Catherine Knight Steele, a communications professor at the University of Maryland, told NBC News.
“This points to the way that mis- and disinformation, and misogynoir, is trafficked because of its profitability, even in the Black community. It’s profitable for these sites to traffic in the most vile stereotypes about Black women.”
Up-and-coming rapper Memphis rapper Big Scarr has reportedly died. He was just 22 years old.
Born Alexander Wood, he was signed to Gucci Mane‘s new 1017 Records label and is best known for his hit 2021 project Big Grim Reaper. He also collaborated with label mates Pooh Shiesty and Foogiano and was due to accompany fellow Memphis native Key Glock on his upcoming “Glockoma” tour.
Reports that Big Scarr had died began circulating on social media on Thursday night (Dec. 22). His label boss Gucci Mane later confirmed the tragic news in an Instagram post.
“This hurt 😢” he wrote alongside a carousel of images of big Scarr. “I’m a miss you @bigscarr 💔.”
Bigg Scarr’s 1017 label mate Enchanting also confirmed the news with a series of posts on her Instagram Story.
“Ion wanna talk. Sorry if I don’t answer. I just can’t,” she wrote, adding a broken heart emoji. “I can’t take it bro please just leave me alone I ain’t never felt like this.”
The last post showed Enchanting sharing a deep embrace with Big Scarr. “I’ll do anything to hug you one more time,” she added.
Key Glock also took to his Instagram Stories to pay tribute. “Lost for words smh” he wrote alongside a photo of Big Scarr. “deeper than rap.”
An official cause of death has not been released, and details surrounding the rapper’s death are scarce.
Big Scarr has racked up millions of YouTube views after beginning his start in the industry in 2019. He caught the eye of Gucci Mane the following year and signed with his 1017 record label, dropping his first and only official project, Big Grim Reaper, in 2021.
AllHipHop.com extends its condolences to Big Scarr’s family and friends.
Young Miami had the heat turned up on her when G Herbo pulled up for the latest episode of her Caresha Please podcast.
While the City Girl usually does the grilling on her show, her guest placed Yung Miami firmly in the spotlight towards the end of the season 2 premiere episode. The Chicago native asked the question many fans wanted to know, questioning when she learned that her beau Diddy was expecting a new baby.
“Did you know about that baby before October?” Herbo said, referring to the month the Hip-Hop mogul’s sixth child was born. “Did you?” he pressed after Yung Miami attempted to laugh off the question.
“Yeah, I did,” Caresha admitted. “I think communication is the key. I feel like when you dealing with somebody, communication is the key. It wasn’t a surprise.”
When Herbo asked if she would be pregnant next, Young Miami revealed she is open to having a baby.
“If it happens, I’m gonna do it,” she replied before adding that she’s not currently taking birth control. Check out the clip below and the episode and the end of the page.
Yung Miami On Diddy’s New Baby
OOOHH Yung Miami & G Herbo gettin’ to the SHMOKE on the next Caresha Please 👀🤣👀pic.twitter.com/KE58yzcKcO
Yung Miami became the center of attention when Diddy announced the arrival of his daughter, Love Sean Combs, earlier this month. Many on social media called the “Good Love” hitmaker a “side chick,” leading Diddy to defend Yung Miami publicly.
“@yungmiami305 is not my side chick,” Diddy wrote on Twitter. “Never has been, never will be. She’s very important and special to me, and I don’t play about my Shawty Wop. I don’t discuss things on the internet and I will not start today.
“So think what you want,” he continued. “But know that if you do something to hurt mine, I’m gonna to come to your house and we’re gonna talk about it like human beings. LOVE.”
Yung Miami also clarified the situation, insisting she and Diddy share a mutual understanding.
“People think that I’m like a side chick and he just do whatever he want and I’m just head over heels. No it go both ways,” she said. “Ain’t nothing one sided over here.”
The long-awaited trial of rapper Tory Lanez, accused of causing a stir by allegedly shooting Megan Thee Stallion, finally reached its climax this week as jurors began their deliberations today (December 22nd).
After nine days of gripping testimony and heated debate, the fate of Tory Lanez now rests in the hands of the jury.
Emotions ran high during the trial after Megan Thee Stallion took the stand to recount the traumatic incident that changed her life forever after a drunken party at Kylie Jenner’s house in the Hollywood Hills in July of 2020.
The 27-year-old hip-hop star, who has faced intense backlash since identifying Tory as her shooter, became emotional as she spoke about the impact of the shooting on her life.
‘I can’t even be happy,’ she said tearfully. ‘I wish he would have shot and killed me if I knew I had to go through this torture.’
Megan Thee Stallion’s testimony was filled with drama as she reaffirmed her allegations against Tory, insisting that she saw him with a gun in his hand as he shot her feet in July 2020.
Meg described an argument that had erupted after leaving a pool party, during which Tory allegedly tried to instigate issues between Megan and her friend Kelsey Harris, who had a crush on him.
Tory Lanez reportedly brought up a sexual relationship he had had with Megan, which Kelsey didn’t know about. Megan requested to leave the car, but soon after, reentered the vehicle.
However, the argument intensified again, leading Megan Thee Stallion to leave the car again. As she walked away, she claims to have heard Tory Lanez shout, ‘Dance b####!’
Megan Thee Stallion’s former friend Kelsey Harris took the stand on Wednesday (December 14th).
Kelsey was hesitant to testify and even considered invoking her Fifth Amendment right before prosecutors granted her immunity. Her denials were mixed with admissions that supported key details presented by Deputy DA Kathy Ta, such as Tory’s alleged offer of $1 million.
Tory Lanez’s lawyer claimed the shots were actually fired by Megan’s then-best-friend Kelsey, who was allegedly jealous of the Houston rapper’s relationship with the Canadian rapper.
At one point, Kathy Ta confronted Kelsey about the defense’s accusation, to which she responded with disbelief, stating, ‘It’s ridiculous. It’s ridiculous.’
Tory Lanez pleaded not guilty to the numerous charges brought against him concerning the alleged shooting.
Tory, who did not testify, supposedly tried to stop the shooting and protect Megan. Unfortunately, according to the rapper’s defense, Megan created a more sympathetic narrative by blaming him for the incident.
Kelly stated that the fight between the unidentified women “was quite violent,” and that he saw the muzzle flash “about the same time that the smallest individual got out of the car,” adding that the small person “got out about that time, all shouting.”
Kelly also testified that he saw “more flashes” after the small person got out of the car, but that he never heard anyone say “Dance, b####,” which is what Megan Thee Stallion testified Tory Lanez said before he allegedly opened fire.
All eyes are on the jury as they weigh the evidence and determine the fate of Tory Lanez.
Today the jurors in the case sent a notification to the court, expressing their desire to have Sean Kelly’s full testimony read back to them by the prosecution and defense.
(1 of 2): At 3:50 p.m. the jurors in the case of People v. Daystar Peterson asked the court for “a better definition of the word ‘willfully’ and ‘on purpose’.”
The jurors adjourned for the day at 4 p.m., but will be back bright and early at 9 a.m. tomorrow to continue their discussions.
If found guilty, Tory Lanez could be sentenced to a maximum of 22 years in prison – a devastating blow to his career and freedom.
On Twitter, the term “not guilty” started trending after the first day of deliberation came to an end and fans were divided. Take a look at some of the chatter:
It’s funny to me how Black men only support the justice system when it’s working to protect a violent Black man from facing actual justice. All of a sudden they understand verdicts and the system is getting it right. But only if they get the “not guilty”. Then they trust it.
N##### said “ just cause he was found not guilty dont mean he aint do it “ the shorty that was there even said he aint do it 😅🙃 i love Women but dammnn take ownership
…… not guilty does not mean innocent. you could have still committed a crime & been found not guilty due to insufficient evidence. Courts never declare someone “innocent”
tory lanez not guilty🤷🏽♀️ whole trial was a damn mess.. kelsey had memory loss, megan don’t know if she slept wit him or not, tory the only story that made sense since the beginning
