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Yung Miami Reveals Faith’s Role In Her Relationship With Diddy

By: Justin Ivey Updated Category: News
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Yung Miami discussed her relationship with Diddy in an interview with PEOPLE.

The City Girls rapper said the two bonded over their faith as their romance blossomed. Yung Miami noted the couple attends church together.

“We go to church,” she told PEOPLE. “He takes me to church, we pray together. We put God first, for real. We pray, talk to God and go to church. I can talk to him about anything.”

Yung Miami had nothing but good things to say about Diddy in her chat with PEOPLE. The Caresha Please host praised the Hip Hop mogul for his honesty.

“[Diddy’s] a grown man,’ she said. “He’s very honest. He’s upfront about everything, ain’t no secrets with him. Nothing in my face, everything in one. I can talk to him about it.”

Yung Miami and Diddy’s relationship faced public scrutiny when Diddy fathered a child with another woman in 2022. Akademiks mocked Caresha for being a “side chick,” which led to a war of words on social media.

According to Yung Miami, she wasn’t blindsided by the arrival of Diddy’s baby. She addressed the situation when G Herbo asked her about it on her podcast.

“I think communication is the key,” she said. “I feel like when you dealing with somebody, communication is the key. It wasn’t a surprise.”

Diddy’s youngest child was born in October. The baby’s mother is a woman named Dana Tran.

Travis Scott & Kylie Jenner Reportedly Call It Quits On Their Rocky Romance

By: Kyle Eustice Updated Category: News
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Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner, the mother of his two children, have reportedly broken up. OK! Magazine reports the couple was expected to spend Christmas and New Year’s Eve together, but things didn’t go as planned.

“Kylie and Travis are off again,” a source said. “They were supposed to spend the holidays together, but she went to Aspen to be with her family and friends up there.”

The source added: “This has happened so many times before. They’re known to be on again off again, but always remain friends and great coparents.”

Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner welcomed their first child, Stormi, in February 2018. Their second, a son, arrived last February. But their relationship hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing. In October 2022, Scott was accused of being unfaithful to the billionaire makeup mogul. The rumors started to circulate online after Scott was photographed with an alleged former fling, Rojean Kar, on a video set.

“Kylie is staying strong,” an insider told TMZ at the time. “A lot of people are trying to break them up, but they know the truth about their relationship and are secure in what they have.”

Scott maintained Ker was “an uninvited guest” and didn’t know her. Shortly after Halloween, Jenner appeared to support Scott by posting a family portrait to her Instagram.

More recently, Jenner shared several photos of her holiday festivities with her 377 million Instagram followers—and Scott was nowhere to be found.

YFN Lucci Trial Postponed Again Due To Young Thug’s RICO Case

By: Kyle Eustice Updated Category: News
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YFN Lucci and Young Thug’s respective trials were expected to take place on Monday (January 9). But according to Atlanta reporter George Chidi, who says he spoke to Lucci’s attorney, the rapper’s trial has been postponed in case he’s needed as a witness for the Young Thug trial.

As Chidi explained in a tweet on Wednesday (January 4): YFN Lucci’s trial was due to begin January 9, same as Young Thug’s. The YFN gang and RICO case is just as wide-ranging as the YSL case. The two are connected; Lucci is a witness. But Lucci’s trial date has been postponed, his attorney said Tuesday. No new court date has been set.”

YFN Lucci was named as a potential witness along with several other notable rap figures, including Lil Wayne, Future and Trippie Redd. But as Chidi pointed out: “For clarification: Lucci is on the state’s witness list. That doesn’t mean he’s going to testify, but he could still be called. Don’t @ me with questions about snitching. I don’t care.”

YFN Lucci was stabbed by a fellow inmate while in March 2021. Prosecutors allege two YSL associates were behind the attack. They claim they had to get Young Thug’s permission to make a second attempt on YFN Lucci’s life.

A judge had initially scheduled YFN Lucci’s court date for last May, but it’s been pushed back numerous times. YFN Lucci remains behind bars at Fulton County Jail in Atlanta. Meanwhile, Young Thug’s trial is expected to take place as scheduled. He’ll be tried alongside 14 co-defendants who were named in the original RICO indictment.

French Montana Hid Inside A KFC Restaurant As Mass Shooting Unfolded

By: Kyle Eustice Updated Category: News
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French Montana and his crew were involved in a mass shooting on Thursday night (January 5). At least 10 people were shot as French Montana celebrated the release of his latest mixtape, Coke Boys 6: Money Heist Edition, at DJ Khaled’s Miami Gardens restaurant, The Licking. As the chaos erupted, the “Unforgettable” rapper evidently sought shelter in a nearby KFC restaurant. Video obtained by TMZ shows French Montana and two of his associates hiding inside the fast food restaurant and watching the event unfold from the door window.

French Montana addressed the harrowing incident with a Twitter post on Friday (January 6). He wrote: “Last night, I was in Miami celebrating the release of my CB6 mixtape w/ friends at a local restaurant. We unfortunately were at the wrong place, at the wrong time when an incident took place that left people hurt. Our thoughts & prayers are w/ the victims & families at this time.”

French Montana was also filming a video that night, despite not having a permit to do so. Miami Gardens Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt said explained: “Any time you’re filming within the city, you should obtain a permit, or at least let us know what’s going on.”

In fact, Noel-Pratt is adamant French Montana’s failure to notify authorities led to the entire situation.

“As a result of this disregard of the procedures, the unauthorized music video production led to an unfortunate situation,” he continued. “If the necessary agencies were notified ahead of time and protocol followed, police officers would have been in place to safeguard the community and assist with deterring and responding, if needed, to any situation that may arise.”

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A post shared by French Montana (@frenchmontana)

According to the Miami Herald, a gunman stood behind a $400,000 vehicle and opened fire at the video shoot. Investigators believe there was return fire from the crowd that had gathered outside The Licking. Police discovered several weapons at the scene of the crime.

New Orleans rapper Rob49 was also in town for the video shoot. Multiple social media posts claimed he was shot in the gunfire, but police wouldn’t confirm if he was one of the victims. Meanwhile, investigators are looking into a possible connection to an altercation at the KFC. A witness said French Montana and Rob49 originally began filming their video there before a robbery took place. Production later moved to The Licking after the incident.

Bishop Lamor Whitehead Challenges Uncle Murda To A Fight After Getting Mentioned In ‘Rap Up’

By: Kershaw St. Jawnson Updated Category: News
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Bishop Lamor Whitehead, the controversial pastor, who was robbed during his service and then later arrested by the feds on fraud charges after church members alleged, he deceived them out of thousands of dollars.

Now, has called out Brooklyn rapper Uncle Murda for including him in his annual “Rap Up 2022.” The flashy preacher wants to fight the rapper for saying he knew he was a crook.

In the rap song, he said, “Man n##### ran up in the church like it’s a stickup/ It was only 8 people in there when the robbed the bishop/When I heard about it real talk I burst out laughing/ God don’t like ugly that’s why he let that s### happen/ He was out here scamming people in the name of God/ Feds came and locked up him I know he was a fraud/ He be dressing like a rapper that s### ain’t even funny/ He be buying Louis and Gucci with them people money.”

Like he does most disputes, he took to his social media to call out the popular rapper.

Dressed in a brown and black Fendi hoody and a gawdy Fendi jacket, he addressed being mentioned in the song.

He said wants to settle their differences in a boxing ring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7nKdYTzXBM

Waiting to hear if Murda takes him up.

Rapper Future Settles With Production Company Over Name Of His 2020 Album, ‘High Off Life’

By: Kershaw St. Jawnson Updated Category: News
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After a year of litigation, rapper Future has settled a trademark lawsuit with another entity that claimed he improperly used their company’s name for one of his latest albums.

According to Bloomberg Law, the “Life is Good” chart-topper and a Hip-Hop production company called High Off Life, LLC have come to an agreement about the trademark infringement case related to his 2020 album, “High Off Life.”

Originally, Future asked a judge to dismiss the claim because it infringed on his First Amendment rights, but that request was shut down.

A representative for High Off Life LLC released a statement saying his client, who founded his company 16 years before the aforementioned project was dropped, and the Atlanta native have “reached a mutually agreeable resolution.”

AllHipHop.com reports Judge W. Scott Hardy said in his decision, “Although Defendants cite various cases in which a court granted a motion to dismiss Lanham Act claims by applying Rogers, as one court has observed, ‘consideration of the Rogers defense on a motion to dismiss appears to be the exception, not the rule.’”

“In this instance, even if the Court were to accept Defendants’ invitation to apply the Rogers framework as a valid defense to HOL’s claims, the Court concludes that a motion to dismiss is not the appropriate stage in this litigation to address the applicability of the First Amendment defense,” Hardy continued.

The rapper’s crafty legal team tried to argue the album met the standards of the Rogers Test, thus allowing the title of an artistic work to be protected from the Lanham Act. 

The judge was not moved.

“While the Album would appear to qualify as a work of artistic expression subject to the Rogers framework, it is unclear whether Rogers is applicable to the Alleged Infringing Goods, particularly given that the Third Circuit Court of Appeals has expressed doubt as to its applicability beyond the title of a work of artistic expression,” Judge Hardy noted. 

“Accordingly, further factual development of the record relative to the nature of the Alleged Infringing Goods will aid in ultimately resolving this issue.”

Little is known regarding the details of the settlement.

While the terms of the settlement have not been disclosed, court documents filed confirm each party will pay their own lawyer fees and cost.

DJ Nabs Calls Out DJ Vlad Over “Clickbait” Interview About Kris Kross

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
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Atlanta Hip Hop veteran DJ Nabs played a role in the success of Kris Kross in the 1990s. Nabs served as the tour deejay for Chris “Mac Daddy” Kelly and Chris “Daddy Mac” Smith.

Recently, Kriss Kross became the topic of a VladTV interview involving Atlanta-bred rapper Young Dro. That conversation included Dro sharing personal stories about the So So Def Recordings-backed duo.

“Me and Chris Smith, we were very cool,” said Young Dro. “That’s where my inspiration came from. I saw how shawty had all the girls. He had the clothes. He had the girls. And then I get home, this dude on TV, on the radio. I was like, ‘I gotta do this.’”

Later in the interview, Young Dro (born D’Juan Montrel Hart) also spoke about the late Chris Kelly. The “Shoulder Lean” hitmaker recalled partying with Mac Daddy while both rappers struggled with substance abuse.

“We were in our addiction together,” admitted Young Dro. “Before he died, we were getting high in a club. My brother actually had a club in Atlanta. I saw him at the club and he was doing his thing, and I was doing my thing. I was high as a g###### kite. He was too.”

Dro added, “One day, we actually went to jail together. I saw him at Rice Street. And we’re sitting down, he’s drunk as f###. I’m f##### up. And he saw me. He was like, ‘D’Juan?’ And I’m like, ‘I was sitting here waiting for you to say some s###. Both of us don’t wanna be here.’ But I saw him before he passed.”

DJ Nabs Still Respects Young Dro But Has Words For DJ Vlad

Those comments by Young Dro becoming the headline of VladTV’s YouTube video did not sit right with DJ Nabs. The Durham, North Carolina native addressed Dro’s remarks about Kris Kross. He also called out polarizing Hip Hop media figure DJ Vlad.

“This story was cool and all that,” wrote DJ Nabs on Instagram in response to VladTV’s “Young Dro on Getting High & Going to Jail with Kris Kross’ Chris Kelly Before His Fatal OD”-titled clip.

Nabs continued, “It ain’t no secret what Chris was going thru but if you people wanna know who Chris Kelly was and his true story, y’all need to come to his friends and family. This clickbait s### is wack. And @1youngdro is well respected by me and mine just to be clear but @vladtv let’s talk.”

During the height of their popularity, Kris Kross topped the Billboard Hot 100 “Jump.” Kris Kross’s breakout single spent 8 weeks at No. 1 on the chart. Plus, the Recording Industry Association of America certified “Jump” as 2x-Platinum.

“Jump” lives on the Totally Krossed Out album from 1992. Kris Kross earned a 4x-Platinum plaque from the RIAA for that debut studio LP. Chris “Mac Daddy” Kelly and Chris “Daddy Mac” Smith also picked up a Platinum plaque for 1993’s Da Bomb.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CnFvr0HJNIR/

Rap Vet TRACEY LEE Remixes His Hit “Party Time”

By: Chuck Creekmur (@ChuckCreekmur) Updated Category: Music
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Happy New Year! Rap vet Tracey Lee has already worked with Busta Rhymes, Kanye West and The Notorious B.I.G., but he is reprising one of his own shining moments with the release of “PARTY TIME XXV.” The song is gaining a lot of momentum and proves that the 40 and up crew still got something to say as Hip-Hop matures into a 50-year old culture.

The original “Party Time” its debut as the 1997 it single “The Theme (It’s Party Time)”, which landed on Billboard’s Top 100 for thirty-seven weeks. The hit song solidified the Howard graduate as a force. He went on to become a highly respected lawyer. As is the case with Hip-Hop, Tray Lee headed back to the mic time and time again.

Now, over 25 years later, “PARTY TIME XXV” is getting burn on Rock The Bells Radio and other DJ spots on and offline. And the video is co-directed by none other than Young Guru.

Check out the 1997 original.

SIGNS: Restaurant Employee Jailed For Blowing $300K Of Company’s Money On Strippers

By: Kyle Eustice Updated Category: Rumors
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We’re back with another edition of SIGNS, a segment of stories that suggest the world really might be coming to an end. Case in point, a Roswell, Georgia restaurant employee decided it was a good idea to use the company debit card to fund his insatiable appetite for strippers.

According to WSBTV-2 Atlanta, 56-year-old Scott Spilberg became the manager of Houck’s Grille in August 2020. As the pandemic raged on, Spilberg reportedly visited two different strip clubs more than 50 times during an 11-month period, charging more than $300,000 to the company card.

“This greedy defendant abused his position to fund his own lifestyle,” Special Agent in Charge of FBA Atlanta Keri Farley said, clearly disgusted. “Because of his actions, the restaurant, and people he was chosen to lead suffered the impacts. People who brazenly steal from their employers should expect to be held accountable.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm4HXYmP8uJ/

Spilberg was convicted last September after pleading guilty to wire fraud. On Thursday (January 5), he was sentenced to two years and six months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He’s also been ordered to pay $300,533.78 in restitution. But hey, at least one local stripper is out there driving a new car thanks to Spilberg’s generous donations.

50 Cent Plans To Add To His TV Empire With Adaptation Of Eminem’s ‘8 Mile’

By: Justin Ivey Updated Category: News
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50 Cent intends to adapt Eminem’s movie 8 Mile for television.

The G-Unit rapper declared he’s “gonna bring 8 Mile to television” in an interview with Big Boy. 50 Cent said the show is already “in motion” with Eminem’s approval.

“It should be there for his legacy,” 50 Cent explained. “It’s important to me that they understand it.”

50 Cent envisioned his 8 Mile series as a “modern version” of the film. He told Big Boy the television adaptation would be like Peacock’s Bel-Air reboot, which turned the beloved comedy The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air into a drama.

“I wanna be able to show and offer a lot more details,” the veteran MC said. “Things that you would say in an interview or different things that you’ve already used that you put out there and stuff like that. You’ll see those kinds of things surface in the temperament of the characters.”

The multi-platinum-selling artist also provided an update on his Snoop Dogg series. 50 Cent noted the show was put on hold due to his past issues with Starz, but he’s still committed to telling Snoop Dogg’s story.

“If the OJ trial works [for TV], why wouldn’t ‘Murder Was the Case’ work at this point?” he asked.

Check out the entire interview with Big Boy below.

Tiny Goes Nuclear Over Dollmaker Allegedly Stealing OMG Girlz Likeness

By: Justin Ivey Updated Category: News
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T.I. and Tiny Harris found themselves in a legal battle over dolls, which bear a resemblance to their girl group OMG Girlz.

Tiny, who created the OMG Girlz, called out toymaker MGA Entertainment for allegedly stealing the group’s likeness in an Instagram post on Friday (January 6). Tiny shared several photos of MGA’s OMG Dolls to show how much they look like OMG Girlz members.

“This is a straight up & down infringement case on @omggirlz likeness & their creation that we all worked so hard to build,” she wrote. “Only to be snatched by a big company with no remorse. I am only fighting for what’s right on behalf of the Girlz & us!! #OMGGirlz #OMGDolls #MGA #PrettyHustle #GrandHustle.”

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A post shared by Majorgirl (@majorgirl)

According to T.I. and Tiny, MGA announced it was launching a line of dolls modeled after the OMG Girlz in 2010. The couple claimed MGA never secured a licensing agreement and refused to discuss compensation. MGA released its OMG Dolls in 2019.

T.I. and Tiny learned MGA went ahead with the dolls when fans brought it to their attention. The two tried to privately settle the matter with MGA, which allegedly led to the toymaker filing a lawsuit.

“MGA responded in bad faith,” T.I. and Tiny argued in a countersuit. “Rather than discuss a licensing agreement, MGA instead pre-emptively filed a lawsuit claiming that they alone created and own the name and image of the OMG Dolls.”

T.I. and Tiny said they cannot allow MGA to “simply misappropriate the OMG Girlz name and image without compensation.” Their case is heading to trial in California.

French Montana Says He Was At The “Wrong Place” At The “Wrong Time” In Wake Of Mass Shooting During Video Shoot

By: AllHipHop Staff Updated Category: News
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At least ten people have been injured after gunfire erupted during French Montana’s video shoot in Miami on Thursday night.

According to local TV station WSVN 7News, Miami Gardens Police and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to reports of a shooting outside of The Licking restaurant in Miami Gardens, Florida, just before 8pm on Thursday.

The Unforgettable hitmaker was filming a music video at the time of the incident, with footage from onlookers showing him rapping in front of a series of cars outside of the establishment.

Eyewitnesses report that his security escorted him safely out of the area when the shots rang out and he was not among the injured.

French Montana, real name Karim Kharbouch, finally publicly commented on the incident.

“Last night, I was in Miami celebrating the release of my CB6 mixtape w/ friends at a local restaurant. We unfortunately were at the wrong place, at the wrong time when an incident took place that left people hurt. Our thoughts & prayers are w/ the victims & families at this time,” French Montana said in a statement. 

Police spokeswoman Diana Gourgue told the station the shooting started at another location and ended at the restaurant.

“We’re still working (the scene),” said Gourgue. “There are multiple shots, there are multiple cases and we’re still working. We can’t confirm any numbers at this moment, because everything is still fresh, and they’re still investigating.”

Witness Ced Mogul told the outlet he went to The Licking to watch Montana shoot the video and saw a fellow bystander being robbed of his watch, keys and wallet.

“And then the gunshots went off,” said Mogul, “at least 13, 14, 15 gunshots. It was very rapid, it sounded like an assault rifle.”

No fatalities have been reported and it is unclear if anybody has been taken into custody over the shooting.

French Montana Had No Permits To Film In DJ Khaled’s Restaurant Parking Lot Before Mass Shooting

By: Justin Ivey Updated Category: News
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Police are still investigating a shooting that broke out while French Montana was filming a music video in Miami Gardens on Thursday (January 5).

Miami Gardens Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt said French Montana didn’t get a permit to film outside of DJ Khaled’s restaurant The Licking. Police weren’t aware of the video production prior to the shooting, which left 10 people injured.

“Any time you’re filming within the city, you should obtain a permit, or at least let us know what’s going on,” Noel-Pratt said.

According to the Miami Herald, a gunman stood behind a $400,000 vehicle and opened fire at the French Montana video shoot. Investigators believe there was return fire from the crowd that gathered outside the restaurant. Police found several weapons at the scene of the crime.

French Montana was not injured in the shooting. Security helped him escape without harm.

New Orleans rapper Rob49 was also in town for the video shoot. Various social media posts claimed he was shot in the gunfire. Police wouldn’t confirm if Rob49 was one of the victims.

Police haven’t determined a motive for the shooting. Investigators are looking into a possible connection to an altercation at a Kentucky Fried Chicken.

A witness said French Montana and Rob49 originally began filming their video at a KFC before a robbery took place. Production later moved to The Licking after the incident.

The Licking said it only learned about French Montana’s video shoot at the last minute. DJ Khaled’s restaurant provided police with surveillance footage in the shooting investigation.

“Our hearts are heavy and go out to the victims of this senseless act,” The Licking told CNN. “We were not aware of a video being filmed and found out last min(ute) French Montana was shooting a scene in the back parking lot. We have no idea what actually took place. The Licking restaurant has nothing to do with the incident and has given police the necessary footage requested.”

Police are seeking more information about the shooting. Authorities have asked witnesses to call Crime Stoppers.

RJ Payne And Lloyd Banks Link To Start An Inferno

By: illseed Updated Category: Music
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Both RJ Payne and Lloyd Banks have consistently delivered fire in the last couple of years, but they have sparked a proverbial blaze at the top of 2023. “Banks Meets Payne” is just what it says, an overdose of bars over a banging beat by @cartunebeatz. Lyrics man seem like a thing of the past in the current climate, but this collaboration is proof that it doesn’t have to be that way. Clocking in at 2 minutes and 44 seconds, it leaves you wanting more. Payne does what he does best, rips the mic like a man possessed by a demon. So, instead of pulling lines from the song, we want you to just listen below. “Banks Meets Payne” is one big quotable.

🔥

Nicki Minaj’s Husband Withdraws Request To Be Taken Off Sex Offender Registry

By: Kershaw St. Jawnson Updated Category: News
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Nicki Minaj’s husband, Kenneth Petty, asked a judge to withdraw his request to be taken off the New York state’s sex offender registry after prosecutors presented evidence to torpedo his case.

According to the Gazette Xtra, yesterday (January 5th), the Brooklyn Federal court dismissed a lawsuit filed by Petty. 

He alleged he was unlawfully on the list since he never got an opportunity in 2004 to contest his status as a medium-risk sex offender for an attempted rape conviction handed down to him in 1995.

Petty was charged over a sexual assault on a woman named Jennifer Hough on September 16th, 1994, after he encountered her at a bus stop when she was 16. 

Hough says Petty put a knife to her back and took her to a house around the corner, where he raped her at knifepoint.

Hough claimed when Petty finished his sexual assault, he stood in the mirror and beat on his chest, yelling, “I am the man, I am the man” repeatedly. 

Petty was convicted of attempted rape in 1995 and served over four years in prison. In 2004, Petty’s then-lawyer, Jennifer Michaelson, said that her client would not “contest the decision.”

But Petty did a 180 in August of 2021, when he filed a lawsuit against the State of New York, claiming he was not present at the time of the hearing in 2004 and that someone forged his signature on paperwork agreeing to the status as a medium-risk sex offender.

During yesterday’s hearing, prosecutors presented a court transcript that proved Petty was indeed at the hearing. And according to his own words, he had no objection to being labeled a sex offender. 

Even though he is withdrawing the lawsuit after being confronted with irrefutable evidence, Kenneth Petty still maintains he was not there and that the transcripts produced by prosecutors may have been part of a conspiracy. 

The judge upheld the original ruling to keep him on the public registry.

Raz B Addresses Omarion Being The Last Member To Join B2K

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
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B2K provided the soundtrack for a generation of music fans’ adolescence. The R&B/Hip Hop group consisted of teenage performers J-Boog, Lil Fizz, Raz B, and Omarion.

While B2K managed to score Top 40 hits, members of the boy band also developed personal issues with each other. Lead singer Omarion, who joined the group last, admitted having a strained relationship with his groupmates.

Raz-B recently appeared on VladTV, and he talked about the history of B2K. The conversation also included the 37-year-old musician/actor addressing Omarion becoming part of B2K after the original iteration went through several name changes.

“After the five [person] group, we disbanded. We were shopped around to multiple labels. Everybody passed on us. But there was one label that really expressed a lot of interest, which was Epic Records,” recalled Raz-B.

He added, “I would definitely say the fact that three of us were already in a group prior, there was some chemistry that we had. But as soon as [Omarion] got in the group, we immediately embraced him. But, I think just like any other brothers, everybody’s gonna have their little frictions.”

Raz also stated, “Just because you’re in a group doesn’t mean you necessarily like each other… Kids, when you’re young, you have a way of expressing you don’t like each other… But, I know I always made [Omarion] feel very, very welcome in the group.”

B2K released their self-titled debut studio LP in 2002. The project debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart. 2002’s Platinum-certified Pandemonium! also peaked in the Top 10. “Bump, Bump, Bump” with P. Diddy is B2K’s only single to lead the Hot 100 chart.

Man Pretending To Work For Chance The Rapper’s Charity Arrested On Wire Fraud, False Impersonation, And Theft By Deception

By: Kershaw St. Jawnson Updated Category: News
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A man accused of pretending to work for Chance the Rapper’s charity was arrested on Tuesday, January 3rd, and hit with multiple felony charges linked to his deception.

According to CBS News, the suspect Demarco Franklin, 35, was charged with theft by deception, wire fraud, and false impersonation of a charity.

Franklin met a woman named Lulu Cole outside of her bank in January 2022, introduced himself as Jeffrey Washington, and offered to pay off her mortgage and cell phone bill through monies he had access to from a partnership between the Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County (CEDA) and Chance the Rapper’s charity.

Cole agreed to the help without checking out Franklin’s credentials.

Eventually, after Cole shared her information with Franklin, she received a confirmation that her phone bill was paid and payments were posted in her bank account for the mortgage.

She said she “felt ecstatic.”

Cole immediately told her sister Ibi Cole about the hookup, and she, too, despite being a little wary, gave her financials to the stranger and believed some of her bills were paid up.

The two women, unknowingly being scammed, decided to donate cash gifts to the charities he told them he worked for, so that others could be blessed.

In total, the sisters gave Franklin $70,000.

After they gave the donation, all hell broke loose. The bank reversed all the payments noting that some sort of scam was going on and that the women were even deeper in debt.

And just like that, Franklin was gone, no return calls or anything. Luckily, Lulu snapped a cell phone picture of the scammer when she first met him.

The photo helped authorities locate Franklin, noting he did the same thing and used the same name in 2008 to scam others.

Franklin has never worked with nor has any relationship with Chance the Rapper. CEDA also said they didn’t know him.

If convicted of these crimes, Franklin could serve double digits behind bars, with the theft by deception yielding a potential sentence of three to seven years in prison.

During his Wednesday, January 4th hearing, his bond was set for $50,000. No word on if he has a scam set up to satisfy the bond payment.

How De La Soul Get Their Music Back On Streaming Services!

By: illseed Updated Category: Rumors
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De La Soul is one of the most enduring rap groups in Hip-Hop. They have had a little problem though their songs were so densely sampled that they were unable to put old albums out out in recent times because it would result in mass lawsuits. Those of a certain age know that Pos, Dave and Maseo were hit hard when the previous generation began feasting on rappers.

Recently, the group announced that all of their work would be released on streaming services, and that got people’s ears peaked. After we celebrated, we were curious as to what was the arrangement that was made to allow this to happen. Remember, they were embroiled in a fierce and terrible legal situation with their former label, Tommy Boy Records, and owner Tom Silverman.

Now, I believe we know what happened. On the low, group producer Prince Paul and others have worked steadfastly to create, or should I say re-create, samples from the original works. So basically they replayed or re-created the original music to make it less samples or sample free. What’s going to be really interesting is that people that reportedly worked on these older albums say WE will not be able to tell the difference. And to me that’s crazy!

Why? Because fans of De La Soul are hardcore, and they respect the Long Island geniuses for their artistry and creativity. And, Public Enemy, they also were beasts on the sample. So we’re definitely celebrating De La Soul‘s return because it is a return like Halley’s Comet! And I think this will also lead to other opportunities for The Three, including money! Because they need money! I need money! But the truth is, we want to see our pioneers and greats do well.

Here is some stuff from YouTube!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IrSP39HxJk&list=PLIdMS3M3HI1yNJfAoNuIlqCN4gR9TRoVD&index=7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKqU3jTa6tk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO3aYWCJLJo

Quentin Miller Talks Fallout From Working With Nas On ‘King’s Disease II’ Album

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
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Quentin Miller will go down as one of the most-talked-about “ghostwriters” in Hip Hop history. After coming into the public’s consciousness during the Meek Mill/Drake beef, Miller went on to assist other artists.

For example, Quentin Miller received a writing credit for “The Pressure” off Nas’s King’s Disease II album. That information sparked conversations about Nas, one of the GOAT emcee contenders, using writers for his songs.

Miller spoke about the fallout from his name appearing in the liner notes for King’s Disease II. According to the Atlanta native, the negative reactions to his efforts on King’s Disease II hurt his songwriting career.

Quentin Miller Suggests Ghostwriting Rumors Hurt Business Relationships

“I respect Nas and love Nas like any other rapper in this world. To get an opportunity to work with him and he’s telling me, ‘Yo man, you’re one of the dopest new rappers I’ve heard.’ I’m taking this in. This is a great thing,” Quentin Miller told VladTV.

He added, “You get the opportunity to work with somebody, and then, people find out. Then, they tear him down because he worked with you. Rather than look at you like, ‘Damn, you must be dope.’

The “Emerald_Freestyle” performer continued, “That’s what you expect. But it don’t turn out that way. It turns out they get burnt up, so they’re looking at you crazy. Then they want nothing to do with you at all.”

Q.M. Claims He Never Got Publishing Payments For His Work On Drake’s Verses

Back in 2015, reference tracks for songs like “R.I.C.O.” and “10 Bands” leaked. The recordings revealed Quentin Miller penned Drake’s verses on those songs. Those ghostwriting allegations fueled the Drake versus Meek Mill battle with Q.M. catching stray bullets in the process.

Quentin Miller recently discussed not getting publishing payments for his work on Drake’s music. According to the WDNG Crshrs member, his deal with record executive Tricky Stewart omitted a publisher’s credit for his contributions.

Additionally, Quentin Miller accused Meek Mill’s Dreamchasers crew of attacking him at a Los Angeles shoe store following the Drake controversy. The alleged incident did not involve the filing of a police report or an official investigation by local authorities.

Joe Budden Responds To Name-Drop On ‘Abbott Elementary’

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
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This week’s edition of Abbott Elementary presented a subplot about podcasting. The Joe Budden Podcast got a shout-out on the ABC sitcom.

The “Read-A-Thon” episode featured the character Jacob Hill (played by Chris Perfetti) starting a podcast club at the school. During a conversation about the “podfather” of podcasting one of Mr. Hill’s students mentioned Joe Budden.

“Not the Podfather @JoeBudden on Abbot Elementary 😂😂,” wrote one Twitter user in response to the Joe Budden scene in the mockumentary. Budden quote-tweeted that person and added, “Nah don’t gas me… I love that show lol.” Four minutes later, he also posted, “That’s 🔥.”

Budden was not the only person in his camp to react to the on-screen name-drop. In addition, the retired rapper’s manager, Ian Schwartzman, tweeted, “Joe is [a] star. It’s ok to admit. He made broadcasting cool. We changed the game forever. #AbbottElementary.”

Joe Budden Enters A New Year Following A Controversial 2022

Last year saw Joe Budden’s name included in quite a few salacious headlines. The 42-year-old New Jersey native found himself in a war of words with Cocktails with Queens hosts Claudia Jordan and Vivica A. Fox.

Prior to that public feud, Budden had to address his sexuality after saying he would have “fizz coming out of” B2K member Lil Fizz. To end speculation of him being bisexual, the “Pump It Up” rhymer told his audience he is a heterosexual man.

Budden’s 2022 also included a continuation of his dispute with former co-hosts Rory Farrell and Jamil “Mal” Clay. The New Rory & Mal podcasters did not settle the bad blood with their former friend after parting ways two years ago.

Abbott Elementary stars Quinta Brunson, Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Chris Perfetti. The television series has won numerous industry awards, including an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. ABC’s Abbott Elementary premieres Wednesdays at 9 pm ET.