A judge made an undercover detective remove a ski mask to proceed with testimony in the YNW Melly murder trial on Monday (June 26).
According to Law & Crime, YNW Melly’s legal team reiterated objections to expert witness Danny Polo wearing a mask when the detective returned to the stand on Monday. Judge John Murphy allowed Polo to wear the mask while testifying on Thursday (June 22).
Polo claimed he wore the mask because he works undercover and needed to protect his family’s identity. Judge Murphy previously dismissed the defense’s objections to the mask but reconsidered his ruling after YNW Melly’s lawyers presented new information.
Defense attorneys found the CashApp profile of Polo’s wife and showed it to the detective on Monday. Polo admitted the profile featured a picture of his family, bolstering the defense’s arguments against the mask. Judge Murphy sided with the defense and forced Polo to unmask to continue testifying.
YNW Melly’s trial began on June 12. Prosecutors accused him of killing his friends YNW Juvy and YNW Sakchaser in 2018. The rapper pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges.
Last week, Judge Murphy denied the defense’s motion for a mistrial. YNW Melly faces the death penalty if convicted.
Blueface decided to plead guilty to charges stemming from a shooting outside of a Las Vegas strip club.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Blueface informed a judge about his plans to accept a plea deal at a preliminary hearing on Monday (June 26). The rapper waived his right to the hearing with the intention of pleading guilty to one felony count of firing a gun into a vehicle and misdemeanor battery.
Blueface’s plea deal helped him settle two cases in Las Vegas. Prosecutors agreed to drop a robbery charge in connection to a separate incident at the Palms Casino Resort.
The controversial rapper, whose real name is Johnathan Porter, is scheduled to enter his plea on July 3. He will be released from house arrest once he officially pleads guilty. Prosecutors were content with a judge sentencing him to probation.
Blueface can withdraw his plea if he completes his probation, per the Review-Journal. Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney Nick Portz said successful probation opened the door for the rapper to plead guilty to a lesser charge: misdemeanor conspiracy to commit a crime.
Last year, Blueface was arrested for attempted murder in Las Vegas. Authorities accused him of firing shots at a man following a confrontation at Euphoric Gentlemen’s Club in 2022.
A judge granted bail to Quando Rondo in Georgia on Monday (June 26).
According to WJCL, Chatham County Superior Court Judge Tammy Stokes set Quando Rondo’s bond at $100,000. Earlier this month, authorities arrested the Atlantic Records artist on drug and gang charges.
Judge Stokes heard arguments for bail on Friday (June 23). Prosecutors asked her to keep Quando Rondo in custody.
The prosecution claimed Quando Rondo was a flight risk and a danger to the community. They called him the “leader” of the Rolling 60s Crips in Savannah, Georgia.
Quando Rondo’s defense tried to get him out of jail by citing the support of his record label. The judge took arguments under advisement before ruling in favor of the rapper on Monday.
“The court finds it significant that defendant surrendered himself for arrest the day after he learned of the warrant for his arrest,” Judge Stokes explained in her decision.
Quando Rondo avoided curfew and house arrest as part of his pre-trial release. But he must surrender his passport and cannot contact any of the co-defendants in his case.
The rapper, whose real name is Tyquian Bowman, was one of several alleged gang members indicted in Georgia. He was charged with two counts of conspiracy to violate Georgia’s controlled substances act, one count of participating in criminal activity in association with a street gang and one count of use of communication facility in commission of a felony involving controlled substances.
Ice Cube has announced his intention to go on a podcast tour to discuss “the club of gatekeepers.”
The former N.W.A rapper took to Twitter with a video claiming that his Big3 basketball league was not getting the attention it deserved due to the imposition of unnamed “gatekeepers.”
“Some of you may not have realized that I’m not part of the club,” the rapper – whose real name is O’Shea Jackson – said in his video. “And a lot of you listening to me right here, right now, you are not part of the club either. And what I realized with the club is, what makes them so mad is when you don’t want to be a part of (their) f###### club. That p##### them off.
“What club am I talking about? I’m talking about the club of gatekeepers that we all got to deal with. You know who they are and they definitely know who they are.”
The 54-year-old claimed that “they” had been messing with him since he issued his Contract with Black America manifesto in 2020. While Ice did not specify who the “club” was, he later accused the National Basketball Association (NBA) executives of “working against” the Big3.
The “Boyz n the Hood” actor promised fans he would “go on a f### the Gatekeepers podcast tour” where he would “talk to everybody” to get his “message out to the people.”
Ice Cube did not divulge further details about his podcast tour plans.
Cardi B vehemently denied allegations of infidelity aimed toward her husband Offset in a recent Twitter Spaces message.
But the rumors were fueled by a tweet from Offset on Monday (June 26), which was quickly deleted, stating, “My wife f##### a n#### on me gang yall n####s know how I come.”
The tweet sent social media into a frenzy, with fans and critics alike speculating on the state of the couple’s relationship.
However, Cardi B took to Twitter Spaces to address the rumors head-on, telling her followers, “Stop acting stupid,” in response to the allegations.
Offset was reacting to the latest gossip spread by her enemy, vlogger Tasha K, who claims the couple’s marriage is falling apart, primarily due to Offset’s supposed cheating and philandering ways.
“Come on now, I’m f###### Cardi B n###a.,” she said. “I think sometimes mother f###### forget—I’m Cardi B. I wasn’t given this p#### to anybody, it would be out. I’m not just anybody. Can’t f### me no regular, degular, smegular, because they gonna tell the world. And I can’t f### nobody in the industry because they gonna tell too.”
The controversy has sparked a wave of reactions on Twitter, with many fans expressing their support for Cardi B. Some have criticized Offset for his tweet, suggesting he should’ve been more careful with his words.
Cardi B has remained defiant despite the drama, defending her relationship with Offset and dismissing the cheating rumors.
“Get the f### out of here n### like you can’t be serious,” she fumed. “S### got me so f###### hot on my momma b####.”
This isn’t the first time the couple has faced public scrutiny over their relationship. They’ve been open about their marital struggles in the past, with Offset’s infidelity being a recurring issue.
However, they’ve always managed to reconcile and continue to present a united front. The couple, who share two children, have been married since 2017.
After listening to Cardi B's voice, I think Offset should apologise to her. Why's her voice so sweet? 😋 😩 😫
Offset is definitely a Sagittarius 😓😓😓 always blaming other ppl for their actions.. like you BEEN cheating on your wife, she never not made it public but he quick to wanna throw her under the bus smh .. sounds like my bd 🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️
The recent arrest warrant issued against Kodak Black has been set aside, according to an Instagram post from defense attorney Bradford Cohen.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office had previously issued the warrant, alleging Kodak Black had failed to comply with the conditions of his pre-trial release program, specifically his failure to attend a mandatory drug and alcohol test in early June of 2023. The set-aside warrant provides some legal relief for Kodak, who’s been involved in multiple legal issues in recent years.
In addition, the rap star’s previous conviction for making a false statement on a federal document during a firearm purchase led to a 46-month prison sentence, of which he served nearly half before Donald Trump commuted it.
Despite these legal challenges, the recent warrant against Black has now been set aside, alleviating some immediate legal pressures. Kodak Black is scheduled to appear in court concerning last year’s charges.
French Montana is reportedly selling his Los Angeles mansion. Months after Nicki Minaj moved into the exclusive Hidden Hills community, the Bronx native is moving out, according to The New York Times.
The compound is a nice size, spanning over 1.35 acres and nearly 16,000 square feet. French Montana bought the home from Los Angeles Clippers’ Paul George for $8.4 million in 2020, almost $1 million less than the basketball player tried to sell it for.
“It’s not only about the size of the house, it’s also the grounds,“ Fridman said. “You’ve got over an acre. You’ve got a sports court and a spa in the guesthouse down below. There’s everything you need for the California lifestyle.”
The property, where he only stayed for about three years, has not only a full-size basketball court, pool, and spa with stone decking but also a fire pit. The garage is big enough to hold at least five cars.
In 2021, the Bad Boy recording artist sold a different home in Hidden Hills in the 11-house gated community of Mureau Estates. That one was much smaller at only 8,600-square-foot and was purchased from pop star Selena Gomez. The property had a resort-style backyard and sold for $5 million.
Bone Thugs-n-Harmony will head back to their hometown of Cleveland on August 11, where they’ll be greeted with their own street. According to Rock The Bells, the intersection of E. 99th Street and St. Clair Avenue will be renamed “Bone Thugs-n-Harmony Way” in honor of the trailblazing Hip-Hop group. Led by the Spread the Love Foundation, Cleveland City Councilman Anthony Hairston and Ward 10, the street-naming ceremony takes place from noon to 2 p.m. local time.
It’s a full circle moment for the group. Bone Thugs’ sophomore album E. 1999 Eternal was named after the same area. It was there Krayzie, Layzie, Wish, Bizzy and Flesh honed their rap skills and earned some hard-won wisdom. As Krayzie describes it, that particular block was “dangerous” and they had to have their guard up at all times.
“Growing up on that street was crazy,” Krayzie Bone told RTB. “We had many, many adventures on that street. We got in so much trouble. Our street was 99th and St. Clair, but we renamed our street because of the two nines—the 99—we called it ‘Double Glock.’ I remember we shot the streetlights out on the street so the police would no longer ride down it. At night, they would only come to the corner of the street, shine their lights down there and keep driving past. They wouldn’t come down the street. Every time they would have somebody fix the light, we’d take it right back out with either a BB gun or a little .22 rifle.”
He continued, “Everything really did birth who we really were in that era. We had started rapping together back in junior high school, then it carried over to high school until we got out of school. When we get out of school that’s when all of us were on 99th. We was definitely focused on our music around the time we was on 99th for sure.”
Following the street-naming ceremony, Bone Thugs is expected to perform at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On August 12, Bone Thugs will descend on the Glenville Festival at Sam Miller Park then join LL COOL J’s The F.O.R.C.E. Tour at the Rocket Mortgage Field House.
“Just to see all these things taking place is incredible,” Krayzie added. “Now is the time in our career where we’ve started to sit back and really take everything we’ve done in and recognize the foundation we’ve laid down. Other people are starting to recognize who did what and what we really did in this Hip-Hop industry. I was never worried about receiving accolades or people not knowing what we brought to the business because it’s all in due time. It’s going to come around for Bone.
“People ask me all the time, ‘Why people don’t show you no respect?’ I tell them I feel very respected in the industry. Just because people don’t mention our name in every best rapper list doesn’t mean the industry doesn’t respect us. When I come across all my peers, colleagues, other artists and celebrities, they all show Bone crazy love—from young to old. We don’t have to be mentioned in every conversation to feel like we’re being respected. I know the respect and love is there.”
Brooklyn rapper Fivio Foreign was reportedly drugged while visiting Europe for a few small engagements during Paris Fashion Week.
What should have been a fantastic night turned out to be a full-out brawl that spilled out into the streets and had French law enforcement investigating.
According to TMZ, the “Spicy” rapper was performing at L’Arc, a Paris nightclub on Saturday (June 24) when the melee popped off. The drill rapper reportedly started acting unusually violent and police were called to figure what was going on. Police tried to talk him down, but nothing was really connecting.
Reps for the star say their client had been roofied, meaning someone allegedly slipped drugs into his drink without him knowing it. He eventually calmed down and police left the premise, allowing Fivio Foreign to return to his hotel without being arrested or detained.
The altercation comes a day after he got some new ice for his travels to France.
In a video posted on Twitter, he picked up a $200,000 “chunky” VVS emerald cut diamonds piece on a rose gold link chain. Playfully, he called it “a big boy” and referred to the brilliance on the chain as “water.” He said to his friends, “God is Good.”
All eyes are on Pusha T and Jim Jones as social media critics continue to contemplate the lyrical prowess of these artists. As a result, Twitter sounds off in relation to their respective diss tracks.
Let’s quickly examine the backstory. On Tuesday (June 20), a Louis Vuitton fashion show helps deliver an unexpected blow from King Push. The offense? Well, in the past, the Dipset dynamo questioned the wordsmith’s cultural credibility.
Ultimately, Jimmy believes Pusha T’s place in Hip-Hop is not among the 50 greatest MCs. The New Yorker initially shared his stance via RapCaviar.
His sentiments weren’t lost on Mr. Sniffles. Debuting a new Clipse song at the LV fashion show in Paris, he rapped, “Beware of my name, that there’s delegate/You know, I know where you’re delicate/Crush you to pieces, I’ll hum a breath of it/I will close your heaven for the hell of it/You think it’d be valor amongst veterans/I’m watching your fame escape relevance/We all in a room but here’s the elephant/You chasing a feature out of your element.”
Be that as it may, Jimmy couldn’t wait to respond. Using his hubris, he resonates with others. Many believe Capo gets busy on a new diss track. Which he released over the weekend.
Here, the Harlem gent suggests Cocaine’s Dr. Seuss is simply overrated. Without a doubt he says as much with, “The only beef you know n#### is Arby’s or the Big Mac/When we drive through, we drive-by in the car with the big macs/That last s### you dropped was garbage take that s### back.”
Social Media Weighs In
So… one dropped his diss in the hood and another with dudes sashaying on a cat-walk… and we are faulting the guy in the hood now?
This Jim Jones Pusha T s### gonna be good lol….but Jim can’t release an unfinished response vs Push when he on this type time 🤣 pic.twitter.com/qvTSUxbDQJ
Rapper Blueface, renowned for his hit song “Thotiana,” has launched a unique music imprint, MILF Music, exclusively for women with children.
The rapper announced the creation of the new label in an Instagram video, stating that he’s particularly interested in signing women who already have children.
The criteria for potential signees are unique. The women don’t necessarily have to be rappers or have any musical background. Instead, Blueface is looking for star quality and a certain level of controversy.
He expressed a preference for artists who receive more negative comments than positive ones, emphasizing that he values the ability to handle hate.
Blueface also mentioned his willingness to write songs and provide musical support for the signed artists. He stated, “I’ll write the song for y’all, write the music for everyone, get this money.”
The label’s Instagram account currently features Jaidyn Alexis, Blueface’s baby mama, as the only artist.
She has released their first single, “Stewie,” and Blueface encouraged interested individuals to follow MILF Music and show their love and support. Despite the unconventional approach, Blueface seems confident in his venture. He believes that attention and care are what matters.
Blueface’s new venture is indeed stirring up the music industry, and it will be interesting to see how MILF Music develops and what kind of artists it will bring to the forefront.
So far, most of the comments have been positive in reaction to “Stewie.”
“LOVE THIS FOR HER!!! She deserves to win!!!! She takes care of her kids and still holds blue down no matter the s### he put her through fr! I LOVE THE WAY U LOVEEE MEEEE,” one user said, while another wrote “I love her voice and goes with the beat. Can’t stop listening to it lol.”
Hip-Hop is 50 years old and thriving, which is especially clear when lovers of pure lyricism get to check out the new Sincere Cypherz installment called “The Takeover.”
Stacked with Harlem legends and a few of battle rap’s most notable MCs, the cipher shook the building as it proved to be an old school bar fest and DOT MOB reunion.
The first up to rap was Loaded Lux, one of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan’s favorite rappers. Known for his iconic catchphrase “you gonna get this work,” the rapper didn’t come to play. Yes, Lux rapped, kicking off a night of extraordinary talent.
The next to rap was another Mt. Rushmore-level rapper: the lieutenant of the DOT MOB T-Rex, who snapped and brought in the spirit and genius of street knowledge.
Newark’s Shotgun Suge was up next and bullied the mic like only the “What’s Ya Life Like” MC knows how to do.
Folk hadn’t heard the next MC in quite some time, so it was a delight to see K-Shine, the second ZIP EM UP/ DOT MOB member to take the center mic. When he stepped up to bat, he hit the ball straight out of the ballpark, first referencing the five billionaires that died at the bottom of the ocean in a submarine.
The celebration lasted two whole minutes.
Another Harlem legend was Jae Millz, one of the first battle rappers to get a deal with Diddy. Millz came to get busy, talking greasy with his peers.
The only woman to bless the cipher was Bronx native Chayna Ashley, the first lady of the DOT MOB. Not scheduled to perform, she stepped up to the mic after Murda Mook and Head Ice were unable to show up. Mook was said to be in the emergency room.
Also appearing in the cipher was John John Da Don, owner of the Bullpen Battle League and Yonkers native. The PG Killer, who was coming off of a big win on the Ultimate Rap League stage, took a different approach than the others. His real-life rap showed the levels of his creative mind.
Rounding out the night was Gun Titles representative, Chess. The Bronx native, known as The Shape Shifter, was the youngest out of the pack and did not come to play an admitted it was an honor to be in a cipher with the rap legends.
The night was long but battle rap star-studded. Big names such as Goodz da Animal, Lu Castro, Toni Blanco, Red Banz, Mills, Nikki Knowledge and others popped out.
Red Banz spit “This is New York Freestyle” and two songs, “Time Out” and “Cupid.” Maury Haze from the rap trio New Bronx (NBX) also performed.
GloRilla walked into the 2023 BET Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday night (June 25) with the second most nominations for any artist. OVO Sound leader Drake was the only act to score more nods this year.
GloRilla nabbed six nominations for Album Of The Year, Video Of The Year, Best Female Hip Hop Artist, Best New Artist and two for Best Collaboration.
Drake scored seven nominations, including Album Of The Year and Best Male Hip Hop Artist. The Canadian entertainer won two 2023 BET Awards: Best Collaboration (“Wait for U” with Future and Tems) and Best Group (with 21 Savage).
Billboard spoke to GloRilla on the ceremony’s pre-show red carpet. The 23-year-old Anyways, Life’s Great EP rapper discussed possibly partnering with Drake for a musical collaboration in the future.
“Most definitely. We’re gonna try to make it work,” GloRilla replied when asked if fans could see her make a song with Drake. In addition, Big Glo shouted out Chicago-bred rapper Chief Keef as someone who influenced her musically.
GloRilla Ran Through The Three 6 Mafia-Inspired “Lick Or Sum” At The 2023 BET Awards
GloRilla previously collaborated with Latto, JT, Moneybagg Yo, Lil Durk and Don Toliver. Her “Tomorrow 2” single featuring Cardi B peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “Tomorrow 2” picked up BET Award nominations for Video Of The Year and Best Collaboration.
GloRilla also performed “Lick Or Sum” at this year’s BET Awards. Oscar-winning Three 6 Mafia member Juicy J produced the song that incorporates elements from “Slob on My Nob” by Tear Da Club Up Thugs.
While GloRilla lost the Best New Artist BET Award to R&B singer Coco Jones, she has managed to receive recognition for her breakout year from Spotify and Apple Music. The iHeartRadio Music Awards also named Glo as one of the Best New Hip Hop Artists of 2023.
Beyoncé and SZA, meanwhile, won the most 2023 BET Awards with three each. Beyoncé’s RENAISSANCE tied with SZA’s SOS for the Album Of The Year trophy. SZA also won Best Female R&B/Pop Artist and Video Of The Year (“Kill Bill”). Queen Bey won the Viewer’s Choice Award (“Break My Soul”) and the BET Her Award (“Break My Soul”) as well.
Gunna’s latest album, A Gift & a Curse, opened at No. 3 on the most recent Billboard 200 chart, pulling in more than 85,000 total album equivalent units. Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time remained at No. 1 for the fourteenth non-consecutive week.
Gunna previously opened at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with Wunna in 2020 and DS4Ever in 2022. Wunna collected roughly 111,000 first-week units, while DS4Ever amassed around 150,000. His Drip or Drown 2 peaked at No. 3 in 2019.
Gunna also scored another Top 10 entry when 2018’s Drip Harder collaborative project with Lil Baby landed at No. 4. Unlike his older bodies of work, A Gift & a Curse didn’t have any guest features. Some of his peers, like Lil Durk, blasted Gunna for what they saw as being disloyal to Young Thug.
A lot of rap fans have been waiting to see how Gunna’s latest music project would sell. The Atlanta native faced widespread allegations of “snitching” over the last six months.
There’ve been questions about whether Gunna’s decision to plead guilty to a racketeering charge in Georgia would hurt his commercial success. Some critics accused the rapper of turning on Young Thug.
Ice Spice has been one of the most commercially successful recording artists in America over the last 12 months. By having a stellar rookie year, some rap fans expected to see Ice Spice as part of the 2023 XXL Freshman Class. According to reports, the “Munch (Feelin’ U)” performer turned down the magazine cover because of other commitments.
TMZ caught up with former Freshman Class member K Camp to get his thoughts on Ice Spice apparently choosing not to accept a spot on this year’s list. The “Comfortable” rhymer expressed an understanding of why Spice made that move.
“Right now, at this moment in her career, she’s definitely had a big run,” he said. “She got a lot of s### going on. Everybody don’t need XXL, but shout out to XXL because it helped my career.”
K Camp appeared on theXXL Freshman Class cover in 2015. That issue also highlighted Fetty Wap, DeJ Loaf, Raury, Kidd Kidd, OG Maco, Shy Glizzy, Vince Staples, Tink and GoldLink. The fan-voted 10th Spot went to Kidd Kidd.
Finesse2tymes, Lola Brooke, Rob49, Fridayy, GloRilla, 2Rare, SleazyWorld Go, Central Cee, Real Boston Richey, Luh Tyler, TiaCorine and DC the Don make up the 2023 Freshman Class.
Ice Spice became the latest high-profile artist to not appear on an XXL Freshman cover. Chart-topping stars such as Drake, Nicki Minaj, Tyler, The Creator, A$AP Rocky, Young Thug, Post Malone, Cardi B and Juice WRLD never appeared as Freshmen.
So far in 2023, Ice Spice scored three Top 10 entries on the Billboard Hot 100 – “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2” with PinkPantheress (No. 3), “Princess Diana” with Nicki Minaj (No. 4), and “Karma” with Taylor Swift (No. 2).
It appears YK Osiris wants to bounce back from a recent controversy connected to Love & Hip Hop: Miami star Sukihana. Over the weekend, Osiris shared a snippet of an upcoming new song.
A large section of the public criticized YK Osiris after footage of him forcibly kissing Sukihana spread across the internet earlier this month. The “Worth It” singer apologized for his actions.
“I want to publicly offer my sincerest apology to Sukihana,” posted YK Osiris. “In an attempt to be playful, I misread the moment and violated Sukihana’s boundaries. I understand the importance of consent and I am embarrassed by my behavior.”
Sukihana responded by posting, “First I want to acknowledge that YK Osiris has apologized to me both privately and publicly and I have chosen to accept his apology. God always forgives me and I can forgive others.”
With Sukihana seemingly ready to move on from the situation, YK Osiris has turned his attention to music. The Jacksonville, Florida native uploaded a short clip of himself in the studio as an unnamed song plays in the background.
“‘DEAR FANS’ ❤️🙏🏾 THANK YALL FOR EVERYTHING. MY TESTIMONY 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾WHO READY 🔥 LET’S GET IT,” wrote Osiris in the caption of his Instagram video. The post presently has more than 915,000 plays.
YK Osiris dropped The Golden Child album in October 2019 via Def Jam. That project hosted “Worth It” as well as “Worth It (Remix)” featuring Tory Lanez and Ty Dolla $ign. “Worth It” earned 3x-Platinum certification from the RIAA.
Singer/actress Coco Jones became a trending topic on social media overnight. The Bel-Air cast member was one of the winners at the 2023 BET Awards in Los Angeles.
Coco Jones took home the trophy for Best New Artist. That category included Ambré, Doechii, FLO, GloRilla, Ice Spice and Lola Brooke. Additionally, Jones performed her 2022 single “ICU” at the ceremony.
“Thank you so much, BET,” said a teary-eyed Coco Jones after accepting her Best New Artist award. “I remember when I did 106 & Park with y’all, I was sixteen… It’s been a long journey.”
The 25-year-old former Disney Channel star continued, “Thank you guys for rocking with me the whole time. Thank you so much to my culture who has stood beside me.”
Coco Jones earned an RIAA-certified gold plaque for “ICU,” which lives on the What I Didn’t Tell You EP. “ICU” also peaked at No. 63 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 18 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Before releasing What I Didn’t Tell You, Jones appeared in Disney Channel’s Let It Shine television movie alongside Tyler James Williams and Trevor Jackson. She currently plays Hillary Banks on Peacock’s Bel-Air drama series.
Patti Labelle became unstuck during her Tina Turner tribute performance at the 2023 BET Awards Sunday (Jun. 25) after a teleprompter snafu during her rendition of “The Best.”
The R&B/Soul legend maintained a brave face despite forgetting some of the lyrics but powered through her set during the ceremony at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
“I’m trying, y’all,” she said to the audience as she launched into the first chorus. However, she soon forgot the lyrics once again. “Oh lord,” she said before singing, “What if I can’t see the words? I don’t know” to the song’s tune. “I’m trying, y’all,” she repeated.
Patti LaBelle maintained her professionalism and persevered, throwing in adlibs to pay homage to the late “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll“. “God bless you, Tina Turner!” Patti LaBelle declared at the end of her performance. Check out the clip below.
Although she forgot the lyrics, an issue with the teleprompter confounded the blunder. A BET spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter: “It was an extraordinary privilege to celebrate the life and legacy of Ms. Tina Turner at BET Awards 2023. Having the incomparable Ms. Patti LaBelle on our stage honoring one of her contemporaries was an equal privilege. Due to the crowd’s enthusiasm, the teleprompter was obstructed, obscuring Ms. LaBelle’s view of the lyrics. Nonetheless, we couldn’t be more grateful to Ms. LaBelle for lending her incredible talent to this moment.”
Patti LaBelle Felt “Honored” To Pay Homage To Tina Turner
While rumors of a rift between the two icons surfaced online following the performance, Patti Labelle said she was “honored” by the opportunity.
“Tina was a trailblazer and someone I have a tremendous amount of respect for because of all that she overcame and all that she accomplished,” she told Rolling Stone ahead of the awards. “She was and is everything! And I am honored that I am able to pay tribute to her in this way.”
Latto stole the show at the 2023 BET Awards Sunday night (Jun. 25), performing her viral hit “Put It On Da Floor” before walking away with one of the most coveted awards.
The “Big Energy” hitmaker beat out an all-star list of her peers in the Best Female Hip Hop Artist category, including Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Ice Spice, Coi Leray, and GloRilla.
During her acceptance speech, Latto paid tribute to her fellow nominees and hailed “all the women who paved the way for this to even be possible.” She also acknowledged the “category is going crazy this year,’ before shouting out a host of other women worthy of the nod.
“Shout-out to some of the women I think should’ve been nominated,” Latto said. “Doechii, I love you, baby. Maya The Don, Flo Milli. Oh my god, I can’ think. Mello Buckzz, TiaCorine. Shout-out to all the women. We killin’ it. This is the year of the female, the year of women. Hopefully we gon’ see an all-female tour, you feel me? Very soon. Keep killin’ it.”
She also reserved a thank you for the mystery man in her life. “And my man, thank you to my man, Latto declared with a flick of her hair. Check out her speech below.
Her performance also garnered rave reviews with “Put It On Da Floor Again,” collaborator Cardi B praising her energetic set. “That performance ateee down,” she tweeted. “latto puts on a mf SHOW . that’s a baddddd btch,” Monaleo added.
Meanwhile, over on Instagram, Latto received her flowers from another pair of NYC Hip-Hop icons. She shared a video of her reaction to the win. “Best Female Hip Hop Artist @bet 😭,” she penned in the caption.
“👏 Congrats boo I’m soooo proud of u U deserve it ! 😻😘❤️🤗, wrote Lil Kim. “BIG LATTO!!!! Congratulations 💋,” added Remy Ma.
Quavo and Offset have put whatever differences they may have had between them to reunite for a special tribute performance in honor of Takeoff at the 2023 BET Awards.
The Migos members surprised the audience at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles for the 2023 BET Awards Sunday night (Jun. 25), joining forces to pay tribute to Takeoff, who was fatally shot last year. The show marked their first time performing together since the tragic shooting.
Viewers at home and in the crowd returned from a commercial break to a dimly lit stage with two figures dressed in black appearing on either side of a spotlight in the center of the stage. A recording of Takeoff’s verse on the song “Hotel Lobby” begins as a symbolic rocket ship ascends from the stage.
Quavo and Offset rap along to Takeoff’s verse before the rocket symbolically blasts off to be replaced by an image of the late rapper.
“We doing this for Take!” Offset yelled before Quavo added, “If you ready to do it for The Rocket let me get a YESSIR!”
Quavo then asks Offset, “You ready, ‘Set?” before the pair launch into their 2016 hit “Bad and Boujee.” Check out their Takeoff tribute below.
Quavo And Offset 2023 BET Awards Takeoff Tribute
Meanwhile, after their set, T.I. ran into the duo backstage after what was arguably the feel-good moment of the night. He greeted them with a warm embrace while declaring, “Love to see it!” They exchanged a few words, with Tip adding, “That’s something they gon’ talk about in ten years from now.”
He also shared a clip from their moving performance. “For The Rocket ❤️🩹🚀” he wrote. Offset also posted the clip, adding, “Do this s### for the fam cuz this s### bigger than me #LL🚀”
