Oprah Winfrey is opening up about her decades-long friendship with Gayle King.
On Wednesday (July 25), Winfrey and King reflected on their close bond during an appearance on Melinda French Gates’ Moments That Make Us interview series. The media mogul, who has been with partner Stedman Graham for more than 35 years, didn’t shy away from addressing the longstanding rumors that she and King are more than just friends.
“I think we’ve shared pretty much everything and I would have to say, it wasn’t even a matter of navigation,” Winfrey explained. “You know, for years, people used to say we were gay, and listen, we were up against that forever. And people still may think it.”
The friends have discussed the gossip privately over the years, with King jokingly calling on Winfrey to clarify the rumors because they were affecting her love life.
“I used to say Oprah, ‘You gotta do a show on this,’” King added. “‘Because it’s hard enough for me to get a date on Saturday night with people thinking we’re gay.’ Because if we were gay, we would tell you.”
Oprah Winfrey Reflects On What Sparked Relationship Rumors
Winfrey believes the speculation stems from a lack of understanding of their friendship.
“Maybe people aren’t accustomed to seeing women with this kind of truth bond,” she offered. “Gayle is happier, not happy, but happier for me for any kind of success or victory or challenge I get through than I am for myself. And I feel as happy as she does—I can’t be happier than, cannot surpass Gayle. You cannot out-happy her. I am equally as happy for her.”
Ultimately, Winfrey believes a friendship cannot thrive with “with anybody who has a hint of jealousy about anything that you’re doing—certainly about your success or your being celebrated.”
Oprah and Gayle discuss the rumors that they’re secretly a lesbian couple and say they’d tell us if they actually were. pic.twitter.com/TXr5NaZgyS
The besties met early in their careers while working at the Baltimore-area news station WJZ-TV. In an interview for O, The Oprah Magazine, King recalled how Oprah came through for her during a snowstorm.
“We became friends that first night because for the first time, I met somebody who I felt was like me,” Gayle said. “I’d never met anybody like that. Certainly not another Black girl. I grew up in an all-white community.”
Coi Leray has long since faced criticism over her shape, with body shamers making comments about her frame throughout her entire career.
Her body shape has been such a talking point that Coi Leray believes she paved the way for this generation of “slim” women to be accepted in the music industry. However, she has sensed a shift in the trend and is wondering what changed.
“Everybody skinny now,” she wrote on X (Twitter) on Thursday (July 25). “ I thought skinny wasn’t it ? I got bullied for being skinny for 5 years … lol what changed yall minds?”
Everybody skinny now . I thought skinny wasn’t it ? 🤔 I got bullied for being skinny for 5 years … lol what changed yall minds?
Last year, the “Players” hitmaker addressed the constant criticism of her body during an interview with Apple Music 1’s Eddie Francis.
“I’ve dealt with the body shaming situation, honestly my whole entire career,” she explained. “Shout out to all the slim women out there. I feel like I actually paved the way in the music industry for a slim woman to just finally be accepted, honestly, after a very long time. I’m talking since [the] Mýa and Left Eye days.”
She continued, highlighting the significance of the topic. “It’s something very important you talk about,” Coi Leray added. “I wake up every day and say, ‘I love my body.’ I don’t give a f###. When I put my clothes on, I’m not saying, ‘Yo, I’m going to put this on to troll.’ I’m putting it on because I love to look good, I love to feel good. And that’s what I personally, genuinely love to wear and like. When they make it about my body, it’s just ongoing. This gets old after a while. It really does.”
Former President Barack Obama and the former First Lady Michelle Obama have endorsed Kamala Harris to become the Democratic presidential nominee.
The Obamas told Harris how proud they were to endorse her in a phone call that ended days of speculation over whether Obama would back her. The Harris campaign shared a video of the conversation on Friday morning (July 26).
“We called to say Michelle and I couldn’t be prouder to endorse you and do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Office,” Barack Obama told Kamala Harris on the call.
“I can’t have this phone call without saying to my girl, Kamala, I am proud of you,” Michelle Obama added. “This is going to be historic.”
Harris told the Obamas, “This means so much to me,” before thanking them for their continued support.
“I just wanna tell you that the words you have spoken and the friendship that you have given over all these years mean more than I can express,” she said. “So thank you both! It means so much. And… we’re gonna have some fun with this, too, aren’t we?”
Earlier this week, Michelle and I called our friend @KamalaHarris. We told her we think she’ll make a fantastic President of the United States, and that she has our full support. At this critical moment for our country, we’re going to do everything we can to make sure she wins in… pic.twitter.com/0UIS0doIbA
Ice Spice joined forces with Kai Cenat in a flirty livestream amid the release of her debut album, Y2K!
On Thursday night ( July 25,) the influential content creator tapped another rap personality to vibe with him on his stream. Once Ice Spice overcame her shock at Cenat’s temporary location—the back of a U-Haul truck—the Bronx natives soon got comfortable.
“How you been? I miss you,” the “Munch” hitmaker told the streamer before he leaned in for a hug.
Ice Spice just pulled up to Kai Cenat’s U-Haul thinking it was an actual penthouse😭😭 pic.twitter.com/PSiFk4VEPY
Elsewhere during the stream, Cenat asked Spice to freestyle. However, Ice Spice began twerking instead of rapping, performing some of her signature moves.
In another amusing segment, Ice Spice sat on Cenat’s back while he attempted to knock out some pushups. However, the streamer’s strength failed him, and they both came crashing to the floor.
Kai Cenat just sold and dropped Ice Spice while trying to do a push up with her on his back 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/1B0oVg5CMQ
Hours before Ice Spice linked Kai Cenat, she was making headlines following Cardi B’s reaction to a perceived diss on a leaked snippet of Y2K! cut “BB Belt.”
“These b###### have absolutely lost their mind,” Cardi B wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter). “I’m getting all my lick backs on my album tho …ON EACH ONE OF YOU B######!!!”
She added, “These b###### can’t see me in numbers or status, y’all had WAY too much time to catch up. Can’t see me in money, can’t see me in real estate, fashion, and CAN’T SEE ME IN PERSON either… I’m not in a rat race with none of you b######!! And ima show yall.”
Y2K! arrived at midnight ET on Friday (July 26). Stream it below.
Soulja Boy had a few words for Drake after hearing his new unreleased track with Lil Yachty.
Earlier this week, Twitch streamer Kai Cenat previewed the song, which sees Drizzy crooning, “I’m watching the moves, playin’ it close / SOD, super soak.”
🚨 Drake ft. Lil Yachty – Supersoak 🚨 Kai Cenat leaks another track on his live stream He mentions “SOD” (Stacks On Deck) after Soulja Boy went on a rant on Twitter lol “I’m watching the moves and playing it close” 👀 pic.twitter.com/YbxTFd2iHU
Some fans took the lyrics as a reference to Soulja Boy’s record label Stacks on Deck (SOD) in addition to his 2007 song “Super Soak,” especially in light of Draco’s recent comments about Drake.
The “Crank That” hitmaker caught wind of the rumors and took to Instagram to respond on Thursday (July 25). Soulja Boy urged Drake to publicly clarify whether it was a diss and taunted him for letting Kendrick Lamar “cook” him in their battle.
“Drake you up here talking about some ‘SOD Supersoak,’” Soulja Boy began. “Boy stop playing with me. That better be a shoutout, n####. If you any way trying to sneak diss me or play with me any type of way bro I’m telling you my n####, I’m a get on your ass.”
He continued, asking Drake, “How the f### you let Kendrick Lamar cook your ass and then the first thing you respond is that you trying to come at me? So you let Kendrick Lamar cook your ass and you trying to come at me? Twin it better be a shout out, cuz how the blogs playing it right now, they trying to say you dissing me bro.”
Telling Drake to “keep that s### light,” Soulja Boy added, “This your first and only warning. “I’m telling you on some gangsta s###. If you doing a shoutout, cool. If you any form shape or way trying to disrespect me or sneak diss, I’m on your ass boy.”
Soulja Boy Urges Drake To Clarify If He’s Sneak Dissing
Soulja Boy warned Drake not to come at him after what K. Dot just did to him. However, if Drake is with the smoke, then Big Draco isn’t backing down.
“So if it’s a shout out, stamp that,” he added. “You or Yachty need to stamp that. If it ain’t no shout out, speak on how you feel my boy, we can get to it.”
Earlier this month, Soulja Boy took to X (Twitter) to tell Drake: “You disappointed me. Doing all them weak ass songs with them n##### look where It got u none of them n##### you collab with or took on tour had yo back.”
Rick Ross has inadvertently become a beacon of light to the marine biology community due to his recent social media posts in which he expressed his curiosity about fish and narcotics.
According to a bizarre twist report from BBC, marine biologists have discovered that sharks off the coast of Brazil have tested positive for cocaine. The unprecedented finding has sparked a flurry of speculation, including some colorful commentary from Rozay. The research, conducted by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, revealed that 13 Brazilian sharpnose sharks near Rio de Janeiro showed alarmingly high levels of cocaine in their muscles and livers, with concentrations up to 100 times higher than previously reported for other marine life. Ross took to his Instagram Story to address the issue in his usual larger-than-life style.
“I mean, I keep seeing stories of fish sharks testing positive for cocaine,” Ross declared. “First question, would you eat a fish that tests positive for cocaine? I would.”
The discovery raises questions about how the cocaine is making its way into the sharks. Experts suggest that the drug could be entering the water through illegal labs or the excrement of drug users. While some speculate that packs of cocaine lost or dumped by traffickers at sea could be another source, researchers believe this is less likely.
According to Sara Novais, a marine eco-toxicologist at the Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre of the Polytechnic University of Leiria, the findings are “very important and potentially worrying.”
Ross, however, had his own theories, which he laid out for his fans and followers to consider for themselves.
“How are the sharks testing positive for cocaine?” he questioned rhetorically. “My Bahamian n###as real talented. They could train them sharks to traffic that cocaine over here to Miami. Let’s go.”
However, his playful suggestion hinting at a far-fetched but amusing scenario where sharks are used as underwater drug mules didn’t stop there.
“The question I got for you, will you eat a cocaine-flavored fish taco?” he questioned an individual out of the frame of the camera. “Would you? You would? I’ll eat it. Okay. Bite. Okay. Okay.”
It was at this point in the conversation that Ross’s vision of a Miami Beach menu featuring cocaine-infused seafood was introduced.
“So the next time I walk up in Kiki on the river, I want to see the Perico filet,” he quipped “The Yayo Mahi Mahi.”
Sharks testing positive for cocaine is no laughing matter for researchers, though. The implications for marine life and ecosystems are still unknown. All female sharks in the study were pregnant, and the effects of cocaine exposure on their offspring remain a mystery. Previous research has shown that drugs can have similar effects on animals as they do on humans, suggesting potential behavioral changes in the sharks.
While the world waits for further research to shed light on this peculiar phenomenon, the story of these drug-infused sharks is already making waves and has captured the public’s imagination, thanks in no small part to Rick Ross’ comedic take on the situation.
In a heated Instagram Live session, Soulja Boy vented his frustrations over the recent lawsuit he filed against controversial podcaster Tasha K.
In case you missed it, Big Draco promised to sue Tasha K and William The Baddest after the reality TV star claimed he was in an intimate relationship with the rapper during a recent episode of the Unwine With Tasha K podcast.
Known for his candid and often explosive personality, the “Pretty Boy Swag” rapper was surprisingly subdued while issuing his remarks on the situation. Despite his mellow manner, Soulja Boy didn’t hold back as he addressed the reasons behind his legal actions and the impact of false statements on his career. In his initial remarks, Soulja Boy explained how he was simply baffled by the incident overall.
“I’m pretty sure there are plenty of artists that she never put on,” Soulja Boy began. “But she didn’t say any of their names. She said Soulja Boy. Can somebody help me understand this? She could have said any artist she never listened to, but she chose Soulja Boy. What made her say that? What possessed her to say that? I’m so confused, bro.”
Soulja Boy’s frustration grew as he questioned Tasha K’s motives, suggesting that she was seeking attention and using his name for clout.
“She wants your attention,” he echoed from a fan’s comment. “Why? Why does she want my attention? ‘She knew I was going to react to get the podcast views up.’ Why can’t you go pay a PR company or something? Why do you have to clickbait me into responding to you?”
He continued, accusing Tasha K of spreading lies for financial gain while remarking on his reluctance to address the matter due to his reputation for allegedly taking thing to far when it comes to his personal disputes.
“What the f##k?” he exclaimed. “They said it is for clout. She just wants money and a reaction. That s##t is so lame. I will never understand s##t like that. And then when I woke up, I was like, man, I’m not finna respond to this s##t. Every time I go through some s, I always get in trouble. Anytime somebody says something about me, I respond, I get in trouble.”
The rapper’s live stream also touched on the broader struggles he faces as a public figure, capturing Soulja Boy venting about the price of fame and more.
“Do y’all not hear the stuff that these people be saying, bro?” he asked, exasperated. “I’m suing this girl, Tasha K. What possesses people to go on these public platforms and just lie? Look, bro, this is what I have to deal with being famous. The only reason I did this rap s##t, bro, was to make it out the hood.”
Reflecting on his journey, Soulja Boy shared his motivation for entering the music industry.
“My momma was f###ed up,” he said. “We stayed in the hood in Atlanta. I’m like, damn, my momma went to college. She was a real smart woman, a real hard worker, but we just ended up in poverty. I didn’t like that s##t. I started rapping, I started making money. With MySpace, I started making real money. The only reason I chose to rap was to make it from the hood.”
Soulja Boy recently made good on his promise to take legal action against Tasha K, filing a lawsuit seeking substantial damages in the sum of nearly $16 million. The rapper is suing for defamation, alleging that the podcaster made false and damaging statements about him on her platform. The lawsuit aims to hold Tasha K accountable for the harm her remarks have caused to Soulja Boy’s reputation and career.
Since bursting onto the scene at 16 with his hit single “Crank That (Soulja Boy),” Soulja Boy has enjoyed a successful career. His debut album Souljaboytellem.com was certified platinum, and he has since continued to release popular tracks such as “Kiss Me Thru The Phone” and “Gucci Bandanna” among others.
In addition to selling millions of albums worldwide and garnering numerous awards and nominations, Soulja Boy has aggressively pursued multiple entrepreneurial ventures including designing clothing and shoes and video games and in-real-life content streaming.
Check out the clip taken from Soulja Boy’s live above.
Cardi B unleashed her fury after she was allegedly dissed by Ice Spice. Fans believed Ice Spice’s song “BB Belt” featured subliminal shots at Cardi B, who lashed out via social media on Thursday (July 25).
“These b###### have absolutely lost their mind,” Cardi B wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter). “I’m getting all my lick backs on my album tho …ON EACH ONE OF YOU B######!!!”
She added, “These b###### can’t see me in numbers or status, y’all had WAY too much time to catch up. Can’t see me in money, can’t see me in real estate, fashion, and CAN’T SEE ME IN PERSON either… I’m not in a rat race with none of you b######!! And ima show yall.”
Ice Spice’s “BB Belt” appears on her debut album Y2K. Snippets of the track surfaced on social media before its official release.
“Think she pretty but changing her face/Falling behind like, b####, pick up your pace/It was funny ’til I took her place,” Ice Spice rapped.
Earlier this year, Cardi B and Ice Spice appeared to shut down beef rumors with a pleasant interaction on social media. “BB Belt” reopened the wound.
“Yeah, I’m that b####, they stealing my juice/This one b#### is built like an ant – Ew/Crashouts and they going on rants/Cash cow, I be getting them bands/B###### switching, but they was entranced,” Ice Spice rapped.
— Female Rap Chart Data (@fema1erapcharts) July 25, 2024
Ice Spice is no stranger to subliminal disses. Her single “Think U the S### (Fart)” was aimed at Latto. Ice Spice discussed their beef in a Rolling Stone cover story.
“I feel like if we ever spoke and I asked her ‘What’s the issue?’ it’d be like a blank stare,” she said. “It’d really be no issue whatsoever. Especially from me. I can understand a friendly competition, but I just feel like at this point it’s a joke that she’s just dragged out, and it’s just not even funny. Like, bro, ‘Think U the S###’ is from January. You’re going to post a piece of s### cake to announce something that’s good news for you? But it is kind of a compliment because you’re taking something that’s supposed to be a fun moment for you and you’re making it about me … again.”
Young Thug renewed his bid for bond in the YSL RICO case. His lawyer Brian Steel filed a new motion seeking the embattled rapper’s release from the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta on Tuesday (July 23).
Judge Ural Glanville denied several requests for bond before he was forced to recuse himself from Young Thug’s trial. Steel hoped Judge Paige Reese Whitaker, who is now handling the case, would be more lenient.
“Since May 9, 2022, [Young Thug] endures the torturous conditions in the County Jail, to wit: twenty two (22) out of twenty four (24) hours a day locked into a small cement cell with no contact with another human being except when his counsel visits and in Court proceedings; inedible food; living in squalor-ant infested room and unable to see any activity/movement out of the cell’s ‘windows,’” Steel wrote.
Overcrowding led to 10 deaths at the Fulton County Jail in 2023. Three more inmates died in the first four months of 2024.
Steel insisted Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, isn’t a flight risk or a threat to the community. If placed on house arrest, Young Thug intended to cover all costs for ankle monitoring and a police officer detail.
“Mr. Williams has taken the initiative to secure the commitment of full time off-duty sworn law enforcement officers to watch his home and secure him in his home twenty four (24) hours/seven (7) days a week, if house arrest is Ordered by this Honorable Court as a condition of pre-verdict bond,” Steel wrote. “Mr. Williams will also submit to wearing an ankle monitor if Ordered by this Honorable Court as a condition of pre-verdict bond. Mr. Williams will submit to a condition that any person who would visit him at his abode would have to be on an approved list provided to this Honorable Court as well as the District Attorney’s Office and if the individual’s name is not on this list, that person will be denied entry to his home.”
He added, “Any visitor will have to consent to being searched, physically and electronically, by the off duty sworn police officer and if the visitor does not agree to consent to this search, the person will be prohibited from visiting with Mr. Williams. Mr. Williams also agrees that any of his text messages, telephone calls, e-mails or other forms of communication, in any manner, can be secured and the information provided to this Honorable Court, if desired, as if Mr. Williams was in custody and on a recorded line.”
Judge Whitaker must address multiple motions before the YSL RICO trial can resume. Attorneys for four of the case’s six defendants requested mistrials due to Judge Glanville’s actions.
Richard “Crazy Legs” Colon, the Hip-Hop icon and PRS Festival founder, announced that he’ll convene all the elements of Hip-Hop into one immersive community-based event. However, the main attraction is the headlining acts.
The festival, which takes place on August 31, touts musical performances by Method Man & Redman, Big Daddy Kane, The Jungle Brothers, Furious 5, Lords of the Underground, Mr Cheeks of the Lost Boyz, Monie Love, Craig G, Rahzel, SuperNatural, Gorilla Nems and numerous other Hip-Hop acts.
“The Health & Hip-Hop Initiative goes beyond just music,” Legs said at the time. “It’s about addressing the needs of the community in Paterson. We’ll be providing essential resources like food, furniture, hygiene products, household supplies, and clothing while fostering a spirit of hope and togetherness.”
Here is a breakdown of PRS Fest. For more or to buy tickets, head here.
Hosted by:
D-Story (SHADE45)
World-renowned comedian Russell Peters
Hip Hop Pioneer MC Sha-Rock
Musical Performances by:
Method Man & Redman
Big Daddy Kane & The Cold Crush Brothers
Jungle Brothers
Furious 5
Lords Of The Underground
Mr. Cheeks of the Lost Boyz
Monie Love
Craig G
Rahzel
Supernatural
Gorilla Nems
Lil Dee
Greg Nice
Soul Sonic Force
Witness history as the National Hip Hop Museum inducts Redman, Method Man, Soul Sonic Force, The Sequence, and others.
VIP Experience: With a VIP ticket, you’ll be among the first to access and view DJ Kool Herc’s original equipment – the gear that started it all!
Guest DJs Spinning Live:
Breakbeat Lou
DJ Skribble
Ted Smooth
G-Bo The Pro
Skeme Richards
DJ Starting from Scratch
DJ Tahleim
The Awesome 2
Immersive Hip-Hop Experiences: Celebrate the four elements of Hip-Hop: MCs, DJ sets, breakdancing, and graffiti. Expect the unexpected with our curated immersive experiences!
Special Presentations:
A video presentation of the Global Hip Hop State of the Union Address by the legendary KRS-One.
Celebrations of the journeys of breakers from the Breaking competition of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Live graffiti performance and keynote with graffiti legend Mare139.
Stay tuned to AllHipHop.com for the latest updates on this and other exciting events!
French Montana cozied up with a member of Donald Trump’s family ahead of the 2024 presidential election. The Coke Boys rapper connected with the former president’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump at a studio session.
“Two pictures liberal media does not want to see right now: @LaraLeaTrump @FrencHMonTanA,” First Class Label Group’s LJ Fino wrote alongside photos of French posing with Lara.
French Montana recently crossed paths with Lara in a Twitter (X) Spaces discussion about music and politics. The chat opened the door for a collaboration between the two.
“Nothing would be cooler to me than to collaborate with French Montana,” Lara Trump said on Spaces. “Are you kidding? That would be epic. So, I’m available. I’m just throwing it out.”
The diamond-selling artist hasn’t endorsed Trump’s father-in-law for president, but many other rappers have. Kodak Black, Sada Baby, Benny The Butcher, Lil Pump, Azealia Banks, Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow were just a few of the rap artists who jumped on the Trump bandwagon.
French Montana landed in the Trump family’s orbit less than two weeks after aligning with controversial influencer Andrew Tate. French Montana faced backlash for bringing Tate on stage during a festival gig in Romania.
“Make some f###### noise for my brother Andrew Tate,” French told the crowd. “We did a podcast. I’m the first rapper to do a podcast with my brother, one time. But Romania loves you, my brother!”
Tate, who developed an online following for his misogynistic views, was arrested for human trafficking and rape in 2022. Romanian authorities accused Tate and his brother of forcing seven victims into pornography, among other crimes.
The internet personality denied any wrongdoing and sued his accusers for defamation. Tate awaits trial after losing an appeal to lift restrictions on him traveling outside the eastern European country.
Eminem will battle himself in a digital short due out July 29. A teaser for “Slim Shady vs. Marshall Mathers: The Face-Off” dropped on Thursday (July 25).
“The Face-Off” is an 11-minute roast battle between Slim Shady and Mathers. The teaser gave fans a preview of what to expect, showing the 2024 Eminem arguing with an AI-rendered version of Slim Shady circa 2002.
“I’m back because you got your nuts tucked so tightly between your legs, Caitlyn Jenner would be jealous,” Slim Shady told Mathers.
Mathers responded, “Are you just allergic to not being an a######?”
Slim Shady maintained his carefree attitude while Mathers grappled with the reality of offending people over the years. Mathers blamed Slim Shady for Gen Z “canceling” Eminem.
“Say it with me now, Marshall: I just don’t give a f###,” Slim Shady declared.
Mathers fired back, “Of course, you don’t ‘cause you’re a f###### cartoon character. You’re like f###### Cartman, Family Guy. You can’t be canceled. Every other week on TikTok, Gen Z discovers you on Monday and cancels me on Tuesday.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCOjpWuGnOM
“The Face-Off” arrives a little over two weeks after the release of Eminem’s latest album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce). The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, dethroning Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department after 12 weeks at the top of the chart.
Eminem’s The Death of Slim Shady was his eleventh No. 1 album. He tied Kanye West, Bruce Springsteen and Barbra Streisand for the fifth most No. 1 albums in Billboard chart history.
The Death of Slim Shady sold more than 281,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week, the largest sales week for any Hip-Hop album in 2024.
Stream Eminem’s new album featuring J.I.D, Big Sean, Babytron, Jelly Roll and more below.
A documentary called The Disturbing Death of JAY-Z’s Mistress by Trap Lore Ross was released on YouTube roughly two weeks ago.
The 49-minute film centers around the mysterious death of 28-year-old model Cathy “Kori” White, who died in 2011 after suffering a reported brain aneurysm. It also ties Diddy’s mounting legal woes and JAY-Z’s possible connection to White together. White had allegedly just told JAY-Z that she was pregnant with his child. But JAY-Z was married to Beyoncé at the time and they were expecting their first child, Blue Ivy. Rumors ran rampant and many concluded White’s death was much more nefarious.
Jonathan Hay, who was Rihanna’s publicist at the onset of her career, is mentioned in the doc. He previously admitted to fabricating a story about Rihanna and JAY-Z having an affair in an attempt to drum up more media coverage for his client. He posted about the doc on Instagram, explaining, “I was mentioned in this explosive and viral documentary by Trap Lore Ross that was featured on @akademiks that’s made my phone blow up for the past week. Recently @jaguarwright has talked about this controversial situation as well, as I was the publicist for ‘Pon de Replay,’ the debut single by Rihanna.”
Hay also vowed to tell his side of the story with, “It’s time for me to finally set the record straight once-and-for all as it’s way beyond shocking, messy – and just flat out CRAZY AF!!!!! Prepare to be blown away as what @iamcaptainchronic and I have been through over the years involving this historical scandal that needs to be put to bed for good. Yes, heads are going to roll, and people will be floored but the truth needs to be revealed!!!!!”
Speaking to AllHipHop, Hay explained what was going through his head when he decided to drum up the rumor about Rihanna and JAY-Z’s affair. As he puts it, he was angry with JAY-Z at the time and in no way, shape or form was concerned with the repercussions.
“When I executed this controversial publicity and marketing campaign for Rihanna’s debut single, she was an unknown artist and I was hungry for a hit, and I knew that ‘Pon de Replay’ was a special song,” he tells us. “I had direct access to JAY-Z back then from working with Amil, the female rap artist on a couple of JAY-Z’s biggest hit records at the time.
“Industry executive Kevin Skinner, who was in a high-profile legal battle with Whitney Houston, was the person who introduced me to the debut Rihanna project and to one of the ‘Pon de Replay’ producers. I was hired to promote ‘Pon de Replay’ and I wrote Rihanna’s first press release. I devised a plan to pitch Rihanna as JAY-Z’s latest protégé on Def Jam to MTV News. I reached out to my contact at MTV and she published a small news item on Rihanna on March 17, 2005, which was RiRi’s first big press.”
But Hay was baffled by the lack of response. MTV, which was hugely influential back then, failed to spark any more press.
“This initial trigger set everything in motion, and I tried to utilize the MTV press link to promote ‘Pon de Replay’ to other media sources,” he continues. “There was nobody bigger than MTV at that time, but even still, no other press was picking up the ‘Pon de Replay’ story and I was striking out left and right.
“I started to get desperate and I was so angry at JAY-Z as he was more focused on Teairra Marí and there was all this talk that he was pursuing a rapper named Lady Sovereign, who he ended up signing months later. Not to mention, JAY-Z was constantly dissing Amil, who had quit the music industry and was living in North Carolina at the time raising her children.
“So I was like f### JAY-Z, since he won’t give us any attention and he’s being disrespectful to Amil, who was a single mother. I’m going to get his attention and be disrespectful back to JAY-Z, as Rihanna was the best thing on Def Jam by far. I thought JAY-Z was a dirtbag, so I put out the story that JAY-Z was in a love triangle with Rihanna and Beyoncé—and that caught fire, sparked conversation, increased radio airplay, press coverage and other forms of attention. I was in an unapologetic ‘by any means necessary’ state of mind.”
As Hay would soon find out, someone was paying attention—the feds. He went on, “One day, unmarked law enforcement cars stopped me. These intimidating individuals introduced themselves as a federal task force and they requested to speak with me, so I followed them to talk and I was in a complete state of panic. As I sat in the desolate/makeshift interrogation room, the gravity of the situation became clear to me.
“They mentioned that they had been keeping a close watch on JAY-Z since he stabbed Lance ‘Un’ Rivera and he was also being implicated in a violent incident with R. Kelly during their joint tour, promoting JAY-Z and R. Kelly’s joint album. The officers clarified that they were investigating JAY-Z for allegedly engaging in sexual activity with underage Rihanna and transporting her across international borders. They said she wasn’t the only one and there were many others.”
Note the date.👇🏻
Hey Jay Z — I was the reporter who talked to your alleged mistress right before she died/was murdered.
I know everything.
I know what you did.
Go f### yourself!
Your time is coming.
Maybe you & Diddy can share a prison cell together.
Hay said he felt the blood drain from his face as he realized they wanted to charge JAY-Z with some serious crimes. Although he attempted to explain the Rihanna rumor was completely untrue, they believed otherwise.
“No one benefits from reckless ambition,” he says. “The interrogation was a brutal reality check. However, looking back now, there are some serious red flags, as JAY-Z was once very close to R. Kelly and they have two collaborative albums. They have like 30 songs together, and they have toured together. As we all know, JAY-Z has also been extremely close to Diddy for several decades, so it’s not very hard to come to some of the conclusions that Trap Lore Ross and Jaguar Wright have come to with JAY-Z.”
Hay was asked to publicly apologize to Beyoncé on national television and basically, as he puts it, “fall on the sword.” He adds, “I was told to issue statements about Rihanna and JAY-Z and I was to take full blame, again, also falling on the sword.
“JAY-Z’s team was supposed to return the favor and help me with some serious TIDAL promotions, but he never did. There were so many CEO changes at the time at TIDAL it was hard to keep up. I was shocked that JAY-Z nor his team followed through with the agreement. Also, let’s be real, the Rihanna publicity stunt did not cause problems for JAY-Z and Beyoncé’s relationship, and I’m tired of hearing that nonsense. JAY-Z caused problems in his relationship.”
While several of White’s close friends would go on to confirm her relationship with the Roc Nation mogul, Claudia Jordan denied he was ever intimately involved with White. Even so, conspiracy theories and salacious rumors surrounding White’s death and JAY-Z’s involvement remain. However, no concrete evidence has ever been presented to suggest White was murdered or that JAY-Z, or Beyoncé for that matter, had anything to do with her passing. As stated in the doc, White’s death was likely nothing more than a freak health incident.
Keke Palmer is going to bat for Tyler Perry after the billionaire movie mogul faced backlash over his reaction to critiques of his latest film Divorce in The Black.
Earlier this week, Tyler Perry went viral following his appearance on the “Baby, This Is Keke Palmer” podcast.
“A large portion of my fans are disenfranchised, who cannot get in the Volvo and go to therapy on the weekend,” Perry said on the podcast. “You’ve got this highbrow negro who is all up in the air with his nose up looking at everything.”
Perry urged, “Don’t discount these people and say their stories don’t matter. Who are you to be able to say which Black story is important, or should be told? Get out of here with that b#######.”
Tyler Perry responds to critics saying his movies have the same “black woman in distress” storyline, in a recent interview with Keke Palmer. pic.twitter.com/YvhHoTRVXk
However, after Perry faced backlash over his remarks, Keke Palmer took to X (Twitter) to defend him.
“The enemy isn’t Tyler it’s the system that makes it hard for multiple black artist to shine at one time,” Palmer responded to one critic. “Tyler is not the gatekeeper of all black stories he’s just one creative who broke through the system. Advocating for others to do the same is the fight, not hating Tyler for his work that many do love.”
The enemy isn’t Tyler it’s the system that makes it hard for multiple black artist to shine at one time. Oppression turns you against the person that gets the shine opposed to questioning why there can only be so few at a time.
Another user said that Perry refuses to hire writers and releases “the same misogynoiristic b####### movies,” which makes him part of the system.
Palmer pushed back, claiming that Perry “found a way to work in the system.” She also noted the filmmaker “employed a lot of black people, including writers.”
She added, “Not just in front of the camera but behind. His set was the first set I ever saw a black crew, so that gets my respect. You don’t have to love his movies though, I just don’t blame his movies for oppression.”
I believe he’s definitely found a way to work in the system and he’s employed a lot of black people, including writers which we speak about in the interview. So, not just in front of the camera but behind. His set was the first set I ever saw a black crew, so that gets my… https://t.co/6V3HeY2J3z
When her interlocutor claimed Perry has an “audience that’ll always watch, regardless of quality,” Palmer continued her defense. She insisted the prolific creator has switched things up. Check out her posts below.
I think he was trying to build an infrastructure and thought doing it all at first was the easiest way especially because he likes paying people what they deserve. Now he has hired a lot of writers and is solely paying and distributing a lot of other writers and directors works.… https://t.co/GgCf5pAxS1
I think it’s less about changing Tyler and more about uplifting and popularizing other work that we love. There is Issa Rae, Tracy Oliver, Justin Simien, Jordan Peele, Jeremy O’Harris, Janicza Bravo, Nia DaCosta etc. He’s not the only black creator creating and they all deserve… https://t.co/9ggfRXGHVP
And honestly it’s up to us to show up in the theaters and show out. We can’t be mad when the projects we don’t prefer become a hit if we do not show up and show out for our faves ya know. https://t.co/JBizCgqc2v
Atlanta rap pack P$C is back with a new one, “RICO,” illustrating why P$C is becoming a household name in the Trap Music community. T.I., Young Dro, Big Kuntry King and Macboney are all in rare form on the track, with Tip even commenting on the unfounded allegations of sexual assault in his verse.
P$C continues to push the boundaries of Southern rap, well after the debut album 25 to Life in 2005. Check it out below.
Cardi B has called out Candace Owens over her “disturbing” take on the police killing of Sonya Massey, rejecting her claims that the shooting was not racially motivated and insisting that America needs to “wake up” to the reality that the killing of Black citizens at the hands of the police often goes unpunished.
She aired her thoughts on the controversial conservative commentator in an X (Twitter) Spaces chat on Wednesday night (July 24).
“Today she said something so disturbing about the Sonya Massey case,” Cardi B said of Candace Owens. “For you to sit here and say that ‘Oh not everything is racial. I know that this is sad, but this is not something racial. There’s more white people that get killed by the cops.’”
Cardi B was responding to Candace Owens reacting to the shooting on a recent episode of her YouTube show.
“Police officers are human beings, there are mistakes that happen,” she stated. “The idea that now you’re going to use this situation … to then try to make Black Americans believe that this happened simply because she was Black, is pointedly ridiculous.”
Owens went on to urge Black Americans “do not take this bait,” before later claiming “(Unarmed) white Americans are more likely to be shot and killed by police officers … than Black Americans.”
I have never heard Candace Owens recognize Black people as human being when they make mistakes and police end up killing them. But when police kill Black people, they are human being and they make mistake. She’s a degenerate. Sonya Massey .pic.twitter.com/RKnvTQpsHZ
Cardi B Challenges Candace Owen’s Claims That The Shooting Was Not Racially Motivated
However, Cardi B thoroughly rejected Candace Owens’ claims.
“Girl shut up,” she continued. “You don’t feel one little bit of empathy, a little bit of sympathy of how this woman died? There was no argument, there was no conflict, there was no raised voice, and she got shot.”
The “Wanna Be” hitmaker said that the killing could be racially motivated even though Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Graysons never used a racial slur.
“He knew in the back of his head because she was a Black woman that he was going to get away with it. Not only did he think that, but the department thought that because they didn’t tell her son or her father that a cop shot her,” she added.
“It had everything to do with the fact it was because she was Black,” Cardi asserted. “So nobody has to say a racial slur for you to know that it was racially motivated.”
Cardi B then addressed Candace Owens directly, stating, “This could be you one day. And it could be actually worse because you the type of person that if a cop stop you, you would get sassy at the mouth. As soon as you get sassy at the mouth, the muthafucka would shoot your ass.”
Cardi B also dismissed Owen’s claims that President Biden’s decision to issue a statement on the killing was politically motivated.
“What happened to her has nothing to do with this f###### election. It has everything to do with the s### that’s been happening for years in this country,” Cardi said. “There is no justification,” she added. “It was just straight kill. And America has to see that so people can understand why [there is] outrage with cops.”
“Luckily this guy didn’t get away with it but he could have very easily if there wasn’t no bodycam. That’s why America has to see it.”
Earlier in her Spaces chat, Cardi B called out the disrespect and misogyny towards Vice President Kamala Harris.
Cardi B’s response to Candace Owens begins around the 13:00 minute mark in the video below.
Hailing from Philadelphia, emerging recording artist Trizzy215 formally introduces himself to a mass audience with the flashy new track “Nevermind.”
Written and produced by Trizzy, his record describes how his hard work and dedication allowed him to live a lavish lifestyle. In the song, he explains that his confidence was his only weapon to overcome adversity since he had no one to turn to.
Being an eligible bachelor, he relishes having beautiful women at his beckoning call, rapping, “You think you’re a bad b*tch / Girl, your type ain’t that hard to find / Curry with the 30, shoot my shot and then a dime/ You be in the DM, playing games and wasting time / I be in the stu, I got per diem on my mind.”
The emerging artist exhibits a nonchalant attitude blended with playboy rhymes that are heavily trendy in today’s hip-hop. A casanova, Trizzy concludes the track with carefree bars about his plethora of women, perfect for the summertime fling.
He raps: “I’m feeling her energy / I think she feeling mine / She said: ‘She not new to this, she do this all the time’ / And she only wants one night, I think this girl is my type / I’m hit little shorty then rewind / Reminsciening about little shorty I hit last night / I call her up / ‘Girl I got that pu**y on my mind / And she, ‘Trizzy, I love you’ / So I told her, nevermind.”
As a musician, Trizzy215 has faced many challenges along the way. The hardest lesson he’s learned is patience—understanding that not every song will be a hit and that creative ideas don’t always come easily. He has never wavered in his dedication to his craft.
Live performances in front of an audience are among his most impressive achievements. Knowing that strangers appreciate his work fuels his drive to keep performing and reaching new heights in his career.
“Nevermind” is a great starting point for new fans of the Philly artist as he gears up a forthcoming album in early 2025. More fresh music is expected in 2024.
“Nevermind,” available everywhere, is released on an independent imprint.
Feel free to stream the latest track below and follow the recording artist on social media afterward.
NLE Choppa has re-risen.He’s morphed from a gun-toting trapper to a spiritual woke, s###-loving savant. AllHipHop first interviewed the Memphis, Tennessee rapper as a teenager shortly after releasing “Shotta Flow.” But now, much has changed. He’s a father and almost 22 years old.
AllHipHop‘s Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur recently caught up with NLE Choppa, who talked about his burning desire to delve into acting and fashion. He also expresses gratitude for his success and credits his faith in God for his achievements. With much in the tank, he and his team are pushing it to the limit.
AllHipHop: Yo man, I just want to congratulate you on all your success. We were with you very early in your career.
NLE Choppa: Caught me at 16, 17.
AllHipHop: Crazy. That was a fun ride though. So I wanted to ask you, how is it being now a superstar coming from then? How do you feel about that? Because it was a vision at one point and now it’s manifested.
NLE Choppa: It is going crazy right now. I think controversy always seals, but the most important thing that I kept in the back of my mind, in front of my mind, middle of my mind was God is always willing, put all my trust in my faith within him. And we made it happen.
AllHipHop: Now you did an interview with us with your mom a couple years ago and it gave us our biggest numbers ever. And everybody loves it even to this day, but it’s really dope seeing you with your parents on stage, active and that’s something that everyone is seeing. How does that work for you and what made y’all make that so important?
NLE Choppa: It was nothing but just doing what we always did. Just always staying family oriented and just keeping it and holding it and valuing it in today’s life with what we got going today.
AllHipHop: And your father is up there dancing with you.How is it breaking into these new things that you’re into? You’re acting now, you have some films in the works. Can you talk about that?
NLE Choppa: Man, that s### feel good by the time they let a real n#### on that camera. You feel me?
AllHipHop: What’s your ideal role?
NLE Choppa: I want to do anautobiography. I want to play somebody. I want to be able to have that person look at something and feel really honored with my work. For real.
AllHipHop: Do you have someone in mind?
NLE Choppa: Nah.
AllHipHop: Let me think about that. What about Will Smith maybe?
NLE Choppa: That’d be hard. That’d be hard (great). I’d have to tuck these tattoos. That’d be hard.
AllHipHop: Yeah, they could airbrush that out.Easywork. What about your shoe line? You have a line of shoes.
NLE Choppa: Duck boot on. Duck boot out, sold out all that. I’m ust trying to be a big stepper in the fashion world. Just trying to show that off. Yeah, man. Just trying to show my my range, show my versatility. You feel me?
AllHipHop: So “S### Me Out” is out now. The thing is, I appreciate that you didn’t reject the LGBTQ+ community.
NLE Choppa: I love them. They show me love. I’m going to show love back.
AllHipHop: Well, now what makes you do that? When oftentimes in rap, especially, that can be rejected. You know what I mean?
NLE Choppa: I don’t give a f#ck who give a f#ck. You know what I’m saying? Just because they walk a different light, walk a different life, don’t mean that I am supposed to hate it. Let them do what they do, bro. Shout out to (LGBTQ+), you feel me?
AllHipHop: Tell us about what you’re going to bring to the stage.
NLE Choppa: Hey man, I’m going to bring a whole lot of energy, a whole lot of sexy s###. Whole lot of s####. The b######, they popping out. We having fun and we going to do it like that and yeah, that what we doing. I’m bringing a whole different type of energy to the stage. I’m going to grasp it. I’m going to kill it. And when you see it, it’s going to be something magnificent.
AllHipHop: What advice would you give somebody else who’s struggling to get through to that level of consciousness that you have?
NLE Choppa: Pray for him. Pray prayer. Stay deeply rooted in prayer. Just move how God would you think? You think God will just be on earth, “I don’t like gay people” Yeah. What? God is love.
AllHipHop: Alright man. Well, I want to ask you one more question about your evolution. When I first interviewed you, you had guns in the camera. Can you talk about that evolution and not getting stuck in that style of rap?
NLE Choppa: I don’t know. I’m always ready for room for growth just to have growth. You feel me? That’s about it.
Chris Brown and Yella Beezy are reportedly facing a second lawsuit relating to an alleged altercation backstage at a Fort Worth concert after a security guard sued for $15 million over injuries he claims to have sustained while stopping the brawl.
Rolling Stone reports legal documents reveal that 58-year-old security guard Frederick R. Overpeck was working at the Dickies Arena in Ft. Worth on July 20. He was tasked with providing security for the backstage meet-and-greet, the scene of the alleged fight, which Overpeck described as a “prison yard beat down.”
According to court documents, Chris Brown ordered Yella Beezy and other members of his crew to attack the four men suing the pair, leading the attack by throwing the first punch. The suit alleges Overpeck tried intervening, but he was thrown to the side.
Overpeck’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, also represents the plaintiffs in the original complaint.
Lawsuit States Chris Brown & Others Continued Attack After Security Guard Intervened
“This was an unprovoked attack and Chris Brown not only directed it, he threw the first punch,” Buzbee told the publication. “We will use the full force and weight of the court system to obtain justice here.”
In his lawsuit, Overpeck recalled one of the plaintiffs, Larry Parker, tried to escape but was blocked by a locked door.
“Plaintiff, attempting to do all he could to prevent the violence, got himself in between the victim Parker and most of the attackers,” the suit reads.
However, the alleged attackers, including Brown, did not stop the beating. The suit states the group continued to kick and stomp Parker, severely injuring Overpeck in the process before he was able to help Parker escape.
According to the complaint, Overpeck sustained multiple injuries and was signed off work for “a severely injured hip, but also a diagnosed cracked vertebrae in his neck.”
The new lawsuit names Brown, Yella Beezy and other members of his entourage alongside Live Nation as defendants. Overpeck reportedly seeks $15 million in damages, citing assault and battery, negligence/gross negligence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Overpeck’s complaint follows the original $50 million suit, filed by Parker and three other plaintiffs.
Tory Lanez may be behind bars serving his sentence for shooting Megan the Stallion, but it hasn’t stopped him from feeding his fans with music, and now he plans to deliver new music via a playlist from prison.
Throughout July, Lanez has been dropping previously unreleased music recorded in the years before he went to prison.
However, on Wednesday (July 24), Tory Lanez announced he’s figured out how to make recording studio-quality music from behind bars. His Instagram account posted a jail call from Lanez detailing the plan.
“After about 20-something to 30-something f###-ups and mistakes, me and my engineer have finally figure out how to record music over the jail phone and still keep the quality as professional as I had it on the street,” he explained. “It’s over. I done cracked the f###### code, man. This means that not even these prison walls can stop me from dropping new music. It’s crazy!”
The Ontario, Canada native continued, revealing a new “Free Tory” playlist. According to Tory Lanez, the playlist will be updated weekly “with new music that I’m recording from prison in real time.”
He added, “This is the first of its kind and although God has already shown me that this moment is only temporary , it speaks testimony to the fact that no matter where they put me they can’t lock down my spirit, my ambition, my soul my passion nor my destiny!”
