Cissy Houston, a Grammy Award-winning artist and the mother of Whitney Houston, passed away in New Jersey on Monday (October 7). Cissy’s daughter-in-law Pat Houston announced the singer died while in hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease.
“Our hearts are filled with pain and sadness,” Pat said on behalf of the family. “We lost the matriarch of our family. Mother Cissy has been a strong and towering figure in our lives. A woman of deep faith and conviction, who cared greatly about family, ministry, and community. Her more than seven-decade career in music and entertainment will remain at the forefront of our hearts. Her contributions to popular music and culture are unparalleled.”
She added, “We are blessed and grateful that God allowed her to spend so many years with us and we are thankful for all the many valuable life lessons that she taught us. May she rest in peace, alongside her daughter Whitney and granddaughter Bobbi Kristina and other cherished family members.”
Cissy suffered two tragic losses over the past 15 years. Her daughter Whitney passed away in 2012. Cissy’s granddaughter Bobby Kristina, Whitney’s only child, died in 2015.
The two-time Grammy winner sang backup for multiple music legends during her storied career. She worked with her niece Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Chaka Khan, Diana Ross, Elvis Presley, Dusty Springfield and David Bowie, among others.
Cissy won her first Grammy in 1997 and her second in 1999. Both awards were in the Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album category.
Dame Dash has revealed the reason his relationship JAY-Z crumbed was due to HOV’s connection to R. Kelly.
During an interview with America Nu, Dash opened up about how the collaborative album The Best of Both Worlds was the real reason behind the end of his working relationship with JAY-Z. According to Dash, it was JAY-Z’s decision to collaborate with R. Kelly on their joint album that severed their ties, as the project was morally unacceptable due to Kelly’s past with Dash’s former girlfriend, Aaliyah.
Dash dropped the bombshell while speaking on his belief that Jaguar Wright was correct when she said the link between JAY-Z, Beyoncé and Diddy was R. Kelly during her recent interview with Piers Morgan.
“There was a conversation had about the moralness, like it’s morally wrong to do a project with someone that we know raped my girl or raped anybody for that matter,” Dash revealed. “So I do know that conversation was had, and I was really surprised that he moved forward with that relationship.”
Dash was romantically involved with Aaliyah in the early 2000s until her tragic death in 2001 at the age of 22. Though Dash would’ve been around 30 years old around the time of his relationship with Aaliyah, his remark about her and R. Kelly as a clear reference to the widely speculated and inappropriate relationship they shared. Kelly and Aaliyah, who were illegally married in 1994 when she was just 15 years old and Kelly was 27.
Dash emphasized that his decision to distance himself from both the project and his former friend was rooted in principles.
“When that project did come out, I didn’t want any part of that project,” he said. “I didn’t want any of the money to go to Roc-A-Fella or me.”
Released in 2002, The Best of Both Worlds was a highly anticipated collaboration between JAY-Z and R. Kelly, combining the former’s rap prowess with the latter’s R&B dominance. Despite the controversy surrounding Kelly at the time, the album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling more than 223,000 copies in its first week.
However, it was far from a success in the long term, as tensions between the two artists led to a fallout during their subsequent tour. The two attempted to rekindle their collaboration with 2004’s Unfinished Business, but both the album and their relationship withered due to legal troubles, infighting and public criticism of Kelly.
Dash added that all of this occurred around the same time JAY-Z was also trying to pull away from Roc-A-Fella Records, seemingly inferring the collaborative album saga exacerbated their rift.
“When it came to Roc-A-Fella, it was around the time that Jay was trying to kind of separate himself from us, and he was saying that he didn’t want to be a part anymore,” he said. “The way we resolved it was, Yo, you keep all the money from that project. I don’t want no parts of it’.”
While Dash didn’t explicitly accuse JAY-Z of condoning R. Kelly’s actions, his statements suggest a deep moral divide between the two former business partners. JAY-Z has remained largely silent about his work with Kelly in light of the singer’s criminal trials and convictions. Folllowing R. Kelly’s convictions on multiple charges of sexual abuse and racketeering, the collaboration remains a controversial and uncomfortable chapter in JAY-Z’s career. For Dame Dash, it appears to have been the final straw in his partnership with the man once considered his closest ally.
“Homie has to answer some questions right now,” Dash concluded, suggesting that the moral lines blurred in the name of business might still haunt JAY-Z.
GloRilla unveiled the tracklist for her debut album Glorious on Monday (October 7). The upcoming project features a unique mix of guests ranging from rappers known for sexually provocative lyrics to gospel artists.
Guests include Megan Thee Stallion, Latto, Sexyy Red, T-Pain, Bossman Dlow and Fridayy. GloRilla, who was a choir girl, also returned to her roots by recruiting Kirk Franklin and other gospel musicians.
“I have a fun, turnt side, but I always go back,” she told the New York Times. “I always have to remember my roots — I try to keep a lot of memories. I try to stay relatable to the people that’s where I came from.”
GloRilla hoped to show off her softer side with her gospel collaboration “Rain Down on Me.” Franklin explained why he was happy to contribute to the song.
“I fell in love with her personality — she’s just a charismatic little girl looking like her first time in Disney World,” he told the New York Times. “I was attracted to the purity, the spirit, of her desire to work with me.”
GloRilla’s debut album is scheduled to drop on Friday (October 11). The 15-track project is the follow-up to her April release Ehhthang Ehhthang, which was billed as a mixtape.
Check out the tracklist for Glorious below.
Intro
Hollon
Procedure ft. Latto
TGIF
Whatchu Know About Me ft. Sexyy Red
Stop Playing
Don’t Deserve
Rain Down on Me ft. Kirk Franklin, Chandler Moore, Kierra Sheard & Maverick City Music
Chrisean Rock contested assault and battery allegations in a lawsuit filed against her by Tamar Braxton’s friend James Wright. According to court documents obtained by In Touch Weekly, Chrisean Rock disputed causing “numerous physical injuries” during a backstage altercation at a November 2023 concert.
The controversial rapper/reality TV star doubted Wright “suffered extreme mental anguish and severe emotional distress, as well physical pain and suffering.” Chrisean Rock also claimed Wright’s “conduct and actions” barred him from receiving any damages from her.
Wright sued Chrisean Rock for assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress in February. Chrisean Rock allegedly attacked Wright after she was not allowed to perform at Braxton’s show.
“Defendant was crying and visibly upset because she stated everyone was lying about her not being where she was supposed to be for her part of the performance,” Wright’s lawsuit noted. “Plaintiff believes … and alleges that defendant was misinformed about her role that evening as she was only supposed to participate in the ending of the concert performance … Plaintiff tried to console defendant and confirmed to defendant that she was not in the designated area as everyone else said because he would have seen her.”
Braxton said Wright “got hit in the face for being nice to a guest.” Wright accused Chrisean Rock of using a homophobic slur after assaulting him.
“Defendant became upset with plaintiff and stated that if he again said she was not where she was supposed to be she was going to hit him,” the lawsuit explained. “Plaintiff politely told defendant, ‘I promise you, you were not on the side of the stage.’ Defendant immediately, using the hand she was wearing large, champion-style rings, struck plaintiff several times in the face. Following the assault, defendant was being removed from the dressing room and continued to shout foul, obscene and insulting language toward plaintiff such as, ‘F#####-ass n####’ and ‘I’ll hit that m########### again.’ A number of other people were in the dressing room who witnessed the assault against plaintiff.”
Chrisean Rock has been involved in multiple violent incidents since she rose to fame. She was released from an Oklahoma jail after spending a few months before bars on drug charges in September.
Nelly performed with the St. Lunatics at the American Music Awards 50th Anniversary special on Sunday (October 6). The performance occurred just a few weeks after the group sued Nelly for copyright infringement and unjust enrichment.
St. Lunatics member Ali, rumored to be the driving force behind the lawsuit, was notably absent. Lingering legal issues did not stop Ali from promoting the group’s AMAs appearance.
“Tune in, it’s going to be epic,” he wrote on Instagram before the show.
Chingy and J-Kwon also participated in Nelly’s AMAs set, which aired on CBS. Nelly joked about the lawsuit a day before the event.
“STL INVADES @amas …!!!” he wrote. “An[d] anyone who has a problem with that “Sue” me…!!!”
The St. Lunatics lawsuit alleged they never received proper compensation for their work on Nelly’s diamond-selling album Country Grammar, which dropped in 2000. The group didn’t seek legal action for two decades because they believed “their friend and former band member would never steal credit.”
Nelly, whose real name is Cornell Haynes, was accused of fraudulently claiming to be the sole author of multiple tracks created with the St. Lunatics. The lawsuit said Nelly lied to his friends, preventing them from “receiving the financial success they were entitled to as writers.”
“Despite repeated assurances by defendant Haynes that plaintiffs would receive their writing credit and .publishing income for creating the Original Compositions, plaintiffs, sometime in 2020, eventually discovered that defendant Haynes had been lying to them the entire time,” the lawsuit contended. “Plaintiffs eventually discovered that not only did they not receive any credit as authors and/or creators of the Original Compositions, but that defendant Haynes, and others, took full credit for creating the Original Compositions contained in the Infringing Album.”
The St. Lunatics asked for at least $50 million in damages.
Grafh has finally hit his stride. The Queens, New York representative has faced immense challenges throughout his career, from the streets to the music industry. Like many artists, he’s had to navigate the complexities of the rap game, where the path to success is rarely straightforward. And, of course, there are the streets. But Grafh has proven to be unshakably resilient, driven by an unwavering determination.
Early on, Grafh found himself entangled in a situation with 50 Cent that was not his doing and then caught in the middle of Dame Dash and Jay-Z’s untimely break-up. This insane period threatened to permanently derail his burgeoning career. While he’s drawn inspiration Jay’s blueprint, he owns his fouls when he first interacted with the mogul. Grafh studied the mogul’s journey, internalizing the need for adaptability, business savvy, and vision. So, rather than be consumed by industry drama, he’s used it all as fuel.
With God’s Time, Grafh has remained steadfast, refusing to be deterred by the challenges that have come his way. His story is one of transformation, of rising above the obstacles and forging a path forward through sheer force of will.
Now, as he stands at a pivotal moment in his career, Grafh is poised to cement his place among the greats, driven by an unwavering commitment to his craft and a deep-rooted connection to the culture that has shaped him. He talks to DJ Thoro and Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur about everything – the weird energy with JAY-Z, overcoming being blackballed, and finding his tribe with 38 Spesh, Joyner Lucas and others.
Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur: Respect. Tell us about your new project.
Grafh:God’s Timing. God’s Timing. God’s Timing. Fully produced. By my brother 38 Spesh. Shout out to my boy. This album means so much to me, man. I feel like I’m just walking in my purpose and God is just like bestowing his blessings a little extra on your boy. So yeah man, that’s what it’s all about. That’s why even on the cover you see the gun and the cross and the duality between good and evil. It’s like I’ve been doing things the wrong way, I guess. And now I felt like I’m doing things the more right way. I’m walking into my purpose and it feels good. So it’s up! My time for real.
Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur: I want to start at the end of the album. You have a song called “Give Praise.” Talk about that a little bit in the grand scheme of things.
Grafh: I think if you want more, you got to be grateful. The record is still kind of gangster, but the general theme and feel is gratitude. If you want more, you want to level up, you got to be thankful for where you at. Appreciate that and enjoy the blessings in the moment and then you can go to the next level.
DJ Thoro: Yeah. Speaking of the album, one thing about you I’ve always noticed is people like you, Red Cafe, even Uncle Murder. You guys have done songs with damn near anybody in any and everybody in the industry, right?Do you feel that you’ve been blackballed or put there’s a ceiling man put on you?
Grafh: A Well there was a blackball / blacklisted situation for a minute, but I don’t feel it’s there anymore. I feel like the game is wide open in terms of if you work hard, you put out good content, the world is yours at this point. It’s still an expensive game to play. But in general, yeah, there was all kind of people blocking my progress, but it wasn’t stopping me. I go too hard to ever be stopped. Only God could stop me or the Feds.
Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur: Do you feel like the Black Hand situation was part of that?
Grafh: A part of it? Only because of the 50 Cent / Chaz thing before I even came about. And what people don’t understand is whatever, 50 and Chaz had had nothing to do with me. I just got affected by, and I had to deal with the aftermath and what people felt about it. It wasn’t even about what them two individuals went through. It was about what people felt about it. And then they just was forced to choose sides between 50 and us and it was a wack thing. It made me work harder. I got here because of my work ethic.
DJ Thoro: Now, in my opinion, there’s no such thing as blackballing because of the internet. Can you actually get blackballed now?
Grafh: You can get blackballed digitally. At one point it was limited in all kind ways. I couldn’t even understand. I remember when I dropped the last album, the record with me and Dave East every day. I couldn’t even find it online on iTunes. I was like, what is going on? How do I be coming up with this? It’d be new innovative ways to block you. Hell yeah, you can be blocking somebody digitally. It might be worse if you get suppressed digitally.
Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur: Well saying it’s definitely real. We definitely talk about it here at WonWorld. I wanted to ask you, what did touring with Joyner Lucas do for you? He has that balance too, that lyricism, but also he goes viral.
DJ Thoro: Did you have any trouble getting any of the features that you desired for this album?
Grafh: No. I mean those are all people that we mutually respect each other and that’s one of the greatest accomplishments that I have in my career: I could call somebody like Method Man and get a verse.
DJ Thoro: Yeah, Mef don’t just jump on anybody’s stuff.
Grafh: I appreciate it so much. You know what I’m saying? When somebody like Mef’s like, “I’ll do something with you,” tt’s like “The hard work, the talent, the skillset, it matters in a real way.” Thank you, Mef. Thank you to all the greats that tapped in with me.
Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur: But isn’t it true that people who appreciate lyricists are always watching and listening to other lyricists?
Grafh: That’s how you get better. That’s how you stay sharp. So if you’re not paying attention to the people who are really shaking and doing it for real, then you’re missing out. If somebody jacks something from me or copies, I’m like, “You smart.” If I wasn’t me, I would copy off for me too.
Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur: You don’t sound like anybody. I don’t have anybody to compare you to or say, “Yeah, I can see he used to idolize that person or that person.” You’re pretty original.
Grafh: That’s good. I love that. (Where does that come from?) A lot of it is just my own creation, but my influences are Nas, Jadakiss, Eminem, Royce Da 5′ 9″ and Prodigy. Put all of ’em in a pot and boom…
Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur: I want to get back to the Roc-A-Fella reunion song. I didn’t realize you were signed to Rockefeller. Talk about that a little bit. If I knew, I totally forgot.You said you joined right before Jay and Dame broke up.
Grafh: I got signed to the Rock right before Jay-Z and Dame Dash broke up. I mean, right before, if I was signed on a Monday, they broke up Tuesday. There was no time for me to get to exercise my rights over that. You know what I’m saying? But I did get to go to London with them boys. I went to Japan with Dame. So I had some really, really cool experiences. I first met all of them in London. I flew over there and I was like, oh s###, I’m with Bleek and Beans and Jay and all these people in London. I met Jay at Baseline Studios first.
Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur: Now, did you get any energy from Jay at that point?
Grafh: A little bit, I was too competitive and not embracing the moment enough with Jay. I probably rubbed Jay the wrong way in the beginning because my attitude was wrong, totally wrong. When I met Jay, I was like, I’m the guy and not realizing you’re in Baseline talking to Jay-Z. Why are you acting like this? Why did you have the attitude? I was so competitive, [I] was out of my mind, bro. I was just really competitive back then.
Instead of just embracing the moment you’re meeting Jay-Z at Baseline, I’m thinking all wrong. I walked to the bathroom, looked in the mirror and said, “What are you doing? Why are you acting like this? Jay-Z. You acting like you at Baseline with Jay-Z? You just met him. What the f##k?”
Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur: Is Gospel Rap in your future?
Grafh: I would do a Gospel Record in a heartbeat because I’m a man of God. I would do, I would do that. That’s me. I would do that in a heartbeat of gospel. Yes, I would. There’s a duality to [me], that’s why I always say, “It don’t got to be the gun or the Bible.” It could be both. Sometimes you need both.
DDG isn’t letting up on Joe Budden after the rapper-turned-podcaster commented on the news of his split from Halle Bailey.
The Pontiac, Michigan native blasted the outspoken cultural commentator after Budden weighed in on the breakup on the latest episode of his podcast. DDG hit back on the latest episode of his “No Ordinary Podcast,” clowning Budden’s recent “Pump It Up” gold plaque.
“They had that s### on the radio, but you know where they had it at the most? The trampoline parks,” DDG said of Budden’s song.
“It took you 20 years to go gold,” he added. “Mind you, just to put it in perspective, I got three gold records and one double platinum and this man is old enough to be my uncle, my pops. This is a old man.”
Last week, DDG the rapper and content creator announced he parted ways with the R&B singer. In a statement, DDG said he and Bailey are focused on co-parenting their son Halo, who turns one in December, and said they still consider each other as “best friends.”
Joe Budden Weighs In On DDG & Halle Bailey Break-Up
Budden addressed the news on his podcast, questioning, “Who the f### is DDG and why am I supposed to care about his thoughts on anything?”
He added, “I’m very happy that they have broken up so I don’t get to keep seeing this n#### name attached to this girl’s name when I don’t know him for nothing as a standalone. And for me, it’s important to know people based on their name, merit and what they have done.”
Meanwhile, DDG caught wind of Budden’s comments and fired back, mocking his age in a Twitter rant. “Pump it up went gold after 20 years u old b#### @JoeBudden i’m on u,” DDG tweeted.
“N#### got 30 years MAX of life left & speakin on a relationship of people the same age as yo son you’n take care of,” he added. “I hope u forget to take your magnesium pills today u old b#### @JoeBudden.”
DDG also hit back at critics calling him out for shading Joe Budden. Check out his tweets below.
Iman Shumpert is setting the record straight on rumors he’s dating Amber Rose following his divorce from Teyana Taylor.
The former NBA player and the controversial model set tongues wagging after they were spotted hanging out at the beach last month. The pair soaked up the sun while chatting with friends and reportedly left the beach together.
However, despite the talk of a budding romance, Shumpert insists he and Rose are just friends. TMZ caught up with Shumpert in New York, where he denied the rumors.
“We went to ‘College Hill together,” Shumpert said, shutting down talk of a romance. “We friends. Any other time, y’all would’ve just let us eat, but I get it.”
He doubled down, rejecting rumors of anything “romantic” between them, adding, “Nah, that’s my peoples.”
Shumpert and Taylor reportedly finalized their messy divorce in June after seven years of marriage and two children.
When the beach photos of Iman Shumpert and Amber Rose surfaced online, one of Taylor’s friends, Dasia Nicole, had something to say. She called them out on Instagram, airing her suspicions about a “sneaky” previous encounter.
“This is so funny to me because when we were on that boat on New Years Eve you & your friends villainized me for peeping the sneaky s### that was going on while Teyana & her kids was on that same boat… and I was right!” she wrote. “This proves my point, then you want to be crying a river on that girl phone the next day.”
Nicole then apologized to Taylor for speaking out before directing her attention to Rose.
“I wish you would deny it for these blogs because I recorded the whole conversation!” she added. “& y’all making excuses about him being single but he was good & married when this s### started. Corny asf!”
Diddy’s mother, Janice Combs, has broken her silence on her son’s arrest and mounting legal troubles.
In a substantial statement provided to Fort Lauderdale-based Attorney Natlie G. Figger on Sunday (October 6), Combs insisted people have been jumping to conclusions and not giving him the chance to defend himself. She also noted her son isn’t “perfect” and “made mistakes in his past.” Still, she doesn’t think he’s getting a fair shake.
“My son is not the monster they have painted him to be,” she said in part. “Watching the world make jokes and laugh at my son’s life crumbling before our eyes is something I can never forget. It is truly agonizing to watch the world turn against my son so quickly and easily over lies and misconceptions, without ever hearing his side or affording him the opportunity to present his side. These lies thrown at him are motivated by those seeking a financial gain, and not justice.”
Combs’ statement arrived days after a Houston-based attorney revealed he was representing 120 victims of Diddy’s alleged sexual misconduct and the claim a sex tape involving Diddy and a male A-list celebrity is being shopped around to various networks.
Attorney Ariel Mitchell-Kidd, who’s representing several of Diddy’s alleged sexual assault victims, told News Nation she thinks it’s getting very close to becoming public, unless the A-lister purchases it and pulls “a catch and kill.” She also addressed the New York Post article that claimed the celebrity in the video is “horrified” to learn it’s up for sale.
“From what I’m hearing, I think so,” she said when asked if it was close to being leaked. “I’m hearing whispers there is at least one major network, possibly two, in a bidding war for that purchase. Unless that person comes forward and purchases the video themselves, which is really the goal of the people who have the video, at this point, if that person doesn’t want to purchase it, it’s going to go on the open market.”
Diddy was arrested at Manhattan hotel on September 16. He pleaded not guilty to racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. He remains behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
For context, the Feds claimed they found over 1,000 bottles of baby oil used in “Freak Off” parties during the raids on Diddy’s homes. The Bad Boy Boss is currently behind bars at New York’s Metropolitan Detention Center following his arrest last month. He pleaded not guilty to three charges: racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. His legal team is attempting a third time at bail.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams revealed Diddy’s baby oil stash in a post-indictment press conference.
“[Federal agents] seized evidence of the ‘Freak Offs’ – electronic devices that contained images and videos of the ‘Freak Offs’ with multiple victims,” Williams said. “And they seized cases and cases of the kinds of personal lubricant and baby oil that Combs’ staff allegedly used to stock hotel rooms for the ‘Freak Offs.’ More than 1,000 bottles altogether.”
However, Diddy’s attorney Marc Agnifilo downplayed the claims, stating, “I don’t think it was 1,000.” He added, “I think it was a lot. I mean there is a Costco right down the street. I think Americans buy in bulk.”
Yung Miami Accused Of Harrassing Alleged Diddy Victim
Meanwhile, Yung Miami was recently accused of harassing one of Diddy’s alleged victims. A Jane Doe accuser claimed Diddy allegedly drugged and impregnated her and said Miami later harassed her to get an abortion.
Yung Miami addressed her relationship with Diddy during an episode of her podcast last in August.
Explaining her silence amid the allegations, Yung Miami stated, “I can’t speak on something that wasn’t my experience, and I can’t speak on something that I don’t know. I can’t speak on these allegations because I wasn’t around at the time.”
Drake is reflecting on his friendships, calling out fake friends and backstabbers during an impromptu rant at a Toronto nightclub over the weekend.
The OVO honcho was in attendance at Canadian broadcaster Tyrone Edwards’ Nostalgia Party on Saturday (October 5). At one point during the evening, Drake grabbed the microphone to share some advice.
“One thing about Nostalgia, this party here, my real friends are definitely in the building,” Drake began. “But I’m gonna tell you, you’re gonna come to a point in life where people you thought were friends, or people you thought were close to you, they might switch up, they might try to move funny with you, they might stab you in the back, they might do a lot of things to you.”
He added, “You’ll come to that realization. Wherever you’re at in life, you’ve probably been there, and you’ll be there again. That’s how life is. But look, sometimes it’s you and you alone, by yourself. Sometimes it’s you alone with your thoughts.”
He started to continue the speech before abruptly changing his mind and telling the DJ, “Go ahead” and play Beyoncé’s 2003 song “Me, Myself and I.”
#Drake 🤯 Calls Out Fake Rapper Friends On Stage, Then Plays Beyoncé's"Me, Myself and I" at Nostalgia 🎉 Party. pic.twitter.com/WIaQJA0vsg
— The 🅾️riginal StuffBlogsPost (@thestuffblogspo) October 6, 2024
Drake Loses Friends Amid Kendrick Lamar Battle
Drake’s speech on friendship follows his recent rap battle with Kendrick Lamar. Multiple rappers took shots at Drake amid the beef, including several of his former collaborators. Among the attacks from K. Dot, Drake also took heat from Rick Ross, The Weeknd, Kanye West and others.
Earlier this year, Soulja Boy, who’s had his own issues with Drake in the past, claimed Drake’s collaborators deserted him in the heat of the battle.
“You disappointed me @Drake,” Soulja Boy wrote in July. “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.”
Meanwhile, the feud was thrust into the spotlight again recently amid rumors Drake hit Lamar with a cease-and-desist to prevent him from playing “Not Like Us” at the Super Bowl next year.
Nicki Minaj fired back against rumors she shaded Megan The Stallion by taping the H-Town Hotties’ former bestie Kelsey Nicole Harris to model her new shoe line.
Last week, the rumor mill went into overdrive after Harris seemingly featured in a campaign for Minaj’s LØCI shoe line. Harris shared a series of highly-edited social media posts promoting the sneakers. In one, she reads a fictitious newspaper headlined “The Nicki Minaj LØCI Collection Has Landed.”
The apparent ads ruffled feathers, with users speculating Nicki Minaj hired Kelsey Harris as a dig at Megan Thee Stallion following their recent feud.
Nicki Minaj Claps Back
However, on Sunday night (October 6), Minaj denied hiring Harris in an online rant, blasting The Shade Room for posting the so-called ad. She insisted that Harris simply posted a photo in the sneakers, like many who purchased them.
“She posted a photo in my sneakers,” Minaj wrote. “Me, nor my company knew anything about it until she posted it. So she did what many ppl did when they received my sneakers, they posted a photo in them. Kelsey def went all the way out with this professional looking backdrop tho…but she is in no way professionally connected to my sneaker brand.”
Furthermore, Minaj claimed she is “Too busy & too successful for the clownery,” amid her Pink Friday 2 Tour.
“These calculated, planned stories & narratives everytime yall gotta promote is only make me feel even more like I’m that B!CH!!!!!” she added. “No confidence in your talents & abilities as labels to sell albums or ANYTHING so you waste money & energy on this. #GagCityMIAMI TONIGHT!!!!”
Minaj then turned to Harris, questioning whether she clarified her post was not an official advert.
“Btw, did Kelsey not tell them she wasn’t modeling for the line barbz?” she asked. “Did she just let them think that? I gotta get caught up yall.”
Nicki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion fell out earlier this year after trading shots on diss tracks. Meanwhile, Harris’ friendship with her former best friend ended in 2020 after Megan was shot by Tory Lanez.
The Grammy Award-winning rapper accused Kelsey Nicole of receiving hush money from Lanez following the shooting, and the pair subsequently clashed online. Harris testified in court but recanted some of the statements she made during interrogation.
King Harris’ father T.I. announced he was set to become a grandfather for the third time earlier this year. During an interview with Atlanta’s Hot 107.9 last month, the rapper explained that Domani, 23, had recently become a first-time homeowner and father.
While Domani welcomed a daughter, T.I. revealed King was expecting a son.
T.I. then joked about King’s tough persona, adding, “I told him I’mma make this the greatest gangsta of all time. I will raise this child to torture you the way you tortured me. I promise you there will be an indictment in this young one.”
Meanwhile, in a new verse, Domani Harris opened up about fatherhood and his reservations about exposing his baby girl to the world.
“I was clearly hesitant about me showing to the world the new life that I created,” he raps. “Yeah I made my mama grandma and my pops and grandpa too/And I made my girl a mom before she got to say I do/ I do believe in marriage, but don’t hold it high as you/But I don’t believe in publicizing kids before they choose.”
Cardi B is responding to critics calling her out for not spending enough time with her newborn daughter after she hit the town in NYC over the weekend.
The “Enough” hitmaker was spotted at The Stafford Room on Saturday (October 5). She partied through the night, judging from her Instagram Story, posting videos dancing with friends at 6:30 a.m. and returning home around an hour later.
Estranged husband Offset was also at the same club for a short while, although they reportedly arrived and left separately.
TMZ reveals Offset showed up at the same club as Cardi last night unexpectedly & uninvited:
“Eyewitnesses tell us things took a turn when the DJ gave a shoutout to Offset, which startled Cardi.. They did not hang out during their time at the club.” pic.twitter.com/2y1KdFBfOd
Her night out, alongside a recent trip to Paris Fashion Week, drew backlash, with critics chiding Cardi B for not being present for her daughter, born last month on September 7.
Cardi B denied the claims, insisting she is devoted to her baby girl but is socializing with her friends to combat postpartum depression.
“I be with my baby all day…I need to go out,” Cardi B asserted on Instagram Live. “I’m going through a divorce right now. If I stay home and f###### depress myself, that s###’s gonna drive me crazy. That’s why I’m working, and the weekends, I’m going out with my girls. So, stop. I don’t ever wanna go through a f###### postpartum depression ever again, and I’m avoiding that,” she explained.
Cardi B On Giving Birth In “Seven Minutes”
Cardi B previously explained how energized she felt after giving birth to her third baby, revealing that she hit the gym days after the delivery, which helped prevent postpartum depression.
During her recent Instagram Live, Cardi also recalled her surprisingly easy birthing experience delivering her third child.
“This baby just popped right out,” she explained. “I pushed the baby in seven minutes. When I gave birth, no lie, in one day I had such a burst of energy I wanted to conquer the world. But my other pregnancies, it wasn’t like that.”
Despite being at the same club with Offset, Cardi B recently shut down speculation of a reconciliation. She said that although they share the same home, the divorce is still going ahead.
“It just like it takes time and I don’t know how to explain it but everything is dead,” Cardi stated.
Safaree is catching heat from the Barbz after pulling up to Nicki Minaj’s Miami tour stop of her Pink Friday 2 Tour.
Earlier this year, Safaree said he would show up to support his ex on tour “in full disguise,” later adding he would wear the infamous jean vest from Minaj’s documentary series My Truth.
On Sunday (October 6), Safaree made good on his word, pulling up to “Gag City” Miami, and Nicki Minaj fans were not amused.
Fans heckled him throughout the concert, and some even claimed he was kicked out of the venue, although he appeared to exit with his personal security team.
Angry Minaj fans flooded the replies referencing the former couple’s acrimonious split.
“if there’s no malice in you then publicly tell these folks once and for all that you ain’t never wrote no nicki minaj bars,” wrote one fan. “That was a low blow bc you know how much that means to nicki, and her haters continue drag that lie on to this day!”
if there’s no malice in you then publicly tell these folks once and for all that you ain’t never wrote no nicki minaj bars. that was a low blow bc you know how much that means to nicki, and her haters continue drag that lie on to this day!
Another added, “no MALICE ? you went on a whole press tour spreading lies about you writing for her, disrespected her every chance you got… what you’re doing is staIk-ish and obsessive, but I get it. like imagine fumbling a woman like this?”
no MALICE ? you went on a whole press tour spreading lies about you writing for her, disrespected her every chance you got… what you’re doing is staIk-ish and obsessive, but I get it. like imagine fumbling a woman like this? pic.twitter.com/erlxFLaI1y
Safaree and Minaj split in 2014, and the NYC rapper began dating Meek Mill. During an interview earlier this year, Safaree claimed no one wanted to work with him during the two years his ex was with Meek.
“I had two of the biggest people in the world against me,” Safaree said. “So, that made everybody be against me. Nobody wanted to be next to me, nobody wanted to work with me or none of that s###. So, it just made everything hard … That was a dark time for me.”
Check out some other reactions to Safaree At Nicki Minaj’s Miami concert below.
We’re diving deep into the controversy surrounding Diddy and word is that Foxy Brown might soon break her silence. Foxy has stayed pretty quiet over the years, living a mostly reclusive life outside of the music industry. She was a pivotal figure in elevating women in rap, helping to put them at the top of the cultural food chain. Now it seems she’s ready to speak about what she knows. But the big question is—what could that be?
Let’s lay some groundwork. First, Foxy used to roll heavy with JAY-Z and Nas. Later, she had serious beef with Diddy and Lil Kim. This was during a time when violence, especially in New York Hip-Hop, was rampant and beefs were intense. Now, after all this time, she might be ready to talk.
I’m paraphrasing here, but in a private message, Foxy reportedly said, “My story will shock you to your core. I do not play the victim. But I had to step away for my sanity, or I would’ve been dead.”
The words “victim,” “sanity” and “dead” carry a lot of weight here. Who could possibly have victimized Foxy Brown? I’ll let you all chime in on that—drop your thoughts in the comments section. There’s one obvious name that comes to mind, but it’s also possible there are others. (We will get to that other name in a few…but keep reading.)
If we look back at her song “The Letter,” Foxy Brown reflects on her struggles and apologizes to her family for what she went through. Basically she talks about emerging victorious against all odds.
Here is what she says to her mother:
“And when the media said Foxy’s ill /You were there when this fame almost got me killed /When I was in the hospital, couldn’t stay still /Only you knew the reasons why I popped these pills.”
So, what do you all think?
The general consensus is that Foxy Brown has witnessed a lot but has never truly spoken out about it. In the age of disclosure, I think we’re on the verge of hearing a fresh narrative from people who were actually there. I’m not talking about the ones chasing clicks and likes, but the people who were in the rooms and know firsthand what went down.
SO, JAY-Z! I know you are wondering if she is going to expose Jigga Man! Y’all been calling for Jay’s head and it’s sad! Foxy said she’s not doing it.
Ludacris is on a mission to find the world’s purest drinking water, a journey that has taken him from Alaska’s glaciers to water sources around the globe.
In August, the rapper and actor made headlines by posting a video of himself descending a glacier in Alaska to sample some of its pristine water despite the potential risks of drinking unpurified water.
Well, Ludacris returned to Instagram with another update.
He posted a video showcasing his growing obsession with sampling water from different regions.
“Let me tell y’all something. Y’all think this whole glacier water adventure is over? Ha! It’s never over,” he announced.
Gesturing towards bottles of water sourced from Iceland, Ecuador, Hawaii, Italy, Australia, Canada and Alaska, he added, “I’ve been trying every water around the world to compare.”
Undeterred by the potential for skepticism, the 47-year-old vowed to continue his quest.
“I will not stop until I am the most hydrated mother**ker on Earth. It’s not a game,” Ludacris said with a smile. “You think it’s a game? Ha! It’s never a game!”
In a caption accompanying the post, he wrote, “The WATER QUEST CONTINUES. Have y’all tried any of these??”
While Ludacris was eager about his worldwide water comparisons, his wife, Eudoxie Bridges, responded with amusement and hesitation.
“He really is serious about this water thing,” she commented. “He actually wants me to go to a water tasting with him. Yes, there’s such a thing as water tasting, I just found out. Lol.”
In his original post from August, Ludacris proclaimed the glacier water from Alaska to be the best he’s ever tasted.
“When I tell y’all I am a water snob, it was the best-tasting water I’ve ever had in my life,” he said. “As I drank it, I felt like every cell in my human body was being hydrated and rejuvenated at the same damn time. I feel like Superman.”
Kim Kardashian is championing the release of Erik and Lyle Menendez, pushing for their freedom after visiting them behind bars and highlighting an allegedly transformative piece of evidence.
Convicted in 1996 for the murder of their parents, the Menendez brothers’ case is once again in the limelight, partly due to Kardashian’s passionate essaying in NBC News and the recent spotlight from a Netflix series titled “Monsters.”
In her essay, Kardashian shares her encounters with the brothers, portraying them as “kind, intelligent, and honest men.”
“Can anyone honestly deny that the justice system would have treated the Menendez sisters more leniently? Despite overwhelming family testimony acknowledging the abuse Erik and Lyle suffered, the public remained skeptical. Robbed of their childhoods by their parents, then robbed of any chance of freedom by a criminal justice system eager to punish them without considering the context or understanding the “why,” and without caring about whether the punishment fit the crime, Erik and Lyle were condemned before the trial even began,” Kardashian wrote.
The push to revisit their life sentences comes after the discovery of a 1988 letter from Erik Menendez to a cousin, which allegedly describes abuse by their father.
The evidence is part of what Kardashian, a law student and criminal justice reform advocate, hopes will initiate a fresh look at their sentences.
“We owe it to those little boys who lost their childhoods, who never had a chance to be heard, helped or saved,” Kim Kardashian wrote.
The brothers, then young adults at 21 and 18, committed the act in their Beverly Hills home, igniting a high-profile legal saga.
Both described enduring years of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse by their parents, a defense used throughout their trials.
This newfound attention coincides with the Los Angeles District Attorney’s recent decision to grant a court hearing in November, prompted by the presentation of fresh evidence against their father, Jose Menendez.
Kim Kardashian reflects on the broader implications of growth and experience in her statement.
“We are all products of our experiences. They shape who we were, who we are, and who we will be,” Kim Kardashian said.
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Tommy Richman had a massive hit this year with “MILLION DOLLAR BABY,” but a handful of tweets he recently fired off has ruffled some feathers.
On Wednesday (October 2), Richman wrote “I’m not a Hip-Hop artist” in a since-deleted post and was quickly smacked with an onslaught of backlash. He ultimately walked back the tweet, saying he meant to say “I’m not SOLELY a Hip-Hop artist.” But people weren’t buying it.
Now, Joe Budden—who admitted he “hated” that song—is weighing in. In a nutshell, he believes Richman is just another white artist who’s using Hip-Hop to break into country.
“You in that group of people that can receive your success and never have to talk to Black people,” Budden said in a recent episode of The Joe Budden Podcast. “But the first time you speak […] but you sayin’ it when Hip-Hop has broken you and accepted you, it gives us remnants of all of the white acts who their barrier of entry is Hip-Hop and then they abandoned it, throw it to the side and start doing country folk music and act like that s### never happened.”
Joe budden podcast react to Tommy Richman says he’s not a hip-hop artis. Joe believes that’s a dogwhistle for white artist who use the culture to get a buzz and then pivot to country music pic.twitter.com/GP0cDBhYax
Budden also acknowledged that DJHed essentially forced Richman to clean up his mess. Shortly after Richman sent the tweet, DJHed replied, “Glad I got the PSA before I did my radio mix. I now have 2 open slots. What should I play ? (From an artist proud to be Hip-Hop). NO ONE is bigger than the culture.”
Richman instantly went into defense mode and replied, “I’ll say again, Im thankful for everything. I’m saying I don’t wanna be boxed in. I grew up on hip hop. But I’m a singer.”
DJHed, clearly willing to have an open dialogue with Richman, returned with, “Understood, however there are nuances that can be perceived when statements are made. I don’t believe you have malicious intent but I do believe there is much to be learned about the system that you have entered within this thing we do. I hope it works out for you (Not sarcasm).”
Understood, however there are nuances that can be perceived when statements are made. I don’t believe you have malicious intent but I do believe there is much to be learned about the system that you have entered within this thing we do. I hope it works out for you✊🏾
(Not sarcasm) https://t.co/g9B06nNPOR
Funkmaster Flex slammed “MILLION DOLLAR BABY” in June, saying, “If you’re someone that likes this song, you are a clown. I don’t know what the rest of his songs sound like. I don’t even know who Tommy Richman is. Sounds like a shoe store. Now we’re gonna document this hot garbage. We’re gonna play it now, I know you want to hear it. I wonder if this is big in the club. See this part is deceiving like it might be a good song.”
