ScHoolboy Q released two songs earlier this month, but the Top Dawg Entertainment MC did not place the singles on streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify.
“Back n Love” featuring Devin Malik and “Blueslides” will live on ScHoolboy Q’s upcoming Blue Lips studio LP. The album will drop on March 1, 2024, via TDE/Interscope Records.
Supporters of ScHoolboy can watch the official music videos for “Back n Love” and “Blueslides” on his YouTube channel. However, the California-based recording artist explained why the tracks have not been made streamable elsewhere.
“Why @ScHoolboyQ ain’t put these joints on streaming yet? [face with raised eyebrow emoji],” an X user asked on Tuesday (February 13).
ScHoolboy Q responded, “I’m dealing directly wit tHe fans… MARCH 1st everytHing yours.. da ppl tHat care about Q deserve a rollout [raised fist emoji] BLUELIPS.”
I’m dealing directly wit tHe fans… MARCH 1st everytHing yours.. da ppl tHat care about Q deserve a rollout✊🏾BLUELIPS https://t.co/YOnEo9sbKj
2024’s Blue Lips will join a ScHoolboy Q discography that contains five previous albums. The 37-year-old rapper has not put out a full-length body of work since CrasH Talk in 2019.
ScHoolboy achieved his most commercial success with 2014’s Oxymoron. That studio LP debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with 139,000 first-week sales.
Oxymoron also reached platinum status. In addition, the Recording Academy nominated ScHoolboy’s third studio LP for Best Rap Album at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards in 2015.
The “Back n Love” video currently ranks at No. 24 in YouTube’s music trending section. ScHoolboy Q’s visuals have racked up more than 1.3 million views since its premiere. “Blueslides” amassed 870,000 views in seven days.
Usher Raymond dazzled millions of television viewers with his 13-minute mid-game set at Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday (February 11). The music icon’s performance in Paradise, Nevada’s Allegiant Stadium now has the distinction of being the most-watched of all time.
The official NFL Media account on X shared some of the viewership statistics from Super Bowl LVIII. According to @NFLMedia, this year’s halftime performance averaged 129.3 million viewers for a new record.
Apple Music, the corporate sponsor for the halftime show, also celebrated the record-breaking accomplishment. USHER reacted to the news by quote-tweeting a Front Office Sports post about the Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show being the most-viewed ever.
🚨Record-setting Super Bowl LVIII🚨
*Total unduplicated audience of 202.4 million — highest on record
*123.7 million avg. viewers — most-watched telecast in history
“Thank U to all 129.3 million of U [folded hands emoji],” the Coming Home album creator wrote on X. That tweet collected more than 100,000 likes on the platform.
USHER’s Coming Home dropped on February 9, two days before Super Bowl LVIII. According to projections, the studio LP will debut inside the Billboard 200’s Top 5 region.
Fans of USHER will have the chance to see him perform live on the Past Present Future tour. The trek kicks off in the 45-year-old Atlanta representative’s hometown on August 16.
U know I had to do it again, right? NEW DATES ADDED to USHER: PAST PRESENT FUTURE ⁰Tickets on sale Friday, Feb 16 @ 10am local. Make sure U sign up for the fan presale starting tomorrow, Feb 14 @10 am local time. https://t.co/0yQPF9MEQdpic.twitter.com/QEZB9164cw
Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign will likely have the No. 1 album in the country next week. Industry forecasters project the duo’s Vultures 1 to open with over six figures in sales.
According to HitsDailyDouble, Vultures 1 will open at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with around 140,000 first-week units. That total should be enough for Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign to hold off Noah Kahan’s Stick Season (81,000 units).
Vultures 1 finally arrived on February 10 after several delays. If the project does take the top spot, Kanye West will score his 11th chart-topper on the Billboard 200.
A No. 1 openingfor Vultures 1 would giveTy Dolla $ign his first Number One on the Billboard 200 chart. 2020’s Featuring Ty Dolla $ign became the only project by the Los Angeles-bred singer to peak inside the Top 10 at No. 4.
Additionally, Coming Home by Usher appears to be headed to a No. 3 debut. The Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show headliner’s ninth studio LP will total nearly 78,000 first-week units in its first seven days of release.
Congratulations are in order for the new co-host of The Breakfast Club. The comedian announced her pregnancy live on the show Tuesday (February 13), during a moment with her boyfriend Chris, who called into the show to wish her a happy birthday.
The couple then unveiled the news about their impending bundle of joy, surprising unsuspecting listeners.
“Hey, baby. It’s your man. I wanted to call and say, ‘Happy birthday,’” Chris told Jess over the phone. “I can’t wait to see you. I’m so proud of you. I love that you’re staying divine all the time, and you’re such an amazing woman. I can’t wait to see you later, and I’m so excited for our little bundle of joy, babe.”
DJ Envy feigned surprise before Charlamagne Tha God admitted they were already in the know and congratulated their co-host.
“Yes I am three months,” Jess Hilarious confirmed. “So I’m 13 weeks. Thank you, baby. I love you!”
Sharing a clip of the cute exchange on Instagram, Jess Hilarious revealed she is head over heels in love.
“Love is in the air over here,” she penned in the caption. This feeling is blissfully amazing. I wish it for everybody.”
Cam’ron and Ma$e shared their takes on the rumor that Taylor Swift had Kanye West ejected from the Super Bowl after he allegedly copped seats in front of her booth to ensure cameras caught him alongside the pop star in all the big game coverage.
According to Cam and Ma$e, Ye acts differently around white people and in front of the camera.
While Murda questioned the rumor, he said West would “go crazy” if it was actually true. “It seems like he act crazier with white people, though,” Ma$e added.
When asked his thoughts on the topic, Cam’rom said, “Stop playing with people,” before implying Swift was getting revenge on Kanye West after upstaging her at the 2009 MTV awards.
“[He] tried to diss that young lady years ago, and she ain’t forget about it. She don’t want to be seen with you, let alone on the Super Bowl screen,” Cam claimed. “That man got up there embarrassed Taylor Swift at them awards, tried to go Beyoncé crazy.”
Cam’Ron Claims Taylor Swift is A Bigger Star Than Kanye West
According to Cam’ron, since then, Swift has become “an astronomical superstar,” and is now “a bigger star than Kanye,” whose celebrity has “died down” because of his recent controversies.
“Kanye just put an album out last week. I didn’t even know,” Cam stated, adding that he turned down Ye’s invite to a Vultures listening event as he’s not with the “weirdo” antics.
“In this room when nobody here, that’s the coolest n#### in the world. When the cameras turn on, n#### turn into somebody totally different. I ain’t with the camera Kanye, my nephew,” Killa Cam shared.
Mase replied, “Is that true? I never be around him with the camera off, but without the camera there, he’s a cool individual.”
Returning to the Kanye West Super Bowl rumors, Cam’ron said if true, he understands Taylor Swift’s perspective. “If she makes a call and says ‘I’m leaving if he don’t get out of here,’ he got to go,” he said.
Beyoncé surprised fans at New York Fashion Week when she pulled up to the front row of Luar’s Fall 2024 show to support her nephew Daniel Julez J. Smith Jr. on his runway debut.
the way EVERYONE’S dressed in black and then there’s Beyoncé looking like a disco ball (country edition) 😭 pic.twitter.com/QN6CMIN7zv
The superstar songstress is riding the cowgirl wave after spinning the internet into a frenzy with her upcoming country-themed album reveal on Super Bowl Sunday, followed by the release of two new singles.
She continued the trend in New York Tuesday (February 13), sporting a dazzling silver cowgirl look, complete with a bedazzled minidress and matching knee-high boots. Beyoncé completed her look with a cowboy hat, a silver bag and plenty of rhinestones.
Beyoncé sat front row alongside her mother, Tina Knowles, as they watched Julez strut the catwalk. Proud mom Solange beamed as she recorded her son’s confident modeling debut.
Although people clamored to catch a glimpse of Beyoncé, Tina Knowles kept an effective watchful eye over her daughter. She posted a clip of the moment a fan attempted to record the 32-time Grammy winner.
“When people are pushing and shoving and you ask them to stop tripping with your eyes,” she wrote in the caption.
California-based identical twins Luv and Kush Chandani, professionally known as THEMXXNLIGHT, are set to make waves in the music industry once again with the upcoming release of their latest single, “Love Like This.”
Following their recent Hollywood TV debut on Amazon Prime Video’s reality dating series, “Twin Love,” THEMXXNLIGHT continues to make strides in amplifying South Asian representation on a global platform. As pioneers in their field, their participation in “Twin Love” marks a significant moment for cultural inclusivity and diversity in mainstream media narratives.
Scheduled for release on February 15th, “Love Like This” showcases the brothers’ versatility and musical prowess, drawing inspiration from acclaimed artists such as The Weeknd and Majid Jordan. With their track record of successful collaborations, including features on Wiz Khalifa’s “Rolling Papers 2” and his smoker’s delight mixtape “Fly Times, Vol. 1: The Good Fly Young” Kush and Luv’s unique vocals offer a soulful delivery captivating listeners with every note.
As influential figures in California’s real estate landscape, Luv & Kush Chandani also leverage their musical influence to convert their fanbase into prominent business leads and esteemed real estate clientele. Their innovative approach has attracted attention from tech luminaries, celebrated athletes, and notable artists seeking their counsel on finance and real estate matters.
THEMXXNLIGHT have been featured in notable publications such as Rolling Stone, Cosmopolitan, Billboard, Benzinga, and Complex, further solidifying their status as rising stars in the music industry.
While Kevin Durant’s guest verse for Lil Wayne remains on ice, the NBA star is gearing up to unleash a feature verse for Ohio-bred rapper Stalley.
On Tuesday (February 13), TMZ shared exclusive footage of Stalley and Durant reportedly recording a music video for their upcoming collaborative release. In the clip circulating online, Durant and the former Maybach Music Group signee appear to be jamming to the record while enjoying some basketball highlights in the background. Judging by the format of the track, Stalley and Durant appear to be going back and forth with each other on the record as Durant opens up about the loss of his grandmother in his verse.
“RIP to Barbara Davis,We hit another layer/When she speak to me, it’s like she saying prayers,” Durant raps in the snippet.
Last December, Wayne revealed he has an unreleased collaboration with Durant that nearly made his collaborative album with 2 Chainz, Welcome 2 Collegrove. While discussing Durant’s prowess as a lyricist, Wayne he praised him as a special talent.
“KD’s a jewel like something of the past,” Wayne said about Durant’s rap skills. “Because he’s a backpack rapper. I can imagine he probably could call a timeout in a game, and probably ask him to rap and he probably got a verse for you.”
Usher has been a hyper supportive fan of his R&B peer H.E.R. for years, according to Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) artist Zacari.
On Tuesday (February 13), Zacari reposted the viral video of USHER performing with H.E.R. onstage during the Super Bowl, while she ripped her apparent guitar solo on Twitter (X). In his tweet, the vocalist remarked on a random studio session with USHER, which ended up turning into an impromptu H.E.R. concert.
“This one time I was in a session with Usher a couple years ago n outta nowhere he asked ‘wanna go to a H.E.R. Concert’ and drove us to go check her out and then back to the studio,” he wrote. “He’s a real fan of hers core memory.”
This one time I was in a session with Usher a couple years ago n outta nowhere he asked “wanna go to a H.E.R. Concert” and drove us to go check her out and then back to the studio. He’s a real fan of hers 🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭core memory . https://t.co/rorqbNR1WF
In another separate tweet, USHER remarked on the explosive set, writing, “I came to put on a show ya feel me.” In addition to H.E.R., Ludacris, Lil Jon, Alicia Keys and Jermaine Dupri also joined USHER for his Apple Music halftime show.
JES B’s “Go Dumb” is a taste of the South. The song and visual is an ode to Florida culture and equipped with baddies, drank and all the ingredients needed to have what a lot of people consider to be a “good time.”
Hailing from Dade City, JES B is an upcoming rapper and entrepreneur who’s been grinding for more than a decade. Completely independent, JES is a firm believer in doing whatever it takes to achieve your goals and dreams, whether it’s hustling or perfecting one’s craft in the studio.
To date, he’s invested more than $200,000 in his professional music career— but the grind continues. Beyond the energy in his music, JES B’s personality is infectious. His positivity and intention to remain drama-free doesn’t go unnoticed, and his unwavering desire to put on for his city is much appreciated by the locals.
JES B has worked with notable rappers like Boosie Badazz, Mike Jones and even Future, but that doesn’t even begin to touch on the heat he has forthcoming.
AllHipHop spoke with JES B in downtown Los Angeles during his one day in the city. He discussed his roots in Florida, connecting with Boosie Badazz and Mike Jones and how he got a Future verse.
AllHipHop: Being from Dade City, Florida, what was that like growing up?
Jes B: Dade City, it was a lot of love growing up when you were little. Everybody knew everybody, everybody showing love to everybody. We stayed in apartments called Lake George Apartments. Every house had seven, eight people in them. Two, three bedrooms, had seven, eight people. It was all close-knit. It was violence here and there. But when you in it, you don’t even know until you step away from it. Like damn, I lived there? But it was a lot of love in Dade City. I still f### with my people in Dade City. Hey, I’m taking it to the top.
AllHipHop: What was the moment you fell in love with music?
Jes B: When I was little man. My granddaddy was in a band called Daddy Dave Band, so I was seeing that. My cousin named Tyrone before he passed away, he was a singer. He was always seeing through the house with a broom. I’m like, I could do that. Not really sing, I want to do music. That’s what really made me fall in love with it, my family.
AllHipHop: Top five artists all time?
Jes B: Michael Jackson, too cool. [laughs] James Brown. I like Eazy-E. Cali, ya dig? Who else do I like? Ice Cube. Not only just rap, the entrepreneurship. I love that, that’s what I do. And one more… Trick Daddy. Florida legend, I f### with Trick.
AllHipHop: What kind of entrepreneurship do you do?
Jes B: I do a couple, little bit of everything. Whooty-woo. When I say Whooty-woo, that’s off camera. So we got that. I got a couple box trucks, put some people on the road. Got a couple of tax offices. Just hustling.
AllHipHop: How’s the independent grind?
Jes B: It ain’t easy. You spent a lot of money.
AllHipHop: I saw you invested more than $100,000 in your music?
Jes B: What? That was then. S###, I’m probably $200,000 now. You got to though. Everybody wants to be a rapper, but what you gon’ do to really get to that next step and to get people to hear you? I invested a lot of money into my music. Investments, staying focused. Stay out the way. It’s easy to get caught up in say a n*gga hating on you or something. Boom, you tricked off the street. I’m just trying to stay out of it, stay positive and keep pushing forward.
AllHipHop: What was the moment you realized you could do music for a living?
Jes B: Me and Ball Greezy had a show in Tampa at this place called Green Gators. I’m on stage rapping and all the girls are singing my songs. I didn’t even know they knew my song, I’m like oh s###!
AllHipHop: What song was it?
Jes B: It was a song called “My Shawty.” It’s an older song, I don’t even think I put it out. It was a local song. It was a song talking about girls. I was with Ball Greezy and he’s coming with the girls, so I wanted to match his energy. They were singing in the crowd. Me and my boy, he looked at me and I looked at him. Oh s###, I could do this s###. That was history after that.
AllHipHop: Was watching “Go Dumb” last night, you were going crazy!
Jes B: Go dumb, it’s going dumb! You see how they do it in Florida? I had them turnt up. The energy like I was telling you about, everybody having fun. We’re going dumb, and I’m spitting hard ass Florida bars. People can relate to it, the world can relate to it. Not just Florida. We all can go dumb and have fun.
AllHipHop: Talk about connecting with Boosie, how’d that happen?
Jes B: My dawg Boosie. Got connected with him through my dawg Hotboii. He set it all up, set the feature up for me. I was telling him a couple months before the feature: “bruh my money straight. I need the feature with Boosie. I want to do it already.” He said “when I call you, be ready.” He called me out the blue one day, it was 12 o’clock at night. He said “Boosie in St. Pete, wassup?”
We was in the car. St. Pete an hour and half, we didn’t give a f###. We in the car, we go to St. Pete. I shoot him the cash he wants. Boosie’s like, “I like this n*gga.” You know Boosie loves that cash. I gave him cash, I gave him a bag of weed. I gave him a bottle of Hennessy. I gave him some gifts. He’s like “oh that’s a real n*gga.” He made a track and he heard my track. He’s like, “Okay, I’ma go hard.”
I heard other artists, Boosie gave him a trash verse or he rushed it, because he does so many features. He went hard on my song. He did his thing on it.
AllHipHop: Did you grow up listening to Boosie?
Jes B: Yeah, we all did. We didn’t have no choice. We all definitely jammed to Boosie, Trick [Daddy], JT Money. All them boys, we locked in. Especially Florida. Even though he’s from Louisiana, that’s still the South. I definitely grew up listening to Boosie.
AllHipHop: What about Mike Jones? That’s my guy.
Jes B: That’s my dawg! We got the song “Conor McGregor” that’s about to come out. Similar to the Boosie thing. A promoter named Devonte, he in Cali somewhere. He hit me up and said, “Hey, Mike got a show in Tampa. I know you want to do a feature with him.” Same thing: “Is your money good?” Pshh, always. Or I’m on child support [laughs]. Kinda. The money alright. I work, here and there.
AllHipHop: How many kids you got?
Jes B: Eight, I think? Maybe seven. Eight (counts). Let’s go eight.
AllHipHop: That’s a lot!
Jes B: Eight? They said if you have 10 kids, you can get off child support. Is that true? Can you look that up for me? [laughs] I need you to look that up for me.
AllHipHop: How would they get support then?
Jes B: That’s not my problem. Of course, I’m still gonna do my job. I got eight kids. I do for my kids though, so it’s cool.
AllHipHop: Back to Mike Jones…
Jes B: Boom, funny story. They’re like “do the feature with Mike, they’ll give it to you for this price.” Oh yeah? It was a lot cheaper than I thought. They’re like “hey JES B, question. Could you pick him up from the airport?” [laughs] F### you mean? I’m a rapper n*gga, I’m not no Uber. They’re like “nah, pick him up from the airport.” I picked him up, we clicked it off.
We started hanging out that day, we did a song. It was good vibes. Later that night in the club, we were in VIP together. Every time he got to show in Florida, I pull up on him. We rock out in real life. All these songs are coming out this year. A lot of this new music is not even out yet. I It’s called “Conor McGregor.” The hook go like this: “watch how I move, watch how I dance.” Hey!
AllHipHop: What about Future? How did you tap in?
Jes B: I guess a promoter, you know how they do deals? “Hey, I’ll pay you this plus you owe me a verse. A 16.” So he did something like that with Future. He said “yeah I got a 16 bar verse with Future. You can pay me, and it’s already cleared through the label.” I want a fresh one from Future, I want to be face to face. He’s like “That’s 60 grand,” I’m like nevermind. [laughs]
I’ll take that one right now, so it happened that way. I bought it from them. It got it cleared from the record labels, it was cool. People asked me, “did you meet him? I be wanting to say hell yeah, that’s my n*gga! But nah. [laughs] It wasn’t the timing right? The timing wasn’t right. Soon though, they gon’ hear me. Either way, they gon’ hear me.
AllHipHop: What did you want fans to get from your story?
Jes B: That you can be from a little town like Dade City. Even if you ain’t got the support of your city like you want it, you want to still take the f### off and blow the f### up. Still don’t have any hate or resentment in your heart, be like “oh f### them.” You could be small town and blow up. Put it this way, I’m from Dade City. You watch football? The Championship game was Washington versus Michigan. The quarterback’s from Dade City. Now he’s a superstar from Dade City.
AllHipHop: What’s his name?
Jes B: Michael Penix. He’s been in the league, playing college for six, seven years. Now he’s a superstar. You got to keep grinding, and that’s my story. You keep grinding, you gon’ get it.
If you were to ask Doe Boy the question in the headline, contextually assuming Kid Cudi and Eminem have alienated themselves from up-and-coming artists from their cities, the answer would be yes.
Well, at least that’s what it seems like the Freeband Gang signee would say, given his recent comments about Kid Cudi. Even though it’s no secret that Doe Boy has been critical of Cudi and the lack of his presence in Cleveland, his indifference toward the INSANO rapper has festered even deeper. During a recent podcast appearance, Doe Boy shrugs off Cudi on first mention.
“I don’t know that n###a,” Doe Boy said at first. “Don’t none of us know that n###a actually. Not nobody I know in the city know that n####.”
As he continued, Doe Boy revealed he takes issue with the fact that Cudi has the platform he has and hasn’t made an effort to get to know the artists of the generation after him.
“I can’t tell you nothing about him for real. I know a couple of his songs and s###, and it is like that be somebody that I would like to f##k with, we all would. You feel me, but it was just, he was just never there like he didn’t never want to connect with the city,” Doe Boy said.
Do you think Kid Cudi turned his back on Clevland artists? Watch the clip in full below and decide for yourself.
Doe Boy shares his thoughts on Kid Cudi & says he never wanted to connect with the city of Cleveland pic.twitter.com/5r49AqUf5f
Boosie Badazz denied hating gay people in an interview with former NFL quarterback Cam Newton. The controversial rapper believed it was the biggest misconception about him.
“I just never agreed [with] what they was pushing on the younger generation, and I spoke on that,” he told Newton. “And I spoke about a couple more situations that made a lot of people turn on me: the Dwyane Wade situation. But I have gays in my family. How can I hate a gay person? My assistant, who brings in millions of dollars to me, is gay. And I just got—I want that to get off my status. I’m not like that.”
Boosie often faced backlash for his comments about LGBTQ+ topics. Earlier this year, he was criticized for complaining about the latest film adaptation of The Color Purple.
“I HAD TO WALK OUT THIS COLOR PURPLE MOVIE (N TWO OTHER OLDER COUPLES WALKED OUT ALSO),” he wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter). “BECAUSE I HAD MY LITTLE GIRLS WITH ME N IT SEEMED LIKE A [rainbow flag emoji] LOVE STORY‼️ GOOD ACTING BUT WHOEVER WROTE THE SCRIPT IS PUSHING THE NARRATIVE HARD‼️ AS A PARENT I WILL NOT LET MY LITTLE GIRL WATCH THIS FILM.”
I HAD TO WALK OUT THIS COLOR PURPLE MOVIE ( N TWO OTHER OLDER COUPLES WALKED OUT ALSO.) 🍿BECAUSE I HAD MY LITTLE GIRLS WITH ME N IT SEEMED LIKE A 🌈 LOVE STORY‼️GOOD ACTING BUT WHOEVER WROTE THE SCRIPT IS PUSHING THE NARRATIVE HARD ‼️AS A PARENT I WILL NOT LET MY LITTLE GIRL…
Newton’s Boosie interview also revealed details of a conversation between the Baton Rouge-bred artist and Snoop Dogg. Boosie sought Snoop’s advice on becoming more mainstream-friendly.
“I’m not in the streets anymore,” Boosie said. “I’m a businessman. I want people to start letting my past go. I called Snoop Dogg the other day and asked him. Man, I said, ‘I see you on all these commercials’ … And I asked him [how’d he do it] and he just told me, ‘People forget. You gotta keep on going.’ That’s what he told me.”
We know Kanye West isn’t on good terms Taylor Swift—but Shaq?
According to retired NFL star Brandon Marshall, Ye’s appearance at Super Bowl LVIII was anything but glamorous. Marshall claims that after West attempted to buy a suite directly in front of Swift, she allegedly had him removed from the arena. While Marshall’s claims haven’t been confirmed, Ye was seen chopping it up with Anderson .Paak in what appeared to be an exclusive suite section and was also shown flossing an archive Dior runway mask at the game.
EXCLUSIVE: Brandon Marshall says Taylor Swift allegedly got Kanye West kicked out of the Super Bowl after learning he bought tickets in front of her suite 👀 pic.twitter.com/sqLsTTqsAg
However, it also seems as though Shaq has partially acknowledged Ye’s presence at the game. In fact, the former NBA champion seemingly aired out his grievances with West in a post-and-delete comment on one of West’s recent Instagram posts. Shaq didn’t mince his words either, calling West a “lil boy” and snitch while also imploring him to “stop b####in.”
Jay-Z, Meek Mill and Michael Rubin’s REFORM Alliance appointed Wallace “Wallo” Peeples as the organization’s new Chief Marketing Officer. Wallo a.k.a. Wallo267 is probably best known as the co-host of the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast.
“I am honored to be taking on this role at REFORM and for the opportunity to help uplift system-impacted communities with new resources and programs,” Wallo said. “My firsthand experience with the parole and probation system I believe is key to helping advance REFORM’s mission.”
REFORM enlisted Wallo to help in its mission of transforming the criminal justice system. The organization brought him into the marketing department to develop long-term strategies as it fights to change parole in America.
“We’re so excited to have Wallo267 join REFORM as our new Chief Marketing Officer,” REFORM CEO Robert Rooks said. “Wallo267 is a son of Philadelphia, the city where REFORM Alliance was born. Through hard experience, he developed a life philosophy rooted in accountability, second chances and never giving up. Today, he carries that message of hope to his millions of social media followers. He never forgets where he came from, and he’s used his vast reach and influence to shine a light on people the world too often ignores. I’m grateful that he’ll use his unique skills to bring REFORM’s work and mission to an even wider audience and to support our work of transforming probation and parole.”
Wallo began working to help others stay out of prison after serving more than 20 years behind bars. He remains on parole until 2048.
This past weekend, Wallo made his first public appearance as REFORM’s Chief Marketing Officer at Fanatics’ Super Bowl party. REFORM executives Meek Mill, Michael Rubin and Robert Kraft were on hand for the festivities along with celebrity guests, including Travis Scott and Lil Baby.
A former Def Jam employee sued Russell Simmons for sexual battery/assault, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress and gender-motivated violence on Tuesday (February 13). The woman, identified as Jane Doe, accused the Def Jam founder of raping her in the ‘90s.
Jane Doe, a film producer, was a senior-level music executive at Def Jam. She claimed her career was derailed by Simmons, who “revealed his true colors,” when he sexually assaulted her.
“One day, Ms. Doe was required to visit Mr. Simmons’s apartment, located in Manhattan, New York, in the Southern District of New York, where he typically held meetings, to have him review a new video for approval,” her lawyer wrote. “Initially, Mr. Simmons began to ‘wrestle’ with Ms. Doe in an attempt to appear playful. The situation escalated into aggression and Mr. Simmons pinned Ms. Doe down on a bed. Ms. Doe repeatedly told Mr. Simmons to get off of her, but he refused. Mr. Simmons proceeded to rape her.”
Jane Doe’s lawyer said she went back to the office after she was raped. She was “forever changed” by the assault, which led to her departure from the record label.
“For weeks she told no one about what happened,” her lawyer explained. “She experienced severe dissociation, depression and anxiety. She no longer went to the Def Jam offices regularly to work and came up with reasons to work from her nearby apartment. A short time later, Ms. Doe gave notice, left Def Jam and left New York altogether to move to California where her family was living. Because of Mr. Simmons, Ms. Doe gave up her high-powered, dream job running a thriving division she had built and a large salary. The pride she had for her role in helping transition a marginalized music genre to one of the most popular and lucrative in the world, was gone.”
Jane Doe quit her job at Def Jam in 1997. The incident haunted her for years as her future interactions with male employers became “fraught with tension.” She suffered panic attacks and struggled with an eating disorder.
The lawsuit noted Jane Doe encountered Simmons in social settings over the years. She did her best to maintain her composure when she was around him. But last year, she ran into him at a yoga class and had a shocking interaction.
“In or around March 2023, Ms. Doe went to a crowded yoga class in Los Angeles and inadvertently parked her yoga mat next to Mr. Simmons after not speaking with him for several years,” her lawyer wrote. “Mr. Simmons said her name and Ms. Doe looked up in shock to see him, asking him, ‘Is it OK if I practice here?’ Mr. Simmons leaned towards her and whispered, ‘Of course. What, do you think I’m gonna try and f### you?’ Ms. Doe was horrified. She realized not only was he unapologetic towards her personally, he did not appreciate that the assault was wrong.”
Jane Doe sought damages for loss of employment, loss of business opportunities, loss of wages and injuries suffered from Simmons’ attack. The lawsuit added to the list of allegations against Simmons, who’s been accused of sexual harassment and assault by more than 20 women. Simmons denied past allegations.
Karl Jordan, one of the men accused of killing Jam Master Jay, allegedly claimed he would kill the late DJ again if possible. According to the New York Daily News, Jordan’s former roommate Cherubin Bastien recalled the alleged killer’s lack of remorse while testifying in a New York court on Monday (February 12).
Bastien told jurors Jam Master Jay’s death came up as a topic of conversation when the 65-year-old man’ lived with Jordan for nine months. Bastien, a cab driver, claimed Jordan discussed the murder on a drive to Manhattan.
“If I got to kill him, I’ll kill him again,” Jordan said, per Bastien.
Bastien’s testimony detailed another incident in which Jordan allegedly talked about the murder. Jordan was arguing with a woman in the driveway when Bastien overheard a reference to the fatal shooting.
“He said, ‘I’ll do you like him like Master Jay,” Bastien told the jurors.
Jordan’s attorney John Diaz pressed Bastien on the witness’ drug use. Bastien admitted he used heroin daily in 2004. Bastien denied mishearing anything Jordan said when Diaz mentioned how the drug possibly impaired Diaz.
“I never get high, sir,” Bastien said. “I get a fix.”
Jordan and his co-defendant Ronald Washington are on trial for the 2002 murder of Jam Master Jay. The trial began in January. An eyewitness said Jordan shot the Run-DMC DJ in the head.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to murder charges. Jam Master Jay’s alleged killers face at least 20 years in prison if convicted.
Last year, a third man named Jay Bryant was charged for his alleged role in the murder. He will be tried separately.
The Jam Master Jay murder trial was forced to take a break on Tuesday (February 13). Jurors were told to stay home due to heavy snow in New York.
Las Vegas, Nevada (January 1st, 2024) – Music and motorsport collided in a surprising fusion earlier this year when global rap superstar Drake teamed up with the Formula 1 team formerly known as Sauber. Now competing as the Stake F1 Team, the Swiss outfit announced the collaboration on New Year’s Day, marking a bold new chapter for both parties.
Sauber is currently undergoing a transition. Drake, who is a longtime partner of gambling brand Stake, will lend his star power to the team as they transition from their five-year stint under the Alfa Romeo branding.
This unique partnership isn’t just about celebrity clout. Drake’s involvement signifies a broader collaboration with Stake— also in partnerships with the English Premier League club Everton and the UFC. It is these sorts of collaborations that have made brands like StakeUS more popular. Here, you get to enjoy free-to-play games with virtual currencies and sweepstakes prizes instead of real money gambling.
There’s no doubt the gambling company has established itself as a major player in the sports sponsorship arena. For the Stake F1 Team, the alliance with Drake and Stake represents a strategic move to boost their profile and attract a wider audience. After five seasons under the Alfa Romeo banner, the team will race as Stake F1 Team for the next two years and that will solidify its partnership with online entertainment platform Stake.
So, as they prepare to transition into an Audi factory team in 2026, maximizing visibility and building a strong fan base is much needed.
What Does this Partnership Mean?
Drake, the owner of the title for the highest-grossing rap touring act, brings more than just star power to the table. As a major stakeholder in Stake, his involvement transcends mere branding. While not directly investing in the team, Drake enters the picture as a brand ambassador and strategic partner, leveraging his influence and global reach.
Rumors swirl about potential appearances at Grand Prix events, exclusive merchandise collaborations, and even electrifying musical integrations.
This new alliance signifies a calculated shift for Formula 1, aiming to attract a younger demographic and expand its global reach. Drake’s massive social media following, currently boasting over 240 million followers across platforms, and his undeniable cultural influence will prove to be a massive advantage in achieving this goal.
However, reactions to the news haven’t been entirely homogeneous. While some fans celebrate the infusion of fresh energy and Drake’s entrepreneurial spirit, others raise concerns about the growing commercialization of Formula 1 and the potential dissonance between the rapper’s image and the sport’s traditional values.
The clash between the glitz and glamor associated with Drake’s persona and the sport’s deep-rooted technical complexities has sparked debate, leaving some to wonder if this is a mutually beneficial alliance or an audacious publicity stunt.
Regardless of individual stances, one thing remains certain: Drake’s foray into Formula 1 is guaranteed to generate significant buzz and intrigue. Whether it translates into long-term success for both parties remains to be seen, but the 2024 season promises to be an exciting one, both on and off the track.
Drake’s Sporting Antecedents
Details of the exact nature of the collaboration remain under wraps, but sources suggest it will be a multi-faceted venture encompassing various aspects of team operations and branding. This could include:
Co-branding initiatives and exclusive merchandise collaborations.
Content creation
Community engagement
Event activations
The potential impact of this partnership is multifaceted. On the one hand, Drake’s involvement could significantly boost Formula 1’s viewership, particularly in regions where his music holds immense popularity. Increased exposure could attract new sponsors and open doors to lucrative markets, ultimately contributing to the sport’s financial growth.
Beyond the Headlines
This isn’t Drake’s first foray into the world of professional sports. The Canadian artist has a long-standing partnership with the Toronto Raptors, his hometown NBA team, even serving as their global ambassador since 2013. His influence extends beyond branding, as he’s frequently spotted courtside, passionately cheering on his team.
The Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber officially kicked off their 2024 season on February 5th with a large event in London. Held at the iconic Guildhall, the launch brought together celebrities, media representatives, and team personnel. The spotlight shone on the unveiling of the team’s new C44 car, sporting a striking black and fluorescent green livery.
Adding his voice to the conversation, Alessandro Alunni Bravi, Team Representative of Stake F1 Team, offered his perspective on the collaboration. “Last season represented the start of Stake’s journey in Formula 1, and the brand’s new role headlining Stake F1 Team represents the natural and exciting next step on this path,” he stated.
While the impact of this collaboration remains to be seen, it undeniably injects an unprecedented level of excitement and intrigue into the 2024 Formula 1 season. Can Drake’s star power translate into success for the Stake F1 Team? Only time will tell.
One thing is for sure: the 2024 F1 season promises to be unlike any other. With Drake joining the pit crew, the world of motorsport just got a whole lot cooler, and undeniably more unpredictable.
Hip-Hop pioneer Eddie Cheba has died AllHipHop can confirm. According to close friend Van Silk, he passed away from a cardiac arrest at 7:16 a.m. ET on Tuesday (February 13). Cheeba’s sister, Sarah Shawn, confirmed the news on social media. Cheeba had been sick for at least six months and suffered not one but three strokes. The trailblazing DJ was considered one of the biggest club DJs in New York City throughout the 1970s and could easily pack the house on any given day.
“I met Eddie back in 1975, the same time I met DJ Hollywood and Reggie Wells,” Van Silk tells AllHipHop. “Reggie Wells and Eddie Cheba grew up in Douglas Houses in Manhattan. My experience with Eddie Cheba is very sentimental. He played for many of my parties and we did Broadway International together. Eddie definitely cannot be left out of the culture of Hip-Hop. Trust me. Sad to say Eddie Cheba’s last performance and interview was last August 11 at the Rapamania 50 event. Eddie was booked to perform, but I told him to get on the mic. We have along personal history and been in touch with him over the last six years. He will definitely be missed.”
Def Jam Recordings Co-Founder Russell Simmons, who was there in the very beginning of Cheba’s career, revealed he’d been hospitalized last October. Simmons credits Cheba with inspiring him to pursue a career in Hip-Hop, when Simmons heard him perform in Harlem in 1977. He, too, is mourning the loss on social media. As he wrote on Instagram, “One more legendary ground breaking rapper has passed and the Hip-Hop community was too un educated to give him the proper flowers he deserved it was cheba or hollywood and if u couldn’t get one of those definitely go get a smaller venue make sure u reach out and get love bug starsky (rip) and charge less but thats the fact.
“is it was in that order they were the 3 biggest stars and they were the reason we got to make rap records as a promoter of hip hop promoting all 5 boroughs im 100000% sure that before there was a recording art when there was only performance artists eddie cheba was a major mastermind of hip hop all these rich rappers and “moguls” you are standing on his shoulders!!!!! GIVE THE MAN HIS FLOWERS RIP THE GREAT LEGENDARY EDDIE CHEBA.”
Megan Thee Stallion scored her third No. 1 entry on the Billboard Hot 100 when “Hiss” opened in the top spot on last week’s chart. However, the track experienced a 12-position plunge in week two.
The LilJuMadeDaBeat-produced “Hiss” fell to No. 13 on the most recent Hot 100. Megan Thee Stallion’s latest single was replaced in the Top 10 region by two records boosted by performances at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards on February 4.
“Fast Car” by Luke Combs jumped from No. 20 to No. 8 after the country star sang a duet with Tracy Chapman, the original creator of the cover. Miley Cyrus’s “Flowers” also saw a 22-spot surge to No. 10 following her live rendition at the Grammys.
Megan Thee Stallion dominated Hip-Hop news coverage after “Hiss” landed on DSPs on Friday, January 26. The track ignited a week-long tirade from Nicki Minaj whose “Big Foot” response record dropped off the Hot 100 after spending one week at No. 23.
In addition to Megan The Stallion slipping out of the Top 10, 21 Savage also took a tumble on the February 17-dated Hot 100 chart. The Atlanta rapper’s “Redrum” dipped 5 positions to No. 14 in its fourth week on the rankings.
Jack Harlow managed to return to the Hot 100’s pole position with his “Lovin On Me” single. The Louisville rhymer’s pop-rap release has led the Billboard tally of the most popular songs in America for five nonconsecutive weeks.
Erykah Badu offered tongue-in-cheek advice for women ahead of Super Bowl LVIII. However, the Queen of Neo Soul upset some social media users with her message.
“Perfect day to cheat with a soft dude. Men gone be watchin football,” Erykah Badu wrote on Sunday (February 11) around 2 pm ET. That tweet amassed more than 6 million views and 24,000 likes on the X platform.
One person on X responded to Badu by posting, “You too old for this.” The @_ParadiseParis1 account also added in the replies, “A man not being into football don’t mean he soft. We gotta stop accepting flaw s###.”
Erykah Badu shot back at Paris by tweeting, “Your eyes are very close together. [woman shrugging emoji].” The 52-year-old songstress later posted, “And if u mad about that tweet… unfollow me… I don’t trust people with no sense of humor. Beat it.”
Last year, Badu embarked on the Unfollow Me Tour with Hip-Hop performer Yasiin Bey (fka Mos Def). That 2023 trek crisscrossed the United States by traveling to cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Atlanta and Dallas.
Erykah Badu has not released a studio album since 2010’s New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh). The But You Caint Use My Phone mixtape arrived in 2015. She did contribute “Tempted” with James Poyser to 2020’s The Photograph soundtrack.
Perfect day to cheat with a soft dude. Men gone be watchin football.
