Media personality Funky Dineva spilled some apparent tea about Benzino. Dineva put the former co-owner of The Source on blast for his alleged drug use.
During an episode of Fox Soul’s Tea-G-I-F, hosts Claudia Jordan and Funky Dineva claimed Benzino made a statement about being uncomfortable around transgender people. That conversation led to Dineva sharing an alleged personal experience with the “Rock the Party” rapper.
“I’m finna fix his ass,” Funky Dineva said. “Now this [was] back in the day, so don’t judge me for my past, because I don’t stay there no more. But we both were down there in that naked bar, snorting that cocaine.”
According to the openly gay Florida native, Funky Dineva and Benzino spent time together in Atlanta’s Blue Flame Lounge strip club on the night in question. Dineva later said, “I’ve hung out with Benzino several times. Benzino is cool with the gays. It was never an issue.”
Benzino has been an outspoken critic of the LGBTQ community. The former Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta cast member blasted BET in 2021. He was upset with the network for allowing Lil Nas X to kiss another man at the BET Awards.
Benzino allegedly had a sexual relationship with transgender model Shauna Brooks, which he has repeatedly denied. In April, Benzino went on a Twitter rant about LGBTQ social media users directing sexual remarks at him online.
“Attention to all in the LGBTQ, abcd!!!” he tweeted. “I respect y’all’s movement and your decision to be who you want to be BUT STOP THE WEIRD S### WITH THE COMMENTS AND FLIRTING. I’M NOT F###### FLATTERED BECAUSE I’M NOT GAY!! RESPECT THAT S### AS I RESPECT WHO YOU ARE!!”
21 Savage has been on a heavy collaboration run over the last several years. The London-born rapper is back to dropping music as a lead artist.
This week saw the arrival of “Call Me Revenge” featuring Houston-bred R&B singer David “d4vd” Burke. The track marks 21 Savage’s first single as a solo artist since 2020’s “Secret” with Summer Walker.
Additionally, 21 Savage will star in an upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III trailer. Call of Duty players can also access Savage as an operator in the game. Modern Warfare III launches on November 10.
21 Savage contributed to Drake’s latest album, For All the Dogs, on a track titled “Calling for You.” The two Hip-Hop stars previously joined forces for 2022’s Billboard 200 chart-topping Her Loss collaborative project.
The Slaughter Gang leader also collaborated with Lil Durk, Toosii, Young Thug, Travis Scott and Rod Wave this year. Yung Nudy’s “Peaches & Eggplants” featuring 21 Savage became a Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Plus, the Grammy winner made it into the Hot 100’s Top 40 region in 2023 with “Creepin'” off Metro Boomin’s Heroes & Villain as well as “Good Good” off Usher’s upcoming Coming Home. 2018’s I Am > I Was is 21’s most recent solo album.
DMV underground music trailblazer Joony is ready to stake his claim as one of the new stars of Hip-Hop’s next generation. Fresh off the announcement of his exciting partnership with Red Bull Records, Blxst’s Evgle imprint and his homegrown collective 211, the “Drifting In Tokyo” emcee is unleashing his new 10-track EP, MEMENTO. After building substantial steam with a slew of showstopping features with acts like Brent Faiyaz, Jordan Ward, and Highway, the fast-growing Maryland-born recording artist is prepared to solidify his spot in the ever evolving music industry.
MEMENTO is a Y2K-influenced collection of music that boasts exciting features from artists like Tony Shhnow, TTM Dawg, Lancey Foux, and Lil Candypaint. Like the critically-acclaimed early 2000’s film, MEMENTO is a direct representation of fleeting thoughts that invade the brain of the talented 22-year-old rising superstar. The EP’s interludes successfully tie together the wide-range of sounds that showcase Joony’s undeniable versatility.
When discussing the project, Joony exclaimed, “The project ‘MEMENTO’ is somewhat of a memento in and of itself. I made all of the music during a part of my life where I was traveling the country with the homies, making memories and diving deeper into the next phase of my career. All the interludes are excerpts from real life moments and conversations recorded throughout the creation of the project, hence ‘MEMENTO’.”
The project’s first two tracks, “INTRO(Hotel)” and “NEED IT,” quickly set the tone for the sonic adventure that follows. The opener draws listeners into a movie-like scene featuring audio from a stranger interacting with Joony and his crew before quickly leading into the sobering track, “NEED IT.” The passionate song includes heartfelt lyrics about Joony’s journey to reach the fame and success he knows he’s destined for. The next track, “CLASSY,” featuring Atlanta’s Tony Shhnow, spotlights his lyrical prowess and instinctive ability to craft infectious hooks.
The visual for “CLASSY” sees Joony hosting a lowkey kickback that morphs into a jumping party. Tony Shhnow makes an appearance just before the music cuts and the camera pans to blood dripping from the ceiling. Plot twist, the women at the party are in fact, vampires. An unexpected eerie closer that fits the Halloween season perfectly. Watch the video HERE.
Additional songs like “ACT UP” and “EXPENSIVE CLOTHING” bring MEMENTO a more energetic nature. The upbeat production serves as a perfect example of Joony’s dynamic range. His vocal inflection is comparable to Juice WRLD as his voice pierces through the tantalizing production throughout the EP. Drawing inspiration from Lil Wayne, Joony’s soulful auto-tune-infused verses shine through on tracks like “CHEAP.” The project’s outro, “HIGHEST IN THE ROOM” strongly indicates that Joony is here to stay and has limitless potential. Paving the way for the next generation of scene-shapers, Joony will not stop until he’s met his aspirations for love, success, and the desire to have it all.
Fans of Joony can also see him live as he supports Lil Tjay on the European/UK leg of his ‘Beat The Odds’ tour, which kicks off November 2 at London’s iconic OVO Arena Wembley. Tickets are on sale HERE.
Check out the European/UK ‘Beat The Odds’ tour itinerary below:
Joony, aka Jonathan Negero, is a first-generation Ethiopian-American recording artist, songwriter, and entrepreneur who exemplifies what it is to be a multi-faceted creative with art that emits every emotion. Joony uses his haunting vocal range to share truthful stories about love, fashion, and making it in music without much guidance. Having grown up in Silver Spring, Maryland, about 15 minutes outside Washington, D.C., Joony’s hometown pride is strong. His latest album, #SHITUMSS, was an ode to the native sound that helped set the foundation for his start as an artist. His forthcoming Red Bull Records/Evgle debut project, MEMENTO, is an excellent next taste of the eclectic artist’s thinking. Joony’s free-flowing but calculated nature helps create a bevy of introspective lyrics that accurately illustrate the depths of his mind. MEMENTO also proves that Joony is in a class of his own. He does not color inside the lines and allows himself to take risks musically while pushing the boundaries of rap in a way that the game-changing artists he draws inspiration from have done in the past.
Joony rose to recognition for his impeccable consistency and dynamic contribution to Brent Faiyaz’s record-breaking album, WASTELAND. Since securing his first Billboard Top 100 hit with “FYTB,” the stage has been set for the SoundCloud-era-inspired emcee to further carve a lane for himself within music’s ever-changing landscape. His work with rising creatives like Jordan Ward (“IDC”), KELZ (“One Track Minded”), Highway (“Bad Time”), and more has led him to build up over 550K monthly listeners on Spotify. The “Baby Joon” recording artist has performed at various festivals, toured with Lancey Foux, and even completed an international headlining tour.
Furthermore, Joony has received co-signs from multi-platinum acts and A-list stars like BLXST, Kevin Durant, Shy Glizzy, Babyface Ray,and others.The writing is on the wall for his looming superstardom and MEMENTO is the only thing left to solidify him as a force within music. Joony’s talents and interests are beautifully conveyed throughout the 10-track EP. The project’s first two tracks, “INTRO(Hotel)” and “NEED IT,” quickly set the tone for the sonic adventure that follows. The opener draws listeners into a movie-like scene featuring audio from a stranger interacting with Joony and his crew before quickly leading into the sobering track, “NEED IT.” The passionate song boasts heartfelt lyrics about Joony’s journey to reach the fame and success he knows he’s destined for. The next track, “CLASSY,” featuring Atlanta’s Tony Shhnow, spotlights his ability to go bar for bar with other lyrical titans while still crafting an infectious hook.
Additional joints like “ACT UP” and “EXPENSIVE CLOTHING” bring MEMENTO a more energetic nature. The upbeat production serves as a perfect example of Joony’s dynamic range. His vocal inflection is comparable to Juice WRLD as his voice pierces through the tantalizing production throughout the EP. Drawing inspiration from Lil Wayne, Joony’s soulful auto-tune-infused verses shine through on tracks like “CHEAP.” The project’s outro, “HIGHEST IN THE ROOM” strongly indicates that Joony is here to stay and has limitless potential. Paving the way for the next generation of scene-shapers, Joony will not stop until he’s met his aspirations for love, success, and the desire to have it all.
As the newest artist from Red Bull Records in partnership with Blxst’s Evgle imprint and his own collective 211, Joony is putting underground rappers from the DMV on the map. Not many artists have the range and ability that Joony has cultivated, with this next projectdriving his quest to create without bounds. Joony’s dedicated fan base anticipates excellence, and MEMENTO rises to the occasion.
Trey Songz is once again facing legal trouble. According to TMZ, two women filed a sexual assault lawsuit against the R&B singer, claiming he forced himself on them in 2015 at his Los Angeles home. They also accused Songz of applying pressure to drink alcohol and possibly drugging them.
There are other allegations as well. As stated in the lawsuit, Songz refused to give the women back their phones. A security guard supposedly returned the phones and called an Uber.
“This is yet another example of nearly decade-old allegations being repurposed to take advantage of California’s constitutionally questionable new look back window,” Songz’s attorney, Michael Freedman, told the outlet. “We look forward to vindicating Trey on the merits in court.”
Former UNLV basketball player Dylan Gonzalez also publicly accused the “I Invented Sex” performer of rape in 2021. Plus, podcaster Rory Farrell stated, “Trey Songz is the most nasty, abusive, r####, beats the s### out of women. Like he’s the scum of the f###ing Earth.”
Songz and his legal representation have repeatedly denied all of the allegations. Since his debut album I Gotta Make It dropped in 2005, the 38-year-old entertainer released eight additional studio LPs via Atlantic Records. 2020’s Back Home is his most recent full-length project.
DJ Envy’s former business partner, Cesar Humberto Pina, a New Jersey real estate investor and online influencer, was arrested on charges related to a multimillion-dollar Ponzi-like investment fraud scheme on Wednesday (October 18) according to U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.
Pina, who’s now grappling with wire fraud charges, was released on a $1 million secured bond, subject to electronic monitoring after his appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward S. Kiel in Newark federal court.
The gravity of the allegations against Pina is profound. He’s believed to have utilized his celebrity status and vast social media outreach to ensnare potential victims. Pina allegedly swindled dozens of individuals out of millions of dollars by promising returns that seemed implausibly high. Pina, allegedly in collaboration with DJ Envy, orchestrated real estate seminars across the U.S.
The seminars, combined with self-promotion and strategic marketing, bolstered Pina’s social media following, where he amassed more than 300,000 followers.
Pina began courting investments for alleged real estate ventures in New Jersey and other regions in 2017. He frequently dangled the carrot of returns between 20 to 45 percent, all within a short span of five months.
However, instead of channeling the funds as pledged, Pina is accused of orchestrating a Ponzi-like scheme, misappropriating new investments to clear previous debts and funneling funds for personal expenses.
“Plain and simple, the defendant ran a fraudulent scheme,” Tammy Tomlins, Special Agent in Charge of IRS – Criminal Investigation Newark Field Office, said. “They falsely represented the nature of their business and lied about potential investment returns to bilk unsuspecting victims out of millions,” Today’s arrest highlights IRS Criminal Investigation and our law enforcement partners’ commitment to investigate and prosecute unlawful behavior.”
DJ Envy has been inextricably linked to Pina due to their joint real estate seminars and has cleared the air to proclaim his innocence and reveal he was also victimized.
“Let me explain some things,” DJ Envy said during a segment on The Breakfast Club. “My attorneys don’t want me to speak, but I think there are things that I need to clear up a little bit. Cesar and myself did seminars… Now, Cesar? If he took money, I wasn’t privy to it nor did I even know. But, I do understand how people feel if they did give him money, because I gave him a lot of money that I didn’t see a dollar of returned. But for anybody to say I was involved, that is totally not true. I would never.
“I’ve been on radio close to 30 years and never in my 30 years’ time did I do nothing but try to uplift people and show people a different way through the business mind. And I would never take a dollar from somebody.”
The wire fraud charge confronting Pina carries a potential penalty of 20 years in prison and substantial fine. The investigation was a joint venture involving several agencies, including the IRS, FBI and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Pina seemed surprised by the charges in a post to his Instagram Sories, where he simply tapped his head and made a facial expression that seemed to convey shock.
Fulton County prosecutors revealed they kept a potential juror under surveillance in the Young Thug RICO case. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the prosecution filed a motion asking Judge Ural Glanville to dismiss the juror after tracking the man’s movements for weeks.
Prosecutors claimed the man does not actually reside in Fulton County, Georgia. They said he lives at an apartment in Cobb County. During jury selection for Young Thug’s trial, the prospective juror acknowledged the apartment but insisted he usually stays at his mother’s home in Fulton County.
Surveillance allegedly determined the man spent 28 of the last 30 nights at his Cobb County apartment. License plate readers never saw him go anywhere near his mother’s home when he entered Fulton County.
Defense lawyers were reportedly shocked by the juror surveillance in Young Thug’s case.
“I think it is improper,” attorney Suri Chadha Jimenez told the AJC. “It’s not right to do this to citizens who are not criminals. They’re surveilling people who are doing their civic duty by showing up to jury service. He did nothing wrong.”
Prosecutors defended the surveillance. A Fulton County District Attorney spokesperson noted how a guilty verdict would be overturned if a person from outside Fulton County served on the jury.
“As is permitted by law, we review public records of jurors to ensure they are eligible to serve on a jury, particularly in major cases,” the spokesperson said. “Our review of this juror’s public information indicates that he lives in Cobb County, making it illegal for him to serve on a Fulton County jury. A further review confirmed he is ineligible. At no time did anyone from the DA’s office have contact with the juror.”
Young Thug, who remains in jail, is still waiting for a jury to be seated in his RICO case. Jury selection began in January.
A rep for Jussie Smollett revealed he entered rehab on Wednesday (October 18). The controversial actor sought help after appealing his convictions for lying to Chicago police about a hate crime.
“Jussie has had an extremely difficult past few years,” Jussie Smollett’s rep told TMZ. “He has quietly been working very hard for some time now and we are proud of him for taking these necessary steps.”
The rep did not disclose if Smollett went to rehab for drug addiction. The Osundairo brothers, who claimed Smollett hired them to help orchestrate his fake hate crime in 2019, said they provided Smollett with drugs in their testimony at his 2021 trial.
A jury found Smollett guilty of five counts of felony disorderly conduct for making false reports. He was sentenced to 150 days in jail in 2022.
Smollett secured his release from jail after spending just six nights behind bars. A court granted his release while he appealed his case.
Last month, Smollett’s lawyers argued for overturning his convictions in an Illinois appellate court.
“If Mr. Smollett’s convictions are allowed to stand, this case will set a dangerous precedent by giving prosecutors a second bite at the apple any time there is dissatisfaction with another prosecutor’s exercise of discretion,” his legal team contended, per the Associated Press.
Smollett awaits the court’s ruling. If his appeal is rejected, he must serve the remainder of his 150-day sentence.
CMG artist 42 Dugg received lots of hugs after getting released from prison. Yo Gotti and others greeted 42 Dugg in an Instagram video published on Wednesday (October 18).
“It’s Time To Go Again‼️” Yo Gotti wrote in the post’s caption. “W E L C O M E H O M E @42_dugggg.”
42 Dugg, whose real name is Dion Hayes, spent roughly 17 months behind bars. He failed to report for a six-month sentence at a West Virginia prison, leading to his arrest in May 2022.
The Detroit native was supposed to serve his six-month prison sentence for probation violation, which stemmed from a firearm possession case. The rapper mistakenly believed he did not need to begin serving time while going through the appeal process.
Earlier this year, 42 Dugg pleaded guilty to failure to surrender. A Georgia judge sentenced him to one year in prison in April.
42 Dugg begged for help just a few weeks after his sentencing. He said his prison conditions were terrible in several Instagram Stories posts. CMG boss Yo Gotti responded by offering $2 million to any attorney who could secure 42 Dugg’s release.
“I got 2 million for any lawyer that can get Dugg out early,” he wrote on Instagram in May.
Six months later, 42 Dugg was able to leave prison.
Florida prosecutors added new charges in the witness tampering case against YNW Melly, who awaits a double murder retrial. The rapper was charged with directing the activities of a criminal gang, solicitation and conspiracy to commit tampering, per NBC Miami.
Prosecutors filed the same charges against his co-defendant YNW Bortlen and a man named Terrence Mathis. YNW Bortlen and Mathis were also charged with unlawful use of a two-way communication device.
Earlier this month, YNW Melly was charged with witness tampering in connection to his first murder trial. YNW Bortlen, who had been out on bond, was arrested for witness tampering as well.
YNW Melly was tried for the 2018 murders of YNW Juvy and YNW Sakchaser this past summer. A jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict, resulting in a mistrial.
Prosecutors quickly announced plans to retry YNW Melly. Jury selection for the retrial began on Wednesday (October 18).
Last week, YNW Melly’s lawyers convinced Judge John Murphy to remove lead prosecutor Kristine Bradley ahead of the retrial. The defense accused Bradley and the Broward County State Attorney’s Office of prosecutorial misconduct.
Judge Murphy’s decision forced the Broward County State Attorney’s Office to find a new prosecutor for the retrial. Alixandra Buckelew replaced Bradley, making her first court appearance in the case on Tuesday (October 17).
YNW Melly, whose real name is Jamell Demons, remains in jail. He faces a potential death sentence if convicted of murder.
Former Mass Appeal producer Melissa Cooper reportedly filed a discrimination lawsuit against the company, claiming she endured a “hostile work environment” before being fired for being white.
Nas isn’t actually named in the lawsuit but since he owns Mass Appeal, he’s inadvertently linked to the suit. The discrimination lawsuit was filed in a Manhattan federal court by Cooper.
As an employee of the company, she claims she was bombarded with “venomous and racist comments about ‘white folk’ and ‘crackers'” before her termination.
The civil complaint names CEO Peter Bittenbender—who’s also white—and Senior Vice President for Partnerships & Content Acquisition Jenya Meggs as defendants. It states they “discriminated against her by removing her from several high value projects, creating a hostile work environment, and terminating her employment.”
The lawsuit claims that numerous racially insensitive remarks are centered on the upcoming documentary Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told.
As reported by AllHipHop.com, Freaknik is one of the biggest releases slated to come out on Hulu in 2024 and will tell the story of a HBCU picnic started by Spelman and Morehouse students from the Washington D.C. club. The Atlanta gathering evolved into one of the biggest experiences in Black culture.
Text messages show that Meggs was upset Cooper was on the project as an executive producer. Meggs said her friendship with Alex Avant, another executive producer on the documentary, got her in the door.
“Meggs was upset that Avant had decided to pitch the ‘Freaknik’ project to Cooper and not Meggs since Avant knew that Meggs was at Mass Appeal as well,” the lawsuit states, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “[Terry] Ross responded with surprise and said that this was ‘terrible.’ Meggs then texted that there were no hard feelings before qualifying Cooper’s selection for the Freaknik project as ‘Usual white folk behavior.'”
Meggs had another issue with Cooper that spilled over into 2023. She simply refused to work with Cooper and the plaintiff says it’s because she’s white and that Meggs pushed the agenda to get her off projects that deal with b######## content.
“Bittenbender removed Cooper from a number of projects, including Mass Appeal’s Hip Hop 50 Live concert at Yankee Stadium planned for August 11, 2023,” the lawsuit states. “Cooper’s removal from this important project, along with others Meggs was staffed on, effectively stripped Cooper of her primary role at Mass Appeal.”
Cooper was eventually fired on June 30. The lawsuit claims that same month, Bittenbender and Mass Appeal didn’t investigate Cooper’s allegations of racial discrimination
Kanye West apparently thinks he’s on the spectrum—not bi-polar. In a series of texts to Elon Musk posted online by West’s longtime friend Ian Connor, he claimed he’s showing signs of autism following the 2002 car accident that led to his jaw being wired shut.
“When are we going to speak,” the text messages said. “You owe me nothing. You never have to speak to me again. But if we do speak. The nature of the relationship has to change. I’m not bi polar. I have signs of autism from my car accident.”
He added, “You can’t watch Kim keep my kids from me. And not say anything publicly then call yourself my friend so I can bring my audience to your struggling platform.”
According toTMZ, West himself instructed Connor to share the texts.
Elon Musk and Kanye West have a complex history. At the center of it was Musk’s decision to remove the Grammy Award winner from the platform in 2022 over his antisemitic comments.
“Ima use you as an example to show the Jewish people that told you to call me that no one can threaten or influence me,” Musk told West at the time.
As for the car accident West referred to, the Chicago native fell asleep at the wheel when driving home from a recording session in Los Angeles on October 23, 2002. He crashed into an oncoming car and his jaw was completely shattered in three places. The other driver broke both his legs.
West had to undergo emergency surgery, where a metal plate was put into his chin and his mouth wired shut for over one month.
“Brand New Glick” gotta brand new remix as Lil.Eaarl joins DFW’s Tahjaee for the duo’s first collaboration. Both of these emerging stars have much to celebrate as they continue to amass both streams and loyal fans and that party vibe is perfectly captured by director @JusttStruttVisuals.
Described as a master of the mic and lyrical wordsmith, Tahjaee sprang onto the DFW music scene just about a year ago and the We the Future artist has already made quite an impact. Although a relative newcomer, Tahjaee’s current trajectory appears set to ensure that DFW rap remains in the forefront of markets to watch.
Lil.Eaarl came in hot two years ago and his momentum thus far is impressive. From his viral hit “From Tha Back” to his many successful collabs with names like DJ Chose, Dorrough, Beatking and Tay Money, this Dalllas young’n is well on his way to becoming a staple of Texas rap.
Lil.Eaarl’s knack for viral hits shows no sign of slowing down and his easy-going charisma on-camera makes him a winning collab every time.
This “Brand New Glick” remix is a top down, street takeover, slab mix banger that will challenge the best speakers and guarantee a dance party wherever it’s played. The slow, loud and bangin’ Brand New-produced track is likely to produce a few remixes on its own, making it a playlist must, hands down.
As Tahjaee puts it, “Linked up with lil.eaarl for the remix of “Brand New Glick.” We the future of Texas Hip-Hop now.“
Fat Joe is being sued over publishing rights for his hit song “All the Way Up” seven years after its release. In 2016, Miami rapper Fly Havana said he collaborated with Infared and Remy Ma on the original track. According to Courthouse News, other people were brought into the loop, including Fat Joe, who would eventually include the song on his own project. Fly Havana says he was never paid properly for his contribution to the song.
Fly Havana’s lawyer, AJ Fluehr, said his client’s “career should have gone ‘all the way up’ after writing a major hit. Instead, defendants caused it to go all the way down.”
The claim has been floating around for a while but on Tuesday (October 17), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit said it would reinstate plaintiff Fly Havana, whose name is Eric Elliot, an opportunity to fight the case in court. Consequently, Fat Joe will likely have to head to court.
The first time the complaint came before the courts, a judge in the Southern District of New York decided in favor of the Terror Squad executive without even letting Fly Havana conduct discovery.
The ruling was later vacated in an appellate court, with U.S. Circuit Judge Sarah A.L. Merriam saying the lower court “abused its discretion.” Judge Merriam said there was sufficient evidence for the case to go forward.
The Bronx Bomber reportedly told Fly Havana “he would get him ‘some bread’ upfront… more bread later as the song produced income, that they would begin working together because [Fly Havana] was hot and ‘in the zone,’ and that [he] needed to realize that he would have an ‘incredible relationship’ with Fat Joe going forward if he respected Fat Joe,” the judge recalled from what she was told.
Fluehr believes his client will “have a chance to prove” that his career was hindered by Fat Joe not honoring his word. The court docs state the “Lean Back” recording artist allegedly took him to IHOP in Miami Beach, gave him a $5,000 check and presented to him and had him sign an agreement note that promised payment and songwriting credit, but Fat Joe never gave him a copy.
During the first court proceeding, Fat Joe’s lawyers presented a document that they said was the one Fly Havana signed. The document said Fly Havana assigned all of his rights to an entity called “R4 So Valid LLC.” It also said that the artist was no longer entitled to any additional compensation other than the $5,000 he received. The first court said that was enough for them to move forward with dismissing the claim.
“But it was not appropriate for the district court to resolve this factual dispute against Elliott, the non-moving party, at the summary judgment stage, particularly without the benefit of discovery,” Merriam wrote.
Jam Master Jay was gunned down inside of his Jamaica, Queens studio in 2002. In August 2020, Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr., were finally indicted for the murder, while a third suspect, Jay Bryant, was charged later. As the proceedings drag on, Brooklyn Federal Court Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall ruled on Friday (October 13) that Bryant will stand trial separately from his co-defendants. According to the Brooklyn Eagle, Bryant argued each suspect is planning to point the finger at one another, which would complicate jury deliberations.
“Bryant argues that ‘there is no plausible scenario’ in which his co-defendants do not turn to the third-party witness their claims of innocence,” Hall wrote. “And at argument, Bryant invited the court to ‘read the tea leaves’ on this issue. I have. Upon a searching review of the record, it is clear that at least Jordan has sufficiently telegraphed that he intends to call the third-party witness to whom Bryant made his alleged admission.”
Although federal prosecutors claim Bryant admitted to pulling the trigger, was seen entering the studio and was linked to the crime scene by DNA evidence, the defense maintains Bryant wasn’t the triggerman and plans to introduce evidence suggesting Jordan fired the fatal shots. Bryant’s attorney, Cesar de Castro, will present “three irreconcilable theories” to the jury: one portraying Bryant as innocent, another claiming he acted alone as the shooter and a third in which he was involved but didn’t fire a gun.
Jordan plans to introduce another third-party witness that will implicate Bryant, which Judge Hall agreed would complicate things if all three defendants were tried at the same time. Jordan and Washington remain in jail as they await their trial scheduled for January in Brooklyn Federal Court.
Prosecutors believe Washington and Jordan wanted revenge on the Run-DMC legend for cutting them out of a 10-kilo cocaine deal.
Is Usher Raymond IV the new king of Sin City? The R&B/Pop legend put on what many music fans considered a must-see show in Las Vegas with his My Way The Vegas Residency at Park MGM.
Las Vegas celebrated Usher for his contributions to the Nevada locale by presenting the musician with an honorary award. In addition, the date of October 17 is now dedicated to the 45-year-old entertainer from Atlanta, Georgia.
The verified City of Las Vegas Instagram account posted, “We honored @usher by giving him the key to the city and proclaiming Oct. 17 as Usher Raymond Day! 🗝️ The Grammy-award-winning global superstar will headline the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show in Las Vegas on Feb. 11, 2024. 🏈 #USHER first started his Las Vegas residency in 2021.”
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman and Ward 5 Councilman Cedric Crear joined Usher at the October 17th Key to the City ceremony. The nearly 30-minute event included the Lovers & Friends Festival founder speaking to the audience in attendance.
“I just want to continue to be an amazing contribution to your amazing city. I do see opportunity here, and the belief that everything that’s in my mind and that I’ve dreamed of is coming to life as a result of the city. So thank you,” Usher stated.
Usher will return to Las Vegas on February 11, 2024, to perform at the Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show. In addition, the 8-time Grammy Award winner plans to release his ninth studio album, Coming Home, on the same day as the NFL’s Big Game.
All of the attention surrounding Jada Pinkett Smith’s willingness to share details about her personal life spawned countless headlines. It appears the world could get another round of a media circus from the Smith family in the coming years.
“I know it seems like it’s a lot of life because it is a lot of life in the book, but it’s very streamlined. There’s like layers and layers and layers and layers. There’s no way I could have put it all in one book,” said Pinkett Smith during an interview with SiriusXM’s Sway in the Morning.
The veteran Hollywood star also added, “So there’s definitely other books to come. I mean, even Will and I are thinking about writing a book. We were talking about this last night, writing a book called Don’t Try This at Home, where he and I kind of sit down and talk about our specific journey together.”
Jada Pinkett Smith supposedly met Will Smith on the set of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air sitcom in 1994. The A Different World cast member married the rapper formerly known as The Fresh Prince three years later.
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s self-described “life partnership” hit a rocky road in 2020. R&B singer August Alsina exposed his romantic “entanglement” with the Girls Trip actress. That revelation led to a now-infamous episode of Red Table Talk.
On the “Jada Brings Herself to the Table” edition of Pinkett Smith’s Daytime Emmy Award-winning talk show, both Smiths addressed the gossip associated with August Alsina. The parents of Jaden Smith and Willow Smith ended the program by declaring, “Bad marriage for life.”
Sir Robert “Logic” Hall II and Jason “IDK” Mills are two of the most successful rappers to emerge from the DMV region. However, there was clearly some level of tension between the two artists at one point.
“Logic and his manager tried to ruin my deal. I guess that’s what happens when you tell a n#### who spent his whole career proving that he’s Black, that he ain’t Black still,” rapped IDK on 2019’s “Trigger Happy” track.
He continued, “But when you taking food out my fridge, I ain’t gotta chill. And that’s for real, this ain’t a diss. He won’t respond, this ain’t a risk. This is me sayin’ none of you bigger artists can c###-block s###. This industry is a b####.”
Yesterday (October 17), someone on X posted a clip from the “Trigger Happy” music video. The @FittsBryce account added, “I still to this day want to know the story behind why IDK dissed Logic and his manager.”
IDK responded to that tweet with an explanation for his lyrical takedown of Logic. Four years after releasing “Trigger Happy” and calling out his fellow Maryland-bred counterpart, the F65 album creator reflected on how he handled the situation.
“Some [b#######] that happened with someone from his team at a time where I had nothing. It was just a situation that I didn’t think was right but [to be honest], who I am today would have kept that behind closed doors and solved it differently. No beef with the guy. Just felt disrespect by a situation,” stated IDK.
Some bs that happened with someone from his team at a time where I had nothing. It was just a situation that I didn’t think was right but tbh, who I am today would have kept that behind closed doors and solved it differently.
Waka Flocka Flame has been a very vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump for years. The rapper’s recent endorsement of the MAGA Republican leader still did not sit well with political commentator Roland Martin.
This week saw Waka Flocka Flame share a photo of himself with Donald Trump with the hashtag #NewProfilePic and a post that read “TRUMP2024.” Roland Martin responded, “100% trash endorsement of Trump from @WakaFlocka.”
Waka Flocka also received pushback from other people online. The New York-born, Georgia-raised entertainer returned to the X app to walk back his jump into the political space.
“I’m not a politician and I don’t wanna talk politics,” tweeted Waka. “I only answer to the people that made me and that’s my FANS aka THE PEOPLE… I love y’all with every bone in my body man.”
I’m an not a politician and i don’t wanna talk politics… i only answer to the people that made me and that’s my FANS aka THE PEOPLE… i love y’all with every bone in my body man Squaddd
Roland Martin once again had some things to say in response to Waka Flocka’s social media post. The host of Roland Martin Unfiltered mentioned that Waka apparently backed Georgia Democratic Senate candidates Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff.
“And you clearly don’t know s### about politics. Or did you forget all you learned when campaigning for @SenatorWarnock @ReverendWarnock and @ossoff in the 2020 runoff? Do I need to pull the videos? I have them ALL since we live streamed several @blkvotesmatter rallies,” Martin wrote.
Is Halle Bailey currently pregnant by her boyfriend, Darryl Dwayne Granberry Jr.? Some social media users have a problem with the idea of DDG possibly being the father of a child by The Little Mermaid star.
The online vitriol included trolls questioning why Halle Bailey would have a baby with a “bum.” DDG has not reached the level of fame as his partner, but the Michigan native has found success in the entertainment business.
On October 17, the Maybe It’s Me… album creator uploaded photos of himself and Halle Bailey to the X platform. He captioned the tweet, “Worried about me so much they forgot to live their own lives 🖤 FOCUS.”
Earlier that day, DDG more directly addressed the commenters slamming him for dating one-half of the Grammy-nominated R&B group Chloe x Halle. He decided to lean on money talk.
“Updated my bio to clear up confusion 🙏🏽,” posted DDG on Tuesday afternoon. The 26-year-old Epic recording artist changed his X bio to read, “Rich Bum.”
DDG gained a following on YouTube by publishing vlogs and prank videos. He eventually released his first studio album, Valedictorian, in 2019, followed by It’s Not Me It’s You in 2022 and Maybe It’s Me… in 2023.
According to reports, the Zooted Music co-founder began dating Halle Bailey in 2022. The celebrity couple has not officially confirmed a pregnancy but viral pictures suggest Bailey is with child.
2023 has been a mainstream breakout year for Halle Bailey. The 23-year-old singer/actress played Ariel in Disney’sThe Little Mermaid. She also appears in the upcoming The Color Purpleremake which hits theaters on December 25.
Battle rappers do more than just shake rooms with their powerful lyrics, as one pastor proved recently, quoting Nu Jerzey Twork bars to send a message to his congregation.
The Trenton, New Jersey rapper took to social media earlier this week to share a video featuring Pastor Michael Brown quoting bars from one of his battles. The lyrics came from his clash against Christian battle rapper Loso at Ultimate Rap League’s Civil War event in 2021.
The pastor used the quote from Nu Jerzey Twork, whose own mother is also a pastor, to illustrate that people will go to extreme lengths to protect their loved ones.
He told his church, “Nu Jerzey Twork – he said ‘When got a problem, I’m a slide right through/of course I walk by faith, but I drive by too.”
The pastor added, “Some people need to know if they keep putting they mouth on you, of course I’ll walk by faith, but I’ll drive by too.” Check out the clip below and slide to see a snippet from Twork vs. Loso.
Nu Jerzey Twork praised the pastor in the caption, writing, “AMEN PASTOR!” Many other battle rappers also reacted to the video and shared their responses in the comment section.
“Amen!,” Baltimore legend Tay Roc wrote. “I’m goin to his church this week.” Cortez said “Nah this is WILD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” adding a series of crying with laughter emojis.
It’s not just the pastor who’s impressed by Nu Jerzey Twork. Kevin Durant recently gave the rapper his flowers and labeled him the GOAT.
“Yo you really the best ever,” KD told Twork via IG Messenger back in June.
