Diddy honored the late André Leon Talley with his dramatic look for the 2023 Met Gala.
The Hip-Hop mogul, also known as Sean Love Combs, stepped out in a black suit and matching cape studded with floral motifs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
Taking to Instagram after the annual fashion bash, Diddy explained that he wanted to pay homage to André, who was known for wearing capes and robes to events, with the Sean John Couture ensemble.
In addition, he included a tribute to the late Karl Lagerfeld in the outfit, which was particularly poignant as the Met Gala had the theme “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty.”
And while walking the red carpet, Diddy told Vogue that he learned a lot from Chanel designer Karl when he was working on his Sean John fashion brand.
“I got a chance to spend time with Karl when I was designing Sean John, just as a fellow designer. And he was so creative, and he had so much attention to detail,” the 53-year-old added.
André died at the age of 73 in 2022, while Karl passed away at the age of 85 in 2019.
Jack Harlow is launching his own philanthropic foundation.
The “First Class” rapper announced the establishment of The Jack Harlow Foundation.
As part of the project, Harlow plans to offer aid to people in need in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.
“The launch of my foundation is represented by gifts to four organizations that I believe are doing the work of making Louisville a better place; helping under-resourced families remove obstacles to higher education, supporting a new start in a neighborhood that has been lacking investment, giving hands-on assistance to the poorest of the poor, and making safe housing affordable for families,” he said in a statement.
To begin, officials at Harlow’s organization will offer aid to Adelante Hispanic Achievers, Centro Latino, Russell: A Place of Promise, and Sponsor 4 Success.
Reflecting on the initiative, the star noted that giving back to those in Louisville represents a dream he has of “making a difference.”
“With all I have done and will do in my career, my home is where my heart is, my refuge, and the place that shaped me,” the 25-year-old added. “My vision is to make Louisville a better place. Know that this is just the start of my philanthropic legacy and I look forward to transforming our community and, as a result, the success and happiness of its citizens.”
The news comes a week after Harlow dropped his third studio album, Jackman.
Common and Jennifer Hudson were photographed canoodling in her suburban Chicago neighborhood on Thursday (May 4). The romance between the two stars appears to be getting serious after first being spotted together in February. As noted by TMZ, the couple walked arm-in-arm for more than 90 minutes, looking as happy as ever.
Hudson typically shoots her syndicated talk show from Los Angeles, but the Writer’s Strike has allowed her to take a break. Common, who’s a Chicago native, clearly doesn’t mind.
Not only are Common and Jennifer Hudson at ease together, but they've also started to act like a long-term married couple who go on romantic walks in the middle of the day. pic.twitter.com/fGUnavA6hg
— My Life In The CHI (@mylifeinthechi) May 6, 2023
Common has been romantically linked to Erykah Badu, Taraji P. Henson, Angela Rye and Serena Williams over the years. More recently, he was coupled up with comedian Tiffany Haddish. They dated for year before calling it quits in November 2021. Subsequently, Hudson’s fans are concerned about their relationship.
On March 13, Hudson shared a photo of herself with Common, asking her fans to wish him a happy birthday. Instead, she was met with comments such as “you’re too good for him” and he’s “emotionally unavailable.”
Haddish was particularly vocal after their split. Common’s team claimed they broke up due to scheduling conflicts. Haddish countered, “I was disappointed. I was very disappointed. I was like, ‘Oh, OK. ‘Cause that’s not what you told me, but OK.’ He might be the type of person that never really settles with somebody. Maybe he’s like, you know, like a bee going from flower to flower to flower. I don’t know. I wish him nothing but joy and happiness, you know. He will always be cool.”
Hudson, meanwhile, split with her son’s father David Otunga in 2017 after a decade together. The messy breakup included restraining orders, emergency protection orders and allegations he had violated a confidentiality agreement.
R&B singer and philanthropist Usher Raymond IV may not be talking about his altercation with Chris Brown, but his son is having a ball toying with the prying media trying to get the scoop.
Usher Raymond V, 15, posted a meme to Usher’s story that said, “Don’t message me about it…”
He followed that one up with “Lookin’ Ahhh,” before pulling both of them down and saying, “Lemme stop playin” with the crying emoji.
After an alleged altercation with Teyana Taylor, where Usher tried to step in to diffuse the drama, the “Yo” singer seemed to get frustrated, leave the venue, and waited to jump his big brother.
Machine Gun Kelly has been noticeably more rock than rap these days, but he’s never above starting (or engaging in) a good old fashioned rap beef. Days after Jack Harlow dropped his new album, Jackman, in which he proclaims to be the second best rapper behind Eminem, MGK is back.
On Saturday (May 6), Machine Gun Kelly dropped a new single called “Renegade Freestyle,” which finds the lanky rapper spitting over JAY-Z’s 2001 single “Renegade” featuring Eminem. Of course, Eminem and MGK famously beefed in 2018 following the release of Shady’s Kamikaze album, so the beat selection was clearly intentional. At one point, MGK takes a swipe at Harlow and accuses him of being a biter.
“Make sure there’s no confusion,” he spits. “I’m a great white, I can eat their barracudas […] I see why they call you Jackman/You jack man’s whole swag /Give Drake his flow back man.”
Harlow’s claims arrived on the song “They Don’t Love It.” He raps: “The hardest white boy since the one who rapped about vomit and sweaters/And hold the comments ’cause I promise you I’m honestly better than whoever came to your head right then.”
The line sparked a debate on Twitter, with thousands of people weighing in on the Kentucky native’s lyrics. As a result, Eminem, Paul Wall and Mac Miller became trending topics.
“Any discussion of best white rappers without Paul Wall is void,” one person said. Another added, “Jack Harlow hasn’t in his life dropped a song that slaps harder than Paul Wall’s Sittin’ Sidewayz. #CutThatShitOut.”
After years of incarceration, the Louisiana State Conference of the NAACP has decided to throw its support and resources behind, rapper Corey “C-Murder” Miller.
The civil rights organization, founded in 1909 by W. E. B. Du Bois, Mary White Ovington, Moorfield Storey, and Ida B. Wells, will work closely with attorney Benjamin Crump and Ronald Haley Jr. to help bring the artist to justice, almost 15 years later.
C-Murder, the brother of Master P, has been in jail since his 2009 murder conviction, a crime he has maintained his innocence.
According to the press release from the chapter, posted on C-Murder’s Instagram page on Thursday, May 4, “The NAACP Louisiana State Conference is proud to announce that Eugene Collins, President of the NAACP Baton Rouge Branch, will be taking on a special assignment and joining Corey Miller’s team in advocating for his innocence. President Collins will be working with FFO Investigations, led by Ms. Kasandra Washington.”
AllHipHop.com reports the No Limit soldier was convicted of murder in 2009 and has been serving a life sentence at the Louisiana Department of Corrections.
The civil rights organization states, “There is significant doubt about the fairness of his trial, along with evidence that suggests his innocence.”
C-Murder’s management team said, “Collins and the NAACP are committed to fighting for justice and equality for all, and we believe that Corey Miller deserves a fair trial and the chance to prove his innocence. Eugene Collins has joined Corey Miller’s team, and we are proud to have him as an advocate along with the NAACP.”
President Michael McClanahan, NAACP LSC, said he wanted to urge the “public and the justice system” to review the evidence more closely and to recognize, despite C-Murder’s high celebrity, he deserves a “fair trial.”
“We believe that justice will prevail and that Corey Miller will be exonerated. We will continue to work tirelessly to support Corey Miller’s legal team and raise awareness about his case,” McClanahan stated. “We appreciate your support and ask that you join us in advocating for justice and equality for all.”
The “My Life” artist said via statement “While [in] quarantined, the inmates are on constant lockdown and are not allowed to leave the dorm to receive fresh air.”
“The tests that they provide are not up to standard and they are giving many erroneous results,” he continued. “There are many inmates that have ailments that were not properly treated and as a result, have died after contracting the virus. The families of these men need to investigate their deaths due to improper treatment and neglect.”
Chris Brown and Usher reportedly got into a physical altercation on Friday night (May 5)—and now, there’s video evidence of an argument. In a clip obtained byTMZ, Brown and Usher are at the Skate Rock City roller rink in Las Vegas, where Brown was celebrating his 34th birthday. It sounds like Brown shouts, “Shut the f### up” in the clip, but it’s unclear exactly what the longtime friends are saying.
The bad blood allegedly boiled over after Teyana Taylor, who was also at the event, ignored Brown. Eyewitnesses said Brown was clearly offended and began yelling at her. Usher attempted to intervene but failed to calm him down. Brown—who was said to be “intoxicated”—reportedly called Usher a “coward” before returning to his bus. Usher followed him in an effort to talk things out, and that’s when Brown and his entourage allegedly physically attacked him. An insider claimed Usher was left with a bloody nose.
Lil Tjay, who was nearly killed at a New Jersey restaurant last summer, was arrested on gun charges this week. According to Daily Voice, an arrest warrant was issued for the 22-year-old rapper on April 14 in connection to the shooting. Lil Tjay was taken into custody by prosecutor’s detectives Friday (May 5) and charged with three counts of illegal weapons possession. He was subsequently booked at Bergen County Jail but released just hours later.
Lil Tjay had just returned from a world tour that had taken him to cities such as London, Paris and Berlin when he turned himself in. He posted several photos from his trip, including a handful from Paris. He tweeted, “If you escaped what I escaped, you’d be in Paris getting f##** up too!!”
If you escaped what I escaped, you’d be in Paris getting f##** up too!! 🤷🏾♂️🍻 pic.twitter.com/qIFM6FKPDg
Lil Tjay underwent emergency surgery after he was shot outside the Chipotle restaurant in the Shops at City Place on River Road in Edgewater in June 2022. He was airlifted to Hackensack University Medical Center with seven gunshot wounds. Police say he had three handguns hidden in his car at the time of what was believed to be a botched robbery.
A friend of Lil Tjay’s, Antoine Boyd, also took a bullet in the back. He drove to an Exxon station about a mile up River Road before he was discovered by police. He and another Bronx member of the entourage, Jeffrey Valdez, were both charged with illegal gun possession.
The accused shooter, Mohamed Konate, was arrested in NYC the same night. He was ultimately extradited to New Jersey and has remained at Bergen County Jail. He’s been charged with multiple counts of attempted murder as well as armed robbery and weapons offenses.
Lil Tjay has a history of carrying weapons. In 2021, he and Boyd were arrested after New York City police said they found them and three other men with four loaded pistols in a Cadillac SUV.
Usher reportedly hosted a big birthday bash for Chris Rock at Skate Rock City in Las Vegas on Friday (May 5).
What would happen next, nobody could guess. A Foo Fight allegedly broke out between the crew or Brown himself that left our beloved Usher reportedly bloody.
The birthday celebration began on a positive note but according to a reliable source, the situation took a turn for the worse later in the evening. It was revealed Brown, without any apparent reason, acted in a disrespectful manner toward Teyana Taylor. The source explained Brown appeared visibly intoxicated when he first approached her. Despite attempts from several guests, including Usher, to mediate and calm the situation, things escalated. At some point amidst the chaos, Brown allegedly insulted Usher, referring to him as a “coward,” before abruptly leaving the venue. The conflict spilled over outside, with Usher following Brown onto his bus in an attempt to talk to the “Run It” artist.
Shockingly, things took a drastic turn as Brown and his entourage allegedly physically attacked the renowned R&B singer. According to the insider, the alleged assault was severe, leaving Usher with a bloody nose. As of now, neither Brown, Usher or Taylor have addressed or clarified this report. Earlier in the day, Brown seemed to be in high spirits and ready to enjoy the festivities, as evidenced by his social media post stating, “I better get Cinco de fk’d tonight.”
Months after severing ties with its former partner, the controversial Kanye West, Adidas says the artist-turned-designer is still causing damage to the German brand.
The company’s CEO Bjørn Gulden said the loss can be attributed to “Yeezy,” saying the loss is “hurting us.”
While the separation from Ye has made the brand a little less cool to some people, what is hurting the company the most is “the high levels of inventory” the brand has of Yeezy stuff they can no longer sell.
However, according to AP News, the brand is making up for the loss by figuring out what it will do with all the sneakers they have, adding there are “so many interested parties” involved in the conversation.
The executive assured the press outlet, “getting closer and closer to making a decision” on what they will do in the future with the Yeezys.
“Depending on who you speak to, people will say you cannot destroy because it’s a sustainability issue, right? So, please don’t destroy. And then, those who are like, ‘Please don’t sell because you have a reputation issue,’” the New York Post reports him as saying.
They claim Adidas knew Ye was a loose cannon and never informed them about his potential to negatively impact the brand.
Despite all of this energy around the Yeezy brand, the report states the “inventory position improves sequentially to € 5.7 billion, up 25% versus the prior year.”
BMF star Lil Meech is caught up in social media drama.
Folk are flooding the internet with comments after an alleged sex tape of him and industry vixen Celina Powell has hit the web.
This could not have come at a worse time, since the Nepo thug and actor is said to be in a relationship with singer Summer Walker.
Most people caught a glimpse of the tape after someone leaked it on OnlyFans. In the clip, Lil Meech is enjoying himself with the hottie on a balcony— right around the same time that she was seen rocking his BMF chain on Instagram.
Celina Powell post a pic in Lil Meech’s BMF chain and drops a sex tape… just one day after Lil Meech and Summer Walker go public with their relationship 😳👀 pic.twitter.com/htp7KyuAiy
Many believe she did it on purpose because he and Summer had just made their love social media official.
People let him have it, mostly because Powell is known to get her hooks in dudes while they are on the celebrity wave.
Some people made fun of the optics, laughing at him being butt booty out in a public restroom.
“Crying at Lil Meech getting head from Celina Powell in a public disabled bathroom with his cheeks out. I know Big Meech is rolling around in his prison cell,” one person tweeted.
Comedian Rayyy Rayy, the Voice of New York, made a hilarious post about it. His caption, “OHHHHHHHHHH WOWWWWWW SO THIS HOW MAY 2ND STARTING OFF 👀👀😂😂😂😂😂 SMH WHY SHE GOING CRAZY 😭😭😭😭😭 LIL MEECH WASSUPP GANG HOW YOU ON ASS OUT 😂😂 AND @celinaapowellxo YOU DEAD WRONG 😂😂 CHILL SUMMER JUST STARTED.”
Pop jumped into his comments and said, “Nah you wilding. Let my son get right.⏸️⏸️ You dead wrong Ray. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 my dog was bozy and bomfortable. Backed out the unmentionables in the public toilet means the neck was phenomenal or it was dead wack and my son had to limit the malfunctions so he could get right. You out of line Ray 😂😂😂😂😂 let my son live life. He worked diligently to be able to receive that little bit of neck in the stalls.”
But not everyone thinks it’s a wrap for the two. Instead of letting Powell, who is a known relationship wrecker, Lil Meech and Summer seem to be putting up a sweet face in the midst of this crisis.
Freddie Gibbs is the subject of thousands of tweets following his purported ex-girlfriend’s social media tirade. The Alfredo rapper started trending on Friday (5/5) after apparent p### star “Destini Creams” accused Gibbs of dropping her when she got pregnant with their child. The situation quickly spiraled out of control, with the woman claiming Gibbs sent her a graphic photo still in her possession.
In between accusations, she casually tweeted, “Blocking me on twitter while i have a picture of you spreading your a###### in my phone is insane … imma spare them that one though.”
blocking me on twitter while i have a picture of you spreading your a###### in my phone is insane … imma spare them that one though 🥲
For some twisted reason, the woman was asked numerous times to post the photo, but she refused. She added, “Y’all I am not posting the a###### pic. I was just in a silly goofy mood stop asking.”
Gibbs has been relatively silent on Twitter, posting just two comments that appear to relate to the situation at hand. “I ain’t have a phone,” he wrote, which was followed by a series of laughing emojis.
As for the woman, she was nowhere near finished. She seemed highly offended people were questioning why she wanted to keep Gibbs’ baby knowing he wasn’t ready.
“’WHy dId u KeEp HiS bAbY?'” she wrote. “Cause this is my baby TOO. this is a baby we literally PLANNED. my heart was in it. i’m pro choice. But i could not go through the procedure knowing i purposely brought this baby here. my child will be taken care of REGARDLESS.”
When someone suggested she should’ve taken the Plan B pill, she asked, “Do we really live in a world where women can only want their baby if the father is involved too?? like damn i can’t keep my baby???? s###.”
Her latest arrived on Sunday (5/6). She wrote: “Some of y’all seem upset that I’m not sharing the picture and that’s a little concerning.”
Unfortunately for Freddie Gibbs, the mere thought of this photo has sparked a cascade of memes and a new nickname for him: “Spreadie Gibbs.” Check out some of the reactions below.
They say this how spreadie Gibbs looked when he took the pic 😂😂😂😂 allegedly 😂😂😂 don’t shoot the messenger pic.twitter.com/19NUAWP72D
I learned way too much about Freddie Gibbs in the last 12 hours… against my will at that. Spreadie Gibbs trending is CRAZY. 🫠🫠🫠 pic.twitter.com/wykf5sd3wd
The rise of A.I. rattled the music industry, but will.i.am’s concerns go beyond music.
Will.i.am discussed A.I. technology in an interview with SiriusXM Hits 1. The Black Eyed Peas member shifted the conversation away from music, instead focusing on how A.I. will affect everyone.
“There’s going to be a fourth industry that’s coming, and this fourth industry is not just for musicians and artists,” he said. “This fourth industry is for my moms, your cousins, your nieces, your tías, your tíos, your abuelitas, your abuelitos, your brothers, your sisters, your nieces and your nephews. Why? Because we all have voices, and everyone’s compromised because there are no rights or ownership to your facial math or your voice frequency.”
He continued, “So, forget songs. Banks! People calling up your bank pretending to be you. Forget songs. Just family matters and wiring money. You’re getting a FaceTime or a Zoom call and because there’s no intelligence on the call, there’s nothing to authenticate A.I. call or a person call.”
“That’s the urgent thing, protecting our facial math,” he said. “I am my face math, I don’t own that. I own the rights to ‘I Got A Feeling,’ I own the rights to the songs I wrote, but I don’t own the rights to my face or my voice? There’s new laws and new industries about to boof. This time next year you’ll be like, ‘will.i.am said that on that radio station.’ Fact is, these are all new parameters that we’re all trying to navigate around because the technology is that amazing and with amazingness comes regulations and governance that we have yet to implement.”
Queen of Hip Hop Soul Mary J. Blige will present her second annual, Pepsi-sponsored Strength Of A Woman Festival & Summit during Mother’s Day weekend in Atlanta.
In addition to the event, Mary J. Blige also announced another partnership with Pepsi. The musician and the corporation will sponsor a $200,000 fund for a college scholarship and investment in local organizations.
The inaugural “PepsiCo x Mary J. Blige Strength of a Woman Scholarship” will be awarded to a Black female student aspiring to or currently attending a Historically Black College and University. Pepsi will announce the recipient during the company’s HBCU tour in the fall.
“The whole mission of this festival is to celebrate and advocate for Black women,” says Mary J. Blige. “So to have Pepsi, show up and show out in the way they do is overwhelming.”
She adds, “With their support for the Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit, we are able to pay it forward in so many impactful ways, and to be able to grant an HBCU scholarship for a deserving student is nothing short of incredible.”
“The Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit has proven to be a powerful platform for Pepsi and its brands to create opportunities that bring long-lasting change to amplify and elevate women,” states Kent Montgomery, Senior Vice President, Industry Relations and Multicultural Development, PepsiCo.
Montgomery continues, “This year, with even more events for fans to experience, we want to recognize, celebrate, and support the voices of the community, from the incredible on-stage talent, including the iconic Mary J. Blige, to the on-the-ground local restauranteurs and entrepreneurs whose vision and passion inspire others.”
The Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit will also feature performances by numerous R&B and Hip Hop acts. This year’s lineup includes Mary J. Blige, Jodeci, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Jeezy, Summer Walker, Busta Rhymes, Method Man, Jadakiss, and more.
Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty is celebrating its 5th brand anniversary with new launches across lingerie, lounge and sport.
The anniversary capsule includes new styles and silhouettes from the “Beneath the Surface Mesh Bustier” and Brazilian pieces, “Xssential Rib” sets (featuring new ribbed material for at-home and outside wear), and the new SavageXXX Sport collection.
Bad Gal Ri & Savage X Fenty are also bringing back some classics for a limited time only.
During the first two weeks of May, the brand is offering five special bundles inspired by Savage X looks that the CEO and Brand visionary Rihanna has worn over the years.
The first bundle launched May 1, 2023. Make sure to check SavageX.com every few days for the next drop!
New York Mayor Eric Adams criticized Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for referring to Jordan Neely’s homicide as a murder amid outrage over the homeless man’s death.
A marine named Daniel Penny choked Neely to death on a New York subway train on Monday (May 1). Penny put Neely in a chokehold after the homeless man started acting erratically.
Neely was stuck in the chokehold for several minutes and died from compression of the neck. Penny wasn’t arrested, but the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office launched an investigation.
Mayor Adams called Neely’s death “tragic” in a statement on Wednesday (May 3). Ocasio-Cortez chided Mayor Adams for not condemning Neely’s killer.
“This honestly feels like a new low: not being able to clearly condemn a public murder because the victim was of a social status some would deem ‘too low’ to care about,” she wrote on Twitter. “The last sentence is especially rich from an admin trying to cut the very services that could have helped him.”
This honestly feels like a new low: not being able to clearly condemn a public murder because the victim was of a social status some would deem “too low” to care about.
The last sentence is especially rich from an admin trying to cut the very services that could have helped him. https://t.co/0DtXl9DOO5
Mayor Adams responded to AOC on CNN. He claimed it was irresponsible for her to refer to Neely’s death as a murder.
“I don’t think that’s very responsible at the time where we’re still investigating the situation,” he said. “Let’s let the D.A. conduct his investigation with the law enforcement officials.”
Neely’s father Andre Zachery urged authorities to arrest Penny. Zachery was baffled by the lack of criminal charges against his son’s killer.
“I just want something to be done,” Neely’s dad told the New York Daily News. “Obviously he was calling for help … He wasn’t out to hurt nobody. He was a good kid and a good man too. Something has to be done.”
A medical examiner ruled Neely’s death to be a homicide. He was 30.
50 Cent emerged as a potential buyer for the BET Media Group as Paramount considers selling its major stake in the company.
According to TMZ and the Wall Street Journal, 50 Cent teamed up with Shaquille O’Neal and Kenya Barris to purchase BET. The trio aligned with private equity firm CVC Capital Partners in their bid for the network.
Earlier this week, 50 Cent and Barris were spotted at the Paramount offices in New York. A source told TMZ the talks were significant.
“It’s not a done deal, but they’re deep in it,” the source said.
50 Cent and his partners face competition from big names such as Tyler Perry and Diddy. Perry already owns a minority stake in BET but wants to be the majority owner.
“I’ve been there for four years now and had tremendous success,” he told Entertainment Tonight in April. “I wasn’t expecting this to happen, so, yes – if that is possible, I’m very, very interested in taking as much of it as I can.”
Diddy called for BET to return to its roots as a Black-owned network in March.
“It’s time for @BET to be Black-owned again so we have the power to tell our own stories, control our own narrative!” he wrote on Instagram. “This is not about me it’s about WE!!!!”
50 Cent hasn’t publicly commented on the reports about his interest in BET.
A judge denied bond to Young Thug’s brother Unfoonk following his arrest in Atlanta.
According to WSB-TV, police apprehended Unfoonk after they allegedly saw him participate in a drug deal on Thursday (May 4). He was denied bond on Friday (May 5).
Unfoonk was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, participating in criminal street gang activity, not wearing a seatbelt and a window tint violation. Cops noticed his alleged drug deal while conducting surveillance on Cleveland Ave.
Police caught Unfoonk in a traffic stop, pulling him over for having tinted windows. Officers claimed they smelled marijuana and found marijuana particles in Unfoonk’s vehicle, but he faced no drug-related charges.
Young Thug’s brother, whose real name is Quantavious Grier, was out on probation after taking a plea deal in the YSL RICO case. He pleaded guilty to one count of violating Georgia’s RICO act and one count of theft by receiving stolen property.
Unfoonk received a 12-year sentence with two years commuted and the remaining 10 on probation. His plea deal required him to complete 750 hours of community service and barred him from possessing a gun.
Young Thug awaits trial in the YSL RICO case. He maintains his innocence.
Charisse Mills is a go-getter, a true definition of a boss babe if there ever was one. In fact, getting her start modeling in the industry, she reveals she touched a million dollars at the young age of 14.
Boasting one million followers on Instagram alone, Charisse Mills is a Trinidadian opera singer, songwriting powerhouse, recording artist, reality television star, and entrepreneur. Her first single ever, “Champagne,” was co-written with French Montana, and she also collaborated with Grammy-winning R&B artist Ne-Yo on his song “Integrity.”
Born in Trinidad and Tobago, but raised in Queens, New York, Charisse had to learn the value of hard work from her single mom, Charmaine Mills, who raised 3 children. Classically trained, she was taught by famous Armenian opera singer Anita Darian and vocal coach Steven Kaplan. She attended the prestigious Manhattan School, where she studied with the renowned singer Hilda Harris.
Now, Charisse Mills fully dips her toes into the urban space with her newest single titled “Drop A Bag,” featuring her husband Luce Cannon. The song is meant to empower women to know their worth, and never settle for anything less. The lovebirds tied the knot last year on 2/2/2022 and continue to live out their best lives together as creatives and business partners.
AllHipHop spoke with Charisse Mills in downtown Los Angeles to discuss the new single, how she met her husband, filming her new reality television show, her new edibles, and more!
AllHipHop: Who or what inspired your new single, “Drop A Bag”?
Charisse Mills: “Drop A Bag” is really my life. I live my life super bad and boujee. I get what I want, I do what I want, and I found a husband that gives me what I want. And he knew that he had to drop a bag. Everybody wants a taste of bad and boujee, but you can’t have me. I’m exclusive. If you want to touch, you better drop a bag on me. ‘Can’t let a n*gga touch if the bag’s on E.’ Okay?”
AllHipHop: How did you and your husband Luce Cannon meet?
Charisse Mills: We met at a network launch. He was supposed to do his own show on this network, I was supposed to do my own show. Coming off a dating show, I was going to open up my own dating show and do a charm school. It just so happened, all that changed when we met at the same network event. We’re like ‘oh s###, now we gotta put our show together.’ So we’re coming out with a show called Beauty and the Beast, where it’s derived around our lives. Because we’re crazy. Sometimes, I’m the beast. [laughs] But it’s awesome. We’re also on new show called Side Chicks of LA, coming out on the For Us By Us Network launching real real soon.
AllHipHop: Who’s the side chick?
Charisse Mills: First of all, ain’t nobody no side chick! I may be on the side sometimes, before I met him. Listen, I’m all about my bag. At the end of the day, I’m never a side chick. I’m an everyday chick. [laughs] Honestly, Side Chicks is just a name. It’s an eye-catcher. You go, you watch Housewives. They’re not really married. Basketball Wives, do they really date a basketball player? Not all of them.
It’s really just a catchy name, the show is about that. Shoot, I may have had a side chick myself. Yeah. You’re gonna have to watch yourself and see exactly what the show’s about. A lot of people don’t realize they may have been a side chick without even knowing it. When they think of side chick, wait a minute. A main chick could really be a side chick, because n*ggas really got people that they treat better than their main.
AllHipHop: How long have you been doing music?
Charisse Mills: I’ve been doing music for over 15 years, professionally. I love it. I went to classical music school. I do this. I breathe, sleep, eat it. I’m in the shower vocalizing every day, around the house. Luce is like, ‘I got a singing bird up in here.’ [laughs]
AllHipHop: Did y’all come together in the studio to make “Drop A Bag”?
Charisse Mills: Yeah. Listen, Luce is amazing. He is so genius at production, genius at writing. He was impressed because I wrote all of my part. He’s like ‘damn, this is coming from you?’ And I’ve never rapped or did urban music.
AllHipHop: Do you usually sing?
Charisse Mills: Yeah, classically trained. He’s like, ‘you need something for the strip club. You need something for the streets. You need something that goes with really what your personality and essence is about. Get out of this whole boujee-ness.” I’m like, I’ma still be boujee, but I’ma be bad and boujee. On this record, you’re really getting the bad and boujee side of me.
AllHipHop: What do you want fans to take away from this record?
Charisse Mills: It’s okay to say what you want. Know your worth. It’s not being a hoe or not being portrayed as “oh, it’s all about money.” No, it’s all about what you want. Your quality of life, period. You want to go date a broke ass n*gga, go ahead and date a broke ass n*gga. Not me. Because I’m not broke. I don’t need a man with money, I want a man with money. It’s different.
AllHipHop: Talk about your Bad and Boujee edibles.
Charisse Mills: The Bad and Boujee edibles are amazing because it really gets you going. It makes you feel free. For those who have problems sleeping at night, I love it because my man doesn’t sleep well. He wakes up at 3am because he’s so used to studio time and studio life, to where his mind is just going. You know when you’re a musical genius, you’re always up and your mind is thinking? I always say “hey honey, take an edible to go to sleep.”
It’s not just recreational, it’s health wise too. You need it. Sometimes you need that. When you’re thinking so much, you got so much going on or you’re stressed, it’s a reliever. For me, the Sativa ones, I like to be happy. Indica puts me straight to sleep. I made a Sativa-based one that keeps you nice and mellow, happy and free. You can watch a movie and just chill. It’s a great mix that I made and the flavors are so yummy. Because I’m from the Caribbean, so I made a lot of tropical flavors like watermelon, peach, berry, fruit punch.
AllHipHop: How is it entering the cannabis industry?
Charisse Mills: At first, I was not a big cannabis person. I barely smoke, but edibles I’ll do all day long. My mama hates it though, ain’t gon’ lie. [laughs] She’s seeing that more and more CBD, edibles, THC, all that, it’s really a way of life. It helps. It’s better than taking pills, that’s for sure. They’re prescribing all these people with ADHD all these pills, no. Go get some cannabis in your life.
AllHipHop: What else can we expect from you guys?
Charisse Mills: We have so much to come. We just got married, so we’re still in our honeymoon stages. 2-2-2022, eternity. Everything’s been a bliss. He wants to do everything now. He wants the house, the carriage, everything. But I’m happy because that’s what I want too. I’m his peace in his life, because he needs that. He’s been in the streets so long, always on protective mode. I make him feel that peace, so I’m glad that I found my soulmate. A lot of people can’t handle me because I’m a boss ass b####. We do fight a lot because of that. Because I want my way, but I gotta let him be a man too. It takes a strong man to handle a woman like me. I’ve had all of my own businesses since I was 16. I made my first million when I was 14.
AllHipHop: Damn! Doing what?
Charisse Mills: Want me to tell you? Illegally, I was a promotional model for Anheuser-Busch. I promo modeled in New York for their nightclubs. I wasn’t 21, but I was making $50 an hour. My mind went rolling. Every client that they’ve represented under their Anheuser-Busch company, they always requested me. But I was in school, so I can’t do every event. Why don’t I hire five girls like me? I’m not available, but my friend is! Eventually, I opened up my own agency called Mills Modeling and Entertainment. 10 girls went to 83 girls, so I opened up my own modeling agency before I turned 18. I wasn’t even 21.
We had liquor brands, beauty brands, sports brands, and the girls were going around. I was paying them $25 an hour when companies were giving me $50 to 75 an hour, so do the math. Every week, I had 83 models working throughout New York City. Before I even went to college, I had my own corporations. Dealing with that and saying man, I don’t need a man for nothing! If I want a man, he’s gotta be able to do what I can do, but better. I was very bossy, very cocky. I got what I wanted. If there was something that I wanted, it’s not that I had it. If I didn’t have it, I’d work for it. That was me. Alright, I’ma save. I want this i8? Okay cool, what’s it gon’ take? Boom, cash out. That’s me. I don’t like bills. If I can’t do it, there’s no such thing as credit. But that was broke mentality. Until I met my Jewish friend that taught me credit is actually good. Don’t use your cash, I had to learn. Reprogram myself.
Nicki Minaj is preparing for a legal showdown in court against blogger Marley Green, accusing her of damaging the rapper’s reputation through malicious social media activity.
This high-profile case centers around the “Super Bass” rapper’s defamation lawsuit against blogger Marley Green over a drug allegation.
Judd Burstein, Nicki’s attorney, submitted documents to a New York court claiming that Green, allegedly behind the @noseyheauxlive social media account, outrageously stated in a video that Nicki was a “coke head” and had been “shoving in all this cocaine up her nose.”
“I apologize for those comments. No excuses. I will continue to fight to clear my name with the help of my team and lawyer,” Marley Green wrote.
Nicki Minaj has vehemently denied ever using cocaine and seeks $75,000 in damages. Burstein argued that while social media can be an effective vehicle for spreading lies, it does not grant anyone the right to do so.
He also claimed that Green was acting as a proxy for one of Nicki’s rivals, possibly Cardi B, in an attempt to elevate her career at Nicki’s expense.
As they prepare to square off in court, Nicki anticipates presenting an expert who will testify about damages inflicted on her reputation, particularly those caused by Green’s social media posts.
Despite no settlement discussions, the parties counsel has considered participating in the District’s Mediation Program as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism.
Green has not officially responded to the lawsuit, but she took to social media to accuse Nicki of harassment, claiming that the rapper doxxed her and sent her fans, known as “Barbz,” to threaten her life.
As the case moves forward, it is expected to be tried by a jury. Both parties’ counsel has conferred and estimated that the trial will last approximately three court days.
