Month: March 2021

There seems to be a never-ending list of things Shaquille O’Neal must try, and the next on the agenda is professional wrestling. The NBA Hall of Famer will be showing off his best moves in the ring for All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Shaq has been watching the sport since he was a teenager, and he’s more than thrilled to pit his 7’1″ frame against any opponent. It’s reported by ABC News that Shaq hasn’t had much training when it comes to wrestling, but he recently visited the AEW training facility in Georgia dubbed the Nightmare Factory.

“I’m the type that if I have a look and see you do it, I got it,” O’Neal said. His NBA nickname “Shaq Diesel” was apparently first reserved as a wrestling name, so it seems that the sports icon is returning to his first, or second, love. “I’m the type, I can never back down from a challenge,” O’Neal shared with The Associated Press.

“I’m not a professional wrestler, but I’ve been in a match before. I’ve got a lot of moves in my arsenal,” he continued. “When you step inside somebody’s world, you have to stick to what you’re masterful at. I’m not acrobatic. I’m not going to be jumping off the ropes. I’m coming with the power game. When I get hands on him, I’m going to display this power.” 

Last month, we saw Snoop Dogg face-off for AEW, and last year, Mike Tyson made an appearance. Plenty of basketball icons have shown out for various wrestling companies or leagues, but Shaq is sure that his feature “will top them all.” He’ll be fighting with a mixed team match—man and woman—and his partner is reportedly Jade Cargill. They’re set to go against Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet for Dynamite that airs on Wednesday evenings. 

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With millions of fans worldwide, we can only imagine how many DMs Lizzo receives from men trying to shoot their shot. However, we’re curious to know if any of them are as persistent as BFB Da Packman, a rising artist out of Michigan who has recently gained recognition for continuing his postal service job while carrying on with his rap career. Aside from being a hardworking USPS rapper, Packman is also known for his relentless pursuit of Lizzo, and he shared a “how it started vs. how it’s going” post over on his Instagram page.

It all began when Da Packman seemed to slide into Lizzo’s DMs by using Quavo’s “glacier” line that he pulled on Saweetie. The rapper showed that he’d been DMing the Grammy winner with no response, but that didn’t stop him from making her his “Woman Crush Thursday.” Then, Packman posted the receipt for the $339 flower arrangement he purchased for Lizzo for Valentine’s Day.

Later, Lizzo addressed the adoration while on Instagram Live. She said that the rapper also learned to play the flute so he could serenade her and mentioned that she’s not looking for one man, but if he’d like to add his name to the list he’s more than welcome. Swipe below to check it all out.

The last time we heard from Elite Noel, she was defending her mother against O.T. Genasis. The rapper had a falling out with Keyshia Cole on social media as the pair traded jabs over Genasis sampling Cole’s classic hit “Love” to create his Crip anthem, “Never Knew.” It was all in good fun, but Keyshia believed that O.T. Genasis should have contacted her in some way, and after their public feud went viral, they finally made amends and came to an understanding. During her appearance on Verzuz with Ashanti, Keyshia Cole even brought the rapper out while she sang “Love.”

Bennett Raglin / Stringer / Getty Images

While the singer was still at odds with Genasis, he spouted insults about her mother’s substance abuse struggles. Keyshia’s sister, Elite Noel, came forward repeatedly to call out the rapper over his comments, and when he appeared on Verzuz with the singer, Elite couldn’t understand how her sister was so forgiving. In a recent set of posts made to her Instagram Story, Elite Noel shared why she no longer has a working relationship with Keyshia.

“Stop asking me why I’m not around my sister !!!!” Elite wrote. “She only likes ‘Do B*tches’ ….. meaning if you don’t ‘Do what I want u to do , I don’t want u around me’ and I’m not talking about (The MUA, the stylist, the hair dresser ) I’m talkin real friends/family ! Sis like ‘yes’ men , people that will ask permission to do their ‘own thing’ ….. oh and please believe if around her and not on ‘pay roll ‘ u broke fa sho fa sho.”

She continued, “I stopped working for my sister cause I was underpayed and under appreciated! Same reason why everybody else quit ….. It wasn’t no respect ! This isn’t out of bitterness nor hatred ….. to be honest I’ve gotten more bread by being disassociated if anything.” Check out her posts below.

When a self-proclaimed “Old Head” launches a conversation that compares the current state of Hip Hop and Rap to what we’ve received in the past, often we hear them lament over how music has evolved. Actor and comedian Aries Spears has been in the entertainment industry for decades, most notably as a cast member of MADtv for eight years, often spending time and forming relationships with many artists in the game. As a lover of Rap and Hip Hop, Spears has, like all of us, observed the twists, turns, and evolution of artists and their sounds, and he voiced his frustrations with what he’s currently hearing on the airwaves.

Ethan Miller / Staff / Getty Images

“Whaddup it’s your boy Aries Spears, aka Old Head. Listen, I wanna ask the young generation a question, seriously,” said the actor. “How is it that y’all don’t get bored with the current state of Hip Hop and what y’all are doing to rap? When everything sounds the same. The melodies, the same. The beats, the same. The cadence, the same. The flow, the same. Everything autotune.” He then mocked the sound he was referring to.

“From NBA YoungBoy to Lil Baby to Rondo Quando, none of you n*ggas sound different. There’s no individuality or originality,” Spears continued, once again giving an example as to what he’s speaking about. In the caption, he added, “NOT TO MENTION U CANT UNDERSTAND THE LYRICS AT ALL!!!! & WHAT U DO MAKE OUT IS THE SAME SH*T, MY MONEY, MY CAR, MY GUN, MY HOE! (REPEAT) WHERE IS THIS YOUNG GENERATIONS VERSION OF BLACK THOUGHT (INSANELY LYRICAL) NAS (RAPPING BACKWARDS) BIGGIE (INSANE STORY TELLING) ALA ‘*IGGAS BLEED’ BIG PUN (COMPLEX WORDPLAY) WTF!” 

This isn’t a new complaint from a person familiar with older generations of Hip Hop and Rap, and it certainly won’t be the last. Check out the actor’s clip below and let us know if you think he’s overreacting or if he’s spot on about his assessment of the current state of the culture.

It was a little over two months ago that Tyrese and his wife Samantha Gibson revealed that they were seeking a divorce. The news came as a surprise to fans of both the acclaimed actor-singer and his wife, and since that time, Tyrese has hinted that he wouldn’t be opposed to reconciling his family. Samantha hasn’t shared if she’s willing to give her marriage another go, but during an Instagram Live session with her followers, she said that she absolutely would not recommend dating someone famous.

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“I think women make a lot of—I think women want a certain type of notoriety in being with a certain guy,” said Gibson. “That’s not where your worth comes from. That’s not where your validation comes from. Your validation comes from God and God alone, doesn’t matter who you’re with. I think women [see these] athletes and entertainers, and wanting to be with a certain kind of guys and we’ve got into the high-value men thing and everything like that.”

“I’m not saying these guys are bad, but you have to also understand, these guys are self-made men,” she continued. “There’s a lot of women that want these men, right? So, at the end of the day, these men are accustomed to getting their way. ‘Cause they’re the higher—there’s a lot more that want them, they’re able to pick and choose and they’re able to do whatever.”

Samantha said that many women decide the type of man with money or fame or power, but they aren’t fully aware “that these guys have the pick of the litter.” She claimed that these men “ain’t gon’ put up with everything” and they’ll have expectations for the women they’re in a relationship with to “settle and compromise and work things out within yourself” before they will do that as well.

“As women we value security, we value being with a man who is able to provide and protect us and provide the security that we feel like men should,” Gibson said. However, she stated men know they have “way more options” so they don’t necessarily fulfill other needs. Check out a portion of her Live below and let us know if you agree with her.

Another professional casualty has been reported for T.I. in the wake of the allegations against him and his wife, Tameka “Tiny” Harris. Weeks ago, the couple’s former friend Sabrina Peterson came forward on social media with accusations that the rapper held a gun to her head. Soon, Peterson would return with several women who allege they are victims of drugging, sexual abuse, and kidnapping by the famous couple—accusations that both Tiny and T.I. have actively denied.

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On Monday (March 1), it was reported that a New York lawyer named Tyrone A. Blackburn penned a letter to state and federal prosecutors in California and Georgia. He claims that he’s spoken with alleged victims—a reported 11 additional women—who accused the couple of sexual assault and rape, while he also calls on authorities to launch an official investigation.

T.I. and Tiny’s lawyer, Steve Sadow, has issued a statement on behalf of the couple saying they “deny in the strongest possible terms these baseless and unjustified allegations.” He added, “We fully expect that if these claims are thoroughly and fairly investigated, no charges will be forthcoming. These allegations are nothing more than the continuation of a sordid shakedown campaign that began on social media and now attempts to manipulate the press and misuse the justice system.”

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Meanwhile, it has been shared that T.I. will not be returning to the next installment of the Ant-Man franchise. The rapper portrayed the character of “Dave” in the 2015 and 2018 films, and The Hollywood Reporter claims T.I. hasn’t been added to the cast of the forthcoming movie. However, it’s unclear if that exclusion has anything to do with recent allegations. We previously reported that VH1 halted the production of T.I. & Tiny: Friends & Family Hustle indefinitely.

Peterson has filed a defamation lawsuit against T.I. and Tiny, claiming that the negativity has smeared her name and image. During her online spat with the couple, T.I. and Tiny responded to accusations by sharing a photo of the rapper with Peterson’s son. She states in documents that the post exposed her child to “vitriol and danger.”

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The ongoing online feud between Benzino and Coi Leray has a new chapter, now that The Source icon has returned verbal fire. Benzino and his daughter Coi Leray have been going back and forth throughout the day (March 1) after Benzino addressed Leray’s “No More Parties” lyrics where she claims he wasn’t there for her. The former music executive called the complaint an untruth and added that Leray has been living a well-off life. “Coi was raised in a mansion and had everything she ever asked for. My other two sons are grown and would never say these things,” he said.

Amy Sussman / Stringer / Getty Images

Leray clapped back with a video where her frustrations with her father were visible. “It’s crazy ’cause we was just on the phone crying yesterday, sharing this moment. Like, really sharin’ the moment,” she said. “For this man to come on here and do this is so lame and this is the reason he burned all his bridges today. Look here, father… I’m on Billboard charting right now and all you can do is this lame sh*t? Yeah, still proving on how much you lack as a father.”

Benzino is back, and this time he’s defending his name against his daughter’s allegations. “People need a storyline and y’all saying ‘clout,’ she mentioned me in the song,” said Benzino. “Stupid. Y’all wouldn’t have known nothin’ was goin’ on. Coi had everything she wanted. I was flying Coi to meet every summer, every Spring Break, every—she was in Miami. I got her in a movie… Every Christmas, Thanksgiving, she’s with me. Her brother and her other brother, they was all with me. Every last one… Her mother poisoned that. A lot of mother’s do that to guys. That’s a regular thing in the ‘hood.”

“The mothers get mad ’cause you ain’t with ’em no more, then they start poisoning the kid’s minds,” he continued. “I met Coi’s mother in the projects… I took care of her two sons that wasn’t mine. She tell you that, too? Get out of here. Y’all are stupid. I didn’t even want this sh*t, but I knew it would happen. I knew once she put that line in the song, I knew what was gonna happen.”

Swipe below to check out all that Benzino has to say about going viral due to his battle with his daughter.