Month: June 2021

It was nothing but waterworks after a video of Vanessa Bryant and Sharia Washington went viral. It’s been a rough road for the loved ones of Kobe Bryant after his tragic death alongside his teenage daughter Gianna and seven of their friends in last year’s helicopter accident. Vanessa has been holding things down for her family, including three daughters, as she makes sure both Kobe and Gianna’s legacies continue. 

There have been reports regarding Vanessa’s rift with her mother and gossip about the widow’s relationship with her in-laws, but on Thursday (June 3), good news was shared as both Vanessa and Kobe’s sister, Sharia Washington, posted videos and photos of a touching moment. In the clip, Vanessa is seen gifting Sharia with a brand new Tesla.

“Surprise @shariawash! We love you!!!” Vanessa captioned her post. “Tesla Tunnel, here she comes!! Vegas to Cali,” she added, referring to Elon Musk’s underground tunnels from Las Vegas to California. In another clip, Vanessa quotes Saweetie by saying, “Is that my bestie in a Tessie?” Sharia couldn’t believe she was receiving the gift and began crying as Vanessa wiped away her tears.

Sharia also joked that she needs to check out the manual on how to operate the vehicle before taking it for a spin. Check out a few warm-hearted moments below.

The Fox Theatre in Atlanta was the place to be last night as celebrities flew in from far and wide to attend Pierre “Pee” Thomas’s birthday party. The exclusive, glamorous event had a guest list that read the “who’s who” of the industry, including Diddy, Lil Durk, Lil Baby, City Girls, Bow Wow, Gucci Mane, Keyshia Ka’Oir, Teyana Taylor, T.I., Tiny, Tommie Lee, DJ Drama, Jack Harlow, Druski, Reginae Carter, Ray J, 2 Chainz, and hoards of other notable names.

Before heading over to the Gold Room for the afterparty, Thomas’s event was filled with surprises, including a caged white tiger on display. In a clip, Diddy is seen making his way over for an introduction, and while guests enjoyed seeing the animal, Carole Baskin wasn’t as thrilled.

The Big Cat Rescue CEO has been in the limelight ever since Netflix’s Tiger King shot her into infamy, but despite the backlash she received for the information shared in the documentary, Baskin remains an avid “big cat” advocate. According to TMZ, Baskin claims that Thomas’s party was “horrible” for the tiger and the animal looked “stressed by all the noise and chaos.” She could tell because of the “pacing and mouth breathing,” calling organizers and guests “impotent, clueless, and cruel.”

Baskin reportedly added that she didn’t understand why anyone would desire to “demonstrate dominion over the world’s most magnificent animal” and called the white tiger’s inclusion “exploitation.” She reportedly questioned the legality of the animal’s purchase and called for an investigation by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, however, the group reportedly told TMZ that Thomas and Co. acquired all necessary paperwork and permits.

Check out a few highlights from the party below.

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Following Piers Morgan’s unfounded attack on Naomi Osaka, several celebrities, as well as tens of thousands of social media users, have been using their platforms to commend the tennis star. We’ve previously reported on Osaka first choosing not to sit down with reporters at the French Open because she felt as if it was detrimental to her mental health. After she was fined $15K for skipping the press junket, worldwide controversy erupted and soon, she returned to share that she would be pulling out of the French Open altogether.

Morgan penned an op-ed piece about Osaka, stating that she was using mental health as an excuse much like, he claims, Meghan Markle did when speaking about her struggles with the Royal Family and media backlash. While critics have expressed that the press comes with the job, Osaka has received vocal support from tennis champions Serena and Venus Williams. On Thursday (June 3), Will Smith added his name to the list.

The beloved actor shared a simple, yet supportive, handwritten message to his Instagram. “Hey Naomi, You are right. They are wrong. I am with you,” wrote Smith before signing his name alongside a heart.” Osaka hasn’t returned to social media after sharing her announcement, but you can read through her explanation, as well as look at Smith’s post, below.

That recent list made by Brian “B. Dot” Miller has rappers staking their claim. The podcast host released his choices for the “Top 10 Rappers of 2021 (So Far),” noting that the list is “based on skill, performance, & presence” and is “subject to change.” In order, Miller chose Lil Baby, J. Cole, Lil Wayne, Conway The Machine, Benny The Butcher, Drake, Freddie Gibbs, Nas, Jay-Z, and Jim Jones.

We previously reported on both Jones and Benny’s responses, and this (June 3) evening, Conway has something to say about his inclusion, as well. Jones fired off a warning shot, stating that he’s ready to rap circles around anyone else on that list. Benny shared that he’s faced backlash as people have been coming at him as if he’s the person responsible for choosing the artists.

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Conway, like Jones, is ready for all the bar-for-bar smoke and fans believe he was responding to his fellow New Yorker. “I see a lot Rappers mad about that list and makin posts and issuing challenges… listen the machine don’t duck NO reck… just @ me or Dm me and say u want smoke and u can get handled quick and clean (chris from the wire voice) and that’s goes for ANYBODY [robot emoji].”

Those “Top Ten” lists often get the Rap world into a tizzy and Conway clearly isn’t afraid of anyone wanting to test his skills. Check out a few tweets below and let us know what you think about Conway’s offer.

Also, make sure to read through our exclusive interview: Conway The Machine Rejects Retirement: “I’m Just Getting Started.”

By now, we all know that Verzuz is noted as being a “celebration of music” and although it was introduced as a face-off of sorts, Timbaland and Swizz Beatz don’t typically promote one winner over the other. However, the streets don’t adhere to those rules, and while no one is crowned at the end, Rap and Hip Hop fans make sure to take note of each track before casting their votes on social media.

For weeks, Soulja Boy and Bow Wow have been taking playful shots at one another online in anticipation of their Verzuz appearances. The longtime friends have pulled videos out of the vault and cracked jokes at the other’s expense, and now Soulja is kicking things up a notch by offering up a bet to his Verzuz foe.

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“If you win the Verzuz, I’ll give you the pink slip to my Lambo,” Soulja said while showing off his luxury cherry red-colored whip. “I bet a hundred thousand dollars that you do not got your Lambo still. I still got my same Lambo. I bought my sh*t cash. I own it. Stop playing with me Bow Wow.” He closed it out with a laugh while saying, “You do not got your Lambo no more!”

Bow Wow has yet to respond, but considering his Instagram Stories show him jet-setting with Diddy and Ray J to attend Quality Control Music’s Pierre “Pee” Thomas’s lavish birthday bash, he might not have the time just yet. 

Check out Soulja Boy’s declaration below.

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We’ll soon receive an intimate look into Mary J. Blige’s personal life thanks to a new documentary, and more has been revealed about what fans can expect. We previously reported onMary J. Blige’s My Life, a documentary that will arrive on Amazon Prime Video at the end of the month. The singer recently shared its trailer and inside, Blige speaks candidly about creating her 1994 classic album, My Life, and the real-life struggles she was facing at the time.

“‘My Life’ is probably my darkest album at one of the darkest times I’ve had,” she said in the trailer. “Most of the time I was just depressed and didn’t want to live. I had it all inside and I was able to sing it and write it, and I didn’t know that so many people felt the same way.”

Scott Gries / Staff / Getty Images

The 50-year-old Bronx native also speaks about her childhood and how music helped her navigate. She’s previously shared that when she was five years old, he was molested, and she also revealed that her parents often fought before divorcing. “The only thing, I think, that kept us guided was the music,” she said in the documentary.

“It just saved you. In the neighborhood we lived in, it’s like prison,” she added. “There was a lot wrong, and it was a lot. I needed to get out. That’s why I had that pen.”

Tune in to Amazon Prime Video on June 25 to see more from Mary J. Blige’s My Life.

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