Month: June 2021

Jay-Z Reinvented Himself Once Again With “4:44”

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Four years have passed since Jay-Z dropped his thirteenth studio album, 4:44. Marketed as a response to Beyonce’s critically acclaimed 2016 album Lemonade, Hov’s last album treated Hip-Hop fans to a side of Jay-Z that they had never seen before. From the self-deprecating intro “Kill Jay-Z” to the reflective album closer “Legacy,” 4:44 was perhaps Jay-Z’s most candid, introspective, and transparent album to date, and one could argue that four years later, it may even be a classic album.

While that will likely be up to debate for several years to come, one thing is certain about Jay-Z’s eye-opening 2017 album — you can’t talk about it without talking about reminiscing on its magnificent fifth track, titled “4:44.”

Jay-Z himself has revealed that “4:44” is essentially the crux of his last solo album, and everything about the song masterful. From the fact that Jay-Z literally woke up at 4:44 a.m. to write the song to the song literally being four minutes and 44 seconds long, “4:44” is an incredibly written and intentionally crafted song.

Revisit the title track to Jay-Z’s thirteenth studio album below. Four years later, which song from 4:44 is your favorite?

Quotable Lyrics

I apologize to all the women whom I toyed with your emotions
‘Cause I was emotionless
And I apologize ’cause at your best, you are love
And because I fall short of what I say I’m all about
Your eyes leave with the soul that your body once housed
And you stare blankly into space
Thinkin’ of all the time, you wasted it on all this basic shit
So I apologize

Bill Cosby’s Accusers React To News Of His Release From Prison

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Bill Cosby is officially a free man but that doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s innocent. The sexual assault conviction that sent him to prison was overturned today due to a technicality and the case has been officially closed. 


Mark Davis/Getty Images 

Several of his accusers have emerged to denounce the decision to release him from prison. Victoria Valentino said that the decision came from nowhere and felt that it was a “gut punch” to vacate his sentence. 

Other accusers spoke to TMZ following news of Cosby’s release, claiming that he’s still a threat to society. Sammie Mays, who accused Cosby of drugging and assaulting her in the 80s, said that the decision is “disrespectful and despicable” to Andrea Constand, the accuser who took him to court.

Former Playmate model who accused Cosby of groping her, Sarita Butterfield, added, “I’m surprised and shocked with today’s news of Cosby’s release. It seems the justice system served the criminal, in this case, as opposed to the victims.”

“At this point, I just hope that he took time to reflect on the pain and anguish his actions caused so many women,” she continued. “And, also puts in the work towards becoming a better person.”

Meanwhile, the lawyer representing several of Cosby’s accusers shared her concerns for the alleged victims. She said the conviction being overturned “should not be interpreted as a statement or a finding that he did not engage in the acts of which he has been accused.”

[Via]

The Game Posts Wholesome Birthday Message To His Son On Instagram

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Anyone who has ever gone through a stint in life where The Documentary was constantly on replay loves to point out that the child on the cover is, in fact, The Game’s actual child. They just feed off of that fun fact.

Nevertheless, that child is no longer an infant, as recently posted on the West Coast legend’s Instagram account. Detailing their experiences together and the person his son has grown into is indescribably endearing, because it’s clear how much of an impact his child has had on his life, and that includes his music career. 

In what is easily one of the longest virtual birthday cards one could ever write, the rapper pours his soul out, writing:

Look man, it took me hours to check my emotions & finally start writing this… Yes, tears are rolling down my face & yes my mind is trying to grasp just how krazy it is to watch a child be born & go from a baby to a grown man right in front of your eyes. It’s literally the most amazing thing I’ve been able to bare witness to in my life. How beautiful of a soul you’ve become, and I can really only thank your mother for how kind, caring & delicate you are to not only your siblings & immediate family… but to everyone who crosses paths with you. Son, today you turn 18 years old & just typing that and looking at it does not seem real. Like, how, when & where did I get an adult this fast out of the small baby that use to run around the house in my size 12 Jordan 3’s tripping over every got damn thing in the house, but getting back up every single time laughing hysterically at yourself. But that’s all it ever took for you to be happy, small things & those moments with me. I hope after all this time, I’ve been more than a father to you.. a best friend, a protector, a mentor, the homie & overall a super hero because only God knows the trials & what I had to put on the line so that we could get to this day. It has taken all that I am to create the safe, worry free, loving lifestyle that you have lived and I really want you to know that YOU were the motivation for it all son. My will to survive, the practice to be an even better parent to your brother & sister… the constant learning for the betterment of our solid relationship and the love that has sustained between your mother and I to create the amazingly perfect co-parenting relationship that we have. It was always YOU. As this short letter brings itself to a close & the tears keep running, I want you to know that I am so proud of everything you are & most definitely of the man you’ve become. Now that you are a man, I guess I can add 30 more minutes on to your curfew and maybe leave you home with a girl without watching you on the cameras…… I love you son, with all of my heart… HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY HARLEM CARON TAYLOR….. we really made it, together – DAD

Rather than clowning The Game for another one of his bafflingly long Instagram posts, let’s commend him this time. 

Lil’ Kim’s BF Mr. Papers Warns 50 Cent After He Clowns Her Looks

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Mr. Papers has always been pretty protective over Lil’ Kim, the mother of his daughter. The two have had a rocky relationship for years but they seem to be close again, perhaps even trying for Baby No. 2 in the near future. On Wednesday, Mr. Papers defended the love of his life from troll comments made by 50 Cent on his public Instagram page, clowning Kim’s look during a recent performance.

Posting a side-by-side comparison of Lil’ Kim’s performance look and an owl, Fiddy told his audience, “Who did this shit, [eyeball emoji] this ain’t right.” 

In the comments, it didn’t take a long time for Mr. Papers to stand up for his girlfriend, warning Fif that he should consider keeping Kim’s name out of his mouth.

“Leave my wife out the Jokes Ya heard,” said the rapper in the comments. 

Fiddy hasn’t commented back to Mr. Papers yet, but this may actually serve as fuel for the Power executive producer to keep going. He loves to be told what not to do, and if he’s being warned against trolling Lil’ Kim, he may be even more anxious to trash her next time. 

This isn’t the only trollery that 50 Cent got done today. The rapper also posted a supportive message for Bill Cosby, celebrating the disgraced comedian’s release from prison. Read more about that here. 


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Allison Mack Sentenced To 3 Years In NVIXM Sex Cult Case

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Victims of the NVIXM human trafficking and sex cult were given a sliver of justice today as actress Allison Mack was sentenced to three years in prison and a $20,000 fine for her involvement in the cult, People magazine reports. Mack plead guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy charges in 2019, carrying a 40 year sentence, but had her sentence reduced for acting as an informant for the U.S. Government. Mack worked with Keith Raniere, the founder of the cult, to recruit women who were then trafficked. She had been released on $5 million bail in April of 2018.

“From the deepest part of my heart and soul, I am sorry,” Mack wrote in a letter to the court last week, continuing with: “I do not take lightly the responsibility I have in the lives of those I love and I feel a heavy weight of guilt for having misused your trust, leading you down a negative path.” Her activities within the cult include introducing the use of branding Ranieres’ initials on trafficked women as well as recruiting high profile women (notably, she attempted to recruit Emma Watson). 

Information given to the court by Mack included a tape of Raniere describing the branding methods of the cult, as well as the use of derogatory and racist language against the trafficked women. Raniere was sentenced to 120 years in prison last October for a number of charges, including forced labor, human trafficking, and child exploitation. 

Allison Mack is known for her role as Chloe Sullivan on Smallville and her stint on FX’s Wilfred, as Amanda.

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Kenny Mason Rates The Best Vegan Treats On “Snack Review”

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Plant-based diets seem to be pretty trendy right now, but it’s definitely the way to go if you care about your long-term health and well-being. A plant-based diet has been proven by doctors and nutritionists to reduce the risk of heart disease, brain disease, and so many of the other leading causes of death in America by an incredible percentage. If you know, you know.

Atlanta rapper Kenny Mason has seemingly adopted a vegan lifestyle, eating plant-based and helping similarly-minded folks find the best snacks on the market. If you’re vegan, you already know how much of a pain in the neck it can be to find tasty alternatives to some of your favorite snacks. While it may be easier to find vegan goodies in Los Angeles, New York, and other major cities across the country, it’s still pretty rough to find suitable munchies in other cities that aren’t harmful to animals or the environment. Kenny Mason, the Angelic Hoodrat himself, came through to rate some of his pick-ups from a corner store in LA.

Sitting on his balcony overlooking the Hollywood sign, the 26-year-old artist tried out a few plant-based treats for the latest episode of Snack Review, chowing down on pigless pork rinds (which were his favorite!), flavored broccoli bites, a CBD-infused kombucha, mushroom jerky (which he clearly wasn’t a fan of), and much more. If you’ve been on the lookout for new snack foods to diversify your palate, or if you’ve been struggling to find vegan snack alternatives, watch the new episode of Snack Review above and stay tuned for the second part of Kenny’s interview in the coming days.

Vince Staples Reflects On His Humble Beginning On The Anniversary Of ‘Summertime ’06’

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Summertime ’06 was a huge release for Vince Staples. Following a handful of mixtapes in the years prior, the rapper’s 2015 debut album was the first time a lot of fans were exposed to him. Additionally, the album remains Staples’ one of his biggest chart successes, at is has his highest peak on the Billboard Hot Rap Albums chart at No. 2. That album came out six years ago today, and Staples’ celebration on Twitter made him a trending topic.

This afternoon, he tweeted, “Summertime ’06 was 6 years ago. Thank you to everyone who listened. [heart emoji] N.I.P. TSkrap.” He then added a couple hours later, “Favorite song from Summertime ’06?” Sure enough, he got his answer, as “Norf Norf” started trending.

He went on to describe his humble housing arrangement while making the album: “When Summertime ’06 was being made we stayed off 7th & Temple four deep in a one bedroom apartment with one 380. Life change fast lol.”

Back when Staples first announced the album, he wrote of it on Instagram (as Stereogum notes), “Love tore us all apart. Love for self, love for separation, love for the little we all had, love for each other, where we came from… Summer of 2006, the beginning of the end of everything I though I knew. Youth was stolen from my city that Summer and Im left alone to tell the story. This might not make sense but that’s because none of it does, we’re stuck. Love tore us all apart.”

Kodak Black Threw Thousands Of Dollars In The Ocean And Down A Toilet

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“Throwing your money away” is a common expression that means somebody is wasting their funds on useless things or are otherwise living with a lack of financial smarts. Kodak Black, however, decided to take that statement literally by actually getting rid of stacks of hundred dollar bills.

In a video shared on Instagram last night, the rapper is on a boat, grabbing stacks of hundreds and throwing them overboard into the water. He captioned the post, “I Broke You Off When Dem F*ck N****s Wouldn’t Give You A Dime !!! I Ain’t Owe You Sh*t N**** I Just Wanted To See You Shine !!! Yeen Never Gave Me Sh*t N**** I Had My Own Grind !!!!”

Then, in a tweet from earlier today, he tweeted a video of himself trying (and failing) to flush more $100s down a toilet.

Notably, this comes after the rapper tweeted that he would donate $1 million to charity if he received a pardon from Donald Trump in his final days in office. Sure enough, Black got the pardon he was looking for, but the tweet in which Kodak made his philanthropic promise was deleted. At the time, his lawyer said in a statement, “A statement promising something for something in exchange is not appropriate and although Kodak has always given to charity his whole career and will continue to do charity, not in exchange for anything. Some think this is a story. It isn’t.”

Viral Hitmaker YN Jay Releases New Project “Coochie Chronicles”

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The man behind Coochie Man, Coochie Land, “Coochie,” “Coochie World,” and “Coochie Scout” has officially returned with a new mixtape. Flint, Michigan’s most charismatic rising rapper YN Jay has come through with his latest full-length effort called Coochie Chronicles, bringing his fanbase to his weird world.

Off the strength of his viral hit single “Triple S,” which was recently remixed by Coi Leray, YN Jay is back with fifteen new songs, including features from Louie Ray and Rio Da Yung OG. Production was handled largely by Enrgy Beats, Marc Boomin, and others. 

With unconventional flows and punchlines that will catch you by surprise, YN Jay has yet another coochie-inspired project for the masses to enjoy. What do you think of the new project?

Tracklist:

1. Summer Time
2. Triple S (Remix) [feat. Coi Leray]
3. Oxyyyyy
4. Ashtray
5. Better Days
6. Slow Motion
7. Nasty
8. Don’t Wake Me Up
9. Mix The Yeahhhhh
10. Distrokid (feat. Rio Da Yung OG & Louie Ray)
11. 72 Hours
12. Immaculate
13. Rock The Boat
14. Triple S
15. Coochie (feat. Louie Ray)

LeBron James Throws “Space Jam” Party At Six Flags With MGK, Chris Brown & More

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LeBron James celebrated his appearance in the upcoming Space Jam: A New Legacy, set to release next month, with a star-studded bash at Six Flags: Magic Mountain last night. G-Eazy, Tiffany Haddish, G-Eazy, MGK, and Megan Fox were only a number of James’ friends that attended the party– which featured a number of rides and games, some with basketball themes.

Don Cheadle, James’ co-star in the Space Jam sequel, was also in attendance. The Six Flags bash is the latest in a string of promotional events for the rollout of the film, which also notably included the release of a movie-inspired LeBron basketball shoe. 

The event, complete with a red carpet and a photo-ops, was packed with paparazzi and celebrities’ entourages. Promotional activities from the Space Jam company included a basketball court and a shoot out challenge, which found Chris Brown and Tyga going head to head. The R&B singer won handedly against Tyga, who seemed to struggle finding his flow on the court. Chris Breezy donned a shirt of “Tasmanian Devil”- a Looney Tunes character set to appear in the upcoming movie. 

LeBron’s family was also in attendance. Check out some pictures and reactions below.

Let us know if you’re amped for the film’s upcoming release.

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