Rappers J. Cole and Wale have had a low-simmering rivalry, but the two might finally be coming together to unite fanbases. Wale posted a tweet that suggests the two will be dropping a song together tomorrow. Cole + Wale = No Beef Wale and J Cole had tension between them in the past. Cole has […]
Kanye West is keeping his fans on their toes. The unpredictable rapper surprised fans with an unannounced drop of new fall hoodies in collaboration with The Gap. West Got New Drip For The Fans A countdown that appeared on the Yeezy Gap site overnight came to an end revealing the hoodies. Six color options of […]
Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac recently answered questions about his vaccination status during the team’s scheduled media day, Monday, September 27. During the conference, Issac also claimed he was misrepresented in a prior Rolling Stone report, concerning Isaac and other non-vaccinated NBA players. Isaac is widely known as one of the more thoughtful, conscientious players in professional basketball.
To start his interview session, Isaac was persistent about the fact that he felt misrepresented by the Rolling Stone article. If you’re not up to speed, Matt Sullivan of the Rolling Stone recently reported that:
“The Orlando Magic’s 23-year-old starting forwards is deeply religious – and proudly unvaccinated. When NBA players started lining up for shots in March, Issac started studying Black history and watching Donald Trump’s press conferences. He learned about antibody resistance and came to distrust Dr. Anthony Fauci. He looked out for people who might die from the vaccine, and he put faith in God.”
Isaac quickly refuted the article, saying, “I am not anti-vax. I’m not anti-medicine. I’m not anti-science. I didn’t come to my current vaccination status by studying Black history or watching Donald Trump press conferences.”
He continued, “I have nothing but the utmost respect for every healthcare worker and person in Orlando and all across the world that have worked tirelessly to keep us safe. My mom has worked in health care for a really long time. I thank God, I’m grateful that I live in a society where vaccines are possible and we can protect ourselves and have the means to protect ourselves in the first place.”
As far as his own vaccination status, Isaac expressed his belief that the status of each and every person “should be their own choice and completely up to them without bullying, without being pressured or without being forced into doing so.”
Isaac acknowledged that he’s not ashamed of being uncomfortable with getting the vaccine at this time. Highlighting that everyone has different values and belief systems, the Magic forward also mentioned that his experience contracting COVID-19 has influenced his opinion, as well.
“I understand that the vaccine would help if you catch COVID, you’ll be able to have less symptoms from contracting it. But with me having COVID in the past and having antibodies, with my current age group and physical-fitness level, it’s not necessarily a fear of mine.”
He continued by saying “I would say honestly the craziness of it all in terms of not being able to say that it should be everybody’s fair choice without being demeaned or talked crazy to doesn’t make one comfortable to do what said person is telling them to do. I would say that’s a couple of reasons that I would say I’m hesitant at this time.”
Isaac recognized that he is amongst the NBA’s non-vaccinated minority group, and was upfront and accepting of whatever repercussions may come with his personal decision.
“When it comes to the NBA and them having restrictions or rules in place, the NBA is free to make those decisions, and I as a member of the NBA would follow suit with whatever protocol is set before us.”
Isaac seemed open, and optimistic, that things would eventually figure themselves out as he and Orlando gear up for the next NBA season.
“For me, I’ll just take everything in stride and figure out things as we move forward. I’m not set in stone. I never said I was proudly unvaccinated. Even if I am, I’m not someone to come out and say that in any way.”
With the new basketball season looming, Isaac and other non-vaccinated players across the league will have to come to terms with their decisions and the corresponding repercussions, in accordance with the NBA.
Watch the full press conference below, and let us know your thoughts on Isaac’s stance in the comment section.
Ashnikko made our rising pop stars list at the beginning of this year, and her fierce, darkly funny sound has continued to unfold throughout 2021. Kicking off with her Demidevil project in January, she’s been busy doing things like starring in her “Slumber Party” video with Princess Nokia and collaborating with Lady Gaga on the Dawn Of Chromatica remix album for a new version of “Plastic Doll.”
Now, she’s back with two brand new singles, and both “Panic Attacks In Paradise” and “Maggots” build on her sound in unexpected ways. Check out her thoughts on writing both singles below.
“‘Panic Attacks In Paradise’ and ‘Maggots’ were both written when I was in a very low place,” she said. “‘PAIP’ is a commentary on how much I was annoying myself at the time. I was healthy and my career was going great. I was in a metaphorical “paradise.” But alas my brain chemistry had other plans. I was an insufferable mess, so obsessed with my own hurt. I was leading it around with me like a rabid dog, letting it bite anyone I came into contact with. Where ‘PAIP’ is soft and forlorn, ‘Maggots’ is pure rage. I’m casting a protective shield of electricity around myself and daring anyone to try to cross it. I’d rather be a raging b*tch than let people take advantage of my kindness. I will take every parasite burrowing its way into my flesh and flatten it under my boots.”
Listen to the softer “Panic Attacks In Paradise” above and the rageful “Maggots” below.
Since garnering national editorial attention for his breakout Beautiful Pimp mixtape series, Rome Fortune has been continuously releasing gems over the past half-decade, from his experimental Fool’s Gold debut Jerome Raheem Fortune in 2016 to his eclectic ten-track project FREEk at the top of 2020.
Now, a pandemic and a major makeover later, Rome Fortune is gearing up to share his next full-length effort next month, on his 33rd birthday. Titled Mr. Fortune, the forthcoming album will be independently released, and today, the Atlanta-based artist has given fans an early glimpse of what to expect from the promising new record.
After being teased on Rome Fortune’s Instagram earlier this summer, “Liquor Store Fiend” is finally here, and the brief is a subdued, yet lyrically robust new track that finds the multifaceted artist waxing poetic over a piano-driven beat courtesy of JeDi P.
Refamiliarize yourself with Rome Fortune by giving “Liquor Store Fiend” a listen below.
Quotable Lyrics
It was liquor store fiend liquor store fiend liquor store trap
It’s my environment why would I be threatened where Im at
It’s that mentality in fact
That make a wack nigga wack you
Gargoyles all around ready leave you stiff so they can stat you
Stephen A. Smith and ESPN’s show First Take have seen their ratings drop drastically following the departure of co-host Max Kellerman. Smith, who has unapologetically acknowledged that First Take needed a change, now faces an early decline in numbers that has reportedly landed the show amongst the worst at ESPN.
With Kellerman’s out of the picture, ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption is now leading the ratings by a wide margin, followed by sports roundtable debate show, Around the Horn. Even Get Up, the early morning sports TV show that precedes First Take, has a higher viewing audience than Smith’s show, as OutKick’s Bobby Burack reports.
First Take’s recent ratings drop has come as a surprise, along with Stephen. A’s persistence that the show needed to go in a different direction. Smith previously called his relationship with Max “not a great partnership” on Ebro’s Hot 97 radio show in early September.
In terms of wanting Kellerman off the show, Smith told Ebro during that same interview, “Yes I did. We don’t have a bad relationship. I think he’s a real good guy. I appreciate what he did for the show. We were number one for five years. We stayed number one, and I appreciate that.”
Stephen A. continued, “In the nine years I’ve been at First Take I’ve given over 33,000 takes. And what a lot of people don’t realize is, not just the work that goes into that, but also the fact that there’s a chemistry that you have and sometimes, it just stalls.”
Later in the interview, he added that, “I knew that we, together, as far as I was concerned, was not a great partnership anymore. And that was something that needed to change.”
Kellerman served as the co-host on First Take for the last five years, and has since joined Keyshawn Johnson and Jay Williams on their own ESPN morning radio show. Max’s new show, This Just In, premiered for the network on September 14th, as well.
Watch Stephen A. and Ebro’s entire interview here:
The NBA YoungBoy phenomenon is unlike the buzz surrounding any other artist.
Whether it’s the memes, the message or the collective desire to only play YoungBoy YouTube videos out loud on an iPhone, the love YB fans have for their favorite rapper is impressive. Upon releasing his album Sincerely, Kentrell last Friday, the 21-year-old rapper was fighting with Drake for the top spot on the Billboard Top 200.
Sincerely, Kentrell, which finds YoungBoy rapping entirely by himself — the project had no features — is obviously hitting fans in a major way, but 21 Savage says it’s not sitting the same with other rappers.
In the same interview he told DJ Akademiks he would not have worked with Kanye West on Donda because of his loyalty to Drake, Savage explained that many rappers won’t work with YoungBoy because of their loyalty to Lil Durk.
“You don’t have to pick sides,” 21 told Ak. “But you gotta be a certain type of artist to be in the middle.”
Despite previous Durk x NBA YoungBoy collaborations, there have been rumblings of beef between the two rappers. No crystal-clear, specific reasoning for the beef has surfaced but, based on certain connections and certain events, it is relatively easy to figure out why Durk is not messing with YB.
YB is tight with Quando Rondo. Lul Tim is affiliated with Quando Rondo and is also allegedly responsible for the death of Durk’s close friend and Chicago brother, King Von.
Although neither side has clearly said that’s the reason for their rift, the pieces put themselves together and according to 21 Savage, the rap world has noticed and the rap world is riding with Lil Durk.
YoungBoy, who’s been in jail since the end of April, obviously hasn’t been around to comment on any vitriol between he and Lil Durk. This isn’t a situation where two rappers are going to go back and forth with diss records or in the streets and everything will be out in the open. The way Savage explained it, it’s more of a cold war situation where the biggest rappers in the game have prioritized their loyalty to Durk over the potential of scoring a hot song with YB.
We’ll keep it locked on this situation and bring you any updates whenever they arise but, in the meantime, what do you think of 21’s comments? It is really Lil Durk versus NBA YoungBoy in the back channels of hip-hop? Let us know in the comments.
[Via]
Meek Mill is about to deliver his brand new album Expensive Pain on October 1st — this Friday. Therefore, it feels appropriate to highlight one of Meek’s many mixtape classics, given that his Dreamchasers 3 project has officially turned the corner on its eighth year of existence. Though there are certainly many gems worth revisiting on the third chapter of his beloved series, it’s hard to resist the stacked posse cut that is “Money Ain’t No Issue,” featuring Fabolous and Future.
Especially interesting given that his upcoming album is titled Expensive Pain, the ode to frivolous balling benefitted from an interesting blend of three stylistically different artists. Holding them together is a creepy harpsichord-driven banger, and Meek, Future, and Fab play their part in holding it down for the cause. While a standout verse will likely come down to personal preference, it’s hard not to appreciate Fab’s slick blend of clever punchlines and charismatic delivery, given a contemporary touch through the subtlest autotune.
Happy anniversary to Meek Mill’s Dreamchasers 3, and sound off if you appreciate the Philly rapper’s artistic evolution.
I done fucked around and got used to money
Fuck game I just use the money
All the suckers get is middle fingers
And the bum bitches get deuces from me
So if you getting money, I salute you I’m saluting
And if you getting mad I rebuke you, final solution
The entertainment industry is filled with celebrity siblings, from Project Pat and Juicy J to Jaden and Willow to Young Thug and Unfoonk. Yet one of the most popular sibling duos of all time is Brandy and Ray J.
Over the past few decades, both Brandy and Ray J have cemented their own legacies in pop culture history, and throughout it all, they remain as close as ever. If that wasn’t clear before, however, it’s definitely clear now, thanks to Ray J’s heartwarming new tattoo.
Ray J’s clean new ink features his older sister’s name, and longtime fans of Brandy will immediately notice that it’s in the same font that was prominently featured on Brandy’s first three albums — Brandy, Never Say Never, and Full Moon.
In honor of Ray J’s loving gesture, Brandy shared a picture of the “One Wish” artist showing off his new arm tattoo. “This is real love [black heart emoji],” Brandy wrote in the post’s caption. “I couldn’t have asked for a better brother. I love you @rayj [black heart emoji]”
Check out Ray J’s nostalgic new Brandy tattoo below.
Do you think Brandy is going to reciprocate Ray J’s energy and get some ink in honor of her little brother?
