Month: February 2023

Ebro & Peter Rosenberg Debate 2Pac & Snoop’s “2 Of Americaz Most Wanted”

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Hot 97’s Ebro In The Morning co-hosts Ebro, Laura Stylez, and Peter Rosenberg are working on a collaborative list of the top 50 Songs in hip-hop history by selecting 10 songs every Thursday until August 10th. Listeners will have the final say to narrow down the selections by voting on the Hot 97 app and website. Debating selections during a recent episode, Ebro picked Tupac’s 1996 hit single “2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted” featuring Snoop Dogg. Rosenberg adamantly disagreed with he nomination and the two went back and forth over the merits of the song.

“Never thought I’d see you throw away a pick like this,” said Rosenberg. From there, Ebro remarked: “The Tupac disrespect this week is gotta stop. It’s two days in a row. This record comes on today. It plays all the way through. It was huge when it happened. Tupac and Snoop. And Snoop was on trial at the time and he was in the courtroom. You even remember the visuals all these years later.”

Ebro, Laura Stylez, & Peter Rosenberg

NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 14: (L-R) Radio personalities Ebro, Laura Stylez, and Peter Rosenberg attend ‘Up Close And Personal With Rita Ora’ at SOB’s on September 14, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/Getty Images)

“2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted” released in promotion of 2Pac’s fourth studio album, All Eyez on Me. It incorporates an interpolation of Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five’s song “The Message.” It was also the last song performed at the House of Blues concert on July 4, 1996, which was the rapper’s last recorded performance before his death.

As for the other 2Pac disrespect Ebro mentioned, Rosenberg argued that the rapper was placed too high on Billboard and Vibe’s top 50 rappers list at number 4. Ebro was clearly offended by the opinion at the time. “What are you talking about bro?,” Ebro responded. “Bro wrote ‘Dear Mama’ and ‘Keep Ya Head Up’ and ‘Brenda’s Got A Baby,’ like full stories. One song is one story. It didn’t deviate from the topic at all, which is something that many of the greats have never been able to do in one song. They deviate for a punch line or they don’t stay on topic for the sake of swag or whatever they are trying to do. ‘Pac would do a whole song on one topic.”

The Debate

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Elon Musk Thinks U.S. Media Is Racist “Against Whites & Asians”

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Since taking over as Twitter’s CEO, Elon Musk’s posts on the social media platform have been undeniably controversial. Ever the advocate for free speech, the South African engineer’s latest scandal finds him coming to the aid of a famous cartoonist who’s become known as a racist. As Salon reports, Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert comic strip, has been dropped by hundreds of newspapers across the nation for making damaging comments about the Black community in a now-viral video.

It all began when the artist shared the latest episode of his YouTube series, Real Coffee with Scott Adams. At the time, he repeatedly shared his thoughts that Black people are part of a “racist hate group.” He appears to have fallen into the school of thought after seeing Rasmussen Reports’ poll revealing that a reported 53% of Black Americans agreed with the statement, “It’s OK to be white.”

Scott Adams Controversy

Elsewhere in his post, Adams revealed that he no longer plans to “help Black Americans” before advising other white people to “get the hell away from Black people.” In wake of the Dilbert doodler being cancelled by social media users far and wide, plenty of debate has been flying – chiefly on Twitter. “If Scott Adams wasn’t a cruel, racist, heinously insensitive asshole… it might’ve worked out differently,” actor William Baldwin wrote in a condemning post.

“This isn’t wokeness, this isn’t political correctness, this isn’t cancel culture. This is consequences. See the difference?” he pointed out to followers. Of course, the number of critics Adams has is steadily growing, but luckily for him, one of the biggest accounts on Twitter is coming to his rescue. On Sunday (February 26), Elon Musk turned the tables with a tweet suggesting that there are bigger issues to deal with as far as racism goes.

Elon Musk Chimes In

In response to a tweet from @MonitoringBias, declaring that “Adams is a racist, but not the 20 million Black people who think it’s not OK to be white,” the 51-year-old shared his opinion that, “the media is racist.” Musk went on to say, “For a *very* long time, US media was racist against non-white people, now they’re racist against whites and Asians.”

He then noted that the same thing previously happened with elite colleges and high schools around the country. “Maybe they can try not being racist,” the controversial public figure wrote, leading to further debate. What do you think of Elon Musk’s take on modern-day racism? Sound off in the comments, and check back later for more pop culture news.

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Chris Rock To Address Will Smith Slap During Netflix Special: Report

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It’s been nearly a year since Will Smith slapped the taste out of Chris Rock’s mouth during the Oscars. The infamous moment continues to haunt both actors to this day. Smith remains rather lowkey in the public eye, though he’s slowly reintegrating into Hollywood, thanks to the success of movies like Emancipation. Rock, however, has continued to dominate the stand-up circuit. However, it’s unlikely that we’ll see him take on hosting or presenting duties at any award show in the near future.

Chris Rock’s currently gearing up for his big Netflix special, Selective Outrage. The groundbreaking stand-up set will mark Netflix’s first live-streamed comedy show since its inception. They already announced that Rock expanded the line-up to include revered comics like Jerry Seinfeld, David Spade, Amy Schumer, and Dana Carvey. The special airs on March 4th at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m ET, and it sounds like it’s on pace to do some massive numbers. If so, we could definitely expect Netflix to host more live events in the future. 

Chris Rock Will Address Oscar Moment 

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: Will Smith appears to slap Chris Rock onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

Chris Rock and Will Smith are certainly not on good terms, but the former appears ready to publicly address the elephant in the room. According to Page Six sources, the comedian is preparing to open up about the situation for the first time publicly. “If you were waiting to see Rock on tour address the infamous Will Smith slap situation . . . the comedian is waiting to spill his humorous take on it on his live Netflix stand-up special,” the source told the publication. 

It seems as though we’ll finally get to hear Chris Rock’s side of the story. Though he’s referenced the incident during his recent tour, calling Will the “softest” person and nicknaming him “Suge Smith,” he hasn’t publicly discussed the matter. Smith previously extended an olive branch but revealed that Rock wasn’t willing to open up a conversation with him. Perhaps, the upcoming Netflix special will help the two put this situation in the past. Whether or not they’ll ever be cool again remains unseen. Chris Rock’s Selective Outrage takes place at Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore this Friday. Will you be tuning in?

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Charleston White Trolls T.I.’s Paperwork Party In Atlanta

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YouTube personality Charleston White has made quite a name for himself and his unapologetic ways this past year. His brief bout with Soulja Boy made headlines in July 2022 after he allegedly maced Soulja’s 12-person team. The mace came back out last Friday, apparently, during Charleston’s latest visit to Atlanta. White pulled up to T.I.’s paperwork party prepared to troll after comments he made toward’s his son, 18-year-old King.

According to info from the TikTok clip, Charleston White was in town for his own event when he passed T.I.’s new Trap City Cafe. White and his friends can be heard taunting the rapper from their car as they pass. After spotting T.I. and his luxury car parked outside, a woman in the vehicle asked if she should call his attention. “If you want to… You’re ready to fight?” White asks her amidst their laughter. “S**t, I got my mace.” Later, he goes on to fake-praise the rapper for capitalizing off his ongoing snitching rumors, nicknaming him “Tippy” in the process.

Charleston White Stops By T.I.’s Trap City Cafe For Laughs

@texasnation95

Charleston White Pulls Up To T.I Paperwork Party At The Trap City Cafe #Charlestonwhite #fyp t.i #viral #Atlanta #trapcitycafe #trending

♬ Yeah im the police “T.i.” Diss – Charleston white

Soon after, Charleston makes note of the droves of people lined up outside of T.I’s eatery and his adjacent Trap Music Museum. “That might hurt Boosie,” White says in regard to their current beef. The two southern legends were scheduled to release a collab album, which Boosie shelved after allegations that T.I. put a gun charge on his late cousin. The party he held Friday was his second attempt at maintaining his innocence. The King had recently shown proof of the false claims on Instagram after Boosie called him a rat during an interview with VladTV.

In light of this, Charleston White got thrown into T.I.’s line of fire after sparring with his son online. King called White a “b***h boy” and threatened violence toward the social commentator. In response, Charleston says King should be put in jail for threatening “a senior citizen.” T.I. almost immediately chimed in, resulting in a phone call between the two that didn’t go smoothly. “F*** you and that ugly a** 18-year old son of yours,” he told social media after their chat. He continued to show no fear toward Tip in a later interview with Dede McGuire. White tells the radio host “He ain’t never been to jail for killing nobody. I’m scared of ni**as that done killed people.”

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Cuba Gooding Jr.’s Lawyer Claims Sex With His Accuser Was Consensual

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Cuba Gooding Jr.‘s lawyer, Gary Becker, says that his client had consensual sex with the woman who has accused him of raping her inside a New York City hotel room in 2013. Becker explained his plans for the trial to US District Court Judge Paul A. Crotty during a status conference in Manhattan federal court. He said that the defense will call two witnesses to trial who claim that the accuser returned to the bar where she met Gooding earlier in the same night and boasted about having consensual sex with him. Becker’s co-counsel, Ed Sapone, stated afterward that they actually have three witnesses from the bar.

The accuser, identified as “Jane Doe,” brought a lawsuit against Gooding in 2020, claiming that the actor raped her at Manhattan’s Mercer hotel in 2013. They had met at a bar in Greenwich Village earlier in the night. She says that she repeatedly told Gooding “no” and that he also attacked her a second time before she could flee the room.

Cuba Gooding Jr. In Court

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 13: Cuba Gooding Jr. Arrives at NYS Supreme Court for sentencing on October 13, 2022 in New York City. The Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr., plead guilty to charges of forcible touching and sex abuse. The criminal charges Gooding plead guilty to were brought against him after a worker at a New York nightclub alleged he forcibly kissed her, while he also faced charges stemming from three other incidents in which he stood accused of forcible touching or abuse. (Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)

A defense attorney for Jane Doe, Casey Wolnowski, says that he’s “aware of these witnesses” but “vehemently denies their views on what transpired.” He added that he’s “confident the jury is going to give” his client’s testimony “the weight it deserves.”

A trial date for the case has not been set, but both parties discussed options on Monday. Judge Crotty confirmed he wants it done in 2023. “We’re not putting the trial off for a year,” he said, according to Insider. Crotty also complained about Gooding Jr’s team bringing up issues with evidence prepared by the accuser. “The time for discovery is over. Let’s get on with the trial,” the judge said.

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Omarion Responds To Woman Claiming They’re Engaged On “Dr. Phil”: Watch

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For over two decades now, Dr. Phil McGraw has been providing audiences with entertainment via hilarious (and sometimes shocking) stories from everyday people. On occasion, a celebrity will appear on the hit talk show to give advice or address an ongoing situation. Earlier this week, Omarion was on to do the latter. He spoke directly to a woman who’s been claiming there was a proposal to her from the R&B superstar.

“My friend Simone has been catfished for years by someone claiming to be Omarion,” a woman named Rachel sets the scene while chatting with the host. “He’s not Omarion. I know for a fact because there’s no celebrity that’s going to ask a civilian for money,” she went on to say. According to Dr. Phil’s guest, Simone has sent her online beau at least $4,500 since they first began talking. “If he’s a superstar, why would he need her money? Only a scammer would do that, not a celebrity.”

Omarion Appears on Dr. Phil

In order to help Simone move on, producers asked the California-born singer to come on and explain to her what was really happening. “It’s crazy how far these people will go to convince and manipulate my fans to think that they’re actually speaking with me,” Omarion said in a video message after an awkward piano introduction. “From sending fake driver’s licenses and passports, even FaceTiming them, claiming that there was a bad connection, and they never even seen me.”

The 38-year-old then apologized to Simone, making it clear that he hasn’t been speaking with her online and they’re certainly not in a relationship. “You haven’t sent me any money. I want everyone to be aware that if someone online is claiming to be me, and asking for money, you are not speaking with me. I will never do that, all of my official pages clearly have a blue check.” Omarion ended his message with a reminder to “be mindful,” and practice internet security while online.

Is Nia Long His New Girl?

Nia Long and Omarion attend the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s “You People” at Regency Village Theatre on January 17, 2023, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Robin L Marshall/WireImage)

He’s obviously not engaged to Simone, but recently, the “Post to Be” hitmaker sparked romance rumours with a fellow celebrity – Nia Long. The two shared a sweet exchange at Netflix’s You People premiere, though she quickly shut down the gossip with a reminder of her single status. Read more about that here, and check back later for more pop culture news updates.

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How Much Are Dreamville Fest 2023 Tickets?

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J Cole 2021 I Heart Festival
Getty Image / Kevin Mazur

North Carolina’s premier hip-hop and R&B multi-day event, Dreamville Festival, is backed with a stacked lineup. Organized by rap star J. Cole’s record label, Dreamville, the two-day outdoor festivities will be headlined by Usher, Drake, Burna Boy, and himself. The powerhouse event bill justifies Cole’s message on Twitter prior to the announcement.

“Bout to drop the hardest festival lineup ever Dreamville Fest sheeeeeeeesh [crying laughing emojis],” wrote Cole. However, with such heavy hitters, many are wondering how much are Dreamville Fest 2023 tickets.

According to the event’s official website, tickets will be divided into five separate groups, general admission, general admission+, junior varsity VIP, varsity VIP, and most valuable player VIP. All packages cover both days, but they include different perks.

General admission packages start at $249, general admission+ packages start at $499, junior varsity VIP packages start at $749, varsity VIP packages start at $999, and most valuable player VIP packages start at $1,499.

Tickets for Dreamville Festival 2023 are on sale now. To purchase tickets, click here. View the official flyer below.

Continue reading for the lineup (listed in the weighed order in which the acts appear on the flyer).

Saturday, April 1

  • Usher
  • Lil Durk
  • Ari Lennox
  • City Girls
  • Sean Paul
  • EarthGang
  • Jessie Reyez
  • Key Glock
  • Sir
  • Lute
  • Omen
  • Marqus Clae
  • Victony

Sunday, April 2

  • J. Cole
  • Drake
  • Bruna Boy
  • Summer Walker
  • J.I.D.
  • Glorilla
  • Bas
  • Waka Flocka Flame
  • Mario
  • Ayra Starr
  • Baby Tate
  • Cozz
  • Jordan Ward
  • Reuben
  • Vincent
Dreamville Festival 2023 flyer
Dreamville / Twitter

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.