Month: June 2023

Victor Oladipo Opts To Remain With Miami Heat

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Veteran guard Victor Oladipo has chosen to exercise his player option and remain with the Miami Heat for the 2023-24 season. The $9.45 million player option represents the second year of a two-year extension Oladipo signed with the Heat ahead of the 2022-23 season. Furthermore, Oladipo exercises his player option while recovering from surgery for a torn patellar tendon sustained during the first round of the playoffs in April.

Oladipo joined the Heat in March 2021 in his second trade of the year. He began his career in Orlando before being traded to Oklahoma City in 2016. A year later, he was traded to the Pacers, where he blossomed into a two-time all-star. However, he was flipped to the Rockets in January 2021, who subsequently traded him to Miami two months later. Injuries have kept Oladipo off the court for most of his time with the Heat. However, he has proven to be a serviceable depth piece when healthy.

Oladipo Looks To Stay Healthy While Heat Look To Run It Back

In returning to the Heat, Oladipo gains a fully guaranteed salary. Furthermore, he will look to play 50 games in a season for the first time since the 2017-18 campaign. If he can, it will be a major boost to the Heat’s goal of once again winning the Eastern Conference. After a run at Bradley Beal didn’t materialize, the Heat are reportedly eyeing a big play for Damian Lillard. However, Lillard remains coy about his future plans. Reportedly, he will hold off from making a decision until he sees what the Blazers do in free agency.

With free agency officially set to open on Friday, the Heat will also look to restock. With Udonis Haslem retiring, the Heat are currently expected to lose depth contributors like Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, and Kevin Love. While targeting a big-name like Lillard to join Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo may be on the cards, the Heat were nothing without their depth last season. This could be even more crucial, given the belief held by some that Jimmy Butler is not the key to winning a championship. As mentioned, free agency begins this week. Follow all the latest developments here at HotNewHipHop.

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The Weeknd Previews Song With Lil Baby On IG Live

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The Weeknd has been inundated with heavy criticism as of late. Overall, it is all thanks to his role in the new HBO series The Idol. Although the show seemingly had potential, it has been a complete mess. The plot lines have been incomprehensible at times, while the acting hasn’t been great. The artist has been quick to defend the show on Twitter, however, people don’t like how Abel is coming across. Needless to say, the whole series is on the verge of cancelation, with the last episode of the season airing this Sunday.

One strong point of the series, however, has been the music. Every single week, The Weeknd has dropped a song from the soundtrack. Overall, these songs have been quite good and have even had some strong features on them. Recently, the artist revealed that a couple of the new tracks would even feature Lil Baby. This has gotten fans excited, as Lil Baby and The Weeknd typically make a good team. Of course, we saw this with “Hurrican,” a single from Kanye’s Donda album.

Read More: Bethenny Frankel Defends The Weeknd’s “The Idol” Performance: “It’s Totally Realistic”

The Weeknd x Lil Baby

In the Instagram post above, you can see that The Weeknd went on IG Live and previewed one of the songs. For the most part, it sounds like Lil Baby is providing a spirited verse here. As for The Weeknd, you can expect his vocals to be on point, as per usual. Fans are expecting a track from The Idol to drop this Friday, however, it is unknown at this time whether or not it will be the song with Lil Baby, or perhaps something else.

Even though the show might not be great, at least we are getting some gems here. Hopefully, The Weeknd decides to give us a solo project, not long after the series is wrapped up. Let us know what you think of these snippets, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world.

Read More: The Weeknd Keeps Responding To “The Idol” Hate On Twitter

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[WATCH] DJ Khaled Reads From Drake’s New Book: ‘The Boy is Special’

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DJ Khaled Enters Exclusive Partnership with Def Jam, Named Global Creative Consultant

DJ Khaled has a copy of Drake’s new poetry book, Titles Ruin Everything. Khaled displayed the book, revealing “The Boy is special.”

“The minute you think you figured out The Boy, he writes a book,” Khaled said. “He’s giving you keys.”

Drake’s new book is part of a rollout for a new album. Taking over The New York Times, NY Post, Toronto Star, Los Angeles Times, and more, The Boy promoted the book but delivered a QR Code. Complex notes the addition, which leads to the announcement of a new album, For All The Dogs.

“I made an album to go with the book… They say they miss the old Drake girl don’t tempt me,”Drake wrote. “For all the dogs.”

Drake hit Instagram to announce his first book is on the way. Ironically titled Titles Ruin Everything, the book is dubbed “a stream of consciousness” by Drake, introduced as Aubrey Graham, and Kenza Samir.

“I don’t know if I have ever wanted people to buy or support something more in my life…our first book is available tmrw on @drakerelated and other select retailers,” Drake captioned his post.

The post [WATCH] DJ Khaled Reads From Drake’s New Book: ‘The Boy is Special’ appeared first on The Source.

[WATCH] Charlie Baltimore Recalls Confronting The Notorious B.I.G. After Finding Pictures of Him Performing Sexul Acts with Women

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“I Found Pictures Of Women Giving Biggie .” Charli Baltimore On Fighting Biggie Before His Death 0 12 screenshot (1)

Charli Baltimore recalls what sparked a fight between The Notorious B.I.G. and her in a hotel room. Speaking on The Art of Dialogue, Baltimore stated Biggie Smalls was on the receiving end of oral sex in a set of images.

“It was pictures of him laying on his back with his big stomach, and it was a girl sucking his dick,” Baltimore said. “I’m looking at the pictures like, “Are you fucking kidding me?’ So what really got me super mad was when I gave him the picture.”

According to Baltimore, Biggie hit the Shaggy and said “it wasn’t me.” Baltimore said, “He was like, ‘That is not me,’ dead serious, like really just straight face.”

You can hear it from her below.

The post [WATCH] Charlie Baltimore Recalls Confronting The Notorious B.I.G. After Finding Pictures of Him Performing Sexul Acts with Women appeared first on The Source.

Idris Elba Says Race Conversation Around ‘James Bond’ Role Was ‘Off-Putting’

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Idris Elba Add Fuel to James Bond Rumors With Cryptic Tweet

For so long, Idris Elba was rumored and requested by fans to be the next James Bond. That ship has sailed, and now, Elba is revealing why he was against the idea of being 007.

Speaking on the SmartLess podcast, Idris Elba revealed once the talk of the role got race-based, he was turned off by the idea.

“I was super complimented for a long time about this,” Elba said. “I was like, ‘This is crazy!’ James Bond…We’re all actors and we understand that role. It’s one of those coveted [roles].”

He added, “Essentially, it was a huge compliment that every corner of the world except from some corners, which we will not talk about, were really happy about the idea that I could be considered. Those that weren’t happy about the idea made the whole thing disgusting and off-putting, because it became about race. It became about nonsense and I got the brunt of it.”

You can hear it from Idris Elba here.

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Ludacris’ Manager Chaka Zulu Thanks Supporters One Year Removed from 2022 Shooting: ‘I AM GRATEFUL’

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me off plat chaka zulu arrested

Chaka Zulu is speaking out a year after he was shot outside his restaurant. Hitting Instagram, Zulu thanked all that lifted him up:

“THIS TIME A YEAR AGO , LOVE AND THANK ALL WHO HAVE LIFTED ME UP IN THIS PROCESS.

I AM GRATEFUL

I AM THANKFUL

I AM BLESSED.”

Chaka Zulu was charged with murder in relation to a shooting that took place in a restaurant in Atlanta in June 2022 and resulted in the death of one person. Atlanta Police have charged Zulu with murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and simple violence despite the co-founder of Luda’s Disturbing Tha Peace imprint’s claims of self-defense.

In a new video obtained by TMZ, a group of men, including the now dead Artez Benton, entered Zulu’s Apt4B restaurant but would leave minutes later after a dispute. Zulu returned to the restaurant and got into a heated argument with Tre’mon Robinson, who was a part of the group asked to leave.

Later in the video, another man, Corey Crawford, is seen grabbing an item from a car, which Zulu believed was a gun. Robinson would bump Zulu as his friends would come over. Zulu was jumped by all three men. A woman associate would attempt to help Chaka Zulu, but she was punched in the face. Crawford would duck behind a car, and shots are fired, seemingly coming from Zulu first. Shots are returned, hitting Zulu in the back. Benton sustained a shot to the chest, which would kill him.

The last update on the case was to AllHipHop by Zulu’s lawyer Gabe Banks.

“The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office is still investigating this matter. At this time, there are no upcoming court dates. He needs [the love]. More importantly, he appreciates it.”

The post Ludacris’ Manager Chaka Zulu Thanks Supporters One Year Removed from 2022 Shooting: ‘I AM GRATEFUL’ appeared first on The Source.

Biology Professor Says He Was Fired For Teaching Students ‘Sex Is Determined By X/Y Chromosomes’

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Screen Shot 2023 06 28 at 8.31.09 AM

A biology professor at a community college in San Antonio says he was fired for teaching students that sex is determined by X and Y chromosomes. He said he was told his lessons were ‘offensive and unacceptable to homosexuals and transgenders’.

Dr. Johnson Varkey claims he was terminated by St. Philip’s College for “religious preaching” after his lecture about the human reproductive system on Nov. 28, 2022.

Varkey is being represented in a possible wrongful termination lawsuit by conservative law firm The First Liberty Institute.

“The college fired him for teaching basic and widely accepted concepts of biology. We’re asking the college to immediately reinstate Dr. Varkey to his position and clear his record of any wrongdoing,” the law firm said in a statement.

Varkey’s lecture led to four students walking out of the lecture hall. The four students reportedly complained about the professor’s “religious preaching, discriminatory comments about homosexuals and transgender individuals, anti-abortion rhetoric, and misogynistic banter,” First Liberty said.

“In two decades of teaching these basic, unremarkable concepts, no other students complained,” the law firm said, according to The NY Post.

Varkey has taught human anatomy and physiology to more than 1,500 students since 2003, according to First Liberty Institute.

“During Dr. Varkey’s 20-year employment as a biology professor at St. Philip’s College, he consistently received exemplary performance reviews and was never subject to discipline. Throughout that time, he never discussed with any student his personal views — religious or otherwise — on human gender or sexuality.”

The law firm said public colleges and universities can’t fire professors “for teaching actual science. It’s harmful to academic freedom. It’s also harmful to religious liberty, as the college is sending a message that people of faith are not welcome and need not apply.”

First Liberty added: “Dr. Varkey is the latest example of an everyday American who lost his job to a toxic cancel culture that is infecting employers across the country.”

Watch the video below.

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Bone Thugs-N-Harmony to Receive Their Own Street in Cleveland

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Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is set to receive its own street in their hometown of Cleveland. According to News 5 Cleveland, the intersection of East 99th Street and St. Clair Avernue will be named “Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Way.”

The street renaming is set for August 11, from noon to 2 p.m., resulting from a fans-created petition.

“There’s nothing here that pays homage to that or to the group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony,” said Felicia C. Haney, owner of Beach Street Publicity.

Haney needed 70% of the street to agree via a door-to-door petition. The number was achieved after just two hours in the cold.

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Drake Awarded Key to the City of Memphis: ‘Not Everybody Has a Key to Shelby County’

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Drake Dreamville

The Boy is collecting keys to cities like platinum plaques. Drake has been honored with the key to the city of Memphis.

Drake was on hand in Memphis on Monday, receiving the key to the city. He often credits Memphis as his second home, and it is where his father is from. Shelby County Chairman Mickell M. Lowery awarded the key.

“We always say Memphis music touches the world and like I told you, you got a lot of Memphis blood in you, and you’re definitely touching the world,” the chairman said. “Not everybody has a key to the Shelby County. We only give that to our own that we love dear.”

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