Melvin Townsend, the man assaulted by Mike Tyson on an AirBlue flight last year, has demanded $450K from the boxer, according to pre-litigation documents. Townsend’s attorney, Jake Jondle, claims that the amount of money would cover Townsend’s legal and medical bills, as well as ending any legal claims against Tyson.
However, Tyson’s attorney has dismissed the demand as nothing more than a “shakedown”. “I have received a shakedown letter related to some instigator’s harassment of Mike a year ago and the aftermath. There will be no shakedown payment,” Alex Shapiro said. Tyson has long maintained that Townsend instigated the confrontation by throwing a water bottle at Tyson and “f-cking with me”, in Tyson’s own words. Furthermore, prosecutors declined to charge Tyson in relation to the incident. This remains a developing story and we’ll have any updates as they emerge.
Mike Tyson Calls AI Biggie & 2Pac Song “F-cked Up”
Tyson typically keeps to himself nowadays. However, some of the moments from his podcast, Hotboxin’ With Mike, go viral. Back in May, Tony Yayo stopped by Mike Tyson’s podcast, Hotboxin’ with Mike. They discussed many topics, including the shooting of Yayo’s close friend 50 Cent. However, they also broached the topic of AI art.“Let me tell you how ill computers is takin’ over. You ever heard of AI music?” Yayo asked Tyson and his co-host DJ Whoo Kid. “Do me a favor: play ‘Many Men’ by 50 Cent, 2Pac and Biggie.” The AI-generated song, while not a perfect imitation of the three iconic rappers, was enough to shock the studio.
“That’s f-cked up, bruh,” Tyson commented before simply adding, “Woah.” Whoo also added a similar thought on the track. “Yo! This is crazy! This is insane. That don’t even make no sense.” While Yayo was impressed by the track, it shows the potential of what AI can do – bringing back dead artists. However, with that comes with concern as the industry grapples with the question of whether those artists, their memory, and their legacy, should be left alone.
Last year, Beyonce released her new album Renaissance. It spawned hit songs like “BREAK MY SOUL” and “CUFF IT” while also raking in praise from critics for its eclectic blend of influences. Earlier this year she took off on her massive Renaissance tour across North America and Europe. The tour made nightly news for the high-profile guests in attendance and various collaborators she had join her on stage.
Earlier this year after the tour wrapped up, she announced that a concert film recapping the shows would be released in December. It followed in the footsteps of Taylor Swift, who also turned the North American portion of her Eras Tour into a concert film that was released earlier this month. Now with the release of the Renaissance film coming later this week, the movie is being premiered at numerous locations around the world. Earlier this week the film had its North American premiere in Hollywood and the celebrities showed out. Lizzo, Halle Bailey, and Lori Harvey were all in attendance and there was even a Destiny’s Child reunion. Now the film is having its London premiere which is once again stacked with guests.
One person who showed up to the film’s new premiere could certainly be considered a guest of honor. Jay-Z and Beyonce hit up the premiere together and pictures of the pair are circulating online. Much like earlier in the week, fans are once again asking some questions about Bey’s new blonde look. Some fans are even going as far as to say that she looks unrecognizable or theorizing that she may have a body double of some kind.
The Renaissance tour film is expected to have a massive opening weekend at the box office. Similarly, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour film earlier this year went out to massive numbers of its own. The film has already cleared $250 million across its first two weekends in theaters. What do you think of the new pictures of Beyonce and Jay-Z and the Renaissance tour film premiere? Let us know in the comments below.
CyHi The Prynce is anticipating the release of his next album The Story Of Mr. EGOT in a pretty big and inflammatory way. However, he doesn’t think that the immediate reaction to this method is as big of a deal as the Internet is making it out to be. Moreover, the rapper recently released his six-minute-long music video for the single “Mr. Put That S**t On” featuring Pusha T. In the visual, he slaps a Joe Budden stand-in in the face and features a skit of The Average Joe Show, which might be a shot at the Slaughterhouse affiliate’s self-titled podcast. Still, with his latest Instagram post, the frequent Kanye West collaborator explained the idea behind this, and how it doesn’t have much to do with their established beef.
“In the Average Joe Show from the scene in “Mr. Put That Sh!t On”, the goal was to transform a controversial topic into an artistic masterpiece with humor, theatrics, and pure entertainment,” CyHi wrote on Instagram on Tuesday (November 28). In addition, the post features Joe Budden praising the track and some more discussion on it, although he didn’t react to the music video.
“Through creative expression, I highlight artists’ challenges, including aspects like criticism and comparisons, balancing personal style and external expectations, staying adaptable to evolving trends, and addressing the difficulties of gaining recognition,” CyHi continued. “Despite these hurdles, many artists, like myself, view criticism as a catalyst for growth, highlighting resilience and intrinsic motivation in our creative journeys.
“This scene isn’t about past beef but addresses these challenges and showcases the importance of creative expression,” he concluded. “Interestingly enough, Joe Budden acknowledged the feature in a recent podcast episode, embracing the role of the ‘sacrificial lamb.’ If you haven’t already, check out the captivating blend of humor and entertainment in my bio! #TheStoriesofMrEGOT #EGOTRecords.” Furthermore, for more news and the latest updates on CyHi and Joe Budden, stay up to date on HNHH.
Bronny James has received medical clearance to resume practice and finally make his debut for USC. The announcement came via a statement from the James family earlier today. “Bronny will have a final evaluation with USC staff this week, resume practice next week, and return to games soon after. The James family would like to express their gratitude to the incredible medical team, the entire USC community, and especially the countless friends, family, and fans for their love and support. Fight On!” the statement, shared by Shams Charania, read.
Bronny has missed USC’s first seven games, in which they have gone 5-2. The Trojans were upset by UC Irvine before losing to Oklahoma at the Rady Children’s Invitational. The Trojans’ next game features their first ranked opponent of the season – No. 11 Gonzaga. The James family statement did not give a timetable for Bronny’s debut. However, USC will likely sit him until January out of precaution. The Trojans’ first game of 2024 is a Pac-12 matchup against Cal on January 3.
Just In: After recovering from a cardiac arrest in late July, USC freshman Bronny James has been cleared to make a full return to basketball. He will resume practice next week for Trojans and return to games soon after. Statement from James family spokesperson: pic.twitter.com/3aj490m6Fl
However, Bronny has made sure to remain around the team as the season got underway. Bronny made an appearance at the annual Trojan HoopLA but did not participate in the athletic festivities. The event is used to introduce the school’s team for the season and have the athletes put on some displays of skill. James was all smiles as he was introducing, hitting some sweet moves to “Teach Me How To Dougie” by Cali Swag District. However, that was the extent of James’ evening as he sat out the skills competition, dunk contest, and 3-point competition.
As for the cardiac arrest that derailed the start of his college career, experts diagnosed it as a congenital heart defect. Bronny has reportedly undergone surgery to address the issue, which will need to be monitored for the rest of his life but is no longer a major concern. However, he is the second USC player in two years to suffer a preseason cardiac arrest.
Fat Joe has surprised an autistic fan and her family with a check for $20,000 on behalf of himself and Lexus. Joe also has an autistic child named Joey.
A great experience, like a great meal, starts with basic ingredients. The preparation and presentation are what turn the raw materials into fine dining or, in the case of my most recent trip, fine dancing. From Oct 18-21st, The W Hotel Amsterdam took their on-the-pulse sense of style, partnered with the fast-growing French production company Cercle, and flung their doors open to all the flavors of the Amsterdam Dance Event — a week-long, city-wide celebration of EDM, drawing big name artists and industry insiders from across the globe.
The result was a metaphorically Michelin-worthy week of programming and parties. A far cry from the glorious chaos of Burning Man only a month prior, this week was curated to a T.
The undeniable success of the event started with aesthetics — something the W brand has hung its hat on since they popped onto the scene and virtually created the playbook for modern luxury hotels. Located in the very center of the city, the Amsterdam W boasts a two-building complex that pairs together perfectly. On one side, the “Bank Building” features a more classic European exterior and a series of suites that blend old-world charm with just the right touch of modern flair. Across the narrow red brick road, the “Exchange Building” leans into a clean, minimalist motif with modern art touches around every corner.
This was my home for the week. Not a bad base for some revelry.
W Hotels
Upon arrival, I found all the essentials for a week of partying laid on my bed — a sleek black reusable water bottle, high-quality earplugs designed for the dance floor, a scented candle for the comedown, and even a coconut milk face mask for recharging. Sitting on the desk I found a fresh fruit tart with a happy birthday message drizzled in dark chocolate. (My actual b-day was Monday. I arrived on Wed… Three cheers for celebrating the full birthday week!)
As I made my way up to the roof to meet one of my liaisons for the week, I walked through Mr. Porter, a five-star steak house that opens up with a glass-walled, dry aging meat locker that looks more like a high-end retail display window than a pantry. I’ve been vegan for seven years now so I didn’t get to make the most of this meat lover’s menagerie; however, throughout the week I heard multiple people raving about their menu. If you’re partial to a steak dinner, consider this a must while visiting. The restaurant features 180 degrees worth of floor-to-ceiling windows that give patrons a beautiful view of the city, including the Royal Palace, literally next door. The space encompasses half of the top floor of the hotel, the other half is the W lounge and bar which boasts equally stunning panoramic views and that with the help of an incredible production team, was transformed into a full on club every night. This is where we danced to a highly curated roster of DJs from around the world. More on that in a bit.
A few floors beneath the bar and restaurant, the team at Cercle had transformed the “Great Room” into a livestream production studio that hosted daily panel discussions and workshops. With topics such as “Clarity in Chaos: Mental Health Within the Electronic Music Ecosystem” the speakers kept a packed room leaning forward in their seats. Possibly the most attended of the talks was “The Art of Exponential Growth: Capturing an Audience” featuring the fast-rising star DJs Mochakk & Indira Paganotto. Young, fun, and ruthlessly authentic, they gave the crowd the best social media advice that anyone could possibly offer — “there is no formula, just be yourself and let the world in”
Cercle
For more hands-on how-tos, Cercle created two exclusive experiential workshops that were both edifying and engaging. First, they invited two of their premier drone pilots to teach a class on flying FPV (first person view) drones. If you’ve never watched a Cercle video, do so here. Their niche is creating one-off live events in magically unique destinations across the globe. Their drone work is a key element to each of their video presentations, giving a sense of space and wonder to each hand-picked location. Now it was our turn to see just how much skill it takes to pull off those epic shots.
We started the class with a brief talk, then were quickly let loose to start our training in a simulator lab they’d built. Within an hour, they gave us the actual controls and we all got to fly a real drone in a controlled setting. Yes, I crashed. We all did. But by the end I truly got the feel for it and was buzzing around faster and faster, earning the title of “most aggressive” new pilot of the day.
What can I say? I like to play hard.
Aryeh-Or
On the flip side, the second exclusive workshop was a refined cooking class and beat pairing aptly dubbed “Kitchn’ Klub.” The Cercle team might as well have reconstructed a Top Chef set for us, I couldn’t tell you the difference. Well, I suppose the fact that we didn’t work with any open flame helped mitigate the inherent liability factor.
Still, the knives were sharp, the beats were banging and the menu was sublime. Belgian Chef Paul Delrez and DJ Calao (a solid chef in her own right!) led us through two courses of fresh and healthy recovery food. First, we made a hearty labneh and lentil salad with a hot harissa kicker that definitely cleared the nostrils. We followed this with a shot of fresh-pressed green juice and finished out with a citrus and fennel-topped hummus plate that I would have gladly ordered on repeat if room service offered it. The whole experience flew by in a short 45 minutes but it was the perfect light menu for those of us who’d been burning the candle at both ends and making the most of the nightlife.
Aryeh-Or
Speaking of the night, the lights and the Cercle x W dance floor were not to be trifled with. Cercle’s artistic director Phil Tuchmann and global music director for the W brand, LP Giobbi handpicked a lineup of DJs and artists that absolutely electrified the crowd. With a female-forward roster that definitely highlighted its share of male artists too, the musical offerings spanned a diverse blend of styles that kept us all on our toes, both literally and figuratively.
While all of the talent deserves their flowers, a few of my personal favorites included Francis Mercier, AWAN, Desire, Cassian, Gordo, Mind Against, and Friend of Uproxx LP Giobbi herself. Mind you, ADE is a massive playground of over 2,500+ artists, two hundred + venues that quite literally take the whole city of Amsterdam by storm for a full five days of non-stop EDM action. To collect and consolidate the caliber and consistency of talent that the W held for four straight nights felt like nothing short of wizardry.
Cercle
Jumping out beyond the W-alls, the city of Amsterdam herself deserves an entirely separate article. This was my first visit to the famed land of winding canals and cannabis cafes and she certainly didn’t disappoint. I only had a limited time to explore amidst the ADE programming and some significant precipitation, but what I did get to experience enchanted me.
On my first full morning, I did my favorite “new city” ritual — laced up my running shoes and walked out the door without any planned direction or destination. I just went and let my instincts take me on a tour. I wound my way past the palatial facade of the Centraal train station and through the fabled Red Light district. I sprinted along riverfronts and slowed my pace through zig-zagging alleys with buildings quite literally leaning in over me (their foundations have shifted due to the soaked ground below). Every block I passed seemed to have its own unique blend of Old World energy melding with modern adaptations.
In my limited experience, the whole of Amsterdam is like a patchwork quilt. There is no particular pattern that I can point to, but it feels fundamentally warm and well balanced as if stitched together by the coolest grandma you’ve ever known. Although I think the word “charming” can often verge on pejorative and is way overused in travel writing, Amsterdam is charming in the “warts and all” sense — you see the upsides and downsides pretty quickly but you love it just the same.
As those of us who travel often know well, sometimes you visit a place and feel totally complete, like it’s been checked off the list and requires no further exploration. Other places leave you with the entirely opposite feeling; a deep knowing that you’ve only just scratched the surface and a return trip is not only warranted, it’s mandatory. In the case of Amsterdam and even more specifically ADE, I’m all the way in the latter category. I’ll definitely be heading back for a second serving of both — hopefully with another W x Cercle collab waiting for me.
Taylor Swift and Beyoncé have been pitted against each other this year, since their respective tours, The Eras Tour and Renaissance, have been the biggest concert events of 2023. It doesn’t feel like Swift and Beyoncé themselves see each other as adversaries, though. In October, Beyoncé made a surprise appearance at Swift’s premiere for her Eras Tour concert movie.
Now, the shoe is on the other foot: Beyoncé’s own film chronicling her own massive tour (dubbed Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé) is premiering in London today (November 30), and it has been rumored that Swift was planning to show up. TMZ reported earlier today that Swift hopped on a private jet bound for London, and it appears that’s the truth: The UK premiere is getting underway, as photos and videos of Swift on the red carpet are starting to surface on social media.
Swift posed for photos and videos with fans in attendance while rocking an outfit featuring a sparkling silver Balmain gown, jewelry via Anita Ko, and shoes from Giuseppe Zanotti.
