February 2024 - Page 403 of 407

Damian Lillard Open To Blazers Return

February 1, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Damian Lillard has revealed that he would be open to returning to the Portland Trail Blazers in the future. “Because of how I feel about Portland. How I feel about the organization here and my time that I spent here, in my mind I’ve always felt like that’s how my career would end. Right now, I’m just in a space of like, this is where I am now. I’m in Milwaukee. I wanted the opportunity to contend, and our team has an opportunity to contend for this year and years to come. And I’m just living in that. But I definitely, when I was traded, I see a day where I’ll be in a Trail Blazer uniform again before I’m done,” Lillard said. Lillard and the Bucks were playing their first game in Portland since acquiring Lillard in the biggest trade of the offseason.

However, despite giving Lillard a one-minute standing ovation when he was announced, the Blazers did not go easy on the Bucks. Lillard had 25 points but a last-second floater from Afernee Simmons sealed a 119-116 victory for the home team. The loss meant the Bucks have now lost three of their last four. It’s has not been an ideal start to the tenure of Doc Rivers, who was seen as a better championship coaching option to ousted first-year head coach Adrian Griffin.

Damian Lillard Respects Tyrese Haliburton’s “Dame Time” Celebration

Meanwhile, Lillard has had plenty to say while adjusting to life in the Eastern Conference. In December, he said he had no issue with the Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton copping his signature “Dame Time” celebration. “I learned as a kid, when you dish it out, you’ve got to be willing to take it. For as many times as I’ve done it to people, I can’t be upset when somebody else does it. You know what I mean,” Lillard said.

“I think that’s also a sign of respect and acknowledgment for knowing my history and knowing what I do. I didn’t mind it. It was what it was. I’ve also known that, you know, when you are having your moment, it’s important to be careful. Be humble in your moments because you just never know how the tables are going to turn or when they are going to turn. I respected it. We shook hands after the game. I wasn’t moved by it left or right,” he continued.

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Celebrating Black History Now: Alicia Graf Mack – Dancer, First Black Dean & Juliard

February 1, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Quavo Teams with Sazerac to Introduce White X Cognac

February 1, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Grammy-nominated artist and entrepreneur Quavo, in collaboration with global spirits company Sazerac, unveils White X Cognac, a fresh and modern addition to the cognac scene.

White X is set to become one of the first and only white cognacs available in the United States, aiming to redefine the category and make the spirit accessible to a broader audience. The initial release of 100 bottles will be exclusively offered through online retailer BlockBar starting on February 7 at 10 AM EST, each priced at $60 and presented in a limited-edition box.

“What I love about White X is that it’s an entirely different drink experience than any other type of cognac,” said Quavo. “I’m a big believer in challenging the status quo, and I think that’s the role of white cognac. White X is for those who aren’t afraid to shake things up, put in the work and celebrate their accomplishments. This is the drink they’ve been waiting for. Neat or in a cocktail, White X is smooth and sippable – a reward for the hustle.”

White X, with its clear and golden straw color, promises a smooth and sweet experience with rich flavors. It features delicate yet lingering notes of white and yellow peaches, elegant vanilla, and a hint of dried rose petals. The palate offers gentle white stone fruit, creamy vanilla, and subtle tannins without bitterness, culminating in a smooth and long finish.

“White X challenges the traditional cognac category with its fresh and light taste – it’s a total departure from many pre-conceived perceptions about cognac overall,” said Global Cognac Brand Director at Sazerac, Jess Scheerhorn. “Quavo’s electrifying style and willingness to break down barriers makes him the perfect fit to help us debut this brand.”

Following the BlockBar sale, White X takeovers will commence in Atlanta, with subsequent launches in Miami, Los Angeles, New York City, and Dallas, before a nationwide release in June 2024. For more details, follow @WhiteXCognac on Instagram and visit whitexcognac.com.

The post Quavo Teams with Sazerac to Introduce White X Cognac first appeared on The Source.

The post Quavo Teams with Sazerac to Introduce White X Cognac appeared first on The Source.

Eva Marcille, Michael Sterling, and Kevin McCall’s Custody Battle Resurfaces on Daughter’s Birthday

February 1, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Five years ago, the custody battle between recording artist Kevin McCall and actress Eva Marcille reached a heartbreaking climax when McCall lost custody of their daughter, Marley Rae. Marley was later adopted by Eva’s ex-husband, Atlanta attorney Michael Sterling, adding another layer of complexity to their family dynamics.

This week, Eva took to Instagram to celebrate Marley’s 10th birthday, expressing her joy and gratitude for the precious milestone. In her heartfelt post, Eva praised Michael Sterling for being an exceptional father figure to Marley, emphasizing his unwavering love and support.

Eva’s touching tribute triggered a response from Kevin McCall, who shared his own emotional message on Instagram. In his heartfelt post, McCall expressed his deep love and longing for his daughter, vowing to overcome any obstacle to be reunited with her. Despite the challenges he has faced, McCall remained determined to be the father and man of God that Marley needs.

Eva wrote on her instagram:

“Today our sweet angel Marley Rae Sterling turns 10. As I type with eyes full of tears I’m overwhelmed with this beautiful day. Marley is my rainbow baby, she’s saved me. Watching her grow has been the highlight of my life and we’ve spend a decade together already (a decade). I’m gagged, my baby is a big girl!!! @miketsterling thank you for being the best daddy any girl could EVER ask for she’s not little anymore! Happy 10th birthday my Cha Cha, aka Beans aka my Marley Rae of sunshine ”

This caused Marly’s dad Kevin to return with his own response on Instagram:

“Ain’t no Mountain High enough. Ain’t no river wide enough. Ain’t no prison secure enough – to keep me from getting back to you my little princess…even if they locked me in a cage for 3 years, I will celebrate this day like a holiday behind these dungeon walls. I will sing songs of praise and worship thanking the heavenly Father for giving me the opportunity to witness His glory and thank God for the privilege of having a daughter so intelligent, beautiful and kind as you. This will be the last birthday I spend without you. I can’t say too much but what I can say is…Daddy’s finally coming home! Happy Birthday baby girl. I haven’t seen you in a decade. But I’ll spend the rest of our lives being the father and man of God you always needed me to be. That’s a promise that God made to me and one thing about God baby, He NEVER breaks a promise! See you REALLY soon my Marley Bean!!! Love Your one & ONLY Daddy. KEVIN MCCALL &MARLEY MCCALL 4EVER”

Thoughts?

The post Eva Marcille, Michael Sterling, and Kevin McCall’s Custody Battle Resurfaces on Daughter’s Birthday first appeared on The Source.

The post Eva Marcille, Michael Sterling, and Kevin McCall’s Custody Battle Resurfaces on Daughter’s Birthday appeared first on The Source.

New James Brown Track From 1970 “We Got To Change” Slated For Release This Month

February 1, 2024 by newhiphopnews

UMe/Republic Records will release James Brown’s We Got To Change, a three-track EP featuring the previously unheard title track, on Feb. 16. “We Got To Change” was recorded August 16, 1970, at Criteria Studios in Miami, during a pivotal period in the world of James Brown, as longtime members of his famed James Brown Orchestra had walked out a few months earlier. Pre-order HERE

Brown quickly assembled a new group anchored by guitarist Phelps “Catfish” Collins and bassist William “Bootsy” Collins, two young brothers from Cincinnati. They brought a harder edge and a fresh identity to Brown’s music on such singles as “Get Up (I Feel Like Being) a Sex Machine,” “Super Bad,” and “Soul Power.” Brown called them The J.B.’s.

Their Criteria session featured a reunion with one of Brown’s 1960s sidemen: the great Clyde Stubblefield. “The Funky Drummer,” as he was known, would grace several of Brown’s subsequent hits, and would become one of the most sampled drummers of the hip-hop era. Also on the track is James Brown’s longtime no. 2, Bobby Byrd, who is heard alongside Brown on the chorus.

“We Got To Change” is another example of James Brown’s social outreach (and outrage), seen in singles like “Don’t Be a Dropout,” “Say It Loud I’m Black and I’m Proud,” “Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved” and “King Heroin.” It is also a testament to Brown’s diverse musical language, quoting from Little Jimmy Dickens’ 1949 hit “Take an Old Cold Tater (And Wait)” and the African-American anti-war spiritual, “Down by the Riverside.”

“The James Brown Revue invented the Funk,” says Funk author Rickey Vincent, “and the J.B.’s perfected it.” Newly unearthed and unheard, “We Got to Change” adds a critical page to the history of that perfection’s evolution.

The post New James Brown Track From 1970 “We Got To Change” Slated For Release This Month first appeared on The Source.

The post New James Brown Track From 1970 “We Got To Change” Slated For Release This Month appeared first on The Source.

Jurnee Smollett and Lil Rel Howery Star in Coming-Of-Age Film ‘We Grown Now’ Alongside Talent Newcomers

February 1, 2024 by newhiphopnews

The new trailer just dropped for We Grown Now, a film starring June Smollett and “Lil” Rel Howery that originally premiered at TIFF – Toronto International Film Festival.

We Grown Now, considered an indie darling as they say, received three nominations for Film Independent Spirit Awards in 2023, including Best Feature, Best Cinematography, and Best Editing. Must be good! It took home the TIFF Changemaker Award.

Directed and written by Minhal Baig (Hala), it stars a cast of talented newbies Blake Cameron James and Gian Knight Ramirez, playing alongside veterans S. Epatha Merkerson, with Lil Rel Howery and June Smollett.

Here’s the official synopsis:

In 1992 Chicago, as Michael Jordan solidifies himself as a champion, a story of two young legends in their own right begins. As wide-eyed and imaginative best friends Malik and Eric traverse the city, looking to escape the mundaneness of school and the hardships of growing up in public housing, their unbreakable bond is challenged when tragedy shakes their community just as they are learning to fly.

The producers are Baig and Joe Pirro. Serving as executive producers are Jeff Skoll and Anikah McLaren for Participant – they’re a Big Deal and James Schamus for Symbolic Exchange, along with Carrie Holt de Lama and Smollett.

This is a Sony Pictures Classics production and will open in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago this spring on April 19, then go wide on May 10.

The post Jurnee Smollett and Lil Rel Howery Star in Coming-Of-Age Film ‘We Grown Now’ Alongside Talent Newcomers first appeared on The Source.

The post Jurnee Smollett and Lil Rel Howery Star in Coming-Of-Age Film ‘We Grown Now’ Alongside Talent Newcomers appeared first on The Source.

Happy 49th Birthday To Outkast’s Big Boi!

February 1, 2024 by newhiphopnews

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On this day in 1975, Andre Antwon Patton, best known as Big Boi, one-half of the legendary ATL duo Outkast, was born. Patton has morphed into one of this generation’s biggest rappers/actors.

With four Outkast albums and four solo full-length releases of his own, Big Boi is recognized as one of the driving forces that helped spotlight A-Town as a Hip Hop powerhouse city. His acting career rivals that of any of ATL’s pioneers except his partner Andre 3000, with appearances in the movies ATL, Idlewild, and Who’s Your Caddy as well as appearances on the sitcoms such as King Of The Hill.

Happy born day to Sir Lucius! I wish him many more from The Mind Squad!

The post Happy 49th Birthday To Outkast’s Big Boi! first appeared on The Source.

The post Happy 49th Birthday To Outkast’s Big Boi! appeared first on The Source.

Goodbye Taylor Swift, Drake, Billie Eilish, And So On: UMG Has Officially Removed Its Artists’ Music From TikTok

February 1, 2024 by newhiphopnews

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It happened: Universal Music Group has removed its artists’ songs from TikTok. As of today (February 1), official songs from artists signed to UMG labels no longer appear under the “Sounds” tab on the TikTok app, and previously published videos that featured those songs now have muted audio.

UMG has officially started removing their artists’ catalogs from TikTok.

Official songs are no longer appearing for UMG artists under the ‘sounds’ tab, with the exception of fan-made edits. pic.twitter.com/Aw8MRpPDe4

— Pop Base (@PopBase) February 1, 2024

Impacted artists include Taylor Swift, Drake, The Weeknd, Bad Bunny, SZA, Olivia Rodrigo, Steve Lacy, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, Harry Styles, Rosalía, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Adele, U2, Elton John, J Balvin, Pearl Jam, Bob Dylan, Post Malone, and many others.

TikTok and UMG had a licensing agreement that expired yesterday (January 31), and the day before it did, there were clear indications that negotiations on a new contract were not going well.

UMG shared an open letter about the situation, which read in part:

“As our negotiations continued, TikTok attempted to bully us into accepting a deal worth less than the previous deal, far less than fair market value and not reflective of their exponential growth. How did it try to intimidate us? By selectively removing the music of certain of our developing artists, while keeping on the platform our audience-driving global stars.

TikTok’s tactics are obvious: use its platform power to hurt vulnerable artists and try to intimidate us into conceding to a bad deal that undervalues music and shortchanges artists and songwriters as well as their fans.

We will never do that.”

TikTok then shared a response that reads in full:

“It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters.

Despite Universal’s false narrative and rhetoric, the fact is they have chosen to walk away from the powerful support of a platform with well over a billion users that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent.

TikTok has been able to reach ‘artist-first’ agreements with every other label and publisher. Clearly, Universal’s self-serving actions are not in the best interests of artists, songwriters and fans.”

At the moment, it’s not clear when or if a new licensing agreement between TikTok and UMG will be reached, and when/if the artists’ music will return to TikTok.

Doc Rivers Net Worth 2024: What Is The NBA Legend Worth?

February 1, 2024 by newhiphopnews

In the dynamic world of professional basketball, few names resonate as powerfully as Doc Rivers. A legend both on the court and from the sidelines, Rivers has seamlessly transitioned from a stellar playing career to a highly successful coaching journey. Beyond the basketball arena, his ventures have contributed significantly to his net worth, which as of 2024 stands impressively at $60 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Early Years & NBA Career

Doc Rivers, born Glenn Anton Rivers on October 13, 1961, in Chicago, Illinois, found his passion for basketball early in life. Excelling at Proviso East High School, Rivers continued to make waves at Marquette University. His exceptional skills led him to the NBA, where he was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the second round of the 1983 draft.

Rivers’ playing career spanned over a decade, leaving an indelible mark on the league. Known for his tenacity and leadership, he played for several teams, including the Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers, and New York Knicks. His on-court prowess earned him an All-Star appearance in 1988, solidifying his status as one of the NBA’s formidable guards.

Transition To Coaching

As Rivers’ playing days came to a close, a natural progression awaited him in the realm of coaching. In 1999, he took the helm as the head coach of the Orlando Magic, showcasing the same strategic brilliance that defined his playing career. Rivers quickly established himself as a coaching force, guiding the Boston Celtics to an NBA Championship in 2008. Furthermore, his ability to connect with players and craft winning strategies earned him widespread acclaim.

Rivers’ coaching journey continued with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2013, where he faced the challenges of molding a contender. Despite ups and downs, Rivers’ leadership steered the Clippers to playoff success, reinforcing his reputation as a respected and accomplished coach. Most recently, he joined the Milwaukee Bucks as their head coach. This came after his stint with the Sixers, which officially ended in May 2023.

Ventures Beyond Basketball

Doc Rivers’ influence extends beyond the basketball court, contributing significantly to his impressive net worth. His ventures include broadcasting, where he has become a familiar voice offering insightful analysis during NBA games. Additionally, Rivers has invested in business ventures, aligning himself with brands and opportunities that reflect his commitment to excellence both on and off the court.

Officiating the growth of his own brand, Rivers has also penned books, sharing his wisdom and experiences with a broader audience. These diverse endeavors showcase his versatility and entrepreneurial spirit, adding layers to his net worth beyond his coaching and playing accomplishments.

Financial Triumphs & Enduring Legacy

Celebrity Net Worth reports that, as of 2024, Doc Rivers’ net worth stands at an impressive $60 million. This financial triumph is a testament to his enduring legacy in the world of basketball and his strategic moves in various business ventures. Rivers’ ability to navigate the complexities of professional sports, coupled with his diversified investments, has secured his position as not just an NBA legend but a shrewd entrepreneur.

Conclusion

Doc Rivers’ journey from a Chicago kid with a love for basketball to an NBA legend and astute entrepreneur is a narrative of perseverance, adaptability, and success. His impact on the game, both as a player and a coach, is undeniable. As we explore his net worth in 2024, it’s evident that Doc Rivers’ legacy extends far beyond the hardwood, leaving an indelible mark on the realms of business and broadcasting. With a net worth of $60 million, Doc Rivers continues to inspire aspiring athletes and entrepreneurs alike, showcasing the enduring power of passion, talent, and strategic vision.

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Megan Thee Stallion “HISS” On Pace For No. 1 Debut

February 1, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Megan Thee Stallion is in full rollout mode with a new album and tour on the way, and that always involves a lead single to get fans excited, prepared -– and streaming. Moreover, despite the quality behind the under-appreciated “Cobra,” it seems like “HISS” will serve this purpose quite well for her when it comes to both how it’s resonated with fans and with commercial metrics. According to Chart Data on Twitter, the Houston rapper could land a No. 1 debut on the Billboard Hot 100 if its numbers continue on the pace they are at as of writing this article. While the report doesn’t indicate a particular number, Billboard themselves reported that the song continues to grow and garner more and more streams.

As such, Megan Thee Stallion could potentially have her first-ever No. 1 debuting song as a solo artist. This would be a great start to this new phase of her career, and would also lay the foundation for more buzz and promotion from a purely commercial standpoint. But the 28-year-old still impresses with blazing flows, combative energy, and some really sharp lines to contrast her previously measured and emotional single. What she needs to keep up is this sense of dynamism and freshness with each cut, and we’ll have a great project and lead-up to cherish in 2024.

Megan Thee Stallion Is On Track For Her First Solo Number One Hit

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However, the “Hot Girl” continues to face a lot of scrutiny and backlash from some rap corners in the game, albeit not many. For example, Wack 100 recently claimed that there is a video of Tory Lanez’s shooting of her that proves that she is lying, and that this incident didn’t happen at all between them. Many fans debated the veracity of this on social media, given that there is no evidence of this clip. Some believe the prosecution and court suppressed it in Lanez’s trial, whereas others expressed shock at how fans continue to challenge the conviction.

Meanwhile, on the topic of conflict, Nicki Minaj’s response track “Big Foot” is also performing well commercially. It played at some big events, broke streaming records for hip-hop in 2024, and made a big splash on arrival in other ways. No matter which song you think is better, this success can only set the bar for their future work, and only they can capitalize on it. On that note, come back to HNHH for more news and the latest updates on Megan Thee Stallion.

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