The crowd at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards was left yelling, “Yeah, Glo!” after GloRilla’s performance of that song, decked out in a black-and-white suit, which turned into a skimpy bikini as she performed “TGIF” atop a conference table, replete with the flames that seemed like a prerequisite for pretty much every other performance of the night.
She and Meg also apparently have plans to drop a joint album in the near future, with Meg saying, “I ain’t gon’ say too much, but it feels like it’s going to get done.” Not bad for a pair of rappers who say they weren’t sure about each other when they first met.
You can check out GloRilla’s performance video above, and keep up with the full list of VMAs winners here.
Stephen A Smith and Nicki Minaj are world class trash talkers. They have build their personas on being combative, and speaking their mind when nobody else will. Or, sometimes, when nobody else asked. Such was the cast on September 9, when Nicki Minaj unleashed on JAY-Z and Roc Nation for what she felt was a slight against her Young Money mentor, Lil Wayne. Minaj felt like Weezy should have headlined the upcoming Halftime Show at the Super Bowl, but Roc Nation went with Kendrick Lamar. Stephen A Smith did not appreciate Minaj’s public tantrum.
Smith addressed Nicki Minaj directly during the September 11 episode of his podcast. He started out cordially, as one has come to expect from an SAS rant. He assured Minaj and the viewers that he had respect for her, and the things she’s managed to achieve. The analyst didn’t, however, respect Minaj’s decision to castigate JAY-Z. “Every time we turn around it’s something, Nicki,” he stated. “You disagree with the decision… but you have to talk to a brother like that?” Stephen A Smith is referring to the Nicki Minaj tweet in which she claimed that JAY-Z favors money over the culture that helped make him rich.
Stephen A Smith Felt Minaj’s Comments Were Selfish
Stephen a smith goes off on the queen Nicki Minaj after her tweets she called jay z a sell out after he snubbed lil Wayne for Kendrick Lamar for the Super Bowl pic.twitter.com/eeZw42Q3Id
Stephen A Smith also took time out from bashing Minaj to give JAY-Z his flowers. He pointed out that Hov has been instrumental in getting more R&B and hip hop artists on the Halftime Show stage since Roc Nation got involved with the NFL in 2019. “Do you know how hard it is,” Smith asked. “For a Black man to pull of what JAY-Z has pulled off?” He supported his case by mentioning the kinds of acts who played the Super Bowl prior to Roc Nation. The Who and Coldplay have probably never been said with more disdain.
Smith got a bit off topic, but he brought it back to his main point. He believes that Nicki Minaj is being unappreciative for what JAY-Z has accomplished for the culture as a whole. He also feels like Minaj is simply using the controversy as a means of drumming up free publicity for herself. In case the point wasn’t clear, Stephen A Smith ran down a list of the celebrities that Minaj has had beef with over the years. “It ain’t about you as an individual, it’s about us,” he asserted. “All of us, as Black people.”
As the entertainment world mourns the loss of the legendary Isaac “Fatman Scoop” Freeman, the Freeman Family announces a special celebration honoring Freeman on Thursday, September 12th, at the legendary The Apollo in his hometown of Harlem, NY. This event will allow fans and friends to pay their respects and honor the life of the iconic entertainer.
Isaac “Fatman Scoop” Freeman has carved out a distinguished career, known for his electrifying presence and impactful contributions to the music industry. His dynamic performances and unique style have made him a household name, captivating audiences worldwide.
The evening will feature special performances, guest appearances, and tributes highlighting Fatman Scoop’s journey from his early days in Harlem to global stardom. Fans and admirers alike are invited to join in celebrating this milestone event.
Event Details:
Date: Thursday, September 12th, 2024
Doors: 2:00 PM
Program Run Time: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Location:The Apollo, 253 W 125th St, New York, NY 10027
MusiCares® helps the humans behind the music because music gives so much to the world
The family asks that in lieu of flowers or gifts, donations to MusiCares are encouraged to honor Fatman Scoop’s legacy and impact within the culture. MusiCares® is a safety net supporting the health and welfare of the music community.
By donating to MusiCares® your contribution help aid preventive, emergency and recovery programs. Founded by the Recording Academy® in 1989 as a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) charity, MusiCares safeguards the well-being of all music people through direct financial grant programs, networks of support resources, and tailored crisis relief efforts.
Today, diamond-certified three-time GRAMMY® Award-winning hip-hop luminary Future formally details his highly anticipated new project MIXTAPE PLUTO. Continuing Future’s prolific game-changing 2024, the mixtape event of the year is set to be released on September 20, 2024. Pre-save/pre-add the mixtape here.
Today Future also details an exclusive run of merchandise and physical product available for MIXTAPE PLUTO at freebandz.com, now available for pre-order. Items include bundles with limited edition t-shirts, a CD, and two vinyl variants in both black and green.
Additionally, Future continues to give fans a glimpse into the world of MIXTAPE PLUTO with the release of a new teaser for the song “TOO FAST.” Future has been igniting a frenzy across social media over the past few weeks in the run-up to the project’s release, previously sharing clips for various tracks across the mixtape, including hints of collaboration with Travis Scott.
Earlier this week, Future wrapped up a sold-out arena run with Metro Boomin, the critically acclaimed WE TRUST YOU TOUR. The run saw the two superstars traverse across North America – including historic nights at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, Atlanta’s State Farm Arena, and Los Angeles’ brand-new Intuit Dome. Billboard called the show “a testament to how deep Future’s catalog and bag of hits really is” whileGQcelebrated the fact that “two great albums and a rejuvenated live show confirm Future’s powers are as strong as they’ve ever been.”
Appropriately titled, the tour was in support of Future and Metro Boomin’s explosive, chart-topping collaborative albums released earlier this year: WE DON’T TRUST YOU and its follow-up, WE STILL DON’T TRUST YOU. The albums highlight the duo’s magnetic chemistry–which Rolling Stone calls “seamless”–and went on to capture the entire music industry’s attention, piquing competitive interests in ways not seen in years. The albums officially landed Future his ninths and tenth number 1 albums on the Billboard 200, while the single “Like That” featuring Kendrick Lamar spent a blistering 3 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. This run became, as Billboard stated, “the biggest story in rap.”
And now, with MIXTAPE PLUTO,Future continues to shape the sound of hip hop as a new chapter is written in the career of one of rap’s most inventive and influential wordsmiths. A body of work stripped down to pure unadulterated Future, it’s simply Pluto at his core essence. It’s MIXTAPE PLUTO.
Nobody knows how to break the internet like Kendrick Lamar. The rapper was historically pretty normal when it came to new album releases. 2024 has brought out a different side of him, though. Lamar has been in stealth mode, popping up to drop a devastating song and then retreating. It’s a game plan that helped him clinch a win in the battle against Drake. The battle is seemingly over, but Kendrick Lamar has decided to keep the game plan intact. The rapper dropped a song on Instagram Wednesday night, and the internet promptly broke.
One could argue the new song is the most cryptic release of Lamar’s career thus far. At least the Drake disses had proper title. The new one is still untitled, and is only available to stream on Instagram. There have been frantic attempts on the part of fans to cram all the new bars and determine who each of them are intended for. Kendrick Lamar has become the hip hop equivalent of Taylor Swift, in that every single thing he says gets dissected and praised for quadruple meanings. That said, the song is excellent, and fans everywhere seem to agree.
The creepy vibe of the song had Twitter users comparing Kendrick Lamar to Omar from The Wire. One user even included a clip of the fictional gangster strolling with a fan, and wrote: “This how it feels when Kendrick Lamar drops anything right now.” Others struggled to come up with a comparison, and simply marveled at the rapper’s planning. “Kendrick Lamar is perhaps the most calculated, art of war moving a*s n**ga we’ve ever seen in Rap,” another user tweeted.
Then there were fans who tried to break down the significance of Lamar dropping on September 11th. Surely, there must be a deeper meaning there, right? Keep scrolling to read more social media reactions to the track. Do you think Lamar will eventually drop his album? Let us know in the comments, and check back later for more music/pop culture news updates.
Shannon Sharpe went viral for all the wrong reasons on Wednesday morning. The sports commentator accidentally posted an Instagram Live video in which he was suspected to be having sex with a woman. The internet was stunned, obviously, and Sharpe rushed a statement out following the post. He claimed to have been hacked, and assured fans he was working to remedy the situation. That wasn’t true. Sharpe cleared the air during his evening appearance on the Night Cap podcast.
Shannon Sharpe confirmed that his Instagram was not actually hacked. He admitted that the IG Live was a mistake, and that he was deeply embarrassed once he realized what happened. “I’m very disappointed in myself I let a lot of people down,” the ex-athlete explained. “My kids, I reached out to them. I called my sister, my friends obviously reached out.” Shannon Sharpe clarified that the IG Live video that went viral was not staged. He went on to detail the circumstances in which the accidental stream occurred. “I came in, threw my phone on the bed,” he recalled. “And then engaged in an activity.”
Shannon Sharpe went on to support his claim by noting that he had never been on IG Live prior to this viral incident. “I don’t know how he works,” he asserted. According to the sports commentator, he didn’t realize anything was wrong until his other phone started to ring. He stopped engaging in his “activity” and his manager told him that millions of viewers were listening to him have sex. Sharpe admits, and pretty understandably, that his heart sank upon realizing what he’d done.
The Club Shay Shay host also addressed the false report that his account had been hacked. He noted that his team cut the stream up and quickly threw together a post to address the incident. Once Sharpe had time to reflect on the incident, however, he determined it was best to be honest. He admitted that he made a mistake, and asked fans to forgive him. The tone lightened up once Ochocinco joined him on the pod, but Shannon Sharpe effectively put an end to the story.
In addition to hosting the 2024 MTV VMAs, Megan Thee Stallion was also booked as a performer. She absolutely killed both roles, pulling out some iconic looks from the show’s past during her hosting duties, and then burning the house down with her performance, which included hits “Boa,” “B.A.S.,” “Hiss,” and “Mamushi,” for which she was joined by guest rapper Yuki Chiba in his first US performance. The Houston hottie is also nominated for five awards, with Best Hip-Hop, Best Direction, and Best Visual Effects among them.
Meg’s had a busy 2024, dropping her new album Megan while completing her Hot Girl Summer Tour with GloRilla, during which she became one of the WNBA’s biggest supporters by bringing players like Natasha Cloud and Angel Reese on stage with her. Then, she joined Kamala Harris’ campaign, declaring that the Vice President is “for the Hotties” during a performance at one of the Presidential hopeful’s rallies.
And just when it seemed like she’d delivered all the new music she had to offer this year, she teamed up once again with BTS’s RM for another cross-cultural collaboration, “Neva Play.” Oh, and she seemingly hard-launched her relationship with NBA player Torrey Craig, so it looks like she’s having her fair share of play along with all that work.
You can watch Megan Thee Stallion’s medley performance here, and check out all of the night’s winners here.
Kendrick Lamar and DJ Akademiks could not be further apart when it comes to their feelings on Drake. The former is the self-proclaimed “biggest hater.” The latter has been described by many as the biggest Drake fan there is. DJ Akademiks let his bias shine through all throughout the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar beef, and it looks like the Candyman took note. Lamar just dropped off an untitled song, and in it he seemingly takes shots at the internet personality. It didn’t take long for Ak to panic.
There are lots of dense bars to get through on Lamar’s latest. The ones that seem most clear, though, are the ones fans have interpreted as being about DJ Akademiks. “Influencers talk down ’cause I’m not with the basic sh*t,” Lamar raps. “But they don’t hate me, they hate the man that I represent / The type of man that never d*ck ride ’cause I want a favor.” Ak is definitely an influencer, and has been accused of riding a little too hard for Drake over the years. The subliminals continue. “The radio personality pushing propaganda for salary,” he adds. “Let me know when they turn up as a casualty.”
DJ Akademiks makes a living off being first to these surprise drops, so it wasn’t going to take long for him to hear it. He didn’t take it well. The internet personality dropped a comment on Lamar’s Instagram that made his discomfort with the situation crystal clear. “No no noooo,” he wrote. We get it. Being the target of a Kendrick Lamar diss has to be horrifying. That said, DJ Akademiks has been in this situation before. Lamar called out Ak by name on “6:16 In LA,” which dropped at the height of the Drake diss.
DJ Akademiks elaborated on his thoughts via during his Wednesday night live stream. The internet personality claimed that Kendrick Lamar’s decision to take shots at him was a mistake. “You can’t say there isn’t a game 2, then immediately drop a track seemingly baiting game 2,” he opined. He also fired shots back at K. Dot by mocking the rapper’s tendency for dropping on notable dates. “Drop a single,” he wrote. “No Round 2s. Just drop em hits.”
There’s beating a dead horse, and then there’s whatever the heck Kendrick Lamar is doing. The man is clearly on a mission to make Drake dig a hole, jump in, and pull it in after himself. Just when you thought five performances of “Not Like Us” back-to-back was overkill, Dot follows up with yet another Drake diss song — this one untitled and shared via his Instagram with a photo of black Nike Air Force Ones, the universal symbol of true goon-like activity.
In the song, Dot wonders what Lecrae would do (not this, Kenny! although here’s what he said) and shouts out a number of notable fellow Angelenos, including jazz musician Terrace Martin and NBA trainer Jay Estrada. He also shuts down any possibility of reconciliation with Drake, acknowledging just how acrimonious the battle became after the release of “Meet The Grahams,” while essentially shrugging that there’s no going back after all that. Would anyone even respect Drake if he did want to reconcile with that man after all this?
The song arrives just days after Kendrick was announced as the headliner of the 2025 Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show to a great degree of controversy, but as he said in his new song… so be it.
The 2024 MTV VMAs’ opening was Olympics-coded. Host Megan Thee Stallion delivered her opening monologue in a gymnastics-adjacent leotard because, as she said, she is “repping Team VMA.” Meg also clarified that “VMA” stands for the Voluptuous Megan Awards” and declared that she deserves “a gold medal for being a bad b*tch!” Megan Thee Stallion kicked it over to Flavor Flav and USA Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles to present the night’s first category, Best Collaboration.
But before announcing the winner, Flavor Flav had more important business to take care of. The iconic rapper, pop cultural icon, and newly minted Team USA mascot gifted Chiles a bedazzled pink clock necklace to replace her Olympic bronze medal that she was controversially (and wrongfully, but that’s a discussion for another day) stripped of.
“I know they tried to take your medal away from you,” Flav said, as captured by Deadline, and briefly paused to account for the audience booing. “I got you something that they can’t take away from you.”
Flavor Flav put the gigantic clock around Chiles’ neck, and Chiles thanked Flavor Flav while the crowd applauded.
Chiles won the women’s team gold medal alongside her teammates, and she had been awarded the bronze medal for individual floor, but days later, the Romanian team filed a petition to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The CAS ruled to reinstate the initial scoring, awarding the bronze to Romanian Ana Barbosu and ordering Chiles return hers. See the full timeline of the controversy here.
Oh, and Post Malone and Taylor Swift won Best Collaboration for “Fortnight.”
