Month: January 2025

Joe Budden’s Podcast Co-host Supports Him Amid His Lewdness Charge

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Joe Budden’s 2025 is not getting off to the start that he probably envisioned. Right now, the rapper turned podcaster is facing legal trouble following a December incident in New Jersey. According to multiple previous reports, the “Pump It Up” MC is currently looking to dispute a lewdness charge from the 4th of that month from his neighbor in his apartment building. The person’s Ring doorbell camera caught the rapper completely naked trying to enter the code to unlock the room.

However, after failing to enter and almost certainly recognizing he was at the wrong place, Joe Budden eventually went back to his across the hall. This all yet to be confirmed as the controversial hip-hop media figure will be heading to court on January 16 to sort things out. Budden’s lawyer, Nima Ameri, has since slammed Police Chief Donald Martin’s announcement of the charge. “The allegations against Mr. Budden are a minor charge, not even resulting in an arrest,” he began.

Read More: SZA Reveals Her Contract Is Almost Over And Ponders On What Its Last Two Albums Will Be

Joe Budden Will Be Going To Court On January 16

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 28: Joe Budden attends Jay-Z’s 40/40 Club 18th Anniversary celebration at 40/40 Club on August 28, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

“A charge Mr. Budden is looking forward to beating in court on the merits, not in the press. The Chief’s comments are reckless, and in our opinion racially motivated. Our research has not shown a single press release on a disorderly person charge on the police website this year. His choice to single out Mr. Budden in our opinion is self-motivated and based off of Mr. Budden’s race and celebrity status.” Additionally, the podcast host has also been subtly addressing all of the noise surrounding the situation.

He doesn’t seem so worried about it and neither does one of his podcast co-hosts. According to TMZ Hip Hop, one of the personnel caught up with QueenzFlip to discuss his thoughts on the matter. Overall, he seems just as nonchalant about it and is dismissing by it just being an accidental sleepwalk mishap. QueenzFlip also clarified that the show is continuing without him and Budden’s ordeal is not affecting the crew one bit. He’s on vacation right now and will assumedly return to the studio after his court date.

Read More: August Alsina Defends Close Friend Zu’s Viral Video Of Him Against Fans With This Stern Response

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Drake And Wayne Gretzky Announce Their OVO Clothing Collaborative Collection ‘The Great One’

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Drake for all the dogs
Getty Image

Drake’s forthcoming joint album with PartyNextDoor wasn’t the only Canadian collaboration he had up his sleeve. Today (January 4), the “No Face” rapper’s OVO Clothing brand unveiled its collection with national pride and retired NHL star Wayne Gretzky.

In a series of post uploaded to the company’s official Instagram page, it unveiled the multiple piece line. “October’s Very Own and The Gretzky Hockey School are pleased to announce a continued partnership,” wrote the company. “Celebrating the Great One’s legacy and passion for the game by shaping the next generation of hockey’s brightest stars.”

October’s Very Own and The Gretzky Hockey School’s collection features a varsity jacket (priced at $898), hoodie (priced at $198), crewneck sweater (priced at $168), short sleeve t-shirt (priced at $68), snapback hat (priced at $68), and a commemorate hockey card (priced at $78). Every clothing item features Gretzky’s 99 jersey number. Except for the white and gold crewneck, all other garments have two color options (black and silver as well as blue and orange).

OVO Clothing’s ‘The Great One’ collection in partnership with Wayne Gretzky’s The Gretzky Hockey School is available to shop now while supplies last. However, according to the webpage, the items will not be shipped until after January 15. Find more information here.

October’s Very Own
October’s Very Own
October’s Very Own
October’s Very Own
October’s Very Own
October’s Very Own
October’s Very Own
October’s Very Own
October’s Very Own
October’s Very Own

Chance The Rapper Makes Independent Artist History Again With “I’m The One” Milestone

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Despite what recent history might tell you, Chance the Rapper is extremely talented and accomplished. Sure, his major “debut” album The Big Day did not live up to expectations. However, he was and still is one of the major players in mainstream hip-hop. Prior to 2019, he was delivering consistent records top to bottom. From his beloved early mixtapes like Acid Rap and 10 Day to his critically and commercially successful Coloring Book they all serve their purpose. On top of all of this, he was able sustain a long period of winning all as an independent artist. For example, according to The Needle Drop, the latter of those projects was the first independently released, streaming-only album to receive an award from The Recording Academy.

One of those awards the Chicago native even got to take home was Best Rap Album. In addition to solo releases, features are also why he’s such a desirable talent to pay attention to and work with if you are an artist. His ability to fit into multiple genres due to his cheery rapping and singing makes him a radio-friendly darling. DJ Khaled really did a great job at recognizing this by grabbing him for several of his smash records.

Read More: Kanye West Teases Upcoming “Bully” Album With Heavenly Snippet

Chance The Rapper Will Hopefully Make A Full Return In 2025

The most widely successful of which is “I’m the One” with Quavo, Justin Bieber, and Lil Wayne. The track was everywhere, and it dropped at the perfect time, right before the summer of 2017. It’s one of the biggest pop rap songs of the 2010s and the numbers for it have just continued to balloon into the 2020s. So much so, that “I’m the One” is now a diamond certified record.

Because of this, Chance the Rapper has now made history again as an independent body. He’s the first artist of any genre to have a song sell at least 10 million copies in the United States. Chance got to receive this accolade at the annual Winter Classic which was at Wrigley Field which in his hometown. He spoke the crowd thanking them for this incredible career achievement, saying, “‘I’m the One’ has been such a special record for me since the day we created it. To see this track go Diamond is a testament to the connection it’s made with so many people. Shout out to Khaled, Quavo, Justin, and Wayne! Every time I perform this song, it brings an undeniable energy, and the fans’ love for it never wavers. Getting to play it live on New Year’s Eve in front of my hometown crowd, in the greatest city in the world—there’s truly nothing better and I’m beyond thankful!”

Read More: Ella Mai Sternly Shields Her Baby Boy’s Face From Broadcast Cameras At Celtics Game

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August Alsina Defends Close Friend Zu’s Viral Video Of Him Against Fans With This Stern Response

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August Alsina has broken his silence after a TikTok video featuring him and his close friend and collaborator Zu went viral, sparking renewed speculation about their relationship. On Wednesday (Jan. 1), the video was shared on an account claiming to be a “Spam Page” for Zu. In the clip, Zu films himself sitting in a car with Alsina, but it wasn’t the visuals that captured fans’ attention—it was the caption overlaying the video that read, “On God, I’m going [to] climb this [ninja emoji] soon as we get in the crib.” Ever since Alsina introduced Zu during the November 2022 finale of VH1’s The Surreal Life, fans have speculated about the nature of their bond, questioning whether they are more than just close friends or “brothers.”

This latest video only fueled the fire, prompting Alsina to address the chatter directly on social media. When one fan on X (formerly Twitter) commented that they liked Zu but questioned his decision to post such a suggestive video knowing it would spark curiosity, Alsina responded with humor and candor. “Aht! Don’t do detttt… Everybody else alr be trollin’… so let that man troll in peace!” he wrote. Reflecting on the public’s fixation, Alsina offered a broader perspective for the new year: “In 2025, what everyone needs to know is this—if someone supports you, they’ll support you. If they don’t, they won’t. No perceived condition will change that. People who enjoy low-hanging fruit will just keep enjoying it. And for that, there’s trolling.”

Read more: August Alsina Responds To Akbar V’s Homophobic Rant

August Alsina Fights Off Fans Against Partner Zu’s Trolling Antics

Alsina continued engaging with fans, sharing insights about his hopes for the year ahead while maintaining his lighthearted approach. When another user asked how he felt about Zu openly joking about “climbing him” in the video, Alsina clarified, “To be clear, Zu comes to me before posting anything involving me. Anyhow, he’s his own man. Let him cook!”

In true Alsina fashion, he didn’t shy away from joining the playful trolling. The exchanges, full of wit and self-awareness, underscored his ability to navigate public curiosity with grace and humor. As fans dissect every interaction, Alsina and Zu seem content to let the world speculate while keeping the focus on their dynamic energy and undeniable chemistry.

Read more: August Alsina Hints That The Music Industry Will Be Exposed For “Diabolical” Actions Behind The Scenes

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Lil Baby Has Bangers For The New Year On Our New “Fire Emoji” Playlist Update

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Welcome to 2025, a year that already kicked off with a bang in the hip-hop world. That’s why our latest Fire Emoji playlist update is here to round up the best of the best rap music that dropped this week (on streaming services), although there are only a couple of truly big releases to talk about. Leading the way is the new Lil Baby album WHAM, his first of two projects set to come out in the first quarter of this year. The easy standout here is “Dum, Dumb, And Dumber” with Young Thug and Future. Not only is it Thugger’s first verse since getting out of prison, but the chemistry these artists share is pretty killer.

However, Fire Emoji didn’t skip out on some other highlights on Lil Baby’s new tracklist. “Outfit” with 21 Savage also got a lot of buzz for how the featured guest seemed to subliminally diss Kendrick Lamar on the cut, although we doubt that anything will really come from that since it’s unlikely that we’ll get clarification on it. On the other hand, “Stuff” with Travis Scott is a more spacey and woozy cut that still delivers hard-hitting trap drums and well-meshed flows.

Read More: Young Thug Clarifies Controversial Lyrics On His First Post-Jail Song, Lil Baby & Future’s “Dum, Dumb, And Dumber”

HNHH Fire Emoji Playlist

Speaking of new albums, we also wanted to shout out one of the most prolific rappers in the game right now with this latest Fire Emoji update. Boldy James dropped his fifth project in 12 months, the collaborative Murder During Drug Traffic with RichGains. It’s got a lot of varied, lo-fi, gritty, and cold-blooded hip-hop, and it’s a nice change of pace when compared to more classic or old-school sounds that Boldy’s known for. For example, “No Screenshot” with Detroit King Tape is an eerie trap slow-burner with an energizing performance from both MCs.

Finally, we wanted to wrap Fire Emoji up by highlighting Hurricane Wisdom and Polo G’s new “Giannis Remix,” a Florida and Chicago crossover with a lot of chemistry between its artists. The beat’s steady pianos contrast well with more rapid-fire percussive embellishments, whereas the melodic flows and stretched-out deliveries over this instrumental are the right balance of malleable and focused.

Read More: 21 Savage Appears To Diss Kendrick Lamar On Lil Baby’s New Album

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Ella Mai Sternly Shields Her Baby Boy’s Face From Broadcast Cameras At Celtics Game

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Ella Mai may be a famous musician, but that doesn’t mean that everyone has the right to spread her personal life all over a big screen or on social media. Moreover, she recently went viral thanks to her appearance at a recent Boston Celtics game, the team of her NBA superstar boo Jayson Tatum. When the broadcast cameras for the Jumbotron cut to the 3 artist and her son with Tatum, she outstretched her arm to cover the little one’s face, and she seemed visibly annoyed by having to do so. Some fans in the comments section of the Instagram post below even theorized that her frustrated expression indicates that she probably asked the team to not do that, and they did it anyway.

That’s just a theory, though, so take it with a grain of salt. Nevertheless, this Ella Mai moment caused a debate around whether celebrities are right to attempt to maintain their privacy in public settings, with many fans drawing a line between attending big gatherings like NBA games and allowing others to post your baby boy online or plaster his face on a massive screen. The “One Bad Decision” singer might’ve learned the hard way that’s it’s a very tough task to balance.

Read More: Top 10 Hottest R&B Albums Of 2024

Ella Mai Covers Her Son’s Face During Celtics Game

Despite this struggle, it’s still heartening to see Ella Mai support Jayson Tatum with their son, as we remember how shocked and excited fans were when their pregnancy rumors first emerged back in June of last year. This followed the Boston Celtics’ victorious run as the 2024 NBA champions, so a lot of this base was already fired up and in a celebratory mood. Now that said celebration shifted to their new journey as parents, hopefully they can avoid more invasive situations like this Jumbotron incident in teh future.

Meanwhile, we just wish all the best for Ella Mai and Jayson Tatum, whose power couple status also exacerbates and amplifies this interest in their personal lives. Maybe 2025 will become an even more difficult year in this regard – especially if the Boston Celtics pull off a repeat ring – but we hope that the media will learn to hold back a little bit when their subjects of interest ask for privacy.

Read More: Top 10 Best Athletes Of 2024

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Nelly & Ashanti Keep Second Pregnancy Rumors Alive & Well With New Year’s Performance

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Ashanti and Nelly are still one of the Internet’s favorite couples, and the world wants to see them continue to grow… Even without their permission. Moreover, after they welcomed their first child into the world, people are already speculating that they’re expecting another baby, especially after a recent joint performance for New Year’s Eve. “Hey, what are you doing? What is that?” the rapper asked the singer as she took a drink from her cup. “It’s water,” she replied, a statement that paired with her hands being constantly on her belly to make for another second pregnancy theory for fans.

Of course, this is all just speculative and based on interpretive rumor at the end of the day, so take this assumption with a grain of salt. We’ll have to wait until Ashanti and Nelly are ready to announce or comment on anything, whether they preview their next bundle of joy or let fans know that they’re not there yet. Either way, both of them will continue to steal social media’s hearts and express their love for one another and their new family.

Read More: Ashanti Helps Nelly Celebrate His 50th Birthday With Adorable “Baby” Duet

Ashanti & Nelly Fuel Second Pregnancy Rumors

“We are both very strong-headed, strong-willed,” Ashanti told Entertainment Tonight of Nelly during an interview. “When two leaders come together… I don’t tell him all the time, but I’ve learned a lot. About just being grateful and graceful, and giving people grace. Being open-minded and level-headed and not too emotional. I’m a little bit dramatic, as he says. To have my soulmate, like, my person, my best friend, my protector, you know, it’s an amazing feeling. I think, just, the universe just doesn’t make mistakes.”

“Oh, man, that was a good one!” Nelly reacted to Ashanti’s flowers. “She’s a great person, she’s a great mother. Even when it comes to like, doing this, having birthday parties, and things like that. So to have that person with me is, like, yeah, that’s it, you know what I’m saying? Plus, you seen her in Resident Evil? She shoot that thing, too.” We’ll see whether this couple actually has another baby on the way or if social media is just trying too hard to celebrate them. There’s plenty of celebration already!

Read More: Ashanti Delivers Impressive National Anthem Performance At The World Series In New York

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