Nicki Minaj Provides Album Update & Reveals She’s Hosting “RHOP” Reunion

Nicki Minaj will be taking Andy Cohen’s place as the host of the upcoming Real Housewives of Potomac reunion show, revealing that she’s accepting the role on Friday. She also offered her fans a quick update on how her album is coming along.

The legendary rapper spoke it into existence, manifesting her guest-hosting gig by prematurely announcing it on Instagram.

“I’ll be hosting the reunion,” she announced before it was actually official. “Lmk what y’all want me to ask chile.”

Fans of the show started to react to her announcement and it didn’t take long for actual confirmation of the news to come in. Nicki updated her Instagram Stories with a message, saying, “Don’t move! Everyone binge watch all the episodes cuz we finna get into some thangz hunty. My questions will be well thought out, too [laughing emoji]. Mixed with funny & epic, of course.”

She added a note regarding her upcoming album, saying, “And Barbz, plz don’t send me a million comments about the album & doc chile just lemme have my moment [eye roll emoji]. We almost there. Promise [party emoji]. Not lying this time. Love you.”

She quickly followed up that post with a screenshot of her text message thread with her publicist, confirming that Andy Cohen is willing to step down from the reunion to make room for the Queen. 

Will you be watching Nicki Minaj as the host of the RHOP reunion?


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Carson Wentz Out Indefinitely After Injury At Colts Camp

Carson Wentz has been plagued by injury issues throughout his career and as a result, it has hurt his confidence and ability to perform at a high level. Just a few years ago, Wentz was good enough to win NFL MVP with the Philadelphia Eagles. Unfortunately, he sustained a brutal injury that kept him out of that year’s playoffs. Wentz still won the Super Bowl that year although it was Nick Foles who ended up with all of the glory.

Since that time, Wentz has been a shell of his former self and the Eagles had to take action as a result. For instance, Wentz was benched last season in favor of Jalen Hurts. From there, the Eagles traded Wentz to the Colts, where he was hoping to make a huge comeback and prove to fans what he can do.

Carson Wentz

Justin Casterline/Getty Images

Throughout training camp, Wentz was looking pretty good, although he recently hit a massive setback that could put his first season with the team in jeopardy. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Wentz injured his foot during camp, and now, he will have to undergo a series of tests to assess the damage. In the meantime, Wentz has been officially listed as “out indefinitely.”

This is horrible news for Wentz and the Colts, who were expecting to have a good start to their partnership. Instead, Wentz’s propensity for injuries has reared its ugly head, once again.

Stay tuned to HNHH for more news and updates from around the NFL.

Rapper Top5 Taunts Toronto Mayor While On The Run

Toronto rapper Top5’s recklessness reached new heights this week as the alleged murderer took to Instagram Live to troll Toronto Mayor John Tory. Top5, real name Hassan Ali, has refused to turn himself in ever since he was charged with first degree murder in May. Though he continues to be on the run, Ali went live on the social media platform to request a sit-down with the mayor so he could “spit his facts” before ending the statement with “I run Toronto, you fucking goof.” 

“You guys wanna link up? Call John Tory and tell him I f****** want a sit-down for f****** 30 minutes,” Top5 said aggressively while live-streaming. He continued with “I wanna spit my facts, and he’ll spit his facts… I run Toronto, you fucking goof.”

Top5 is currently charged with the January murder of Hashim Omar Hashi. Hashi was shot multiple times in North Fork while exiting a parking garage, and Top5, as well as another suspect, were both arrested in the following weeks. Top5 was released under copious rules and regulations in February. The rapper went on the run after his original charges of accessory after the fact to murder, two counts of failing to comply with probation, and drug charges escalated to a first degree murder charge in May.

On Top5’s case, Mayor Tory said: “I know the devastation and trauma that murders in our city have caused families and neighborhoods and it is very troubling to know someone charged with murder has so far not made himself available to the authorities.”

Check out the Instagram Live clip below.

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Jay-Z And Will Smith Invest In A Rent-To-Own Housing Startup That Helps Residents Build Credit

Jay-Z and Will Smith are the unofficial avatars of Black wealth, and with their latest venture, they hope to provide a means for building wealth for more people. Their investment funds, Roc Nation and Dreamers VC respectively, have joined a group of investors raising $165 million in housing startup Landis, which will rent homes to clients until they can afford to buy them.

According to Bloomberg, the company purchases a house, rents it to the client, and then sells it to them at a preset price (including a fee on top of its original value) up within two years from the initial purchase. Landis also provides financial coaching to clients to help them manage their budgets, build credit, and save the down payments they need to purchase their homes. After the first two years, the company may offer more time or sell the property.

The idea is, of course, to make it easier for aspiring homeowners to actually achieve their goal in a housing market that has become increasingly expensive and risky in the years since the Great Recession, which was in part caused by a housing market bubble bursting in the mid-2000s.

Bloomberg reports that the typical Landis client is a first-time buyer with a budget under $400,000. The $165 million investment will allow the company to buy around 1,000 homes with the hopes of following through on 80% of its initial customer base. That would be way more than traditional rent-to-own companies. The company’s founder, Cyril Berdugo, credits the business model, which would see Landis “make money when our client buys the house back.” “If we leave money on the table,” he says, “That’s our problem.”

Among other industries Jay-Z has invested in, the mogul has put money behind Bitcoin, cannabis, and will reportedly begin producing film and television sometime in the future.

Young Dolph & The Paper Route Empire Shine On “Beat It”

Young Dolph has adamantly carried the torch for independently-minded artists, and damned if he and his team haven’t reaped the benefits. Not only are they securing bags without the trappings of a major-label contract, but they’re also retaining the loyalty of their fanbase with every release. Today marks the arrival of a new milestone for Dolph’s collective, with Paper Route Empire’s Paper Route Illuminati officially landing in full twenty-three track glory.

Though there’s certainly plenty of material to unpack, one of the more immediate standouts happens to be “Beat It.” Boasting a dangerously classy orchestral beat, PRE’s Young Dolph and Big Unccc indulge in their unique brand of braggadocious gangsta rap. “Lay in the bushes aiming through the scope,” raps Dolph. “Wait on this fuck-n***a to walk through the door / made millions of rap without sellin’ dope / most valuable player boy, go ask your ho.” 

Check out “Beat It” now, and give the Paper Route Empire compilation project a spin to support the movement.

QUOTABLE LYRICS

Lay in the bushes aiming through the scope
Wait on this fuck-n***a to walk through the door
Made millions of rap without sellin’ dope
Most valuable player boy, go ask your ho

Leaked CDC Document Says COVID Delta Variant Is As Transmissible Than Chickenpox

After news of Lil Nas X’s album being practically leaked in its entirety, it turns out that rampant leaks aren’t just plaguing the Hip-Hop community. According to Complex, the CDC has also recently suffered a major leak, as one of its internal documents slipped outside of the organization and landed in The Washington Post’s hands. In response to the leak, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky spoke to CNN and verified the validity of the document and reiterated the severity of the surging Delta variant.

One of the most eye-opening takeaways from the leaked report is that the COVID-19 Delta variant is not only more transmissible than the original strain, but it’s also more transmissible than SARS, Ebola, the common cold, seasonal flu, and smallpox. According to the document, “Delta variant is as transmissible as Chicken Pox.”

Exterior of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) headquarters is seen on October 13, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia. Frieden urged hospitals to watch for patients with Ebola symptoms who have traveled from the tree Ebola stricken African countries.
Jessica McGowan/Getty Images

According to Complex, data as recent as July 29, 2021 reveals that 49.4% of the total U.S. population— just under 164 million people— have so far been fully vaccinated, and the vaccine has been confirmed to reduce the risk of severe disease or death by 10-fold or greater.

The report also gives data to suggest that people who previously contracted COVID-19 should still make an effort to get vaccinated, saying, “Risk of reinfection with Delta may be higher compared to Alpha variant, but only if prior infection ≥ 180 days earlier.

Does this leaked CDC report make you feel more inclined to get vaccinated if you have not been already? And are you curious as to why the CDC hadn’t yet made their findings publicly known prior to the leak?

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Boldy James & The Alchemist Drop Off “Drug Zone”

Boldy James and The Alchemist have officially confirmed the release date for their upcoming Bo Jackson album, which is due for release on August 13th. The follow-up to their previous — and acclaimed — The Price Of Tea In China, this new effort kicks off with the new single “Drug Zone.”

Off the bat, the mood is a shadowy one, and Boldy operates quite nicely as a nocturnal being. Alc’s hazy production is the perfect backdrop for James’ observational lyricism, which begins with an acrobatic feat of dexterity. “All this press and it’s depressed, and the pressure is still pressin’ against a ni**a flesh, it’s beyond measure,” he raps, over a dark and grimy beat. From there, Boldy puts on an absolute clinic, his lyricism designed to be analyzed with rapt attention.

Check it out for yourself below, and if Bo Jackson features more where this came from, we’re in for a potential album of the year contender.

QUOTABLE LYRICS

All this press and it’s depressed,
And the pressure is still pressin’ against a ni**a flesh, it’s beyond measure
Don Mega, prawn setter, prizefighter
You know I rep the dirty glove like a high catcher

Lil Nas X Points Out The Overlooked Female Nudity In His “Industry Baby” Music Video

For several reasons, the Hip-Hop community’s main discourse this week has been centered around sexuality. DaBaby’s homophobic comments at Rolling Loud have caused him to lose out on multiple paid opportunities, and in his defense, rap elder statesmen like T.I. and Boosie Badazz have unleashed their own problematic responses. This past weekend, Lil Nas X also released the prison-themed music video for “Industry Baby,” which like its successor “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name),” has sparked backlash for the gay imagery that’s predominantly featured in it.

In a recent tweet, Lil Nas X reflects on how absurd it is that his music video has sparked caused so many veteran Hip-Hop artists and public figures to comment on it in the first place. According to Lil Nas X, the “Industry Baby” video doesn’t even explicitly feature any male nudity. In fact, there’s even a bit of female nudity included in the video, but that has generally gone overlooked.

“The funny thing is the only actual nudity in the entire industry baby video was a woman’s a** not a single complaint,” Lil Nas X remarks. “Y’all know what y’all actually mad at lol.”

The scene that Lil Nas X is referencing takes place at the 2:15-mark while Jack Harlow performs the beginning of his “Industry Baby” guest verse.

What do you make of the “Industry Baby” music video and all of the controversy that its has prompted?