Activision Blizzard Sued By California Amid Allegations Of Sexual Harassment: Report

The State of California has filed a lawsuit against one of the most popular game manufacturers and the news has caused fans of Activision Blizzard to discuss the company’s practices. New reports have surfaced about the Call of Duty creators following a two-year investigation that has resulted in the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing filing a lawsuit against the company, citing their “frat boy” workplace environment as problematic.

According to Deadline, Activision stands accused of sexual harassment by its executives toward women within the company, while also claiming that men in the workplace “joked about rape and drank alcohol.” Their behaviors were described as being “inappropriate” toward women, as well.

Additionally, Activision is accused of paying women less than men and the DFEH stated the environment “is a breeding ground for harassment and discrimination against women… Female employees are subjected to constant sexual harassment, including having to continually fend off unwanted sexual comments and advances by their male co-workers and supervisors and being groped at the ‘cube crawls’ and other company events.”

Deadline also reports that the lawsuit includes a story about male employees sharing “explicit photos” of a female coworker. During a business trip, she reportedly took her own life. Activision has responded to the suit with a lengthy statement, stating that what they are being accused of “is not the Blizzard workplace of today.”

Activision also alleged that the DFEH did not contact them to go over the accusations. “There is no place in our company or industry, or any industry, for sexual misconduct or harassment of any kind. In cases related to misconduct, action was taken to address the issue.” They added, “It is this type of irresponsible behavior from unaccountable state bureaucrats that are driving many of the state’s best businesses out of California.”

You can read through portions of the lawsuit, as well as Activision Blizzard’s statement, below.

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Belly, The Weeknd, & Young Thug Drop Cinematic Visual To “Better Believe” Single

We’re waist-deep into 2021 and as we enjoy these sweltering months, Belly has delivered a new single that he promises will be “the biggest record of the summer.” He’s called on two heavy hitters to help him out with the track, and with The Weeknd and Young Thug in the clutch, “Better Believe” is almost guaranteed to catapult itself up the charts.

The XO mogul leads the pack as he opens “Better Believe” with a verse about staying on top of his game and enjoying every minute of his lavish lifestyle. Belly follows with Young Thug closing things out as they, too, shared similar bars about the finer things in life while steering clear of opps who continue to lurk in the shadows.s

The track arrives along with a brooding, yet captivating, Christian Breslauer-directed visual. Stream “Better Believe” and let us know what you think.

Quotable Lyrics

Audemars, Travis, Cactus
Automatic, Patek, ride cinematic
Give me p*ssy, f*ck a mattress
Baby, down low a n*gga crevices (Woah)
Lookin’ for the killer, murder ’round, n*gga, there he is
Talkin’ shootin’, got no assists

Kevin Abstract Feels BROCKHAMPTON Was “Overlooked,” Wishes They Were Respected More

Earlier this year, BROCKHAMPTON released their second-to-final album, Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine, that came complete with features from artists like ASAP Rocky and Danny Brown. The Hip Hop collective is one of few of its kind in the industry, and as they prepare for the release of their last record together, Kevin Abstract caught up with GQ and spoke about his feelings regarding the respect they’ve received in the Rap industry.

During the discussion, there was an emphasis placed on BROCKHAMPTON’s initial desire to redefine how music lovers—and beyond—viewed the concept of “boy bands.” As they’ve all grown and matured they’ve edged away from that, but the lingering effects seem to have pigeonholed them into a specific category.

Brockhampton
Kevin Winter / Staff / Getty Images

“My goal for us was to be a Rap group who called themselves a boy band,” Abstract said, admitting that his vision may have backfired. “But now a lot of Rap fans look at us like a boy band—or like soft music—so they write us off. We’re always overlooked in that way. And I want to be respected in the Rap world more, ’cause that’s the sh*t I listen to. It’s made me feel like, ‘Damn, people still don’t really view us as true MCs. True rappers.'”

The group will be in the studio for the next few months ironing out their final record, a project that is slated to arrive before year’s end. “Everybody’s given their life for the last 10 years,” says BROCKHAMPTON’s Romil Hemnani. “And at a certain point, people deserve to give their lives to themselves. So it feels like it’s time to let everyone just spread their wings and do the things that they want to do.”

Do you agree with Abstract about the respect BROCKHAMPTON receives?

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Queen Naija Checks Person Who Criticized Her For Getting A BBL

Doctors and surgeons have taken to social media to warn BBL (Brazilian Butt Lift) hopefuls, letting them know that the cosmetic procedure is one of the most dangerous. However, that hasn’t stopped millions of people from spending their hard-earned money on sculpting their bodies, with Miami being a BBL hotspot. Queen Naija has been candid about her cosmetic surgery, and back in May 2019, she even shared a video explaining the work she had done on her stomach, hips, and backside.

Someone on Twitter revisited the singer’s surgery and penned a message criticizing Queen for “telling mfs to love themselves how they are” while also deciding to get “a BBL… like OKAY MISS MAMAS.”

Queen Naija
Gabe Ginsberg / Stringer / Getty Images

Instead of ignoring the message, the singer decided to address the person. “The song was speaking to myself,” she replied. “The song was about not letting a man stop you from knowing your worth and being you, it had nothing to do with whether I decided to get a BBL or not, but I guess you’re just a little too shallow to understand.”

The exchange kicked off a firestorm of discussions as a line was drawn between the singer’s fans and critics. Check out a few posts below.

Diddy Announces New Album “Off The Grid” & Shares Release Date

There have been rumors about Diddy working on another project and today (July 21), the Rap mogul has announced a release date. In recent years, we’ve seen the rise of “Love” Combs as Diddy has repeatedly shared his feel-good outlook with the world, including hosting “positive vibe” parties. The Bad Boy icon has also been shaking things up as it was announced just a week ago that he had hired The Weeknd and Doja Cat’s manager Wassim “Sal” Slaiby, and the move may be because he’s preparing for an epic rollout.

On Wednesday (July 21), Diddy revealed to the world that this Fall, his next album would hit streaming services.

Drake, Diddy
Mike Coppola / Staff / Getty Images

In a post, Diddy revealed that his project is titled Off The Grid Vol. 1, and in the caption, he offered up a release date. “OFF THE GRID. The Album September 24, 2021. Welcome to the LOVE ERA!” he wrote. If this is a full-length studio album, this would make for Diddy’s first since his 2006 release Press Play.

His last project, however, was back in 2015 with the release of his mixtape MMM (Money Making Mitch), and while much of Off The Grid remains a mystery, his famous friends have flooded his timeline with anticipatory messages of support. Looks like 2021 is giving us records from Kanye West, Drake, and Diddy. Check out Diddy’s post and let us know if you’re excited for this one. 

Diddy Is Dropping A New Project For The First Time In Nearly Six Years

While Diddy has kept much of his focus on the business and entrepreneurial side of things for the past half-decade or so, he’s also made infrequent appearances on a wide array of songs. He served as an executive director for Burna Boy’s Twice As Tall, and he appeared on a number of skits throughout the album. He also appeared on Big Sean’s “Full Circle” from Detroit 2 and DJ Khaled’s “Full Circle” from Khaled Khaled. Now it’s time for him to share a project of his own.

On Wednesday, the hip-hop mogul announced his return with a brand new project titled Off The Grid, Vol. 1. He revealed the album would arrive on September 24 and that it would launch the “Love Era.” Back in May, Diddy announced that he legally changed his name to Sean Love Combs and even showed off his new driver’s license to prove it. The new names joins the many monikers, including Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, and Sean “Diddy” Combs.

When the new project comes it will be Diddy’s first full-length effort since 2015’s MMM (Money Making Mitch). That project was only listed as a mixtape, so to find Diddy’s last album, you’ll have to go back to 2006’s Press Play.

Cardi B Shows Off Extensive Birkin Collection With Dozens Of Bags On Display

We’re all aware that rich people love to collect certain brands, and for many women, in and out of the industry, Birkin bags are the “it” item. The process of receiving one of these Hermès totes is pretty extensive, and while thousands of people have taken to social media to show off their exclusive purse, it’s impossible that every Birkin we see online is the real deal.

Cardi B has been a longtime collector of Birkins and this week, the Rap star took to Instagram to share a photo of what looks to be just a portion of her extensive collection.

Cardi B, Birkin
Jamie McCarthy / Staff / Getty Images

The “Up” rapper shared a series of photos showing not only her Birkins but her growing baby belly. She announced that she is expecting Baby No. 2 with husband Offset just weeks ago and judging by the photos, she’s on the move as she balances home life and a career.

“Every other day new wig new hair ,come take me out this Mugler ……a couple weeks ago,” Cardi wrote in the caption. In the past, Cardi has defended her love for Birkins after there was a bit of controversy regarding women in Rap often posing with the brand or shouting them out on songs. 

Check out Cardi’s photos and her dozens of luxury handbags below.

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Young Nudy Unveils The Release Date For ‘Rich Shooter,’ His Second Project Of 2021

Young Nudy jumpstarted his rap career back in 2016 with the release of Slimeball and quickly found success by frequently dropping work. The next year he garnered more attention with Slimeball 2 and Nudy Land, and he soon found himself one of hip-hop’s hottest acts. He’s maintained his level of consistency, dropping a total of five projects since 2018, his latest being May’s Dr. Ev4l. And he’s already dropping another one.

The rapper took to his social media pages to reveal that his upcoming full-length effort, Rich Shooter, is locked in for an August 4 release date. It marks the third time in Nudy’s career that he’s dropped multiple projects in a year. Potential features for the project have yet to be revealed, but he’s already announced his Dr. Ev4l Vs. Rich Shooter Tour, during which he’ll visit ten cities, beginning with Houston, Texas on August 6 and ending with Boston, Massachusetts on August 21.

All of this comes after an impressive 2020, which boasted singles like “All White,” “Never,” and “Vice City,” all which helped bring the rapper more attention. On a more recent note, Nudy has shared videos for tracks off Dr. Ev4l that include“2Face” with G Herbo and its title track.

You can view Nudy’s tweet announcing Rich Shooter above.

Naomi Osaka Defended By “Sports Illustrated Swimsuit” Editor Following Megyn Kelly’s Taunts

This week, Naomi Osaka was one of many famous women to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue, but her inclusion came at a price. The sports star is one of the best tennis players in the world, but the champion has opted to sit out both the French Open and Wimbledon after revealing that her mental health struggles, especially as they are tied to answering questions from the press in post-game interviews, are difficult for her to manage in those environments.

Osaka widely received support from the public but there have been certain people, like Piers Morgan and former Fox News host Megyn Kelly, who have chided her vocalizing her personal struggles. Kelly was particularly callous after Osaka’s SI cover was revealed, taking to Twitter to poke fun at Osaka while suggesting that the tennis star can’t be struggling too much if she continues to pose for magazine features.

Osaka issued a clap back, stating that her photoshoot for SI was months before she came forward to talk about her mental health, and after blocking Kelly on Twitter, the reporter continued to harass Osaka. Kelly quickly caught backlash from a global audience on social media but she returned to defend her comments.

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit editor MJ Day has come forward to condemn Kelly’s remarks. “It broke my heart… It’s such bullying and it’s so unnecessary, and this woman did nothing wrong,” Day said while visiting the People Every Day podcast. “First of all, we did that shoot back in December of 2020.”

Day added that Osaka is “living her life for the betterment of others, while also trying to pursue her own passion, which is tennis and fashion,” adding, “Let her live, let her make decisions for herself that protect her own well-being … it’s at no cost to anyone. And also it’s just facts, we did this shoot back in December.”

Check out a few posts below.

MMA Fighter Sean O’Malley Gets “69” Tattoo Inked By 6ix9ine Himself

There are fans, superfans, and Stans, and while we’re not exactly sure where Sean “Suga” O’Malley falls on that spectrum, it’s clear that he admires Tekashi 6ix9ine. Controversy seems to follow the New York rapper everywhere he goes, and since testifying against his former associates in the Nine Trey gang, 6ix9ine has been labeled as a snitch. This hasn’t severely impacted his career, however, as upon his release from prison, 6ix9ine jumped back into the Rap game with a collaboration alongside Nicki Minaj.

As he holds tight to the title as one of Rap’s biggest trolls, 6ix9ine continues to perform live shows and move freely, despite threats and run-ins with angry strangers on the street. 

Recently, MMA fighter “Suga” Sean O’Malley shared a photo showing that he was posted up with 6ix9ine in matching ‘fits, and it looks as if he went the extra mile to show just how much of a fan he is. Tatu Panda posted a video that showed 6ix9ine played the part of a tattooist as he helped ink the art himself.

6ix9ine isn’t the only music artist who makes an appearance on O’Malley’s social media, as the sports star posted photos of himself with the likes of Jack Harlow, Justin Bieber, and Diplo, as well. Check out the tattoo, as well as a few posts, below.