newhiphopnews

British Black Lives Matter activist Sasha Johnson has been shot in the head in London and is currently in critical condition, the Taking the Initiative Party (TTIP) announced in a statement, Sunday. The party added that the attack follows “numerous death threats as a result of her activism.”

“It is with great sadness that we inform you that our own Sasha Johnson has been brutally attacked and sustained a gunshot wound to her head,” the TTIP said. “She is currently in intensive care and in a critical condition.”

Detective Chief Inspector Jim Tele says that “a dedicated team of detectives is working tirelessly to identify the person or persons responsible for this shooting,” adding that “they need the public’s help,” finding information regarding the incident.

Johnson, a mother of three, emerged as a leading activist in the TTIP last year during the Black Lives Matter protests.

“Sasha has always been actively fighting for Black people and the injustices that surround the Black community, as well as being both a member of BLM and a member of Taking The Initiative Party’s Executive Leadership Committee. Sasha is also a mother of two and a strong, powerful voice for our people and our community. Let’s all come together and pray for Sasha, pray for her recovery and show our support to her family and loved ones.”

[Via]

Last night, the late Pop Smoke received a posthumous Billboard Music Award for his massively successful album Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon. The award was accepted by his mother Audrey Jackson. 

“Thank you to the fans for honoring the life and spirit of my son, so much that he continues to manifest as if he were still here in the flesh,” she began. “He created music for the kid who has to sleep four in a room, the kid who has to figure out how to get to school each day so he can graduate and make his mom proud. He did this so that 14-year-olds would not have to kill to prove they are somebody.”

Not only was the milestone celebrated by Pop Smoke’s loyal fans, but by the album’s executive producer 50 Cent, who helped bring Pop’s beloved project to life. Though seldom associated with sentimentality, Fif made sure to share a message following Pop’s big victory, highlighting a picture of Audrey Jackson proudly holding up her son’s award.

“Pop said he wanted to take his mom to an award show,” captions Fif, proving himself to be a man of his word. “Mission accomplished!” Fans may recall a previous post from 50 Cent made in March of 2020, where he vowed he would help make Pop’s dream a reality. “He told his mom, he wanted to take her to an award show,” he had captioned, shortly after confirming his role on Shoot For The Stars. “So I’m gonna make sure his album gets her there.”

Check out 50 Cent’s reaction to Pop Smoke’s bittersweet victory at the Billboard Music Awards below.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Malik Beasley has apologized to his estranged wife, Montana Yao, for the ongoing drama revolving around himself and Larsa Pippen. Yao filed for divorce from the 24-year-old NBA player in December.

“I wana say sorry for putting you in the situation you were put in the last few months,” he wrote in a new post on Instagram. “My head wasn’t were it was supposed to be.. I was looking for more when it was right here that whole time.. I’m telling the world and you that there’s no body like you for me.”

Hannah Foslien / Getty Images

Beasley and Yao were still legally married when he first began dating Pippen.

Beasley continued: “For the record I was the one who ended my last relationship off the fact that there is no one like you .. also for the record i wanted to do my own ish cuz I just left u guys and I def ain’t the type to set up pictures at the mall n ish .. as that’s some childish ish and I’m trying to grow individually and grow a family .. a real family .. I ain’t looking to be judged I’m looking for forgiveness.. To forgive me for hurting my family the way I did. At the end of the day I’m a lover boy and I miss holding y’all and loving y’all.. I love you mu shi .. I love you kai Kai my family over thing…”

In February, Beasley was sentenced to 120 days in the Hennepin County Workhouse with work release and home confinement option for drug possession and violent threat charges.

[Via]

Despite his own advice, there are some things that simply can’t be blamed on Baby. Such was indeed the case during DaBaby’s big win at last night’s Billboard Music Awards, where he took home the Top Rap Song prize for his Roddy Ricch assisted “Rockstar.” Upon taking the stage, DaBaby likely expected to have his celebratory strut scored by his award-winning anthem, what he actually heard was the dulcet tones of Post Malone.

An understandable mixup, as DaBaby and Posty have songs titled “Rockstar,” both of which happen to gargantuan chart-toppers. Thematically appropriate to be sure, as Post Malone’s “Rockstar” spirit likely captured how Baby was feeling to some degree, but a noteworthy gaffe all the same.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

DaBaby himself didn’t appear fazed, at least not on the surface, drawing little attention to the mixup upon taking to the podium. “It’s me, It’s me, I’ll live with that,” he began, before breaking into his acceptance speech. 

While it’s unlikely that the BBMA’s error tarnished his big win, many viewers were quick to take to Twitter and poke fun at the now-viral incident. And while it’s clear that many felt appalled on DaBaby’s behalf, perhaps they consider themselves lucky — at least it wasn’t D12’s Bizarre’s “Rockstar.”

Check out the moment and some of the choice reactions below. 

Empire star Bryshere Gray is set to spend 10 days in prison after pleading guilty to felony aggravated assault in his ongoing domestic violence case, new court documents obtained by TMZ have revealed.

Additionally, Gray will serve three years on probation, during which, he will be required to enroll in a domestic violence offender treatment program and submit to drug and alcohol testing.

Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images

Last July, the actor’s wife claimed Gray throttled her, causing her to lose consciousness. When police attempted to arrest him, Gray barricaded himself inside his home in Goodyear, Arizona.

Gray maintained his innocence in a recent interview about the case with Marc Lamont Hill.

“It’s been beyond frustrating, and I certainly am not going rogue,” he said when asked about speaking publically regarding the case. “I’m still taking the advice of my attorneys and everything like that, but I don’t really see, honestly, what staying quiet has really done, like, where it has gotten me… It’s so much bigger than me.”

Gray’s Empire co-star, Jussie Smollett, has also faced legal trouble in recent years for allegedly filing a false report claiming that he was attacked by two men in January 2019.

[Via]