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Minneapolis chief of police took the stand today during Derek Chauvin’s trial for the murder of George Floyd on Monday where he described the ex-officer’s use of force as a violation of department policy. Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo explained that Chauvin’s use of force went wasn’t a part of the department’s training or tactics when it comes to de-escalating scenarios. He said that the restraint used against George Floyd wasn’t necessary once he stopped resisting.

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“Once Mr. Floyd had stopped resisting — and certainly once he was in distress and trying to verbalize that — that should have stopped,” he said, admitting that there’s a “reasonableness” to get a suspect “under control.” “Once there was no longer any resistance, and clearly when Mr. Floyd was no longer responsive and even motionless, to continue to apply that level of force to a person proned out, handcuffed behind their back, that in no way shape or form is anything that is by policy, part of our training and is certainly not part of our ethics or values,” he continued. 

Arrandondo had one of the most longest testimonies since the trial began last week. His sentiments similarly echoed Lt. Richard Zimmerman who called Chauvin’s restraint on Floyd totally unnecessary in court on Friday. “I saw no reason why the officers felt they were in danger if that’s what they felt and that’s what they would have to feel to use that kind of force,” he said.

We’ll keep you updated on more news on Derek Chauvin’s trial. 

Soon enough, everyone in the United States will be able to get vaccinated. Hundreds of thousands of people have already received their doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and have reacclimated themselves to the new normal—and some have used it as an excuse to get right back into party mode. It’s unsurprising that the public is ready for the pandemic to be over as soon as possible, and throughout quarantine, Lil Nas X has encouraged people to stay safe. However, over the weekend, footage began to circulate showing him at a party with TikTok influencers as they were singing along to his latest hit “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” and fans weren’t thrilled.

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Video clips of the get-together quickly circulated online and it showed dozens of people gathered without masks. Lil Nas X does have much to celebrate as he has yet another No. 1 song in his catalog, but detractors are still coming down on him for his “MONTERO” music video and its religious imagery. The singer hasn’t been swayed by the controversy and has continued to celebrate the success of his controversial single. 

“It’s the biggest song in the world. thank you guys so much,” Nas X wrote on Instagram. “We get to decide OUR own destiny, never let the world decide it for YOU! i love you!” Check out his post and a few reactions to his party below.

For a while there, DaniLeigh was facing one controversy after another. She received backlash over her relationship with DaBaby and the online tit-for-tat with the mother of his daughter, and when they broke up, the singer-rapper was inundated with messages from strangers who took pleasure at taunting her about her recent ex. The “Yellow Bone” snippet had social media users accusing her of colorism and it didn’t take long before every move DaniLeigh made was being analyzed under a microscope.

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DaniLeigh’s fans noticed that she hasn’t been as active online in recent weeks, and in a Q&A session on her Instagram Story, she was asked about her absence. “Social media became hella negative,” she answered. “I used to be the happy curly haired girl that was always dancing and smiling .. and when u grow, u grow haters .. I ain’t really used to that and can sometimes be a softy .. so time away to gain me inner peace and self love is needed [praying hands emoji].”

Her fans were happy to hear her hiatus won’t be a lengthy one. “I’ll be back with dope content and music when I feel is the right time.” Two weeks ago, DaniLeigh caused concern when she shared that she was feeling lonely, unloved, and didn’t “wanna be here no more,” but it looks as if she’s feeling much better. Check out her IG post below.

We’ve all been praying that DMX pulls through after it was reported that he was hospitalized. Members of the Ruff Ryders gathered outside of the White Plains Hospital in New York where they bumped some of his classic anthems and showed support for X. Today, members of his family, friends, and fans turned out in numbers to hold a prayer vigil for the rapper.

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TMZ reports that X’s son Exodus and fiancée Desiree were among the hundreds in attendance at the vigil this afternoon. The massive crowd of people who were outside of the hospital also had some of the hospital staff inside of the building throwing up an X with their arms in support of the rapper. 

It was reported earlier today that the rapper’s children flew into White Plains, NY to see him. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, his kids were only allowed to visit him one at a time. Desiree and DMX’s mother have already been there with him.

Ahead of the vigil that was hosted, his family issued a statement following his hospitalization, thanking fans for their support while asking the public to respect their privacy. “We ask that you please keep Earl/DMX and us in your thoughts, wishes, and prayers as well as respect our privacy as we face these challenges,” the statement reads. “The Simmons Family appreciates the overwhelming outpouring of heartfelt love, encouragement, support and prayers for Earl. Earl is someone whose life and music has been a source of inspiration and strength to so many people around the world. It is reassuring to see his fans return that same passion and energy to him during his time of need.”

Please keep DMX in your thoughts during this time. 

It’s been a minute since we’ve heard some new music from Belly, who previously dropped off his last studio album with 2018’s Immigrant. Yet the Canadian rapper is currently gearing up to spark a rollout, indicating that his third project will be arriving at some point before the end of the year.

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On that note, he previously revealed that he had already received the seal-of-approval from both Jay-Z and The Weeknd, indicating that the project was done the moment they gave the word. Though that announcement was made at the beginning of January, Belly has once again kicked up a bit of momentum regarding his upcoming body of work. In fact, the Canadian lyricist has officially announced the release of two upcoming singles — “Money On The Table” with Benny The Butcher, and “IYKYK,” both of which are set to arrive tomorrow at midnight.

“Don’t call it a comeback,” he captions, alongside the two-pack’s cinematic artwork. “Money on the table f/ Benny the Butcher. IYKYK. tomorrow midnight.” Special attention should be paid to Benny The Butcher’s truly prolific run that’s currently ongoing and given Belly’s affiliation to Roc Nation, don’t be surprised to see him bringing his A-game for this one. And while Benny is a formidable lyricist in his own right, one must never slack when keeping stride with The Butcher. 

Expect “Money On The Table” and “IYKYK” to be a hard-hitting drop from Belly, one that will likely set the tone for the project to come. On that note, are you interested in seeing what the rapper has been working on in the years since 

The old adage that “controversy sells” tends to hold as true as ever. In the case of Lil Nas X, who recently delivered his brand new single “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” complete with a sexually charged music video, a bit of hand-wringing has evidently worked in his favor.

By now the fallout of the infamous video is well documented; in case you missed it, the clip depicted a scantily-clad Lil Nas X giving a lapdance to none other than the Prince Of Darkness himself, Satan. Between the provocative subject matter and incorporation of religious imagery — not to mention the ensuing “Satan Shoe,” which went on to invoke the wrath of Nike’s legal eagles — “MONTERO” quickly became the most incendiary single of Lil Nas X’s young career. 

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Unsurprisingly, Billboard has indicated that Lil Nas X’s “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” has debuted at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, dethroning reigning champ Justin Bieber and his Daniel Caesar/Giveon-assisted “Peaches.” While the exact numbers have yet to land, the lofty number-one debut is further testament that Lil Nas X remains a dominant force in the realm of pop music, no longer destined to be defined by the looming shadow of the record-shattering “Old Town Road.”

Lil Nas X wasted little time in celebrating the accomplishment, sharing an amusing video on his Twitter page. Keep an eye out for the full chart update to surface, as it will be interesting to see whether “MONTERO” can remain a dominant commercial force now that the height of the controversy has faded. What do you think — will “MONTERO” continue to ride this momentum in the weeks to come?