documentary

21 Savage & Killer Mike Speak On Freaknik In Documentary Trailer: Watch

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Freaknik’s sociocultural legacy in the Black community in the U.S. during the 1980s and 1990s was something you just had to be there for. Still, the legendary Atlanta street party’s legacy, cemented by spring breaks at historically Black colleges and universities, will live on forever. Moreover, a new Hulu documentary on the event titled Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told will hit your screens on March 21. Directed by P. Frank Williams, it will debut at SXSW soon, and features a star-studded cast of firsthand voices. These include rappers Killer Mike and 21 Savage, as well as entertainment industry moguls, Freaknik founders, historians, and much more.

In fact, other celebrities featured as talking heads include Rasheeda, Erick Sermon of EPMD, Jermaine Dupri, Cee Lo Green, Lil Jon… the list goes on. Uncle Luke, real name Luther Campbell, also appears, and he executive produced this Freaknik documentary alongside 21 Savage and Dupri. Actually, folks may remember that, not too long ago, Savage actually celebrated his birthday by replicating the historic gathering. As such, we’ve had plenty of subtle and overt examples of how this influence reached the next generation of Black youth.

Read More: 21 Savage Announces Tour For “American Dream” With JID, Nardo Wick & More

Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told Documentary Trailer: Watch

“At its heart, Freaknik is a music documentary,” P. Frank Williams shared with Variety. “Luke is the soundtrack of Freaknik, [Dupri’s] So So Def label is directly correlated to Freaknik and 21 Savage is the new school. They’re fascinated with the wild stuff we did, the clothes and the music of that era. The legacy of Freaknik really started in ‘83, I don’t know if people realized that. It was about kids trying to find a place for Black joy. Freaknik wasn’t just about the party. Our goal was to show how it affected politics, culture, race, there was a lot with sexuality, gender.

“The turn up, the cars, sexuality, joy, the daisy dukes… that’s the candy of it,” he continued. “But there’s also some vegetables in it, which is the Black empowerment. Police brutality was part of it, Black cultural realization, young women realizing their sexuality, young men too. Freaknik is really a coming of age story about a generation who was trying to find a voice in a world that didn’t accept them. But this is a place they created for themselves. Freaknik is the ultimate personification of that.” For more news and the latest updates on this doc and its featured MCs, come back to HNHH.

Read More: Killer Mike Speaks On Rap Lyrics As Criminal Evidence In Upcoming Doc Clip

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Wendy Williams Was Exploited By Documentary Producers, Publicist Alleges

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Last week, the eagerly anticipated docuseries Where Is Wendy Williams? finally arrived. Even before its release, the project had the personality’s fanbase up in arms, as early trailers indicated that it’d showcase her financial concerns, mental health struggles, and more. Just before the series came out, it was also revealed that Williams had been diagnosed with dementia and aphasia. Many argued that it was unethical to document Williams’ less flattering moments out of concern that she was unable to consent.

Now, Williams’ publicist, who appears in the doc, has spoken out. During an exclusive interview with NBC News, Shawn Zanotti shared that she believes Williams was misled about the project and would have never agreed to it had she known how she would be portrayed.

Read More: Wendy Williams’ Documentary Producers Admit They Wouldn’t Have Filmed Her If They Knew She Had Dementia

Shawn Zanotti Calls Cap On Where Is Wendy Williams? Producers’ Claims

“I felt that [Williams] was being exploited,” Zanotti described. “She thought we were focusing on the comeback of her career. … She would be mortified. There’s no way you can convince me that she would be OK with looking and seeing herself in that way… That is not the project that [Williams] signed up for. That’s not the project [the producers] brought to me. That’s not what I told her this was going to be about,” she also added. “There were a lot of good moments. None of those good moments were shown.”

Zanotti went on to respond to producers’ claims that they would have approached the project differently had they been aware of Williams’ dementia diagnosis. “I don’t think [the diagnosis] would have stopped them at all. The producers were asking questions throughout the entire time — would ask questions where she would somewhat seem confused, and I feel as though it was done to be intentional at that moment in time to make their storyline,” she explained. “Again, this was presented as a documentary to her, but to me, it looked as though it was a reality show of a circus, a circus to her downfall.” What do you think of Wendy Williams’ publicist Shawn Zanotti claiming that the personality was exploited by producers? Do you agree with her? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

Read More: Wendy Williams Show’s DJ Boof Speaks On Staff & Family’s Illness Treatment

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Wendy Williams’ Documentary Producers Admit They Wouldn’t Have Filmed Her If They Knew She Had Dementia

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The producers of the new Lifetime documentary about Wendy Williams say they wouldn’t have filmed it had they known she had dementia. Producers Mark Ford, Erica Hanson, and Lifetime’s Brie Miranda Bryant, all spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about the making of the piece for an interview published on Monday. Where Is Wendy Williams? aired last weekend, just days after the diagnosis became public.

A major response to the beginning of the documentary was whether it was exploitative. Discussing this reaction, Ford admitted that there were many conversations about what to keep in the film. “But ultimately, we stuck to the truth of our journey as filmmakers,” he explained. “And when you watch the film, it’s almost like you’re on the journey of discovery with us.”

Read More: “Where Is Wendy Williams?” Never Should Have Aired, Fans Argue

Wendy Williams Visits SiriusXM

NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 06: Wendy Williams visits SiriusXM Studios on September 6, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Santiago Felipe/Getty Images)

Ford further added: “We tried to be as transparent as possible, and the making of the film is as much a story in some ways as Wendy’s story itself. And that’s why we intentionally left a lot of the questions in — we wanted people to understand the journey of the filmmakers and how upsetting it was for all of us in certain instances and also how outrageous in some ways the situations were. Like, Wendy would be left alone without food, completely on her own in that apartment with stairs that she could easily fall down. There was no one there 24/7. So, these are just all the questions we had throughout. But, of course, if we had known that Wendy had dementia going into it, no one would’ve rolled a camera.” Check out a trailer for the documentary below.

Wendy Williams’ Life Detailed In Lifetime Documentary

Wiliams’ care team shared that she had been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia, last Thursday. Be on the lookout for further updates on Wendy Williams on HotNewHipHop.

Read More: Wendy Williams’ Ex-Husband Claims Her Sister Stole Almost $15 Million From Her

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Wendy Williams’ Ex-Husband Claims Her Sister Stole Almost $15 Million From Her

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Wendy Williams is unfortunately the subject of a lot of media scrutiny and debate right now thanks to the controversial Where Is Wendy Williams? documentary. Moreover, amid aphasia and dementia struggles, shifting responsibilities for legal guardians, and a lot of family accusations, it’s a tough map to navigate. But her ex-husband Kevin Hunter Sr. thinks that the Lifetime docuseries missed out on some key narratives and bad-faith actions when it comes to the iconic TV host. Specifically, he alleged that Williams’ sister Wanda took advantage of her under false pretenses that she would get her show back.

“Ok so everyone heard “f**k Kevin” through docu-series,” Wendy Williams’ former partner wrote on his Instagram Story this weekend. “Np the SHOW took precedent over EVERYTHING including family. What I guess they let out was that while she was in Florida getting recovery 3 yrs ago there were the secret calls her SISTER would set up with DEMBAR MERCURY (MORT & IRA). With false pretense that she would be getting show back. That was a lie and broke s**t more than anything.

Read More: Wendy Williams Reportedly In Treatment Facility For “Cognitive Issues”

Wendy Williams’ Husband Accuses Her Sister Of Stealing Up To $15 Million

“They only were trying to get her there to satisfy an insurance claim so they could obviously replace losses and the money that they were STEALING (5-15mil),” Kevin Hunter Sr. continued. “They wanted CONTROL her SISTER was trying to get ultimate control herself and was medical proxy @the time. But her naiveté allowed her only to be PLAYED and once she got back to NY they kicked her sister out and she spiraled WORSE. I was involved @ the time… blood on ALOTTA HANDS.” Of course, with Wendy Williams not addressing many of these claims at the moment, this makes it very hard to discern what is really going on.

However, she did take some time to thank fans for their support. “I want to say I have immense gratitude for the love and kind words I have received after sharing my diagnosis of Aphasia and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD),” the 59-year-old stated. “Let me say, wow!  Your response has been overwhelming. The messages shared with me have touched me, reminding me of the power of unity and the need for compassion. I hope that others with FTD may benefit from my story. I want to also thank the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration for their kind words of support and their extraordinary efforts to raise awareness of FTD.” For more news and the latest updates on Wendy Williams, stick around on HNHH.

Read More: Charlamagne Tha God Blasts Wendy Williams Documentary

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“Where Is Wendy Williams?” Never Should Have Aired, Fans Argue

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Where Is Wendy Williams? has been stirring up controversy for weeks now, and the first part of the documentary has only ramped things up. It premiered on Lifetime yesterday (February 24), and showcases Williams’ erratic behavior, poor treatment of staff, and more. It also arrived just days after it was revealed that the personality had been diagnosed with aphasia and dementia.

So far, the documentary has gotten mixed reactions from fans. While some are intrigued by the icon’s day-to-day life, others think tuning in feels all wrong, especially considering the news of her diagnosis. Viewers are out in full force on social media weighing in on the series, with many arguing that it shouldn’t have aired at all.

Read More: Wendy Williams Cries With Blac Chyna, Goes Wigless In Emotional Documentary: Watch

New Wendy Williams Documentary Sparks Concern

This is far from the first time the docuseries raised eyebrows, however. Last week, it was reported that Williams’ guardian Sabrina Morrissey filed a lawsuit in an attempt to block Lifetime from airing it. Additionally, she requested a restraining order. Earlier this month, Williams’ ex Kevin Hunter Sr. also reportedly had some less than positive things to say about it. According to The U.S. Sun, he was shocked to see the trailer, as well as by his son’s involvement in the project.

“Kevin was shocked to see his ex-wife portrayed in such a negative light in the Lifetime trailer. He was also totally blindsided that their son, Kevin Jr, ended up signing onto the project after he initially said he wanted nothing to do with it,” a source told the outlet. Overall, fans agree, with most speculating that the best thing for Williams right now is privacy.

Social Media Reacts To Where Is Wendy Williams?

What do you think of Where Is Wendy Williams? Do you agree that the doc is exploitative, or are social media users overreacting? Share your thoughts in the comments section, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates. Check out some fans’ reactions down below.

Read More: Guardian Of Wendy Williams Seeks To Prevent Controversial Documentary From Airing

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Wendy Williams Cries With Blac Chyna, Goes Wigless In Emotional Documentary: Watch

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The Wendy Williams Show wrapping in 2022 marked the end of an era for the New Jersey-born host, but no one quite knew what was next for her at the time. Some suggested we would see a return to radio/podcasting after her hiatus to focus on her health, but now, it’s clear that won’t be happening. Amid her team’s confirmation that Williams is battling aphasia and dementia on Thursday (February 22), a new snippet from her Lifetime documentary reveals the shape the 59-year-old is in as she shares an emotional moment with Blac Chyna.

“I like, recently been changing my life,” the mother of two tells Williams, who’s seen without her wig, in the clip below. “You’ve always been honest with me, and like put me in my place,” Chyna thanked the controversial host for her sometimes harsh demeanour. “In the most motherly, kind way. That’s why I love you so much,” the fitness enthusiast continued, giving Williams her flowers while both women shed tears. “Even when I was going through my darkest times, you never used that against me. That’s how you know the love is genuine, and it’s always going to be there.”

Read More: Blac Chyna Flexes Body Transformation In New Workout Video: Watch

Blac Chyna Supports Wendy Williams Through Tough Transition Period

 
 
 
 
 
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Chyna – now going by Angela White – promised the mother of one she’ll continue to be an active supporter in her life as she learns how to live with her debilitating diagnosis. “I’m gonna be back and forth from New York, so I’m gonna be coming to see you more,” she added. In response to this, Williams (looking somewhat confused) said, “My real name is Wendy Hunter… He’s got no money.“

Wendy Williams built her empire through shamelessly gossiping about other celebrities. Still, many whom she dissed are keeping the entertainer in their thoughts and prayers as she navigates this tricky phase of life. Read what her team had to say about her recent aphasia and dementia diagnosis’ at the link below, and check back later for more music/pop culture news updates.

Read More: Wendy Williams Is Reportedly Suffering From Aphasia And Dementia

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“Stans”: Eminem Co-Producing “Edgy” Documentary Investigating Celebrity Fandoms

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Much like his good friend Curtis Jackson, Marshall Mathers continues to expand his resume into the world of TV and film. The former has been putting in serious work on Power and Raising Kanan in recent years, not to mention the Diddy documentary he’s pouring his all into after last year’s explosive allegation-filled lawsuit from Cassie. For his part, Eminem is doing some co-producing of his own, as his Shady Films company is assisting in the creation of Stans – a documentary that will “focus on the rise in intense fandoms when it comes to music,” as Variety notes.

The most recent example of social media users letting their love for certain artists take things too far stems from Nicki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion’s rap beef. The location of the Houston Hottie’s mother’s gravesite was doxxed, leading to a similar situation happening with the Queen of Rap’s late father. Mathers knew about dynamics like this long before the Internet age took over. On his 2000 song, “Stan,“ Em reads a letter from an obsessive fan who winds up committing great acts of tragedy after feeling invisible to his favourite MC.

Read More: Eminem’s “Stan” Is A Masterclass In Storytelling

Eminem Continues to Keep Up with 50 Cent Outside of Music

Shady Films Stans
Eminem and 50 Cent attend the “Southpaw” New York premiere at AMC Loews Lincoln Square on July 20, 2015. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

The Steven Leckart-directed project is due out later in 2024. From what we know so far, it’s going to be a “revealing, edgy, and disarmingly personal journey into the world of super fandom, told through the lens of one of the world’s most iconic and enduring artists, Eminem, and the fans that worship him.”

From the early days of his career, Eminem was truthful about the absurdities in his fans and those of other celebrities. “Stans” will only further explore that narrative, and it won’t be the only time the Detroit native has examined issues within the industry. Following the annual Grammy Awards this month, we reflected on some of rap’s most influential figures who have spoken out against the organization behind giving out the prestigious prizes. Read more about that at the link below, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.

Read More: Rappers Who Have Condemned The Grammys

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Wendy Williams’ Documentary Reportedly “Blindsided” Ex-Husband Kevin Hunter Sr.

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The two-part documentary Where Is Wendy Williams? is scheduled to air later this month, but not everybody is looking forward to it. According to a new report by The U.S. Sun, Williams’ ex Kevin Hunter Sr. expects it to be exploitative of Williams, who executive produced the tell-all. Reportedly, he also wishes that their son, Kevin Hunter Jr., was never involved.

“Kevin was shocked to see his ex-wife portrayed in such a negative light in the Lifetime trailer. He was also totally blindsided that their son, Kevin Jr, ended up signing onto the project after he initially said he wanted nothing to do with it,” a source told the outlet earlier this week. “Little Kev was repeatedly advised that it was a bad look to be involved in this project and that it was not in his best interest to have his name attached to it.”

Read More: 7 Times Wendy Williams Had Beef With Rappers

Kevin Hunter Sr. Didn’t Want His Son Involved, Source Alleges

Kevin Sr. reportedly believes that the documentary will tarnish the legacy that Williams has spent so many years building. Unfortunately, he isn’t the only one. Charlamagne Tha God weighed in on the upcoming project on The Breakfast Club earlier this month, claiming that immediately after seeing a trailer for it, he prayed for Williams. In the trailer, she’s seen admitting that she has “no money,” warning viewers that the same could happen to them.

“I don’t understand why they have the cameras in that woman’s face,” Charlamagne said of the documentary. “Why y’all want to document someone’s downfall?” he also wondered. Despite criticism, Where Is Wendy Williams? will premiere on Lifetime in two parts on February 24 and 25. What do you think of Kevin Hunter Sr. allegedly feeling “blindsided” by the upcoming documentary on his ex-wife, Wendy Williams? Do you agree that their son shouldn’t have been involved? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

Read More: Wendy Williams Relocated To Florida “Several Months Ago”: Report

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Wack 100 Documentary Axed From WSHH After His Defamation Claim

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If you didn’t already hear, WorldStarHipHop released a documentary on Wack 100 a couple of days ago about how he is allegedly a snitch. We knew that he wouldn’t be very happy about this, but it seems like this will pose much stronger legal ramifications. Moreover, WSHH took the video down after the music executive hit them with a defamation claim and filed to resolve this in court. In the video below, you can see exchanges between both teams and his inner circle that detail some of the motions, responses, motivations, and refutations. Overall, it looks like we might have another tattletale case on our hands in the hip-hop world.

However, given the back-and-forth between these camps and WSHH‘s prompt removal, this might just be a quick damages settlement. While we can’t say for sure, we’d predict that there’s enough pull to steer this in a favorable outcome for Wack 100. But he’s got so much going on right now that maybe this isn’t the headache we see it as; just another bag chase. For example, he’s made a lot of claims about another video, but this one is an alleged one of Megan Thee Stallion and Tory Lanez that he warned her about potentially ruining her.

Read More: Soulja Boy Scolded By Wack 100 After Advocating For Blueface’s Release

Wack 100 Moves Against WSHH For Defamation, They Pull Doc On His Alleged Snitching

Of course, there’s no real confirmation or evidence of any of this, so we can only wait for time to tell whether something will come of it. Still, folks likely know that the rap manager has a tendency to speak on others’ goings-on just as much as his own. Most recently, he contributed to conflicting stories about an altercation between Offset and 42 Dugg, with the latter maintaining that the former did not rob him successfully. It seems innocuous, but considering Wack 100’s ties in the game, it could always lead to shifting and conflicting loyalties and business partnerships.

Meanwhile, not even personal lives and relationships are safe from this ever-persistent magnifying glass. The California native is also pretty involved in Blueface and Chrisean Rock’s romance (or lack thereof, sometimes), defending his client against the former Baddies star. Surely, this axed WSHH documentary won’t discourage him from being so vocal. With that in mind, stick around on HNHH for the latest news and updates on Wack 100.

Read More: Blueface Or Crip Mac? Adam22 And Wack 100 Debate Who Has More Fame

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Wendy Williams Says She Has No Money In Gripping Trailer For “Where Is Wendy Williams”

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Where Is Wendy Williams, a tell-all documentary from the radio and TV legend, will air on Lifetime later this month. The first trailer for the two-part show is the first sighting of Williams in over a year after she retired from public view due to ill health. The trailer, linked below, is not exactly easy viewing. Williams drinks and cries as she recounts her long struggle over the past few years.

It’s unclear if this is the documentary that Williams was spotted film in early 2023. The last time Williams was seen in public was at her childhood home in New Jersey as part of a new reality show that was expected to air last fall. However, fall came and went without a release, leaving fans confused and concerned for Williams. Will you be watching Where Is Wendy Williams when it drops on February 24 & 25? Let us know in the comments.

Read More: Wendy Williams’ Ex Kevin Hunter Ordered To Pay Over $20K In Credit Card Debt

Wendy Williams Relocates To Florida

Furthermore, the news of the documentary comes around a week after news broke concerning Williams’ current location. Radio host and Williams’ long-time friend Miss Jones claimed that Williams had quietly relocated to Florida with her family “several months ago”. Jones revealed that she had attempted a wellness check on Williams, only to be told by employees at Williams’ former building that she was “several months too late”. The moved reportedly coincided with revelations about Williams’ health, as well as the fact that her family were concerned that her team was “taking advantage” of her. Williams’ son claimed that her team were making decisions on the media veteran’s behalf and had even frozen Williams out of her bank accounts.

Responding to the news, many fans offered their well-wishes to Williams. “I’m not wishing anything on anyone. I’m a believer in God, and I believe God can heal Wendy, and restore her. I pray the will of God for her, and I pray for those who surround her as well,” one person said. “Anyone who grew up in NYC listening to Wendy knows that this is truly sad. Kevin destroyed her. I don’t ever see her coming back to broadcasting. So so sad,” added another.

Read More: Charlamagne Tha God Wishes “Good Health” For Wendy Williams, But Admits They Haven’t Spoken For “Years”

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