Over the weekend, the Philadelphia 76ers called off all trade talks involving James Harden and stated they would expect Harden to be at training camp. Early Monday morning, NBA Insider Shams Charania shared a video from Harden’s China tour for Adidas in which he blasts 76ers president Daryl Morey. Morey and Harden have a relationship dating back to the Houston Rockets.
“Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of,” Harden told those gathered. “Let me say that again: Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of.”
James Harden: “Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of. Let me say that again: Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of.” pic.twitter.com/AmHJ0WwbF2
On Saturday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski ended trade talks for Harden, who has a preferred destination of the Los Angeles Clippers. Harden picked up his $35.6 million player option but the Sixers’ request for Harden was too high for most bidders.
Salute to 50 Cent, immortalized on his own day in Hartford, CT. Pulling up for his The Final Lap Tour, 50 was presented with a proclamation, naming Aug. 11 “50 Cent Day.”
“Today was officially Curtis 50 Cent Jackson day in Hartford CT,” 50 wrote. The energy was so good, it made me remember why I moved to CT.”
EMMY® and GRAMMY® award-winning artist Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson concluded his exhilarating Final Lap Tour with back-to-back sold-out shows at Barclays Center, leaving fans in awe.
The first night featured surprise performances that set the stage ablaze, including J. Cole, Jadakiss, DaBaby, Flo-Rida, and more. J. Cole’s dynamic collaboration with 50 Cent on “No Role Modelz” was a highlight, with J. Cole dubbing “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” the greatest album ever. Busta Rhymes and Jeremih also graced the stage, while Slick Rick and Baby Cham made memorable appearances.
Thursday’s show brought even more surprises, featuring Fat Joe, Bobby Shmurda, Young M.A., Phresher, and Sleepy Hallow. Fat Joe’s energetic rendition of “Lean Back” alongside 50 Cent was a crowd-pleaser, followed by a solo performance of “All The Way Up.” Notable guests, including T.I., Lala Anthony, and Kash Doll were also in attendance.
With an already staggering 900,000 tickets sold worldwide, the Final Lap Tour’s monumental 94-date journey continues across North America this summer before venturing overseas. For those eager to witness this historic tour, visit 50Cent.com for the remaining tickets and tour dates.
Ciara is providing another update about her pregnancy, noting how serious Russell Wilson is about her.
“My hubby ain’t playing no games, honey,” Ciara said. “I had to say don’t look at me. I can’t look in his eyes cuz it’s just, stuff like this happens.”
Ciara announced that she and Russell Wilson are expecting another child. In a black and white video uploaded to X, Ciara stands in front of a swimming pool before pivoting to reveal a baby bump. She then begins to two-step poolside.
Ciara’s announcement is coupled with lyrics from her new single “How We Roll”:
Top off summer in the wind You look at me like that again We make another kid You my heart, i’m your rib If I ever had to for you, I would do a bid
In March 2022, Ciara guest hosted The Ellen De Genres Show and was joined by Wilson for the special occasion. During the show, Ciara admitted and joked to the audience that Russell’s presence made her nervous. After giving her a large bouquet of roses, Wilson bent down on one knee, popping the question: “I have a question for you. Serious question. Can we have more babies?”
The couple are parents to son Win Harrison and daughter Sienna Princess. Ciara is also the mother to Future Zahir, whom she shared with Future.
Just last week, Ciara announced her return, prepping her new EP, CiCi, for Aug 18. The release will come on her Beauty Marks Entertainment label. You can see the video for “How We Roll” below.
The original Manhattan location of JAY-Z’s 40/40 Club will be shut down.
According to The New York Eater, 40/40 plans to reopen at a new location in 2024, according to spokesperson Andrea Thomas. The original location underwent a $10 million renovation in 2012 to keep it competitive with other venues in the area.
The location held inside Barclays Center will remain open.
Included in JAY-Z’s long list of businesses is this annual Made In America Festival, which takes place in Philadelphia each year. However, it looks like this year, the festival has officially been canceled.
The reasoning? “Severe circumstances outside of production control.”
Earlier this year in June, Made In America announced their exciting lineup, which included a highly-anticipated joint set by Cam’Ron and Ma$e. The two just recently resolved their long-standing beef, which originated back in the 90’s when Ma$s relocated to Atlanta from New York. The two recently conjoined to co-host their own sports talk show titled It Is What It Is.
Other artists on the bill were SZA, Lizzo, Metro Boomin, Ice Spice, Coi Leray, Latto, Lil Yachty, Doechii, Tems, Miguel, Lola Brooke, and more. The event was slated to take place over Labor Day Weekend, September 2nd and 3rd.
— Made In America Festival (@MIAFestival) August 8, 2023
Announcing the sad news on social media, festival organizers explained how difficult the decision was to cancel the event altogether.
The statement read: “Due to severe circumstances outside of production control, the 2023 Made In America festival will no longer be taking place. This decision has been difficult and has not been made lightly nor without immense deliberation. Made In America has a legacy of delivering exceptional experiences for music fans and concert goers and it is our commitment to always deliver a top-tier festival experience.”
They ended by stating that all ticket holders will get a full refund, and they look forward to seeing everyone the following year in 2024.
Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour pulled into Atlanta, and during the first show on Friday, Aug. 11, Queen Bey dubbed The A winners of the “Eerbody on Mute” moment from her single “Energy.” If you haven’t picked it up yet, when Beyoncé sings the lyrics, the entire stadium is to go silent, a feat that Atlanta mastered cause the whole city was on their zoom.
Drake is continuing his support for Young Thug. Before Drake started his extended stay with Los Angeles shows, he uploaded pictures in a new “STOP RICO” hoodie supporting Young Thug. “3 the guys out the you know…” he captioned the post.
With Young Thug behind bars, the YSL team got a bit creative for the “Oh U Went” video featuring Drake. The new video has Thugger’s bars being rapped by community members and children, showcasing a bright summer day. The Boy pops in with videos from North Memphis, where he turns up with a squad of kids in an alluring Black and White scene.
Lil Durk‘s second show in two nights at Chicago’s United Center ended in chaos. Reports of an active shooter brought officers into the building. A shooter has not been confirmed, but videos of fights and more have emerged from the venue.
Footage also shows a stampede in the standing room section of the concert and fans looting the merch stands.
Durk stated on Instagram: “Don’t believe the hype we bigger then big thank you Chicago [goat emoji] till next time and who all stole the merchandise tag me so I repost y’all crazy ass [wounded heart emoji]”
Lil Durk has canceled numerous tour dates and is leaving behind festival appearances that would pay him $750,000. According to Akademiks, this happens as the rapper focuses on his health and not due to low ticket sales.
“Since I’m still awaiting to get full clearance from my doctors to travel and perform again, I have no other choice but to cancel my headlining Rolling Loud performance,” Durk wrote. “While I’m home resting, I am looking forward to my two homecoming shows on the 11th and 12th in Chicago. For the rest of the country, I’ll be announcing new dates soon. #StillHealing.”
Lil Durk cancels 5 festivals including 750k rolling loud miami performance and reschedules upcoming tour due to health reasons!!! We got a statement from him exclusively about these cancellations. Get well Durk!!!! pic.twitter.com/ddYj5ZBmQe
Last month, Durkio was in the hospital after suffering from severe dehydration and exhaustion.
According to TMZ Hip-Hop, Durk fell ill in Ohio and checked into a hospital on July 6. His trip to the hospital was for safety, but doctors assessed his condition as a bit more serious.
“My fans mean everything to me, you’re the reason why I do this,” Durk said at the time. “I was looking forward to touching all of my European fans, performing this week(end), attending the ESPYs and more but after performing and traveling daily I’ve become severely dehydrated and advised by my doctors not to travel due to exhaustion. Once I get my full energy back, it’s back to business which I’m looking forward to. #StillHealing.”
Killer Mike definitely dropped an album of the year contender in Michael. Doing a victory lap, Mike was a guest on Matt Hoffa’s My Expert Opinion and revealed he received positive praise from JAY-Z when he shared the album early.
Mike revealed he was going about his early day when he received a morning text praising the album. “‘Peace God, I see what you did.’” Killer Mike said the message read. “‘Just sending some encouragement your way.’”
Killer Mike added, “We sent it to him early and he sent back some real positive notes. He sent back a great compliment. He was like, ‘It feels like I went to my cousin’s house and watched a movie.’ I was really honored.”
You can hear Killer Mike speak about that moment and additional JAY-Z stories below.
Killer Mike’s long-awaited solo album, MICHAEL, arrived in June, marking his first full-length release since 2012’s critically acclaimed R.A.P. Music. The 14-track masterpiece, executive produced by No ID and distributed by Loma Vista Recordings, boasts an impressive lineup of guest artists, making it a highly anticipated project.
MICHAEL showcases the multifaceted talent of Michael Render, an MC deeply connected to the community that raised him. Drawing inspiration from the various influences shaping his life, the album seamlessly weaves southern rap flows, Sunday church service melodies, and barbershop conversations.
In an exciting reveal, the album’s extensive list of collaborators was unveiled alongside the release of the final single. To pay homage to Mike’s own childhood, the announcement featured a collage of childhood photos of each featured artist, reminiscent of a school yearbook. This creative touch added a personal and nostalgic touch to the album, amplifying the anticipation among fans.
Among the star-studded features on MICHAEL are Future, Young Thug, Ty Dolla $ign, Curren$y, Andre 3000, 6LACK, EL-P, Blxst, and Eryn Allen Kane, among others. With such an incredible ensemble, the album promises to be a sonic journey through Killer Mike’s remarkable career and artistic growth.
Fans and critics alike are eagerly diving into MICHAEL, eager to experience the lyrical prowess and thought-provoking storytelling that Killer Mike is known for. This album is poised to solidify his position as one of our most influential and revered MCs, leaving a lasting impact on the hip-hop landscape.
LL COOL J once had a collaborative album with 50 Cent. Hip-Hop has become the home of collab albums, and LL and 50 Cent will be the NYC collaboration we will never see. Appearing on The Breakfast Club, LL revealed that he wrote an album with 50 that he ultimately scrapped.
“I tried to do a more collaborative writing album. I did a whole album with 50 Cent,” LL revealed. “And we were writing together on this album. And when it was done, I listened to it. I’m like, ‘It sounds good. I like the music, it sounds cool, but it ain’t me.’ So, I ain’t put it out.”
LL would provide more details, “It was nothing against 50, I love 50. I just wanted to try something different. It didn’t work.”
Summer Walker brought out her metallics for Beyonce’s Renaissance Tour. The R&B star stunned in a silver mini dress and knee-high boots and evoked the queen’s energy in a matching hat and veil.
“It’s not the diamonds, it’s not the pearls, its just that I’m that girl,” Walker captioned the post.
Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour pulled into Atlanta, and during the first show on Friday, Aug. 11, Queen Bey dubbed The A winners of the “Eerbody on Mute” moment from her single “Energy.” If you haven’t picked it up yet, when Beyoncé sings the lyrics, the entire stadium is to go silent, a feat that Atlanta mastered cause the whole city was on their zoom.
