The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse was the seventh studio album released by rapper Shawn Carter aka Jay-Z. The album was released on November 12, 2002 on the Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings imprints. The Brooklyn rapper released the album as a sequel to his sixth album The Blueprint (2001). The album debuted at number one, shipping with first-week sales of 545,000 units. Jay-Z was already debatably classified as one of the greatest rappers of all time.
During this time, rumors of Jay hooking up with singer Beyonce began to circulate in the industry, the rumor was almost confirmed with the song “03 Bonnie and Clyde” off the album. The world watched as a budding relationship began between the two megastars. “Excuse Me Miss” featuring Pharrell showed a sensitive and grown upside to the BK rapper who previously rapped about drugs and throwback jerseys. Inevitably becoming one of the biggest forces in hip hop and one of our first billionaire couples, The game changed when Jay-Z released this album and How continues to break boundaries. Today the album is certified 3x Multi-Platinum by the RIAA.
Today in Hip Hop History, Lil’ Kim released her debut album Hard Coreon November 12, 1996. The Brooklyn-born pint-sized rapper changed the course of hip hop. Before Megan Thee Stallion bounced in a thong and before Nicki Minaj wore the colorful wigs— there was Lil Kim. Her album Hard Core album showed women in a different light compared to what we had seen from veterans like MC Late and Queen Latifah. Lil Kim unabashedly spoke on her sex life and what she demanded from any man trying to court her. From her fashions to her hair to her aggressive rap style, she ushered women into the 2000s with sexy confidence we hadn’t seen before.
“No Time” quickly became an anthem and girls everywhere initiated Lil Kim as the Queen. There was an unforgettable promo poster released that stirred up a conversation and was plastered all over New York City. She and her crew Junior Mafia became one of the biggest groups in Hip hop led by the late great Notorious B.I.G. Today we salute Lil Kim for a classic album, that still knocks to this day. Check out some of our favorites of the album Hardcore.
On this day in 1991, one of Hip-Hop’s brightest stars, Tupac Shakur, released his first studio album 2Pacalypse Now. Although it didn’t take the Billboard charts by storm upon its original release, it was the first of many albums that hold a place in the hearts of almost all fans of Hip-Hop across the world.
As far as content goes, this is easily Pac’s most politically influenced album. From the opening single, “Young Black Male,” the listener can tell how 2Pac felt about the circumstances facing his people in 1991. The rest of the album follows that aggressive poetic style. Although this approach to the industry wasn’t one that gave him a jump start like the radio heavy songs of his competition during that era, it did hold truth and leave a mark on those that heard it. The lack of commercial success of this album came from its lack of a true radio single. The most popular song on the album, “Brenda’s Got a Baby,” did reach a peak position of 11 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks chart in 1992, the subject matter and lack of hook made it a hard song to flood the airwaves with.
This was not an album for the radio; it was an album for the people. It still is. The nearly 20-year-old Tupac Shakur was trying to talk to his bruised and battered people in the ghettos of America. He took the opportunity of his platform to showcase his poetic ability and address a country that he felt still needed to be addressed on the subject of racism and discrimination. This activist mindset became a theme throughout his career as he became more outspoken about the oppression of Blacks in America until his untimely death in 1997. From this project came the career of a man who has been argued to be the greatest rapper of all time. And whether that is certain or not, the fact still remains that this album started a legacy and we should all take some time to pay homage to the Thug who was taken from us too soon.
With the highly anticipated boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul scheduled for November 15 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Gametime, the leading app for last-minute tickets, has released updated ticket prices.
Currently, the lowest-priced tickets are available for $71, including taxes and fees, a significant decrease from $91 last week and $132 a month ago. When the fight was first announced, tickets were priced at $420. For those seeking a closer view, ringside seats are available for $1,475, down from $2,094 last week and a staggering $40,000 earlier this year.
The ticket price reductions come as anticipation builds for the event, which promises to be a major spectacle. Fans still have a chance to secure tickets for what is sure to be one of the year’s most talked-about fights.
Netflix and Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) today announced the three bout preliminary card of the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson and Serrano vs. Taylor 2 mega-event on Friday, November 15 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Headlining the preliminary card will be MVP’s super middleweight powerhouse and the WBO’s #1 contender Shadasia “The Sweet Terminator” Green (14-1, 11 KOs) vs. the WBO’s #2 contender Melinda “The Whip” Watpool (7-0, 2 KO) in a 10 round women’s championship fight contested at 168 lbs for the vacant WBO super middleweight world title. Joining Green and Watpool on the preliminary card, top-ranked IBF and WBA contender Lucas “Prince” Bahdi (17-0, 15 KOs) will take on Orlando, Florida’s Corey “2Smoove” Marksman (10-0-1, 7 KOs) in a 10 round lightweight battle of two of boxing’s undefeated contenders as each puts their undefeated record on the line early in their career. Also on the preliminary card will be an 8 round featherweight fight between two standout prospects, Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington Jr. (13-0, 8 KOs) and Australian action fighter Dana “Deadly” Coolwell (13-2, 8 KOs). Paul vs. Tyson and Taylor vs. Serrano 2 will air live globally on Netflix on Friday, November 15 at 8pm ET / 5pm PT and is anticipated to be the biggest boxing event in modern history, and fans can purchase tickets now at seatgeek.com.
Making her second world title fight appearance in the headlining bout of the Paul vs. Tyson preliminary card will be MVP’s super middleweight powerhouse Shadasia “The Sweet Terminator” Green (14-1, 11 KOs). Green, the former standout college basketball star and Team USA boxing silver medalist, joined MVP in January 2023 after a trailblazing start to her professional career. Shortly after, Green defeated the former unified world champion Elin Cederroos with a vicious sixth-round TKO, marking the first and only time Cederroos was ever stopped in her career. Green’s bout against Olivia Curry in August 2023 led to a resounding unanimous decision victory as part of the Paul-Diaz undercard. Green rose to #1 ranking in the WBC, WBO, WBA, and IBF ahead of her women’s championship fight against former undisputed and now-WBC super middleweight champion Franchon-Crews Dezurn for the WBC world and WBA Interim titles. The bout resulted in a disappointing decision loss for Green, who returned to the ring in July 2024 to prove her status as a title contender, earning a unanimous decision win over Canada’s Natasha Spence. Following her win, the Patterson, NJ native Green is once again the WBO’s #1 contender at super middleweight.
Facing Green for the WBO super middleweight title will be Canada’s Melinda ‘The Whip’ Watpool (7-0, 2 KO). Ranked the WBO’s #2 super middleweight contender and WBA’s #1 middleweight contender, Watpool most recently had a decisive win over Natasha Spence to claim the WBA International Middleweight Championship in September 2024, and now will step up to face Green for the WBO super middleweight title. Watpool, the former five-time Canadian amateur champion from Pefferlaw, Ontario, has taken the professional ranks by storm since she turned professional in late 2022, racking up seven consecutive wins and now positioning herself for her WBO world title challenge against Shadasia Green.
Canadian boxer Lucas “Prince” Bahdi (17-0, 15 KOs) comes to the ring by way of Niagara Falls, Ontario. The 30-year-old top contender has gone undefeated since making his professional debut in mid-2019, winning his first 11 fights by knockout. Bahdi had unanimous decision wins against Diego Fabian Eligio and Diego Andrade Chavez in 2022 before resuming his knockout streak. In May 2023, Bahdi defeated Jesus Amparan to claim the IBF North American Lightweight title. Bahdi is a top-ranked lightweight by both the IBF and WBA and most recently, proved himself among the best title contenders in the lightweight division when he scored a knockout of the year contender win over H2O Sylve on the main card of Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry in July 2024.
Orlando, Florida’s Corey “2Smoove” Marksman (10-0-1, 7 KOs) will take the ring against Bahdi in a 10-round lightweight bout. The talented 24-year-old prospect made a name for himself in his first major PPV appearance on the Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry main card in July 2024, in a rematch against Tony Aguilar. The pair’s first meeting resulted in a well-fought split decision draw, contested during MVP’s Most Valuable Prospects 5 in February 2024. In the rematch, Marksman impressed with grit, power, and endurance, taking home a majority decision win. He now enters the most difficult test yet of his young career, aiming to prove himself against one of the best lightweight contenders of the world in Bahdi.
The preliminary card will also feature a bout between two top-ranked featherweight talents, the undefeated Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington Jr. (13-0, 8 KOs) vs. Australia’s Dana Coolwell (13-2, 8 KOs). The 27-year-old standout prospect Carrington comes to the ring from Brownsville, NY, home of Mike Tyson. Carrington is a three-year pro who has emerged as the featherweight division’s fastest-rising contender, currently ranked No. 2 by the WBC and WBO. He entered the professional ranks following a storied amateur career that included a 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials gold medal. He began his 2024 campaign with February’s highlight-reel knockout of Bernard Torres, which was featured on SportsCenter’s Top 10. Four months later, he dominated Brayan De Gracia en route to an eighth-round stoppage. Carrington now comes into this high-profile fight coming off the stiffest test of his young career, his September 27 majority decision win over Sulaiman Segawa.
Dana “Deadly” Coolwell (13-2, 8 KOs) is a 25-year-old Australian Indigenous boxer, known for his resilience and remarkable journey from adversity to success. A proud Aboriginal man from the Mununjali tribe in Queensland, Coolwell overcame an early life marked by hardship, struggling with direction and purpose amidst family struggles. He discovered boxing at age 14 at Hinterland Boxing Club, where he met Steve Pitt, his coach, mentor, and father figure. Using his natural speed, athleticism, and hard work, Coolwell progressed throughout Australia’s boxing ranks under Pitt’s guidance, most recently securing the IBO Intercontinental featherweight title in a unanimous decision win over Fernando Tagpuno Jr. The talented young prospect is undefeated at featherweight and aims to become the next Indigenous Australian world champion and Australia’s next great boxing story, following names like Anothy Mundine, Daniel Geale, and Lionel Rose.
“From start to finish, Paul vs. Tyson will deliver an exciting night of boxing to fans at AT&T Stadium and across the globe on Friday, November 15, beginning with an action-packed preliminary card,” said Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions. “Less than a year after her first title shot, MVP’s own Shadasia Green has fought her way back and is ready to claim the WBO world championship, but first she has to get through Melinda Watpool, who has her eyes on the prize. We are proud to continue our commitment to showcasing women’s boxing by featuring another title bout on this incredible card. Corey Marksman first caught our eye on Most Valuable Prospects, and after his standout performance on Paul vs. Perry, we’re thrilled to have him return to face Lucas Bahdi, who delivered a knockout-of-the-year contender on the same card. With the thrilling addition of Shu Shu Carrington and Dana Coolwell, a proud Aboriginal fighter from the Mununjali tribe, this card truly embodies the diversity and world-class talent that defines MVP.”
The Paul vs. Tyson main event will feature the 8-round heavyweight battle between international superstar Jake “El Gallo” Paul (10-1, 7 KOs) vs. The Baddest Man on the Planet Mike Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs). In the co-main event, undisputed super lightweight champion Katie Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs) will put all her super lightweight belts on the line against boxing trailblazer and unified featherweight champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (47-2-1, 31 KOs) in a 10 round women’s championship fight, the most anticipated women’s boxing rematch in history. Also on the main card will be the 12-round men’s championship fight for the WBC welterweight title between reigning champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios (29-2, 18 KOs) vs. Abel Ramos (28-6-2, 22 KOs) and a 6-round super middleweight fight between India’s number one boxer and MVP’s first international signee Neeraj Goyat (18-4-2, 8 KOs) vs. Brazil’s multi-talented superstar Whindersson Nunes (2-2-1, 1 KO combined boxing record).
Didn’t Drake have a song called “No Friends in the Industry.” Well, Young Thug may not be as amicable with Gunna as fans had hoped following his recent release from prison. Over the weekend, Thugga posted—and then quickly deleted—a tweet that left many questioning the state of his relationship with his former collaborator. The tweet, which was directed at Gunna, read: “Gunna stop acting like we friends on the internet, I don’t know you my guy.”
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod (@big_business_) November 9, 2024
This not so cryptic message has reignited speculation about the rift between the two rappers. Fans had already wondered whether their friendship had been strained after Gunna’s release from prison in 2022, following his Alford plea deal.
ICYMI, Gunna’s decision to take the plea led many to believe he had cooperated with authorities, which fueled rumors that he had “snitched” on Young Thug and other members of the YSL label. Despite denying these accusations and continuing to support YSL, Gunna was labeled a “snitch” by a large portion of the hip-hop community.
In the wild months since, during that trial that is, things seemed to take a positive turn when, in 2024, Thug’s lawyer made a request to the court to allow Thug to continue making music with Gunna, citing contractual obligations to YSL. This led many to believe the two had reconciled, or at least were on better terms. However, Thug’s recent tweet casts doubt on that narrative, prompting fans to question whether there was still tension between them.
While some speculated that Thug’s use of “Gunna” could have been a misspelling of “Going to” and directed at himself rather than Gunna, the context of the tweet—combined with the ongoing allegations surrounding Gunna’s plea deal—adds a layer of uncertainty to their relationship.
First off, who really thinks “Gunna” was a typo for “Going to.” Like, c’mon. That’s a stretch of all stretches.
Anyways, Gunna’s attorney, Steve Sadow, has repeatedly dismissed the snitching rumors. In an Instagram post, Sadow clarified, “Gunna did not snitch to get out of jail. He has said nothing and is not cooperating. His plea statement cannot be used in court against any other defendant. So please stop spreading lies.” Despite these claims, the back-and-forth between Thug and Gunna continues to fuel debate among fans.
Anyway, Thug is home. That matters. The rest doesn’t.
Logic, remember him? The lyrical rapper recently shared with TMZ that his current rap style hasn’t been as financially successful as he hoped, prompting him to shift his musical direction. Oh, really?
So the 34-year-old rapper spoke candidly about his new creative plans while in Detroit, explaining that his focus on traditional hip-hop had not been paying the bills. At least he’s being honest.
“I’ve been on a run of doing super hip-hop music, but that stuff doesn’t pay the bills,” he admitted, acknowledging the financial realities of the music industry.
Okay, while reflecting on his past successes with more mainstream, party-driven tracks, Logic revealed that he plans to adopt a sound similar to Playboi Carti’s “turn-up” style in the coming year. “I made my money doing pop and turn-up tracks, and I’ve been lucky to make music from my heart. But next year, I’m about to drop all this Carti-style trap and have some fun. It’s okay to make money, too,” he said, signaling a significant shift in his approach to music.
Yes, Logic, it’s okay to make money too.
Now get this, Logic’s long-awaited Ultra 85 project, which has taken nearly eight years to complete, will feature contributions from artists like T Man The Wizard, DJ Drama, ADÉ, Lucy Rose, Zelooperz, and Robert Ivory. Originally teased as a potential retirement album in 2020, Ultra 85 was shelved in favor of No Pressure. Fans speculated that Ultra 85 had simply been rebranded, and a clue in the outro of No Pressure’s track “Heard Em Say” seemed to confirm this, with a robotic voice declaring, “This concludes the No Pressure program… welcome to the Ultra 85 program.”
In an interesting twist, Logic’s newfound inspiration, Playboi Carti, recently made headlines with a feature on Tyler, The Creator’s Chromakopia. Although Carti’s contribution to the album, on the track “Thought I Was Dead” with ScHoolboy Q, is exclusive to the vinyl release, it has captured fans’ attention. Carti’s verse, delivered in a deeper tone over pulsing tribal drums, leaked online after the album’s streaming debut on October 28, sparking further interest.
As we wait for Logic to shift towards a more upbeat, trap-heavy sound, fans are eager to see how his style evolves to match the industry’s changing trends. This pivot represents a strategic move for the 34-year-old rapper, who is balancing his artistic integrity with a more commercially viable approach—ready to make an impact once again on his own terms.
Well, this is going to be interesting. Good luck to Logic in the next phase of his rap career.
50 Cent is relentless. The G-Unit honcho is once again taking jabs at Diddy, following Ray J’s recent comments about the Bad Boy Records mogul amid the ongoing sex trafficking lawsuits. After Ray J ran into Diddy’s sons at a Halloween event, he appeared on NewsNation’s Cuomo and shared his thoughts on the publicized scandal, revealing how it had even affected his personal life, including his church visits.
Now, Ray J commented, “They saying that people like the church doing it. So now, I can’t turn cheek to cheek when somebody hit me, because now I’m thinking about butt cheeks, you know? It’s like… It’s a lot, and it’s just not adding up to me.”
His remarks prompted 50 Cent to post a video of the interview on Instagram, joking in the comments, “Oh now I see why they was gonna pack Ray J out, he wilding bro. It feels like he saying this because Diddy down bad. I’m a hit Ray and tell him chill LOL.”
Oh buddy, Ray J didn’t stop there. He doubled down on his comments about the allegations against Diddy during his own broadcast. He stated, “People are getting robbed of not only their money and their spirituality; they’re getting robbed of their womanhood and their manhood. Asses are being taken in ways that nobody can explain!” He then expressed his confusion about how to react to such serious accusations, asking, “Do you chuckle? Do you laugh? Do you help? Do you criticize? Because I see a lot of jokes out there right now talking about baby oil.”
50 Cent, couldn’t help himself and responded to the video with his signature humor, commenting, “[grinning face emoji] oh my God, WTF is Ray J doing LOL [grinning face emojis] hahahahaha [ninja]’s really going crazy out here! [crying face emoji].”
What’s more, the dicey situation took an even more dramatic turn when HOT 97 reported that Ray J’s video sparked a confrontation at a party, where Diddy’s sons reportedly confronted him. The altercation was only defused when Chris Brown intervened. Ray J later spoke to Nicki Minaj about the incident, explaining, “No, we didn’t have a fight. We had a big argument right outside the club. This time, I think I got loud and got aggressive. But it was the third time this happened so I felt like I needed to stand up for myself.” He added, “Even though I was talking shit and we were having a lot of crazy words, I was walking that way to avoid the issue. So that’s what happened and it’s unfortunate.”
Here we go again with for the second annual Emirates NBA Cup, previously known as the In-Season Tournament. The new-ish edition to the NBA format is set to kick off tomorrow, November 12, with an exciting doubleheader on TNT. The tournament begins at 7:30 p.m. ET, when the New York Knicks will face the Philadelphia 76ers. A highlight of the game will be the season debut of Joel Embiid, who is making his long-awaited return to the court.
Dialing in the second game of the evening will feature the Golden State Warriors taking on the Dallas Mavericks at 10 p.m. ET. This matchup will mark the return of Klay Thompson to the Bay Area, as he faces his former team after leaving the Warriors to join the Mavericks in free agency.
Get this, the Emirates NBA Cup will see all 30 NBA teams split into six groups of five, with three groups from the Western Conference and three from the Eastern Conference. Each team will play the other teams in its group once.
Here’s how it will shape up. The six group winners, along with one wild card team from each conference, will advance to the knockout stage. From there, all games will be single-elimination, with the quarterfinals held at home venues. The tournament will conclude in Las Vegas with the semifinals and championship game, scheduled for December 14 and 17, respectively.
Last season, the Los Angeles Lakers were crowned the inaugural Emirates NBA Cup champions last season, finishing the tournament undefeated with a perfect 7-0 record. LeBron James, who led the team to victory, was named the first-ever In-Season Tournament MVP. Reflecting on the achievement, James said, “We’re the first champions of the in-season tournament, and nobody can ever top that. It’s great to do it with a historical franchise and just a great cast of funny, engaged, competitive men over here.”
A hit is a hit is a hit, as they say. Shaboozey’s smash single “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” continues to smack the Billboard Hot 100, marking its 17th consecutive week at No. 1. With this milestone, the song has shattered multiple records, and one more significant achievement is within reach.
According to Billboard, the authority on all things charts, “A Bar Song” has set a new record for the longest streak at No. 1 on the Hot 100 by an artist with no guest features. When considering all songs, Shaboozey’s 17-week reign now places it just behind the 19 weeks held by the 2019 collaboration “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus. If the track can maintain its position for just three more weeks, it will surpass this all-time record.
Get this, “A Bar Song” now holds the title for the most weeks at No. 1 in this decade, surpassing the 16 weeks that Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” spent at the top in 2023. This achievement puts Shaboozey’s track in exclusive company, as it’s now the longest-running No. 1 song since “Old Town Road.”
“A Bar Song” was amplified by a lack of major new releases this week, preventing any new tracks from debuting in the top 10 of the Hot 100. The songs in positions 2 through 4 remained unchanged, with Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With a Smile” in second, followed by Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather” and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso.”
Not to be overlooked, on the Billboard 200, Tyler, the Creator’s Chromakopia spent its second week at No. 1, earning 160,000 equivalent album units, though that represents a 47% drop from its strong debut the previous week.
Just when you thought Spirit Airlines could not get any more bad press, on Monday, November 11, a Spirit Airlines flight was struck by gunfire. Yes, bullets, while attempting to land in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, leading to the cancellation of several U.S. flights to the country.
Like, what? They shot at a commercial flight attempting to land?
Get this, the flight, which was traveling from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Haiti’s capital, sustained damage consistent with gunfire. A flight attendant was injured during the incident, though the airline confirmed the injuries were minor. “One flight attendant on board reported minor injuries and is being evaluated by medical personnel. No guest injuries were reported,” Spirit Airlines stated in a release obtained by NBC News.
Thankfully the Dominican Republic is right over the border and the flight was diverted there for safety. That’s where the aircraft was inspected and the gunfire damage was confirmed. The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince believes the incident may be linked to ongoing “gang-led efforts to block travel to and from Port-au-Prince,” which could involve armed violence and disruptions at critical transportation hubs like roads, ports, and airports.
As you can expect, in response to the attack, Toussaint Louverture International Airport, Haiti’s primary international gateway, suspended operations, according to CNN. Major U.S. airlines, including JetBlue and American Airlines, announced that they would temporarily halt flights to Port-au-Prince as a result of the escalating violence.
What’s more, the shooting comes just days after Haiti’s interim Prime Minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, took office, promising to restore order and hold elections—an initiative that has been delayed since 2016. The violence surrounding the airport is part of a broader wave of unrest; last month, a United Nations helicopter was also hit by gunfire while flying over Port-au-Prince. In February, gang violence had already forced the closure of both the airport and the main seaport, severely disrupting the flow of essential supplies and humanitarian aid to the region.
(@big_business_) 
