On this date in 2013, the media was in a frenzy around the death or the whereabout of Timothy Blair, a rapper from the Bronx who was better known as “Tim Dog”, who is most famously known for his West Coast diss track “Fuck Compton”. However, Tim Dog will now be forever etched in the history books of Hip Hop after being accused of Playing Dead, as described in Elizabeth Greenwood’s best seller about celebrities who are believed to still be alive.
On February 14, 2013, The Source exclusively revealed the death of Tim Dog, but just three months later, mainstream media such as MSNBC and even urban media such as Vice began to question the validity of The Source’s report and even accused “The Bible Of Hip Hop” of aiding Tim Dog in a death fraud scheme.
Tim Dog was wanted in several different jurisdictions around the world for defrauding women out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, so it was suspected that when his death was reported that it was only another one of his schemes to get out repaying one of his defrauded victims. After over a year of research by many different outlets, it was eventually revealed that Tim Dog died from a heart attack in his home in Fulton County, GA on February 14, 2013.
Fans have been eagerly anticipating Moneybagg Yo’s upcoming album, Speak Now, since he announced it earlier this month. It was originally slated for release tomorrow (May 24), however, listeners will have to wait just a bit longer to hear it. While this certainly comes as a disappointment to those itching to hear what he has to offer next, he promises that it’ll be well worth the wait. In fact, he took to Instagram today to announce the project’s new release date, and to tease an exciting feature.
“Just Got A Crazyyyyy Feature In I Couldn’t Drop This Project Without,” he captioned a photo of himself at the drawing board on Instagram. “Now Everything Locked In Fasho sho Its Worth Da Wait.” He didn’t provide his followers with many more details than that, though he confirmed that Speak Now will now arrive on June 14, roughly three weeks away.
Of course, fans in his comments section are expressing frustration that they’ll have to wait almost a month to hear the project, especially considering the fact that many of them thought they’d hear it at midnight. Regardless, plenty of them have faith that it’ll be worth it and are speculating about who the exciting new feature could be. “It’s gonna be Cardi B,” one Instagram user theorizes. “Drake or Future,” another guesses.
While it’s certainly fun to speculate, fans will just have to wait until next month to discover who the delay was for. What do you think of Moneybagg Yo delaying the release of his new album, Speak Now? Are you disappointed, or do you think it’ll be worth the wait? What about him teasing a major new feature? Who do you think it could be? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Chaka Khan’s daughter, Indira Khan, posted on Instagram that she is “singing and dancing” while watching Diddy’s demise.
What caused this? According to her, Diddy screamed in the legend’s face, and when her son attempted to intervene, the mogul’s security jumped him.
You can read the entire message from Indira Khan below.
Chaka Khan’s daughter shares a comment under Diddy’s apology video:
“I’m glad this is happening to you, you got in my mothers face and publicly disrespected her yelling and screaming like a lunatic when my little brother tried to get you out of my mothers face your security… https://t.co/FCi0hJ7PKLpic.twitter.com/iDXrSOXhvk
In other news, Diddy is the subject of yet another lawsuit from a woman. According to TMZ, model Crystal McKinney met Diddy at Men’s Fashion Week in 2003 when she was 22.
According to McKinney, Diddy invited her to the studio, where she engaged in drinking and smoking weed, which she believes was laced with narcotics, leading to her being disorientated.
That moment was followed by being forced into a bathroom, where she was then forced to perform oral sex, eventually losing consciousness and waking up in a taxi.
McKinney stated she was subjected to a modeling industry blackball and attempted suicide in 2004.
McKinney says her suit was inspired by Cassie’s and the feeling of having “a moral obligation to speak up.”
It looks like 50 Cent’s nonstop trolling of his arch-rival Diddy is paying dividends. He just scored a big win for his much-hyped documentary film project based on the beleaguered Bad Boy mogul’s legal drama.
TMZ reported first that Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s “Diddy Do It” will be a multi-part documentary. Word is Netflix won out on a hotly contested bidding war to secure the rights to the project.
With the sexual assault allegations piling up against Diddy, the horrific video that surfaced, and the new claim that just came to light Tuesday, this documentary is shaping up to be one for the ages. Sadly, we recognize the alleged and confirmed victims, namely Cassie Ventura, who were all brave enough to speak out against Combs, may be subjected to reliving their nightmares with so much attention being given to projects like Jackson’s documentary.
“Diddy Do It” is being produced through Jackson’s G-Unit Film and Television Studios. Several networks and, get this, all of the streaming platforms were vying for the rights to the multi-part series. It looks like the series is poised to premiere on the world’s biggest streamer soon, but no date has been announced.
What’s wild is that Diddy’s drama unfolds in real time. Just Tuesday, Combs was hit with yet another civil suit. Yes, again. Model Crystal McKinney has come forward accusing Diddy of a sexual assault dating back to 2003.
With Diddy’s so-called apology going down last week after the revelation of hotel security footage, one has to ask: Is 50 going to include all of this breaking news in the documentary, or is it already in the can? I guess we’ll have to wait and see on Netflix.
In a celebration of athleticism, empowerment, and diversity, tennis legend Venus Williams has been immortalized as a Barbie doll, joining the esteemed ranks of female athletes honored by Mattel for Barbie’s 65th anniversary.
Announced in a press release by Mattel on Wednesday, the new Barbie doll captures the essence of Williams in action on the tennis court, adorned in a white tennis dress and visor, complete with matching sneakers and her trademark gold hoop earrings. Holding a racket, the doll embodies Williams’ fierce determination and unwavering spirit on the court.
Reflecting on the honor, Williams expressed her gratitude, stating, “Throughout my career, I’ve always been driven by the idea of shattering glass ceilings and staying true to myself, and Barbie’s mission couldn’t resonate more deeply with that ethos.” She continued, “I’m honored to be recognized as a sports role model and join forces with Team Barbie to continue empowering the next generation of young girls to never stop believing in their dreams.”
Williams is among nine female athletes from around the world to be honored with their own Barbie dolls as part of Mattel’s ongoing commitment to celebrating women in sports. Joining Williams in this prestigious lineup are Olympic champion boxer Estelle Mossely (France), paratriathlon athlete Susana Rodriguez (Spain), swimmer Federica Pellegrini (Italy), gymnast Alexa Moreno (Mexico), Olympic gymnast Rebeca Andrade (Brazil), and soccer star Mary Fowler (Australia).
Krista Berger, Senior Vice President of Barbie and Global Head of Dolls at Mattel, expressed pride in welcoming these athletes to the Barbie Inspiring Women line. “After welcoming Kristi Yamaguchi to our Barbie Inspiring Women line last month, we are proud to continue fueling the momentum surrounding women in sports by welcoming these nine athletes as our newest role models,” Berger stated. She emphasized the significance of these dolls as embodiments of passion, empowerment, and individuality, highlighting their potential to inspire young girls worldwide.
“The sports one-of-a-kind role model dolls serve as an embodiment of our shared values of passion, empowerment, and individuality,” Berger added. “By shining a light on these inspirational athletes and their stories, we hope to champion the belief that every young girl deserves the opportunity to pursue her passions and turn her dreams into reality.”
Through the creation of these dolls, Mattel reaffirms its commitment to promoting inclusivity and representation in the realm of toys and entertainment. By honoring the achievements and contributions of female athletes like Venus Williams, Barbie continues to inspire future generations of girls to believe in themselves and reach for the stars, both on and off the court.
On this date in 2008, Governor David Paterson of New York gave a full and unconditional pardon to Hip Hop icon Ricky “Slick Rick” Walters for attempted murder and weapons convictions to help him avoid deportation.
In 1991, Slick Rick plead guilty to two counts of attempted murder and eight other illegal weapons charges for shooting his cousin and another man, leaving him to serve six years out of a ten-year sentence in a New York State Prison. He was released from prison in 1997 and discharged from parole supervision in 2000. Since then, Walters has been fighting deportation for his convictions.
“Mr. Walters has fully served the sentence imposed upon him for his convictions, had an exemplary disciplinary record while in prison and on parole, and has been living without incident in the community for more than 10 years,” Paterson said in a statement on May 23, 2008. “In that time, he has volunteered at youth outreach programs to counsel youth against violence, and has become a symbol of rehabilitation for many young people.”
Paterson urged immigration officials to grant 43-year-old Walters “relief from deportation” so he is not separated from his wife Mandy and their two teenage children.
Under federal law, legal immigrants of the United States convicted of an aggravated felony or a weapon offense must be deported. For certain offenses, deportation can be avoided by a Governor’s pardon, but for weapon offenses, a non-citizen must make an appeal before an immigration court.
On this day in Hip Hop history, Oakland rap duo The Luniz released their best selling single to date, “I Got 5 On It” from their debut album Operation: Stackola. Although the remainder of the group’s career was not one of much merit, this single was an international hit and is still considered a timeless track of the genre.
Over the years this song has become one of Hip Hop’s stoner anthems. Aside from its West Coast flavor and smoke filled video, the song itself is about a situation that any weed-smoke is familiar with. The record received a ridiculously positive commercial reception ranking #1 in Netherlands, #2 in Germany, #3 in the UK and #8 in the United States. The single also made top ten appearances on the charts of 10 other countries and was certified platinum in the year of its release selling 1,000,000 copies before October 31, 1995.
On this day in Hip Hop history, Eminem released his third, and most successful, studio album, The Marshall Mathers LP.
Executive produced by Dr. Dre and released under Aftermath/Interscope Records, this album sold 1.76 million copies in the first week alone, making it the fast selling album in music history (until 2015 when Adele‘s 25 smashed the record, selling 2.43 million). This success was set up well by Eminem’s previous release The Slim Shady LP, which shocked the world.
If you’ve ever listened to Eminem, you know how he rolls. If you’ve never listened to Eminem, this album may be the perfect amount of overwhelmingly violent and grotesque lyricism to either make you a life-long fan or turn to away forever (Slim Shady himself wouldn’t have it any other way). Eminem even kicks things off with a disclaimer warning any listener of what they’ve gotten themselves into listening to the album. Eminem touches subjects that a sensitive to the American public such as: depression, murder, rape, violence, suicide, mental disorder, drug abuse, homosexuality, and more. As beautifully painful as this album is, it is not for the faint of heart.
No album that speaks on what Eminem did on this project can be put out without ruffling feathers. The controversy that was met by this diamond certified album was monumental and set a precedent in Hip Hop for what you can and cannot say. Due to the ridiculous success of this project the backlash was international. Government officials across the globe had taken public stances against Eminem, his music, his supporters, and all that he stood for. US Senator Lynne Cheney was so up-in-arms against Eminem and his sponsors that she made an official statement against him saying,
“[Eminem is] promoting violence of the most degrading kind against women …[he is] a rap singer who advocates murder and rape.”
Ontario Attorney General Jim Flaherty attempted to keep Eminem from entering the country to perform at his October 26th, 2000 Toronto Skydome show saying,
“I personally don’t want anyone coming to Canada who will come here and advocate violence against women”.
Commercially, this is the most successful rap album of all time. The album is certified diamond in the selling 12.5 million copies in the United States alone. Overseas, the album went multiplatinum in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. It goes without saying that this album was also #1 on charts across the world. The album claimed top spot on music charts in three continents, appearing on charts in four. The album was nominated for two Grammy including Album of Year and Best Rap Album which it won.
The critical response to the album was just as outstanding as its sales. Eminem has been hailed as one of the holy trinity of biggest-selling rappers, the other two being 2Pac and Biggie of course. This album can be said to be the project that earned him his spot in that conversation. Regardless of how dark and twisted the lyrics may have been, the way they were put together was nearly flawless. Each bar spat was masterfully crafted. Slim Shady’s diction and syntax were unparalleled to anything out at the time. He balances both punch line concentrated rap and storytelling so well that this album is less of a compilation of songs and more of an autobiographical narrative describing what was going on in Em’s life at the time this album was written.
Following this project, Eminem went on to release two albums that were only marginally less successful that their predecessor before taking a five year hiatus from releasing music. In 2009 Eminem came back on the scene with three new albums over the next four years, none which were as successful as the first four. Nonetheless, Eminem is one of the greatest and the top selling rapper in the history of the genre. He deserves all accolades that he has been awarded. Take some time out today to listen to his greatest work.
Luka Doncic scored 15 of his game-high 33 points in the 4th quarter, and Kyrie Irving added 30 as the Dallas Mavericks closed the game with a 10-3 run to secure a 108-105 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. Doncic and Irving combined for 63 points, improving Dallas to 15-8 this season when the duo scored 60+ points together.
In a tightly contested game where neither team held a double-digit lead, the Mavs and Wolves traded significant runs in the final period, with Dallas having the final answer. Minnesota outshot Dallas from beyond the arc, making 18 three-pointers to the Mavs’ six, giving them a 54-18 edge in points off threes. However, Dallas dominated the paint with a 62-38 advantage and shot an impressive 94.1% (16-17) from the free-throw line compared to Minnesota’s 61.1% (11-18).
Dallas became the fifth team in playoff history to win a game despite making at least 12 fewer threes than their opponent. The last team to achieve this was the Lakers, who defeated Golden State in last year’s second round despite a 15-three deficit.
Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels led his team with 24 points, hitting a career-high six threes. Anthony Edwards contributed 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists, making five threes, while big men Naz Reid and Karl-Anthony Towns combined for five more.
Doncic, who scored 19 of his 33 points in the second half, including 15 in the fourth quarter, led the Mavs’ rally. Two years after exiting the West Finals against the Warriors, Doncic and Irving are now spearheading Dallas to a 1-0 lead in the series. The duo became the sixth pair of teammates to each score 30+ points in their first Conference Finals game together, the first since Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday in 2021 for Milwaukee.
Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals tips off on Friday at 8:30 ET on TNT.
THE CHI scored its best premiere ever on Paramount+ with Showtime, attracting nearly 2 million total viewers across platforms. This marks a 4% increase since the last season’s first-half premiere, setting a new record in streaming viewership.
Viewership rose by a strong 11% in the first week within the initial three days. Social media engagement surged dramatically, with an impressive 421% increase in social viewership (8 million) and a 380% boost in engagement (368,000) over the first seven days. The show also garnered over 500,000 new followers since the last season, highlighting its growing popularity and fan base.
These numbers underscore the series’ continued success and expanding audience, solidifying THE CHI as a major hit on Paramount+ with Showtime.
Paramount+ has renewed The Chi for Season 7, ahead of the forthcoming premiere of the second half of the sixth season.
Get this: the first half of Season 6 was the series’ most-streamed season to date. Regarding numbers, it was streamed 25 percent more than the fifth season. Season 7 kicks off production this month in the Chi, pun intended.
“Lena Waithe is a generational storyteller, whose authentic and unflinching narratives in The Chi resonate deeply, offering a powerful lens into both the complexities of life in Chicago as well as the Black experience in America,” said Nina L. Diaz, President of Content and Chief Creative Officer, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks. “On the heels of a record-breaking season and ahead of this week’s return, we’re excited to provide fans with the promise of more – ensuring that they can continue to enjoy the raw, emotional stories and unforgettable characters that have made this seminal series a resounding success for Showtime.”
Lena Waithe created and executive produced The Chi, which is also executive produced by Common, “is a timely coming-of-age story centering on a group of residents on the South Side of Chicago who become linked by coincidence but bonded by the need for connection and redemption.” The cast includes Jacob Latimore, Alex Hibbert, Yolonda Ross, Shamon Brown Jr., Michael V. Epps, Birgundi Baker, Luke James and Curtiss Cook.
The wide range of stars in recurring and guest star roles include Lynn Whitfield, Jill Marie Jones, Kadeem Hardison, Leon, Brett Gray, Daniel J. Watts, Kandi Burruss, La La Anthony, Vic Mensa, Carolyn Michelle Smith, Jason Weaver, Iman Shumpert, Nia Jervier, L’lerrét Jazelle, Hannaha Hall, Ahmad Ferguson, Genesis Denise Hale, Joel Steingold, Judae’a Brown, Miriam A. Hyman, Tyla Abercrumbie, Tai Davis, Rolando Boyce and Tory O. Davis.
Additional executive producers are Aaron Kaplan, Rick Famuyiwa, Derek Dudley, Shelby Stone, and Rishi Rajani. Executive producers Justin Hillian and Jewel Coronel are the Season 6 co-showrunners. Co-executive producers are Naomi Funabashi and Resheida Brady. Deondray Gossfield and Quincy LeNear Gossfield, who are producers, directed multiple Season 6 episodes.