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Most Value Hip-Hop Artifact Ever: Tupac’s Self-Designed Crown Ring Auction Price Soars Past $1 Million

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Tupac's Self-Designed Crown Ring Auction Price Soars Past $1 Million

Tupac Shakur’s iconic Gold, Ruby, and Diamond Crown Ring, personally designed and commissioned by the legendary rapper in 1996, achieved a groundbreaking milestone at auction, selling for an astounding $1,016,000. This historic sale marks the most valuable Hip Hop artifact ever sold at auction and the only one to surpass the $1 million mark, surpassing its estimated value by more than triple.

Worn by Tupac during his final public appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1996, the ring holds a sentimental inscription “Pac & Dada 1996,” a reference to his engagement to Kidada Jones, his sweetheart.

The auction, which saw an impressive total of $1.8 million, ranks as the second-highest for a dedicated Hip Hop sale at Sotheby’s. Tupac’s custom crown ring embodies his signature aesthetic and is a treasured piece of Hip Hop history. The design, inspired by the crowns of medieval European kings, reflects Tupac’s act of self-coronation and his triumphant journey through a turbulent life. The ring’s central cabochon ruby and diamond embellishments add to its regal symbolism, linking it to the imagery of monarchy and wealth. This legendary artifact is a testament to Tupac Shakur’s lasting impact on music, culture, and the world.

You can see the ring below.

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Tupac Shakur’s Self Designed Gold, Diamond and Ruby ‘Crown’ Ring 1


Tupac Shakur’s Self Designed Gold, Diamond and Ruby ‘Crown’ Sovereign Ring 3


Tupac Shakur’s Self Designed Gold, Diamond and Ruby ‘Crown’ Sovereign Ring 4

The post Most Value Hip-Hop Artifact Ever: Tupac’s Self-Designed Crown Ring Auction Price Soars Past $1 Million first appeared on The Source.

The post Most Value Hip-Hop Artifact Ever: Tupac’s Self-Designed Crown Ring Auction Price Soars Past $1 Million appeared first on The Source.

[WATCH] A$AP Rocky Delivers New “RIOT (ROWDY PIPE’N)” Video

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A$AP Rocky Delivers New "RIOT (ROWDY PIPE'N)" Video

A$AP Rocky treats fans to an electrifying new video for his latest track, “RIOT (Rowdy Pipe’n),” directed by A$AP Rocky/AWGE. The song, released on July 21st, is a sneak peek into his highly anticipated upcoming album under A$AP Worldwide/RCA Records. Notably, the track boasts production credits from the multi-talented Pharrell Williams, adding to its allure.

Alongside the song release, Rocky collaborated with Beats to launch a campaign for the all-new Beats Studio Pro. In a short film titled “Iconic Sound,” directed and starring Rocky himself, the Beats Studio Pro takes center stage, showcasing the perfect blend of music and technology.

The excitement doesn’t end there; during his Rolling Loud performance, Rocky surprised fans with a sneak preview of three unreleased songs, including “STOLE YA FLOW,” further building anticipation for his forthcoming album.

The post [WATCH] A$AP Rocky Delivers New “RIOT (ROWDY PIPE’N)” Video first appeared on The Source.

The post [WATCH] A$AP Rocky Delivers New “RIOT (ROWDY PIPE’N)” Video appeared first on The Source.

Will Carlee Russell Faces Charges for Pulling a Kidnapping Hoax?

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Carlee Russell Fired From Alabama Spa She Worked Before Disappearing

Carlee Russell has owned up to pulling a kidnapping hoax. Russell was supposed to meet with the police on Monday. Instead, she submitted a statement through her attorney admitting none of the kidnapping stories she told was true.

Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis read a statement from Emory Anthony read a statement from Russell on Monday:

“My client has given me permission to make the following statement on her behalf. There was no kidnapping on Thursday, July 13, 2023. My client did not see a baby on the side of the road. My client did not leave the Hoover area when she was identified as a missing person. My client did not have help in this incident, that this was a single act done by herself. My client was not with anyone or any hotel with anyone from the time she was missing. My client apologizes for her actions to this community, the volunteers who were searching for her, to the Hoover Police Department and other agencies as well as to her friends and family. We ask for your prayers for Carlee as she addresses her issues and attempts to move forward, understanding that she made a mistake in this matter. Carlee, again, asks for your forgiveness and prayers.”

Also releasing a statement was Russell’s ex-boyfriend, Thomar Latrell Simmons, who stated he was “blindsided” and “disgusted.” He wrote, “Thank you to all my family, friends, and the nation for support through this. “The severity in this matter has not been overlooked, and I deeply respect the genuine support shared during this situation.”

With the confirmation of a hoax, the question now becomes whether Russell will face charges. According to AL.com, no charges are currently lined up against Russell, but a meeting will occur between Derzis and Anthony about the case. In addition, Derzis is speaking with Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office in the Bessemer Cutoff about criminal charges.

Potential charges could be false reporting to law enforcement authorities or falsely reporting an incident. There is also the possibility of a Class A misdemeanor of false reporting to law enforcement, which is punishable by up to one year in county jail or a year of labor in the county.

The post Will Carlee Russell Faces Charges for Pulling a Kidnapping Hoax? first appeared on The Source.

The post Will Carlee Russell Faces Charges for Pulling a Kidnapping Hoax? appeared first on The Source.

Tafari Campbell, Personal Chef for Obamas, Dead After Paddle Boarding Accident

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Tafari Campbell, Personal Chef for Obamas, Dead After Paddle Boarding Accident

Tafari Campbell, a former White House sous chef under former president Barack Obama, has died. Campbell eventually became The Obamas’ personal chef.

According to PEOPLE, on Monday, Campbell died in a paddleboarding accident near the Obama estate at Matha’s Vineyard. He was 45 years old. Campbell was recovered from a pond by divers.

“MSP Underwater Recovery Unit divers made the recovery after the victim’s body was located by Massachusetts Environmental Police Officers deploying side-scan sonar from a boat,” Massachusetts State Police said in the release, noting the recovery was made “approximately 100 feet from shore at a depth of about eight feet.”

The Obamas were not present then but shared a tribute after the news broke, calling him “a beloved part of our family.”

“When we first met him, he was a talented sous chef at the White House — creative and passionate about food, and its ability to bring people together. In the years that followed, we got to know him as a warm, fun, extraordinarily kind person who made all of our lives a little brighter.

That’s why, when we were getting ready to leave the White House, we asked Tafari to stay with us, and he generously agreed. He’s been part of our lives ever since, and our hearts are broken that he’s gone.

Today we join everyone who knew and loved Tafari — especially his wife Sherise and their twin boys, Xavier and Savin — in grieving the loss of a truly wonderful man.”

The post Tafari Campbell, Personal Chef for Obamas, Dead After Paddle Boarding Accident first appeared on The Source.

The post Tafari Campbell, Personal Chef for Obamas, Dead After Paddle Boarding Accident appeared first on The Source.

Antonio Brown Shares Photo With Yung Miami: ‘She Don’t Need Diddy’

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Antonio Brown Shares Photo With Yung Miami: 'She Don't Need Diddy'

Antonio Brown is trying to steal everyone’s girl. AB was on hand at Rolling Loud Miami, and he ran into Yung Miami. The two took a picture, and AB brought it right over to Instagram: “Told Caresha I’m in the city, She don’t need diddy”

AB also performed at Rolling Loud and could be seen flooded by fans in the crowd.

Last week, Adam22 was the subject of online ridicule since his wife filmed a sex tape with porn star Jason Luv. Former NFL star and current rapper Antonio Brown has a visual sexual history of his own and hit Twitter to ask Adam22 to be the next person to sleep with his wife, Lena the Plug.

“Lemme get next @Adam22,” Brown wrote. In response, Adam had a sharp response: “What are you gonna do with it with your little ass meat.”

The post Antonio Brown Shares Photo With Yung Miami: ‘She Don’t Need Diddy’ first appeared on The Source.

The post Antonio Brown Shares Photo With Yung Miami: ‘She Don’t Need Diddy’ appeared first on The Source.

Latto Hits No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 with Feature on Jung Kook’s “Seven”

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Latto Hits No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 with Feature on Jung Kook's "Seven"

Latto has notched a first for Hip-Hop in 2023. Latto‘s new collaboration with Jung Kook, “Seven,” lands at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, making her the first rapper to get to that position in 2023. It is the first No. 1 of Latto’s career.

Latto celebrated the achievement on her Instagram story: “Oop am I a bora girl now? 🙈 Forever grateful!! Thanks JK for trusting me! Armypots up +10000.”

Jung Kook is a K-pop star and a member of the group BTS. The single is believed to be the first from his forthcoming album.

Other rappers in the Billboard Hot 100 top ten are Gunna at No. 6 with “fukumean” and Lil Durk and J. Cole’s collaboration “All My Life.”

“Seven” also tops the global Spotify chart with 10.937 million streams.

Wingstop, the popular fast-casual chicken brand known for its iconic flavors, has partnered with hip-hop artist Latto to launch a special collaboration. This partnership results in Latto’s Lemon Herb Remix, a zesty dry rub flavor created by Latto in collaboration with Wingstop’s culinary team. The new flavor is now available nationwide for a limited time.

Latto’s Lemon Herb Remix combines the tangy taste of lemon, aromatic herbs, and savory garlic, offering a unique and innovative flavor experience for Wingstop fans. To celebrate the collaboration, Wingstop and Latto have introduced The Latto Meal, a group meal with 21 classic wings, two dips, and one large fry, inspired by Latto’s signature 7-7-7 lottery-winning energy.

“You can’t beat this flavor don’t play with me!!! I crafted my very own Lemon Herb Remix flavor with Wingstop and it’s 10/10,” said Latto. “I’ve been obsessed and eating Wingstop for years. To order The Latto Meal just how I do, go with all flats in my signature flavor and all the ranch. It’s so good that you’ll be fighting over the last wing, just like my sister Brook and I do.”

The collaboration is showcased in Wingstop’s latest commercial, featuring Latto sharing hand-sauced Lemon Herb Remix wings and seasoned fries at a girls’ night, accompanied by her hit song “Put It on Da Floor.”

“Wingstop fans crave our differentiated flavor, and as an emerging artist, Latto has brought her own differentiated flavor to the music industry,” said Wingstop’s Chief Growth Officer, Anne Fischer. “We’re thrilled to bring this collaboration to life with Latto to bring flavor fans into Wingstop through big, bold flavor with the Lemon Herb Remix.”

The launch of Latto’s Lemon Herb Remix comes just in time for Wingstop Wing Day, also known as National Chicken Wing Day, on Saturday, July 29. Wingstop fans can enjoy five free wings by using the code FREEWINGS at checkout on Wingstop.com or the app.

Don’t miss the chance to indulge in this exciting flavor collaboration and celebrate Wingstop Wing Day with free wings!

The post Latto Hits No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 with Feature on Jung Kook’s “Seven” first appeared on The Source.

The post Latto Hits No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 with Feature on Jung Kook’s “Seven” appeared first on The Source.

[WATCH] Wack 100 Says Kodak Black Was Paid ‘A Whole Lot of Money’ to Collaborate with 6ix9ine

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Wack 100 Says Kodak Black Was Paid 'A Whole Lot of Money' to Collaborate with 6ix9ine

Kodak Black’s new collaboration with 6ix9ine may rub some wrong, but he was compensated well. According to Wack 100, he orchestrated the new single, and Black was paid “a whole lot of money” and a special gift from Wack.

Wack 100 reveals Black arrived late at night, and the rapper had “fire in his eyes” and had a “man-to-man” conversation with 6ix9ine.

“Right before he left, shit, we kept it gangsta,” Wack 100 said. “He came in a black car and he left in a Rolls Royce. tossed him the keys, tell him ‘go home.’ He put his baby seat in that bitch, jumped in the driver’s seat.”

The new single is titled “Shaka Laka.” You can hear the single and Wack’s detail of the new single below.

The distaste for snitches runs through Boosie Badazz’s entire family. Boosie’s son, Tootie Raww, throws shots at Kodak Black for teaming with 6ix9ine on a new single.

“@Kodakblack how u promise me a song then don’t do my song and hope on a song wit a rat smh,” Raww wrote on Instagram.

Boosie has openly against Tekashi and all informants. You can read more on that here.

The post [WATCH] Wack 100 Says Kodak Black Was Paid ‘A Whole Lot of Money’ to Collaborate with 6ix9ine first appeared on The Source.

The post [WATCH] Wack 100 Says Kodak Black Was Paid ‘A Whole Lot of Money’ to Collaborate with 6ix9ine appeared first on The Source.

URL Announces ‘Summer Madness XIII’ to Return to Caffeine on Aug. 27

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URL Announces 'Summer Madness XIII' to Return to Caffeine on Aug. 27

URL has unveiled the highly-anticipated lineup for Summer Madness XIII (SM13), cementing its status as the pinnacle in battle rap. Scheduled for Sunday, August 27, 2023, at The Ballroom at Warehouse Live in Houston, TX, the epic showdown will be broadcast live exclusively on Caffeine via the URL channel, with full replays available on The Ultimate Rap League’s App.

The electrifying matchups include Tay Roc vs. Ave, T-Top vs. John John Da Don, DNA vs. Jerry Wess, Fonz vs. Shotgun Suge, and Nu Jerzey Twork vs. Hollow Da Don, promising an unforgettable spectacle for battle rap enthusiasts worldwide.

Last year’s Summer Madness on Caffeine garnered over 2 million viewers, making it one of the platform’s most-watched events, with the official hashtag trending #1 on Twitter. In 2023, the URL channel amassed an impressive 143 million views across 680 streams, establishing Caffeine and URL as the ultimate destination for engaging with the thriving battle rap community.

URLTV SUMMER MADNESS COMING AUG 27TH

For the latest updates and information on how to watch Summer Madness 13, visit the URL channel on Caffeine: https://www.caffeine.tv/URLTV.

The post URL Announces ‘Summer Madness XIII’ to Return to Caffeine on Aug. 27 first appeared on The Source.

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Today In Hip Hop History: Eric B. And Rakim’s Sophomore LP ‘Follow The Leader’ Turns 35 Years Old!

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Eric B Rakim heavy gold

On this day in Hip Hop history in 1988, one of the culture’s most prolific duo’s Eric B. & Rakim released their sophomore LP Follow the Leader. Coming shortly after their game-changing debut Paid in Full, their second album showed that not only did the two find a formula of success but that they had yet to hit a ceiling. The refinement of both Rakim’s lyrical prowess and Eric B’s beat-making ability is evident in large part on this album. Follow the Leader had everything one could ask of an album from the Golden Era of Hip Hop.

Selling 500,000 within the year of its release, the album received gold certification as well as the #22 spot on the Billboard Pop Albums chart. Two of the four singles from the project, “Follow the Leader” and “Microphone Fiend” also made appearances on multiple Billboard music charts. Critically, this album received praise across the board being praised as more consistent and cohesive than the duo’s debut. Critics from numerous publications noted the growth of Eric B and Rakim as both rappers and pop icons. Although it may not have sold as many copies or made as much noise, Follow the Leader is in more ways than one a more polished project than Paid in Full and is in large part the reason for the duo’s longevity and status.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Eric B. And Rakim’s Sophomore LP ‘Follow The Leader’ Turns 35 Years Old! first appeared on The Source.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Eric B. And Rakim’s Sophomore LP ‘Follow The Leader’ Turns 35 Years Old! appeared first on The Source.

Quavo Seen With Hands Tied Behind His Back In Miami Yacht Robbery

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Screen Shot 2023 07 24 at 10.04.24 PM

Migos member Quavo has been identified as being aboard a yacht in Miami that was targeted in a thwarted robbery over the weekend.

Reports from the Miami Beach Police Dept. stated that two men on the yacht were angry at the captain once he announced that their rental time was up. Cornell A. Whitfield and Anteneh A. Workeneh allegedly told the captain that they would kill him and throw him in the water. Workeneh and Whitfield are also accused of taking the captain’s cell phone and wallet.

Page Six reported that Quavo, who was aboard the yacht with a group of women, was seen with his hands zip-tied behind his back. He was eventually let go by police, however, no arrests were made.

According to the same report, “[Police] let [Quavo] go later and he and his entourage left in these big black SUVs with blacked-out windows.” 

The post Quavo Seen With Hands Tied Behind His Back In Miami Yacht Robbery first appeared on The Source.

The post Quavo Seen With Hands Tied Behind His Back In Miami Yacht Robbery appeared first on The Source.