Jalen Brunson scored 44 points and added seven assists to lead the New York Knicks to a decisive 121-91 victory over the Indiana Pacers, breaking the 2-2 series tie and bringing the Knicks within one game of their first Conference Finals appearance since 2000.
Brunson became the fourth player in NBA history to record at least five games with 40+ points and 5+ assists in a single postseason, joining legends Jerry West, LeBron James, and Michael Jordan. Brunson scored or assisted 62 of New York’s points, marking the fourth time he has been responsible for 60+ points in these playoffs—the most by any Knick since the play-by-play era began in 1997-98.
Brunson was unstoppable in the first half, scoring 10 points in the first quarter and 18 in the second, helping the Knicks build a 15-point lead. His 28 first-half points are the most in a half by a Knick in the play-by-play era.
After the Pacers’ dominant 32-point win in Game 4, the Knicks responded with their fourth-largest playoff victory in franchise history, finishing with a 30-point margin.
Isaiah Hartenstein was a force on the boards, grabbing 12 offensive rebounds, tying Charles Oakley’s record from May 1994. Hartenstein finished with 7 points and 17 rebounds, while Josh Hart recorded his fourth double-double of the series with 18 and 11 rebounds.
Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 22 points, but Tyrese Haliburton was limited to 13 points and five assists.
The series heads back to Indiana for Game 6 on Friday, where the Knicks will look to close out the series, and the Pacers will fight to stay alive.
On the night he received the Michael Jordan Trophy for his third MVP in four years, Nikola Jokic delivered an unprecedented performance in NBA Playoffs history. Jokic recorded 40 points, 13 assists, and 0 turnovers, leading the Denver Nuggets to a 112-97 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves and a 3-2 series lead.
Jokic was particularly dominant in the third quarter, scoring 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting as the Nuggets outscored the Wolves 38-30, building a double-digit lead they never relinquished. His 13 assists were distributed to six different teammates: Christian Braun and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led with three apiece; Aaron Gordon, Reggie Jackson, and Jamal Murray each received two; and Michael Porter Jr. had one.
Aaron Gordon followed up his impressive Game 4 performance (27 points on 11-of-12 shooting) with an 18-point, 10-rebound, and five-assist effort in Game 5. Murray and Caldwell-Pope contributed 16 points each.
The Nuggets have now won three consecutive games after dropping the first two at home, moving within one win of a return trip to the Western Conference Finals.
The Timberwolves, who received a combined 41 points from Karl-Anthony Towns (23 points, 6 rebounds) and Anthony Edwards (18 points, 9 assists), experienced their first three-game losing streak of the season.
The series now shifts back to Minnesota for Game 6, where the Nuggets will aim to close out the series and advance to the next round.
38 years ago, amidst the explosion of crack cocaine in the inner cities, one of the hottest albums from the Hollis Crew came out and further solidified their status of royalty in the world of Hip Hop. Today Run-D.M.C.’s third album celebrates its born day.
Raising Hell was the album that exposed Run, D, and Jam Master Jay to mainstream America and made them household names. Songs like “It’s Tricky” and the monumental “Walk This Way” with Aerosmith were heard on both urban and top 40 stations around the country and the globe. As trendsetters, they made Adidas with fat laces and even no laces a worldwide fashion statement with the song “My Adidas”. This recognition earned the trio a multimillion-dollar deal with Adidas, which was unprecedented for musicians of any kind at the time.
TheSource.com salutes Run-D.M.C. for this piece of Hip Hop history!
Nicki Minaj, the reigning queen of rap, has bid farewell to the North American leg of her Pink Friday 2 Tour with a triumphant finale earlier this week.
The iconic NYC artist embarked on her tour in March, igniting stages across the continent from Oakland, California, to Oklahoma City. With a total of 36 sold-out shows, Minaj has etched her name in the annals of music history, achieving a remarkable feat unmatched by any other female rapper.
Taking to Instagram on Tuesday (May 14), Minaj expressed her gratitude to her unwavering supporters, sharing a heartfelt moment captured during a recent episode of Angela Yee’s podcast. In the clip, Yee lauded Minaj for her unprecedented success, highlighting her achievement as the first female rapper to sell out every show consecutively on a tour. Moreover, the Pink Friday 2 Tour stands as the highest-grossing tour by a female rapper in history, a testament to Minaj’s enduring influence and undeniable star power.
In a poignant caption accompanying the post, Minaj extended her appreciation to her devoted fan base, affectionately known as The Barbz, and every resident of Gag City who made the tour an unforgettable experience. She also credited her dedicated team for orchestrating the tour with unparalleled creativity and flair.
But the celebration doesn’t end here. With a hint of anticipation, Minaj suggested the possibility of adding more tour dates in the United States, teasing that this is just the beginning of what’s to come. As she gears up to conquer European stages in the coming days, Minaj’s message resonates with a promise of more exhilarating performances and boundless success on the horizon.
As the curtains close on the North American leg of the Pink Friday 2 Tour, Nicki Minaj leaves behind a legacy of groundbreaking achievements and artistry. With her sights set on new horizons, Minaj continues to captivate audiences worldwide, solidifying her status as a trailblazer in the realm of hip-hop and beyond.
In a groundbreaking medical procedure that captured global attention, 62-year-old Richard Slayman made history as the first person to receive a kidney transplant from a genetically modified pig. However, just seven weeks after the pioneering surgery, Slayman tragically passed away.
Slayman died at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, the same facility where he underwent the historic transplant. The hospital, along with Slayman’s family, announced his passing on Saturday, expressing deep sadness at the sudden loss.
Despite the groundbreaking nature of the procedure, the hospital stated that there was no indication that Slayman’s death was directly related to the transplant. Initial assessments suggested that his body did not reject the pig’s kidney, raising questions about the cause of his untimely death.
Slayman’s battle with kidney disease spanned over a decade, during which he underwent kidney dialysis after his body rejected a human kidney transplant in 2018. With limited treatment options available, Slayman’s case fell under the FDA’s “compassionate use” rule, which allows experimental treatments for patients facing life-threatening conditions with no alternative remedies.
Researchers genetically modified the pig’s cells with 69 edits to its genetic code to reduce the risk of Slayman’s immune system rejecting the transplant. Despite the significant efforts to ensure the success of the procedure, Slayman’s passing underscores the complexities and uncertainties inherent in cutting-edge medical interventions.
In a statement, Slayman’s family expressed gratitude for the additional time they had with him following the transplant. “Their enormous efforts leading the xenotransplant gave our family seven more weeks with Rick, and our memories made during that time will remain in our minds and hearts,” the statement read.
While Slayman’s journey marked a significant milestone in the field of medical science, his passing serves as a reminder of the challenges and risks involved in pushing the boundaries of medical innovation.
On Monday(May 13), New York’s MTA(Mass Transit Authority) launched exclusive, limited edition MetroCards featuring Bronx rap princess Ice Spice.
50,000 of the new MetroCards were released throughout Manhattan and the Bronx and NYC straphangers stood in long lines at the MetroCard machine to get their hands on one of Ice Spice’s picture perfect Metros, donning an all-black “Versace Goddess” two-piece drip set. The limited-edition cars were released ahead of Ice Spice’s debut album, Y2 ,which she said was conceptualized from her mother’s fashion and cultural sense rooted in the turn of the millennium.
Back in 2022, Brooklyn’s own Notorious B.I.G, a.k.a. Biggie Smalls, a.k.a Christopher Wallace was also honored with a special limited edition MetroCard.
The Ice Spice MetroCard costs the same price as a regular Metro.
While Da Beatminerz have come to define a very specific sound in Hip-Hop over the course of their illustrious career spanning more than three decades, the bulk of their production work is credited on albums by other artists. Their recent output, however, has been focused on their own proper full-length album, Stifled Creativity. On Friday (5/10/2024), the seminal Hip-Hop production duo, also known as the “Boom Bap Ambassadors”, shared the album’s second single “My Year“, with verses from De La Soul, Pharoahe Monch, Rasheed Chappell, and Corey Glover (of Living Colour). Today (5/14/2024), the song’s vibrant Anthony Edwards-animated music video debuted on YouTube.
“Been friends with De La since 88 and Monch since 87 so the relationship was already there. I met them all at the record store I worked at (Music Factory in Jamaica, Queens) and this is the second song I did with both (De La “The Hustle” & Monch “Tight [REMIX]”, explains Mr. Walt of Da Beatminerz). “My Year” was one of the first songs we worked on when we started the album and the order you hear them in is the order we made. It took a minute to get Dave’s vocals because of his health. When we got them, We were so grateful and appreciative. He didn’t have to do the song but he came through & that the world to me.I met Rasheed through Kenny Dope. When I heard him, I automatically wanted to work with him, so when we put the blueprint together for the song, I knew he would fit perfectly. The icing on the cake was Corey Glover (Thanks to Guy Routte). Everything came together just how we wanted.”
DJ Akademiks is the subject of a lawsuit alleging he committed rape and defamation against a woman named Fauziya Abashe.
In the sprawling story from Rolling Stone, Akademiks, born Livingston Allen, is accused of allowing Abashe to be raped by two men that were at his New Jersey home on July 16, 2022.
According to the report, Abashe did not know two women would be present. Those men are said to have drugged her and forced her with alcohol before assaulting and raping her on the pool deck.
Abashe states she lost consciousness during the incident, only to wake up at 4 a.m. on July 16, as Akademiks was raping her. Abashe states Akademiks was “pulling her hair, prying open her legs, and brutally raping her.” She also states she was penetrated anally and vaginally, while pleading for the entire ordeal to stop. She also states she was unable to “move physically.”
The lawsuit details Abashe asked Akademiks about details, in which he showed her a trash can with two condom wrappers, alluding to the woman being taken to another room of the home where the rape continued. Akademiks also allegedly showed video camera footage of the pool deck, where Abashe states she was “lying there lifeless, which did not sit right with her.”
On July 17, Akademiks told Abashe to “get tested,” which led her to believe their encounter was unprotected. Abashe contacted the police and received a rape kit, revealing traces of Akademiks’ sperm. Also collected were images of bruises on her arm, back, legs, and buttocks.
Aiding in the investigation, Abashe participated in a recorded call with Akademiks where he recalled the two having sex and describing the vagina. Law enforcement received a warrant to investigate Akademiks’ home. Abase believes Ak disposed of any evidence.
Abashe did not press charges but decided to sue after allegations were brought forth at the end of 2023. In a social media stream, Akademiks stated, “She was getting trained by my two mens on my pool deck.” Akademiks also stated she voluntarily engaged in an orgy but he never participated.
Akademiks did not reply to Rolling Stone with a comment.
Akademiks had his first stream of 2024 on Jan. 2. During the stream, Ak spoke about allegations levied against him by Abashae and revealed he was in full cooperation with the police.
“This situation went to the cops over a year and a half ago,” Ak said. “Me and my lawyer were openly cooperative because, serious allegations. I don’t care who’s involved, I don’t want weird shit happening around me.
“We helped the police. ‘Whatever you need! You want a phone? You want passcodes? Let’s decrypt our DVR.’ There is nothing they did not see.”
He added, “It was officially ruled by the D.A. and the police that there was nothing there. There ain’t no charges, there won’t be no charges and there’s documentation.”
You can hear it all from Akademiks below.
DJ Akademiks trended on social media to close in 2023 after Abashae stated in an Instagram Live Ak and two of his friends allegedly committed the crime.
“For you to pretend you didn’t do anything? That I just went to your house, and I’m some thot, like we didn’t know each other for two years,” Abashae said. “You tried to save yourself after your friends assaulted me. Whether or not you got drunk or not, I know that when you woke up, you were on top of me too. You raped me too.”
Additional claims online feature a woman stating that Akademiks engaged in communication with her until she was 18 before he attempted to have sex with her and a video surfacing with a woman screaming in the background.
Allegedly akademiks is linking & flying out underage girls & keeping in contact with girls to turn 18 to have sex with. This is a new story & their are multiple girls coming out about him making them drink to the point their unconscious & unresponsive so he can assault them pic.twitter.com/anE2QiChln
Today, four-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated, multi-platinum Atlanta rap superstar Gunna dropped the official music video for his new track “Whatsapp (Wassam),” directed by Leff, off his new album OneofWun.
The “Whatsapp (Wassam)” video arrives off the heels of the release of Gunna’s fifth studio album One of Wun, and notably marks his first full length release since his 2023 chart topping album a Gift & a Curse. The 20-track album boasts superstar collaborations with Offset, Normani, LeonBridges and Roddy Ricch – get it HERE.
The One of Wun artwork was created by Calvin Clausell Jr., featuring creative direction by Spike Jordan of The Genius Club, as well as art direction and design by TalMidyan.
‘TheBittersweetTour’ continues on May 16, with a performance in Seattle at WAMUTheater, making additional stops in Phoenix, Houston, Miami and more before wrapping up on June 11th in Atlanta, GA at StateFarmArena.
Whelp, scratch another story about the culture from your queue because The Other Black Girl just hit a roadblock on Hulu.
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, the adaptation of Zakiya Dalila Harris’ novel was axed after just one season. Set in an upscale New York City publishing firm, Hulu’s Onyx Collective series followed Nella (portrayed by Sinclair Daniel), who initially welcomes the arrival of another Black woman, Hazel (played by Ashleigh Murray), only to find herself entangled in a web of competition.
Now, the show is good. If you trust critics because despite receiving praise on Rotten Tomatoes with a commendable 86 percent fresh rating, The Hollywood Reporter points out that audience reception was lukewarm. That happens. The audience score was around 50 percent approval. So half of the audience liked or loved it, while the other half probably hated it. Social media buzz mirrored this sentiment anecdotally, with some viewers lauding the show’s narrative while others felt it lacked innovation.
However, JaJuan Malachi’s review for Shadow and Act in 2023 highlighted The Other Black Girl‘s exploration of Black professionals’ challenges in corporate environments. Describing it as an examination of conforming to workplace norms to survive, Malachi emphasized the pressure to sacrifice integrity for advancement.
Although the series won’t return for a second season, its first season covered the entirety of the novel, prompting speculation about its status as a limited series. With no source material left for a potential Season 2, questions arise regarding its classification.
Despite the cancellation, showrunners Jordan Reddout and Gus Hickey expressed interest in continuing the story. Reddout mentioned to The Hollywood Reporter, “It’s something we constantly talk about and would be very exciting to do,” while Hickey added, “Since we changed the ending, we want the chance to show everyone what’s going to happen now. There’s a lot to explore.”
