President Biden says coronavirus is still a problem but circumstances are changing and ‘everybody seems to be in pretty good shape’.
Joe Biden has said “the pandemic is over” in an interview broadcast on Sunday, though he admitted “we still have a problem with Covid”, as the US continues to grapple with coronavirus infections that kill hundreds of Americans a day.
The president told CBS’s 60 Minutes: “We still have a problem with Covid. We’re still doing a lotta work on it. But the pandemic is over. If you notice, no one’s wearing masks. Everybody seems to be in pretty good shape. And so I think it’s changing.”
A popular Miami doctor has been banned from performing Brazilian butt lift surgeries after a patient died on the operating table the same day.
According to the Miami Herald, 33-year-old patient died after the Instagram-famous Dr. John Sampson performed BBL surgery on June 16, 2021.
According to an autopsy report obtained by the Herald, Sampson punctured the woman’s liver and intestines during the procedure.
The Florida Board of Medicine banned Sampson from performing the BBL procedure again. He was also fined $20,000 and $5,626 for the board’s investigation and prosecution costs.
Sampson was ordered to study five hours of continuing education in medical records keeping, a one-hour lecture on liposuction and gluteal fat grafting surgeries, and he can’t be the head physician at any private or public medical office or surgery center.
On this day in 1989, Big Daddy Kane released his sophomore album It’s a Big Daddy Thing on the Warner Bros./Cold Chillin label. Along with being a successful follow up to Kane’s classic debut, this album was the first to suggest Big Daddy Kane be Hip Hop’s sex symbol.
With a wider appeal than Long Live the Kane and a new and improved sound coming from an all-star production team (featuring Marley Marl, Prince Paul, Easy Mo Bee, Teddy Riley,
To date, It’s a Big Daddy Thing is Kane’s most successful project with over 500,000 copies in the United States. The album has been regarded by many major publications as a Golden Era classic. Album single “Warm It Up, Kane” even appeared on Playback FM in the 2004 cult classic video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
On September 14, Rae Sremmurd linked with Making Wishes Matter to organize a water drive for their fellow Mississippians, who are currently without potable drinking water. The rap superstars donated more than 2 trucks full with over 100 cases of water, 100 water filters to the elderly and called on fans to pitch in too. Slim Jxmmi and Swae Lee then personally delivered the bounty to communities in need.
The hip-hop duo were greeted by friends and fans, who turned out in droves to help the cause. Jxmmi shared a video from the event on Instagram to spread the news. “We are at the truck,” he said. “We got plenty of water, man! Shoutout to everybody [who] came out, got down. Lots of water. We comin’ to Jackson. Let’s get it.” This crisis is the result of the Pearl River flooding in August — an event that left more than 150,000 residents scrambling for drinking water.
Rae Sremmurd’s community outreach comes after the pair dropped the singles “Community D***” and “Denial” their first song together in more than four years, earlier this year. Prior to that, the brothers made a name for themselves as the preeminent harmonizers of hip-hop, racking up numerous hits beginning with 2014’s “No Flex Zone.” Their first two albums, 2015’s SremmLife and the following year’s SremmLife 2, were each certified Platinum, and the latter spawned the group’s first No. 1 hit, the Gucci Mane-assisted “Black Beatles.”
According to report from CNN, music exec and manager to rapper/actor Ludacris, Chaka Zulu, has been charged with murder in connection to a shooting in June at an Atlanta restaurant in which one person lost their life. Even though the co-founder of Luda’s Disturbing Tha Peace imprint is claiming self-defense, Atlanta Police have charged Zulu with murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and simple battery.
On Tuesday, Zulu surrendered and was booked into the Fulton County Jail. He was released the same day on $200,000 bond, according to jail records. He has been the only one charged in the crime since the shooting.
Zulu, whose given name is Ahmed Obafemi, was one of three people found by police with gunshot wounds in the parking lot of a Buckhead shopping center on Peachtree Road. One of the other men, 23-year-old Artez Jamil Benton, died from his injuries. Benton is described as a hard working young man, graduating with honors from Druid Hills High School then attended Young Harris College, recruited as a baseball player, and also received a partial academic scholarship. Benton graduated last year with his business degree. Obafemi’s attorney, Gabe Banks, claims that Zulu only fired his weapon in self defense and if he did not defend himself, he may have been the one who lost his life that night.
Banks offered a full statement this morning (September 18) about the incident and charges brought against his client:
“Mr. Chaka Zulu, a beloved son of the City of Atlanta, is disappointed in the Atlanta Police Department’s decision to bring charges against him surrounding the shooting that occurred in June 2022. A close review of all the evidence, including the surveillance footage and eyewitness interviews, reveals that Mr. Zulu was attacked and jumped from behind by a gang of at least four individuals (sadly including the decedent) and was forced to defend himself after this gang repeatedly stomped, punched and kicked him while he was on the ground in a defenseless posture. Mr. Zulu was shot in the back during the shooting and nearly lost his life, and is still recovering from the nearly fatal injuries he sustained that evening. Mr. Zulu was at his place of business that might and had every reason to defend himself. In an attempt to save his life, Mr. Zulu lawfully discharged his weapon in self-defense, a weapon that he is licensed to carry. Mr. Zulu fully cooperated with law enforcement officials and their investigation, and voluntarily turned himself in once he teared of the arrest warrants. Mr. Zulu remains confident that his name will be cleared of all charges through the judicial process. It is not lost on Mr. Zulu that someone lost his life, but had Mr. Zulu not lawfully defended himself, Mr. Zulu would have been killed that night.”
Former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed served as a spokesman for the family after the shooting, while Zulu remained hospitalized.
“We are fortunate to report that Chaka Zulu is in stable condition and recovering,” Reed said. “The family thanks everyone for their well wishes and prayers, and asks for their privacy at this time.”
On this date in 2000, Dipset general Cam’ron released his second album Sports, Drugs And Entertainment on Untertainment Records, which was owned by his former manager Lance “Un” Rivera.
Originally titled The Rough, Rough, Rough Album, S.D.E. features appearances Destiny’s Child, Noreaga, Dutch & Spade, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Prodigy, Freekey Zeekey, Juelz Santana, and Jim Jones, which is the infantile stages of the Dipset movement.
Tracks like “What Means The World To You” and the title track produced by world famous Harlem DJ Ron G led the album to a great reception from Cam fans, but the commercial success was on hold until the Dipset revolution.
Salute to Harlem World vet Cam’ron, Untertainment and the rest of the crew that helped make this project a Hip-Hop classic!
YouTube vlogger Tasha K insists she will not pay rapper Cardi B any of the $1.25 million she was ordered to pay until she has exhausted all appeals process. The two have been going back and forth on social media because Cardi B is still waiting for Tasha K to pay up after winning a $1.25 million defamation lawsuit against the blogger earlier this year.
Tasha K was found guilty and ordered to pay the rapper $4 million in damages to after the jury found her liable for defamation, false light invasion of privacy, and intention of emotional distress.
Cardi hopped in the comments section of a post on the Neighbourhood Talk of a screenshot of the NYC rapper liking a tweet about lawsuits. The tweet said suing people was only a problem with Cardi doing it.
“I don’t care what y’all say,” Cardi wrote in response. “Cause I bet the same people commenting were the same ones calling me weak, sensitive, and saying I needed tougher skin when a woman lied on my health, father, my mother, and harassed all my friends and family …THIS is what I was fighting for while others laughed.”
In response to Cardi, Tasha released a scathing live on Instagram directed to Cardi.
Next week, September 21st, Aisha Hall and Shawana King of PTM Consulting alongside Harlem megastar Jim Jones are giving away phones and tablets that have free internet access to low income families. The giveaway will take place at Momma Zee’s Food & Deli at 2061 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd, New York, NY 10027 from 12 pm-4 pm.
The goal of this event is to provide people who received state or federal benefits or people from low-income areas receive free internet access. In order to qualify for the phone or tablet, you must be currently receiving:
Food stamps
Social Security Income
Medicaid
WIC
Free School Lunch
Come from a low-income background such as public housing
The names are run through a national verification system and if approved, the person will receive their tablet or phone device. There will only be 250-300 phones and tablets at the location, so the devices are on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please bring a valid ID or your benefits card to apply. There is a twenty-dollar activation fee for the phone and tablets. PTM Consulting, are also open to hiring people who would want to provide phone and tablet service to the community.
Jim Jones + Aisha Hall + Shawana King GIVE BACK
WED September 21st
12 pm-4 pm.
Giving phones and tablets that have free internet access.
Momma Zee’s Food & Deli 2061 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd New York, NY 10027
On today’s date, 43 years ago, Hip Hop’s first Billboard Top 40 single, “Rapper’s Delight,” was released by Englewood, New Jersey’s Sugarhill Gang. As one of Hip Hop’s earliest relics, this single, written by The Cold Crush Brothers’ own Grandmaster Caz, is credited with bringing the art of rap to a multicultural mainstream audience.
In the ’70s, disco and soul still reigned supreme in the clubs and lounges of the country’s urban centers. In its most primitive form, Hip Hop was still misunderstood (and exclusive to New York City and California). Breaking, tagging, rapping, and spinning records were widely recognized as the borderline criminal activities of whatever city’s urban youth. The culture’s cult following was majority made up of housing project residence, the type to not frequent the discos and bars of their respective downtown centers. Every once in and awhile, someone would drop a single that would break through and get some shine on the club scene but never make much of a splash nationally. “Rapper’s Delight” was a different story.
On September 20, 1979, new wave bands Blondie andChic were playing a concert at New York’s renown Palladium with British punk rock band The Clash; Hip Hop’s earliest socialite (and soon to be television host)Fab Five Freddy was on the scene with Sugarhill Gang members Big Bank Hank, Mike Wright, and Master Gee. Having just released a single featuring Chic’s hit single “Good Times” from their recent international album Risqué, it was natural for the gang to hop on stage and start freestyling as soon as Chic dropped the bass line.
Sometime later, Chic’s Nile Rodgers was out at New York’s Club Leviticus and heard a recorded cut of the very song The Sugarhill Gang ever-so-delightfully interrupted his concert weeks earlier. Enraged, Rodgers immediately sought legal action and attempted to sue the Sugarhill Gang for using his band’s instrumental in their single. The lawsuit was settled out of court, and appropriate credit was given to Chic in their part of the song.
With the lawsuit and legal attention came a swarm of popularity. Disc Jockeys in clubs across the country began to spin this record every night of the week. The single gained so much play in the United States that clubs across the globe began to push this song like no tomorrow. Although the single may have peaked at #36 on the Billboard 200, it was #1 in Canada and the Netherlands, #2 in Belgium, France, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and #3 in Germany and the UK. This single song sold platinum in both the United States and Canada, with over 5 million copies sold worldwide.
“Rapper’s Delight” may be the most important single of Hip Hop culture. It didn’t event style, it wasn’t the first to gain mainstream success, it wasn’t even from New York, but it was the biggest of its time. What “Rapper’s Delight” did was make it “ok” to listen to and support rap music out in the open. Before this single, Hip Hop was an urban taboo. Upon its release, the connotation transformed from one synonymous with the ghetto to a new and hip musical genre. In a way, “Rapper’s Delight” gentrified Hip Hop in a way that made it profitable. Without it, the culture would not be a powerful as it is today.
According to a report from TMZ, Tory Lanez can breathe easy for a couple of months as his trial in the Megan Thee Stallion shooting has been postponed because of his lawyer’s schedule.
The report says that the new trial date will be between November 28 and December 8, with Megan’s former best friend, Kelsey Harris, who was in the SUV with Megan and Tory on the night of the shooting, is set to testify for the prosecution.
In December 2021, a LAPD officer testified that Megan initially reported that she cut her foot on glass before she reported that the injury was caused by Lanez shooting her while yelling, “Dance, bitch! Dance!! She claimed that she was trying to protect Lanez in the apex of the George Floyd murder and riots, fearing what would happen if she told police that he had a gun.
Tory’s facing one count of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and one count of carrying a concealed, unregistered weapon.
He’s plead not guilty, but if convicted, he could face up to 22 years in prison.
