On Thursday (Sept. 26), Victoria Monét shared the tracklist for JAGUAR II (Deluxe), just a little over a week before it’s slated to hit streaming services on Oct. 4.
Hip Hop News
Remembering When Kamala Harris Hosted Last September’s 50th Anniversary Of Hip Hop Celebration
Just a friendly reminder that last September, almost a year ago plus a couple weeks, and before becoming the Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris hosted a celebration marking hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, reaffirming her connection to the culture.
On September 9, 2023, Harris welcomed some of hip-hop’s pioneers and stars, including Common, Jeezy, MC Lyte, and Roxanne Shante, to the vice presidential residence for the event.
ICYMI, Hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, was widely celebrated in 2023, traces its origins to an August 11, 1973 back-to-school party in the Bronx, where DJ Kool Herc first introduced the genre’s signature sound. Reflecting on the significance of hip-hop, Harris remarked, “Hip-hop is the ultimate American art form” and that it “shapes every aspect of America’s popular culture.” She emphasized, “Hip-hop culture is American culture.”
Harris who has been vocal about her respect and love for Hip Hop, also acknowledged the genre’s global impact, its role in social and racial justice movements, and its influence as a multibillion-dollar industry built on generations of artistic expression.
Quoting Public Enemy’s Chuck D, she said rap serves as “Black America’s CNN,” adding, “It has always channeled the voices of the people. It tells the stories that don’t make the news.”
That part.
That 2023 celebration featured performances and was a collaboration with the Recording Academy’s Black Music Collective and Live Nation Urban. Harris’s husband, Doug Emhoff, also embraced the spirit of the event, declaring, “This is a hip-hop household!”
While the celebration underscored Harris’s connection to the genre, the event highlighted the lasting impact of hip-hop on both American and global culture.
Curious. What did Trump do to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop? We’ll wait …
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The Murder of Young Dolph: Justin Johnson Found Guilty, Immediately Sentenced to Life
Looks justice was served in the murder of Young Dolph. Accused gunman Justin Johnson has just been found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and illegal possession of a firearm in connection with the death of Memphis rapper Young Dolph (Adolph Thornton Jr.).
A jury deliberated for just under four hours, Johnson was immediately sentenced to life in prison.
They move fast in Memphis, sheesh.
Get this, the trial lasted only four days, with testimony, closing arguments, and evidence presented by both sides. Johnson did not testify in his own defense. Key testimony came from Cornelius Smith, also charged with Dolph’s murder, who admitted to the killing and testified against Johnson. Shelby County Deputy District Attorney Paul Hagerman presented video and photo evidence that tied Johnson to the crime, showing him at key locations before and after the murder.
What’s more, District Attorney Steve Mulroy emphasized the significance of the case, stating, “Every murder’s a tragedy, and we take them all seriously. This one generated extra public interest because Young Dolph was a prominent and beloved member of the community.”
As for the defense, led by attorney Luke Evans, they argued that Johnson was not responsible for the crime, saying, “He didn’t kill Adolph Thornton Jr. He didn’t conspire to kill Adolph Thornton Jr. And he wasn’t the man holding the pistol in the Makeda video.” Despite these arguments, the jury sided with the prosecution.
Interestingly, Assistant District Attorney Irris Williams highlighted the challenge of hiding evidence in today’s world during closing arguments, stating, “It’s not 1981 anymore… It’s hard to keep a secret. It’s hard to hide who you’re talking to. It’s harder to hide your actions. And it’s even harder to hide who you know.”
Johnson’s defense attempted to no avail to have the case dismissed, arguing that the state had not provided enough evidence, especially regarding the conspiracy charge. However, the judge denied the motion.
While Johnson’s co-defendants Cornelius Smith and Hernandez Govan are also implicated, Govan, who is accused of ordering the hit, did not testify during the trial. Another suspect, Jermarcus Johnson, Justin Johnson’s half-brother, had previously pleaded guilty to accessory charges and testified against him.
Just dark all around and hopefully Dolph’s family can have some sense of peace now that the sentence was swiftly handed down.
Young Dolph was fatally shot on November 17, 2021, while buying cookies at Makeda’s Cookies in Memphis. Two men fired shots into the store from a stolen Mercedes-Benz, with video footage leading to their arrest.
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8Ball & MJG To Be Honored With Their Own Intersection In Memphis
8Ball and MJG are set to receive a significant honor in their hometown, with a local intersection being officially named after them to commemorate their legacy.
Diddy Investigation: Male Sex Worker Allegedly Gives Feds Freak Off Footage
Earlier this month, Diddy was arrested in NYC following months of shocking allegations and lawsuits. Now, the mogul is behind bars at a facility in Brooklyn, where he awaits trial. Reportedly, authorities have been hard at work gathering info about his alleged activities. According to TMZ, this included a recent conversation with a male sex worker.
A source tells the outlet that the sex worker met with federal prosecutors on Wednesday (September 25). Allegedly, he signed a proffer agreement, meaning he could speak with authorities without fear of prosecution. The source claims that the sex worker’s conversation with the feds revolved around Diddy, and a freak off he allegedly joined him for.
Read More: R Kelly Defends Diddy And Calls His Federal Investigation A “Conspiracy” In Resurfaced Report
Sex Worker Reportedly Speaks To Feds About His Alleged Threesome With Diddy
Allegedly, he once met up with Diddy and a woman in Miami and had sex with the woman while Diddy filmed. TMZ reports that the sex worker told authorities he had a copy of the video, which he allegedly handed over. The outlet’s account of how the sex worker described the alleged encounter appears to line up with Diddy’s lawyer Marc Agnifilo’s description of the Bad Boy Records founder’s freak offs. He told TMZ that they were threesomes, not wild orgies, despite rumors.
Agnifilo also recently revealed that his client plans to take the stand when his federal case goes to trial. “I don’t know that I could keep him off the stand,” he reportedly told the outlet. “I think he is very eager to tell his story and I think he will tell every part of his story.” What do you think of a sex worker allegedly giving federal prosecutors footage of one of Diddy’s freak offs? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Read More: Diddy Is Not Refusing Prison Meals Due To Poisoning Concerns, Source Alleges
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Young Dolph Murder Suspect Found Guilty & Receives Sentence
The Young Dolph murder trial reached a verdict on Thursday afternoon (September 26), as the jury found its first suspect, alleged gunman Justin Johnson, guilty. Moreover, two trials could still potentially take place for the other two defendants: Cornelius Smith (another alleged gunman) and Hernandez Govan (the alleged mastermind). Earlier today, the prosecution explained why Govan did not take the stand today. The court found Johnson, 25, guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced him to life in prison. However, the court has yet to determine a timeline as to Govan and Smith, a deliberative process that already saw many ups and downs throughout this trial.
“I don’t want to go into too much detail,” Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy explained to reporters about Govan’s absence. “But not every potential witness that we might have is necessary in a case. It’s not always necessary to bring everything you have to bear in order to prove everything beyond a reasonable doubt.” Smith and Govan also face first-degree murder charges in the Young Dolph case. A fourth accomplice, Johnson’s brother Jermarcus, already pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder charges.
Read More: Mia Jaye Pays Tribute To Young Dolph With Loving Birthday Post
Young Dolph Murder Suspect Found Guilty
Furthermore, Johnson’s lawyer Luke Evans accused the prosecution of omitting Govan’s testimony because it would negatively affect their efforts in the Young Dolph case. “I don’t have the ability to wave a magic wand and give him a reduced sentence if he comes in and testify for me,” Evans reportedly told the jury. “So he’s to my exclusion, to Mr. Johnson’s exclusion and to your exclusion. And if this is a truth-seeking function, why didn’t the state call him?” “He is a defendant,” Paul Hagerman – Shelby County’s Deputy District Attorney – retorted. “He is not a missing witness. That would be be insane,” he added, defending Govan’s right to not incriminate himself.
Meanwhile, Young Dolph’s murder also faced some other allegations as far as who was responsible. Yo Gotti and his late brother Big Jook have been accused of being involved in this tragedy in some way. However, those remain unconfirmed and unfounded allegations at press time. We will see in due time what will happen to the other suspects in this case, and if more revelations follow.
Read More: Young Dolph’s Alleged Shooter Says He Got Just $800 Of The Promised $40,000
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Dr. Dre’s “What’s The Difference” Is The Type Of Production We Want On The Next Snoop Dogg Album
Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg have one of the most anticipated projects of the year on their hands with Missionary. There isn’t a lot of information on the Doggystyle sequel, but there are some loose expectations that it will arrive in November of this year. Furthermore, the producer extraordinaire has been hyping it up sporadically, with the most recent chatter around it coming in August. In an ET conversation, he said, “This one is gonna show a different level of maturity with his (Snoop’s) lyrics and with my music”. There have certainly a lot of opportunities for said “maturity” over the years, as Doggystyle is over 30 years old.
So, we are hoping with all of that time Dr and Snoop are going to outdo themselves and bring another incredible listening experience. While we are looking back on that unofficial collaboration album, we are taking a trip back to 1999 with 2001, one of the most timeless hip-hop records of all time. Tracks like “What’s The Difference” are something we are hoping to hear, at least some elements of, when Missionary arrives. Ingenious sample flips like the one on this track with Eminem and Xzibit, made Dre into one of the best mad scientist-like producers ever. If he can somehow work some similar magic all these years later, it will be a highly impressive feat.
Read More: Young Dolph Murder Trial: Prosecutors Explain Why Alleged Mastermind Was Not Tried
“What’s The Difference” – Dr. Dre, Eminem, & Xzibit
Quotable Lyrics:
Got the pens and pencils, got down to business
But sometimes, the business end of this s*** can turn your friends against you
But you was a real n****, I could sense it in you
I still remember the window of the car that you went through
That’s f***ed up, but I’ll never forget the s*** we been through
And I’ma do whatever it takes to convince you
Read More: K’naan Charged With Sexual Assault Over Alleged Festival Incident
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Kevin Hart Ticks Usher Off By Hijacking His Show In Hilariously NSFW Fashion
Usher’s Past Present Future tour has been a wild ride to witness, whether due to his own showmanship or based on crowd or celebrity participation. However, on that last note, sometimes their involvement can go a little bit too far, even if it’s a scripted skit. Moreover, Kevin Hart recently rushed the R&B star’s stage in Inglewood, California on Wednesday (September 25). The comedian tries to do his best impression of the singer with a mic stand in his hand, taking off his white vest in dramatic fashion. “This is the new me,” Hart said before covering “Nice & Slow.” “What the f**k are you doing?!” the real Usher eventually asked him.
Apparently, the concept of the skit is that the two misunderstood each other when they discussed whether Kevin Hart could do a song by himself. He eventually left Usher to his crowd, but not before belting out some more “Nice & Slow” notes. It wasn’t the only surprise that the Dallas native faced recently. He revealed that someone hacked his Twitter account amid rumors that the Diddy scandal prompted him to take the page down.
Read More: Watch A Very Drunk Usher & Evan Ross Speak French & Sing Happy Birthday To Kevin Hart
Usher & Kevin Hart’s Hilarious Mix-Up
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Elsewhere, Kevin Hart continues to cross over with the music world, incorporating his wider forays into pop culture and entertainment. For example, he tapped Lil Wayne and Ludacris to headline his Labor Day festival, and he’s had a lot of other notable moments with superstars as of late. All we can hope for is that the next crossover, whether it’s for a skit or not, goes over as well as this Usher antic. It was a pretty funny moment for the audience to witness amid a trek that makes headlines for plenty of reasons that don’t relate to the music or performance.
Speaking of musical performances, Usher recently gave Kendrick Lamar some advice for his upcoming Super Bowl halftime show. “Everybody has this fifteen minutes of fame idea, but it’s really your fifteen minutes of fame,” he told Live With Kelly And Mark. “You have to play hits. You’ve got to get right to it. […] Let’s just say, it’s been a great experience to say that I could play the Super Bowl. I understand how much pressure comes with it and I wouldn’t wish it on anybody. But I would wish it on you if you’ve had the career.”
Read More: Usher Gives Big Sean His Blessing To Sample His Work In Wholesome Resurfaced Clip
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Prosecutor In Young Dolph’s Murder Trial Claims The Case Is Already “Over”
The trial for Young Dolph’s murder is set to reach a jury verdict soon, with co-defendants turning on each other and one even claiming that Yo Gotti’s late brother, Big Jook, paid them $100,000 for the hit. After just four days of testimony, Justin “Straight Drop” Johnson’s fate will be decided on Thursday (Sept. 26).