Hip Hop News

This weekend was a busy one for numerous NBA teams as they looked to explore the buyout market and acquire some players that could help their squads as we approach the playoff portion of the season. Some teams only have about 25 games left, and having someone who can take over the workload is essential during these next few months. The Los Angeles Lakers understand this better than anyone and on Sunday, they officially signed Andre Drummond for the rest of the season.

Today on ESPN’s First Take, Stephen A. Smith made sure to applaud the Lakers for the move, noting that this is what will set the Lakers apart, moving forward. He also believes this move guarantees them the Western Conference championship, which is certainly a bold take at this stage.

“This dude has been in the league ten years. The only time he has not averaged double digits in rebounds is his rookie year,” Smith noted. He also went on to say that the Lakers already have perimeter shooting and even have the expertise of LeBron Jame and Anthony Davis, which is going to make it even easier for Drummond to go out and rebound.

While Smith makes a ton of great points, the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers have proven to be extremely deep this season, and if the Lakers struggling with injuries down the stretch, the acquisition of Drummond could prove to be meaningless.

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It’s not uncommon for artists to compare themselves to the greats. This year alone, we’ve already seen NLE Choppa pay homage to Tupac Shakur by recreating one of his photoshoots. There were also photos going around showing Youngboy Never Broke Again as the late rap legend. The latest rapper to compare themselves to Pac is Chicago’s very own Polo G, who says that he’s heard the comparison a few times.

Sharing pictures of himself with a white bandana tied around his head, an iced-out 1300 chain, and a jean jacket, Polo G made the observation. “They say im Pac rebirthed,” he wrote as his caption. “Never put out a weak verse. Homicides When we lurk imma step til my feet hurt.”

He added a “#HALLOFFAME” hashtag, believing that even at his young age, he belongs in the conversation as one of the greatest to ever do it. You can’t say that Mr. Capalot doesn’t have confidence running through his veins.

Polo G recently bounced back with his latest freestyle “For My Fans”, which took three of the hottest beats of the moment and repurposed them for the Chicago rapper to go in on. He’s also featured on Rod Wave’s new album, which is set to debut at #1 on the charts next week.

Do you think Polo G has a point or does he need to check his ego?

Today marks the beginning of Derek Chauvin’s trial in the murder of George Floyd. The murder trial began with both parties offering their opening statements. Chauvin’s defense made a bold claim in an attempt to prove his client’s innocence, claiming that George Floyd did not die from suffocation and excessive force but an overdose of drugs. Attorney Eric Nelson claimed that it can be proved entirely by the 9-minute of his death. Nelson added that a witness claimed Floyd appeared “drunk” when he tried to use a counterfeit bill to purchase cigarettes.

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Nelson added that Floyd fell asleep in his car, attempting to suede that fact as proof that he was intoxicated. Additionally, Nelson said that Floyd “put drugs in his mouth” when he was confronted by police. Nelson said an autopsy indicated they found a “speedball” in his system. He said that Chauvin’s use of force was justified because of the weight and height difference — Floyd 6’3″ and 240 lbs and Chauvin 5’9″ and 140 lbs. Nelson said that this trial should be regarded as a trial against one man, and not a “social justice” trial.

Prosecutor Jerry Blackwell said Chauvin “betrayed his badge” during George Floyd’s death. Blackwell immediately addressed Nelson’s claim, saying that Floyd did struggle with substance abuse issues, though the video of Floyd’s death clearly indicates that he was murdered and didn’t die of an overdose. Blackwell explained that Floyd couldn’t have died from an overdose because he was clearly struggling to breathe from being suffocated. 

View the opening statement from Prosecutor Jerry Blackwell below. 

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Stipe Miocic went into his heavyweight tilt against Francis Ngannou as the defending champion, and many fans expected him to come out and be successful. In the end, however, it was Ngannou who absolutely dominated Miocic from start to finish. Eventually, Ngannou ended Miocic in the second round with a vicious punch, and now, the UFC has a brand new heavyweight titleholder.

Recovering from these losses can be very tough but Miocic is doing it with class. Today, he took to his Instagram account where he made sure to let his fans know that he is okay, although he certainly feels bad about losing. Despite this, he is looking forward to the next challenges and understands that he can’t win all the time.

“First and foremost, I’m ok. I know that fall wasn’t my most graceful fall, but I was unconscious, so it happens,” Miocic said. “To my family friends and fans, especially Croatia & Cleveland. I love you and I’m sorry. I hate letting you down. To my team, thank you. I know you feel every loss just as much as I do. We win as a family, we lose as a family. Losses aren’t fun, they always sting for a while, but that’s the beast of this business. You can’t win them all, and it’s important to understand that losing is just as much a part of sports (and life) as winning. Don’t ever forget God will always put you where you’re meant to be at that exact moment.”

If you’re a Miocic, there is plenty to learn from here and he still has time to come back and get the title back. In the meantime, however, Miocic is happy to just relax and reflect on his past success.

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Deshaun Watson has been in the news quite a bit over the last couple of weeks as he has been accused of sexual assault by numerous women, who all claim to be massage therapists that were assaulted by the star. At first, Watson was being sued by one woman, which led to a few more coming with their own lawsuits. Now, Watson is being sued by 19 women, and they all have similar stories about how Watson took advantage of their vulnerability and line of work.

According to ESPN, Watson received three more lawsuits against him today, and one of them is alleging that he tried to settle the lawsuit out of court. The woman says Watson has tried to delete Instagram messages and other correspondences as a way to scrub evidence.  

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The lawyer in the case, Tony Buzbee, says the women aren’t interested in a payout and that they want to see Watson’s behavior change for good. “Plaintiffs have not brought these cases for money or attention; instead Plaintiffs seek a change in behavior with regard to Watson and a change of culture in the NFL,” he said.

This story continues to develop every single day and with the NFL investigating Watson, there will certainly be some updates in the short-term. Stay tuned for any new details, as we will be sure to bring them to you.

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