Deion Sanders has been in the midst of some controversy during the college football off-season. After a disappointing season in his first year at Colorado, Sanders has been deflecting blame and lashing out at players who have left the program. He has been accused by former players of destroying his players’ confidence. After the news hit of his players’ comments, Deion started going after them on social media. Joining Deion on his social media crusade against their detractors are his sons Shedeur and Shilo Sanders. This activity on social media has made pundits like Stephen A. Smith question their decisions.
Publicly criticizing former players is not a good look. It’s even worse when your sons join you in this behavior. Colorado has experienced a mass exodus of players. Sanders primarily recruits from the transfer portal and has yet to make any significant recruiting moves. The priority should be on a successful season, as the consequences of failure could be severe for everyone involved. Stephen A. Smith’s advice for the Sanders brothers and their use of social media is crucial in this context.
Stephen A. Smith tells Shilo and Shedeur that, first and foremost, they will always have his support because of their father. Stephen A. considers Deion Sanders a brother, and that’s why he wants them to listen to his advice. The ESPN personality lets the Sanders boys know that how they are communicating and coming across on social media is unbecoming because they haven’t earned anything yet like their father. He understands they are protective of their father but reminds them that how they defend him and communicate is important. He reminded them that they represent Colorado and their father, so what they say holds weight.
Stephen A. also reminded Shedeur of how he celebrated last season by showing off his expensive watch. He said the young quarterbacks celebrated when they won, but they lost more than they won last season. Overall, the Deion Sanders Colorado situation is turning into a mess. It is looking more and more likely that they might not have a better season than they did last year. Ultimately, we can count on the Sanders family placing blame on any and everyone but themselves.
The war between Drake and Kendrick Lamar is formally entering its second round following the release of the latter’s response track, “euphoria.” After the kick-off “Like That” and Drizzy’s responses, “Push Ups” and “Taylor Made Freestyle,” we already have a good idea of the main angles that each MC is taking against their opponent. As for the OVO camp, one of the most notable, new, and incendiary moments was when he claimed that K.Dot’s wife, Whitney Alford, cheated on him with his bodyguard, or multiple. While Kendrick claimed this was a fake attempt to stir up controversy on “euphoria,” fans went back into the Toronto rapper’s catalog and discovered another set of bars that could suggest this.
“Bodyguards don’t look like Kevin Costner, you tweaking / Just pulled up to Whitney Houston, Texas for the evening,” Drake raps on the 2020 DJ Khaled collab, “POPSTAR.” Given that it’s set up in a similar way to his mention of Whitney on “Push Ups” (“I be with some bodyguards like Whitney“), fans wonder whether this also alluded to that fact. However, considering the “POPSTAR” line previous to this, it’s also possible that the real depth behind this bar is just how much Aubrey decided to do his due research on The Bodyguard. It’s the 1992 film with Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston, for which her hit Dolly Parton cover “I Will Always Love You” was released, partly produced by someone who The Boy mentions on the previous line on “POPSTAR”: “If we talking joints, it’s just me and David Foster.”
As such, there’s not a whole lot here to connect this to Drake’s taunting of Kendrick Lamar on “Push Ups,” and for the record, it’s something that he’ll likely double down on with whatever he’s cooking up next. But let’s wear the tinfoil hats for a second: maybe he’s insinuating that the real dangers as to Kendrick and Whitney’s relationship aren’t “Kevin Costners” (or the white women that the Compton lyricist admitted to cheating on his partner with years before this beef), but rather the bodyguards in their own circle. The 6ix God could even have insinuated that he himself was with Whitney on “POPSTAR,” à la the “Hit ‘Em Up” intro. If you thought that was a reach, just wait until you hear this next conspiracy theory.
Here are the next bars on “POPSTAR” after this “Whitney Houston, Texas” mention: “They tell the same story so much, they start to believe it / The ones that start like, ‘Drizzy’s s**t was cool, but we even.’” Might Drake be referencing Kendrick Lamar’s refusal to believe the other alleged side of this cheating story? Is the last part of these bars alluding to the artistic competition between the two, with him calling it a lie for Mr. Morale to consider him an equal and not a superior? Maybe… maybe not… but isn’t that the fun part about breaking down bars, especially in a rap beef? If nothing else, let’s give the Canadian superstar some credit for the Bodyguard wordplay, and let’s see what else they’ve both got in store.
The biggest story in hip-hop so far this year has now spawned one of the biggest rap songs of the year. Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s beef first sparked back in March when Future & Metro Boomin dropped “Like That.” That feels like a lifetime ago as there’s been numerous responses and developments from across the genre’s spectrum. J. Cole and Kanye West have sparked a side-beef of their own while artists like Rick Ross and even Metro Boomin himself weighed in. But at the core it’s been about Kendrick and Drake and the newest development proved it.
It’s first full day of streaming on Spotify resulted in a massive number of streams. As DJ Akademiks reports, users streamed the song 9,206,498 times. That isn’t just an incredibly impressive start for the diss track, it’s the biggest single day of any rap song released in 2024 so far. Given that the diss track that started it all “Like That” has racked up more than 200 million streams, the ongoing beef is proving to be a major commercial draw for everyone involved. Earlier this week, Drake’s “Push Ups” response track landed in the top 20 of the Hot 100. With “euphoria” pulling off an even stronger start it has the chance to debut even higher.
In the days since “euphoria” dropped, fans have been dissecting every element of the track. That’s including creating theories about some of the more abstract lyrics and noticing mistakes like a celebrity switch-up that went viral shortly after the song dropped. Most people online have claimed that Kendrick got the best of Drake in the beef so far. Though some like Joe Budden are hoping that the “Rich Baby Daddy” rapper is cooking up a response.
What do you think of Kendrick Lamar’s new diss track breaking the single day Spotify streaming record for rap songs this year? Do you think the song will debut even higher on the Hot 100 than Drake’s did? Let us know in the comment section below.
Jerry Angelo Brooks, best known by his stage name, JB Smoove, has come a long way in the comedy industry. JB Smoove’s career has been characterized by near-misses and almost success stories. However, with every setback, he kept pushing harder, aiming to make it to the big stage. Those heartbreaking moments never broke him or made him give up. The comedian trusted his talent of making people laugh to get him where he wanted to be. Slowly and surely, JB reached those heights and is highly regarded today. Get inside the story of his journey from comedy clubs to the big screen.
JB was born on Dec. 16, 1965, in Plymouth, North Carolina. He moved to Mount Vernon, New York when he was five years old. Living in New York influenced his passion for comedy and his comedy style. He attended Mount Vernon High School and graduated in 1983. After high school, JB studied engineering and graphic design at Norfolk State University, Virginia.
Standup Comedy Beginnings & Improv
NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – AUGUST 22: J.B. Smoove performs at The Stress Factory Comedy Club on August 22, 2009 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. (Photo by Bobby Bank/WireImage)
Growing up in New York City impacted JB’s career heavily. In a chat with Backstage, he said, “I was born in North Carolina and came to New York when I was 5 years old, so I’m definitely a New York baby. Every borough has its own flavor and style, and you get a chance to experience all of those.” The New York Knicks fan explained that seeing things firsthand and figuring out the styles to employ on stage helped to prepare him better for what was to come. The city also provided many opportunities to perform at different clubs, which helped his career progress quickly.
Immediately after starting standup comedy, JB Smoove began an improv class. With that, he was able to discover who he wanted to be onstage and offstage. The improv class helped him grow into his roles as an actor and comedian. He explained, “It (improv class) really allowed me to step away from myself and be more grounded in the moment, which is what improv skills teach you. For me, [improv is] the No. 1 thing that helped me in my transition from an actor and comedian.”
JB Smoove performs as Leon Black onstage during An Evening with Leon Black and Friends during TBS Just for Laughs Chicago 2010 at Park West on June 18, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. 20056_004_5124.JPG
JB actively performed standup comedy in Harlem, New York City’s Uptown Comedy Club. In 1992, he made his TV debut on Def Comedy Jam, a standup comedy series. He also played Trucky in the 2001 comedy movie Pootie Tang. From 2002 to 2003, JB starred in the short-lived TV comedy series Cedric The Entertainer Presents. Then, in 2003, he bagged a writing and bit-part actor gig on Saturday Night Live. JB auditioned twice for SNL but didn’t get cast. Hence, he decided to take the writing gig. He revealed, “It was one of those things where I said, if I take this job [as a writer], I’d have to move back to New York, but it would look good on my résumé. So, I became a writer.” SNL did not renew JB’s contract in 2006, causing him to sack his talent agents and try to get his career going again.
Working With Larry David On JB Smoove’s Road From Comedy Clubs To Curb Your Enthusiasm
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 19: (L-R) Larry David and J.B. Smoove attend HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm” Season 11 Premiere at Paramount Theatre on October 19, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for HBO)
In 2006, JB traveled to Los Angeles to attend the funeral of his friend and music producer Oji Pierce. During his stay, he auditioned for the role of Leon Black on HBO‘s Curb Your Enthusiasm. While at the audition, JB met with the show’s creator and main star, Larry David. Both men had a positive conversation, and JB joined the show’s cast in 2007. JB joined Curb Your Enthusiasm in its sixth season. He was initially meant to be a recurring character but became a regular after showing off his comic talents and great on-screen chemistry with Larry.
JB enjoyed working with Larry and always speaks fondly of him. He said of his co-star, “I feel like the universe works with you somehow. Somehow, I was supposed to meet Larry; I was supposed to work with him. I always wanted to meet him, always wanted to work with him, and my wife actually told me I was going to be on the show. She felt like, ‘I know you guys are going to be good together.’ She knows I love to improvise, she knows the show is improvised, there’s something about the show that was my language.”
Besides playing Leon, JB also wrote a book about the character. The Book Of Leon: Philosophy Of A Fool was released on Oct. 10, 2017. While speaking with Vulture, JB shared that although he and Leon are polar opposites, there is a bit of his famed character inside him. JB further shared that he wrote the book so people could understand who Leon really is. He added, “I wanted to be true to this beloved character. While I was writing the book, I would always put my durag on then put my slippers on, and really live vicariously through this dude. That’s what folks love about Leon as a character, and I wanted that honesty to come through the pages.”
Other Acting Credits
JB Smoove starred in Curb Your Enthusiasm from its seventh season until the show’s 12th and final season ended on April 7, 2024. Besides Curb, the father of one has starred in movies like Comedy Hall Pass, We Bought a Zoo, The Smurfs, and Spider-Man: No Way Home. Other TV shows JB has starred in include Til Death, Everybody Hates Chris, American Dad, Real Husbands of Hollywood, Blockbuster, and History of the World: Part II, a sketch comedy series. The comedian, who is married to Shahidah Omar, won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series in 2021 for his role as Chief Billy Bills in Mapleworth Murders, a comedy-mystery series.
Earlier this week, Angela Simmons took to social media to share some fun and flirty photos from a recent trip to St. Lucia. Needless to say, nobody is complaining. In the photos, the shoe designer poses in a strappy black swimsuit, and her tropical vacation destination is certainly breathtaking. The view that’s captivated fans the most, however, is Simmons and her natural curves.
Her comments section is flooded with fans praising her for her look, and for keeping it real. “I love that she promotes having a natural body & doesn’t always feel the need to filter herself!” one Instagram commenter writes. “She gave me so much confidence with my body because we’re built similar! I will forever love this Queen!” another says alongside a series of fire emojis.
Clearly, Simmons has managed to land herself on nearly everyone’s summer vision board. She didn’t secure her bikini-ready bod without a lot of hard work, however. Late last year, she showed off the results of a month-long fitness challenge, twerking on the beach in a shimmering white two piece. “Celebrating the finish line !!! 30 days completed #HeSaidICouldPostThis,” she captioned the clip, referencing her partner Yo Gotti. On top of working out, eating clean, and abstaining from alcohol, Simmons revealed that she was focused on self-love and self-care throughout her journey.
Aside from wowing followers with the results of her wellness challenge, Simmons also turned heads at a handful of Yo Gotti’s shows towards the end of 2023. She even popped out onstage while he performed his iconic 2016 The Art Of Hustle cut “Down In the DM.” Fittingly, the track was inspired by their own love story. What do you think of Angela Simmons’ latest thirst trap? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Ryan Garcia has recently been taking the world by storm. Throughout the promo for his anticipated face-off with Devin Haney, the boxer displayed some erratic behavior. Garcia drew eyes to himself with his outlandish behavior and bold claims throughout the lead-up to the fight. Despite seeming like he wasn’t in the right headspace, Garcia handled Haney easily. Garcia won the fight in dominant fashion. Although, he could not take Haney’s WBC belt because he was overweight for the fight. Now, news has come out that he tested positive for a banned substance before the fight. Overall, His big win may have taken a big hit in credibility.
Garcia reportedly tested positive for the banned drug Ostarine on April 19, the day before the fight, and on April 20, during his post-fight evaluation. Following the victory, Garcia said that his erratic behaviors were all a part of a larger scheme to “troll” Haney and boxing fans. Now, the battle will probably be reverted to a no contest if the test results prove to be positive. Garcia was already overweight for the fight, which made the result slightly murky. Now, positive results for PEDs throw even more dirt on his landmark victory. Garcia, in character, responded with jokes.
Ryan Garcia jokingly tweeted that Diddy paid for the positive test results. In his rebuttal video for the PED accusations, Garcia is adamant he is not a cheater. He also questions the fact that since they apparently knew before the fight, they still let him step into the ring. The easy answer to that is money. Calling off the fight would have cost a substantial amount of money for a fight that needed to happen for everyone involved. Garcia says he is not a cheater and that he legit “whooped” Devin Haney in their matchup.
Whether the tests are legit or not, the excitement from the fight is still going strong. Garcia is keeping his ridiculous persona going, and fans are eating it up. This just might make a rematch even more likely. Fans already want to see another fight with the WBC title on the line for real this time. Overall, this new wrinkle in the saga might be the first step we see to a rematch between Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney Materialize. Hopefully, we will get some confirmation soon; until then, Ryan Garcia will surely be acting like a fool on social media.
NBA YoungBoy just received some more charges added to his fraud and gun possession case, which currently has him reportedly in federal custody without bail. Moreover, according to KUTV, he received another felony charge of firearm possession as a restricted individual, as well as two more counts of obtaining prescription drugs through fraudulent means. For those unaware, authorities arrested the Baton Rouge rapper in Utah earlier in April, and he received 63 initial charges related to an alleged fraud scheme in which he supposedly faked doctors’ prescription in order to obtain drugs. Given his previous legal circumstances regarding house arrest in Utah and the severity of these claims and of the arrest, it’s no surprise that he hasn’t addressed any of this in any significant capacity.
Furthermore, YoungBoy will reportedly await the outcome of this, and of his previous gun possession charge in Louisiana, in his hometown of Baton Rouge. Police reportedly sent him back there after this recent arrest, which will surely impact his previous open case in some way or another. However, it’s unclear what the overlap could be between these circumstances, and whether it would be possible to pursue just one before getting into another. Either way, it seems like a very difficult uphill battle, and one that might determine the next few years of this career trajectory.
YoungBoy Reportedly Hit With More Charges Of Fraud & Gun Possession
KUTV reports that new charges were filed against Youngboy. He now faces another possession of a firearm by a restricted person felony charge and two counts of fraudulently obtaining a prescription.
Elsewhere, apparently this is what tipped off pharmacists and police about YoungBoy’s alleged crimes, including him and (supposedly) members of his crew impersonating doctors like one Gwendolyn Cox. “‘Gwendolyn’ sounded as though she was a much younger male from the Southern states,” a probable cause affidavit from Cache County read. “Gwendolyn made a statement. ‘Well, I axed her to and she said that she’ll have you call me.’ This statement was a response to a request that was made to have ‘Gwendolyn’ contact Dispatch and have them transfer her call back through. … (I have) lived in the Southern United States. The terminology in replacing the word ‘ask’ with ‘ax’ or other variations is consistent with a Southern dialect in states such as Texas, Louisiana, Georgia and other southern states.”
“Usually, you don’t get a doctor calling in a cough syrup themselves,” pharmacist Erik Stewart told KUTV of a call from a number that didn’t match with the registered doctor’s office. “That’ll be, like, a nurse or something. But then, just their medical terminology was off [on] the quantities,” he told KUTV. “The way they pronounced the things… everything was suspicious.” For more news and updates on the YoungBoy case, keep checking in with HNHH.
The HBO Original four-part documentary series STAX: SOULSVILLE U.S.A., an official selection of the 2024 SXSWFilm & TV Festival and winner of the TV Premiere Audience Award, is produced and directed by filmmaker Jamila Wignot. The series, a production of Laylow Pictures and White Horse Pictures in association with Concord Originals, Polygram Entertainment, and Warner Music Entertainment, debuts MONDAY, MAY 20 on HBO with two episodes airing back-to-back, followed by the final two episodes airing back-to-back on Tuesday, May 21 at the same time. All four episodes of the series will be available to stream on Max on May 20.
By 1973, Stax Records was one of the recording industry’s most influential producers of soul music, breaking acts such as Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Sam & Dave, and many more. In just under two decades, the scrappy outsider had grown from a modest family-owned record store and studio in Memphis, TN to a trailblazing global music label. STAX: SOULSVILLE U.S.A. chronicles the audacious group of individuals who dared to make music on their own terms, smashing racial barriers and defining an era and leaving an enduring musical legacy in their wake.
Driven by a striking collection of restored and remastered archival performance footage and intimate interviews with key players in the label’s remarkable history, STAX: SOULSVILLE U.S.A. details the unlikely origin story of Stax Records and pays tribute to its complex music library and the legendary artists that emerged from the iconic studio.
Founded in 1957 by Jim Stewart and co-owned with his sister, Estelle Axton, the company drew upon a mix of young, local talent – musicians, songwriters, and producers – who would create the unforgettable Stax sound.
Against the backdrop of the American south of the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s, white and Black artists worked together, defying segregation, and producing hits such as “(Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay,” “Soul Man,” “Green Onions,” and the Oscar®-winning “Theme from Shaft.” At the peak of its success, Stax artists commemorated the Watts Rebellion by playing to over 100,000 African Americans at the 1972 benefit concert Wattstax. During an era of major social turbulence, systemic inequity, and racial tensions, Stax, an integrated company, saw stunning artistic and cultural success, and managed to rebound from repeated business setbacks and tragic losses before the studio ultimately dissolved after fifteen pioneering years.
Next week (5/10), Grammy-winning and Philly-bred psychedelic-soul legend Bilal will announce his newest project,Live at Glasshaus, a live album featuring an all-star backing band consisting of Common, Questlove, RobertGlasper, and BurnissTravis.
Spanning over two decades of recorded music, the supergroup gathered forone night only to rework standouts from Bilal’s catalog, including his debut album1st Born Second, his famously unreleased sophomore album Love For Sale, and a new track; they even visit classics from Common’s seminal Like Water for Chocolate.
The forthcoming release also has a companion docu-concert film (announcing at a later date), capturing the magical evening these legends gathered. Alongside the concert footage are exclusive interviews with the star-studdedcollaborators that reflect on Bilal’s genius, legacy, creative process, and relationship to the genre. They even go into their friendships origin stories, their history of collaborations, and connection to the Soulquarians.
To accompany the album announce, Bilal is sharing the first single “Something to Hold,” originally recorded at Electric Lady Studios during the height of the Soulquarian era.
