Vybz Kartel has really been enjoying life since being released from prison after 13 years, and kicked things off on the right foot. Moreover, during a new interview with Peter Rosenberg and Cipha Sounds on Juan Ep Is Life, he revealed what was the very first thing that he did when he got out. “I had sex,” the dancehall legend answered, which made him and the hosts burst out in laughter. Not only that, but they even revealed that the person that he had sex with, his fiancée Sidem Ozturk, was also in the room with him when he said that.
In addition, Vybz Kartel spoke on the history of their relationship and how they already committed to each other when he was still in jail. “Yeah, she’s my fiancée,” he answered when Peter Rosenberg asked about marriage plans. “I proposed to her while I was in prison. Like I said, I was confident that I was getting out. Yeah, I never had any doubts that I wasn’t coming out.” After such a long wait, it’s heartening to hear that they were always in it for the long run.
Meanwhile, Vybz Kartel has also spoken about his other post-prison priorities as of late, and the main one is his health and his recovery from Graves’ disease. “Just finished my morning workout,” he told fans on social media while providing details on what his current goals are. “I can’t overdo it yet […] You know what I say, fitness and family? That’s the greatest.” Still, throughout this process, the 48-year-old has also released some music and bonded further with his fiancée, so he’s got a lot going on.
Elsewhere, celebrities like Cardi B are defending his new appearance against trolls who are less sympathetic or understanding. “I do not play about f***ing Vybz Kartel,” she recently ranted. “When I see y’all f***ing Americans… No offense, no offense. I mean, I’m American, but when I see y’all talking about f***ing Vybz Kartel, I be getting upset ’cause, like, not too much. Not too f***ing much. Mind your f***ing business. I do not play about f***ing Vybz Kartel, b***h. At all. At all. I do not, I do not, I do not.”
LL Cool J is a hip-hop legend who has been giving a lot of amazing artists their flowers as of late. One of those artists is none other than Joe Budden. While the kids might know him more as a podcaster, the OG fans know that he was incredible on the mic. Overall, Budden was a proficient MC who didn’t get the mainstream attention he deserved. However, he did have one huge hit, which was the 2003 banger “Pump It Up.” Shockingly, it was revealed that it only went Gold in 2024.
Upon learning this information, LL Cool J got Joe Budden a gold plaque and gifted it to him on his podcast. This subsequently led to a whole bunch of discourse surrounding Budden’s career. It also spawned more between the likes of Budden and Yung Miami. Having said that, LL Cool J was recently spotted by TMZ, where they asked him what he thought about the Budden discourse. That is when he made the astute point that most artists never go gold and that any accomplishment is one worth celebrating.
Plenty of fans agreed with the artist and his take. “Joe came from the era where you had to actually sell CDs. Gold records weren’t easy to come by in a era of Hov, DMX, Ja Rule, Eminem, Nelly, etc. The kids weren’t around then,” one person wrote. “An accomplishment is an accomplishment. You don’t have to like Joe but the man is talented,” said another.
Let us know what you think about these comments from LL Cool J, down below. Do you believe he is right with this assessment? Were you surprised to find out that “Pump It Up” hadn’t yet gone gold? Or was this expected? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
Evelyn Lozada is setting the record straight when it comes to her daughter Shaniece Hairston, taking to Instagram on Wednesday (August 28) per VIBE magazine. Moreover, she referred to Shaniece’s recently announced pregnancy, and specifically clapped back at some speculative fans. For those unaware, many online theorized that Shaniece is actually expecting a child with The Game, which led people to resurface images of Lozada with the rapper’s ex-fiancée, Tiffney Cambridge. Neither Shaniece nor the Los Angeles MC have confirmed that they are together, but Lozada responded to the claims that they betrayed Cambridge.
“This OH MY GOD this person was best friends with that person and how dare they,” Evelyn Lozada said about the Game situation. “Guys, stop making this s**t up okay!” While saying that most of what appears online is “bulls**t,” she explained why she isn’t that bothered at the end of the day. “I don’t mind, I live in my truth but some of this stuff is crazy to read.” It’s definitely not the only hot take that the Basketball Wives star recently had about potential relationships, as she shut down Stephen A. Smith in quite the direct way.
Apart from this relationship drama, one other thing that The Game might be thinking about these days is how Rick Ross never responded to his disses this year with a track of his own. During a recent interview with Shannon Sharpe, Rozay actually explained why he never clapped back. “Not responding is a response when you a boss,” he claimed. Not everyone bought it, as Ross was definitely very happy to respond to Drake’s jabs at him, but it’s nevertheless unlikely that anything will provoke a full-on back-and-forth between these two.
Meanwhile, The Game also has a pretty tough legal situation to deal with, as authorities might seize his home as part of a sexual assault accuser’s judgement against him. Maybe this gossip train stop with Evelyn Lozada’s daughter will provide another dimension to these struggles. Hopefully, they’re able to move through it without much hassle and in a way that prioritizes the unborn child. If the rapper is even the father, that is…
Shedeur Sanders, the star quarterback for Colorado, has officially joined Team Nike. Announced just before the Buffs’ 2024 season opener, the deal includes exclusive apparel and footwear, marking another major addition to Sanders’ growing brand portfolio.
In celebration of the partnership, Sanders will appear in promotional content for the upcoming retro release of his father, Deion Sanders’ DT Max 96 sneaker—a nod to the Sanders family’s legacy.
The Nike deal adds to Sanders’ impressive lineup of endorsements, including high-profile brands like Beats by Dre, Urban Outfitters, and Google. According to On3.com, Sanders holds the highest NIL valuation among college athletes, estimated at $4.7 million.
Nike unveils a massive Shedeur Sanders billboard in NYC at Times Square.
Media personalities Cipha Sounds and Peter Rosenberg of the “Juan Ep Is Life” podcast have released their latest episode featuring dancehall legend Vybz Kartel. It marks his first interview since being released from prison after serving a 13-year sentence. In the candid conversation, Vybz Kartel opens up about recording music during his incarceration, plans to marry his fiancée, and how he maintained his confidence throughout his sentence.
Kartel shared the resourceful ways he recorded music while in prison, describing how he wrapped his mattress around his head as soundproofing. On his knees, with his phone placed three feet away, Kartel laid down tracks that an outside engineer would later clean up. Notably, his hit single “Fever” was among the many songs recorded under these conditions.
The conversation also touched on Vybz Kartel’s upcoming performances, with Rosenberg confirming Kartel’s headlining show on December 31st in Jamaica. Kartel called it “the biggest concert in Jamaica since Bob Marley,” and revealed plans for additional shows across the Caribbean and South America.
Discussing his health, Kartel mentioned working with a personal trainer to prepare for his return to the stage. He expressed gratitude for the love he’s received from the Jamaican community since his release. He also thanked fans who supported him with letters and gifts during prison.
When asked about potential collaborations, Kartel expressed interest in working with Lil Wayne and praised the influence of artists like Drake and Kendrick Lamar, acknowledging their popularity in Jamaica.
Today, acclaimed hip-hop journalist, editor, and author Elliott Wilson announced the launch of his new podcast, Elliott Wilson Experience. The podcast promises informative and intimate conversations with heavyweight talents, rising stars, executives, and innovators in the music industry.
The inaugural episode, set to premiere on August 29 at 8 am ET, features an in-depth interview with breakout New York City hip-hop artist Cash Cobain. Listeners can catch the audio on all major podcast streaming platforms. In this episode, Cobain opens up about his meteoric rise, the creation of the sexy drill genre, and his perspective on J. Cole’s criticism following their collaboration on the “Grippy” remix. He also discusses the influence of his family on his career and the state of New York hip-hop.
The Elliott Wilson Experience is known for its unorthodox approach, taking listeners into the unique worlds of its guests. Upcoming episodes will feature interviews with Mustard, Rapsody, Common and Pete Rock, Mach-Hommy, and On The Radar’s Gabe P, among others, recorded at various distinct locations. New episodes will drop every Thursday at 8 a.m. ET. Fans can follow the podcast on Instagram, TikTok, X, or wherever they get their podcasts for exclusive insights into the music world.
“I’m proud to launch this platform and share the powerful stories behind the most talented individuals in culture,” said Elliott Wilson. The Elliott Wilson Experience is all about establishing comfortable environments for guests, delivering compelling conversations and creating cultural moments. I’m a storyteller at heart and I can’t wait for listeners and viewers to get a unique look into the lives of their favorite personalities.”
The launch of the Elliott Wilson Experience follows Wilson’s appointment as Editorial Director of Hip-Hop Journalism for UPROXX, HipHopDX, and DIME in April 2024. He also co-hosts The Bigger Picture with Jeremy Hecht and DJ Hed. Previously, Wilson was editor-in-chief of XXL Magazine and co-authored ego trip’s Book of Rap Lists and ego trip’s Big Book of Racism!
You can see a clip of the inaugural episode below.
Last month, Pusha T seemed to confirm that his reunion with his brother No Malice is already done; in other words, the new Clipse album is coming out soon. However, during a recent appearance on the Ghetto Runways podcast, he shared that there’s technically just one thing that they’re waiting for. “I’m so excited about this new Clipse album,” the Virginia MC expressed. “That’s what I’m on right now. It’s absolutely finished. Just waiting on a feature.” “Just waiting on the feature, bro,” he told the camera, thus sparking a whole lot of fan speculation around which legendary rapper he could’ve addressed.
From what Twitter reactions indicate, folks mostly spoke on the possibility of two titans on this new Clipse album: Jay-Z or Kendrick Lamar. Pusha T’s last collaboration with Hov was 2022’s excellent “Neck and Wrist” off Push’s It’s Almost Dry. He and Kendrick Lamar linked up to absolutely generational results on 2013’s Nosetalgia off T’s My Name Is My Name, so either way, fans would be super excited to see an update to these collaborative histories. Pusha previously teased features such as Nas, John Legend, and Stove God Cooks, which are all very exciting.
Of course, this follows many other discussions around Kendrick Lamar and Pusha T these days, such as the former’s mention of the latter on one of his numerous Drake disses this year. “I don’t think any one man takes down Drake,” Joe Budden said of these MCs’ rival in common, which they also share with Budden himself. “I think that was a baton, I think I passed the baton to Push, I think Push passed the baton to Kendrick. And the job is done now. That’s how I feel in my head and in my heart.”
Meanwhile, this is what Pusha T’s brother and partner No Malice had to say about the new Clipse album. “This is smart basketball. It’s fundamentals,” he told Vulture of the Pharrell-produced effort. “And not only that, it’s authenticity. It’s what rap should look like if you’re real about your craft, real about your experience, real about your storytelling. It’s bringing the fans along to see the growth, not trying to fit in or fabricate.”
DJ Akademiks nor any of his like-minded colleagues have made a compelling case about why “Family Matters” is the best diss track to emerge from Drake’s feud with Kendrick Lamar besides, “it was a 20 v. 1” or “he rapped over three beats.” It might suffice for pedestrian rap fans, but those two arguments alone embody Drake’s appeal to his core audience: quantity over quality. Drake’s turnover rate has been so high over the past four years that a third installment in the Scary Hours series arrived less than a month after his highly-anticipated eighth studio album to equally shaky reception. Though most anticipated that he’d go on an extended break after For All The Dogs, the emergence of King Kendrick in the midst of the second leg of the It’s All A Blur tour stifled his plans.
We’re basically four months removed from the beef of the decade. The summer’s over, and we’re entering the final quarter of 2024 that will preview what’s to come next year. And yet for the last few months, the top charting spots on the Hot 100 that have been historically reserved for Drake’s summer reign have been occupied by a diss song that paints him as a colonizer, a pedophile, a thief, a human trafficker, and an abuser, among many other heinous labels. “Not Like Us” will likely carry through the fall, especially among the marching bands that anchor the spirit of HBCUs nationwide.
Through strategy and consistency, Kendrick Lamar managed to dim Drake’s star power in a matter of days. By the time Drake returned with “The Heart Pt. 6,” Kendrick was clearly the victor, yet no one could’ve predicted the damage inflicted by a record like “Not Like Us.” The volley of insults and accusations came to a standstill and no one, except for Drake loyalists, felt that Kendrick needed to carry on any further with this beef, even as he was accused of domestic violence. After years of proving that he earned his space within a battle realm among hip-hop’s elite, Kendrick revealed Drake’s Achilles heel: being on the defense. The defeat has been rather brutal to witness. The brightest alumni under Lil Wayne’s Young Money had been stomped out like a cigarette butt.
SANTIAGO, CHILE – MARCH 18: Drake performs during day two of Lollapalooza Chile 2023 on March 18, 2023 in Santiago, Chile. (Photo by Marcelo Hernandez/Getty Images)
In the months that followed, his approach to asserting his dominance came in the form of jokey-joke records (“U My Everything,” “Wha Gwan Delilah”), a pair of records on Camilla Cabello’s album, and another two songs on Gordo’s album. None of them felt like the “summer vibes” we were truly promised, nor did they make any meaningful impact on the same charts that Drake dominated for 10+ years. “Not Like Us” wasn’t a career-ender but a song that was big enough to eclipse a 15-year hot streak for a summer. Drake’s Billboard accomplishments, historical streaming feats, and cultural value have recently become obsolete in the grand conversation. Some agreed with Kendrick’s analysis of Drake’s place in hip-hop, while others completely fell into the rabbit hole of the “meet the grahams” cover art. Those who already had a disdain towards Drake felt vindicated that someone with a platform as big as Kendrick Lamar’s finally said the quiet parts out loud. But “Not Like Us” isn’t the kill shot people expect it to be. Losing a rap battle of this magnitude isn’t easy to stomach. The perception surrounding who Drake is behind the scenes hasn’t worn off entirely yet. And with his back against the wall, the Canadian superstar finally has the opportunity to get on the offensive line.
The launch of the 100 Gigs, through the @plottttwistttttt account, has marked a second wind in what appears to be another chapter in the storied journey of Drake’s career. The first drop, which arrived at the top of August, included three new songs, “It’s Up” ft. Young Thug & 21 Savage, “Red Blue Green,” and “Housekeeping Knows” ft. Latto and hours of unreleased footage that shared a behind-the-scenes look at the making of beloved records and albums, his travels across the world, moments with his family, and brushing shoulders with celebrity friends. Though the music itself sounded as generic as a ChatGPT prompt to create a Drake song, the moments where he’s playing ping-pong with Stephen Curry, conversing with his mom during the “Hotline Bling” session about Serena Williams, or putting the final touches on albums like Scorpion with 40 humanizes him with glimpses of the artist that we initially grew to love.
But the second batch feels a bit more sinister. With plenty of hints towards a second round, the release of “No Face” and “Circadian Rhythm” felt like the beginning of a new chapter where Drake wants his lick back. The former is much more confrontational and aggressive, anchored by the industrial-leaning synths and a minimal yet effective inclusion of Playboi Carti. But beyond that, the record is opening up the floodgates to another round with a bit more preparation behind it. “Try to knock the Boy but f*ck it, I’m stayin’ on,” he raps. “It’s so many people we turnin’ the tables on/ Capo got plans, but we’ll save that for later on/ Hush’ll keep sayin’ they know that they played it wrong.” Add to the fact that recently surfaced footage of Drake and 40 discussing a potential collaboration with Kendrick surfaced (dating back to 2012-2013), it’s clear that Drake is hinting that he has some sort of bombshell in the cut, whether new music or footage, that might finally debunk conspiracies that he has a hidden 11-year-old daughter, which is literally the least concerning aspect of “meet the grahams.”
Internet sleuths might get stuck in a rabbit hole trying to crack the hidden messages intertwined in diss songs and social media posts. Or maybe, the speculation could end with the next 100 Gigs content dump. Ultimately, the recent string of releases shouldn’t be overlooked as an attempt to move past the narrative but rather, an attempt to take control of it. We’re either on the receiving end of an album that will fan the flames of criticism or witness the unfolding of a diabolical plan that will plant Drake’s foot on the neck of Kendrick Lamar and everyone else who chose a side.
Bhad Bhabie and her boyfriend Le Vaughn have been causing quite a stir online as of late. Overall, this is due to the fact that the two have remained together, despite domestic violence allegations. The former Dr. Phil guest has been posting herself with Le Vaugn quite a bit. Moreover, these posts usually involve some sort of PDA. In fact, the relationship is going so strong that they recently got portraits of each other tattooed on themselves.
However, it would appear as though Bhad Bhabie is completely and utterly unhappy with the final product she received. Below, you can see that the tattoo has some inconsistencies that distort Le Vaughn’s face. Portrait tattoos are incredibly difficult to pull off, and getting them is always a risk. Having said that, Bhad Bhabie was absolutely livid about her new tattoo. While taking to her Instagram story, the artist cussed out her tattoo artist. Moreover, she noted that as soon as the tat heals, she plans on getting it fixed by someone else.
Bhad Bhabie was mostly upset with how his features were distorted to the point where his best attributes were completely lost. She also claimed that the artist had a photo of Le Vaughn on their iPad and that it shouldn’t have been difficult to make work. Bhad Bhabie is hardly the first person to be upset with the job their artist did, and she will likely not be the last.
Let us know what you think about the tattoo, in the comments section down below. Do you believe that it is as bad as Bhabie proclaims? Do you think that Le Vaughn feels offended by the botched work by the tattoo artist? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
