News Exclusives

Travis Scott Donates $1M To Black College Students To Ensure They Graduate

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According to a report from TMZ, rapper Travis Scott has decided to give Black college students a large monetary incentive to become graduates.

According to the report, Scott awarded $1 million in scholarships to 100 students at HBCUs that are slated to walk across the stage in 2022. Scott’s Waymon Webster Scholarship Fund will be donating $10K to each student who finish off their scholastic career with at least a 3.5 GPA.

Scott’s donations went to 38 HBCU seniors from Alabama A&M University, Central State University, Jackson State University, Morehouse College, Texas Southern University, Grambling State University, Xavier University of Louisiana, and Prairie View A&M University.

The scholarships are a part of Scott’s Project HEAL, which was established in the wake of the Astroworld tragedy, which took ten lives and injured numerous others.

The post Travis Scott Donates $1M To Black College Students To Ensure They Graduate appeared first on The Source.

Casanova Took Guilty Plea In Fed Case Because Someone Named Him In Several Crimes

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It was recently reported that Brooklyn rapper Caswell “Casanova 2X” Senior plead guilty to a list of federal crimes, which could land him behind bars for up to 60 years . Now, it is being reported that Cas gave up the fight in court after someone allegedly dropped a dime about the crimes that the “So Brooklyn” rapper was allegedly involved in.

A Rolling Stone article stated that federal authorities claim that a cooperating witness testified about the illegal activities that Senior conducted as leader of a splinter group of the Bloods gang called the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Felton said that a social media post with Casanova standing next to a large amount of marijuana along with the statement from the witness saying that Casanova received “shipments of large quantities of marijuana” was enough to convict him of drug trafficking.

Felton also said that social media DMs confirmed that Senior was a member of the gang, while one member of the alleged gang said that Senior always carried a gun on him. The Assistant U.S. Attorney also said “Gorilla Stone members saw [Casanova] and his rap career as a way to make money and increase their status among other Bloods sects.” 

Senior has plead guilty to the drug and racketeering charges and is set to be sentenced on December 6.

The post Casanova Took Guilty Plea In Fed Case Because Someone Named Him In Several Crimes appeared first on The Source.

[WATCH] Kendrick Lamar Plays Soccer in Africa Following Album Release

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After a five-year hiatus from dropping new music, Hip Hop’s millennial heir Kendrick Lamar celebrated the release of his latest critically acclaimed LP, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, by taking his football skills to Ghana and taking on the Jamestown Boys in a game of street soccer.

Crowds and cameras followed the Compton native as he shuffled in the streets of Ghana, after that taking pictures with his teammates and competitors known locally as the Jamestown Boys.

The post [WATCH] Kendrick Lamar Plays Soccer in Africa Following Album Release appeared first on The Source.

[WATCH] Blac Chyna To Face Off Against Instagram Model in Celebrity Boxing Match

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After losing her defamation case against the Kardashians, stripper turned reality star Blac Chyna is set to box it out against an IG model in a celebrity boxing bout.

It was announced weeks ago that Chyna would be fighting in a celeb match, but she didn’t have any competitors, but that didn’t last long. Instagram model and Air Force veteran Alysia Magen took up the challenge with a press conference featuring the two beautiful women, complete with an official push and shove to show the realness.

Megan and Chyna are set to fight each other on June 11.

The post [WATCH] Blac Chyna To Face Off Against Instagram Model in Celebrity Boxing Match appeared first on The Source.

Moneybagg Yo And Kodak Black Team Up For Heartfelt New Video “Rocky Road”

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Memphis superstar Moneybagg Yodrops “Rocky Road,” a heartfelt, Kodak Black-assisted new single that affirms the pair’s status as the faces of modern, complex street rap. “Rocky Road” also arrives with an evocative video.

Cruising over emotive keys, Kodak kicks things off with a declaration of loyalty: “Tryna get to my hoe but the Perkys got me froze / Been doing my baby momma wrong and leaving her at home / I cannot leave you on your own, we made this child together.” For his part,Moneybagg injects memories of the hustle and damaged romance: “Out there standing by the pole, selling dope to buy some clothes / Cause I knew that attract the hoes, until one left my heart so cold / I just didn’t know no better made me hard on the next forever.” Soul-baring yet of the streets, “Rocky Road” is Moneybagg and Kodak at their best.

The video also dwells in that zone. Equal parts gritty, evocative, thoughtful, and real, the Young Chang-directed clip spins a familiar narrative as a man who’s already balancing life’s complexities finds himself at a crossroads: how to respond to another man’s reckless violence. The two rappers bear witness, occupying a perspective both within the scene and adjacent enough to have eyes on the bigger picture. It’s a space Bagg’s held down for a long time now.

The post Moneybagg Yo And Kodak Black Team Up For Heartfelt New Video “Rocky Road” appeared first on The Source.

Drug Dealer Who Sold Mac Miller Deadly Pills Sentenced To 17 Years In Prison

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Three men are being held responsible for the overdose death of rap sensation Mac Miller and the stiffest sentence was handed down to one of the culprits yesterday, according to a report from TMZ.

49-year-old Stephen Walker was sentenced to 17 and a half years behind bars after pleading guilty to distribution of fentanyl, which ultimately made its way to Miller, who died from a drug overdose in September 2018. Ryan Reavis, 39, was sentenced to more than ten years in prison for fentanyl distribution while the case against Cameron Pettit is still pending.

Miller’s death was the result of a fatal overdose of fentanyl, cocaine and alcohol.

Walter told the Pittburgh rapper’s family in court that he was “truly remorseful” for the part he played in Miller’s death.

A couple of documentaries chronicling Mac’s life have been on the fringes since his passing while talks of a biopic about his life is in the works.

The post Drug Dealer Who Sold Mac Miller Deadly Pills Sentenced To 17 Years In Prison appeared first on The Source.

Today in Hip-Hop History: Ice Cube Dropped His First Solo LP ‘Amerikkka’s Most Wanted’ 32 Years Ago

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On this day in Hip Hop history 32 years ago, Ice Cube released his debut solo album Amerikkka’s Most Wanted. Following the tragic break up of N.W.A., this album’s unexpected commercial and critical success not only set the tone for Ice Cube’s solo career but was also a launching pad toward success.

Being able to peak at #19 on the Billboard 200 and be certified platinum in the year if it’s release all while staying true to the hardcore gangsta sound that is prevalent in all of his other work shows, that since the beginning Ice Cube has been a force to be reckoned with. His lyrical style and choice of subject matter force the commercial music world to be comfortable with a narrative uncommon to the majority of those who would consider themselves fans of the work. With this album Ice Cube is able to paint a vivid and accurate picture of his particular experiences as an artist in the process of making it out of Compton yet still thriving as a product of the said environment.

Unlike his previous NWA cuts, Ice Cube is able to get a little more theatrical with the delivery of his message while remaining just as straight forward. From the title of the project to the outro, it is prominent that Ice Cube had no intention of sugar-coating what he had to say. The violently righteous theme of this album shook the rap world showing a more militant side to the consciousness movement going on in the early 1990s. Cube even worked with Public Enemy’s production team The Bomb Squad to harness the high-energy sound that paired perfect with his flow.

Critically, this album is held on a pedestal with some the best selling and most respected projects in Hip Hop. It has been ranked on a plethora of “Best of All Time” and “Best of the 1990s” lists by publications in the US, Canada, and all over Europe. The album has been awarded 5 out of 5 ratings from The Source, Rolling Stone, Allmusic, and The Austin Chronicle.

Following this album, Ice Cube wen ton to grow to be the mega-star he is today. He released eight solo studio albums and has no plans on stopping anytime soon. He also took his talent to the screen as an actor, writer, and director.

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Ice Cube Dropped His First Solo LP ‘Amerikkka’s Most Wanted’ 32 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Today in Hip-Hop History: De La Soul Dropped Their Second LP ‘De La Soul Is Dead’ 31 Years Ago

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On this day in Hip Hop history, De La Soul released their second album De La Soul is Dead.

Being one of the first albums to earned the coveted ‘Five Mics’ from The Source magazine, De La Soul Is Dead marked a change in direction for De La Soul. Although the title would suggest the end of the group as a whole, instead the meaning behind the album’s cryptic title is an allusion to the ‘death’ of this old style. Through this album, De La Soul began to separate themselves from their previous pseudo-1960 flower-child aesthetic that was set up by their popular debut. The title also represents the group’s separation from mainstream Hip Hop.

Regardless of the fact the group stuck to their skit heavy, storytelling structure, critics and charts were all but kind to this album. Unlike their uber-successful debut, De La Soul is Dead did not appear on any charts and was not recognized as a good album until years after it’s release. In the late 90s however, the album rose to critical acclaim when publications realized the impact the album had on the careers of De La Soul and Hip Hop as a whole. The album has been ranked by Rolling Stone, The Source, Pitchfork Media, and others as one of the greatest albums, regardless of genre, of the 1990s.

Following this album, De La Soul went on to be one of the most respected rap groups of their generation. The rebranding that came from De La Soul is dead allowed for De LA Soul to cross over as artists into the realm of respected artistry rather than a continuing their career riding the wave set by their debut.

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: De La Soul Dropped Their Second LP ‘De La Soul Is Dead’ 31 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Casanova Pleads Guilty To Drug And Racketeering Charges

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According to several confirmed reports, Brooklyn rapper Caswell “Casanova” Senior plead guilty to drug and racketeering charges today in a Brooklyn federal court. Senior confessed to several crimes as prosecutors claimed he was the leader of the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation Bloods gang.

Senior surrendered to the FBI at t he end of 2020, with prosecutors alleging that the “Don’t Run” rapper directed a drug gang conspiracy that spanned from New York to Florida. The U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan says that Senior confessed to a shooting in Florida in 2020, a 2018 robbery in NYC and trafficking more than 100 kilos of marijuana.

Back in December 2020, Casanova was the centerpiece of a federal investigation, to which he surrendered to the feds on racketeering charges and was denied bail, despite his lawyers and family situating a $2.5 million bail package, but S. District Judge Phillip Halpern denied his proposal.

Shortly after co-defendant Shantay Outlaw struck a deal with prosecutors, Senior was hit with an attempted murder charge for the 2020 shooting in Miami, to which he has now admitted guilt.

Casanova is set to be sentenced in federal court in December. He faces a minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 60 years in prison.

His guilty plea comes within days of Young Thug, Gunna and 26 other YSL members indicted on RICO and other street gang/organized crime related charges.

The post Casanova Pleads Guilty To Drug And Racketeering Charges appeared first on The Source.

Federal Authorities Add Drug Possession And Weapons Charges To RICO Case Against Young Thug

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As the details surrounding the RICO case against Young Thug, Gunna and 28 YSL members continue to grow, recent reports have confirmed that Thugger has now been hit with federal charges; two illegal firearms charges and two drug possession charges to add to his laundry list of offenses that have kept him behind bars since Tuesday.

Rap ultra-star Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, was one among 28 people who were ensnared by a 56-count indictment handed down by the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office for criminal activity going back as far as 2015 and as recent as 2020. The 88-page indictment filed on Sunday details 180 acts that support just the first of the 56 separate charges for 28 members of the alleged gang.

Williams was denied bond yesterday by a Fulton County Superior judge despite the assertive plea by Williams’ lawyer Brian Steel to grant him a bond based on the nature of his alleged, non-violent charges, but that effort was unsuccessful. 

Now, Thug’s initial court hearing has been followed up with additional charges after federal investigators discover guns and drugs in the rapper’s Buckhead home, according to a report from Atlanta news affiliate WSB-TV. 

Authorities contend that they have more than enough evidence to convict Williams, who they allege rented a Q50 Infiniti used in a 2015, ordered an attempted hit on YFN Lucci by two YSL members during his incarceration in Fulton County Jail and is even named as a co-conspirator alongside Birdman in the 2015 shooting of Lil Wayne’s tour bus in Atlanta. 

Williams new charges come the same day as authorities announce that they have taken “Pushin P” rapper Gunna, whose real name is Sergio Kitchens, into custody at the Fulton County Jail.

Young Thug is now currently charged with is now charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of a schedule III, IV, or V controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession of a sawed-off shotgun, sawed-off rifle, machine gun, dangerous weapon, or silencer, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and three counts of participating in criminal gang activity through the commission of a crime.

Thug’s Attorney Brian Steel said in a statement, “Jeffery Williams, who performs as “Young Thug,” vehemently denies the allegations lodged against him in the Fulton County (Georgia) Indictment of May 9, 2022. We look forward to the opportunity to defend this case in court. We filed a Motion for Bond and anticipate a hearing in the near future. We will fight this case ethically, legally and zealously. Mr. Williams will be cleared.”

The post Federal Authorities Add Drug Possession And Weapons Charges To RICO Case Against Young Thug appeared first on The Source.