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Kanye West Unbanned On Twitter, FBI Might Probe His Presidential Campaign

July 29, 2023 by newhiphopnews

One of the most persistent and unchanging aspects of Kanye West’s past few years was his ban on Twitter for controversial statements. However, it seems that Elon Musk’s “X” rebrand also came with some user changes and reinstatements. Moreover, the platform unbanned the Chicago artist’s account, though it’s unclear if he will use it at all. Of course, it shouldn’t be too surprising to see Ye rant and ramble about whatever pops into his head again. Still, recent reports of a potential FBI probe into his presidential campaign might compel him to hold his tongue.

Furthermore, Radar Online reportedly spoke to Kanye West’s 2024 campaign committee treasurer Devin White and attorney Bruce Fein. During their talk, they alleged that the Federal Bureau of Investigation might look into Milo Yiannopoulos, the Yeezy mogul’s on-and-off-again campaign manager. The right-wing pundit is a U.S. resident alien on O-1 visa status, and this forbids him from formally working on a campaign.

Kanye West’s Twitter Ban Lifted

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“Commission regulations prohibit foreign nationals from directing, dictating, controlling, or directly or indirectly participating in the decision-making process of any person (such as a corporation, labor organization, political committee, or political organization) with regard to any election-related activities,” the Federal Electoral Commission states. “This prohibition includes advances of personal funds, contributions or donations made to political party committees and organizations, state or local party committees for the purchase or construction of an office building funds under 11 CFR 300.35, and contributions or disbursements to make electioneering communications. Foreign nationals are also prohibited from, directly or indirectly, donating to an inaugural committee; and it is a violation of federal law to knowingly accept such donations from a foreign national.” What’s more is that this could spell out deep trouble for Kanye West, which Fein and White claim to have warned him of.

“He’s a foreign national,” Fein told the outlet. “You cannot take any services from a foreign national. It’s a criminal violation, not civil- a criminal violation! It’s a felony, it’s not a minor offense. This is not an obscure provision in the election law.” Meanwhile, White added: “We believe it would be virtually impossible at this point for [Kanye] not to be aware of that unless he is somewhere where he is incapacitated.” For more news and the latest updates on Kanye West, stay logged into HNHH.

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Former President Donald Trump Hit With New Federal Charges

July 27, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Former president Donald Trump is facing new charges in the classified documents case that accuse him of asking a staffer to delete camera footage at his Florida in an effort to obstruct the federal investigation into his possession of the records, according to an updated indictment unsealed Thursday.

The indictment includes new counts of obstruction and willful retention of national defense information, compounding Trump’s legal jeopardy even as he braces for a possible additional indictment in Washington over his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

The additional counts underscore the extent of the yearlong investigation into Trump that first produced charges last month in the form of a 38-count indictment against Trump and his valet Walt Nauta.

Surveillance footage at the Mar-a-Lago complex has long been central to the investigation because, according to prosecutors, it showed Nauta moving boxes of documents in and out of a storage room — including such action one day before a visit by FBI and Justice Department officials.

The updated allegations in the indictment center on surveillance footage at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach.

Trump is alleged to have asked to have the footage deleted after FBI and Justice Department investigators visited in June 2022 to collect classified documents that he took with him after leaving the White House a year earlier.

Law enforcement officials issued a subpoena for the footage after noticing surveillance cameras while they were there.

The indictment quotes a Mar-a-Lago property manager, Carlos De Oliveira, telling a colleague that the “boss” wanted a server hosting the footage to be deleted. It says De Oliveira went to the IT office last June, took an employee to a small room known as the “audio closet” and asked the person how many days the server retained footage.

When the employee said he didn’t believe he was able to delete footage, De Oliveira insisted the “boss” wanted it done, asking, “What are we going to do?”

De Oliveira was added to the indictment, charged with obstruction and false statements related to an interview he gave the FBI earlier this year.

According to the indictment, Trump returned that document, which was marked as top secret and not approved to show to foreign nationals, to the federal government on Jan. 17, 2022.

It marks a notable shift in the prosecution’s approach to Trump’s case, charging him for retaining a document it alleges the former president knew was highly sensitive after he left office — and not just for failing to return it to the government when asked.

Both Trump and Nauta have pleaded not guilty.
Thoughts?

The post Former President Donald Trump Hit With New Federal Charges first appeared on The Source.

The post Former President Donald Trump Hit With New Federal Charges appeared first on The Source.

Jason Aldean forced to removed BLM protest clips and other clips from controversial “Small Town” video amidst copyright claims

July 26, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Country music star Jason Aldean has been stirring up controversy over the past week due to his controversial video for his equally controversial song “Try That in a Small Town.” This week, the video got a little shorter when his production company was forced to remove news clips (including six seconds that were apparently recorded during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests) due to copyright claims from the videos’ owners.

A representative for BBR Music Group, which represents Aldean, confirmed to ABC News that the music video had been edited due to third party copyright clearance issues. Aldean’s production company allegedly reached out to FOX 5 Atlanta back in May, requesting permission to use a 6 second clip that showed violence at a BLM rally. Representatives for FOX 5 requested the lyrics in writing and instead they sent a link to the song, but failed to send it in writing (the FOX 5 Atlanta banner can be seen in the original video). In the original video, the video clip was broadcast on the courthouse behind Aldean as he sang. The new video shows Aldean singing up close. Another short news clip of a person speaking about farmers helping a neighbor was also pulled from the video, but it is unclear who the original copyright owner was for that clip.

The song originally stirred up controversy as many critics interpreted his lyrics to be problematic towards “outsiders” of a small town. The video, however, created even more controversy when it became known that a large part of it was filmed in the town square in front of the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee. In 1946, the area was the origin of the Columbia Race Riot, which occurred following a struggle between a Black World War II veteran and a white shopkeeper. (Aldean is not from the area himself, he is from Macon, which added to speculation that the site may have been chosen for less-than-honorable reasons.)

Country Music Television (CMT) pulled the video from its music video rotation, but the song’s controversy has caused it to rise to the top of many country and pop charts.

The post Jason Aldean forced to removed BLM protest clips and other clips from controversial “Small Town” video amidst copyright claims first appeared on The Source.

The post Jason Aldean forced to removed BLM protest clips and other clips from controversial “Small Town” video amidst copyright claims appeared first on The Source.

Kanye West’s 2024 Campaign Reportedly Received Zero Donations In Recent Weeks

July 18, 2023 by newhiphopnews

It’s been a turbulent back and forth battle concerning whether Kanye West’s presidential campaign for 2024 is even happening. However, the most recent report to come out concerning it certainly doesn’t suggest any good news. Moreover, Radar Online reportedly obtained copies of the Federal Electoral Commission’s (FEC) filings on the campaign on Monday (July 17). These documents suggest that not a single person has donated a single penny to it within the past few weeks. As such, hope for the run vanished, yet people wondered how much Ye even cared about in it in the first place.

Furthermore, on April 1 of this year, apparently the campaign had around $125,000 to spare concerning expenses. After paying consultants and additional employees around $101,000 in total, Kanye West’s efforts didn’t have much money to spare by June 30. While the run doesn’t have any outstanding debts indicated by these reports, this means that the campaign apparently had just about $23,000 upon June’s end. In addition, the Chicago artist claimed he blew over $2 million in bills, but only garnered close to $455,000 in donations since his 2024 strategy’s inception.

Kanye West At Paris Fashion Week 2022

Kanye West President Campaign 2024 No Donations — PARIS, FRANCE – OCTOBER 02: Kanye West aka Ye is seen wearing a Balenciaga boxing mouthguard, outside Givenchy, during Paris Fashion Week – Womenswear Spring/Summer 2023 – Day Seven on October 02, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Edward Berthelot/GC Images/Getty Images)

Back in April, he allegedly told a documentary filmmaker he hired to document the campaign that he wanted to scrap it. “Right now, I am living my life- like I’m concentrating on the school, the Donda Academy, and my new wife, and my kids, and that’s it,” Kanye West apparently told Adam Camacho. “I just want to be left alone.” What’s more is that this turbulent campaign garnered assistance from controversial right-wing figures that hopped on-board, jumped off, and kept teetering on that edge. One of these is Milo Yiannopoulos, who received a $31,000 payment for being Ye’s “Director of Political Operations.”

Meanwhile, rumors of a new album from the Yeezy mogul sprouted online. As such, many fans hope that Ye can rectify his past mistakes and bring new great art to the table. Still, with all these extracurricular controversies, it’s hard to say whether this will even be worth it. For more news and the latest updates on Kanye West, stick around on HNHH.

[via]

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Tinashe Claps Back At Lance Armstrong’s Comments About Trans Athletes

July 8, 2023 by newhiphopnews

During a recent episode of Stars on Mars, Lance Armstrong voiced his opinion on trans athletes. The cyclist brought up a podcast he did with Caitlyn Jenner, a trans woman who doesn’t believe trans women should be treated the same as biological women when it comes to sports. They suggested that trans women should not be able to compete in women’s sports at all. The controversial take got him a ton of backlash.

In discussing the incident on the TV series, another contestant on the show, Tinashe clapped back. “To me, I think you just have to care about, if you ‘otherize’ people, it’s not good for their mental health,” she explained. In a confessional, the singer also says she “wasn’t really shocked to hear his opinions.” “I definitely didn’t think that he should be the spokesperson for that,” she explained.

Read More: Tinashe Announces Summer 2023 Tour

Tinashe Warns Armstrong Not To “Otherize” People

Armstrong insisted that he’s not trying to exclude trans athletes. “You want to transition? Let’s do it – you have your own category. We’re going to have a whole new division. We’ll celebrate you just like we celebrate everyone else. Let’s go. What’s unfair about that?” he asked. “By the way, I sound like a right-wing lunatic. I’m not,” he explained, “I’m the most liberal person, but from a sporting perspective…”

“You might not agree with me, and I might not agree with you, but that’s ok,” he says in a confessional later, “And there’s a lot of sensitive subjects. It’s not just trans issues and trans in sports, it could be abortion, it could be war, it could be gun violence, anything. Global warming. But if you can’t feel safe to enter into the conversation, then we’ve all lost.” Last month, Armstrong also took the debate to Twitter. “Is there not a world in which one can be supportive of the transgender community and curious about the fairness of Trans athletes in sport yet not be labeled a transphobe or a bigot as we ask questions?,” he asked. Many allies and people in the trans community found his comments transphobic, but he doesn’t appear to be letting up any time soon.

[Via]

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White House Press Secretary Slams “Irresponsible Reporting” Linking White House Cocaine To The Bidens

July 8, 2023 by newhiphopnews

The White House briefly went on lockdown on July 2 after a small bag of “white powder” was discovered in the Situation Room lobby. It was later discovered to be cocaine. However, unmarked bags of white powder are a jumpy subject in DC. Many Beltway veterans vividly remember the wave of notable anthrax attacks in the early 2000s. The President and First Lady were not in the White House at the time. They were in Delaware on a weekend away before overseeing the Fourth of July celebrations in the capital.

At the time, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre acknowledged that the Secret Service was investigating the incident. “It is under investigation by the Secret Service. This is in their purview. And so we’re going to allow certainly the investigation to continue.” However, Jean-Pierre still had to answer over two-dozen questions about the incident in the days after it was reported. Additionally, several news outlets took the opportunity to link the story to the well-publicized drug use of the President’s son, Hunter.

Jean-Pierre Shuts Down Questions Linking Cocaine To The Bidens

Reporter: Can you just say once and for all whether or not the cocaine belonged to the Biden family?

KJP: They were not here on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday so to ask that question is incredibly irresponsible.. pic.twitter.com/lZJ4mOfZRY

— Acyn (@Acyn) July 7, 2023

However, once again, right-wing outlets continued to chase the unsubstantiated idea that the cocaine somehow belonged to the First family themselves. “Can you just say once and for all whether or not the cocaine belonged to the Biden family?” asked Caitlin Doornbos of The New York Post. That led to Jean-Pierre making it very clear how she felt about that line of questioning. “We’ve answered this question, litigated this question for the last two days, exhaustively,” Jean-Pierre replied. “There has been some irresponsible reporting about the family, and so I’ve got to call that out here. And I have been very clear. I was clear two days ago when talking about this over and over again as I was being asked the question. So, to ask that question is actually incredibly irresponsible, and I’ll just leave it there,” Jean-Pierre said.

Partway through her answer, Jean-Pierre reiterated that the Biden family had left the White House for Delaware on June 30. Furthermore, they didn’t return to DC until July 4. The cocaine was discovered on July 2. Furthermore, the area in which was found sees a lot of foot traffic from staff, visitors, and civilian tour groups. However, that has not stopped Biden’s detractors from linking the dime bag to the President. “Does anybody really believe that the COCAINE found in the West Wing of the White House, very close to the Oval Office, is for the use of anyone other than Hunter & Joe Biden,” Donald Trump baselessly claimed on social media.

[via]

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50 Cent Is Skeptical Of Los Angeles’ New Zero-Bail Policy

July 7, 2023 by newhiphopnews

50 Cent has always been one of the most outspoken artists from hip-hop, whether it’s about the genre, TV, business, politics, and much more. Just a week ago, he even commented on rival Ja Rule’s concert antics, where he came out in a stretcher and was “revived.” However, his most recent take online concerned his disapproval of a reinstated bail policy in Los Angeles concerning misdemeanor charges (not more serious crimes). Moreover, these crimes specifically include burglary, shoplifting, drug use, vandalism, and misdemeanor battery. Under the new law, offenders of these crimes will not be arrested in their detainment and will instead go through a normal court process.

In addition, the city will free currently incarcerated individuals who they arrested on these charges and other similar offenses. Of course, this is a big step in cutting unjust prison time for low-level offenders, especially in trial. Still, 50 Cent believes that this will end up being a negative thing for the L.A. community. He reposted a clip of Fox News covering the development on his Instagram page. “LA is finished watch how bad it gets out there SMH,” the multi-hyphenate star captioned the post.

50 Cent’s Concern Over Zero-Bail Policy

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Regardless of his thoughts, this caused a lot of debate among not just residents, but the nation at large. That being said, commenters rushed into 50 Cent’s section to explain why the coverage misleads viewers, breaking down the truth. “This is not what is actually happening,” one commenter clarified. “Anyone arrested will be detained and go through the system as per usual. They will see a judge and a court date will be given.

“In the past, the judge set a cash bail. If you could not afford it you stay in Jail until your court date,” they continued. “This was biased towards people from higher income classes cause they could actually afford bail. Now no one will who is arrested for low level non violent crime be forced to pay cash bail. [They] remain jailed until their court date. Everyone who commits these offenses will be able to stay home until their court date. Just like people with money used to be able to.” For more news and the latest updates on 50 Cent, stick around on HNHH.

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Cocaine Found In The White House By Secret Service

July 5, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Several reports have confirmed that an evacuation was conducted at the White House after a suspicious substance was found on the grounds of the Oval Office by Secret Service agents that later was determined to be cocaine.

U.S. Secret Service Uniform Division Officers located an unknown item on the White House complex,” a Secret Service spokesperson told reporters. “As a precaution, the White House grounds were evacuated, and the DC Fire Departments Hazmat team responded.”

According to the report, the substance was found in an area that was accessible to tourists.

The post Cocaine Found In The White House By Secret Service appeared first on The Source.

Nas & Busta Rhymes’ Music Leads To Investigation Into New Jersey Judge’s TikToks

July 4, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Superior Court Judge Gary N. Wilcox is in trouble with the Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct for filming himself rapping along to Nas and Busta Rhymes’ music in a series of TikTok posts that the committee has deemed inappropriate. They filed the complaint against Wilcox on Friday, June 30.

They allege that between April 2021 and March 2023, Wilcox posted 40 TikTok videos under the username “Sal Tortorella.” The videos apparently contain content featuring “profanity, graphic sexual references to female and male body parts, violence, misogyny, and racist terms,” as noted by the New Jersey Globe.

Nas & Busta Rhymes In NYC

Busta Rhymes and Nas during Nas Celebrates His New Album “Hip Hop is Dead” At His Black & White Ball – December 18, 2006 at Capital in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

The Advisory Committee took special issue with one TikTok featuring Nas’ 2003 track “Get Down.” They said that “the song contains explicit lyrics concerning a criminal case and a courtroom shooting as well as derogatory and discriminatory terms, drug and gang references, and the killing of a doctor in a hospital who treated another gang member.”

In one TikTok, Wilcox lip-syncs to Busta Rhymes’ 2006 hit “Touch It.” The caption reads: “When an ex-girlfriend calls you ‘Santa’ because of your new white beard.” The lyrics in the post are as follows: “For the record, just a second, I’m freakin’ it out/ While she tryin’ to touch, see, I was peepin’ it out/ She turned around and was tryin’ to put my dick in her mouth/ I let her.” Other songs of note include Rihanna’s “Jump” and Miguel’s “Sure Thing.” Another features the phrase, “You think you can run up on me and whip my monkey ass? Come on. Come on!”

Wilcox’s attorney, Robert Hille, downplayed the seriousness of the posts. “I don’t think that at the end of the day anybody is going to believe there was any desire to do any harm here,” Hille said, according to The New York Times. “Hindsight is 20-20.”

[Via]

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Michael Imperioli Forbids “Bigots” From Watching “The Sopranos” & “White Lotus”

July 2, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Michael Imperioli says that he doesn’t want “bigots and homophobes” watching his films and movies after the Supreme Court ruled that businesses can refuse to serve same-sex couples on the basis of religion. Imperioli has roles in The Sopranos, The White Lotus, Goodfellas, and more.

“I’ve decided to forbid bigots and homophobes from watching The Sopranos, The White Lotus, Goodfellas or any movie or tv show I’ve been in,” Imperioli wrote on Instagram, over the weekend. “Thank you Supreme Court for allowing me to discriminate and exclude those who I don’t agree with and am opposed to. USA! USA!”

Michael Imperioli At “The Sopranos” 20th Anniversary Panel

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 09: Michael Imperioli attends the “The Sopranos” 20th Anniversary Panel Discussion at S.V.A. Theater on January 09, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/WireImage)

Later, Imperioli added in the comments section that “hate and ignorance is not a legitimate point of view.” In another comment, he wrote: “America is becoming d
*mber by the minute.” Many fans agreed with him following the controversial decision.

Justice Neil Gorsuch penned the Supreme Court’s decision on the ruling, arguing that “the First Amendment envisions the United States as a rich and complex place where all persons are free to think and speak as they wish, not as the government demands.” The vote passed 6-3 with five conservative judges agreeing with Gorsuch.

Michael Imperioli Shades The Supreme Court

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Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote a dissenting opinion on the matter. “Today, the Court, for the first time in its history, grants a business open to the public a constitutional right to refuse to serve members of a protected class,” she wrote. She further called this a “sad day in American constitutional law and the lives of LGBT people.” The move is just the latest in a series of polarizing rulings the Supreme Court has handed down in recent days.

[Via]

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