Pop Culture

Young Thug’s Jury Selection Begins Today In RICO Trial

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The day felt like it would never come, but finally, YSL’s RICO Trial is officially underway. Since Young Thug, Gunna, and a slew of other affiliates were arrested in the spring of 2022, the hip-hop community has been eagerly waiting to watch the case play out in court.

Many – including the DS4EVER rapper – have taken plea deals to secure their freedom. Thugger, however, has remained in custody from day one. According to previous reports, the only deals put on the table for him would still result in life in prison.

As France24 reports, jury selection began earlier today (January 9) in the city of Atlanta. The process will likely be a lengthy one, as final members must be impartial to the situation.

The trial itself is due to last much of this year as prosecutors attempt to prove that Young Thug’s record label is a crime ring front. The defence has vehemently denied these allegations. They insist that YSL (Young Stoner Life Records) is “a music label and vague association of artists.”

One element of this case that’s specifically raising eyebrows is the use of the So Much Fun hitmaker’s lyrics in the courtroom. Earlier this month, a video of a judge awkwardly reciting bars from “Slime Shit” began circulating online.

According to TMZ, other songs we may hear from prosecutors are “Take it to Trial,” “Ski,” and “Slatty.”

Elsewhere it’s been noted that the state could call over 300 witnesses, including Lil Wayne. It remains unclear what other famous faces may appear in court, though Thugger’s far-reaching influence has connected him with much of the industry over the years.

The Atlanta native has pleaded not guilty to his charges, and his attorney seems confident in his ability to clear his client’s name.

Read about the questions for potential jurors in the YSL RICO case here. Afterward, tell us what you think Young Thug’s ultimate fate will be in the comment section.

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Kanye West Spotted With Mystery Woman Amid “Missing” Rumors

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Kanye West drove around Beverly Hills in his Maybach with a mystery woman on Sunday. TMZ published photos of the rapper, amid rumors that he’s been “missing” for several weeks.

In the car, West was driving alongside an unidentified woman. After their ride, West and the girl entered the Waldorf Astoria hotel.

ANAHEIM, CA – JUNE 03: Rapper Kanye West performs onstage at the Power 106 Powerhouse show at Honda Center on June 3, 2016 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/FilmMagic)

West’s status as “missing” came as a result of his former business manager, Thomas St. John. The alleged disappearance occurred after West’s antisemitic remarks and other erratic behavior.

St. John is currently suing West for $4.5 million in damages after West abruptly ended their partnership. West had reportedly agreed to pay him a monthly retainer of $300,000 to be his business manager and the Chief Marketing Officer of the Donda brand.

His ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, recently spoke about co-parenting with West during an interview with Angie Martinez. On her IRL Podcast, Kardashian admitted that it’s been “really fucking hard.”

“If they don’t know the things that are being said or what’s happening in the world, why would I ever bring that energy to them?” she said. “That’s really heavy grown-up shit that they’re not ready to deal with. That they are not ready to deal with and when they are, we’ll have those conversations.”

In addition to being out with a new girl, West also made a stop at a local church in recent days. However, this only stems from a tweet sharing an image of West on Saturday.

The tweet claimed “eagle-eyed fans of Ye spotted the rapper at church after some time of missing rumors.”

Check out TMZ’s picture of Ye with the mystery woman here.

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“Inside Job” Season 2 Cancelled By Netflix, Twitter Reacts

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If there’s any platform that has an undeniably impressive selection of original content, it’s Netflix. Over the years, the streaming service has created various fan-favourite shows and movies, though not all of them get the attention and respect they deserve. Of course, nothing lasts forever, but users certainly didn’t think we’d be seeing the end of Inside Job so early.

If you’re not familiar, the animated adult series is a conspiracy comedy that’s been markedly described as “a sendup of the ’90s sci-fi drama, ‘The X Files.’” Voice actors attached to the project include Lizzy Caplan and Christian Slater, as well as Clark Duke. It initially debuted in October of 2021, with the following eight episodes landing last November.

As per Deadline, the show chiefly takes place in the offices of Cognito Inc. The organization further exists within a shadow government, and our main characters are anti-social tech nerd Reagan Ridley and her pal Brett Hand. Together, they work to eventually uncover the infinite secrets of the world “hidden in the shadows.”

A second season of Inside Job was previously green-lit in the summer after much success. However, it appears the streamer has since changed its tune on the project, and will no longer be moving forward with new episodes.

The sad news was correspondingly confirmed by creator and showrunner Shion Takeuchi on Sunday night via Twitter. “I’m so heartbroken to confirm that Netflix has decided to cancel season two of ‘Inside Job,’” she told fans in her post.

“Over the years, these characters have become real people to me. I’m devastated not to be able to watch them grow up,” she later added.

Almost immediately, social media users consequently let their distaste for the decision well known. Across hundreds of tweets, they’ve specifically threatened to “never forgive” Netflix. Some are even joking about visiting the platform’s HQ to “talk,” with weapons in tow.

Check out Twitter’s reaction to the upsetting cancellation below. Afterward, tell us if you were looking forward to Inside Job season two in the comments.

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Angela Bassett Is Proud Of Son For Apologizing Over Michael B. Jordan Death Hoax

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A new TikTok trend has killed off many of your favorite very-alive celebrities, and Angela Bassett, unfortunately, was caught in the chaos. There are several trends on the popular app that gain worldwide attention, but when people began killing off the rich and famous, some people didn’t appreciate the viral moment. Recently, we reported on Angela Bassett’s 16-year-old son Slater getting caught up in the trend. It resulted in his tearful apology after tricking his mother into believing Michael B. Jordan had died.

As we recall, Bassett and Jordan famously starred together in the Black Panther films. Slater filmed his mother’s shocked reaction to learning that someone she considered family was allegedly no longer alive.

Read More: Angela Bassett’s Son Apologizes For Michael B. Jordan Death Prank

When it was revealed that Slater was pranking the Waiting to Exhale icon, he soon returned with an apology video.

“I apologize to Michael B. Jordan’s entire family, his extended family, and him directly as he is an idol of mine,” Slater said in his clip. “Taking part in a trend like this is completely disrespectful. I don’t wish any bad ramifications upon his family nor my parents, as they deserve none of the backlash.”

While at the Palm Springs International Film Festival’s Creative Impact Awards, Entertainment Tonight spoke with the actress about the controversy. It seems as if it’s something that she’s also ready to put behind her and her family.

“We all make mistakes, own up to them, take responsibility. Then hold your head up and move forward,” Bassett said.

Read More: Angela Bassett Details Chilling Experience Playing Tina Turner

Meanwhile, although Jordan hasn’t said a peep about the Bassett controversy, he does have big plans on the horizon. It was announced last week that on January 28, he would act as the host of Saturday Night Live. The musical guest for that episode will be none other than Lil Baby.

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Rihanna Shows Off Super Bowl Halftime Show Merch As Her Return To The Stage Nears

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The Super Bowl itself is an undeniably big deal every year. However, it’s often the Halftime show that really captivates audiences. In 2022, an impressive roster of artists took to the stage. Among them were 50 Cent, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Mary J. Blige.

For some time, it was said that following such a lineup wouldn’t be easy for 2023’s headliner. However, it seems that the perfect artist was found in the form of Rihanna. She previously took a years-long hiatus from the music industry in favour of her other creative pursuits.

As the annual game nears, the new mother has been using social media to tease her fans about what they can expect. Most recently, she showed off her accompanying Savage X Fenty merch – namely a hoodie printed with the initial announcement image of her tattooed hand holding up a football that arrived last year.

“5 weeks from today,” the caption on Sunday’s (January 8) Instagram upload reads. Prior to that, Rih posted the same video on her Story, gearing her 139M followers up for her highly anticipated comeback.

Deadline reports that the “Breakin’ Dishes” hitmaker will be the first to perform in the rebranded Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show. The big event will take place on Sunday, February 12, in Glendale, Arizona. In charge of production is DPS with Roc Nation and Jesse Collins. Additionally, Hamish Hamilton will act as the director.

Once the exciting announcement came out in 2022, Jay-Z took a moment to praise Rihanna. “[She] is a generational talent, a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn,” he said at the time. “A person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists ever. Self-made in business and entertainment.”

It’s been noted that over 120 million viewers tuned in to the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show. Later, it went on to receive a total of three Creative Emmy awards for all the performers involved.

Others who have graced the stage at the year’s biggest football game in the past include Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Prince, Jennifer Lopez, and The Weeknd.

Are you excited to see Rihanna’s return to the stage in February? Sound off in the comments, and check back later for more pop culture news updates.

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NBA YoungBoy & Jazlyn Mychelle Obtain Marriage License: Report

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Fans of NBA YoungBoy had a particularly big weekend. On Friday (January 6), the 22-year-old shared his latest project, I Rest My Case. Thus far, titles like “Black,” “Louie V,” and “Bitch Yeah,” have all emerged as fan favourites. However, the new music isn’t all he has up his sleeve.

As you may recall, the Baton Rouge native previously hinted that he and his girlfriend, Jazlyn Mychelle, would be exchanging vows in the new year. Specifically, followers tuning into a live stream heard that the date was set for January 7.

Rapper Youngboy performs onstage during the Day N Night Festival at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 10, 2017 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)

At the time, YB told his fans that he was feeling lonely. In response, one viewer suggested he try out an often salacious website. “This n*gga said OnlyFans,” the rapper laughed in response.

“I’m getting married [on] January 7. Boy, you can’t pay me $10 million to get on muthaf*ckin’ OnlyFans, n*gga. You crazy,” he went on. “I’m lonely ’cause I ain’t got no fans. Everybody stop liking me, son. So what I’m supposed to do?”

In the time since then, fans have been eagerly awaiting to find out if YoungBoy was being serious. The couple hasn’t confirmed anything themselves. However, there have been some interesting posts popping up across social media recently.

On Sunday (January 8), a blogger’s screenshot of what looks to be a marriage license shows Mychelle and her man’s nuptials took place the day before. Salt Lake City, Utah is the issuing city. No additional details are available at this time.

Elsewhere, on Twitter, another account congratulated the mother of two for seemingly saying yes to the dress at a local bridal studio on Friday.

Stream NBA YoungBoy’s new I Rest My Case album here, and check back later for any updates on his possible marriage.

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Lizzo Says That Cancel Culture Is “Appropriation”

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Lizzo says that “cancel culture” is “appropriation,” citing outrage from marginalized people in society. The Special singer explained her position in a tweet that she posted on Sunday night.

Lizzo says that outrage has become “trendy, misused and misdirected,” and wants the focus to shift back to “real problems.”

She elaborated: “This may be a random time to say this but it’s on my heart.. cancel culture is appropriation. There was real outrage from truly marginalized people and now it’s become trendy, misused and misdirected. I hope we can phase out of this & focus our outrage on the real problems.”

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 14: Lizzo attends the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards at Los Angeles Convention Center on March 14, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy )

The tweet arrives after Lizzo previously criticized people’s social media literacy, earlier in the week. “We need to talk about the epidemic of believing any and everything y’all see on social media…,” she wrote in a post.

As for music, Lizzo is expected to be making an appearance on the deluxe version of SZA’s newest album, SOS. The TDE singer detailed her experience working with Lizzo during a recent interview with Rolling Stone.

“We just have so much fun together,” she told the outlet at the time. “And I feel like she gets me. She’s another person who has hella music tastes and doesn’t fit in anybody’s box of anything. She makes it seem like she doesn’t even care like she just does whatever she wants. And I just love being with her, just as a friend and hanging out. So whenever she comes to a studio, I just feel like, ‘Let’s drop into some bullshit.’”

Check out Lizzo’s recent post on Twitter below.

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Soulja Boy Defends Megan Thee Stallion & Calls Out Tory Lanez

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Soulja Boy has come to the defense of Megan Thee Stallion, while calling out the hip-hop community as a whole for not doing the same. Soulja made the comments during an Instagram Live post, in which he also labeled Tory Lanez a “bitch.”

“Yall n****s out here shooting bitches and aint nobody gone say nothing? I’m the only n***a in the whole rap game that’s gonna say something? Ok, cool,” Soulja said.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 12: Soulja Boy Visits Blue Midtown at Blue Midtown on November 12, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

From there, he went on to attack Tory Lanez specifically for the incident.

“Well, Tory Lanez you a bitch. You a bitch n***a on me,” he continued. “Yall watched this n***a shoot this bitch and everybody said, ‘He aint do it.’ Man, fuck yall lame ass n****s.”

In another video, Soulja further went at Lanez, threatening him physically.

“You want to shoot bitches in the feet n***a? Yous a pussy n***a,” Soulja Boy said in the clip. “And when you get from jail n***a you know where I’m at. You got a problem n***a I’ll beat your bitch ass n***a. Don’t never rap over none of my beats, don’t never freestyle over none of my beats. You trash n***a. Your music trash.”

A grand jury found Lanez to be guilty of all three charges leveled against him regarding the 2020 shooting of Megan. All-in-all, he was hit with felony assault with a semiautomatic firearm, possession of a concealed, unregistered firearm, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence.

Lanez faces up to 22 years in prison as he awaits sentencing. Before then, he’s reportedly hired Suge Knight’s former lawyer, David Kenner.

Check out Soulja Boy’s defense of Megan Thee Stallion below.

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Ron Jeremy Won’t Stand Trial For Rape Due To “Severe Dementia”

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Former porn star Ron Jeremy won’t stand trial for his over 30 counts of rape due to his “severe dementia.” According to The Los Angeles Times, the court will declare Jeremy incompetent. If so, he will spend his days at a state-run hospital.

The outlet says they obtained an email from L.A. County Deputy District Attorney Paul Thompson citing mental health experts to determine his condition.

“As a result of the agreement of the experts, the defendant will be declared incompetent to stand trial … his prognosis for improvement is not good,” Thompson wrote.

LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 26: Adult film star Ron Jeremy appears for arraignment on rape and sexual assault charges at Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center on June 26, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)

“If he does not improve, we will not be able to try him for his crimes,” he continued. “Because criminal proceedings are suspended as long as he is incompetent, we also cannot get a guilty plea from him or discuss other measures to get justice for the victims in this case.”

While he is unfit for now, if his condition improves, Jeremy can still stand trial at a later date.

Lianne Young, one of Jeremy’s accusers, says that she felt “numb” over the decision.

“It’s going to come down to public opinion now, and public opinion has looked at Ron like a god,” Young said. “It could be an indication to other predators or viewers of pornography that they can get away with such crimes.”

A jury indicted Ron Jeremy on more than 30 counts of sexual assault back in August 2021. The alleged incidents date back to 1996. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and maintained his innocence in the time since.

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Randall Emmett Denies Being Under Investigation For Pedophilia

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Randall Emmett says his ex-wife Ambyr Childers’ claim that the FBI is investigating him for pedophilia is a lie. Emmett addressed the allegations in a post on Instagram shared over the weekend.

“At this point, the lies have been stretched so far,” the Hollywood producer said in the video.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 19: Randall Emmett attends the Los Angeles Special Screening of Lionsgate’s “Midnight In The Switchgrass” at Regal LA Live on July 19, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

He continued: “We spent today getting confirmation because we knew there was no truthfulness to any of this, that the FBI has never been investigating me and isn’t investigating me because there’s nothing to investigate.”

The video isn’t the first time that Emmett has denied the accusations. In a statement provided to Page Six, he previously defended himself from Childers’ claims.

He wrote at the time that the notion the FBI is investigating him is “beyond absurd.”

He added: “Anyone can say whatever they want in a pleading; that doesn’t make it true. There is zero evidence that I’m being investigated for anything, and we still share 50/50 custody of our children.”

Childers made her claim as part of a domestic violence restraining order request against her ex-husband. She submitted that she “was contacted by a special agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation asking [her] questions about [Emmett’s] suspected activities with child exploitation and pedophilia.”

Emmett and Childers share two children, a 12-year-old named London and 9-year-old named Rylee. The Los Angeles Times reports that there is a hearing set for January 12 to review joint custody matters. The outlet also reported speaking with three other individuals who say the FBI contacted them regarding Emmett.

Check out Randall Emmett’s explanation on Instagram below.

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