Pop Culture

TDE’s Punch Shouts Out Doubters & SZA Fans Who “Stayed Patient” For “S.O.S.” Album

by

SZA dropped her second studio album S.O.S. earlier this month and is already enjoying the success of the highly-anticipated project. In addition to songs like “Kill Bill” and “Blind” going viral on social media, the album has also quickly climbed the charts, solidifying it as a solid follow-up to her Grammy-nominated 2017 album Ctrl.

Punch, president of Top Dawg Entertainment, recently took to his Twitter to acknowledge the album’s stats, admitting, “I never really focus on the numbers too much. Of course I pay attention to them, the quality of the art is always at the forefront for me. But these SOS numbers aren’t too shabby. Lol”

Showing gratitude to SZA’s fans who stayed patient while waiting for the album, Punch also gave a shout-out to the “doubters” in a follow-up tweet. 

The record exec continued, “Shout out to the real fans who stayed down and stayed patient. Shout to TDE and the doubters who doubted us. Love y’all.”

READ MORE: SZA Confirms Plastic Surgery Rumors On “SOS”

“A few of y’all n****s had a lot to say… lol. I won’t bring it up. I see you,” the seasoned rapper then posted.

While sitting down with Rolling Stone’s Music Now podcast, the St. Louis native opened up about feeling nervous about how S.O.S. would be perceived overall. 

“If n****s hate it, then great. I can never do music again. And I told my engineer, we’ll move to India and we’ll live on an ashram and we’ll take a vow of silence and that’s it,” she told the outlet earlier this month.

“And it is also really scary that it didn’t go that way because I’m like, now what do I do? And what does this actually mean and when do the tides turn?” SZA then shared. “When does everyone decide that they hate me again or that this sucks? And that’s unhealthy. That’s something I need to talk to my therapist about.”

Have you heard SZA’s latest project? Drop your favorite S.O.S. songs in the comments below.

[Via]

Antonio Sledge, Young Thug’s Co-Defendent, Enters Guilty Plea

by

Antonio “Mounk Tounk” Sledge, a suspected YSL member and co-defendant of Young Thug, has reportedly plead guilty to multiple charges. Earlier this month, famed rapper Gunna was released from jail as Young Thug continues to sit behind bars.

According to Law & Crime, Sledge entered a guilty plea for “conspiracy to violate the racketeering act and to being a felon in possession of a firearm.” 

He will now give up his Fifth Amendment right to not speak on topics that could incriminate him. This also means that he has to testify truthfully “in any trial emerging from the indictment.” 

In exchange, prosecutors will then throw out his firearm charge. They will also “recommend he spend 15 years on probation for the racketeering charge.”

Commenting under DJ Akademik’s post about Sledge’s plea, Tekashi 69 offered his thoughts on the case. 

The “GUMMO” rapper wrote, “3rd slide is where ITS Very CLEAR that boy got probation in exchange for his testimony. Can’t even look into the camera. I would just keep scrolling but it’s funny how no one got the same energy for black rappers who openly on video cooperate with the law.”

Sledge is the latest alleged YSL member to enter a plea in the ongoing RICO case. Lil Duke took a plea deal earlier this month, while Gunna was released from prison following his Alford plea.

READ MORE: Young Thug’s Lawyer Speaks On Recent YSL Deals
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 17: Young Thug and Gunna perform at halftime during the Boston Celtics v Atlanta Hawks game at State Farm Arena on November 17, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

Releasing a statement after returning home, the “Pushin P” rapper made it clear that he didn’t cooperate with authorities, stating, “While I have agreed to always be truthful, I want to make it perfectly clear that I have NOT made any statements, have NOT been interviewed, have NOT cooperated, have NOT agreed to testify or be a witness for or against any party in the case and have absolutely NO intention of being involved in the trial process in any way.”

With Young Thug still facing RICO charges, the Atlanta rapper is set to later stand trial next month. Check back in with HNHH for new updates on the case.

[Via]

Coolio’s 7 Children Listed As “Probable Beneficiaries” After Rapper Died Without A Will

by

Months after Coolio passed away at age 59, it has been revealed that the rapper died without a will to control his estate.

According to The Blast, the “Gangsta’s Paradise” rapper’s estate is estimated to be over $300,000. Assets reportedly include “personal property and demand deposit accounts, financial accounts, insurance policies and royalties.”

Coolio poses during the Bay Area Music Awards at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium on March 7, 1998 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)

His seven children, all adults, were listed as “probable beneficiaries” after Coolio died without a will in place. They are also named as his next of kin, with Coolio’s ex-manager filing a probate to appraise his estate.

The Los Angeles native shocked the hip-hop community in September when he suddenly passed away. 

READ MORE: Coolio’s First Posthumous Single, “Do You Want It” Lands Via His Australian Collaborator

According to his manager, Coolio was visiting a friend’s home and excused himself to use their bathroom. After some time passed and the friend hadn’t heard back, they checked on him and discovered him on the ground. It is suspected that he suffered a heart attack prior to his death.

Following a brief hiatus, Coolio returned to the rap scene in 2021 with his single “Out Fa da Bag.” He rose to prominence in the ‘90s with his Kylian Mash collab “Gangsta’s Paradise” and for notably rapping on the theme song for Nickelodeon’s “Kenan and Kel.”

Per Billboard, the rapper spoke with the Crypto Island podcast shortly before his death and revealed a new side as he discussed his cryptocurrency knowledge. 

“I am actually heavily invested into the metaverse,” he said. “I have a nice swath of land in the metaverse and barring the internet crashing or somebody dropping an EMP (electomagnetic pulse) on the whole world and there being no power, this would be a good deal.”

On the topic of climate change, Coolio revealed, “I’m not so much worried about it. By the time it gets to be a serious problem I’ll be long dead.”

The rapper leaves behind his seven children and a lasting rap legacy. R.I.P.

[Via] [Via]

Kimbella Hints At Why Her & Juelz Santana Called It Quits

by

Shortly after Kimbella publicly announced her split from Juelz Santana, the reality television star dropped a few hints at why her marriage to the Dipset rapper might have failed. 

Posting a video to her Instagram story, Santana’s estranged wife alluded to arguments and feeling alone in a relationship being reasons for the breakup.

Showing clips from various films, the video Kimbella shared included the caption, “Arguing 24/7 because his feelings were all that mattered. Begging him to change so we could make it work. Feeling numb because he made you feel like the problem. Watching him mess up again when he promised he’d change.”

READ MORE: Cam’ron Reveals Why He Hasn’t Done A Dipset Movie Yet

“Feeling alone after he lied the whole relationship,” the caption continued. “Knowing it’s time to give up even though you love him. Figuring out how you’re going to fix yourself after he dragged you down.”

On Wednesday afternoon, Kimbell uploaded a bikini thirst trap to her 2.5 million Instagram followers. Revealing that her and Santana were no longer together, the Love & Hip Hop star wrote under the post, “Next chapter … S I N G L E.”

The pair got married in 2019 after dating for a decade prior. The “There It Go” rapper also got arrested and welcomed his third child with Kimbella that same year. 

After being locked up for 17 months on gun charges, Santana revealed in an interview with VladTV that it was “a learning experience.”

“For me I got to turn jail into Yale. I got to be smarter, I got to read a lot more and I got back to writing,” he shared. “Like I wrote so much in there. Like my execution plans since I been home been phenomenal right now, like I’m just all the way in getting to it.”

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 19: Kimbella Vanderhee and Juelz Santana attend Fat Joe Birthday Celebration at Brooklyn Chop House on August 19, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images)

Since his release, the New York emcee has released a number of singles, including 2021’s “Biggie Talk” and “Whitney,” which dropped several months ago.

Though Kimbella has publicly announced their split, Santana has yet to comment on the breakup.

What are your thoughts on the celebrity couple’s split? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Coi Leray Gushes About Meeting Busta Rhymes, Calls Rapper An “Icon Legend”

by

As Coi Leray continues to see her star rise, the 25-year-old recently linked up with someone she considers to be an “icon legend.” Appearing to party and dance with Busta Rhymes at an event, she shared a clip of their meeting on social media and opened up about how special the moment was for her.

“Igh listen.. look how God works .. like literally y’all are witnessing it right now… do you know how major this is ? @bustarhymes to meet you at a time like this (unplanned) is crazy !” the “TWINNEM” rapper shared, then adding “You are truly an icon LEGEND.”

Leray exploded onto the scene with her early 2021 single “No More Parties” and has sustained her success with a string of hits since. Dropping “Blick Blick!” with Nicki Mina earlier this year, she also released her debut album Trendsetter in April 2022 and her now-viral track “Players” this past month.

READ MORE: Coi Leray Ends The Year With Her “Wasted” Single & Music Video

Featuring a number of hip-hop artists like Polo G and Fivio Foreign, Leray’s album admittedly took time to perfect. 

The rapper revealed to Billboard in April, “I am a little anxious, I will be honest, but I am very excited because I do know that the body of work that I have been working on for these last three years is absolutely amazing.”

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JULY 29: Coi Leray performs at Lollapalooza at Grant Park on July 29, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Josh Brasted/FilmMagic,)

“Everything from the features to the production is on point,” she added. “The amount of time I took, and the many trials and tribulations that helped me make this story, will be great, and I cannot wait until it drops.”

In March 2023, Leray will perform at Roling Loud California along with Travis Scott and Kodak Black. With 2022 proving to be a busy year for the artist, it’s likely that she will continue to release new music in the new year.

Check back in later with HNHH for new updates on the “Slide” star.

[Via]

Pro Boxer Gervonta Davis Breaks Silence After Domestic Violence Arrest

by

A day following Gervonta Davis’ domestic violence arrest on Tuesday night, the professional boxer has broken his silence. In a lengthy Instagram post that has since been deleted, Davis denied that he harmed his daughter and child’s mother, confirmed by The Shade Room as Vanessa Posso.

“DO NOT LET THESE PEOPLE MISGUIDE YOU ALL ON THIS BULLSH*T…THIS WAS JUSY YESTERDAY MOMENTS BEFORE ME AND MY CHILD MOTHER HAD ARGUMENT! WATCHING FROZEN WITH MY OLDEST DAUGHTER ..I NEVER PUT MY HANDS ON MY MOTHER NOR MY [redacted] DAUGHTER ARE YOU F***ING CRAZY!!” he wrote in the post.

“IM NOT A MONSTER I BEEN QUIET FOR TOO LONG,” the Baltimore native then stated. “I DONT HAVE MEDIA TEAM, PR, GOOD LAWYER…spokesman nothing off that.. THATS THE ONLY REASON IM DOING THIS NOW! JUST TO CLEAR MY NAME!”

READ MORE: Tory Lanez & Madonna Get Close At Gervonta Davis Fight

As HotNewHipHop previously reported, the 28-year-old athlete was arrested in Florida earlier this week and charged with battery domestic violence. 

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK – MAY 28: Gervonta Davis enters the ring against Rolando Romero during their fight for Davis’ WBA World lightweight title at Barclays Center on May 28, 2022 in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Shortly after Davis was taken into custody, several outlets released audio of the 911 call leading up to his arrest. In it, a woman reportedly expressed concerns for her safety and life, saying on the call, “Please help me. I need help, please! I’m trying to go home, I have a baby in the car and he attacked me in front of the kid … He’s going to kill me.”

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time that the boxing champion has been arrested for domestic violence. According to TMZ, he was given a “simple battery/domestic violence” charge in 2020. Davis had assaulted a woman at a public basketball game, with some of the attack caught on video.

He is expected to fight Hector Luis Garcia on Saturday, January 7. It’s unclear if his legal troubles will impact the highly-anticipated event.

[Via]

ABC Accidentally Shows Picture Of Quavo In Takeoff Tribute

by

At the end of every year, ABC does an “In Memorium” segment to honor the celebrities who have passed away throughout the months prior.

Airing on Monday (December 26), this year’s segment honored late figures like Olivia Newton-John, Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, Coolio, Stephen “tWitch” Boss and more.

Quavo and Takeoff attend their “Only Built For Infinity Links” Album Listening event. (Photo by Cassidy Sparrow/Getty Images)

However, the network made a critical mistake. When the tribute for Takeoff appeared on the screen, it was unfortunately a photo of his uncle, Quavo, instead.

Evidently, fans were quick to notice and subsequently took to social media to air out their thoughts.

“ABC, count your f*cking days. These mother f*ckers really put a picture of Guavo and said RIP Takeoff! Like whyyyyyyy. Smh. Whoever put that slide show together needs to be fired,” says one user.

“Yo @ABC whoever you have reviewing the yearly tribute to all the famous people who died this year needs to get fired, had a pic of Quavo in place of Takeoff,” writes another.

“So I’m watching #TheYear on @abc and was caught off guard by the disrespect and ignorance of the programming. All black people don’t look the same and y’all got this one wrong, the person [in] the picture is clearly, clearly Quavo[.] Do better,” says another Twitter user.

The Apology

The network has since apologized for the mistake. Additionally, they have also updated the photo to be one of Takeoff. In a tweet posted on Tuesday (December 27), they made sure to correct it. “We apologize for the unfortunate error in a previous version of ‘The Year: 2022.’ It has been corrected,” the tweet reads.

It’s been nearly two months since the late Migos rapper‘s tragic murder in November following a fatal shooting at a private event in Houston. The “Last Memory” rapper was only 28 years old.

The alleged shooter, Patrick Clark, has since been arrested and charged with murder. Earlier today, a judge denied yet another request for a bond reduction by Clark’s legal team. His bond remains set at $1 million.

What are your thoughts on the situation? Comment down below. Finally, make sure to stay tuned to HNHH for the latest updates in music and pop culture.

[via]

R. Kelly Confirms He Didn’t Have A Child With Joycelyn Savage

by

Even from behind bars, R. Kelly continues to be in the headlines. Over the past couple of days, rumors began circulating on social media that his alleged fiancée, Joycelyn Savage gave birth to his kid. However, her father, Timothy Savage, has since denied these claims.

Taking to his Instagram account on Tuesday (December 27), he went live to address the situation. “The little baby on the account is a pretty little baby. If I had a granddaughter, I would be the first to say I love this child, no matter what the situation is. These people are evil, cruel people. To take a horrible situation and try to make some profit off of it,” he says.

Mr. Savage goes on to say that a fake Instagram account claiming to be his daughter is responsible for making the announcement and subsequently stirring up the gossip.

Furthermore, a new update on Wednesday (December 28) provides audio recordings of the disgraced singer speaking from prison. In an exclusive interview with Rick Party of The Natasha Simona Sequence show, the 55-year-old also denies that Savage gave birth to his child. “I can’t name names, I can just say, Joycelyn is my fiancée and I love her and she loves me, and we’re together. I can say that. She is not in my case or none of that. She’s not against me,” says Kelly during the phone conversation.

When Party asks him directly if the rumors are true, the disgraced singer is quick to speak out. “Hell nah! That’s what I’m sayin’. She didn’t have a child. I didn’t put out no damn album. If I did put out an album, it wouldn’t be called I Admit It. We gotta start using our common sense at some point,” he says afterwards.

This all stems from comments made by Savage earlier this year. In August, she claimed to be pregnant with the 55-year-old’s child in a shocking tell-all. Although all other parties have denied this to be true, it should be noted that Savage herself has yet to speak out.

The “Ignition” singer remains behind bars, where he is currently serving a 30-year sentence for his various crimes, including sex trafficking and racketeering.

Finally, make sure to stay tuned to HNHH for the latest updates in music and pop culture.

[via]

Theophilus London Missing Since July: Report

by

Hip Hop is concerned this evening after a report surfaced about Theophilus London. According to several surfacing reports, the famed rapper’s family has been searching for him.

A press release states that they haven’t had contact with London since sometime in July. With the holiday season quickly closing and still no contact, they decided to file a missing person report.

HOLLYWOOD, CA – JULY 15: Rapper Theophilus London attends Adidas and The Manchester United Squad present Unmissable featuring a live music performance and special guests at The Highlight Room at DREAM Hollywood on July 15, 2017 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for adidas)
Read More: Theophilus London Shares Text Messages With Kanye West About D.L. Hughley Altercation

TMZ states that London’s loved ones filed the report yesterday (December 27). London was born in Trinidad and Tobago, so it’s said that several of his relatives made their way to Los Angeles to connect with the authorities face-to-face.

In a statement, the rapper’s father, Larry Moses London, made an emotional plea to his missing 35-year-old son.

“Theo, your Dad loves you, son,” said the patriarch. “We miss you. And all your friends and relatives are searching for you. Wherever you are send us some signal.” He added, “No matter what we will come get you son.”

NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 20: Theophilus London attends a screening of “The Eagle Huntress” hosted by Sony Pictures Classics and The Cinema Society at The Landmark Sunshine Theater on October 20, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Paul Bruinooge/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

The circumstances involving this disappearance remain unclear, including the last time he made contact with loved ones. The public is quickly sharing information about London in an effort to hopefully find him sooner than later.

[via]

Lil Baby Thanks Fan Who Helped Him After Car Accident

by

Lil Baby rewarded a fan who helped him following a car accident by throwing a stack of cash his way. The wholesome moment was shared in a post on TikTok, earlier this week.

“I ain’t seen her over there,” Baby explained in the clip as he stands on the side of the road. “I was in that truck!”

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JULY 17: Lil Baby performs onstage during Hot 107.9 Birthday Bash 25 at Center Parc Credit Union Stadium at Georgia State University on July 17, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

The woman who posted the clip’s husband apparently helped Baby move the car and change its tire. Another clip shows Baby on the ground holding a car jack and assessing the damage. According to the TikTok, Baby then “blessed” the poster’s husband with a stack of cash. He also posed for pictures with family as they flexed the money.

Baby certainly has money to spare with him finishing up one of the most successful years of his career. He ends 2022 having had 40 songs on the Billboard Hot 100. The number leaves him in a tie with Drake for the most among all artists.

He shared his latest album, It’s Only Me, back in October. The project features appearances from Nardo Wick, Young Thug, Fridayy, Future, Rylo Rodriguez, Jeremih, EST Gee, and Pooh Shiesty.

All 23 songs from the album debuted on the Hot 100. In doing so, Baby became just the third artist ever to have their entire album land on the chart after release. He also became the youngest solo artist to do so.

Additionally, Baby helmed his own song for the 2022 Qatar World Cup titled “The World Is Yours To Take.”

Check out the TikTok featuring Lil Baby below.

@theknow28

Replying to @getmoneyga

♬ original sound – N

[Via]