Pop Culture

Akon Draws Backlash After Comparing American & African Performers

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Akon found himself on the wrong side of Twitter this week after a video of him began making the rounds on social media. In the now-viral clip, he compared performers from Africa with those in the United States, seemingly implying that Africans have a better stage presence than their Black American counterparts.

While sitting down with the Zeze Millz Show, Akon and Millz were on the topic of a young African musician. “Well he’s African,” the “Locked Up” singer shared, adding “We’re a little different when it comes to stage presence.”

Akon continued that those in America are often “wobbling, pants hanging half down, bored as hell, half asleep ‘cause they high as hell on stage. But [in] Africa, we wake up in the morning, like look at these YouTube clips of all these kids from Uganda. Like these kids are performers. So for us, it comes natural.”

READ MORE: Akon Believes Canada Is Dominating Hip Hop: “Don’t Get It Twisted”

Shortly after the clip was shared on social media, many gave their thoughts on the singer’s controversial comments.

“As a Ghanaian-American, I hate this with every fiber of my body for so many reasons, but what really gets me about this entire ‘conversation’ is Akon using AAVE while degrading African-Americans,” one user tweeted. “It is both a slap in the face and peak anti-Blackness.”

Another responded with, “FURTHER, I cannot fathom a time when I have EVER heard someone say ‘I wanna see that Akon concert’. From what performance expertise is he coming from and what showstopping stage presence is he under the impression he provides? F**k Akon.”

Akon recently faced backlash for a clip from the same interview. While discussing Nick Cannon’s growing family, the “Soul Survivor” singer supported him, saying, “That’s how life is supposed to be. Why not? He’s rich … He’s responsible.”

Continuing to discuss fatherhood, Akon was asked if he actively shows up to children’s events, with Millz posing, “So every single time, you’re at every single recital?”

“No, that’s a white man’s thing. Who gives a f**k about a recital?” Akon then asserted, adding, “No, seriously. Listen, my job is to raise my kids, to be responsible, to be understanding, to protect their mother, to give a hand with their father, and to assist with family planning, and to be responsible adults.”

What are your thoughts on Akon’s recent interview? Watch it below and share your thoughts in the comments.

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Kehlani Debuts New Relationship On Social Media

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Months after Kehlani called it quits with 070 Shake, the singer has now popped out with someone new. The Oakland-born musician showed off her new relationship on TikTok this past week, with her and Kiara “Kiki” Russell letting fans in on their budding romance.

Russell, a former college basketball star, went viral on the platform over the weekend after posting a video of her and Kehlani dying her hair. The pair shared a kiss in the intimate video, which features the romantic jam “Into You” by Tamia and Fabulous.

@kiararuss

Somethin newww

♬ Into You (feat. Tamia) – Fabolous

A day earlier, she also shared a video of her and the “Beautiful Lies” songstress addressing a fan’s comment about how they met. 

@kiararuss

Replying to @jaydetssss

♬ original sound – Kiki

“We were at Whole Foods and we both touched hands reaching for the same kiwi. And the next thing you know, love,” Kehlani joked in the clip, adding, “Actually the stud stork brought her, so she dropped off on my porch.”

Kehlani also showed off Russell on her own TikTok account, posting a clip of them together. “Say hi to the girls,” the It Was Good Until It Wasn’t star sang on video. 

@kehlani

since yall asked

♬ original sound – Kehlani

“You wasn’t really supposed to say hi to the girls,” Kehlani then said. “No, you supposed to say hi. Not to the girls.”

READ MORE: Kehlani Dances On Letitia Wright At Club In London

Social media users were quick to respond to the 27-year-old’s new chapter, with many commenting on the pair going public and Kehlani’s past relationships. Others also shared that they thought the new couple closely resembled each other.

“Kehlani really loves her a look alike,” one user wrote on Twitter.

Another user tweeted, “One thing about Kehlani, she gone keep her a girlfriend.”

Let us know your thoughts on Kehlani’s new relationship by sounding off in the comments below.

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Maino Flows On New “Neck & Wrist” Freestyle

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Maino just dropped a new freestyle over Pusha T and Jay-Z’s 2022 hit “Neck & Wrist” and it’s one for the books. Featured on Fire in the Booth for the first time, the New York emcee got back to his lyrical roots over the Pharrell Williams-produced beat.

Shortly after the beat dropped, Maino goes straight into his bars, quoting memorable one-liners on the track.

Featured on Pusha’s fourth studio album It’s Almost Dry in April 2022, “Neck & Wrist” entered Billboard’s Hot 100 chart shortly after its debut. It marked the 45-year-old’s first collaboration with Jay-Z since Pusha T’s 2016 song “Drug Dealers Anonymous.”

Earlier this month, Jay-Z released his year-end playlist for 2022, listing “Neck & Wrist” along with Gunna’s “Pushin P” and Beyoncé’s “PLASTIC OFF THE SOFA.”

Maino, whose career has spanned decades, recently teamed up with his longtime friend Jim Jones to form Lobby Boyz. The pair released their self-titled project earlier this year, featuring Styles P, Benny the Butcher, and more.

What are your thoughts on Maino’s new freestyle? Drop your take in the comments below.

Quotable Lyrics:

Bandanas, all black leather like Black Panthers

These d***k riding internet n****s, they can’t stand us

Pain addict, can’t find space I’m that tatted

Just met her, gave her my face, I’m that savage

Judge Orders Sony To Pay $160 Million For Role In 2017 Cousin Stizz Concert Shooting

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It’s been five years since the deadly shooting that occurred at a show in which Cousin Stizz was on the bill.

A new development regarding the incident shows that Sony is actually partly responsible for the tragedy.

Rapper Coustin Stizz performs onstage during day one of the Rolling Loud Festival at Banc of California Stadium. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)

As the 2017 performance at the Atlanta venue, The Masquerade was ongoing, a shooter opened fire on the crowd. The Boston native was one of the performers getting ready to take the stage later in the night. The shooter is responsible for hitting four innocent members of the audience. Two of them, Giovan Diaz and Ewell Ynoa, passed away from their injuries sustained that night.

The police were later successful in identifying the suspect as 25-year-old Jonathan Bautista. He was subsequently arrested and charged with two counts of murder.

On December 15, a DeKalb County judge ordered Sony Music Holdings to pay $160 million in damages for the incident. The judge labels the company’s failure to protect concertgoers as the reason. Additionally, the victims’ families allege the venue didn’t have proper security present. The awarded money will go to the families of the victims.

Furthermore, the Beasley Allen Law Firm is responsible for filing the lawsuit in 2018. They named Sony and RCA Records, as well as Live Nation and Masquerade as defendants in the case.

To make matters worse, reports indicate that Sony never even showed up for the trial.

“One of these men had been told he would be a father just a few hours before the shooting happened. Combine that with the fact the concert endangered everyone, and this Defendant refused to participate in the legal process, and you get the type of verdict we saw here,” Atlanta lawyer Parker Miller says in a statement, explaining the outcome.

Earlier this year, Cousin Stizz dropped off his latest project, Just For You. Boasting a feature from Curren$y, the 13-track album finds the 30-year-old reflecting on years of abiding by label restrictions.

What are your thoughts on the ruling? Comment down below. As always, make sure to stay tuned to HNHH for the latest industry and pop culture updates.

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NBA YoungBoy Says He Plans To Move His Family To Europe

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2022 has been an extremely busy year for NBA YoungBoy. Dropping eight full-length projects and a string of YouTube videos, the Last Slimeto rapper is maintaining his label as one of the hardest-working rappers in the game.

Not only has he been busy with his music career, but also with his personal life. In September, he welcomed his 10th child into the world.

NBA YoungBoy performs during Lil WeezyAna at Champions Square on August 25, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images)

Seemingly as a result of all his overwhelming success, the “Make No Sense” rapper says he wants to eventually move his family to Europe.

“We got to stay prayed up[.] I really want to move [to] Europe with my family once all of this [is] put behind me,” he wrote in the short social media post. “I’m stacking money until then!!” the 23-year-old added.

Considering YoungBoy’s family consists of 10 kids and multiple baby mamas, the move would certainly be a complicated one.

To make matters worse, he’s gotten into some public feuds with the mothers of some of his children. One of them, Drea Symone, took to her Twitter account in October to call YB out for not being present in their daughter’s life. “[I’d] Trade all the money in the world for my youngest daughter to have a father,” she wrote.

Regardless, the Baton Rouge native’s latest project of the aforementioned eight this year, arrived in the form of Lost Files just last week. Containing 21 tracks and no features, the tape follows his Quando Rondo collab album, 3860. In October, he teamed up with DJ Drama for the Gangsta Grillz mixtape, Ma’ I Got A Family.

Furthermore, the 23-year-old was evidently active during this holiday season. On Saturday (December 24), he was engaging in arguments online with Blueface. In the rather light-hearted exchange, the rappers debated over who gets more girls. “You get your group and I’ma get my group, and we gon’ see who got the baddest h*es,” he told the “Bleed It” rapper.

What’s your favorite song or project that YoungBoy has dropped this year? Comment down below. Finally, make sure to tune into our newest holiday playlist, which can be found here.

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Cardi B Reveals She “Was Crushing” On Offset During “Lick” Video Shoot

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Just before Cardi B exploded onto the rap scene with her summer hit “Bodak Yellow,” the Bronx-born rapper released her popular mixtape Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 2 in early 2017. One notable song from the project featured Offset, who would later become Cardi B’s husband.

The pair also collaborated on an official music video for “Lick,” with Cardi B and Offset showing clear chemistry. Years later, the “WAP” star admitted on social media that she “couldn’t even breathe” while shooting the visual due to her “crushing hard” on the Migos rapper.

One fan brought the video back into conversation on Monday by sharing a clip on Twitter, writing, “She ate this so bad.”

Cardi B, who appeared in the music video rocking a long red ponytail and short curly black hair, responded to the user by revealing the new info.

“I couldn’t even breath doing this video …I was crushing hard on Set.” she shared with her 27 million followers.

READ MORE: Cardi B Reveals Anxiety Has Prevented Her From Releasing New Music

MIAMI BEACH, FL – OCTOBER 06: (L-R) Offset and Cardi B attend the 2017 BET Hip Hop Awards on October 6, 2017 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

Cardi B and Offset began dating in early 2017, according to Billboard, and got married later that year. The two have stood firm throughout their sometimes tumultuous relationship, which has come with cheating rumors and a divorce filing over the past few years.

Since 2017’s “Lick,” the hip-hop couple have joined together for a number of songs, including Offset’s “Clout” and Migos’ “MotorSport.”

What are your thoughts on “Lick?” Check out the music video below and share your thoughts in the comments.

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Amber Rose Checks Murda Mook For Comments Criticizing Women With “No Talent”

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Regardless of your thoughts on Amber Rose, it’s undeniable that she’s continuing to make a name for herself in the industry.

Murda Mook, however, wasn’t shy in sharing his thoughts on women with “no talent” getting famous. Rose was quick to take exception.

Amber Rose attends 2022 Revolt Summit at 787 Windsor on September 24, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia.(Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage)

The interaction took place on the set of Drink Champs, where the pair appeared along with Loaded Lux on Sunday (December 25).

“Think about it, having no talent that’s the new talent / I saw a b*tch on red carpet and I said ‘tell me what you do’ / She said, ‘I’m pretty, I pierced my cl*t, my t*tties, my belly button too / I twerk for the ‘Gram, my videos get a hella bunch of views,” the “100 Dollar Bill” rapper says in an impromptu freestyle.

Evidently, the TV personality wasn’t here for the comments. Rose subsequently challenged the Harlem native’s thinking, asking him if there’s a problem with “untalented” women being famous. “But who do you blame for that? Is it the girls’ problem or the consumer?” she asks.

“Let’s say, me, Kim Kardashian, Jada, Ari[ana].. it should never be a conversation amongst men because it’s like, you have to then blame the consumer, right? Because these girls, us, are known as not having talent, but like, we make a lot of money,” the 39-year-old continues afterwards.

Furthermore, Rose went on to challenge the Harlem rapper for his use of belittling terms aimed at women. “Don’t hate the b*tch, hate the consumer. You’re observing a b*tch making money because she’s pretty and twerking. Let the b*tch twerk and make her f*cking money,” she says in the clip below.

Earlier this year, the social media personality dropped her first of four singles in 2022. Aptly-titled “GYHO,” short for “Get Your Hoe On,” the track showcases her embrace of being sexually active. Although it wasn’t generally well-received among rap fans on social media, the song and her debate with Mook certainly fit her sex-positive brand.

All in all, the back-and-forth appeared to simply be a healthy debate for the most part. Check out the interview in its entirety down below.

Finally, what are your thoughts on Mook’s comments? Sound off in the comments below. As always, make sure to stay tuned to HNHH for the latest updates.

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Pam Grier Is Writing A Movie For Her And Cardi B, Shares Advice For Megan Thee Stallion

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If there’s one thing that we always love to see in the industry, it’s legends supporting legends. Recently, Foxy Brown actress Pam Grier has been doing a whole lot of that. Specifically, she’s showing love to two of the biggest names in the female rap game today.

The 73-year-old joined Rolling Stone for an interview. During, she revealed that she’s got some particularly exciting things in the works. Among them is yet another movie to add to her already impressive filmography, which boasts titles like Friday Foster, Coffy, and Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown.

What sets this upcoming role apart, though, is that Grier herself is writing it, and she has plans to star alongside another famous face. “I’m writing something for me and Cardi B,” she told journalist Rob Sheffield, noting that she’s specifically a fan of the song “WAP.”

She didn’t dish any further on the movie in collaboration with Bardi, though she was quick to shift the conversation to Megan Thee Stallion while on the topic of their salacious single. “I love Megan Thee Stallion. I told her, ‘You and your artistry are beautiful,’” she recalled.

“‘People are gonna punk you because a stallion is a male horse. There’s some really foxy mares!” was the rest of the advice Grier had for the Houston native. “She’s really good. She went to college,” the older woman further praised her young friend.

Megan Thee Stallion attends the 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 Summit at Detroit Opera House on October 04, 2022 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images for ABA)

Afterward, the North Carolina-born entertainer spoke candidly about how women in the industry are criticized. “You got to have your goals. You’re gonna have haters, you’re gonna have jealousy. Just do your art, do your passion from your heart,” she told Rolling Stone.

“[Megan] and Lizzo and Nicki Minaj and some of the others, they know — you gotta make your own style. You get to hire people later. But you come up with your own stuff, then you just draw people like a magnet. Collaborators make you greater and greater. I want them to find that.”

Actress Pam Grier poses for a portrait in 1985 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry Langdon/Getty Images)

Read Pam Grier’s full interview with Rolling Stone here, and tell us if you’d watch her alongside Cardi B on the big screen in the comments.

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Nostradamus’ 2023 Predictions Include World War III & End Of The Monarchy

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With a new year, for many, comes new resolutions and the chance to step into a better version of yourself. However, each new year also comes with 365 days of potential turmoil – depending on what the universe plans to throw at us. According to 16th-century astrologer, Nostradamus, the impending fresh start could have some serious upheaval.

As the NY Post reports, the accused heretic successfully predicted many past events. Among them are 9/11, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Great Fire of London, and Hitler’s rise to power. His foresight is undeniably pessimistic in nature, which is why he’s known as the “prophet of doom.”

Michel de Nostredame, aka Nostradamus (1503-1566) french astrologer and doctor, engraving, colorized document (Photo by Apic/Getty Images)

His bleak outlook is said to be a result of the Old Testament and the trauma of losing both his wife and children to illness at a young age. In 1555 he published Les Prophéties, in which he describes future wars, civil unrest, assassinations, and the like.

For 2022, the late figure prophesized about the rise of AI, cryptocurrency’s conquering power, and a sudden rise in cannibalism due to ongoing inflation. In December we can confidently say that bitcoin was a flop, cost of living is higher than ever, and Evan Peters’ rendition of Jeffrey Dahmer became one of the most popular shows on Netflix this year.

Unfortunately, it sounds like Nostradamus’ worldview hasn’t changed much for 2023. According to him global warming will continue to cause more problems, such as an increase in fish deaths.

“Like the sun the head shall sear the shining sea: The Black Sea’s living fish shall all but boil,” he wrote centuries ago.

Elsewhere, he seems to speak of the fall of the monarchy when describing “Celestial fire on the royal edifice.” If taken literally this could mean an actual meteor or other blaze striking Buckingham Palace. However, it’s possibly a metaphor for the “bombshell” from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s new docuseries.

It’s no secret that the threat of World War III has been imminent for some time now, with the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. At this point, even Nostradamus wouldn’t be surprised to see more severe conflict break out around the globe.

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during the Informal Summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on December 26, 2022 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images)

“Seven months great war, people dead through evil,” is his book’s prediction. If you think that’s bad, just wait until you hear what he has to say next.

On top of all the other aforementioned chaos, Nos also believes 2023 will see the arrival of a highly unwanted guest. “The antichrist very soon annihilates the three. Twenty-seven years his war will last. The unbelievers are dead, captive, exiled. With blood, human bodies, water and red hail covering the earth.”

Do you think any of Nostradamus’ writings will come true next year? Let us know below. Also, if you’re curious about astrology, check out our analysis of Kanye West’s birth chart to learn more here.

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Lizzo Attempts To Set Yung Gravy Up With Her Mom

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26-year-old Yung Gravy has never been one to shy away from his natural inclination towards MILFs. In fact, the rapper made serious waves earlier this year after walking down a red carpet alongside Addison Rae’s mother. That “romance” fizzled out fast. However, the Minnesota native has had plenty of eye candy to keep him busy as of late.

Yung Gravy (L) and Sheri Easterling attend the 2022 MTV VMAs at Prudential Center on August 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

If you use TikTok, you may have seen the ongoing “turning my mom into me trend” that began just before the holidays. Users have been recording their moms strutting their stuff in their usual attire before giving them an off-camera makeover to resemble themselves. For anyone with a fetish like Gravy’s, it’s been undeniably entertaining to watch.

Of course, many ordinary people are participating and subsequently going viral, but some celebrities have even begun hopping on the trend too. Among them is Lizzo, who decked her madre out in a bold Yitty look.

“Yung Gravy [eyes emojis],” the Special hitmaker wrote in the caption of her post. “Before y’all ask issa @yitty onesie.” As her daughter begins recording, we see the older woman smiling as she walks around the Christmas tree in a Champion tee and sweatpants.

@lizzo

Yung gravy 👀👀👀 before y’all ask issa @yitty onesie🎄🎄🎄

♬ original sound – evie

For her second look, Lizzo and her mom opted to stick with comfortable vibes, styling her in a red one-piece outfit that’s perfect for the holiday season. In the comment sections, fans were quick to gas her up. “Love [your] mom’s attitude hahah,” one user wrote. Another added, “Y’all are twins… Beautiful mother, beautiful daughter.”

Yung Gravy hasn’t made his way to the video just yet, though he has been replying to several other iterations of the trend. As Uproxx notes, he’s also previously expressed interest in getting intimate with the “About Damn Time” hitmaker herself.

In April of 2021, he tweeted, “I wanna f*ck @Lizzo so bad.” When a troll wrote back, “I hope you got hacked,” he quickly let them know his message was no mistake. “Hell nah, I’m not hacked? Duster. Lizzo bad af.”

See the exchange for yourself below, and tell us your thoughts on the TikTok trend in the comments afterward.

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