Sports

Snoop Dogg May Not Be Smoking In Paris, But He Is Bringing The Flame As An Official 2024 Olympic Torchbearer

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Snoop Dogg said he would respect French laws when it comes to his favorite pastime, but he got a nice concession prize. The Doggfather will be one of the lucky few to carry the Olympic flame through Paris ahead of the 2024 Olympic Summer Games. While in Paris to cover the 2024 Olympics for NBC — a job he’s taken to with great enthusiasm — he’ll carry the Olympic torch on its final leg through Paris’ Saint-Denis suburb, where the Stade de France Olympic Stadium is located.

Over the last few months, Snoop has taken to his correspondent role with gusto, participating in track and field trials (“34.44 for a 52-year-old? Ain’t bad.”), and shooting free throws — Rick Barry style! — with the USA 3×3 basketball squad.

After the games, Snoop will return to his day job, releasing his twentieth studio album, Missionary, the spiritual successor to his 1993 debut Doggystyle. In the meantime, though, it doesn’t look like he’s putting his seemingly endless series of side quests on hold; he recently joined the broadcast for the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers ball game after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch, and he’s preparing for his own NCAA football college bowl game this fall. The man appears to be living his best life, like a walking ad for the benefits of getting older.

NBA Teams Sued For Using Hip-Hop Songs In Social Media Posts

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A wave of copyright infringement lawsuits have hit the NBA. On July 18, Kobalt Music Publishing, Artist Publishing Group and others put out several lawsuits. They accuse fourteen NBA teams of copyright infringement, including the New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers. Other teams facing litigation are the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs.

According to the suits, first obtained by XXL on Monday, the plaintiffs are accusing the NBA teams of “exploiting the copyrights by synchronizing the works with the videos, which are intended to promote defendants’ commercial activities, and then exploiting the videos on a variety of consumer-facing platforms.” They add that the “defendants did not obtain plaintiffs’ license, authorization, or consent to synchronize the works with the videos.”

NBA
A detail view of a Spalding basketball during the NBA Pre Regular Season basketball game between the Miami Heat and the Phoenix Suns on 21st October 1999 at the Great Western Forum arena in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

The songs listed include hip-hop tracks like Busta Rhymes‘ “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See,” Shaquille O’Neal‘s “I Know I Got (Skills),” A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie‘s “Look Back at It,” and DJ Khaled‘s “All I Do Is Win.” Additional artists include Jay-Z, Cardi B, Migos, and OutKast. The lawsuits seek $150,000 for each infraction. Moreover, many of the NBA teams in question have already deleted the videos from their accounts. “Defendants are acutely aware of the protections that the copyright laws of the United States afford,” said lawyers for the music companies in statements that appeared across each lawsuit. “[The team] utilizes the full extent of legal protections available for its own intellectual property while simultaneously knowingly and willfully infringing on the intellectual property rights of the plaintiffs.”

Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok provide enormous libraries of licensed music for users to add to their videos. But there’s an exception: brands cannot use them for commercial or promotional videos. That kind of content requires a separate license, similar to licensing music for a standard television commercial. Based on these copyright infringement lawsuits, it seems like many teams were operating without that license. The NBA is yet to comment on them.

[Via]

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Cardi B Called Sha’Carri Richardson A ‘Superhero’ While Wishing Her Good Luck At The 2024 Olympics

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The 2024 Olympics kick off this Friday in Paris, and one Olympian was given the well-wishes of a luminary supporter, Cardi B. The Bronx rapper gave Sha’Carri Richardson a heartfelt sendoff, writing a touching message calling Richardson a “superhero” alongside a video clip of the two superstars meeting up to get their nails done together.

“Wishing @itsshacarri sooooo much luck!!” Cardi wrote. “You bought so much emotion out of me because your words and your spirit is so powerful. Seeing your growth after people tried to turn their back on you is so inspirational to me.. You are more than just a athlete, you are a SUPERHERO and I can’t wait to see where the next 10 years take you because you already a legend.”

In the clip, part of NBC’s Olympic coverage rollout, Cardi tells Richardson to her face why she appreciates her so much. “You stand out, because the fastest woman in the world, she’s a real lit girl… I’m really, really proud of you. Because you came back stronger than ever with your talent. You have evolved.” Richardson reciprocated the positivity, praising Cardi for her own resilience and encouraging her to finish that next album. You can watch the cilp below.

Angel Reese Draws Wrath Of The Barbz For Alleged Nicki Minaj Disrespect

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Fanbases in general are unique, obviously. But Nicki Minaj’s, also known as The Barbz, are a different breed. If we had to select one word in order to describe them, it would be toxic. Sadly, it’s part of the reason why the superstar femcee can be seen as controversial. Fans are great for a lot of reasons, but sometimes they can taint the image of the musician. The Barbz do exactly that and quite often as well. If they spot a sliver of what could be disrespect, you best believe they are all over it. Unfortunately, the target in their crosshairs is someone who really does not need nor deserve the extra criticism. That would be WNBA star Angel Reese, who is being accused of hating on Nicki Minaj in a recent TikTok video.

The Chicago Sky forward is seen with some friends of hers, with one of them dancing. Reese joins in before Nicki begins to rap. However, has soon as the Pink Friday 2 creator begins, the athlete dips out of the camera’s frame. Yes, this is apparently a slight to the almighty Queen of New York and The Barbz are letting Reese hear about it.

Read More: Drake Fans React To His New BMW That Looks Suspiciously Like Tupac’s

Angel Reese Has Made Another New Enemy In The Form Of Nicki’s Fans

They are digging up old clips, such as one of her being asked about which musical guest she would like to have on if she were to host an episode of SNL. In that interview she listed all of Nicki’s foes such as Megan Thee Stallion, Latto, Cardi B, and GloRilla. It is worth mentioning that Reese had been onstage with several of these femcees. Latto had even popped out to the basketball player’s pro debut to show her support. It’s most likely playing a role in this Barbz attack and at the end of the day, all we can do is throw our hands up in the air and sigh. Thankfully, though, some Twitter users came to Reese’s defense.

What are your thoughts on Nicki Minaj’s fans claiming that Angel Reese is disrespecting her? Do you think her moving out of frame when she start’s rapping warrants this backlash, why or why not? Does the Trinidadian artist have the pettiest fanbase of any MC? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Angel Reese and Nicki Minaj. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the worlds of music and sports.

Read More: Lil Scrappy & Bambi Spark Reunion Rumors After Club Outing

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The NBA’s 76ers, Hawks, Knicks, And More Were Sued For Using Music From Hometown Artists Like Meek Mill, Migos, Jay-Z, And Cardi B

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Basketball and hip-hop have been connected since the beginning. Rappers hoop. Hoopers rap. And the NBA, the first major business in basketball, uses its connections to hometown rappers to help promote both its brand and the sport.

However, a new interest has stepped in to stop the NBA from doing just that. According to Billboard, multiple NBA teams were recently sued by Kobalt and other music rights management companies over using songs from the likes of Cardi B, Jay-Z, Meek Mill, Migos, and more on social media to promote hometown teams like the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Atlanta Hawks on social media.

Multiple lawsuits were filed, but all contain language to the following effect: “Defendants are acutely aware of the protections that the copyright laws of the United States afford. [The team] utilizes the full extent of legal protections available for its own intellectual property while simultaneously knowingly and willfully infringing on the intellectual property rights of the plaintiffs.”

Publishing groups that also filed lawsuits include Artist Publishing Group, Notting Hill Music, and Prescription Songs, filing against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Denver Nuggets, the Indiana Pacers, the Miami Heat, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the New Orleans Pelicans, the Orlando Magic, the Phoenix Suns, the Portland Trail Blazers, the Sacramento Kings, and the San Antonio Spurs.

While social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok offer blanket licenses to use music (remember when Universal withdrew its entire catalog from TikTok?), those songs aren’t supposed to be used for commercial purposes by brands. Brands are supposed to purchase separate synch licenses, the same way they would for television ads (think of popular songs in movie trailers; a license must be purchased for that specific usage). This could see the end of teams using music from hometown rappers on social media in the future — or it could mean a new revenue stream for artists (or, at least, the companies that own their publishing rights).

Jake Paul Beats Mike Perry In Six Rounds And Goes Back And Forth With Conor McGregor Right After

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Jake Paul and Conor McGregor don’t often get along, and the latter was right there to take a dump on the former’s victory on Saturday night (July 20). Moreover, Paul defeated Mike Perry in a sixth-round TKO, and he didn’t take long before he called out the UFC’s current middleweight champion, Alex Pereira. This makes the social media personality’s record a 10-1 streak against some MMA stars, and ahead of his postponed fight with Mike Tyson, he must be feeling on top of the world. But again, McGregor was there to bring some medicine to the sugar, and we can only guess as to what a back-and-forth would look like.

“Jake Paul is the biggest pissbag I have ever seen in my life,” Conor McGregor tweeted in the wee hours of Saturday night after Paul’s victory. “40 pound weight difference, juiced out of his head, and still s***ting himself in there. Nakisa you should take him to Vegas oh that’s right you could never, the athletic commission testing, real testing, real fighting. B***h a**es. You could never. And then calling out 60 year old Mike Tyson fresh off an in flight medical emergency? I swear to god, a fat can of b***h piss. Most valuable pissbag.”

Read More: Travis Scott & Jake Paul Link Up & Get Wild At Michael Rubin’s White Party

Conor McGregor Blasts Jake Paul

“That’s f***ed up that he fired your BKFC champion,” Jake Paul responded to Conor McGregor’s firing of Mike Perry and McGregor’s tweets and attacks during the post-fight press conference. “But, I told you that was going to happen. You know, I told you exactly what was going to happen. He was big-upping his boy, Mike Perry. I said, ‘Okay, Conor. Like, after I f**k up Mike Perry, then you’re next.’

Paul Responds To McGregor

“So Conor’s on Twitter all the time, he’s on his yacht all the time,” Jake Paul continued. “But guess where he’s not? In the ring fighting me. So he can talk all the f**k he wants. But ‘The Notorious MMA’ is scared of Jake Joseph Paul from Disney Channel. And I put that on my mama.” We’ll see what other combative statements he has for his opps, and whether or not any of these relevant parties will duke it out again or for the first time.

Read More: Mike Tyson Replacement Revealed As Jake Paul Eyes July 20th Fight Night

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Antonio Brown Roasts Brittney Griner After Trump’s WNBA Comments

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Donald Trump courting controversy is nothing new. The former President has staked his career and public persona on it. Trump hit on the topic of transgender participation in sports during his speech at the RNC, and he took a predictable route. He’s against it. “We will not have men playing in women’s sports,” he declared. “That will end immediately.” The internet was irate, the RNC crowd was pleased, and Antonio Brown decided to troll. The former all-star athlete decided to hop on Twitter to absolutely roast WNBA stalwart Brittney Griner.

Antonio Brown reposted the Donald Trump quote and directed at Griner. He claimed that the athlete would have to retire if Trump gets his way, implying that she was transgender. “Congrats to Brittany Griner on a great career,” he tweeted. He also included the hashtag to his network, #CTESPN. AB’s targeted the WNBA star in the past. Followers don’t even have to scroll that far back on his Twitter to determine the last time Brown mocked her appearance. On June 13, Brown tweeted: “Brittney Griner is definitely a dude.” The comment drew intense backlash from WNBA fans and the LGBTQ community.

Read More: Antonio Brown Apologizes To Sketch Then Immediately Calls Him Shannon Sharpe’s Favorite Streamer

Antonio Brown Has Bullied Brittney Griner In The Past

Antonio Brown may have used a politician’s remarks as a launchpad for a diss, but he didn’t need Trump to sound off about the WNBA. The former NFL player has taken repeated shots at both the organization and its athletes. The same day he attacked Griner, he dismissed the WNBA by claiming that people don’t actually watch it. “So when you’re arguing about it,” he tweeted. “You’re not arguing about a professional sport. It’s more of just a charity for lesbians.” For good measure, AB insulted Caitlin Clark during his rant, likening her to actor Mel Gibson in appearance. None of these comments went over well.

Like the President he quoted, however, Antonio Brown has built his brand on controversy. He knows this, and continues to lean into it. When asked why he chooses to make bold statements or attack others, the ex-NFL star told CBS News that he was being authentic. “Everything I did, I did it because my heart believed that was what I needed to do,” he explained. “And in life, sometimes you got to listen to your heart because that’s the only way I could go to sleep at night.” Expect AB to catch heat for his latest comment, and then prepare for whatever the next one will be.

Read More: Antonio Brown Thirsts Over Angel Reese Despite Lil Kim Makeout Session

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Trey Songz Defends Bronny James Against The Haters After First NBA Summer League Games

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It’s either not easy being LeBron James or it’s too easy: that’s the debate raging around Bronny James as a Los Angeles Laker during the NBA’s Summer League these days. While he recently scored 12 points in the team’s first win during this period, there are still a lot of people doubting his talent or overly criticizng of his circumstances, choices, and very short career so far. Nevertheless, there are those like Trey Songz who staunchly defend the basketball player against the haters, as he did with a recent Instagram Story post. “I’m rooting for bruh all day: y’all n***as weird,” he captioned a repost of Bronny playing with the Lakers.

Furthermore, this is especially notable thanks to a “caught in 4K moment” that happened to recent NBA champion and Finals MVP, Jaylen Brown. He said that Bronny James “isn’t a pro” while courtside at a Summer League game, and fans were quick to call him out for this when the clip went viral. But Brown backtracked quick on Twitter: “It’s a flex to have your son alongside you in the nba it reflects greatness and longevity !Bronny has all the tools around him to be successful I look forward to watching his growth.”

Read More: Gilbert Arenas Argues Why LeBron James’ Bronny Push Has Made Insecure Fathers Jealous

Trey Songz Is Rooting For Bronny James

 
 
 
 
 
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As for Trey Songz, he’s dealing with yet another assault accusation, which he’s stacked up many of throughout the years. Still, it’s important to note that some of these didn’t amount to anything, so take all these allegations and claims with a grain of salt. But the singer isn’t only passionate about sports: he also stands by certain principles with his art. For example, he recently revealed that he scrapped a music video with Tyga back in the day because there weren’t enough Black women in it.

Meanwhile, Bronny James isn’t just getting wins on the court, but also on the battlefield… well, a virtual one. He won a Call Of Duty tournament during Summer League between fellow NBA players and hopefuls, and if you’re curious, Grant Williams came in second. It’s funny to think about Bronny’s play style in a military first-person shooter translating to the basketball court. Will he be a sniper from three, a run-and-gun SMG rusher down the lane, or a shotgun-wielding bruiser in the paint? We’re excited to find out.

Read More: Trey Songz Scrapped Tyga Music Video Due To Lack Of Black Representation

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Odell Beckham Jr Celebrates After Winning $20 Million Lawsuit Against Nike

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Odell Beckham Jr. is going to be playing for the Miami Dolphins this season. Overall, the 31-year-old has dealt with a ton of injuries as of late. However, he is going to have another chance to show fans what he can do. Although he may not have the best stats in the league, he can at least contribute to a playoff contender. That said, over the past few months, he has actually been at war with Nike over a $20 million lawsuit.

Odell had sued the company for royalties and backpay, claiming that he wasn’t getting what he was supposed to from his deal. Well, last night, it was revealed that he won his case. Subsequently, the NFL star took to Instagram where he spoke on the legal victory. He also thanked his expertly crafted legal team for coming through and helping him secure a huge win.

Read More: Justin Bieber Gave Odell Beckham Jr. Oral Sex At Diddy Party, Jaguar Wright & Tokyo Toni Allege In Wild Clip

Odell Beckham Jr Is Excited

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Odell Beckham Jr (@obj)

“UST DO……RIGHT @nike,” Odell wrote. “I wanna take this moment to thank God first and foremost thank you Heavenly Father. Wanna thank my team for every hour they have spent preparing on this case. I wanna thank the jury for simply doing what’s right in a world full of wrong… my message to whoever needs this is, STAND UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN! JUSTICE WAS SERVED!!!”

Let us know what you think about all of this, in the comments section down below. Do you believe that Odell Beckham Jr. is going to have a solid season with the Miami Dolphins? How do you feel about his career moving forward? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the sports world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite athletes and personalities.

Read More: Kim Kardashian & Odell Beckham Jr. Reportedly Break Up After Six Months Of Dating

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Stephen A. Smith Reacts To Skip Bayless Leaving FS1

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Stephen A. Smith spoke about Skip Bayless’s FS1 departure on the latest episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show. He addressed a few things, including the current state of their relationship and the impact that Bayless had on Smith’s own career.

Stephen A. and Skip have not spoken in “a while,” per Smith’s podcast comments. “He’s on that side, and I’m on this side,” he said. However, he does not believe that Bayless will retire, nor does he believe that Undisputed was unsuccessful for Bayless because of how it ended. “He ain’t some 30-year-old that flopped after one year. He’s been doing it for over 40. And he’s transitioned and transcended throughout the years.” Smith was also grateful to Bayless for helping push his media career into what it’s become.

Stephen A. Smith Reacts To Skip Bayless Leaving FS1

Of course, fans fondly remember the Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless era of First Take, which started in 2012 amidst sagging ratings for the program. Smith replaced Jay Crawford, who transitioned to host SportsCenter. The program solidified the television career of Stephen A. Smith, who did not have a consistent role with ESPN until Bayless asked Smith to sign on. Their debates became famous among sports fans, as Bayless finally found a dance partner who could match his energy. When Bayless left ESPN in 2016, Smith developed into the face of First Take, and by proxy, ESPN.

Stephen A. and former Skip Bayless co-host Shannon Sharpe work together on First Take now. Front Office Sports reported on Tuesday afternoon that ESPN had no interest in bringing Bayless back to the network. Sharpe and Bayless’s relationship ended acrimoniously, after a series of increasingly disrespectful comments that culminated with Bayless downplaying Sharpe’s own Hall of Fame football career to prop up Tom Brady’s. Smith said he did not want to speak for Sharpe, but added that Sharpe told him that he “refused to let six years be ruined by six months.” Smith and Sharpe do not appear to have any ill will towards Bayless. Bayless’s FS1 exit will be an interesting one, as he is 73 years old and not the personality he once was. Stephen A. Smith wishes him well.

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