Denzel Washington has been baptized and also received his license in ministry. According to TMZ, Washington was baptized at the Kelly Temple Church of God in Christ in New York City.
Images show Washington with both his certificate of baptism and a ministry license. He also spoke to the congregation. You can see it all below.
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Once applauded for his work with Sean “Diddy” Combs’ accusers, Tony Buzbee is now under fire regarding lawsuits against him after Roc Nation shed light on the litigation. Buzbee has created quite the name for himself in connection to the dozens of alleged victims of Combs. The Texas native, whose real name is Anthony Busby, has operated his own firm for nearly 25 years. In the mid-2000s, he made a stamp on the public during an oil rig trial where he walked away victorious. However, it wasn’t until he went up against NFL star Deshaun Watson in 2021 that he became a national face for alleged victims of sexual assault.
If you recall, over 20 women accused the Cleveland Browns quarterback of sexual misconduct, with Buzbee at the helm. However, assault allegations aren’t the only cases Buzbee tackles. He was also the attorney behind the 120 victims of Travis Scott’s Astroworld stampede that left 10 people dead in its aftermath. As his praise as a high-profile lawyer kicked up steam, Buzbee resurfaced again—this time, representing dozens of people who have filed civil lawsuits against Diddy as the Hip Hop mogul awaits trial behind bars. Diddy faces charges related to sex trafficking and racketeering, and in the wake of his fall from grace, Buzbee emerged with news that he would file civil lawsuits on behalf of his new clients against Combs.
The court of public opinion is fickle, especially pertaining to court cases against celebrities. Fanbases often choose sides, defend their favorite entertainers, and argue in comment sections of social media platforms. Yet, following the video of Diddy physically abusing his ex-girlfriend of 11 years, singer Cassie Ventura, the Bad Boy Records icon found himself a pariah among his fans and peers. After being denied bail three times, it’s clear that these charges against Diddy are beyond what the layman can comprehend.
Buzbee has been at the forefront, accusing Diddy of even more heinous crimes tied to allegations that he has sexually abused, drugged, and threatened over 100 people. According to the BBC, Buzbee shared that of the 300 stories he and his team screened, approximately 120 were “viable.” When Combs’ attorneys requested the identity of the anonymous accusers be revealed, Buzbee suggested it was a common tactic.
“It happens a lot,” said Buzbee. “If the plaintiff is forced to reveal her or his or her identity, Mr Combs hopes that they will quietly go away and never bring the claim again. The good news is, that’s not going to happen. That’s something I screened for… so if they’re forced to reveal their identity, they’ll reveal their identity, and we’ll keep pressing forward.”
While Diddy has only given brief statements of innocence through his legal team, Jay-Z didn’t opt for the same route when he found himself in Buzbee’s crosshairs. In October 2024, Buzbee filed a civil lawsuit against Diddy after his client claimed that when she was 13 years old in 2000, she was sexually assaulted following the MTV Video Music Awards. Jay-Z, real name Shawn Carter, wasn’t initially named in the suit. However, the attorney refiled, adding Hov as an alleged perpetrator alongside Combs. When the news made its way to headlines and quickly circulated worldwide, Carter bit back with a vengeance.
“My lawyer received a blackmail attempt, called a demand letter, from a ‘lawyer’ named Tony Buzbee,” his statement began. “What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle. No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!” Jay-Z went on to call the allegations “heinous” and questioned why Buzbee didn’t pursue a criminal complaint. “Whomever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away, would you not agree?”
That wasn’t the only statement shared via Roc Nation and Carter. They also brought up the lawsuits against Buzbee, filed by former clients. Particularly, they shed light on a 2024 suit by an anonymous woman who claimed Buzbee represented her during her divorce. According to the New York Post, the woman said she was “lured” into a sexual relationship with the lawyer, and in 2018, he gave her a sexually transmitted disease. She further alleged that Buzbee suppressed “the fact he had a venereal disease.”
“Defendant knew of the risk that he would pass the disease to Plaintiff if he did not take the appropriate precautions, and when that risk materialized,” the paperwork shows. “He manipulated her to protect himself from reputational harm using his status as a licensed attorney.” Moreover, Buzbee is accused of becoming “possessive” of the woman and then offering to work her case for free if she didn’t tell anyone about the alleged indiscretion. She also stated she continued her physical relationship with Buzbee “out of shame,” adding he was “the only sexual partner she would not have to inform of her venereal disease test results.”
The alleged victim also purported that Buzbee became violent with her after seeing her speaking with a man at a New York City bar. She said it left her “with two broken teeth,” and later, she accused him of manipulating “Plaintiff’s medical records to make it look as if he could not have been the one who infected her with a venereal disease.” Court documents state Buzbee was allegedly able to do this by changing the year that she was infected so that it would look as if it was her husband’s doing. She also accused him of blackmailing her before settling her divorce for far less than she should have been awarded.
In December 2024, Buzbee was again facing litigation after two law firms in Mississippi fired off suits. This time, the lawyer was accused of misappropriating funds and using unethical practices to pocket money from his clients. Adam Guidry was a captain in the U.S. Coast Guard when he was injured. Guidry was awarded a $350,000 settlement but was surprised when he saw that Buzbee and his law firm kept 74 percent of the judgment.
“Guidry was vulnerable. He had lost his job as a result of his injury, he was financially destitute, his marriage had failed, and he was struggling with addiction,” said Guidry’s complaint, per Law.com. The captain claimed he was “told his case was worth $1 million.” The complaint also declared that Buzbee and his firm “deducted $53,000 in fees and another $266,876 in ‘expenses’ and charged Guidry $23,571 interest on $85,450 in ‘loans.’” In the end, Guidry reportedly only collected $5,123, and it was never explained how those “expenses” were spent.
Further, Matthew Ray Thompson Jr. was a deckhand on a ship when he was injured. According to Law.com, Thompson claimed “he was entitled, as a ‘Jones Act Seaman,’ to interest-free monthly maintenance-and-cure payments while his lawsuit was pending.” However, Buzbee and his firm allegedly “deposited Thompson’s checks in its operating account and Thompson never received the funds.” Adding, “Rather than giving Mr. Thompson these funds, Defendants used Venmo to parse these funds out to Mr. Thompson and his wife in small amounts as high interest loans.”
Meanwhile, per Forbes, Buzbee has accused Jay-Z and Roc Nation of being behind his slew of recent lawsuits from former clients. The attorney claimed that the mega-mogul and his team have paid off his accusers and used intimidation tactics by “shadowy operatives” to harass plaintiffs. In a suit against Roc and Carter, Buzbee stated they were in “violation of various state laws, including barratry and impersonation of a public official.” A Roc Nation spokesperson said it was a “baloney lawsuit” and a “sham.” They continued, “It’s a pathetic attempt to distract and deflect attention. This sideshow won’t change the ultimate outcome and true justice will be served soon.”
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Spotify is responding to Drake’s legal action, accusing the streaming giant and Universal Music Group of amplifying Kendrick Lamar’s streams for “Not Like Us.”
In a legal filing, Drake stated Spotify boosted the streams, to which they reply, calling the allegations “false” and calling the legal action a “subversion of the normal judicial process.”
Spotify says there is no evidence to support Drake’s allegations of using bots, and more, it denies that there is no deal to help the single. “The predicate of Petitioner’s entire request for discovery from Spotify is false,” Spotify’s legal team wrote, according to Billboard. “Spotify and UMG have never had any such arrangement.”
Additionally, Spotify was critical of Drake’s legal action, including creating a “pre-action” because the accusations were believed to be baseless and would have been quickly dismissed.
“What petitioner is seeking to do here … is to bypass the normal pleading requirements … and obtain by way of pre-action discovery that which it would only be entitled to seek were it to survive a motion to dismiss,” Spotify’s lawyers added. “This subversion of the normal judicial process should be rejected.”
Drake’s team did not reply to a request for comment.
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Brendan Paul, the man once accused of being Sean “Diddy” Combs’ alleged drug mule, is now free of all charges stemming from his March arrest. The former Syracuse University basketball player was detained at Opa-Locka Airport earlier this year after being found in possession of cocaine.
According to TMZ, state prosecutors in Florida officially dismissed Paul’s felony drug charges on Tuesday. The dismissal follows Paul’s successful completion of a pretrial diversion program, as confirmed by his attorney, Brian Bieber.
Despite the high-profile nature of the case and its ties to the music mogul, federal sources clarified that Paul did not strike any deals with federal prosecutors in relation to Diddy. This means Paul has managed to avoid both jail time and probation without offering testimony or cooperation in any other investigations.
Paul’s arrest in March made headlines due to its association with Diddy, though neither Diddy nor his legal team has commented publicly on the matter. With the charges now dropped, Paul has sidestepped what could have been significant legal consequences.
For now, Brendan Paul’s legal troubles are behind him, though the case has left lingering questions about the broader circumstances of his arrest and its alleged connection to one of hip-hop’s biggest stars.
Thoughts?
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“I am music is here,” said Playboi Carti‘s DJ as the rap star previewed the long-awaited album during his closing set at Rolling Loud: Miami on Sunday evening (Dec. 15). As promised, Carti allowed fans to hear the upcoming album, I AM MUSIC, in it’s purest form at the festival’s 10th-anniversary. Carti sporadically previewed new songs throughout his set of hit songs. Rolling Loud founder Tariq Cherif revealed plans for Carti to play the album earlier in the day on Instagram. The title of the track remains unknown, but it was produced by F1LTHY. The second new track is produced by Metro Boomin. He closed out the headlining performance with the last new song titled “Drugs Got Me Numb.”
Playboi Carti sent users watching Twitch and Amazon Music’s live streams into a frenzy while playing the new music. The comment section erupted with fans praising the previews that displayed the evolution of the superstar’s sound. On X, DJ Akademiks tweeted: “We witnessing history.. Playboi Carti headling a whole festival and PREVIEWING new sh*t, not even relying on hits. This n***a Goated” Carti paid tribute to Rolling Loud: Miami turning 10 during his performance. Except for Rolling Loud Thailand, Tariq Cherif shared that Playboi Carti has been a part of every Rolling Loud.
NEW PLAYBOI CARTI SONG
I AM MUSICLIVE @ ROLLING LOUD
— RapTV (@Rap) December 16, 2024
PLAYBOI CARTI
ANOTHER NEW SONGI AN MUSIC
LIVE AT ROLLING LOUD
— NFR Podcast (@nfr_podcast) December 16, 2024
PLAYBOI CARTI
DRUGS GOT ME NUMB
(NEW SONG)
— NFR Podcast (@nfr_podcast) December 16, 2024
Carti’s set included the performance of “Type Sh*t,” the popular collaboration by him, Future, and Metro Boomin’. “Like Me,” a 2020 cut that features Lil Uzi Vert and A$AP Rocky; “Rockstar Made,” a hit from the Whole Lotta Red album; “Carnival,” from Vultures, which he says is his song, “Timeless,” the new song with The Weeknd and Madonna, and “KETAMINE,” a previously released track scheduled to appear on I AM MUSIC. Carti would perform upside down during the set. The genre-blending superstar headlined an anniversary lineup including Lil Baby, Future, Travis Scott, Bryson Tiller, and more.
Playboi Carti has teased the upcoming album all 2024. Originally announcing it in January, the rap star updated fans with the promise of its arrival all year long. In September, he announced that Ye would produce the new album. Carti shared that I AM MUSIC will be a featureless album. The new album will mark Carti’s first in four years.
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Jamie Foxx’s 57th birthday celebration took a shocking turn Friday night when the comedian and actor found himself at the center of an altercation at the upscale Beverly Hills restaurant, Mr. Chow.
The Hollywood icon hosted a star-studded bash at the famed dining hotspot, drawing in friends and family for an evening of celebration. However, the festive mood was disrupted when Foxx reportedly clashed with patrons from a nearby table.
According to TMZ, the incident unfolded around 10 PM, prompting law enforcement to respond to reports of a fight inside the restaurant. Witnesses claim that the trouble began when individuals at a neighboring table directed rude and vulgar comments toward Foxx. Concerned about the behavior, particularly with his family present, Foxx is said to have asked the group to tone it down.
The situation escalated when one of the individuals at the table allegedly threw a glass at Foxx, striking him in the mouth. The impact reportedly required Foxx to receive stitches. A spokesperson for the actor confirmed the incident, stating, “Jamie Foxx was at his birthday dinner when someone from another table threw a glass that hit him in the mouth. He had to get stitches and is recovering. The police were called, and the matter is now in law enforcement’s hands.”
As of now, the incident is under investigation, with authorities working to determine the full details and any potential charges stemming from the altercation. Despite the dramatic turn of events, fans and friends have been sending well wishes to Foxx as he recovers from the unexpected birthday ordeal.
Known for his charismatic presence both on and off screen, Jamie Foxx has a reputation for handling challenges with grace. While this incident marred his celebratory evening, it’s clear that Foxx’s resilience and poise remain intact.
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He’s known for crashing weddings, but over the weekend, Owen Wilson took “crashing” to a whole new level when he joined Travis Scott onstage during his performance of “FE!N” at Rolling Loud, much to the surprise and delight of the audience.
Wilson joined Scott on the rain-soaked stage as the song began, coming out and announcing “I’m feining for more” as pyrotechnics lit up the stage. Video footage shared to X (formerly Twitter) shows Wilson jumping around and pumping his fist as Scott performs his 2023 hit.
However, the performance was not an indication that Wilson will be leaving acting and entering the world of hip-hop anytime soon. The performance was reportedly staged as part of Wilson’s upcoming film, Rolling Loud, a comedy in which he stars opposite Matt Rife about a father who ventures to the music festival with his son and co-worker (Rife).
Scott, however, appeared thrilled to be joined by Wilson, posting a clip from the performance with the caption “made mi day” on his Instagram story, followed by a photo of Wilson’s iconic 1996 film “Bottle Rocket” with the caption “lej” (assumed to be a reference to Wilson’s legendary status).
The film Rolling Loud, which is written and directed by American High‘s Jeremy Garelic, is set to be released in 2025. In addition to his involvement in the film, Rife is currently in the midst of his Stay Golden Tour while Wilson has just wrapped up his second season of Disney+’s acclaimed Marvel series Loki. Scott, meanwhile, is set to headline at Coachella in April.
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Andre 3000 has re-entered the music scene in recent years. The beloved rapper has reinvented himself as a flute virtuoso, much to the bafflement of fans. Andre is well aware of the music that people want to hear from him, but he’s been adamant that he needs to follow his muse. A muse that does not include a new Outkast album. Andre 3000 and Big Boi teaming up would set social media on fire. Unfortunately, Three Stacks does not consider this a real possibility.
The artist discussed his feelings on Outkast during a recent Rolling Stone profile. He admitted that he would have been open to working with Big Boi a decade ago, but feels the window has closed. “I’ll say maybe 10, 15 years ago, in my mind, I thought an Outkast album would happen,” Andre 3000 admitted. He made it clear, though, that there are no plans to get the duo back together. “I don’t know the future,” he admitted. “But I can say that we’re further away from it than we’ve ever been.” Andre went on to say that fans are ultimately driven by nostalgia. He doesn’t knock, but it’s not something he wants to help promote in his art.
Read More: Andre 3000 Claims Flute Album Doesn’t Count Towards Record Deal
“I knew when I was, like, 25, that at a certain age I wouldn’t want to be onstage doing those songs,” the artist explained. “They required a certain energy. Honestly, I’m not a big fan of looking back. I’m just not.” While it may disheartening to hear Andre 3000 shoot down the possibility of more Outkast, he makes it clear he looks upon his time with Big Boi fondly. “I’m grateful for everything that’s happened, but it was a time,” he concluded. “To me, that’s what it is. That was a great time, and I wish y’all were there.” Stacks is not interested in rapping at the moment, so it makes complete sense that an Outkast reunion would be off the table.
Over the last two years, Andre 3000 has expressed a reluctance to pick up the microphone. He’s more enthused by jazz, and the flute, in particular. People like LL Cool J have voiced their frustration with the Outkast star for no longer wanting to rap. Others, like Pharrell, believe Andre simply needs time to come back to the genre on his own terms. Pharrell predicted that Three Stacks would return to rapping, and when he does, it will be with a vengeance. We’ll see if he’s right.
Read More: Andre 3000 Continues To Experiment With New EP “Moving Day”
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Grammy-winning artist SAINt JHN has released his latest single, “GLITCHING,” accompanied by an electrifying music video. Announced as part of the Coachella 2025 lineup, SAINt JHN continues to captivate fans with his unique blend of raw emotion and lyrical depth.
“GLITCHING” dives into the emotional turbulence of relationships, exploring themes of uncertainty and longing. With poignant lyrics like “Can you go slowly when you leave?” and “Feel like we been through this before, or am I tripping?”, the track speaks to the complexities of modern love.
The song’s catchy hook and introspective tone provide a glimpse into the duality of heartbreak and resilience, cementing SAINt JHN’s reputation as a masterful storyteller. Fans can expect an unforgettable performance of the single at Coachella next year.
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Carmen Bryan the infamous ex of Nas who also had an affair with Jay-Z, took to Instagram to criticize Jay-Z in the face of allegations accusing the star of raping a 13-year-old girl.
She posted: “These days people don’t defend what is right, they defend who they like! And that’s why we call you “groupie”.
The author and entrepreneur fell pregnant during a nine-year affair with the rapper that took place between 1995-2004.
She pointed out the rapper’s lyrics in his feature on Kanye West’s song ‘Monster’ – threatening to “rape and pillage your village, women and children”.
Bryan previously worked in the music industry, referring to herself in her autobiography as the ‘hip hop Helen of Troy’.
Yesterday, Jay-Z asked for the identity of a woman who accused him of raping her when she was just 13 to be revealed – or for the case against him to be dismissed.
Lawyer Tony Buzbee, representing the anonymous rape accuser, has alleged Jay-Z ‘harassed’ his family – and said the rapper’s claims of ‘blackmail’ are ‘bogus and laughable’.
Legal papers refiled on Sunday claim Jay-Z, real name Shawn Carter, alongside Sean Combs, AKA ‘P Diddy’ drugged and raped the complainant, named only as Jane Doe, at an afterparty following the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards.
Mr Carter has described the case as a “blackmail attempt” by the claimant’s lawyer, saying his “only heartbreak” was for his family.
The lawyer said: “Let me be clear: We will not be bullied or intimidated by these shenanigans. And our clients won’t be silenced.”
The federal civil lawsuit was originally filed in October in the Southern District of New York, listing Combs as a defendant, but was refiled on Sunday to add Mr Carter.
Thoughts?
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