New Hip Hop News

Things are heating up between Lil Durk and YoungBoy Never Broke Again’s respective crews after the latter seemingly referenced the death of Chicago rapper King Von in his new song, “Bring The Hook.” One minute into the new release, YoungBoy takes aim at Chicago’s O-Block, where King Von called home, and says, “N***a, this that Squid Game, O-Block pack get rolled up/Murder what they told us, Atlanta boy get fold up.”

Prior to King Von’s shooting death, the rapper was involved in a physical altercation with rapper Quando Rondo, who is affiliated with YoungBoy. Von was part of Lil Durk’s OTF group, and Durkio has seemingly responded to YB’s inflammatory remarks.

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Sharing a photo of himself next to a poster of King Von, the late rapper’s chain, and his deceased cousin OTF NuNu’s chain, Durk said, “Don’t claim it if you ain’t do it you still a b*tch.” Many believe the message was intended to be received by YoungBoy.

Similarly, King Von’s sister, Kayla B, also appeared to respond to YoungBoy’s new song on social media, tweeting, “On demon time in the house on house arrest? get in these streets. Don’t claim it if you ain’t do it you still a b*tch.”

Check out Lil Durk and Kayla B’s possible responses to YoungBoy below.

A pair of social media stars have been gaining more attention and while that would be something to celebrate in their circles, reports state that one of them killed the other. As TikTok continues to rise in popularity, we’re seeing this generation develop online personalities more than ever. Every day people are finding themselves TikTok famous by sharing all sorts of content, including Docquen Watkins and Rory Teasley.

According to ClickOnDetroit, Docquen and Rory were a couple who were somewhat well-known thanks to the latter’s 222,000 TikTok followers on his “2Toopump4tv” account. Rory was known as “Everybody’s Gay Best Friend” and would often dance in his videos, but last week, he was reportedly killed by his boyfriend.

While specifics have yet to be shared, authorities reportedly stated that the couple got into an argument over the shooter game Overwatch. Once again, details are unclear, but police did share that Watkins called the authorities to tell them that he got into a disagreement with his significant other who was “sleeping” on the couch. Upon arrival, they found Teasley unresponsive and rushed him to the hospital. It was there that he was declared dead. 

Police reported that during their argument, Watkins choked Teasley to death. They dated for 10 years before this tragedy.

“We see far too often across the country these days when people resort to violence over trivial and insignificant disagreements,” Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. “There is never a reason where violence is acceptable over a disagreement. Those who do so will be held accountable.”

Watkins is reportedly incarcerated without bond and is facing second-degree murder charges. He has two more court dates scheduled this month. Teasley’s fans have flooded his comment sections to grieve his loss.

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Nothing prepared Mia Jaye for life as a widow with young children to care for, but she has been adjusting to her new normal. Young Dolph and Mia Jaye were reportedly planning their official wedding ceremony after spending almost a decade together, but those closest to Dolph reportedly respected Mia as the rapper’s wife. 

For the first time since his untimely death and on the heels of news that all suspects in Dolph’s murder case have been arrested, Mia has sat down with ABC News Live to speak about her loss, grief, rebuilding, parenthood, and her feelings about his killers.

“It’s been extremely difficult, just having to pick up the pieces and to find the strength for my children,” she said. “That is the one thing that Adolph and myself, we just felt we had a duty to them… To protect them, to raise them, to just do so much for them, and together. Now that he’s no longer here, it’s just very tough for me to be strong for them and also be strong for myself because Adolph was my soulmate when I say they stole my future, it has taken a long time to iron out the kinks.”

“Mental health in the Black community is something that we must address,” she said about the cycle of violence within the Hip Hop community. “So many people are walking around traumatized, they have bottled up anger, they have bottled up emotion … they make rash decisions. So finding ways to really, really heal people mentally, I think that’s a start.”

 Mia did add that she has felt “uplifted” by the “outpouring of support” she has received. “I’m turning this pain into purpose right now,” she said. “And so I’m very thankful for the community starting the conversation of what can we do to lengthen the lives of Black men in America?” Watch Mia Jaye’s interview below.

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There hasn’t been a host at the Academy Awards since 2019, and like other events and festivals that were adjusted, delayed, or canceled during the pandemic, the Oscars are looking to make a grand return. Multiple facets of the industry are still making do with what they have as this COVID-19 pandemic rages forward. Things are a bit better as millions have been vaccinated and or boosted, but the Omicron variant has swept the globe with a vengeance. 

Many celebrities have been vocal about testing positive for COVID, but it has been reported that the Oscars are pressing forward this year and this time around, they will have a host.

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Spider-Man star Tom Holland recently told The Hollywood Reporter that Academy Award producers have reached out to him about being a potential host, but Page Six reported that another potential name on the list is Pete Davidson. For as much as the Saturday Night Live comedian has poked fun at his celebrity peers and the industry as a whole, Davidson has always kept himself in the spotlight, especially with his high-profile romances that include current girlfriend Kim Kardashian and ex-fiancé Ariana Grande.

A “source” reportedly told Page Six that Davidson’s team is “talking to producers,” adding that the formal event wants to “reset” in order to be more attractive to a young generation.

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“He gets a demographic that is hard to get,” the source said of Davidson. “He is in a good space, his career is doing well and he is on the rise. He is a sex symbol, unlikely, but he is big with a certain generation.” Others reportedly on the “wish list” of hosts are Dwayne Johnson and Chris Rock.

Davidson hasn’t spoken about the award show and his representative reportedly declined to comment on the rumors, but the Oscars are set to air in two months on March 27. 

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All that fun he was having has come back to bite him in the behind, but Kodak Black has returned to explain himself. Yesterday (January 11), the rapper’s name entered the list of trending topics on social media after a video circulated of him at a hockey game. All seemed to be normal as Kodak was joined by a woman who posted online that it was their second date.

However, things took a turn when a hockey fan uploaded a video that showed the woman bent down with Kodak leaning over her as she twerked on him. The scene stunned those in the hockey arena but later, Kodak found himself in trouble with another woman he was dating.

We previously reported on these recent antics, as well as Kodak celebrating with the mother of his daughter at their baby shower. At the event, the two seemed happy as he slipped a ring on her finger, but following his hockey game controversy, the rapper claimed the dancing woman is just one of his artists and he’s a single man.

“If I’m dealing with a person, I don’t ever lead them on and make them feel like we in a relationship if we not,” he said in a video. “I always let you know what I got going on in my life so you can make the decision if you wanna deal with me or not. I ain’t gotta lie to nobody.” He added that the mothers of his children are “forever” with him because they’re “locked in,” so “that’s what the whole ring is about.”

Watch Kodak Black explain his love life in his own words below.

We don’t hear much about Brandy being entangled in lawsuits, but the R&B veteran is reportedly being taken to court over missing jewelry. Brandy has seen her fair share of controversies and scandals throughout her lengthy career, but typically, she is a celebrity who chooses to stay out of the mud. As her peers face viral moments that are often unfavorable, Brandy sticks to moving her career forward, as she has in her new ABC series, Queens. 

However, TMZ reports that both Brandy and her stylist are being sued by Beverly Hills fashion designer Elle B. Mambetov who claims the singer never returned a $45K ring that she borrowed for the American Music Awards.

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It is common for stylists to pull items of clothing and jewelry for their clients, especially when big events roll around. Brandy’s stylist, Ashley Sean Thomas, reportedly reached out to the designer with hopes of using items for Brandy’s event, including the Dreamboule Big Bang Diamond Ring. Unfortunately, Brandy opted not to wear Mambetov’s pieces for the show, but now, the ring is reportedly missing.

Thomas is said to have told Mambetov that the last time she saw the ring, it was sitting on Brandy’s piano at her home in Calabasas. Mambetov is suing for the ring’s value as well as damages that include emotional trauma and financial loss. Brandy nor her stylist have answered the allegation publicly.

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After news broke that Travis Scott was being yanked from the Coachella 2022 lineup, fans were eager to see who would be taking to those coveted festival stages. There have been several rumors about who will and won’t be attending the concerts, and after canceling in both 2020 and 2021, Coachella promoters are eager to get back into action.

Finally, on Wednesday (January 12), Coachella announced its lineup in its entirety and music fans are eager to see if this moves forward after multiple delays.

Headliners include Kanye West, Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, and Swedish House Mafia, and other artists slated to take to the stages including the following: Lil Baby, Giveon, Big Sean, Baby Keem, Snoh Aalegra, City Girls, 21 Savage, Brockhampton, Isaiah Rashad, Doja Cat, Karol G, Ari Lennox, Jessie Reyez, Denzel Curry, Vince Staples, Griselda, Maxo Kream, Mariah the Scientist, and many more.

With the official lineup shared, fans are not only expressing their excitement on social media, but they’re theorizing as to who will pop up as a special guest during one of the performances. A standout is of course Baby Keem as people are crossing their fingers for a Kendrick Lamar appearance.

Check out the full list of performers below.

We don’t often hear much from the relatives of Tupac Shakur as his estate speaks out on his behalf. However, there has been news about the late Rap icon’s sister, and it was shared that she is accusing the executor of her mother’s estate of embezzlement. Afeni Shakur passed away back in 2016 and according to her daughter Sekyiwa Shakur, the trustee, Tom Whalley, has refused to return personal items that include Tupac’s gold records, jewelry, vehicles, art, and other coveted belongings. 

Sekyiwa reportedly filed a lawsuit earlier this week alongside The Tupac Shakur Foundation against Whalley, citing “blatant violations’ including making himself the manager of Amaru Entertainment.

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After Tupac was murdered in a drive-by shooting back in 1996, Afeni was named as the sole beneficiary of her son’s estate, and upon her death, Whalley was placed in charge.

“He has effectively embezzled millions of dollars for his own benefit,” Sekyiwa said in the suit, according to Billboard. “Whalley has unreasonably enriched himself at the expense of the beneficiaries and in bad faith by taking excessive compensation in a position from which he should properly be barred based on the inherent conflict of interest.”

“Whalley has already received more than $5.5 million that he has paid himself in the last five years through Amaru,” the lawsuit reads. “It is clear that he has used and abused his powers as executor and special trustee of the estate and the trust to convert the personal property belonging to Sekyiwa as a piggy bank from which he has drawn substantial funds for his own benefit.”

Howard King is not only a fiend of Whalley’s but the attorney for the trust and he claims that Whalley hasn’t done anything improper.

“These legal claims are disappointing and detrimental to all beneficiaries of the trust,” King said. “We are confident the court will promptly conclude that Tom has always acted in the best interests of Amaru, the trust, and all beneficiaries.”

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