New Hip Hop News

A day after the death of the late legendary rapper, DMX, tributes across the hip-hop community are still pouring in as fans and collaborators mourn the loss of one of the music’s most prolific artists.

X’s family announced his passing, Friday, after being hospitalized for a heart attack the week prior. It’s been reported that the heart attack was brought on by a drug overdose, but that has yet to be confirmed by his family.

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“His energy & passion was unmatched,” wrote Ashanti in an Instagram post. “His music will continue to touch and inspire millions forever. Truly one of one. Sending an abundance of love and prayers to the entire family. Rest In Peace X”

Gabrielle Union, who starred alongside X in the 2003 film, Cradle 2 the Grave, posted a lengthy tribute reflecting on the time they shared:

I was praying I wouldn’t have to think about how to describe what you meant to me. We bonded over our shared love of dogs, cold beers, Golden Girls reruns, New Edition and adventures. From random nights of go-karting in the hills of Sherman Oaks to bowling to just sitting in your trailer laughing with @anthonyanderson talking 80s soul music.

Check out some of the posts below.

The Weeknd

Ashanti

Lil’ Kim

Gabrielle Union

DJ Scheme

Anderson Silva

Mike Will Made It

Timbaland

Swizz Beatz

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LeVar Burton is adamant that he is the right person to take over hosting duties for the iconic game show Jeopardy!, following the death of longtime host Alex Trebek, who passed away last year. Burton explained why he’s the man for the job in a new interview with Entertainment Weekly.

“I’ve thought and thought and thought — I’ve asked friends and family to help me identify someone out there who’s more qualified for the job than I am,” he began. “I don’t believe there is anyone out there who is better suited for this job than me. And I will go to my grave believing that.”

“I think my whole career is an advertisement for being the host of Jeopardy,” he added.

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Burton has performed in a number of iconic roles from Kunta Kinte in the miniseries Roots, to Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation.

“It feels like, ‘Wow, they really are behind me,’” Burton said of those supporting him. “They want this for me as much as I want it for me, I believe, because it makes so much sense to them too.”

Greenbay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is currently hosting the program.

“I’ve got to believe that they’re paying attention,” he added. “And I hope they weigh this campaign as a factor in my favor.”

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MLB legend Alex Rodriguez and businessman Marc Lore are in the process of negotiating with Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor to purchase the NBA team. The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski reports that there is a 30-day exclusive negotiating window and if their bid is successful, Rodriguez and Lore will takeover ownership in two-and-a-half years.

“We look forward to entering this phase of the process with Glen Taylor,” the pair wrote in a statement confirming their interest in the organization. “Our respect for him and the legacy he has built lays an amazing foundation for what is to come. We are excited by the prospect of getting to know the Timberwolves organization the talented team and their incredible fans.”

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Last year, it was reported that Rodriguez and his wife Jennifer Lopez were interested in purchasing the New York Mets, but a concrete deal never came to fruition.

He explained the duo’s failed vision for the Mets in an interview with Sportico, last year:

When we looked at the Mets, we looked at it is intellectual property. … We looked at this like an entertainment sports media platform. And we thought baseball was just a small part of it. But through Jennifer we could we could drive the music with Live Nation business at Citi Field. With e-commerce we thought we had Mark Lloyd, best in class, what he’s done with Walmart, we could do the same with the Mets.

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Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw says that he is going “off the grid” for the next few weeks as he is “effectively blind” following emergency surgery on his left eye, Friday. Crenshaw lost his right eye while serving in the United States Navy during the War in Afghanistan.

“I am sorry to inform everyone that I will be pretty much off the grid for the next few weeks,” the Texas congressman wrote in a statement published on his social media pages.

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Crenshaw explained that he recently began experiencing “dark, blurry spots” in his eye and was diagnosed with a detaching retina.

He added that doctors placed a “gas bubble in my eye, which acts as a bandage for my retina.” Due to this, he will have to “face-down for the next week or so, unable to see anything.”

“This is a terrifying prognosis for someone with one eye, and the nature of the injuries that I sustained in Afghanistan. Anyone who knows the history of my injuries knows that I don’t have a ‘good eye,’ but half a good eye,” he continued in his statement.

Despite the diagnosis, he appears to be in good spirits: “I have gotten through worse before, and I will get through this.”

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A new poll conducted by Piplsay has found that 46% of Americans surveyed say that they would support Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson if he runs for president of the United States. The poll interviewed 30,130 people and included other celebrities and their potential move into politics, such as Matthew McConaughey.

Johnson recently flirted with rumors that he was considering a presidential run in the future telling USA Today that he will campaign “if that’s what the people wanted.”

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“I would consider a presidential run in the future if that’s what the people wanted,” he explained. “Truly I mean that, and I’m not flippant in any way with my answer. That would be up to the people…So I would wait, and I would listen. I would have my finger on the pulse, my ear to the ground.”

McConaughey has also teased a foray into politics, hinting at a run for governor of Texas.

“It’s something I’m giving consideration. Absolutely. What an honorable thing to even be able to consider,” he recently told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show.

Piplsay found that 29% of respondents would support both Johnson for president and McConaughey for Texas governor, while 17% would support just Johnson and 12% would support just McConaughey. 

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San Diego Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove threw a historic no-hitter during the team’s 3-0 victory against the Texas Rangers, Friday, but after drinking “11 or 12” bottles of water to start the game, Musgrove says he “had to piss so bad” by midway through the game. 

“I had to piss so bad in like the fourth or fifth inning,” he admitted afterward. “That was the one thing I didn’t want to break, the superstition of it. I didn’t want to have to go use the bathroom in the middle of a start.”

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Musgrove’s perfect performance was the first no-hitter in Padres history. It was also the first time Musgrove had thrown a no-hitter at any level in his career.

“It feels so incredible,” Musgrove told reporters after the victory. “The city of San Diego has shown me so much love, even before I came to the Padres. Just a San Diego kid that made it to the big leagues, so it feels even better to do it in a Padres uniform and selfishly be able to do it for my city and know that the kid from Grossmont High threw the first no-hitter.”

The Rangers recently allowed fans to return to their home stadium at 100% capacity.

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Following the death of legendary rapper DMX, his longtime collaborator and close friend Swizz Beatz released a lengthy video on Instagram reflecting on X’s life and the impact he had on those around him. Beatz had produced some of X’s biggest hits including “Ruff Ryders Anthem,” from his 1998 debut studio album It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot.

“My brother was a different type of brother—a different type of artist, a different type of creative, different type of spirit, different type of zone, different type of soul,” Swizz says in the video. “Since the day that I met him, he lived his for everyone else … You ain’t never seen DMX with a Lamborghini, you ain’t never seen my brother with a Rolls-Royce, you ain’t never seen him iced out with no jewelry. He did not care about any of that. He was the biggest … He was the biggest because he prayed for everybody else more than himself. He’d get on the stage and pray for 15,000 people, knowing that he needed more prayers than anybody that he was praying for.”

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X was hospitalized for a heart attack, which was reportedly brought on by a drug overdose, earlier this week. His family confirmed that he died on Friday. 

“My brother would take care of everybody before he would take care of himself. I never seen a human like him. The closest I’ve ever seen to a prophet …” Swizz continued. “Know why he was suffering? ’Cause he took everyone’s pain and made it his. His humanitarian work should be celebrated.”

Check out more reactions from the hip-hop community to X’s death here.

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